NHL Rumor Mill – May 10, 2025
In today’s NHL Rumor Mill: Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov could become the league’s highest-paid player, teammate Marco Rossi could be a Penguins trade target, and the latest on the newly christened Utah Mammoth.
A BIG PAYDAY AHEAD FOR KIRILL KAPRIZOV
SPORTSNET: Emily Sadler cited colleague Elliotte Friedman’s recent speculation suggesting Kirill Kaprizov could become the NHL’s highest-paid player.
Kaprizov, 28, has a year remaining on his contract with an annual average value of $9 million. He will become eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1, 2026. The earliest the Wild can sign him to a contract extension is July 1, 2025.
Friedman said there are people in the league who believe Kaprizov will be the highest-paid player. “That in this next wave of contracts, with the cap going up…Kaprizov is going to end up No. 1 on the list.”
Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).
Sadler pointed out that Wild owner Craig Leipold said last fall that his club intends to sign Kaprizov. “I will tell you, nobody will offer more money than us, or longer (years), so all we have to do is prove to him that we want to win.”
Wild general manager Bill Guerin recently said extending Kaprizov was his top priority. “I’d like to get it done as soon as possible,” he said.
Sadler noted that Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl’s new contract beginning in 2025-26 will make him the highest-paid player with an AAV of $14 million. She speculates Kaprizov’s could come in between $15.25 million and $16.35 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov didn’t sound concerned when asked about his next contract during the Wild’s locker cleanout day. If Leipold and Guerin are as determined to re-sign him as they claim, his next contract will likely fall within Sadler’s predicted parameters.
COULD MARCO ROSSI BE A FIT WITH THE PENGUINS?
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski noted reports out of Minnesota suggested Marco Rossi could become a trade candidate. The 23-year-old center is completing his entry-level contract, and there’s speculation over whether he fits into the Wild’s long-term plans.
Kingerski believes Rossi would be a good fit with the retooling Penguins. Long-time star Evgeni Malkin could retire after next season, leaving a big hole at center.
GM Kyle Dubas prefers trades for younger players who can provide help now and over the long term. He’d also like to acquire RFAs through trades instead of offer sheets. Kingerski believes the asking price could be the Penguins’ 2026 first-rounder (top-10 protected) or one of their top-line veteran wingers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The veteran winger would be Bryan Rust or Rickard Rakell. Rust’s no-movement clause ends on June 30, leaving him without no-trade protection for the remainder of his contract. Rakell, meanwhile, has an eight-team no-trade list throughout the remaining three years of his contract.
Rossi could be a good fit with the Penguins, but they’ll have competition for his services if the Wild puts him on the trade block. They could include the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Colorado Avalanche (if they don’t re-sign Brock Nelson), Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks.
IS A MAMMOTH SUMMER AHEAD FOR UTAH?
DAILY FACEOFF: Scott Maxwell cited Frank Seravalli predicting the newly christened Utah Mammoth will be aggressive buyers during the offseason.
Seravalli pointed out that they moved up to fourth overall in the first round during the recent draft lottery, calling it “an absolute bonus.” He also observed they have “a ton of other draft picks” and a prospect pipeline that’s so full they’ll literally have to trade some of them because they can’t sign all of them within the 50-player roster limit.
According to Seravalli, the Mammoth could pursue a defenseman and a top-six forward this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong could be open to moving the fourth-overall pick if he gets a return that suits his immediate roster needs. He has all seven picks in this year’s draft to draw on for trade bait. He also has 11 picks in 2026 (including three in the second round, two in the third, and two in the fifth round) and nine in 2027 (including two fourth-round picks and two fifth-rounders).
Armstrong could also peddle 23-year-old winger Matias Maccelli, who struggled this season after reaching a career-high 57 points in 2023-24.
Kirill Kaprizov worth at least 15.25 million per season and the highest paid NHL player, Yes or No?
He’s not, but he is going to get around this money per year because Minnesota cannot afford to left him walk.
Who should get more money,Kaprizov or Marner?
Kaprizov. Not a knock on Marner, but I think Kaprizov can more readily take over a game on his own. I’m hoping he hits FA and the Red Wings throw their checkbook at him.
Kaprizov missed half the season, but numbers projected to over 100 pts. Legit 40 goal guy. An 8 year deal takes him to age 36. I guess he’s worth that much to Minnesota. With cap going up he won’t be highest paid for too long.
Lyle, the Habs are another team with with a lot of picks this year, 11. Puckpedia lists them as having 46/50 standard contracts in place. Do you know if that is current contracts that expire July 01?
17 Habs contracts expire; 9 UFA and 8 RFA
All you had to do is count them in the 2025-26 column while you were on the page.
Exactly Slick62.
But I think that also applies to Marner. His stats since 2018-19 pegs him as a legitimate 100 pts per season F
2018-19 – 94pts 82gp
2019-20 – 67pts 59gp
2020-21 – 67pts 55gp
2021-22 – 97pts 72gp
2022-23 – 99pts 80gp
2023-24 – 85pts 69gp
2024-25 – 102pts 81gp
The games missed each season were related to ether the Covid-shortened seasons or, in other years, injuries. But those are all 100-pts per probabilities over full seasons.
No, he doesn’t have the same game-approach as Kiprizov … but much of that could also relate to the systems employed by the coaches. Not to mention line-mates.
An 8-year deal would also take him to 36 (if he’s re-upped in Toronto), but since the most he could get as a UFA would be 7 years, that would take him to 35.