Did Kovalchuk Sign a Lifetime Pact with the Devils?

By: Tim Brennan

For the past three and a half weeks, we have all been wondering where Ilya Kovalchuk, the most sought after commodity on the free agent market, would call home. Despite numerous offers from the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings and Russia, Kovalchuk remained at large and it appeared as if this soap opera would never end. The Devils put a stop to all the fuss by signing the two time 50 goal man to a tremendous and controversial 17 year, $102 million deal on Monday, keeping the Russian sniper in New Jersey until the age of 44.

What?

That's exactly the same reaction that rang through not only the NHL, but also the sports world. You got to be wondering, "Why on earth would the Devils, and especially Lou Lamoriello, make such a ridiculous offer?" and the answer only lies with the Devils management. As outlandish and concerning as this contract may be, it's certainly not the first of its kind. Many of you remember the first career length contract being handed out a few years back to New York Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro, when he signed on for 15 years, at the time becoming the longest contract in NHL history. DiPietro's injuries have limited his amount of starts, with only 13 appearances in the last two seasons. However, Kovalchuk differs from DiPietro due to the fact that Kovalchuk isn't a goalie, who end up playing less seasons than a forward or defenseman would, plus he isn't the franchise's cornerstone like DiPietro was sought out to be.

But this brings up an interesting question: Why would the Devils give Kovalchuk the longest contract in the history of the National Hockey League if he isn't, in fact, the team's top player?

Kovalchuk's talent level alone is tops in the NHL, but given the fact that he has limited experience in the post season, which is when big contracts count, and doesn't play a team style it's strange that this deal was struck. Maybe Lamoriello just didn't want anyone else to pick him up so he offered something that no one else could.

The Devils ran into a bit of a snag though upon striking this agreement... the NHL decided to reject it.

The NHL took suit against the Kovalchuk "lifetime pact" due to violations with the league's salary cap policy. Reports surfaced that the Devils had front-loaded Kovalchuk's contract to give him the majority of the money prior to the final five years. As it breaks down, Kovalchuk would earn $6 million each of the first two seasons, $11.5 million each of the next five seasons, a season of $10.5 million followed by a season each of $8.5, $6.5, $3.5 million and $750,000 until the final five seasons which come in at $550,000 per year. In other words, Kovalchuk would have earned $98.5 million in the first 11 years of the deal, allowing him to retire during the final six seasons and with this contract, the Devils lowered their cap hit to $6 million a season.

So it looks like the NHL finally stepped in on one of these "long term front-loaded hope you retire before it's over" contracts. They certainly didn't take offense when last off-season two deals of the same caliber were struck: Chris Pronger, 35, signed a contract extension upon coming to Philadelphia in a trade at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Pronger's seven year deal guaranteed him $7.6 million each of the first two years, $7.2 million in 2012-13, $7 million in 2013-14 before an average of $1.83 million per season the last 3 years. Marian Hossa signed a 12 year, $62.8 million pact with Chicago, allowing him to make $7.9 million per year through the 2015-16 season before his salary drops. By the time his deal expires, Hossa will be 42 years old.

Based on the conditions, an arbitrator will look into the NHL's rejection of Kovalchuk's contract and if the arbitrator agrees with the NHL, Kovalchuk's contract will be void, making him a unrestricted free agent again.

So did Kovalchuk really sign a 17 year deal to stay in New Jersey or didn't he? Did he do it for the money or for the security of playing for a team that is a possible contender? Whatever the case may be, the Devils made history by offering the longest term contract in history of professional sports and might have brought an end to the controversial front-loaded long term contract.

Flyers Take a Gamble on Zherdev

By: Tim Brennan

The reigning Eastern Conference champions were one of the most active teams during the beginning stages of free agency. In the weeks since, reports that Flyers mainstay Simon Gagne would be traded due to the lack of cap space started to surface. On top of that, there were rumors swirling that Nikolai Zherdev would be returning to the NHL this season... in orange and black. The latter turned out to be true, with Zherdev penning a one year, $2 million deal in the early hours of July 9th.

Zherdev, the former fourth overall draft pick in 2003, returns to the NHL after spending last season starring for Atlant Mytischi of the Kontinental Hockey League. The Kiev, Ukraine native scored 13 goals and 39 points in 52 games during the 2009-10 season.

