If anyone can get on TG's new article, mind posting it here? I don't think I'll be able to see it until tomorrow otherwise.
- rmdevil313
I’m sure all of you have a bunch of questions regarding the announcement today that Ilya Kovalchuk decided to retire from the NHL and will no longer be playing for the Devils.
A little further below is the transcript from Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello’s conference call with the media today. That might answer some of your questions, but I’ll try to address a few of them myself before I get to that.
*First, Kovalchuk reportedly will sign with SKA St. Petersburg of the Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League on Friday. He played for that team and was its captain during the NHL lockout.
*Kovalchuk, 30, is permitted to play in the KHL (or some other league other than the NHL) because his contract with the Devils was officially voided after he signed his voluntary retirement papers today.
*If the Devils had fought it, they could have prevented Kovalchuk from playing in another league and tolled his contract every year – meaning the years he owed them would be pushed back until he returned (or didn’t). It didn’t sound today as if Lamoriello had any interest in doing that.
*If the Devils had fought Kovalchuk playing in another league and tolled his contract, he would have been a suspended player and his cap hit would not count against the team’s cap as long as he was not playing.
*For now, the Devils retain Kovalchuk’s NHL rights, but it’s kind of complicated and it’s not forever.
*If Kovalchuk chose to un-retire and try to return to the NHL at some point, per NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, there are rules “way too detailed for me to try to summarize.” One of them is that “for a certain period of time” Kovlachuk would have to get the permission of all 30 NHL teams to play in the league again.
*So, as it stands right now, Kovalchuk’s $6,666,667 cap hit comes off the Devils’ ledger. But they will be charged $250,000 per season through the end of the 2024-25 season as the cap recapture penalty for him retiring before his contract expired. They saved roughly $3 million against the cap over the last three years because of the tailing off nature of his contract and the cap recapture is the penalty for that.
*Kovalchuk’s thoughts about playing in the KHL began during the lockout, according to Lamoriello. Both Kovalchuk and Lamoriello denied when Kovalchuk returned from the KHL all-star break – after he missed the first three days of training camp – that there was any thought of him not returning to the Devils.
*The timing of Kovalchuk’s decision, which Lamoriello was asked about, is both bad and good. If he had done this 10 days ago, Lamoriello might have pursued different/more players on the unrestricted free agent market and might have had better options to try to replace Kovalchuk. On the other hand, a Devils’ team without Kovalchuk is far less attractive to free agents that might have considered signing with them. And who knows if it would have impacted the decisions of players such Patrik Elias to re-sign with the Devils?
*Short term, obviously, it’s a big blow to lose Kovalchuk. Lamoriello does have two more months before training camp to try to make moves to fill the hole created by Kovalchuk’s departure, but it’s not going to be easy. Long term, there is a big positive that the Devils get out from under a huge contract that could have carried a much bigger cap recapture penalty had he decided to retire in a few years—before the contract expires—rather than now.
The money the Devils save in real dollars—$56 million over the next five seasons—can be put to good use on multiple players.
*Finally, I asked Daly if there was any chance now that the Devils could get the first-round pick back that they have to surrender in 2014 to complete the penalty for Kovlachuk’s rejected contract. His answer: “One is not related to the other.”
I have reached out to several Devils players, but Bryce Salvador is the only one to call me back so far. I’ll post his comments later—hopefully with some from other players as well. I also left a message for Kovalchuk’s agent. Jay Grossman, but haven’t heard back from him either.
OK, that’s everything I can think of right now. Below is the text of the conference call with Lamoriello.
When did you find out about Kovalchuk’s decision and did you try to talk him out of it?
“This goes back to the lockout and prior to coming back his thought process of staying in Russia was there. He was here a little late (after the lockout). Then, there was no conversation whatsoever throughout the year about it. Then, it recently resurfaced and his desire was to retire from the National Hockey League and the only way he could do that was to sign his voluntary retirement papers.”
