Wild Rumors: 5 Teams That Will Show Interest In Kaprizov

Kirill Kaprizov has one year left on his contract and it will be the biggest signing in Minnesota Wild history and NHL history when he does sign, whether it is in Minnesota or not. He is a superstar with elite talent, but he was rumored to have turned down a contract that would've made him the highest paid player in NHL history. If he doesn't want to sign with the Wild, they have to either trade him or he may walk and choose his team in free agency.

According to Michael Russo, the interest in Kaprizov is the "Rangers, I know the Hurricanes are going to be a team that's very interested...the Blackhawks are, the usual suspects, LA. I think he'd love Tampa." Let's dive into those teams and how he would fit and how it would work.

New York Rangers

The New York Rangers don't have cap space and they have an older core, but Artemi Panarin is going into the final season of his contract. Unfortunately for the Rangers, Mika Zibanejad isn't going to waive his no-move clause so the team can clear cap space. The team could save a little money by downgrading from Carson Soucy and Jonathan Quick after the season, but there would have to be a trade. It would be very tough for the Rangers to pull off with some of the larger contracts, but of course it would make them instant Stanley Cup contenders.

Carolina Hurricanes

Even though the Carolina Hurricanes just signed Nikolaj Ehlers, there is still plenty of cap space as there have been many good deals signed. Adding Kaprizov wouldn't help the center position, but someone would have to be moved out, and it would very likely be Jesperi Kotkaniemi, not only to clear a roster spot, but to open up a bit more cap space to make this addition and more signings. The Hurricanes are already Stanley Cup contenders year after year. This would almost definitely lead to a Cup.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks have a lot of money and need that elite player to play with Connor Bedard and to push them into playoff contention. The future is still a little young, so even with Kaprizov, I wouldn't expect them to compete for another few years, but they would be competing with him still on the team for a few years. Unless the Blackhawks can spin that they will be able to compete right away, it will be a tougher sell for Kaprizov.

Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings are probably not going to lose Adrian Kempe, but they are going to lose Anze Kopitar soon. Kaprizov doesn't replace the captain in the same way, but he is the addition that could finally allow them to get out of the first round and be relevant since last winning the Stanley Cup. Center would be an issue here too with little money to spare after some very poor offseason signings.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Yes, the Tampa Bay Lightning would be fun and Kaprizov would get to join his countrymen Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy, but it is very hard to see the team adding a player like Kaprizov without having to move one of their core pieces who are signed for multiple years. The timing doesn't work to swap Kucherov out for Kaprizov either if the Lightning's best player were thinking about leaving. If Ryan McDonagh and Oliver Bjorkstand both left in free agency and were replaced by league minimum contracts, then there would be more of a chance.