Kovalchuk Announces His Retirement

[OldTimeHockey]

I'm probably more sympathetic towards Kovalchuk than most. I just can't blame a guy for making a family oriented decision. Yeah, it will most likely leave a bad taste in most people's mouths but to be fair to the player, he probably knew that going in which likely made the decision all the more difficult. I can't say I have any less respect for the guy than I did last week to be honest.

EDIT: I don't like the timing though.  :-\

But is that really true? The guy is going back to Russia to play in a league where he will probably double his annual salary. Moreover, nobody held a gun to his head and told him to sign a huge, long term NHL contract. I'm actually surprised so many people on here are defending the guy; this is a pretty selfish, spineless move if you ask me.

How is it any more spineless than an NHL team buying a player out?  Nobody held a gun to their heads to sign those contracts either.

While i don't blame Kovalchuk for leaving, the difference is that when an NHL team buys a player out, said player gets paid for his contract. The devils get nothing out of Kovalchuk leaving except a cap hit.

 

[Andy007]

I'm probably more sympathetic towards Kovalchuk than most. I just can't blame a guy for making a family oriented decision. Yeah, it will most likely leave a bad taste in most people's mouths but to be fair to the player, he probably knew that going in which likely made the decision all the more difficult. I can't say I have any less respect for the guy than I did last week to be honest.

EDIT: I don't like the timing though.  :-\

But is that really true? The guy is going back to Russia to play in a league where he will probably double his annual salary. Moreover, nobody held a gun to his head and told him to sign a huge, long term NHL contract. I'm actually surprised so many people on here are defending the guy; this is a pretty selfish, spineless move if you ask me.

How is it any more spineless than an NHL team buying a player out?  Nobody held a gun to their heads to sign those contracts either.

Do you hear me defending the NHL and their buyout clauses? I think they're ridiculous, actually. Again, we are also talking about the issue of leaving high competition to play in a low competition league, which makes your comparison moot.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I'm probably more sympathetic towards Kovalchuk than most. I just can't blame a guy for making a family oriented decision. Yeah, it will most likely leave a bad taste in most people's mouths but to be fair to the player, he probably knew that going in which likely made the decision all the more difficult. I can't say I have any less respect for the guy than I did last week to be honest.

EDIT: I don't like the timing though.  :-\

But is that really true? The guy is going back to Russia to play in a league where he will probably double his annual salary. Moreover, nobody held a gun to his head and told him to sign a huge, long term NHL contract. I'm actually surprised so many people on here are defending the guy; this is a pretty selfish, spineless move if you ask me.

How is it any more spineless than an NHL team buying a player out?  Nobody held a gun to their heads to sign those contracts either.

While i don't blame Kovalchuk for leaving, the difference is that when an NHL team buys a player out, said player gets paid for his contract. The devils get nothing out of Kovalchuk leaving except a cap hit.

They get a meaningless cap hit instead of his huge cap hit, seems like they've gained quite a lot of financial freedom moving forward for the long-term.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I'm probably more sympathetic towards Kovalchuk than most. I just can't blame a guy for making a family oriented decision. Yeah, it will most likely leave a bad taste in most people's mouths but to be fair to the player, he probably knew that going in which likely made the decision all the more difficult. I can't say I have any less respect for the guy than I did last week to be honest.

EDIT: I don't like the timing though.  :-\

But is that really true? The guy is going back to Russia to play in a league where he will probably double his annual salary. Moreover, nobody held a gun to his head and told him to sign a huge, long term NHL contract. I'm actually surprised so many people on here are defending the guy; this is a pretty selfish, spineless move if you ask me.

Would you feel that way if he retired from the KHL to play in the NHL?  Probably not, you'd welcome him with open arms.  I think your feelings are hurt because he quit "your" league to go play for that "rival" league.

Nope because I can't stand Kovalchuck. This dates back to the WJC where he was just an embarassment on the ice. But hey, I'm not mad at the guy, I just think he is taking an easy way out to go make more money and play against inferior opponents. KHL isn't a rival league because it doesn't come near the talent level of the NHL. Kovalchuck is a world class talent taking a paycheque to play in a lesser league. I would feel the same way if Jose Bautista left to play in the Dominican for 20 Million a year, too.

I personally think your view is a bit selfish. We all want to see the most talented play the sports we love. But if Bautista left to go play in his home country, I can't really blame him. It sounds like you're more upset that a player doesn't want to play where you want/expect him to play. He's thousands of miles away from home. His family is still at home.

I worked on the road for years. I missed birthdays, I missed anniversary's, I missed Christmas with my kids....What did I do??? The second a job came up that would keep me closer to home, I jumped on it. How is this that much different?

 

[OldTimeHockey]

They get a meaningless cap hit instead of his huge cap hit, seems like they've gained quite a lot of financial freedom moving forward for the long-term.

While true, they chose the large cap hit. They chose to compensate Kovalchuk in that manner.

But, all that aside, I don't blame Kovalchuk for leaving. I personally think that 99% of people on here would do the exact same thing.

