Prospect Info: Kirill Kaprizov II: (LW) - CSKA Moscow - 135th Overall, 2015

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Yep. Kovy is easy to spot, he's the best looking dude of probably all the Russian players. Then there's Malkin, Radulov, and obviously Kap.

Malkin’s got some swagger too, although maybe it’s just that Radulov is so damn ugly that I think that.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Awesome photo - another positive sign that he'll be here when his contract is up.

 

[Elias Pettersson]

When is he expected to come over and play? I think he's good enough for nhl right now and just wasting valuable nhl years in Russia

 

[Bazeek]

When is he expected to come over and play? I think he's good enough for nhl right now and just wasting valuable nhl years in Russia

He'll come over when his KHL contract ends: 2020.

 

[Atas2000]

Awesome photo - another positive sign that he'll be here when his contract is up.

You mean like being on Rotenberg's plane(who you can spot in the mirror) who gives NT stars a ride is bringing him closer to a NHL contract?

 

[Bazeek]

You mean like being on Rotenberg's plane(who you can spot in the mirror) who gives NT stars a ride is bringing him closer to a NHL contract?

I mean, it's not a bad sign.

What actually brings us closer to Kaprizov's NHL contract is the fact that 7/19/18 is one day after 7/18/18, and therefore one day closer to 2020 when Kaprizov and his agent have both said he intends to play in the NHL.

 

[Atas2000]

I mean, it's not a bad sign.

What actually brings us closer to Kaprizov's NHL contract is the fact that 7/19/18 is one day after 7/18/18, and therefore one day closer to 2020 when Kaprizov and his agent have both said he intends to play in the NHL.

People are too obsessed with signs. Russians do intend to play in the NHL. Earning some money in the KHL before embarking on the NHL ELC tour is logical from the money POV and the KHL is beneficial for their development from the hockey POV.

 

[nickschultzfan]

People are too obsessed with signs. Russians do intend to play in the NHL. Earning some money in the KHL before embarking on the NHL ELC tour is logical from the money POV and the KHL is beneficial for their development from the hockey POV.

Yes. I never understood why NHL teams and fans think a 20 year old Russian player is going to want to give up a contract over a million dollars in the KHL to spend a year in the AHL making $150k in some small US city. I get why NA folks want that (work on NA game, defense, consistency etc., ability to call-up) but I do not think for one second the player should agree to that.

But, there is a risk that the switch over doesn't happen, if only because the time window is shorter with those players. A Canadian player is going to wait until he's 24-25 before he goes to Europe. That is 6-7 years of control from the NHL team perspective. A Russian player on the other hand, looking the situation completely rationally, may not want to spend more than 1 year, off-and-on, in the AHL, before he says "I am losing my prime earning years in the KHL" and goes back home. So NHL teams need to make it work in as little as 1-3 years.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

People are too obsessed with signs. Russians do intend to play in the NHL. Earning some money in the KHL before embarking on the NHL ELC tour is logical from the money POV and the KHL is beneficial for their development from the hockey POV.

Not sure where you get "obsession" from. All of what you say is probably true. That shouldn't diminish my basic point: that spending time with NHLers is likely to encourage Kaprizov to become one, rather than dissuade him - as some have (perhaps unjustifiably) worried.

 

[Bazeek]

People are too obsessed with signs. Russians do intend to play in the NHL. Earning some money in the KHL before embarking on the NHL ELC tour is logical from the money POV and the KHL is beneficial for their development from the hockey POV.

I don't disagree, but I don't think what Saga was saying contradicts this either. There's been a lot of undue nervousness about what Kaprizov's intentions are, despite him being pretty clear about it. That's probably more what he was getting at.

 

[Atas2000]

Not sure where you get "obsession" from. All of what you say is probably true. That shouldn't diminish my basic point: that spending time with NHLers is likely to encourage Kaprizov to become one, rather than dissuade him - as some have (perhaps unjustifiably) worried.

Well, Kovalchuk and Radulov can teach him a lot of things good and bad about the NHL as NHLers... of sorts.

He can probably pick up some advice about a successful career anyway.

 

[Minnesnota]

Yes. I never understood why NHL teams and fans think a 20 year old Russian player is going to want to give up a contract over a million dollars in the KHL to spend a year in the AHL making $150k in some small US city. I get why NA folks want that (work on NA game, defense, consistency etc., ability to call-up) but I do not think for one second the player should agree to that.

But, there is a risk that the switch over doesn't happen, if only because the time window is shorter with those players. A Canadian player is going to wait until he's 24-25 before he goes to Europe. That is 6-7 years of control from the NHL team perspective. A Russian player on the other hand, looking the situation completely rationally, may not want to spend more than 1 year, off-and-on, in the AHL, before he says "I am losing my prime earning years in the KHL" and goes back home. So NHL teams need to make it work in as little as 1-3 years.

I don't think Kaprizov would spend a second in the AHL if he was here today.

 

[DANOZ28]

so when kaprizov comes here (hopefully) how do bonuses work when hes on an ELC contract? basically im asking can we make it worth his while?

 

[ThatGuy22]

so when kaprizov comes here (hopefully) how do bonuses work when hes on an ELC contract? basically im asking can we make it worth his while?

ELC's can have performance bonuses that'll add an additional 2-2.5 million onto his base salary.

If he hits them all, he'd make around 3.5 million dollars give or take. Which would be a high end salary in the KHL (top 5 as of a list TSN reported in 2016, but a few of those players have come back to the NHL).

