Am i missing the point here? Or is Kovalchuk one of the best scoring forwards in the league? He has been a consistent 40+ goal scorer for the past 6 years, and is still fairly young. He is physical and strong as well. But Burkie has expressed to the media that he does not want him. If you want a top six forward who can immediately help your team, heck why not go with Kovalchuk??? He would give up two first rounders for a one time 30+ goal scorer in Kessel, but would not sign a proven big name free agent like Kovalchuk? I just dont understand why Toronto teams never sign proven, big name free agents and instead opt for aging, injured or unproven players. Toronto is the biggest hockey market in the world...bring us Kovie, the fans deserve it. So what if he is asking for $10+ mil a season? We signed Finger, Van Ryn, Beauchemin etc for good amount of money and theyre not even worth it. What is Burke thinking???
Why doesnt Burke go for Kovalchuk???
- Thread starter enyceman
- Start date
Kovalchuk is looking for a 10+ year commitment. That's a long time to commit to a 27-year-old player that doesn't play a whole lot of defense. A lot can happen in that time: injuries, slumps, bad fan reception, etc. How would the Leafs be able to trade an overvalued player that has 6-7 years left at 10 M per?
Here is a list of players that I WOULD give 10 M/10 years:
Crosby, Ovechkin, Nash, Doughty (I'd give him 20 years), Toews, Keith, a 22-year-old Scott Neidermayer, a 25-year-old Gretzky
Here is a list of players that I WOULD give 10 M/10 years:
Crosby, Ovechkin, Nash, Doughty (I'd give him 20 years), Toews, Keith, a 22-year-old Scott Neidermayer, a 25-year-old Gretzky
Kovie is greatly over valued at the price he is asking.
Another highly skilled offensive minded European forward who is lost in his own end is not what the Leafs need.
Tying up that kind of money on a player with very little to surround him with isn't fair to the player or the team.
A pressure cooker like Toronto with their talent level would eat him up.
It's all moot anyways because he is L.A. bound.
Another highly skilled offensive minded European forward who is lost in his own end is not what the Leafs need.
Tying up that kind of money on a player with very little to surround him with isn't fair to the player or the team.
A pressure cooker like Toronto with their talent level would eat him up.
It's all moot anyways because he is L.A. bound.
Why not give him 6 years @ $10 mill, and the remaining for around $4-5 million...Im sure it doesnt hurt to negotiate, instead of openly stating that you dont want him. I dont think any team would give Kovie a 10 year contract at 10 mill all the way through; the Rick DiPietro days are over. Instead of betting on a young player without credentials, I would sign Kovie who is one of the "best" scorers in the league. Consistent 40+ goal scorers dont become avaiable very often. Plus he is only 27, and with the game he plays i'll bet he can go competitively for another 7+ years...
Im sorry, but if anyone thinks that the following career stats are "overrated" i dont know what else to say. Im not trying to "shill" Kovie here, lol. But who could ignore the player he is;
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=56745
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=56745
I agree.
He seems to think he should be the highest paid player in the league.
I would like to have him but wouldn't pay him more than $7 million a year.
that's a long commitment towards a large chunk of your salary cap for a player who hasn't proven himself in the playoffs. it wasn't like he was spectacular with new jersey this spring, not that i watched every game.
ask the islanders what they think of a signing a russian not named ovechkin to a long term deal. can you say yashin (10 years at $87.5 million, not far off what kovie is looking for).
ask the islanders what they think of a signing a russian not named ovechkin to a long term deal. can you say yashin (10 years at $87.5 million, not far off what kovie is looking for).
Burke has openly stated that he does not "want" Kovy...maybe they have a personal issue, who knows? though i highly doubt it. He has told the media time and time again that he doesnt want him. He said the same thing about Heatly before he went to San Jose, but he had a reason for that. Heatly was asking to be traded and Burke said he didnt like players who disrupt the team like that. They can at least negotiate with Kovy
Pencap is correct here, except 10 mil for Keith and doughty? Not yet that's for sure! Burke doesn't like Europeans and comes short of saying as much. He wants big mean North American boys like Nash 
In a salary cap era, tying up $10M/year over 10 years for any player is lunacy, let alone a one-way player who has trouble doing that one thing (scoring) when the games are tough.
Anyone else hate the over/mis-use of the word "cancer" when describing sports or the workplace?
... says the locker room insider. <rolleyes>
Anyone else hate the over/mis-use of the word "cancer" when describing sports or the workplace?
Kovalchuk's value went down after his trade to New Jersey. But he's still a great player that likely will get what he wants. My guess is that he'll wind up in Los Angeles, but don't be surprised if the St-Louis Blues wind up signing him. Or the NY Rangers.
Toronto would love having a player like him, but not if they have to outbid everyone else & wind up giving him $8+ million per season. Just ask Tampa Bay if they'd sign Vinnie Lecavalier to a similar long-term deal & the answer would be a definite NO!
