Is Kaprizov Long Island-bound in 2026?
Is Kaprizov Long Island-bound in 2026?
Although the 2024-25 NHL season has yet to begin, rumors are already circulating about the 2026 free agency class.
The Athletic's Mark Lazerus shared that the Chicago Blackhawks have their eyes set on signing Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov if and when he hits free agency in the summer of 2026.
"Kaprizov will be 29 in two years — that possible pipe dream is the Marian Hossa piece, the final piece, not the Kane piece, the career-long wondertwin," Lazerus wrote in June.
It would make perfect sense for the Blackhawks to acquire a superstar stud to play alongside young phenom Connor Bedard, who will be entering his age-21 season when the 2026-27 begins.
Kaprizov will be eligible to discuss a new deal with Minnesota following the 2024-25 season, but given the Wild's struggles, there is a likely chance that talks go nowhere.
While Chicago makes a ton of sense -- fans buckle up -- the New York Islanders do, too.
Kaprizov has several connections to the Islanders, mainly due to his time with CSKA Moscow of the KHL.
He shared the KHL ice with Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov and goaltender Ilya Sorokin, with all three leaping to the NHL at the same time (2020-21):
The three of them were all part of Moscow's Gagarin Cup victory in 2019, but Kaprizov's connections with Sorokin run deeper.
The two were part of Russia's run to Olympic Gold in 2018 and a pair of International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship teams in 2018 and '19.
Semyon Varlamov and Maxim Tsyplakov are also names with KHL experience, but neither were teammates of Kaprizov's.
That's not to say they can't be a potential resource for recruiting.
Varlamov's final year of his four-year deal will be the 2026-27 season, while Tsyplakov, if things go well in his first NHL season, likely remains on the island long term.
Sorokin is entering the first year of an eight-year deal, so he'll be around, while Romanov is entering the final year of his contract, with an extension most certainly coming.
While it's a sure positive that the Russian Islanders will still be on the island heading into the 2026-27 season, it's important to note the Islanders' financial situation that summer since Kaprizov will likely demand a lot, especially with the cap expected to reach $96.5 million.
Depending on extensions, the 2026 free-agent class could be a doozy:
For the Islanders, Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri's deals will expire this summer, clearing $11 million combined between the two...if both aren't re-signed.
Anders Lee's $7 million AAV deal is also approaching its end, expiring after the 2025-26 campaign, along with Jean-Gabriel Pageau's $5 million AAV.
Among other notable contract developments, Noah Dobson and Romanov will also be due pay raises after this season, providing more uncertainty to the cap situation.
In theory, doing some quick math and projecting, let's say Nelson comes back at $6 million annually on a multi-year deal, Dobson signs for $8 million annually, Romanov gets $5 million annually, and Simon Holmstrom gets $3.5 million annually (we're expecting a solid year from him). The Islanders could have $31.175 million in available cap space with 15 NHL players rostered.
The key to more cap space is having young prospects blossom into NHLers rather than having to trade for NHLers and ink them to extensions, which has been a need given a struggling prospect pool.
On the other hand, Minnesota doesn't have many big-name deals coming off soon.
Mats Zuccarello is the only forward with a UFA deal coming off the books in 2026, but Marco Rossi is due an extension after this season.
However, keeping Kaprizov around is undoubtedly imperative for their long-term ambitions.
It's also worth noting that this situation can easily change with such a long way to go.
After Lazerus' words spread, he clarified that the situation could easily change as the Blackhawks continue their rebuild.
However, given the relationship between Kaprizov and a handful of Islanders players, it puts them in a unique position if it comes to pass.