Kovy finally a Devil - with no strings attached!

And our long national nightmare finally came to an end early this morning when the NHL and NHLPA agreed on amendments to the CBA in regards to long-term contracts and as a result, the NHL finally approved the Devils' second Ilya Kovalchuk contract of 15 years, $100 million with a $6.66 million cap hit and also dropped its investigations of other alleged circumvention contracts around the league.

Of course this process being what it was, there was more drama than there needed to be last night. After the parties allegedly came to an agreement in principle around 3 PM or so, the official deadline kept getting pushed back in two and three-hour intervals until the agreement could be formally drawn up and the ink finally dried on everyone's signatures at 3 AM. With all that's happened you couldn't help but think there was somehow a chance this could still fall apart after the last minute.

For once though, that didn't happen. Of course now that everything's worked out remarkably well in the end for us - getting Kovy at a reasonable cap hit and closing the loophole for everyone else - the conspiracy theorists are throwing bouquets at Lou Lamoriello, swearing that this was his endgame all along. While I admit Lou is smarter than a lot of us put together let's be honest, so much crap happened throughout this process that was beyond his control. From the arbitration hearing to the NHL and NHLPA's back and forth and counting on Kovy to stick it out through this whole mess. If it was his true endgame (to not only get Kovy signed but to close a loophole he admitted he didn't like), I'd say it was a terrific gamble but not some great master plan.

Whatever the case, now on September 4 we can finally get on with the business of completing the remodeling of the 2010 Devils. As of now we're around $3 million over the cap with 21 players signed and a month to get under it before the October 1 deadline (a week before the season starts). I suppose the dominoes will have to fall soon enough with camp less than two weeks away, especially since you have to figure the framework for deals are already in place by now.

True, there's still a question as to whether the Devils get fined or lose a pick due to the first contract being rejected but according to the Post's Larry Brooks any fine will NOT include the loss of cap space. So worst-case scenario you're talking about losing a mid-round pick I suppose which would still be a travesty since our contract was within the rules of the CBA at the time and the arbitrator himself said he saw nothing that suggested intentional circumvention. I don't think we'll even lose a mid-round pick or be fined but I can't say I trust the league not be petty and shoot itself in the foot one more time with unwanted attention. You would hope they would be just as anxious to get this mess behind us as the rest of us are.

At least now I can finally breathe a sigh of relief, which was basically my reaction when I found out both yesterday that a deal had been agreed on in principle and this morning when I saw it was finally official. With everything that's happened in this process you almost hope someone writes a book on it one of these days (not that Lou ever would or permit Kovy to, haha). I wouldn't want to read one at this point but in a few years, definitely. This has been one terrific roller-coaster. To wit:

-July 1, the start of free-agency and the nineteen days of rumors and speculation involving Kovy's initial signing including an outrageous (and never confirmed) rumor of the Islanders offering a 10 year, $100 million contract, numerous King offers followed by staged walkaways by Dean Lombardi, and of course KHL rumors.
-July 19, the announcement of a Kovy deal at last with the Devils just hours after it looked like he was destined for LA, followed by what would soon become a contreversial press conference the next day once it became known that the league told the Devils the contract would likely be rejected, which it was later that night on July 20.
-Over the next two weeks, the NHLPA filed a grievance of the rejection of the contract, both sides agreed to have the disputed settled by arbitrator Richard Bloch, then after the two-day hearing concluded in early August, Bloch's surprising rejection of the grievance on August 9 set more events in motion.
-After more negotiation between the Devils, Kovalchuk and the league which included a trip to NHL headquarters to discuss concepts that were rejected, the Devils submitted a second contract for approval on August 27, mere hours after the KHL rumors really heated up with chatter (a bluff?) that Kovy was getting tired of the NHL's red tape and wanted a decision from the league on that contract soon.
-With a deadline of this Wednesday (the 1st) to accept, reject or ignore - and tacitly accept - the second Kovy contract the league and NHLPA surprisingly agreed to extend the deadline till Friday 5 PM, then with the announcement of an agreement yesterday came more extensions of the deadline till finally the end of the Kovy saga...66 days after Kovy became an unrestricted free agent and 47 days after he agreed to the first contract.

Like I said, someone should make a lot of money writing a book on this.

At least now it's over and I can get excited about a Devils team that managed to add the top offensive free agent on the market in Kovy, the top defensive defenseman in Anton Volchenkov and other additions in Henrik Tallinder, Johan Hedberg and Jason Arnott. Even if there's still a little consternation over who will have to depart to make room for Kovy - you'd figure on Bryce Salvador being one of the departures since we currently have a glut of stay-at-home defensmen along with a couple of prospects that may make the team in camp, to go along with the fact that Salvador's easy enough to move with no NMC or NTC to worry about.

That gets the Devils right about at the cap number but it's likely they'd still have to make another move, probably a forward. There's been a lot of speculation that Danius Zubrus will be the one to go since he also doesn't have a NTC or NMC and moving him would clear $3 million plus. Personally though I'd hate to see that, yeah Zubrus is only a role player and a bit overpaid but that said, he was one of the few who actually gave effort in the mess that was the end of last season and looked somewhat effective on offensive lines late in the season.

I doubt Lou would move Jamie Langenbrunner at this point, granted I wouldn't shed any tears over his departure personally after his inexcusable behavior last year but at this point I really can't see Lou trading his captain just two weeks before camp. We've had a summer of turmoil as it is, that would create even more going into camp. Plus the captain has a NTC, as does Brian Rolston - who would be the ideal candidate to move (and also the hardest) given his declining production and $5 million salary for the two years remaining on his deal. I still wouldn't be shocked if Lou found a taker for Rolston in the end though, even if he has to give up a B-prospect or mid-high round pick to make it happen.

In any event, it's finally time for the fun and games to resume!

Kennedy good addition but Rangers need more

In a move which was of little surprise, the Rangers added some grit up front in signing ex-Sabre Tim Kennedy Monday. Funny how sometimes, something in your gut comes true, meaning that after he was surprisingly bought out by Darcy Regier, I actually had a hunch Glen Sather would scoop up the Buffalo native who became a fan favorite in his one season spent back home.

After being drafted by the Capitals in the '05 sixth round, the former Michigan State product spent a season with AHL affiliate Portland before departing for his hometown in a trade. Under Lindy Ruff, Kennedy became a fixture on the Sabres' third line, providing energy while playing responsibly and chipping in offensively. In his first full season, he posted 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points while racking up 50 penalty minutes over 78 games, finishing minus-three with a power play goal and three game-winners. Previously, the 24 year-old who can play both center and wing got into one NHL game, debuting for the Sabres in '08-09.

Kennedy acquitted himself well in the playoffs tallying a goal and two helpers while going plus-three in Buffalo's six-game first round defeat to Boston. He'll likely battle Sean Avery, Brandon Prust, Brian Boyle and Derek Boogard in camp. The newest Ranger should be popular as he brings a tireless work ethic to the rink.

Initially, I was not floored by the move because while I like the addition, it doesn't really improve our roster a ton. Especially offensively where outside of Big Ticket Marian Gaborik and key July addition Alexander Frolov, there aren't any proven finishers. In order for the 2010-11 Rangers to have success, they'll need a team effort. Continued improvement from Brandon Dubinsky along with more consistency from spark plug Ryan Callahan are keys as is the continued development of Artem Anisimov, who must carry a strong finish into this Fall. The second-year Russian will need a bigger role. Is he up to the challenge?

The Blueshirts need better years from Avery and captain Chris Drury. Both are capable of bouncing back. A lot also depends on Erik Christensen and Todd White, who was brought in because he's worked with Gabby before in St. Paul. The club lacks skill at center. Hoping Derek Stepan will be ready is just that. The Badger has to adjust to the pro game. Unless he overly impresses in camp, Hartford's where he'll start.

In an era error where we continue to be haunted by Wade Redden (until off roster, I'm not popping the bottle), now more than ever, Blueshirt Faithful's patience will be challenged. Along with the uncertainty of top blueliner Marc Staal and whether Matt Gilroy improves and Ryan McDonagh proves ready, this team is flawed. No wonder recent new Gray Line Tour Bus face Henrik Lundqvist voiced his concern, stating that he didn't expect this outfit to be a top contender.

When the face of the franchise basically calls out the organization, it speaks volumes. If that doesn't send a message, what else will? When Henrik speaks, people listen. An elite goalie who has carried this team on its back since the lockout deserves better. The Rangers were picked by THN to finish 13th in the East. I'm not overly optimistic either, seeing them anywhere from 8-12. Realistically, they should compete with Tampa Bay for the final spot. However, other clubs have improved including Atlanta and the Islanders. Montreal may take a step back unless Carey Price ($2.75 million) can make Habs fans forget Jaroslav Halak. Even the Leafs should be marginally better if top '09 pick Nazem Kadri is ready for primetime.

It won't be easy. But since when is it ever with an owner who sells mediocrity to diehards starved for a contender that can seriously challenge? Sure. Ticket prices for subscribers remain the same. But is making the playoffs really the goal in such a huge market?

