$128M REJECTED by Kirill Kaprizov! David Pastrnak’s Boston Bruins Deal Is a STEAL
Carell Kappovv just turned down an eight-year $128 million contract extension, the richest offer in NHL history. Here’s the twist. David Posternok has been far more productive over the last three years, and the Bruins have him locked up long-term for just 11.25 million a year. How does this spotlight the Bruins roster building choices with 83 million already committed for next season with a bevy of other high-profile free agents set to hit the market? Let’s discuss on today’s episode of Locked On Boston Bruins. You’re Locked On Bruins, your daily podcast on the Boston Bruins, part of the Locked On podcast network. your team every day. What is up, Bruins fans, and welcome back to the Locked On Boston Bruins podcast. I’m your host, Ian McLaren, and this is a daily show where we discuss all things spoke to be. Thank you so much for making Locked On Boston Bruins your first listen every day. It’s part of the Locked Podcast Network, your team every day. And on today’s show, we’re going to discuss Carell Capresov rejecting a $128 million offer from the Minnesota Wild, what it says about superstar power in the cap boom era, and how he compares to our own David Poshnock. We’re also going to take a look at the stacked 2026 free agent class, which includes Conor McDavid, Jack Eel, and more, and how Boston’s cap commitments compare. Finally, our Bruin of the day, a defenseman tied to Capreszovv in one of Boston’s great whatif draft stories. Now, today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting fanuel.com and win $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. Before we get into today’s podcast, a quick reminder. You can find the podcast on social media, locked NHL Bruins. You can find me, my hockey thoughts, dad jokes at Ian C McLaren. I’m a lifelong Boston Bruins fan and I’ve been covering this team and the NHL for various outlets for 20 years now. All right. So, Carell Capresov’s rejection of an 8-year, $128 million extension shows how the NHL’s elite players now hold the leverage, especially with the salary cap rising fast. The deal would have paid him $16 million per year, which is 2 million more than Leon Dryido will make this season, the current highest paid player in the NHL. It’s the richest offer in league history. Kapzovv reportedly to date has said no. And this comes on the heels of Conor McDavid going all summer. He was eligible to sign a contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers back on July 1. He too has not recommitted beyond this upcoming season. He could easily command like $20 million. What is going on in the NHL right now? Well, there’s an expected salary cap, a boom. Last season, the cap was $88 million. This season, it’s $95.5 million. In 2026 27, it’s reportedly going to be around 104 million. and the next season after that 113.5 million. That’s an 18 million jump over the next two seasons. So what looks like an overpay today might look like a discount tomorrow. By 2027, $16 million AAV is only going to be about 14% of the cap. Now, there’s a bit of a CBA wrinkle here. the NHL and the NHLPA have agreed to a new collective bargaining uh you know agreement and this is the final window for an 8-year deal in the next CBA which will begin that’ll kick in at the beginning of next season max terms actually shrink so it’s seven years if you stay six if you sign on the open market so that adds urgency for both sides Look, with M McDavid, with Kapzov, they’re trying to assess whether they should stay locked in with their respective clubs because you want a chance to win on top of maximizing your value. Um, and perhaps it’s smarter to take shorter term deals with the cap rising this much. Who knows if it’ll keep rising at this rate, but maybe you take shorter term deals at max money and then assess your options after that and see, well, maybe I have a better shot to win here or there. For the Minnesota Wild, you know, they finally shed most of the Zack Pereiz and Ryan Sudter buyout penalties. They’re down to about $833,000 each for the next four seasons, I believe. So that’s 1.66 in dead money. But money alone doesn’t guarantee Capresov will stay. He wants a winner. The Wild have struggled to build one, albeit with those significant uh over or not overages, but significant chunk of the cap being paid out to those two players after being bought out. They do have a great young core with Marco Rossi, Matt Baldy, Joel Ericson, Brock Faber, Zeb Buim coming in, David Yurch, Philip Gustoson, and Net. It’s a competitive team that should be able to compete, but Kappa tapping the brakes on jumping at the first, albeit biggest offer in