Kaprizov’s $136M contract deal raises NHL salary bar
Kirill Kaprizov’s new contract with the Minnesota Wild isn’t just a record for his franchise. It’s a marker for where NHL salaries are headed — and how far the league still trails behind the NBA and NFL in player pay.
The Wild signed Kaprizov, 28, to an eight-year, $136 million extension this week. The deal begins in 2026-27 and carries an average annual value of $17 million, the highest salary in league history for a forward. Kaprizov turned down a previous eight-year, $128 million offer before finalizing the agreement.
Kaprizov, limited by injury last season, still managed 25 goals and 31 assists in 41 games, producing more than a point per game. When announcing the extension, general manager Bill Guerin called him “our franchise player” and said the deal ensures the Wild’s future will remain built around him.
Deal in Perspective
The extension draws immediate contract comparisons to other top stars in the league, including Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who is regarded as the best player in hockey. McDavid is in his final year of his eight-year $100 million contract signed in 2017, which carries a $12.5 million annual cap hit. Last season, he tallied 26 goals and 74 assists for 100 points in 67 games, pushing his career total past 1,080 points in just over 700 games.
Analysts expect McDavids’ next contract to exceed $15 million annually and potentially approach or surpass Kaprizov’s record. As the salary cap rises, McDavid could redefine the upper limit again.
Comparing Leagues
Even at $17 million per season, hockey’s top salaries remain modest compared with other North American leagues.
NBA: In July, Boston’s Jayson Tatum signed the largest contract in league history — a five-year, $314 million supermax extension, with an average annual salary of more than $62 million. Denver’s Nikola Jokić currently makes about $55 million per year.
NFL: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million deal in 2020, averaging $45 million annually. More recently, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow agreed to a five-year, $275 million extension worth $55 million per year.
NHL: Until this week, no NHL deal topped McDavid’s $12.5 million average salary. Kaprizov’s extension shattered that ceiling, but it still stays far behind the financial heights of basketball and football.
Why hockey stays behind
The difference starts with revenue. The NBA reported more than $10 billion in revenue in 2023, while the NFL generated roughly $20 billion. The NHL’s revenue, by comparison, was about $6.4 billion.
That smaller revenue pool creates tighter salary structures. For the 2024-25 season, the NHL’s salary cap is $88 million per team. The NBA’s cap is $141 million, with “luxury tax” exceptions that allow teams to spend far more. The NFL’s cap is $255.4 million, nearly three times hockey’s.
Television contracts also play a major role. ESPN and Turner Sports agreed to a seven-year, $2.8 billion deal with the NHL in 2021.
By comparison, the NBA’s national media deal, set to begin in 2025, is worth $76 billion over 11 years. The NFL’s contracts with CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, and Amazon total more than $110 billion through 2033.
That money flows directly into salary caps — and ultimately, player paychecks.
Player visibility matters, too. NBA and NFL stars dominate highlight shows, social media feeds, and endorsement campaigns. Hockey players, while popular in their markets, rarely match that national spotlight.
Roster size also changes the math. NFL teams carry 53 players, NBA rosters only 15, and the NHL 23.
In basketball, one superstar can change a franchise, which justifies spending $60 million on a single player. In hockey, depth is more critical, and a $17 million salary takes up nearly 20 percent of the roster budget.
What it means for the NHL
Kaprizov’s extension signals that the NHL is willing to raise its ceiling for elite talent. It reflects confidence in the league’s financial growth, including rising ticket revenue, corporate sponsorship, and streaming distribution.
For players, it sets a new benchmark. The NHL’s top tier — McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, and others — will point to Kaprizov’s number when negotiating their next contracts.
For general managers, it represents the challenge of committing nearly one-fifth of the cap to one player while still icing a balanced roster.
And for the league as a whole, it highlights hockey’s place in North American sports. Kaprizov is now the highest-paid forward in NHL history, but his $17 million salary would rank outside the top 50 contracts in the NBA and NFL.
Still, as the NHL grows, the gap could narrow. With the salary cap projected to climb and media deals expanding, Kaprizov’s record contract may prove less of an outlier and more of a stepping stone to the league’s next financial era.