Minnesota Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov turned down an eight-year, $128 million contract on Tuesday in a meeting with the team, according to a report on X by NHL insider Frank Seravalli.<\/p>\n
That contract, which The Athletic had previously reported was the offer Minnesota would make, would have been the largest in NHL history both in terms of AAV ($16 million) and total dollars (surpassing Alex Ovechkin\u2019s 13-year, $124 million deal signed in 2008).<\/p>\n
\nSources say #mnwild<\/a> superstar Kirill Kaprizov\u2019s camp turned down an extension offer believed to be 8-years, $128 million in a meeting on Tuesday in Minnesota that would have made him the highest-paid player in #NHL<\/a> history in both AAV ($16 million) and total dollars.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Wild president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin declined to comment on the report. Asked whether the report, if true, could mean Kaprizov won\u2019t sign an extension or instead wants to negotiate a shorter-term deal, Guerin also would not comment to The Athletic.<\/p>\n
Guerin, owner Craig Leipold and Wild CEO Matt Majka were at TRIA Rink after the team\u2019s captain\u2019s skate Wednesday and walked out together. Kaprizov was on the ice during the skate with teammates.<\/p>\n
Leipold sounded optimistic last week about the negotiations and admitted he was \u201canxious\u201d about the upcoming meeting with their franchise player.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just feel that we\u2019re not that far off,\u201d Leipold said last week<\/a>. \u201cI kind of think we\u2019re there. I like to believe when Kirill comes over and gets a sense again for the excitement and love of the city, I think we\u2019ll be moving forward in a good direction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kaprizov, who is entering the final year of a five-year, $45 million contract, can become an unrestricted free agent next July 1. He has a full no-move clause in his contract.<\/p>\n
If Kaprizov won\u2019t entertain a contract extension by the Wild, it could be incumbent on Guerin to get a handful of teams Kaprizov would consider a trade to. Otherwise, like Marian Gaborik in 2009, the Wild would risk losing Kaprizov for nothing next summer.<\/p>\n
Kaprizov\u2019s contract extension would kick in at age 29. The three-time 40-goal scorer is coming off a season where he missed 41 games to injury.<\/p>\n
Kaprizov\u2019s last public comments about re-signing with the team came at the end of the season in May, when he said,<\/a> \u201cWe\u2019ll see. I love everything here. It should be all good.\u201d When asked what was important to him with the decision, he said, \u201cIt\u2019s always, every time, it\u2019s about winning. Everyone wants to win. Me, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
If indeed Kaprizov decides he doesn\u2019t want to stay in Minnesota, it would be a huge blow to the franchise. He is the centerpiece of any multi-year plan the team has.<\/p>\n
(Photo: Luke Schmidt \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n