An update on Kirill Kaprizov’s contract negotiations with the Wild, and the latest on the Penguins, Canadiens, and Maple Leafs in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

SPORTSNET: During Monday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast”, Elliotte Friedman said he doesn’t think Kirill Kaprizov has informed the Minnesota Wild about a contract number he’d consider acceptable.

Last week, the 28-year-old winger rejected an eight-year, $128 million contract proposal from the Wild, with an average annual value of $16 million.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

Friedman said there’s some sense that there’s “no magic number” for Kaprizov. He pointed to Wild owner Craig Leipold’s comments last fall, where he said no other team could pay the winger the type of years and salary that they could.

That has Friedman wondering if the Kaprizov camp is waiting to see how far they can push this, and how comfortable the Wild will be with his final number. While some might think Kaprizov isn’t a $17 million or $18 million player, he could be worth that much to the Wild because of how valuable he is to the organization.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leipold’s public comments may have put his club at a disadvantage in negotiations with Kaprizov’s representatives. However, given the winger’s value to the Wild, they may have taken this stance even if Leipold had said nothing.

Kaprizov is the most exciting player in Wild history. He set the single-season franchise records for goals (47), assists (61), and points (108) in 2021-22, and had 46 goals and 96 points in 2023-24. The game-breaking winger is crucial to their efforts to become a Stanley Cup contender within the next five years.

Signing Kaprizov to an eight-year contract with an AAV between $17 million and $18 million is expensive, and the deal might not age well if injuries and age catch up with him in the final half of the deal. However, if the Wild were willing to pay him $16 million, they should be willing to come up another million or two, especially with the salary cap projected to rise significantly.

If the Wild isn’t willing to do that, trading Kaprizov at the trade deadline or watching him depart as a free agent next July could be disastrous for a franchise that has only won four playoff rounds in 24 years. It sends the wrong message to their fans, creating the perception that Minnesota, the “State of Hockey”, isn’t a desirable location for the league’s best players.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Matt Vensel wondered how much longer forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust will remain with the Penguins.

Both forwards are signed through 2027-28, but they’ve been the subjects of frequent trade speculation throughout the offseason. It’s believed Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has set a high asking price for both, which would explain why they haven’t moved yet.

Vensel expects one or both could be moved at some point between now and the March 2026 trade deadline, or at some point down the road.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas isn’t going to just move Rust and Rakell for the sake of making a trade. He’s hoping to get the best return possible, which means a first-round pick and a top prospect or a young NHL-ready player. With both players under contract beyond this season, he can afford to be patient.

THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu reports Montreal Canadiens management is happy with the club’s progress, especially with its roster core. However, they know that more work must be done.

They want to surround that young core with the right complementary pieces. GM Kent Hughes didn’t rule out overpaying to get a specific player who is important for the team’s future. Asked if the priority was pursuing a young player or a veteran in his 30s, Hughes said he’d answer that question by midseason.

Basu believes the Canadiens will focus on the start of this season to see which teams get off to a slow start and begin shopping veteran players in an effort to improve their chances of winning the 2026 draft lottery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Finding a reliable second-line center remains the Canadiens’ priority. They will likely start the season looking internally, with Kirby Dach filling that role if he’s returned from season-ending knee surgery. However, they will keep their focus on the trade market.

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby reported that TSN’s Darren Dreger said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Maple Leafs attempted to sign Dillon Dube.

The 27-year-old winger was among the five former Hockey Canada players acquitted of sexual assault charges last month. Dube played for Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving during their days with the Calgary Flames.

Dreger felt Dube might help the Leafs as a possible top-six forward. However, Hornby believes the club would weigh that with the backlash they could face from fans and pundits. He doubted that Dube would dislodge one of the Leafs’ current top-six forwards after a year and a half away from the NHL.