NHL News: Ilya Kovalchuck Rejects 12 Year 101 Million Dollar Offer
by Joe Fortunato on Feb 4, 2010 3:37 PM EST
in NHL News
Email
PrintIf you wanted a litmus test for what Ilya Kovalchuk thinks he is worth, wonder no more. NHL.com is reporting that Kovalchuk rejected a 12 year 101 million dollar offer to stay with the Atlanta thrashers. Here are the highlights from the full story:
Waddell said the club offered Kovalchuk a 12-year, $101 million deal, but it was rejected. Waddell said it would have been the highest contract ever signed by an impending free agent in NHL history.
Waddell also said a $70 million, seven-year deal was rejected. Waddell said that deal would have made Kovalchuk's average annual salary $10 million per season, $500,000 more than any player in the League."If we went beyond these offers, we would not be able to retain the young players on our roster when it came time to sign them, or invest in other top-tier players needed to assemble a truly competitive team," he said. "Therefore, we are aggressively exploring all of our options as we move forward."
Throw this into the "insane" category. If Alexander Ovechkin isn't making 10 million dollars a year then neither should Kovalchuk. Good luck man, if you want a deal like that you're gonna need it.
I am in class now so I don't have time to write much up, but at that asking pice he is way out of Glen Sather's price range. Thoughts?
40 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Believe me, it’s not about the money. It’s about being stuck on the Thrashers for the bulk of his career.
Bettman's Nightmare: A Blog Where Hockey Aficionados Dismantle That Mighty Empire, One Balsillie at a Time
http://bettmansnightmare.blogspot.com/
by Bettman's Nightmare on Feb 4, 2010 3:42 PM EST reply actions
Yeah... he'll take less elsewhere
He just wants to cash in for the Thrashers, or take less somewhere where he might have a better chance of winning. Considering everything the Thrashers have done for him, it’s pretty shitty, but that’s his prerogative, I guess.
by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 4, 2010 6:01 PM EST up reply actions
I get that feeling too.
Isn’t exactly hockey-town down there in ATL.
I don’t think he’ll get any more then what these 2 deals offer if he goes anywhere else…he just probably wants to go somewhere else.
Rectum? Damn near killed em!
exactly
he wants out. He wants a chance to win. He’d go to the Hawks, Kings, or Caps for a 2 year 14 million contract before taking 10 from the thrashers
and that doesnt even count the players/prospects/picks to get him anyway.
I dont think this is smart of Waddell to openly talk about the huge deals Kovy already turned down because it limits the market on teams that go after him. To me this means only teams that are legit contenders can trade for him and have to view it as a straight rental to win the cup scenario. it cant be a fringe team hoping he will get re-signed.
I agree with you Mike
to me he is only hurting himself
Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers the only NHL team with three home arenas.
by Joe Fortunato on Feb 4, 2010 4:49 PM EST up reply actions
Any NHL team that gives him a contract that is MORE than what Atlanta offered should be dropped from the NHL. He doesn’t come remotely CLOSE to bringing to a team what a Crosby or Ovechkin does (not just goals here people), and he’s obviously got some holier-than-thou issues.
I think the only team that would make SENSE getting him would be Chicago. Trade away some salary and players they can’t resign (because they’re going to be well over the cap next season with only 15 signed) and hope he lights it up until he leaves after the season. Everyone else, save your players and your future.
I hope he goes to Russia. Hell, I say just deport his ass now and save everyone the trouble.
I could see several teams that have what Waddell is looking for, and feel that they’re one sniper away from a cup, as going after him as a rental.
It all boils down to – how bad do you want it, and what are you willing to pay for it?
If the price comes down (as I bet it will with this idiotic announcement by Waddell), I can see any top 8 team – and even some of the ones on the bubble, going for it.
It will probably be a mistake – but it won’t stop stupid people…..nothing ever does.