The Flyers make this move while still over the cap limit and in need of re-signing a dozen free agents. General manager Paul Holmgren decided to pick up yet another player with a colorful past for clashing with team management and becoming problematic for their franchise. If you've already forgotten, Holmgren signed goaltender Ray Emery last off season to a one year deal, considered a low risk, high reward type contract. And we all know how that worked out for the Flyers last year.

Zherdev is a talented forward, one with a skill set and offensive ability unmatched by most in the league. However, he's considered an enigma and has a track record of creating tension in and outside of the locker room. Along with those not so great qualities, Zherdev plays lackadaisically in the defensive zone, doesn't produce on a consistent basis and proves that a lazy player doesn't get far.

You might ask, "What happened that makes him such a wild card?". If you talk to anyone connected to the Columbus Blue Jackets or New York Rangers, they can provide you with plenty of examples.

Zherdev averaged 19 goals and 45 points during his 4 seasons in Ohio. But behind the scenes, Zherdev's lack of work ethic along with taking nights off didn't bode well with Columbus management. After a breakthrough season in 2005-06, Zherdev ran into problems with the team over a new contract, giving Columbus an ultimatum: either they agree to the contract that he felt he deserved or Zherdev would return to Russia. The Blue Jackets would eventually re-sign Zherdev to a three year deal, but would deal with plenty of inconsistency during that time period.

Columbus would deal Zherdev to the New York Rangers along with Dan Fritsche for Christian Backman and Fedor Tyutin on July 2nd, 2008. In his first and only season in the Big Apple, the Russian right wing tied for the team lead in points with 58. The 2008-09 campaign saw two sides of Zherdev: one that looked to be the best player on the team anytime he stepped out on the ice and the other which looked to be a player to caught up in himself. Zherdev received plenty of criticism from fiery head coach John Tortorella, resulting in being benched more than once for poor defensive play and lack of effort. Problems arose in the off season following when the Rangers tendered Zherdev a qualifying offer of $3.25 million for the next season. Once again, a dispute between the disgruntled winger and an NHL team's management ensued, leading to an arbitration hearing. The arbitrator awarded Zherdev $3.9 million, resulting in the Rangers walking away and allowing him to become a free agent.

All of this led to a return to Russia and now he's back in the NHL. But why exactly did the Flyers need to make such a maneuver?

According to Holmgren, Zherdev is a player filled with talent that just needs a second chance and is a perfect fit with the core of forwards that they possess. And Simon Gagne isn't? Gagne is just as skilled offensively as Zherdev is and is less of a risk on the team's chemistry and management. Maybe Holmgren felt that Zherdev could be the missing link that would put Philly over the top and win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1975. But wait, Zherdev's resume in the playoffs is slim and disappointing: 7 games and 0 points in 2008-09 for the Rangers. What good is it to exchange Gagne, who has been a consistent performer, not to mention a popular player within the organization and class act for someone as incongruous as Zherdev?

Come October 7th, we shall all know which Zherdev decided to show up.

Devils Legend and Future Hall of Famer Scott Niedermayer Retires

By: Tim Brennan

Although having once "retired" so to speak only to come back part way through a season, Scott Niedermayer has stated that he is done for good. Niedermayer made the announcement June 22nd, putting an end to a magnificent career that spanned 18 NHL seasons with the New Jersey Devils and Anaheim Ducks.

Niedermayer goes down in hockey history as being the only player to ever win the Stanley Cup, Olympic gold, the World and World Junior Championship, the World Cup and the Memorial Cup. Along with the countless championships, Niedermayer has collected a Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP when he was a member of the Cup winning Anaheim Ducks in 2006-07 and a Norris Trophy for best defenseman in 2003-04 for New Jersey. He played in 5 All Star Games and was selected on 3 occasions for the NHL First All Star Team (2003-04, 2005-06, 2006-07) and once for the Second All Star Team (1997-98).

