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

[Pizza!Pizza!]

I'd be all kinds of pissed if we trade a 2nd for him when we potentially could've just signed him a few months ago.

Maybe they tried and he chose Montreal over Edmonton. Does it ever get 40* below 0 in Montreal?

 

[JianYang]

As much as 8-3 sounds impressive they need to be 12-3 after their next four. Have to play .800 hockey for 26 games so for every loss need a 4 game win streak which they haven’t done once this year.

Not impossible but in the realms of Lloyd Christmas hooking up with Mary Swanson

The bar is high. 99 points looks like it get you on that playoff bar, which requires a .760 win percentage.

Awfully tough task for pretty much any team.

Anyways, the decision to keep kovalchuk wouldn't come down to their ability to make a run this year. It's about their outlook towards next year.

 

[JianYang]

Maybe they tried and he chose Montreal over Edmonton. Does it ever get 40* below 0 in Montreal?

Lebrun said he thought Kovy chose Montreal because they laid out the first concrete offer, and I assume he knew he could get playing time due to the habs injuries on the wing.

Kovy's main priority apparently was just to get back to playing as soon as possible

 

[Qwijibo]

I'd be all kinds of pissed if we trade a 2nd for him when we potentially could've just signed him a few months ago.

You realize the fact that you COULD have signed him for free has zero barring on his value right? A month and a half ago every GM in the league thought Kovalchuk was washed up. His stint in Montreal proves that’s not the case. That’s like saying you’d be pissed if your GM gave up anything of value for Gallagher when they could have just picked him in the 5th round

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Maybe they tried and he chose Montreal over Edmonton. Does it ever get 40* below 0 in Montreal?

Possible, but even more reason not to give up such an asset he might play more like he did in LA if he isn't content in Edmonton.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

You realize the fact that you COULD have signed him for free has zero barring on his value right? A month and a half ago every GM in the league thought Kovalchuk was washed up. His stint in Montreal proves that’s not the case. That’s like saying you’d be pissed if your GM gave up anything of value for Gallagher when they could have just picked him in the 5th round

Not even close, Kovie is an UFA in a handful of months.

 

[Qwijibo]

Not even close, Kovie is an UFA in a handful of months.

Way to miss the point. Lol

 

[Karl Eriksson]

Bergevin going to make a huge return on investment here. Basically bought a 2nd round pick for like $500K.