Sports

Wild's Kirill Kaprizov Wins Calder Trophy, Making Him NHL's Top Rookie

June 29, 2021 / 7:45 PM CDT / CBS Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's official: The Minnesota Wild's Kirill Kaprizov is the NHL's rookie of the year.

The 24-year-old Russian was awarded the Calder Trophy Tuesday, making him the first player in franchise history to win it.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 24: Kirill Kaprizov #97 of the Minnesota Wild takes a break during a stop in play in the second period of a game against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Five of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on May 24, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Wild defeated the Golden Knights 4-2. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

WCCO's Mike Max says Kaprizov led all first-year players in goals, and more importantly became the face of the future. He's the person the Wild will put on their mail-outs to attract season ticket holders, and the person they will start to build around.

The left wing was the Wild's 135th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, before he officially signed a two-year deal with the team in the summer of 2020. He was also part of Russia's gold medal-winning national hockey team during the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.