Heard this before? Thrashers scrambling and star unsigned
Is it one leg over the boards or one foot out the door for Ilya Kovalchuk? (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
Here we are again. The night starts with the team ranked 25th of 30 in the standings, the stands are half-empty and the talk leading to another trade deadline is not about the potential inbox but the likely outbox.
This is not what the NHL banked on (pun absolutely intended) when it brought Atlanta back into the league. It is not what former owner Ted Turner intended when he spent $80 million for an expansion franchise that in 2009 was ranked 29th in total value ($143 million), ahead of only the Phoenix Coyotes, who were in bankruptcy. It’s certainly not what the shrinking base of hockey fans in Atlanta deserves.
But here we are. Again.
“I expected us to compete for a playoff spot,” Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said, “and that’s what we’re doing.”
Well, yes. Welcome to the NHL, where teams have to lose a game and practically spread an incurable disease not to get a point in the standings. But the Thrashers are not quite blowing anybody away these days, possibly the final ones with Ilya Kovalchuk on their roster. They won their game against Anaheim 2-1 on Tuesday night at Philips Arena. Their record is now 23-21-8 (23-29 in the real world). The 54 points places them in a three-way tie for ninth in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the New York Rangers. In short: Eight teams separated by three points are competing for three playoff spots in the East.
Feeling lucky?
Even after Tuesday, the Thrashers still have only five wins in the past 19 games (with a recent nine-game winless skid).
Confident?
Waddell called this “no doubt the most talented team we’ve ever had.” That might be true, but the masses have been turned off. Attendance is so low (13,140 average, 28th in the league) that Waddell acknowledged that the Thrashers will be among only a few teams penalized in the NHL’s revenue-sharing program: 10 to 25 percent. Last year’s normal share was $17 million. The loss would be $1.7 million to $4.25 million for a franchise already counting pennies.
He also acknowledged that Philips has sought to get out of its naming-rights deal at the arena and sell it to a third party. He dismissed any notion that ownership would accept a reduction in the deal with Philips.
None of this projects well for re-signing Kovalchuk. He wants progress. He wants a guarantee of franchise stability. He wants the max contract. He would settle for two out of three — but since progress and stability can’t be guaranteed, and this ownership doesn’t give him a warm-and-fuzzy feeling, he is asking for the only thing he can control: max salary over the long term (think $11.3 times 12). If he doesn’t get it here, he’ll either get it on the open market or get close enough to it with a team he knows is committed to winning (and not moving). Also a team not getting penalized in revenue sharing and trying to compete a mile below the salary cap.
Kovalchuk informed the Thrashers in October he was ready to do a deal. Nearly two months passed before the two sides had significant negotiations. What exactly ownership was doing during that time lapse can’t be certain. Was it to gauge Kovalchuk’s value on the open market? His value to them? What had they been doing for the past year? The past two years? Didn’t everybody know this day was coming?
Or was this just a stall tactic to find a buyer for the team? We’ll never know.
The trade deadline is March 3. But really, it’s not even that far off. There’s a two-week roster freeze Feb. 14-28 during the Olympic break. So Waddell really has only eight more games to assess things before the Olympics. After the Games, he would have to move quickly on a trade if he didn’t think Kovalchuk could be signed. Technically, there is a third option: Do nothing. The latter allows the Thrashers to let the season play out, buying them time to deal him before he officially becomes a free agent July 1. But Waddell has always been a “sign-him or trade-him” guy with his impending free agents. The risk: If nobody bites on a deal after the season and before July 1, he gets nothing.
The real problem is that this is even an issue. It’s 10 seasons and 11 years into the process, and here we are looking at a team scrambling for its playoff life and on the verge of losing another star. It’s all too familiar.
