Wild Owner Craig Leipold Promises Kaprizov 'Huge Deal — Likely The Biggest In The NHL Ever'
Craig Leipold says team is prepared to go to great lengths to keep Russian star in St. Paul
The biggest potential free agent after this season in the NHL is Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, and his story is going to steal a lot of the spotlight. However, there are other big pending UFAs, and one of them is Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov.
The 28-year-old Russian has been dynamite since he entered the NHL after a season in the KHL, and he quickly became the centerpiece of the Wild's roster and their plans.
However, there have been rumors that Kaprizov might be interested in signing elsewhere next summer, with Chicago being speculated as a potential landing spot.
If you ask me, that would be downright insane based on where those two Central Division teams are headed. The Wild were solidly in the playoff picture all of last season, and we should probably expect that again, even in a division with powerhouses like the Jets, Stars, and Avalanche.
The Blackhawks? Well, the Connor Bedard era is still in its very early stages.
It now sounds like the Wild are prepared to go to great lengths to keep Kaprizov in St. Paul, with team owner Craig Leipold saying he's ready to offer him a record-setting extension.
"This will be a huge deal — likely the biggest in the NHL ever," Leipold said, according to TSN, after noting that the two sides seem closer to a deal. "There's no better human being or better hockey player or better person than Kirill. I think it will be a good conversation that we'll have with him. I'm very anxious and looking forward to that conversation. I think we'll move quickly after that."
Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold plans to offer Kirill Kaprizov a record-breaking NHL contract extension, potentially surpassing Leon Draisaitl's $112 million deal. (Getty images) (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
The current record belongs to Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl, who is currently on an eight-year, $112 million deal.
Kaprizov's production isn't at the level of Draisaitl's (he also doesn't have Connor McDavid on his team), and he has battled some injuries, but 386 points (185G, 201A) in 319 is fantastic.
Plus, with the salary cap projected to go up, Wild GM Bill Guerin has the wiggle room to offer a richer contract than he would've had Kaprizov re-upped sooner.
The Wild know they need to keep Kaprizov as they continue to be one of the NHL's teams to watch in the years to come, and it sounds like they're ready to pay out.
Which is good, because letting him walk or having to trade him would be a huge blunder.