Kovalchuk traded to New Jersey

[brett 1,029]

im saying calgary or boston get kovy. calgary moved those players for a reason...

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

As long as he stays in the East.

[dropkickshanahans 463]

My canadian buddy in Toronto said we just traded Leino, Cleary, a 1st round and a prospect for Kovalchuk? per TSN?

Edited February 4, 2010 by dropkickshanahans

[Z and D for the C 712]

My canadian buddy in Toronto said we just traded Leino, Cleary, a 1st round and a prospect for Kovalchuk? per TSN?

DUDE that totally fits because I just heard that earlier today Lilja "persuaded" Bettman to increase the salary cap for the wings.

[dropkickshanahans 463]

DUDE that totally fits because I just heard that earlier today Lilja "persuaded" Bettman to increase the salary cap for the wings.

ya sorry he just said he was joking with me. my heart was pounding and my head was spinning when he said it to me, I was in a frantic moment.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

My buddy's uncle's friend's aunt's sister's niece's boyfriend's dad who plays pick up hockey tells me that Kovalchuk may be on the move tonight.

[Z and D for the C 712]

My buddy's uncle's friend's aunt's sister's niece's boyfriend's dad who plays pick up hockey tells me that Kovalchuk may be on the move tonight.

You know Mike too?

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

You know Mike too?

Win.

[gcom007 1,465]

Yeah but remember the same thing was said about the Wings when they landed Hossa last year, anything can happen and I'm still not convinced Huet can get the job done when it matters.

It did take a monumental effort of sorts when you consider how many injuries our team had (before even thinking about the numerous one's that went unmentioned much of the time like Hossa and Datsyuk who was far more hurt than we knew!) in the playoffs. It was unreal that we got to game 7 when you really think about all the setbacks this team had due to injury. In that sense, I think last season was almost more of a success story than when we actually won the Cup the year before. We should've won that year. We were lucky to be in the Finals last year.

[gcom007 1,465]

Oh, and it's probably a safe bet to say that we're not getting Kovalchuck. Holland sometimes has a few aces up his sleeve, but he hasn't been a very active deadline player in awhile and I think the likelihood of him making good on the .5-1% chance of us landing him are pretty slim.

And I for one don't give a s***.

[ShanahanMan 473]

Oh, and it's probably a safe bet to say that we're not getting Kovalchuck. Holland sometimes has a few aces up his sleeve, but he hasn't been a very active deadline player in awhile and I think the likelihood of him making good on the .5-1% chance of us landing him are pretty slim.

And I for one don't give a s***.

Who needs Kovalchuk when we already have offensive powerhouses like Ville Leino and Jason Williams

[DMAC 25 18]

The Hawk fans still think that their whole team will be intact next season.

how stupid are their fans?

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

how stupid are their fans?

It's Chicago. They all just started watching their team because they suddenly got good, and they'll stop the second after they go bad again.

[Opie 308]

Bruins appear to not be in heavy pursuit:

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins...with_kovalchuk/

[DMAC 25 18]

http://today.sportingnews.com/sportingnews...;folio=CGI#pg41

sporting news says they wont be trading him to chicago

[rage 24]

It's very clear that he is demanding that max contract from Atlanta because that's what it take for him to stay on that sorry ass team for the rest of his life.

I bet anything that once he hits UFA if he does, that he will be getting a deal like Zetterberg, AO, etc. Hell I'd ask the max from Atlanta too. He's given them how long to try to become a contender?

[rage 24]

Here's a propsal just for fun:

Under the assumption that we can get Kovalchuk to agree to a front-loaded 10 year deal that averages out the cap hit to 8 million per year:

To Det:

Ilya Kovalchuk $6.4M Cap Hit

To Atl:

Johan Franzen $3.955M Cap Hit

Daniel Cleary $2.8M Cap Hit

Ville Leino $0.8M Cap Hit

Brett Lebda $0.65M Cap Hit

Detroit's roster would look like this under the cap this year:

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom

Kovalchuk-Filppula-Bertuzzi

Draper-Helm-Eaves

Miller-Abdelkader-May

Lidstrom-Rafalski

Kronwall-Stuart

Ericsson-Meech

Osgood

Howard

and the salary breakdown would look like this

PLAYER CAP HIT

F Pavel Datsyuk $6,700,000

F Ilya Kovalchuk $6,389,300

F Henrik Zetterberg $6,083,333

F Valtteri Filppula $3,000,000

F Tomas Holmstrom $2,250,000

F Kris Draper $1,583,333

F Todd Bertuzzi $1,500,000

F Justin Abdelkader $850,000

F Darren Helm $599,444

F Drew Miller $525,000

F Brad May $500,000

F Patrick Eaves $500,000

D Nicklas Lidstrom $7,450,000

D Brian Rafalski $6,000,000

D Brad Stuart $3,750,000

D Niklas Kronwall $3,000,000

D Jonathan Ericsson $900,000

D Derek Meech $483,333

G Chris Osgood $1,416,666

G Jimmy Howard $716,666

�"

�"

ROSTER SIZE 20

SALARY CAP $56,800,000

TEAM CAP NUMBER $54,197,075

CAP SPACE $2,602,925

Assuming that Lidstrom is going to take a significant pay cut next season (we'll use 5 as a base figure), this leave approximately 5 million in cap space (2.45 from Lids, 2.6 from remaining cap) to accommodate for Kovalchuk's increased cap hit (~6.4 up to 8.0), plus any raises with a bit of flexibility regarding our 4th line situation.

