OT: Kovy retires? What?

[RedWingsNow*]

Anyone wondering if the Devils and Kovy met behind the scenes here to hash this out? I sure am.
Devils are in terrible shape and get out of a deal right when it's about to punch them in the gut.
Maybe they don't raise a stink with the IIHF if Kovy comes back and plays in the KHL

 

[ricky0034]

Anyone wondering if the Devils and Kovy met behind the scenes here to hash this out? I sure am.
Devils are in terrible shape and get out of a deal right when it's about to punch them in the gut.
Maybe they don't raise a stink with the IIHF if Kovy comes back and plays in the KHL

Lamoriello quote from the Devils twitter:

Lou Lamoriello: "After many conversations with Ilya over the past year on his desire to retire from the National Hockey League...

Lamoriello (cont.): "...Ilya’s decision became official today."

https://twitter.com/NHLDevilsPR

 

[InjuredChoker]

Anyone wondering if the Devils and Kovy met behind the scenes here to hash this out? I sure am.
Devils are in terrible shape and get out of a deal right when it's about to punch them in the gut.
Maybe they don't raise a stink with the IIHF if Kovy comes back and plays in the KHL

Yeah but they have to give up first round pick this year, though Lou might battle hard for that.

 

[ProPAIN]

1. So cap recapture is just $250k for 11 years. Not that big of a deal.

2. Have they used their compliance buyouts? Can't they just use it next year?

3. Apart from sucking for a couple of years, what other implications does this mean for NJ?

 

[Heaton]

1. So cap recapture is just $250k for 11 years. Not that big of a deal.

2. Have they used their compliance buyouts? Can't they just use it next year?

3. Apart from sucking for a couple of years, what other implications does this mean for NJ?

Wouldn't the buyout be for a ton more than the cap recapture?

 

[Vladdy84]

The Devils could use the leadership and never quit attitude of Daniel Cleary. Daniel will never leave you Lou!

 

[Heaton]

IMO this will go down as one of the worst contracts in the history of sports.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Oh, so we're not talking about a full retirement. We're talking about a retirement from the NHL so he can go to the KHL. I get it now.

 

[Henkka]

Just watch Lamoriello signing Damien Brunner after this...

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

But get this: the Devils will be just brutal without Kovalchuk, AND they have to forfeit next year's pick. Lou just got screwed.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

Lou should go sign Grabovski Morrow and Brunner

 

[RedWingsNow*]

But get this: the Devils will be just brutal without Kovalchuk, AND they have to forfeit next year's pick. Lou just got screwed.

how bad did they really get screwed?
Add a first round pick to whatever it was they traded.

 

[Henkka]

But get this: the Devils will be just brutal without Kovalchuk, AND they have to forfeit next year's pick. Lou just got screwed.

Naah... Don Lou will get things worked out...


Grabovski, Brunner, Jagr, he will find the right pieces, he just got 6.5 million more capspace.

 

[Heaton]

Lou should go sign Grabovski Morrow and Brunner

With their financial woes I wonder if they could afford more than one of them.

 

[InjuredChoker]

With their financial woes I wonder if they could afford more than one of them.

Well Kovy was about make about as much as signing all those guys would make next year.

 

[mindfly]

Imagine if Datsyuk did this to the wings...

 

[Heaton]

Well Kovy was about make about as much as signing all those guys would make next year.

And there's speculation that's a factor why he retired.

 

[InjuredChoker]

And there's speculation that's a factor why he retired.

I dunno now man. Seems little far-fetched to me.

I know Devils financial situation isn't the best and I'm by no means an expert on that area, but I recall reading that thread on business board and they didn't seem to be on a THAT bad spot.

 

[Henkka]

Don Lou solves things tomorrow...

FORWARDS
Patrik Elias ($5.500m) / Travis Zajac ($5.750m) / Michael Ryder ($3.500m)
Ryane Clowe ($4.850m) / Adam Henrique ($4.000m) / Damien Brunner ($3.500m)
Dainius Zubrus ($3.100m) / Andrei Loktionov ($0.725m) / Jaromir Jagr ($3.000m) (+1.500 bonus money)
Rostislav Olesz ($1.000m) / Ryan Carter ($0.775m) / Steve Bernier ($0.775m)
Krystofer Barch ($0.750m) / Stephen Gionta ($0.563m)

DEFENSEMEN
Andy Greene ($3.000m) / Marek Zidlicky ($4.000m)
Bryce Salvador ($3.167m) / Mark Fayne ($1.300m)
Anton Volchenkov ($4.250m) / Adam Larsson ($0.925m)
Peter Harrold ($0.800m)

GOALTENDERS
Martin Brodeur ($4.500m)
Cory Schneider ($4.000m)

OTHER
Buyout: Trent Hunter ($0.667m)
Buyout: Eric Boulton ($0.250m)
Buyout: Ilya Kovalchuk ($0.250m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $66,145,834; BONUSES: $2,800,000
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): 1,204,156

 

[InjuredChoker]

Kovy was (is) one of my favorite players to watch. One of the most talented players in NHL.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Dmitry Chesnokov ‏@dchesnokov 49 s
Source close to Kovalchuk said he saw it coming. Most likely Kovalchuk will play for SKA. I am told major announcement will come very soon.

 

[mindfly]

Kovy was (is) one of my favorite players to watch. One of the most talented players in NHL.

So much talent, so little heart.... (when not playing for Team Russia)

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Jeremy Roenick ‏@Jeremy_Roenick 4m
Hey Ilya hope u live comfortably in Russia w the money u made from the 23 million u stole from the devils Again I'm right in my analysis

and before that from Roenick

I'm so irate right now. I feel bad for Lou lamoriello. Gave a 100 million dollar contract to a player who has no care for the NHL!

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Dmitry Chesnokov ‏@dchesnokov 49 s
Source close to Kovalchuk said he saw it coming. Most likely Kovalchuk will play for SKA. I am told major announcement will come very soon.

If he signs in SKA for this season, the league has to challenge his eligibility and force the IIHF suspension.

Seems mean, but they have to do it to protect themselves.

He must sit out the full season.

He can show up to the Olympics without playing there, but they simply cannot allow him to suit up in the KHL this year, it sets an absolutely dreadful precedence.

 

[mindfly]

I hope IIHF ban him from the olympics, that would be funny.