Thread: Kovalchuk Part VI-The Return of Lombardi?-UPDATE IK A Devil again thread in NHL TALK

Originally Posted by blckbsct

And on the 40th day the hockey Gods spoke.


Go KINGS!!!!

40 days and 40 nights...

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

Kovalchuk a free agent after arbitrator ruling - NHL Free Agency 2010

Lou's Statement:

"We have reviewed and respect Arbitrator Bloch's ruling in the Kovalchuk matter. We also note and appreciate his finding that nothing in his opinion should be read as suggesting that either the club or Ilya Kovalchuk operated in bad faith...

Even though we ALL know there is no way he expected to play at age 40 for $550K, let alone age 44.

I hope Dean shoots him an offer, 1 year, 11.5 mil.

We have the cap, AEG has the money, we need a dynamic player.

I still don't want a behemoth contract for the Kings, except for someone like DD.

And so now the epic stupidity of the farce that is Kovalchuk's Free Agency continues. ROTFLMAO!!!!

Seriously, I hope DL moves on from this crap and gets whatever "Plan <insert current letter>" done. For ****'s sake...move on already!!!

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

Kovalchuk a free agent after arbitrator ruling - NHL Free Agency 2010

Lou's Statement:

"We have reviewed and respect Arbitrator Bloch's ruling in the Kovalchuk matter. We also note and appreciate his finding that nothing in his opinion should be read as suggesting that either the club or Ilya Kovalchuk operated in bad faith or on the basis of any assumption other than that the Standard Player Contract was fully compliant with the CBA. That has been our consistent position throughout. While we do not currently have a contract with Ilya Kovalchuk, discussions have resumed and we are hopeful that a contract will be reached that meets with the principles in Arbitrator Bloch's award and the NHL's approval."

This should all but put to rest any talk of fines or loss of draft picks.

While I do not believe the NHL will try go that route, the arbitrator's decision in an Article 11 hearing has nothing whatsoever to do with the NHL's power to impose fines under Article 26. It is an entirely separate procedure, and that is the article they're using to still "investigate" the Hossa contract and others.

EDIT:

Here's an excerpt of the ruling:

"In this case, the record strongly supports the claim this contract is 'intended to, or has the effect' of defeating or circumventing the Salary Cap provisions of the CBA. The overall structure of this SPC reflects not so much the hope that Mr. Kovalchuk will be playing in those advanced years, but rather the expectation that he will not. This is a long contract --17 years -- the longest in NHL history. That, in itself, poses no contractual problem, for the reasons discussed above. But Kovalchuk is 27 years old, and the agreement contemplates his playing until just short of his 44th birthday. That is not impossible, but it is, at the least, markedly rare. Currently, only one player in the League has played past 43 and, over the past 20 years only 6 of some 3400 players have played to 42...."

"...the System Arbitrator here concludes the SPC terms themselves demonstrate this agreement 'has the effect of defeating' the provisions of the CBA, with particular reference to the Team Payroll Range language. For these reasons, the finding is that the League has sustained its burden of demonstrating its actions in rejecting the agreement were in accordance with the bargained authority under Section 11.6(a)(i). Accordingly, the grievance protesting that action will be denied."

That ruling, if made after an Article 26 investigation, would give the NHL all the ammo it needed to fine the Devils and Kovalchuk. "Bad Faith" is not the standard.

If I'm Lombardi, I hold a press conference and announce that the Kings have zero interest in Kovalchuk, and point out bluntly that NJ is now his only option for a long-term deal.

Then I sit back, crack open a sasparilla, and watch Kovalchuk's bargaining power spiral down the drain.

In hindsight, kind of wish the arbitrator upheld the contract. Then the Kings could proceed to sign DD, JJ, Simmonds, etc. to 40 year deals

Originally Posted by CUP4LA

The thing is that DL has already gone on the record to say he's still interested in signing Kovy. But that was before he bought the Poni.

For 1 year.