Insider: Kaprizov To Soar Near Top Of NHL's Highest-Paid List

Kirill Kaprizov still has another season to go after this one on his five-year, $9 million AAV contract. But the Minnesota Wild will do their best to sign him to an extension next offseason, and owner Craig Leipold has already said that money will be no object.

To that point, insider Elliotte Friedman noted on his 32 Thoughts podcast that the money will, in fact, be massive for Kaprizov on that next deal.

(Kaprizov) is going to be one of the top paid players in the league... When I say that he's going to be in the (Auston) Matthews/(Leon) Draisaitl range, I believe that... This is going to be a massive number, and they'll happily pay the massive number, because they'll happily pay that to him.

Matthews is the highest-paid player this season, at a $13.25 million AAV, while Draisaitl's extension kicks in next season, at a $14 million AAV.

The 27-year-old Kaprizov, who, incredibly, was a 5th-round draft pick way back in 2015, came to the NHL four years ago with a bang. He won the Calder Trophy as top rookie in 2020-21, with 27 goals and 51 points in 55 games.

Since then? Three straight 40+ goal seasons, three straight All-Star games, and his role as the Wild's "most dangerous player" as Friedman put it is something they just can't afford to lose.

Kirill Kaprizov is having an insane start to the season

- Total Points: 21 (T-1st in NHL)
- Total Primary Assists: 11 (1st)
- 5v5 Primary Points: 11 (1st)
- PP Shot Attempts: 32 (2nd)

Extension-eligible this summer #MNWild pic.twitter.com/5AzqgaCeSs
— Keith (@KeithKavJr) November 5, 2024

This season is no different, as he's off to an incredible start once again, with 21 points, tied for the league lead with Sam Reinhart and Cale Makar, while his 11 primary assists also lead the NHL, as does his 5 on 5 primary points total, at 11.

Matthews & Draisaitl will need to make room at the top for Kaprizov (though some guy named McDavid will also be due for an extension this summer, so we'll go out on a limb and say that the aforementioned three will be runners-up on the salary scale.