Kirill Kaprizov No Longer Highest-Paid Wild Player as Salary Cap Rises
Kirill Kaprizov's stint as the highest-paid player in the NHL lasted just a few months. On a late September afternoon, Kaprizov and general manager Bill Guerin met with media members at TRIA Rink to discuss the eight-year contract worth $17 million annually.
The Wild star won't play a game as his league's most generously compensated player, either. Last week, after some offer sheet shenanigans by the Philadelphia Flyers forced their hand, the Anaheim Ducks signed center Leo Carlsson to a five-year contract that will pay him $18 million per season, guaranteed, through 2031.
Kaprizov's run as the game's highest-paid player was a little longer than Kirby Puckett's brief stint as the richest man in baseball history. Puckett signed a three-year contract that made him the highest-paid player in baseball history on November 22, 1989, but was surpassed by California Angels pitcher Mark Langston just a week later.
The Wild are hoping to sign star defenseman Quinn Hughes to an extension, with some pundits suggesting they could pay him $18 million a season for a three-year term. If that happens, Kaprizov will no longer even be the highest-paid player on his own team. But with the league's salary cap on the rise, it's clear that the NHL's first $20 million contract is likely a year or two away, at most.
The rapid rise in high-end hockey salaries has been stark, and it illustrates the foresight Guerin made in wrapping up cornerstones like defenseman Brock Faber and forward Matt Boldy to long-term deals at what now look like reasonable prices. Faber is making $8.5 million a year through 2033, while Boldy is getting paid $7 million annually through 2030.
According to various metrics that measure how much a team pays per on-ice point, Boldy and Jack Hughes have two of the best value contracts in hockey. The Wild inquired about New Jersey forward Jack Hughes (who is making $8 million per year through 2030) to reunite the brothers in St. Paul, but any potential move would be difficult to pull off, as those players' current contracts make them even more prized for their fiscal value.
The Wild's decision to lock up Faber and Boldy to long-term deals has proven to be a shrewd move, given the rapid rise in high-end hockey salaries. With the league's salary cap on the rise, it's clear that the NHL's first $20 million contract is likely a year or two away, at most.
Colorado defenseman Cale Makar is expected to be one of the next players to break the $20 million barrier, with some predicting he could get a deal in the $18 million to $20 million range before the start of September's training camps. The Wild will be keeping a close eye on Makar's negotiations, as they look to stay competitive in the increasingly expensive NHL.
The rapid rise in high-end hockey salaries has been stark, and it's clear that the NHL's first $20 million contract is likely a year or two away, at most. The Wild's decision to lock up Faber and Boldy to long-term deals has proven to be a shrewd move, given the current state of the NHL's salary cap.
category: player_focus