There’s no bigger offseason storyline for the Minnesota Wild than the looming contract extension of star forward Kirill Kaprizov. According to The Athletic’s Michael Russo, who joined Paul Allen on his KFAN radio show this week, the Wild are prepared to make Kaprizov the highest-paid player in the NHL.
“It would make me a little nervous, but I also understand that is the price of doing business right now for him,” Russo said.
“They are going to make him the highest-paid player in the league.”
Kaprizov, who just turned 28, is entering the final year of his five-year, $45 million deal. Russo suggested a potential eight-year, $120 million extension — an average of $15 million per season.
For comparison, Auston Matthews led the league in salary for 2024-25 at $13.25 million annually.
“This organization has never had a superstar, and you’ve got to pay him to keep him,” Russo continued.
“Because there are a lot of teams out there, with the cap going up, that have a lot of cap space, that can sign him in a year.”
Despite injuries limiting him to 41 games last season, Kaprizov still tallied 56 points. His career-best came in 2021-22, when he scored 108 points (47 goals, 61 assists), solidifying himself as one of the NHL’s elite.
📊 POLL: Should the Wild make Kaprizov the NHL’s highest-paid player?
- 🔥 Yes — He’s worth every penny!
- 🤔 Maybe — Depends on his health and consistency.
- ❌ No — That’s too much, even for a star.
Vote and let us know what you think!
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