Kirill Kaprizov played like the NHL's best rookie all season long, and now he has the hardware to prove it.
The Wild newcomer won the Calder Memorial Trophy on Tuesday, getting crowned the league's top first-year player during a televised NHL Awards show.
"I really enjoyed everything, from my play on ice to the team game," Kaprizov said through a translator on the TV broadcast. "Everything this season kind of came together, and it was truly special."
Kaprizov is the first Calder recipient in Wild history, accruing a whopping 99 of 100 first-place votes.
This is the highest percentage of first-place votes in Calder balloting since 1992-93, when Winnipeg's Teemu Selanne was the top pick on all 50 ballots. Kaprizov was also named to the NHL's All-Rookie Team.
Dallas forward Jason Robertson finished second for the Calder Trophy and Carolina goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic rounded out the top three. Wild goalie Kaapo Kahkonen tied for 15th in award voting, which is done by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Although he was drafted in the fifth round in 2015, Kaprizov didn't sign an entry-level contract with the Wild until last summer – a lag in which he turned into the organization's most prized prospect while competing in his native Russia.
His pre-NHL accolades included a gold medal from the 2018 Winter Olympics and two KHL championships; twice Kaprizov led the league in goals.
And once he made his NHL debut with the Wild, Kaprizov didn't slow down.
Instead, he continued to dazzle to help the Wild make the playoffs in a transition year.
Not only did his 27 goals lead the Wild and all NHL rookies, but they ranked eighth overall in the league. Kaprizov's 51 points in 55 games were also tops on the Wild and among first-year players, along with his eight power play goals and 157 shots. His 24 assists were second.
Kaprizov also rewrote the Wild record book, claiming multiple categories including goals, assists and points. The 24-year-old left winger went on a six-game point streak, a four-game multi-point game streak and a five-game goal streak – all franchise firsts for a rookie. He's also just the third player in NHL history to score in overtime in his debut, a memorable three-point effort Jan.14 at Los Angeles that set the tone for Kaprizov's dynamic season.
Kirill Kaprizov's 2020-21 statistics
Aside from acknowledging his family and friends for their support, Kaprizov thanked the Wild after receiving the award.
"Without them, none of this would be possible," Kaprizov said. "From all of my teammates to all of the coaching staff to the organization to the administrative team, everyone has helped me tremendously both on and off the ice."
Nabbing the Calder Trophy repositioned the spotlight over Kaprizov's strong first impression, but he was never going to slip off the radar this summer.
Kaprizov is up for a new contract and re-signing him is a priority for the Wild in the offseason; same with the team's other offensive leaders in Kevin Fiala and Joel Eriksson Ek.
Unlike Fiala and Eriksson Ek, who are restricted free agents with arbitration rights, Kaprizov has the unique distinction of not meeting restricted free agency or unrestricted free agency requirements. He's only allowed to negotiate and sign with the Wild, is ineligible for an offer sheet from another team and doesn't have arbitration rights. The longest the Wild could sign him for is for eight years.
"I enjoyed everything about the game," Kaprizov said. "I enjoyed the atmosphere in the locker room. I enjoyed playing on the ice with my teammates. I enjoyed the playoff atmosphere and the rinks we played in. The organization was amazing."
