Rumor: Ilya Kovalchuk will be signing a 2-3 year deal with NYR

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Scenario C. They will both be on the team.

I don't know enough about Kovalchuk. But I do know he's old, I also doubt he'll accept a deal without ntc/nmc only to be traded at the deadline.

Kovalchuk had 63 points in Russia this season, in 53 games. Converting that to NHL totals (including the KHL-to-NHL ratio) that comes down to ~78 points in 82 games. It's not an exact science, but Kovalchuk hasn't regressed as much as people think.

Also, keeping Zuccarello won't do anything for us. He is signed for 1 more year and won't be worth what he will ask during contract negotiations. Putting aside the fan-glasses for a minute and looking at just the numbers... Would you hand out this contract for 2019?

32 years old when the season starts
Career-high 26 goals in a season
Career-high 61 points in a season
6x6.5m AAV with NMC

That's a bad contract.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I doubt Kovalchuk signs anywhere without a NMC.

Take away the assets in a potential Kovalchuk trade, and it's still better value.

 

[haohmaru]

I'm not sure what you're talking about here.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I'm not sure what you're talking about here.

Signing Kovalchuk and trading Zuccarello is the best move. Kovalchuk is better than Zuccarello, who we should not re-sign anyway so it's best to trade him now. Get assets, and rebuild

 

[haohmaru]

Ah, I see. As I've said before, not sure how signing Kovalchuk, plus all of our RFA's. plus at least 3-4 additional roster players will make sense under the cap and, additionally, I'm not sure that it makes ANY sense at all for Kovalchuk unless his entire goal for returning to the NHL is just wearing a Rangers sweater.

 

[Webster]

Kovalchuk had 63 points in Russia this season, in 53 games. Converting that to NHL totals (including the KHL-to-NHL ratio) that comes down to ~78 points in 82 games. It's not an exact science, but Kovalchuk hasn't regressed as much as people think.

Also, keeping Zuccarello won't do anything for us. He is signed for 1 more year and won't be worth what he will ask during contract negotiations. Putting aside the fan-glasses for a minute and looking at just the numbers... Would you hand out this contract for 2019?

32 years old when the season starts
Career-high 26 goals in a season
Career-high 61 points in a season
6x6.5m AAV with NMC

That's a bad contract.

If he gets a deal like that on any team he should pick up his bags and run for it, even if he ends up in the desert of Arizona.

No I think he'll be more than happy with 3-4 years at 5M a yr, another decent discount. And he once said: I don't need any clauses, if they don't want me here...fine, then I'm not good enough. Typical Zucc...

As for Kovalchuk, more than 1 yr would be a bad contract. Locking up 6-7M a yr on a player that age is definitely high risk. And not even necessary, because they have enough veterans already. Show some trust in them.

 

[Captain Lindy]

We traded half our team and are still neck and neck in mediocrity.

Eat **** Piles!

 

[Nopuckluck]

Kovalchuk had 63 points in Russia this season, in 53 games. Converting that to NHL totals (including the KHL-to-NHL ratio) that comes down to ~78 points in 82 games. It's not an exact science, but Kovalchuk hasn't regressed as much as people think.

Also, keeping Zuccarello won't do anything for us. He is signed for 1 more year and won't be worth what he will ask during contract negotiations. Putting aside the fan-glasses for a minute and looking at just the numbers... Would you hand out this contract for 2019?

32 years old when the season starts
Career-high 26 goals in a season
Career-high 61 points in a season
6x6.5m AAV with NMC

That's a bad contract.

Zuccarello would put up more points then Kovalchuk in that league. The KHL is a joke

So let’s see.....trade our heart and soul. The guy who should be captain and takes less to be here because he wants to play here.....and then sign a 35 year old mercenary who wants 6 million or so so his wife can be happy in NYC and he can collect a retirement check

 

[iamitter]

Zuccarello would put up more points then Kovalchuk in that league. The KHL is a joke

So let’s see.....trade our heart and soul. The guy who should be captain and takes less to be here because he wants to play here.....and then sign a 35 year old mercenary who wants 6 million or so so his wife can be happy in NYC and he can collect a retirement check

Exactly. Key point being getting assets for the good of the future of the NYR.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

32 years old when the season starts
Career-high 26 goals in a season
Career-high 61 points in a season
6x6.5m AAV with NMC

That's a bad contract.

