OT: Kovalchuk retires from the NHL

[johnjm22]

Isn't this actually a good thing for the Devils?

Better to be stuck with a .25M CAP hit until 2025, than a 6.66M CAP until 2025 for a player that just turned 30.

Basically NJ got one of the top LWer's in the in the game, in the prime of his career for 3 years at a cap hit of 6.6M. Good deal.

 

[CNS]

Isn't this actually a good thing for the Devils?

Better to be stuck with a .25M CAP hit until 2025, than a 6.66M CAP until 2025 for a player that just turned 30.

Basically NJ got one of the top LWer's in the in the game, in the prime of his career for 3 years at a cap hit of 6.6M. Good deal.

Double edged sword. They lose clearly their best forward and take a huge step back from the playoffs. Them doing poorly this year means they forfeit and early pick and that'd be devastating when they could've given up a pick used on a ****ing headcase. They just got their younger #1 goalie to move forward with but now don't have as good of a shot at the playoffs. Short term, they absolutely lose.

But long term, they clear his cap hit and they would have been stuck with a higher cap hit penalty (forgetting the word for it) than if he retired when he was in his later 30s. So long term, it maybe is a win?

 

[Muzzinga]

Kovalchuk was a breakeven 5 on 5 player and was only going to get worse. The Devils will miss his goalscoring on the pp for the next couple of years, but i think this is actually good for them

 

[Herby]

The worst thing for the Devils is that they lost that 1st round pick and they are going to be horrible this year, very likely top 5 bad, definitely top 10.

No idea what they were thinking not giving up that first in last years draft, to draft the cancer Stefan Matteau? That was a very very poor decision by LL.

I think in 4-5 years when the Devils rebuild is finishing up, they will be happy to have the extra cap space rather than a guy on the downside with that contract.

 

[MsMeow]

The Devils have some very good pieces including Schneider. Everyone always wondered why they didn't address their goaltending situation since Brodeur was getting old and now they're set. They are in shock right now but should be fine.

 

[Muzzinga]

Devils more likely to make the playoffs than bottom 10. They were the 3rd best possession team last year behind Chicago and LA. In a full schedule they prob make the playoffs. They just had terrible shooting luck, and awful goaltending. The latter has been addressed and its unlikely they shoot as badly as they did last year. The only place the lack of Kovy hurts them is like 15 ish goals on the pp over a full season, which while sucks, wont sink them. I hate the Devils but they should comfortably make the playoffs

 

[ElKingsFan92]

You know, I really hope the Devils do terribly at least for this upcoming season if only to humble the arrogant Devils fans on HF.

 

[drugold]

I feel sorry for them. They have been a model franchise with continued success placed in a crap city with a lot of competition. They have been on the top of their game for so long steered by a great gm. All of a sudden they're broke, they owe a draft pick, all their cool friends have left them and they are left with a strong addiction to winning. It's going to be tough for them to make it through this. As much as roenick is a dick I'm glad someone is being vocal, passionate and a little crazed by all this.