<p>I don&#8217;t know about you, but I would have a hard time saying no to a $16 million USD annual salary.</p>
<p></p>
<p>But that&#8217;s exactly what Minnesota Wild superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/minnesota-wild-kirill-kaprizov-turned-down-contract-highest-paid-nhl-16-128-million">has reportedly done</a>, according to hockey insider Frank Seravalli, as the 28-year-old snubbed an eight-year, $128 million contract extension.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sources say <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mnwild?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mnwild</a> superstar Kirill Kaprizov’s camp turned down an extension offer believed to be 8-years, $128 million in a meeting on Tuesday in Minnesota that would have made him the highest-paid player in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NHL</a> history in both AAV ($16 million) and total dollars.</p>
<p>&mdash; Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) <a href="https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1965812721955570082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The deal would&#8217;ve made Kaprizov, who enters this season on the final year of a five-year, $9-million AAV deal, the highest-paid player in the NHL by a $2-million margin when it kicked in for the 2026-27 season. Kaprizov was drafted by the Wild in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, making his NHL debut in 2020.</p>
<p>Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl holds the league&#8217;s largest cap hit heading into this season, with his eight-year, $14-million per year deal taking effect.</p>
<p>Kaprizov has appeared in 319 games over the last five years, becoming one of the league&#8217;s preeminent scorers, with 185 goals and 386 points. Only six players have as many goals and points in as many games since Kaprizov debuted in the league: Draisaitl, Connor McDavid ($12.5 million cap hit), Auston Matthews ($13.25 million), David Pastrnak ($11.25 million), and Mikko Rantanen ($12 million).</p>
<h2>Other news and notes&#8230;</h2>
<ul>
<li>Vancouver Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes has responded to his brother Jack&#8217;s comments about hoping to play together one day. Jack said earlier this week, “This is the headline question, you know? Honestly, I’m not afraid to say it. Yeah, I would love for Quinn to — eventually I’d love to play with him. And whether that’s in New Jersey or at what time that takes, at some point I want to play with Quinn.&#8221; Quinn, who is entering the second-last year of his contract and will be able to sign an extension next July 1st, meanwhile, <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-jack-hughes-speaks-wanting-play-alongside-brother-quinn-hughes">downplayed</a> what could happen, saying &#8220;every year brings its different challenges.&#8221;</li>
<li>The San Jose Sharks signed this year&#8217;s second overall draft pick, <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/san-jose-sharks-sign-top-prospect-michael-misa-entry-level-contract-nhl-draft-saginaw">Michael Misa, to an entry-level contract</a>. The 18-year-old is coming off a breakout season with the OHL&#8217;s Saginaw Spirit, scoring 62 goals and 132 points in 65 games last year, boosting his draft stock and allowing the Sharks to build what could be a potent 1-2 punch of centres with Macklin Celebrini fresh off a successful rookie NHL season. Misa&#8217;s deal, according to <em><a href="https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/1965833569710031325">PuckPedia</a>,</em> carries maximum compensation for &#8220;A&#8221; bonuses, and a quarter-million dollars under the limit for &#8220;B&#8221; bonuses.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRSWOpthKmdtmFOKQDd7TQdTU2KSKXYvX">DFO DFS Report</a>. He can be followed on X at</span></i> <em><a href="http://www.x.com/zjlaing"><span style="font-weight: 400;">@zjlaing</span></a></em><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>,</em> or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.</span></i></p>
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Dec 12, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) skates with the puck against the Edmonton Oilers in the second period at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

I don't know about you, but I would have a hard time saying no to a $16 million USD annual salary.



But that's exactly what Minnesota Wild superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/minnesota-wild-kirill-kaprizov-turned-down-contract-highest-paid-nhl-16-128-million">has reportedly done</a>, according to hockey insider Frank Seravalli, as the 28-year-old snubbed an eight-year, $128 million contract extension.
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https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1965812721955570082

The deal would've made Kaprizov, who enters this season on the final year of a five-year, $9-million AAV deal, the highest-paid player in the NHL by a $2-million margin when it kicked in for the 2026-27 season. Kaprizov was drafted by the Wild in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, making his NHL debut in 2020.

Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl holds the league's largest cap hit heading into this season, with his eight-year, $14-million per year deal taking effect.

Kaprizov has appeared in 319 games over the last five years, becoming one of the league's preeminent scorers, with 185 goals and 386 points. Only six players have as many goals and points in as many games since Kaprizov debuted in the league: Draisaitl, Connor McDavid ($12.5 million cap hit), Auston Matthews ($13.25 million), David Pastrnak ($11.25 million), and Mikko Rantanen ($12 million).
<h2>Other news and notes...</h2>
<ul>
 	<li>Vancouver Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes has responded to his brother Jack's comments about hoping to play together one day. Jack said earlier this week, “This is the headline question, you know? Honestly, I’m not afraid to say it. Yeah, I would love for Quinn to — eventually I’d love to play with him. And whether that’s in New Jersey or at what time that takes, at some point I want to play with Quinn." Quinn, who is entering the second-last year of his contract and will be able to sign an extension next July 1st, meanwhile, <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-jack-hughes-speaks-wanting-play-alongside-brother-quinn-hughes">downplayed</a> what could happen, saying "every year brings its different challenges."</li>
 	<li>The San Jose Sharks signed this year's second overall draft pick, <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/san-jose-sharks-sign-top-prospect-michael-misa-entry-level-contract-nhl-draft-saginaw">Michael Misa, to an entry-level contract</a>. The 18-year-old is coming off a breakout season with the OHL's Saginaw Spirit, scoring 62 goals and 132 points in 65 games last year, boosting his draft stock and allowing the Sharks to build what could be a potent 1-2 punch of centres with Macklin Celebrini fresh off a successful rookie NHL season. Misa's deal, according to <em><a href="https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/1965833569710031325">PuckPedia</a>,</em> carries maximum compensation for "A" bonuses, and a quarter-million dollars under the limit for "B" bonuses.</li>
</ul>

<hr />

<i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRSWOpthKmdtmFOKQDd7TQdTU2KSKXYvX">DFO DFS Report</a>. He can be followed on X at</span></i> <em><a href="http://www.x.com/zjlaing"><span style="font-weight: 400;">@zjlaing</span></a></em><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>,</em> or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.</span></i>

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NHL Notebook: Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov rejects contract offer to make him highest-paid NHLer by $2 million margin

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