Latest news with #Kaprizov
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Wraparound: Should Kaprizov Test NHL Free Agency In 2026?
It's time to discuss more NHL and hockey topics on The Wraparound. Should Kaprizov Test NHL Free Agency In 2026? by The Wraparound Should Kaprizov Test NHL Free Agency In 2026? by The Wraparound undefined Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Kelsey Surmacz discussed in today's episode: Advertisement 0:00: Breaking down the NHL's decision to return to the decentralized draft format 6:30: How will the NHL's upcoming changes to emergency backup goalies impact the game? 12:10: Could Arturs Silovs be the goaltender of the future for the Pittsburgh Penguins? 18:00: Will Jeff Skinner be able to have a resurgence with the San Jose Sharks? 23:00: Could Kirill Kaprizov test free agency next summer? 29:40: Which team needs Gavin McKenna the most at the 2026 NHL draft?See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes. Apple Podcasts Spotify Podbean iHeartRadio Amazon Promo image credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
New York Times
29-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Free agency, Kirill Kaprizov's future and how new CBA rules could help the Wild keep their superstar
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Bill Guerin continues to fervently voice confidence that the Minnesota Wild will have no problem getting Kirill Kaprizov's contract extended this summer. We're going to trust him, as well as Wild owner Craig Leipold, who again told me a few days ago that Kaprizov's extension will get done. Advertisement We'll trust Kaprizov, too. The last we talked to him, just after the season, the Wild's gamebreaker tried to calm everyone's nerves by saying, 'I love everything here. It should be all good.' Kaprizov said, at the time, that he believes in the Wild's future. Still … this is Minnesota. We worry about everything. Not winning a major men's pro sports championship since the Bush administration (the father, not the son) will do that to you. It gives us an inferiority complex that everybody wants to leave us. Who wouldn't want to play under the bright lights of New York, L.A., Miami and Vegas? So even though Guerin has instructed everybody not to panic if Kaprizov doesn't sign on the dotted line as soon as he's eligible for an extension Tuesday, if Guerin and the Wild can't set off those proverbial fireworks in the first few days of free agency after so far not making any team-altering trades, we do have to wonder — eh, worry — what the heck Kaprizov thinks of all this. Don't, Guerin insisted Saturday. 'I've talked to him a number of times,' Guerin said after the Wild closed their draft with five new prospects in the pipeline. 'I've talked to his agent a number of times. They know the plan. They know what we're trying to do, and we have the same goal, and that's to win. Sometimes it just doesn't happen in one day.' Guerin's actually not talking about winning with that last line. He's talking about adding all the players you want to add. Yes, the Wild have about $17.7 million to spend this offseason, which includes what it'll take to re-sign restricted free agent Marco Rossi. But what he's saying is that with the cap expected to continue to rise in future years, the Wild should have the flexibility to make home-run swings if he and his staff make smart, calculated decisions. As of now, the trade market hasn't materialized the way Guerin envisioned. He also can't invent a bunch of sexy names that don't exist when the free agent bell rings Tuesday. Advertisement So while fans have every right to expect the Wild to add bigtime players to their arsenal after four years of hearing about dead money and buyout penalties and all those annoying things, if Guerin has to wait for next season to find the right players or even next summer to go after more appetizing fish and avoid tying up cap dollars on lesser players this free-agent class, well, so be it. That would be the most prudent thing to do. 'The biggest thing is that we're going to be able to be players in the game again,' Guerin said. 'Every year, you see, like, the (Mikko) Rantanen thing. (Matthew) Tkachuk a couple years before that. Like big players do move, and we haven't been able to be involved in that type of stuff. But if they come up now, we can.' That's fair as long as it actually happens, and Kaprizov, himself, understands that. With all due respect to Marian Gaborik, Kaprizov is the first true superstar in Wild history. If he's going to invest as much as nine more years of his career in Minnesota, he deserves to and needs to understand the plan. Guerin said he does, and he'll continue to communicate with him. Remember, Kaprizov wants to win. His NHL career started six years later than most players of his pedigree. His extension would kick in at age 29, so if winning a Stanley Cup is as important to Kaprizov as we think it is, he's going to want to see the path to perennial contention. Guerin still plans to add a couple of forwards in a few days — probably at least one bottom-six center and perhaps a scoring winger. Possible centers who can win draws and kill penalties