Kovalchuk sweepstakes are on

[CarltonTheBear]

I say PP specialist mostly based on how he'd fit into our system. I can't see Babcock running him with Matthews/Nylander and certainly not on Kadri's line, so it'd be sheltered offense with Bozak/replacement at best. At his age, and the speed at which the game is being played now, his most potent usage is on the powerplay as a standing turret.

On a team less reliant on speed, I think he could have better impact.

Fair enough, although if that is how Babcock views Kovalchuk then I doubt management is going to be offering him a contract in the $6mil area. Kovalchuk will likely land with a team that expects him to be their 1LW.

I do think that would probably be a mistake on Babs' part though. Even if he wanted more of a defensive player on Matthews' line I'd still put Kovalchuk there and have Brown on the right-wing and have Nylander with Kadri.

 

[jdh1]

 
  That would be a terrible signing, someone that's going to coast around for the big shot. He would be a bad example to the young core.
Lamorello should know better than that.

 

[bustaheims]

http://www.tsn.ca/video/mckenzie-doubtful-maple-leafs-will-pursue-ilya-kovalchuk~1119963

I'm not sure I'd want a 34 year old 6M+ PP specialist for prospects and picks (we have only 1 impact pick at the moment for this draft). NJD needs defense more than we have defense to give (they already re-signed Loov).

I'm kind of on the same page. I don't want the team to sacrifice anything significant for him. If they can snag his rights relatively cheap and get him on a reasonable shorter term contract (a 3 year deal is probably my preference, at $5.5M or less - though, I'm likely dreaming in technicolor there), I'd be all for that though.

 

[Bates]

Wouldn't be that hard to have a deal signed, trade negotiated, and then have the team getting him draft who NJ wants.  It certainly isn't impossible as many suggest.

http://www.tsn.ca/video/mckenzie-doubtful-maple-leafs-will-pursue-ilya-kovalchuk~1119963

I'm not sure I'd want a 34 year old 6M+ PP specialist for prospects and picks (we have only 1 impact pick at the moment for this draft). NJD needs defense more than we have defense to give (they already re-signed Loov).

Calling him a PP specialist seems a bit unfair. At the very least I'm sure any team signing/trading for him would be doing their homework and thinking he'd be a more impactful player than that.

I also really don't think that New Jersey is going to get a very impressive return for him with the way this is going to play out. They've given Kovy's agent permission to talk to other teams to work out a contract, and once that happens that team will then talk to New Jersey to acquire his rights. So it's not like New Jersey can create a bidding war between teams here. They're negotiating with 1 team. That's it. I think 1st round picks or top prospects are basically off the table here.

Another thing to keep in mind: since Kovalchuk can't officially be traded/signed until July 1st, it's incredibly unlikely any 2017 draft picks would be involved with this deal.

 

[Kin]

I also really don't think that New Jersey is going to get a very impressive return for him with the way this is going to play out. They've given Kovy's agent permission to talk to other teams to work out a contract, and once that happens that team will then talk to New Jersey to acquire his rights. So it's not like New Jersey can create a bidding war between teams here. They're negotiating with 1 team. That's it. I think 1st round picks or top prospects are basically off the table here.

Except they're not going to be negotiating in some sort of Chinese wall scenario. The two negotiations, Kovalchuk and the new team and the new team and Jersey will be certainly taking place simultaneously. A team that's interested in Kovalchuk will call Jersey and ask what they'll want for him and that will figure into their thinking. New Jersey has no reason to let Kovalchuk put them into a situation with no leverage.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Except they're not going to be negotiating in some sort of Chinese wall scenario. The two negotiations, Kovalchuk and the new team and the new team and Jersey will be certainly taking place simultaneously. A team that's interested in Kovalchuk will call Jersey and ask what they'll want for him and that will figure into their thinking. New Jersey has no reason to let Kovalchuk put them into a situation with no leverage.

The whole situation is still like trying to trade a player with a NTC who will only waive for 2 or 3 teams though. Generally that puts a pretty big dent into the players trade value. I'm guessing he gets dealt for a 2nd rounder + a B-level prospect.

 

[Bullfrog]

Good point about the draft picks being 2018+.

I say PP specialist mostly based on how he'd fit into our system. I can't see Babcock running him with Matthews/Nylander and certainly not on Kadri's line, so it'd be sheltered offense with Bozak/replacement at best. At his age, and the speed at which the game is being played now, his most potent usage is on the powerplay as a standing turret.

On a team less reliant on speed, I think he could have better impact.

I don't see any need for him if it involves any significant assets going to NJ, but I think you're seriously underrating Kovalchuk here. I think he'd immediately be placed on Matthews/Nylander line. And that line would be terrifying to opposing teams.

I wouldn't quite put him up with Hossa in terms of being a complete player, but not as far off as you might think.

 

[Kin]

Except they're not going to be negotiating in some sort of Chinese wall scenario. The two negotiations, Kovalchuk and the new team and the new team and Jersey will be certainly taking place simultaneously. A team that's interested in Kovalchuk will call Jersey and ask what they'll want for him and that will figure into their thinking. New Jersey has no reason to let Kovalchuk put them into a situation with no leverage.

