Wild sign Russian prospect Marat Khusnutdinov
Bill Guerin said Wednesday he doesn’t yet know what he’ll do at the March 8 NHL trade deadline, but the Wild general manager already has added a player.
The Wild signed prospect Marat Khusnutdinov, who just finished his fourth season in Russia’s top professional league, to a two-year, entry-level contract that runs through next season — although the rest of this season will take care of the entire first year of the deal.
The NHL’s maximum salary on two-way, entry-level contract is $925,000 annually.
Guerin said as soon as Khusnutdinov has his work visa straightened out, he’ll join the Wild for the stretch run. Back in the race for a wild-card playoff spot, the Wild play Thursday at Nashville, the first of their final 23 regular-season games.
“I think Marat is the type of player that can help us right now (with) all the assets that he has,” Guerin said Wednesday evening from Nashville. “He’s a solid two-way player. He’s got speed, he’s tenacious. Those are the things we’re looking for.”
Khusnutdinov, 21, recorded six goals and 20 points in 55 games between SKA St. Petersburg and HK Sochi in his final Kontinental Hockey League season. Guerin expects him to play center in the NHL and possibly help the Wild make the postseason for a fourth straight season this spring.
“Everything that I see, hear and read indicates that he has that ability to play center, to be effective in all three zones,” Guerin said. “So, that’s the plan right now.”
The GM said there is no need for Khusnutdinov to get games at AHL Iowa. Winger Kirill Kaprizov joined the Wild out of the KHL for the 2020-21 season and has been the team’s top scorer ever since.
Last season, Khusnutdinov — 5-foot-11, 176 pounds — amassed 11 goals and 41 points in 63 games for SKA St. Petersburg. That tied him with the New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin, who has scored a career-high 33 goals with the New York Rangers this season, for the seventh-highest single-season point total in KHL history by a player 20 years or younger.
“I know he’s excited,” Guerin said. “I know he and Kirill are in constant communication. They’re good friends. I think they communicate a lot over video games, but anyway it happens, they’re always in touch. I know he’s excited to be coming over.”
Exactly when that will be is unclear.
“To be honest with you, I don’t know where we are in the process,” the GM said. “I’m hoping within the week. We’ll see. You just never know.”
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