Kovalchuk Announces His Retirement

[pnjunction]

According to wikipedia regarding the KHL:

The salary cap changed from a soft cap to a hard cap, set at 1.1 billion rubles (approx. US$36.5 million), but each club can waive the cap for one player transferred directly from the NHL, if he is eligible to play for the Russian national team.

Doesn't seem like he'll make much of the $56M he was slated to make over the next 5 years back unless he falls under that transfer rule...

 

[Deebo]

According to wikipedia regarding the KHL:

The salary cap changed from a soft cap to a hard cap, set at 1.1 billion rubles (approx. US$36.5 million), but each club can waive the cap for one player transferred directly from the NHL, if he is eligible to play for the Russian national team.

Doesn't seem like he'll make much of the $56M he was slated to make over the next 5 years back unless he falls under that transfer rule...

It seems like he does fall under that rule though.

 

[Beowulf]

Sure must suck to be a the Devils fan right now.

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

Down Goes Brown ‏@DownGoesBrown 1m
(Sees headline "Ex-Devil winger walks away from huge multimillion dollar contract".) (Clicks link while muttering "Please be Clarkson...")

I chuckled.

I would've gone for "Can't justify his contract without Clarkson to pad his stats" but I'm neither as intelligent or as funny as DGB.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Lots of comments about how while it might be short term on-ice pain for the Devils, getting out from under that deal might be the best thing long-term for the financial stability of the team.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

According to wikipedia regarding the KHL:

The salary cap changed from a soft cap to a hard cap, set at 1.1 billion rubles (approx. US$36.5 million), but each club can waive the cap for one player transferred directly from the NHL, if he is eligible to play for the Russian national team.

Doesn't seem like he'll make much of the $56M he was slated to make over the next 5 years back unless he falls under that transfer rule...

It was reported that he made about $15mil in the KHL during the lockout, and that he could make $15-20mil if he signed there now.

 

[dappleganger]

Two questions

1) what happens with the pick they lose? Is the first round just 29 picks next year?

2) can he play in the KHL? The ESPN article I've read says he is retiring from the NHL. The wording makes me suspicious

The wording is suspicious to me as well, but is there a reason that no one is saying he's leaving the NHL to play in the KHL?

 

[Kin]

So, here's a question...how does this work CBA wise? I mean, if the contract with the Devils really sucked(not just was bad and too long) could he just walk away like this with the team's ok provided he play overseas? Or does this effectively mean that Kovalchuk can never return to the NHL because in doing so the contract would have to be reinstated?

I mean, I never bought the idea that the contract was itself a terrible one but it does seem like the Devils have stumbled upon a way to get out deals here.

 

[bustaheims]

The wording is suspicious to me as well, but is there a reason that no one is saying he's leaving the NHL to play in the KHL?

No one is saying it on an official level because it's not official yet. He hasn't signed with a KHL or given any indication that he intends to. While it is the likely outcome of this situation, until it becomes certain that it's happening, no one is going to come out and say for sure that it's happening. A number of people are speculating about just that, though.

 

[Jolly good show chaps]

Two questions

1) what happens with the pick they lose? Is the first round just 29 picks next year?

2) can he play in the KHL? The ESPN article I've read says he is retiring from the NHL. The wording makes me suspicious

The wording is suspicious to me as well, but is there a reason that no one is saying he's leaving the NHL to play in the KHL?

ESPN now saying he will play for the St Petersburg team in the KHL next season. I knew that 'retiring from the NHL' would result in something like this.

 

[Frank E]

That sucks, I liked his game.

 

[pmrules]

Ilya gets to go home AND make more money.  I wouldn't be surprised if more follow in his (and Komorov and Radulov etc.) footsteps over the next few years.

Ilya is arguably a top 10 talent in the NHL...says a lot about the KHL attractiveness factor.

 

[Mot the Barber]

1. Wants to play at home.
2. Will probably make more money in KHL
3. NJD will benefit from this too with their financial instability.
4. You can bet your ass Lou saw an opportunity and was partially behind this.  He's very cunning.

