Despite the fact he can’t be signed until July, the Ilya Kovalchuk rumors continue to roll. The New Jersey Devils could sign him to start the season on its own roster.
This has been one interesting offseason for the New Jersey Devils, and it hasn’t even started yet. For once, the Devils are the talk of the NHL town besides missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season. The NHL Draft Lottery came up with New Jersey as the top overall pick, despite a an 8.5 percent chance. That surprised started the Nico or Nolan debate that still goes on today.
Another reason for the Devils stealing headlines away from the playoffs is the impending return of one former Russian sniper.
General manager Ray Shero confirmed that Ilya Kovalchuk is looking to make his return to the NHL. He spoke a few weeks ago about talking to his agent, but not much news has come out since then.
The Devils are the only team with a chance to sign Kovy, a major asset the Devils did not think was possible coming into this offseason. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, among other analysts, repeatedly say that a sign and trade is the most likely scenario. People say he wants to play for a winner. Others say he wants to stay in the New York or Florida areas.
But what if a trade can’t be worked out that works for both the Devils and Kovalchuk?
The possibility exists that the Devils could say no thank you if Kovalchuk’s demands are crazy. They could send him back to Russia to play for a year in a league he does not want to play in. That scenario is not likely, however.
A more realistic possibility is the Devils tell Kovalchuk to prove himself in the NHL, then look to move him midseason. Shero can play it to Kovalchuk that he gets to return to the place he left. He can live in his home in New Jersey (if that still exists, it’s hard to tell the truth in that). Kovalchuk can prove he can still score at the impressive clip he did prior to taking his game overseas. Then, a team can make the offer near the trade deadline when teams know exactly what they need to push them over the top.
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If the Devils sign Kovalchuk to a prove-it contract, and teams still try to get him for a second-round pick in 2018, Shero will probably balk at those offers. Yeah, it’s something for an asset who was nothing a month ago, but the asset is real now. There is no way the Devils will want to come out of this with just a prospect who has a 50 percent chance of turning into an everyday player.
The wild card in this is obviously Kovalchuk. Is he willing to start the season with one team, just to move in February? He can obviously control the narrative by putting in a limited no-trade clause into his contract. This gives him the control to say no to a move if a team like Montreal comes calling and he has no interest in the Great White North.
Admittedly, the likeliest scenario here is the Devils trade him before the start of the season. Once the free agent frenzy ends, there will be teams left without the players they wanted. Those teams could give Shero a deal he can’t pass up. If not, the possibility exists that the night the Prudential Center opens, Newark could hear the name Ilya Kovalchuk in the starting lineup.