Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold made it crystal clear that the team is thinking about Kirill Kaprizov’s next contract.

First things first. Kaprizov will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season, so there is some element of time for the Wild as the 27-year-old star forward plays out his current five-year, $45 million contract.

And then there’s the matter of July 1, a date that Minnesota has circled on its calendar. That’s when Kaprizov is eligible to sign an eight-year extension with the Wild, or ink a seven-year pact with another NHL team.

So, what’s the Wild’s mindset in regard to keeping Kaprizov in Minnesota?

“Well, it’s a priority,” Leipold told NHL.com. “There’s no doubt. There’s no doubt. We want Kirill. He’s a big part of our future. We know that. Billy (Guerin, general manager) has already been thinking about it. How do we go about this? We’ve got to figure out exactly what the cap’s going to be. It’s an important part of our strategic plan to get him signed for as long as we can.”

Entering play on Wednesday, Kaprizov was tied for second in the NHL with 43 points (18 goals, 25 assists) in 27 games. Considering his fast start to the season, it stands to reason that Kaprizov is in the early conversation to become the first player in Wild history to capture the Hart Trophy as the league MVP.

“I don’t know if I would pitch for it, because the price goes up,” Leipold said of touting Kaprizov as a Hart Trophy contender. “I say that with humor. But he’s an amazing player.

“(Although he’s 5-foot-10), he plays like he’s 6-4. He can go in the corner, and he comes out with the puck. He’s got stick skills that you just don’t see very often in this league, and he makes other players better, so it’s not just that he is on the ice and he’s getting a lot of points. When you’re on the ice with him and you’re a linemate, you better have your eyes open, because that puck could be coming to you through four people

The Calder Trophy recipient as the NHL’s top rookie in 2020-21, Kaprizov has totaled 373 points (178 goals, 195 assists) in 305 career games with the Wild.

–Field Level Media