Kaprizov - Going to Russia?

[KingCanuck]

Hey guys, worried about this guy.

Googled some news and apparently the Wild offered 9-10M per season and he’s not signing.

Maybe he’s going to Russia? I’m in a cap league too. Love they guy but keeper deadline is Coming and no clue what to do with him!

I’m sure someone will bite if I put him on the block.

If he goes to Russia I’m Screwed!

[Eli26]

If he's going to Russia it would have happened by now. I am sure he's just leveraging for the best set up for him.

[Feenom]

I have him too but I have to believe the other 9 GMs know what I know. So it’s either be patient or get next to nothing in return. I’ve had 1 offer for him and it’s a 2 rounder. Like Van Halen said, “I’ll wait”.

[pmorrow]

I doubt he will end up in Russia but I guess you never know. The current issue appears to be the Wild want to give him big dough on a long term 7 or 8 year deal, but he wants something in the 3-5 year range so he can hit another home run that takes him to retirement. So it'll be a process, but should end in a deal.

[Axeman33]

Hey guys, worried about this guy.

Googled some news and apparently the Wild offered 9-10M per season and he’s not signing.

Maybe he’s going to Russia? I’m in a cap league too. Love they guy but keeper deadline is Coming and no clue what to do with him!

I’m sure someone will bite if I put him on the block.

If he goes to Russia I’m Screwed!

He's not signing because he's trying to get a shorter term deal. Minny is offering him that AAV if he signs for 8 years. He only wants a 3-4 year deal because he's betting on himself to get a better contract at that point.

While there's a report that he's been offered a big money contract from the KHL, the fact that he hasn't signed that yet bides well for his return to Minny. I don't see him seriously looking at the KHL right now so just be patient.

[tweetdrivr]

The KHL is a second tier league and everyone knows it. This guys ego will keep him in the NHL. Minny is fooked because after this year they are dead cap space also rans. It appears to me that Guerin doesn’t know what he’s doing. Eventually he’ll cave and sign him to a 3yr deal at around $9-10mil per is my guess.

[hockeyrobot]

Just adding this in here. Fuel to the fire.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...ive-khl-offer/

[2014olympicgold]

I don't think he goes anywhere. But the KHL threat I think is working on the Wild because now they're willing to go shorter term than originally reported.

[hockeyrobot]

I don't think he goes anywhere. But the KHL threat I think is working on the Wild because now they're willing to go shorter term than originally reported.

I agree. He has them by the balls now.

[ACC90]

Maybe he is going nowhere, but what would be his next contract now that he have a 1 year x 10M on the table.
I don't expect him signing a contract of 18M$ for 3 years if he can cash in 55% of this contract in only one year.

I'm really concerned with this because I must dropped my protection list tomorrow and there is only 2 scenarios possible : 1) He is going to be expensive or 2) I will protect a guy who will go in KHL...

[Chewbert]

I have him as well so its a tense situation but I believe (and hope) he is just using the K as leverage. He is going to be expensive in salary cap leagues but I have a hard time believing he is battling with Minny this much just to leave.

Luckily I do not have to register my keepers until a few days prior to our draft.

[dejeanneret]

There is absolutely no way I see Kaprizov going back to the KHL anytime soon.

He came over last year for a reason, which I assume was to play against the best competition in the world. He showed well obviously, but it's not like he won the Cup, the Hart, the Ted Lindsay, the Rocket Richard or anything else I imagine is of real consequence to him. Yes, he won the Calder, but as an "over age" rookie measured up against skaters who are younger and less experienced than he is. Many expected him to be a serious competitor for that award ... and to the extent he ever thought about it, I suspect he likely expected it of himself too.

Point being, Kaprizov's got a lot left to accomplish and prove in this league.

And from the Wild standpoint, they can't afford to play hardball here. More to the point, Guerin can't afford to lose the guy back to Russia over a quibble concerning the length of contract. He'd be tarred and feathered, both in Minnesota and by hockey enthusiasts in markets league-wide. Guys like Kaprizov put butts in the seats. They sell jerseys and other merchandise, not to mention greatly help their team fight for a playoff spot (which means yet more revenue for the owner).

Point here being, that kind of blunder would follow Guerin around for the rest of his career -- and I'd imagine make other owners/front offices look at him skeptically for openings in their organizations too.

So my view is that Kaprizov will be here. As others have noted, he's simply trying to get a shorter term contract to set himself up for a bigger payday down the road and to have some say in which NHL franchise he plays for in a few years. The KHL is simply leverage in contract negotiations to get him there. But he wants to be here. He wants to compete for acclaim and kudos against the best. Why else would he have come here in the first place? And just as compelling, the Wild (and Guerin) can't afford to see him head back to Russia after 1 year.

Now from a fantasy perspective for cap league players, yeah, he's most likely to come with a big cap hit. He's a potential superstar (maybe even the "next Ovi" from a natural/lazy marketing and goal-scoring comparison), and is quite likely to get paid as such. So as a fantasy GM, you're either willing to absorb that cap hit based on his superstar potential or you're not. That's a fair thing to question and debate given that Kaprizov does still have more to prove before he's given bona fide superstar status. But I don't think the KHL fear-factor really ought to factor into the decision making.

[random-d]

They might just be waiting to get Fiala squared away so they can see what they're working with.

[rataylor22]

I doubt he will go to the KHL, but I don't think the chances of it are a slim as some as saying. Rumors are it would be a 1 year deal to come back, which is basically enough to show Minnesota he is serious. It's probably only a 20-30% chance he goes back to the K for another year, but I don't think it's a 1-5% chance. What a gut punch for owners though. Wait so long for him, get that season out of him, and then maybe lose him again? So frustrating.

[senryu]

If Kaprizov signs a 1 year in the KHL, after that year is he free to sign anywhere in the NHL or are his choices still only Minnesota or the KHL again?

With Minnesota in cap hell for the few years after this year, and the likelihood that he probably would earn similar money for next year, if he had full unrestricted free agency, if Kaprizov wanted to win, then the move would be to leave and let all the teams fight over him.