Minnesota Wild star forward Kirill Kaprizov is eligible to sign an extension on July 1, 2025. That’s not right around the corner, but it’s also not necessarily a lot of time for the Wild organization to prove to Kaprizov that they can build a contender. And, if they hope to retain his services, that’s exactly what they’ll have to do. Otherwise, it sounds like Kaprizov is already thinking about leaving and playing for a contender.
Both owner Craig Leipold and GM Bill Guerin have acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Kaprizov’s future. Understanding the winger is driven by winning, there’s some urgency to put a winning team together. He’s perhaps the most important part of it, but Kaprizov needs the right pieces around him to not only make the playoffs but last longer than one round.
To date, there has been no indication he wants to leave, but also no signs he’s open to staying with the Wild long-term if they don’t turn their fortunes around. When the owner talks about the player, he knows that nothing is certain. “I would be lying to you if it’s not on our minds,” Leipold said last fall.
Kaprizov is Already Leaving Open the Idea of Exploring His Options
When asked about his future in Minnesota, Kaprizov responded that he likes the team and the players. There’s a familiarity there and confidence the group can compete. However, he was also disappointed with the way this season went and he needs to see more before making up his mind.
He explained:
“I don’t like (to) say what had happened where. I like just (focusing) on now. I feel we have a lot of good players on the team. We always have a chance to win games and go in playoffs, fighting there…. I don’t know. We’ll see what happens next year. I can’t say if we don’t make playoffs. I hope we make playoffs next year.”
This isn’t Kaprizov saying he’s going anywhere. That said, it’s abundantly clear that he’s not committing to a team that isn’t committing to winning. He’s only so patient, and if the Wild can’t get themselves in the top 16 and then eventually into the top eight, he might look to sign with a team that can.
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