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157 comments Add your comment
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
10:36 am
BG33Brown — 1) Waddell’s claims about Kovalchuk’s contract demands taking up too much of the cap to field a successful team carry a lot more weight when, a) the team has been successful and, b) the team is anywhere near the cap. So to me that rings hollow. 2) The question you need to be asking is not whether Kovie is WORTH the money but can he GET the money. Remember, he’s a UFA. There’s no comparable for a UFA. And even if he doesn’t get the max on the open market, he’ll get a lot, and with a team that he knows is headed in right direction.
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
10:37 am
Smitty –Thanks. Actually, he should’ve been signed LAST year. Shouldn’t have come to now.
buldog/52
January 27th, 2010
10:49 am
Rumor in Chicago. Kovy is coming here for several of the 4th line players and 1 3rd line player. could happen during middle of Feb/
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
10:57 am
R Strohz — Marc Savard vs. Todd White. I think that says it all.
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
10:58 am
R.Stroz — Marc Savard vs. Todd White. I think that says it all.
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
11:00 am
Mr. Mike – Thanks for the comments.
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
11:03 am
J — I completely support you not showing up. But you never know what the ripple effect of that will be: Will it force change or will it cause ownership to cut costs even more? Like I said, there’s a lot of damage that’s been done to the fan base and bridges have to be rebuilt.
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
11:04 am
EA — I’m not questioning the players. But in every other sport you win or you lose. You went off on a tangent there with the point thing. …. As for the AJC’s support of hockey, I would encourage you to go back and find sections from 1998 when the franchise first was given to atlanta and 2-3 years thereafter. The paper did nothing but support hockey. Gave gobs of space, more than basketball even. Covered every game. But after a while, it’s not our job to build a fanbase or a winner. So don’t put that on the AJC.
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
11:05 am
Shula — Not Patrick Stefan. How about Kamil Piros?
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
11:07 am
Hollywould — Wouldn’t surprise me if this is wearing on him now.
Brendan
January 27th, 2010
11:28 am
I think the NHL is not leaving this city. But I would hope that Commissioner Bettman would meet with these owners and sit them down to have a frank discussion about their situation. They are failing, as owners. This is a healthy market for hockey. It just has to be run better. In 1999-00, it is an incontestable fact that the Atlanta Thrashers sets an attendance record as an expansion franchise. It was subsequently broken by the Minnesota Wild. But it’s “Exhibit A,” proof positive of how this market will react to a hockey product, when there is BELIEF that the product is being properly run. Who knew, in 1999 or 2000, or 2001 that the Thrashers would never escape a minor league “habitus.” (Fancy French word that means, “mindset conditioning.”) Clearly, these guys don’t have a handle of the dynamics of running an NHL club. In that respect, I do think the Commissioner should appoint some sort of “oversight” for this franchise.
Maybe it does take Commissioner Bettman to, behind CLOSED doors, look Don Waddell in the eyes and say, “You were tasked with running this franchise. You’ve had six lottery draft selections and nine (9) Top 10 overall draft position from which to work. My strong recommendation to you owners … is that you give someone else a shot at managerial oversight. This will send a message to your local fanbase that ‘things are changing.’ If you don’t do something, you’ll run your club into the ground. Truthfully, we thought the Atlanta market would be one of our leaders, in terms of producing revenue. Instead, you bleed us of $17 million every year. And it’s nobody else’s fault but YOURS. Fix it. Or we will convene the board of Governors/Trustees to decide what’s best to do with your franchise. This market cannot continue to falter and fail. Our goal is 30 healthy franchises. The only thing wrong with your market … is that you don’t know how to run it. You cost us money every year. And we’re tired of it. Ice a winning team. Change the culture/climate of the franchise.”
Hillbilly Deluxe
January 27th, 2010
12:04 pm
Enter your comments here
Hillbilly Deluxe
January 27th, 2010
12:08 pm
Oops, wrong button.
There are two possible scenarios here.
1) The team can overhaul the front office this off-season and show people they are committed to turning things around.
2) They can keep going the way they’ve been going for another couple of years, then sell the team and somebody will move it somewhere else.
Hopefully they’ll choose number 1 but I’m afraid they’ll choose number 2. This looks for all the world just like the situation with the Flames.
