I believe that Kirill Kaprizov is a man in need of a light rebrand. Kirill “The Thrill” just really isn’t the nickname people think it to be. If anything, he should probably lean into “Dolla Bill” Kirill. Maybe a Wu Tang reference is the best next step — Kirill Rules Everything Around Me (K.R.E.A.M.) merchandise would fly off the shelves.
But that begs the question: to whom does the duty of nickname-giving fall?
Surely it’s not the Kirill, or any of the players — firstly because they’re responsible for providing the on-ice entertainment, and secondly because they’re rarely capable of much beyond a shortening of a last name, perhaps with the addition of “-y” or “-er”.