Kirill Kaprizov Injury Update: Timeline of Minnesota Wild's star's recovery and expected return date

It appears that the Minnesota Wild will be without their superstar Kirill Kaprizov for the foreseeable future. The 25-year-old from Novokuznetsk, Russia, has been out of action since March 8th, after suffering a lower-body injury against the Winnipeg Jets. He is expected to return in 3-4 weeks with the Wild looking to get him back for the playoffs.

The talented forward limped off the ice during the matchup with the Jets and has reportedly not yet resumed skating. In his absence, the Minnesota Wild have done well without their star, posting a 7-1-2 record since Kaprizov has been out of the lineup.

"Since Nov. 19th, the #mnwild is 22-6-2 at @XcelEnergyCtr. Minnesota leads the NHL in home victories and is tied for second in home point percentage during that span." - Minnesota Wild PR

While the fact that the team has not tanked is a promising sign for the Wild, the team will be more than relieved to see Kirill Kaprizov return to the lineup.

Minnesota, who are currently leading the Central Division by one point, will be looking to make a deep postseason run, however, their ultimate ceiling is capped as long as Kaprizov is out of the lineup.

The Minnesota Wild have seen several players step up in Kirill Kaprizov's absence, most notably Matt Boldy

Replacing Kaprizov's production is nearly impossible, as the talented forward has posted 39 goals and 35 assists in 65 games this season. Losing one of the top players in the league could be devastating to nearly every team, however, the Minnesota Wild have seen the rest of their roster step up in Karpizov's absence.

Among those who have helped the team stay atop the Central Division is Matt Boldy. The 21-year-old forward has been on a tear since Kaprizov has been out of the lineup, scoring 11 goals in the time since the injury.

"GAMER: It’s impossible to be more locked in than Matt Boldy has been since Kirill Kaprizov went down on March 8. He has 11 goals in that span including another hat trick last night to lead the #MNWild to a 5-1 win over the #SEAKraken" - Dane Mizutani

Boldy's performances have been the talk of the NHL, as the forward has scored seven goals in his last five games, including two hat-tricks.

The second-year pro has been a revelation for the Wild this season. In 74 games, Matt Boldy has posted 28 goals and 29 assists so far this season, setting career highs in both categories.

It appears that the Wild have found another key piece for the future, as Boldy will be part of a core that includes Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Filip Gustavsson.