LAC
January 27th, 2010
12:17 pm
Afraid Jeff is correct… I am VERY happy to see all the people on here, FINALLY everyone calling for waddell’s A$$ to get Canned, he is the FIRST Problem that needs to be excuted…
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
12:31 pm
LAC — Hey now. I don’t want anybody executed!
Kovy1717
January 27th, 2010
1:02 pm
Let me see…Heatley,Hossa,Savard all traded for ??? All done by Donny Wad…for FUTURE prospects??? Nice trade of Braydon Coburn???
Look at the Colorado Av’s – They have 1 down year 08-09, their best player in club history retires and guess what??? They are 30-15-6 for a league 7th best 66pts. AND they have the same salary cap number of $52m as the Thrashers. That is what happens when you have a solid GM that gets young talent that PERFORMNS!
I feel for all the hockey fans in the ATL. GET RID OF THE WAD MAN…NOW!
Steve Brown
January 27th, 2010
1:19 pm
from nhl trade rumors, say goodbye:
Jan. 27th:
Ken Campbell of The Hockey News: Campbell is reporting that the LA Kings and Atlanta Thrashers have had significant trade talks surrounding Ilya Kovalchuk. A list of what the Thrashers would want has been given to Kings GM Dean Lombardi. The current asking price of Ilya is a little steep for Lombardi. “There is speculation that the group of roster players includes the likes of defenseman Jack Johnson and/or Oscar Moller or Wayne Simmonds and the prospects include 2009 first-rounder Brayden Schenn, along with defenseman Colton Teubert, Brandon Kozun and Andrei Loktionov. Kozun is currently second in the Western League in scoring and Schenn is 13th.”
James Murphy of NESN.com: The Boston Bruins have put out there that both Tuukka Rask and their 1st round pick from the Maple Leafs are not available for trade. That probably crosses them off the Ilya Kovalchuk list, as I’d think those would be part of what the Thrashers would want. Murphy thinks Bruins fans shouldn’t hold their breath for Kovalchuk or Phaneuf. The Bruins could bring in Ray Whitney for a 2nd round pick.
Jan. 24th:
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun:
* The Thrashers will take another run at re-signing Ilya Kovalchuk. The Flames are said to have inquired about him. This will come down to the deadline, with at least 6 teams involved; Flames Capitals, Blackhawks, Bruins, Kings and Rangers.
* The Leafs have inquired about Kovalchuk, but that may not mean much. “Burke likes to stick his nose into everything,” said one Eastern Conference-based player. “If he did that, it’s so he can tell everybody that he looked into the possibility.”
Pierre LeBrun of ESPN:
Sources are telling LeBrun that contract talks are ‘pretty quiet’, and he thinks a trade is inevitable.
Jan. 22nd:
Bob McKenzie of TSN: McKenzie thinks that Kovalchuk will be moved, and needs to be moved for players with a name, and not just prospects/picks. He thinks that the Calgary Flames may be interested, and mentions Dion Phaneuf’s name. Chicago Blackhawks will be interested with the names potentially including Patrick Sharp, Cam Barker or David Bolland.
ESPN’s Scott Burnside and Pierre LeBrun: (Video) Discuss the Ilya Kovalchuk situation in ‘Friday Faceoff: Kovalchuk Sweepstakes. Jan. 15th
John Buccigross of ESPN: Want your team to land Kovy?
Jan. 16th:
James Murphy of NESN: There are some rumors that the Bruins could offer Blake Wheeler, Tuukka Rask and the 1st round pick from Toronto. But word out of Boston is that they ‘definitely’ won’t part with Rask, and wouldn’t give up the Leafs 1st round pick unless Kovalchuk signs an extension with them.
