SportsNet – HockeyCentral with Daren Milard, Mike Brophy and John Shannon
Mark Everson of the NY Post: Before the Devils had the Kovalchuk press conference announcing the signing, they had already known that contract would be rejected by the NHL. “The Devils apparently went through with their press conference in order to seal their position and set in motion the chain of events that likely will lead to arbitration, which is expected to force the NHL to accept and register the deal.” It’s up to the NHLPA to file a grievance, not the NJ Devils. It doesn’t appear that fines will be placed on the Devils or on Kovalchuk for ‘circumvention penalties’. The team could be fined between $1 and $5 million, $250,00 to $1 million on the player.
Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail: To fix the Kovalchuk deal, the Devils/Kovalchuk can make a few quick adjustments. They could take off the final 2 years of the contract, and up the salary to $1 million for the final 3 years of the deal. He’d be 42 years old when the contract is done, the same age as Hossa will be when his deal expires (same with Prongers). The problem for the Devils would be that it would raise the salary cap number up to about $6.8 million from $6.0 million.
Helene Elliott of the LA Times: Elliott confirms the Kings would be interested in Kovalchuk if the opportunity presents itself again. The union could file a grievance, but must do so by Monday. If they do, it could to an arbitrator (but there is no arbitrator in place). If the arbitrator decided the deal violates the CBA, he would become a unrestricted free agent again.
Rich Hammond of LA Kings Insider: Kings GM Dean Lombardi has said the team would still be interested in Ilya Kovalchuk if he becomes a free agent again.