Kirill Kaprizov for Hart? ST. PAUL - Kirill Kaprizov may have been previously described as a slow start type of player but that isn't the case this year. The Minnesota Wild winger extended his point streak to seven games on Friday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was also his seventh straight multi-point game. He has six goals, 11 assists, and 17 points in his last seven games. His seven consecutive multi-point games is a franchise record. It isn't just about all the points for Kaprizov though. He is on the ice to protect leads late in games. “I think it’s the style of play. It’s the way that he plays, the way that he competes, his willingness to play on both sides of the puck," Wild head coach John Hynes said on Kaprizov. "He’s out on the 5-on-6, right, so he has some of those goals. But you’re not just putting him out there because you want to get him an empty-net goal. He’s proven that he’s committed to play both sides of the puck 5-on-5 and he’s been very good in those situations. "I think that’s what makes him special. We talk about a one-trick pony, he’s not a one-trick pony. He’s obviously a point guy and a highly talented offensive player but his commitment to play for the team and his commitment to do the things necessary when he doesn’t have the puck is what’s really impressive to me.” Kaprizov, 27, became the first player this season to reach the 20-point mark and just the fifth different player since 2000-01 with 21 through his first 10 games of a campaign. Only Connor McDavid (twice), Leon Draisaitl, and Mario Lemieux have had more points through the first ten games of a season in NHL history since 2000-01. What does Kaprizov himself think? “I feel good. I feel like when you won the games, you feel always good. Everyone in the locker room I think like this.” His play is something Wild fans haven't seen before and Minnesota born defenseman Brock Faber can relate to that. "Yeah, hey, I’m from Minnesota. … Obviously, you guys all see how good he is on the ice, how well he's playing. Such a complete game, too," Faber said on Kaprizov leading the NHL in points. "He works his ass off day in, day out. And then the player he is off the ice, that's the coolest part for me, and I think the whole team." Kaprizov became the first player in Wild history to be the first in the League (tied or outright) to 20 points in a season. "He's such a good teammate, he's such a good leader, such a good person,"Faber said. "He's the best player in the league right now. Actually, cut that out. I don't want to jinx him. But, no, he deserves it all. Everything he's doing right now, he's been the leader of our team, no doubt." In ten games this season, Kaprizov has seven goals and 21 points. "He’s feeling it, like you guys said. Some of the best hockey he’s ever played," Jake Middleton said on Kaprizov. "He does this all the time for me. I think pucks are just dropping for him right now but we’ll run with it as long as he’s doing it." Kaprizov's quick start to the season has helped the Wild start 7-1-2 (16 points). Which is one of the best starts to the season in franchise history. They are trailing only the 2006-07 Wild who went 9-1-0 (18 points) to start the year. “We’re not riding a wave of emotion," Hynes said on the team's start. "It’s understanding how we need to play, that there’s going to be good things you don’t need to get too high. I think there’s going to be times where you hit adversity you’re not going to get too low. It’s about doing the right things and the next one. I think it’s no different. "Things are going really well for us in the win column and finding ways to win games. But we all know there’s going to be stretches, too, where it’s going to get a little bit more difficult and I think at that point too it’s not getting too too low and that’s something we’re trying to continue to do." Let us know what you think by commenting below or on the Forum [https://thehockeynews.rtb.io/minnesota-wild/posts]. Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' Minnesota Wild page [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild/] for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.
