Sportsnet: Engels: Ilya Kovalchuk linked to Bruins, Flames, Oilers

[Michoulicious]

I guess it depends on who wins the Kreider derby?

Boston was expected, more surprised to see Edmonton/Calgary rumored to be interested.

Canadiens' Ilya Kovalchuk drawing interest from Bruins, Flames, Oilers - Sportsnet.ca

Edit: just realized a link to the same article is on the board in another thread.

Click to read more...

 

[Captain Mountain]

I guess it depends on who wins the Kreider derby?

Canadiens' Ilya Kovalchuk drawing interest from Bruins, Flames, Oilers - Sportsnet.ca

Maybe, but the value of Kovalchuk is that he makes the league minimum, which means almost any team can make room for him. I don't think he's got the same suitors as Kreider (that's probably Toffoli).

The flip side is that he likely won't be cheap as free, since he's fit well in Montreal and Montreal has enough rental pieces/existing picks to just decide to keep him and try to sign him for next year. And while he's been great in Montreal, its fair for teams to question if he'd fit with them.

 

[thadd]

I can't imagine Kovy fitting in Edmonton when Neal is healthy.

 

[Michoulicious]

I can't imagine Kovy fitting in Edmonton when Neal is healthy.

Neal has been doing pretty much nothing since November.

 

[Captain Controversy]

I can see kovi joining the pp in Edmonton while playing on the second line if nuge get bumped up.

Nuge - McDavid - Kassian
Yama - Drai - kovi

 

[FreeMcdavid]

I feel like Boston does this every year. Iginla, Nash etc... over-the hill guys that dont do much in the playoffs when the competition gets ramped.

Kovy in Edmonton is better than any other AHL wingers they have for Mcdavid so id be up for that.

 

[Baksfamous112]

If Montreal keeps winning they are not doing anything at the deadline. They are 5 points out right now and closing the gap on the teams ahead of them. With Drouin, Byron coming back I could see them making a real push for the last playoff spot

 

[MasterMatt25]

Well if they get into a bidding war and cause Kovy's price to go up I'd be happy

 

[maplepred]

Could have just signed him for free a few weeks ago. Much better to trade assets I guess.

 

[Prairie Habs]

I can't imagine Kovy fitting in Edmonton when Neal is healthy.

If you'd prefer a more neal calibre player we could also offer dale weise.

 

[BearsofBeantown]

I feel like Boston does this every year. Iginla, Nash etc... over-the hill guys that dont do much in the playoffs when the competition gets ramped.

Kovy in Edmonton is better than any other AHL wingers they have for Mcdavid so id be up for that.

True and hopefully they learned from some of those experiments - granted the Nash one only failed because he got hurt and basically the injury ended his career. Last years additions of Coyle and MoJo helped for the playoff run and it was fairly low cost acquisitions. Finger crossed we follow a similar recipe this year.

 

[Vijo Morganstein]

I'd be happier keeping him if the return is a 2nd or less tbh.

 

[MasterMatt25]

I'd be happier keeping him if the return is a 2nd or less tbh.

But why? You could get a free pick for him

 

[Wiggleboom]

I feel like Boston does this every year. Iginla, Nash etc... over-the hill guys that dont do much in the playoffs when the competition gets ramped.

Kovy in Edmonton is better than any other AHL wingers they have for Mcdavid so id be up for that.

Bruins never traded for Iginla as a rental. They signed him in the summer for 1 season.

Nash was doing quite well for them until he got a concussion. He was never the same after that and retired that summer.

 

[Vijo Morganstein]

But why? You could get a free pick for him

Entertainment value of watching him, plus it would be nice to have him as a mentor for our youngins, especially Suzuki. Wouldn't mind resigning him either.

 

[RC51]

It's all about the offers, If Kovy keeps producing he will sell for a 2nd, if he slow a bit it will be a 3rd, the question is do you sell for a 3rd or keep him. Tatar is habs leading scorer. You dont get that for a 2nd,Tatar is a first + a prospect ( good one). Petry is the most costly. You dont get this kind of dman for cheap EVER. but habs would have to retain to get someone to overpay and Petry retained boosts the cost to a First + a second+ a top prospect in your organization, if you want this number one dman asset for half price money wise you are going to pay but you will boost your defense going into the playoffs.

 

[Jigger77]

But why? You could get a free pick for him

Because Habs are 8-3 in their last 11 and 5 points out, and Kovy has been instrumental during that stretch.

It's a long shot for them to make the playoffs, but far from impossible.

 

[ScoreGoalsPlease]

If you'd prefer a more neal calibre player we could also offer dale weise.

If we met Calgary in the post-season him and Lucic could possibly kill each other so that would be fun to watch. Work out a Domi for (insert ask here) deal so he can battle with Tkachuk -- now that's playoff hockey lol

 

[TrufleShufle]

Could have just signed him for free a few weeks ago. Much better to trade assets I guess.

People keep saying this, but you understand he was playing like crap and was scratched on a bad LA team right? Everyone thought he was done and Montreal were the only ones willing to take the gamble on him and basically showed everyone, hey, he's not prime Kovy by any means, but he is a much better player than what you saw in LA.

I'm sure teams are saying to themselves that they wish they took a chance on him as well, but they didn't and are now willing to throw a 3rd or possibly 2nd to get him.

 

[tmurfin]

I’d rather not buy a rental for a 2nd. Flames aren’t an old Kovy away from being a contender. But Treliving sure loves passing out 2nds like candy, so who knows

 

[Qwijibo]

Could have just signed him for free a few weeks ago. Much better to trade assets I guess.

Could have. But didn’t. Now that the league sees what he’s still capable of the “get him for nothing” shop has long since sailed.

 

[BHD]

So what do the Habs do with him if - again, if - they are just outside a playoff spot come trade deadline day?

 

[Slashers98]

Kovalchuk is not going anywhere for now.

 

[inthe6ix]

Kovalchuk is not going anywhere for now.

Bargain Bin has spoken.

 

[FlameChampion]

I personally dont think hes a good fit on the Oilers.