Only time shall tell if this year's roster can surprise many including this blogger. The puck's in their zone.

NHL's power play keeps Devils, other teams in holding pattern

Well the supposed decision yesterday turned out to be the five hundredth delay in this madness known as the Summer of Kovalchuk, as the NHL and NHLPA agreed to extend the deadline for a verdict on the second Ilya Kovalchuk contract till at least tomorrow at 5 PM. Why this occured wasn't immediately clear, until Larry Brooks' exclusive in the Post late last night about how the NHL had presented an ultimatium to the NHLPA which supposedly is as follows:

-If the NHLPA agrees to not count years of 40 and above on long-term contracts towards the cap and also acedes to allowing the cap hit on all contracts five years and above to be weighted towards the five highest paid years of the deal, the NHL will allow the Kovalchuk contract to be grandfathered in before the new rules take effect and end investigations of all the other so-called 'contreversial' deals that are cap circumvention according to suits Gary Bettman and Bill Daly (above).
-If the NHLPA will not agree to those terms, the NHL will immediately reject the Kovalchuk contract, void the contract of Vancouver's Roberto Luongo (which goes into effect this season and takes the goaltender to 43 years of age) and open a 'formal' investigation into the Marian Hossa contract.

So basically the NHL is holding the Kovalchuk contract hostage and now holding a guillotine over one or two other big-name players and their team's heads until they get what they want from a weakened and clueless NHLPA - a change to the current CBA that it took the sides over a year and a lost season to agree to - before the CBA's term expires. Is it smart of Bettman and Daly to take advantage of the capital they gained from Richard Bloch's initial decision in favor of the league almost a month ago? Sure it is, but it doesn't make it right or even legal.

If the NHLPA had even half the power of the MLBPA this might already been in court for any number of reasons but instead the NHL's power trip of interpreting the CBA the way they want is going pretty much unchecked. To be fair, the terms aren't exactly unreasonable...eliminating years above 40 from the cap hit pretty much ends the possibility of a 20-year deal to Drew Doughty or whatever other deal the next GM can dream up to take advantage of a loophole that is now holding up the entire NHL.

How is the NHLPA supposed to fight this really? Bloch's decision on Kovy contract v1.0 gave the league the upper hand in all contract disputes and even if the NHLPA calls the league's bluff and dares them to void a Luongo deal a year after it got signed and reject a Kovalchuk contract the Devils came up with after checking and double-checking with the league, the league has proven they are adamant about tying up every questionable contract in arbitration and threatening to put other teams through what the Devils and their fans have gone through these last two months.

Plus as of this point the NHLPA still doesn't have a leader. Sure, former MLBPA head Donald Fehr has been advising the NHLPA over the last few months, but if his list of demands for taking the job full-time is any indication, it sounds like he's only going to come on his terms. Can you really blame him though? With the unstability of the NHLPA leadership after multiple coups and general ineffectiveness after being beaten up by Bettman over and over, it's not exactly a rebuilding job a man in his early 60's really wants to tackle. Not with a CBA war looming in two years that will probably lead to yet another work stoppage.

Still, this NHL power play - while smart from a ruthless business point of view - is doing a tremendous disservice to NHL fans, players and even executives everywhere. For the players, it's a sham that they're basically forced at the point of a bayonet to accept a change to the CBA that wasn't collectively bargained for (even if the change is mostly for the better). Of course Devils' GM Lou Lamoriello can't be happy that he's being made to wait even longer to have a resolution of this mess, not with multiple moves that need to be made to get the Devils under the cap if the Kovy deal gets registered. Not to mention the Devil players who have been rumored to be on the move all summer long and still don't know their fate.

And how do you think Mike Gillis in Vancouver's feeling right about now? He's facing the prospect of having his Olympic-winning goaltender get his contract voided because of events that had absolutely nothing to do with him. Chicago's had enough problems this summer with having to deal with cap issues already on the books, adding a 'real' Hossa investigation would only put a further cloud on the defending Stanley Cup champs - who today found out that former goaltender Antti Niemi took a one year, $2 million deal from the Sharks weeks after the Hawks were forced to part with their Cup-winning goalie over the difference of $1 million.

Of course agents are up in arms too, Marc Savard's agent is threatening to sue the league if they make a move towards his client's contract. Fellow agent Allan Walsh mused a while back that the NHL was now writing the Kovalchuk contract and of course Kovy agent Jay Grossman has about a cool $3 million on the line with the outcome of this sham, since if Kovy's contract does get voided the KHL becomes a more likely option. For his part, the vice president of the KHL got in a good dig when he said if Kovy came over, he could sign any contract and SKA will pay the luxury tax because 'we're democratic and free'. Who am I to argue at this point, since the NHL system is getting more Communist by the day?

As usual though, the biggest losers are us - the fans. We're the ones that have been obsessively checking the internet, radio, TV, whatever for news over the last two months and we're the ones that have been jerked around the most with all of this red tape, endless rumors, delays and now being used as pawns in a high-powered game of chess between billionaires and millionaires. We're the ones that pay for tickets, buy jerseys and make up the TV ratings and we've been ignored and crapped on all summer long while the league selectively punishes some teams, rejects legal contracts and tries to illegally impose new restrictions on a good-faith CBA. And we're the ones that are going to suffer the most if (when?) the league locks out or strikes yet again after next season.

Like my fellow blogger would say though, it's never about the fans, is it? We're always the last ones to get any respect from any of these clowns, if ever. And yet we keep coming back because we love our team, the sport or both. So the endless cycle continues, as does the waiting for the resolution of this insanity.

Speaking of circuses...

Could today finally be d-day for the resolution of the Ilya Kovalchuk fiasco? God, I hope so. If ever I needed an offseason from the Devils it was after last year and the shameful hockey I saw from early January on. Instead, we somehow wound up being involved in what's probably been the most complex, convoluted free agent signing in the history of professional sports. So convoluted that the Devils have agreed to two deals with Kovalchuk in the span of two months, and we still don't know if the second one is going to pass the league's sniff test - but the deadline for a decision is 5 PM today.

So to put it succinctly, I need an offseason from my offseason.

In the end, it seems like only three outcomes are possible today. The least likely is that the NHL formally approves the Devils' reported 15-year, $100 million deal with a structure rumored by Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos to pay Kovalchuk $90 million in the first ten years of the deal then follow three years of a $1 million salary with $7 million in the back two, to avoid the 'retirement contract' complaint from arbitrator Richard Bloch in the first deal. I say outright approval is the least likely only because the NHL never really gave approval to the Marian Hossa contract and a couple of other contreversial deals but let them register and slapped an investigation tag on them.

Which leads me to the far more likely scenario - especially since we're now in the final hours of the NHL's deadline - no formal approval or rejection at all, though a non-rejection will equal a tacit approval. Under this conclusion the Devils will be able to operate with Kovalchuk under contract and have one of the NHL's ambiguous 'under investigation' tags slapped onto it...which in English means if the league stumbles onto a smoking gun that proves collusive behavior in the structure of the deal then we can take action at that point, otherwise we're powerless to do anything but will not give a seal of approval to this contract in any case.

Then there's the nightmare scenario for Devils fans - outright rejection in the last hours. That's not only lifting your leg up and taking a **** on the Devils and their fans but we would truly be venturing into the unknown once again. Would Kovy follow through on his threat to go to Russia for a year or possibly more if this deal gets turned aside? Could Lou and Vanderbeek sue the NHL or commissioner Gary Bettman? Might there be another arbitration hearing, with Bloch or someone else? What kind of penalties - if any - would the league seek to impose on us in the event of a second rejected deal (as if a summer of turmoil and likely losing Kovalchuk to Russia wasn't punishment enough)?

Of course if the latter happens the league will prove it's got a petty double-standard and is on an extreme power trip. If they reject a deal now, after already putting the Devils in check once and having the Devils use Bloch's decision and another meeting with league officials just over a week ago to discuss concepts as a specific guide, then that proves the league keeps moving the goalposts on us. Especially considering the terms of the deal are now far more in line with the other contreversial contracts that are - ahem - under investigation but registered.

After all there's already a 15-year deal on the books (hi, Rick DiPietro!). There are long-term deals that take players to and past 42 - Hossa and Roberto Luongo. Kovalchuk's deal has more money in the final five years of the contract than any of the other investigated deals. Probably the only thing you could complain about that's unlike any other deal is the alleged difference between the highest salary and the lowest salary. According to Kypreos's structure the high year is $11.8 million and the lowest years are $1 million, which is a pretty significant range. Still I don't think that should be enough to scuttle the deal.

As always however, you never know just how low the league will be willing to go. So we wait with bated breath for 5 PM.

UPDATE: Well apparently we didn't have to wait till 5 PM to know we were going to get jerked around yet again, as the league and NHLPA have agreed to extend the deadline until Friday 5 PM. Just before a holiday weekend. What a sham this league is.

Circus continues to run a muck

Something really could be said for how the Rangers are treating bloggers. I know BlueshirtBanter and they're quite respectable and do a solid job covering the team from a fan perspective. So, why am I not shocked at the lack of respect given to them following their simple coverage of the Fire Slats protest?

