Contract Termination: Ilya Kovalchuk

Taylorst

Registered User
Jun 26, 2018
1,937
470
The GM in LA clearly isn't that smart for going after and Signing ilya,, his history dictated he was a problem , sure in his prime he put up great numbers that was 10 years ago , he also 10 years ago screwed over new jersey , did the kings really think he was going to come in and help their team?

Wasted money and a awful move.
 

kilowatt

the vibes are not immaculate
Jan 1, 2009
18,677
21,736
The GM in LA clearly isn't that smart for going after and Signing ilya,, his history dictated he was a problem , sure in his prime he put up great numbers that was 10 years ago , he also 10 years ago screwed over new jersey , did the kings really think he was going to come in and help their team?

Wasted money and a awful move.

Sure. But there was also a chance that it would work and the Kings gave up zero assets to get him. Kovalchuk was great in the Olympics. I think you just want to take a free shot at the Kings, and that's fine, but the Kings' core was getting older. This was one last push to see if the Kings could create magic before guys like Carter, Brown, and Quick were too old to be more than complementary pieces on a good team. It didn't work. Lots of contracts don't. This is only a hnique situation because Kovalchuk agreed to terminate the contract. There's a lot of money buried in the minors all around the league.
 

Taylorst

Registered User
Jun 26, 2018
1,937
470
Sure. But there was also a chance that it would work and the Kings gave up zero assets to get him. Kovalchuk was great in the Olympics. I think you just want to take a free shot at the Kings, and that's fine, but the Kings' core was getting older. This was one last push to see if the Kings could create magic before guys like Carter, Brown, and Quick were too old to be more than complementary pieces on a good team. It didn't work. Lots of contracts don't. This is only a hnique situation because Kovalchuk agreed to terminate the contract. There's a lot of money buried in the minors all around the league.


The kings have been on the decline since 2014 and the team as constructed wasn't anywhere near a cup contender, adding a guy who has been a known problem was foreseeable.

If the kings really thought they had a chance to become a bonafied contender, adding 1 guy over the age of 30 doesn't scream where all in.
If the kings went out and added more pieces you can than make that argument .

From every metric ILYA was the wrong choice to throw money at , and that falls squarely on the teams GM for inking that deal.
 

kilowatt

the vibes are not immaculate
Jan 1, 2009
18,677
21,736
The kings have been on the decline since 2014 and the team as constructed wasn't anywhere near a cup contender, adding a guy who has been a known problem was foreseeable.

And yet they won the cup, so it was very clearly a contender.

If the kings really thought they had a chance to become a bonafied contender, adding 1 guy over the age of 30 doesn't scream where all in.
If the kings went out and added more pieces you can than make that argument .

They only gave up 7 goals with an injury-stricken roster to the western conference champions just weeks prior to the signing. Adding a pure goal scorer and giving up zero assets was the least risky option available. Are the only two possible options “sell everything for a cup” or “sell everything and tank”? It’s almost as if Blake and Robitaille knew this era of the Kings was coming to an end, but figured one last shot - and adding Kovalchuk to boot - was worth the dollar risk at the very least.

From every metric ILYA was the wrong choice to throw money at , and that falls squarely on the teams GM for inking that deal.

In retrospect, yes. It was quite literally the worst possible outcome. At least management recognized it pretty quickly and said, “Well, time to rebuild. We had a good run.”
 

I am Canadian

AM34|WN88|MM16
May 22, 2008
6,681
2,830
Toronto
Leafs might make a little sense. Mikheyev is now effectively out for the season.

Kovalchuk could play 2nd/3rd line and pair with Tavares & 2nd PP unit
 

LD29

Registered User
Jan 19, 2019
233
168
I think he'll sign early next year. He is probably having a good time in Russia at the moment. Taking a timeout, having a good time with his family while getting an idea how and where to spent the last part of his career.
 

mikeyfan

Registered User
Dec 27, 2018
2,826
3,147
I would still like the Canes to sign him. Press Williams into a final decision and if he says no, then sign Kovalchuk
 

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