Monday, July 19, 2010
Well...
...based on the hockey Internets, it seems that now that the Devils have signed a player to a 17-year cap it is now a crime against God and humanity. Just like the trap and goalies handling the puck.
Walkback? No way.
So here's my chance to walk everything back and say how great Kovalchuk is and blah blah.
But this is all premature. And Zach Parise better call up his real estate agent.
This might go a long way to changing the Devils image, which is basically based on stuff from a long time ago that everyone else copy-catted anyway, to a scoring team. But whatever.
I guess the up side is that it's only a$5.88 $6m per year cap hit, and he's definitely worth that now.
Don't get me wrong: Kovalchuk is a great player. But I have always admired the Devils for their formula of success: draft, make strategic, long-term trades, and build from the goal forward. Today, they just completely reversed that.
Lou hasn't been the best GM in the league since the cap came into place. He's been among the better ones, but he has made some major mistakes, including the returns of Malakhov and Mogilny. Lou was praised for being able to dump those salaries, but in the mean time that money wasn't available for players that would actually help them win. The return of Bobby Holik and Brian Rolston (especially the latter) have been abortions.
The window is closing on Martin Brodeur's career. I personally want to see him win another Cup so that the comparisons to Roy will cease. I hope that this move will help in that regard.
Well, let's just say I'm from Missouri. (OK, I'm not, but my mom is.)
I'll lighten up on Kovy when he does something in the playoffs. And if the current rumor is true, that it is a 17 year $100m contract, then I'm not only shocked that Lou would do it, but I think it's a terrible mistake. [$102m over 17. Wow.]
I don't think the Devils are this one piece away from the Cup, obviously. I don't know if Kovalchuk has the chops to replace Martin Brodeur as the franchise player.
This might go a long way to changing the Devils image, which is basically based on stuff from a long time ago that everyone else copy-catted anyway, to a scoring team. But whatever.
I guess the up side is that it's only a
Don't get me wrong: Kovalchuk is a great player. But I have always admired the Devils for their formula of success: draft, make strategic, long-term trades, and build from the goal forward. Today, they just completely reversed that.
Lou hasn't been the best GM in the league since the cap came into place. He's been among the better ones, but he has made some major mistakes, including the returns of Malakhov and Mogilny. Lou was praised for being able to dump those salaries, but in the mean time that money wasn't available for players that would actually help them win. The return of Bobby Holik and Brian Rolston (especially the latter) have been abortions.
The window is closing on Martin Brodeur's career. I personally want to see him win another Cup so that the comparisons to Roy will cease. I hope that this move will help in that regard.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
But he's better than Parise.
While I admit to being skeptical of Lou Lamoriello having offered the kind of amounts being rumored (and if he did, I think he's off his rocker), this kind of pants-on-fire reporting from Tom Gulitti is silly. It's not really news that a signing of that magnitude would impact the Devils' ability to resign anyone. Duh.
But, at the end of the day, Kovalchuk is better than Parise. So, tough titties to him.
Look, if someone wants to take a run at an offer sheet to Parise, it's looking like the Devils might be able to use the picks. But no-trade-clauses haven't had much impact in keeping players from moving. Just depends on where.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Kovalchuk
Ilya Kovalchuk is probably one of the top three goal scorers in the NHL right now. He is an exciting player. He will put people in seats, and I don't see him scoring less than 30 goals a season any time soon.
But take a look at the last several Cup winners. Solid goaltending is still required, but it isn't the sine qua non anymore. You need defensemen still, of course. But a pack of young forwards has been the key to every recent winner. Think Kane and Toews, Crosby and Malkin, Datsyuk and Zetterberg, Getzlaf and Perry. Guys like Selanne and Hossa only played supporting roles.
Every team purportedly in the Kovalchuk bidding already has this going and needs a top six forward, not a top one forward, not at the asking prices. The role Kovalchuk would play on a potentially winning team doesn't justify the bank- and cap-breaking salary demands he's making.
The Islanders are probably the best fit, but the NY media says they never made the big offer people were saying. The Devils would have to trade a player who has a no trade clause, probably for nothing in return. I can't see how the Flyers arrange the cap room and fill out their roster. The Kings are building something special and fit the template of the young dynamic teams that are winning these days, but they can't break their cap for Kovy without risking losing important elements of their young core. Dean Lombardi is one of the smartest GMs in hockey and he showed it by backing off here.
If I was a GM and Kovalchuk really wanted to play on my team, I'd offer him a 2 year $10m deal to give him the chance to show what he's made of in the playoffs. His two appearances so far haven't impressed.
But take a look at the last several Cup winners. Solid goaltending is still required, but it isn't the sine qua non anymore. You need defensemen still, of course. But a pack of young forwards has been the key to every recent winner. Think Kane and Toews, Crosby and Malkin, Datsyuk and Zetterberg, Getzlaf and Perry. Guys like Selanne and Hossa only played supporting roles.
Every team purportedly in the Kovalchuk bidding already has this going and needs a top six forward, not a top one forward, not at the asking prices. The role Kovalchuk would play on a potentially winning team doesn't justify the bank- and cap-breaking salary demands he's making.
The Islanders are probably the best fit, but the NY media says they never made the big offer people were saying. The Devils would have to trade a player who has a no trade clause, probably for nothing in return. I can't see how the Flyers arrange the cap room and fill out their roster. The Kings are building something special and fit the template of the young dynamic teams that are winning these days, but they can't break their cap for Kovy without risking losing important elements of their young core. Dean Lombardi is one of the smartest GMs in hockey and he showed it by backing off here.
If I was a GM and Kovalchuk really wanted to play on my team, I'd offer him a 2 year $10m deal to give him the chance to show what he's made of in the playoffs. His two appearances so far haven't impressed.
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