Wild's Kirill Kaprizov Reportedly 'Embarrassed' by Latest Development in Contract Talks

“I’ve kind of wondered if what this was all about was seeing how far the Wild were willing to go and what [they could possibly] get to in terms of a number,” Friedman said. “Now, I think Kaprizov was a little bit embarrassed and a little bit disappointed that the news got out that he turned down eight (years) at $16 (million per season).”

Kaprizov, who is entering the final season of a five-year, $45 million contract, has publicly downplayed the drama and shut down questions about his future at the start of camp.

“Yeah, you guys know I like Minny,” Kaprizov said. “Everyone knows. We have a lot of time. It’s just 2025. It’s one more year I have.”

Kaprizov emphasized that his focus is on the 2025–26 season and deferred negotiations to his agent, Paul Theofanous.

Kaprizov's production last year, scoring 25 goals and providing 31 assists in just 41 games, was only cut short because of an injury that forced him out of the second half of the season. Once he returned in the playoffs, however, Kaprizov scored nine points in just six games.

The Wild have made clear their No. 1 priority is to re-sign Kaprizov, as they already hinted at by offering him a record-breaking deal.

The fallout from the leaked contract rejection, however, raises questions about the tone of future talks, as things might turn into a more complicated negotiation going forward, depending on how the player and the franchise go about the leak.