Kovy decision on Monday

[davnlaguna]

All the Devils need to do is chop two or three years off the contract, which would make it identical to Hossa's. It jumps his cap hit from a 6 to a 7, which hurts, but is still doable.

The real problem is whether or not Bettman decides to punish the Devils. My understanding is that he can not only fine them, but he can reduce their cap hit by 1.5 mil.

I am glad to see sanity prevail, as I don't think it's in any team's best interest to have a 17 year contract on the books.

Bettman could fine the team 1 mil - 5 mil , lowering their cap by that much and take away draft picks. He won't. Nothing more will happen except the Devils will make sure the next offer is accecptable to the NHL before filing it. If the Devils just take two years off the deal I think the league will reject the next one and fine them for this one. There is no time limit in handing out the fine so they will not say anything public until Kovy signs a contract the league likes.
I think that money has to be moved from the front to the back of the deal. Kovy won't like that but now the Devils have the NHL on there side. Yes I think the Devils actually won this battle. They get Kovy. The contract can't be as frontloaded as Kovy wants (which helps the Devils internal budgets for years to come) and they still can still get a cap hit they can live with by just lowering the 11.5 mil years and putting more money at the end of the contract. Yes they will have to cut a couple of years off the deal as well but if Kovy gets injured cutting those years off saves them money.

I don't think Kovy will be a King. I hope that the Kings don't answer his call (if he calls).

 

[devs30rko]

AJ the league can fine the devils from 1 to 5 mil. whatever the fine would be if they choose to do so WOULD count against the cap, but according to devils beat writer Tom Gulitti who is very well educated, has good sources and tends to be spot on, it is unlikely the league fines them as they were more concerned with blocking the contract as is.

 

[loki604]

I bet Lou was happy with this decision.

 

[HonusWagner66]

So I guess the main argument the league put forward is that no one could expect Kovy to be playing until the end of his contract?!? Hmmm, Mark Recchi is still playing, Chris Chelios played until the age of 47. Oh well.

Totally unreasonable for Kovy to play at 44, but it's perfectly reasonable for Hossa to be playing at the end of his contract when he's 42... or Luongo playing when he's 43.

Good job, Gary.

 

[devs30rko]

thats the only thing that makes me mad....

yes i know everyone was warned.

but your warning is saying hey this isn't allowed, so why allow it when others tried?

 

[Comeds]

I am amazed at the ruling. I do agree with it in the sense that it was circumventing the cap, but I dont see why this one was stopped when others were allowed.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Let's see Kovy jump ship to the KHL. That will look real good for Bettman, being directly involved in losing a top ten player from his league.

 

[Destroydacre]

I wonder how much money the arbiter got under the table to rule in the NHL's favor. So the league wins and has total control. Every contract is subject to Bettman's whim now. Unbelievable.

 

[Comeds]

Let's see Kovy jump ship to the KHL. That will look real good for Bettman, being directly involved in losing a top ten player from his league.

That is an option for him. However I think it woud reflect more poorly on Kovalchuk and his contract demands than it would Bettman.

 

[loki604]

I think this is a plot by the NHL to keep Kovy out of the Atlantic to help the Penguins.

 

[devs30rko]

relax there loki.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

The NHLPA must have the worst lawyers ever.

 

[loki604]

relax there loki.

Don't worry; I'm pretty relaxed.

 

[dash]

The NHLPA must have the worst lawyers ever.

What's a ute?

 

[IPostedWhat]

WhatMeWorry?

 

[puckhead]

I was kind of looking forward to watching that contract bite the Devils in the ass. Oh well.

I think they'll have a restructured deal in place soon too. perhaps with the identical ratios to Hossa, as that had been approved (though cautioned).

So I guess the main argument the league put forward is that no one could expect Kovy to be playing until the end of his contract?!? Hmmm, Mark Recchi is still playing, Chris Chelios played until the age of 47. Oh well.

I think that's only half of it.

- the main argument the league put forward is that no one could expect Kovy to be playing until the end of his contract..... for $500k per year for the last 7 years. big difference.

 

[puckhead]

I wonder how much money the arbiter got under the table to rule in the NHL's favor. So the league wins and has total control. Every contract is subject to Bettman's whim now. Unbelievable.

technically, every contract always WAS subject to Bettman's whim.
every trade too, for that matter.

 

[dare2be]

No cause both contracts are structured the same way. The difference would be going 90 in a 65 and 77 in a 55. Both are going nearly 140% of the speed limit.

Like I said, the league said it was ok to pay 95% of a player's salary over the first 2/3rds of the deal. They approved it with Hossa's deal. The only difference is Kovy's is longer. Seeing as there is no term limit in the CBA, I can't see why Kovy's was rejected while Hossa's was not.

Actually, Hossa's is 94.2% over 2/3rds, and Kovy's is 96.5% over less than 2/3rds (11/17ths). While those numbers look similar, when you take the average salary (speed) over the first 2/3rds and compare it to the cap hit (speed limit), then Hossa's is like going 74 in a 53 zone, and Kovy's is like going 89.5 in a 60. That makes Hossa at 140% vs. Kovalchuk at 150%. Factor in the higher percentage with dollar amounts that are 62% higher, then it isn't the same animal.

 

[puckhead]

Actually, Hossa's is 94.2% over 2/3rds, and Kovy's is 96.5% over less than 2/3rds (11/17ths). While those numbers look similar, when you take the average salary (speed) over the first 2/3rds and compare it to the cap hit (speed limit), then Hossa's is like going 74 in a 53 zone, and Hossa's is like going 89.5 in a 60. That makes Hossa at 140% vs. Kovalchuk at 150%. Factor in the higher percentage with dollar amounts that are 62% higher, then it isn't the same animal.

I don't feel like looking for the numbers right now, but I recall the biggest difference was amount of money in the back 1/3 of the contract. davenlaguna posted a really good link on it.

 

[dare2be]

Yeah, well, Puckhead, I'm a numbers geek

I'd like to add that looking at just percentages can be a slippery slope. Take an 18-year contract for a 25-year old that is 6mill per year for the first 12, and 550k for the last 6. (Similar percentage as Kovy over the first 2/3rds), for a cap hit of 4.18m. The difference between the 6mill and 4.18 mill is the roughly the same percentage, but Kovy's is over a million more per year in cap circumvention.