No way anyone is giving him those years at that AAV. To your point, it'd be an abysmal contract. Why would anyone think that he's going to get that? I hope the NYR aren't openly talking about doing that bc it'd be really stupid on their part.

 

[nyr2k2]

I could see him getting an AAV at that, or close to that, but not for six years. Could definitely see someone going like 4Y/$24M with some modified NMC thrown in.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Zuccarello would put up more points then Kovalchuk in that league. The KHL is a joke

So let’s see.....trade our heart and soul. The guy who should be captain and takes less to be here because he wants to play here.....and then sign a 35 year old mercenary who wants 6 million or so so his wife can be happy in NYC and he can collect a retirement check

2nd best league in the world is a joke. Okay...

 

[Machinehead]

2nd best league in the world is a joke. Okay...

They're Russian tho

 

[Thirty One]

Zuccarello would put up more points then Kovalchuk in that league. The KHL is a joke

Then why didn't Zuccarello dominate when he played there?

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

They're Russian tho

Ah, of course. How could I forget. Soft Euros. Who needs them, right?

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Then why didn't Zuccarello dominate when he played there?

Possible excuses:

- Played on a bad team (False)
- Was still young (False)
- Had bad linemates (False)

 

[Webster]

Then why didn't Zuccarello dominate when he played there?

He actually did pretty well over there, that's why the Rangers wanted him back

It was Paul Maurice who made him an NHL-player, so maybe Zucc wants to go back to him in Winnipeg.

 

[haohmaru]

Then why didn't Zuccarello dominate when he played there?

44 games played during the NHL lockout in a place he probably didn't want to be. Kinda hard to read the tea leaves from a sample size that small - particularly when comparing him to a Russian that's played there for years and wanted to be there.

 

[Machinehead]

In general, it's hard to compare Zuccarello to Kovalchuk because Kovalchuk is in another galaxy and always has been.

There's no middle ground with Zucc. Rangers fans either hate him for literally no reason or are ridiculous homers with him.

 

[effen]

Kovalchuk had 63 points in Russia this season, in 53 games. Converting that to NHL totals (including the KHL-to-NHL ratio) that comes down to ~78 points in 82 games. It's not an exact science, but Kovalchuk hasn't regressed as much as people think.

Also, keeping Zuccarello won't do anything for us. He is signed for 1 more year and won't be worth what he will ask during contract negotiations. Putting aside the fan-glasses for a minute and looking at just the numbers... Would you hand out this contract for 2019?

32 years old when the season starts
Career-high 26 goals in a season
Career-high 61 points in a season
6x6.5m AAV with NMC

That's a bad contract.

Zucc's demands are only limited by your imagination.

 

[effen]

In general, it's hard to compare Zuccarello to Kovalchuk because Kovalchuk is in another galaxy and always has been.

There's no middle ground with Zucc. Rangers fans either hate him for literally no reason or are ridiculous homers with him.

He's our best forward for years now who's been capped at 60 points.
That those two things are true at the same time is an everyone else (including the org) problem, not a Zucc problem.

 

[Machinehead]

He's our best forward for years now who's been capped at 60 points.
That those two things are true at the same time is an everyone else (including the org) problem, not a Zucc problem.

Be that as it may, his career high is 61 points. If Kovalchuk put up 61 points right now at his age, people would think he has a terminal illness.

 

[Off Sides]

I think it is pretty tough to predict what Kovalchuk would do. We've seen some older players drop off pretty quickly, MSL, Richards come to mind. On the flip side Jagr and such have gone on longer. I would not feel too confident given any plus 35 contract stays on the cap even if the player retires or is bought out.

 

[Stasis]

I'm fine either way, with a slight nod towards wanting him to sign here. Slight.

But you can bet your bottom dollar that no matter where he signs, rival fans will say: "THANK GOODNESS IT'S NOT US" and the team that signs him will say: "Well, not much to lose, let's see what he's got!". So that'll be fun.

 

[aufheben]

Radulov just had a 72 point season.