Kovalchuk to the Islanders?????

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I'm leaning more towards Russia or St Louis. for some reason i just cant see him wanting to play for Wang's team.
 
In Lou I trust.

I think Lams has done an admirable job so far this offseason - if he's still looking at retaining Kovy, I know he'll stick to his guns.

If Kovalchuk gets his money from the Islanders, I guess the Devils can cross 6 games off of their schedule for the next 10+ years... can't beat the Islanders when nobody plays for them, don't know how they'd do it with Kovy skating circles around them.
 
i still think he wil re-sign with new jersey but only a 3-4 year deal worth around 7.5-8.5. that gives him a chance to win with a proven winning team and also can get a big contract after this one ends.
 
They'll need to do more than sign Kovy in NJ; he was skating circles around the whole team. They'd need to rebuild their style and philosophy just to have him be comfortable.
 
supercec said:
Blues: Lots of young players, with Tkachuks retirement and Kariya potentially not coming back, they need a couple of veteran leaders, I also think they have quite a bit of cap space.

Leafs: Brian Burke likes to make the unexpected blockbuster move. He did it with the Sedins, Pronger, and Phaneuf. Also, although he won't admit it, it must eat him inside that the Bruins got Seguin, I don't think he will let them get another top pick.

Rangers: It's Sather, they would have cap issues, but all he has to do is find some sucker to take Drury or Reddens salary.

Thrashers: What if, it was only about the money, Kovalchuk realized when he hit the market that he couldn't beat the Thrashers offer so he decides to go back to where he is familiar.

Penguins: Ok no chance here, but the Eastside hockey manager in me was thinking about this. The Pens are too deep at center with Crosby, Malkin and Staal. Why not sign Kovi to play on Crosbys wing, then trade Malkin for a Kings ransom of younger players on cheap contracts or draft picks. Staal moves up to a 2nd line center role and they have a great core of young players or prospects going forward.

New Jersey: Probably won't happen after trading for Arnott and signing Volchenkov, but you never know

I'm sure there are a couple of other teams, but if any of those teams signed him (except Pittsburgh) it wouldn't shock me.
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NJ is unlikely to resign, grabbing volch and arnott seems to guarantee that.

Blues? He wont want to play there period. It might fit theoretically, but he wanted out of ATL because they were rubbish, why go to STL?

ATL, see above.

Rangers, they need a center, and they have a high scoring winger already. In fact, a 'more high scoring' winger. They need someone to set up the guy they have already.

Malkin > Kovy, why not just move malkin to crosabys wing and have staal center the second line? THat would be much easier, and smarter IMO. It doesnt depend on 'what ifs' and involves keeping the younger player, Malkin.


I say the isles get him, as they are crazy enough to offer him big money and long years. I am pretty sure that is all he is after right now anyway. He would be the spotlight of a NY team (albeit the lesser team) and he would play with some very good young talent.
 
Metrags said:
I say the isles get him, as they are crazy enough to offer him big money and long years. I am pretty sure that is all he is after right now anyway. He would be the spotlight of a NY team (albeit the lesser team) and he would play with some very good young talent.
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True, but I find that amusing since both teams have the same amount of Cup wins.
 
well I did say dark horse, meaning I thought it was unlikely. St. Louis is a bigger market that Atlanta and to my knowledge Kovi never said he would not play in a small market.

Metrags said:
NJ is unlikely to resign, grabbing volch and arnott seems to guarantee that.

Blues? He wont want to play there period. It might fit theoretically, but he wanted out of ATL because they were rubbish, why go to STL?

ATL, see above.

Rangers, they need a center, and they have a high scoring winger already. In fact, a 'more high scoring' winger. They need someone to set up the guy they have already.

Malkin > Kovy, why not just move malkin to crosabys wing and have staal center the second line? THat would be much easier, and smarter IMO. It doesnt depend on 'what ifs' and involves keeping the younger player, Malkin.


I say the isles get him, as they are crazy enough to offer him big money and long years. I am pretty sure that is all he is after right now anyway. He would be the spotlight of a NY team (albeit the lesser team) and he would play with some very good young talent.
Click to expand...
 
spooner9ball said:
They'll need to do more than sign Kovy in NJ; he was skating circles around the whole team. They'd need to rebuild their style and philosophy just to have him be comfortable.
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IMO, that's the reason they need to re-sign him. They need to get rid of all of the guys who are seemingly OK with losing in the first round year after year Langenbrunner most notably, especially after he basically quit on the team post-olympics.

*** Edit***

Per Tom Gulitti:

"Another remaining option for Kovalchuk is Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League. According to Russia’s Sport Express, SKA St. Petersburg has offered four years, for $36 million and that Kovalchuk wants $40 million."

