Friedman: “Believe Kovalchuk’s eyes are on New York” (if he returns to the NHL

[aufheben]

I dont understand the motivation here really. Sure, NYC is a cool place to live AND he could probably make some good bank (tho, wtf, cause he hasnt made enough money yet?).

But there cant be much of a desire to win cause, lets face it, the Rangers are going nowhere right now. Kovy HAS to know this.

So bizarre.

Sounds like good reasons to me lol

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Sounds like good reasons to me lol

lol I suppose thats fair.

 

[aufheben]

lol I suppose thats fair.

He plays with Shestyorkin in SKA. It'd be pretty cool to see him potentially help out Shestyorkin and Buchnevich, but that entirely depends on the term and money.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

He plays with Shestyorkin in SKA. It'd be pretty cool to see him potentially help out Shestyorkin and Buchnevich, but that entirely depends on the term and money.

Dont get me wrong. I love Kovy and want to see him back. Just seems bizarre to go to NYC. With limited years and opportunities remaining, I would have thought a higher premium on winning would be made. I certainly dont begrudge him. Follow the money is common in sports

 

[Royale With Cheese]

Who gives a ****?

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

lol. its always funny to see people crap on Kovy when he still is a premier talent (even though he moved overseas). He still is a top-line winger, great PP-QB and has been putting up points. Would love to have him on the Ducks

 

[karnige]

Kovy is all about the $$$$$$

He will go to whoever gives him the biggest contract. He's always been about the top dollar. Good luck to whoever gives it to him and the length he's prob looking for. This isn't the Kovi from 10 years ago.

With the Rangers about to sell off key assets, I don't understand why he'd want to go there or why they'd want him.

exactly hes getting up there now. I wouldn't offer him a lot of cash. especially based on his attitude

 

[Its a Trap]

Ok. Have fun. He’ll still never win a Stanley Cup then and that’s fine with me.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Didn't Larry Brooks say they were going to blow it up/ this certainly wouldn't point to that

 

[TGWL]

If it was this year, I'd be all for it. Next year doesn't make much sense if we're really selling off players.

 

[NYR713]

I'm not so sure NYR are blowing it up for multiple seasons. They already have a young core of players playing important roles and still growing. Move Nash, Grabs, DD, Mcleod and Zucc and the rest are 26 and under along with 2 older AHL plugs currently on the roster. Chytil and Andersson are most likely with the team next season. Nieves showed he can play a bottom 6 role and Lettieri looks to be a decent role player in the NHL as he bounces back and forth this season. They aren't going to be completely dismantled after selling off this season. Kreider, Zib, Buchnevich, Miller, Fast and Hayes will populate the top 9 with Chytil and Andersson.

This off season they'll have a lottery pick, which could end up being a huge addition if the luck flows their way, and all the other assets they get back from trading the 30+ club listed above, which can always be condensed for young NHL ready types.

Kovy won't be commanding top dollars at his age and with the space NYR can open up, I'd be interested. He can still play at a high level and would fit in nice in the top 6.

 

[EdJovanovski]

If it was this year, I'd be all for it. Next year doesn't make much sense if we're really selling off players.

It’s more of a retool than a long rebuild though, the Rangers still have a young core and with Nash’s (and potentially McDonagh or Zucc’s) contracts off the table we’ll not only be getting prospects/picks but a ton of cap space. Kovy is still elite and it would be nice to have someone who can actually score, also would be great for Buch & Shestyorkin. Imagine our PP with Kovalchuk & a healthy Shatty

 

[vtdevils2k]

It’s more of a retool than a long rebuild though, the Rangers still have a young core and with Nash’s (and potentially McDonagh or Zucc’s) contracts off the table we’ll not only be getting prospects/picks but a ton of cap space. Kovy is still elite and it would be nice to have someone who can actually score, also would be great for Buch & Shestyorkin. Imagine our PP with Kovalchuk & a healthy Shatty

Kovalchuck elite? Buyer beware. No team is getting the beast that he used to be years ago. That guy is long gone. I wonder how that back of his will hold up playing a grinding NHL schedule.

