NHL Rejects Kovalchuk's Contract

[HockeyTownHouligan 57]

Its was getting out of hand and had to stop somewhere. Im all for unions and stuff but cmon NHLPA you can't really defend this guy and let the players just run rampant with these crazy contracts that aren't realistic. I mean at the Z deal have him playing until he was 40 or so and can easily retire with one year left without a fuss. Kovalchuck would still have frickin 5 years left when he's 40. Sorry players union but i gotta side with "the man" on this one its just getting too crazy.

[crotty99 302]

He better not head to Russia now..

Heres hoping for a new realistic contract with the NHL.

[SweWings 45]

Its was getting out of hand and had to stop somewhere. Im all for unions and stuff but cmon NHLPA you can't really defend this guy and let the players just run rampant with these crazy contracts that aren't realistic. I mean at the Z deal have him playing until he was 40 or so and can easily retire with one year left without a fuss. Kovalchuck would still have frickin 5 years left when he's 40. Sorry players union but i gotta side with "the man" on this one its just getting too crazy.

Given that the PA protests weren't exactly vocal one could assume that their defense of this particular contract is not a priority. They probably view it as somewhat unreasonable and don't want to encourage players to make completely intransigent demands that will make a conflict between management and players run rampant and end in another lock out. Had the contract been anywhere close to fair then the PA should've, and most likely would've, caused a ruckus about this. But as it turns out they were merely "disappointed."

Personally I am not surprised that the contract was rejected given how many things were ridiculous about it.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

The five sub million dollar years tacked on at the end are what killed the Devils here.

[crotty99 302]

Here is the full decision document if anyone is interested :

http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B4hYOrjFUhfiZjVkMGZkZTEtMTk1ZS00NzhjLThhNzctMWM1ODRmZjA3OGE4&authkey=CNaVz6EG&hl=en

Also, this is an interesting quote from PuckDaddy.

Bloch also noted that several other long-term contracts are under investigation for circumvention, listing deals given to Vancouver Canucks netminder Roberto Luongo, Boston Bruins centre Marc Savard, Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Chris Pronger and Chicago Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa as raising similar red flags to Kovalchuk's rejected contract.

"While the contracts have in fact been registered, their structure has not escaped league notice," the decision reads. "Those players' contracts are being investigated currently with at least the possibility of a subsequent withdrawal of the registration."

Lucky Franzen and Z aren't mentioned anywhere.

The NHL might be getting themselves in quite a mess if action were taken on those older contracts.

[Dimaline312000 51]

Glad to see that, that contract was just way to Ridiculous.

[cmonster 11]

This is bull. The NHL is pissed that someone found a loophole. If it follows the rules, who cares if it is against the "the spirit of the CBA."

[jeff48109 474]

NHL investigating Luongo and Savard's deals

Luongo investigation

Savard investigation

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

From the NY Post

The Devils might have five million reasons to worry about the Players Association's expected filing for arbitration of Ilya Kovalchuk's rejected contract.

A league source said the NHL is not threatening, but also not dismissing the possibility that the Devils might be liable for a fine of at least $1 million. The fine could go up to $5 million should an arbitrator finds that their $102 million, 17-year contract is indeed a circumvention of the collective bargaining agreement.

In addition, Kovalchuk himself conceivably could be liable to a fine between $250G and $1 million.

The Players Association can file a grievance by tomorrow afternoon against the league's rejection Tuesday of the landmark contract. The case would likely then go to arbitration, failing a negotiated settlement, and the sides would have to agree on a "system arbitrator" to decide the case. If the league is overruled, the contract will stand. If the league is upheld, Kovalchuk will again become unrestricted and the NHL would then have to decide whether to pursue fines or even draft choice losses.

The league source said the NHL is taking one step at a time, "making those decisions as things unfold," in this case, which is a ground-breaking test of the collective bargaining agreement and its failure to specifically prohibit such long, long-term front-loaded contracts

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Two thoughts:

1) A fine against New Jersey is definitely in order, if only from the point of view that other teams (Los Angeles and New York Rangers come to mind) expressed an interest in Kovalchuk but were forced to look elsewhere after the "illegal" contract was signed and tendered with the League and

2) I know Mr. Bloch's powers were not this far reaching, but what if he had the power to rule that the contract be shortened by the number of years with sub-million dollars payments?

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Devils working to keep Kovy.

versus.stats.com link

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

The delay in some sort of new announcement strikes me as being a little strange.

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Puck Daddy

Puck Daddy can confirm a report by ESPN.com's EJ Hradek that Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek, general managers Lou Lamoriello and Kovalchuk's agent Jay Grossman met with NHL officials and presented the terms of a new contract for Kovalchuk.

[Buppy 1,720]

Puck Daddy

I'll guess it's more or less the same deal, with 2-3 years cut off the end, and maybe slightly lower salaries to start. Cap hit still close to $6M.

[Original-Six 254]

Wonder how much NJ will have to give up.

Ill lmao if it gets shot down again

Edited August 23, 2010 by Original-Six

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

And now this.... EJHradek (ESPN) - twitter

RT @TGfireandice: Confirmed that still no NJD/Kovy contract has been submitted 2 NHL 4 approval. Sounds like they talked stucture at meeting

Edit: thanks for the title change mods. It is clearer that way.

Edited August 23, 2010 by CaliWingsNut

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Bill Daly confirms no contract, says devils/NHL/Kovy "talked conceptually"

A couple other gems here, including one I'm making a new thread for.

Puck Daddy

I guess throw this into rumors now? since yahoo confirmed they were wrong?

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

From New York Post :

The Devils' hopes to sign Ilya Kovalchuk have been confounded again, denied encouragement from the NHL on their second try at a contract, The Post has learned.

Now, the NHL is risking being the culprit if one of its most talented players leaves for Russia, as time becomes a factor in Kovalchuk's decision where to play.

...

[ilmickeyli 40]

I hope he does run off to Russia because of this mess...

[jeff48109 474]

kovalchuk and investigation update

if you read the last part, Daly says the NHL may not remove the contracts of the other guys like Hossa, but may fine or take away draft picks if they determine circumvention

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

kovalchuk and investigation update

if you read the last part, Daly says the NHL may not remove the contracts of the other guys like Hossa, but may fine or take away draft picks if they determine circumvention

this is what I suspected would happen... (and I think I've stated here before)

They will leave the "investigations" open since they can indefinitely, then give out penalties to the ones whom retire early.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Why didn't New Jersey just get a copy of Hossa's contract from Chicago and a bottle of Liquid Paper ©?

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Sporting News article on kovy & KHL possibility.

“I will not disclose the figure, but we offered him to choose the term,” Medvedev said. “It could be two years, it could be four years, it could be even eight years.”

Hrm... no 17 yr contract talks???

[jeff48109 474]

Why didn't New Jersey just get a copy of Hossa's contract from Chicago and a bottle of Liquid Paper ©?

what makes things harder for NJ is the fact that the NHL has openly stated that Hossa's contract is still being investigated and the hawks can still be found guilty of circumvention and subject to fines and/or loss of draft picks. the contract NJ has to come up with has to be even less blatant than Hossa's

[Krayzie_Bone 58]

I think its complete B.S. Sure he proably wont be playing at 45 but who are the NHL to say he won't. It's not like it has not happened before.