Veteran forward Mats Zuccarello has begun Minnesota Wild training camp limited to light activity due to an injury, the full nature of which currently remains undisclosed. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reported today that Zuccarello has an appointment on Monday that will “determine surgery vs no surgery,” according to Wild head coach John Hynes. Zuccarello is already slated to miss the start of the regular season per prior reporting from Russo, but depending on the medical opinion received tomorrow, the absence could conceivably extend quite a bit.
The loss of Zuccarello, 38, would be a major one for a Wild team entering a potentially franchise-altering regular season. Franchise face Kirill Kaprizov is a pending UFA and while the club has been vocal in its willingness to do pretty much anything in order to secure Kaprizov’s signature on an extension, Kaprizov has thus far appeared hesitant to commit the future of his playing prime to Minnesota. The best thing the Wild can do to convince Kaprizov is likely to win as much, and as early, as possible – something that will be made more difficult by any extended Zuccarello absence. Zuccarello scored 19 goals and 54 points in 69 games last season, and in his absence his lineup spot has been filled by 2022 first-rounder Liam Ohgren, who has reportedly had an impressive start to camp.