New Jersey Devils: Ilya Kovalchuk Saga Is Thankfully Over
By Nick Villano
Russian winger Ilya Kovalchuk made his final decision to re-sign with the KHL. After years of heartbreak, New Jersey Devils fans can finally move on once and for all.
It’s over. Finally. After four years of rumors, reports, unnamed sources and fake stories, the saga of Ilya Kovalchuk is now over. He’s going back to Russia to play in the KHL next season, ending any possible tenure with the New Jersey Devils.
Kovalchuk will return to KHL for one more season, Post has learned. Will become free agent next 7/1. Am told NJ made effort to make deal.
— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) July 4, 2017
Kovalchuk was the offensive powerhouse that was supposed to keep them contenders for over a decade. He signed a 15-year, $100 million deal back in 2010. Just four years later, he ‘retired’ breaking an entire fan base’s collective hearts in one announcement.
This year, it looked like that heartbreak was about to turn into an asset, as Kovalchuk and his agent announced they were pursuing a return to the NHL this offseason. Devils fans were salivating at the possible return. Names like Alex Galchenyuk and Jonathan Druin were thrown around. Those types of players were probably out of reach in a Kovalchuk trade, but it was fun to dream.
All that ended today when reports came out that Kovalchuk was returning to the KHL. This, despite the news coming that one of their most popular teams, Dynamo Moscow, released almost all of its players. The KHL is hemorrhaging money. That didn’t stop Kovalchuk from making his return.
Devils fans have been arguing about the future of Kovalchuk for years. Just one day ago, there was a conversation on the Pucks and Pitchforks twitter about whether he would be welcomed back to Newark. Those arguments are over.
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There’s no doubt Kovalchuk could still bring something to the NHL game. He still has a huge shot and can get to the right parts of the ice.
If Kovalchuk decides next season he wants to come back, he will become an unrestricted free agent. He can sign with any team in the entire league, with no say needed from the Devils or anyone else. A team gets him without any assets coming back.
Devils general manager Ray Shero did his due diligence to try and get a deal done today, but it didn’t work out. The Devils and its fans were disappointed once more by Kovalchuk. Luckily, this was the last time.