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  • Wild Have Massive Advantage to Re-Sign Kirill Kaprizov, Thanks To New CBA


    Image courtesy of © Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
    Thomas Williams

    The Minnesota Wild are in the driver's seat when it comes to re-signing Kirill Kaprizov. While one of the best hockey players on the planet can typically decide when and where to sign, the Wild have a very unique advantage thanks to the freshly agreed upon CBA between the NHL and the NHLPA.

    As part of the new CBA, the maximum length of a player's contract has been cut by one year. An unrestricted free agent signing with a new team can sign for a maximum of six years, while a pending free agent signing an extension with his current team, can sign for a maximum of seven. Pretty clear.

    This new rule is going to start for the 2026-27 season, which officially would start July 1, 2026, right when Kaprizov would hit free agency. So, as it stands, Kaprizov can either re-sign with the Wild for a maximum of eight years, because the new CBA has not kicked in yet, or if he wants to sign with a new team, he would have to wait until next summer and the maximum term he would get is just six years, giving the Wild a unique advantage in potential contract negotiations.

    Of course, this could be worked around. Theoretically, the Wild, Kaprizov, and his potential new team could work out a sign-and-trade around this time next year and get the full eight-year contract because it would be just days away from the new CBA being put in place. Or, maybe Kaprizov doesn't even want a maximum-term deal and would rather go the Auston Matthews route and sign for medium-length contracts to maximize future earnings with the salary cap expected to substantially rise over the next several years. These factors are totally possible, but also, hockey players love security.

    Kaprizov will be eligible to sign a contract extension with the Wild starting this Tuesday.

    • Signing Aaron Ekblad could spur David Jiricek's development. [Hockey Wilderness]
    • An overview of the Wild's 2025 NHL Draft class. They didn't go for a whole lot of skill outside a couple mid-round selections. [NHL.com]

    Off the trail...

    • One of many articles grading every team's 2025 NHL Draft. [ESPN]
    • Claude Giroux has signed a one-year deal to remain with the Ottawa Senators. [NHL.com]
    • The Leafs and former Gopher, Matthew Knies have agreed on a new deal to prevent him becoming a heavy offer sheet candidate. Does this sweetheart of a deal mean the end of Toronto overpaying their young players? [Sportsnet]

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    1 hour ago, RazWild said:

    Signing short-term now, would only guarantee to leave future money on the table if he decided to go that route.

    We'll agree to disagree.  Think what Boldy's AAV would be if he signed his contract this off-season.  Well above $7M (see: Peterka who isn't as good).  As the cap continues to stair step up over future years the relative contract value (ie Players AAV as % of team cap) of players locked into long term 8yr deals decreases and those players (Ek, Boldy, and maybe Faber someday) get underpaid relative to lower caliber players who were lucky enough to re-sign during a cap increase period.  That's why 97 would want a short term deal.  Allows him to see what bill is really building (not just promises, but results) and allows him to go get a new contract while still at prime years and peak market value while the cap is stair stepping again.  

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    1 minute ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    We'll agree to disagree.  Think what Boldy's AAV would be if he signed his contract this off-season.  Well above $7M (see: Peterka who isn't as good).  As the cap continues to stair step up over future years the relative contract value (ie Players AAV as % of team cap) of players locked into long term 8yr deals decreases and those players (Ek, Boldy, and maybe Faber someday) get underpaid relative to lower caliber players who were lucky enough to re-sign during a cap increase period.  That's why 97 would want a short term deal.  Allows him to see what bill is really building (not just promises, but results) and allows him to go get a new contract while still at prime years and peak market value while the cap is stair stepping again.  

    This is ENTIRELY my point.

    While player's will be making more in earned AAV. They're LOSING total earned contract amounts. Which is why the newly agreed to CBA is reducing contract terms, in order to offset higher earned contracts.

    This is the LAST YEAR that a player can sign for 8 years. The new CBA takes effect starting next offseason. Which is the 2026-27 calander year.

    The MAXIMUM a player can sign for next offseason is 7 years. Or 6 as an UFA.

