Wild owner will do whatever it takes to re-sign Kirill Kaprizov

Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold sounds pretty much wiling to do anything to re-sign star forward Kirill Kaprizov. The star forward can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, when his five-year, $45 million contract comes to an end. Kaprizov has been eligible to sign an eight-year contract with Minnesota since July 1, but fans in Minny are still waiting.

Leipold went as far as saying that he believes Kaprizov’s contract likely to be biggest in NHL history.

“This will be a huge deal - likely the biggest in the NHL ever,” Leipold told The Athletic’s Joe Smith . “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.”

At the start of last season, Leipold had said that “Nobody will offer more money than us, or longer.” And he seems to mean it more than ever.

If Kaprizov indeed gets the biggest deal in NHL history it means it would be more than the one signed by Alex Ovechkin in 2008. The Washington Capitals superstar inked a 13-year pact worth $124 million. The highest cap hit is owned by Leon Draisaitl at $14 million. He signed an eight-year, $112-million extension with the Edmonton Oilers in September 2024.

If Kaprizov signs after July 1, 2026, he can only get a seven-year deal. However, Leipold feels a deal is close.

“I just feel like we’re not that far off,” Leipold said. “I kind of think we’re there. I like to believe when Kirill comes over (from Russia) and gets a sense again for the excitement and the love of the city, I think we’ll be moving forward in a good direction.”

Selected 135th overall by the Wild in 2015, Kaprizov only joined the NHL until 2020 after a prolific career back home in the KHL. Kaprizov has recorded185 goals and 386 points in 319 games over six seasons, and already ranks fourth in franchise goals and fifth in scoring.

Last year, Kaprizov finished the year with 25 goals and 56 points in 41 games, a 50-goal, 112-point pace over 82 contests, and eventually added five goals and nine points in six playoff games as the Wild lost in the first round to the Vegas Golden Knights.