The Minnesota Wild have secured their franchise cornerstone for the long term, announcing that star forward Kiril Kaprizov has signed an eight-year, $136 million contract extension — the richest deal in NHL history.
The extension, which begins in the 2026–27 season, carries an annual cap hit of $17 million, pushing right up against the club’s salary ceiling.
8 MORE YEARS OF THE THRILL
🗞️ Full details » https://t.co/M3RiI5ylvM pic.twitter.com/uezQzj3ntX
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) September 30, 2025
The agreement comes just a month after Kaprizov reportedly turned down an initial eight-year, $128 million offer. With negotiations now settled, the 27-year-old Russian forward avoided hitting unrestricted free agency on July 1, when his current five-year, $45 million contract was set to expire.
Kaprizov had hinted last month that his preference was to remain in Minnesota, saying he enjoyed playing for the Wild and wanted to stay, though his main focus was on performance and the ongoing season. The breakthrough in talks ultimately came when the team met his financial expectations.
KIRILL THE THRILL! 🤩
Kirill Kaprizov has signed an eight-year extension with the @mnwild! pic.twitter.com/nPgHBUQJtp
— NHL (@NHL) September 30, 2025
The extension beats the record previously held by Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin, whose 13-year, $124 million deal spanned from 2008 to 2020. It also eclipses the eight-year, $112 million contract signed by Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, which carried an annual average value of $14 million.