REPORT: KOVALCHUK TO SIGN SEVEN-YEAR, $60M DEAL WITH DEVILS

Rented Mule

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=326655

REPORT: KOVALCHUK TO SIGN SEVEN-YEAR, $60M DEAL WITH DEVILS

According to a report, it appears that Ilya Kovalchuk is on the verge of re-signing with the New Jersey Devils.

The New York Post is reporting that the unrestricted free agent, who played the final 27 games of last season with the Devils, is going to sign a seven-year, $60 million contract with the team soon.

The Los Angeles Kings dropped out of the running for Kovalchuk on Sunday, while the New York Islanders indicated some interest in the Russian sniper but reportedly never made a formal offer.

I was convinced that Kovalchuk was going to be on a line with Anze Kopitar in LA this season. Very happy to see that he will not be in the Western Conference.

Rented Mule

Hold the phone !!!!!

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=326865

REPORT: KINGS RE-ENTER NEGOTIATIONS WITH KOVALCHUK

The Ilya Kovalchuk saga has taken another interesting turn.

Days after a report surfaced that the free agent winger was on the verge of signing a seven-year, $60 million contract with the New Jersey Devils comes a report Wednesday in the Los Angeles Times that quotes Kings general manager Dean Lombardi as saying that his team has "re-engaged" in negotiations.


This is going to get interesting.

Izy

no team offering 100mil for 10 years to ONE player will win the stanley cup in the salary cap era!!! you're only left with 49.4mil for another 19 players!!! one player no matter how good he is will not win a cup....

just ask AO if he would be hapier with a 7-8mil/season deal that can bring another 2-3mil/season guy to the caps....

go pens go!!!!!!!

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=534006

just seen this now.... nice to see the kings think smart...

Rented Mule

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=326941

REPORT: KINGS DROP OUT OF KOVALCHUK SWEEPSTAKES AGAIN

The Los Angeles Kings appear to be out of the Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes again.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Kings have decided to turn down the latest counter proposal from Kovalchuk's agent Jay Grossman.

On Wednesday, the Times quoted Kings general manager Dean Lombardi as saying the team had 're-engaged' in negotiations to land the free agent sniper. But the Times reported on Thursday the Kings cannot afford to sign Kovalchuk without the risk of losing their young stars down the road.

"We really would love to add Kovi to our team, but not at the cost of our good young players," Kings' governor Tim Leiweke told the LA Times. "Dean is trying here, but we know what we need in cap space going forward to keep our nucleus together. We can't let one guy throw us into panic in a year or two. It is not about cash. It is about cap."

Looks like the Chicago example is having it's effects felt in Los Angeles.

Izy

LA is talking to him again, but i will be really surprised if he gets more than 7mil/year... i hope the kings wont do a stupid deal...

Rented Mule

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=327880

It's official. Kovalchuk is a Devil.

Izy

17 years for 100mil. its a joke a bet he'll be gettin like 500k/year the last 7 seasons or so and will retire at 37/38!!! the devils get a decent cap hit with this at around 5.8mil and d rest of his contract will be canceled!!!
the league should definitely start investigate these deals!!!(hossa 12 years for 62mil is d same thinks he has 1 mil the last 3or4 seasons)

and i'm a hossa fan!!!

Izy

The deal is somewhat salary-cap friendly for the Devils, who will absorb an annual hit of $6 million—the average amount per season. However, Kovalchuk will remain on the books through the 2026-27 season.
Kovalchuk will earn $6 million each of the next two seasons, $11.5 million for the following five seasons, $10.5 million in the 2017-18 season, $8.5 million for the 2018-19 season, $6.5 million in 2019-20, $3.5 million in 2020-21, $750,000 the following season, and $550,000 for the final five years of the unprecedented deal

exactly as i sad.

Izy

well done NHL, sort out this mess with long contracts before its gonna get messy!!!

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=328025

so where will kovalchuk end up now???

Rented Mule

The funny thing is that he turned down almost the exact same money in Atlanta with five less years on the length of the contract.

Can't say that I feel sorry for him at this point. He dug his own hole.

Rented Mule

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=328558

Another chapter has been added to the Ilya Kovalchuk saga as the NHL Players' Association has filed a grievance on behalf of the Russian superstar who had his controversial 17-year, $102 million contract with the New Jersey Devils rejected by the league.

The Players' Association announced their intentions in a statement on Monday.

"The NHLPA has filed a grievance disputing the NHL's rejection of the Standard Player Contract between the New Jersey Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk. Under the terms of the CBA, the NHLPA and Mr. Kovalchuk are entitled to an expedited resolution of this matter. The NHLPA will have no further comment until this matter has been resolved by an Arbitrator."

Here is a little bit of irony that seems to be alluding everyone. If Kovalchuk were to actually play out this contract, he could very well be playing for less than the league minimum in it's last seven years. The current minimum is $500,000. It would not surprise anyone if the minimum was well over a million by the time this contract runs out.

The NHLPA had better be careful in which fights it chooses going forward.