The Minnesota Wild entered the offseason after losing in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with one big question. As September begins and training camp nears, that question remains unanswered. Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov is entering the final year of his contract and can sign an extension at any point. The Athletic's Mike Russo spoke with Minnesota owner Craig Liepold about the Kaprizov extension.
“I’ve got Kirill’s contract in my pocket.” Liepold joked, per Russo, “I just feel like we’re not that far off. I kind of think we’re there. I like to believe when Kirill comes over and gets a sense again for the excitement and the love of the city, I think we’ll be moving forward in a good direction.”
Russo reported that Kaprizov is expected to make his way to Minnesota in the coming days. When he arrives, there is expected to be a face-to-face meeting with general manager Bill Guerin and, potentially, Liepold. “Leipold doesn’t usually get involved in contract talks — that’s Guerin’s space — but the owner admitted he could be part of the meeting if asked. ‘We’ll probably, likely, do it that way,' he said.”
The Wild drafted Kaprizov and got him to come over from Russia, which was no small feat. If he remains with the club, he would have an inside track to the title of greatest player in franchise history. While playoff success has not followed yet, they won't get anywhere without Kaprizov.
The Western Conference is loaded with talent, especially assuming Connor McDavid stays in Edmonton. The Wild will have a tough road to the postseason and an even tougher test once they get there. Kaprizov should be staying in Minnesota for the foreseeable future. But if the contract does not get done before the season starts, the distraction would be the biggest story,
