Kovalchuk: Would you accept him back? (Mod Note Post 293)

[tycobb]

These are totally different situations.

The owners signed a contract and when it ended they wanted to renegotiate, that's not quitting. Kovalchuk was at the beginning of a 15 year commitment when he signed the dotted line. Completely different.

So when his contract payout changed is that quitting on the previous contract?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

oh boohoooooo I made $8 million last year and this year I'm only going to make $7.75 million wahhhhhhh

get lost.

 

[Officer Rod Farva]

So when his contract payout changed is that quitting on the previous contract?

Too bad his salary never changed...but knock your socks off kid.

Dude quit on the team even before he could at least help us not give up a top 10 pick. How can you do something like that to someone or an organization that put it's neck out for you? We got some pretty ridiculous fines for that nonsense.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Oh god, this thread again?

I still like Kovy but why are we rehashing this conversation over and over?

 

[Colin226]

Oh god, this thread again?

I still like Kovy but why are we rehashing this conversation over and over?

'Cause it's the song that never endssss!! It just goes on and on my friendsss!!!

But really...

 

[Missionhockey]

So when his contract payout changed is that quitting on the previous contract?

Renegotiating after a contract ends and breaking contract are two separate things. It's not worth arguing if you don't get it.

Oh god, this thread again?

I still like Kovy but why are we rehashing this conversation over and over?

Probably because some people think he's justified in what he did. My opinion is that Kovalchuk acted like a spoiled brat. If he wanted to go to the KHL he had every opportunity to do so when he was a free agent.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

Oh god, this thread again?

I still like Kovy but why are we rehashing this conversation over and over?

we're not contaminating the out of town thread with this old girlfriend stuff.

 

[OOOOIIIO]

oh boohoooooo I made $8 million last year and this year I'm only going to make $7.75 million wahhhhhhh

get lost.

Im curious how you would feel being told you will now make 7.5% less money at your job, and because of a contract you have few options to change positions and no hope of your pay going up.

 

[NJDevs26]

It's hilarious to compare Kovy leaving with the lockout. As if people love Bettman for constantly locking out the sport lol. Besides they make zero money when they lock out and risk alienating fans and sponsors.

Kovy would have to be making >$6 million in Russia to be getting paid less than he did here, cause they're still paying him tax free.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Im curious how you would feel being told you will now make 7.5% less money at your job, and because of a contract you have few options to change positions and no hope of your pay going up.

so because of that, its OK to just quit on a contract and abandon a team that bent over backwards to sign you and give you everything you wanted?

by the way, he KNEW that the CBA was ending and that that was a possibility. if he was really that worried about it, he would have signed a 3 year deal (or whatever it would have been).

 

[NJDevs26]

Im curious how you would feel being told you will now make 7.5% less money at your job, and because of a contract you have few options to change positions and no hope of your pay going up.

Did Lou and the Devils lock out Kovalchuk? His contractual obligation was to them, not Bettman or Fehr. It was collectively bargained for, if he wants to complain just ring up Gary and Don.

 

[tycobb]

It's hilarious to compare Kovy leaving with the lockout. As if people love Bettman for constantly locking out the sport lol. Besides they make zero money when they lock out and risk alienating fans and sponsors.

Kovy would have to be making >$6 million in Russia to be getting paid less than he did here, cause they're still paying him tax free.

Kovy isn't likely to be getting paid in Dollars.

The RUB-USD is down ~25% over the last 2 years.

 

[Bleedred]

The Kovy hate is funny. The Russian ruble has been crashing. He is probably making less money there then he would be making in the NHL. I wish him the best. He tried his best when he was with the club and nearly got us another cup.

I also find it funny that people think Kovy injury was so serious that he wasn't going to be the player that we signed him to be. Looks to be on pace for a solid season and seems undeniable that he will come back to the NHL by the time he is 35. Sooner if the NHL/KHL agree to a transfer policy.

Guy made a personal decision. Why are people so upset?

Devils most popular player today was hated by his ex clubs. People claiming he gave up on the team. He went to the KHL, came back, and is beloved.

I don't hate the guy. I just wish we could find something better to talk about than his KHL stat line, or bumping 320 day old threads.

 

[Bleedred]

Im curious how you would feel being told you will now make 7.5% less money at your job, and because of a contract you have few options to change positions and no hope of your pay going up.

Well boo hoo to him. What about the other almost 700 players who sucked it up? They lost money too. How come they didn't take out their frustrations and bolt to an inferior league for more money?

 

[Cowbell232]

Mod Note:

No one bumped this thread. This stuff was cluttering up other threads, so it was merged here.

If you don't want to post or see this thread, use the ignore button! Otherwise you're going to get warned/infracted. Period.

 

[Bleedred]

Mod Note:

No one bumped this thread. This stuff was cluttering up other threads, so it was merged here.

If you don't want to post or see this thread, use the ignore button! Otherwise you're going to get warned/infracted. Period.

My apologies to tycobb then.

I still don't see why the merc is such a hot topic though.

 

[Nemec]

Oh god, this thread again?

I still like Kovy but why are we rehashing this conversation over and over?

Love it when this is necro-threaded.
At least it's not me this time doing it.

 

[Balance]

The Kovalchuk hate is so unreasonable considering that 10 out of 10 people would do the same thing he did. Make more money in your home country, have everyone treat you like a hero compared to the US where it was unreasonable criticism, and play less games and spend time with your family and friends.

By the way, Lou AGREED to let him go. If Lou said no, he wouldn't be playing hockey in the KHL currently. So it was a mutual agreement, end of story. Kovalchuk didn't just leave on a plane and go to the KHL, he finished the lockout season and left.

