clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Ilya Kovalchuk, Devils Settle For Each Other; Other Free Agents Stop Holding Their Breath

Well, now's our chance to test that theory about the Ilya Kovalchuk drama being the only thing keeping that logjam of scoring free agents from breaking up and floating downstream—he's re-signed with the Devils for as-yet-undisclosed terms, although SB Nation New York speculates that he'll be earning at least $8 million. The LA Times offers this account from second place's perspective:

↵
↵

Initial reports said the terms of Kovalchuk's deal were 17 years at $100 million, though that couldn't be immediately confirmed. Tim Leiweke, the Kings' governor and chief executive of their parent company, AEG, said in an e-mail that Kovalchuk "had two very good choices. NJ offered more money. Simple as that."

↵
↵

It was an odd offseason for this year's star free agent—instead of a bidding war a haggling contest broke out, with Kovalchuk's price being driven down by a collective indifference among seemingly every team who could use him, and Kovalchuk himself not playing the usual game of suggesting he could find himself happy anywhere in the NHL.