Kaprizov signs record $136M eight-year deal with Wild

The Minnesota Wild on Tuesday signed winger Kirill Kaprizov to an eight year contract extension worth a total of $136 million, the largest deal in National Hockey League history by both total value and average annual value. The agreement, which carries a $17 million average annual value, begins next season and runs through 2033-34, keeping the 28 year old under contract well beyond the 2025-26 campaign.

The Wild moved to lock Kaprizov in ahead of unrestricted free agency after months of negotiations. Team officials framed the deal as a bid to keep the winger, who has become the face of the franchise, in Minnesota as the salary cap rises. Reports during negotiations said Kaprizov had turned down an earlier eight year offer believed to be worth about $126 million, prompting renewed talks that produced the final figure.

Kaprizov, a fifth round draft pick in 2015, has been one of the NHL's most productive scorers since his arrival. He has compiled 386 points, including 185 goals and 201 assists, in 319 regular season games and has led the Wild in scoring in four of his five NHL seasons. He missed significant time last season due to injury, a fact that some observers noted while...