Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov declines eight-year, $128 million extension that would have been NHL’s richest

Kirill Kaprizov’s camp has rejected an eight-year, $128 million contract extension from the Minnesota Wild that would have become the largest in NHL history in both total value and average annual value, the team confirmed.

The proposed deal, which carried an average annual value of $16 million, would have surpassed Alex Ovechkin’s 2008 contract — 13 years and $124 million — as the richest in league history. Kaprizov, 28, is entering the final season of a five-year, $45 million contract and is scheduled to report to Wild training camp this month.

Wild owner Craig Leipold said last week he believes the club and Kaprizov are close to agreement and expressed optimism about the coming season, telling The Athletic, “I kind of think we’re there. I like to believe when Kirill comes over and gets a sense again for the excitement and the love of the city, I think we’ll be moving forward in a good direction.” Kaprizov has offered little public detail about what he seeks in a long-term deal. In May he said, “We’ll see. I love everything here. It’s always, every time, it’s about winning. Everyone wants to win. Me, too.”

Kaprizov has been one of the NHL’s most productive scorers since his arrival. The 2015 fifth-round pick won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2020-21 and has recorded three 40-goal seasons in five NHL campaigns. In 319 career games he has 185 goals and 386 points. Last season he scored 25 goals and totaled 56 points in 41 games, a campaign curtailed by injury.

The rejected offer leaves Minnesota and Kaprizov’s camp without a public path to a new contract as the club prepares for the regular season opener on Oct. 9 in St. Louis. The Wild have positioned themselves as contenders in recent seasons and the organization has emphasized its desire to retain its core players while closing the gap toward a Stanley Cup run.

Kaprizov’s status will be closely watched by NHL teams and executives around the league. As one of the game’s elite scorers and a proven match-winner, he remains a valuable asset whether under contract, available for trade, or, at season’s end, in unrestricted free agency. Any extension would reshape Minnesota’s cap structure and set a new benchmark for forward compensation across the league.

Negotiations between elite players and teams often hinge on term, salary certainty and roster construction. The Wild’s proposal was notable both for its length and its record-setting financial terms. Team officials have not released further details about the offer’s structure or whether other proposals have been discussed.

Kaprizov’s decision follows a season in which he produced at an elite rate when healthy and continued to draw high marks from teammates and opposing coaches for his scoring instincts and playmaking. The coming weeks and the start of training camp are likely to provide additional context on his priorities and how the Wild plan to approach a resolution before the season progresses.