Wild, Kaprizov contract saga reaching epic proportions

The contract saga between the Minnesota Wild and Russian superstar Kirill Kaprizov has now officially reached epic proportions.

After it seemed like a contract extension for Kaprizov would be a slam dunk, things have taken several unexpected twists and turns. If you’ve been following the details in this ongoing affair and are confused, don’t worry, you’re not the only one.

Kaprizov has been eligible to sign an extension since July 1. That date came and went, and nothing. Well, there was no need to worry as the summer season usually means teams and players take time off before getting back to the business of hockey.

But as the summer wore on, the Wild were in limbo with Marco Rossi and Kaprizov. A report in RG Media on August 13 featured an interview with GM Bill Guerin. During the interview, Guerin was reluctant to shed any light on the negotiations with Rossi and Kaprizov.

The main takeaway was that once Rossi signed, Kaprizov would follow. Well, Rossi signed on August 22. The news was met with the expectation that it would only be a matter of time before Kaprizov inked a new extension.

The holdup, it seemed, was that Kaprizov spent the summer in Russia. Upon his return to North America, Kaprizov and his camp would sit down with the Wild to hammer out a deal. It’s now mid-September, and nothing has materialized.

Rumors began to surface about the offer the Wild made to Kaprizov: $128 million. Presumably, that figure would be over an eight-year pact. Such a deal would make Kaprizov the highest-paid NHLer, surpassing Leon Draisaitl’s $14 million AAV, kicking in this season.

With such a massive deal on the table, it seemed like it would just be a matter of time before a deal was finalized. However, insider Frank Servalli reported that Kaprizov’s camp had rejected the deal.

The stunning revelation sent Wild fans into the stratosphere. The internet went into overdrive, with other reports countering the rumor that Kaprizov passed on the deal.

Wild owner Craig Leipold publicly expressed his confidence in getting a deal with Kaprizov finalized. As Elliotte Friedman discussed in the latest edition of his 32 Thoughts Podcast:

"(Wild owner) Craig Leipold certainly sounded confident the other day, right?"

Friedman’s comments seemed to line up with Joe Smith of The Athletic, who quoted Leipold as stating:

“I just don’t feel like we’re that far off.”

So far, all encouraging signs. But then, a bombshell dropped on Thursday. The Wild requested Kaprizov’s camp to submit a list of teams the 28-year-old would be willing to join via a trade.

Wild willing to trade Kaprizov as last resort

The request for the trade list came from Russian journalist Alexei Schevchenko and published by RG Media’s Daria Tuboltseva.

While some may discredit this report, Tuboltseva and RG have a solid track record with Russian hockey stars. So, if they’re running with the report, it means there’s at least a kernel of truth to it.

Now, this situation doesn’t mean that a Kaprizov trade is imminent. There are likely teams at the front of the line looking to pull off a deal. But it’s worth pointing out that Kaprizov’s camp holds all the cards.

That scenario limits how much the Wild can do. It’s actually reminiscent of the situation the Carolina Hurricanes faced with Mikko Rantanen last season. The Hurricanes had a better deal in place with the Toronto Maple Leafs. But the Canes chose the Dallas Stars because Rantanen was willing to sign with them.

It seems that’s the situation that could unfold with Kaprizov. He’ll be willing to accept a trade to a team he wants to sign with. As to which team(s) that may be is uncertain. One would have to think that virtually every contending club would have an eye on Kaprizov, but few contenders have the assets and the cap space to fit Kaprizov.

Then again, it’s doubtful that Kaprizov would okay a deal to a rebuilding team like the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, or San Jose Sharks.

But as Friedman also pointed out in the 32 Thoughts Podcast:

“For him to say no, it convinces me of one thing: him or his representatives, they know something else is out there that’s bigger. For a deal to be bigger than the 8 x $16M from the Wild, assuming it is not a sign-and-trade, there has to be someone out there with a 7×$19M or 7×$20M. There's somebody out there sending up smoke signals, saying 'We can do better'.”

So, there could be a team out there willing to pay more for Kaprizov. Again, it’s unclear which team that could be. That’s open to speculation. But the next couple of weeks will be crucial in this entire ordeal.

It’s highly doubtful the Wild will spend the entire season with Kaprizov’s cloud hanging over them. The Wild view themselves as a playoff club. So, keeping Kaprizov or trading him now is crucial to the team’s chances of making it back to the postseason 2025-26.