Things turn ugly in Kaprizov negotiations

According to a report from Minnesota Wild insider Michael Russo of The Athletic, negotiations between Wild GM Bill Guerin and restricted free agent star Kirill Kaprizov have taken an ugly turn. Russo describes the situation as "contentious" in his latest column for The Athletic.

Check it out:

As of now, Kaprizov, 24, has still not re-signed with the Wild, and things have suddenly become contentious again in negotiations that seemingly won’t end despite Minnesota offering a player with 55 career NHL games $9 million a season.

If I'm a Wild fan right now this report makes me INCREDIBLY nervous. Here's a franchise that has been desperate for a gamebreaker ever since Marian Gaborik left town and Kaprizov has all the makings of being that gamebreaker. More than that though, what he showed in his first year as an NHL player has people calling him the best player in Wild history. If they lose him after just one season it would be absolutely devastating.

More to come.