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It appeared Kirill Kaprizov and the Wild were at an impasse after the forward turned down what would have been a record-breaking deal worth $128 million. However, he managed to set a new mark to beat while turning the market for NHL forwards on its head with the biggest contract in the history of the league.
Most NHL players aren’t hurting for money, but they’re among the lowest-paid athletes in the North American leagues that comprise the “Big Four.” During the 2024-25 season, the average annual salary came in at around $3.6 million; the NBA led the way with $11.9 million over the same span, MLB players hit $5 million for the first time in 2025, and the NFL currently brings up the rear due to the $3.2 million figure that is only as low as it is because of the size of its rosters.
You don’t really have to worry about checking your bank account balance if you’re an NHL superstar, but the contracts they receive have historically paled in comparison to what the biggest names in other sports have managed to rake in.
Prior to the start of the upcoming NHL season, Alexander Ovechkin held the record for the largest overall contract in NHL history with a $124 million deal spanning 13 years, which he signed in 2008. That had an AAV of around $9.5 million, which is nothing to scoff at but dwarfed by the $14 million Leon Draisaitl ensured he’ll earn each year when he signed an eight-year, $112 million contract extension in 2024.
However, both of those numbers have been replaced by new ones courtesy of Kirill Kaprizov.
Kirill Kaprizov has landed the biggest contract in NHL history courtesy of the Minnesota Wild
Kirill Kaprizov will end up going down as one of the biggest steals in NHL history. In 2014, scouts for the Wild reaped the benefits of a serendipitous development after their flight back from a trip to Russia was delayed due to wildfire smog, and they attended a KHL game where the forward caught their eye before they drafted him in the fifth round with the 135th overall pick in 2015.
He didn’t end up making his debut for Minnesota until 2021, but he quickly emerged as a rising star who secured the Calder Trophy for his play during his rookie year. That kicked off a career where he’s been named to the All-Star Game three times and set the franchise record for the most goals, assists, and points in a season during his sophomore campaign.
Kaprizov was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, and the Wild made it very clear they were going to do everything in their power to sign him before he hit the market. However, he also made it clear he wanted a very big bag after rejecting a $128 million offer that would have netted him $16 million a year.
That turned out to be a pretty good decision on his part, as ESPN reports he has agreed to what is now the richest contract in NHL history with an eight-year, $136 million arrangement with an AAV of $17 million.
The 28-year-old Russian sat out for the second half of the season last year with a lower-body injury before returning in time for the playoffs, but it seems safe to assume the Wild aren’t overly concerned about his durability.
It’s also very likely this record won’t stand for long, as the sum he was able to garner is reflective of the NHL’s gradually rising salary cap that is going to give other teams the opportunity to shell out even more for other superstars over the next few years.