Back on the free-agent market – Ilya Kovalchuk
Ilya Kovalchuk is back on the free-agent market. In voiding Kovalchuk’s landmark $102 million contract with the Devils, an arbitrator ruled Monday that the NHL acted correctly.
Saying that the longest deal in league history violated its salary cap, they had rejected the 17-year contract. The NHL Players Association filed grievance against the league. Arbiter Richard Bloch sided with the league when he issued his ruling and a hearing was held last week.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement, “We want to thank arbitrator Bloch for his prompt resolution of a complex issue. His ruling is consistent with the league’s view of the manner in which the collective bargaining agreement should deal with contracts that circumvent the salary cap.”
As an unrestricted free agent, this decision put Kovalchuk back on the market, and the high-scoring Russian already was talking to the Devils again. With 338 goals and 304 assists in 642 career games, Kovalchuk was hockey’s biggest prize in free agency this year. Now he has to work out a new one, although he thought he had a lucrative deal with the Devils.
To say whether the league would take punitive action against the Devils, NHL spokesman Frank Brown said it was too early. For signing Kovalchuk to a contract that circumvented league rules, New Jersey can be fined or lose draft picks.
With the ruling, the players’ association said it was disappointed and it was being reviewed. On July 19, Kovalchuk and the Devils agreed to the deal and the next day, because of years of low salary at the end lowered the cap hit, the league determined the contract was illegal. On July 26, the union filed a grievance.
Of the rejected deal, the All-Star was slated to earn only $550,000 in each of the last five seasons and it would have run through the 2026-27 season.
NHL – Possible destinations for free-agent Ilya Kovalchuk
NHL free-agent Ilya Kovalchuk continues to be courted around the league as free agency kicks into high gear. Acquired from the Atlanta Thrashers in an early February trade, the New Jersey Devils hope to retain the high scoring Left Winger for at least another season.
Having reportedly turned down a $60 million dollar contract over 6 seasons, the two sides are currently at an impasse regarding negotiations. The Los Angeles Kings, thinking they were just one big scorer from making a run to the Stanly Cup are considered one of the front runners for the 27 year old. However, after hitting a snag again on their offers, they have allegedly withdrawn their bid.
Kovalchuk has other options besides the NHL if he so chooses. There are purportedly feelers floated out by the KHL (Russian Hockey League) that could entice the native to return to his home country for at least one year. The fact that a contact can't be reached from either of the 2 front runners has to be frustrating.
The Devils won't just allow him to leave without at least making a bid for his services. But the winger also loves the L.A. lifestyle and may be persuaded to relocate for a lesser deal. That is the only way that he would be willing to take less money in order to sign a new contract.
NHL Draft Preview: Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers face a tough decision heading into the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. It is a problem that the other 30 NHL teams would love to have.
Do they select Taylor or Tyler?
Taylor Hall of the Memorial Cup Champion Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL have established themselves as the top two players available in the draft and will likely be picked first and second. Hence, one of the biggest debates heading into the draft is which player should be selected first. With the first overall pick, the Edmonton Oilers will settle the dispute as to who the top pick will be.
Although the Oilers have needs at center (where Seguin plays), they are rumored to be in favor of selecting Hall (a left wing). Hall is the winner of two straight Memorial Cups and has a crowd-pleasing game that has Edmonton fans giddy with excitement. When he visited Edmonton a short time ago, the chef at the restaurant he was eating at came out to have his apron signed by Hall.
The Oilers also see this draft as an opportunity to improve a defense that allowed a league-worst 3.39 goals per game last season. When they pick again with the 31st overall pick, expect them to take a defenseman such as Alexander Petrovic or Jarred Tinordi. Both players are at least 6-4. If either of them becomes an Edmonton Oiler, he would immediately be one of the biggest players on the team.
NHL Stanley Cup Finals – Game 6 – Preview – 2010
On Wednesday, June 9th, the Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks will meet up, in Philadelphia for Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals. The Chicago Blackhawks currently lead the series 3-2, after an offensive explosion in Game 5. So far, the home team has won each game of the series. Chicago will do its best to clinch the Stanley Cup, while Philadelphia hopes that trend continues.
As Philadelphia managed to score 4 goals in Game 5, their offense is not really a problem. However, to say the least, their defense is below average. They are coming off a game where they allowed 7 total goals. Both Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher were used by Philadelphia in Game 5, and neither got the job done. Peter Laviolette, coach for the Flyers, has not revealed which of his goalies will start in Game 6.
Chicago needs Antti Niemi to step up and shutdown Philadelphia's offense, if they want to clinch the 2010 Stanley Cup in Game 6. Chicago’s offense really is not a problem, as they demonstrated in Game 5. On the other hand, Philadelphia simply has to figure out a way to slow Chicago down. Where they give up seven goals, they cannot expect to win a game.
