MN Wild Won’t Entertain Kaprizov Trade Offers

It has been a weird couple of days for the Minnesota Wild. Until now, they spent all summer waiting to get a Kirill Kaprizov extension done. And now that the time has come to put ink on paper, there’s rumors flying out left and right that Kirill doesn’t want to be here.

Bill Guerin has addressed few holes on the roster, but none have resulted in moves of major significance. The most needle-moving report this offseason came in the form of bad news, when the Russian superstar rejecting Minnesota’s record-breaking $126 million offer.

Somehow, that report shocked to the general manager, who insists the leak didn’t come from the Wild, or Kaprizov’s camp. No matter, if the MN Wild can’t get a deal done with Kirill Kaprizov before the start of training camp this week, it would make sense for them to move him in trade, rather than have him leave in free agency next offseason.

Kirill Kaprizov not going anywhere, for now

For now, the Wild are still trying to find common ground with Kaprizov, and they don’t appear interested in listening to trade offers for their 28-year-old superstar either, at least according to a report from RG Media’s Marco D’Amico.

The uncertainty around negotiations has fueled speculation about Kaprizov’s future. On his 32 Thoughts Podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman hinted that outside forces may be stirring the pot.

“There’s somebody out there who is setting up smoke signals, saying we can do better,” Friedman said.

Those whispers gained traction when Russian journalist Alexei Shevchenko suggested that Minnesota had asked Kaprizov to provide a list of teams he would accept a trade to. That report quickly circulated online, raising alarms about whether the Wild were preparing for life without their franchise player.

Word from those close to the organization, however, strongly denied the rumor.

Marco D’Amico – RG Media

The Minnesota Wild went through something similar to the Kaprizov contract situation over a decade ago with Marion Gaborik, and wound up losing him for nothing, a topic touched on by Michael Russo and Joe Smith in their latest piece on Kaprizov for The Athletic.

Craig Leipold has already stated he intends to make Kaprizov the highest-paid player and that money won’t be an issue. If that’s true, and it probably should be, then there’s not much of a negotiation to take place.

Kaprizov’s earnings are tapped out at 20 percent of the salary cap. That is expected to rise substantially in the coming years though, so the desire for a long-term deal drops significantly.

Related: MN Wild GM Blindsided by Kaprizov Leak

A source tells D’Amico, “He’s going to wait until McDavid signs his deal and then make his decision.” If that’s the case, and it’s a logical stance, we may not have resolutions any time soon. Connor McDavid is the best player in the sport, and he’ll command a deal that he can essential write out for himself.

What the Minnesota Wild, and ultimately Kirill Kaprizov agree to, will have ripple effects that impact the NHL both now and into the future. Getting something done is imperative for the franchise, but it won’t be easy, or quick.