 

[Leafaholic99]

I'm probably more sympathetic towards Kovalchuk than most. I just can't blame a guy for making a family oriented decision. Yeah, it will most likely leave a bad taste in most people's mouths but to be fair to the player, he probably knew that going in which likely made the decision all the more difficult. I can't say I have any less respect for the guy than I did last week to be honest.

EDIT: I don't like the timing though.  :-\

But is that really true? The guy is going back to Russia to play in a league where he will probably double his annual salary. Moreover, nobody held a gun to his head and told him to sign a huge, long term NHL contract. I'm actually surprised so many people on here are defending the guy; this is a pretty selfish, spineless move if you ask me.

Would you feel that way if he retired from the KHL to play in the NHL?  Probably not, you'd welcome him with open arms.  I think your feelings are hurt because he quit "your" league to go play for that "rival" league.

Nope because I can't stand Kovalchuck. This dates back to the WJC where he was just an embarassment on the ice. But hey, I'm not mad at the guy, I just think he is taking an easy way out to go make more money and play against inferior opponents. KHL isn't a rival league because it doesn't come near the talent level of the NHL. Kovalchuck is a world class talent taking a paycheque to play in a lesser league. I would feel the same way if Jose Bautista left to play in the Dominican for 20 Million a year, too.

I personally think your view is a bit selfish. We all want to see the most talented play the sports we love. But if Bautista left to go play in his home country, I can't really blame him. It sounds like your more upset that a player doesn't want to play where you want/expect him to play. He's thousands of miles away from home. His family is still at home.

I worked on the road for years. I missed birthdays, I missed anniversary's, I missed Christmas with my kids....What did I do??? The second a job came up that would keep me closer to home, I jumped on it. How is this that much different?

Did you break a contract to take the job? I think a  certain level of responsibility is expected to be upheld when you are under a contract, if Ilya didn't see himself wanting to be here this long, he should of signed that long.

Who knows though, maybe that was apart of the agreement, by 30 he wanted to go back to Russia and Lou and him had a deal that Ilya would retire at 30, giving the Devils a break and the contract was structered that way.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I'm probably more sympathetic towards Kovalchuk than most. I just can't blame a guy for making a family oriented decision. Yeah, it will most likely leave a bad taste in most people's mouths but to be fair to the player, he probably knew that going in which likely made the decision all the more difficult. I can't say I have any less respect for the guy than I did last week to be honest.

EDIT: I don't like the timing though.  :-\

But is that really true? The guy is going back to Russia to play in a league where he will probably double his annual salary. Moreover, nobody held a gun to his head and told him to sign a huge, long term NHL contract. I'm actually surprised so many people on here are defending the guy; this is a pretty selfish, spineless move if you ask me.

How is it any more spineless than an NHL team buying a player out?  Nobody held a gun to their heads to sign those contracts either.

Do you hear me defending the NHL and their buyout clauses? I think they're ridiculous, actually. Again, we are also talking about the issue of leaving high competition to play in a low competition league, which makes your comparison moot.

I must have missed your ridicule of the Leafs in the Komisarek buyout thread.

But neither are ridiculous anyways.  And the KHL is hardly a "low competition league."  NHL players left for the WHA, and NHL players will continue to leave for the KHL if they want to.  There's nothing ridiculous about it, and if the NHL doesn't outlaw it somehow, there's nothing wrong with it.  No contract or player career is set in stone permanently, everyone knows it.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

They get a meaningless cap hit instead of his huge cap hit, seems like they've gained quite a lot of financial freedom moving forward for the long-term.

While true, they chose the large cap hit. They chose to compensate Kovalchuk in that manner.

But, all that aside, I don't blame Kovalchuk for leaving. I personally think that 99% of people on here would do the exact same thing.

But they still get something.  In a cap world, cap space is important.  They chose to take on a high cap hit if he was playing for them and they would receive on ice benefit for it - and by him leaving now, they gain something different.

 

[Andy007]

I'm probably more sympathetic towards Kovalchuk than most. I just can't blame a guy for making a family oriented decision. Yeah, it will most likely leave a bad taste in most people's mouths but to be fair to the player, he probably knew that going in which likely made the decision all the more difficult. I can't say I have any less respect for the guy than I did last week to be honest.

EDIT: I don't like the timing though.  :-\

But is that really true? The guy is going back to Russia to play in a league where he will probably double his annual salary. Moreover, nobody held a gun to his head and told him to sign a huge, long term NHL contract. I'm actually surprised so many people on here are defending the guy; this is a pretty selfish, spineless move if you ask me.

Would you feel that way if he retired from the KHL to play in the NHL?  Probably not, you'd welcome him with open arms.  I think your feelings are hurt because he quit "your" league to go play for that "rival" league.

Nope because I can't stand Kovalchuck. This dates back to the WJC where he was just an embarassment on the ice. But hey, I'm not mad at the guy, I just think he is taking an easy way out to go make more money and play against inferior opponents. KHL isn't a rival league because it doesn't come near the talent level of the NHL. Kovalchuck is a world class talent taking a paycheque to play in a lesser league. I would feel the same way if Jose Bautista left to play in the Dominican for 20 Million a year, too.

