By Nate Duffett

Copyright clutchpoints

Minnesota Wild fans can stop sweating since Kirill Kaprizov finally signed his record-breaking contract extension. It looked like the franchise’s cornerstone was going to leave town at season’s end after Kaprizov rejected a record-breaking deal earlier in the preseason. However, Bill Guerin was finally able to get him to sign on the dotted line for a mammoth eight-year, $136 million contract.
It is the largest contract in NHL history. With some big names needing extensions over the next 12 months, namely Connor McDavid, some would argue that it’s a record that won’t stand for long. However, in the hard salary cap era, signing for over $17 million per year puts your team into a tough spot to contend for the Stanley Cup.
The Wild will chalk this contract up to the cost of doing business in a market that isn’t the most desirable. It’s possible that Kaprizov would’ve signed for much less to go to a city without state tax or a more player-friendly location, but the unfortunate truth is that a city like Minnesota isn’t going to get those kinds of breaks. If the Wild want to keep superstars on their roster, they’ll have to open their wallets and figure out the rest later.
Kaprizov and his agent will be very content if no other contract over the next 12 months surpasses this value. With the rising salary cap, the Russian superstar won’t hold the record forever, but being the highest-paid in the interim was important for the agent and his client, regardless of how much of a bind it would put their general manager in.
Can the Wild win with Kirill Kaprizov?
© Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Kaprizov is one of the most electric stars in the NHL. His career-high in points came in 2021-22 when he had 108 points in 81 games, but he hasn’t eclipsed that since because of a rash of injuries. While the injuries are concerning, there hasn’t been a trend in any one area; instead, there has been a string of unfortunate incidents. There is a belief that he can maintain his health.
If Kaprizov can stay healthy for a full season, there’s no question that he can get back to a 100+ point pace. He recorded 56 points in 41 games last season, a 112-point pace, and then added nine points in six playoff games. He was a front-runner to win the Hart Trophy last season before his injury, a glimpse into the effect Kaprizov can have on the roster when he is at full health.
The concern is the long-time belief that a team can’t win when their best and highest-paid player is a winger. Minnesota proved that theory last season in their first-round exit when Kaprizov was the series’ best player and Matt Boldy was a close second. While both wingers played well, the centers failed to carry the load, with Marco Rossi’s demotion to the fourth line being a notable example. The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Wild down the middle, which has become an essential part of winning in the playoffs.
Keeping a franchise superstar is excellent, but is it worth paying him $17 million annually if you can’t afford to add winning pieces to the lineup? If Minnesota fails over and over again in the playoffs because their highest-paid player is a winger, the fans will quickly wonder if it was a mistake.
Final thoughts and grade
While the concerns about winning with the highest-paid winger are valid, the deal won’t look as bad in a few years, given the growing salary cap. Minnesota will take a beating if this deal doesn’t lead to success in the playoffs and other superstars take less money, but it is the cost of doing business.

Welcome to the era of salary cap growth, everyone.
$17 million is an insane cap hit, but given cap projections we already have + modest 4% growth after that, it doesn’t look quite so crazy in a few years. pic.twitter.com/uxC9sawaG3
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) September 30, 2025

As an advanced analytics analyst, JFresh shows on X, formerly known as Twitter, the equivalent value of Kirill Kaprizov’s deal won’t look nearly as bad in 3-4 years. The number seems astronomical right now, but it’s time to get comfortable with rich NHL contracts. For Bill Guerin, you can’t let a superstar walk in an undesirable market, and while some will jump all over him for this deal, he made the best out of a bad situation.
Minnesota Wild grade: B+
It might not be New York or Los Angeles, but it’s hard to turn down $136 million to play hockey in the NHL. No player has ever come close to making that kind of money in the league, and it could be a while before anyone makes it again, given that the contract max-term will be lowered to seven years in the new CBA and the hard cap remains in place.
It would’ve been tough for Kaprizov to get this offer and turn it down. While some would balk at the concept of being in Minnesota for the next eight years, Kaprizov now has more than enough cash in his pocket to travel wherever he’d like on his off days.
Kirill Kaprizov grade: A