NHL history. Now, what does this all have to do with the Boston Bruins? Well, look at Boston’s best player, David Posternok, who is locked in at 11.25 million through 2031. And if you compare Posternok and Kapreszovv over the last three years, it’s really no contest. Kapzovv has had some injury issues. So he’s played about 63 fewer games, but Posh has scored 40 more goals, 151 versus 111. Posternok has 178 assists versus 116 for Kapzov. So 329 total points, 227 points for Kappris off. That’s a 1.34 point per game average for Pasta, 1.24 point per game average for Kapzov. And on top of that, pasta has about 500 more shots or 450 in 19 of 26 tracked categories via dober and that’s like points per game, shot rates, all this kind of stuff. He wins 19 of those. He’s also been more durable, more consistent, and Boston pays him 5 million less per year than the deal Capreszov just declined. That just shows you a how extremely valuable that Dave Apostra contract is and what and amazing uh value they’re getting out of him. You even compare him to Dry Cidle’s at 14 million. Yeah, Dry Cidle is clearly the better player, but for the Bruins to be locked in to Dave Aposterno through his prime years through 2031, that’s huge. As the cap continues to rise, if he were to hit free agency today, he would be commanding Capresov level contracts. Uh, you know, superstars in today’s NHL are starting to dictate the terms a little more. You’re seeing Mitch Marner leaving Toronto. Uh, Matthew Kachchuck kind of pushed his way to Florida. Kappa’s forcing Minnesota to prove they’re a contender. And the Bruins avoided this nightmare by securing Posternok early for eight years at a price that will only look cheaper as the cap rises. But here’s the kicker. If Cap Resolve can walk away from 128 million and you have Posternok locked in at 11.25 25 million per season. What are you going to do to maximize the cap space around him? Around Charlie Makavoy, who’s equally valuable on his contract, Jeremy Swayman, those core guys? Will they be able to spend in 2026 when Conor McDavid, Jack Eel, and others potentially hit the market? Let’s break down the names and see where the Bruins fit in and why they’re a bit hamstrung here as the podcast continues. The NFL season is here and FanDuel is making sure you’re ready for kickoff with a can’tmiss offer. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if that bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. I love using FanDuel because it fits however I like to bet. Player props, building a same game parlay, even jumping in live as the action unfolds and makes every game more exciting. Whether you’re watching your team or just keeping an eye on your fantasy lineup, it’s quick, easy, and the best way to add a little more energy to your Sundays, even your Thursday evenings and Monday nights. If you’re ready to play, download the FanDuel app by visiting FanDuel.com. That’s fuel.com to place your first $5 bet. Get started. And if you hit that bet, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. All right. So, Carell Capriovv turning down this record offer that would have made him the highest paid player in NHL history. It shows us how lucky the Bruins are to have David Poshnock locked in at 11.25 million. And even to a certain degree, guys like Charlie Makavoy and Jeremy Swayman, your core players signed before this spike in the salary cap and where players are able to turn down these record offers and really assess their options. The trick though is to surround these guys with some other players that can maximize their primes. And the Bruins should be able with the cap going up to entertain offers for some of the headliners in the 2026 free agent class, which could be one of the most stacked in history. With the rising cap pushing superstar deals into uncharted territory, a lot of these guys were drafted in uh 20 or sorry, yeah, 2015. They had their ELC’s, signed some deals, and now they’re eligible for unrestricted free agency. Conor McDavid, he’s making $12.5 million now. Easily could be worth $20 million. Realistic deal, maybe. Yeah. 18 to 20. We’ll set a new NHL record. Like whatever Kappers of gets paid. McDavid easily goes above him. Jack Eel is going to be an unrestricted free agent. tantalizing because of the Boston ties there. He’s won a cup, still elite, coming off the best season of his career, likely around 12 to 13 million. Who knows what’s going to happen there. We’ve already mentioned Capresov turning down the $16 million offer depending on what happens this season. Maybe he’s betting on himself and doesn’t want to limit himself to Minnesota. wants to see what’s out there on the open market. You have Kyle Connor who the Bruins notoriously passed on in 2015 in favor of Jake De Brusk. Zack Snition Jakobs Borl 40 goal consistently could have at least 11 to 12 million like making more than Postno on the open market this season. You also have an older guy in Arti Paneran still productive and right now he’s making 11.64. Could he get a raise on top of that? Who knows? There’s also some tier 2 stars that could be available. Adrien Kempe could double his salary to around 9 to 10 million. Martin Nas has dynamic skill, always tied to the Bruins because of those check ties. $9 million is realistic for him. Uh Alex Tuk Tuck in Buffalo, he brings size, scoring, leadership. 