Dolla Dolla Kirill: The Minnesota Wild Sign Kirill Kaprizov To The Highest Contract Extension In NHL History At 8-Years, $136 Million
Ben Ludeman. Getty Images.It's crazy how lucky you are if you are an incredible hockey player who was born at any point in the late 90s/early 2000s. You think of all the stars who have come and gone in the NHL's history. Some of the greatest players to ever lace up a pair of skates and put a stick in their hands, and they could never even dream about sniffing $136 million over the course of their career. Gretzky made $46 million over his career if we're just talking NHL salary.
But the cap is going up, and we're about to find ourselves in the midst of an arms race to see who can sign the biggest ticket in hockey history. Kirill the Thrill is currently the leader in the clubhouse.
Now I don't want to get anything twisted here. Kaprizov is a stud. He's absolutely, positively a star player in the National Hockey League. He's only had one season in his career so far he didn't put up over a point-per-game, and that was when he had 51 points in 55 games as a rookie in a shortened 2020-21 season. He followed that up by scoring 108 points during his 2nd year in the league. He's without a doubt one of the most talented players in the league, and it's clear how much he means to the Minnesota Wild. It was reported a few weeks ago that he already turned down an extension offer that would have made him the highest paid player in the league, so the Wild must have gone back to the negotiation table to offer more.
With that being said…you have to be a legitimate hockey fan to know who Kirill Kaprizov is. I don't think anybody who just watches a few games here and there would be able to tell you who he plays for. I'd say he flirts back and forth along the line of star and superstar. The point I'm trying to make here is that if Kirill Kaprizov is signing for 8-years, $17M AAV? Well then you better buckle the frick in for what's in store over the next few years. McDavid is up for a new contract after this season. Cale Makar becomes a free agent in 2027. Matthews is up for another contract in 2028.
Kaprizov is a stud. There's no denying that. He's a top 15 player on the planet. But those guys at the very top have to be so pumped to see this contract today. Because if Kaprizov is getting 17 sheets a year, McDavid might be worth 30. Good for Kaprizov for getting the party started. Because there's a chance at the end of this, it's going to look like an underpayment.