Honestly I thought Kovalchuk was a douche when he was saying he didn't want to come back after the lockout ended. The guy just left for money, and he can feed people whatever lies he wants about going for family, it is all bullsht.

Cause most of those European contracts where signed when the guys are minors. The guys and contracts that we are talking about are all young players who were blocked to come over here by there teams who signed them when they were still kids.
- NickA

What's a kid? You don't think that any of the guys who broke their contracts to come over here were 18 when they signed them? I get that it's a shady move, I agree with you. NJ is getting shafted here for sure. But the whole league is complicit in this because a lot of teams have assisted a player in breaking a legal Russian contract to get them over here. No one said anything about that at the time.

Because American contracts are more binding than European contracts? Or are you just being facetious?
- Jeffmt

well actually in a way, yea european contracts are less likely to be upheld. there are tons of cases in the KHL of poor teams not paying the salary they owe players and management tricking non-russian speaking players into signing retirement papers to void their multi-million dollar contracts.

KHL is a joke.

well actually in a way, yea european contracts are less likely to be upheld. there are tons of cases in the KHL of poor teams not paying the salary they owe players and management tricking non-russian speaking players into signing retirement papers to void their multi-million dollar contracts.

KHL is a joke.
- rangerdanger94

Yeah, that's there for sure. Regardless, those contracts are legal under Russian law. You could argue that the contract Kovalchuk signed was not made in good faith too.

I thought the devils sucked before today
- GioRock

They did

Yeah, that's there for sure. Regardless, those contracts are legal under Russian law. You could argue that the contract Kovalchuk signed was not made in good faith too.
- Jeffmt

Off course it wasn't. He along with Richards, Hossa and Luongo are the reason for the recapture penalty. But I doubt the Devils had the intention of signing the "retirement" papers for Kovalchuk at age 30.

Yeah, that's there for sure. Regardless, those contracts are legal under Russian law. You could argue that the contract Kovalchuk signed was not made in good faith too.
- Jeffmt

They may be legal but if the team isn't holding up their side of the bargain, then why should the player?

They did
- annoyance_101

Off course it wasn't. He along with Richards, Hossa and Luongo are the reason for the recapture penalty. But I doubt the Devils had the intention of signing the "retirement" papers for Kovalchuk at age 30.
- tomburton99

But that's the point. The Devils signed him to a shady loophole contract and then got burned on a different loophole. I feel awful for the fans, but the team and league sort of had this coming.

But that's the point. The Devils signed him to a shady loophole contract and then got burned on a different loophole. I feel awful for the fans, but the team and league sort of had this coming.
- Jeffmt

it's because we suck so much.

They may be legal but if the team isn't holding up their side of the bargain, then why should the player?
- bobert836

The Russian contracts that were broken were being upheld by their teams. If the Minnesota Wild do something shady with a player should a Devils player be able to break his contract? Of course not.

The Russian contracts that were broken were being upheld by their teams. If the Minnesota Wild do something shady with a player should a Devils player be able to break his contract? Of course not.
- Jeffmt

russian contracts were also broken by teams. there were probably more contracts broken by teams than players to be honest.

The Russian contracts that were broken were being upheld by their teams. If the Minnesota Wild do something shady with a player should a Devils player be able to break his contract? Of course not.
- Jeffmt

You're right, but at that point it's a league issue. If it happened in the NHL the problem would be dealt with, not so much in the KHL

http://www.russianmachine...money-is-under-the-table/

holy schnikes

it's because we suck so much.
- MrToast

You need a new act. Jeffmt and myself are actually having a human conversation.

russian contracts were also broken by teams. there were probably more contracts broken by teams than players to be honest.
- rangerdanger94

Yeah, I get that but not every Russian team was breaking contracts but they're all expected to pay as if they did. The fact of the matter is, the NHL could have put the kibosh in this years ago by setting up a fair transfer agreement with Russia but they didn't. As far as pro hockey goes, the NHL was kind of the only game in town if you were at a high enough level and they were more than happy to pillage Europe without giving up any concessions. They were arrogant enough to believe that they'd always be only option for world class European pros.