This organization has sunk to new levels, doing whatever it can to infuriate a loyal fanbase that continues to support mediocrity. Cause there's no other way to sum it up. That's what we are getting. A team that can't seriously challenge for a Cup and even was called out by franchise netminder Henrik Lundqvist, who doesn't expect them to be at the top. What does that say about this ongoing circus? Since when is just making the playoffs acceptable?!?!?!?!?!

Sadly, this is what you get under the leadership of Dolan, who is Hell bent on bringing back Garden failure Isiah Thomas to run the Knicks- disrespecting Hall Of Fame current GM Donnie Walsh. How low can they go? Also hear service fees for individual tickets will run nearly 50 bucks to sit in the cheapseats. Anything to insult the intelligence of puckers. But hey. This from the same building that won't ever acknowledge that there's an All-Star game in our league. But you'll find plenty of NBA ballots this winter.

Sure. Tickets didn't decrease for season subscribers. But hell-o McFly! They missed the playoffs last year. By that logic, shouldn't they throw fans a bone like they did pre-lockout? Oh wait. What was all that fuss again about "cost certainty" and being more fan friendly. Ha. Not if you're a Ranger fan or a devoted blogger who has more passion than any of the nimrods that run The Garden. Of course, beer will go up again to like nine bucks. Simply amazing.

I could go on but what's the point? Our top defenseman remains unsigned with camp a little over a week away. But they managed to add ex-Sabre energizer Tim Kennedy for the fourth line. I like what Kennedy brings but what's more pressing? Forward depth or a position that isn't exactly a strength? Shhhh. Better not tell lackeys Rautwig, Giannone or Micheletti who'll be dishing the same MSG propaganda about this club. One which THN picked to finish 13th in the East. And while I do think they'll compete with Tampa Bay, Montreal and Atlanta for the final spot, they could easily finish 12th.

That doesn't seem to matter. As long as they got seats filled (even if not, bought-same difference), it'll continue to be the SOS. I wish I could say I am excited for 2010-11. But I'm really not. Not unless the Wisconsin kids (Stepan/McDonagh) become regulars at some point and Mats Zuccarello-Aasen isn't royally screwed. Oh. And there better not be a Tinman sighting. :P

As I close, all I can think about is how there should be a new MSG sponsor. Barnum & Bailey. Why not? They already have the circus in town. Bring on the elephants and plenty of peanuts and cotton candy. I'm ready. Are you?

D Day for Devs, Kovalchuk

This could finally be it. At least that's what the Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk are hoping. Lou Lamoriello sure hopes the third time's the charm after submitting the much rumored 15-year, $100 million contract to the NHL Friday.

If it doesn't get Gary Bettman's signed stamp of approval, what's next for Kovalchuk? Should we take Russian agent Yuri Nikolaev at his word about the 48-hour deadline for a league that seems Hell bent on tossing one of their stars back to Russia where the 27 year-old sniper could wind up home in the KHL? That all depends on what comes out of today.

While this dark cloud hangs over Devil fans' heads, it also has been a huge detriment to hockey- negatively impacting other free agents who remain unsigned. That the marquee FA of this year's class could still possibly be without a contract as September looms is just nonsensical. But what else would you expect from a chaotic league intent on Armageddon II? Though if you count the post-'94 lockout, it's really No.3, which ironically enough was the last time their product was hot coming off a strong Cup with the Blackhawks ending a long drought in a great series with the Flyers.

No matter what's said out of league spin quarters, losing a player of Kovalchuk's caliber isn't good for business. Another rejection would only further draw a line in the sand, opening up a pandora's box for other stars who signed long-term deals.

Hopefully, some sanity will prevail this time. Just don't go in with too much enthusiasm.

Bettman has eye on prize

The whole summer seems to have flown by like sand on a windy day at the beach. For us puckers, it has and continues to be about Kovalchuk, the Devils and the biggest pompous egomaniac to run a league named Buttman Bettman.

So, here we are just a few days away from August commencing with schools starting up and camps around the corner. Only nothing's been decided thanks to Blochhead's controversial decision. Retirement contract. Who ever heard of such a thing? As our Buffalo blogger Brian astutely noted during this fiasco, the average NHLer lasts a shade over six years. Earth to Blochhead and the powers that be. Ilya Kovalchuk is far from average, having already lasted a decade. Well, aside from the utter failure of Lockout II throwing away an entire season. Oh. And if you don't think it is by now, you also believe in the tooth fairy, Easter Bunny and that jolly old fellow who shall remain unnamed for the kiddies.

Bettman wanted "cost certainty." One of the dumbest terms to hit hockey along with "New NHL." Where a panicked league continues to do just that, tweaking every rule trying to confuse players, coaches and fans alike. Brilliant. The owners were supposed to stop overpaying their product. But in case you hadn't noticed, GMs found an innovative tactic around the cap- locking up cornerstone players to eccentric long-term deals that would make both Alexei Yashin and Carol Alt drool. This is the part where I love how it's the players' fault. As if someone was going to tell them not to sign on the dotted line.

The NHL is right that these ridiculous contracts are an issue which will be up for debate at the next CBA. Otherwise known as the real 2012 or perhaps hockey's final death bed. Because apparently, Gary's not satisfied with two. He wants to dare to destroy even more. Ever hear of the three strikes rule when you do something wrong? You get three chances. The first two and you're on notice. Third time and you're out. Well, that grand 'ole commish we just can't rid ourselves of hasn't. He wants to lockout the players again. Who cares about consequences. Credibility again tossed aside.

So, the PA is taking things a bit more seriously with Donald Fear Fehr about to take over an operation that's as dysfunctional as Bettman. I know what you're thinking. This is the same universally loathed man who cost a baseball season in '94. But the circumstances are different. The players need someone who will stand up and fight for their rights. A corrupt league is milking Blochhead's decision, trying to run Kovalchuk out of town and back home to Russia. And if Bill Daly's serious, pffft.

Who's gonna stop this evil regime? The clock is ticking...

Feature Interview Up On Battle

In case you're wondering, we recently completed a nice feature interview with Oswego student Elizabeth Bernath, who enters her second year behind the mic. She calls the women's hockey team. In the Q & A session, plenty is covered including her radio/college experience, the Devils, Kovalchuk, NHL and her taste in music which features Iron Maiden.

It can be caught on our other site:

Battle Of New York


Here's an excerpt of the piece including a quick analysis on my subconscious state:

BONY: You’re a Devils fan. How long have you drank the Kool Aid?


EB: I’ve been a lifelong fan of the Devils. I was actually living in Texas when the Devils played the Dallas Stars in the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals so that was a pretty rough time. Now I’m up in Sabres country but there’s a surprising amount of Rangers fans lurking around that place.




BONY: Do you go to games? Anything stand out?


EB: Yes, I’ve been to tons of Devils games. The thing that stands out to me the most when you’re at a game is how knowledgeable and passionate the fan base is. You can walk up to anyone in the arena that’s wearing a Devils jersey and talk some serious hockey with them and you’ll always leave the game with more friends than you walked in with from talking to the other people in your section. It’s really like a big hockey family.



BONY: If yes, give us your Rock experience.

EB: The Rock is a great place to see a hockey game. It’s a state of the art building and was obviously designed with hockey in mind. I’ve been seated all over the arena, from the first row behind the bench to the last row in the upper corners, and there’s not a bad seat to be had in the building. Wherever your seat may be you always feel like you’re right on top of the ice and that building can really get loud.



BONY: Last night I dreamt that Kovalchuk scored off a face off from way out. I’m a Ranger fan. Does it mean anything?


EB: It’s your fear of him being a Devil and the Rangers facing him six times a year manifesting itself in your unconscious mind.

Devils submit second Kovy contract for approval

So now are we finally approaching a resolution to the Ilya Kovalchuk circus? With word coming out just a couple hours ago that a second contract was sent to the league for approval that supposedly addresses the NHL's concerns maybe we're finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, we won't know for certain until the league gives its official stamp of approval or second (and likely final) rejection, which they have five days to decide.

Either way it's seemed since yesterday that the tipping point was just around the corner when the KHL rumors started to heat up again with word that Kovy's Russian agent put a call into the KHL president and let him know his client was frustrated with the NHL and was now interested in the KHL's hassle and tax-free money. With a self-imposed deadline of 24-48 hours, maybe this threat was designed to put pressure on the NHL to approve this final deal.

Sure enough after this news came a statement from a defiant Bill Daly who vowed that the threat of losing a player to the KHL, even a star in the prime of his career wouldn't sway the NHL from doing what was right which is utter nonsense since if that star player was named Crosby or Ovechkin the league would be bending over backwards trying to make it work. Not to mention the utter hypocrisy of a league who doesn't call farming out Cristobal Huet to Switzerland a cap circumvention but god forbid we try to get a long-term deal done with front-loaded money, that's cap circumvention!

Make no mistake about it, there won't be a third attempt made after this, really there can't be. Even if Kovy's bluffing about going to the KHL should this latest contract also be rejected, it's extremely likely that a second rejection would then be followed by fines and/or cap penalties that would make it prohibitive for the Devils to even attempt to sign Kovalchuk again. If this goes badly again there's plenty of blame to go around for all sides as I wrote in my last entry a couple days ago, but the black eye will be more glaring on the league than anywhere else.

