Wild star Kirill Kaprizov held out of practice after leaving preseason game early

Dane Mizutani, Pioneer Press
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After taking a shot off the foot in Sunday’s preseason opener, Wild star Kirill Kaprizov did not participate in Monday’s practice.

Any cause for concern? None, according to Wild coach Dean Evason.

“No issues,” Evason told reporters after a lengthy practice at TRIA Rink in downtown St. Paul. “He doesn’t need to skate today. He’s fine.”

It sounds as if the Wild are simply being cautious with Kaprizov at the moment. He is the lifeblood of the team, and there’s no sense in rushing him back. Not with the Oct. 13 season opener off in the distance.

“Why put his boot in it today?” Evason said. “Let’s let it calm right down and get better.”

If this was the playoffs, or even the regular season, it’s likely Kaprizov would already be back on the ice. He didn’t want to come out of the preseason game when he was hit by the puck, and actually had to be convinced to leave the ice before the final buzzer sounded.

Nonetheless, the next few days should give Kaprizov some time to rest.

“We’ll make sure we’re doing the right things,” Evason said. “In all honesty, I don’t think he’s scheduled to play again until the next home game.”

ADDISON IMPRESSES

While everyone was talking about top prospect Marco Rossi in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s preseason opener, and for good reason, fellow prospect Calen Addison also had an impressive showing. He scored a goal in the game and looked cool, calm and collected on the blue line.

That could go a long way as Addison tries to make the team out of training camp. There’s a spot open for him after the Wild traded veteran defenseman Dmitry Kulikov last month.

Has that been on Addison’s mind at all?

“That’s not really the way I look at it,” he said. “It’s a business and everyone has to come in and earn their job every day and play the best they can no matter what age they are. It’s been a couple of years of showing what I can do and doing whatever it takes every night.”

ROSTER MOVES

The Wild cut their training camp roster down to 51 players on Monday.

The Wild assigned center Caedan Bankier and defensman Kyle Masters to the Kamloops Blazers (WHL), center Hunter Haight to the Barrie Colts (OHL), center Servac Petrovsky to the Owen Sound Attack (OHL), winger Josh Pillar to the Saskatoon Blades (WHL), and defenseman David Spacek to the Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL).

In a separate move, the Wild released goaltender Thomas Milic from his amateur tryout.

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