Ryan Wilson: Path for Kovalchuk and the Penguins Path for Kovalchuk and the Penguins

I don't want the team to get older. Kovy isn't an upgrade at all over Kessel. GMJR isn't considering picking him up... I hope

I don't want the team to get older. Kovy isn't an upgrade at all over Kessel. GMJR isn't considering picking him up... I hope
- Mino42

I've been trying avoid listening to the Kessel rumors. I'm honestly going to be very upset if they move him. Not only do I think he's going to be worth every penny of his contract up to the day it expires, I just don't believe (and I've said this a million times) that you can get the return you should.

That being said, Kovy is a complete wild card. If that Russian conversion thing has any truth to it, then you'd have a suitable replacement. He isn't an upgrade, but those conversions don't take into effect other dynamics he would bring.

Let's say a Kessel trade brings in a MAJOR upgrade at defense and a 1st, then the Pens sign Kovy he comes in as a 30G/30A player; that's probably the closest thing to a win you can get in any situation Kessel gets moved.

Now. If RW's assessment is correct that it would take a 3yr/$6M, then noooooo thank you. Any team who goes more than two years on Kovy is a taking a major gamble.

Kovalchuk > Kessel. Just saying.

If he were to sign with Pittsburgh and we could trade Phil for a good haul I'd do it.

Kovalchuk WAS > Kessel. Just saying.

If he were to sign with Pittsburgh and we could trade Phil for a good haul I'd do it.
- Barnaby36

Fixed. Kovy was a premier player before he jettisoned for the KHL. We have no idea how he would do in the NHL at this point.

[quote]Kovalchuk > Kessel. Just saying.

If he were to sign with Pittsburgh and we could trade Phil for a good haul I'd do it.

In his prime yeah, but you really think he's better right now? I guess if you could trade Phil for some picks/prospects then it would be good asset management. I don't think Kovy would replace his production though.

If Kovy wants to sign a "Jagr Bounty Hunter" deal, for 1-2 years for cheap, i'm ok with that. But I would never, never, never give up Kessel for him. Even with getting picks and players back for Kessel.

I was listening to the Spittin Chiclets pod the other day and Whitney and Biz sound like they really think Kovalchuk has slowed down substantially. Kovi may effectively be a very rich man's Vanek at this point, or what Danny Heatly was towards the end of his career before completely dropping off, and I'm not sure I want to invest in that.

Just finished reading the Lightning blog with an interesting take on them trading Stralman for cap room, which seems intriguing given a need for a right handed d-man for the bottom pairing. Do you think that we have the pieces to make that move and somehow drop Hunwick?

Not to completely diverge away from the Kovalchuk talk...

Wouldn't all other 30 teams, including the Devils who hold his rights until the start of the season, have to agree to the deal if he signs with any team other than NJ?

Just finished reading the Lightning blog with an interesting take on them trading Stralman for cap room, which seems intriguing given a need for a right handed d-man for the bottom pairing. Do you think that we have the pieces to make that move and somehow drop Hunwick?
- Rocco115Pitt

If they want capspace, no. We'd have to match salary. And for one year of Stralman I'm not sure I'd be willing to send out any salaried player anyways besides Sheary.

I thought I read somewhere when Kovalchuk retired that to reenter the league it would require the approval of all 30 (now 31) owners. I can't imaging the NJ owner letting him back in. Maybe what I read was wrong.

Regardless, I wouldn't want Kovalchuk on the team in any circumstance. At least among more talented players he was probably the least team-oriented player in recent memory. He had a hand in causing a team to actually move and wrecked another team's system (not that I mind seeing NJ's almost impenetrable defensive system wrecked ).

Kovalchuk has also slowed down in the khl, which means that he is probably not even able to keep up with the nhl anymore. The khl is where some nhl players go after their nhl careers are over when they are not yet ready to quit playing and need to make more money than what the ahl provides (players like Max Talbot, for example, who played for Jagr's old team the last I looked). Even in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi the Russian coach favored the Kovalchuk/Radulov line over the Malkin/Ovi line in an attempt to prove that the khl is better than the nhl and he just proved the opposite, considering how they flamed out in those Olympics. I am surprised that Putin didn't exile him to Siberia for that.

Also, I am not sure how much Crosby carries grudges but there is always the incident in his rookie season where he took a penalty, Kovalchuk scored on the PP, and then pointed at Crosby to taunt him as he was leaving the box. I am guessing he forgets stuff like this, considering that he played with Niskanen for years and Niskanen was his second fight. Still, I can't imagine them working together very well.

No thanks.

Kovalchuk > Kessel. Just saying.

If he were to sign with Pittsburgh and we could trade Phil for a good haul I'd do it.
- Barnaby36

Yeah maybe in 2012 and that's a big maybe. After a full summer of rest this team is going to be a lot better the way it is. Big moves are not the way to win their 3rd cup in 4 years. Adding to the 4th line and a legit 3rd pairing RHD is all that is needed.

hard pass

Ryan Wilson: Path for Kovalchuk and the Penguins
Path for Kovalchuk and the Penguins
- Ryan_Wilson

Pittsburgh checks off one of Kovy’s boxes on his list but not the other 9.

So good luck with that.

Yeah maybe in 2012 and that's a big maybe. After a full summer of rest this team is going to be a lot better the way it is. Big moves are not the way to win their 3rd cup in 4 years. Adding to the 4th line and a legit 3rd pairing RHD is all that is needed.
- Mino42

A full season of Brassard would be a pretty big move, to me.

Doesn't seem necessary to move Kessel for Kovy. It would take more moves and far more work but trading Hunwick, Hagelin and Sheary would more than clear the room for Kovy. Either Hagelin or Sheary is overkill with Sprong coming next year and the other would be expendable with the addition of Kovy.

Guentel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Kovy-Malkin-Sprong
Rust-Brass-Kessel
???-Shehan-ZAR

seems pretty good to me....

Hagelin and Hunwick out alone makes up for the ballpark 6mil, they may have to eat some of Hunwick's salary but trading Sheary in addition to those two would allow them to fit Kovy easily

Phil Kessel for Philly's 19 and a promise to refill all donut shops in Pittsburgh.

Tell him Cheesesteaks > hot dogs.

If they land Kovy, with his shot off the point on the PP, daaaamn.

I think the off ice stuff is more important to Kovy than on ice. Doubt the Burgh is anywhere near that race.

In saying that, the blog is hypothesising, so how good is he? Age doesn't matter if the ability is still there. 'If' the ability is still there is a question that won't be answered until halfway though the season.

Seems like a Vegas gamble to me.......

I guess if hunwick and sheary are off the books and the cap does go up by 3+ mil, he becomes a possibility without trading Kessel.

I guess if hunwick and sheary are off the books and the cap does go up by 3+ mil, he becomes a possibility without trading Kessel.
- drummer829

I read an interview with Rutherford... He sounds committed to giving Hunwick a second chance next year. Which sucks of course.

I read an interview with Rutherford... He sounds committed to giving Hunwick a second chance next year. Which sucks of course.
- madmike71

Probably couldn’t unload his contract

A full season of Brassard would be a pretty big move, to me.
- jmatchett383

Yes. He was starting to finally heat up before he got injured.

Just read from an article that the success of Vegas will have an impact on the salary cap. Their team sales were first on fanatics and Fleury was the 4th best selling player jersey. Daly still projects between a 3-8 million increase.