When Marian Gaborik left Minnesota in the summer of 2009, the Wild’s first draft pick had spent eight NHL seasons becoming the franchise’s career goals leader with 219. The way Kirill Kaprizov is scoring lately, that record might not make it to the Olympic break.
With two more goals on Monday, including the overtime winner versus Montreal, Kaprizov’s career mark stands at 217 with one more game on Wednesday night in Nashville before he gets a three-week break.
Kaprizov #97 of the Minnesota Wild skates with the puck against the New Jersey Devils in the first period at Grand Casino Arena on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026 in St Paul. (Brad Rempel/Getty Images)
Gaborik needed 502 games for the Wild to set the goals record. As of Monday’s final horn, Kaprizov has played 376 games for Minnesota — and scored seven goals in the Wild’s past six games. He leads the team with 32.
While eight current Wild players and two more from the team’s minor league organization head to the Olympics, Kaprizov will get some time to rest and recover. Russia is barred from participation in the Games because of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. For his Minnesota teammates who would likely have played against Kaprizov in Milan, going to Italy is bittersweet.
“Kind of thankful he’s not in the tournament, because that’s obviously scary the way he’s playing,” joked Brock Faber, who will play defense for Team USA. “No, it stinks for him. And, you know, it’s all just part of it, ups and downs. Great players find a way to get out of ruts, and a rut for him is a lot different from other players in this league. He’s playing fantastic, and it’s fun to watch.”
What passes for a “rut” by Kaprizov standards began just before Christmas, when he went through a 16-game stretch with just three goals. He posted 15 assists in that span, so there were few complaining about his production.
Reflecting on that relatively dry spell, Wild coach John Hynes recalled several nights where Kaprizov likely deserved multiple goals but the puck was not going in the net for him. The workaholic star, who is widely known to spend an extra 30 minutes or more after practice shooting and tipping pucks, kept doing what he does, and the results are seen on the scoresheet now.
“He continued to play the right way, he continued to compete,” Hynes said. “I like the fact that he’s shooting the puck now. He’s driving on offense. He’s scoring in different ways. And I think that’s, when you have that type of talent and the competitor that he is, that’s what you want to be, to be a deadly threat.”
As part of the Wild’s 25th anniversary celebration in the fall, Gaborik and other stars from the early days of the franchise came back to Minnesota, and Kaprizov got to meet the Slovakian star whose record he is close to eclipsing.
“I talk with him. It was fun because I remember when I was a kid I watched, I saw how he played for the national team and other teams,” Kaprizov said, admitting he was too young to have first-hand memories of Gaborik’s time in Minnesota. “I don’t remember actually (very) good, but I saw highlights. I think he was fast and nice shot, I think. Because he have so good shot, like quick wrist, and pretty fast. Good skater.”
Asked about his forthcoming Olympic break, Kaprizov said it will be a chance to get healthier for the team’s March push to the playoffs.
“I hope (to) come back, take break and feel better. I don’t know how many games left before playoffs, 20-something, right? Yeah, be ready for playoffs,” Kaprizov said.
Asked if getting a break during a hot streak is good or bad, Kaprizov said, “I don’t know. We’ll see. You never know it’s better or it’s not better. Sometimes when it’s going, you just want to play every night, every second night. Just keep playing. But we’ll see.”
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