Jan. 15th
Larry Brooks of the NY Post: In a little bit of a surprise, the New York Islanders have tossed their hat in to the Kovalchuk sweepstakes if he becomes available. The thought of a Tavares-Kovalchuk tandem is definitely be interesting. The Isles would have to part with this years first round pick and maybe amongst others, have choice in Calvin de Haan, Travis Hamonic, Jyri Niemi, Kirill Petrov, Jesse Joensuu.
Jan. 14th
Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Kovalchuk told the AJC that he isn’t frustrated over the contract negotiations and remains confident something will get done. “Yes, I feel very confident,” Kovalchuk said. “Like I said, I like everything that’s been done over time. It’s not an easy thing to sign a long-term deal, and if it has to take until the last second, that’s what it takes. You never know.”
Mike Brophy of Sportsnet.ca: At least one NHL GM thinks it’s possible that the KHL could offer Kovalchuk a $20 million a year salary to lure him back overseas. “(Alexander) Medvedev is on a mission,” said the GM, who requested anonymity. “He’s paying (Sergei) Fedorov $14 million this season so how much do you think he’d pay to get Kovalchuk? Twenty million a season? That’s what I’ve heard.”
DawgDad
January 27th, 2010
2:01 pm
“Winning solves all problems. The Thrashers are young and talented, and learning how to win. They need Kovy’s stardom to take the pressure off of the youngsters who are learning to play (and win) in the NHL.”
Generally agree, winning solves all problems. Definitely disagree with you on the rest.
This is a poster-child for poor sports franchise management. Totally clueless. Hockey is all about hard work, smart physical play, and teamwork. Strikes 1-2-3 on Kovy. At his salary level his is an ANCHOR sinking this franchise. How’s that goal-scoring wonder doing, putting butts in the seats?
Problems can’t be fixed until ownership changes. Pure and simple. Nothing changes until then. Unfortunately, the doom tag on this franchise is all but nailed to the post.
Don’t blame the fans or lack thereof. Don’t even dare. A solid core of 13,000 fans is a tremendous base for a calamitous franchise like this.
Over the life of the Thashers franchise I’ve been witness to the absolute worst NHL hockey I’ve ever seen in 50+ years. Thank you, owners!
mike
January 27th, 2010
2:04 pm
jeff i like you opinion: what happen first relocation or firing dw. second question for decade of dw rein approximate how much he robbed this silly owners on his salary. my tag on him based on his performance as gm is 8.50 bucks for hrs. am i wrong. thank you
Bob
January 27th, 2010
2:11 pm
if only Waddell would have been fired in year 2 or 3 (good call on the Kamil Piros for Audette, what an doofus Waddell is) when it was obvious he was incompetent. If we had a competent GM, this club would be wildly successful. Remember the atmosphere in the first couple year, for a losing team? Remember the 2 playoff games? Those fans didn’t move out of Atlanta, we just sit at home now instead of paying to subsidize Waddell’s incompetence. Shoot, I don’t even bother to watch on TV anymore unless there is absolutely nothing to do.
Can’t wait for Waddell’s book to come out: How to Kill an NHL Franchise
Howard Corn
January 27th, 2010
2:53 pm
You are a jerk. The “real” record is 23-21-8 and the team IS competing for a playoff spot. Next time just stay home and cut your toenails; your writing is stale.
Perhaps there is a position that is better qualified for you at the Beaumont Times or Beaufort Gazette.
BG33Brown
January 27th, 2010
2:57 pm
Jeff, “waddell isn’t claiming that too much committed to one player hurts the teams ability to operate” IT’S A FACT.
Will Kovy get 10M a year on the open market? Not with a team who is closer to winning the Cup b/c no “championship teams” have the room. If he wants 8M, he’ll get that…maybe even 9M.
Either way, we will never win a cup with 9M committed to a one way player. If you as much as you claim to about hockey, you cannot deny that.
That being said, we need changes at the top of this organization regardless of the Kovy outcome.
R. Stroz
January 27th, 2010
3:03 pm
Can’t wait for Waddell’s book to come out: How to Kill an NHL Franchise
I’ve already written this book. Here we go.
