Kovalchuk traded to New Jersey

[rage 24]

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.

Why the hell not? Kovalchuk is better than Hossa, a 50 goal scorer. Can play the Point on the PP, which DETROIT LOVES, and is just great great great.

Flip and Kronwall might have nice contracts in your opinion, but players like Kovalchuk hardly EVER come around. Flip I'm sorry is very replaceable especially when you are replacing his forward spot w/ Ilya FRICKING KOVALCHUK!! lol.

Kronwall would be a big lose, but you have to give something to get something.

[edicius 3,269]

David Pagnotta from TheFourthPeriod.com seems to think the Wings have a shot at Kovalchuk.

The Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames have already balked at the asking price, with the last two clubs pulling out of the race.

The Los Angeles Kings would love to get their hands on Kovalchuk, but they may be more inclined to wait until the off-season and offer up a long-term mega contract.

Philadelphia, Chicago, New Jersey, Vancouver and the New York Islanders are also interested in this 26-year-old sniper, and trade negotiations are ongoing.

But one team that's not part of the loop, at least publicly, could have the best chances of acquiring Kovalchuk.

I've merely heard whispers, and I've combined them with my own opinion, but I wouldn't be at all shocked to see the Detroit Red Wings step up and make a move for Kovalchuk, who would be brought in simply as a rental player.

Thanks to long-term injuries to Johan Franzen, Niklas Kronwall and Andreas Lilja, the Wings are bordering $3 million in available cap space. Depending on which players they deal in exchange for Kovalchuk, the Wings will have enough room to fit him under the salary cap for this season.

It's safe to say the Thrashers will have interest in the likes of Valtteri Filppula, Ville Leino, Justin Abdelkader and Jonathan Ericsson, to name a few.

I can't see Detroit moving Ericsson, but the other three could be fair game.

Filppula's $3 million cap hit could give the Wings the necessary space to make a deal work. That is, however, if GM Ken Holland has any interest in parting with his 25-year-old rising star.

I'm not saying it's a sure thing, but I would never count of one of the brightest GMs in the business (Holland) from swinging a deal for one of the league's best snipers.

With Franzen and Kronwall nearing their returns to the lineup, the addition of Kovalchuk will undoubtedly push them well into playoff contention and possibly a favorite to return to the Stanley Cup Final for a third-straight season.

Full column here.

Edited February 4, 2010 by edicius

[rage 24]

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...

I don't agree that replacing Kronwall and Flip w/ Kovalchuk is "blowing up the team" one bit. On paper I think the roster w/o Flip and Kronwall and w/ Kovalchuk is nearly as good as the one we have now. So, that is not blowing up a team by any means.

And of course this is based on Kovalchuk signing a deal long term here, which I am sure could be done no matter what the papers are saying right now.

[egroen 384]

Why the hell not? Kovalchuk is better than Hossa, a 50 goal scorer. Can play the Point on the PP, which DETROIT LOVES, and is just great great great.

Flip and Kronwall might have nice contracts in your opinion, but players like Kovalchuk hardly EVER come around. Flip I'm sorry is very replaceable especially when you are replacing his forward spot w/ Ilya FRICKING KOVALCHUK!! lol.

Kronwall would be a big lose, but you have to give something to get something.

Holland will not lose 100 IQ points in the next month, hopefully.

Kovalchuk is a rental. Period. Holland would be utterly R-tarded if he traded away a good portion of our young core for someone he can simply go for in the off-season (and then, yes, I would consider trading Filppula).

Oh -- and I'm not sure if Kovalchuk is that much better than Hossa -- for 10 less goals Hossa provides a two-way game.

Edited February 4, 2010 by egroen

[Redwing Hokie 0]

I think the Wings getting Kovie is purely a pipedream at this point.

[rage 24]

David Pagnotta from TheFourthPeriod.com seems to think the Wings have a shot at Kovalchuk.

Full column here.

I don't think his cap #'s are right though. Holland already said it'd have to be a dollar for dollar trade this year.

[AtomicPunk 296]

I would LOVE to see the Wings get this guy, and giving up Flip is something I would do in a heartbeat. As far as signing him long term....thats going to be tough unless Lidstrom is willing to take a big cut.

[StevieY9802 6]

I would not give up Filppula. He's played well lately and just to get Kovie for 2-4 months? Fil will be here for at least 3 more years. 3 years or 3 months? Sorry no way. There is almost no way they can sign Kovie long term either unless Lidstrom retires and he himself takes less than some team with cap space would give him.

Edited February 4, 2010 by StevieY9802

[swiss_fan 3]

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

This !! when i read Z for Kovie, let me laugh

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.

Well, i think it would be good for the wings to do such a trade. What about Fil + Abdelkader + Kindl + 1st.

Obviously, it would not fit salary cap wise, but we could work something out with another trade..

[rage 24]

I would LOVE to see the Wings get this guy, and giving up Flip is something I would do in a heartbeat. As far as signing him long term....thats going to be tough unless Lidstrom is willing to take a big cut.

Not so tough if you think about it. We'd have to make a dollar for dollar trade to get him now. So at the end of the season we'd be at the cap #'s as now. Get Kovalchuk signed to a 14 year deal at 6.5 or similar to Dats, and Lids should be taking a paycut next year anyway. Maybe he get $5 mill. one year deal. Then we should have around $2 mill to play w/ if Homer and Bert are signed to similar deals or their deals together = what they = this year.

