Latest Kaprizov Intel Points To Insane New Extension Offer: Insider
Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold said it a year ago: No team will outbid the Wild for his superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov. Now that we've heard the latest intel on the numbers they're likely to throw at him on a new extension, we certainly believe him.
According to insider Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast, the Wild are now willing to go even higher than we've been led to believe:
I don't know if this is where it's going to end up... But there are rumors out there that the Wild will go to eight (years) x $16 (million AAV) for Kaprizov. We'll see... That's $128 million.
The previous numbers being bandied about were a $15 million AAV, which already would have made him the highest-paid NHLer (pending, of course, the Connor McDavid extension—and that's a whole other story).
Kaprizov still has the final season of his five-year, $9 million AAV deal to play out in 2025-26, but going into the schedule without a new extension place would be scary times for the Wild and their fans.
The 28-year-old has been eligible for an extension since July 1st. But he's been overseas, and the team is waiting for a face-to-face when he returns this coming week. Leipold is once again expressing great optimism:
"I kind of think we're there," Leipold told The Athletic. "I like to believe when Kirill comes over and gets a sense again for the excitement and the love of the city, I think we'll be moving forward in a good direction."
Kaprizov has three 40-goal seasons in his 5-year NHL career in Minnesota, and was well on his way to perhaps 50 last season, before an injury robbed him of half the year (41 games). He finished with 25 goals and 56 points in those 41 games played.
