Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov is pushed by Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour during a matchup at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, on October 24, 2026.
Written by Gina Anton
For Kirill Kaprizov, losing Mats Zuccarello means more than adjusting to a new linemate. After years of building chemistry on the ice and a close friendship away from it, the Minnesota Wild winger is entering a season without one of the people who helped him find his footing in the NHL.
When Kaprizov arrived in Minnesota in 2020, he spoke little English and was adapting to life in a new country. Zuccarello became both a trusted teammate and a friend, helping him navigate the league while developing an instinctive connection on the ice. The two learned each other's timing and tendencies, allowing their passes and movement to become almost automatic. Of Kaprizov's 475 career points entering this new chapter, 389 came in games when Zuccarello was in the lineup.
Kaprizov has not hidden how much the separation means to him.
“For me, it’s sad a little bit. We’re good friends, and everyone knows that,” he said in September.
Although he understands that roster changes are part of professional hockey, losing that familiarity creates a different challenge for a player who spent years relying on the same connection.
Now, Kaprizov must build that chemistry with new teammates while continuing to carry the expectations that come with being Minnesota's franchise player. The Wild have experimented with different combinations, including fellow Russian forwards Danila Yurov and Maxim Shabanov, before turning to Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek on the top line. Each change presents an opportunity, but developing the kind of instinctive connection Kaprizov shared with Zuccarello takes time.
The transition also gives Kaprizov a chance to become the experienced player who helps others settle in. He knows what it is like to enter an unfamiliar environment, learn a new system and depend on teammates to find his place. With Shabanov joining Minnesota after his first NHL season with the New York Islanders, Kaprizov has already expressed a willingness to help guide the newcomer.
Zuccarello's departure does not erase what the two built together, nor does it mean Kaprizov cannot succeed without him. Instead, it marks a new stage in his development, one in which he must find new connections while helping Minnesota's offense evolve.
Kaprizov has already established himself as one of the NHL's most dangerous scorers. The next step is showing that the chemistry that made him and Zuccarello so effective can be recreated with someone else, and that he can help his new linemates become better players along the way.
