Apparently the LA Kings are already having buyer’s remorse about Ilya Kovalchuk. Willie Desjardins, the Kings new head coach, doesn’t seem to have any plans to play the team’s leading scorer claiming him to be a bad fit.
Willie Desjardins is looking for the "right fit." Ilya Kovalchuk wants to win games regardless of ice time but was brought on board to produce. Lots from these two figures, plus notes and quotes on Quick, Rempal, Kempe and Luff: https://t.co/PIGMwm4M17
— Jon Rosen (@lakingsinsider) November 26, 2018
For a team that has no ability to score goals this is such a strange strategy to take. The Kings are dreadful offensively and they are looking to bench one of the few guys that is putting up points. Kovalchuk has 14 points in 23 games and only one goal and six of those points has been on the power play. He’s still effective at even-strength despite playing in a black hole in Los Angeles. Just take a look at Tanner Pearson after he pulled a Snake Pliskin and got out of LA. Something dreadful is happening out there to suck the offense out of everybody. It’s not a bad idea for a team to try and see what kind of bump you can get out of Kovalchuk leaving there.
Is this something the Penguins should be interested in? I can’t get to a place that automatically suggests no. There are certainly pros and cons to the idea. Let’s start with the pros.
It is likely the Kings are looking to unload the contract and might not be super interested in getting every last drop of value in a trade.
Kovalchuk is on a three year deal which seems to line up with the Penguins win now window that is directly linked to the ages of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
He’s a left winger that can play the right side so there is flexibility with where you slot him.
His shot is unreal whether it is a wrist, snap, or slap shot. Guys that can get the puck to him should still be able to rack up assists.
He’s an elite power play player over his career, mainly due to his shooting talents I spoke of above.
Not everything is great about this idea. Let’s go over some of the cons.
Ilya Kovalchuk is 35 and a half years old. He signed his contract this past summer. That means he is on a 35+ contract and if he packs his bags to go back to Russia the contract does not come off the books for the Penguins. You can’t discuss this idea without bringing up this fact.
He’s a great power play player. Wait, didn’t I have that as a pro? How do you fit him into the Penguins power play personnel? Phil Kessel shouldn’t come off that half wall. Kovalchuk isn’t a net front presence so taking away Hornqvist doesn’t really make sense. I suppose the only option would be to take Letang off the power play which might not always be a bad thing if you wanted to limit his minutes.
He makes 6.25M. Pittsburgh doesn’t exactly have a ton of cap room. They would have to move some salary around in the deal or separate deals. Patric Hornqvist, Olli Maatta, Bryan Rust, Riley Sheahan, and Jack Johnson are players with salary, but I’m not sure how realistic Hornqvist or Johnson are for different reasons. Pittsburgh does have 3.992M in cap space right now because of Justin Schultz’s injury. Do they pull a Chicago Blackhawks and have Schultz stay on LTIR until the playoffs like Chicago did with Patrick Kane during one of their Stanley Cup runs?
So this idea isn’t without its warts, but it is also not without some positives for a team with center depth looking for scoring depth. I think there is a potential fit for player and team. I don’t think it is likely to happen. I will say that the Penguins general manager is not afraid to trade for “one dimensional… scoring wingers with perceived baggage. That Phil guy has been alright.
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— Ryan Wilson (@GunnerStaal) November 26, 2018
Thanks for reading!