That's right, folks. Kovy isn't even being offered the supposed asking price of $10M/yr from the KHL...
 
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NJDEVILS30 said:
IMO, that's the reason they need to re-sign him. They need to get rid of all of the guys who are seemingly OK with losing in the first round year after year Langenbrunner most notably, especially after he basically quit on the team post-olympics.
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with the way that Lou has been drafting it seems to lean towards them changing a bit of they're style. Drafting guys like Tedenby and Josefson lean towards a faster style that we can see already with Parise and Zajac.

Now hopefully the additions of atrain and Tallender will start us in the direction of a defense that dosen't treat the puck like a hand gernade.
 
lucscaps said:
with the way that Lou has been drafting it seems to lean towards them changing a bit of they're style. Drafting guys like Tedenby and Josefson lean towards a faster style that we can see already with Parise and Zajac.

Now hopefully the additions of atrain and Tallender will start us in the direction of a defense that dosen't treat the puck like a hand gernade.
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Volchenkov is one of the worst passers I have ever seen. The guy couldn't make a tape to tape pass if his life depended on it. He's a great shot blocker and hitter but that's it. He struggles moving the puck
 
supercec said:
Leafs: Brian Burke likes to make the unexpected blockbuster move. He did it with the Sedins, Pronger, and Phaneuf. Also, although he won't admit it, it must eat him inside that the Bruins got Seguin, I don't think he will let them get another top pick.
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As much as I would like to see a legitimate superstar scorer in Toronto, I can't see this happening for two reasons:

1) I don't think Burke will give him the years he is looking for. The team is still rebuilding and I doubt Burke will put so many eggs in one basket without a solid core in place around him.

2) Kovalchuk wants to go to a winner, even a ten year contract might not be enough to get him a Cup in Toronto.
 
Inferno said:
As much as I would like to see a legitimate superstar scorer in Toronto, I can't see this happening for two reasons:

1) I don't think Burke will give him the years he is looking for. The team is still rebuilding and I doubt Burke will put so many eggs in one basket without a solid core in place around him.

2) Kovalchuk wants to go to a winner, even a ten year contract might not be enough to get him a Cup in Toronto.
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I don't think it will happen either, just a darkhorse pick. However, I wonder how much extra money players make through endorsements, advertising etc... In terms of local area advertising I would imagine Toronto trumps most other cities if not all. So a star player in Toronto (or Montreal, Detroit etc..) can probably get a big chunk of money that way.

Toronto does need a marquee forward, I don't think Kessel fits that bill. But if Ilya sticks to his guns over a 100million dollar contract, I hope Burke is not stupid enough to bite, as you mentioned that is too many eggs in one basket. 8 million a year though............

Also Toronto hasn't had a consistant top 5 scorer since....... McDonald (although more consistently 5-10) and we all know how many cups they have won in that span. Maybe they should try to go the route of the megastar.
 
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Asking for that much cash will not allow him to play for a contender. Large salaries like those limits a teams ability to sign other high or even mid end talent. Basically it hurts the team. If wants to go win a cup then he should take less money and help that team get better.

Remember when Gretzky went to the Kings. They offered him a lot of money and he told them it was too much, he took the extra and spread it out among the rest of the teams. Basically the rest of the team got a raise from Gretzky's salary. It was a cool act and certainly a great way to earn a teams respect.
 
NJDEVILS30 said:
IMO, that's the reason they need to re-sign him. They need to get rid of all of the guys who are seemingly OK with losing in the first round year after year Langenbrunner most notably, especially after he basically quit on the team post-olympics.

*** Edit***

Per Tom Gulitti:

"Another remaining option for Kovalchuk is Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League. According to Russia’s Sport Express, SKA St. Petersburg has offered four years, for $36 million and that Kovalchuk wants $40 million."

That's right, folks. Kovy isn't even being offered the supposed asking price of $10M/yr from the KHL...
Click to expand...

Right, but his salary in the KHL is tax free. $12 million here would probably give him $6 million to take home. $9 there gives him $9 to take home... and a lower cost of living.

He'll get his money somewhere, but he's not going to end up on a contending team at that sort of salary level.

Cory
 
BlueShirts said:
Any chance of a sign and trade?
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There's no need for a sign and trade in the NHL, unless as a team you really want to screw with a players mind. There's no cap exemption like in the NBA, and there's no compensation if he signed elsewhere (he was a total unrestricted free agent).

Actually, 7 years @ $60 isn't bad, though it seems a major departure in strategy for NJ. I guess the writing is on the wall that Brodeur is no longer the key in NJ.

Cory
 
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