Hire Don Waddell.
Well, that was a good succinct read wasn’t it?
ukh
January 27th, 2010
3:46 pm
i think bud died aug. 07, so you can’t blame him for the state of the asg
R.I.P.
January 27th, 2010
3:58 pm
In loving memory of Captain (or so called) Ilya Kovalchuk, we will miss your work as a captain getting us to the playoffs only once in 10 years, in which we got out of in the first round.
Brendan
January 27th, 2010
4:00 pm
R.Stroz, you killed me, man. I burst out laughing and now, everyone is awkwardly staring at me.
Oh wait, maybe it’s this “I HEART Waddell” button,” with the Hockey Night in Canada Logo on it.
Lee
January 27th, 2010
4:01 pm
Gotta win tomorrow’s game baby, 6th place is on the line!
Brendan
January 27th, 2010
4:04 pm
Wasn’t there a movie, “How a Lose a Guy in 10 Days?” Waddell’s book should be called, “How to Kill an NHL Club in 10 Years.”
Brendan
January 27th, 2010
4:08 pm
Matt, thanks!
Sage of Bluesland
January 27th, 2010
4:41 pm
Great comments by Brendan and R.Stroz…
Waddell would mess even that short of a book up…and his daughter would fight back against all the would-be slanderers…
How sad and pathetic!
Welcome to Thrashersland!
Old Time Hockey
January 27th, 2010
4:53 pm
If you want to win in this league you need a great goalie. And by that I mean a great talent who can play a whole season and carry a team during down stretches. Either hand it to Pavelec and ride him or bring in a goalie who can consistently give this team a chance to win. I was really hoping the lazy goalie with the glass groin/back/core… would be healthy enough to trade for something. I like Pavelec and he has shown the kind of talent that it takes, but not enough experience yet. I see both sides of the Kovy deal. Yes it’s difficult to pay one player 20 percent of the total salaries, but he is one of the most exciting players EVER. How many players get the puck in their own end, wind it up and you move to the edge of your seat to see what happens? I’ve been going to NHL games since 1972 and it’s pretty rare. But if a big deal can be made to strengthen this team, it may have to be done. But if they trade him AND the team doesn’t improve, then you have done nothing but remove the most exciting element of this team. Try to get ANY fan to go to the arena to see a mediocre team without Ilya. What are the TV ratings for Tiger-less golf? Philips Arena would be worse.
By the way, Audette scored 32 goals in 2000 and over the next 7 seasons he scored a grand total of….32 goals. I’d say that was good recognition of a player overachieving for one year.
If the goalies play well this team makes the playoffs.
LAC
January 27th, 2010
5:00 pm
GREAT COMMENTS Brenden 7 Stroz simply PERFECT for the MESS we are in.
No Jeff, not excuting anyone, just their JOB, ie waddell.
But I did ask your buddy the beat writer to ask waddell either or, When is he going to RESIGN, or What do you think of everyone calling for you to be fired. What did HE do, called me names…
So I offered him $10K to a fight, Brenden or Rawhide as Ref, he wins he gets the $, I win he ASKS the question, again he calls me names, doesn’t ANYONE have the guts at ajc to ask waddell this ?
Still waiting “chris” you little tool of the worthless spirit group, man up or SHUT UP !
Reality Check
January 27th, 2010
6:04 pm
As much as I hate to admit it we CANNOT keep Kovy. He is a one-dimensional player (albeit a very good one) an to tie up that much money over that long of time period would severely set the franchise back. I think we can still get something of value for him (more than just prospects) and the team can be just as good/bad (depending on your perspective) as they are now.
I think it was Branch Rickey who said, “We finished in last with you, we can finish in last without you”…there is a lot of truth in that statement and has somebody pointed out earlier with Kovy we still haven’t won a playoff game.
He is not the only one to blame…we know the usual suspects but they cannot make another mistake that really sets the franchise back even further.
