Wild, Kaprizov ‘working through things’ on new deal, GM says

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin said he doesn’t want “all-out panic” among the team’s fans after star winger Kirill Kaprizov reportedly turned down an NHL record contract extension this week.

Kaprizov is in the last year of a five-year, $45 million contract, which carries a no-movement clause. He can become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Wild offered him an eight-year contract extension worth $128 million that Kaprizov and his agent turned down in a meeting on Tuesday, according to NHL reporter Frank Seravalli.

That average annual value of $16 million would have been $2 million more than that of Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl‘s contract, which currently has the highest AAV in the NHL. The total value of the deal would have surpassed the 13-year, $124 million contract signed by Alex Ovechkin with the Washington Capitals in 2008, which remains the richest in NHL history.

Speaking on the “10,000 Takes” show on Wednesday night, Guerin said he was unsure how that information went public.

“My role as general manager is to protect our players,” he said. “I know two things. That info didn’t come from us, and it didn’t come from Kirill’s agent. I don’t know where it came from. Kirill’s agent and I have a very good relationship. We’re working through things. We’re not going to let things like this get in the way.”

Kaprizov has been an offensive force for Minnesota since coming to the NHL from Russia in 2020. He has 386 points in 319 career games with the Wild, breaking the 40-goal mark three times in five seasons. He scored 25 goals in 41 games last season, which was shortened by injuries.

Kaprizov’s agent, Paul Theofanous, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The report that Kaprizov turned down the extension sent shockwaves through the hockey world — and especially the Wild’s fan base — about his long-term future with the franchise.

“I don’t want our market to go into an all-out panic mode here,” Guerin said. “The most important thing to me is Kirill and not getting him put in a bad spot. We love him. He’s a wonderful guy. He’s an unbelievable player. And we want him.”

Guerin told “10,000 Takes” that he believes the Wild are “in a really positive place with Kirill” and that talks will continue.