3 early predictions for Wild offseason after Golden Knights series loss

The Wild aren’t going anywhere fast without Kaprizov. He’s proven over the last few years that’s he’s not only the best player on the team, but one of the premier forwards in the National, period. The Russian superstar finished fifth in the league in points-per-game in 2024-25, managing 25 goals and 56 points in just 41 games in an injury-shortened campaign.

Last year, he exploded for 96 points in 75 games, and he’s just three seasons removed from an absurd 47-goal, 108-point campaign back in 2021-22. Kaprizov is set to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2026, and he’s eligible to sign a new contract on July 1. Although he realistically could leave, the Wild can offer him the most money, and expect Guerin to break the bank to keep the 28-year-old in Saint Paul for the long haul.

“My expectations are to get him signed. That’s it,” Guerin said earlier this week. “I’d like to get it done as soon as I can. Obviously, everybody knows how important Kirill is to the team and to the organization and to the market. He’s a star player. So, yeah, that’s priority No. 1.”

Kaprizov can sign an eight-year deal with the Wild, but after July 1, he’s only eligible for a seven-year pact.

“I love everything here,” he said earlier this year. “It should be all good. It’s always, every time about winning. Always everyone wants to win. Me, too. Same. I like everything here, how I say before.”

Barring any shocking developments, expect Kaprizov to get an eight-year deal in July that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NHL. An AAV between $12 and $14 million wouldn’t be surprising for a player this good — and this important to the franchise.

Marco Rossi is involved in a sign-and-trade

While Kaprizov should be sticking around for the foreseeable future, the same probably can’t be said for Marco Rossi. Despite a 60-point campaign in 2024-25, the Austrian has seen his name swirling in trade rumors for months. The pending restricted free agent just played out the final season of his entry-level contract, and he’s due for a raise. There’s no indication that Guerin is going to give him one, especially as his focus will be paying Kaprizov this summer.

In the postseason, Rossi’s playing time was significantly reduced, and he even found himself playing on the fourth line at times. That can’t have felt great for the 23-year-old, who probably would appreciate a change of scenery. A sign-and-trade could be a realistic option here, especially if Guerin doesn’t feel like shelling out multiple millions to a player who managed just three points in six postseason games in 2025.

Rossi hasn’t missed a single game in each of his first two NHL seasons, while increasing his point total from 40 to 60. He is still a very skilled forward with a bright future, but that future just might not be in Minnesota.

Brock Boeser returns to his home state

Assuming that Kaprizov is signed, Rossi isn’t, and a couple other pending UFA’s move on (that being Marcus Johansson, Gustav Nyquist and Jon Merrill), the Wild should still have some salary cap room. That hasn’t been the case with Zach Parise and Ryan Suter’s buyouts on the books. But after costing the franchise nearly $15 million each year for multiple seasons, the two will combine for just $1.6 million against the cap for the next three campaigns.

That has to be freeing for the front office, who were really not able to make the roster much better because of those massive contracts. This is the first summer Guerin could actually have money to spend, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising if he took a swing at an impactful free agent — and why not hometown kid Brock Boeser?

Yes, the Wild could certainly use more center depth, and they already have a plethora of good wingers in Kaprizov, Zuccarello, Boldy, etc. But the Vancouver Canucks and Boeser seem to be headed toward a split, and if that’s the case, the Wild would be a fantastic landing spot for the former 40-goal scorer.

Boeser just had a bit of a down year, and could probably be signed at a reasonable AAV. He was also born in Burnsville, Minnesota, and played college hockey not far away at the University of North Dakota. The 28-year-old is a proven scorer, and even in a down year he managed 25 goals and 50 points in 2024-25.

Boeser would add another element to an already strong top-six, and he could be a very intriguing option to pair with either Kaprizov or Boldy. It’ll be interesting to see what route Guerin goes in free agency — and he’ll certainly already have his hands full figuring out the futures of Kaprizov and Rossi. But if Boeser doesn’t re-up in Vancouver, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if he ends up in the State of Hockey.