Kirill Kaprizov isn’t celebrating record NHL contract; he’s focused on Wild’s success

Forget a new car or digs, Kirill Kaprizov is iffy about even treating himself to a celebratory dinner after signing his record-breaking contract with the Wild.

“Maybe,” he said with a chuckle.

In fairness, it’s only been a week since the star winger secured an eight-year, $136 million extension to become the highest-paid player in NHL history, a title Kaprizov held even after Connor McDavid signed with Edmonton on Monday; the three-time MVP wanted a two-year, $25 million discount to keep the Oilers nimble as they chase a Stanley Cup.

But Kaprizov’s massive raise, which kicks in after this season, hasn’t handcuffed the Wild.

They further solidified their future over the weekend by re-signing goaltender Filip Gustavsson to a new five-year, $34 million deal, and they still have money to spend — then and now.

While the Wild’s long-term potential figured prominently in Kaprizov’s negotiations with the Wild, he is eager to start this season Thursday at St. Louis after another early playoff exit illuminated the gap the Wild need to bridge.

“I hope we can have [a] good start like last year,” he said. “Just enjoy. Enjoy the game.”

Can you blame him?

He was on track for his best season a year ago and was the NHL MVP front-runner until he went for surgery on a nagging injury and ended up missing half the season.

“We will see,” the three-time 40-goal scorer said. “I don’t know. I don’t like [to] say something. Just see how it’s going. I [didn’t] like [to] say something before.”

The Wild still haven’t made it out of the first round of the playoffs with Kaprizov in their lineup, but their last try was one of their better attempts.

They were an offside away from winning Game 5 and hauling a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series back home with a chance to knock out Vegas — their style quicker and more aggressive, and the pressure bottled up the Golden Knights’ top players; Jack Eichel and Mark Stone didn’t have a point through the first three games.

That outcome showed how important the “small things” are, and despite Kaprizov and Matt Boldy going on a scoring spree against Vegas, “You need all four lines in [the] playoffs,” said Kaprizov, who is finishing up a five-year, $45 million contract this season. “Not just two or two-and-a-half.”

Although the Wild have finalized their roster, including rookies Zeev Buium, Hunter Haight and Danila Yurov as well as 21-year-olds Liam Ohgren and David Jiricek, they aren’t at full strength.

Jonas Brodin is still working his way back from offseason surgery, and Mats Zuccarello is still weeks away from returning from his surgery on a lower-body injury. Zuccarello and Nico Sturm are on injured reserve; Sturm was limited throughout training camp due to a back issue. Haight, who was initially sent to the minors after impressing at camp, was promoted to rejoin the Wild.

“I hope [he’ll be] back quicker,” Kaprizov said of his longtime linemate Zuccarello.

Ohgren and Yurov both auditioned to fill Zuccarello’s absence in the top-six forward group during training camp, and Marcus Foligno is the latest to get a look alongside Joel Eriksson Ek and Vladimir Tarasenko.

“I’m not that young now,” he said. “I’m 28. My next contract is when I’m 29 next year. It starts next year then ... 37 years old, and you don’t know at 38 how many years you can play. Maybe [a] couple more.”

The nine years he’s committed to the Wild “is so much time,” Kaprizov said, and the concept of stability and security didn’t use to matter to him.

“I’m alone,” he said. “But if guys have kids and wives and everything, maybe I understand this, maybe to stay in [the] same spot all the time. Maybe it’s more comfy but when you alone, it’s easy to move.”

And yet he didn’t.

Kaprizov chose to stay, a decision that has turned what could have been a beginning-of-the end season to the end of the beginning.