SINCE NO ONE CAN GET ENOUGH KOVALCHUK

Here is an article from Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period.

The highlights from the article for me are quotes from New Jersey Devil’s coach Jacques Lemaire, commenting on Ilya’s dedication to winning,

“He wants to win so much. He enjoys the game, which I didn’t see that as much as when he wasn’t around. He’s a real player. He’s a guy that he wants to improve. He wants to do well. He wants the team to win. He’s not selfish; those things that you don’t know when the guy’s away. And then when they come in, sometimes you do get some surprises, could be negative or positive. This one was positive, big time.”

That’s some gleaming praise from a coach who has never had a reputation for being particularly nice. So much for “Kovalchuk just wants money.” Then again, you can disregard these comments in lieu of chronic cynicism, from which most of us, as long-time Kings’ fans, understandably suffer.

The first part of the article focuses on Kovalchuk’s time in Atlanta to his performance with the Devils. From there Bernstein dissects some other possible destinations for Ilya, and ultimately spends the second half of the article debating the likelihood and logic behind the Los Angeles Kings signing the phenomenal winger. He cites the entertainment market as a business motivation, the Chicago Blackhawk’s signing of Hossa as a beacon, and the Columbus Blue Jacket’s failure to bolster their lineup after their short-lived playoff run last season as a stern warning to the pitfalls of resting on your laurels.

You can also see the roundtable discussion that Dennis mentions having participated in, here. Its a good watch, with a complete focus on the Kings and Ilya Kovalchuk, courtesy of Keith Korneluk and Chris Kaliszewski at Kings Cast.