I personally think your view is a bit selfish. We all want to see the most talented play the sports we love. But if Bautista left to go play in his home country, I can't really blame him. It sounds like your more upset that a player doesn't want to play where you want/expect him to play. He's thousands of miles away from home. His family is still at home.

I worked on the road for years. I missed birthdays, I missed anniversary's, I missed Christmas with my kids....What did I do??? The second a job came up that would keep me closer to home, I jumped on it. How is this that much different?

So did you sign a 12 year contract to work on the road?  And are you wasting a world class talent in a new job close to home that doesn't let you cultivate said talent?  Those are my two main issues with Kovalchuck's decision. I'm not livid or hurt about this and I get that he has the right to make that decision. My opinion is that he is being more selfish than heroic, the latter which tends to be a common perception on here, for some reason.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Who has even come close to calling him heroic?

And where does this idea come from that the KHL won't let him "cultivate" his talent?  Obviously the NHL remains the better league, but this isn't some Italian league.

 

[Andy007]

I'm probably more sympathetic towards Kovalchuk than most. I just can't blame a guy for making a family oriented decision. Yeah, it will most likely leave a bad taste in most people's mouths but to be fair to the player, he probably knew that going in which likely made the decision all the more difficult. I can't say I have any less respect for the guy than I did last week to be honest.

EDIT: I don't like the timing though.  :-\

But is that really true? The guy is going back to Russia to play in a league where he will probably double his annual salary. Moreover, nobody held a gun to his head and told him to sign a huge, long term NHL contract. I'm actually surprised so many people on here are defending the guy; this is a pretty selfish, spineless move if you ask me.

How is it any more spineless than an NHL team buying a player out?  Nobody held a gun to their heads to sign those contracts either.

Do you hear me defending the NHL and their buyout clauses? I think they're ridiculous, actually. Again, we are also talking about the issue of leaving high competition to play in a low competition league, which makes your comparison moot.

I must have missed your ridicule of the Leafs in the Komisarek buyout thread.

But neither are ridiculous anyways.  And the KHL is hardly a "low competition league."  NHL players left for the WHA, and NHL players will continue to leave for the KHL if they want to.  There's nothing ridiculous about it, and if the NHL doesn't outlaw it somehow, there's nothing wrong with it.  No contract or player career is set in stone permanently, everyone knows it.

Conversely, did you happen to see any posts of me praising that move? Furthermore, have I really been "ridiculing' Kovalchuck in here?

The guy signed a huge contact and then left immediately to make more money in an inferior league. He absolutely can go to the KHL, but don't tell me that there is some kind of piousness involved in the decision.

 

[Bullfrog]

The guy signed a huge contact and then left immediately to make more money in an inferior league. He absolutely can go to the KHL, but don't tell me that there is some kind of piousness involved in the decision.

He played four seasons with the Devils, three of them while under his new contract. I'm not sure that fits the definition of "immediately."

 

[Andy007]

The guy signed a huge contact and then left immediately to make more money in an inferior league. He absolutely can go to the KHL, but don't tell me that there is some kind of piousness involved in the decision.

He played four seasons with the Devils, three of them while under his new contract. I'm not sure that fits the definition of "immediately."

He played 3 out of 15. Pretty close to immediately.

 

[lamajama]

Family or not he wouldn't be going home without the KHL contract. Pretty convenient to be family oriented when you're actually getting paid more to go home.

Go home without the KHL and I'd be impressed.

Also I read somewhere Lou is going to appeal to have his lost pick returned to him. That had better not happen.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

The guy signed a huge contact and then left immediately to make more money in an inferior league. He absolutely can go to the KHL, but don't tell me that there is some kind of piousness involved in the decision.

He played four seasons with the Devils, three of them while under his new contract. I'm not sure that fits the definition of "immediately."

He played 3 out of 15. Pretty close to immediately.

In geological terms.

 

[bustaheims]

He played 3 out of 15. Pretty close to immediately.

20% is pretty far from immediately in most books.

 

[Joe S.]

I agree. Sentimentality aside, a big part of his legacy will be as a quitter, and that's going to hurt his chances a lot.

If he left a KHL contact to join the NHL would he be labeled a quitter?

 

[Frank E]

Notice that the Devils are certainly not protesting this move? 

I'll miss watching him play, but I have zero reason to begrudge him...maybe Devils fans that bought season tickets are a little pissed, but there's only about a dozen of those guys anyway.

 

[Andy007]

He played 3 out of 15. Pretty close to immediately.

20% is pretty far from immediately in most books.

Well not in mine!!! 

In all seriousness I was just being hyperbolic. You and Shrimp have to ruin everything!

 

[MetalRaven]

Also I read somewhere Lou is going to appeal to have his lost pick returned to him. That had better not happen.

I doubt he gets it back...if my memory serves me right...insiders were stating that this was a real possibility (kovalchuk retiring before the end of his contract) I seem to remember them saying that it was cap circumvention as the player was never expected to actually cash in on the last few lower paying years. Therefore the cap space they are getting now and saved because of the avv being lowered cost them that pick.