The future of star forward Kirill Kaprizov with the Minnesota Wild remains uncertain, as a long-term contract that ensures his stay beyond this season has not yet been finalized.
Team owner Craig Leipold remains patient, trusting in the work of general manager Bill Guerin and his team to resolve the situation. Leipold emphasized the good relationship that exists between him and Guerin, highlighting that the latter is in charge of the negotiations.
Billy is the one. He is the one who negotiates, no matter who it is, and that is his responsibility and his role.The situation between the club and Kaprizov’s camp is less clear, as both sides have kept a low profile on whether an agreement can be reached before the start of the regular season. Leipold avoided going into details about Kaprizov, who has impressive regular season and playoff statistics.Kaprizov, for his part, expressed his affection for Minnesota, considering it his “second home” and expressing his desire to focus on playing hockey and winning games.The increase in the salary cap and the contract situation of other league stars complicate negotiations. Leipold acknowledged that the availability of more money in the system has changed the landscape, but the team must adapt.During the first preseason home game, Leipold talked about the importance of renovating the Grand Casino Arena, a project he considers crucial to compete with other NHL stadiums and other events in Minnesota.Furthermore, Leipold ruled out the possibility of sharing a stadium with the Timberwolves, ensuring that the Wild will remain in St. Paul.Regarding the expectations for the season, Leipold expressed his confidence in the team and his hope that this will be a special year, even though they still haven’t managed to get past the first round of the playoffs in more than a decade.We have a lot of time. It’s only 2025, and I have one more year left. I just want to play hockey and focus and win some games and go to the playoffs and win there.
Kirill Kaprizov
