Why the Minnesota Wild's cap situation is uniquely difficult to manage

There is an intractable problem at the heart of the Kirill Kaprizov negotiations with the Minnesota Wild.

The problem is not related to his vaccination status, his ability to get back to North America by the time camp starts, or any of the various complications related to how the team would actually pay him. By all accounts, there is agreement on what the cap number would look like or even how it’s paid out. While both sides seemingly agree that the AAV should start with a nine, there is apparently some dispute as to how that money is paid out. 

The player wants big-time cash bonuses, rather than straight salary, but ownership reportedly does not.

But the issue here is what the Wild’s decision to buy out Ryan Suter and Zach Parise means for their future. If Kaprizov were to sign a one-year de