A Superstar in the Making...

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If you are a Minnesota sports fan then, first, I'm sorry. It's been a rough go of it for the last 30 years. I know this for a fact because I AM one. It's not been pretty. Since the Minnesota Twins won the worst-to-first World Series in 1991 there have been no banners in danger of being hung. In fact, this stretch of futility is now the worst in all of sports for places with at least three of the four "major" sports: NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. Woohoo! As one our local radio personalities likes to say, "If you can't be historically good, might as well be biblically bad!" We've got that covered.

But, one thing we HAVE had over the history of our teams is some incredible superstars. As in best of the best. We've seen performances for the ages and have had the joy of at least watching our teams be the envy of the sports world for short periods of time.

There's been Randy Moss. Probably the best NFL receiver to ever play the game as far as pure athleticism and pass-catching skills. Jerry Rice had more longevity and holds most of the records but I'd take Moss any day in their primes. Then there was Adrian Peterson. Just an incredible running back. Speed, power, quickness, and an overpowering drive to both punish you and make you look stupid, which he often did to opponents. Heartily satisfying. Some of his performances were just flat-out off the charts.

In basketball there was Kevin Garnett. An absolute freak of nature at 7 feet tall doing everything, everywhere. And starting as a humble 18 yr old kid. Of course he had to go to Boston to win a ring but what are you going to do....

And, of course, there was Kirby Puckett with his unstoppable charisma, stealing home runs and putting the team on his back in the biggest of moments.

But this is the self-proclaimed "State of Hockey". And the numbers back it up. There are five D-I hockey programs in the state (soon to be six) and all five of them are ranked in the top 20 in the country this year, with three in the top five. Hockey is a way of life in Minnesota. It's in the blood. There have been some really good players for the Minnesota Wild over the last 20+ years, but no real superstar. Until now.

Kirill Kaprizov has finally made it to Minnesota. After being drafted as an 18 yr old in the 5th round almost six years ago, he has finally finished his duties to the Russian hockey league and made his way to the NHL. And what an entrance it has been. His first regular season game saw him drop two assists and score the game-winning goal in overtime as the Wild overcame a two goal 3rd period deficit to beat the LA Kings. Two nights later he did it again, firing a perfect cross ice pass for a fluttering one-timer that again beat the Kings in OT.

Since then, he leads the Wild and all NHL rookies with 25 pts (10 goals, 15 assists) and has helped the Wild into 3rd place in the West after basically missing the playoffs last year. Everyone who has watched him play can see how special this kid is. His vision, tenacity, and unbelievable stickplay, along with his speed, quickness, and overall hockey IQ make him a must-see when he's in the game. There's just a whole other level to his game that people recognize the second he sets foot on the ice. It truly is a joy to watch.

This is not supposed to be "the year" for the Wild. They have a new GM, a new coach, and an overhauled roster as they unload some of the older players. But the energy and enthusiasm, plus an incredible work ethic, both during games and in practice, Kaprizov has brought with him has started to infuse and permeate its way through the rest of the lineup. Superstars have the ability to make those around them better and Kirill seems to be doing just that.

It's still early in his career obviously, but it is becoming very apparent around the league that a superstar has indeed been born in Minnesota. Who knows, maybe he can finally end the years of futility in the winners circle. At the very least, he'll be fun to watch.

In the immortal words of Bill Murray in Caddieshack, "So I've got THAT going for me, which is Nice!" :-)



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2 comments
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Great article and added you to tonight's curation for ocd.

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Nice! Thank you! Like I said, now that Leo is calming down a little I'm hoping I can contribute more to this community. There's really no reason Sports can't have a thriving environment.

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