As negative as I am about this league part of me still has hope that the NHL will do the right thing and accept this deal. Really the league has too much to lose here, having Kovy go over to the KHL will give them instant credibility and lead to other stars bolting, especially if the NHL is going to continue writing contracts for other teams as well since they think arbitrator Richard Bloch's contreversial decision now gives them imperial power to decide term limits and how much money can be front-loaded (stuff the CBA doesn't actually give the league power over). Not to mention other owners might start to put pressure on Gary Bettman to get this deal done since they don't want to face the same hassle with their own players down the road.

Even should the league accept this contract though, I'm also worried about whether we gave in and threw up some ridiculous 12-96 type deal to get it done. It didn't seem like Kovy was willing to compromise despite the fact the Devils were already getting penalized with a higher cap hit, why else would another deal have even taken more than two weeks when both sides had a month to mull over possible Plan B's? However, TSN believes the deal will be for 15-100 which would be a (get ready for this irony) $6.66 million cap hit, and that I wouldn't have an issue with at all though I'm somewhat skeptical of that number since this could have been done six weeks ago quite honestly, without any hassle.

In any case, this whole thing has just been so un-Devil like I'll just be glad when it's finally over and we can get back to being passionate over things that matter, like wins and losses instead of contracts and hearings. If this thing breaks tomorrow, I won't be around either way so don't worry people, I won't throw myself off the GW Bridge in the event of a final rejection (though I may try to bash my head through a wall in total frustration over the combination of this and the Revis fiasco in Jet-land) and I won't have died of shock in the event of a thumbs up. Rest assured I will be back once this thing gets decided with more thoughts, especially once the terms of the second deal become public knowledge.

Devils' latest contract framework rejected (again) by the NHL

Well two days ago it looked like this was the beginning of the end (finally) of the Ilya Kovalchuk saga with various reports that he was ready to sign a new deal with the Devils. Especially considering Lou Lamoriello, Jeff Vanderbeek and agent Jay Grossman visited the NHL offices in New York to present the framework of another deal, which was rumored to be in the neighborhood of 13 years, $91 million. Whatever the terms, the league was supposed to render a decision yesterday and most people - including me, stupidly - figured this would be a fait accompli, that there would be absolutely no way a second deal gets a thumbs down, especially after two weeks plus of working on it.

Well, guess what? It looks like the NHL has once again thrown up a roadblock, with both Mark Everson of the Post and Tom Gulutti of the Record (among others) reporting the NHL has rejected the Devils' latest framework for a contract. Simply unreal. Now at this point I'm getting impatient and annoyed with everyone involved. Especially with less than three weeks to go to camp. I hate to sound like Jet fan Joe Benigno with the Darrelle Revis situation at this point but at this point...JUST GET IT DONE!!!

Of course the league now looks like they're on a total witch hunt to make it as hard as possible for the Devils to sign Kovalchuk. Arbitrator Richard Block's heavy-handed decision gave the league imperial power to decide the validity of all contracts where it didn't exist before, and the league is flexing its muscles big-time now. What would make the league happy, exactly...an $8 million cap hit (resulting in an erstatz $2 million per year fine from the initial contract)? A completely flat contract of $7 million per year? Less than ten years on the deal? Or dragging its feet long enough so that Kovy can't sign with us at all, though unfortunately for Inspector Javert...er, Gary Bettman the Plan B might be going to Russia for year if he can't work out a deal in time for the season.

Admittedly we're no sweet innocents in this fiasco. If anyone though that our first contract proposal was some bizarre psuedo-conspiracy concocted by Lou to force the league to come down on long-term deals, then this round of failed negotiations should prove once and for all that's not the case. Let's face it - there was no reason this deal should even have been close enough for the league to reject, especially since at this point we're bidding against ourselves for Kovy.

Even Dean Lombardi in LA can't get his grubby paws involved in driving up the price, since there's no way in this climate the league even approves their rumored initial offer of 15-80, plus the fact he signed Alexei Ponikarovsky, further limiting the Kings' cap space. Nobody else has been truly involved all summer so I admit, when I first heard the 13-91 rumor I was dissapointed. Is anyone else in the NHL even offering half of that?! Not with the apparent lack of interest in Kovy this summer.

As far as Kovy and Grossman, well you tried not once but twice to get your money...it's time to face reality, it just isn't going to happen in this country. Instead of hoping for some 12-96 deal that does get approved, it's time to help the team out a little here. It was going to be hard enough to fit Kovy in under the first two deals.

Our first contract compensated Kovy well ($98.5 million in the first eleven years of the deal) and this one sounded more than fair too. We didn't have to offer as much as we did the second time around but maybe there was a sense of Lou and Vanderbeek trying to do right by the player and not making him pay for the league's tomfoolery. Well now there's got to be some form of compromise by player and agent, if they truly want their client to play here and are committed to not hamstringing this team.

Until multiple people get their heads out of their rear ends here, the waiting game looks like it'll continue right into camp which would be disasterous with a drop-dead date of October 1 (a week before the Devils' opening game) where the Devils can't be over the cap at all, and other players on the team - everyone knows who they are - still in limbo.

A road to nowhere

Ever root for a team even though you know deep down it won't do any good? We've all experienced that in this space. Brian with his two Buffalo teams. Hasan with the Mets and Jets, who appear to be defying logic 101 with their best player. And of course, yours truly with the Knicks, Rangers and my alma mater St. John's, who tries to bring in a big name coach in hopes of becoming relevant again in college hoops.

What does any of this have to do with the tired subject of the NHL defeating the Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk thanks to Richard Bloch's cap defining decision? Just this. By disallowing the controversial 17-year, $102 million contract, it opened up a pandoras box. A whole new can of worms may have been created, allowing Gary Bettman and his cronies to further investigate similar mega deals that were already approved. But that shouldn't stop a league hell bent on more chaos as we get closer to Armageddon II. In other words, beware Roberto Luongo, Chris Pronger, Marian Hossa and Marc Savard. Didn't Hossa just win a Cup in his first year with Chicago? And Pronger was instrumental in getting the Flyers to the the Final.

Just imagine if Bettman Inc. does the predictable. What are they going to do? Erase history. Something like this is unprecedented. No other league would dare break contracts that already were signed off on. Of course, that won't stop the NHL. Why would it? When has logic ever prevailed? To think that '04-05 was sacrificed so they could get their precious cap. As it turns out, it wasn't good enough. GM's found a way around it by locking up star players long-term. Fittingly, the chaos started thanks to Charles Wang, who inked Rick DiPietro to a then record 15 year, $67.5 million back in '06. That it would be an unorthodox owner who obviously didn't realize the tremendous risk he took in signing the No.1 goalie until the age of 40, speaks to another issue. One which was supposed to go away due to the lockout. Owners were supposed to be fiscally responsible. But here you had the uncanny Islander owner going over the top for a goalie who'd never even won a playoff series. Since, it's been one catastrophe after another with the franchise netminder suffering injury after injury, sidelining him for long stretches.

What's even sadder is that under Wang's leadership if you could call it that, this is the same organization that's still paying Alexei Yashin for the nonsensical 10-year $87.5 million albatross pre-lockout. Hard to comprehend two of the worst contracts coming from a team whose hands are tied, just treading water at the bottom of the cap. While it's easy to look at Glen Sather for many NHL/Ranger fan headaches, it was actually Wang calling the shots over Mike Milbury, which changed organizational philosophy in the Cap Era. Now, such mega contracts are common as more and more teams lock up players before the rules change.

Detroit's done it with both Johan Franzen and Henrik Zetterberg. The Flyers also with star captain Mike Richards. The penny pinching Sabres with Thomas Vanek with an assist from Kevin Lowe. At least Darcy Regier got it right with Vezina winner Ryan Miller. Not so much with Jason Pominville. The rating Cup champion Blackhawks have cornerstones Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith tied away along with Hossa, who will be over 40 by the end of his deal. However, other players like Brian Campbell, Dave Bolland and Cristobal Huet forced Stan Bowman to trade away key pieces Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg, Ben Eager while letting Antti Niemi and Adam Burish go. That's what the cost of winning has become in a constantly revolving league where more and more players are changing jerseys.

If it's true that there was technically nothing wrong with the Kovalchuk contract under the current CBA, then it's also true that the NHL should be concerned about what these deals are doing. We maybe against the league in this particular fight but they are justified in wanting to make adjustments for the future. Problem is they can't do it now. Dragging more players into this mess would do an incredible disservice for a sport that's coming off an exciting Cup where a major market won for the first time in half a century. Ratings were up and popularity was as well. The game doesn't need another post '94 when it was also hot before they locked out the players. How many times does a disorganized NHLPA take it on the chin? The players are the product and want to play.

When it starts up again sooner than you think, the focus needs to be on hockey. Not the current nonsense. It's called good PR. Like a classic Run DMC hit, time for the NHL to check itself before it wrecks itself.

Just Like Death And Taxes...

