Rumor: Ilya Kovalchuk signing with NYR

[doomscroll]

Yeah not like they beat Nashville, Boston twice and finished the season with a five game win streak. Yeah you’re right they didn’t win any of their games, good point.

Pinning a team’s failure to make the playoffs on two other teams is the ultimate cop-out.

 

[Grub]

Guess he wanted to live in New York?

 

[Paul4587]

If Kovalchuk wanted to come back to win a cup why is he signing with the Rangers?

 

[Rempe73]

It was never going to be a true rebuild...not with Henrik still on the team.

Ah, screw that. This is a true rebuild, whether Lundqvist is here or not. Signing Kovalchuk doesn't mean the rebuild is over. All it means is the Rangers get a free asset without having to give up any players or draft picks. This allows them to trade other players (like Zucc or Namestnikov) for other assets. Pretty sure most teams (even the bad ones) would do the same thing if they had the cap space. No team goes into a season thinking and hoping "we better suck this year." Every team wants to be competitive. Look at what Arizona did. They acquired Stepan, Raanta, Hjalmarsson, and Demers, even though they were rebuilding.

 

[HOPE]

Yeah. Sorry we don't have the refs give two games to us in the finals then have the NHL send an apology letter to the team after it was over saying we blew it. Or we don't tank seasons consistently like the Penguins or BlackHawks to get top 3 picks. They did a minor rebuild this year and morons from other fan bases accused them of tanking. We also didn't have the NHL fix a lottery for Crosby because our owner was dumb and couldn't run the team and our fan base bails on the team every time they struggle and there are crickets in the stands.

As far as the rebuild. Get a clue you imbecile. They have 3 first round picks. 2 second rounders and 2 third rounders. Yeah, they aren't rebuilding. The IQ of the posters on this board drops more every year.

not trying to contracting anything you're saying but... ( bolded)

Joined: Feb 17, 2018

You running a smurf account on HFboards? lol

 

[PAZ]

Ah, screw that. This is a true rebuild, whether Lundqvist is here or not. Signing Kovalchuk doesn't mean the rebuild is over. All it means is the Rangers get a free asset without having to give up any players or draft picks. This allows them to trade other players (like Zucc or Namestnikov) for other assets. Pretty sure most teams (even the bad ones) would do the same thing if they had the cap space. No team goes into a season thinking and hoping "we better suck this year." Every team wants to be competitive. Look at what Arizona did. They acquired Stepan, Raanta, Hjalmarsson, and Demers, even though they were rebuilding.

I doubt it's a true rebuild, it's a re-tool that's putting emphasis on the youth movement and hinges around their 2018 1st rounders, Chytil, Andersson, and Buchnevich. If Andersson or Chytil can take the #1C spot within the next 2-3 years and they get a stud d-man in this draft, that's the end of the rebuild. They have all the pieces in place to turn it around quickly, and it's the most logical. The Rangers simply have too much young talent to sink into a top 3 pick unless they completely blow it up (trading Zibby, Kreider, Zucc, etc.) and that would just be stupid.

 

[Rempe73]

Devils fans always trying to shoot us rangers fans down. Just leave us alone and enjoy making the playoffs

They got nothing better to do. They have been very mediocre for so long, and they trashed the Rangers to get their anger out. I don't really blame them. No one cares about the Devils really. Now that they made the playoffs, maybe it changes, but maybe not.

I don't know. I don't even see as many Islanders fans going out of their way to trash the Rangers as much as Devils fans do. It's crazy. They're obsessed.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Makes sense for New York as they can deal him in a few years for picks. Makes zero sense for the player. The motivation has to be money or spotlight or what have you. Lets not kid ourselves, the guy doesn't give a shit about winning at this point. And I love watching him play. Still one of my favorites.

 

[Rempe73]

I doubt it's a true rebuild, it's a re-tool that's putting emphasis on the youth movement and hinges around their 2018 1st rounders, Chytil, Andersson, and Buchnevich. If Andersson or Chytil can take the #1C spot within the next 2-3 years and they get a stud d-man in this draft, that's the end of the rebuild. They have all the pieces in place to turn it around quickly, and it's the most logical. The Rangers simply have too much young talent to sink into a top 3 pick unless they completely blow it up (trading Zibby, Kreider, Zucc, etc.) and that would just be stupid.

"Re-tool"
Ew. Why do you think the FO announced a rebuild was coming? To f*ck with us? No. They did it to warn us that they are starting over. They already attempted to "re-tool" and it didn't work. If you think this team is good enough in 3 seasons, maybe. But that's not a re-tool. That's just a rebuild. Not all rebuilds take years and years. Personally, I think this will (and should) take at least 4-5 years, since Rangers fans tend to overrate/overvalue their prospects. They are good, but we need elite prospects like Vancouver (Boeser, Petterson, Gaudette, Demko, etc.). And if the Rangers try to take shortcuts like Buffalo did, we are doomed for mediocrity for the next decade.

 

[Rempe73]

If Kovalchuk wanted to come back to win a cup why is he signing with the Rangers?

Hilarious and original comment.

Money, family, and lifestyle are more important to most players than a trophy. All players say they want a cup, but they want stability more.

 

[PAZ]

"Re-tool"
Ew. Why do you think the FO announced a rebuild was coming? To f*ck with us? No. They did it to warn us that they are starting over. They already attempted to "re-tool" and it didn't work. If you think this team is good enough in 3 seasons, maybe. But that's not a re-tool. That's just a rebuild. Not all rebuilds take years and years. Personally, I think this will (and should) take at least 4-5 years, since Rangers fans tend to overrate/overvalue their prospects. They are good, but we need elite prospects like Vancouver (Boeser, Petterson, Gaudette, Demko, etc.). And if the Rangers try to take shortcuts like Buffalo did, we are doomed for mediocrity for the next decade.