I just can’t imagine him going anywhere but a true cup contender that’s a piece away. I remember his mother or sister when he left for the KHL saying his goal is the cup when he came back to the NHL.

 

[THall4]

lol he's not interested in Jersey no matter how "half decent" they might be. He reverse-defected from the NHL to get out of Newark. When a player says his "eyes are on New York" he doesn't mean the New York Area, he means the Rangers.

No, he defected from Jersey to go home to be with his family...if he was so unhappy in Jersey why the heck would he basically sign his life away with the Devils? When he had reported offers from the Islanders, Kings, Leafs Rangers and Blues. He was building/built a home in Jersey.

I get the way he did it was pretty greasy and should rattled Devils fans..but we see it happen all the time with more domestic players than Europeans and no one bats an eye. Most recent example is Travis Hamonic..I don't see any character bashing or GM "black listing" him ..

 

[Flamesjustwin]

Makes total sense, that is where all the superstars on their big decline go for big bucks if history has shown anything.

 

[IslesFanatic]

Good to know you're Garth snow

Thanks! They’ve said ad nauseum. They aren’t trading him. They may lose him over the summer, but I really don’t think they’d trade him.

 

[HBK27]

lol he's not interested in Jersey no matter how "half decent" they might be. He reverse-defected from the NHL to get out of Newark. When a player says his "eyes are on New York" he doesn't mean the New York Area, he means the Rangers.

He played in Newark, became a UFA and had the opportunity to go anywhere else, but instead signed a 15-year contract to stay in Newark...yet he defected from the NHL (bypassing even requesting a trade) just to get out of there. Excellent logic.

I'm sure he has no interest in coming back to NJ, but the feeling is mutual.

 

[GongShowWilly]

I can see the Rangers dumping a few contracts for picks this year , then sign a Kovalchuk . And even sign Tavares , he loves New York
next year , sign a big UFA Dman
quick retool . I don't see the Rangers ever rebuilding with their budget
wouldn't be surprised at all if something like this happened

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

I would put Tampa Bay or Florida more of a favorite over New York for Kovy's services next year.

If you follow his wife on Instagram, most of her pictures are her in Miami, where Kovy also has a house.

Tampa if chooses a possible Stanley Cup over money. Florida if he wants to be close to wifey.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I guess he would be the Nash replacement?

 

[biturbo19]

It'd certainly be interesting if the Rangers managed to pawn Rick Nash off at the deadline for a nice haul...then essentially replace him with Kovalchuk as a UFA. I honestly don't follow the KHL closely enough to know if he has enough left in the tank to be a perfect replacement or upgrade/downgrade at this point in his career. But the Rangers also have young guys like Andersson and Chytil knocking on the door. Could make for a very interesting "retool on the fly" over a couple years, since the dealing of Stepan+Brassard.

If the Rangers do end up moving McDonagh though...i just don't see how they're going to be doing anything other than entering a true "rebuild" mode. You're not going to find anything out there to replace McDonagh next year on an already seriously subpar blueline.

 

[Alluckks]

Who gives a ****?

Well, you are on the sub-forum for Trade Rumors and Free Agent Talk

You can read, right?

 

[Alluckks]

Makes total sense, that is where all the superstars on their big decline go for big bucks if history has shown anything.

Is it nicer back in the 1990's?

 

[Alluckks]

I would put Tampa Bay or Florida more of a favorite over New York for Kovy's services next year.

If you follow his wife on Instagram, most of her pictures are her in Miami, where Kovy also has a house.

Tampa if chooses a possible Stanley Cup over money. Florida if he wants to be close to wifey.

Does Tampa have the cap space?

 

[Laineux]

He'll go to whichever team that is dumb enough to pay top dollar for a washed up, unmotivated, out of shape 35-year-old.