Wild sign Kirill Kaprizov to richest contract in NHL history

Sarah McLellan, Star Tribune on Sep 30, 2025

Published in Hockey

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The Wild have signed Kirill Kaprizov to the richest contract in NHL history.

They finally agreed to an extension with their superstar, an eight-year, $136 million pact that starts next season. Kaprizov’s contract includes a no-movement clause and an unprecedented payout: He’ll make $1 million a year in salary with the rest annual signing bonuses, including a whopping $18.1 million through the first half of the deal.

“I’m so happy to stay nine more years here,” the 28-year-old said. “It’s my second home. I’m happy to play here. Just happy and all my family happy, too. Can’t wait [for] when season starts.”

Wild President of Hockey Operations Bill Guerin had worked on the extension through the summer and, with Kaprizov set to be a free agent in 2026, didn’t want it hanging over the team’s head during the season.

“It’s been a long process, and that’s not unusual,” Guerin said. “These things take a long time. Good things happen for those who wait.

“Kirill’s been a big part of growing this team. If it had gone the other way, it would have devastating.”

Kaprizov said the contract extension takes a load off his mind.

“You always sometimes feel pressure when you play some bad games or stuff, stuff like this, but it’s, it’s gonna happen, but I like sometimes pressure,” he said. “It’s try to be keeping going more, practicing and playing more harder and, just help your team, but now I don’t feel pressure.”

Not only is this deal more than the $98 million contracts handed out to Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in 2012, which were eventually bought out in 2021, but the yearly average of $17 million currently would be tops in the league when it kicks in since it’s more than the $14 million for Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl. Kaprizov is entering the final season of a $45 million, five-year contract; his next deal also exceeds Washington’s Alex Ovechkin’s 13-year, $124 million contract signed in 2008.

Although the Wild haven’t matched the success of those teams, with the Capitals winning the Stanley Cup in 2018 and the Oilers advancing to the last two Stanley Cup Finals, this trajectory for Kaprizov was expected.

An inconspicuous fifth-round draft pick by the Wild in 2015, Kaprizov became the organization’s most prolific prospect as he remained in Russia and thrived as a goal-scoring phenom who captured a KHL championship and gold medal at the 2018 Olympics.

When he arrived in 2021, Kaprizov didn’t disappoint. After a historic NHL debut in which he became the first player to tally three points, including an overtime goal, Kaprizov was the near-unanimous recipient of the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie and signed a five-year, $45 million contract.

He set career highs and Wild records in Year 2 with 47 goals, 61 assists and 108 points and had two more 40-goal seasons — including 46 in 2023-24 — before getting derailed by injury last season.

Kaprizov, 28, was the MVP frontrunner in the first half of last season until the left winger was sidelined for surgery and returned just before the playoffs. He impressed with five goals in six games against Vegas before the Wild were eliminated in the first round; they haven’t advanced since 2015.

During his season-ending news conference, Kaprizov said he loves “everything” here” and that “it’s always, every time, about winning.”

Guerin made it clear Kaprizov’s camp knew the Wild’s plan, which saw the team make subtle changes in free agency instead of spending the windfall that came with having the cost of the Parise and Suter buyouts drop exponentially and the NHL salary cap rising.

But the Wild do have the flexibility to adjust in-season, an on-the-fly boost that they were unable to pursue when they were up against the cap ceiling.

Kaprizov has taken on the role of alternate captain with his leadership becoming more apparent as his English has improved. His teammates gave him standing ovations when they heard about the deal Tuesday morning.

“Everyone had a little more jump in their step,” Guerin said.