Amberite Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 They don't have a lot of cap space. They still need to re-sign Staal and Giradi, which eats a lot of that cap space. True, although Sather has gotten out of terrible contracts before (Gomez, etc) to clear cap space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie McKraut Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Kovalchuk says no to the Kings http://twitter.com/helenenothelen/ I'm actually really excited by this report Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Poster Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Err, because Kovy is a winger ?........... They already have big money invested in a goal scoring winger. What they need is a true #1 center for Gaborik instead of having a thought about Kovalchuk. Pre-lockout Rags, he'd have signed 3 days ago around 1 PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theamazingtiny Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 I'm actually really excited by this report What could they have offered that was so beneath him? It makes me wonder. And could Lou's offer (a notorious low-baller) be that much better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 (edited) lol this reminds me of the trade deadline where slowly every other team in the league got ruled out. You had to figure eventually there'd be a line of demarcation between the Kings and Devils if their offers were similar, either one team would go higher or Kovy would decide one team gave him a better chance to win, then it could come down to winning vs. money with the Isles and other team left standing. That is if the sketchy speculation of all the Devil-Isle offers and no other team being in is in any way accurate, which I sorta believe but wouldn't put money on. Edited July 4, 2010 by Hasan4978 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Kovalchuk says no to the Kings http://twitter.com/helenenothelen/ Unless on the start of business July 5 or 6, Kovalchuk isn't property of the Islanders, this is pretty strange. Is this guy all about the money? If so, he'd have signed with Atlanta (his agent isn't stupid, and was well aware of what teams this off-season would be able to spend), or would have accepted the Isles supposed offer on the spot. Or he would have accepted the KHL offer, which out of the gate would have been more than any NHL team could have offered him. Strange things are afoot at the Circle K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie McKraut Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 What could they have offered that was so beneath him? It makes me wonder. And could Lou's offer (a notorious low-baller) be that much better? I've been naively considering this a two-horse race. I have a thing for blissful ignorance. My elation derives from the preconceived notion that money is not Ilya's top priority, which is why he refused the Thrashers deal. I don't think anyone could realistically expect to receive a higher offer in free agency stateside. I'll be curbing my enthusiasm in the coming moments as I process the overtures from Long Island and mother russia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeroGravityFat Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 devs isles is no contest, we have our winger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 kovalchuk's best move, money-wise, is probably to go to the KHL for 1 or 2 years, then come back when teams might be able to afford him. the problem with keeping kovalchuk is that even if the devils make room for his contract, they still don't really have room on their roster for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerzey Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 First off, no one knows for sure if the Flyers or Avs are in on it. Secondly, if they are, you don't know how long they have been in on it. You don't just wake up 3 days into free agency and go "Let's sign Kovalchuk". Lastly, this isn't a matter of teams coming in with bigger nd better offers and continually one-uping each other. This is matter of, Kovy's stock not being as high as projected so other teams can stay in on the action. Point is, it's not getting much higher money wise and Lou can't offer him the most money anyways. Someone (aside from the Isles) has already upped the Devils for sure. Lou isn't gonna drop out because Kovy got a higher offer. Avs and Flyers You make great points but I will point out it is all still just speculation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Poster Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 This has dragged out more then most people would have bet on. It's got to be the wierdest FA situation since the lockout, maybe even years before it. If this was an NBA player of same capacity, it would be analyzed non stop on ESPN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amberite Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 What could they have offered that was so beneath him? It makes me wonder. And could Lou's offer (a notorious low-baller) be that much better? It doesn't necessarily have to be an offer that was beneath him. Other factors could be influencing his decision such as the rougher schedule out west, refusal to give a NTC, liking NYC more than LA (if he is leaning towards NJ). Point is, there are lots of intangibles that we may not know about other than plain money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 kovalchuk's best move, money-wise, is probably to go to the KHL for 1 or 2 years, then come back when teams might be able to afford him. the problem with keeping kovalchuk is that even if the devils make room for his contract, they still don't really have room on their roster for him. If push comes to shove, you could put Elias at right wing on a line with Kovy and Arnott or some other center. Elias is left-handed and, in fact, perhaps came from coming across from the right wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 the devils' forwards are right now: parise-zajac-langenbrunner elias-arnott-clarkson rolston-zubrus-zharkov leblond-pelley-? i don't see where kovalchuk fits in there. i don't like moving elias to his off-wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck27 Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 (edited) kovalchuk's best move, money-wise, is probably to go to the KHL for 1 or 2 years, then come back when teams might be able to afford him. the problem with keeping kovalchuk is that even if the devils make room for his contract, they still don't really have room on their roster for him. If it doesn't have to do with money and cap hits, please explain. I'm not being facetious btw...just curious