Kaprizov Record-Breaking Contract Rejection Reportedly Not About Term

On Sept. 10, reports broke out that Kirill Kaprizov had rejected an eight-year deal from the Minnesota Wild, which would pay him $16 million per season and $128 million over the course of the contract. Both of those numbers would be record-setting in each regard, but the deal was still turned down.

Many believed it was a case of maximizing his earnings and not wanting to lock into a number for eight years. If Kaprizov were to take a three- or four-year deal, he could sign another that could be up to $20 million per season, but insider Elliotte Friedman doesn’t believe term is the issue here.

Kaprizov Reportedly Wants More Money

On the latest episode of 32 Thoughts, Friedman spoke on Kaprizov, starting by saying that if it is a case of concern over whether or not the Wild would be competitive over the course of the deal, you take the deal anyway because it is so big and deal with it down the road.

Kirill Kaprizov Minnesota Wild — Minnesota Wild forward Kiril Kaprizov (Nick Wosika-Imagn Images)

“For him to say no, it tells me one thing. [Kaprizov] or his representatives know something else is out there that is bigger. For a deal to be bigger than 8×16 from the Wild, assuming it isn’t a sign-and-trade, there has to be someone out there with a 7×19 or 7×20,” stated Friedman on the podcast.

A seven-year deal worth $19 or $20 million would, of course, break all of the same salary records that the offer from Minnesota did, and Friedman says there have to be smoke signals coming from somewhere.

Friedman went on to talk about where Kaprizov and the Wild stand now and stated that the Wild front office was surprised by the rejection.

When asked about whether it is because of a shorter-term deal, Friedman says he doesn’t believe that. He mentions the injury history that Kaprizov has, and how that would deter him from looking for a short-term deal. Now the Wild need to look at their options, take a risk on a player who has missed games, or do they look at it and say they need to up their offer?

Friedman believes that on Sept. 10, the Wild were going through these options, and had come down to whether or not they are going to up the offer, or look for a deal if he was going to want to go elsewhere.