saskhab wrote:
The Devils may have problems with their debt issues (most indebted team in the NHL according to Forbes) but they've been spending to the cap every year and this past offseason signed Clowe for $4.825m per, Ryder for $3.5m, acquired Schneider at $4m, and retained 35 year old Zubrus for $3.1m per for 3 years. I'm skeptical they're working their way down to the floor, esp in a year they don't have a first round draft pick.
Kovalchuk had 37 goals in 11/12, 31 in 10/11, 41 in 09/10... he was down to 11 in 37 GP last year so maybe he hit 25 over a full year (he had 18 in 36 KHL games and 8 in 8 World Championship games so it seems like he still has decent game). I have to assume a guy with his pedigree, health, etc would still command a premium NHL salary. That's where I chose $7m+ from. Guys who can consistently pot that many goals are going to get paid a lot. There's only what, 10 guys like that at most?
And there is the problem the NHL will have. If the Devils give up his rights, he can come back at as an FA, sign where he wants and because he is as good as you have described he can sign for money better then what he was receiving.
There is also an issue in that the KHL is now becoming competitive with the NHL for talent. It's one thing for a player under contract to semi-retire and play in his homeland of Thirdworldslaviastan another thing to go play for the 2nd best league in the world that is expanding into Finland and who knows where next. Already most of the mid-tier Russian players are staying at home, is this the start of the nations top stars returning? Do the Finns go next? The NHL has a potential competitor for top tier talent and having them do and end run around contracts here can't sit well with the NHL.