about the rationale. Nevermind...explanation above. Tri, no harm in moving Langs off the top line. He won't like it, but Kovy >>>>Langenbrunner. Edited July 4, 2010 by Beck27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 devs isles is no contest, we have our winger. I'd bet on $30 million (at least) more than the Devils can offer means some other team has its winger, and that the Devils can make do with the line-up that it already has in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 the devils' forwards are right now: parise-zajac-langenbrunner elias-arnott-clarkson rolston-zubrus-zharkov leblond-pelley-? i don't see where kovalchuk fits in there. i don't like moving elias to his off-wing. The Devils are currently four million under the cap and that's with an incomplete roster. The only realistic way you're fitting Kovalchuk in this year (at a $7-8 million cap hit) is to get rid of Rolston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Poster Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 (edited) kovalchuk's best move, money-wise, is probably to go to the KHL for 1 or 2 years, then come back when teams might be able to afford him. the problem with keeping kovalchuk is that even if the devils make room for his contract, they still don't really have room on their roster for him. Outside of Parise, Zajac, Arnott and Clarkson the rest of that current group of forwards is in no way blocking Kovalchuk. Only a few of their contracts are. You always make room for a 27 y/o 40+ goal scorer. Edited July 4, 2010 by SJP20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amberite Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 The Devils are currently four million under the cap and that's with an incomplete roster. The only realistic way you're fitting Kovalchuk in this year (at a $7-8 million cap hit) is to get rid of Rolston. Yep. Lou has already stated that moves will be made should Kovalchuk sign, and that almost certainly means Rolston and one or two others are moving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils Pride 26 Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 (edited) the devils' forwards are right now: parise-zajac-langenbrunner elias-arnott-clarkson rolston-zubrus-zharkov leblond-pelley-? i don't see where kovalchuk fits in there. i don't like moving elias to his off-wing. What are you're thoughts of moving Zubrus up top as we saw a little off in the playoffs with some success (game 2, that line was a machine)? langs plays 2nd line rw, clarkson to the 3rd, zharkov to the 4th. This is possible only if Josefson is ready for the 3rd line center role. Well, I guess we could go out and sign Belanger too, if need be. edit - haven't heard belanger's name at all. maybe this is lou's plan if kovy cannot be had. go the depth route. it will be interesting to see how long belanger waits, if that's the case Edited July 4, 2010 by Devils Pride 26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njd3b1ink Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Moving Elias over to the right wing position is not that big of a deal. Moving a left winger to the right (or vice versa) is alot easier to adjust to than a winger moving to the center. If Kovalchuk signs with the Devils for 7.5 or less. The forward lines could possibly look like this: parise/zajac/langs kovy/arnott/elias rolston/zubrus/clarkson tedenby/josefson/zharkov those are 4 very deep forward lines. However, if Kovy is a Devil i expect at least one forward to be moved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 the devils' forwards are right now: parise-zajac-langenbrunner elias-arnott-clarkson rolston-zubrus-zharkov leblond-pelley-? i don't see where kovalchuk fits in there. i don't like moving elias to his off-wing. If Kovalchuk is going to be part of the picture, the assumption has to be that, at least, Rolston is gone. If Rolston cannot be moved, the idea of re-signing Kovy ends before it begins. So it becomes, roughly, Parise-Zajac-Langs Kovy-Arnott-Elias Tedenby-Josefson-Zubrus Leblond-Pelley-Clarkson I know it seems strange having Clarkson on the fourth line, but it's not so much of a waste of salary if the idea is to play the fourth line more often than usual. It is also possible that Josefson plays another year in the AHL, and Clarkson/Zubrus becomes the third line center and you find someone decent enough to fill in on the fourth line. Whatever the case may be, it seems pretty clear that the Swedes (Tedenby, Josefson and Urbron) are going to make the team sooner rather than later assuming they don't have disastrous camps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 What are you're thoughts of moving Zubrus up top as we saw a little off in the playoffs with some success (game 2, that line was a machine)? langs plays 2nd line rw, clarkson to the 3rd, zharkov to the 4th. This is possible only if Jofesson is ready for the 3rd line center role. Well, I guess we could go out and sign Belanger too, if need be. i hate the idea of paying clarkson 2.6 million dollars to play on the third line. i like zubrus with parise and zajac, though. clarkson on the 4th line, as in daniel's post, is beyond terrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Yep. Lou has already stated that moves will be made should Kovalchuk sign, and that almost certainly means Rolston and one or two others are moving. I'm glad that Lou has said that, but it takes two to tango. The only use that Rolston has for any team is to get them over the salary floor. And even then, assuming Rolston would even approve a deal, those teams have the Devils over a barrel in negotiations, and they would know it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amberite Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 i hate the idea of paying clarkson 2.6 million dollars to play on the third line. i like zubrus with parise and zajac, though. clarkson on the 4th line, as in daniel's post, is beyond terrible. Why? I honestly don't see Clarkson as a 2nd line player. He's a grinder / agitator that has some nice offensive upside. Perfect fit for a 3rd line, I think. I'm glad that Lou has said that, but it takes two to tango. The only use that Rolston has for any team is to get them over the salary floor. And even then, assuming Rolston would even approve a deal, those teams have the Devils over a barrel in negotiations, and they would know it. I don't see who else Lou could have been talking about, if not for Rolston. He clears up $5M in cap space with very little damage to the team makeup or offensive production. Trading other players such as Langs or Zajac would be very counterproductive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts