Kovalchuk going to New York?

[gretzky99]

Ok, I had to post this here instead of in the free agent signings as it isn't official yet. But the latest report has Kovalchuk going to the Islanders for $118.8M over 10 years.

In my opinion, this would be perfect.

Here's what I posted at a Kings forum...

"Kovalchuk is going to sign with the Islanders because that's who he is. he's going to take the money and score 50 goals and never win another playoff game.
some guys want to win, some guys want to score goals. kovalchuk will prove who he is very soon.

and if there is one complaint that DL didn't sign him then you need to go and be an Islanders fan because anyone that complains is just like Kovalchuk. goals are fun - woo hoo - we lost 6-5 but Kovalchuk scored twice!

have another fun decade of losing Kovy"

I'd like to personally thank Dean Lombardi for sticking to his guns and not caving in to the pressure to bring in a superstar. It's not a done deal yet with the Islanders, but I believe this is what's going to happen. Kovalchuk turned down $10M/year in ATL so he's going to get more than that even if it means he'll never win another playoff game in his life.

[TMacfreak91]

Beat me to it on this one lol Just saw this on another forum....I supposed adding Kovy to the top line would be a welcome addition for the Islanders...picture a line of Kovy-Tavares-Okposo...that would get more and more deadly every year. If the Islanders get some goaltending stability, adding Kovy will be a HUGE boost.

Steve

[edthesandwich]

Wasn't there a KHL offer for $30 million/year or something crazy like that? If he really didn't care about winning or NHL legacy, then why not take the rubles and run?

Regardless, this would be a GREAT deal for Kovalchuk the Indifferent, but I'm not so sure how it helps the Islanders. Save a little cake for team depth, boys!!!

[cathaytrader]

LOL ! My heart skipped few beats when I saw your title. I thought you were talking about the Rangers

[gretzky99]

i believe the deal in the KHL was reportedly worth $14M/year.

NYI also has room to sign Frolov too. Frolov and Kovalchuk have played together for Russia. I think they played on the same line at the World's. Frolov moved to RW.

Kovalchuk-Tavares-Frolov would be a good line. They'd all rack up points but also miss the playoffs because they have nothing else on that team and they are paying DiPietro/Yashin almost $8M combined this year and for many years to come.

[TMacfreak91]

Wasn't there a KHL offer for $30 million/year or something crazy like that? If he really didn't care about winning or NHL legacy, then why not take the rubles and run?

Regardless, this would be a GREAT deal for Kovalchuk the Indifferent, but I'm not so sure how it helps the Islanders. Save a little cake for team depth, boys!!!

Well think of it this way....Kovy helps the Islanders in a LOT of ways. Firstly, the Islanders have already added some physicality to their team by adding guys like Konopka this year and have in total already added 2 forwards and 2 defenseman. Adding Kovalchuk would give them a number 1 line with the potential to get better and better every year. Kovalchuk also brings another BIG thing for the Islanders...fans. Kovy is just a star and will boost attendance numbers BIG TIME IMO. If Islanders fans have a Kovalchuk-Tavares combo to watch, I'm sure it will excite many.

They also reportedly have close to $24 million in cap space to work with so adding Kovalchuk would leave them ability to add several other decent players to fill out the team.

Just my two cents.

Steve

[gretzky99]

i think it's good as done - big city, playing with a young stud center, same line with Frolov, lots of cap space, chance to score lots of goals, no chance of winning...sounds perfect.

[TMacfreak91]

This would mean trouble for me, one more player for the autograph hounds to get at Islanders games here in Buffalo while all I want is Schremp :/

Steve

[edthesandwich]

I'll grant the fact that Kovalchuk makes the Islanders better. That's a given. But one-line teams don't win playoff series. EVER. And as for the potential attendance boost...

Atlanta's attendance rank since the lockout: 23rd, 21st, 22nd, 30th, 28th.
N.Y. Islanders' attendance rank since the lockout: 30th, 28th, 30th, 30th, 29th.

Moral: Kovalchuk wasn't putting butts in the seats at Phillips, and NOBODY is going to games at Nassau. Even all that yammering they did about people buying tickets to see Tavares was a load of bull...they drew more than a thousand FEWER fans per game last season than in 2008-09.

Kovalchuk is good, but he won't be bringing people to the arena. Only a new barn, a Stanley Cup contender or the untimely demise of Charles Wang will accomplish that.

[mr ozzie]

Dean Lombardi can't sign Kovy because of contract demands and the cap crunch. The Kings got 17mil left in cap space with only 16 players signed. You sign Kovy and you got no room to sign Doughty and Johnson next year.