Wild GM Guerin aims for Kaprizov extension and aggressive summer spending with cap constraints gone

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild have entered a critical offseason, able to fully participate in free agency again after two years of significant salary cap constraints.

Without an NHL playoff series win in the last 10 years, the urgency for the club to build a deeper roster around a promising young core is high — putting the pressure on general manager Bill Guerin this summer and into the upcoming season.

“I’m more excited than anything. It’s been a long couple years, just dealing with this stuff and honestly just hearing about it,” said Guerin, who has been in his role for six years. “I want high expectations. I’m not doing this job sit in the corner or anything. These are big jobs. These are important jobs. There’s a lot of people out there who love the Minnesota Wild, and I’m trying to deliver something to them. We all are.”

The first order of business is clear: an extension for Kirill Kaprizov. The star left wing has one year left on his current contract.

“I’m very confident we’re going to get a deal done with Kirill. I think he really loves this market and this team,” Guerin said on Tuesday at Xcel Energy Center, five days after the Wild were eliminated on their home ice. “I think he feels that we’re going in the right direction.”

Kaprizov, who has 386 points in 319 regular season games and 21 points in 25 playoff games with the Wild, said as much over the weekend.

“I love everything here,” Kaprizov said. “Should be all good.”

The Wild barely got in the playoffs in part because Kaprizov missed half of the season with a lower-body injury that required surgery. With five goals and four assists in the six-game loss to Vegas in the first-round series, Kaprizov made clear he was fully recovered.

“He just wants to win, and I think this was a promising sign that our team can do it. We can get there. We’re so close,” said left wing Marcus Foligno, reflecting on the three straight one-goal losses that finished the series, including two in overtime. “I’ve got 100% confidence that we’ll get him here long term. Or I’ll just rip up his visa.”

Guerin made the bold move four years ago of buying out the contracts of franchise cornerstones Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. The fresh start for team chemistry came at a cost, particularly for the last two seasons with the buyout charges accounting for about 17% of their salary cap. Those hits will be drastically reduced for 2025-26 and beyond until they’re gone.

“I like to be aggressive. I don’t want to sit on my hands at all. I’m kind of tired of doing that,” Guerin said. “Since I walked through the door, my goal has been to build a championship-caliber team for this market, and that’s what I want to do. I don’t want to sign any stupid contracts or anything like that, but I want to make this team better than it is today.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL