NHLPA says

EDIT: But I do love the idea.
- Panthers88

Exactly. Excellent concept. NEVER happen.

Kovy being allowed back even after this, is just cap circumvention.

The cap was supposed to be about a level playing field.

NJ and a couple other teams tried to cheat the system when they made those contracts.

The loophole was closed, and now NJ found a way to cheat the system again.

Don't give me this, they lose a 1st crap because that was the punishment for the last BS they pulled.

They just got huge cap relief now while other teams who follow the rules are screwed again.

I blame the NHL.

It seems to take NJ just a few days to exploit all their legal stuff and find loopholes.

This kind of stuff just leads to a new lockout as they now have to close this loophole.

Frank hockey is a joke.

Yeah the whole game day experience greatly improved with the move to prudential center as oppose to the meadowlands. The only downside is no more tailgating. Not enough room for people to start grilling and setting up shop.
- NickA

I know :/ I feel like our fanbase got so much more civilized when we moved to Newark. No more facepainting lunatics tailgating and yelling at Flyer fans. Take it for what it is, that's probably a good thing lol

Kovy being allowed back even after this, is just cap circumvention.

The cap was supposed to be about a level playing field.

NJ and a couple other teams tried to cheat the system when they made those contracts.

The loophole was closed, and now NJ found a way to cheat the system again.

Don't give me this, they lose a 1st crap because that was the punishment for the last BS they pulled.

They just got huge cap relief now while other teams who follow the rules are screwed again.

I blame the NHL.

It seems to take NJ just a few days to exploit all their legal stuff and find loopholes.
- yaktalksback

While I understand what you are saying, nothing they did was against anything in the CBA. They can't force Kovalchuk to sign retirement papers to get out of the contract. He wanted to go home. Is it beneficial to the team in some ways? Yes. But it also hurts short term. The offense was non-existent with him out of the lineup last year. The team will struggle offensively unless a miracle happens. This will have a negative impact on ticket sales. Sales have been up since they added an exciting player and now that is gone. They will lose money on that end. Losing an exciting player and potentially having a losing season is going to hurt sales.

If they were truly conspiring to exploit the loophole, they would've waited until next season when the FA crop was better and the first rounder was already gone. The Cap recapture would've only been a few hundred K more per season. Next season would've been a much better time.

Blame Bettman and the owners. This never would've come up if the last lockout didn't happen and the players didn't have the opportunity to play in the KHL and see how much better the product and teams handling of players has gotten.

This was about money. He can make a boatload playing at home in a soft league. He'll never be back and even if he tried I highly doubt all teams would give the green light.

This was about money. He can make a boatload playing at home in a soft league. He'll never be back and even if he tried I highly doubt all teams would give the green light.
- Iggysbff

It looks like that in 2018 he can come back without permission from all 30 teams.
http://www.cbssports.com/...-without-approval-in-2018

Biggest news of the day........twinkies are back on store shelves

byfuglian is happy

Biggest news of the day........twinkies are back on store shelves

byfuglian is happy

Biggest news of the day........twinkies are back on store shelves

byfuglian is happy

Biggest news of the day........twinkies are back on store shelves

byfuglian is happy
- dmarsden2988

They never came off shelves in Canada so I don't think he missed them

Biggest news of the day........twinkies are back on store shelves

byfuglian is happy
- dmarsden2988

They never came off shelves in Canada so I don't think he missed them

1. They let Radulov come back for the month or two and he broke the contract (but it was never made null).

2. It's hard for this to be a cap circumvention if he takes off for four years. If anything, Bettman is glad as anyone else that one more of those insane contracts is off the book, even though I believe Kovy was one of the only people worth that kind of contract. Hossa, Crosby, and Weber are earning their pay, and even Weber's later years will be suspect. I don't know if anyone else earning a long-arsed contract will be worth it. I don't think any NHL player warrants a contract over 9M, no matter who they are.

3. I would welcome Kovy back on the team depending on how good he's been in Russia.

In 4 years I would let him come back but on a few conditions. 1. you have to come at 4 million dollars. 2. you have to have completely changed your goals and wants to what this teams are remember Jagre was always known as a selfish player but has came back and since been a class act and a mentor to many young players since coming back ( many thought he would be cancerous to young players ).
- blizzzard

my one condition would be whatever team signs him must give there 1st round pick to the devils. seems only fair since the devils had to forfeit a pick to get him.

Complete bullpoop if he's allowed back into the NHL, and even further bullpoop if he were allowed back in and to re-sign in New Jersey.

This is starting to look more and more like another circumvention of league rules so that Ilya can go toddle off to Russia for a couple of years while the Devils get their poop together long enough for him to rejoin the team under a brand new shiny contract that doesn't kill the rest of the team just in time for them to contend again.

Why else would he want to come back? Money is obviously not an issue, so why leave and say you're going to come back in the first place? !

my one condition would be whatever team signs him must give there 1st round pick to the devils. seems only fair since the devils had to forfeit a pick to get him.
- devfan30

Sorry, but the Devils tried to sell their souls to make that deal and the onus is completely on them for trying to circumvent the cap rules to do so. That's on them.

