What made Kirill Kaprizov chase a record-breaking eight-year, $136 million contract, while it seems like other recently extended players jumped on for a lot less? Before everyone assumes Kaprizov was just chasing money, let's break this down with a metric that you won't find on an NHL stat sheet: career earnings.
Per PuckPedia, Kaprizov's career earnings sat at an estimated $39.17 million. Low, when you account for Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid, who made an estimated $73.39 million and $92.96 million, respectively. All three players were 2015 draft picks, and while Kaprizov wasn't taken until the fifth round, it's clear that he deserved to have gone a lot higher.
And don't forget about Kyle Connor, yet another 2015 draft pick. So far, Connor's estimated earnings clock in at $46.31 million. Lower than Eichel and McDavid, but still nearly $7 million more than what Kaprizov has earned. Connor is a great player, but from a performance standpoint, Kaprizov has had a much better career, snagging well over a point per game since his second full season.
It's hard to blame Kirill Kaprizov for getting his worth
If you're Kirill Kaprizov you are probably thinking that you've been one of the most productive players from that 2015 draft class, when is my payday?
You can't argue that, and apparently, neither could the Minnesota Wild, who handed Kaprizov his record-breaking deal. Meanwhile, McDavid and Eichel, despite eight-figure AAVs, could have pointed to what Kaprizov is making and demanded more. But they have also earned their money.
Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid didn't need the massive pay day
Eichel, especially, who also has a Stanley Cup to his name, didn't need a record-breaking deal. So he was always going to take a team-friendly deal at a $13.5 million AAV that would give the Vegas Golden Knights a chance to win a second Cup during his time there.
As for McDavid? Rolling with a shorter extension for a team-friendly $12.5 million AAV more than made sense. McDavid is a Hall of Fame player and one of the best of his generation, but until he wins a Cup, he will always have an asterisk next to his name.
This isn't saying Kaprizov was looking for money first and a Stanley Cup second. But the NHL is a business, and he recognized that. Therefore, he was getting paid, and he wasn't taking anything lower than a value that would, ultimately, put him on par with Eichel and McDavid. His play alone proved he was worth it.
Plus, the Wild have a championship-caliber franchise with room to extend Kaprizov and goaltender Filip Gustavsson. So, from Kaprizov's standpoint, why not maximize your value while you can? Especially when you haven't earned what others around the league have.