Worse comes to worse, you do have a guy you can trade in Stuart. Hudler rights have to be moved IMO though. If he decides to come back next year it'd throw a monkey-wrench in this whole equation.

[Pucks 66]

Everything I've read from his agent says he want's a 10-12 yr deal that pays him the max, like 11.3 per. He has no interest in a front loaded contract. Any GM team that gives up young players to sign him to that deal should be fired. That's morgaging your future and screwing your cap.

Edited February 4, 2010 by Pucks

[rage 24]

Everything I've read from his agent says he want's a 10-12 yr deal that pays him the max, like 11.3 per. He has no interest in a front loaded contract. Any GM team that gives up young players to sign him to that deal should be fired. That's morgaging your future and screwing your cap.

That's to sign in ATL where he doesn't want to be. They are saying that to save face.

[egroen 384]

Everything I've read from his agent says he want's a 10-12 yr deal that pays him the max, like 11.3 per. He has no interest in a front loaded contract. Any GM team that gives up young players to sign him to that deal should be fired. That's morgaging your future and screwing your cap.

I kinda doubt he ends up demanding that on the free market (maybe, but then he may as well go to the KHL for the guaranteed crap NHL team he lands with (he'd just be recreating the same Atlanta situation all over again, only worse... at least Atlanta has nice weather))... it's obvious he does not want to be in Atlanta, hence we are hearing about outrageous demands now.

Edited February 4, 2010 by egroen

[egroen 384]

Well, i think it would be good for the wings to do such a trade. What about Fil + Abdelkader + Kindl + 1st.

Obviously, it would not fit salary cap wise, but we could work something out with another trade..

Still an overpayment for a rental - and ugly cap problems.

If Detroit wants to go for Kovalchuk it will be in the off-season... that's when I would be dangling Filppula for offers.

[Rice 42]

I'd gladly move Filppula for Kovalchuk. I think a lot of people are forgetting Kovalchuk is only a year older than Val. Having an elite scorer like Kovalchuk lets you split up Datsyuk and Zetterberg making Filppula unnecessary -- more of a luxury than a necessity.

Kovalchuk-Datsyuk-Holmstrom

Franzen-Zetterberg-Cleary

Highly doubt it's going to happen, I don't even want to get excited about it.

[Guest lilja4mvp]

let's be real - the only way holland even inquires is if ilya can discuss an extension. it's a brutal year for the wings, but they're not desperate enough to move long term contracts for a rental player.

even if 1) thrashers let them talk contract, and 2) ilya would sign a reasonable long-term deal (which nothing has indicated he would), they'd still need to be sending 6 mil out the door to make it work. moving filppula and kronwall seems like a lot. it's really too bad that stuart has that NTC this year, because maybe atlanta would take his contract if it came with filppula + top prospect + a 1st + a 2nd.

[stevkrause 1,247]

I don't agree that replacing Kronwall and Flip w/ Kovalchuk is "blowing up the team" one bit. On paper I think the roster w/o Flip and Kronwall and w/ Kovalchuk is nearly as good as the one we have now. So, that is not blowing up a team by any means.

And of course this is based on Kovalchuk signing a deal long term here, which I am sure could be done no matter what the papers are saying right now.

Because you'd be giving up more than that and he will only be a rental and then want a max contract...

If he's willing to sign here for a discount, he'd just as easily do it in the offseason... as a FA...

[rage 24]

let's be real - the only way holland even inquires is if ilya can discuss an extension. it's a brutal year for the wings, but they're not desperate enough to move long term contracts for a rental player.

even if 1) thrashers let them talk contract, and 2) ilya would sign a reasonable long-term deal (which nothing has indicated he would), they'd still need to be sending 6 mil out the door to make it work. moving filppula and kronwall seems like a lot. it's really too bad that stuart has that NTC this year, because maybe atlanta would take his contract if it came with filppula + top prospect + a 1st + a 2nd.

I thought Stuart can be traded right now. Somebody got a link on his Contract?

[Guest lilja4mvp]

last i saw was a NTC for 08-09 and 09-10.

[stevkrause 1,247]

I thought Stuart can be traded right now. Somebody got a link on his Contract?

I'm done with this thread... it makes me want to pull my hair out...

[Finnish Wing 110]

IMO Kovalchuk is the best sniper in hockey, even better than Gaborik and Oveckhin. If he gets to play with good linemates (as he probably does in the near future) we will see some sick goal scoring. Still, as pointed out before it's just a "rental". I don't think we should make a move.

[Opie 308]

Do any of you guys think that NHL GMs are waiting to see how he plays with top linemates in the Olympics to evaluate what he may look like on their team?

I mean Boston might remember what he looked like with Savard, but the man has been in ATL for a while and his heart may have sunk a little.

If he tears it up at the olympics, does that make his value higher or lower?

Stevkrause, you can comeback for this question it makes sense and could happen (unlike trading Stuart!)

[RedFX 48]

According to ESPN LA and Philly look like the top 2. Boston, New Jersey, and Vancouver have all taken themselves out of the running for now.

EDIT: Link

EDIT 2: Accroding the link it says New Jersey is still in it. Another source said NJ is out of it due to a steep price tag

Edited February 4, 2010 by RedFX

[Guest Lidstromboli]

[daniel1 32]

it is a perfect storm for failure though. I mean it seems like anytime a team just stacks up they end up losing (maybe I'm just being hopeful)

2002? Red Wings? Hull, Robitaille, Hasek? Ringing ANY bells yet??? lol