DAILY RUMORS: Gaborik To LA? Kovalchuk to NY? No Way

We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have partnered with the one of the best in the NHL blogosphere….Lyle Richardson of SpectorsHockey.net. Daily Rumors with Lyle Richardson will now be a regular feature on HI this summer and beyond…

Ilya Kovalchuk’s recent contract saga has certainly added an interesting twist to what had been a dull summer in the free agent market.

It remains to be seen how this situation will shake out. Will he and the Devils restructure the contract and resubmit it to the league? Will the NHLPA file a grievance on his behalf? Could he decide to revisit contract talks with the LA Kings? Inquiring minds wanna know but it could take some time to get the answers.

In the meantime it’s created a vacuum for free agent and trade news, so into the breach steps Hockeybuzz’s Eklund with a Kovalchuk rumor:

“Another rumor that just broke is the Rangers are considering trading Marian Gaborik to the LA Kings and signing Kovalchuk. Very interesting rumor indeed. We all remember Gaborik had wanted to play in LA going into last summer’s UFA period prior to signing in NY.”

It is interesting…but it also makes no sense.

Gaborik’s currently has four years remaining on a five-year contract with the Rangers paying him $7.5 million per season, which isn’t front-loaded. He’s never expressed any desire since joining the Rangers last summer of playing anywhere else and in fact had a career-season with the Blueshirts in 2009-10. Gaborik also has a “no-trade” clause.

The Kings might have had interest in Gaborik before he joined the Rangers, and who knows, perhaps they’d have interest in him if GM Glen Sather came calling even with Gabby’s current salary.

Problem is, they’d have to part with assets to make this deal work. You see, the Kings are also thinking long-term here, as they’ve got Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson and Wayne Simmonds to re-sign by next summer, when they become restricted free agents. 

Adding Gaborik’s $7.5 million would take a huge bite out of their remaining cap space for next season making it tougher to retain those key players. That was the deciding factor in why they ultimately couldn’t match the Devils’ hefty offer for Kovalchuk.

So, the Kings would have to part with some assets to clear up some cap space. Unfortunately the Rangers are in no position to accept too much salary back.  They have just over $4 million in cap space and even by demoting Wade Redden next season to the minors to free up his $6.5 million they still couldn’t afford to take back salary from the Kings, sign Kovalchuk and fill out the remainder of their roster.

Not only that, but why would the Rangers want to trade away Gaborik, a first-line right winger whom they’re very happy with, for Ilya Kovalchuk, a first line left wing?  Because he’s a “better player”? Marginally so, but that doesn’t justify trying such a move, and for that matter, we don’t even know if Kovalchuk would want to sign with the Rangers. Yes, yes, I know, large Russian community in New York, but he’s made his commitment to the Devils and I believe he’s going to stick with them, not bail out and try to shop his services around again.

The Rangers most obvious need up front is finding a first line center, not shuffling their first line wingers.

This rumor simply doesn’t make sense.

Lyle Richardson
SpectorsHockey.net
twitter.com/spectorshockey