Marat Khusnutdinov News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/marat-khusnutdinov/ Minnesota sports, but different Fri, 07 Mar 2025 04:34:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=32,height=32,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-cropped-MSF-favicon-1.jpg Marat Khusnutdinov News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/marat-khusnutdinov/ 32 32 Minnesota Wild Trade for 27-Year-Old Forward Upgrade https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-wild/minnesota-wild-news/trade-bruins-justin-brazeau-marat-khusnutdinov-jakub-lauko/ Fri, 07 Mar 2025 04:34:06 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=61028 The 36-22-4 Minnesota Wild tried to play coy this week, when asked about their plans for the 2025 NHL trade deadline. They told reporters that superstar Kirill Kaprizov and top center Joel Eriksson Ek are expected to return by the end of the regular season.

That was supposed to mean president of hockey operations Bill Guerin wouldn’t be alloted any additional cap space to make much of an impact before Friday’s deadline. That, of course, was after the Wild traded for familiar face, Gustav Nyquist.

Minnesota Wild trade away Khusnutdinov, Lauko to Bruins for Justin Brazeau

Now, just a few days later, Billy has found yet another way to wheel and deal, despite Minnesota’s tight cap situation. This time, he has dealt away two forwards — Marat Khusnutdinov and Jakub Lauko — to the Boston Bruins in exchange for 27-year-old Canadian winger Justin Brazeau.

Brazeau has 10 goals, 20 points and 89 hits on the season, in rather limited ice time (12:58 TOI). He’s a big body forward who will immediately provide a presence in front of the net, until Eriksson Ek returns. The trade was first broken by Kevin Weekes (ESPN, NHL Network), who got the scoop fresh out of surgery.

Player (Age)GmTOIGAPts+/-
Justin Brazeau (27.1)5712:58101020-6
Marat Khusnutdinov (22.7)5711:14257-6
Jakub Lauko (24.9)3810:03336-5

For the amount of time on ice that Justin Brazeau receives on a nightly basis, his statistics this season are really impressive. He averages 3rd line minutes, but ranks top seven on the Bruins in goals and top 10 in both assists and points. The 6’6″, 227 lb former OHL North Bay Battalion star also played 86.2 minutes on the power play for Boston this season, where he scored four of his 10 goals on the year.

Related: With Stars Expected Back, MN Wild Preparing for Underwhelming NHL Trade Deadline

Brazeau was the only skater for Boston who scored more than ten goals but averaged less than 17.5 minutes of ice time per game. Our old friend Charlie Coyle is next down that list, with 17:38 average TOI (15 goals). No doubt Justin Brazeau represents a type of NHL talent that neither Khusnutdinov nor Lauko provided at this point in their careers.

]]> Thu, 06 Mar 2025 22:34:09 +0000 Minnesota Wild News Minnesota Wild Kirill Kaprizov Injury Update: Latest News on Minnesota Wild Superstar Not Good https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-wild/minnesota-wild-news/kirill-kaprizov-injury-update/ Sat, 23 Nov 2024 21:57:14 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=57586 The Minnesota Wild are on the ice playing against the Calgary Flames, as I write this unfortunate update on their superstar Kirill Kaprizov. On Thursday, Kaprizov fell victim to an open-ice hit, from Edmonton Oilers forward Drake Caggiula, which resulted in some ugly knee-to-knee contact.

It was 23-year-old Matt Boldy who came to the defense of his 27-year-old teammate, who laid face-down on the ice, after the hit. Kaprizov left the ice for a short time, but returned not long after.

Kirill Kaprizov played most of his normal workload, through the last 1.5 periods vs Edmonton. He finished with 22:51 TOI, in 24 total shifts. After scoring a goal in the 1st period, and taking the league lead in points scored, the Wild’s superstar didn’t get on the scoresheet the rest of the evening.

Kirill Kaprizov could miss more time than just Minnesota Wild vs Calgary

Still, there wasn’t a lot of concern over Kaprizov’s status for Saturday’s game against the Calgary Flames. That was until just minutes before puck drop, when Kirill was ruled OUT with a “lower-body injury”.

Related: Minnesota Wild Still Donā€™t Like Marco Rossi; Trade May be Imminent

This is the first game he’s missed on the season. According to Michael Russo (The Athletic), however, it may not be the last. Kaprizov’s injury will be further evaluated by the Minnesota Wild’s orthopedist on Sunday. Fellow Russian, Marat Khusnutdinov’s lower-body injury has his future status set as, “Day-to-Day”.

TheĀ Minnesota WildĀ will be without leading scorerĀ Kirill KaprizovĀ on Saturday afternoon against theĀ Calgary FlamesĀ and potentially longer after taking a knee-on-knee hit from theĀ Edmonton Oilersā€™Ā Drake Caggiula.

Michael Russo – The Athletic

On the season, Kirill Kaprizov has 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists). That’s tied with Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon for the NHL lead. Per NHL rules (h/t to Russo), Kirill’s franchise-record of 11-straight road games recording a point, has come to an end. Hopefully, if the best player in franchise history has to miss more time, he’s not out long.

]]> Sat, 23 Nov 2024 15:57:17 +0000 Minnesota Wild News Minnesota Wild Minnesota Wild Sign Top KHL Prospect Marat Khusnutdinov to Help Immediately https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-wild/minnesota-wild-sign-marat-khusnutdinov-khl/ Wed, 28 Feb 2024 21:47:59 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=48330 The Minnesota Wild have reached an agreement with 21-year-old Russian forward prospect Marat Khusnutdinov, who then general manager Bill Guerin selected in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft.