As an aside…the is first year since the third year of the franchise I do not have season tickets. I finally got sick of it last year and found myself getting very angry when attending games. I still watch at home but don’t feel I’ve been ‘had’ for giving them my hard earned money. Again, as pointed out earlier, the stadium has become a joke. I don’t think they have upgraded anything in years and it shows. It is sad.
Go Thrashers…there are fans here in ATL that want to see the team win and I think we have a better shot without Kovy.
Lee
January 27th, 2010
6:12 pm
Waddell will kill the franchise before he publishes the “book”.
Stroz & Brendan – Ya’ll crack me up.
fockerman
January 27th, 2010
7:04 pm
Screw the AJC! They have no journalism skills when they report on the Thrashers. It’s sad how this Thrashers fan has to resort to Canadian media tsn.ca to get more accurate info on the Thrashers. Canadian media laughs at the Thrashers because they’re not being reported by hometown media and the AJC had every opportunity to prove them wrong. But just as expected from an inbreeding southern newspaper reporting on sporting events outside of roach fighting, NASCAR, and football, they don’t know squat! If you can’t report your hockey team the right way, you should just stick to Paula Deen.
child please
January 27th, 2010
8:46 pm
Frustrated 5-year Thrashers season ticket holder here. Thrashers have been terminally bad since inception. The ownership group should have turned over the GM and coach already. Kovalchuk is a top 5 scorer in the NHL, no doubt, but soft on D. Since this franchise apparently does not believe in finding a better GM, best thing to do at this point is deal Kovalchuk immediately and get some serious star power in return. I feel like things couldn’t get much more mediocre. Maybe changing the chemistry is good — but only if they can get serious value in return that can help this team win starting now.
Tom Lysiak
January 27th, 2010
10:33 pm
I would be interested in hearing theories (or facts if you have heard Jeff) on why DWad is refusing to allow teams to negotiate with Kovy prior to a trade. Wouldn’t the trade return would have to increase if a team knew he was their property for X number of years? Is he not wanting to allow that so the team can’t find out first-hand that he is taking $20 million per year from the KHL and leaving the NHL? Is he suspicious the agent will collude with the new team and work a deal, even though they tell him they won’t? What is it?
Tom Lysiak
January 27th, 2010
10:37 pm
I would be interested in hearing theories (or facts if you have heard Jeff) on why DWad is refusing to allow teams to negotiate with Kovy prior to a trade. Wouldn’t the trade return would have to increase if a team knew he was their property for X number of years? Is he not wanting to allow that so the team can’t find out first-hand that he is taking $20 million per year from the KHL and leaving the NHL? Is he suspicious the agent will collude with the new team and work a deal even though they tell him they won’t? What is it?
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
11:23 pm
Steve — Ken Campbell is solid. I don’t say that about everybody in Canada.
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
11:24 pm
Howard — would that be Beaufort, SC? Because that would be a really cool place to live. Any job connections there?
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
11:25 pm
Mike: first question: I’m sure a move would be at least 2 years away, if then. Can’t speak to if DW would still be the GM; second question: what was the question?
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
11:28 pm
Old Time Hockey — are you aware of Audette’s injury? His hand practically got severed.
Jeff Schultz
January 27th, 2010
11:31 pm
Tom Lysiak — There’s no reason for allowing Ilya’s agent to talk to other teams for a new contract until trade terms are finalized. When there is a workable trade completed (in theory) between the Thrashers and Team B, then Waddell can give the go-ahead for the player to negotiate a contract. But to do the contract part of it first doesn’t make sense and would just create a distraction. Now, it should be known that that’s only what I think. I’m sure Don would agree. But according to Fockerman @7:04, I’m not an expert, just backward, so you’d be better off asking somebody at TSN. (Pause for effect.)
