307 replies to this topic

[hystyk28]

Double post.

Edited by hystyk28, 09 January 2013 - 02:17 AM.

[hystyk28]

This is my exact thought. This Sochi issue was a big elephant in the room the both the NHL and the PA consiously avoided during negotiations for good reason. The Rusian guys may be willing to play in the K for a few years and then come back. All these guys are very patriotic and I understand how they feel wronged in that the NHL will shut down for the Olympics in Canada and
the US, but not Russia. The negotiating is continuing so to speak. Until the ink dry on this understanding paperwork, I still feel unsettled.

[maxpower]

This has nothing to do with the Olympics. If it was about the Olympics, they'd stay home en masse. That hissy fit is coming next year, I'm guessing if the NHL doesn't go, they'll just walk-out midseason like soccer players called up for national team. It's looking more except for a couple of old guys, (and in Visnovsky's case, the Isles might be okay with it, cheap as they are) the only person potentially waffling is Kovy.

[Joonas #6]

Come on guys, This Is Team. Kovy will be back.

EDIT:

@dchesnokov

The KHL published new rosters for the ASG. No NHLers are on it. Another indication Kovalchuk and anyone else left are on their way back.

Edited by Joonas #6, 09 January 2013 - 07:13 AM.

[SterioDesign]

RT @SlavaMalamud: KHL has published the new, revised All Star lineups. None of the NHLers are on them. Except Ilya Kovalchuk. #NJDevils

alright what is that crap

[Devil Dan 56]

Yep. Kovy is on the roster. I wonder if he's planning on coming back Monday.

[NJDevs4978]

He better hope the PA drags its feet even more on ratification, otherwise he's getting fined the first couple days of camp he misses, and I wouldn't give him the C we all expected him to get. At least not this year.

[SterioDesign]

http://www.khl.ru/ne.../1/9/57152.html

apparently it's saying on this site that he's playing Sunday

[DevilMinder]

Sunday there is Saturday evening here right?

[MadDog2020]

Yeah, re: the KHL all-star game- fvck that. Kovy better be on a plane back to NJ the second the CBA is ratified, or Lou better raise absolute holy hell. I've had it, how come this sh!t only seems to happen with OUR players?

He better hope the PA drags its feet even more on ratification, otherwise he's getting fined the first couple days of camp he misses, and I wouldn't give him the C we all expected him to get. At least not this year.

. If he misses even one second of camp, the C is completely out of the question. Give it to Salvador.

[SterioDesign]

i mean as much its frustrating for a NJ fan and how stressed i am that he wouldnt come back at all... im pretty sure he will and to be fair to him. He's a captain there, playing in his country in front of his family and friends i assume and he must be real proud and don't want to let them down as if the KHL was just a rebound and as soon as the ex is calling you, you come back crawling as if nothing happened... im sure Kovy is pissed at the NHL (not at the Devils) and that if he wants to leave the KHL on a good note and like a captain to his team and show that he really cared i guess thats the thing to do. The NHL made all players and workers wait and wait on their greediness, well im glad Kovy is like... "well fvck you, you think im gonna come back crawling asap? I'll do what i have to do and i'll be back in time."

that being said... get your ass down here as soon that game is over Bud

[Chuck the Duck]

It's amazing how quickly he can destroyed all the good will he created last year with the fans. It seems to me that this is all about money, and he's pissed that he will only get a prorated portion of his salary for this season because of the lockout. If he wants to send a message, he's dealing with the wrong GM for that as I highly doubt Lou will stand for his BS.

I love watching him play, and not having him will kill this team, but if he wants to stay there, let him...as long as he is banned from all future international competitions (including the Olympics) and the Devils have all penalties regarding his signing revoked when they void his contract. I don't want any player who doesn't want to be a NJ Devil on this team.

[Jerzey Devil]

Let him play the ASG. What's the big deal? He's earned that. The NHL isn't coming back till the 19th.

If he plans on staying there forever fvck him though.

[mikepeluso8]

fvck Kovalclaims. No way we give him the Captain after this debacle, he is showing no leadership, no commitment to the team and no commitment to the league.

[DJ Eco]

fvck Kovalclaims. No way we give him the Captain after this debacle, he is showing no leadership, no commitment to the team and no commitment to the league.

On the contrary, he's actually showing some admirable leadership-quality backbone and class, if you look at the situation he finds himself in, from his perspective.

