Confirmed with Link: Kovalchuk Retires/Quits To Russia (Part 4)

[CerebralGenesis]

You rather have 0 years of Kovy instead of 3?

yes

he should have left during UFA if he missed home so much instead of breaking a contract

 

[Bleedred]

Kovalchuk decided he didn't want to play in the NHL anymore. Who knows if he comes back. If he does, it won't be for a long time. That's hardly a cowardly move.

Good for Kovy to have the nuts to do what makes him happy.

To have the nuts to go chase $ signs overseas. Good on him! Are you really suckered into believing this isn't about cashing in?

 

[TrufleShufle]

To have the nuts to go chase $ signs overseas. Good on him! Are you really suckered into believing this isn't about cashing in?

"nuts to do what makes him happy" cashing in would make me happy, i don't see how he is being suckered...

 

[Bleedred]

"nuts to do what makes him happy" cashing in would make me happy, i don't see how he is being suckered...

Well if he does believe that than I apologize if I accused him of not. To say you can't understand the vitriol for this player is something I don't understand at all. This isn't on the level of guys who left to free agency. I don't see why we can't express our disgust with this.

This is unlike anything we've seen so far.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

No one is saying you can't express disgust.

 

[TrufleShufle]

Well if he does believe that than I apologize if I accused him of not. To say you can't understand the vitriol for this player is something I don't understand at all. This isn't on the level of guys who left to free agency. I don't see why we can't express our disgust with this.

This is unlike anything we've seen so far.

if by vitriol you mean anger, thats fine, me personally i have no problem with that. i am just as angry as everyone else. but im also not going to put him in a bad light as a person. im not saying you are doing that but people here are and that is insane. any one would choose to go home for more money, i understand the whole "well he had a chance" argument but at the same time people change. not sure what else to say.

 

[Bleedred]

No one is saying you can't express disgust.

I don't know why you can't understand the vitriol though. This is a very rare case, and I believe he deserves every last bit of it and more.

Guys like Niedermayer, Parise, Gomez, nah people were a little too hard on all those guys. before something like this happened.

 

[Balance]

I don't know why you can't understand the vitriol though. This is a very rare case, and I believe he deserves every last bit of it and more.

Guys like Niedermayer, Parise, Gomez, nah people were a little too hard on all those guys. before something like this happened.

Considering that Lou let it happen means that its the same as those guys. Actually less worse considering that he won't be a threat against the team at all.

 

[Bleedred]

Considering that Lou let it happen means that its the same as those guys. Actually less worse considering that he won't be a threat against the team at all.

Lou let what happen? Kovalchuk leave? What else was he supposed to do?

 

[Balance]

Lou let what happen? Kovalchuk leave? What else was he supposed to do?

Lou wasn't forced to let him leave.

 

[Bleedred]

Lou wasn't forced to let him leave.

And keep a guy who didn't wanna be here? Why? Keeping him here would not have been beneficial if he didn't wanna be here.

 

[Desert Devil]

Kovy didn't have to stay. I'm pretty sure there was nothing Lou could even do about it. He could refuse to terminate the contract, but I'm pretty sure we would be stuck with the full contract and Kovy could still go back to the KHL and sign whatever he wanted. Granted he may never have been allowed back in the NHL if that had happened, but it wouldn't have made sense.

 

[Devils Trap]

Kovy didn't have to stay. I'm pretty sure there was nothing Lou could even do about it. He could refuse to terminate the contract, but I'm pretty sure we would be stuck with the full contract and Kovy could still go back to the KHL and sign whatever he wanted. Granted he may never have been allowed back in the NHL if that had happened, but it wouldn't have made sense.

TG said that if Lou tolled the contract the NHL would fight it and not allow Kovy to play in the KHL

 

[Desert Devil]

How would that work though? How could the NHL have any say in what a different independent league does?

 

[MJB Devils23*]

I only blame Kovy for not handling the situation correctly. He could have called a press conference directly after the Ranger loss. Hecht announced as soon as the season ended. Kovy could have done the same. I do wish Kovy well.

 

[guyincognito]

How would that work though? How could the NHL have any say in what a different independent league does?

They don't. It's an empty threat and it would go to the IIHF, which does not have the best relationship with the NHL. He could be sanctioned in international play, but then they'd be telling the host that their captain can't play. Nothing would happen and they'd be stuck with him on the books while this was going on.

 

[Roomtemperature]

They don't. It's an empty threat and it would go to the IIHF, which does not have the best relationship with the NHL. He could be sanctioned in international play, but then they'd be telling the host that their captain can't play. Nothing would happen and they'd be stuck with him on the books while this was going on.

Or if he comes back we'd be under a crappier contract. Compared to if somehow he comes back in a few years we could sign him to a better contract for us. Not saying it will happen but if it did that's why you'd want to void the contract

 

[DevilChuk*]

How would that work though? How could the NHL have any say in what a different independent league does?

