Minnesota Wild Signs Kiril Kaprizov to Record Deal
The Minnesota Wild made headlines on Tuesday by announcing a staggering $136 million extension for star left winger Kiril Kaprizov, marking the richest contract in NHL history.
Beginning next season, Kaprizov’s deal will count for $17 million against the salary cap. This contract sets a new record, boasting the highest average annual salary for an NHL player since the CAP ERA launched in 2005, surpassing the previous mark of $13.25 million set by a player from Toronto. Prior to this, Alex Ovechkin’s 13-year, $124 million agreement with Washington in 2008 held the title for the highest total.
In the evolving landscape of hockey, this milestone in Kaprizov’s contract may shift the dynamics. Conor McDavid, widely considered the world’s top player, is in the final year of his contract with Edmonton and could become an unrestricted free agent next July. Other stars like Jack Eichel and Artemi Panarin are also poised for free agency.
Kaprizov is currently finishing up his five-year, $45 million contract signed in September 2021. During that deal, he recorded an impressive season with 47 goals and 61 assists in 81 games during 2021-22.
Since then, Kaprizov has dazzled as the Wild’s most impactful player, claiming the Calder Trophy with 27 goals and 24 assists over 55 games in the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season. His remarkable debut earned him 99 out of 100 votes, making him the first player from the Wild to secure such an accolade.
Drafted in the fifth round back in 2015, Kaprizov initially played in the KHL in Russia, delaying his NHL debut until he finally joined Minnesota in July 2020. The pandemic complicated negotiations, so much so that his contract finalization stretched until just prior to training camp.
Last summer, his efforts to return to the U.S. were hampered by political tensions and other hurdles, making the visa process quite a headache. Those complications were exacerbated by pandemic-related delays at foreign consulates.
Injuries plagued Kaprizov, but he still managed a respectable 40 goals and 35 assists in 67 games during the 2022-23 season. He further improved in the 2023-24 season, posting 46 goals and 50 assists in 75 games. However, last season proved particularly frustrating; a mysterious injury required surgery and caused him to miss 40 games, yet he still tallied 25 goals and 31 assists, making a strong return right before the playoffs.
In his career, Kaprizov has amassed a total of 386 points across 319 regular season games and added 21 points in 25 playoff games. Despite his contract situation lingering amid the team’s elimination, he seemed unfazed.
“I love everything here,” he remarked, expressing his satisfaction with the team’s culture and community.
As training camp commenced, there were some doubts regarding his contract status, especially since he didn’t have a deal when hitting the ice for the first practice. Regardless, Kaprizov assured reporters of his affection for the Twin Cities, his teammates, and the organization itself.
At just 28 years old, Kaprizov is a well-liked figure in the locker room, known for his warm demeanor and his improved English, eliminating the need for a translator as he had at the start of his career. Only Marian Gaborik, the first pick in the Wild’s history when they were established in 2000, can be compared to Kaprizov in terms of skill and scoring talent, especially as the franchise strives to advance past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
The previous record for the longest and most lucrative deal was held by left winger Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter, who signed identical 13-year, $98 million contracts in July 2012. The Wild’s recent acquisition of such contracts marks a new chapter for the team, particularly with the salary cap issues stemming from past seasons.