He was not only the best forward the Devils have ever had (and his 2011-2012 season along with the second half of 2011 the best any NJ player ever produced) but he was so humble and kind. He was treated so wrongly here after the John Maclean incident and he won over the fan's hearts. There's a reason that most of the arena was filled with Kovy jerseys and it wasn't only because of how good he was but his character at the same time.

 

[Missionhockey]

The Kovalchuk hate is so unreasonable considering that 10 out of 10 people would do the same thing he did. Make more money in your home country, have everyone treat you like a hero compared to the US where it was unreasonable criticism, and play less games and spend time with your family and friends.

By the way, Lou AGREED to let him go. If Lou said no, he wouldn't be playing hockey in the KHL currently. So it was a mutual agreement, end of story. Kovalchuk didn't just leave on a plane and go to the KHL, he finished the lockout season and left.

He was not only the best forward the Devils have ever had (and his 2011-2012 season along with the second half of 2011 the best any NJ player ever produced) but he was so humble and kind. He was treated so wrongly here after the John Maclean incident and he won over the fan's hearts. There's a reason that most of the arena was filled with Kovy jerseys and it wasn't only because of how good he was but his character at the same time.

Lou had an owner who couldn't afford to pay the players on time and was defaulting on loans, you don't think getting rid of Kovalchuk's $10 million in actual cash helped alleviate some of that?

Also, I have no problem saying Kovalchuk was the most talented forward the Devils have ever had, but he was not the best forward the Devils have ever had. That distinction goes to Patrik Elias.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

The Kovalchuk hate is so unreasonable considering that 10 out of 10 people would do the same thing he did. Make more money in your home country, have everyone treat you like a hero compared to the US where it was unreasonable criticism, and play less games and spend time with your family and friends.

.

No... I wouldn't have signed the damn contract to begin with if that's how I felt.

 

[NJDevs26]

The Kovalchuk hate is so unreasonable considering that 10 out of 10 people would do the same thing he did. Make more money in your home country, have everyone treat you like a hero compared to the US where it was unreasonable criticism, and play less games and spend time with your family and friends.

And he couldn't have done this in 2010 when he was, you know, a FREE AGENT? I don't remember you guys defending Brent Sutter this way and he essentially did the same thing (weasel out of a contract to go home) minus the pay bump

He was not only the best forward the Devils have ever had (and his 2011-2012 season along with the second half of 2011 the best any NJ player ever produced) but he was so humble and kind. He was treated so wrongly here after the John Maclean incident and he won over the fan's hearts. There's a reason that most of the arena was filled with Kovy jerseys and it wasn't only because of how good he was but his character at the same time.

I don't even want to argue this cause I'm going to go over the top if I do...but this is definitely a tinted view of things, to put it mildly.

 

[devilsblood]

The Kovalchuk hate is so unreasonable considering that 10 out of 10 people would do the same thing he did. Make more money in your home country, have everyone treat you like a hero compared to the US where it was unreasonable criticism, and play less games and spend time with your family and friends.

10 out of 10 would bail out on a contract that they signed in good faith? No way.

By the way, Lou AGREED to let him go. If Lou said no, he wouldn't be playing hockey in the KHL currently. So it was a mutual agreement, end of story. Kovalchuk didn't just leave on a plane and go to the KHL, he finished the lockout season and left.

Part of this was fact that Devils were broke, part of this I believe is Lou saying "you don't want to be here? well then get the eff out"

He was not only the best forward the Devils have ever had (and his 2011-2012 season along with the second half of 2011 the best any NJ player ever produced) but he was so humble and kind. He was treated so wrongly here after the John Maclean incident and he won over the fan's hearts. There's a reason that most of the arena was filled with Kovy jerseys and it wasn't only because of how good he was but his character at the same time.

Better then Parise's 08-09 and 09-10 seasons? Better then Elias in the 99-00 and 00-01 seasons?

And "he was so humble and kind"? Whats that all about.

 

[NJDevs26]

And what would have been the purpose of tolling the contract anyway, spite? Then he would have eventually reported to get paid and been a disinsterested floater getting paid a billion dollars on an untradeable contract. Plus like others said we didn't exactly have the finances at that point to dare Kovy to report.

 

[Balance]

Well due to the fact of another lockout Kovy got to play in the KHL for the first time so he didn't sign in the first place because he played in the NHL his whole life. It's also considering the fact that NJ did give him the contract that was most financially secure for his future.

After the lockout he was offered a lot more by the KHL because he was really popular in the country and it was noticed by the team. He felt comfortable playing there and it all contributed to his departure. Yes, if you were in Kovy's shoes you would do the same exact thing. It's funny how owners have the right to break up contracts by buying players out but if a player goes ahead and gets MUTUAL AGREEMENT with the ownership to leave the league he somehow is violating something. He didn't violate anything, the owners let him go and he had very good reason to good. You can only go against that because you have the bias of being a fan on a team and not being the individual involved. Family vs. a contract that was already tampered with by the owners after the lockout? I'll go with family like most loving people would.

And come on, I will give you an Elias season being better (although he did get to play with 2 top players that had great chemistry with him) but an no point did Parise even come close to Kovy's play. It's like the Patrick Kane vs. Johnathan Toews debate (however their levels of play are a lot more closer in terms of skill) wherein Kane is just more dominant on the ice than Toews. Yet, Toews is overrated and more people consider him better. Parise never came close to what Kovy did, there is a reason this team went first to second round exists constantly in the playoffs where Parise never elevated his game in the playoffs while Kovalchuk elevated himself to another level without a back.

 

[ajdevjet]

it's all business, nothing personal , I would take him back in a heartbeat