BlueshirtBanter - beating up reporters at bus stops since 1994
Go Back to Russia
Yea Kovy you can score, but you can’t play defense, haven’t won in the playoffs, and if you want to win in the playoffs you need to realize you are not the only player on the team, if you truly want to win then you must learn to make a concession, not to say he should play for nothing, but 10 mil per is a bit outlandish considering he wants to win… have fun in the KHL
exactly
no one knows hockey in GA!!! he probably walks into a club and no one knows who he is…hockey players of his caliber are chased and harassed by beautiful women in Europe, so when they go to a southern team, with a fan base that can care less, i imagine they hate the lack luster attitude…Kovi will def go to a “hockey town” team to win, cuz thats the only way you can really solidify urself as a great player!!
then kovy’s counter to this should be: i will sign a contract elsewhere for… if you want to prove it is not about wanting more money just getting out of atl.
no wayyy
no one will set their own price, esp if a team will try to outbid everyone else…thats just crazyy…you cant hate the player, just the damn game for allowing the player to dictate his contract demands!!
well then come out with the normal BS of i just want to win and im not sure we are going to win here because we havent competed for a title while i have been here and how he is concerned about signing on to a franchise that apparently is on skaky ground as to whether it is still going to exist.
by Michael Gleich on Feb 4, 2010 5:33 PM EST up reply actions
Its really funny that people lose respect for him after this, because would you want to play in Atlanta when you could play anywhere in the NHL for only a small pay cut than Atlanta would give you? I would think not, he is totally justified in rejecting this.
I think those “bashing him” – and I would consider myself part of this group – are doing so on the basis of the fact that he’s a lying sack of ….
Since this ordeal started (which really was before trade deadline LAST season), the mantra repeated by him and his ‘agent’ has been “We love ATL. We want ATL. Blah. Blah. Blah.” Now – the reality has proven to be otherwise. More like “I want ATL if they’ll pay me the current salary max under the cap of 11.3mm every year for 10 or more years.”
There’s a big difference. He’s allowed Waddell to hamstring himself (which could well have happened anyway). If he really didn’t want to stay in ATL, he should have come out and said that a year ago. “Despite the wonderful atmosphere, a fantastic management team, blah blah blah, due to the uncertainty with the future of this franchise I’ve decided that I will not re-sign here.” Simple. Everyone’s above board, and instead of dicking around for a year trying to negotiate with him, Waddell is seeking trading partners.
BlueshirtBanter - beating up reporters at bus stops since 1994
exactly my point DB
if he was a man he would say “I loved my time in Atlanta but it is time for me to move on” and leave it at that
Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers the only NHL team with three home arenas.
by Joe Fortunato on Feb 4, 2010 6:09 PM EST up reply actions
Scary rumor
You are right when you say it isn’t hockey town in Atlanta. LIving in the south I can tell you, if the colors aren’t red and black and the object isn’t oblong, then Atlanta people don’t care. That’s what makes it the worst sports town in America.
Here’s something more scary: The rumor is the Thrashers want Callahan, Del Zotto and Staal for Kovalchuk. Please tell me even Sather isn’t dumb enough to make that trade.
I agree.
I hate that about ATL. I hate that about any town like that.
The worst is baseball in Florida. How is NOBODY interested in the Marlins?
by Gelatin on Feb 4, 2010 6:39 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
The saddest part of what you just said...
Is that it could very well be true.
by Gelatin on Feb 4, 2010 6:44 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
or cuz it rains EVERY game the Marlins play....
and who wants to sit in a plastic seat in that weather too?
We’ll see how they do in their new digs.
Rectum? Damn near killed em!
no the rumor from brooks this morning was…
Staal or MDZ
cally or Dubi
Stepan/Grachev or Kreider
1st round pick
by Michael Gleich on Feb 4, 2010 6:52 PM EST up reply actions
I would give
Staal Dubi and Grechav for him and 8 to 8.5 mil a year for 5 years. He’s worth more then gabby because he’s not mr. glass.
Staal is good but not great. Dubi is over-rated by you guys and only really shines when he has the right person next to him. Same goes with grechav as I think he shined because of Duchane??
