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ESPN Shares 'Loser' Take on Mitch Marner After Kirill Kaprizov's Wild Extension

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 11:30 AM ET

Kirill Kaprizov’s record-setting extension with the Minnesota Wild did more than reset the NHL salary bar.

According to ESPN, it also placed players like Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner and Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen on the “losers” side of the equation.

Kaprizov signed an eight-year, $136 million contract Tuesday, giving him the richest deal in league history both by total value and annual average value. His $17 million AAV surpassed Leon Draisaitl’s $14 million figure and eclipsed the 2008 contract signed by Alex Ovechkin in terms of total money.

The Wild-Kaprizov agreement, however, brings up many more fresh questions about how other elite scorers and NHL players stack up against the new market ceiling set by Minnesota and the Russian winger.

Winners and losers of Kirill Kaprizov's NHL record-setting contract. My latest: https://t.co/3BVbh9BR47
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) October 1, 2025

“Losers: Mitch Marner and Mikko Rantanen,” ESPN wrote. The outlet pointed to Minnesota’s high income tax rate — 9.85 percent, fifth-highest in the United States — as a factor in why Kaprizov received $136 million, as he'll lose a fair chunk of money due to taxes.

ESPN argued that in no-tax states, such as Nevada and Texas, his deal would have looked closer to $14 million annually, a number still higher than the $12 million per season signed by Marner (eight-year, $96 million contract) and Rantanen (same term and money).

“Marner’s points-per-game average of the last three seasons was equal to Kaprizov’s (1.24) while Rantanen’s was right behind them (1.22),” ESPN noted. “If either of them had the power of clairvoyance and could see what Kaprizov just earned, what would those contracts have looked like?”

Marner, 28, left Toronto this summer in a sign-and-trade to the Golden Knights, where he signed an eight-year, $96 million contract.

Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon called Marner an “elite playmaker and tremendous passer” in a recent ESPN interview. The GM also believes acquiring Marner will bolster Vegas’ top-line attack.

Marner is coming off having a career season in Toronto last year, notching 102 points, the fifth-highest total in the NHL, and will take on an even bigger role with the Golden Knights starting this season.

Vegas will kick off its regular season on Oct. 8 with a home matchup against the Los Angeles Kings at T-Mobile Center.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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