Dear NHL Schedule-maker,

You have a great job in this world, given the bad economy and all. You have the opportunity to schedule NHL games for all of the NHL teams, probably somewhere in a nice cool office, a leather chair, and a nice computer. And you probably take a 2 hour lunch as well, Life is good.

Having said this, I have always had my suspicions about your motives. Over the years, I was met with skepticism from some other hockey fans as I suggested you were out to get the Buffalo Sabres based on the scheduling of their games. I sat in wonderment about the blocks of 3 games in 4 nights, and such. And I thought to myself 'Whomever is making this schedule, are 'they' out to get the Sabres?'

I am sure you thought you could continue on with your ways and mask the truth. But now, thanks to the great work by those from www.ontheforecheck.com, 'you' cannot hide any longer, as this site provides data available to show the amount of times a NHL team faces a team on a back-t0-back night, and when the team themselves has a back-t0-back games scheduled.

And guess what team has the most back-to-back games scheduled and tied for the worst balance with Atlanta?

Take a look for yourself!

http://www.ontheforecheck.com/2010/8/9/1613353/nhl-schedule-feeds-some-teams

An astonishing 22 times the Buffalo Sabres play back-to-back nights! And here I thought I was imagining things. Thanks for confirming that you are out to get us, whomever 'you' are.

Now if only I can show this link to Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier to show the importance of a solid backup goaltender and stop his love affair with Patrick Lalime, then maybe we are getting somewhere.

Signed,

Bitter Sabres Fan Till The End

Summer Sabres Shots:

I understand that the Buffalo Sabres want to save money, but a $333,333 buyout over the next two seasons for Tim Kennedy, a scrappy player who is from South Buffalo and loved playing for the Sabres? What a message to send to the team. Has Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson taken over the Sabres Front Office?

While Gary Bettman and his cronies are out to get the likes of the New Jersey Devils for circumventing the system they agreed to when signing Ilya Kovalchuk, can Darth Bettman investigate why Regier gave Tim Connolly all that cash and reject his contract as well? Just saying...

This has been the 'Summer Of Status Quo' for the Buffalo Sabres which has frustrated much of the fan base, but it would not be fair not to give Regier kudos for the signing of defenseman Shaone Morrisonn to a 2 year contract, who adds much needed size and shot blocking ability to the blueline. Plus, it will be fun to see how many times Sabres beat writers misspell his name.

Suprised Over Ilya? Don't Be

I know what some of you are thinking: You see the picture above and you are thinking to yourself 'Can this Sabres fan just stop whining about the massive injustice from the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals?' Ok, trust me here, this isn't about that fateful night that still sticks in the minds of the most passionate Sabres fan.

OK, so what in the world does this picture have to do with the Ilya Kovalchuk contract situation?

If you look close, perhaps more then you might realize.

Let's go into the time travel machine back into the 1990's shall we? Plenty of goals were reviewed and reversed, some calls I am sure are still considered controversial (Bill Guerin's reversal as a member of the Devils against the Rangers in the 1997 NHL Playoffs come to mind right away), so the reviews were not perfect.

Then Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals arrived with a vengeance, and the powers that be in the NHL asylum were shaken to their knees, after blowing the call and potentially costing the Sabres a shot at Lord's Stanley. So what did the 'great minds' at the NHL do? Well, they had a knee jerk reaction of course! About 48 hours after No Goal, it amazed me that Bettman and Co were able to change the crease rule so fast based off of 1 really bad judgment.

If only the NHL acted so swiftly and diligent to get other rules changed for the betterment of the game, imagine the possibilities.

Again, are you asking yourself what does this have to do with the Ilya Kovalchuk ruling today? Stay with me, if you have not fallen asleep yet!

The average length of an NHL players career was studied and analyzed by the following website:

http://www.quanthockey.com/Distributions/CareerLengthSeasons.php

The basics? The average length of a career for a forward is 5.52 seasons, which if you are not paying attention, can flash before you and go before you know it. And since the new CBA has been in existence, the NHL teams have begun to offer lengthy NHL contracts. Shall we show a sample of just two?

Henrik Zetterberg: 12 years, 40 at expiration
Marian Hossa: 12 years, 40 at expiration


Remember we discussed that the average length of an NHL player is just over 5 years? Every single one of these contracts is considered a major risk, and why is Kovalchuk's any different? Oh wait, because the NHL does not like it, that is why! I wonder if Bettman's beloved Pittsburgh Penguins gave Kovy this contract, and paired Ilya with Gary's true love, Sidney Crosby, would the same knee jerk reaction be in play?

From this vantage point, I do not think so.

Did Devils GM Lou Lamoriello attempt to circumvent the salary cap for the betterment of his franchise? Of course he did, just like any great GM tries to do to help his team. Go look at the NFL and all the tricks the old San Francisco 49ers pulled while on their way to winning multiple Super Bowls. That is what great organizations do, but of course when the NHL feels like changing something but letting other obscene contacts like Marian Hossa stand, this is what happens.

And do not expect this to be the last knee jerk reaction from Darth Bettman, not by a long shot.

So now the top NHL Free Agent is a 'free agent' yet again, and we are creeping closer to Labor Day. What a surprise that the NHL has turned this into a circus.

And with a clown at the helm of the league, I expect more circus acts in the near future.

Kovalchuk saga takes another sharp turn

In what came as a surprise - but not a total shock - arbitrator Richard Bloch denied the NHLPA's grievance over the NHL's rejection of the Ilya Kovalchuk contract. Until the arbitrator's written statement is made public, one can only speculate over why he sided with the NHL in this case, since there's nothing in the CBA that was explicitly circumvented. Odds are the vague circumventing the 'spirit' of the cap wording in the next to worthless document which ended the lockout in 2005 played a big factor.

Words cannot describe how much I hate this league right now. It is Knicks fans towards Jim Dolan for hiring Isiah Thomas type hatred, or Mets fans hatred for Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo. Not to mention Jet fans hatred for Bill Belichick. You just know if the Penguins or Maple Leafs had worked out this deal they would have let it slide without a peep. Of course since it's the Devils what happened three weeks ago happened, leading to this decision which came down less than an hour ago - predictably a half hour after the 5 PM deadline.

So what's next is anyone's guess, since this entire situation is unprecedented in the history of the league. All we know now is that Kovalchuk is again a UFA and is currently in Russia taking a trip he had to postpone last week because of the two-day hearing which will live in infamy. If you want to say it's good for the league that teams can't sign twenty and twenty-five year deals now fine by me, just don't try to tell me that if Kovalchuk leaves for LA, the KHL or re-signs with the Devils at a higher cap hit that leads to us making a move we wouldn't have had to otherwise. Especially since the NHL can write its own rules on the fly now where they didn't exist before.

If I'm not around next week or the week after it's because I've officially gone crazy over the five weeks and counting of this saga. I may have to be locked in a strait jacket any minute, because having to wait even longer to find out how this unfolds is just going to be utter torture. Especially with my baseball season going up in smoke yet again and my football season hinging on the holdout of one greedy player. All I have to say is if we do wind up with Kovy when it's all said and done, he'd better prove to be worth this much trouble.

If only it were true

Sometimes, what's buried deep in your mind can really play tricks on you. Ah. The essence of dreams. We all have them. Most of mine don't make much sense but almost always seem to involve things/people I know. Hence, yesterday when I dreamt that the Rangers won the Stanley Cup.

Okay, I know what you're thinking. How illogical and screwed up my head must've been. But let me preface by admitting earlier this week, I also had one where Ilya Kovalchuk scored off a faceoff from the left point, blasting a rocket in for the Devils. What does it mean? I'd rather not find out. While the prospect of the much debated Russian lingers until tomorrow, the actual deep thoughts that my team could ever win another Cup are as rational as Jim Dolan undermining Donnie Walsh, bringing back Isiah Thomas. This from the same owner who's fascinated by Glen Sather.

That's why we now refer to it as Mediocre Square. Home to mediocrity. Where bloggers such as Scotty Hockey know the deal. Just make the playoffs and it's a success so that crook can boost revenue and rip off more fans. Perhaps that's why I finally told my Dad to not renew my seat. Well, that and also saving money right now takes precedence over donating cash to an evil corporate stench who'll never get it. As long as they got enough boosters who couldn't tell the difference between a basketball and a puck, what does it matter?

Oh btw, something I knew for a while thanks to an "insider" who tipped me off before the Olympic Break. The Play by Play is no more. Gone as part of the beloved Renovation which is geared towards more of the higher ups. What? You really thought it was for us? Nothing about the future of MSG will benefit the diehards. So, savor these final years because if you think it costs a lot now, just wait until you're priced out. That sound you hear is the circus clowns laughing uncontrollably.

So, what could I have been on to have actually believed that our team could win another Cup, ending the Curse of '94? Yes. I already refer to it as that based on how far off they still are while an owner who had nothing to do with it still rides the coat tails of Leetch, Messier, Richter, Zubov, Beukeboom and Graves. Leetch before The Captain because it was No.2 who was No.1 that memorable summer. Only Dolan/Slats act as if Messier was the only reason we won. I'm appreciative of The Guarantee but don't act like he did it alone. A guy by the name of Kovalev scored to swing the momentum and Leetch was instrumental along with Richy, who along with a goalpost kept them alive.

