Maxim Shabanov will likely get the chance to start the season on Kirill Kaprizov's line; given his similarities to Mats Zuccarello, can he fill those shoes?
Through nearly the first week of training camp, we've started to see what the Minnesota Wild's opening night roster might look like, and who will be playing with who.
The roster is fairly veteran-driven, but with players like Charlie Stramel, Rieger Lorenz and Carson Lambos looking to leave strong impressions, they could inflict some youth into the roster.
With the lines fairly set, that means we are very likely to see Maxim Shabanov paired with Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman to start the season.
Kaprizov's linemates have been a major talking point during the off-season, as he's been stapled to a line with Mats Zuccarello throughout his NHL career, and after the Wild elected not to sign him and watched him join the Los Angeles Kings, we'll see the first season of Kirill Kaprizov without Zuccarello.
There were several reasons why the Wild decided not to re-sign Zuccarello, but the most interesting reason came from Elliotte Friedman, who reported that he heard the Wild decided to move on from Zuccarello because Kaprizov and Zuccarello had become to focused on playing with one another. The team felt that at times, they only looked for each other, and it would hurt them more than it did good, at times.
With him out of the equation, the Wild needed to find Kaprizov a new running mate. Coach John Hynes has been reluctant to pair Matt Boldy with Kaprizov because it weakens their depth, so a player had to be found within the organization, or on the market.
The decision, at least to start the season, is Shabanov, and the similarties between Shabanov and Zuccarello are obvious.
Zuccarello never beat his opponents with speed, nor did he do so with his frame, as he stands just 5-foot-8. Zuccarello played with brain, finding pockets of open areas quicker than his opponents, feathering passes through tight windows and using dynamic puck skills.
Those points apply to how Shabanov approaches the game; he just hasn't had the runway in the NHL to do so. Shabanov stands 5-foot-9, and although his first NHL season wasn't smooth sailing, his KHL history shows what he can do with the puck.
It might take some time for the Russian's to build their chemistry, but if Shabanov can emulate the offensive approach as Zuccarello had with Kaprizov, the pair could find similar success.
The key to playing with Kaprizov is to always be ready to receive a pass. Whether Shabanov is in a high danger area or on the perimeter, Kaprizov is always looking to make a pass. Another element that made Kaprizov and Zuccarello so dynamite together was their use of give-and-gos. If Shabanov connects with Kaprizov, they will use give-and-gos frequently.
Tonight, Shabanov will take the ice for the first time as a Wild player, alongside Bobby Brink and Danila Yurov. It's the first test to show what he can bring to the organization.
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