There are still about three weeks left until the Minnesota Wild open training camp, and their roster is nearly set.

They finally got Marco Rossi locked up, signing him to a three-year, $15 million deal — a smart compromise for both sides. Jack Johnson is a rare professional tryout (PTO) for the team and could make a case to join the blue line while Jonas Brodin is out.

However, there is still plenty to sort out during camp and the preseason. Here are five burning questions for the season, some of which may be answered in camp while others linger into the season.

1. Will Kirill Kaprizov re-sign?

There is no more important question for the Wild. It’s arguably one of the biggest in the history of the franchise.

President of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin said nobody should “panic” if the superstar wasn’t signed on July 1. Well, it’ll be Sept. 1 in two days.

Does that mean it won’t happen? Absolutely not. Kaprizov is expected to return to Minnesota within the next 7-10 days, and Guerin will have the opportunity for a face-to-face meeting. Money doesn’t seem to be a hurdle here. Not the average annual value (AAV), not the bonus structure. This is all in Kaprizov’s hands and rightfully so.

At 28, he’s one year away from unrestricted free agency. This is his career — and it could be his last big deal, if he wants it. Kaprizov has said nothing is more important to him than winning, and he has to decide if he can do that with the Wild over an eight-year term. Or would he prefer a shorter, three- or four-year deal? The last we spoke to Kaprizov, at the end of the season, he said he loved it in Minnesota and contract negotiations “should be all good.”

If this issue is not resolved by the start of camp on Sept. 18 or the season opener, then it could become interesting. For what it’s worth, Connor McDavid hasn’t signed with the Edmonton Oilers yet, either, and he’s in the same position as Kaprizov, one year removed from unrestricted free agency. Leon Draisaitl didn’t sign his eight-year extension with Edmonton until Sept. 3 a year ago, when he was heading into his final year of his contract.

Guerin sounded optimistic on his annual KFAN appearance at the Minnesota State Fair on Friday.

“We’ve been talking all summer. Things are good,” Guerin said. “Things are in a good spot. I’m comfortable with where everything is. I’m confident. Kirill loves Minnesota. I know he loves Minnesota. I know he believes in the team. These things just take time.”

2. Where will Danila Yurov slot in?

Yurov is the Wild’s top forward prospect by far. He’s exciting, a playmaker and, in the long term at least, a center. There’s a lot to be optimistic about.

Yurov is also a rookie, set to play in North America for the first time. There might be growing pains. Or he might take off right away. Right now, his role is in his hands. How he plays during camp and the preseason will dictate whether he’s a top-six center, middle-six center or starts at the wing.

Right now, Joel Eriksson Ek and Marco Rossi appear slotted ahead of him. Ryan Hartman played well enough in the playoffs to earn a top-six spot, though he can be a winger, too. Let’s let this one play out, but Yurov could easily surprise everyone.

Whether the Wild take the next step depends mainly on how their young players perform (Zeev Buium, Yurov, Liam Ohgren, David Jiricek, Rossi). And Yurov comes with the most mystery and intrigue as he arrives from Russia.

3. How green will the blue line look?

We know Jonas Brodin will miss some time at the start of the season. It may only be a week or two, but even so, that opens a spot in the lineup.

Without Brodin, the left side of the defense depth chart is: Jake Middleton, Buium, Johnson and Carson Lambos. Declan Chisholm was traded, and Jon Merrill is still unsigned.

For now, it appears that the Wild are preparing for Buium and Jiricek to compete for roles. Give them credit. They showed up committed, Buium on July 27 and Jiricek on Aug. 3. Buium said his focus was getting stronger in the summer, adding 10 to 12 pounds. Jiricek, coming off a lacerated spleen, knew how big this offseason would be for him entering a contract year, and he’s determined to stick.

Johnson, a Cup champ, provides insurance on his PTO. He very well could make the team, but he’s also the type of guy who could accept a reserve, seventh-defenseman role. It might be better for him there than a Carson Lambos, for example.

There’s a lot to be sorted out in camp, but the Wild don’t seem deterred by having youth on the blue line.

Zeev Buium has put in the work to secure a significant role in 2025-26. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)4. What’s the plan for the new guys?

The Wild’s main offseason acquisitions were Vladimir Tarasenko and Nico Sturm.

Sturm, in his second stint in Minnesota, has a defined role, primarily as the fourth-line center and penalty killer. His strength on faceoffs will make him valuable, with coach John Hynes telling The Athletic recently that he could take some tough defensive zone starts for other centers.

What’ll be intriguing is to see how much of an impact Tarasenko can make. He seems like a good buy-low candidate here — the former All-Star coming in for “future considerations” with just a one-year term ($4.5 million). And give Hynes credit for being proactive in making a trip to Florida to spend five hours in Tarasenko’s home with his family, getting to know him and what makes him tick.

Tarsenko might not be that 30-goal sniper anymore, but he’ll be given every chance to bounce back. The Russian could start on a line with Rossi and Matt Boldy, and no doubt will get power-play time. You can’t fake or force chemistry, so camp will be important in seeing where Tarasenko slots in and what the best combo is.

5. What will the lines be?

Like most teams, the lines will change significantly during camp. So don’t get worked up when they do.

However, here’s a likely guess for what they might start:

LWCRW

Kirill Kaprizov

Joel Eriksson Ek

Mats Zuccarello

Matt Boldy

Marco Rossi

Vladimir Tarasenko

Marcus Foligno

Danila Yurov

Ryan Hartman

Marcus Johansson

Nico Sturm

Yakov Trenin

Liam Ohgren

Many coaches will tell you their lineups are about “duos.” Here, we’d have Kaprizov and Zuccarello and their chemistry back together again. Hynes has indicated that the Wild could try Tarasenko with Boldy, who would play on the left wing. Rossi could play on the top line or second line, flipping Eriksson Ek.

In a dream world, Yurov shows he’s ready, and Eriksson Ek can slide down to a line with Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman. That’d be one heck of a hard trio to play against.

Sturm and Trenin, who had impressive playoffs, seem set for fourth-line roles. Johansson, re-signed to a one-year, $800,000 deal, is considered a jack-of-all-trades. He could play up and down the lineup and help on the penalty kill, too.

One question is whether a strong camp by Ohgren will push someone out. That would probably be a guy like Johansson. Vinnie Hinostroza, who played in 25 games for the Wild last season, is still under contract, so he’ll compete as well. And there are other camp hopefuls, including Riley Heidt and Hunter Haight.

(Top photo of Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman: Ethan Miller / Getty Images)