The Kirill Kaprizov Contract Debacle (Podcast)

If they end up paying him $19Mx8, that will change the NHL forever, and not in a good way. Only McDavid is worth that much, IMO, and that's IF Kaprizov signed at $16M. Nearly 20% of the payroll for one player, ouch. They won't be contending for a cup any time soon.

I would hard pass if that's truly his counter. Trade him now and get two solid top sixers for less money and more stability.

As a bonus for the fans; expect significant ticket price increases if this happens.

33 minutes ago, Scalptrash said:

If they end up paying him $19Mx8, that will change the NHL forever, and not in a good way. Only McDavid is worth that much, IMO, and that's IF Kaprizov signed at $16M. Nearly 20% of the payroll for one player, ouch. They won't be contending for a cup any time soon.

I would hard pass if that's truly his counter. Trade him now and get two solid top sixers for less money and more stability.

As a bonus for the fans; expect significant ticket price increases if this happens.

We saw it with Kirk Cousins.  Signed a massive contract over his actual value and we got worse every year because we couldn't backfill the roster with competent players. 

The entire FL Panthers team had 702 points for the year.  Pay a guy 20% of the cap would require Kirill to have 140 points in the season.  The Wild had 545 points.  Kirill would need 109 points to hit the 20% and that puts us as a 2nd willd card.  You just can't expect a player to contribute 20% of the points.  Maybe McDavid.

Find a way to convince him that $16M is enough.

16mm is already an overpay that will handcuff the team.  Don’t budge and get his trade list.  Trade him to Carolina for svechnikov, kotkeniemi and a 1st round pick

On 9/17/2025 at 2:40 PM, Scalptrash said:

As a bonus for the fans; expect significant ticket price increases if this happens.

Aside from whether or not the amount is appropriate, why would the price of tickets be conditional to a single contract?  Are you suggesting that the Wild would choose not to use that cap space if it doesn't go to Kaprizov? 

Ticket prices are going to go up at a fast rate regardless.  The rising cap is more a factor in ticket prices increasing than whether Kaprizov's contract is a few million this way or that way.

I'm not advocating a $19M or $20M contract, but if the difference between $16M and $20M is going to raise ticket prices, an extra $5 per ticket would almost be $4M extra in revenue, assuming every game is nearly sold out.

That said, again, the cost of the roster is going up regardless of what Kaprizov signs for.