The harsh reality is that 1994 is a long time ago, even if I and other True Blue faithful wish otherwise because of what it meant. In another four years, it'll be 20 years since that team won. And by then, do you think our franchise will have made any significant progress? With apologies to Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider, Evgeny Grachev, Dylan McIlrath, Ryan McDonagh and Tomas Kundratek, there just won't be much belief as long as Sather is still employed.

Every time the senile old man talks up the future, another over the hill vet is brought in to take a roster spot away from a kid. Todd White?!?!?!?!?! Well, considering what they got at center, it's explainable. But come on. Who does Mats Zuccarello Aasen get to play with? Or is the talented soon to be 23 year-old Norwegian, who turned heads at the Olympics, going to be blocked before he even gets a chance? You do the math.

C-Christensen, Anisimov, Drury, White, Boyle
LW-Frolov, Dubinsky, Prospal, Avery, Boogard
RW-Gaborik, Callahan, Prust

Fyi...isn't it a bit odd how the official New York Rangers site fails to list Frolov up front but includes White? Wasn't the enigmatic yet gifted Russian their best addition? Never mind. Why mess with logic? Especially from a GM who again treated complete strangers better than his own. Even a two bit scrub like Boogard who does one thing well gets the royal treatment while our most important player Marc Staal remains in limbo probably till preseason. How would you feel if you were Henrik Lundqvist?

At least in the dream, even though I wasn't in the building, I was genuinely excited/surprised to see the Rangers win the Cup. Of course, I don't know who they beat, which probably explains why it was just my brain teasing me much like the club I root for. If only it were true.

Sabres add Morrisson to D, buyout Kennedy

While most of the talk continues to center around Kovalchuk, the Sabres made a couple of interesting roster moves the other day. First, teflon GM Darcy Regier signed former Cap Shaone Morrisson to a two-year deal worth $2.075 million-per-season.

The 27 year-old original Boston '01 first round pick adds size to the Buffalo blueline. Listed at 6-4, 215, he'll be looked upon to help shoulder the burden with Henrik Tallinder now in Jersey while Jordan Leopold is an adequate replacement for Hostess cupcake Toni Lydman. As our resident Buffalo blogger says, 'Have fun with that guy Anaheim.'

Meanwhile, Morrisson proved to be a steady influence for the Caps the past five seasons getting into 374 games (74.8 average) while compiling nine goals, 53 assists and 405 penalty minutes along with a plus-26 rating. Solid but unspectacular numbers for the physical defensive blueliner whose 163 hits paced all Washington defensemen- ranking second to Alex Ovechkin (185) in '09-10. The Vancouver native also blocked 104 shots, placing behind club leader Jeff Schultz (129), Tom Poti (121) and ex-Cap Brian Pothier (107-Wsh/Car).

He'll turn 28 two days before Christmas. Overall, it looks like a solid signing by Regier, who added a character player to a Buffalo corps which prominently features Tyler Myers, Andrej Sekera along with vets Craig Rivet and Steve Montador. Including extra Chris Butler, all seven Sabre D are signed. With the exceptions of Rivet (35) and Montador (30), every other blueliner is under 30 including Leopold (29), who will be a key to how good it performs.

If there's a drawback, injuries have caused Morrisson to decline in games played. Since he took part in a career high 80 in '05-06, it's dwindled little by little each year spiraling below 70 last season.

Morr Risson For Concern

Year        GP
'05-06     80
'06-07     78
'07-08     76
'08-09     72
'09-10     68 

On the plus-side, in six-plus seasons with Boston and Washington, he's never finished a minus even posting a plus-10 his rookie year split with the B's and Caps in which a deadline trade sent Sergei Gonchar to Beantown pre-lockout. Overall, he's 10-60-70 with a plus-36 in 418 career games.

Kennedy Bought Out In a startling move, Regier opted not to accept the arbitrator's $1 million reward, placing Tim Kennedy on waivers and then buying him out. A tad curious considering that the 24 year-old made the club and performed admirably as a rookie, posting 10 goals and 16 helpers for 26 points along with 50 penalty minutes, a power play goal and three game-winners in 78 contests.

The Buffalo native was used primarily in a checking role under Lindy Ruff, providing a lift when the club needed it. Interestingly enough, Kennedy fared alright in his first playoff series going 1-2-3 with four PIM and a plus-three rating in six games.

Instead of paying him a difference of $200,000 (seriously), Regier bought him out for $333 K. On why he made the decision, the Buffalo executive explained:

“The only thing I would say to the fans is that our objective hasn’t changed here. It's about building the very best team, a championship team. That's the goal, that’s what we do, that's why we do it. ... That's why we make tough decisions like this. It is a tough decision. I know it hits home, I know it's personal to our fan base; I know it's personal to South Buffalo. And it’s unfortunate in that regard."

What objective might that be???

Kovalchuk hearing concludes, decision Monday

Finally, there will be a conclusion to this mess. We just won't know it until Monday. For Ilya Kovalchuk and the Devils, arbitrator Richard Bloch will render a decision on the catastrophic 17-year, $102 million contract the 27 year-old electrifying Russian star signed back on July 19. Here's the long and short of it via NHL.com's Dan Rosen:

Bloch has until the end of business Monday to rule on whether the NHL was justified in rejecting the 17-year, $102 million contract Kovalchuk signed with the Devils last month. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly stated at the time the NHL rejected the contract that it was doing so because the deal circumvents the Collective Bargaining Agreement.



If Bloch rules that the NHL was within its legal right to reject Kovalchuk's contract, the Russian sniper immediately returns to unrestricted free agent status. If Bloch rules that the NHL unjustly rejected the contract and it is indeed valid under terms of the CBA then the League must immediately approve the contract.

Pretty cut and dry. It would be astronomical if Bloch ruled for the NHL, creating a firestorm as they near the end of a CBA in which the same league approved similar long-term deals as was cited in our previous post yesterday. What ever way they rule, one side is going to be awfully steamed, which probably won't bode well for the future.

Kovalchuk hearing begins among crickets

The fate of Ilya Kovalchuk still isn't known. On Day One in Beantown of the hearing between the Devils and a cynical league that was minus Gary Bettman, who opted instead to attend a conference call for the second Hockey Heritage Classic between host Calgary and visitor Montreal, nothing has been decided just yet. In fact, crickets wouldn't be able to tell you what happened today.

So, it looks like those hoping for a quick result to this chaos will have to wait until the end of the week before the 17 year, $102 million contract the Devils and Kovalchuk agreed upon is ruled on. In the mean time, the 27 year-old Russian who'll turn 44 in his final year would earn $98.5 million the first 11 seasons before his salary decreases to an average cap hit of $550,000 the final five years after $750 K in 2021-22.

Honestly, the way this astronomical contract is set up, it's enough to make your head spin from East to West a la Rocky when he meets Ivan Drago in Rocky V at Moscow. Of course, the KHL is rooting for the contract to be rejected so they can scoop up one of their own. However, even if it gets rejected, the feeling is Kovalchuk and Lou Lamoriello will work something out and he'll stay put in the NHL regardless of another threat of a lockout.

Even if the Devil architect who knew ways around a cap he helped write, there's technically nothing wrong with what he did. In the past, other teams have done the same thing with star players (ie Islanders-DiPietro, Flyers-Richards, Pronger, Red Wings-Zetterberg, Franzen, Blackhawks-Hossa, Canucks-Luongo, Capitals-Ovechkin). Should New Jersey really be penalized for taking advantage of the same rules other clubs have? Why? Because the CBA is about to expire and the league and its minyons are furious with these sorta outlandish contracts??? Hey. The cap was supposed to solve everything. Remember? If players want security and GMs and owners agree that they're worth it, who are we to disagree?

Besides. Is there a worse contract than the one Glen Sather handed out to Wade Redden with Chris Drury right behind? Maybe they should investigate the Ranger GM for robbing his own fans blind along with Dolan. If only that were true.

If the arbitrator has any sense of purpose, they'll rule in favor of Kovalchuk and the Devils, leaving collective egg on the faces of Bettman and Co. Here's hoping the right decision is made.

Rangers dump Brashear and Rismiller for White

In case you were living in a bat cave which sometimes being a fan of this team I wish I was, the Rangers made a deal yesterday. With it first circulating late Sunday night that they acquired Todd White from Atlanta, speculation was a little premature on what the Thrashers got back, which ranged from a fourth round pick to even Michal Rozsival.

Of course, neither were close as instead, our senile GM actually found a way to dump Donald Brashear and Patrick Rismiller on Atlanta, making it almost a match. The 35 year-old White who played the past three seasons with the Thrashers after teaming with Marian Gaborik in St. Paul is set to earn $2.6 million in the final year of his contract. Brashear earns $1.3 million and Rismiller, who became AHL fodder, makes a cool million. In essence, Atlanta saves $300,000. However, White is a $2.375 M cap hit while Brash and Rissmiller combine for $2.4 M. So, it's basically a wash.

