The owner of the Minnesota Wild, Craig Leipold, spoke with the media during the first break of the Wild’s pre -season match against the Dallas Stars on Thursday 25 September. There were of course many questions about Kirill Kaprizov and his contract, but Leipold didn’t spoke much about the issue.
However, he has tackled the renovations he hopes to have done On Grand Casino Arena As well as a few other topics, such as how he thinks about the salary cap that goes up. In this article we will look at a few of the subjects, starting with the little bit he had about Kaprizov.
Leipold silent about Kaprizov
It is no surprise that Leipold’s first question about Kaprizov’s contract was, and although he remained quite quiet about the situation, with the help of the expression: “There is nothing to win, to lose everything” with regard to Kaprizov, he spoke about what he learned through this process and others about his term of office as the owner.
“I have a lot of patience, Billy’s (guerin) the man. He is the one who does negotiation, regardless of who it is, and that is his responsibility, his role, and I think we have a great relationship, so I am very happy with the relationship.” Leipold said about what he learned as the owner with this process, and he continued with how things changed this season with regard to the free desk: “Many things changed into the NHL, and you know, cap went up, people had more money, so there were no players in which we were interested.”
Although this period in the past did not go the period of the free agency as De Wild had hoped, and Kaprizov has not yet signed his contract, there is still a chance for this next period of Free Office, and There is still time To sign a contract. Leipold still has hope and has a plan for this season, regardless of what is happening.
‘I mean, I hope, I think That’s what every fan I hope we go out and their team can get a difference maker. I certainly have the same feeling. It did not happen last summer, and the hope is that the things will open at the Trade Deadline and we will see, “said Leipold in the hope that more players will be available this season. Towards the end of the interview he was asked about tampering problems and he kept it short.
“Am I worried about? Of course, but I have heard nothing, and I don’t feel that there is tampering, so I think we will find out if it will ever be, but at the moment we know we have heard nothing,” said Leipold when asked about a contract that messes.
Leipold talks salary cap
While Leipold is in charge of the team, he has a lot of faith in his general manager, Bill Guerin, and has him take care of the majority of staff choices. Although it was not successful as planned in some areas, Guerin has also made a number of strong choices that have succeeded well.
“I’m not in the room. Billy will call afterwards and let me know how it went. You know, Billy can be a pain in the A **. I don’t know if you know that, but I try to put it on the right way. I’m just joking. Yes, we have a great relationship, but it’s his job, that’s what he is doing, and I think we are good, “said he is good about how involved he is in the day to the day aspect of contract negotiation.
The game has changed dramatically over the years with rule changes, players who come and go, but the biggest difference is the rise in the salary cap. After Covid it took the NHL a little time to recover, just like any other major sport, but the NHL has been reflected and something else. The salary limit will increase in the coming seasons and everyone in the competition will have to adapt to the new money that comes in.
“I think that is true, and I think it feels that way. Must change,” said Leipold about how they are not the only ones who go through adjustments because of the salary limit.
Leipold spent quite some time talking about the salary cap and how it influenced the game. He went a bit more in detail about how it will be difficult with more money on the line, but he wants his team to be competitive and they will do what they have to do to achieve that.
“Yes, that is our plan, that is our plan, and so far we have been a cap -team every year. Cap is going up, it is a bit more painful if you look at what that means, but we also know that we want to be more than just a playoff -so we have to take advantage of everything we can be and every player who can be there,” that is the cap on the cap.
Leipold speaks Arena -Renovations
Grand Casino Arena held his first hockey game In the year 2000 And did not do much in the field of upgrades in those years. 25 years is a long time For a building, especially an arena, to have not made any changes.
“Ik weet niet waar je hebt gehoord dat we een top-vijf bestemmingsarena in de NHL waren. Ik denk dat we een heel aardige arena hebben, maar het is nu 26 jaar oud, en er zijn dingen die mensen niet zien achter de muren die moeten worden opgewaardeerd, en moeten worden gezien in de huidige markt, die faciliteiten zijn die zijn in deze faciliteiten, die zijn die zijn, die zijn die zijn, die zijn die zijn, die van de facen zijn, die zijn in deze Facilities can be seen.
“That is one of the things we need to survive. In the NHL you should not be alone on a market, a great market, in which we are, we have to be in a really good building that gives us the chance and the chance to take advantage of all the income flows that our competitors have in the NHL and that is where we have to be,” he has been added how important these boets are.
De Wilde was already rejected on one offer, but according to Leipold it takes time to get these things done. Many moving pieces are needed, and it does not happen immediately. However, they think it can and will happen on time.
“I am an optimistic person, and the first year that you start knocking on the door, it is unusual if you get it. So this is actually our second or third year, depending on how difficult you would think we worked in the first year, but we think it is important, and we must have our business. They have all the other facilities in our market, and we have to make them involved with this, says Leipold.
“I would say that we have done nothing, we are doing our business a little and reconsider how we are going to approach the state. We did not go back there,” Leipold said about his confidence in obtaining the financing and added, “I don’t say:” I am not saying that the county is on board, I say about meetings. They are, but they listen with a pretty good attitude. ”
Wild’s Season Ticket Sales & TV Deals
“Seizoenskaarten zijn echt goed geweest, vernieuwing was 93% als laatste dat ik heb gehoord, en ik weet niet of het sindsdien is opgegaan … De seizoenskaartbasis is goed, sponsoring zijn fantastisch geweest, het hoogste is dat ze ooit zijn geweest. We krijgen een nieuwe arena gebouwd, en vanaf daar gaan we verder, “zei Leipold, en zei toen hij” nieuwe arena “zei, hij bedoelde renovaties naar de bestaande arena, geen gloednieuw gebouw.
Everyone has heard about the problems with different teams and their broadcasting options. De Wild did not avoid it, but luckily they have not lost any coverage. They are not sure of where they will be on television next season, but it seems that they have plans, whatever happens.
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“You are right, we are now at Fanduel, they might be next year. Last year we did not think they would be in the neighborhood, and they are there. Things are going well, so what will happen next year, I will tell you that all options are on the table … said about their future television deal.
Leipold & Wild under pressure
De Wild has been under the microscope since Kaprizov’s contract extension is in the making. It is a difficult situation from all corners, and until a deal is closed, it doesn’t get any easier. Hopefully this contract will be signed earlier instead of later and Kaprizov will stay with the wild and helps them to make a deep run in the late season.
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