I have read analysis and some speculation on whether the NHL will reject or accept the recently resubmitted Kovalchuk contract rumored to be 15 years and 100 million, for a devilish cap hit of $6,666,666.00. A little creepy.
Bettman and Daly’s options however are not limited to yes or no. Recall that with the Hossa, Pronger, Luongo and Savard contracts, the NHL accepted the submittal but sent a letter informing the club that it was investigating the agreement for potential cap circumvention. This issue was relatively unknown until the Kovalchuk rejection when Bill Daly confirmed this fact and, since then, the league has done a lot of nothing. So, who is to say that the NHL won’t do exactly the same thing again? Training camp and pre-season are right around the corner. Assuming the tail end of this 15 year deal isn’t of the same comedic variety as the league minimum for its trailing years and aggregates at least $6 to $8 million in its final years, the league may just opt to respond with a maybe, right?
It would be an easy way out.
It would be convenient.
It would put this issue to rest for the immediate future.
It would give New Jersey fans time to step away from the ledge.
It also would not make any sense. If the league did this, none of its explanations would suffice. It doesn’t need time to investigate the deal. It has invested no doubt hundreds of hours on the last contract and we have a clear precedent setting decision and analysis in Richard Bloch’s ruling. The lines have been drawn. Ilya Kovalchuk has given his deadline. The NHL has its 5 day mark. Nothing comes from delay other than delay for the sake of delay and to let this issue fester so that it is more ripe for discussion and available for leverage at the next CBA…oh oh…maybe…
Do we have any reports on the fine Lou has incurred on the Devils for the circumvention? Or is the amount and time of delivery up to Bettman? Also you have to wonder if Bettman will call the 5-day ultimatum purely to show all viewers the NHL is not to be pushed around by KHL money.
I do not believe there is a time limit. That is why the Devils submitting a questionable deal seem like a bad move to me. The NHL already has the green light to fine the Devils up to 5 mil that counts against the cap 2011-2012 and/or take away draft picks. If the Devils play nice I suspect no fine will happen, but if the Devils try something stupid the league can (if they want) bring down a fairly large hammer.
If I were the Devils, I would not engage in this game of chicken. I would submit a deal that had the leagues super double secret seal f approval. If the Devils have submitted a deal that the league will/may reject, I must assume that Kovy/Grossman would not budge and the Devils feel trapped.
As far as the 5 days that is in the CBA. Now if it is 5 working days or 5 actual days, I am not clear. If the NHL does not reject the deal within 5 days (during the offseason), it is approved.
It is 5 calendar days.
I’m going with the elusive maybe for Kovalchuk’s 2nd contract. The league will register it and then say that it is open to “investigation”. This way when he retires in 2022, the league can be mad that he didn’t finish the 15 year contract.
Kypreos released the breakdown of deal #2:
2010-11: $6 million
2011-12: $6 million
2012-13: $11 million
2013-14: $11.3 million
2014-15: $11.3 million
2015-16: $11.6 million
2016-17: $11.8 million
2017-18: $10 million
2018-19: $7 million
2020-21: $4 million
2021-22: $1 million
2022-23: $1 million
2023-24: $1 million
2024-25: $3 million
2025-26: $4 million
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2010/08/31/devils_kovalchuk/
That contract is just silly. I agree with the GM that said Lou is trying to hide a crime with that contract. No way Kovalchuk plays 3 years for $3 million just to play 2 more years for $7 million. He could leave for the KHL at 38 and make a lot more than $1 million.