With that being said. I’m all for getting another superstar and great players but when they get greedy I say go play somewhere else and risk not playing at all. Ticket prices are high enough and I’m sick of players and greedy agents pushing prices up in pro sports. I have a feeling this could backfire on him if he holds out for the leauge max. Thats insane. We could have three zherdevs for that amount which would be 75 goals.
Handing out #s is great, but he wants north of 10m a year. The biggest obstacle to picking him up as anything more than a rental has to do with the inability to negotiate terms of an extension.
As someone stated, Waddell isn’t allowing anybody to negotiate an extension with Kovy’s agent. This could be due to 2 things. One, people know he’s going to chase the $$$ and jump to the KHL. The other is that his demands are so high (and not just because he’s trying to price himself OUT of Atl), that Waddell knows he’d lose a bunch of suitors that want to trade for him.
In reality, letting teams negotiate with the player’s agent beforehand, I think, would be nothing but beneficial to Atl. You figure if you can come to an agreement with somebody like Kovy BEFORE a trade happens, it will 1. enhance your list of possible trade partners because people will know he’ll be more than a rental, and 2. probably increase the value Waddell is getting for Kovy because a team will know they’re not just getting a rental, but a 26 year old Kovy under a long term contract.
Sorry, kinda long winded, but trying to explain why we can’t just throw out $$$ figures and hope for a trade.
Never
Kovy will never win a cup, plain and simple. He obviously doesn’t get it and never will. we don’t need him in the NHL.
I disagree.
He will probably win a cup.
It just won’t be the Stanley Cup…..
BlueshirtBanter - beating up reporters at bus stops since 1994
Personally I hope Kovy does sign with the KHL next season. What does it say for the so-called best hockey league in the world (the NHL) if players can make better money in a russian league? Thanks, Bettman, for RUINING our league.
by bigaudio on Feb 4, 2010 6:52 PM EST reply actions
It says that the KHL will eventually suffocate under the ridiculous amounts of money they’re giving out. Some of it to bona-fide stars (there are some – both ex-NHLers and Euro players who’ve never been in the NHL but are talented) and some to ex-NHL has-beens.
These teams cannot be profitable.
BlueshirtBanter - beating up reporters at bus stops since 1994
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Blueshirt Banter
Related FanShots on Blueshirt Banter
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
Atlantic Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York Rangers
|
53 | 35 | 13 | 5 | 75 |
|
Philadelphia
|
55 | 31 | 17 | 7 | 69 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
55 | 31 | 19 | 5 | 67 |
|
New Jersey
|
55 | 31 | 20 | 4 | 66 |
|
New York Islanders
|
54 | 23 | 23 | 8 | 54 |
(updated 2.12.2012 at 8:46 AM EST)
Rangers Schedule
Next 5 Games
|
@
Boston
|
Tue 02/14 | 7:00 PM EST |
|
Chicago
|
Thu 02/16 | 7:00 PM EST |
|
Columbus
|
Sun 02/19 | 8:00 PM EST |
|
@
Pittsburgh
|
Tue 02/21 | 7:00 PM EST |
|
@
New York Islanders
|
Fri 02/24 | 7:00 PM EST |
Last 5 Games
|
Washington
|
Sun 02/12 | W 3 - 2 |
|
@
Philadelphia
|
Sat 02/11 | W 5 - 2 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
Thu 02/09 | OT - W 4 - 3 |
|
New Jersey
|
Tue 02/07 | L 0 - 1 |
|
Philadelphia
|
Sun 02/05 | W 5 - 2 |
SBNation.com Recent Stories
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Sunday’s Three Stars: Perry tricks Blue Jackets; another shutout for Halak
- Shut up about asterisks and Red Wings’ NHL home wins record chase
- The Phoenix Coyotes continue to complicate everything by winning
- As West playoff race gets tighter, Kings’ scoring woes far from disappearing
- Evan Trupp scores behind the net goal, stuns Las Vegas in ECHL (Video)
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