Kovalchuk’s contract signed paper, contract voided.
“Absolutely not. Prior to him going to the world championships, he had to be 100 percent. He went through a physical, actually cleared insurance. So, he was 100 percent post-season.”
How do you compensate for his departure?
“Right now, we’re just answering the questions as to this telephone call. As far as going forward, we’ll address that accordingly.”
Did you have an option of putting him on a suspended list of not allowing him to play or once he said he wanted to go back to play in Russia, was this the decision you thought was best for everybody?
“He signed his voluntary retirement papers, so once he signed his voluntary retirement papers he’s automatically suspended because of the violation of the standard player’s contract. You can look at it any way you want it, but this was his choice.”
As for the timing, if Kovalchuk had done this a little earlier, you would have had time to pursue different players on the free agent market. Are you upset that he waited this long to do it?
“I can’t worry about timing right now. It is what it is and you just go forward.”
Is Ilya in Russia right now and what was the nature of your last conversation with him?
“First of all, he is not in Russia right now. And secondly, I will not discuss what our conversation was.”
Did you try to talk him out of it?
“Any conversation I had with Ilya is personal.”
How would you evaluate Kovalchuk’s time in New Jersey – the trade, the 17-year contract that was rejected, the circumvention and having him play only three years on that contract? What would you say about it?
“Just the way you articulated what you said, it’s very difficult to say anything.”
Was it a positive experience?
“I’ll let you answer that (laughing).”
Were you surprised by his final decision?
“I am never surprised about anything that happens in this game today.”
Is it Kovalchuk’s intention to play in the KHL next season?
“You’d have to talk to him about that. I do not know that.”
How would you feel if he plays in the KHL next season instead of playing for your team?
“All I know is that he will not be playing here at his desire.”
The negatives are obvious, but now that this is done, where can you go from here? Are there any positives now knowing you have cap space, you have money to spend?
“Right now, we just have to take a step back to go forward and we’ll just reevaluate what our options are and do the best we can. But we’ll be ready to play when September comes.”
Does Kovalchuk leaving put this team in a significant hole?
“No.”
What positive can you take out of this event?
“I don’t take any positives out of today right now. I’m just looking and addressing what’s transpired and going forward. I’m not here to talk about positives or negatives.”
You committed a lot of resources to him. You built your team around him. Is there any feeling that he’s betraying the Devils?
“I’m looking forward. I’m not thinking of anything that’s just transpired. I’m not going to allow anything to get in the way of what I have to do as far as distracting myself.”
Is there anything that would prevent Ilya from coming back to the NHL in the future?
“You’d have to read the bylaws with reference to voluntary retirement. They’re pretty tight.”
Do the Devils’ maintain his NHL rights should he try to come back?
“I’m going to leave those questions with reference to that by just allowing those questions to be answered by the league and the players’ union.”
Do you have any intention to try to get back the first-round pick you lost for circumventing the cap (with the 17-year, $102 million contract in 2010 that was rejected)?
“I’m not getting into any discussions about that.”
Now that this move has been made, are there more moves you can make in the next month – free agents that you’re considering that you couldn’t have done yesterday?
“We’ve been doing everything we can going forward with what the ability is. So, if there’s something we can do, we can do it. Obviously, there’s more (cap) room right now. It’s an obvious situation.”
Have you spoken to Pete DeBoer about this yet?“Pete is aware of this, yes.”
Is there a message you have for the fans about this after they rooted for Kovalchuk over the last few years?
“A message for the fans? Certainly we’re going to put the best possible team we can on the ice. That’s the most important thing. Their support has been there consistently throughout the ups and downs, so I know they’ll be there likewise (now).
“Remember, this wasn’t a decision by the New Jersey Devils.”
Were you notified by Ilya himself or by his agent about this?“I think it’s immaterial, but if you’re insinuating that there was not communication between both parties, there was.”
