Report: Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov turned down contract that would have made him highest-paid NHLer ever
One of the most talented players in hockey has reportedly said no to one of the most lucrative contracts in the sport’s history.
According to insider Frank Seravalli, Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov has turned down an extension offer that would keep him on the books for another eight years.
The dollar amount? $128 million, or an average annual value of $16 million.
Sources say #mnwild superstar Kirill Kaprizov’s 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 history in both AAV ($16 million) and total dollars.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 10, 2025It wouldn’t just make the Russian winger the highest-paid player in NHL history, but it would also carry the highest AAV as well. Kaprizov has one more year on his current contract, a five-year deal that he signed in September 2021, which carries an AAV of $9 million.
Currently, the top cap hit in the league belongs to Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, whose eight-year, $112 million ($14 million AAV) contract takes effect this season. Heading into the 2025-26 campaign, 19 active players will have cap hits over $10 million. That number is expected to grow as the salary cap will continue to rise over the next few seasons.
The 28-year-old has certainly earned the right to be near the top of the leaderboard in terms of the biggest-earning players in the game. He has been the best player on the Wild, by far, since he joined the team four years ago. He has scored over 95 points twice, including a career-high 108 points in 2021-22. Even though Kaprizov missed half the season due to injury, he still managed to pot 56 points in 41 games.
One could argue that Kaprizov is waiting to see what will happen with another prominent Oiler. Edmonton captain Connor McDavid, who currently has the fifth-highest AAV ($12.5 million) in the NHL, is heading into the final season of his contract. There seems to be no rush for him or the team to get a deal done. However, this could hold Kaprizov from signing a new deal if he wants to try and measure himself against the best player in the world.
In 319 regular-season appearances with the Wild, Kaprizov has notched 185 goals and 201 assists for 386 points. He’s notched another 21 points in 25 Stanley Cup Playoff games.