Burke's best move in regards to Kovalchuk (if he really wants him) would be to wait it out & see what happens. I'd be surprised if he wants to go play out west, especially in a non-hockey market such as LA. My guess is that he & his agent will probably use stalling tactics with any west-based team & hope that a few teams on their radar in the east would come up & give them what they want. Meanwhile, teams like LA will get tired of being used like a yo-yo and might simply look at other options. This way, Burke could wait until such teams are capped-out and then he could step up to the plate & sign Kovalchuk to a $7 million contract.....with a deferred contract.....and not sell the farm doing it. I'd say 5 years is the most Burke would commit for any player, but don't be surprised if he'd go higher since who knows...maybe 6 years or more from now, $7 million will be considered a bargain for a player of Kovalchuk's stature, who is still fairly young.
Toronto would love having a player like him, but not if they have to outbid everyone else & wind up giving him $8+ million per season. Just ask Tampa Bay if they'd sign Vinnie Lecavalier to a similar long-term deal & the answer would be a definite NO!
Burke's best move in regards to Kovalchuk (if he really wants him) would be to wait it out & see what happens. I'd be surprised if he wants to go play out west, especially in a non-hockey market such as LA. My guess is that he & his agent will probably use stalling tactics with any west-based team & hope that a few teams on their radar in the east would come up & give them what they want. Meanwhile, teams like LA will get tired of being used like a yo-yo and might simply look at other options. This way, Burke could wait until such teams are capped-out and then he could step up to the plate & sign Kovalchuk to a $7 million contract.....with a deferred contract.....and not sell the farm doing it. I'd say 5 years is the most Burke would commit for any player, but don't be surprised if he'd go higher since who knows...maybe 6 years or more from now, $7 million will be considered a bargain for a player of Kovalchuk's stature, who is still fairly young.
Nope. I just watch TSN and Sportsnet and that's what some of those talkingheads say and I just happen to believe them this time.
But nice try with your veiled insults. Again.
People sometimes fail to realize that 'talking heads' are people just like us.
As for Kovalchuk being a 'cancer', i'd say that an exaggeration. Yes, he is a selfish player.....but no different than Ovechkin, Grabovski or Kovalev when he played for the Habs.
p.s. That picture of the girl lying down is mesmerizing!
Here is what NHL blogger EKLUND has to say about Kovalchuk & the possibility he'll wind up with the Leafs:
"New Jersey could be back in on Kovalchuk, but the Kings are still the favorite...and then there is my theory...
THIS IS ONLY A THEORY....
Brian Burke has EVERYONE FOOLED. He will sign Kovalchuk. He always planned to sign Kovalchuk. He just never wanted anyone to know it. But seriously how can the team that makes the most money and happens to have the cap space due to the team being down for a few years really pass up the most potent UFA we have ever or will ever see? And Kovalchuk is 27. I don't see the Leafs turning away from this kind of opportunity. Today they could potentially sign a player who finishes his career with them as one of the top 10 or even top 5 scorers in NHL history. If Burke had made it known even slightly he had interest the Leaf fans would be insane today.
I may be completely wrong here....and again this is total speculation. I have talked to Burke and he has told me, like he has told everyone he would not be in on Kovalchuk today."
"New Jersey could be back in on Kovalchuk, but the Kings are still the favorite...and then there is my theory...
THIS IS ONLY A THEORY....
Brian Burke has EVERYONE FOOLED. He will sign Kovalchuk. He always planned to sign Kovalchuk. He just never wanted anyone to know it. But seriously how can the team that makes the most money and happens to have the cap space due to the team being down for a few years really pass up the most potent UFA we have ever or will ever see? And Kovalchuk is 27. I don't see the Leafs turning away from this kind of opportunity. Today they could potentially sign a player who finishes his career with them as one of the top 10 or even top 5 scorers in NHL history. If Burke had made it known even slightly he had interest the Leaf fans would be insane today.
I may be completely wrong here....and again this is total speculation. I have talked to Burke and he has told me, like he has told everyone he would not be in on Kovalchuk today."
Nope, not veiled in the least. That was a pure sarcastic putdown.
You like to post very aggressively and arrogantly - learn to deal with being called on it.
Again, you don't know $hit but you post inflammatory words like "cancer" and arrogantly write as if you have any understanding of the dynamics of an NHL dressing room when in reality you don't have a clue. Deal with the backlash.
Pardon my ignorance (or laugh at it), but does the NHL have a hard cap, or a luxury tax, where you can go over and just pay a penalty? If it is a luxury tax, they could afford to go way over, and it might be worth doing. If the Leafs were winning, people would pay any price for tickets.
It's a Hard Cap. Teams can go over during the summer, but cannot exceed the cap during the regular season. (that's the short explanation)
