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  • PWHL Minnesota Hires New GM

    Image courtesy of © Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
    Thomas Williams

    By Thomas Williams -

    That's Wild

    • After PWHL Minnesota hit a rough patch almost immediately after claiming the league's first title, the team has officially named a general manager for next season. Melissa Caruso, who has been a longtime executive for the American Hockey League, is the team's new leader. [Pioneer Press]
    • Former Wild forward Charlie Coyle appeared on a recent podcast and couldn't stop praising Minnesota and its hockey fans. He misses us so much. [BMTN]
    • The word on the street is that the Wild really wanted to add Patrik Laine to the roster instead of the Finnish sniper heading to Montreal. But, unfortunately, it wasn't a match as Laine didn't really want to spend his season in St. Paul. [StarTribune]
    • Out of every young player on the blue line, this season might be a make-or-break year for Daemon Hunt. [Hockey Wilderness]

    Off the trail...

    • The Edmonton Oilers can breathe a little bit easier with one of their massive free agents signed to an eight-year extension. Leon Draisaitl signed a contract that holds the NHL's highest cap hit ever, and he is elated to stay in Edmonton. [NHL.com]
    • The Flames GM is incredibly moved by the fans' tribute to Johnny Gaudreau. [Calgary Herald]
    • John Tavares is taking the Canada Revenue Agency -- basically the Canadian IRS -- to court over a ruling about his contract and whether he owes millions in taxes. This could change a lot about NHL contracts. [CTV News]
    By Thomas Williams  

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    FredJohnson
    2 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

    $14m/season on the Draisaitl cap. Wow, capflation has hit and it's not pretty.

    Kaprizov's agent was seen smiling at a restaurant last night. 

    Eh...Leon has shown himself to be one of the best (top 5) players in the world. With all due respect, KK97 isn't in that range (yet). I hope his agent understands this.

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    Pewterschmidt
    46 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

    Eh...Leon has shown himself to be one of the best (top 5) players in the world. With all due respect, KK97 isn't in that range (yet). I hope his agent understands this.

    Agree 100%.  As good as 97 is, he's not in the top 5 tier yet.

    Now his agent may contend that Draisaitl gets the luxury of playing with the other 97 and the whole rising tide lifts all boats argument.  And while that's an argument I don't disagree with I don't think our 97 is in same pay grade as 29.

    All that said I would bet that Guerin ends up offering 97 $14M because:

    1) 97 will request/require it

    2) 97 and his agent think that's what the market will pay in free agency

    3) Guerin being Guerin (bad signings/ext., front office chaos, zero creativity) he'll have to overpay to keep 97

    #GDS

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    Up North Guy
    55 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

    Eh...Leon has shown himself to be one of the best (top 5) players in the world. With all due respect, KK97 isn't in that range (yet). I hope his agent understands this.

    KK will not get as much as LD but the old saying "the tide lifts all boats" applies. The mean has been raised for everyone.

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    raithis
    7 minutes ago, Up North Guy said:

    KK will not get as much as LD but the old saying "the tide lifts all boats" applies. The mean has been raised for everyone.

    He could.  If the salary cap keeps going up as expected, then player salaries will go up somewhat as well just because teams have more to work with and there is more competition for above average UFAs.

    Draisaitl may have gotten top 5 money, but in two years top 5 money might be $16M and you could see Kaprizov right around that $14M mark if he and/or his agent are intent on cashing in.

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    Will D. Ness
    1 hour ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    Agree 100%.  As good as 97 is, he's not in the top 5 tier yet.

    Now his agent may contend that Draisaitl gets the luxury of playing with the other 97 and the whole rising tide lifts all boats argument.  And while that's an argument I don't disagree with I don't think our 97 is in same pay grade as 29.

    All that said I would bet that Guerin ends up offering 97 $14M because:

    1) 97 will request/require it

    2) 97 and his agent think that's what the market will pay in free agency

    3) Guerin being Guerin (bad signings/ext., front office chaos, zero creativity) he'll have to overpay to keep 97

    #GDS

    I don't think KK97 has put up the numbers yet that would justify a top 5 ranking.  

