"The Minnesota Wild handed out the largest contract in NHL history on Tuesday to star winger Kirill Kaprizov, as the 28-year-old will earn $136 million on an eight-year term through the 2033-34 season. It's a deal worth more in total money that the one Alex Ovechkin signed with the Washington Capitals ($124 million) in 2008, and carries a higher average annual value than the one signed by Leon Draisaitl with the Edmonton Oilers ($14 million) last September."
"Guerin faced some enormous challenges in getting this done. One of them was the lure of unrestricted free agency under a rising salary cap, as Kaprizov wouldn't have suffered from a lack of suitors. Some of those suitors might have been more appealing than the Wild: As one NHL agent told ESPN, the Wild's status as a mid-tier Stanley Cup contender and Minnesota not being "a destination" for stars worked against them."
Kirill Kaprizov signed an eight-year contract with the Minnesota Wild worth $136 million through the 2033-34 season, the largest total-value deal in NHL history. The contract exceeds Alex Ovechkin's 2008 $124 million total and carries a higher average annual value than Leon Draisaitl's $14 million deal. The signing produced significant league-wide repercussions, creating winners and losers. Minnesota GM Bill Guerin emerged as a clear winner after convincing Kaprizov to leave the KHL in 2021 and to remain in Minnesota. Guerin overcame challenges including Kaprizov's impending unrestricted free agency, Minnesota's non-destination status, and a competitive market for elite players.
Read at ESPN.com
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