Speculation: Can Las Vegas pick Kovalchuk?
- Thread starter Kshahdoo
- Start date
Wouldn't that be some weird contravention of something?
The only way he could be chosen in the expansion draft would be if he was made available by one of 30 teams. Will the league allow that?
The only way he could be chosen in the expansion draft would be if he was made available by one of 30 teams. Will the league allow that?
oXo Cube
Power Play Merchant
Kovalchuk isn't Devils property. He is a retired UFA.
If he was to sign a contract with New Jersey before the draft, and the Devils then left him unprotected for some reason, then I suppose they could. That scenario doesn't make any sense, though.
If he was to sign a contract with New Jersey before the draft, and the Devils then left him unprotected for some reason, then I suppose they could. That scenario doesn't make any sense, though.
As far as I understand, he can get to NJ, if he wishes, but if he doesn't want to play for the team, he needs to be voted by all 30 owners to be allowed to get back to the league before 5 years since his retirement will pass.
oXo Cube
Power Play Merchant
Presumably because if they sign Kovalchuk they would probably want to keep him for themselves?
It also seems pretty unlikely that Kovalchuks camp would want to sign a contract there only to get moved without his consent before a game is played.
I mean, this will happen, of course, only if Kovy and LV get a mutual agreement to sign a contract.
And as to NJ, as I understand, the team doesn't need him, and its fans don't like him at all. This way NJ protects its players from to be picked, LV gets a quality player and a respected veteran, and Kovy returns to the NHL.
Devils Trap
Registered User
He basically is though. Until he turns 35, he can only sign for the Devils unless we let him sign with someone else. He needs our permission to go to any other team
oXo Cube
Power Play Merchant
Right, and I get that, but on a technical level(what matters for an expansion draft) he isn't.
If I were the OP I wouldn't be getting my hopes up about Kovalchuk playing in the NHL for a team that isn't New Jersey.
EDIT: You edited your post, but point is the same. You can't claim players that aren't under contract.
Devils Trap
Registered User
I forgot about this completely, but last February Daly said the Devils still have his rights
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...icated--but-devils-hold-rights-002923136.html
edit: I didnt mean to edit that post as a response to you. I meant to make it a seperate post and messed up. Changed back to the original when I realized my mistake
If NJ signs him before the draft, he can be picked by LV, as far as I understand.
oXo Cube
Power Play Merchant
As per the rules, I see no reason why that would not be the case, yes.
Provided of course New Jersey leaves him unprotected.
Hally BlackWood
Registered User
nj would trade him or protected them and then look for a trade. Why would we give him up for free. Out of the goodness of our hearts? The guy picked up and took off if he wants to play in the nhl we want something in return or he can just stay over seas.
The Nuge
Some say…
We would just wait until after the expansion draft to sign him. There's no reason not to.
OmNomNom
Taco is Love, Taco is Life
tony d
New poll series coming from me in June
Sounds interesting. Got to think they could make a play for him if he's available. Would perhaps be their best player starting out.
Because Las Vegas needs big name players, the team can give Kovy a better contract, than other teams, so he will agree to sign it. As to NJ, this way the team doesn't need to protect anybody on a current roster, which is obviously an advantage and not a "goodness of your hearts".
Aceboogie
Registered User
- Aug 25, 2012
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Could devils say "Well let him sign with you (LV) under the caveat that when you pick from our team in draft you pick player X (who will be a scrub)"
I doubt it, if it's not Devils, then all 30 owners must vote to let Kovy play in the league. And LV obviously can't pick more, than one player from any team.
McDNicks17
Moderator
They have his rights if he wants to sign a contract before 35, but technically they don't own his rights.
KevinRedkey
12/18/23 and beyond!
- Jan 22, 2010
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They could "trade" that permission to Vegas in exchange for taking a specific player in the draft instead of whoever they could normally take.
Vagas: We want ABC player
NJD: You can talk to Kovy if you take XYZ player instead
Vegas: Sold (Sings Kovy and takes XYZ player)
The theoretical reason to do this is to not lose any current team players to the expansion draft, because having Kovy available would be irresistible bait.
This, of course, assumes that a signed Kovalchuk is actually of less value to the Devils than their otherwise best exposed expansion-eligible player. Basically, if Kovy was in a "I want to come back to the NHL but I won't play for the Devils, so they best sign me then move me" snit. And even then only if his trade value was less than the value of the player they risk losing to expansion (because if it was greater they'd trade him for a player better than the player they lose to expansion)
So yeah, a lot of "if"s have to align for this to make sense. But I would assume that is what the OP is assuming, that they do.
Acallabeth
Post approved by Ovechkin
mouser
Business of Hockey
A better way to put it is NJ holds rights to Kovy, however those rights are different then the rights we typically think of when discussing unsigned players.
Kovy is not on NJ's Reserve List. And the team probably cannot trade any rights they hold to Kovy right now even if they wanted to.