There is absolutely no way that Atlanta gets a better offer than this because they gain two excellent top 6 forwards, a project forward and 3rd pairing D-man with tons of NHL experience and a cheap price tag. Franzen alone would be enough to make Waddell sit up and pay attention I would think.

Detroit wins because they solidify their top 6 as probably the best in the league in gaining one of the game's elite goal scorers and have an exceptional 3rd line to boot.

Before you flame me, remember 2 things: This is for fun AND is under the assumption that Kovalchuk will sign the afformentioned deal.

Thoughts?

Won't work. Franzen hasn't even really played this season, what team would trade for a guy w/ that kind of injury? Clearly has a NTC. The rest of the guys suck, mind as well throw in draft picks.

If you want to trade for Kovalchuk it's got to be something like this...

Zetterberg for Kovalchuk. Maybe an exchange of picks as well.

Kronwall, Ericsson, Flip, Picks, Helm or something, and I don't even think that would be enough to cover the cap #'s.

Your best bet is to wait for UFA if he hits it or trade Zetterberg (which I would totally consider).

MAYBE they'd take Franzen, Krownwall, Ericsson, picks, but then you are kind of overpaying because of the lose on the back end, IMO.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

I think their ass ugly jerseys would be reason enough why nobody wants to play for Atlanta.

[rage 24]

Although, if the Wings could do something like Kronwall and Flip + others guys if necessary (Lenio, rights to Hudler) + a couple picks and we could sign him for long term, I'd do that in a heartbeat.

Then hope Ericsson really picks it up next year and hope that Lids comes back and keep Stuart, look for a Dman on UFA to replace a little bit of what you lose w/ Kronwall. Might not win the Cup this year due to the back end, but we'd have Kovalchuk, Dats, Franzen, and Zetterberg to build a Cup team around for YEARS to come.

And Howard will keep improving. The next 5 years would be good w/ that roster and I think they'd win another Cup.

And Holland and Waddell are buddies. It could happen.

Edited February 4, 2010 by rage

[stevkrause 1,247]

Although, if the Wings could do something like Kronwall and Flip + others guys if necessary (Lenio, rights to Hudler) + a couple picks and we could sign him for long term, I'd do that in a heartbeat.

Then hope Ericsson really picks it up next year and hope that Lids comes back and keep Stuart, look for a Dman on UFA to replace a little bit of what you lose w/ Kronwall. Might not win the Cup this year due to the back end, but we'd have Kovalchuk, Dats, Franzen, and Zetterberg to build a Cup team around for YEARS to come.

And Howard will keep improving. The next 5 years would be good w/ that roster and I think they'd win another Cup.

And Holland and Waddell are buddies. It could happen.

Are you drunk?

[Nev 1,085]

Although, if the Wings could do something like Kronwall and Flip + others guys if necessary (Lenio, rights to Hudler) + a couple picks and we could sign him for long term, I'd do that in a heartbeat.

Yep, I've said it before, due to the Salary Cap and numerous NTCs on the team, the only realistic way to make this work is Kronwall + Filpulla (~$6M cap space), plus extras. Probably Hudler's rights, and maybe a Leino or Lebda for Kovalchuk.

Remember kids when Hossa was being shopped by Atlanta and Flip's facebook page said he'd been traded to the Thrashers? Maybe Wadell is still high on him?

[rage 24]

Are you drunk?

No. Why?? Do you think that is too much for Kovalchuk or do you think that ATL wouldn't take it?

I mean, if I'm ATL what are they going to get that is better? Frolov and Jack Johnson? Please, Krownwall alone is better than those two combined. And Flip is a great player as well. Plus, add in the picks and other small salary guys if necessary and that is something that could happen.

[egroen 384]

Kovalchuk will not go for much more than Hossa did, remember (some of these offers are such an absurd overpayment for a rental):

Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito and a first-round draft choice while receiving Hossa and Pascal Dupuis

Essentially 2 young bottom-liners, a top prospect and 1st round pick for Hossa and a young bottom-liner

I don't think the Wings will even go for him, but something like Helm, Kindl and a first round pic is more realistic for Kovalchuk... which makes Detroit over the cap and pretty much out of the discussion. Holland is not stupid enough to send young, talented players like Filppula and Kronwall that are signed long term with good-to-great cap hits away for a rental.

Edited February 4, 2010 by egroen

[rage 24]

Yep, I've said it before, due to the Salary Cap and numerous NTCs on the team, the only realistic way to make this work is Kronwall + Filpulla (~$6M cap space), plus extras. Probably Hudler's rights, and maybe a Leino or Lebda for Kovalchuk.

Remember kids when Hossa was being shopped by Atlanta and Flip's facebook page said he'd been traded to the Thrashers? Maybe Wadell is still high on him?

Yeah he could be Nev. I mean Flip is a pretty good player. And as far as that package that we both suggested, how much better can other teams really do? And ATL for sure would perfer to trade to the East. So if a similar deal comes from an Eastern team, ATL would defiently choose to go w/ the Wings' package.

This could be that shoot in the Arm this team needs too.

[stevkrause 1,247]

No. Why?? Do you think that is too much for Kovalchuk or do you think that ATL wouldn't take it?

I mean, if I'm ATL what are they going to get that is better? Frolov and Jack Johnson? Please, Krownwall alone is better than those two combined. And Flip is a great player as well. Plus, add in the picks and other small salary guys if necessary and that is something that could happen.

Because, you do not blow up a team that won a cup 2 years ago and was in the finals last year for ONE player, who might not even re-sign here in the offseason...

This is not the way Holland works and I am very grateful of this...