[News] Ilya Kovalchuk retiring

[kehatch]

I am floored. 70+ million left on the table.

Huge loss for NJ. They let Parise go to keep him, forfeited a first, and now may have to deal with the cap penalties due to the nature of his contract.

This will also test the agreement between the KHL and NHL as I am sure he wants to play hockey in Russia.

On another note, Cammalleri is available if they have a hole to fill!

[Canada 02]

is there a cap recapture penalty?

[GreenLantern]

Right.. but we still haven't figured out if he can actually legally play in Russia now.

Or will that stop the Russians from signing one of their best in the world?

[Wood]

Brutal for the Devils

They're probably wishing they forfeited their 1st when it was 29th overall. This could be a rough season for them

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

He could play as long as he isn't in violation of his NHL deal. Aut no, retiring does not free him to play in the KHL. His NHL contract would still be valid if he tried to play elsewhere professionally.

That's my understanding as well. This means he's retiring from professional hockey, unless of course the KHL decides they're going to just do whatever they want, which isn't out of the question.

[MissTeeks]

Could have kept Clarkson if he did it earlier.

[cowtown75]

Crazy crazy news. That's a lot of money to leave on the table.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by RT14

Wow. Just...wow.

At first I thought he must've been paid a ton of signing bonuses and earned the majority of his $100,000,000 salary already, but he's leaving a TON of money on the table over the next 5 years.

2013/14 - $11.3 M
2014/15 - $11.3 M
2015/16 - $11.6 M
2016/17 - $11.8 M
2017/18 - $10 M

That's a lot of dough to be giving up, which makes this decision that much harder to understand, but at least he's not totally screwing the Devils owners.

I suspect he's got a deal in the KHL that probably pays him just as much. There's no way he walks away from that much money if he didn't have something in place (unless he's got some serious illness or he went bonkers ala Dave Chappelle).

[GreenLantern]

We should start a poll on whether the table can hold that much money or not before collapsing.. because that's a lot of money to leave on the table.

[Locke]

Wow. I never saw this coming. After everything the Devils went through to sign him, this must come as a kick in the nuts. And if he just goes to the KHL thats going to be repeated kicks to the nuts.

The Devils fan boards must be flipping their crap.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

wow. Pretty big news if true.

Though saddened, i'm sure that the devils may be slightly relieved as his contract could have been a scary one down the road. though, i assume that him retiring gets them out of that contract, or do the new rules still screw the devils??

Cap recapture is very low/nothing if he retires now.

[Muta]

Why announce this now, after they lost Clarkson in free agency, or even after ANY free agent was available, for that matter?

What a ######y thing to pull at this point in time.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I suspect he's got a deal in the KHL that probably pays him just as much. There's no way he walks away from that much money if he didn't have something in place (unless he's got some serious illness or he went bonkers ala Dave Chappelle).

I don't know all of the rules related to NHL players playing in the KHL. Maybe Kovalchuk has an out clause or something.

But despite not having a formal transfer agreement there is an agreement between the NHL and KHL. Basically they can't sign each others contracted players.

I am sure there is another shoe to drop. And the KHL might fail to follow the agreement for one of their stars. But right now I don't think he can legally play in the KHL.

[sun]

Feeling for the devils fans out there right now. Lose Parise, Clarkson, next years first, could have given up the 29th (but didn't), and now kovalchuk is bolting...

Didn't see this one coming, ouch.

[jeffman]

Now that's how you screw your franchaise over people!

[Blaster86]

Lou dealt his first this year knowing he didn't have a first next year and that Kovalchuk was planning on retiring.

Derp.

[puckluck2]

Meh.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by kehatch

I don't know all of the rules related to NHL players playing in the KHL. Maybe Kovalchuk has an out clause or something.

But despite not having a formal transfer agreement there is an agreement between the NHL and KHL. Basically they can't sign each others contracted players.

I am sure there is another shoe to drop. And the KHL might fail to follow the agreement for one of their stars. But right now I don't think he can legally play in the KHL.

And with the Olympics, I would think that they would favour the NHL on this one and not allow Kovalchuk to play in the Olympics if he played in the KHL. Not without at least the Devils' consent.

So I can see him wanting to play in the KHL, but I can't see him giving up his Olympics eligibility to do so when it's 6 months away.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

What is going on? Is this real life?

[JMN]

Would he be allowed to play in the Olympics if he was still retired? I'd guess that he may remain retired until the Olympics and then play in the KHL after.