So you're of the belief that the Rangers are going to trade all of Kreider, Zibanejed, Zucarello, Spooner, Nami, etc.? Because trading only one or two of them won't get you sniffing at anywhere near the bottom with Lundqvist, Shattenkirk, Skjei, Buchnevich, etc. still on the team. Trading Nash and McDonagh signaled it was time to start-over and build a new core, but in my view that's simply a re-tool with your current players, especially if Kovy signs with you guys.

No, that doesn't mean you guys will go out and spend assets, it simply means giving room for the young guys to grow insulated with a bunch of established players while stockpiling assets through the draft. That's exactly what the Rangers are doing barring a full scorched-earth rebuild.

 

[Paul4587]

Hilarious and original comment.

Money, family, and lifestyle are more important to most players than a trophy. All players say they want a cup, but they want stability more.

He was quoted saying he wanted to come back and win a cup. If he wanted big money he could have stayed in Russia. Lifestyle I’ll give you but there are other great cities in the NHL that are far closer to competing than the Rangers are.

 

[Fantomas]

Don't blame Ilya one bit. NYC is a good place to be when you have money.

 

[PensPlz]

Rangers need an attraction to put butts in the seats while they rebuild.

This makes sense for NY.

But if Ilya says "it's about winning a cup" then he's straight up full of shit. It's about comfortable living and getting that USD because the Ruble is worthless.

 

[TheNumber4]

All the big free agents seem to want to play in New York. With such an advantage signing free agents and trading for players with NTC, how has New York been so mediocre for so long?

 

[Rempe73]

Have you been in a coma for 10-15 years? Rangers haven’t been trying to buy all the players for a long, long time.

As a Rangers fan, I will defend my team whenever I can, but it hasn't been a "long, long time."

I'm just pissed because this is all Sather's fault. His moronic strategy of handing out fat contracts to players past their prime and trading young players for mediocre vets still haunts us to this day. Any asshat can do that. What an awful GM. Pretty much any other GM would have gotten a Cup for Lundqvist already (besides Chiarelli, Bergevin, and Snow). Gorton has been much better, but the Smith and Shattenkirk contracts don't look so good. Now they buy Kovy. If they didn't have the Staal, Smith, and Shattenkirk contracts, I would be very pleased with the signing, but right now, it looks decent at best. What I do like about it is the term. At least it's short.

 

[Rempe73]

He was quoted saying he wanted to come back and win a cup. If he wanted big money he could have stayed in Russia. Lifestyle I’ll give you but there are other great cities in the NHL that are far closer to competing than the Rangers are.

Yes he was quoted saying that, but all players say that. No player doesn't want to win the cup, but I'm merely saying that there are more important things to players that fans don't think about, especially at Kovalchuk's age. Also, he wanted to be close to his home in NJ.

Besides, this is one of those arguments that won't really go anywhere, since we can interpret what Kovy said and meant differently.

 

[The Joker]

Just would make me hate the Rangers all the much harder. Would make our games against them even more fun. Hope he gets booed out of the building the first time he visits the Rock.

 

[Goptor]

I understand why NYR would want Kovalchuk - 3 year deal will have it expire at the same time as their other anchor contracts in Staal, Smith, Lundqvist, and Shattenkirk. They can bring in a couple high draft picks from some down years and have the vets on hand to teach the young guys how to take care of themselves on and off the ice.

I don't really understand Kovalchuk's reasoning though. He spent the Majority of his NHL career on bad teams, left for 5 years, and now after patiently waiting for the correct time to return he comes back to a team that is preparing for a few lean years... Maybe he just hasn't been following the NHL this year?

 

[Dr Quincy]

Makes sense for New York as they can deal him in a few years for picks. Makes zero sense for the player. The motivation has to be money or spotlight or what have you. Lets not kid ourselves, the guy doesn't give a **** about winning at this point. And I love watching him play. Still one of my favorites.

So every free agent who ever signed with Toronto was only in it for the money and didn't care about winning too? I mean, since TOR hasn' won a thing since the advent of free agency.

 

[slg1963]

Because they can sell off players like Zuccarello for picks/players to help accelerate a rebuild and then fill the holes in the roster with players like Kovalchuk.

If it's only for 2 or 3 years, it's really not bad. You need to ice a full team even if rebuilding, and you won't get anywhere icing a roster of just kids.

I`m all for selling off players like Zucc for picks but Kovy is 35 and on the tail end of his career plus he will take a spot away from one of our kids . So what if we lose more games next season ...better draft picks to follow.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Better not if he's trying to chase a Stanley Cup.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Better not if he's trying to chase a Stanley Cup.

He's trying to chase money, in my opinion.

 

[Devilsfan118]

He's trying to chase money, in my opinion.

Always has been about the money, always will be.

He's a mercenary, nothing more or less. Don't expect leadership.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Rangers need an attraction to put butts in the seats while they rebuild.

This makes sense for NY.

But if Ilya says "it's about winning a cup" then he's straight up full of ****. It's about comfortable living and getting that USD because the Ruble is worthless.

He's been full of **** for 6 years now. I don't believe a word he says. And, please don't confuse this with being bitter... I'm just so tired of this guy and the dark cloud of endless drama associated with him. It's exhausting.

That said, decent move for the Rangers. The dude's back was in three pieces by the end of the 2012 Cup run, and I can't imagine that has aged well. Fortunately for NYR, hands like his don't age, and he should be a lock for 20 goals based on his shot alone. This should also create some pull for their prospects in Russia. Low-risk move, but very high-upside.