How Do the Wild Balance Paying Kaprizov Superstar Money and Building A Contending Team?

When it comes to Kirill Kaprizov, the Minnesota Wild are entering a tougher financial situation than with Marco Rossi. General manager Bill Guerin can’t afford to lose Kaprizov to free agency. Kaprizov is the franchise’s centerpiece, the player who makes Minnesota relevant on the national stage, and the single biggest reason fans believe a Stanley Cup is possible in the next five years. 

His next contract will define the Wild’s contention window. It will also determine which stars Guerin can add to the roster and shape the franchise’s identity well into the 2030s. This is the most important decision of Guerin’s tenure as general manager.

Below is Minnesota’s 2025-26 projected lineup, which highlights the Wild's current position in terms of their Cup window. Can Boldy take another step in production? Will Rossi build off of his sophomore season? Can Vladimir Tarasenko prove that he's still got it? Can Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Foligno stay healthy? Will Ryan Hartman stay out of trouble? Will Danila Yurov prove that he's worth the hype? 

All of these factors impact Kaprizov’s next contract.  

2025-26 projected opening night lineup 

• Mats Zuccarello - Joel Eriksson Ek - Kaprizov 
• Matt Boldy - Marco Rossi - Vladimir Tarasenko 
• Marcus Foligno - Danila Yurov - Ryan Hartman 
• Marcus Johansson - Nico Sturm - Yakov Trenin 
• Liam Ohgren 

2026-27 projected lineup  

• Boldy - Rossi - Kaprizov 
• UFA - Yurov - Ohgren 
• Hartman - Eriksson Ek - Hunter Haight 
• Foligno - Sturm - Trenin 

UFA Targets: Artemi Panarin, Alex Ovechkin, and Andrei Kuzmenko

Haight is the most interesting name on this roster, who has shown he’s an above-average producer in the AHL. Despite Iowa finishing with a 45-30-7 record, Haight was one of Iowa's bright spots. He finished 5th in scoring with 34 points in 67 games. Does he have the potential to be a top-five scorer for the Wild?

Haight just needs to continue adding more muscle and getting faster. He has top-six skills that can fill a depth scoring role. Can he become the Wild’s version of Casey Mittlestadt, but a better two-way player? That would help Kaprizov because the Wild can use more help from within. Haight fits the description of a prolific scorer to support Kaprizov. 

Panarin will likely be traded before the March 2026 trade deadline, but what if he chooses to test free agency? Can the Wild afford to sign Panarin, even if it's short-term? 

Ovechkin will likely retire with the Washington Capitals, but what if Kaprizov can convince him to play with him even if it's for a year? Kuzmenko is an interesting name, but he’s polarizing because he’s so streaky. The Wild will be in Year 4 of the five-year plan. 

2027-28 projected lineup 

• Boldy - Rossi - Kaprizov 
• UFA - Yurov - Ohgren 
• Riley Heidt - Eriksson Ek - Haight 
• Foligno - Charlie Stramel - Trenin 

UFA Targets: Sidney Crosby, Nikita Kucherov, Tyler Seguin, Alex DeBrincat, and Jared McCann

The Wild can choose to skip the 2026 free agent class. The 2027 class is slightly better in depth and talent. Could Guerin lure Crosby for a perfect coda to his career, much like Marc-Andre Fleury? Crosby will be 40, which means he's pushing retirement. However, is Crosby really slowing down? 

In the last three seasons, Crosby has scored more than 90 points! A true definition of a generational talent. Crosby will be coming off a $8.7 million cap hit of his 2-year, $17.4 million contract. Guerin could create a situation where he can pay Crosby, while staying cap compliant due to his age. 

Can Kaprizov convince Kucherov to play with him? It's unlikely because the Tampa Bay Lightning have a history of winning, and they're improving their bottom-six scoring. However, what if the Lightning fade out of contention? Will Kucherov want a fresh start? Kucherov won't demand a higher salary than his $9.5 million cap hit. If anything, he takes a cap hit of around $8 million. 

Will Heidt be ready to play full-time with the Wild? If so, will he be here for the short-term or long-term? The Wild have more offensive wingers in its system, such as Ryder Ritchie and Adam Benak. Either of them could be Heidt's replacement if he doesn't translate to the NHL. The same goes for Haight. It'd be great if Haight and Heidt are a hit! The Wild will be in its fifth year of a five-year plan. 

Elliotte Friedman reported that Kaprizov could receive an eight-year contract worth $128 million ($16 million AAV). Kaprizov’s likely waiting for Connor McDavid to sign his extension with the Edmonton Oilers. The question is, does McDavid truly want to stay in Edmonton? The same goes for Kaprizov in Minnesota. 

The Athletic’s Joe Smith reported that Kaprizov could also sign for three to four years since the Wild haven't established themselves as legitimate Cup contenders. That will put more pressure on Guerin to maximize Kaprizov’s superstardom. Wild owner Craig Leipold mentioned that they were in Year 2 of his five-year plan last year. Now, the Wild are in their third year heading into the 2025-26 season. Is this where the Wild finally takes a turn for the better? 

Can the Wild afford Kaprizov’s $16 million AAV for eight years? Even though Kaprizov’s a superstar, $16 million is a lot of money to pay a player, even with the cap going up. The Wild would be getting the security of having Kaprizov on the team long-term, but perhaps the $16 million can be his bonuses? 

Auston Matthews signed a four-year, $53 million ($13.25 million AAV) contract extension last year. However, he received high bonuses in his first two years. 

2024-25: $15.93 million 

2025-26: $14.43 million 

Nathan MacKinnon signed an eight-year, $100.8 million ($12.6 million AAV) contract extension back in 2023. In his first three years, he got high bonuses. 

2023-24: $15.73 million 

2024-25: $15.73 million 

2025-26: $15.25 million 

Leon Draisaitl signed an eight-year, $112 million ($14 million AAV) extension last year before training camp. Here are Draisaitl's bonuses. 

2025-26: $15.5 million 

2026-27: $15.5 million 

2027-28: $15.5 million 

The Wild don't want to put themselves in a position where they're unable to upgrade their talent during free agency. If I were Guerin, I'd get Kaprizov to agree to $15 million, $16 million, and $17 million in bonuses. A more manageable cap hit would be $14 million AAV over six years. Here's his bonuses. 

2026-27: $17 million 

2027-28: $17 million 

2028-29: $16 million 

2029-30: $16 million 

2030-31: $15 million 

2031-32: $15 million 

Kaprizov won't be the highest-paid player in the NHL; McDavid will likely demand $16 million AAV from the Oilers. Honestly, who cares? Kaprizov should be happy that he starts with high bonuses. His $17 million bonus will be more than his AAV of $16 million. While his bonuses eventually decrease, he gets to enjoy the luxury of still being one of the highest-paid players.

That’s the approach Guerin should take if he wants to land Panarin, Kucherov, or Crosby within two years. Kaprizov will be 35 once his extension expires. Either he'll sign another extension or join another team if the Wild don't progress into a Cup-winning team. 

The Wild can’t afford to fumble with Kaprizov’s next deal. Guerin must find the perfect balance between keeping his superstar happy, leaving room for future upgrades, and aligning the team’s competitive window in Kaprizov’s prime. A creative structure with high bonuses and a manageable AAV gives Minnesota the best chance to add in free agency in 2026 or 2027. If Guerin fumbles this extension, he risks watching the most electrifying player in franchise history walk away.