 

[bustaheims]

1. Wants to play at home.
2. Will probably make more money in KHL
3. NJD will benefit from this too with their financial instability.
4. You can bet your ass Lou saw an opportunity and was partially behind this.  He's very cunning.

I'm not sure I'd call taking the opportunity to lose your best player for absolutely nothing and, in fact, incur a small penalty for the next 12 years on top of the draft pick they have to sacrifice for signing him the first place cunning. I think Lou's rep has been over-stated, and recent years have made him look much less like the genius he's been made out to be. He's lost important piece after important piece over the last 8 years, and done little to nothing to adequately replace them. Niedermayer, Stevens, Rafalski, Gionta, Parise, Clarkson and, now, Kovalchuk, all left with nothing in return and no real replacements. Meanwhile, he's overpaid for Clowe and Volchenkov, and has a team that is now led by the likes of Zajac and Zubrus. The bloom is of the LouLam rose, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[riff raff]

It certainly appears (suspiciously) that the Devils did very little to impede Kovalchuk on his way back to Russia. Financially this helps them. On the ice? We'll see.

I have to say this annoys me. This contract played a large part in bringing about the most recent lockout. It burns me that the parties can just walk away from it now.

Also, with respect to Lou's "genius" - a lot of it was built on having Brodeur as his goaltender and a string of coaches that played the trap. I will give him credit for finding loopholes for his mistakes - he was the first to send a bad contract to the minors for cap relief (Mogilny).

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

I'm not sure I'd call taking the opportunity to lose your best player for absolutely nothing and, in fact, incur a small penalty for the next 12 years on top of the draft pick they have to sacrifice for signing him the first place cunning. I think Lou's rep has been over-stated, and recent years have made him look much less like the genius he's been made out to be. He's lost important piece after important piece over the last 8 years, and done little to nothing to adequately replace them. Niedermayer, Stevens, Rafalski, Gionta, Parise, Clarkson and, now, Kovalchuk, all left with nothing in return and no real replacements. Meanwhile, he's overpaid for Clowe and Volchenkov, and has a team that is now led by the likes of Zajac and Zubrus. The bloom is of the LouLam rose, as far as I'm concerned.

By most accounts, Clarkson leaving is a blessing for the Devils.

 

[bustaheims]

By most accounts, Clarkson leaving is a blessing for the Devils.

Well, he was still an important piece for them - and one that, according to reports from people in the know, they tried extremely hard to retain.

 

[ZBBM]

The Devils in a tough spot, are they?  Good.

And I agree Busta, Lamoriello is just a bit overrated. 

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

I'm sorry, but I'm going to skip the sentimentality.

What. An. Arsehole.

You made a big deal out of the money you were making, out of your contract situation, you get one of the longest contracts in the history of ever, and now you just want to go home?

Sorry, you signed the contract. You can't just choose not to play anymore. That's complete crap. It's you're own fault you put yourself into that long-term, binding agreement.

Seriously. What an ass. I get it, he wants to go home to Russia with his family. But at the end of the day, he just doesn't want to be in America, so he's quitting and biting the hand that fed him.

Yes I know it's his right, blah blah blah, doesn't make it any less of a douche move.

 

[Kin]

I'm not sure I'd call taking the opportunity to lose your best player for absolutely nothing and, in fact, incur a small penalty for the next 12 years on top of the draft pick they have to sacrifice for signing him the first place cunning. I think Lou's rep has been over-stated, and recent years have made him look much less like the genius he's been made out to be. He's lost important piece after important piece over the last 8 years, and done little to nothing to adequately replace them. Niedermayer, Stevens, Rafalski, Gionta, Parise, Clarkson and, now, Kovalchuk, all left with nothing in return and no real replacements. Meanwhile, he's overpaid for Clowe and Volchenkov, and has a team that is now led by the likes of Zajac and Zubrus. The bloom is of the LouLam rose, as far as I'm concerned.

While I agree that he's done a lousy job in the post-cap world I wonder how much the team is negatively impacted by the financial situation with the owners. If they're operating in a tough spot scouting wise it could explain some of the bad results.