"The negotiations were long, but ended successfully": "Minnesota" extended the contract with Kaprizov for five years for $ 45 million

The best rookie of the National Hockey League in the 2020/21 season, Kirill Kaprizov, still remains in North America.

After lengthy and difficult negotiations, he agreed with Minnesota Wild to extend the agreement on favorable terms.

According to the club's press service, the new contract is for five years, during which the Russian will earn a total of $ 45 million.

Thus, Kaprizov became the highest paid hockey player in his franchise and the seventh among Russians playing in the NHL.

Only forwards Artemy Panarin, Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeny Malkin and Nikita Kucherov, as well as goalkeepers Sergei Bobrovsky and Andrei Vasilevsky, receive more than him per year.

According to journalist Frank Serevali, the agreement does not contain any signature bonus - a part of the salary paid to the hockey player even before the start of the season.

However, according to one of the points, Kaprizov cannot be exchanged for another club without his consent in the last two years of the contract.

👀 pic.twitter.com/jNhC7ZV0rR

- Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) September 21, 2021

It is noteworthy that Karpizov signed a new contract right before the start of the Minnesota training camp, although he was absent from the list of training camp participants the day before.

The general manager of the club, Bill Guerin, just a couple of days earlier, expressed his disappointment at the lack of a result in negotiations with the Russian and said that the team would focus on the players present in the camp.

However, it is now expected that the forward, together with his partners, will begin training on September 23, the day of the official start of the training camp.

Meanwhile, the striker himself has already flown to Minneapolis and gave his first interview in a new status.

According to Cyril, he is very happy, and the deal itself is beneficial both for him and for the team from St. Paul.

“From now on, I just want to play hockey with my teammates.

I spoke with many of them today, all congratulated me.

Now I will try to focus on the game and win.

Everyone is happy, this is a pleasant feeling, "the Minnesota website quotes Kaprizov as saying.

In turn, Guerin did not hide his joy from the extension of the agreement with the rising star.

In his opinion, this is a great day for the club and for the 24-year-old striker himself.

The general manager of Minnesota Wild noted that now the team is looking only to the future.

“We had a lot of time to talk and discuss a number of things.

What really does not give in to doubt - the guy just wants to play hockey and is very happy to return.

We are happier than ever ... He returned to the squad before the start of the training camp, everything is fine.

As we expected, the process was long, but the negotiations ended successfully, ”Guerin said.

At home, they reacted with enthusiasm to the long-awaited extension of the agreement between Kaprizov and Minnesota.

Former CSKA mentor Igor Nikitin, who worked with the hockey player from 2017 to 2020, noted that he almost immediately congratulated the former ward and wished him to win the Stanley Cup with the club.

“I think Kirill was focused on his dream: to play in the NHL.

It was a systematic contract work.

Everyone did their job.

This is normal, "- quotes Nikitin" Sport-Express ".

The first coach of the forward, Andrei Luchansky, was also pleased with the news about Kaprizov and expressed the opinion that the most important thing in a player's stay in Minnesota is the club's trust.

“Apparently, the agent advised me to sign a contract in the end.

For some reason, they delayed signing, which means they put forward their own conditions.

I hope he will prove everything with his work, and the current situation will not affect the attitude towards him in the team, ”Luchansky said.

Commentator Sergei Gimaev Jr. considers the current deal to be a kind of victory for Kirill and his agent.

In his opinion, five seasons in St. Paul will benefit the athlete.

“Then Kaprizov will have time to sign a long-term contract for even more money with one of the teams fighting for the Stanley Cup.

The whims should not stop progressing.

They say that the second season in the NHL for the players is the most difficult, however, knowing Kirill and his hard work, this should not happen to him, ”Gimaev quotes the Championship.

Former coach of the Russian national team Vladimir Plyushchev called the extension of the agreement with Wild an excellent ground for Kaprizov's progress.

Especially considering the fact that he has already fallen in love with the local fans and has become a real team leader.

“There are always certain moments when a player can be offered another contract, to redeem the current one.

Once Caprizov signed, it means that everything suits him.

Probably, Kirill consulted with his agents, his family ... It is better to be a leader in this team than to polish a shop somewhere else ... Whims preferred to play, "the specialist emphasized.

The 1988 Olympic champion Valery Kamensky, who drew attention to the decent performance of Minnesota last season, adheres to the same position - the team from St. Paul made their way to the playoffs from third place in the Western Division, although they lost in the first round.

Nevertheless, according to the expert, there is no need to wonder whether the club will be able to compete for the Stanley Cup together with Capricious.

“He is a very talented and young guy, he has a whole career ahead of him.

I hope he will be able to please us with his good game, beautiful pucks and will play even better, and after the expiration of a five-year contract, he will sign a new agreement for an even greater amount, ”Kamensky suggested.

In his debut season, Caprice played 55 matches in the NHL regular season and recorded 27 goals and 24 assists.

In the playoffs, the Russian's performance was more modest - in seven meetings he scored twice and only in one case assisted a partner.