7 to8 million easily for him. Same with defenseman Rasmus Anderson right shot D. Plays big minutes could fetch 7 to 8 million. There are some rumblings. The Bruins may be interested. Reunite him with Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zidorov, etc. Sergey Babski is going to be an unrestricted free agent potentially. two-time cup winner. He’s already making $10 million. A short-term high dollar contract is very possible. Now, the Bruins, they already have $83 million committed for next season. So, that leaves them with about $21 million to play with with more than one spot to fill. So, a McDavid’s probably likely off the table, Capresov, maybe Eel, all those big-time free agents. And the problem is, while the core is locked in at below what comparable stars will earn in the new market, you have a highlevel goalender hitting the market, he’s going to get eight more than 8.25 million. And if Swayman can rebound and be the kind of guy that we know he can be this upcoming season, he’ll be playing above that $8.25 million valuation. Same with star defenseman and especially with elite forwards like David Posra, well below what comparable stars will earn in this new environment. Again, just compare him to what Kapzovv has done over the last three years. Post has been much more productive and this past season with a lesser supporting cast. The Bruins have kind of limited their flexibility though by committing to Elias Lindholm. Nikita Zadorov longterm that’s almost 13 million between those two. Left took 3.4 million off the table by signing Tanner Jano for five years. They’re okay players, but they chew up cap space that Boston could have used to chase elite talent. Maybe the Bruins would have been better off not pursuing Lindholm and Zidorov. They thought, well, we’re coming off a series win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. We held it together pretty well against the Florida Panthers in the second round. Maybe by adding these two guys, it will help us get over the hump. And then we all know last season went off the rails quickly and decisively. Now they’re locked into these guys long term and they’re not able to pursue some of these more prominent free agents next summer. So maybe they should have not spent seen what happens. Try to fill some gaps and look ahead a little bit. go big game hunting in 2026. But that’s kind of off the table because they have they do have some cap space, but they also have money committed to some players and not a lot of guys coming off the books. Victor Arbertson is a UFA, Alex Steves, Jeffrey Vl Andrew Peak, but that’s not like you’re still going to need some depth there. and some of their money is already overcommitted in terms of those depth signings. Maybe they move out a Zaka or a Middlestat in order to make some more room, but they’re kind of limited right now because of those commitments. They’re good players, but they chew up cap space Boston could have used to chase more elite talent. By next summer, McDavid could easily be making $20 million. Maybe Kappa pushes for 18 in a couple years. 20 million AAV isn’t crazy for a generational star. Maybe a guy like Connor Bard, Mlin Celibbrini making that kind of money. Boston’s edge is having their stars locked in at yesterday’s numbers, but their margin for error is thin because of those mid-tier contracts that are eating space. The Bruins won’t be big game hunters in 2026 unless they’re able to shed a bunch of cap space in Corposalo, Zaka, Middlestad. Their path is betting on the core that they have Poshok, Makavoy, Swimman, hoping younger players like Potra, Minton, Lysel, Lurai provide cheap upside and that they can get value out of the players that they have already committed to in Lindholm, Zidorov, even Jano to a certain extent as their bigger signings over the last couple of summers. As the cap goes up, their hits will be easier to absorb, but the totality of their deals and their contracts, the space that they’re taking up on the roster kind of takes the Bruins for now at least