New Kovy Update ("As the Kovy Turns")

[overtime98]

Obviously grossman and Kovalchuk are being douchebags during this free agent period. and cant freaking make a decision. trying to find the perfect contract and scenario here. I still want the Devils to sign him if they can, but I am really getting super tired of this kovalchuk drama bullsh!t. Everyone is calling langenbrunner captain cranky pants... but now we can call Kovalchuk Mr. drama queen! something like that! LOL

[Triumph]

Fair enough. I guess my point was that it seemed like he was capable of 100-point seasons in Atlanta just because everything ran through him

he did score 98 points with 52 goals in 2005-06 in 78 games, which projects to 50-50-100. but of course, that was when:

A: the schedule was more unbalanced, and the southeast was especially bad

B: power play opportunities were constant - the thrashers drew 527 PPs that year, the devils drew 272 last year

Agreed. And yes, he did have good linemates... but it was seemingly an eternal one-line team. Like I mentioned before, seemed like everything always ran through him.

The end of his career is going to be much like Mogilny's, I think. Able to produce some offense, but once he loses being that dynamic scorer, he'll quickly fall into the role of PP specialist.

it's very hard to see what the end of kovalchuk's career will look like. i don't think it will be pleasant. there's some things fundamentally wrong with his game, and when his speed and hands start to fail, he could slide into being a negative value player far sooner than people imagine, even if he's scoring 25 goals a season. it's tough to get a handle on it because there are very few players who compare to kovalchuk who didn't have their careers massively shortened or derailed by injury problems. gartner is one example. selanne kind of is another, but it took selanne the lockout year to regain his form, as in 2004 it appeared his career was over. selanne is definitely a PP specialist at this point, but quite an effective one even now and he just turned 40. even so, if lou is unwilling to go past 7 years, i really don't blame him for that.

edit: i guess brett hull is a pretty good comp as well. hull had 6 straight years where he landed in the top 10 in NHL goal scoring, but after age 30, he was only top 10 in goal scoring 2 more times, and never higher than 8th. i think hull adjusted his game somewhat to his diminished skills, though.

Edited July 7, 2010 by Triumph

[USC09]

right now I don't really care anymore, I am seriosuly starting to think that Lou should pull out and maybe go for two for the price of one. Lee Stempniak might not be a bad choice and could be a steal.

[NJ4life]

and I will Daniel as soon as my sources and close contacts reveal them to me IF Kovy does not sign with the Devils. Still they are telling me that he will be with the Devils and I agree with them.

I read this somewhere and happen to agree and it has been said by some of my sources as well....

"Lou and the Devils may have an "Agreement In Principal" with Kovy, but they need to clear cap room to sign him. So, everyone has "gone dark" until there is room to sign him and the deal is done. It wouldn't surprise me if this goes on for several days if not weeks."

You and your sources still believe he will be a Devil? Are you serious? They gave LA a counter proposal to make him a King before you posted this! Let me guess, that counter proposal is a ploy to get more $$ out of the Devils!

[Neb00rs]

right now I don't really care anymore, I am seriosuly starting to think that Lou should pull out and maybe go for two for the price of one. Lee Stempniak might not be a bad choice and could be a steal.

Eh, save the money, get a decent PMD and wait until the trade deadline to see what you need. We'll be in playoff position by then.

[maxpower]

Fair enough. I guess my point was that it seemed like he was capable of 100-point seasons in Atlanta just because everything ran through him

Agreed. And yes, he did have good linemates... but it was seemingly an eternal one-line team. Like I mentioned before, seemed like everything always ran through him.

The end of his career is going to be much like Mogilny's, I think. Able to produce some offense, but once he loses being that dynamic scorer, he'll quickly fall into the role of PP specialist.

Mogilny is weird, though, the end of his career (well, ignoring 2005-06) was better than before he was traded to the Devils.

I also think he was a much smarter offensive player than Kovalchuk, or more receptive to coaching, one of the two.

[Daniel]

Mogilny is weird, though, the end of his career (well, ignoring 2005-06) was better than before he was traded to the Devils.

I also think he was a much smarter offensive player than Kovalchuk, or more receptive to coaching, one of the two.

Didn't he score 70+ goals in a season with Buffalo.

[hobgoblin933]

right now I don't really care anymore, I am seriosuly starting to think that Lou should pull out and maybe go for two for the price of one. Lee Stempniak might not be a bad choice and could be a steal.

I really hope we end up signing Kovy but if we don't, i think signing Stempniak to the right deal would add a lot to our offensive depth. He played great in Phoenix and i think he'd be real good on that line with Elias and Arnott. I know we don't really NEED a RW but if we don't end up signing Kovy or a PMD we might as well put the money to some kind of use.

[Daniel]

I really hope we end up signing Kovy but if we don't, i think signing Stempniak to the right deal would add a lot to our offensive depth. He played great in Phoenix and i think he'd be real good on that line with Elias and Arnott. I know we don't really NEED a RW but if we don't end up signing Kovy or a PMD we might as well put the money to some kind of use.

Or just don't spend money on free agents for its sake and save the cap space.

[mouse]

I don't so much mean about the attention, but rather his role on the team. I'm having trouble articulating it best.

Prior to Kovalchuk's arrival, Zach was the go-to guy. Devils needed a goal, Parise was the guy everyone looked to. Devils were on the powerplay, Parise played the pivotal role of playmaker/distraction/roamer. Devils faced 4-on-4 hockey, Parise saw the most ice time in order to get scoring chances. When Kovy arrived, I just wonder if it changed his perception of his role/importance/whatever. Kovy became the guy everyone got the puck to for goals, the guy running 4-minutes of powerplay, the guy double-shifted on 4-on-4. (My biggest gripe with Kovalchuk was when he'd overstay his shifts and Parise's linemates hit the ice... I know it wasn't a big deal overall, but sometimes those seconds could have made a difference.)

