The Minnesota Wild entered this summer with one crystal-clear mission: lock up superstar center Kirill Kaprizov before training camp opened. Their strategy seemed foolproof — offer the Russian winger a historic $128 million over eight years, making him the highest-paid player in NHL history.
Instead, reports emerged that Kaprizov had already rejected the record-breaking deal. Now, with his future hanging in the balance, multiple franchises are reportedly circling like sharks, ready to make their own pitch for his services.
Which Six Teams Are Already Targeting Kirill Kaprizov?
Since arriving in Minnesota during the 2020-21 season, Kaprizov has transformed into the undisputed face of the Wild franchise. With the dynamic winger entering the final year of his current five-year, $45 million contract, GM Bill Guerin made re-signing him the organization’s top priority this offseason.
Minnesota pulled out all the stops, offering what would have been the largest contract in NHL history at $128 million over eight years, averaging $16 million per season. However, negotiations have hit a complete standstill, and Kaprizov has declined the massive offer.
Michael Russo: Re Kirill Kaprizov interest: Rangers, I know the Hurricanes are gonna be a team that’s very interested…the Blackhawks are; the usual suspects; LA, I think he’d love Tampa – Worst Seats in the House (9/12)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) September 14, 2025
Making matters significantly worse for Wild fans, The Athletic’s Michael Russo believes nearly half a dozen teams are already positioning themselves to pursue Kaprizov’s signature next summer. Russo appeared on the latest episode of the “Worst Seats in the House” podcast, where he discussed the far-reaching implications of this contract rejection with co-host Anthony LaPanta.
According to Russo, Kaprizov’s rejection might stem from a simple desire to play elsewhere. In such a scenario, he suggested it would be better for Guerin to obtain a preferred destinations list from Kaprizov before the 2025-26 season begins, allowing the team to explore potential trade options.
However, Kaprizov’s no-movement clause significantly complicates any potential trade scenario. Russo explained the unique appeal for acquiring teams: “If you trade for him, you’re allowed to sign him for eight years. But if you get him early in the season, you essentially are having him for nine years at a bargain price of $9 million the first year.”
Despite Kaprizov’s relatively manageable $9 million cap hit in his final contract year, acquiring teams would still need to clear significant salary cap space to accommodate his long-term financial demands.
“So I don’t know who that would be. Rangers, I know the Hurricanes are going to be a team that will be very interested. We obviously know the Blackhawks are,” Russo said on the podcast.
Russo continued his analysis, noting specific team preferences: “I know that Kirill [Kaprizov] loves that city. I don’t know if he loves the organization. There are going to be the usual suspects that come after him. LA. I think he’d love Tampa.”
According to Russo’s assessment, Kaprizov’s primary motivation centers on joining a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
The challenge, however, lies in the salary cap reality facing most championship-caliber teams. Russo pointed out that no current title contender possesses sufficient cap space to meet Kaprizov’s contract demands. He emphasized that most contending franchises already have their core players locked up with no-movement clauses, making the necessary roster moves extremely difficult to execute.
