DFO Mailbag: Projecting Kirill Kaprizov’s next contract
The dog days of summer leave us anxiously awaiting the return of hockey – and that’s often when the existential questions dance around our heads. What’s weighing on your mind as you ponder your favorite NHL team’s fate in 2025-26 and beyond? I’m here to help, happy to introduce my first edition of the Daily Faceoff Mailbag, tacking your hockey queries.
Zach D’Oliveira (@ZachDOliveira) asks…
What will Kaprizov’s next contract look like and will he be the highest paid player once signed?
First things first: the Kaprizov contract negotiations will start with a $12 million AAV at minimum. After the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights inked Mikko Rantanen and Mitch Marner to identical contracts, respectively, there is no way Kaprizov’s AAV will be a penny below theirs – especially in a taxed state like Minnesota.
Will Kaprizov be the highest-paid player? I don’t think so, but I certainly believe he will be the highest-paid winger. With the salary cap set to skyrocket in the coming years and Kaprizov just turning 28, this will be his big (and final) pay day during his prime years. My best guess is that Kaprizov’s AAV will come in somewhere around $13.5 million.
Ivan Demigod (@kavanyoung) asks…
What do you think is Montreal’s plan for Patrik Laine? Despite scoring at around ~35 goal pace last season, it seems Montreal is still trying to bolster the top 6 which could push him down the depth chart. Can he still be effective with like 7 mins of 5v5 + PP2 minutes?
This is a tricky one, as Laine is one of the most fascinating and frustrating players in the NHL. Arguably the best shooter from low-percentage areas in the league, Laine has become somewhat of a power play merchant who can be a nightmare for Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis at even strength.
The Canadiens lost Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia this summer; the only forward they brought in was Zack Bolduc from the St Louis Blues. With Kirby Dach returning from injury, there isn’t much competition for Laine for top-six playing time – at least to start.
Laine will get all the opportunities in the world to lock down a second-line spot, but I don’t think the Canadiens will hesitate to push him down the lineup if he struggles.
Justin Giampietro (@justingiam) asks…
Matvei Michkov is eligible for an extension next summer – any thoughts?
This one is going to be spicy for the Philadelphia Flyers. Historically, GM Danny Briere has preferred to go the bridge-deal route directly following his players’ ELCs. He’s done so with Bobby Brink, Tyson Foerster, Cam York, etc. But Matvei Michkov is a whole different animal.
I have not heard anything regarding a Michkov extension, but I think a long-term contract will be heavily explored given the state of the salary cap and the level of player at hand here. Assuming Michkov’s development stays mostly linear this season, it wouldn’t shock me for the Flyers to engage as soon as they’re able to in contract discussions while exploring a longer-term deal.
As for what a deal could look like AAV wise, it starts with $10 million and works its way up from there on a long-term contract.
Do you think the Leafs will find a way to move Calle Järnkrok and/or David Kämpf this offseason or no?
The Leafs ideally need to add a top-six forward before the season starts, and with just north of $5 million in cap space, they’d love to create some more breathing room – especially if UFA Jack Roslovic is also part of their plans. It may require attaching an asset to move out Jarnkrok and/or Kampf, who haven’t lived up to their AAVs of $2.1 million and $2.4 million, respectively, over the past year.
Alex Chauvancy (@AlexC_NJD) asks…
The Devils have about $7 mil in cap space with Luke Hughes to sign. Who’s on the outs, and what other additions could they still be considering?
The Buffalo Sabres just inked Bowen Byram to a two year deal at a $6.25 million AAV – that’s a possible comparable for Luke Hughes on a bridge. The New Jersey Devils would certainly like to lock Hughes down on a longer-term deal at a bargain AAV – the comparable may be Brock Faber’s 8 x $8.5 million in Minnesota – but that wouldn’t fit under the cap without New Jersey moving money out.
All GM Tom Fitzgerald has to do now is bring the Byram deal to the negotiating table and put pen to paper; it just seems too simple for the Devils as opposed to shifting additional assets to make everything work. Aside from that, there isn’t much else the Devils need to get done.
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