Confrontational

Almost positive I saw a post that said they modified it due to fans not like it - and removed the white stripes...

Yea, I think Kap and his agent are probably seeing sentiment starting to change with the fans... And there's no way CSKA Moscow and Kap have an agreement in place - they've spent all their cap, or close to it already from what I've read... It's a bluff to get the most value - and I think we're starting to see what holding out does whether he's a superstar or not... Maybe the Wild should trade his rights to the Sabres and bring Eichel on over... Let them deal with him...

Ryan Suter, who signed a four-year, $14.6 million contract with Dallas... Wild signed Alex Goligoski to a one-year, $5 million contract (seems a bit expensive to me for a D guy and only one year)...

Las Vegas just made a massive mistake - and their fan base will no doubt be impacted - included myself. LV, ya done f@cked up...! First you sh!t on him and pulled the best goalie in the playoffs - now this - all for an AHL player...

^^ Too bad we didn't have that 8-year max contract when Parise and Suter were negotiating...

Agree - it's weird actually... His rookie season - blows the doors off the votes - nope, he's fishing - c'mon man... He knew well in advance the date of this - and that he was a serious contender... I don't buy it boys and girls...

I dunno - just something a little strange with everything I read about him - not sure what it is - but to be on a fishing trip while the award is announced, etc - maybe his agent is super smart and knows the right moves to get him mega money - but for a guy who loves to play in MN, etc - there sure seems to always be a twist with him. Cut from an article: Though a brief interview with Kaprizov played during the NHL Awards Show on Tuesday night, he was not made available for comment, as he's currently on a fishing trip in Siberia without Internet access. According to the Wild, the hope is for Kaprizov to be made available at some point next week. Whenever he talks to reporters, Kaprizov undoubtedly will be peppered with questions regarding his contract status. He's in line for a new contract this offseason and Wild general manager Bill Guerin has made it clear that re-signing Kaprizov is the team's top priority this offseason. It's no secret the Wild hope to sign Kaprizov to a long-term deal to keep him around the Twin Cities for the foreseeable future. That said, Kaprizov is reportedly more interested in a short-term deal, not wanting to tie himself to the Wild without knowing what the roster will look like down the road. "We'd prefer a longer deal," Guerin said last month. "There's two sides to the coin. You have to be open minded. Like I said, it's a process, so there's some going back and forth and things like that. Look, we love Kirill, I don't think there's any secret there, and what he's brought to our team. We will do what we can to get a fair deal."

How long is this clause by MN with Krill regarding MN being the only NHL team he can sign with (the article didn't say). Can he sign with the KHL for a year - and then reenter the NHL without ties to MN...? (just curious what kind of leverage MN has here) Lynx - maybe you can sum it up short if you know - but how did this whole thing happen and how can he be restricted to just MN...? Obviously a star over there - somehow the MN recruiters got to him - took years to hook him - numerous delays for numerous reasons... Guess what I'm curious about - if I'm a super star in the KHL - why would MN be the team of all teams to get him that entry contract...? Surely the Wild was nowhere near the top of his preferred teams to be a star on - no...? I've been removed from MN hockey - so just curious how this whole thing even happens - and why/how MN got a chance with him... Also - if he can literally generate millions upon millions upon millions for the Wild franchise - in addition to his pay - why not go overboard on him - even paying an over-the-cap penalty if you have to...? There's no doubt this one guy can get asses in Xcel seats and viewers on tv - not to mention massive club exposure in other markets, closer to the cup, merch off the charts, etc... I just have this strange feeling that something out of left field is brewing... Or, maybe I'm confusing that with "this is too good to be true for MN" - hence my questions above...

I think there might be a bumpy road ahead - it's great to throw our common sense and reasonable assumptions - which you'd think make sense - but someone like him and his opportunities - I have a feeling it is not going to depend on many of the things mentioned. It took MN how long to get him here...? Hope all goes well - but have a feeling something is going to come out of left field that nobody with understand or be able to rationalize...

