Kovalchuk's agent and the team announced on Monday that the
high-scoring left wing has agreed to stay with New Jersey, ending weeks of
speculation where the league's leading goal scorer since 2001 would be skating
next season.
“This was a long arduous process that has taken frankly a
little longer than I thought,” agent Jay Grossman said in a telephone interview
with The Associated Press. “But you know what, nothing is worth anything unless
you work for it. I can tell you he is very happy to be with the New Jersey
Devils.”
The deal is somewhat salary-cap friendly for the Devils, who
will absorb an annual hit of $6 million — the average amount per season.
However, Kovalchuk will remain on the books through the 2026-27 season.
Kovalchuk will earn $6 million each of the next two seasons,
$11.5 million for the following five seasons, $10.5 million in the 2017-18
season, $8.5 million for the 2018-19 season, $6.5 million in 2019-20, $3.5
million in 2020-21, $750,000 the following season, and $550,000 for the final
five years of the unprecedented deal.
The Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Devils and SKA
St. Petersburg of Russia's Kontinental Hockey League talked with Kovalchuk
since free agency started on July 1.
The final decision came down to the Kings and Devils. New
Jersey will officially reintroduce Kovalchuk to New Jersey at a news conference
on Tuesday.
Grossman refused to say that Kovalchuk decided to stay
because he felt the Devils had a better chance to win the Stanley Cup.
“This was so far complex that I don't want to get into those
questions,” Grossman said. “Obviously his goal is to win the Stanley Cup. If he
didn't think there was an opportunity to do that, then he would not have gone
there.”
Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello, and
coach John MacLean didn't immediately return telephone messages seeking
comment.
The team's only major loss during the offseason was
defenseman Paul Martin, who signed with the Atlantic Division-rival Pittsburgh
Penguins.
The 27-year-old Kovalchuk was traded to the Devils by
Atlanta in February after rejecting a 12-year, $101 million extension offered
by the Thrashers.
Kovalchuk had 41 goals and 44 assists last season while
earning $7.5 million, but he posted only 10 goals and 17 assists with the
Devils.
Top-line forward Zach Parise believes that Kovalchuk will be
much more comfortable with the Devils next season when he is with them for the
entire year.
“It'll make a big difference,” Parise told the AP. “You are
throwing someone in midseason when sometimes it is tough when you are
comfortable with certain situations.” When the trade with the Thrashers was completed,
Lamoriello felt his team finally had the goal scorer it needed to make a run at
a fourth Stanley Cup title since 1995.
It didn't work out that way. Kovalchuk had two goals in the
postseason, but the Devils were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in five
games in the opening round. It was New Jersey's third straight exit in the
first round.
Kovalchuk has won only one playoff game in his NHL career.
The Devils have been very active since the playoffs ended.
John MacLean was named the new coach, replacing Jacques
Lemaire, who retired. The team reacquired veteran center Jason Arnott in a
trade and signed defensemen Henrik Tallinder and Anton Volchenkov and goalie
Johan Hedberg in free agency.
The first pick overall in the 2001 NHL draft, Kovalchuk has
scored 338 career goals, the most by any player in the league in that period.
He has only been to the playoffs only twice in eight NHL seasons.
Kovalchuk was acquired from the Thrashers along with
defenseman Anssi Salmela for forward Niclas Bergfors, defenseman Johnny Oduya,
prospect Patrice Cormier, a first-rounder and a swap of second-round picks.