    Talent wise though, I think he is up there.  Next season I think he is going to put up those numbers if we keep Boldy and Ek with KK.  

    I think he is worth 14M and scoring 120 pts this next season will justify it.

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    FredJohnson
    4 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    Agree 100%.  As good as 97 is, he's not in the top 5 tier yet.

    Now his agent may contend that Draisaitl gets the luxury of playing with the other 97 and the whole rising tide lifts all boats argument.  And while that's an argument I don't disagree with I don't think our 97 is in same pay grade as 29.

    All that said I would bet that Guerin ends up offering 97 $14M because:

    1) 97 will request/require it

    2) 97 and his agent think that's what the market will pay in free agency

    3) Guerin being Guerin (bad signings/ext., front office chaos, zero creativity) he'll have to overpay to keep 97

    #GDS

    Prolly right.

    1wo.gif

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    MacGyver

    Kaprizov's agent is well known for extracting every last dime from a team for players he represents. And he will fleece Guerin and the Wild. Guerin has no real bargaining position here he has to do what he can to keep Kaprizov in the fold to keep his job and the agent knows it. That's if Kaprizov even wants to stick around.  

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    WheelSnipeCelly

    Copying and pasting a post from an earlier article this summer that I had written about this exact scenario / situation: 

    Kaprizov may not be a top 5 player, but he definitely is a top 10 player. Over the past 3 seasons, Kaprizov is ranked #4 in PPG, #4 in G/60, #5 in goals, #10 in P/60, and #12 in points. So, his agent will definitely push to get him paid as such.

    The ten highest paid players in the league are currently:

    • $14.0M Leon Draisaitl (15.22% of proposed 2025-26 cap)
    • $13.25M Auston Matthews (15.05% of 2024-25 salary cap when signed) 
    • $12.6M Nathan MacKinnon (15.07% of 2023-24 salary cap when signed) 
    • $12.5M Connor McDavid (15.7% of 2018-19 salary cap when signed)
    • $11.64M Artemi Panarin (14.3% of 2019-20 salary cap when signed)
    • $11.6M Elias Pettersson (13.2% of 2024-25 salary cap when signed)
    • $11.5M Erik Karlsson (14.1% of 2019-20 salary cap when signed)
    • $11.5M William Nylander (13.1% of 2024-25 salary cap when signed)
    • $11.25M David Pastrnak (13.5% of 2023-24 salary cap when signed)
    • $11M John Travares (13.8% of 2018-19 salary cap when signed)
    • Average: Highest paid players make 14.3% of the salary cap

    The salary cap over the years:

    • $96.5M: 2026-27 (proposed – not confirmed)
    • $92.0M: 2025-26 (proposed – I've seen reports of up to $93.2M)
    • $88.0M: 2024-25
    • $83.5M: 2023-24
    • $82.5M: 2022-23
    • $81.5M: 2019-22
    • $79.5M: 2018-19

    So if following the 14-15% trend of the salary cap for the best players, that would mean if Kaprizov signs a new contract in either of the next two seasons, it could potentially be anywhere from $12.7M - $14.5M per season:

    • $12.7M: 14.13% of $92.0M (2025-26) 
    • $13.6M: 14.13% of $96.5M (2026-27)
    • $13.8M: 15% of $92.0M (2025-26)
    • $14.5M: 15% of $96.5M (2026-27)
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    Wanderinginmn
    11 hours ago, FredJohnson said:

    Sweet! Congrats to Melissa Caruso. Now make sure the team name is better than "Wild". 😳

    Wild would be much better than they tried to do and still are trying to do- MN Superior.  Yup, they want to name the team after the economically depressed, across the lake in WI city, aka lesser Duluth.

    I am sure to some marketing idiot on a coast went, oh, MN borders Lake Superior, right? Nothing else of note there, name them that.  Fucking morons.

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