Break out the s’mores and tents, it’s time to go camping. Um, well, time to go to Training Camp, which, depending on where your team is at, could be like actual camping. Then again, it could be the complete opposite. 

One team that’s definitely not enjoying itself around the campfire is the Minnesota Wild, who recently made Kirill Kaprizov an offer to be the highest-paid player in the history of The NHL, only to see him turn them down. Ouch! 

The reported offer was for eight years and $128M ($16M AAV). Both the average annual value and the total compensation would have been league records had the Russian winger accepted. But now that he didn’t there’s a dark cloud hovering over the Wild. Could Minnesota up the ante? Sure. But there’s not much more they can do. 

The eight years is the maximum length they can offer (but once the new CBA takes effect, that will be decreased to seven years). The CBA caps a player’s AAV at a maximum of 20% of the yearly cap. So, the Wild have about $4M to play with there; however, if they go to the max, it will severely restrict their ability to build a consistent winner around Kaprizov. 

Then again, maybe the 28-year-old winger doesn’t want the maximum term. Maybe he prefers a four-year deal that allows him to re-enter free agency when he’s 32? Or, maybe, he just doesn’t want to be in Minnesota. 

That last part likely isn’t the answer, as Kaprizov has been fairly open about liking his time in Minnesota. So, does a short-term deal with a maximum, or near-maximum AAV, get it done? Only time will tell, but time isn’t on the Wild’s side. If this situation goes unresolved much longer than GM Bill Guerin is going to have to seriously consider trading his star winger. Supposedly, he already is, but nothing’s imminent. 

Other teams not enjoying themselves at the moment are: the New Jersey Devils (see Luke Hughes’ contract situation); the Edmonton Oilers (if you think Minnesota has it bad, just turn on a Canadian TV channel. Even Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, is openly referencing Connor McDavid’s unresolved contract situation); and lets throw the Pittsburgh Penguins into the mix as well (is Sidney Crosby really going to go back on his word about wanting to be a Penguin for life?).

We analyzed Hughes’ and McDavid’s contracts last week, so now, let’s dive into Crosby. 

It was always unthinkable that Sidney Crosby would leave Pittsburgh. He has been the face of the franchise for 20 years and has always stated that he would never leave for another team. He’s even signed three team-friendly contracts over the course of his career to remain with the Penguins. 

But now, the idea of him moving isn’t so far-fetched. Crosby is 38 years old and while he’s still a point-per-game player, there’s no doubt that the end is not far away. He isn’t the type to hang on once his skills inevitably decline beyond a certain point. He has too much pride to allow himself to go out there on the ice and be a shell of what he once was. So, while he’s still highly productive, that won’t last forever. 

The Penguins are in a rebuild. Their window for contention likely doesn’t line up with the number of years Crosby has left in The NHL. And here’s the big one: his own agent, Pat Brisson, just last week, openly talked about the possibility of Crosby being traded at some point. 

Pittsburgh’s longtime Captain hasn’t asked for a trade, nor is GM Kyle Dubas actively looking to part with Crosby, but Brisson didn’t just say what he said out of nowhere. 

There’s no way he didn’t have Crosby’s blessing to say what he said. Crosby has very carefully cultivated his image and reputation over the years. Brisson isn’t foolish. He isn’t going to do or say anything that would tick off Crosby. So, therefore, Pittsburgh’s Captain had to have okayed his agent’s comments. And that means the once unthinkable, while still nothing more than talk, is now something of a possibility, however remote. 

Speaking of players who were once thought to be one-team-only guys, the hockey world lost a true legend on Monday when former Rangers goalie Eddie Giacomin passed away at the age of 86. Giacomin should have only ever been a Ranger, but he was inexplicably placed on waivers in 1975 and promptly claimed by the Detroit Red Wings, who, two days later, came to MSG with their new goalie in tow. 

Detroit, with Giacomin in net, won the game 6-4 as The Garden Faithful loudly cheered their former goalie from the start of the National Anthem through the final horn. His old Rangers teammates didn’t even want to shoot the puck at him, with many admitting that they actually apologized to him after scoring each of their four goals. 

That night, the Madison Square Garden fans were not fans of the Rangers, especially not GM Emile (The Cat) Francis. Towards the end of the game, the fans repeatedly chanted “Kill The Cat!” prompting Garden police to offer Francis an escort out of the building, which he turned down, stating, “I told them, ‘I came into this building on my own, I’m leaving on my own.’ I said, ‘They may get me, but I’ll guarantee you, I’ll take a couple of those [guys] with me.’ I walked right out through the rotunda, through the middle of the crowd, straight to my car.” (Quotes courtesy of NHL.com’s Dave Stubbs). 

So, as the hockey world mourns Giacomin’s passing, just remember, it takes a special kind of person and player to turn an entire arena against its own team. Giacomin was that and so much more. He will be missed.