Report: Wild star Kirill Kaprizov rejects most lucrative contract in NHL history

[Erick Estrada]

There aren't enough truly elite players to go around in the NHL so I can totally understand teams offering max contracts when such a player becomes available. IMO there are way, way, way too many totally replaceable bottom six players in this league making millions that could easily be replaced by AHL prospects on entry level deals. It's just that NHL head coaches have long prioritized experience over all else but that's something that will change if the GM forces his hand tells him he's going to allot most of the cap to difference makers. Leave the high priced bottom six players for GM's like Brad Treliving.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

I think it is the opposite. The NHL has a major problem with top players only wanting to sign with the team that drafted them or a handful of other teams. If McDavid took $20M and signed with teams that are set up for now and the future, if he picked the right team he could win with that salary.

Tampa right now if the team that is good and could sign McDavid and make some moves and keep their stars and win now.

I don't think your opinion is that different than mine. To me what has been happening is that these guys all take a bit less personally to end up on the same group of teams. So your Tampa, Vegas, Dallas, Florida, New York Rangers tend to draw the high profile guys. But that's also kept the top player salary's down as more teams were spending to the Cap Ceiling so to fit into those teams cap they would take less. But if we start seeing 8 teams spend to the ceiling and more fall into the mid range of the Floor and ceiling, maybe the gap for star players starts to separate from the pack as there might be some gaps in what teams are willing to spend.

I really don't care if it shakes out that way, and it's not really good or bad probably more to the bad side. But maybe there is an opportunity for this to happen as North America starts becoming very top heavy in terms of wealth where a small group has most of it. Just an observation.

[CroFlames]

It's crazy to me. Yes he's a star, but he's a winger and no one puts him in the same category as uber stars like McDavid, Drai, MacKinnon, Makar, etc.

He shoulda taken the money. I doubt he gets better money elsewhere and there is always the danger of a freak injury.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

The higher the number for Kaprizov, the higher the number for McDavid. I am good with this.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

The fact that Crosby always took his 8.7 figure did sort of set the standard of top guys not taking as much for themselves so that the team could be better had influence on other players. There was also a period of lower growth, flat caps from before the Pandemic until this season which stagnated some things.

That was always the fear from the PA with the cap 20 years ago. They were worried the 2 to 4 million dollar player middle class of the NHL would go by the wayside. But today there's a lot of players in that 4 to 8 million dollar range on an AAV.

Yeah, if Crosby went max percentage on his contracts I think teams would have had to follow on all star players and stars would have been higher paid in the 2000's/2010;s, for sure.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

It's crazy to me. Yes he's a star, but he's a winger and no one puts him in the same category as uber stars like McDavid, Drai, MacKinnon, Makar, etc.

He shoulda taken the money. I doubt he gets better money elsewhere and there is always the danger of a freak injury.

He doesn't want more money than that and won't get it. He just wants $14mil AAV+ and to pick his home, and he'll do that and be fine.

[heep223]

Exactly ^. I don’t think this is that complicated - it’s not about the money, he wants to play and live somewhere else.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Draug

Speaking stricktly from a franchise profit perspective, McAvi is worth $20m now, and likely for the next few years. But not 8 years. How many tickets will Ovechkin really sell this season now that the record is broken? Did people really pay a to see Gretzky in his last few seasons?

But, as a fan, I don't think the odds of winning a cup are great when you spend $20m on one player. It takes at least 3 lines, 4 strong D, and a top 10 goalie to win a cup, almost always. You cant have that if you spend $20m on an aging player.

As a season ticket holder, I want to see my team win the cup. I dont want to pay for 41 games of highlights that gets the team nowhere. Yes, I am probably an old man in the minority, yelling at the clouds.

If you want to win a Stanley Cup, buy a team.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by jayswin

He doesn't want more money than that and won't get it. He just wants $14mil AAV+ and to pick his home, and he'll do that and be fine.

I agree that is all this is, and he has that right to do this. But Minnesota IMO is on the verge of being a cup contender and now they will need to plan to get back to this spot in a year or 2.

The NHL needs to keep working on this. NFL has teams like KC, Buffalo, Philly, Detroit, Minnesota, Baltimore, Green Bay over the years having dominate teams. NFL has a short season so maybe that is why, but the NHL could really benefit from less of this happening and more star players picking the unexpected teams. Wild are going to lose their best player and offer him millions more than he will get with whoever he signs with.

NFL managers are more cutthroat too and will dump all-time greats if they have a new star coming.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

NFL managers are more cutthroat too and will dump all-time greats if they have a new star coming.

The NFL is the most owner friendly league in North America. The combination of shorter careers, longer rookie contracts, non-guaranteed contracts, and Franchise tags give the teams a lot of power.

They also have most of the draft picks from the prior years draft make the team the next year.

Players do request trades, but most of the time more money can fix the problem. The fact that a guy like Parsons got traded vs being extended is unusual.

But all teams are U.S. based and really the Eagles, Chiefs, and 49'ers have been in the Superbowl for 5 of the last 6 years. So in 6 years only 6 teams have made the Superbowl. Go back 2 before that and you only add the Patriots to that list. So once teams get the upper hand they dominate there too.