Wild Not Holding Back on Kirill Kaprizov Deal

The Minnesota Wild will do whatever it takes to keep their superstar forward with the team as long as possible.

Sep 27, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov (97) celebrates his power play goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the first period at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images / Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

Kirill Kaprizov is one of the premier talents in the NHL but his future with the Minnesota Wild isn’t totally clear. With two years remaining on his contract, the thought of Kaprizov leaving Minnesota for greener pastures already seems like a possibility.

Despite other teams believing Kaprizov could be a solid target, the Wild are ready to do everything they can to keep their superstar in the fold. Kaprizov will not only need a huge payday, but he’ll be looking for a chance to win. Wild owner Craig Leipold is ready to cater to those demands.

“I will tell you nobody will offer more money than us, or longer,” Leipold said to the Athletic. “So all we have to do is prove to him that we want to win.”

When the 2024-25 season comes to an end, the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter will drop from $7,371,795 million each to $833,333 each. With about $13 million in savings from those two contracts alone, the Wild will have plenty of money to throw around next offseason.

“Next July 1 is going to be like Christmas,” Leipold said. “We’re going to have money available. We’re going to have the resources available to do what we need to do to get back to Wild hockey. And we’re looking forward to that.”

The primary focus of next offseason will likely be handing new contracts to upcoming restricted free agents like Marco Rossi and Jakub Lauko, but Kaprizov will be eligible for an extension, as well.

The 2025-26 season will be the last on Kaprizov’s current deal that earns him $9 million annually. The Wild know what Kaprizov brings and they are ready to make him a priority, not only in negotiations but as a star on the ice.

“This is the State of Hockey, and we’re going to get back to the winning ways,” Leipold said. “We’re going to get a perennial playoff team, but it does start with Kirill. He’s going to be the focus of what we’re going to do. We plan to re-sign him.”

The Wild have made the playoffs in 10 of the last 12 years, but only have two series wins in that span. Their ambitions are far greater than what they’ve shown and Kaprizov is a key piece that can help them turn into a perennial contender.

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