“Never take their first offer,” is advice commonly handed out by skilled and experienced negotiators. For Minnesota Wild superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov and his agent, that tactic apparently was employed even when the offer in question was the biggest proposed contract in NHL history.
According to a report from NHL insider Frank Seravalli published on the social media platform X, Kaprizov was offered an eight-year contract worth $128 million this week, and he turned down the team’s offer. At an average annual value of $16 million, the offer would have made Kaprizov the highest-paid player in NHL history.
“Sources say #mnwild superstar Kirill Kaprizov’s camp turned down an extension offer believed to be 8-years, $128 million in a meeting on Tuesday in Minnesota that would have made him the highest-paid player in #NHL history in both AAV ($16 million) and total dollars.” Seravalli posted on Wednesday morning, right about the time that a few dozen potential future Wild players were taking the ice for a practice at TRIA Rink.
Kaprizov, 28, is heading into his sixth season with the Wild and the final season of a five-year contract that pays him $9 million annually. If not re-signed, he will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2026.
Wild general manager Bill Guerin was not in attendance at the team’s activities on Wednesday and was unavailable for comment on the report. In a message to the Pioneer Press, Wild majority owner Craig Leipold said, “We are not commenting on this story. Sorry.”
Less than a week earlier, meeting with reporters at Grand Casino Arena, Leipold doubled down on his vow that no team would offer Kaprizov more money or years than the Wild. Leipold said that they were prepared to offer the largest contract in NHL history. He also admitted being anxious to sit down with Kaprizov and his representatives face-to-face to work on a deal.
While Wednesday’s news put some Wild fans into a social media frenzy, one former NHL general manager told the Pioneer Press that this is just the opening salvo, and Kaprizov will likely command something closer to $18 million per season in a long-term contract.
Other options for the Wild include offering a shorter-term contract, or exploring trade offers for Kaprizov, who was limited to 41 of the team’s 82 regular season games last year due to injuries. He had 25 goals and 31 assists for 56 points in the regular season, and led the team offensively with five goals and four assists in their six-game opening round playoff series loss to Vegas.
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