 

[SupremeNachos]

Well, Kovalchuk and Radulov can teach him a lot of things good and bad about the NHL as NHLers... of sorts.

He can probably pick up some advice about a successful career anyway.

Not exactly the cream of the crop type of guys who you want to take advice from.

 

[Atas2000]

Not exactly the cream of the crop type of guys who you want to take advice from.

This is the NA narrative. Those are exactly the guys I would take advice from. They have the upfront expirience, also with the baseless bashing in North America. If Kaprizov wants to learn what the media and the fans are like throughout your professional career there are no better sources. He should learn to ignore much of the BS people invent. He should also learn to tell people on the team that are honest with you from those who would spread all kinds of sh... afterwards. There are not only angels and good guys running NHL teams. He can also learn a lot about both leagues and moving and adjusting as both Kovalchuk and Radulov did that more than once each by now.

But if you want him only to hear the neat stories about how great everything is in the NHL and NA in general that could only cause some long term damage. If I was Kaprizov I would be all ears and pick up every bit from guys who have a decade+ of pro hockey on the resume. He can then still decide on his own and make hos own decisions.

 

[SupremeNachos]

This is the NA narrative. Those are exactly the guys I would take advice from. They have the upfront expirience, also with the baseless bashing in North America. If Kaprizov wants to learn what the media and the fans are like throughout your professional career there are no better sources. He should learn to ignore much of the BS people invent. He should also learn to tell people on the team that are honest with you from those who would spread all kinds of sh... afterwards. There are not only angels and good guys running NHL teams. He can also learn a lot about both leagues and moving and adjusting as both Kovalchuk and Radulov did that more than once each by now.

But if you want him only to hear the neat stories about how great everything is in the NHL and NA in general that could only cause some long term damage. If I was Kaprizov I would be all ears and pick up every bit from guys who have a decade+ of pro hockey on the resume. He can then still decide on his own and make hos own decisions.

It's not an "NA" narrative when it comes to those 2 guys. Both have shown numerous times a lack of professionalism both on and off the ice while in the NHL.

 

[Atas2000]

It's not an "NA" narrative when it comes to those 2 guys. Both have shown numerous times a lack of professionalism both on and off the ice while in the NHL.

LOL That's exactly the narrative. Repeating it doesn't make it true.

I am btw most eager to hear what kind of unprofessional behavior Kovalchuk ever shown.

Radulov was pretty jumpstarted when he was younger, but he changed. And even in his younher years I don't see an issue. People who are really repeating those curfew lies and stories I see as a bit crazy. If you want to believe something you will of course, but there are facts and common sense.

 

[Puhis]

LOL That's exactly the narrative. Repeating it doesn't make it true.

I am btw most eager to hear what kind of unprofessional behavior Kovalchuk ever shown.

Radulov was pretty jumpstarted when he was younger, but he changed. And even in his younher years I don't see an issue. People who are really repeating those curfew lies and stories I see as a bit crazy. If you want to believe something you will of course, but there are facts and common sense.

That's from first 10 or so results, from YouTube, for "Kovalchuk." I would love to hear you defend how it is completely professional for him to repeatedly cross-check and punch another player to the face. Go on, I'm listening.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

They're criticized for drinking pepsi? I was reading Martin Brodeur's book - he enjoyed sprite. Good Canadian guy!

 

[Bazeek]

I assumed we were talking about how Kovalchuk left New Jersey, which I'm really not familiar with to pass judgement on. If we're talking about drinking Pepsi on the bench... I mean it's a little goofy, but it's the sort of goofy that fans usually eat up.

Russian players do tend to get treated differently in the NA media, at least from where I've been sitting. The upshot is that playing in a market like Minnesota, St Louis or Columbus is a great way to be completely ignored by the national media, and the local media isn't exactly savage.

 

[Digitalbooya]

LOL That's exactly the narrative. Repeating it doesn't make it true.

I do think it’s funny you are trying to push a narrative that isn’t exactly true either. It’s quite something.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I assumed we were talking about how Kovalchuk left New Jersey, which I'm really not familiar with to pass judgement on. If we're talking about drinking Pepsi on the bench... I mean it's a little goofy, but it's the sort of goofy that fans usually eat up.

Russian players do tend to get treated differently in the NA media, at least from where I've been sitting. The upshot is that playing in a market like Minnesota, St Louis or Columbus is a great way to be completely ignored by the national media, and the local media isn't exactly savage.

Kovalchuk leaving NJ was a bad look. He'd probably admit the same, but Parise didn't leap to re-sign there either. It was under poor management. Looks better now, but it's still an org that plays in Newark, that has had financial problems and so on - stuff that isn't necessarily public for judgment.

But Jagr left for the KHL and he's still a legend. There shouldn't be a double standard for guys, especially not one based on the country of origin. Every player is different. Obviously some guys use coke, drink coke, stay up late, punch their girlfriends, freak out on the ice. Bad behavior shouldn't be excused, but have some perspective. This isn't the Hall of Saints, it's a pro sports league, where some 20 something millionaires show bad taste and make poor decisions.

I'm Kaprizov will be just fine and really enjoy playing for the fine people of Minnesota!

 

[Atas2000]

I do think it’s funny you are trying to push a narrative that isn’t exactly true either. It’s quite something.

Which narrative would that be?

I have to hear it so I know which narrative I am pushing.

 

[Fantomas]

I don't think anyone in Dallas is complaining about Radulov.