Originally Posted by
Dominic Lavoie
Now that it's all over. I corresponded via direct message with Adrian Dater, a plugged in writer who covers the Avs for the Denver Post, and the NHL for Versus.com.
He had a very close source to Kovalchuk and was convinced that LA was always the first choice.
All these NHL writers have sources, but the sources have motives. However it was told to me that DL did not exactly wheel out the welcome wagon for IK. Usually these kinds of free agent deals are a sales job, but DL wasn't sold on IK.
As a result, all New Jersey needed to do was keep raising the offer. New Jersey is trying to win now - Dean is trying to build the next New Jersey. Dean wanted to get IK on his own terms - Lou was under orders to get IK. Kovy was ours if we wanted him, but we didn't want him enough. We'll be okay.