Kovy to KHL?

[pixburgher66]

2010 NHL free agency: Source: Los Angeles Kings back in talks with Ilya Kovalchuk - ESPN

jeez, i didn't see that. what a joke...

 

[scottflyers88]

yea it is getting annoying. as soon as he signs, other players should start to sign and gagne should get traded.

 

[pixburgher66]

that's definitely the most frustrating thing about all of this crap...he's just holding up everything. i just KNOW the second he signs there will be some big dominos. i can't take not knowing the full rosters yet. i really wanna know who that last winger/center will be for the pens. ...i'm SICK of speculation.

 

[scottflyers88]

i really want to see what happens with gagne. just sign kovalchuk.

 

[pixburgher66]

yeah, kovy is the biggest chip in the gagne trade. especially with LA being so high on that list of suitors.

 

[scottflyers88]

yes. i am rooting for kovalchuk to not go to la.

 

[evolver115]

i mean, i really think it's the competition. players that good have to be competitive to get to where they are...if i were that good, i'm pretty sure i'd want to play for a championship that MATTERED. if i were part of the winning KHL team, i'd be happy, yes...but the whole time (especially if i were an NHL defect) all i'd think about would be the Cup.

This is what would surprise me if Kovalchuk did end up in the KHL. His ability and talent would probably overshadow most of the competition right now in the KHL. He'd easily be the premier player in the league if he went back to russia.

Other than the money... which plays a HUGE roll in it all, I just don't know how he'd be satisfied playing in the KHL. You would think his competitive nature would lure him back to the NHL. Maybe if he took a short one, or two year term over in Russia... i could see it. Other than that.... I can't see it.

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

Other than the money... which plays a HUGE roll in it all,.

.... especially when income tax is factored into the monetary equation...

 

[pixburgher66]

yeah, but when he came back (if leaving) i think it'd be tough to readjust. it'd just be wasting his peak years in a non-competitive league, wasting away in reality. i think that if he goes now...coming back would be tough and not the best for him.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Can't figure out if this is writers bored and making things up/reporting the slightest signs that he may be leaning toward a team, or Grossman leaking contract talks to drive the price up. I'm to the point where I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

yeah, but when he came back (if leaving) i think it'd be tough to readjust. it'd just be wasting his peak years in a non-competitive league, wasting away in reality. i think that if he goes now...coming back would be tough and not the best for him.

But who are WE to say what's best for HIM.

We can put our own spin on it yes, on how we would respond based on our experiences and how we would like to see his career progress...
But who are we to say that he would consider playing back in his home country, close to his friends and family, and still making a ton of dough, "wasting" those years.

Who's to say that if he goes, that he would even come back?

Personally.. I want him to go, moreso because I'm sick of the drama and don't think he's worth what he's asking.
But wouldn't give it a second thought if he did go. His decision, his life.

 

[pixburgher66]

what i meant was that if he planned to only take a few years in russia, then coming back would, presumably, be more difficult because he 'wasted' some of his prime years not in the better league.

 

[MM213]

Still nothing certain. It's still between LA, NJ and SKA KHL.
Medvedev (President of SKA) said they are trying hard to get Kovalchuk, but Ilya is still deciding.
Medvedev said they are planning an official press-conference to announce signing of Nabokov and it would be nice to announce signing of Kovalchuk there as well, but so far - no deal.

 

[Automattic]

Eastern Conference, KHL, or bust...(please)

 

[pixburgher66]

MM, as resident Russian specialist, is there some rule about NHL max contracts or something, with SKA signing nabby already. twitter was confusing me today. just wondering.

 

[loki604]

Go somewhere already, getting sick of hearing about him.

I haven't read the entire thread yet, but it is comments like this that differentiate us from NBA fans.

Edit: This is ONE of the things that differentiates us from NBA fans.

 

[MM213]

MM, as resident Russian specialist, is there some rule about NHL max contracts or something, with SKA signing nabby already. twitter was confusing me today. just wondering.

pixburgher66, I'm as much Russian specialist as you are
I actually live in NY, getting KHL news from the Internet.

As far as I know, there is a salary cap in KHL - about $30M, but each team may exclude a salary of one "star player" from it.
Last year it was 2 star players. For example, SKA had contracts of Yashin and Zubov excluded from the cap. This year, due to changes in reglament Yashin may get traded. Or SKA will just pay a fine for exceeding the cap. They don't care, their sponsors have plenty of money.

 

[IPostedWhat]

I think Pix needs Dolph's help?

 

[pixburgher66]

psh...all you have to do is pay a FINE? yeah, i'd exceed it too.

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

psh...all you have to do is pay a FINE? yeah, i'd exceed it too.

what if the fine was 17 trillion dollars?