Confirmed with Link: Alexei Kovalev retired

[Mr Jiggyfly]

But just like the Jagr deal, the Pens also received cash from their trade partner (4 million in Kovalev's case) which they needed badly to stay afloat. I'm not happy with what Patrick got back in assets but I understand him asking for money lowered the return in terms of players and picks. The NHL prohibited cash trading shortly afterwards.

Curious people are ripping up CP about the Kovy and Jagr deals.

I thought it was well known CP got back cash in both the Jagr and Kovy trades because the team needed it so badly.

CP really had his hands tied back then. He literally could not take on salary and in fact had to sell off his best players.

I think people forget the God awful ****** mess Baldwin created for CP.

 

[plaidchuck]

Curious people are ripping up CP about the Kovy and Jagr deals.

I thought it was well known CP got back cash in both the Jagr and Kovy trades because the team needed it so badly.

CP really had his hands tied back then. He literally could not take on salary and in fact had to sell off his best players.

I think people forget the God awful ****** mess Baldwin created for CP.

Yeah it was just a sh!tstorm overall, people outside of old school fans don't know how bad it really was. All the see is "team did bad=low attendance".

 

[Solution]

Id like to see the org offer him a front office job here, class guy, great player for us. Could bring a lot of good things with foreign rookies in talking/mentoring them.

Thatll all happen behind the scenes... But I hope at least Shero reaches an arm out.

No matter what, best of luck to him in what ever he does. Was always a pleasure to watch him play no matter what uniform he was wearing.

How about making him a Europen scout? It sucks that Burgs seems to be the only one that we have.

 

[KaylaJ]

He played for I think AK Bars Kazan last year but didn't do that well.

I think it'd be nice if the club invited him to a game as a special guest and maybe had a pre game presentation to say thanks.

Yeah, after his stint with the Penguins he said he wanted to stay in the NHL, but I don't think he really got any calls. Tried the KHL but I don't think he was ever there mentally.

As for the special guest and whatnot, I don't think he's ready for that. He did his retirement pretty quietly, so maybe he needs some time first.

Oddly enough, his last game was the one vs Pittsburgh and he's the last of the 94 Rangers to retire. If I didn't feel old already

 

[Solution]

Yeah, after his stint with the Penguins he said he wanted to stay in the NHL, but I don't think he really got any calls. Tried the KHL but I don't think he was ever there mentally.

As for the special guest and whatnot, I don't think he's ready for that. He did his retirement pretty quietly, so maybe he needs some time first.

Oddly enough, his last game was the one vs Pittsburgh and he's the last of the 94 Rangers to retire. If I didn't feel old already

All right. I remember his rookie year. Does that make you feel any younger?

 

[chethejet]

Only Neil Smith was willing to take Nedved for Kovy. Kovy was the best wrist shot from the worst angles. If he doesn't break his ankle in the playoffs against Toronto, I think the Pens go to the finals.

 

[KaylaJ]

All right. I remember his rookie year. Does that make you feel any younger?

Not really, I remember that too

 

[Solution]

Not really, I remember that too

Sorry. How about Mario's rookie year?

 

[theicebox]

I am still keeping my avatar.

 

[KaylaJ]

Sorry. How about Mario's rookie year?

Now you're getting there. I was young enough to kinda remember that yr, but wasn't a hockey fan then.

But still crazy to think how long Kovalev lasted when he was blasted so much for being lazy and whatnot. Maybe one day in 50 years when Brodeur dies in his crease we'll be able to look back and say we remembered him from the 94 ECF

 

[Solution]

Now you're getting there. I was young enough to kinda remember that yr, but wasn't a hockey fan then.

But still crazy to think how long Kovalev lasted when he was blasted so much for being lazy and whatnot. Maybe one day in 50 years when Brodeur dies in his crease we'll be able to look back and say we remembered him from the 94 ECF

Let's leave it at that then. Otherwise, I am going to start dating myself (if I have not already). Actually, Kovalev is interesting. When he was motivated he was dominant. Otherwise he seemed disinterested. He may have been one of the most talented players I ever saw, but he never seemed to have the same drive as a Marty Straka.

 

[hiptanaka]

His best draft pick other than the no-brainers was who, Lalime?

Kris Letang.

 

[tom_servo]

 

[Shady Machine]

I loved the real Kovy (screw Kovalchuk).

 

[netwolf]

In honor of Alexei Kovalev's retirement, I pull this out of the archives: http://www.letsgopens.com/scripts/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=32099&p=765409

 

[Harvey Birdman]

How about making him a Europen scout? It sucks that Burgs seems to be the only one that we have.

Or that, being a scour us would be a great add to the org also.

 

[Ozz]

I've always liked watching the original Kovy.

 

[eXile59]

I'll take issue with this. The economic structure of the time might have made it difficult to sign Kovalev to a deal competitive with the open market or a team with a massive payroll of the Rangers and necessitate a trade, but it did not force Craig Patrick to trade him for what he traded for.

Other teams were selling off talent and getting high picks and prospects, and what do we get for a winger who's last three seasons resulted in 90+ point scoring pace? A lousy Mikael Samuelsson and three career minor leaguers. You didn't need hindsight to see what a horrible trade it was, and I blame ownership just as much for signing off on it. I can't even believe the NHL approved such a heinously ******, lopsided deal.

It was the most annoying thing about Craig's attempt at a re-build. It was like he was always trying to pull off these acrobatic miracle trades turning retreads into superstars outsmarting himself in the process. San Jose got Brad Boyes and a 1st round pick for Owen Nolan mere weeks after we traded Kovalev, Washington got Brooks Laich, Tomas Fleischmann and a bunch of first round picks (including Mike Green) for Bondra, Lang and Gonchar. Chicago has Bryan Bickell today out of trading Alexei Zhamnov. What did we get? Rico Fata, Richard Lintner and Joel ****ing Bouchard.

Anyway, rant aside, losing Kovalev had to do with the league economics, but the "for nothing" part was because Craig Patrick sucked at selling.

I remember some one in the Leafs organization(actually it might have been CP himself) say that they offered Antropov for Kovalev & CP said he couldn't do it because he wouldn't be able to afford him in a couple years. We were on life support back then. He was put in a really bad situation so I don't blame him for falling on his face with some of the trades he HAD to make.