Devils Team Discussion (team/player news and notes) ‎2015 offseason IX

[Wingman77]

Exactly. If you're retired, you shouldn't be playing in another professional sports league like the KHL.

Ethically what he did was wrong. Legally what he did was fine. Large difference between the two.

Further, when you have the unspoken backing from the team you are retiring from that couldn't pay you on time largely as a result of your contract, it makes it even less of an issue.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Actual news.

Feel terrible for Clowe but it's without a doubt the correct call. His life is more important then playing hockey.

 

[Tundra]

That Clowe contract has to be one of the worst ever in Devils history considering what the devils actually got in return.

 

[Zippy316]

That Clowe contract has to be one of the worst ever in Devils history considering what the devils actually got in return.

Not really. Clowe was good when he played and his contract never affected us cap-wise.

I would argue Kovalchuk is the worst if you want to look at it that way. Partially cost us Parise, costed us 20+ spots in the first round, a third round pick, fines, and now a cap recapture penalty -- although this is very small. Also practically ruined the 2010-11 season with the cap fiasco to start the year.

 

[Devils090]

Remember when DeBoer put out Clowe and Zubrus in OT against arguably the fastest team in the league. Good times. So happy the stink from the late Lou era is being aired out.

 

[Burner Account]

That Clowe contract has to be one of the worst ever in Devils history considering what the devils actually got in return.

On the bright side, they didn't trade any assets for him.

 

[Tundra]

Not really. Clowe was good when he played and his contract never affected us cap-wise.

I would argue Kovalchuk is the worst if you want to look at it that way. Partially cost us Parise, costed us 20+ spots in the first round, a third round pick, fines, and now a cap recapture penalty -- although this is very small. Also practically ruined the 2010-11 season with the cap fiasco to start the year.

We got 56 games for 24.25 million dollars. At least Kovalchuk helped push this team to the Stanley Cup and then the more punitive years of the contract got nullified.

 

[NJDevs26]

Worst contract from an ownership standpoint maybe. Not worst in terms of affecting hockey ops though.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

We got 56 games for 24.25 million dollars. At least Kovalchuk helped push this team to the Stanley Cup and then the more punitive years of the contract got nullified.

do you not understand that the Devils are not paying a significant portion of that, or?

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Ethically what he did was wrong. Legally what he did was fine. Large difference between the two.

Further, when you have the unspoken backing from the team you are retiring from that couldn't pay you on time largely as a result of your contract, it makes it even less of an issue.

I was talking more about business ethics than legalities per say. Legally, Kovy found a way out of his contract, but in typical business ethics, you would expect a person to honor their contract if it was at all possible for the person to do so, not seek to dodge it. Honestly, though, I'm tired of re-hashing the Kovy saga. He's gone, and he's not coming back, so he's not important to the current team and doesn't want to be.

This will probably be my last post about Kovy for awhile. I just wanted to make it clear that I think there are ethical questions with Kovy leaving that aren't "business as usual" with professional hockey, so I believe it is unfair to expect that fans will treat Kovy's departure as a "business as usual" thing like a player signing somewhere else. I don't spend much time resenting Kovy (I rather focus on the positives with this team, little though they may be), but I also am not going to stick up for him when someone calls him a traitor, since I understand how they could feel betrayed by what Kovy did. I'll defend somebody like Zach, but not Kovy.

 

[Tundra]

do you not understand that the Devils are not paying a significant portion of that, or?

It's still incredible effed up. The wasting of dollars. It doesn't exactly endear the organization to the underwriters in the future. It's bad business all around.

 

[Zippy316]

We got 56 games for 24.25 million dollars. At least Kovalchuk helped push this team to the Stanley Cup and then the more punitive years of the contract got nullified.

I don't blame Kovalchuk but he had way more negative effects on the team when he was here that far outweighs the fact that ownership has to pay Clowe for only 56 games.

Kovalchuk costed assets to acquire. Essentially casted a black eye on the team in the contract fiasco that summer. Costed this team picks and financial penalties. You can speculate that it had a pretty big effect on Parise leaving the next off season. His salary was total affecting the ownership group -- Lou did a good job not letting it affect on-ice production or the spending on the team -- but everyone else the team suffered heavily. Kovalchuk was a huge part of the cap problem to start 2010-11. Then add another black eye on the team when he retired to go to the KHL. On top of that, a cap recapture penalty.

