Star winger Kirill Kaprizov turned down an eight-year, $128 contract extension from the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, in accordance with NHL insider Frank Seravalli. The contract would’ve made Kaprizov the highest-paid participant in NHL historical past by way of each common annual worth ($16 million) and complete {dollars}.
Kaprizov is slated to change into an unrestricted free agent and has been eligible to signal a contract extension with Minnesota since July 1. Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl at present ranks because the NHL’s highest-paid participant with a $14.0 million annual cap hit.
Kaprizov is slated to enter the ultimate yr of a five-year, $45 million contract that he signed again in 2021 this coming season. His present contract contains a full no-move clause.
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The Wild standout registered 56 factors (25 targets, 31 assists) in 2024-25 however missed 41 video games as a consequence of a lower-body harm. The Wild star had tallied three consecutive 40-goal campaigns previous to an injury-shortened 2024-25 season, together with a career-best 47 targets in 2021-22.
The Russian ahead has developed into one of many NHL’s most dynamic objective scorers since debuting in 2020. Kaprizov — a fifth-round choice within the 2015 NHL Draft — received the Calder Trophy because the league’s prime rookie in 2020-21 and has appeared in three NHL All-Star Video games.
If Kaprizov would not signal a contract extension with Minnesota, he could be one of many league’s prime free brokers subsequent summer season. The 2026 free company class has the potential to be essentially the most star-studded in league historical past as Edmonton star Connor McDavid, Vegas Golden Knights middle Jack Eichel, Winnipeg Jets winer Kyle Connor and Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe.
