Kovalchuk may be staying in NJ

[CenterIce 83]

According to NY Post Kovalchuk stays in New Jersey. $60 million, 7 years is the reported deal http://bit.ly/9BqoBS

http://twitter.com/JeffMarek

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Interesting.

[rage 24]

Wow. Not too suprised.

[Canadian_Yzerman_Fan 7]

If this is true NJ is F'd in the A.

That puts them about $4M over the cap, they still need to add at least one more forward, and they'll have to move some significant $$$... Who is going to give them a fair deal in a situation like that?

Options as I see:

1) Move Elias - he's probably more valuable playing then whatever return they can get for him.

2) Waive Rolston - $5M cap hit, and no production. No one else is going to take that in a trade.

3) Move BRODEUR - a bad move for the organization. Sure he could easily be traded, but it's a bad blemish on the Devils history if they go this way.

I don't even understand why they needed Kovalchuk so bad in the first place. He wasn't that great in his few months with the team, and they already have a younger elite first line left-winger in Parise (who I think loses out the most with this signing)

[blgillett 48]

Sounds like it is a done deal. It sounds like it was his best option big money with a chance to win. Could have made more in NY but on a loosing team.

[Zohan Franzen 18]

Kovy back to Atlanta, Gagne to LA !!!

[edicius 3,269]

Wow, Lou sure knows how to work with the cap.

Oh, wait a second...

Devils aren't going to win anything any time soon, not as long as Brodeur's still in net. He's in severe decline, especially in the postseason where he's won only 5 games in the past 3 years and hasn't been able to make it out of the first round since 2007 (where he suffered a 2nd round loss, same as the year before).

Poor choice by Kovalchuk. He would have been better off with Los Angeles.

[Original-Six 254]

Wow, Lou sure knows how to work with the cap.

Oh, wait a second...

Devils aren't going to win anything any time soon, not as long as Brodeur's still in net. He's in severe decline, especially in the postseason where he's won only 5 games in the past 3 years and hasn't been able to make it out of the first round since 2007 (where he suffered a 2nd round loss, same as the year before).

Poor choice by Kovalchuk. He would have been better off with Los Angeles.

I agree with all this but i dont mind him not going to LA

Edited July 5, 2010 by Original-Six

[Nevermind 363]

Devils aren't going to win anything any time soon, not as long as Brodeur's still in net. He's in severe decline, especially in the postseason where he's won only 5 games in the past 3 years and hasn't been able to make it out of the first round since 2007 (where he suffered a 2nd round loss, same as the year before).

He's making $3M+ per playoff win.

Compare that to our goalies the past 3 years. Combined, Ozzie and Howard have made roughly $96,000 per playoff win.

[Yzerman191 37]

Has anyone considered the travel situation in signing in the Western Conference after playing in the East? Playing in LA, roughly 45 games per year are going to be against teams in the Central, Atlantic, Southeast, and Northeast divisions. Those are some long, time consuming plane rides. Playing in NJ, maybe 15 of his games in a given season are going to be longer than a two or three hour plane ride.

Strange move by New Jersey, if the report is indeed true. Parise is a RFA next year, and he's going to command some big money. Also, what good is a sniper on a defensely-oriented team?

[CenterIce 83]

He's making $3M+ per playoff win.

Compare that to our goalies the past 3 years. Combined, Ozzie and Howard have made roughly $96,000 per playoff win.

Technically, these are regular season salaries. Playoff money is different.

[KrazyGangsta 79]

Here's what most people aren't realizing is that Brodeur is eventually going to hang up the skates and when the time does in fact come, the Devils will officially be Dead-ils considering if they stay with the system they have in place which is defense first. I have a major feeling that organization has realized that after Brodeur's retirement this team will need to start scoring and not rely on there goalie as much as they do now. So having Kovalchuk back will guarantee them with a 40-50 goal scorer which is a very good thing to have on your team.

As much as people want to say that Defense can make a goalie better and all, I agree but you also need to score to win games no matter how many saves your goalie does if you don't score you just don't win.