include Christian Dvorak, Sean Kuraly, Nico Sturm, Colin Blackwell and Radek Faksa. Possible scoring wingers, as of now, include Brock Boeser, Patrick Kane, Brad Marchand, Nikolaj Ehlers, Claude Giroux and Corey Perry. Advertisement And after trading Declan Chisholm to the Washington Capitals on Saturday, Guerin does want to add blue line depth to a top seven that likely includes youngsters Zeev Buium and David Jiricek. But when it comes to extending Kaprizov, our gut is the Wild are indeed in the driver's seat. He missed half of the season last season with core muscle injuries. Is he really going to risk not signing a deal that could be in the $110 million to $120 million range? Also, when Leipold said last fall that no team in the NHL can or will be able to offer Kaprizov more money than the Wild, he's even more correct now. Terms of the newly agreed-upon collective bargaining agreement have started to leak. The four-year extension begins in the 2026-27 season. If a player entering the final year of his contract extends before June 30, 2026, league sources said the current rule would still be in effect. What does that mean? Starting in 2026-27, players can only re-sign for seven years with their current team and can only sign for six years with another in free agency. So Kaprizov can re-sign with the Wild for as many as eight years starting this July 1, but he would only be able to sign with another team for six years next July 1 (if he's not traded by the Wild before). That means if the Wild were to offer him, say, eight years at $14 million annually ($112 million total) or at $15 million annually ($120 million total) and he turned it down and decided to wait, he would have to get an offer of $18.67 million or $20 million on a six-year term to make those same total dollars. Similarly, the Wild have largely avoided giving player signing bonuses on Leipold's watch. But Leipold said last fall that he understands that with Kaprizov, 'We may be entering into new territory.' Well, under the next CBA, signing bonuses are expected to be capped at 60 percent of the total contract value. So if Kaprizov, like many players today, wants most of his contract in annual signing bonuses, he'd also have to sign his extension now. Advertisement For example, Noah Dobson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday and signed an eight-year, $76 million contract. Dobson will earn $1 million in base salaries annually with $11 million signing bonuses on July 1 in each of his first three years, according to The Athletic's Chris Johnston. That wouldn't fly a year from now under the new CBA. Same with Sam Bennett's structure with the Florida Panthers. He re-signed Friday at the tune of eight years and $64 million. According to PuckPedia, he'll earn eight years of $1 million base salaries with $56 million in bonuses spread across the eight years, starting in a few days at $9.2 million. Not that the Wild or Kaprizov would want this, but deferred payments in contracts will also no longer be permitted in contracts signed starting July 1, 2026. So all of this should be good news for the Wild and their fans. Financially, it makes all the sense in the world for Kaprizov to lock in with the Wild now. Of course, there's always a chance that Kaprizov would prefer a shorter-term deal to keep his future options open and further, let's just say, incentivize the Wild to try to build a perennial winner and not get complacent over the term of his contract. That, too, could be considered a good thing if it puts pressure on a franchise that has made the playoffs eight times in the past 10 years but has also lost in the first round in eight of the past 10 years. What may excite Kaprizov beyond the potential external additions to the Wild's lineup in free agency in a few days is the infusion of youth onto the roster next season. There's a chance we could see as many as five young players make the opening night lineup. Buium and Jiricek will have every opportunity to make the team on the back end. Goalie Jesper Wallstedt is penciled in to be Filip Gustavsson's backup. Skilled forward Danila Yurov is coming over from Russia to make his NHL debut, and it's time to see if Liam Ohgren can be a full-time NHLer. With Jonas Brodin having recently undergone surgery and expected to miss the start of the season, we could even see Carson Lambos on the opening night roster. Guerin is excited about the youthful energy these kids may be able to bring to the team. 'A lot of times those are the guys that can help you get over the edge or over the hump,' Guerin said. 'It's really important that we find these younger players that can make the push — make the lineup but make an impact. Like not just be out there and just get a roster spot. Advertisement 'We need guys to come in and make an impact and do something, not just make the team and take a seat in the locker room. 'And I think we've got some young guys that are going to be able to do that.' We'll soon find out one way or the other what Kaprizov thinks of all this. Remember, Guerin's not wrong when he says not to panic if there's no big Kaprizov announcement Tuesday. Leon Draisaitl's $14 million-per-year extension with the Edmonton Oilers didn't get done until September. There's no rush to get it done July 1. Could it, though? 