I'm the least of the Kovalchuk haters but after all the stuff that occurred from and as a result of Kovalchuk it doesn't even come close.

 

[Classic Devil]

We got 56 games for 24.25 million dollars. At least Kovalchuk helped push this team to the Stanley Cup and then the more punitive years of the contract got nullified.

We're not paying most of those dollars, insurance is, and it doesn't even hit the cap since he's LTIRed.

 

[NjDevs4994]

We got 56 games for 24.25 million dollars. At least Kovalchuk helped push this team to the Stanley Cup and then the more punitive years of the contract got nullified.

Even if he was making 8 mil a year I wouldn't even care.

 

[Lou is God]

Like Salvador, no surprise, however, sad. Best of luck to Clowe.

I think this is actually sadder because Clowe was still in the prime, Sal was years beyond his.

 

[Rhodes 81]

Why the **** do we still care about Kovalchuk?

Until the day he signs another contract to play in the NHL, we should just forget he exists. The damage has been done and is pretty much over. It's time to move on.

 

[Bleedred]

Remember when DeBoer put out Clowe and Zubrus in OT against arguably the fastest team in the league. Good times. So happy the stink from the late Lou era is being aired out.

Haha classic Pete!

Sad to hear about Clowe, though I was expecting it. I was actually hoping for him to step away at this point though, more concerned about his health and well being. If he hurt himself permanently, I'm sure his life would be a lot rougher. Hopefully he's comfortable at this point.

Why the **** do we still care about Kovalchuk?

Until the day he signs another contract to play in the NHL, we should just forget he exists. The damage has been done and is pretty much over. It's time to move on.

This is the number 1 reason why we really ABSOLUTELY NEED a skilled forward or two in the WORST way possible. Just so I don't have to read about Kovalchuk every couple weeks or months anymore.

I could just see it right now. Even if we made the playoffs and got swept in round 2 losing every game by the score of 2-1 or 1-0 in OT or multiple OT's (like the dream I had a couple weeks ago haha), people will be saying ''Well if we had Kovy, I really think we not only get past round 2, we most likely even get through the conference finals and lose in the cup finals at the absolute least''.

People are just so fixated on him because of our lack of skilled forwards or lack of a gamebreaking forward.

 

[Bleedred]

Why am I supposed to feel bad that ownership has to pay for a guy who isn't playing anymore? Why is anyone here supposed to feel bad.

I know it was the previous regime in ownership that was here when we signed Clowe's contract, so maybe I feel a little bad since they weren't the ones signing that contract. But that's their problem for owning a sports team. Everyone knows that when they purchase a sports team.

And that could have happened to anybody, what happened to Clowe.

 

[Zippy316]

What happened to Chere?

Am I just really late for this?

 

[NJDevs26]

What happened to Chere?

Am I just really late for this?

Nothing, he still has a job unfortunately. Clowe more or less officially retired though.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

From a team/cap perspective, the Rolston and Volchenkov contracts were way worse than Clowe

 

[Devils Dominion]

Remember when DeBoer put out Clowe and Zubrus in OT against arguably the fastest team in the league. Good times. So happy the stink from the late Lou era is being aired out.

I do, and knew a goal allowed was on tap.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Since the Devils streamed the bus ride to Buffalo, you would think that they could stream the actually game on their website?

 

[Emperoreddy]

It's still incredible effed up. The wasting of dollars. It doesn't exactly endear the organization to the underwriters in the future. It's bad business all around.

Its no worse then the Yotes trading for Pronger or the Leafs trading for Horton and his uninsured contract. Actually it's a lot better because Clowe was signed to play. It just didn't work out.

Volch's contract was worse. Kovy's contract was definitely worst especially since both his and Clowe's contract is being looked at in hindsight.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Why the **** do we still care about Kovalchuk?

Until the day he signs another contract to play in the NHL, we should just forget he exists. The damage has been done and is pretty much over. It's time to move on.

For real. Go build a snowman.

Anyway, what are the predictions for our d-corps? I personally want to see one of Hrabarenka or Helgeson on the big team, provided they earn it of course. Want no part of John Moore beyond spot 7th duty.