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Confirmed with Link: Kings announce signing kovalchuk to 3 year contract.

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The right hand shot playing the left wing on the PP is something the Kings have never had, atleast in the Kopitar-era. Sure they tried it with Stoll (LOL) and Doughty (just not his strength). But no one who can shoot the puck like this.
 
Although I was against the signing when the rumors started, I hope he fares well in LA.
I understand his talent, as I saw alot of him when he was on the Devils. I know about the wicked wrister. But the NHL is a far more skilled league with a much speedier game, that will be an adjustment. THe skill set of the competition is changed from when he left and not what he is used to in the KHL. The bigger issue will be duration. KHL 60 games vs NHL 82. And in the five years he was in the KHL, he only made it to 60 games once. And he wasn't playing the minutes there that he will be expected to here ,esp on the top line. Going from what he's done to 18 minutes x 82, is a big leap.
Agree he's dynamic on the PP but he also has a bad habit of being risky and turning the puck over, gives the other team more short handed ops .
So sometime in late Jan, I suspect he'll hit that wall, esp as he's pushing 36.
I think if he manages to play 75 plus games (he's only played 80 more 2x in the last 10 years) he'll be 20-25 goals , 50 pts.

No player in the NHL 35 or over has scored 30 or more goals in the last 5 years. It's that hard .

I don't like the contract, because an over 35 handcuffs the team, can't be moved off the CAP.
Good for him , he waited and he Kings blinked .
 
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deeshamrock said:
Although I was against the signing when the rumors started, I hope he fares well in LA.
I understand his talent, as I saw alot of him when he was on the Devils. I know about the wicked wrister. But the NHL is a far more skilled league with a much speedier game, that will be an adjustment. THe skill set of the competition is changed from when he left and not what he is used to in the KHL. The bigger issue will be duration. KHL 60 games vs NHL 82. And in the five years he was in the KHL, he only made it to 60 games once. And he wasn't playing the minutes there that he will be expected to here ,esp on the top line. Going from what he's done to 18 minutes x 82, is a big leap.
Agree he's dynamic on the PP but he also has a bad habit of being risky and turning the puck over, gives the other team more short handed ops .
So sometime in late Jan, I suspect he'll hit that wall, esp as he's pushing 36.
I think if he manages to play 75 plus games (he's only played 80 more 2x in the last 10 years) he'll be 20-25 goals , 50 pts.

No player in the NHL 35 or over has scored 30 or more goals in the last 5 years. It's that hard .

I don't like the contract, because an over 35 handcuffs the team, can't be moved off the CAP.
Good for him , he waited and he Kings blinked .
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FYI he's played 19-21 minutes per game the last 5 seasons.
 
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People keep acting like Kovalchuks body is falling apart when all reports are that he's in phenomenal shape.
 
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Not only that, but one could argue that his body is actually SAVED by not playing so much hockey in the K.
 
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Kovalchuk is the closest thing there has ever been to Jagr. They have similar bodies. They're both genetically-gifted unique physical specimens who can/will defy age longer than most.

I suspect Ilya will be productive for us but there are definitely concerns.
 
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johnjm22 said:
Kovalchuk is the closest thing there has ever been to Jagr. They have similar bodies. They're both genetically-gifted unique physical specimens who can/will defy age longer than most.

I suspect Ilya will be productive for us but there are definitely concerns.
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Agree. But I'm hoping if he plays with Kopi, Kopi makes many of those concerns much less noticeable.
 
cyclones22 said:
The Kings made the entire league disappear in the 2012 playoffs. But that's as lame a take as "The Kings were in the playoffs in 2018? I didn't notice." But seriously, we're they?
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Hilarious how touchy people are over a little tongue in cheek comment about a guy who has never played a game for the Kings and chose to play for a different team, in his prime, when he had the chance and is now here because of a 3rd year.
 
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BigKing said:
Hilarious how touchy people are over a little tongue in cheek comment about a guy who has never played a game for the Kings and chose to play for a different team, in his prime, when he had the chance and is now here because of a 3rd year.
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I also find it funny how certain people who were so critical of the player, who put his picture in a urinal, who mocked him after the Kings defeated him, who said he no-showed the series because he couldn't handle the Kings style or other nonsense are now suddenly defending him saying he was injured. Funny how certain peoples opinion of a player can change once he puts on the crown. Same thing happened with Gaborik. When he chose to sign with the Rangers he was called soft, injury prone, not a DL type of player, not a playoff player, "happy we missed him" and then he joined the Kings three years later and scored more goals in a playoff season than any King not named Wayne Gretzky.

I think our opinions on Kovalchuk are different, but I can respect yours because it's a consistent one, wish more people were like that.
 
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Herby said:
I also find it funny how certain people who were so critical of the player, who put his picture in a urinal, who mocked him after the Kings defeated him, who said he no-showed the series because he couldn't handle the Kings style or other nonsense are now suddenly defending him saying he was injured. Funny how certain peoples opinion of a player can change once he puts on the crown. Same thing happened with Gaborik. When he chose to sign with the Rangers he was called soft, injury prone, not a DL type of player, not a playoff player, "happy we missed him" and then he joined the Kings three years later and scored more goals in a playoff season than any King not named Wayne Gretzky.

I think our opinions on Kovalchuk are different, but I can respect yours because it's a consistent one, wish more people were like that.
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I'm excited to see what he can do and hope it works out.

I really wanted him back in 2010 and thoroughly enjoyed how he lost in the SCF to the runner-up for his services. That's the reason for my comment: just having fun saying something all of us would have said before he agreed to terms.

As of right now, rushing to his defense is like rushing to the defense of Val Bure. Let's see him actually be a King before we change our opinions.
 
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I really hope the majority of the fan base can appreciate how this team has appreciated and grown, from the LAPD line days to having multiple home grown HOF'ers winning cups, bringing in legitimate top tier players, Gaborik, Lucic, Phaneuf, Richards, Carter. I as a grown well bearded man squee'd over this signing, one extra year... oh well, Blake isn't as sentimental as Lombardi, it'll be okay. You should all try to be a Denver Nuggets fan, you'd appreciate what the kings have done allot more.
 
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Reclamation Project said:
Kings brass have said he's in great shape and he was remarkably durable during his NHL career. I don't get it.
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I'm sure he is in great shape, he should be as a pro athlete, esp one who has back issues. It doesn't change the fact that out of the NHL for 5 years, turning 36, and not used to an 82 game season it might affect his durability end of Jan onward.
 
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deeshamrock said:
I'm sure he is in great shape, he should be as a pro athlete, esp one who has back issues. It doesn't change the fact that out of the NHL for 5 years, turning 36, and not used to an 82 game season it might affect his durability end of Jan onward.
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Meh, if you look at all the playoff hockey (KHL) and international appearances he has had since going back to Mother Russia after 2012, he's probably averaged 70-75 games per year. He'll be fine.

No doubt, as you get older, it's harder to maintain your body but he's a pro like you said and he'll be taken care of. Nothing wrong with giving him a day off here and there during the ladder part of the season to give him a little extra R&R.
 
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