'We'll see,' Guerin said. 'I can't really answer that. Hey, listen, I'd love to have everything locked in and sealed on July 1. I don't see that happening, but who knows? Kirill's agent and I have been talking — not just about Kirill but about other things, too. We have an open dialogue, and I would say things are good.' Pending restricted free agents: Rossi, Michael Milne, Graeme Clarke, Adam Raska, Luke Toporowski. Pending unrestricted free agents: Gustav Nyquist, Justin Brazeau, Devin Shore, Travis Boyd, Tyler Madden. Roster hopefuls: Yurov ($950,000), Ohgren ($886,666), Vinnie Hinostroza ($775K), Ben Jones (775K), Hunter Haight ($865,833), Riley Heidt ($950K), Caedan Bankier ($867,500), Cameron Butler ($858,333), Rasmus Kumpulainen ($897,500), Milne, Clarke, Raska, Toporowski. Pending restricted free agents: Ryan O'Rourke. Pending unrestricted free agents: Jon Merrill, Cam Crotty, Chase Priskie. Roster hopefuls: Buium ($966,667), Jiricek ($918,333), Carson Lambos ($863,334), David Spacek ($862,500), Jack Peart ($925K), Kyle Masters ($865,000), Stevie Leskovar ($860,000), O'Rourke. Pending unrestricted free agents: Dylan Ferguson, Troy Grosenick. Roster hopefuls: Samuel Hlavaj ($875K), Riley Mercer ($819,167) Cap charges (including Ohgren, Buium, Jiricek, Wallstedt, Yurov): $75,021,666 Projected dead-cap buyout charges, bonus overages: $2,766,666 Projected salary cap for 2025-26 season: $95.5 million Projected salary-cap space: $17,711,668 (excludes re-signings) (Top photo by Jeff Bottari / NHLI via Getty Images)
New York Times
26-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Wild GM Bill Guerin on Kirill Kaprizov, Marco Rossi and why there might not be a big splash July 1
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A Brinks truck pulled up to Minnesota Wild headquarters around 11:30 a.m. Thursday. Two armed men walked in, one holding a bag of cash. With five days until the Wild are allowed to sign Kirill Kaprizov to the biggest extension in franchise history — one that would make the star one of the highest-paid players in the NHL — the obvious joke was that the officers were delivering the organization the funds to get the deal done. Advertisement Well, not quite yet. The money was actually for the restaurant in the building's lobby, which happens to be owned by Wild owner Craig Leipold. But, as of now, the team hasn't completely dug into negotiations yet with Kaprizov's representatives on what they hope will be a long-term extension. President of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin said it would surprise him if it gets hammered out by Tuesday but reiterated what he has said for months — that he remains fully confident that in getting Kaprizov locked up well beyond the final year of his contract next season. 'We don't have to sign him on July 1,' Guerin said. 'We'd like to get it done as soon as we can. I'd love to do that. These things take time. They're complicated deals, and there's a lot to them. So, if it doesn't happen on July 1, don't panic. Don't panic. It's a process.' Guerin's current focus ahead of this weekend's draft is the trade market, then free agency, which begins Tuesday. On Thursday, the Wild traded Freddy Gaudreau to the Seattle Kraken for a fourth-round pick. The loss of a center seems to make it less likely that they will trade Marco Rossi after weeks of scouring the market. Guerin maintains he doesn't want to make his team worse, so he'd want an equivalent forward in return. That has not materialized so far, meaning the two sides may have to get back to the negotiating table to try to iron out a contract they're both comfortable with. There is one pressure point, however, and that's that Rossi is eligible to sign an offer sheet with another team as early as Tuesday. Guerin has never seemed overly concerned about that. Asked if this is the type of negotiation that could last the summer with training camp not set to begin until Sept. 18, Guerin quipped, 'Doesn't have to be.' 'Hey, look, we like Marco,' Guerin said. 'Like, Marco's a good player. He had a good season. He's a good teammate. There's this funny narrative out there that I — we — don't like him. That's not the case. We like Marco. He's a good player. He played in our top six all year long. And he produced. Advertisement 'For a player in his position, this is pretty normal. I mean, I went through this as a player, too. This is not anything new. Just like Kirill, there is a process, and we don't have to rush into anything. It just takes time.' The one complication here is that Rossi doesn't have the right to file for salary arbitration, so the only way this will get solved is if the Wild and Rossi's agent, Ian Pulver, come to an agreement. Right now, there's a large gap between what the sides feel he's worth on short-, mid- and long-term contracts. The irony? Guerin had multiple contract disputes in his playing career, and in his one salary arbitration, it was Pulver who represented his case in his previous role with the NHL Players' Association. 'I understand both sides very well,' Guerin said. 