Confirmed with Link: Kings announce signing kovalchuk to 3 year contract.

[KingsHockey24]

I mean they do hold all of the cards as far as his rights (in the event that he is reinstated), but it would be kind of a dick move to say "you're gonna play here or nowhere" unless they really want him.

That's exactly what they should be saying.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Kovalchuk could be the first 40+ goal scorer on the Kings in 25 years. Last one, I believe was Luc in 93-94, the year after the Cup appearance.

 

[The Butcher]

NJ was actually ok with it due to the financial mess they were in and how it made a sale easier with the contract off the books.

Teammates are probably a different story, but ownership liked it.

Source or link?

 

[KingsFan7824]

We still have 3 mil left to play with this year barring trades. We have a decent looking roster and still room for improvements. So far so good this offseason. I love Dion but he is the one guy I would be pro active with and see if a team would be interested in him if we retained 1.25 mil. Dion at a 4 mil a year cap hit may interest some team.

That's still $4m for the next 3 years. What are you taking back or giving up to make that happen? Retention alone probably isn't enough.

Anyone nervous about this deal? Over 6 million for a 35 year old? The Gaborik contract was an anchor at 4-5 million and he was only one year older than Kovy. I get we haven’t seen Kovy in the NHL in a few years and Gaborik has gone down hill but still...

There's risk regardless of what gets done. There's no perfect thing to do. Kovalchuk cost nothing but cap space, and if it doesn't work, then the Kings just keep not winning playoff games. No different than it's been lately. Take the chance, there's plenty of time to rebuild if it doesn't work. A process that has its own risks involved.

Same reason a couple pending UFA's get traded. Someone might want early negotiation rights? Rieder isn't that great but he's still young. Someone might take a chance on it. And then someone else will own his RFA rights where they'll get compensation if he chooses not to sign with them and they qualify him.

You would have to doubt anyone wants to quality him at his current number. Trading the rights of a straight UFA like Bishop is different than doing it with an average RFA 3rd line winger. There's no market for that. Especially since it's clear as day that once Kovalchuk came aboard, Rieder wasn't getting qualified.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Source or link?

The Devils' ownership issues and financial woes were very well documented during that time.

A Change in the Devils’ Owners, but Not in the Boss

Lamoriello had a rough 2012-13 season, which started with the loss through free agency of his captain, Zach Parise. The Devils missed the playoffs, and Ilya Kovalchuk, the top scorer, retired and returned to Russia. There were reports of missed loan repayments and late paychecks for players. Lamoriello reassured reporters Thursday that he would re-sign the club’s best young forward, Adam Henrique.

https://nypost.com/2013/06/17/devils-again-sliding-into-financial-mess/

The New Jersey Devils are again skating on very thin financial ice, The Post has learned.
The team’s cash-strapped owner, less than six months after restructuring its debt, has missed an interest payment and now risks defaulting on its new loan, a source with direct knowledge of the situation said.

The latest financial blow-up at Devils Arena Entertainment — a missed interest payment in April of nearly $3 million — has surprised those close to the once-proud NHL franchise.

“How can you do a restructuring Dec. 31 and default in April?” the source said. “It’s astounding.”
Devils Arena, which also operates the Prudential Center, the team’s home arena in Newark, owes lenders roughly $170 million.

At the end of 2012, Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek struck a deal to refinance the team’s debt and buy out his partners, ending months of wrangling. The agreement, which combined the debt of the team with that of Devils Arena Entertainment, was aimed at giving him two years to stabilize the finances.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Kovalchuk could be the first 40+ goal scorer on the Kings in 25 years. Last one, I believe was Luc in 93-94, the year after the Cup appearance.

Let's get to 30 before we worry about 40. Kovalchuk's last 40 goal year was 09-10. In his last 195 NHL games, which was 5-7 years ago, he averages 33 in 82 games.

 

[johnjm22]

Kovalchuk could be the first 40+ goal scorer on the Kings in 25 years. Last one, I believe was Luc in 93-94, the year after the Cup appearance.

That would be amazing, but I highly doubt it.

That said, Kovalchuk is the most pure offensive talent the organization has had since Palffy.

 

[cyclones22]

The Devils' ownership issues and financial woes were very well documented during that time.

A Change in the Devils’ Owners, but Not in the Boss


https://nypost.com/2013/06/17/devils-again-sliding-into-financial-mess/

Yeah, this wasn't even a secret back then. I remember them being relieved from getting out from under that massive contract.

 

[The Butcher]

The Devils' ownership issues and financial woes were very well documented during that time.

A Change in the Devils’ Owners, but Not in the Boss


https://nypost.com/2013/06/17/devils-again-sliding-into-financial-mess/

I couldn't find the part where they were relieved to lose their top player.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I couldn't find the part where they were relieved to lose their top player.

Did you miss the part about them being financially strapped and missing payments as well?

 

[The Butcher]

Did you miss the part about them being financially strapped and missing payments as well?

No. I certainly read that. But where is it written that they were happy to have their top scorer walk out on his contract? I'm not disputing their financial issues but you're asking me to read between the lines here. I know some pretty die hard devil fans that seem to remember how bad this move, along with parise departure, crippled this roster.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Am I reading correctly or Kings now have the highest payroll in the league? Ouch.

