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

wow.. never thought they would reject this. i agree that the most likely scenario is that they adjust the numbers and he stays in new jersey... but man.. what if that cap hit really gets ugly for them......

This is ****ing incredible! The NHL actually puts a foot down! Although, I'm sure they will work the cap somehow and still get the deal done. This is by far the strangest and most entertaining free agency period ever.

Glad to hear it. I feel it was cap circumvention.

For those wondering if Kovy could still become a King, see his quotes on NHL.com:

Kovalchuk wouldn't confirm his other suitors, but one was definitely the Los Angeles Kings. He went on what amounted to a college-style recruiting visit to L.A. last week with his wife, Nicole, who had never been there before.

"Nobody put any timing on me, so I decided to take my time, to go there (to L.A.), met the general manager, a couple of guys on the team and that only helped me to make my decision," he said. "I don't know what I learned, but that's how it should be. When you agree to stay with a team for the rest of your career, you want to be 110 percent sure you're making the right decision."

Kovalchuk made his decision upon returning from Los Angeles, and he firmly believes he will play out his entire 17-year contract even if, as he said, it means upping his training regimen in say 10 years, when he'll be 37 years old.

"It wasn't really about money," he said. "It was more where are you going to spend the rest of your hockey life, but after that, when you spend that kind of time in a city you may stay there for the rest of your life. That was the main concern for us, what kind of area is here and what kind of schools are here. I have three kids. It's really all about the family."


So Kovy, after coming to LA and meeting a few Kings you knew you wanted to be in NJ? SCREW YOU!


Ilya Kovalchuk happy to be a 'Devil for life' - NHL Free Agency 2010

Originally Posted by JDawg

wow.. never thought they would reject this. i agree that the most likely scenario is that they adjust the numbers and he stays in new jersey... but man.. what if that cap hit really gets ugly for them......

Well, if they know the Kings offer, why stay at over $100M? Why not come back and offer a new contract for <$90M?

I wonder if the PA steps in.

Worst-case scenario, they'll knock off a few of the league minimum years.

As a Kings fan I find this humorous. Now, my second favorite team is the Devils and this makes me wonder what the hell they are going to do now. Kovy is going to have to take less money to keep the cap hit where its at or the Devils are more screwed then they were. What if they can't agree to terms, he can't come back here can he? This is awesome!

He'll still be a Devil, but damn. Don't understand how the NHL can accept the contracts given to Hossa and Zetterberg and then do this.

Originally Posted by symbology

Well, if they know the Kings offer, why stay at over $100M? Why not come back and offer a new contract for <$90M?

Good point, this may be a blessing for the Devils... lol

Originally Posted by tortfesor

Glad to hear it. I feel it was cap circumvention.

For those wondering if Kovy could still become a King, see his quotes on NHL.com:

Kovalchuk wouldn't confirm his other suitors, but one was definitely the Los Angeles Kings. He went on what amounted to a college-style recruiting visit to L.A. last week with his wife, Nicole, who had never been there before.

"Nobody put any timing on me, so I decided to take my time, to go there (to L.A.), met the general manager, a couple of guys on the team and that only helped me to make my decision," he said. "I don't know what I learned, but that's how it should be. When you agree to stay with a team for the rest of your career, you want to be 110 percent sure you're making the right decision."

Kovalchuk made his decision upon returning from Los Angeles, and he firmly believes he will play out his entire 17-year contract even if, as he said, it means upping his training regimen in say 10 years, when he'll be 37 years old.

"It wasn't really about money," he said. "It was more where are you going to spend the rest of your hockey life, but after that, when you spend that kind of time in a city you may stay there for the rest of your life. That was the main concern for us, what kind of area is here and what kind of schools are here. I have three kids. It's really all about the family."


So Kovy, after coming to LA and meeting a few Kings you knew you wanted to be in NJ? SCREW YOU!


Ilya Kovalchuk happy to be a 'Devil for life' - NHL Free Agency 2010

After the 17th "obviously" in Brown's first sentence, NJ probably seemed all that more attractive.