Despite injuries, Wild All-Star Kirill Kaprizov earned his spot by sheer determination

Getting picked last for the NHL All-Star Game used to come with a perk.

When the league divvied up participants in the past for its midseason showcase with a player-led draft, the final selection was gifted a car. In 2015, Alex Ovechkin — during a 50-goal season — even campaigned to become Mr. Irrelevant.

“You think this year same?” the Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov asked. “I don’t know.”

Regardless of whether there’s a consolation prize awaiting the last player standing, it might be tough for Kaprizov to fly under the radar that long.

After the Wild’s rough start to the season and his subsequent injury, Kaprizov rebounded for an appropriate sendoff to his third consecutive All-Star Game on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto by living up to the billing of the event.

“It happens sometimes,” Kaprizov said about getting hurt. “It’s always not easy when you come back, start play better, better and boom injury. It’s OK now. I don’t try to think about this.

“Just try to play better.”

This season was supposed to be a fresh start for Kaprizov.

The left winger missed a month before the playoffs last season because of injury and struggled to rediscover his game when he returned, scoring just once against Dallas before the Stars eliminated the Wild. Kaprizov, 26, reported for training camp extremely motivated, mentioning how “the fire’s been lit.”

But then the Wild plummeted into an early-season slump that included a seven-game skid and a coaching change.

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As the losses lapped the wins, Kaprizov was still picking up points — a goal here and there alongside the occasional goal-and-assist combo — but he wasn’t as dynamic as he was last season when he hit 40 goals, or the season before that when he set franchise records in goals (47), assists (61) and points (108).

Finally, as the team improved, so did Kaprizov.

Or was it vice versa?

“He’s our big star,” longtime linemate Mats Zuccarello said. “Imagine all the pressure he has and the pressure he puts on himself.”

Kaprizov’s feather-in-cap performance was a four-game scoring streak Dec. 19-27, an authoritative tear that began with back-to-back game-winners in overtime.

The first was part of a two-goal blitz at Boston, Kaprizov’s statement game of the season, but he was just as effective two nights later when he collected three points in another win vs. Montreal.

Eventually, this momentum fizzled, but not because Kaprizov’s play deteriorated.

He was injured Dec. 30 at Winnipeg after getting cross-checked in the back by the Jets’ Brenden Dillon and missed the next seven games; the Wild posted just one victory while he was on the mend.

“He’s a sparkplug for the team,” said coach John Hynes, who replaced the fired Dean Evason on Nov. 27. “He’s an offensive-chance generator. He’s a guy that when he’s in the lineup, it helps with team belief and things like that.

“So, yeah, that stretch was tough because we played some big games against some really good teams.”

Since his return, Kaprizov has been held pointless just twice in eight games.

He was clutch Jan. 19 at Florida, capitalizing twice on the power play and adding an assist, before registering his third NHL hat trick (fourth including the playoffs) against Carolina on Jan. 21.

That equaled five goals and three assists in four games, and Kaprizov was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week for the second time this season.

Through 42 games, Kaprizov leads the Wild with 45 points and ranks second in goals (19), assists (26) and power play goals (7). His four game-winning goals are tied for first, and he recently moved into fourth place among all-time Wild goal scorers with 133.

Over his last 14 games played, Kaprizov has 11 goals and 10 assists.

“He’s such a highly talented player,” Hynes said of Kaprizov, who is the first Wild player to be chosen for three consecutive All-Star Games. “But what sticks out to me probably the most is just his competitiveness. He’s got a second effort to his game.”

Kaprizov will have a chance to show off that determination on Saturday in the 3-on-3 tournament once he knows which team he represents after the draft Thursday.

If he continues to play like he did before the break, more highlights should be in his future — at the All-Star Game and when the Wild resume their season.

“Everybody loves to score goals,” Kaprizov said. “You have more fun. Or sometimes fun to hit or blocking shots, something like that. For me, I think it’s, yeah for sure, score more goals.”