Brendan
January 28th, 2010
12:49 am
When Heatley asked for a release from the Thrashers, and didn’t get one, Heatley asked for a trade. Don Waddell agreed that he thought Heatley deserved a ‘fresh start’ somewhere else. In his explanation of choice for a trading partner, Waddell said he targeted teams with cap issues. And that’s how Ottawa was selected as a partner, back in 2005. The result? The Senators tossed us Greg deVries with 2 years left on the deal and Marian Hossa, freshly signed to a 3-year deal by Ottawa.
People jumped up and down that Waddell had made a fine deal. My reaction, at the time, was shock and dismay that Heatley had been traded, and that Ottawa had inked him to such a discounted contract. I had no problem with deVries being tossed in, but I knew Hossa would never stay in this market, beyond that of his contractual obligation. Turns out, sadly, that I was right. Though, for the longest time, I wanted to be wrong.
If Atlanta is thinking about a trade, I think Waddell must again target a club with cap issues, if he wants to get NHL players for NHL players. The danger in that, as I always point out, is that the Atlanta GM is gaining players who NEVER AGREED to play here, and whose interests and heart lie ELSEWHERE in the league. I think there are players and prospects that the Thrashers could deal. On the current roster, there are some sweeteners, as well as some disposable prospects.
Future watch: Braves lead locals in young talent | Jeff Schultz
January 28th, 2010
8:58 am
[...] ♦ THRASHERS: Kari Lehtonen was supposed to be the franchise goalie. But he has struggled with consistency and healthy. Ondrej Pavelec: still a bit unknown. Zach Bogosian, Tobias Enstrom and Evander Kane are solid young pieces. But Brian Little seems to have fallen off a cliff and Boris Valabik is still struggling with his confidence (and now health). And yes, Ilya Kovalchuk could be gone before lunch. [...]
EA
January 28th, 2010
9:08 am
JS, I was commenting about your take on getting points in the NHL. I was not off on a tangent. I appreciate your response. The whole Kovalchuk/Thraashers situation is depressing. Does 7 years at 8 million sound reasonable to you? Rumor has it that is what the Thrashers offered.
Jeff Schultz
January 28th, 2010
9:16 am
EA — No worries … On Kovie, my understanding is Thrashers have offered multiple deals. They’ve offered high per-year averages in the short term and lower per-year averages over the long term. As for what sounds “reasonable,” no, $7 million or $8 million doesn’t qualify. It’s important to remember here that “worth” really isn’t a factor here. Some is “worth” what he can get. That’s capitalism. Kovalchuk is looking at unrestricted free agency. He is going to make a lot of money because somebody is going to give it to him. Even if he doesn’t get the max ($11.3 million per year), he’ll get a lot and he can pick a franchise he’s comfortable with. He loses nothing by seeing what’s out there, if that makes sense. So for him to pass up that opportunity, Thrashers would need to overwhelm him in either dollars or direction, and they’ve done neither.
Bob
January 28th, 2010
10:16 am
“By the way, Audette scored 32 goals in 2000 and over the next 7 seasons he scored a grand total of….32 goals. I’d say that was good recognition of a player overachieving for one year.”
Like Jeff said, mabye you’re not aware that the year after we traded him, Audette has his had nearly amputated at the wrist when he dove for a puck and someone skated over it. Ruined his career. Guy was a player, that Waddell didn’t recognize, just like Brunette, Savard and the endless list of guys he let walk while “building” this team to the sad state of affairs we sit in today.
Tom Lysiak
January 28th, 2010
10:52 am
Jeff, thanks for the reply. We can agree to disagree. I remember in the past (not necessarily hockey) where teams were given a 48-72 hour window to negotiate. If I was Lombardi (if the Kings are the frontrunner), I would feel better about giving up a king’s ransom (pun intended) knowing Kovy was going to light it up in L.A. for the next decade rather than hoping. It would cause me to modify my offer. But, in DWad We Trust. (Pause for effect)
David S Video Idiot
January 28th, 2010
10:53 am
Of course Philips wants outta the deal. Have you seen how crappy their stuff looks there? The experience is PATHETIC!! and the display cases are filthy and out dated! Lets just get rid of the teams and keep football and baseball.