Would do this if i was a NJD fan. 1st and Emelin for basically free is a good deal.
Just getting a 1st would be huge for NJ. There's no guarantees Kovalchuk ever returns to the NHL, if a building team like the Devils get a 1st out of this mess you have to take it.
First off, it's not for free. There's a reason we have Kovalchuk's rights. We didn't just wake up one day and get handed them.
Second, any trade for Kovalchuk would have to come with a signed contract. His rights cannot be traded. So there's absolutely a guarantee Kovalchuk returns to the NHL if a trade is made given.. he would have just signed a contract.
And no, just getting a first isn't the goal here. If it comes with a cap dump, that has to be considered. If we can get a prospect instead, that may fit our timeline better. The package with the highest pick isn't necessarily the best value.