Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Since his NHL debut in 2021, Kirill Kaprizov has been the Minnesota Wild’s franchise player.
The 27-year-old left winger won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2021, becoming the first Wild player to do so. He quickly established himself as their greatest scorer in franchise history with three straight seasons of 40-or-more goals, and he holds their single-season records with 47 goals and 61 assists for 108 points.
Kaprizov has two seasons left on his contract, with an average annual value of $9 million. Wild GM Bill Guerin will likely open extension talks with his superstar by next summer.
However, The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus suggested another club could have their eye on Kaprizov.
During a recent episode of The Athletic Hockey Show podcast, Lazerus said a rumor making the rounds during the 2024 NHL draft had Kaprizov interested in joining the Chicago Blackhawks.
Lazerus quickly clarified his comment, claiming the Blackhawks were interested in Kaprizov when his contract expired in 2026 and not the other way around.
“Nothing is imminent, nothing is set in stone, Kaprizov is not asking out, nothing like that,” wrote Lazerus, adding he didn’t mean to imply otherwise.
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Nevertheless, Lazerus’ comments could stir things up in Minnesota, forcing Kaprizov and Guerin to address their negotiation plans for next summer much sooner than anticipated.
Kaprizov is part of what could be a deep UFA class in 2026. Other notables include Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers, Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights, Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Most will likely re-sign with their current clubs, while Ovechkin and Malkin may retire. Still, a handful could end up testing the open market on July 1, 2026.
The earliest the Wild can sign Kaprizov to an extension is July 1, 2025. By then, the combined contract buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter shrink from the current $14.7 million against their cap to $1.66 million annually through 2027-28.
That should give the Wild considerable cap room to re-sign Kaprizov to a long-term deal. He’ll be in line for a significant raise over his current cap hit of $9 million if he maintains his annual 40-plus goal production. With the salary cap expected to significantly increase, he could receive over $13 million annually.
However, a big raise might not be enough to keep Kaprizov in Minnesota if the Wild haven’t improved. Plenty of playoff contenders will be drawn to the high-scoring winger if he tests the market.
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News Summary:
- Does Kirill Kaprizov's Long-Term Plans Include The Minnesota Wild?
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.