DAILY RUMORS: Dismissing The Kovalchuk Internet Chatter

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…

Since the NHL was successful earlier this week in its rejection of Ilya Kovalchuk’s 17-year, $102 million contract with the New Jersey Devils internet speculation has arisen once again over the possibility rival teams might attempt to sign Kovlachuk now that he’s an unrestricted free agent again.

It’s been suggested the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders and New York Rangers could jump into the bidding as the Devils attempt to work out a new contract with the Kovalchuk camp which they hope this time the league will accept.

Kings GM Dean Lombardi hinted around the time the league announced it would reject Kovalchuk’s initial contract with the Devils he might be willing to make another pitch for the scoring winger. Since then however he’s signed winger Alexei Ponikarovsky and appears to have moved on. To date there’s been no reports out of Los Angeles regarding any potential interest by Kings’ management.

The Islanders interest was never considered serious and it is unlikely to be more serious this time, nor for that matter is Kovalchuk believed having even considered signing with the Isles.

As for the Rangers, that one was an internet creation and never got serious traction in the press, probably because the Blueshirts lack the cap space to sign Kovalchuk, having salary issues of their own to deal with.

The only team we know for certain that has interest in making a competing bid for Kovalchuk isn’t an NHL team, but rather SKA St. Petersburg of Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League, which hinted at a willingness to make several offers worth over $10 million per season.

It’s believed however Kovalchuk wants to remain in the NHL, as his signing with the Devils made clear. GM Lou Lamoriello’s announced talks would resume with the Kovalchuk camp immediately once the league’s rejection of their initial contract was made official via arbitration.

That so far is the only “buzz” on this subject and until it’s reported in either the Los Angeles or New York media that the Kings, Islanders and/or Rangers have expressed interest or open talks with the Kovalchuk camp, don’t believe any rumor blog talk claiming otherwise. The media in those respective cities have been the most accurate on the matter (especially Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times and Rich Hammond of LAKingsinsider.com) than anyone else.

Lyle Richardson
SpectorsHockey.net
twitter.com/spectorshockey