All indicators level towards Edmonton Oilers celebrity Connor McDavid breaking the NHL’s document for the richest contract when he indicators his subsequent contract. The Minnesota Wild would be the solely crew to provide Edmonton a run for its cash, because it entertains signing celebrity winger Kirill Kaprizov to his personal contract extension. Of their effort to lock up a participant able to 50-goal and 60-assist seasons, Minnesota might find yourself paying as a lot as $16M per season, per Michael Russo of The Athletic on his “Worst Seats In The House” podcast. Russo and co-host Anthony LaPanta agreed that Kaprizov will seemingly get the contract and bonus construction of his selecting as long as the deal is a minimum of 5 years lengthy.
On the floor, Kaprizov’s stat line is tough to match to the league’s high echelon. His career-high in scoring sits at 108 factors – cut up between 47 objectives and 61 assists in 81 video games of the 2021-22 season. He has continued to rival greater than 45 objectives and a 100-point scoring tempo over the past three seasons, however has missed routine ice time as a result of a string of accidents. His 2024-25 marketing campaign was lower in half by a lower-body damage that required surgical procedure in January. He completed the yr with 25 objectives and 56 factors – marks that might have put him on tempo for a career-high 50 objectives and 112 factors over a full yr.
Had Kaprizov reached these scoring heights this season, he would have grow to be simply the sixth participant since 2000 to document a minimum of 50 objectives and 60 assists in a single season. That feat would have put him in firm with elite friends, together with McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Nathan MacKinnon, who’ve every held the title of highest-paid participant sooner or later of their careers. It’s that projection that Minnesota will lean on when negotiating with Kaprizov. There’s merely no arguing his prowess when at full well being. Few NHL wingers command play on each ends of the ice fairly like Kaprizov, and there’s little doubt that his presence alone is sufficient to swing Minnesota’s moneyline. Throughout his 319-game profession, Kaprizov has averaged 48 objectives and 99 factors per 82 video games performed.
Even with an plain celebrity capacity, it will likely be powerful for Minnesota to award Kaprizov a deal that takes him to age-35 or 36 after lacking 63 video games over the past three seasons mixed – even when he has averaged 102 factors per 82 video games over these seasons. Minnesota will probably be caught between desirous to pave the best way for his or her star to stay round and never biting off greater than they will chew. Minnesota can even want to barter a brand new take care of beginning goaltender Filip Gustavsson earlier than subsequent summer time. Gustavsson might reel in as a lot as $6.5M, and has already expressed interest in signing an extension.
The end result of a number of high contracts set to run out will make Wild basic supervisor Invoice Guerin one to observe intently over the following few months. Minnesota is in a steady spot beneath Guerin’s information – with a roster that’s seemingly set to stay collectively for years to come back. However the crew hasn’t made it previous the primary spherical of the postseason since 2015. Kaprizov is a premier expertise, and the Wild might face one other wrinkle in negotiations ought to he speculate in regards to the crew’s long-term Stanley Cup odds. Younger, high-upside forwards like Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi – and a season of excellent well being for each Kaprizov and the Wild as a complete – might go far in convincing the Russian phenom to lock up a profession in Minnesota.
