Relieved Wild welcome Kaprizov back after summer in Russia
By DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Sports Writer
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov’s return to his native Russia after the Minnesota Wild were ousted from the playoffs last spring led to a stressful offseason for the entire organization. The franchise player ran into several roadblocks in his attempt to travel back to the U.S. The war in Ukraine and American-Russian political relations have made a trip home to visit family and friends not so simple anymore. The gist of the issue was getting an extension of Kaprizov’s work visa. The 25-year-old left wing had 47 goals and 61 assists in 81 games during the 2021-22 season.