It's stressful for all us Devils fans, but think about it for a second. Compare all the Russian players that flew back into the U.S. today to Kovalchuk, and ask yourself, who loves the game of hockey more? Ovechkin will be comfy at home clubbing it up this Saturday night in D.C. the way he's done for years, while Kovalchuk is graciously saluting his fans and teammates one last time.

If anything, I wouldn't be surprised if the Devils pick up a nice big Russian addition to the fanbase after this is said and done; more jersey sales, TV opportunities, etc... Not to mention, Kovalchuk won't have time to get comfortable or lazy on Monday, as he'll be right back into the swing of things. I would imagine his fitness and midseason form will have a good impact on the rest of the boys in camp on Monday, who may be rusty.

Edited by DJ Eco, 09 January 2013 - 10:50 AM.

[Triumph]

Well, like I said, they should go back to their PA leadership and ask exactly why it was things happened the way they did. Could this have been solved in September? Probably not, but for it to drag on for that long, and then have everyone give in on everything over what, 48 hours? Then they throw their cards on the table and say "that's it, let's play hockey."

STUPID.

Players should be just as angry at their PA as they should be at the league. I went into this pro-owner and left it thinking "what the fvck just happened?" Always thought this could be a fairly painless negotiation. I was right. Just happened everyone maimed themselves before they came to that realization.

One Russian star player is not going to make a league re-think its labor policy. Especially when that player has been a pain in the ass for everyone involved, and played for a team that has been a pain in the ass for everyone involved. Maybe if he did end up leaving it would be a good cautionary tale to doing that kind of business. There's alot of contracts out there that can blow up in people's faces. Maybe you want to think twice about who you give them to.

Did you even bother to pay attention to the negotiations or did you just assume that's how they would go? This is the absolute opposite of what happened. Minimum salary got raised, contract limits were introduced, escrow was increased, AHL players can make $750,000 and not count on the cap, re-entry waivers are gone - remind me again how this CBA was for the stars? Everything the league tried to do wrt negotiating through the media was aimed at the minimum salary player.

Furthermore, the players' counter offer in November that the league walked away from and threw a hissy fit about was basically what they accepted in January. The owners didn't want to play. Why that is, I'm not sure - I suspect it has something to do with the fact that teams, outside of the big markets, don't make money in November. But putting the slow pace of negotiations on the players when the league opened with 43% and was intransigent all through the process - that's someone not paying attention. Bettman and the league brass thought by threatening the season they'd get what they wanted, Fehr called their bluff, and they split a lot of issues down the center.

Edited by Triumph, 09 January 2013 - 10:50 AM.

[DaneykoIsGod]

Until the CBA is officially ratified and the KHL's agreement to return players to the NHL kicks in, I'm done paying attention to this story.

[Triumph]

Until the CBA is officially ratified and the KHL's agreement to return players to the NHL kicks in, I'm done paying attention to this story.

Jay Grossman's reaction is a bit troubling, it's the only thing keeping me from saying this.

[DevsMan84]

fvck Kovalclaims. No way we give him the Captain after this debacle, he is showing no leadership, no commitment to the team and no commitment to the league.

Would you say the same about Stevens even after he refused to report to the Devils training camp after he was awarded to the Devils?

[NJDevs4978]

On the contrary, he's actually showing some admirable leadership-quality backbone and class, if you look at the situation he finds himself in, from his perspective.

It's stressful for all us Devils fans, but think about it for a second. Compare all the Russian players that flew back into the U.S. today to Kovalchuk, and ask yourself, who loves the game of hockey more? Ovechkin will be comfy at home clubbing it up this Saturday night in D.C. the way he's done for years, while Kovalchuk is graciously saluting his fans and teammates one last time.

If anything, I wouldn't be surprised if the Devils pick up a nice big Russian addition to the fanbase after this is said and done; more jersey sales, TV opportunities, etc... Not to mention, Kovalchuk won't have time to get comfortable or lazy on Monday, as he'll be right back into the swing of things. I would imagine his fitness and midseason form will have a good impact on the rest of the boys in camp on Monday, who may be rusty.

People do realize he's not 'walking out on his team' by missing a league exhibition, right?

If Kovy just wants to stay through the All-Star game let him say that, and that he'll come back when he's obligated to do so. All these cryptic quotes and double talk are just adding fuel to the fire, especially Grossman's tacit acknowledgement there are issues.