Insider: Wild Know 'Deep Down' Truth About Kirill Kaprizov’s Next Contract

During the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas talked about the next contract for Kirill Kaprizov with the Minnesota Wild (or in free agency). Both agreed that his upcoming deal could be a monster. With 21 points in 11 games this season, Kaprizov is on the road to be one of the highest point scorers in the NHL this season. Friedman suggested that as nice as that level of production is, it might not matter. There is more that will go into Kaprizov’s next contract than just points.

Friedman said, “What Nick and I were talking about is like what’s that number going to be for Kaprizov if he gets 105 to 120 points and wins the big trophy?” He added that longtime listeners may have heard him reference the book The Bald Truth by David Falk — a book by a former NBA player agent who represented Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing among other players — and in it, he talks about how he doesn’t care about comparables, but notes, “I talk about situations, and he says like that maybe their situation but it’s not this situation.”

Friedman adds:

“Kaprizov is the guy who immediately jumps to my mind with that. I don’t look at Kaprizov of as well he doesn’t have a trophy or he doesn’t have 120 points in a season. I look at what that team looks like if he’s not there and how important he is to that team, that organization.”

Friedman goes on to note that Kaprizov is “a wild ” player. They drafted him, they brought him over when it was a real challenge for him to get over, and they have invested in him. “He is one of theirs. Like that is a Minnesota Wild success story.”

Friedman added:

“When owner Craig Leopold said at the beginning of the year that no one ‘could pay him more than we can’, to me that’s not only true but it’s also him understanding that they’re going to have to pay him a lot. And, so like when I say that I think he’s going to be in the Matthews and Draisaitl range, I believe that, like if he wants to be. I mean, who knows? You never know what can happen, but I think this guy is going to be one of the top-paid players in the league because I think the Wild know it’s a) if he hits the market everyone’s going to be chasing after him and b) he’s that important to their franchise.”

Kaprizov Brings Something More Than Production to the Wild

I mean we’ll see what his numbers end up being at the end of the year, but like to me it doesn’t even matter that he doesn’t have a Hart Trophy or he doesn’t have a billion points in a season compared to some of the other guys, or the Cup. He’s their most dangerous player by a mile.” He added, “I think the Wild know it deep down this is going to be a massive number and they’ll happily pay the massive number cuz they know he’s worth that to them.”