Even With Kaprizov's Imminent Return, Can the Wild Actually Advance This Time?

The Dallas Stars weren't the only Central Division team who clinched a playoff spot on the third day of April. The abbreviated hockey Monday kicked off in Minnesota with the Wild hosting the Vegas Golden Knights, with the former looking to lock in a playoff spot. A win would get it done, but just when it looked like they would get the win, Vegas tied it and forced overtime. It went to a shootout, which Vegas ended up winning, so with only one point acquired, the Wild had to look to the Dallas Stars to get them in, as they needed Dallas to defeat the Nashville Predators. Dallas did just that, so not only did Dallas clinch with their win, Minnesota got in with Nashville's loss.

You know, the Wild have never been a powerhouse, but despite this, they have now reached the playoffs 10 times in the last 11 seasons. However, they are still looking for something resembling that long Cinderella run they went on 20 years prior, which was the Wild's first ever playoff appearance in franchise history. Though Minnesota has delivered some surprise upsets, they haven't really had a good run since that 2003 appearance in the Western Conference Final. Last season saw them ousted in a Central Division Semifinal series against the Blues, that forced this hockey fan to admit that this team isn't as deep as I thought they were.

I am a huge fan of Kirill Kaprizov. The kid is monstrous. He can score a hat trick blindfolded. But thanks to last year's playoffs, I learned one thing about Kaprizov: he's all by himself. The Wild scored 16 goals in last year's playoffs. Seven of them were Kaprizov's. I sank when Kaprizov got injured, mainly because I had him in two leagues, but also because I figured that the Wild would get slaughtered without him. Despite this, the Wild are 7-2-3 since Kaprizov went down. I still don't know how that's possible, and as an Avalanche fan, it baffles and upsets me that no one's beating this team when they're down. I mean, when the Avs had to play without Nathan MacKinnon for a spell, they won games because that team is very deep. The Wild are not a deep team. Yet they're 7-2-3 since Kaprizov's injury. One of the great mysteries in hockey, up there with Martin Gelinas' "goal" in the 2004 Cup Final.

The Wild are scoring just under three goals per game (2.92), and that's with Kaprizov (for the most part). Their power play and penalty kill are both in the upper half of the league list, but barely. The Wild have somehow skated by (not a pun) in spite of the circumstances, and it got them a playoff spot...just as Kaprizov is on his way to returning. Minnesota's still in a close race in the Central, not only with Dallas, but with Colorado as well. The Wild have only won one division title in their franchise history, and that came in the 2007-08 season when they won the old Northwest Division. With this current format, which has existed for 10 years now, winning the division is very important, because it guarantees the easiest playoff opponent in Round 1. The season ends on April 14, and it may need that final day to determine who finishes first in that very tight Central Division.

As for the playoffs, there's only one way the Wild can survive past Round 1: someone other than Kirill the Thrill has to be a consistent producer. If that doesn't happen, Minnesota can expect even more playoff disappointment. Plain and simple.

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