When a disgruntled star player becomes available, there is a dance that must be danced. Said player makes demands that the ownership refuses and gives their demands. Both sides blame the other for the breakdown.
The player makes it known he wants off the team, and the team makes it known that the player is their property and they aren't going anywhere, while quietly fielding offers. Then, all of a sudden, a team gives them an offer after the player threatens to hold out, and the player is traded.
Eagles fans know this ploy well as they saw the mortal enemy, the Dallas Cowboys, surrender one of the best defensive players, Micah Parsons, to the Green Bay Packers. This hilariously ruined any chance of the Cowboys looking good, but simultaneously made the Packers a real threat to the Eagles.
In the NHL world, a storm is brewing in Minnesota that could reap benefits for the Flyers.
The Kaprizov Dilemma
If anyone offered you an eight-year contract worth $128 million, roughly $16 million a year, you would take it in a heartbeat. Then again, you aren't Kirill Kaprizov, a 28-year-old Russian superstar in the making toiling for the Minnesota Wild.
Yeah....the Wild. The Wild are one of those teams that have never quite gotten off the ground. Since joining the NHL in 2000, they have made it to the second round of the playoffs twice and the Western Conference Finals once. While they have made it to the playoffs in five of the last six seasons, which is more than the Flyers could say, they've been thoroughly bounced in the first round every time.
Kaprizov doesn't necessarily want to leave the Wild, but isn't opposed to it anyway. While the Wild would love to lock him up long term, it seems this isn't what Kaprizov wants. A short-term deal may be what he's after. At the same time, he reportedly turned down a big offer.
Part of it probably has to do with Connor McDavid's looming free agency. McDavid's $12.5 million contract currently has him sitting at fourth highest in the NHL, behind Nathan MacKinnon (by only $100K), Auston Matthews's $13.25 million, and Leon Draisaitl's $14 million. McDavid's next deal with Edmonton (or someone else, perhaps) will reset the top of the NHL's salary food chain. Perhaps Kaprizov is waiting to see how much he can get. Can he get more than McDavid or at least more than MacKinnon?
Is Kaprizov Worth it?
Kaprizov is a Calder Trophy award winner and three-time All-Star. McDavid is a seven-time All-Star, five-time Ross Trophy winner, and three-time Hart Trophy winner. McDavid is also 28 and has five more years under his belt than Kaprizov. In his first five seasons, McDavid played in 351 games and scored 162 goals with 307 assists. Since then, he has scored over 200 goals with over 400 assists.
Kaprizov has played in 319 games, scored 185 goals, and 201 assists. So, while the assists aren't there, his first five seasons are somewhat comparable to McDavid's. Instead of playing in the NHL, however, Kaprizov was starring in the KHL for CSKA Moscow; the same team Ivan Fedotov would later play for.
In three of his five seasons, he has scored over 40 points. This past season, he scored 25 goals in 41 games. That would've tied him for second on the Flyers with Tyson Foerster and one behind team leader Matvei Michkov; and they played the whole season, not just half of it.
So, is Kaprizov worth McDavid money? Not necessarily, but he could probably be in the conversation for being worth it in the top 10. And if McDavid pushes the top salary closer to $20 million, Kaprizov could probably command anywhere from $14 to $18 million easily.
And if you are wondering if the Flyers should entertain an offer for Kaprizov, the last time a Flyer topped the 40-goal mark was Jeff Carter in 2008-09. A baby born at that time would be entering either their junior or senior year in college now. Think on that!
What Would It Cost Philly?
Why would Kaprizov want to leave Minnesota, a team that is struggling, for a team like Philly? Well, outside of Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi, the Wild don't have as much firepower as the Flyers do. They have Travis Konecny, Trevor Zegras, Owen Tippett, Michkov, Foerster, and a bunch of young stars on the way that could be really solid as well, like Porter Martone.
The Wild keep saying they don't want to move him. They may be forced to move him. The longer this becomes a problem, the more the price can come down as the team becomes desperate. However, the lower the price comes, the more other teams could jump in and make an offer. A reasonable offer for Kaprizov would probably look like this:
Forty goal scorers don't come cheap and aren't available every day. This would cost a pretty penny. Say goodbye to the Flyers' first-round pick next June and one of the two in 2027. You may be lucky to walk away with your other picks.
A few good NHL players will have to be coughed up. Minnesota could use some defenders. Jamie Drysdale could be dealt here with a young, cheap, controllable forward in Bobby Brink, who still has some promise. It's either that or part ways with a Foerster, Tippett, or Noah Cates type of guy.
Finally, the Flyers would have to lose at least two top prospects. Who? Not sure. The ones listed here could be a good package, but you never know who the Wild might be interested in. Would you be willing to give up a Jett Luchanko or Jack Nesbitt for a Kaprizov? Give up a future good player for one who is good now?
Then again, this is assuming a high price. If he holds out and has outrageous demands, the price could be a lot less.
Either way, it wouldn't be cheap, but adding a forty-goal scorer to a top line that would probably feature Zegras and Michkov is really enticing. That could be something appealing to Daniel Briere. Is it too much to ask for? Maybe. However, if Kaprizov could come in and be a game-changer now, that would be worth it. The Flyers might be a Kaprizov away from returning to greatness.
Even then, would he sign an extension? Would it be a long-term uberexpensive one, or would it be a short three, four, or five-year deal? While that might not be bad, could he be convinced to sign a later extension if things go well? It would be a shame to give up so much for something that would only be awesome in the short term when it mortgaged a future.
However, if it leads to a five-year deal that becomes extended by another three or four seasons, that greatness leaps beyond what that "future" could have been. Only if you have enough money left to spend on the players that the Flyers want to build the future with, like Michkov and Martone.
Whatever happens, this is something that the Flyers admin should keep an eye on. If something should unfold, kick the tires and check the price tag. It might not be that bad after all.