Again, not sure that's the best way to communicate my thoughts, but that's closer, anyway.

+1

Also, Parise always makes his linemates better. Kovie seems to make them worse. Maybe he played with bad players in Atlanta (except Hossa), and maybe terrible coaching last year hurt him in Jersey, but I've never been as impressed with Kovie, despite his impressive talent, and it's not just because I like Parise more. Also, Atlanta made the run that nearly carried them to the playoffs AFTER Kovie left. It seems like Kovie will never be the best player on a cup team. When it seemed like we were keeping him, I tried to convince myself that he would work out, that with the right coach some of his problems would get better, or that Parise would be the star and Kovie would take pressure off of him, but really, I feel fine with this being Zach's team. I think we still have work to do on the defense, and in the next couple years we need to figure out who our goalie of the future is and replace Elias as second fiddle, but hopefully one of the draft picks (Tedenby?) is up to the task.

[hobgoblin933]

Or just don't spend money on free agents for its sake and save the cap space.

I feel like that would depend on what kind of deal we gave him. If it's a one year 1.2 mil deal, i don't think it could hurt much.

[maxpower]

Didn't he score 70+ goals in a season with Buffalo.

I'm talking about the years directly preceding the trade. Alot of it had to do with his health, but he was easily south of a PPG after his massive first season in Vancouver.

then in 2001, he woke up, and put up good numbers in Toronto even though he was turning into the cripple that we bought in 2005.

[Daniel]

I'm talking about the years directly preceding the trade. Alot of it had to do with his health, but he was easily south of a PPG after his massive first season in Vancouver.

then in 2001, he woke up, and put up good numbers in Toronto even though he was turning into the cripple that we bought in 2005.

It also might have something to do with the fact that he was playing on an offensively dynamic Devils team. But otherwise your point is taken.

[mmajeski06]

Logic would say this continues into Friday...he wouldn't be crazy enough to try to compete with the LBJ show tomorrow...or would he? Logic seems to have been thrown out the door a long time ago.

[NJDevs26]

Also, Parise always makes his linemates better. Kovie seems to make them worse. Maybe he played with bad players in Atlanta (except Hossa), and maybe terrible coaching last year hurt him in Jersey, but I've never been as impressed with Kovie, despite his impressive talent, and it's not just because I like Parise more. Also, Atlanta made the run that nearly carried them to the playoffs AFTER Kovie left.

While I don't deny Kovy has his warts, you're being grossly unfair here. First of all, Kovy propped up waiver wire fodder like Bryan Little and Rich Peverley, no-names who had career seasons playing with him. That's far from making guys worse. Plus Atlanta finished up in the exact same position after the trade as they were before the trade, a few points out of a playoff spot.

And finally if Kovy was such a detriment to his team why did Atlanta throw a ton of money at him hoping to get him to re-sign and why have the Devils been so agressive in trying to retain him? You'd think if he was the anchor you and others portray him to be that those would be the first teams to run away from him.

[ZeroGravityFat]

OMG kings are out again, not even close, i love you so much 2.3

i think wwe makes for better male soap opera.

[maxpower]

It also might have something to do with the fact that he was playing on an offensively dynamic Devils team. But otherwise your point is taken.

Yeah, obviously, but still you don't normally see guys that seem to be going off the cliff, in either health or production, come back and have a good end to their careers. it's normally ugly. I guess Mogs' end was ugly, but he should have never been playing anyway, so I'll just pretend it never happened.

the funny thing about age and perspective is that you could say alot of the same things I say about Kovalchuk, about Mogs. him and Gomez stunk defensively and that Devils team's weakness was defense play and Marty's sub-par goaltending. but, I was 10 years younger then, so I still look back at Mogs with goo-goo eyes while bitching about Kovalchuk like a cranky old man.

after watching years of Lemaire hockey, Mogilny and the A-Line were like a revelation.

[CRASHER]

i think wwe makes for better male soap opera.

[lilgriffey84]

thread title should say "Recycled Kovy Updates"

[Devil Fan]

If Kovy stays, that means Salvador and Langenbrunner would be gone. But that would be interesting consider that Parise needs a new contract.

[ZeroGravityFat]

If Kovy stays, that means Salvador and Langenbrunner would be gone. But that would be interesting consider that Parise needs a new contract.

best post. make it so lou!

[mouse]

And finally if Kovy was such a detriment to his team why did Atlanta throw a ton of money at him hoping to get him to re-sign and why have the Devils been so agressive in trying to retain him? You'd think if he was the anchor you and others portray him to be that those would be the first teams to run away from him.

He has tantalizing talent. Like I said, there are reasons to like him, and when I thought we were getting him, I tried to be optimistic, but my gut feeling about him is he's a huge talent whose game is flawed in such a way that he will never be the best player on a cup team. The Mogilny comparison is good -- he won a cup when he anchored the second line, taking the pressure off the A-line, and accepting his role. If Kovy can do that, more power to him. I don't see it happening, which doesn't mean I couldn't be completely wrong about everything.

[DH26]

OMG kings are out again, not even close, i love you so much 2.3

i think wwe makes for better male soap opera.

doesn't this mean that Kovy's guaranteed to leave? I just don't know what to believe anymore, so I'll just sit here and sip the

[ZeroGravityFat]

well ska doesn't have teh cap room for kovie, we can get him.

[UnderDogX]

if this happens I am totally the official keeper of A-line 2.0....