Mitch Marner, Connor McDavid labelled 'losers', by NHL analyst, after Kirill Kaprizov's $136 million Wild extension

Kirill Kaprizov made NHL history after signing the largest contract in league history, worth $136 million across eight years ($17 million AAV), with the Minnesota Wild. In his latest column for ESPN, hockey analyst Greg Wyshynski broke down the winners and losers of Kirill Kaprizov's $136 million contract extension. Wild GM Bill Guerin, Kaprizov's agent Paul Theofanous and Kirill Kaprizov himself, were crowned as the winners.

Greg Wyshynski labelled Golden Knights' Mitch Marner, Stars' Mikko Rantanen and Oilers' Connor McDavid as some of the losers of Kirill Kaprizov's massive contract extension.

Based on Minnesota's 9.5% income tax rate, and a player agent's projection of Kirill Kaprizov making around $14 million in a no-tax state, Greg Wyshynski floated a question of whether Mitch Marner and Mikko Rantanen regret signing their respective extensions for $12 million AAV, after seeing Kirill Kaprizov's monster $17 million AAV figure.

"If either of them had the power of clairvoyance and could see what Kaprizov just earned, what would those contracts have looked like?" writes Wyshynski.

Oilers superstar Connor McDavid still has not signed a contract extension. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026. The balls are in McDavid's court, and he's re-iterated that he is not in a rush, and will take his time to reach an final decision.

The hockey world unanimously thinks the Oilers will have to agree to whatever figure Connor McDavid demands. He has made it extremely clear that his intention is to win the Stanley Cup, and hence, may sign a short-term deal, in case the Oilers fail to stay competitive.

On the other hand, he may buy-in to what GM Stan Bowman is building in Edmonton, and put all the rumors to rest, and sign a long-term deal with the Oilers. Citing his reason to label Connor McDavid as a loser after Kirill Kaprizov's monster extension, Wyshynski writes,

"It's the 'whatever he wants' that's now a thornier issue, as the bar has been raised from Draisaitl's $14 million to Kaprizov's $17 million. Will McDavid choose to reset that bar whenever -- or wherever -- he signs his new deal?"

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Kirill Kaprizov's agent raised issues about the AAV, not the Russian star himself, reveals Wild's billionaire owner

After signing their biggest superstar to a league-record $136 million extension, Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold revealed the franchise was worried after Kirill Kaprizov turned down their $16 million AAV offer.

In an exclusive interview with The Athletic's Michael Russo, Leipold said that the 25-year-old Russian winger was never a stickler for the money, but it was his agent Paul Theofanous, who raised an issue, and eventually influenced Kaprizov to reject the offer.

“Kaprizov never raised the money issue. That was always the agent," said Leipold.