Rumors started circling weeks ago that Khusnutdinov could join the Wild when his KHL season ended, but there were questions about whether or not he would be allowed an early release from his contract, which wasn’t scheduled to expire until April 30.

Khusnutdinov entry-level deal with the Wild is two years, $925,000 per season and, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic, his representatives received finalized paperwork from his team confirming mutual termination of his KHL contract on Wednesday morning.

When to expect Marat Khusnutdinov to play for Minnesota Wild

As long as they can get his VISA situation figured out they will burn the first year of that two-year deal and have him report to Minnesota immediately upon his arrival in the USA. They’ve already set aside the number 22 sweater for him.

The Wild will burn the first year of his contract and have him report to Minnesota once his U.S. work visa and immigration papers are complete.

Wild GM Bill Guerin toldĀ The AthleticĀ that he expects Khusnutdinov to play and ā€œhelp us,ā€ but theyā€™ll do ā€œthe right thing for the team.ā€ The inference is Guerin understands the Wild are battling for a playoff spot and coach John Hynes will go with the players he most trusts.

Michael Russo – The Athletic

There you go. Barring any setbacks, the plan is to see if Marat can hang in the NHL as a barely-legal kid who’s being dropped into a new country. Russo reported earlier in the week that Khusnutdinov and Kirill Kaprizov have been texting and talking regularly, in recent weeks.

Khusnutdinov in the KHL

During the 2023-24 season, Khusnutdinov played 49 games with HK Sochi in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), tallying 20 points (6 goals, 14 assists) and earning 10 penalty minutes. He ranked fifth on the team in assists and seventh in points, while also serving as the team captain. Khusnutdinov started the season with SKA St. Petersburg, playing six games before being traded to HK Sochi on Oct. 10.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Crush NFLPA Player Team Rankings Again but Fall Off Top Spot

Khusnutdinov had a strong season with SKA St. Petersburg in the 2022-23 KHL, scoring 41 points (11 goals, 30 assists) in 63 games. He ranked second in assists and sixth in goals on the team, tying for seventh in overall points. He made history as the youngest player in SKA St. Petersburg’s history to reach 50 career points.

]]> Wed, 28 Feb 2024 15:47:59 +0000 Minnesota Wild Blockbuster Billy Trades Away Luke Kunin and Drafts Two More Projected Studs https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-wild/blockbuster-billy-trades-away-luke-kunin-and-drafts-two-more-projected-studs/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-wild/blockbuster-billy-trades-away-luke-kunin-and-drafts-two-more-projected-studs/#respond Wed, 07 Oct 2020 17:38:04 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=30325

Welcome to a new and refreshing world for the Minnesota Wild. Yesterday, Bill Guerin and Co waited patiently at pick #9 of the 2020 NHL Draft and it paid off when the drafted Austrian (C) Marco Rossi, who many see as the steal of the first round.

Day 2 brought fireworks before it even got started. Billy wanted an old confidant to come help lead a young team and the Nashville Predators wanted Luke Kunin. So, the Wild traded the latter and brought back (32 yr-old) Nick Bonino and an extra 2nd round pick in return (which they’ve already used wisely — keep reading).

Nick Bonino is a proven commodity around the NHL and someone who Billy Guerin trusts, from their time together in Pittsburgh. Kunin had been a bit of a disappointment but clearly still held some value. If the Wild didn’t see him as a good fit for what they are trying to build, now was the perfect time to make a deal. If you care about “Z-Score”, then this trade will make sense to you.

The Wild used that extra second round pick on another Russian (and center), Marat Khusnutdinov, who currently plays center in the KHL. Jake Jansen has him as his 20th overall prospect in the entire draft. There’s no other league I feel more confident in picking players from, than the KHL. If youngsters can play there, then there’s a good chance they’ll transition to the NHL successfully too, especially on a team that is already laced with others Russians to help them feel comfortable.

Marek has the rest of this season, and then one more, under KHL contract. According to Russo, he’s excited to come over.

Bill Guerin and his newly acquired right-hand draft guru, Judd Bracket, used their 3rd pick of the 2020 draft (#39 overall) on yet another prospect who many are labeling, ‘a steal’. This time, it was defenseman, Ryan O’Rourke, who Michael Russo pins as a future captain-type player with a major mean streak. That’s a side of the game the Minnesota Wild have noticeably lacked for a long time. I love the piece HockeyWriters.com did on O’Rourke being the steal of the draft (see excerpt below).

Now a little perspective. That smile was a noteworthy thing. Up to that point in the interview, his answers were short and straight to the point. But as soon as we started talking about NHL defensemen and who he models himself after, the mood changed. It was something he takes a lot of pride in.

His answer? Duncan Keith.

I then made an observation to Oā€™Rourke after he mentioned Keith. I said to him you really seem to thrive when you play that in your face style. It was at that point his smile got even bigger. It was then that I knew this player was going to be a pain at the next level in the best way possible.

Whoever drafts Oā€™Rourke is going to get a dependable defenseman who will have no trouble causing headaches for the opposition. But then if his team has the puck, thereā€™s a good chance heā€™s involved in the scoring. Heā€™s a two-way defenseman that in my mind is not getting nearly enough attention.

Mark Scheig – HockeyWriters.com

There’s no guarantee that any of these moves or draft picks will work out but, in reality, there never is. The Minnesota Wild hired Bill Guerin as general manager, who then surrounded himself with hockey people that are well-respected around the NHL, including someone like Judd Bracket.

When you make highly-coveted (Guerin was) front office hires, you have to trust them to make the right decisions and, from all early signs, Billy has been very smart and strategic about his 2020 bold offseason maneuvers.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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