If I was Blake, I would be looking to dump a salary or two right about now.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Look. I'm all for celebrating our newest King and having some renewed hope in the team.

But ignoring that he walked out on a signed contract and left the devils twisting in the wind is not something I'm willing to forget. I think how you carry yourself and honoring your agreements is a big part of being a successful person. This is the kind of thing im referring to when I mention character flaws, not points or his performance in the 2012 playoffs.

Bah, nobody seems to care. Whatever.

Nobody cares because Kovalchuk "retiring" was a mutually beneficial decision that likely had the full blessing of Devils' management at the time. They were hemorrhaging real world dollars, and staring down a long rebuild. Kovalchuk's retirement was a massive blessing for the Devils, and it came right before a cap recapture penalty would have taken effect.

Lou had his fingerprints all over that decision. Kovalchuk didn't just up and leave on his own.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Am I reading correctly or Kings now have the highest payroll in the league? Ouch.

If I was Blake, I would be looking to dump a salary or two right about now.

The Kings have almost zero RFA's to sign. Wait a week and I'm sure most of the other teams will catch up.

 

[regulate]

The Kings have almost zero RFA's to sign. Wait a week and I'm sure most of the other teams will catch up.

True, the only one likely on the opening day roster that is a RFA is LaDue.

 

[lumbergh]

What’s the over/under on goals for Kovy in 2018-19? How about games played?

I’m gonna go with 27 goals and 73 games.

 

[Reclamation Project]

What’s the over/under on goals for Kovy in 2018-19? How about games played?

I’m gonna go with 27 goals and 73 games.

Goals - Over
Games - probably right around that. I was thinking 71-73.

 

[Brodeur]

Let's get to 30 before we worry about 40. Kovalchuk's last 40 goal year was 09-10. In his last 195 NHL games, which was 5-7 years ago, he averages 33 in 82 games.

One minor thing with Kovalchuk's last couple years with the Devils was that they made him switch to RW at even strength. Adam Oates was our assistant coach at the time and he somewhat adamant on righties playing the right side (Oates also did this as head coach in Washington with Ovechkin). Kovalchuk never did seem 100% comfortable playing RW.

And presumably Kovalchuk will have a better playmaking center in LA. With the Devils, he primarily had (a young) Adam Henrique or Travis Zajac. I think the offensive black hole known as Jacob Josefson got a few games centering Kovalchuk (as did Andrei Loktionov). The first half of 2010-11 was a small disaster as well. The Devils were thin on defense to begin with and then a rash of injuries hit. At some point we were calling up guys from the AHL who were 12th/13th on the depth chart before the season.

If you want to see a bad defense, pull up the Devils 2010-11 roster. The Devils had an awful start and everybody blamed Kovalchuk, but for some reason nobody pointed out the AHL caliber defense that couldn't break the puck out of the zone. When guys returned from injury (plus a much needed coaching change), Kovalchuk scored 18 goals in 34 games after the All-Star break.

We'll see how much Kovalchuk has left in the tank, but I just feel the need to point out that Kovalchuk wasn't necessarily optimized for offensive output during his time with the Devils.

 

[Legionnaire]

Watching the draft day interview and the subsequent signing, I can't tell you if it will work out, but I can tell you one thing - I would LOVE to play poker with/against Rob Blake.

 

[The Butcher]

Nobody cares because Kovalchuk "retiring" was a mutually beneficial decision that likely had the full blessing of Devils' management at the time. They were hemorrhaging real world dollars, and staring down a long rebuild. Kovalchuk's retirement was a massive blessing for the Devils, and it came right before a cap recapture penalty would have taken effect.

Lou had his fingerprints all over that decision. Kovalchuk didn't just up and leave on his own.

If that's the case why were they offering 100 million for Parise just prior to his departure?

Really a lot of conjecture and speculation 6 years after the fact. Listen to the fans when we play in NJ next season, I think that will speak for itself.

 

[BigKing]

If that's the case why were they offering 100 million for Parise just prior to his departure?

Really a lot of conjecture and speculation 6 years after the fact. Listen to the fans when we play in NJ next season, I think that will speak for itself.

I don't believe they were looking to sell the team at the time they were trying to keep Parise.

Even if ownership was fine with it, I don't expect the fans to necessarily be cool with it since that was the final nail in the coffin for them sucking for a long stretch of time. Even with Kovalchuk, they missed the playoffs in 2013.

The big "F You" was Parise leaving. He was their captain and wound up walking with nothing to show for it immediately after making the SCFs.

I dislike Blake even though management/ownership low balled him and could have handled his contract negotiations much better. I feel it is the same type of thing here since it isn't the Devils fans' money: all they care about is the product on the ice and will feel upset if someone walks away from them.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

What’s the over/under on goals for Kovy in 2018-19? How about games played?

I’m gonna go with 27 goals and 73 games.

I’m actually gonna say over on the goals but under on the games played.

29-27-56 in 70 games played.

 

[Stimpythecat]

Do we know if Kovalchuk has a NTC or NMC? I would hope not.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Do we know if Kovalchuk has a NTC or NMC? I would hope not.

We'll probably know July 1.

 

[damacles1156]

Do we know if Kovalchuk has a NTC or NMC? I would hope not.

Probably not going to matter due to his age. No one is taking that contract if Kovi comes in and stinks it up.