When will the Wild sign Kirill Kaprizov to a contract extension?

The lack of fireworks by the Wild at the start of NHL free agency didn’t come as a shock, not once the top targets re-signed with their teams to deplete the market.

But there was another omission from the Wild.

They didn’t announce a contract extension for Kirill Kaprizov, who was eligible for one on Tuesday as he embarks on the final season of his five-year, $45 million deal.

Kaprizov’s raise could easily exceed the value of the 13-year, $98 million terms Zach Parise and Ryan Suter agreed to during their free-agent arrivals on July 4, 2012, even though Kaprizov can’t sign for as long; eight years is the maximum. This would likely catapult the face of the franchise among the highest-paid players in the NHL, with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl and his $112 million for eight years leading the way.

As important as this partnership is for the Wild and their future, that it isn’t already signed, sealed and delivered shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

Bill Guerin, president of hockey operations, has been talking with Kaprizov’s camp, and Guerin is confident a deal will get done.

“Kirill is Priority No. 1,” Guerin said.

It’s not unusual for negotiations of this magnitude to play out over the offseason.

None of the other superstars free to sign an extension on Tuesday did so: Connor McDavid and the Oilers are in the same boat, as is Jack Eichel and the Golden Knights. In fact, Draisaitl didn’t ink his record-breaking contract that kicks in next season until Sept. 3, approximately two weeks before training camp began.

“We have an open dialogue,” said Guerin, who mentioned he spoke to Kaprizov’s agent Monday night and the two planned to talk again on Tuesday. “I would say things are good.”

Guerin declined to discuss the length of a potential deal, but only the Wild can offer Kaprizov eight years.

Still, the max hasn’t been for everyone.

Toronto’s Auston Matthews, who like Draisaitl is a former MVP and league-leading goal scorer, re-upped for four years in 2023, and more players might be inclined to sign for shorter term with how much the NHL salary cap is projected to rise.

That could allow them to cash in at a higher salary later, but there’s risk involved in not taking the guarantee: If their play worsens or they get injured, they could leave millions on the table.

At his season-ending news conference, Kaprizov said he loves “everything” here, that a new contract “should be all good” and “it’s always, every time, about winning.”

Guerin made it clear Kaprizov’s side knows the Wild’s plan, which saw the team reacquire defensive center Nico Sturm on Tuesday for two years and $4 million after trading for Russian winger Vladimir Tarasenko.

The Wild still have just shy of $10 million available in cap space, with the buyouts for Parise and Suter dropping to $1.67 million after previously costing the team as much as $14.7 million.

“They know what we’re trying to do, and we have the same goal and that’s to win,” Guerin said. “Sometimes it just doesn’t happen in one day, but the biggest thing is that we’re going to be able to be players in the game again.”

Tarasenko had to green-light his move from Detroit to the Wild, with the veteran holding a no-trade clause, and Tarasenko talked to Kaprizov on Monday.

“I know him as a very good person, very good to be around, and very happy to join the team where he play,” Tarasenko said.

But Tarasenko’s addition, Guerin said, wasn’t indicative of the Wild trying to make Kaprizov happy.

If Kaprizov doesn’t re-sign with the Wild, he will become a free agent next July 1.

“Kirill’s pretty comfortable,” Guerin explained. “I don’t think it hurts, but I know in my past meetings with Kirill he doesn’t care if you’re Russian, Swedish, American, Canadian, whatever. He just wants guys that are going to help us win. That’s it.”

No one factors more into that formula for the Wild than Kaprizov, who was the MVP front-runner last season until injury sidelined him for half the games.

At 28 and through five seasons since coming over from Russia after getting drafted in the fifth round in 2015, Kaprizov is already a trailblazer in Wild history. The left winger holds multiple franchise records including goals (47), assists (61) and points (108) in a single season.

A contract to match isn’t finalized yet, but it’s top of mind for the Wild.

“We’d love to get it done as soon as we can,” Guerin said. “I’d love to do that. But you know what? These things, they take time. They’re complicated deals, and there’s a lot to them.”