'As a player, you know it's enough money, but you're competitive, right? That's why you're good. That's why you're in this league. You're competitive with your peers, you want to be treated a certain way, you feel like you deserve a certain amount, or whatever. And, I get that. Yeah, I get that. 'It's emotional. But being on this side now, I have a business to run. I have a structure that we're following. … So the one thing I did have to learn as a player, too, and I did learn it as I got older, and I definitely know it now, none of this is personal. It's just business. You just got to grind it out sometimes.' As Guerin put it regarding teams' interest in Rossi: 'People have called. But, like I said, I'm not rushing that kid out of town, that's for damn sure.' Here were other takeaways from Thursday's Guerin availability. Guerin said at the end of the season that upgrading at the center position was his top priority, and that was before Thursday's Gaudreau trade. Judging from what he's seen on the market, it could be more likely that he addresses the position via trade than free agency. Some of the top unrestricted free agents have already signed — including Brock Nelson (Colorado Avalanche), Jonathan Toews (Winnipeg Jets) and Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene (Dallas Stars). Sam Bennett seems intent on staying with the Florida Panthers, and John Tavares hopes to remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Advertisement The problem, however, is the market, where there aren't many sellers. 'It's definitely a strange year,' Guerin said. 'All of a sudden, all 32 teams want to get better. All the GMs are saying the same thing, so it's actually kind of funny. It's a pretty lean marketplace. The thing about trades is, you have to give up something to get something. Whether we're all willing to do that at some point in time is another thing.' While they have shown interest in right-shot centers like the New York Islanders' J-G Pageau and the Avalanche's Charlie Coyle in the trade market, it's also expected that the Wild will try to sign a bottom-six center in free agency who can help in the faceoff circle and on the penalty kill. Some players who may qualify are Sean Kuraly, Radek Faksa, Nico Sturm, Colin Blackwell, Luke Kunin and Nick Bjugstad. The Wild could also pursue an upgrade on the wing in free agency. Brock Boeser and Patrick Kane are among the players who could be of interest there. The way Guerin was talking, though, it certainly seems like he could be preparing fans for a July 1 without many fireworks. While the Wild do finally have some cap space to play with — around $17.7 million after the Gaudreau trade — they know they could also use that for in-season moves next season, too. This is something the Wild weren't able to do last season, when they spent more than half the year in LTIR. 'I've made mistakes and I'll make more, but I'm trying to limit them,' Guerin said. 'I don't want to get into contracts we really regret. You like everybody at certain price points. You have to have some discipline. The important thing for us — we're coming out of the empty cap hits, but it's not just for July 1. 'There are trades that happened in the season or at the deadline — bigger things that we couldn't get involved in because of our empty cap hits. Those are gone now. Going forward, we'll be able to be in those discussions.' Advertisement While Leipold said before the season that July 1 could be like their 'Christmas morning,' it appears the Wild could end up spreading those presents out. 'That's the thing: You don't want to go out on Day 1 and blow your brains out just to say you did something,' Guerin said. 'We don't want to make mistakes. If the guys are there that we want, we'll do it. But moving forward, we'll be able to be involved in other things. To me, that is just as important as July 1.' Guerin said it was a difficult call telling Gaudreau that he was traded, noting what a great person and reliable player he's been with the Wild. But Guerin indicated that this was a move to create flexibility for July 1. Gaudreau carried a $2.1 million cap hit for each of the next three seasons. Seattle showed interest, and the move had been in the works for a couple of weeks. 'There's always that human element to it,' Guerin said. 'And Freddy is one of those guys that everybody loves. He's a good player, and more than that, he's a good person.' Guerin said the Wild could get involved in free agency when it comes to goalie depth. They could use an experienced No. 3 in case of injuries to Filip Gustavsson or Jesper Wallstedt. Guerin said that doesn't indicate lack of confidence in Gustavsson or Wallstedt, who has admitted he's coming off a 'terrible' season. 'We just need another guy,' Guerin said. It's #NHLDraft week, and #mnwild director of amateur scouting Judd Brackett covered a ton about team's philosophy, past picks, prospects + more. Is there more pressure to hit on 2nd rounder with no 1st or 3rd this year?Story: — Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) June 23, 2025 The Wild won't have a first-round pick Friday for the first time in eight years, but Guerin doesn't feel pressure to add one. They feel they already got their first-rounder in former No. 6 pick David Jiricek, acquired for this year's first-round pick and several others back in November. 