Todd Cordell: Another Ilya Kovalchuk blog

Devils sign Kovy, sign Shattenkirk, trade for one of Anaheim's solid D they'd otherwise have to expose to Vegas, Schneider has a bounce back year and the Devils are legitimately good in 2017-18.

More likely: None of those above things happen, Devils are bottom three again and Hall (understandably) asks for a trade.

Todd Cordell: Another Ilya Kovalchuk blog
- Todd.Cordell

Sign and trade probably the best option for he and the Devils. Devils get more assets in return to build rebuild, Kovi gets another crack at the NHL.

The overall best option may be to sign him and trade him at the deadline. I could be wrong but I think teams will be willing to spend more for Kovalchuk at the deadline than this offseason. It'd also be nice to see him as a Devil at least a little bit...

Let him sign and play with the devils. Maybe they get two legit lines instead of one

Remember that time he led the Devils to the Stanley Cup Final while fighting through serious back problems? The guy is a beast.

Yeah and remember that time he and (Parise) left and set the franchise back ten years, good times!
Damn right i'm bitter!

Sign and trade probably the best option for he and the Devils. Devils get more assets in return to build rebuild, Kovi gets another crack at the NHL.
- tomburton99

This is the only scenario I really see happening if the rumors of his return are true. I don't think he's really excited and willing to come back to the NHL, at his age, and play for a bottom-tiered team.

And I don't see huge value coming back to NJ in a trade. I don't even think he fetches a 1st rounder.

The only way I'd be ok with the Devils signing Kovalchuk and NOT trading him, is if they also add two top-4 defensemen. Or even better a #1 defenseman. I don't know how that deal would be possible without giving up big pieces, but I'm not willing to rule it out because a lot of GMs are highly capable of being complete morons at times. By himself, Kovalchuk doesn't make this team 25 points better and the absolute worst thing for this team would be to finish higher in the standings next season but still miss the playoffs with him being the only major offseason addition.

This is the only scenario I really see happening if the rumors of his return are true. I don't think he's really excited and willing to come back to the NHL, at his age, and play for a bottom-tiered team.

And I don't see huge value coming back to NJ in a trade. I don't even think he fetches a 1st rounder.
- jersey1414

If a playoff team thinks he could be the piece that puts them over the top, they'd probably be willing to trade a 1st for him.

Kovalchuk's ability to refuse to sign unless the Devils have a trade in place to a team he wants to go to essentially creates the same situation where a team is trying to trade a player with an extensive NTC. Might make the return on a potential sign and trade disappointing and allow teams that don't necessarily have the assets the Devils want to enter the mix.

This is the only scenario I really see happening if the rumors of his return are true. I don't think he's really excited and willing to come back to the NHL, at his age, and play for a bottom-tiered team.

And I don't see huge value coming back to NJ in a trade. I don't even think he fetches a 1st rounder.
- jersey1414

Oh I do. I think get's back a first round pick for sure. Lars Eller and Andrew Shaw fetched 2nd rounder picks in return this past June before the season started.

Sign and trade probably the best option for he and the Devils. Devils get more assets in return to build rebuild, Kovi gets another crack at the NHL.
- tomburton99

While getting assets for the future is nice, I'd also be okay with having some excitement around the team.

If a playoff team thinks he could be the piece that puts them over the top, they'd probably be willing to trade a 1st for him.
- CaptCrankypants

That's it? I'd trade a 1st for him literally right now, contingent upon his contract of course.

Oh I do. I think get's back a first round pick for sure. Lars Eller and Andrew Shaw fetched 2nd rounder picks in return this past June before the season started.
- tomburton99

Neither player had any leverage on where they would be traded which allows for open market bidding. Plus NHL GMs are dinosaurs who overvalue and trump up different things. Kovalchuk fleeing to Russia could be one of those non-on ice things that hurt his value.

That's it? I'd trade a 1st for him literally right now, contingent upon his contract of course.
- eichiefs9

i think he picks his destination. a 2nd and a couple b-prospects is what i see.

I'd take him back. Def would be fun to watch him and hall. Need to let the butthurt go.

That's it? I'd trade a 1st for him literally right now, contingent upon his contract of course.
- eichiefs9

If he doesn't want to be in NJ then the Devils have no leverage.

One dimensional player on the backside of his carreer who screwed you guys good not gonna make a difference by himself make it as difficult as possible for the douche bag as they can screw him

i think he picks his destination. a 2nd and a couple b-prospects is what i see.
- Tumbleweed

I think this is more realistic. Which is probably why it will get abused in this forum.

I think this is more realistic. Which is probably why it will get abused in this forum.
- jersey1414

if the leafs are involved, i wouldn't want them paying much more than that.

On a different note, McLeod with an OT goal to give Mississauga a 3-0 lead. They're rolling.

If he doesn't want to be in NJ then the Devils have no leverage.
- jersey1414

Wasn't the point of my post. I was just saying if all that guy expected in return was a 1st round pick, I think most teams would happily pay that...assuming his contract demands weren't insane.

But on that note, the Devils absolutely have leverage. They can tell him to get lost and (frank) off if they aren't going to get a decent return. His only other option would be to sign with another team but then 30 other NHL franchises have to vote to allow him back in the league.

If he's too picky with the Devils (about where he is "traded" to) and they can't get what they want, they can tell him "too bad, go back to the KHL" or "good luck getting 30 owners to sign off on your return". No GM is going to OK the return of him to a division rival, it will never happen.

i think he picks his destination. a 2nd and a couple b-prospects is what i see.
- Tumbleweed

For the reasons I posted above, I think the Devils will get something decent for him. Nothing that is going to alter the course of the franchise, but I don't think they're going to get picks and garbage prospects.

I think they have a lot more leverage than most people are giving them credit for. They are literally the only facilitators of his return and they probably aren't his biggest fans (despite the regime changes since his departure), so I see no reason why they would do him any favors or let him drive the bus on this one.

Wasn't the point of my post. I was just saying if all that guy expected in return was a 1st round pick, I think most teams would happily pay that...assuming his contract demands weren't insane.

But on that note, the Devils absolutely have leverage. They can tell him to get lost and (frank) off if they aren't going to get a decent return. His only other option would be to sign with another team but then 30 other NHL franchises have to vote to allow him back in the league.

If he's too picky with the Devils (about where he is "traded" to) and they can't get what they want, they can tell him "too bad, go back to the KHL" or "good luck getting 30 owners to sign off on your return". No GM is going to OK the return of him to a division rival, it will never happen.
- eichiefs9

I guess it's a matter of what happens first. If the Devils have to negotiate a contract with him first then they have no leverage. Teams will just say, "we'll give you a 4th otherwise you can deal with the contract and the unhappy player."

If the Devils can work with other teams BEFORE doing his new contract? Yes, then they have that leverage. I just don't know what's legal vs what's not. I mean, I thought his original 15 year contract was legal but that certainly came back to bite us.

Well it seems like we should just wait and see if Kovy wants to come back and how things shake out. We're all just guessing on what he's worth.

Who though Adam Larsson would get you Taylor Hall?

Who thought Vern Fiddler could get you a better return then PA Parenteau?

Who thought Lee Stempniak would get you a 2nd and 4th?

Who thought Quincey would get you a worse defenseman?