However, there is still plenty to sort out during camp and the preseason. Here are five burning questions for the season, some of which may be answered in camp while others linger into the season.<\/p>\n
1. Will Kirill Kaprizov re-sign?<\/p>\n
There is no more important question for the Wild. It\u2019s arguably one of the biggest in the history of the franchise.<\/p>\n
President of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin said nobody should \u201cpanic\u201d if the superstar wasn\u2019t signed on July 1. Well, it\u2019ll be Sept. 1 in two days.<\/p>\n
Does that mean it won\u2019t happen? Absolutely not. Kaprizov is expected to return to Minnesota within the next 7-10 days, and Guerin will have the opportunity for a face-to-face meeting. Money doesn\u2019t seem to be a hurdle here. Not the average annual value (AAV), not the bonus structure. This is all in Kaprizov\u2019s hands and rightfully so.<\/p>\n
At 28, he\u2019s one year away from unrestricted free agency. This is his career \u2014 and it could be his last big deal, if he wants it. Kaprizov has said nothing is more important to him than winning, and he has to decide if he can do that with the Wild over an eight-year term. Or would he prefer a shorter, three- or four-year deal? The last we spoke to Kaprizov, at the end of the season, he said<\/a> he loved it in Minnesota and contract negotiations \u201cshould be all good.\u201d<\/p>\n If this issue is not resolved by the start of camp on Sept. 18 or the season opener, then it could become interesting. For what it\u2019s worth, Connor McDavid hasn\u2019t signed with the Edmonton Oilers yet, either, and he\u2019s in the same position as Kaprizov, one year removed from unrestricted free agency. Leon Draisaitl didn\u2019t sign his eight-year extension with Edmonton until Sept. 3 a year ago, when he was heading into his final year of his contract.<\/p>\n Guerin sounded optimistic on his annual KFAN appearance<\/a> at the Minnesota State Fair on Friday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been talking all summer. Things are good,\u201d Guerin said. \u201cThings are in a good spot. I\u2019m comfortable with where everything is. I\u2019m confident. Kirill loves Minnesota. I know he loves Minnesota. I know he believes in the team. These things just take time.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Where will Danila Yurov slot in?<\/p>\n Yurov is the Wild\u2019s top forward prospect by far. He\u2019s exciting, a playmaker and, in the long term at least, a center. There\u2019s a lot to be optimistic about.<\/p>\n Yurov is also a rookie, set to play in North America for the first time. There might be growing pains. Or he might take off right away. Right now, his role is in his hands. How he plays during camp and the preseason will dictate whether he\u2019s a top-six center, middle-six center or starts at the wing.<\/p>\n Right now, Joel Eriksson Ek and Marco Rossi appear slotted ahead of him. Ryan Hartman played well enough in the playoffs to earn a top-six spot, though he can be a winger, too. Let\u2019s let this one play out, but Yurov could easily surprise everyone.<\/p>\n Whether the Wild take the next step depends mainly on how their young players perform (Zeev Buium, Yurov, Liam Ohgren, David Jiricek, Rossi). And Yurov comes with the most mystery and intrigue as he arrives from Russia.<\/p>\n 3. How green will the blue line look?<\/p>\n We know Jonas Brodin will miss some time at the start of the season. It may only be a week or two, but even so, that opens a spot in the lineup.<\/p>\n Without Brodin, the left side of the defense depth chart is: Jake Middleton, Buium, Johnson and Carson Lambos. Declan Chisholm was traded, and Jon Merrill is still unsigned.<\/p>\n For now, it appears that the Wild are preparing for Buium and Jiricek to compete for roles. Give them credit. They showed up committed, Buium on July 27 and Jiricek on Aug. 3. Buium said his focus was getting stronger in the summer, adding 10 to 12 pounds. Jiricek, coming off a lacerated spleen, knew how big this offseason would be for him entering a contract year, and he\u2019s determined to stick.<\/p>\n Johnson, a Cup champ, provides insurance on his PTO. He very well could make the team, but he\u2019s also the type of guy who could accept a reserve, seventh-defenseman role. It might be better for him there than a Carson Lambos, for example.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot to be sorted out in camp, but the Wild don\u2019t seem deterred by having youth on the blue line.<\/p>\n Zeev Buium has put in the work to secure a significant role in 2025-26. (Ethan Miller \/ Getty Images)4. What\u2019s the plan for the new guys?<\/p>\n The Wild\u2019s main offseason acquisitions were Vladimir Tarasenko and Nico Sturm.<\/p>\n Sturm, in his second stint in Minnesota, has a defined role, primarily as the fourth-line center and penalty killer. His strength on faceoffs will make him valuable, with coach John Hynes telling The Athletic<\/a> recently that he could take some tough defensive zone starts for other centers.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2211614027-scaled.jpg\")
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