^^ How would you not be able to keep him here - he cannot go anywhere else and has no arbitration rights...

Read this in an article today: "He's only allowed to negotiate and sign with the Wild, is ineligible for an offer sheet from another team and doesn't have arbitration rights. The longest the Wild could sign him for is for eight years." Has no arbitration rights...? Interesting...

Looks like the Wild will finally have some interesting years ahead - awesome. Even Mikko has to be impressed... And I think Parise is getting a dose of reality - those three had their shot for years... Now look at what's happening when part of the tumor is cut out...

"I haven't been told otherwise" - thought that was a bit strange for him to say that part...

^^ My bet is it is likely to get pretty messy too - since I'm guessing him and his agent think he's going to be much more valuable than what is offered - so will have to arbitrate and find another couple people to justify what they're gonna want for comparables - and suppose they'll also use 11 and 20 to bookend their deal pointing to their contract lengths... Of course all this will happen with Russian translators making it even murkier... When do they have to have something done...? Also, imagine how many other teams are licking their chops and have the money to do it... No doubt Parise feels the heat lacing up next to him knowing his own price tag... Maybe MN will give him some cushy back office PR job to get him to bend...

So, what's the deal with Kap and his contract - is it up after this year...? Guessing he's a RFA - but what does that mean - that MN has to throw crazy money at him or he has other options...? I know he blew a season last year - and now played this year for minimal - but curious what will probably play out after this season when his 2 years is up... (??) (boy, and to think Kap would be a fraction of Zach's yearly payout - ugh)

Good game - how MN hung in there - no idea... Wednesday will be good...

Flipped over the other day and saw Nino make an awesome goal... Hadn't thought of him in a long time... Same with Zucker... First thought was "what the hell is Yeo doing now days." Anyways, good luck tonight guys - not looking forward to such a late game, but... My gut tells me MN - but then can they win 3 straight - who knows... Just not looking forward to watching the Avs go bonkers on either team - hopefully them sitting and waiting a while messes them up...

I'll keep a closer eye out tonight - but little has jumped out at me so far. I recall many years ago when we'd meet the Avs in post season year after year and remember they'd all but rape our guys and get nothing. Was incredibly frustrating - but that's not what I've seen so far... Ps - and Ek - that guy has sure come alive... Guy is in beast mode most shifts - fun to watch him...

Ugh - 9:30pm start... Cancel those meetings tomorrow morning... And Derek - not so sure I agree on the "refs are out to get us" point - I think it's just been bad luck regarding Ek's goals being disallowed, etc (I didn't think last one was interference - I thought he had a skate in the crease)... Regarding the penalties overall - Vegas in Game #4 - gets a penalty in the first couple minutes - Dumba comes up and punches him in the face right in front of the ref after the ref raised his arm - only Vegas went to the box. Or, one of the last games of the regular season - Vegas' #1 scorer, Max, got taken out by a MN player - and hasn't returned since... I don't think there was a penalty on the play - which made me say to a buddy, "that right there is why Ryan Reeves needs to get healthy." And even tonight Max is still out... Playoffs gets much more scrappy - and refs obviously are more inclined to let the guys play... So, I'm not seeing MN march to the box due to horrible calls in this series - you may not like it - but the scrappiness ramps up - and will no doubt again tonight...

Whomever wins this - well, a buzzsaw is waiting for them in the Avs... With Kadri being removed for 8 games is good - but man, hoping a team can crack them - although they've played like a very deserving team this year...

Was hoping Vegas would open their arena 100% - I'd think that'd be a huge advantage... Good fast games tho - will sober up for tomorrow night...

Should be an interesting series - that's for sure. MN seems to play very good against VGK - and that last game was a doozy...

I've been looking for a couple weeks now - but anyone know if Reeves will be back for playoffs...? All I see is lower-body injury - and each game hoping the announcers expand on what happened to him - but nothing... And Max... We need these guys bad when we face MN...

Very likely that it'll be VGK and MN first round...

Absolutely - it's like a whole different team... I suffered through those Heatley years too... : )