Chicago shows up motivated like they were in Game 5, if Philadelphia can figure out their struggles at goalie, Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup finals should be excellent. For Philadelphia, at this point is win or go home.
History of the Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres have been with the NHL since 1970. In sports history, they have been on the wrong end of many of the most devastating losses, causing many to believe in the Buffalo Sports Curse.
The Sabres began play in 1970. Seymour Knox III and Northrup Knox were the first owners.
The drafts of center Gilbert Perreault in 1970 and winger Rick Martin in 1971 and the late-season trade for winger Rene Robert late in the 1971-72 season highlighted the first two seasons of the Sabres’ history.
Buffalo qualified for the playoffs in just their third year in the NHL. To the eventual champion Montreal Canadiens, they lost in six games.
In the 1974-75 regular season, Buffalo finished in a tie for the best record in the NHL. For the Stanley Cup Finals, they eventually qualified, where they were to face the Philadelphia Flyers. Even though Buffalo went on to win the game, the Flyers ended up with the Stanley Cup after six games.
The late 70s and early 80s, Danny Gare joined the team and continue to be a dominant force. They were the first team to beat the Soviet Olympic Team when they toured the United States and won the regular season conference championship.
In the mid 90s, the team moved from to Marine Midland Arena. Buffalo won the Northeast Division, in their first season at Marine Midland Arena (1996-97).
1996-97 was Buffalo’s strong regular season and was overshadowed by a tumultuous post season. The Sabres lost in five games to the Philadelphia Flyers and the team was involved in few controversies.
In 1999, the Sabres finally returned to the Stanley Cup Finals. When they lost to the Dallas Stars in six games, they were met with a heartbreak all over again.
The Sabres have returned to blue and gold colors for the first time since the team abandoned them for red and black in 1996, since their return to the Stanley cup. Including division titles in 2007 and 2010, they have enjoyed moderate success. In the 2010 playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference, most recently, they lost to sixth-seeded Boston Bruins in the first round.
Los Angeles Kings – Team History – NHL
The Los Angeles Kings were founded on February 9, 1966, when Jack Kent Cooke was awarded an NHL expansion franchise for Los Angeles.
When the NHL decided to expand for the 1967-68 season, the Canadian entrepreneur Jack Kent Cooke paid the NHL $2 million dollars to place one of the six expansion teams in LA. The LA Lakers later adopted the colors of purple and gold, which Cooke team had owned.
In their first season, the Kings finished in second place, in the Western Division right. The Kings were eliminated by the St Louis Blues in the second round and were finished fourth place in the West Division in their second season.
The Kings became the best in 1972 by acquiring Ken Dryden and Rogatien Vachon, from being worst defensive team. The team had three successful seasons in 1974-1975 and the team had the most successful in franchise history including the 105-point season. This is still a franchise record.
Between Kings and Oilers in Game 3 of this playoff bout, goes down into NHL history and many refer to it as the “Miracle on Manchester”. It is still counted as one of the greatest comebacks in NHL history where the Kings had overtime victory.
Wayne Gretzky joined the Kings in 1988, and he won the MVP award and helped the Kings rank fourth in the NHL overall. In the 1990-1991 season, the team was led by Gretzky to its only regular season division title in franchise history. The team couldn’t make it to the Stanley Cup as they were defeated by the Canadiens. The team has never won a Stanley Cup Finals even as it has had its highs and lows.
Game 6 – NHL Playoffs – Chicago Blackhawks vs. Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks head back home to face the Chicago Blackhawks in a pivotal Game 6, after staving off defeat with the help of Kevin Bieksa in Game 5. On Sunday by scoring 2 goals, Bieksa, online betting favorite, lead the Canucks to a 4-1 victory. Bieksa, and the rest of the Canucks, will have to try to stay hot in order to stave off elimination on Tuesday night.
After winning at Chicago, Vancouver has to be overflowing with confidence, but they will need to turn that confidence into results on the ice if they want to continue the quest for their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. On Tuesday night, the Chicago Blackhawks have to hope that Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews show up ready to play, or they could be in trouble. It won't be easy for Chicago to pull out a win in Vancouver, but Chicago has never been better on the road than they were this season.
On Tuesday night at 9:30PM ET, hockey fans will be tuned in to Versus to see if Vancouver can continue their run to the Stanley Cup or if their dream gets derailed by Chicago. Either way, it will be a great game, and both teams should show up ready to play. In a way that nothing but an NHL playoff game can, it is a classic 2 seed (Chicago) vs. 3 seed (Vancouver) match up that will definitely deliver the fireworks.