     

    Example:

    $15Mx8=$120M

    $15Mx7=$105M

    $15M×6=$90M

    $16Mx7=$112M

    $16Mx6=$96M

    $17Mx7=$119M

    $17Mx6=$102M

     

    Again, while it's true that player's will make more per year and earlier contracts looking like greater steals. Signing a $9-10M level player like Boldy to $7M of particular note. Kaprizov's comparable's have all signed for around $12M on long-term contracts. He could very likely still sign for $15M now and get $120M on a 8 year term. Or. Have to sign for $17M+ in three plus years time to come close to what he could make now.

     

    Now, again, I can't see Kaprizov getting $17M+ in AAV, even in three years time.

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    3 minutes ago, RazWild said:

    This is ENTIRELY my point.

    While player's will be making more in earned AAV. They're LOSING total earned contract amounts. Which is why the newly agreed to CBA is reducing contract terms, in order to offset higher earned contracts.

    This is the LAST YEAR that a player can sign for 8 years. The new CBA takes effect starting next offseason. Which is the 2026-27 calander year.

    The MAXIMUM a player can sign for next offseason is 7 years. Or 6 as an UFA.

     

    Example:

    $15Mx8=$120M

    $15Mx7=$105M

    $15M×6=$90M

    $16Mx7=$112M

    $16Mx6=$96M

    $17Mx7=$119M

    $17Mx6=$102M

     

    Again, while it's true that player's will make more per year and earlier contracts looking like greater steals. Signing a $9-10M level player like Boldy to $7M of particular note. Kaprizov's comparable's have all signed for around $12M on long-term contracts. He could very likely still sign for $15M now and get $120M on a 8 year term. Or. Have to sign for $17M+ in three plus years time to come close to what he could make now.

     

    Now, again, I can't see Kaprizov getting $17M+ in AAV, even in three years time.

    While i didn't realize the max length contract goes from 8 - 7 in new CBA we'll still agree to disagree on the math.  If i'm Kap I'll bet on myself and my wonky abdomen to ring the contract bell in 3 years (or 4 if counting next year under contract).  3 years @ $14M AAV.  Then 4 years from now signs for 5 years with NYR at $18M AAV.  How is that not better than 8X$14?

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    7 minutes ago, RazWild said:

    Now, again, I can't see Kaprizov getting $17M+ in AAV, even in three years time.

    I guess this is where we differ.  Assuming no career ending injuries, he will stay in that top 10-15 in the league and will always be paid accordingly.  

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    1 hour ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    I guess this is where we differ.  Assuming no career ending injuries, he will stay in that top 10-15 in the league and will always be paid accordingly.  

    Problem I have with that is that only McDavid is considered to be $20M per player right now. If that's where he's at, what are the AAV's of other player's going to be at if that's the bar.

    McDavid currently sits at $12.6M, at least until he either resigns or forces his way out of Edmonton.

    Draisaitl is at $14M until 2030.

    Mackinnon is $12.6M until 2030.

    Matthews is at $13.25M, and is the only one that will be an UFA in the next 3 years.

    Rantanen just signed for $12M until 2030.

    Marner also just signed for $12M until 2030 with the sign and trade to Vegas.

     

    That's the current market value and prices for these upper echelon level players. According to these prices, Kaprizov should've likely slot in around the $12-13M mark on his next contract. Given that's where his two biggest comparables, Rantanen and Marner, just signed at. But all reasonable reports suggest he could become the highest paid player in the league. Which likely puts him between $14-15M. At least until McDavid gets his next contract.

    The only three that could likely come close to a $20M McDavid is Draisaitl, Mackinnon, and Matthews. And all three are likely to be $17M or more. I don't see Rantanen, Marner, or Kaprizov getting to $17M if that's their likely ballpark. $15-16M, absolutely. But $17M or more seems like a stretch. Given that's very likely trending to top 5 1C territory. The only difference is that we're seemingly willing to go to the $15-16M range now, rather than wait for the market to rise in the next 3 years. Instead, we're setting the market.

    By giving him future market value early, he's leaving money on the table with the reduced terms allowed in the coming seasons. In three years he's likely looking at similar potential AAV on the open market to what he's going to get with us now, despite the cap going up.

    Edited by RazWild
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