The whole situation is still like trying to trade a player with a NTC who will only waive for 2 or 3 teams though. Generally that puts a pretty big dent into the players trade value. I'm guessing he gets dealt for a 2nd rounder + a B-level prospect.

But that's sort of my point about New Jersey's position being interesting. I'm not under the illusion that they're as irrational as some posters here and would be spitting mad about Kovalchuk's decision to leave but they're still going to be inclined to look out for their interests. If Philadelphia or another Eastern team went to them and said "We've got a deal worked out with Kovalchuk, we'll give you our mid round second and a so-so prospect" then New Jersey can and probably should tell them to get bent. That return isn't worth giving a team you're competing with for a playoff spot a potential 30 goal scorer.

A Western conference team, sure, you figure something is better than nothing but New Jersey is under no obligation to help out their competitors or Kovalchuk for that matter.

 

[Kin]

Good point about the draft picks being 2018+.

I say PP specialist mostly based on how he'd fit into our system. I can't see Babcock running him with Matthews/Nylander and certainly not on Kadri's line, so it'd be sheltered offense with Bozak/replacement at best. At his age, and the speed at which the game is being played now, his most potent usage is on the powerplay as a standing turret.

On a team less reliant on speed, I think he could have better impact.

I don't see any need for him if it involves any significant assets going to NJ, but I think you're seriously underrating Kovalchuk here. I think he'd immediately be placed on Matthews/Nylander line. And that line would be terrifying to opposing teams.

I wouldn't quite put him up with Hossa in terms of being a complete player, but not as far off as you might think.

If nothing else, I certainly don't think of Kovalchuk as being a slow player.

 

[herman]

I don't see any need for him if it involves any significant assets going to NJ, but I think you're seriously underrating Kovalchuk here. I think he'd immediately be placed on Matthews/Nylander line. And that line would be terrifying to opposing teams.

I wouldn't quite put him up with Hossa in terms of being a complete player, but not as far off as you might think.

If nothing else, I certainly don't think of Kovalchuk as being a slow player.

Yeah I'm probably underrating him a bit due to lack of recent views. His hands are definitely still there, and he has the instincts to dance through a line up, and the ability to change speeds/directions is more important than outright velocity.

All I'm going on are the skills that diminish with age the most are the mobility ones. He's got some float to his general game (a most excellent cherry picker) and one-way play now gets a strong frowning here. He would certainly add to our strength in scoring in scary fashion. I'm just wary of bidding war prices (even pseudo-wars) for 30+. I'm willing to be convinced otherwise.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I wouldn't quite put him up with Hossa in terms of being a complete player, but not as far off as you might think.

Before he left this was certainly true. Hard to say where his game is at right now. But his two-way play was severely underrated in his NHL days. His overall strength too. He's 6'3", 230 lbs and while he doesn't play as aggressive as Ovi he never had a problem overpowering other players.

 

[AvroArrow]

I'd be good with a 2 or 3 year deal for Kovalchuk (depending on cap hit, of course).  Would make things pretty interesting.

 

[Kin]

He's got some float to his general game (a most excellent cherry picker) and one-way play now gets a strong frowning here.

Before he'd left he'd actually grown into something of a PK'er in a minor role. He led the league in SH goals in the lockout shortened season and was 4th the previous year.

 

[herman]

He's got some float to his general game (a most excellent cherry picker) and one-way play now gets a strong frowning here.

Before he'd left he'd actually grown into something of a PK'er in a minor role. He led the league in SH goals in the lockout shortened season and was 4th the previous year.

Thanks for the heads up. I was floundering looking for 'Kovalchuk backcheck' on YouTube.

 

[bustaheims]

Thanks for the heads up. I was floundering looking for 'Kovalchuk backcheck' on YouTube.

Well, he'll never be mistaken for a Selke calibre forward, but his time in New Jersey really helped him improve his defensive game (much like - though not quite as significantly as - it did for Mogilny).

 

[Kin]

Thanks for the heads up. I was floundering looking for 'Kovalchuk backcheck' on YouTube.

To paraphrase someone on these boards, you don't do a lot of backchecking if the puck's always in the offensive zone.

 

[herman]

Thanks for the heads up. I was floundering looking for 'Kovalchuk backcheck' on YouTube.

To paraphrase someone on these boards, you don't do a lot of backchecking if the puck's always in the offensive zone.

That sounds familiar! I still wanted to see what he could do at the other end of the ice.

I was watching his KHL highlights this morning. He was just carving through with minimal resistance. Highlights are stupidly one-sided.

 

[Frank E]

Huh...intriguing.

Now, guys, back to fixing the back-end. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Huh...intriguing.

Now, guys, back to fixing the back-end. 

Gardiner-Zaitsev
Rielly-Kovalchuk
Brannstrom

 

[herman]

Huh...intriguing.

Now, guys, back to fixing the back-end. 

Gardiner-Zaitsev
Rielly-Kovalchuk
Brannstrom

If Nylander isn't playing centre, I'd roll him in there with Brannstrom.