I had season tix for their first 10 years here and when the old area opened we thought it was the best thing ever. Place got outdated real quick!
BTW face value on our season tickets their first year here in 82' was like $17 lower corner about 15 rows up.
- FAZOOL

22 dollars for my center ice tickets. plus since the devils were so bad back then if you had ticket stubs for 4 winning games, they gave you a free ticket to an upcoming game.

So will they be letting fans trade their Kovy jersey's in for a different player?!
- FAZOOL

nah, that would mean them losing money in labor and shipping costs

Complete bullpoop if he's allowed back into the NHL, and even further bullpoop if he were allowed back in and to re-sign in New Jersey.

This is starting to look more and more like another circumvention of league rules so that Ilya can go toddle off to Russia for a couple of years while the Devils get their poop together long enough for him to rejoin the team under a brand new shiny contract that doesn't kill the rest of the team just in time for them to contend again.

Why else would he want to come back? Money is obviously not an issue, so why leave and say you're going to come back in the first place? !
- MnGump

Scroll up to see my repsonse above why it's not collusion/circumvention. It's not belligirent I assure you.

As for money not being an issue - post tax/escrow 3/4 million in a foreign land, or 15 million tax free at home? If you have the choice and lack the class to honor your commitment?

Sorry, but the Devils tried to sell their souls to make that deal and the onus is completely on them for trying to circumvent the cap rules to do so. That's on them.
- MnGump

Okay so Parise/Suter going from getting paid 12 million to 1 million ISN'T cap circumvention
Richard/Parise/Kovalchuk, all these contracts are the same, but the Devils are the only ones who got punished

I'm not just saying this because I'm a Devils fan, but the arena really is beautiful. Feels brand new and has a bunch of murals and jerseys of all of the high school hockey teams lining the main concourse. I'd definitely recommend a trip!
- TheJerseyDevil1

thats because it is brand new, or at least i would still consider it brand new

my one condition would be whatever team signs him must give there 1st round pick to the devils. seems only fair since the devils had to forfeit a pick to get him.
- devfan30

The damage on that is done. That's not happening. It's not like the Devils don't benefit at all by losing the contract. Short term awful, long term beneficial.

I'd welcome him back w open arms. If Devil fans would just take the emotional response out of this they'd realize Kovy just helped the Devils organization in huge way!! 1) ownership just saved paying him $56 million over the next 5 years!! Plus whatever theyd owe him for the remainder of his contract, 2) For a team looking for new ownership not having this huge payroll for one player I would think is important 3) That being said think the Devils finances are fine or else they'd be like the islanders and not spend any money on free agents, 4) the Devils now have all that money ($56 million ovet 5 years) to go out and buy a Vanek or Kessel and still have plenty of money left over to purchase another player (Brunner). Dump Volchenkov next year and there's a other 4.5 million. 5) this team can now go into semi rebuild mode and get back to Devils hockey (no player bigger then the team). We already got our next #1 goaltender. We have quality defensive prospects as well as a possible gem in Boucher. If Kovy comes back in 4 years, I would think Kovy would give Lou first chance at signing him. Thank you Kovy!! Devils just pulled the biggest heist in the NHL.
- Ocean24

what i seem to think people forget is it is just not that easy to say i offer you this and sign. you need something to attract UFA's. with kovy gone and brodeur on his way out what is that attraction?

Okay so Parise/Suter going from getting paid 12 million to 1 million ISN'T cap circumvention
Richard/Parise/Kovalchuk, all these contracts are the same, but the Devils are the only ones who got punished
- JohnPaulNJ95

you forgot Hossa and Luongo.

Sorry, but the Devils tried to sell their souls to make that deal and the onus is completely on them for trying to circumvent the cap rules to do so. That's on them.
- MnGump

sorry but this is rather funny, a Minnesota wild fan telling me about circumventing the cap. didn't they do the exact same thing with the parise and sutter contracts last summer. lets see long term, front loaded deals playing guys league minimum at the back end of the contract, boy i'm seem to remember this not being allowed once before?

Sorry, but the Devils tried to sell their souls to make that deal and the onus is completely on them for trying to circumvent the cap rules to do so. That's on them.
- MnGump

They are two completely different things I agree with that. Kovalchuk leaving should not mean we get the first back. Would I like if we did of course but they aren't the same thing we didn't lose the pick because we got to keep Kovalchuk we lost it because we "circumvented" the cap. The thing I disagree with is all the other teams who had done it didn't lose a damn thing and we get slapped with a 3 million dollar fine and have to give up a 3rd and 1st round pick. It pisses me off the a team who also "circumvented" the cap just won the cup. Why are the Devils the only team to get punished. Lu's contract is so damn bad it cant be given away and Vancouver didn't have to give up any money or picks. Complete BS.