out of the running for that big game hunting in 2026. So that’s kind of unfortunate. You don’t want to waste Postronox’s prime years nor Makavoys or Swayman’s. Those three guys are locked in at very reasonable deals compared to what players at their levels and at their respective positions could earn on the open market, especially David Posternok. Whether or not Boston is able to surround them with the kind of talent to win remains to be seen. And the free agent signings over the last couple of summers by Don Sweeney don’t provide much confidence. Yeah, they drafted James Hagens who could pop over the next couple of years. Don Sweeney did some good work by shedding some contracts in Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo, and getting futures for them. Uh, but again, it’s all about hitting at the right time, the core and the surrounding cast being able to complement each other in the best possible way. And if all that can come together in the next couple of years, that would be fantastic. If not, it would be a big waste of Postronox prime years at what will be seen as a discounted rate by the end of that contract. Now, speaking of Caprazov, did you know the Bruins once owned the draft pick that became him? A Bruin of the day is forever tied to one of Boston’s painful whatifs. And we’ll touch on that here as the podcast continues. Most people can’t name all their financial accounts or even what they’re worth, whether it’s 401ks, properties, or investments. And when you don’t have the full picture, you can end up leaving money on the table. That’s why there’s Monarch Money, an all-in-one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean, easy to use interface on your laptop or your phone. Monarch is built for people with busy lives. And if you put off organizing your finances, Monarch is for you. Monarch does the heavy lifting. You can link all your accounts in minutes, see clear data visuals, get smart categorization of your spending, and finally feel in control of your money without ever touching a spreadsheet. Don’t let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use code locked on NHL atmon.com in your browser for half off your first year. That’s 50% off your first year at monarchmoney.com with code locked on NHL. Today’s Bruin of the day is a bit of a whatif situation. Now, in 2015, the Boston Bruins swapped fifth rounders with the Minnesota Wild. The Bruins gave their fifth to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a fifth round pick in 2016. Lo and behold, with that pick in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, the Minnesota Wild 135th overall, selected Carill Capriovv, and he has become one of the top players from that draft class, one that featured Conor McDavid, Mitch Mner, Miko Rantin, Sebastian Ao, Jack Eel, Kyle Connor, Travis Kknney, Matthew Barzelle, team Omire, Brock Besser, Carell Capresov. These are all guys who have scored more points than Kapreszovv. Kapzov of course didn’t join the NHL until uh what was it 2021 because of commitments over in the KHL. Hit the ground running and has been unreal ever since. 108 point season back in 2021-22, 75 points in 67 games the season after that. 96 points in 75 games in 2023 24 and then 56 points in 41 games last season which would have put him one point back of Posternok if he had played a full season. It was cut short due to injury. A year later, the Bruins use their fifth round pick to select Cameron Clark. Now, Cameron Clark, he was recently hired by the Cornell men’s uh hockey team, joining their coaching staff, will be entering his first season as an assistant coach with the Big Red. He spent two seasons as an assistant at Norwich, a Vermont-based division 3 program. Besides his assistant coaching responsibilities, he also served as the cadet’s head men’s golf coach. He before joining Norwich’s coaching staff spent three seasons playing in the ECL, which with the Witchah Thunder and the Toledo Walleye. This all came after a 4-year stint at Ferris State where he scored 33 points over 126 career games under legendary coach Bob Daniels. He was drafted by the Bruins in the fifth round, 136th overall in the 2016 NHL entry draft after a breakout season with the Lone Star Brahmas of the North American Hockey League where he had 50 points in 59 regular season games. He was named to the NHL South All-Star team. Received league’s defenseman of the year award. First team all-star. Both the highest totals by any defenseman in the league. Now, as you can see, there’s no NHL gameplay on his resume. He did max out playingwise at the ECHL level, but he’s building his way up as a coach. We have Carell Cabraov turning down a contract that would pay