Ilya Kovalchuk struggles..A thrasher no longer?

[Playtawk 0]

Ilya Kovalchuk is this weeks zero. He is 6th in the NHL with 26 goals, but only has scored one in the past four games and is a minus-4 in that span, http://apps.facebook.com/nhlpool/?ref=ts. Chris Vivlamore says the Thrashers would love to keep him http://ow.ly/VlSF, but on a losing team in a losing market, what could they afford to pay? $10M? $7M? Conventional wisdom says they need a star to sell tickets in Atlanta, but they've got a star now and... how are those ticket sales going again? Do they need a star to sell tickets in Atlanta? Would a better team with no big names draw more or less? What do you think?

[Guest mindfly]

If he doesn't have a contract by the deadline he's out of atlanta...

[stevkrause 1,247]

If he doesn't have a contract by the deadline he's out of atlanta...

this is as sure as death and taxes...

and Don Cherry wearing ridiculous suits...

[hooon 1,089]

Unfortunately, I don't see him ever coming to the Wings.

[stevkrause 1,247]

Unfortunately, I don't see him ever coming to the Wings.

same here... but damn would he look good on Dats wing.......

hey I worked it out in NHL10 - that mean's its possible, right? haha

Edited January 13, 2010 by stevkrause

[sherwood40 16]

I agree I don't see him coming to the wings, but boy it sure would be nice to see a good goal scorer like that skate with Dats.

[Marty Barry 230]

What a crappy position to be in for the Thrashers. It's 100% Ilya's choice and they really want (need) him back.

[cupforwings 138]

http://espn.go.com/nhl/notebook/_/page/buc...oposals-atlanta

[Guest mindfly]

I could see him in the kings, they got plenty of capspace...

Also theoretically if they really want to Chicago can sign him as a gun-for-hire, and they would be a sure bet for the cup i'd say.

[MacK_Attack 108]

I could see him in the kings, they got plenty of capspace...

Also theoretically if they really want to Chicago can sign him as a gun-for-hire, and they would be a sure bet for the cup i'd say.

Is that what Chicago really needs, though? I think they're set up front.

[Opie 308]

Detroit Red Wings

Proposed trade: There really isn't a fit here, but for fun: Kovalchuk for Niklas Kronwall and Johan Franzen

The Wings will not trade Henrik Zetterberg or Pavel Datsyuk. Brad Stuart or Kronwall would be a nice plug at defense with their $3 million-ish cap number, but the Wings don't have the young and ready scoring you think Atlanta would want to help this season and beyond. Remember, a big part of a Thrashers trade should be players who can help this season's team and future Thrashers units make the playoffs.

[ilmickeyli 40]

Is that what Chicago really needs, though? I think they're set up front.

I agree.. They don't need anymore firepower.

Although, it would help with the other areas.. Huet could let in 5 a night and they'd be OK.

[Guest scottj]

haha i saw highlights of yesterdays game in atlanta... WHERE'D ERRBODY GO?

[Datsyerberger 279]

Quote that made me go whaaaaaaaaaaat

A 30 goal power forward with solid defense and a 50 point, hard hitting d-man both locked up at good contracts for a UFA? Who thought this up?

[Opie 308]

A 30 goal power forward with solid defense and a 50 point, hard hitting d-man both locked up at good contracts for a UFA? Who thought this up?

Bucci did!

[ben_usmc 253]

I like him but honestly I really don't want him on the wings at that price. I would rather us dump Meech/Lebda/Janik and start with getting a nice defensive core and work our way out from there.

[Finnish Wing 110]

I got Kovalchuk for my Wings team in NHL 10. He was great with Datsyuk, but Zetterberg started to suck like hell. Too many big stars? That will probably be the case in the real world as well.

[Zetts 236]

Ilya Kovalchuk is this weeks zero. He is 6th in the NHL with 26 goals, but only has scored one in the past four games and is a minus-4 in that span, http://apps.facebook.com/nhlpool/?ref=ts. Chris Vivlamore says the Thrashers would love to keep him http://ow.ly/VlSF, but on a losing team in a losing market, what could they afford to pay? $10M? $7M? Conventional wisdom says they need a star to sell tickets in Atlanta, but they've got a star now and... how are those ticket sales going again? Do they need a star to sell tickets in Atlanta? Would a better team with no big names draw more or less? What do you think?

I imagine I'll sound like a pedantic ******* here, but oh well.

I did a term paper for one of my Econometrics classes on the NHL's ticket sales in the 2008-2009 season. Having "star players" had no statistically significant impact.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Zetts

[Playtawk 0]

I imagine I'll sound like a pedantic ******* here, but oh well.

I did a term paper for one of my Econometrics classes on the NHL's ticket sales in the 2008-2009 season. Having "star players" had no statistically significant impact.

You think? Like any sport a star player is more recognizable wide spread and bringing them to cities in need of some talent can't hurt. I guess it is really over all how popular the sport is in the city. Being from Vancouver hockey is on everyones mind.

To a previous comment made.. Chicago I think has enough offense for a cup already. Hossa was really the icing on the cake for them.

The Kings have the cap space. As well The stars could use a new reliable goal scorer up front.

[ami 273]

it'd be amazing if Chicago gets him. they'll sure increase their chances to win it all and destroy their team for a long time to go.

But imaging, they got Kovi and and lose in WCF?

Beautiful!!!

[zettie85 106]

I imagine I'll sound like a pedantic ******* here, but oh well.

I did a term paper for one of my Econometrics classes on the NHL's ticket sales in the 2008-2009 season. Having "star players" had no statistically significant impact.

I must say that you prove your point with teams like Edmonton and Toronto. It helped the Pen's getting Crosby and Malkin.

[Guest Crymson]

If he doesn't have a contract by the deadline he's out of atlanta...

Funny as it sounds, he's important if they want to stay over the cap cellar.

[rage 24]

Funny as it sounds, he's important if they want to stay over the cap cellar.

No way!!! I didn't even think of that! Are that close (well I guess if he makes something like $7 mill, then maybe that isn't that close)??

Wow. That will really make things interesting if this is true. Teams have to be above the cap floor or whatever you call it.

First of heard of this. Wonder why?

[zettie85 106]

No way!!! I didn't even think of that! Are that close (well I guess if he makes something like $7 mill, then maybe that isn't that close)??

Wow. That will really make things interesting if this is true. Teams have to be above the cap floor or whatever you call it.

First of heard of this. Wonder why?

It really isn't going to be an issue for them. If they don't resign him they have a lot of UFA's and RFA's that wil have their salaries bumped up. Little will need to make a decent cheque next year as will Afinogenov as long as they can keep him which I think they can. Kubina may get a bump as well and they aren't that close to the cap floor.

[eva unit zero 271]

Funny as it sounds, he's important if they want to stay over the cap cellar.

Funny as it sounds, trading Kovalchuk is probably the best thing that could happen to the Thrashers; the trade would have to be cap-even meaning they would get likely one very good player plus two or three solid players and a pick or two.

Something like this might be what we would see:

To Atlanta: F Patrice Bergeron, F Blake Wheeler, and two first round picks

To Boston: F Ilya Kovalchuk and a second round pick

This deal is unbalanced cap-wise, sending about $1.5m more to Atlanta. This is fine in terms of the cap, as Atlanta has $11m available, while a healthy Boston roster probably would be over the cap. Boston gets to reunite the explosive Savard-Kovalchuk combination and Atlanta gets two solid forwards to play with guys like Peverly, Kozlov, Afinogenov, and Little and perhaps provide even better all-around scoring and a team that wins more often.