Watch Brashear go back to being the royal pain in the ass who knocked Blair Betts into next week. Public Enemy No.1 is sure to get a rude welcome back to MSG. It's not like anyone liked him anyway. Too bad someone forgot to inform Glen Sather and our coach who actually thought a washed up goon was an upgrade over Colton Orr. Now, he's been replaced by Derek Boogard, who can't take regular shifts despite an even heftier pay tag ($1.625 M). Ah. Only in Rangerland.

So, what to make of the latest Ranger? If this were a few years ago, we'd love the move. But fact is White's coming in off his worst year since his final one in Ottawa pre-lockout. A year removed from centering Ilya Kovalchuk and posting career highs in assists (51), points 73), power play goals (12) and games played (82), the Kanata, Ontario native sunk like the Titanic to seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 65 games. He also posted a third consecutive minus season finishing minus-11.

The big question is does he have a place on our roster? Our centers aren't exactly scaring anyone with Artem Anisimov having the most potential. Especially if John Tortorella keeps Brandon Dubinsky on left wing. At the moment, Erik Christensen is slated to center Gaborik. Vinny Prospal can play center but is better suited for the wing. And then there's captain Chris Drury and his albatross ($7.05 M) with the club stuck two more years with him and Rozsival ($5 M). As for Wade Redden ($6.5 M), if White's on the roster, it all but ensures that he's going to Hartford. They have to clear space for Marc Staal. Assuming Ryan McDonagh is ready and Matt Gilroy stronger, the Rangers could be set with a blueline of Staal, Rozsival, Dan Girardi, Michael Del Zotto, Gilroy, McDonagh and Steve Eminger. That would be ideal with Eminger serving as a veteran fill-in.

Is Brian Boyle still considered our fourth line center? White can easily fill that role as he's got experience as a checking type two-way pivot who can kill penalties. He also can play power play if needed and is a much more fluid skater. The question is was last year a tell tale sign that his scoring days are over. Has age finally caught up or can he bounce back? If he does make the team and he certainly can help in the face-off dot (401-344, 53.8 Pct), it's a definite upgrade over Boyle (198-323, 38.7 Pct) with Anisimov (44.9) and Christensen (48.8) not much better. Drury was our best winning 52.9 percent while Dubinsky and Prospal both were over 50 percent.

Adding another center who can win draws is fine. But one look at this roster and who's scoring the goals aside from Gabby? Alexander Frolov better rebound with at least 25. They need more consistency from Ryan Callahan, who's averaged a shade over 20 the past two seasons. Can Prospal duplicate last year's success? Anisimov likely will go up from the dozen he scored in his rookie year. Sean Avery's a candidate for a few more than the 11 he got. Dubinsky enters Year Four coming off a career high 20 markers after being shifted. He's also playing for a contract, which should serve as motivation.

Still, when you look at the roster, it once again looks like a one horse show. Unless Derek Stepan or Evgeny Grachev blows them away in camp, there's not much to get excited over. This looks like a middle of the road team who doesn't know what it is. On one hand, we got kids who'll continue to get valuable experience as part of a retooling. On the other, there's all these vets mixed in making high salaries. Is there any direction?!?!?!?!?!

One word to describe this chaos. Mediocrity.

Islanders add Wiz to blueline

Lately, there hasn't been a lot for Islander fans to get excited about. However, a few nights ago while I was out with the big guy and bro over our friend's new house for a fun barbecue, Garth Snow made a solid move acquiring defenseman James Wisniewski from Anaheim for just a conditional third round pick in 2011.

Considering that the original Chicago '02 fifth rounder is still only 26, it looks like a calculated gamble by the Islander GM. When healthy, Wiz is easily a top four D who can log important minutes and play any situation. In five seasons spent with both the Hawks and Ducks, the Canton Michigan native who was part of the '03 USA WJC gold medal team has proven a capable puckmoving D who combines skill with physicality. Loose translation: Wiz ain't soft as evidenced by his 129 hits (41st among D) and 102 blocked shots, which ranked him in the top 100 for his position. Unfortunately, that edge also resulted in an eight-game suspension after this controversial hit in which he retaliated on former 'mate Brent Seabrook for a hit on Corey Perry prior in the shift.

Islander fans will like that edge as it's certainly something their blueline can use in support of budding teenager John Tavares. What also is a plus is that Wisniewski's in no way one-dimensional as he can also contribute offensively. Following two straight seasons of 20 points or more, the ex-Duck registered a career high 30 including a new best 27 helpers to go with three markers in 69 contests (also a new personal best). The Wiz also racked up 69 penalty minutes with two power play goals, 146 shots while posting a minus-five rating. Numbers he'll look to improve on in his new Long Island home.

Why was he essentially dumped by Duck GM Bob Murray? Because apparently, he didn't think the $3.25 million Wisniewski was due was worth it. Especially for a defenseman who's never played a full season and will turn unrestricted next summer. Still, he gave Sabre reject Toni Lydman basically the same money ($3M) which makes you scratch your head.

For the Islanders, it looks like a win. They get a good player while losing zilch. Does Wiz team with Mark Streit while other key addition Mark Eaton works with Bruno Gervais? What happens to Andrew MacDonald, Jack Hillen and Milan Jurcina if Radek Martinek returns healthy? Considering that there's a an IL slot reserved for Martinek, you can never have enough defensemen. It'll be interesting to see who the odd men out are once the season rolls around. Something which could be a tough choice for Scott Gordon.

On paper, the Isles improved with this trade and should be tougher to play against. However, they still haven't addressed gaping holes up front like who's going to put the puck in the net other than Tavares and Matt Moulson? Expect Kyle Okposo to increase production and perhaps Rob Schremp can finish a little more as well. Unless top pick Nino Niederreiter makes the roster, the team still lacks enough skill to help Tavares and Co. Given that they have plenty of cap room, what about bringing back a vet like Bill Guerin or taking a flier on Paul Kariya? Unless P.A. Parenteau proves the Rangers wrong, it looks like the club may struggle to score again.

Arbitrator chosen in Kovalchuk hearing, case to be decided next week

Well maybe now we're finally nearing a resolution of the Ilya Kovalchuk saga, as word came down late last night that an arbitrator had been agreed to and the case would be heard early next week with a decision to come 48 hours after the case's conclusion as per CBA rules. So by the end of next week there should finally be some closure to this madness. Unless of course the arbitrator unexpectedly rules in favor of the league, in which case nobody really knows what the next step will be though from all reports it seems unlikely the league would seek to extract further punishment against the Devils in the case of a favorable (for them) ruling.

Of course if the arbitrator rules in favor of the Devils, the star winger will finally be signed, sealed and delivered officially by the end of next week and GM Lou Lamoriello can get on with the business of restructuring his team to fit in Kovalchuk under the cap, since even with the contreversial cap-friendly contract the Devils would be approximately $2 million over, give or take a little depending on the final composition of the roster come October. Also an unrelated factor to the Devils' cap issues is a second buyout period that ends Sunday and under one of the more obscure CBA rules only exists because Mark Fraser filed for arbitration.

I can't see Lou buying anyone else out though, after giving Jay Pandolfo and Andrew Peters buyouts of their contracts, combining for a dead $1 million in cap space. It would be a way to get rid of someone who has a no-trade - say Colin White - but you hate to use the buyout on someone you could possibly get value for back in a trade, plus it won't help with our biggest cap headache in Brian Rolston since he was over 35 when he signed his contract and the cap hit remains no matter what.

Getting back to the Kovalchuk case, various sources including Sportsnet believe the arbitrator will be Richard Bloch, who has ruled on NHL salary disputes in the past and also on the Terrell Owens contract after a team suspension a few years back by the Eagles of the NFL. If nothing else he has experience with sports rulings and is clearly qualified. Trying to guess how he will rule based on his history is purely academic, especially since this case is rather unprecedented under this current CBA in the NHL and as much as we like to play armchair lawyer we really don't know all the facts and evidence that will be presented though nothing's come up publicly or by anyone's viewing of the CBA that suggests the Devils did violate any clause of the document and any ruling against the team would likely be based on circumstance and the 'spirit' of the rule.

Either way it's good that the NHL and NHLPA have worked towards a speedier resolution than I feared when this process started. Now that the Kovalchuk saga is going into its fifth week and second month it'll be nice to get on with other business soon since it's likely that Kovalchuk's contract dispute is holding up not only Devils-related business but that of other teams by extension as well. Among others, clearly someone like a Mike Mottau is probably waiting around to see what happens with the team, since if the Devils do trade a defenseman to get under the cap re-signing him cheaply becomes an alternative. Not to mention it's holding up ticket sales to fans who would be more likely to buy Devils tickets with Kovalchuk in the fold.

Devils re-sign Fraser

The Devils avoided arbitration, re-signing defenseman Mark Fraser for one year, $500,000. The former '05 third round pick (84th overall) fared alright in his first full season- tallying three goals, three assists and 36 penalty minutes while posting a plus-three rating over 61 contests. The 23 year-old from Ottawa also took part in one playoff game.