They don't. It's an empty threat and it would go to the IIHF, which does not have the best relationship with the NHL. He could be sanctioned in international play, but then they'd be telling the host that their captain can't play. Nothing would happen and they'd be stuck with him on the books while this was going on.

The NHL and KHL have a transfer agreement that states they will honor the others contracts.. an agreement that is backed by the IIHF.

As for international play, that's a little different and it's likely the NHL would have to challenge his inclusion and have the IIHF rule on it.. probably would side with Russia/Kovalchuk in this case.

If the Devils tolled his contract, he wouldn't be able to play in the KHL though. That's 100%. He also wouldn't be on their books at all, neither in salary or cap hit..

EDIT: Also, Martyowns, whenever you decide to check back on this thread.. please look at the last post on page 29..

 

[DevilChuk*]

Or if he comes back we'd be under a crappier contract. Compared to if somehow he comes back in a few years we could sign him to a better contract for us. Not saying it will happen but if it did that's why you'd want to void the contract

Not exactly sure as to how that would've worked. NHL has never seen something like that.. even Thomas's contract was only for a year. To say he could just return and resume the remaining 12 years is hard to say concretely. Nothing explicit in the CBA or By-Laws that I've seen.

 

[guyincognito]

The NHL and KHL have a transfer agreement that states they will honor the others contracts.. an agreement that is backed by the IIHF.

As for international play, that's a little different and it's likely the NHL would have to challenge his inclusion and have the IIHF rule on it.. probably would side with Russia/Kovalchuk in this case.

If the Devils tolled his contract, he wouldn't be able to play in the KHL though. That's 100%. He also wouldn't be on their books at all, neither in salary or cap hit..

EDIT: Also, Martyowns, whenever you decide to check back on this thread.. please look at the last post on page 29..

If the KHL makes these moves, they do them with every intent of breaking the agreement. You have way too much faith in the IIHF. There is nothing that can be done to stop a player from walking out on their NHL contract and playing for a KHL team. What is the IIHF going to do in that case?

You'll see when someone else goes.

 

[DevilChuk*]

If the KHL makes these moves, they do them with every intent of breaking the agreement. You have way too much faith in the IIHF. There is nothing that can be done to stop a player from walking out on their NHL contract and playing for a KHL team. What is the IIHF going to do in that case?

You'll see when someone else goes.

Eh, not sure the IIHF will support the KHL over the NHL. Not really in their best interests.. especially with the Olympic participation on the table.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/pu...he-new-nhlkhl-player-agreement?urn=nhl,wp8892

The IIHF needs to sign off on every player who plays for the KHL as well.

Also, it goes both ways. KHL breaks the agreement and the NHL can go back to poaching their young talent.. something the KHL wants to prevent hence the transfer agreement. For every 1 Kovy, there are 5 young Russian prospects who want to head to the NHL ASAP.

 

[guyincognito]

Eh, not sure the IIHF will support the KHL over the NHL. Not really in their best interests.. especially with the Olympic participation on the table.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/pu...he-new-nhlkhl-player-agreement?urn=nhl,wp8892

The IIHF needs to sign off on every player who plays for the KHL as well.

Also, it goes both ways. KHL breaks the agreement and the NHL can go back to poaching their young talent.. something the KHL wants to prevent hence the transfer agreement. For every 1 Kovy, there are 5 young Russian prospects who want to head to the NHL ASAP.

There's not that many Russians left in the NHL. I don't think they care. Would they make moves and run back under another agreement like after Radulov? Possibly.

But after the act of taking a bunch of contracted players and trying to convince them to stay, I think you're overestimating their commitment to any agreement, and there's no stick when it comes to that agreement in the first place.

The reality of it is, if guys want to go *and the league wants them*, they're gone.

 

[DevilChuk*]

There's not that many Russians left in the NHL. I don't think they care. Would they make moves and run back under another agreement like after Radulov? Possibly.

But after the act of taking a bunch of contracted players and trying to convince them to stay, I think you're overestimating their commitment to any agreement, and there's no stick when it comes to that agreement in the first place.

The reality of it is, if guys want to go *and the league wants them*, they're gone.

Of course.. but I think Kovalchuk is more the exception than the rule when it comes to Russians wanting to play in the KHL. Hell, the NHL better hope so.

 

[apice3*]

Personally I think we're entitled to some kind of monetary compensation. Usually when players transfer leagues in soccer or basketball, the receiving teams provides some kind of buyout money. Not that it really makes a difference to us fans because it has no effect on the on-ice product, but just the principle.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Personally I think we're entitled to some kind of monetary compensation. Usually when players transfer leagues in soccer or basketball, the receiving teams provides some kind of buyout money. Not that it really makes a difference to us fans because it has no effect on the on-ice product, but just the principle.

i wish we got something. best part is that they will probably make it so that teams get compensation from now on and we will be left with nothing.