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Just in time: Wild sign winger Kirill Kaprizov to five-year, $45 million deal

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Minnesota Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov (97) handles the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes, Friday, March 12, 2021, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

Kirill Kaprizov and his agent finally must have realized how limited their leverage really was in negotiations with the Wild.

After months of stops and starts, the winger agreed to a five-year, $45 million deal with the Wild on Tuesday. The Wild had started negotiations by making an eight-year offer to Kaprizov, but Kaprizov’s camp balked at the length of that offer and was believed to be seeking a three-year deal that would have walked him into free agency.

The Wild wasn’t going to do that and held firm at five years. The Wild reports to training camp on Wednesday and will be on the ice on Thursday. It’s unclear when Kaprizov will join the team on the ice.

Kaprizov won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year last season. He led the Wild and NHL rookies with 51 points (27 goals) in 55 games. He also led NHL rookies in goals, even-strength goals (19), power-play goals (eight) and shots on goal (157).