Wild sign Kaprizov to record 8-year, $136M extension

The Minnesota Wild signed franchise player Kirill Kaprizov to an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $17 million, the team announced Tuesday.

It's the largest contract in NHL history in total money and AAV.

Kaprizov is in the final year of a contract with a $9-million AAV. The extension begins in 2026-27 and will keep Kaprizov off the market through his age-36 season.

Alex Ovechkin previously held the NHL record for total money on a contract with the 13-year, $124-million deal he signed in 2008. Eight years is now the maximum length for NHL contracts when a player re-signs, although that will shrink to seven years under the new CBA starting in September 2026.

Leon Draisaitl's $14M AAV was previously the highest in the league.

Kaprizov might not hold these records for more than a year, though, as three-time Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid is in the final year of his contract.

However, Kaprizov's deal does reset the market for the time being. Kyle Connor, Jack Eichel, Artemi Panarin, Martin Necas, Adrian Kempe, and Alex Tuch are among the players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in 2026.

Kaprizov's deal includes a full no-movement clause and is extremely bonus-heavy, per The Athletic's Michael Russo.

Kaprizov's $17-million AAV is double that of the Wild's next highest-paid player, defenseman Brock Faber's $8.5-million AAV.

The Wild still project to have $23 million in cap space next season, with Vladimir Tarasenko, Mats Zuccarello, and Filip Gustavsson among their most prominent UFAs.

Kaprizov was a Hart Trophy contender in 2024-25 before an injury derailed his season. He ended the campaign with 56 points in 41 games.

The 28-year-old established single-season franchise records for goals (47), assists (61), and points (108) during the 2021-22 campaign. He already ranks fourth in club history in goals (185) and fifth in points (386) in 319 career games.

The Wild drafted Kaprizov in the fifth round in 2015, though he played six seasons in the KHL before coming to North America and joining Minnesota ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.

Kaprizov reportedly turned down an eight-year extension with a $16-million AAV earlier in September. Wild general manager Bill Guerin denied that report, stating "I don't know where this stuff comes from."