chances14 229 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 A part in it? He's the GM. He put together the deal. And losing the pick and getting fined is 100% on Lou. He runs the team. Not Kovalchuk. And how is it hiding behind the family excuse? How could you possibly know his real motives? If I had to pick one, the more believable scenario, which is the one he described, is that in the lockout shortened season he realized how much he liked being back in Russia around family. Overall this sounds like the a mutually beneficial decision. Kovaluchuk goes to Russia to be with family and play hockey there, Lou gets out of the terrible contract he gave him. Kovalchuk is a great player but the franchise is now free of what was a potentially crippling contract under the lowered cap. I don't know what their current financial situation is but the Devils have had trouble paying their bills the last several seasons. They owed Kovalchuk over $11 million dollars a year for the next 4 years. The guy left $77 million on the table. Sure he may eventually make that in the KHL but he had a guaranteed contract for that amount. That's a lot different than the potential earnings. If anything I could see faulting him for the timing of the retirement. It's certainly going to leave a huge hole in their lineup. But in the long term walking away from his contract could be the best thing that happened to the Devils. yes lou put together the deal but kovalchuk signed off on it as well. the devils went through hoops to get this guy and he bails on them at the worst possible time. and like i mentioned earlier, he should have just stayed in russia after the lockout if he truly missed his family. 77 million figure is very misleading. how much of that is actually left after escrow and taxes. he's lucky if he gets even half that in his pocket when all said and done. he will make that up in the khl in no time. if i was other russian players trying to get to the nhl, i would be pissed at him right now. who is going to want to draft a russian when there's the very real possibility that they bail and go to the khl. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingfanatic4alltime 32 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 I'm shocked by this as well but does anybody else think its way too convenient that kovy bolts and the devils aren't fighting it. The devils are financially strapped, kovy still had 12 yrs left on his contract. Its just a little weird to me they aren't fighting this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Crymson Report post Posted July 12, 2013 I'm shocked by this as well but does anybody else think its way too convenient that kovy bolts and the devils aren't fighting it. The devils are financially strapped, kovy still had 12 yrs left on his contract. Its just a little weird to me they aren't fighting this. The Devils can't make him not retire. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pskov Wings Fan 71 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 yes lou put together the deal but kovalchuk signed off on it as well. the devils went through hoops to get this guy and he bails on them at the worst possible time. and like i mentioned earlier, he should have just stayed in russia after the lockout if he truly missed his family. It is fairly clear that Devils were aware of this possibility for a while. And I would not be surprised if the are fully on-board with this including the timing. Who knows, maybe they did not want the fan pressure of having to compete for high-priced free agents if Kovalchuk were to announce it one week earlier. And now they just going to sign some cheap guy fill open roster spot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
evilmrt 636 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 Well, I'm sure Bettman is happy about this.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haroldsnepsts 4,826 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 It is fairly clear that Devils were aware of this possibility for a while. And I would not be surprised if the are fully on-board with this including the timing. Who knows, maybe they did not want the fan pressure of having to compete for high-priced free agents if Kovalchuk were to announce it one week earlier. And now they just going to sign some cheap guy fill open roster spot. Who knows about the timing. It certainly doesn't seem ideal. But they clearly aren't fighting it, likely because it benefits them so much overall. They don't have to terminate his contract. They're choosing to. Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie 8h 1. Mutual (player and club agree) termination of an NHL contract not that unusual but usually involves lower-profile players. Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie 8h 2. If NJ had so chosen, it could've blocked Kovalchuk from the KHL by tolling contract. But NJ isn't doing that, he's free to go to KHL. I'm shocked by this as well but does anybody else think its way too convenient that kovy bolts and the devils aren't fighting it. The devils are financially strapped, kovy still had 12 yrs left on his contract. Its just a little weird to me they aren't fighting this. Exactly. They aren't fighting it because ultimately it should help the franchise (if they use their new found cap space and money wisely). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cusimano_brothers 1,655 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 With this move and at this very moment, he guarantees that he'll be playing at Sochi 2014. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ogreslayer 1,069 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 From The Hockey News: A little too convenient for all involved... http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/52816-Kovalchuk-retirement-a-little-too-convenient-for-all-involved.html Pretty much my first thoughts when the news came down. 1 haroldsnepsts reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yzerfan1999 81 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 Per @NHLDevilsPR (The NJD communications department twitter feed)... Looks like the Devils won't get hit too hard with his "recapture" penalty for retirement, according to CapGeek. $250k/year, which isn't too bad. But it's until 2024/2025... Welllllll..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-fraAN7in4 1 NorwegianWing reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DickieDunn 2,571 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 Wonder if this gibes Luongo any ideas? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Opie 308 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 Watch, this circumvention will be the new sticking point for the next lockout! 2 wingfanatic4alltime and Marxx71 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
amato 3,210 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 Watch, this circumvention will be the new sticking point for the next lockout! Kovy just loves to start what causes lockouts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankgrimes 1,836 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 Watch, this circumvention will be the new sticking point for the next lockout! Kovy is the man I don't think it will give Lou any ideas, he doesn't have the KHL as a threat like Kovy did. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Axe Report post Posted July 12, 2013 Lou is a step ahead of the league is all. Its called good attorneys. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
amato 3,210 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 Lou is a step ahead of the league is all. Its called good attorneys. and most likely a step behind in the standings (for at least this season anyway) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Axe Report post Posted July 12, 2013 and most likely a step behind in the standings (for at least this season anyway) He'll find a way. They have debt to pay off first. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
amato 3,210 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 He'll find a way. They have debt to pay off first. oh yeah, not a doubt in my mind they'll be back up in the playoffs.. esspecially with schnider as their next tendy. its just going to take a little time, that's all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Axe Report post Posted July 12, 2013 oh yeah, not a doubt in my mind they'll be back up in the playoffs.. esspecially with schnider as their next tendy. its just going to take a little time, that's all. Agreed. And probably less than we all think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Z Winged Dangler 2,082 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 So now Jersey loses Clarkson and Kovalchuk. I heard they signed Ryder, which is good for them, but then they way overpaid for Clowe. All in all, they will likely finish bottom 5 this year. Oh well, good thing I never liked Jersey. I feel bad that in Brodeur's probable last NHL season, his team will be so terrible that he likely won't get a last playoff run. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hockeytown0001 7,652 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 Wow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Crymson Report post Posted July 13, 2013 Wow. He was gonna make a crap ton of money over the next few years too and he is only 30 right in his prime. Kind of a **** no e by him He'll make quite a bit more with the KHL's tax-free contracts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DeGraa55 Report post Posted July 13, 2013 He'll make quite a bit more with the KHL's tax-free contracts. Plus he is by his family. And you can't put a price on that. 1 55fan reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marxx71 1 Report post Posted July 13, 2013 I think this is the start of something really big. Shure, Bumistrov, Kostitsyn, they mabye want to be stars on their teams and so on, but Ilya to KHL? This is huuuuge for the KHL. 20 Years from now, the top KHL teams and top NHL teams mabye will be on the same level. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Euro_Twins 4,485 Report post Posted July 13, 2013 Plus he is by his family. And you can't put a price on that. Sure you can. 75 million over 5 years would have done it 1 SaCkaveli20 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ogreslayer 1,069 Report post Posted July 13, 2013 (edited) Sure you can. 75 million over 5 years would have done it Of which after escrow & taxes, he wouldn't have even seen half of. He'll get at least that & all tax free in the KHL. By "at least that" I mean the $75m over the next 5 seasons. Edited July 13, 2013 by ogreslayer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
