𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓: 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 Minnesota Wild Forward Kirill Kaprizov 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞 Stefania “Stesha” Malikova, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 National Hockey League NHL. 𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲…….. 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞

In a deeply personal and emotional message shared late Wednesday, Minnesota Wild superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov and his wife, Stefania “Stesha” Malikova, revealed significant personal news that has sparked an outpouring of support from across the National Hockey League (NHL) and its fan communities.

The couple posted a heartfelt statement on their verified social media channels, expressing gratitude to supporters worldwide for their “unwavering kindness” and requesting “respectful privacy” as they navigate the next chapter of their lives.

“Thank you for your support, your messages, and your understanding during this time,” the couple wrote. “We ask for privacy as we focus on our family and what lies ahead.”

Details of the announcement were not disclosed in the brief message, but the statement quickly went viral, drawing supportive responses from teammates, rivals, and NHL organizations alike.

Minnesota Wild players and coaches responded publicly with messages of encouragement, underscoring the strong bond within the locker room and the broader hockey community. Social media platforms were flooded with wishes from fans across North America and Europe, reflecting the global impact Kaprizov has had since joining the Wild in 2021.

Kaprizov, 28, is one of the NHL’s premier forwards, known for his elite scoring ability and dynamic playmaking. In September 2025, he signed an eight‑year contract extension with the Wild — the richest in franchise history — keeping him in Minnesota through the 2033‑34 season. Off the ice, Kaprizov and Malikova have been private about their personal life, choosing to share only select moments with fans. The couple’s latest announcement, though not detailed, highlights the challenges many public figures face in balancing professional demands with personal matters.

While the content of the announcement has not been publicly released beyond the initial statement, NHL insiders and Wild organization representatives have expressed “full support” and indicated that Kaprizov remains focused on hockey while attending to his personal priorities. Fans are encouraged to respect the family’s request for privacy as additional details may emerge through official channels when the couple is ready to share them.