It once looked as though the Minnesota Wild will play the 2022-23 NHL season without their best player, Kirill Kaprizov, after news that the forward was stopped from leaving Russia earlier this summer because of alleged possession of a fake military ID in 2017.

However, it appears that Kaprizov will be fine after all, with Michael Russo of The Athletic reporting that the Russian left winger is back in the United States, a very good sign for his future with the Wild.

“Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov is safe and sound in the United States, according to multiple NHL sources. He left Russia late last week by way of Turkey, arrived over the weekend in New York City and is scheduled to fly to Minnesota on Tuesday.”

It's not clear whether the Wild getting  Kirill Kaprizov a US work visa was the main reason he successfully exited Russia or that his camp in his motherland managed to secure a military deferment, according to Russo.

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In any case,  Kaprizov is back in the Twin Cities several weeks before the training camp kicks off on Sept. 22.

Kaprizov and the Wild are coming off a failed attempt at deep run in the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, as they got eliminated in six games by the St. Louis Blues in the first round.

With the Wild trading Kevin Fiala to the Los Angeles Kings earlier in the offseason,  Kaprizov will have a heavier load on the offensive end of the rink in the upcoming 2022-22 NHL campaign. Last season, he led the Wild with 108 points on the strength of 47 goals and 61 assists.