News Around the League Part III: Stretch run time
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AfroThunder396
[citation needed]
If he in fact terminates his contract and comes back, I assure you the league will allow it. Whether NJ wants him or trades his rights is another story.
Kovalchuk returning = money for the league. And that's what Bettman wants.
Kovalchuk returning = money for the league. And that's what Bettman wants.
Zippy316
aka Zippo
Doesn't really bother me.
If he does, he isn't the player he once was. He's slowed down a lot due to injuries. He will likely still has his skills -- great passer, stick handler, and elite shot -- but he's a much slower player.
I find it funny cause he would be exactly what this team needs right now. A top six RW and it would move Stempniak to the third line. Wouldn't be a go-to guy anymore either.
ForeverJerseyGirl
Registered User
He deserves it. He chose to leave NHL hockey, walking out on a big contract early on. Let him live with the consequences of his decision.
Certainly, I don't want him in a Devils uniform again. He's already hurt this team once by quitting on it, and we're just starting to recover from that this season. Why give him that chance to set us back again? I'd be okay with trading his rights or whatever so we can get value out of him, but I never want to see him as a Devil again. Let some other GM make the mistake of trusting him when he has proven utterly unreliable. Kovy still thinks that he can walk out on contracts whenever he wants. That tells you all you need to know about how trustworthy he is. Never rely on someone who has shown a willingness to walk out on you at whim.
Zippy316
aka Zippo
ScottyK
Hi, I'm mat.
ForeverJerseyGirl
Registered User
Kovy did some good things as a Devil. Then he erased a lot of that good by leaving in the way that he did. I don't want him back, especially now that he is slower and not as elite a player as he was. We can trade his rights, but I don't want him back on this team.
Cheddabombs
Status Quo
- Mar 13, 2012
- 24,739
- 31,559
I miss having an elite player
Doesn't necessarily need to be Kovy but just someone with the gamebreaking talent he had.
Feed Me A Stray Cat
Registered User
Kovy's 11-12 was one of the best, if not the best, by a Devils forward ever.
He also showed a lot of heart and guts for being our highest scoring playoff forward despite playing with a herniated disc.
I personally don't give a crap that he retired, since he's a human being and has a right to do what makes him and his wife happy (and also does not owe me or any other fan anything).
He also showed a lot of heart and guts for being our highest scoring playoff forward despite playing with a herniated disc.
I personally don't give a crap that he retired, since he's a human being and has a right to do what makes him and his wife happy (and also does not owe me or any other fan anything).
Zippy316
aka Zippo
Let's just conveniently ignore him putting the team on his back in the 2011-12 season. Let's ignore him playing pretty well during the playoffs considering he was clearly injured.
You want to complain about the way he left fine, but I don't think you can question what he did when he was on the team. His errors are more of a result from him always being a part of the play. For every egregious mistake, there was 20 great plays he made.
You want to complain about the way he left fine, but I don't think you can question what he did when he was on the team. His errors are more of a result from him always being a part of the play. For every egregious mistake, there was 20 great plays he made.
NJDevs26
Once upon a time...
- Mar 21, 2007
- 67,441
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What kind of money for the league? Kovalchuk never moved the needle in terms of TV ratings and jersey sales from casual fans.
JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
- 66,192
- 28,543
I get to ignore 1 season since this entire board completely makes believe 2011 and 2013 never happened either.
We won in 2012 because Parise came back to the lineup and Zajac got healthy just in time. In fact that playoff run, Zajac had 1 few goal than Kovalchuk, Parise had the same amount....Think about that for a moment, Zajac had 1 fewer goal than Kovalchuk.
ScottyK
Hi, I'm mat.
Did Zajac and Parise have blown disks in their backs that needed injections to play ? Also wasn't half of Zach's goals empty netters ?
NJDevs26
Once upon a time...
- Mar 21, 2007
- 67,441
- 31,780
Elias had two that were easily better, well one and a half. And Kovalchuk didn't 'retire', he walked out on a signed contract to play elsewhere, he didn't leave as a FA...big difference.
ForeverJerseyGirl
Registered User
He didn't retire. He left to play hockey in another league while he still had a contract with obligations in this one. If he had just retired from hockey or signed a short-term contract and left after finishing it, my opinion would be different. Sorry he left like a *******, and that absolutely shapes my view of him, especially as he's about to try to do the same thing he did to the Devils with another team.
I don't want anything to do with him. It's like going back to a spouse who divorced you for somebody they thought was hotter once that former spouse realizes that hottie isn't so cute after all. Why put yourself in that situation again? You were lucky to be rid of that weasel the first time. Don't put them back in your life again.
He had an obligation to honor his contract. He didn't do it. All excuses for him are silly, since if he didn't want to be in the NHL or in NJ, he should've signed a shorter term contract or not one at all. People who don't keep their promises and just chase money deserve to be labeled as the trash that they are.
NJDevs26
Once upon a time...
- Mar 21, 2007
- 67,441
- 31,780
It's a bit of a straw man argument, of course the Russian is still better at hockey than our back end guys. It's everything else attached to him that's why I don't want him - his unreliability in actually living up to contracts, his cost (if you think he's coming back on NHL minimum you're mistaken), the fact he'll want to play LW and not RW, and just...THIS. There's always been and will always continue to be so much drama around this player, and his play doesn't merit going through the drama anymore. Especially if he is leaving Russia cause of being petulant and not following coach's rules. You think he's going to listen to John Hynes and his one year of coaching when he didn't listen to Zubov or anyone else that isn't in Toronto right now?
Richer's Ghost
Bourbonite
Kovalchuk did not retire. Let's not pretend he did. He filed paperwork to play elsewhere for more money and walk out on a contract - a contract that cost the Devils draft picks and money at the worst time possible with his demands for an outrageously long contract to boot.
Forgive me if I don't categorize him as "courageous" in his actions either then or now. Everyone plays hurt - especially in the playoffs. Not everyone bails on their contract and team for more money just because it's convenient.
Fool me once... shame on you.
Fool me twice... shame on me.
Forgive me if I don't categorize him as "courageous" in his actions either then or now. Everyone plays hurt - especially in the playoffs. Not everyone bails on their contract and team for more money just because it's convenient.
Fool me once... shame on you.
Fool me twice... shame on me.
When an NHL star who left for the KHL then comes back to the NHL, you take him back no questions asked.
I don't have the time to list the amount of positives from him coming back (both for NJ and the League), and the only negative I could think of is ******** fans whining.
Basically, if Bettman tells the GM's to accept him back, they will. These notions that teams like NYR won't cause it's a threat to them is silly, this isn't picking teams for dodgeball in elementary school.
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