him $16 million per season. Cameron Clark joining the Cornell men’s hockey coaching staff and will assist with the Big Red’s hockey program this season. Quite a stark contrast between the two first round first round or sorry fifth round picks. a real pain point for Boston Bruins fans. Kappers just made history by turning down 128 million. Clark never made it to the NHL. And it echoes 2007 where Boston traded a fifthround pick to Columbus for Adam McQuade, a guy who had a successful NHL career, Stanley Cup winner, now director of player development with the Bruins. But that pick became Jamie Ben. Clark is a success story in his own right, but it’s another example of how razor thin the margins are in the draft and how a simple fifth round swap can ripple through franchise history. Could you imagine the Bruins? They go the Brusk Borla submission in round one of the 2015 NHL entry draft and then they keep that pick and select Kapzov. Yeah, there would have been some immediate criticism of those picks, but if you can 5 years later bring Kapzov over to North America and he pops in this way for the Bruins alongside Dave Apostern, I mean, nobody’s talking about how that was one of the worst drafts in history. Clark didn’t skate for the Bruins, but he’s now coaching at a high level. Maybe he’ll make his way up to the NHL one day. His story though is tied to Capresov and it’s a reminder that Boston has had more than its share of whatif draft moments like a handful of them from 2015 alone. Yeah, they ended up with uh Pavlovaka from that draft but at the same time Kapzovv would have been quite a grab. Uh Drosque left for nothing. Senishian Zaboral kind of faded away. The old Barzal Connor Schillington thing kind of broke down because Schillington hasn’t really uh developed, but Barzal Connor Shabbat, that would have been a nice hall. And speaking of Cap, you would have a lot committed to those three guys for sure. So, it’s all kind of relative, but just kind of a fun thing to look at when we’re talking about Carell Capresov and a connection to the Boston Bruins. So, we covered his $128 million rejection, the superstar leverage. It represents the Bruins having their core guys sign to very reasonable contracts in an increasing cap world and also how perhaps surrounding them haven’t it hasn’t been super successful. Wrap things up with the Bruin of the day. Cameron Clark, congrats on the new gig. Good luck at Cornell. Uh Andy Bernard will be rooting for you. Tomorrow we’re gonna have a guest on the show later today. I’m headed to Toronto Blue Jays game. Very much looking forward to that. Tickets purchased on game time. Not one of today’s sponsors, but check them out. Of course, don’t forget to follow Locked on Boston Bruins on your favorite podcast app, YouTube, social media, locked NHL Bruins. Please do interact, engage. Uh it really goes a long way towards expanding the reach of the podcast. Please tell a friend or a Bruins loving person in your life about the show. And uh excited to get going next week with Prospects Challenge recaps. The beginning of training camp. First preseason game is only 10 days away. All right, take care of yourselves, friends. Take care of each other. Crazy world out there, but let’s continue to yeah, take care of each other. And uh we’ll talk to you again here on the next episode of Locked On Boston Bruins, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your favorite team every single day.
Kirill Kaprizov just turned down an eight-year, $128M contract extension from the Minnesota Wild — the richest deal in NHL history. Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins have David Pastrnak locked in long-term at $11.25M AAV, despite outproducing Kaprizov across the board over the last three seasons.
In today’s episode of Locked On Boston Bruins, Ian McLaren breaks down:
Why Kaprizov rejected $128M and how the rising NHL salary cap changes superstar contracts.
A look at the loaded 2026 UFA class featuring Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Kaprizov, Kyle Connor, and more.
How Boston’s $83M in commitments stack up, including bargain deals for Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman.
Bruin of the Day: Cameron Clarke — the defenseman Boston drafted with a pick tied to Kaprizov, and one of the team’s many “what if” draft moments.
👀 Could McDavid hit $20+ AAV in 2026? Are the Bruins boxed in by mid-tier deals like Lindholm, Jeannot, and Zadorov? And how valuable are Boston’s cornerstone contracts in this exploding cap era?
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1 comment
How are we feeling about David Pastrnak's supporting cast as he continues his prime years with the Boston Bruins?