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Kirill Kaprizov's Record-Breaking Deal with the Wild Has Major Implications for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Photo credit: Imagn Images
Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov has been in contract extension talks for a while now, and after finally signing, teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs must take notice.
Kirill Kaprizov is easily one of the best players in the entire NHL. The Minnesota Wild are lucky to have him, and they have been trying to sign him to an extension for months.
A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that the forward had declined an eight-year deal worth an AAV of $16 million. This deal would have totaled $128 million and would have smashed multiple NHL records.
Today, Kaprizov officially got his bag, signing an eight-year deal worth $136 million, which is an AAV of $17 million. This is the largest contract in NHL history, and it is not particularly close.
Unfortunately, for the entire NHL, this is the kind of deal that completely wrecks the market, and makes things worth for the other 31 teams throughout the NHL.
To be fair to Minnesota, they have had a difficult time retaining talent over the years, so it makes sense that they would overpay to keep a superstar.
However, that does nothing to change the fact that guys like Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel are gearing up to get paid either next summer or during the season.
How Kirill Kaprizov impacts the Toronto Maple Leafs
For the Toronto Maple Leafs, this spells bad news as the team is trying to remain in the running for Connor McDavid, who is going to demand a hefty paycheck.
While some reports suggest he could re-sign with the Edmonton Oilers for $15 million per season, that is surely going to change after seeing this Kaprizov price tag. Should McDavid explore the market some July, then the Leafs should expect to pay a ridiculous amount of money.
When Auston Matthews is ready for a contract extension in a few years, he will likely demand more than $17 million, especially with the salary cap continuously going up.
Overall, this is bad news for the league, and we're sure Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is beside himself watching these reports roll in.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 30 | 284 ANSWERS Kirill Kaprizov's Record-Breaking Deal with the Wild Has Major Implications for the Toronto Maple Leafs Do you believe the Toronto Maple Leafs will sign someone of Kirill Kaprizov's caliber next Summer? | ||
| YES | 147 | 51.8 % |
| NO | 137 | 48.2 % |
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