The Minnesota Wild’s record-breaking $16M per season offer to star Kirill Kaprizov has hit a wall, with the dynamic winger turning down what would have been an eight-year deal.
It’s a situation that’s got NHL fans buzzing, but the Wild aren’t hitting the panic button just yet.
Teams are already circling like sharks, calling Wild GM Bill Guerin to check if Kaprizov might be available. The answer’s been a firm “no” – they’re not even entertaining trade talks right now.
That’s according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic, who’s been following this story closely.
Here’s the thing: Kaprizov has all the cards. With a full no-move clause in his current contract, he’d need to approve any trade. And according to Michael Russo of The Athletic, nobody’s even asked Kaprizov’s camp for a list of acceptable destinations.
The talks haven’t exactly been friendly. LeBrun described the negotiations as “not cordial,” which suggests we might not see a quick resolution.
But there’s good reason the Wild are willing to break the bank for Kaprizov. He’s been nothing short of spectacular since coming to North America. At just 28, he’s already racked up an impressive 386 points in 319 regular-season games.
Last season was a bit rough with injuries, but he still managed to light it up when he played. In just 41 games, he scored 25 goals and added 31 assists – good enough for third in team scoring.
Even in the playoffs, while the Wild fell to Vegas in the first round, Kaprizov showed up big time with five goals and four assists.
The Wild still believe Kaprizov wants to stay in Minnesota. The holdup might be about the money structure, or maybe his agent Paul Theofanous is pushing for a shorter deal – something that’s becoming more popular among top players lately.
With the Wild already offering more than what most teams would probably put on the table in free agency, it’ll be fascinating to see what happens next. But one thing’s clear: trading their superstar isn’t in their playbook. At least not yet.