Used primarily as a sixth D by former coach Jacques Lemaire, Fraser didn't see a ton of ice-time. However, he brought physicality to the blueline and surprisingly contributed offensively. Prior to last season, he spent most of three years in Lowell aside from seven games with the big club as a 20 year-old rookie in '06-07.

With John MacLean taking over the reigns after spending a year at Lowell, it remains to be seen whether Fraser's role increases. Especially with the Devils beefing up the back end thanks to key additions Anton Volchenkov and Henrik Tallinder, helping offset Paul Martin's departure to rival Pittsburgh. With only one offensive D left in '09-10 revelation Andy Greene, Lou Lamoriello could be in the market for another solid skating blueliner who can contribute. Physical vets Colin White and Bryce Salvador are also expected back, rounding out the blueline. Fraser will likely battle with Anssi Salmela and Matt Corrente for the final spot.

Much depends on what transpires with the Ilya Kovalchuk case versus the NHL. With the NHLPA filing an appeal as expected, the controversial 17-year $102 million contract will go to an arbitrator, who will decide its fate. Club owner Jeff Vanderbeek is hoping for a quick resolution so that all sides can move forward from the latest chaos caused by a league Hell bent on another lockout. It'll be interesting to see what develops from this and how it impacts the next CBA.

Moulson, Islanders avoid arbitration

The Islanders and Matt Moulson got it done, earlier today agreeing on a one year $2.45 million deal to avoid arbitration. After making the club as a roster invite, the 26 year-old former King who was close with rookie John Tavares formed solid chemistry- pacing the club with 30 goals and five game winners while playing all 82. Previously, the North York Ontario native got into only 29 over two seasons with Los Angeles.

Originally selected by Pittsburgh back in '03 ninth round (263rd overall), Moulson finally got the chance to show what he could do. In his first full season, he scored 30 while adding 18 assists totaling 48 points along with eight power play goals, which ranked third on the team behind Tavares (11) and Mark Streit (9). Only Kyle Okposo took more shots than Moulson (208), whose 14.4 shooting percentage also led the Islanders. Just a shade better than sophomore pivot Josh Bailey (14.3).

Rewarded for his surprise season which saw Moulson do plenty of dirty work in front, he'll have to prove it wasn't a fluke. The Isles certainly need the gritty left wing with a nose for the net to duplicate last season's success. With JT91 entering his second season, he'll need plenty of help from Okposo, who only converted 19 goals despite leading the club in SOG. More is expected from the Isles' former '06 first round pick (7th overall). Featuring a young nucleus that includes Bailey, Frans Nielsen, Blake Comeau and 2010 first rounder Nino Niederreiter, the Islanders will look to improve on the 214 goals they scored.

If Niederreiter is deemed ready, he may be able to help. However, the 17 year-old Swiss who doesn't turn 18 until September 8 is expected to return to the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL (Western Hockey League) for his second season. In Year One after coming over from HC Davos, he scored 36 goals and 24 assists for 60 points in 65 games while adding eight goals and eight helpers in the playoffs (13 GP). Impressive stuff from a player whose stock rose following a standout WJC in which he was named to the All-Star team.

While Islander fans track how Niederreiter and prospects Calvin de Haan, Travis Harmonic, Matt Donovan, Kirill Petrov plus 2010 picks Brock Nelson and Kirill Kabanov do in camp, it'll be up to Moulson, Streit, Dwayne Roloson and Trent Hunter to provide strong leadership on a rebuilding club that hopes to improve.

Rangers sign Frolov, Twitterverse not happy

It's official. Alexander Frolov is a Ranger. Following yesterday's post on the talented but enigmatic Russian, rumors circulated that he was closing in on signing with our club. The only hold up was that the now former King wanted two years. Fortunately, Glen Sather was able to get it done for one with it expected to be $3 million. Updating this, reliable Rycckuu Puck Daddy source Dmitry Chesnokov just tweeted that he should get a little more than that. Eh.

About what was expected. While it would've been nice to get Frolov for our $2.5 M, he did earn an average of $2.9 million on his last contract. So, even coming off a down season in which he fell out of favor with Terry Murray who used the 28 year-old from Moscow more on the third line and even healthy scratched him, it was probably going to cost a bit more. Especially to get him for one year.

Twitter universe wasn't feeling this move last night with colleague Scotty Hockey leading the charge- saying it's more of the same from an organization that only wants to get an eight seed and wallow in mediocrity. It's hard to disagree. He's dead on about the team being miles away from competing for a Cup. So, why not let a prospect compete in camp for the spot? Most likely because this is still a team that plays in the Big Apple and is owned by a nimrod who would rather see them at least make the playoffs so MSG can get valuable extra revenue out of a frustrated fanbase loyal to a fault.

It's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, we want to see the team succeed and root for the logo which is why fans cough up good dough to go to games. On the other, it's clear that as long as Dolan owns this franchise, Sather will have free reign and the club will suffer because of it. Imagine if there was accountability. If they really cared about fielding a winning product, our senile GM would've been gone eons ago probably during the lockout. Instead, True Blue fans are stuck. Do we root against our own team in hopes that they finish bad enough to finally end this Era Error? Some like Broadway Blue are willing to see them fall as far as possible in hopes that they get a high draft pick. But as Drea also alludes to in another tweet, the Rangers still lack a No.1 center with Slats actually excited for Erik Christensen. A waiver pickup who they re-signed. You just can't make this stuff up.

It would be one thing if they had a top playmaking pivot who could get the puck to Marian Gaborik and Frolov if he plays top line. Though personally, I wouldn't throw all my eggs in one basket. This team has lacked balanced scoring. Unless that changes, it will be another frustrating year full of teases.

Can Frolov help? Sure. As we already noted, he's got high skill capable of finishing and setting up goals. Unlike Scotty Hockey, we'll say that Frolov is far from one-dimensional as he can kill penalties if needed. He also is better on the cycle than Nikolai Zherdev, able to use his 6-2, 204 frame to ward off defenders. There are two big questions that Frolov must answer:

1.After reportedly turning down approximately $20 million over four years from the KHL, opting for one more year in the NHL before deciding his future, how motivated will he be?

2.Coming in with consistency issues, can he silence the critics?


If he fails at either, it won't be long before he's in John Tortorella's doghouse. If the club struggles or he underperforms, they can always move him at the deadline. Still, at at least three million with no wiggle room, what does this mean for Marc Staal? Shouldn't our best defenseman have been top priority?!?!?!?!?! More of the same old, same old from a washed up executive who treats free agents better than his own players. Bye bye Redden? For the love of God and all of sanity, please see to it that Tinman isn't oiled up.


Signed,


Derek Felix of Battle Of New York

Rangers interested in Frolov

They took a chance on one enigmatic Russian to start the Post-Jagr Era two summers ago. Now, the Rangers are reportedly interested in Alexander Frolov, who remains unsigned. Last night via Twitter, reliable Rycckuu Puck Daddy source Dmitry Chesnokov tweeted about the possibility of the 28 year-old King winding up on Broadway.

In seven seasons all spent in Hollywood, Frolov's tallied 168 goals along with 213 assists for 381 points over 536 career games. Solid but unspectacular for the gifted Russian who the Kings drafted back in '00 first round (20th overall). Out of the seven, he's scored 20-or-more five times and hit 30-plus twice, posting a career best 35 in '06-07 which turned out to be his defining year- playing all 82 while adding 36 helpers totaling 71 points, 10 power play goals, a shorthanded goal and six deciding markers.

Since, the streaky player from Moscow has seen production dip, going from 67 points in '07-08 to 59 in '08-09 to 51 last season. His 19 goals and 51 points were the lowest output dating back to Frolov's rookie year of '02-03 (14-17-31 in 79 GP). So, is this a player that can help the Rangers? Perhaps. He's got high skill and similar finishing ability a la Broadway flop Nikolai Zherdev. What to make of the recent decline? Who knows? Two years ago, he still lit the lamp 32 times including a career high 12 PPG. One thing which is shocking is that Frolov doesn't shoot enough, averaging a shade over 170-per-season. But also similar to Zherdev who signed with bitter nemesis Philadelphia, he's versatile- registering 30-or-more assists in four of the past five campaigns since the lockout. That included a career best 44 in '07-08.

The burning question is is he worth the gamble? Surely, Frolov shouldn't cost a ton, having earned four million this past year but at an average cap hit of $2.9 M. Combined with a down year and not much of a market, he could be forced to take a paycut. Something we're certain agent Don Meehan wants no part of. But if LA and New York are the only real players, then that doesn't leave much of a bargaining chip for the Frolov camp.

It's true that the Blueshirts lack high end skill and could use a player like Frolov to assist Marian Gaborik. However, they have little room. Glen Sather must still re-sign Marc Staal, virtually leaving no space. Of course, that could change once October hits if the Wade Redden to Hartford rumors are substantiated. If they do land Frolov, it better be for no more than two years after the Ales Kotalik debacle. Personally, I'd take him for one at $2.5 M knowing that if he struggles or the team does, they can always move him at the deadline.

If it were up to me, I'd advise Frolov to stay put on an emerging LA club that should only improve. We're not in his head.