Winners and losers of Kirill Kaprizov's NHL record-setting contract

The Minnesota Wild handed retired the largest declaration successful NHL past connected Tuesday to prima winger Kirill Kaprizov, arsenic the 28-year-old volition gain $136 cardinal connected an eight-year term done the 2033-34 season.

It's a woody worthy much successful full wealth that the 1 Alex Ovechkin signed with the Washington Capitals ($124 million) successful 2008, and carries a higher mean yearly worth than the 1 signed by Leon Draisaitl with the Edmonton Oilers ($14 million) past September.

It's a declaration that has sent shockwaves done the NHL. Some volition payment from its repercussions. Some volition not. Here ere are the winners and losers of the Kirill Kaprizov contract, arsenic we spot them:

Winner: Bill Guerin

It was Guerin that yet got Kaprizov to permission the KHL for the NHL successful 2021, succeeding wherever 2 erstwhile Wild GMs had failed. Now he's the feline that's helped convinced Kaprizov to enactment successful Minnesota.

Guerin faced immoderate tremendous challenges successful getting this done. One of them was the lure of unrestricted escaped bureau nether a rising wage cap, arsenic Kaprizov wouldn't person suffered from a deficiency of suitors. Some of those suitors mightiness person been much appealing than the Wild: As 1 NHL cause told ESPN, the Wild's presumption arsenic a mid-tier Stanley Cup contender and Minnesota not being "a destination" for stars worked against them. Kaprizov had the hammer successful negotiations, arsenic was evidenced by the windfall helium yet received.

But Guerin besides had immoderate advantages here. His squad could springiness Kaprizov the eighth declaration twelvemonth that the subordinate reportedly wanted retired of his adjacent deal. He besides had the fiscal backing of ownership to connection the richest declaration successful NHL past -- $128 cardinal earlier successful September -- and past summation that connection erstwhile Kaprizov didn't sign.

Guerin besides benefitted from having Kaprizov's declaration travel up earlier a large alteration successful the CBA rules. His declaration pays retired $128 cardinal of his wealth successful yearly signing bonuses. That's 94% of its value. Starting successful Sept. 2026, contracts volition lone beryllium capable to connection signing bonuses worthy 60% of the "aggregate compensation payable nether the contract."

Guerin landed the level astatine clip erstwhile galore felt Kaprizov's archetypal rejection of a grounds declaration was his rejection of the franchise. Whether you hold with the compensation oregon not, springiness recognition wherever it's due: He got it done.

Loser: Kevin Cheveldayoff

Since 2021-22, Kyle Connor has scored conscionable 5 less goals (153) than Kaprizov (158), having played 44 much games than the Minnesota winger. That's connected a 14.2% shooting percentage. Simply put, the 28-year-old Jet winger is arsenic elite a goal-scorer arsenic you'll find connected the helping -- and arsenic an unrestricted escaped cause adjacent summer, should beryllium compensated arsenic such.

The question is whether that'll hap successful Winnipeg, wherever he's entering his 10th season, oregon elsewhere.

If Connor was waiting for a wage domino to fall, this 1 landed with a sonic boom. Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff conscionable watched Kaprizov reset the marketplace for a subordinate that scored 41 goals and had 56 assists for a vocation champion 97 points successful 82 games.

Cheveldayoff has done a masterful occupation retaining different stars similar goalie Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele, some astatine $8.5 cardinal AAV ove...