Towards the end of the Minnesota Wild's 2023-24 season, when it was somewhat clear that there would be no postseason, but everyone was still pinning their hopes on the mathematical odds, one bright light shined through. is. Marat Husnudinov was finally about to leave for North America.
Many fans watched from afar while Kusnutdinov played in the KHL. He was physically tough and could take faceoffs and score. It was a dream come true considering the hardships the team has been through in salary cap hell. Although his team attracted attention, the team failed to advance to the KHL playoffs. We all sat on the edge of our seats and held our breath until the news broke that he had been released from his contract and was heading to America.
After such a long wait, it's understandable how fans reacted when Husnutdinov played his first game in Minnesota. I was there too, so I can attest to how much fun it was to root for everything he did, no matter how stupid it was. His first shift? He cheers as he comes over the board. Winning in the first match? Cheer as loud as you can for your center, who may actually be a reliable faceoff guy. (Other than Joel Erickson Ek, but he's on a level all his own.)
It's no surprise that Minnesota fell in love with the newborn Russian, especially when everyone found out he could speak a little English. Things got even better after I let him know he was an interesting guy.
There is speculation that Mr. Husnudinov will be in Minnesota for at least part of the summer, given (and still) ongoing ties between the United States and Russia. This will be a great opportunity to make Russian youth feel more at home, who have already welcomed us with open arms.
Many Wild players returned to the Twin Cities last summer and had a great time. We could see them having fun playing everywhere. If it happens again this summer, Husnutdinov plans to put together a group directed by Brock Faber to introduce him to the Twin Cities scene. We have a lot of players, so it's important to get them to like Minnesota. Other teams have advantages like year-round summer weather, large cities, or storied histories like the Original Six. But the Hockey State has a year-round hockey atmosphere and plenty of other fun things to do.
Husnutdinov also has access to ice time, trainers and coaching, so he needs to further improve his game. Although he played well after his debut, he didn't look like what fans of Husnutdinov used to see in the KHL. Still, he improved little by little in every game he played until the end of the season. No doubt he'll get better, but the more time he has to get acclimated to North America and the NHL style of hockey, the better he'll get.
Another benefit of spending more time in Minnesota is practicing your English. As I pointed out, he understands English much better than when Kirill Kaprizov came. Or at least he's much more confident saying it in public. He has a great sense of humor and fans hope to hear more of that from him in training camp next year. Perhaps he could turn the pages of Kaprizov's book and watch all the movies available in the theaters. Let's expand his horizons, which may lead to some interesting vocabulary.
If nothing else, Marat Husnutdinov deserves a summer to hone his skills, learn more English to make better jokes, and fall in love with Minnesota and all it has to offer.
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