Contract Termination: Ilya Kovalchuk

[Seanaconda]

They could try but he has an NMC, which gives him full control of his destination. I'm sure they tried shopping him around and no one has interest, at least under his current contract. I assume that last year is scaring teams off if that's the case. For one year, I'm sure some team would take a chance on him but given the situation, that isn't plausible. Now since he becomes a UFA after this happens, he gets to sign a new contract and a new team can get him on a one-year contract at a more reasonable price.

He can't be happy that he's not playing and we don't know what happened behind closed doors. I'm guessing he is willing to leave money on the table to get out of that situation and, if it is true he wants to stay in the NHL, it seems that he is also willing to sacrifice it to have a shot at winning this year. Washington immediately came to mind to me as a fit. He knows Ovechkin and Kuznetsov among others from international play and the Caps are as good as anyone right now.

It's interesting he still would stay on the books even with a mutual termination. I was always under the impression that despite the 35+ contract, it would be wiped if they went that route but I guess not.

kings could always retain its not like they are winning soon

 

[PG Canuck]

I actually watch every kings game where as ur taking the results and trying to compare it to other examples . Try watching the kings play and tell me this team isnt better now then when they had him playing. The results prove the eye test in this case.

No need to get so offended there. I’m not saying you’re wrong, but pointing to records with or without players is a flawed way of reasoning.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Kings are going to have a whopping $11m in cap tied up in the 20-21 season between Kovalchuk, Phaneuf, and Richards, with no LTIR magic wand available to wash any of it away.

Damn.. i wonder how they're going to contend for the cup now.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

No need to get so offended there. I’m not saying you’re wrong, but pointing to records with or without players is a flawed way of reasoning.

Its not the way it comes off reading it . It sound to me like u were saying i was wrong Its all in the wording Kovy is/was a great player but not playing with this king team. With him gone we have a roster spot for a younger player to make a impact

 

[SherVaughn30]

Imagining him in Reirden’s high-skill system, on Kuzy’s right at ES, and Ovy’s spot on PP2.

You could put him on the 3rd line with Hagelin and Eller. Would the Kings be interested in Panik, because he's been a disappointment so far?

 

[KingCanadain1976]

You could put him on the 3rd line with Hagelin and Eller. Would the Kings be interested in Panik, because he's been a disappointment so far?

no

 

[SherVaughn30]

no

Despite Panik's low production numbers with the Caps, he is technically still a better 2-way player than a good deal of Kings players on the 2nd/3rd line.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

Despite Panik's low production numbers with the Caps, he is technically still a better two-player than a lot of Kings players on the 2nd/3rd line.

well he may or may not be better then alot of king players ( idont think he is but debateable) The kings have alot of prospects coming i would rather see get the roster spot , Panik is signed for way to long he wold be blocking players who will be looking for roster spots

 

[Stumbling Jack]

Despite Panik's low production numbers with the Caps, he is technically still a better two-player than a lot of Kings players on the 2nd/3rd line.

This may be true but this is not the direction the Kings are going. This season's purpose is to evaluate which veterans from the core that want to stick around for the rebuild (marathon as Todd puts it) and getting some of the kids some play time. Next year you're going to see more kids from The Reign get promoted.

As for Kovi I can care less what happens. Blake is not going after any big fish for a few years so the cap will not be an issue. Maybe he's just waiting to see who will take a flyer on him that will eat the most cap (which we all know will not be much).

 

[Treb]

You could put him on the 3rd line with Hagelin and Eller. Would the Kings be interested in Panik, because he's been a disappointment so far?

If his contract is terminated, they can sign him without giving an asset and probably at a better cap hit.

 

[SherVaughn30]

well he may or may not be better then alot of king players ( idont think he is but debateable) The kings have alot of prospects coming i would rather see get the roster spot , Panik is signed for way to long he wold be blocking players who will be looking for roster spots

Not necessarily. Kings need scoring wingers. He has good speed, puck skills, good size, back-checks and is effective on the PK. In all honesty, he might be even a better fit for the Kings than the Caps, considering he came from a low scoring Coyotes team. The big difference between the Coyotes and Kings, is team speed and maybe a bit better goaltending. I'll add, @ $2.75 million per year, Panik's contract for his age is a lot better than a bunch of Kings roster.

 

[Just Linda]

Seems like he'd be a fit in Edmonton if he's willing to take a big pay cut

 

[CREW99AW]

Kings are holding on to that pick for dear life.

I would imagine so. Every time I come across a draft article, I am reading about how strong the 2020 draft is.