The Russian contracts that were broken were being upheld by their teams. If the Minnesota Wild do something shady with a player should a Devils player be able to break his contract? Of course not.
- Jeffmt

The whole situation is just very strange. If reports are true that Kovi will be earning 15 million a SKA St. petersburg, than obvious this is a decision driven by greed. But the Devils could have tolled his contract, not paid him and forced him to be ineligible or the Olympics. The devils decided to just award(Idk if award is the right word) to luxury to go home and live like a king.

You're right, but at that point it's a league issue. If it happened in the NHL the problem would be dealt with, not so much in the KHL
- bobert836

I don't want to sound like I'm condoning how the KHL operates, but they're still the new upstart in this situation and it benefits them to operate the way they are. The NHL is the established league and should have protected themselves from this sort of situation but they didn't because they were arrogant and greedy.

Yeah, I get that but not every Russian team was breaking contracts but they're all expected to pay as if they did. The fact of the matter is, the NHL could have put the kibosh in this years ago by setting up a fair transfer agreement with Russia but they didn't. As far as pro hockey goes, the NHL was kind of the only game in town if you were at a high enough level and they were more than happy to pillage Europe without giving up any concessions. They were arrogant enough to believe that they'd always be only option for world class European pros.
- Jeffmt

The NHL has been trying to setup a transfer agreement with Russia for years. They have one with almost every other big European hockey country

The whole situation is just very strange. If reports are true that Kovi will be earning 15 million a SKA St. petersburg, than obvious this is a decision driven by greed. But the Devils could have tolled his contract, not paid him and forced him to be ineligible or the Olympics. The devils decided to just award(Idk if award is the right word) to luxury to go home and live like a king.
- tomburton99

Tolling has no teeth in this situation because I doubt he has any intent of ever returning but you bring up a good point with the Olympics. I don't know why the NHL wouldn't file a grievance in that regard. They've got no currency whatsoever with the KHL but the could actually get something done with the IIHF.

"You committed a lot of resources to him. You built your team around him. Is there any feeling that he’s betraying the Devils?"

That's the quote that sticks out, and it's so true.

Last summer when we lost Parise, it sucked, we lost a very good player, oh well.

This is a much bigger deal. The entire team was built around Kovalchuk, several sacrifices were made, losing that pick, one could argue we may have been able to keep Parise, etc.

In 30 years Parise going to the Wild will be a small footnote in Devils' history.

Kovalchuk leaving out of nowhere will be talked about for decades as a huge moment in this teams history. I really don't know how they recover from this, especially with no pick next year.

I honestly thought this was so far a great offseason for us, I thought we were in a solid position to compete for a playoff spot next year...

Losing Parise and Kovalchuk for NOTHING in consecutive years is going to set this franchise back at least half a decade.

God damn it.

I don't want to sound like I'm condoning how the KHL operates, but they're still the new upstart in this situation and it benefits them to operate the way they are. The NHL is the established league and should have protected themselves from this sort of situation but they didn't because they were arrogant and greedy.
- Jeffmt

That's a double standard though. Saying that they can because its good for the growth of the league, but when we do it we're the bad guys

Tolling has no teeth in this situation because I doubt he has any intent of ever returning but you bring up a good point with the Olympics. I don't know why the NHL wouldn't file a grievance in that regard. They've got no currency whatsoever with the KHL but the could actually get something done with the IIHF.
- Jeffmt

The beat writer for the Devils brought that up, if the Devils decided to toll his ocntract and file a grievance with IIHF, the IIHF would have had no choice but to rule him ineligible for Sochi 2014 and 2018, if was still around then.

few respectable Russians left in this league. loserchuk

The whole situation is just very strange. If reports are true that Kovi will be earning 15 million a SKA St. petersburg, than obvious this is a decision driven by greed. But the Devils could have tolled his contract, not paid him and forced him to be ineligible or the Olympics. The devils decided to just award(Idk if award is the right word) to luxury to go home and live like a king.
- tomburton99

Who wants a player playing on their team against their will?

Lou could have just tolled it to stick it to Kovy, but what good would that have really done, either than I guess "prove a point"

Knowing Lou, I think he elected to just let him go and move on from it...