The Minnesota Wild forward had a jaw-dropping shift where he skated circles around the beleaguered Colorado Avalanche and impressed former NHL player and longtime hockey analyst Peter McNab. Kaprizov's skating also drew comparisons to that of Avalanche star Cale Makar.
Kaprizov held the puck for much of 1:01 shift in the second period during four-on-four action. He circled the net four times with the puck, dancing on his inside skate edges and eluding Colorado defenders while creating a near wraparound goal that was stopped by Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer.
"That was remarkable," said McNab of Kaprizov's shift on Altitude Sports. "He made two plays at the tops of the circles where his edging was so remarkable. … I can't even imagine how talented you have to be.
"That was one of the most fun shifts to watch for just pure hockey skating skill."
Kaprizov's moves wore out the Avalanche and inspired the Wild, and just seconds later Marcus Foligno scored a shorthanded goal that gave Minnesota a 3-1 lead.
"What an absolute clinic by Kaprizov on skating," Wild analyst Ryan Carter said. "The guy is unbelievable on his edges. He's got the hips wide open. I love the mentality this guy gets when there's a little extra space out there - four-on-four. He just seems to flip another switch and says I'm going to go into another gear. Man, he's fun to watch, and that skating, he's so skilled on his edges."
The 23-year-old, Russian-born forward had two assists in 15:18 of ice time, including another that dazzled McNab in the third period on Ryan Hartman's goal. Aided by Kaprisov's skill, the Wild claimed a 6-2 win, their fourth straight victory.
