The rumors generated over the offseason that Kirill Kaprizov was headed back to Russia almost threw Minnesota Wild fans over the edge. Luckily, they weren’t true. He ended up signing an incredibly loaded $45-million deal for five years, which comes out to a $9-million average annual value (AAV). It all happened after a COVID-shortened season in which he scored 51 points in 56 games. The hype was real when he officially came over, not just in the State of Hockey but also throughout the NHL landscape.
There are massive expectations with that hype and contract, and he hasn’t been living up to them despite the team’s excellent 4-1-0 record.