'It's not a priority, but I'm not against it either,' Guerin said. 'The biggest thing for this draft, not having a first-rounder, we feel we already picked and got David Jiricek. He was a very high pick, so we're comfortable with where we are. If there's an opportunity to get in the first round without weakening our team, that's definitely something we would take a look at.' Advertisement Guerin did say that Jiricek, whose season ended due to a lacerated spleen, is healthy now and working out in St. Paul, where he'll be for a chunk of the summer. Guerin said top prospect Zeev Buium, who headlines next week's development camp, will also spend a lot of time in Minnesota this offseason. (Photo of Kirill Kaprizov and Marco Rossi: Justin Berl / Getty Images)
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Insider suggests Wild will make Kirill Kaprizov the NHL's highest-paid player
Insider suggests Wild will make Kirill Kaprizov the NHL's highest-paid player originally appeared on Bring Me The News. There is no offseason storyling bigger for the Wild this year than star forward Kirill Kaprizov's looming contract extension. The Athletic's Michael Russo joined Paul Allen on his nine-to-noon radio show on Tuesday, and he suggested Kaprizov could become the highest-paid player in the league. "It would make me a little nervous, but I also understand that is the price of doing business right now for him," Russo said. "They are going to make him the highest-paid player in the league." Kaprizov just turned 28, and 2025-26 is the last season of his current five-year, $45 million deal. Russo suggested a potential eight-year, $120 million contract extension. Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews was the highest-paid player in the NHL in 2024-25, making $13.25 million annually. Russo's suggested deal for Kaprizov would pay him $15 million annually. "This organization has never had a superstar, and you've got to pay him to keep him," Russo continued. "Because there are a lot of teams out there, with the cap going up, that have a lot of cap space, that can sign him in a year." Kaprizov was banged up last season, playing in only 41 games, but he still finished with 56 points. His best career season came in 2021-22, when he scored 108 points with 47 goals and 61 assists. He has proven himself as one of the best players in the league, and it's a no-brainer for Minnesota to lock him down long-term. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wild's Kirill Kaprizov Sends 'Love' Message Before Contract Year
Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov has completed his fifth season in the NHL with his team falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in six games in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 28-year-old winger is now facing the next significant step in his career, with an initial date for taking it set for July 1 as he will become eligible to sign a contract extension. Advertisement After returning from injury late in the regular season, Kaprizov delivered his best postseason performance to date, with five goals and nine points in Minnesota's loss to Vegas. The Wild dropped three straight one-goal games to close the series, including two in overtime, leaving a bitter taste in Kaprizov and his teammates. 'It's frustrating to lose,' Kaprizov said. 'When you lose in the first round, it's tough. We'll be better next year, try to just focus on the offseason now, good training, good camp. Should be ready to go again.' One of the key questions within Minnesota's organization now is whether Kaprizov will commit to playing more than "next year' for the Wild. As the only team allowed to offer him max term, Minnesota could shape its future around him. Advertisement Kaprizov's five-year, $45 million contract has one season left, but the Wild can offer him an eight-year extension beginning July 1 while the other 31 franchises are capped at seven years. Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) warms up before the start of game five of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images 'This is my agent's job (to) talk with (general manager Bill Guerin), but we will see,' Kaprizov said. 'I love everything here. But (it) should be all good. 'It's easier because now I speak a little bit better English. It's easy for me to talk with the boys. I feel more comfy, every year more and more. It's like my home, my second home.' Kaprizov is in line for a sizeable raise considering his production. The Russian winger ranks 10th among all players in goals (158) and 15th in points (335) in 264 games since entering the NHL in the 2021–22 season. Advertisement Kaprizov is coming off a regular season in which he missed 41 games due to injury but still put up 56 total points, split into 25 goals and 31 assists with a plus-19 plus/minus. Related: Connor McDavid Reminds Oilers of 'Failures' Before Golden Knights Series Related: Canadiens React to NHL's Announcement on Coach Martin St. Louis
