Thread: Kovalchuk part V, The NHL Strikes Back, NHLPA files Grievance (All Discussion Here )

Originally Posted by symbology

Look at the actual numbers of all the contracts that you are thinking of. Then, tell us there is nothing unique about this deal.

Which numbers? Length of the deal? Two years longer than dipetro. The money? Less than ovechkin. His age when it is up? Chelios laughs at 44 and raises you six more years. Everything is speculation.
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Originally Posted by arizonabay

The point is, they added those years to Pronger's contract to lower the cap hit, but it'll count against their cap no matter what, making it moot. Philly will be held accountable for the full term and amount of the deal. That's not circumvention.

Plus it is a realisitic assumption that Pronger will play all 7 years, even at age 42.

Originally Posted by SmytheKing

Would people PLEASE stop bringing up the over 35 clause? I know about it. The point is that philly did that deal for the very same reason nj did this one. To lower the overall hit.

Christ, werent a bunch of you saying a day ago that it wouldnt be worth the risk to find out he wants to play in to his 40's for that cap hit? Now it's clear he won't? Make up your minds would ya?

For the record, I still see no evidence that the nhl has to void this deal. Only theories.
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And I don't think anyone was arguing that he WAS going to play into his 40's. I do not remember that at all.

Originally Posted by symbology

A few low years on the end of a deal to lower the cap hit is one thing, doing it with the intention that the player retire and never play out the term of the same contract is circumvention. That is the issue we are dealing with here. So, no matter the cap hit, or annual salary differences, a 35+ contract is not cap circumvention.

Your last sentence is wrong. Pronger's last 2 years are $525K, which lower the cap hit. It is circumvention regardless of its a 35+ contract or not. They are lowering the cap hit on the first 5 years of the deal.

Originally Posted by SmytheKing

Which numbers? Length of the deal? Two years longer than dipetro. The money? Less than ovechkin. His age when it is up? Chelios laughs at 44 and raises you six more years. Everything is speculation.
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You'll get your answers from the league shortly, followed by an arbitration process.

Originally Posted by SmytheKing

Would people PLEASE stop bringing up the over 35 clause? I know about it. The point is that philly did that deal for the very same reason nj did this one. To lower the overall hit.

Christ, werent a bunch of you saying a day ago that it wouldnt be worth the risk to find out he wants to play in to his 40's for that cap hit? Now it's clear he won't? Make up your minds would ya?

For the record, I still see no evidence that the nhl has to void this deal. Only theories.
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The NHL doesn't have to do it. It has the discretion to do it. Just like it had the discretion to void the Hossa deal. The fact that it did not void other deals not make Kovi's deal kosher. NJ took a chance that the NHL wouldn't exercise its discretion under the CBA, and it did. There is nothing inconsistent about the same Kings fans arguing for extending an offer to Kovi which would have triggered the NHL's ire and caused it to void the deal. It was a risk because the rule is a big, untested gray area.

I say in the next CBA they put in that the cap hits no matter when he is signed and even if he retires. Imagine NJ paying a cap of 6 million for a player that is retired. That would hurt.

Originally Posted by SmytheKing

Which numbers? Length of the deal? Two years longer than dipetro. The money? Less than ovechkin. His age when it is up? Chelios laughs at 44 and raises you six more years. Everything is speculation.
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Ok, you need to look a little bit deeper than that. Look at the annual salary by year.

For example, you might hear people say Luongo's contract is circumventing the cap. However, I think his contract ends with a $3.5, 1.5M,1M,1M for the last 4 years. Now, compare that to Kovy's last 6 years of 750K, 550,550,550,550,550.

See a difference?

Hammond:

Dean Lombardi said tonight that the Kings would remain interested in signing Kovalchuk should the opportunity present itself, but it’s likely that the union will get involved and seek to uphold the deal.