Minnesota Wild celebrity Kirill Kaprizov turned down an eight-year, $128 million contract on Tuesday in a gathering with the crew, in line with a report on X by NHL insider Frank Seravalli.
That contract, which The Athletic had beforehand reported was the provide Minnesota would make, would have been the biggest in NHL historical past each by way of AAV ($16 million) and complete {dollars} (surpassing Alex Ovechkin’s 13-year, $124 million deal signed in 2008).
Sources say #mnwild celebrity Kirill Kaprizov’s camp turned down an extension provide believed to be 8-years, $128 million in a gathering on Tuesday in Minnesota that may have made him the highest-paid participant in #NHL historical past in each AAV ($16 million) and complete {dollars}.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 10, 2025
Wild president of hockey operations and basic supervisor Invoice Guerin declined to touch upon the report. Requested whether or not the report, if true, may imply Kaprizov gained’t signal an extension or as an alternative needs to barter a shorter-term deal, Guerin additionally wouldn’t remark to The Athletic.
Guerin, proprietor Craig Leipold and Wild CEO Matt Majka have been at TRIA Rink after the crew’s captain’s skate Wednesday and walked out collectively. Kaprizov was on the ice through the skate with teammates.
Leipold sounded optimistic final week in regards to the negotiations and admitted he was “anxious” in regards to the upcoming assembly with their franchise participant.
“I simply really feel that we’re not that far off,” Leipold said last week. “I type of suppose we’re there. I prefer to imagine when Kirill comes over and will get a way once more for the thrill and love of town, I believe we’ll be transferring ahead in an excellent course.”
Kaprizov, who’s coming into the ultimate 12 months of a five-year, $45 million contract, can change into an unrestricted free agent subsequent July 1. He has a full no-move clause in his contract.
If Kaprizov gained’t entertain a contract extension by the Wild, it could possibly be incumbent on Guerin to get a handful of groups Kaprizov would contemplate a commerce to. In any other case, like Marian Gaborik in 2009, the Wild would threat dropping Kaprizov for nothing subsequent summer season.
Kaprizov’s contract extension would kick in at age 29. The three-time 40-goal scorer is coming off a season the place he missed 41 video games to harm.
Kaprizov’s final public feedback about re-signing with the crew got here on the finish of the season in Could, when he said, “We’ll see. I really like the whole lot right here. It ought to be all good.” When requested what was necessary to him with the choice, he mentioned, “It’s at all times, each time, it’s about successful. Everybody needs to win. Me, too.”
If certainly Kaprizov decides he doesn’t wish to keep in Minnesota, it might be an enormous blow to the franchise. He’s the centerpiece of any multi-year plan the crew has.
(Photograph: Luke Schmidt / Getty Pictures)