Edited July 5, 2010 by KrazyGangsta

[brett 1,029]

dont care. he a good player but hes asking way more then hes worth. he can stay there he wasnt too impressive with them

[KrazyGangsta 79]

Well Kovalchuk is not actually asking a lot of money, all tho his asking for a guarantee of a long term contract. He doesn't want to re-negotiate when his 34 and is looking for the same type of contract as Hossa a 10 year deal in which he could be guaranteed his big $$$ and due to injuries or bad play will not lose his value.

[hooon 1,089]

Meh, I think LA would have been a far better fit. But oh well. NJ has some moving to do.

It'll be nice to see him on a competitive team for once.

[Guest Crymson]

Devils aren't going to win anything any time soon, not as long as Brodeur's still in net. He's in severe decline, especially in the postseason where he's won only 5 games in the past 3 years and hasn't been able to make it out of the first round since 2007 (where he suffered a 2nd round loss, same as the year before).

Agreed. He has been in serious decline since the '06-'07 season. Worse, the degradation in his abilities has been accelerating with each passing year.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

LA would have been a much better fit, IMO.

[SwedeLundin77 460]

Hey, I got an idea... let's get this sweet offensive player who can score in many different situations, and we'll.... we'll put him on the point on the powerplay and waste all his talent. The Devils are idiots and if he stays with them, I can almost guarantee his point total taking a dive since they don't know how to properly utilize such an offensive weapon. DO NOT PUT KOVALCHUK ON THE POINT YOU STUPID B-HOLES!

[Jesusberg 1,256]

Hey, I got an idea... let's get this sweet offensive player who can score in many different situations, and we'll.... we'll put him on the point on the powerplay and waste all his talent. The Devils are idiots and if he stays with them, I can almost guarantee his point total taking a dive since they don't know how to properly utilize such an offensive weapon. DO NOT PUT KOVALCHUK ON THE POINT YOU STUPID B-HOLES!

Kovalchuk's bread and butter has been manning the blue line on the power play for years. He's got such a good slapshot, and when he's given the room he delivers. This isn't something the Devils came up with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOgV4jdAhd0

[Z and D for the C 712]

He's in severe decline, especially in the postseason where he's won only 5 games in the past 3 years and hasn't been able to make it out of the first round since 2007 (where he suffered a 2nd round loss, same as the year before).

Agreed. He has been in serious decline since the '06-'07 season. Worse, the degradation in his abilities has been accelerating with each passing year.

It has nothing to do with Broduer declining. It's because they play him so much that he's worn out for the playoffs. Look how much better his playoff stats were 2 seasons ago when we only played 33 games versus when he plays 75+.

[dallas27 7]

Nobody as dangerous as Kovy on the point on the PP, imo. Malkin would be the next that comes to mind.

I've faced some hard, hard shots (up to Junior A) but I can't begin to imagine how fast and hard Kovy's slap shot is.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Gotta be up there with Ovechkin.

[AtomicPunk 296]

No way he puts up the same numbers in New Jersey. In ATL he was the go-to guy and he delivered. He won't get the same minutes or the same chance to shine offensively there.

[Original-Six 254]

Nobody as dangerous as KovyOvechkin on the point on the PP, imo. Malkin would be the next that comes to mind.

I've faced some hard, hard shots (up to Junior A) but I can't begin to imagine how fast and hard Kovy's slap shot is.

No way he puts up the same numbers in New Jersey. In ATL he was the go-to guy and he delivered. He won't get the same minutes or the same chance to shine offensively there.

He had 27 points in 27 games. I think all the talk about him going into a offensive decline while playing in NJ's defensive system is a little over played.

[AtomicPunk 296]

So if he kept up that pace, he would score 82 points. That would have put him tied with Dany Heatley and Zach Parise for the 2010 season. Not worth 10 mill a year.

I watched him VERY carefully last year. 5-6 games without a point then he would get 3. He was much more consistent in Atlanta.