Step aside, Leon Drasiaitl. There’s soon to be a new top dog in town.

While the Edmonton Oilers superstar is set to be the highest-paid player in the NHL after signing an eight-year, $14-million per year extension with the team last summer, that’s a number that will soon be surpassed.

Signs are pointing towards the belt being handed over to Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov. He, much like Draisaitl’s teammate Connor McDavid, is eligible for a contract extension this summer, entering the final year of a five-year, $9-million AAV.

The Athletic’s Michael Russo joined Jason Gregor on Monday’s edition of The DFO Rundown where the two talked about what Kaprizov’s deal could look like.

“I think he’s definitely going to surpass Draisaitl, and not that Draisaitl is not the better player, but it’s one, it’s a different year, and two, it’s a different situation,” said Russo. “This is one franchise who has never had a superstar like Kaprizov. It is imperative that they get him done, and it’s not going to be for 14 (million).

“He will become the highest-paid winger in the National Hockey League. And the question is how much and how long and if he does it.”

Kaprizov, 28, has made a name for himself as one of the league’s most electric offensive talents, scoring 185 goals and 386 points in 319 games over the last five years. This past season he appeared in just 41 games due to injury, but still scored an impressive 25 goals and 56 points, having himself in the Hart Trophy conversation before suffering a lower-body injury.

Shorter-term deals aren’t a new concept for Kaprizov. He signed a one-year entry-level deal with the Wild when he left Russia to play in Minnesota, and is currently playing out the final year of a five-year deal. Russo wonders if Kaprizov looks at going short-term once again.

“The question is, kind of like McDavid, is does he want to sign for eight years, or does he want to go shorter?” Russo said. “If I’m (Kaprizov) and I’m playing for a franchise that hasn’t won a first-round series since 2015, it might be willing (to say) ‘all right, I’ll give you a commitment, but only for three or four years and then we’ll see where you are’.”

Kaprizov holding the title of highest-paid player in the league will likely be a short-one, or something that may not even happen, depending on when he signs his extension in comparison to Connor McDavid, who’s next deal will undoubtedly set the new bar for players across the league.

You can listen to the full episode of The DFO Rundown below.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.