Reports Clash Over Kirill Kaprizov Trade List Request

Rumors surrounding Kirill Kaprizov’s future in Minnesota took another twist on Thursday. Following reports a day earlier that Kaprizov turned down a $16 million per season over eight years offer, Russian journalist Alexei Shevchenko reported that the Wild had asked their star winger for a trade list.

If accurate, that would suggest the Wild are under the impression money isn’t the issue and that Kaprizov likely isn’t staying. That would mean finding the best return possible and trying to trade the superstar before the deadline.

Related: Wild GM Guerin Fires Back at Kaprizov Negotiation Report

However, other sources have claimed the report is inaccurate and GM Bill Guerin himself stated that talks continue between the two sides.

Insiders quickly pushed back. Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects suggested the report was premature, while The Athletic’s Michael Russo was even firmer, saying, “No,” when asked if there was any truth to the trade list claim.

Kaprizov also has a full no-move clause in his contract, meaning any request is less about compiling a list of teams he could get traded to, but asking the player to tell the organization if there is a team he’d like to join. The best the Wild can do, if a trade becomes inevitable, is try to get the best return from a team Kaprizov sees a future with.

What’s certain is that Kaprizov’s contract situation remains unresolved. On the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said Kaprizov may be holding out for a historic payday. “For him to say ‘no’ convinces me of one thing: They know something else is out there that’s bigger. … There has to be somebody out there with a 7×19 or a 7×20,” Friedman noted.

With training camp looming, conflicting reports and mounting uncertainty surrounding Kaprizov’s future in Minnesota mean this is, at the very least, a situation to keep an eye on.

Next: Oilers Have Two Key Extensions in Back Pocket Once McDavid Deal Done