 

[Sparky206]

I watched every kings game this year and last, Kovy was just a turnover machine and couldnt defend to save his life. No one had any idea what he was doing when he had the puck offensively, and defensively he was the one guy always losing coverage and the other 4 players on the ice were constantly having to cover for him. That and he had absolutely 0 buy in to a new system this year.

Honestly you wouldn't sign him to a contender for 700k 1 year, he has more chance of making a team worse than better.

 

[Hint1k]

Seems like he'd be a fit in Edmonton if he's willing to take a big pay cut

I dont think this is what he wants. I think when he signed with LA he showed what he wants. Big city, warm climate, money. Considering that probably nobody gives him money now, it leaves only two things - warm climate and big city. That does not sound like Edmonton.
On top of that I suspect he is fed up with the Western Conference and wants back to East. So my guess is that his current preference list is: Panthers, Lightning, Rangers, Islanders. Panthers have two things out of two - climate and big city.

 

[SherVaughn30]

I watched every kings game this year and last, Kovy was just a turnover machine and couldnt defend to save his life. No one had any idea what he was doing when he had the puck offensively, and defensively he was the one guy always losing coverage and the other 4 players on the ice were constantly having to cover for him. That and he had absolutely 0 buy in to a new system this year.

Honestly you wouldn't sign him to a contender for 700k 1 year, he has more chance of making a team worse than better.

He was a terrible fit for the Kings from the beginning. Through out Kolvalchuk's career everybody knows he doesn't back-check well. Kings are still a grinding heavy fore-check team. Kings coaches had no patience to keep him on the 2nd line and he wasn't able to develop any good chemistry with the Kings roster. You put Kovalchuk on a more finesse team with an offense attack and he'll be a good fit.

 

[FrolikFan67]

So if a team wanted him could they sign him now or do they still have to “trade” for him?

Regardless, would he still be on the hook for the same amount of money and cap hit for this season and next? I’m still confused how this works

 

[Djp]

Does Edmonton want to sign him?

 

[OVO16]

Kovulchuk wants the big Market US lifestyle.

Rangers and/or Islanders is my guess

 

[kilowatt]

Kovalchuk by all accounts was a good teammate off the ice, but he was easily the most frustrating player I’ve ever watched in a Kings sweater. I don’t know if he was incapable of taking or simply unwilling to take direction, but it really showed. He needs a couple really creative players on his wings that don’t play within a system, because it didn’t even look like he was trying to play within Stevens’, Desjardins’, or McLellan’s structures.

I like the guy, but he literally ran into Kyle Clifford while he had the puck. Not Clifford, Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk had the puck, Clifford was standing still, and Kovalchuk skated into him. How does that even happen?

I wish him the best of luck, but man, errant passes, blown coverages, and wide shots do not a productive player make.

With that said, don’t act like the Kings are “off the hook” or anything. His full cap hit is on the books until after next season. This isn’t a buy out because Kovalchuk is agreeing to the termination. I guess his motivation to do this is that he hopes to make more than next year’s $4,250,000 salary, plus whatever is left of this year’s $700,000 base salary, on his next contract.

 

[deckercky]

With that said, don’t act like the Kings are “off the hook” or anything. His full cap hit is on the books until after next season. This isn’t a buy out because Kovalchuk is agreeing to the termination. I guess his motivation to do this is that he hopes to make more than next year’s $4,250,000 salary, plus whatever is left of this year’s $700,000 base salary, on his next contract.

I bet he knows he won't make as much on his next contract unless he hits a total homerun this season - I think he wants to play somewhere where he's appreciated. Not the first time he's walked away from an absurd amount of money.

One thing this termination does open up for him is bonus laden one-year contracts.

 

[Waivers]

I dont think this is what he wants. I think when he signed with LA he showed what he wants. Big city, warm climate, money. Considering that probably nobody gives him money now, it leaves only two things - warm climate and big city. That does not sound like Edmonton.
On top of that I suspect he is fed up with the Western Conference and wants back to East. So my guess is that his current preference list is: Panthers, Lightning, Rangers, Islanders. Panthers have two things out of two - climate and big city.

And comrades. Plenty of comrades in Florida.

 

[mondo3]

I’d guess he end up in Toronto

 

[abo9]

I'll take him for cheap 1-2 years in Montreal... only so there is a chance he can teach Caufield some tricks as a sniper in the NHL

 

[Cogburn]

One more "mutual termination" and Kovalchuk gets a free ice cream.