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.
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.
Kirill Kaprizov talks about his leadership throughout the 2024-2025 season how Minnesota has become a second home
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“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.
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.
“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.
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.
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