Anyone can make a case for Niedermayer being one of the best defensemen of all time and most certainly was one of the best defenders of the past decade. Known more for his ability to skate past players as if they were standing still, Niedermayer combined a strong defensive capability with a forward's offensive touch. If he had played in the beginning stages of the NHL's history, he would have been considered a "rover". That player was the one individual that could play whatever they wanted to and usually played as a forward and defenseman, thus the name "rover". Once he joined the Devils, his defense improved under the guidance of Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko and he turned out to be one of the best shutdown defenders during his long career.

During his tenure with the Devils that spanned over 13 seasons, Niedermayer tallied 101 goals and 364 assists for 465 points in 892 regular season games, good enough for .52 points per game. Niedermayer's strengths showed through in the playoffs as well, posting 17 goals and 64 points in 146 post-season games leading to a .44 points per game average. Niedermayer's two way ability helped aid New Jersey to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1995, where they faced the Detroit Red Wings. The talented crew from New Jersey swept the Wings in 4, making it the first Stanley Cup victory in the team's history. The Devils would win two more times with Niedermayer on the roster (2000 and 2003). The Edmonton, Alberta native tied the NHL record for most shorthanded goals by a defenseman (2) in the playoffs during the 2000 Cup run and tied the team lead in points during their 2003 journey to glory.

Although he may go down as one of the most prolific defensemen in hockey history, Niedermayer was overshadowed by Stevens and Daneyko while playing for the Devils. The attention those two shutdown, defensive defensemen got helped Niedermayer sneak under the radar in his first few seasons. No doubt Devils fans felt the impact of Niedermayer's departure in 2005. It's amazing to look back at how his career came to fruition and how he blossomed into the best two-way defender in the game during his 18 year career. Niedermayer will stay with the game, whether it's a job in the front office or player development or even coaching. Due to everything that he has accomplished over the years, Niedermayer will be a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame as soon as he is eligible.

The Kovalchuk Sweepstakes: The Search for the Right Team

By: Tim Brennan

Since the opening of free agency, the player on top of everyone's list hasn't moved anywhere. Ilya Kovalchuk continues to find his perfect match and has gotten plenty of generous offers. Along with the New Jersey Devils, the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Kings have also expressed interest in the 27 year old Russian sniper. The only problem in negotiations between Kovalchuk and these teams is the cap issue that may result in signing the first overall pick from 2001 to a long term, big money deal.

On the second day of free agency, TSN's Darren Dreger reported that the Islanders were willing to throw everything towards bringing Kovalchuk to the Isle to play alongside the team's young nucleus of John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey and Jack Hillen. The reported offer from the Islanders was a 10 year, $100 million deal, which would pay the two time 50 goal scorer $10 million a season. Hold on, everyone say it with me, "Ouch". Haven't the Isles learned from their mistake of the 10 year, $87.5 million contract given to Alexei Yashin? The Islanders overpaid for the star player, bought out his contract halfway through and are still paying him despite him having been playing in the KHL for the last 3 seasons.

The team that Kovalchuk spent the latter part of the season on, the Devils, haven't given up on getting him under contract yet. As it stands, reports have a possible deal set up that Kovie would return to New Jersey for a 7 year deal worth $60 million. The deal however would cause a problem with the cap, meaning GM Lou Lamoriello would have to move some players around in order to fit under the restrictions. As of this moment, the Devils have remained silent about the negotiations between the two camps but it seems more likely that Ilya might return to New Jersey based on the fact that he wants to play on a team that has an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup.

Kovalchuk's rumored destination before the eventual trade to New Jersey, Los Angeles can't seem to make up their mind. They were front runners on July 1st to land a deal with Kovie, then they stepped away citing that the money he wanted was too high of a price, with all the young talent on the Kings needing to be locked up in the next couple of seasons. On Wednesday, the Kings reportedly came back in the hunt for Kovalchuk, offering him two different proposals: 13 years, $84.5 million or 12 years, $63 million. Both were turned down by Kovalchuk which prompted the Kings to bow out of the race earlier today.

There are options still available to Kovalchuk, such as a possible return to Russia to become the face of the Kontinental Hockey League. Initially offered a contract of $12 million per season prior to the free agency period, Kovalchuk never responded so the deal was stricken. The team in question is SKA St. Petersburg, one rich with former NHL talent with the likes of Alexei Yashin, Sergei Zubov and Robert Esche gracing the team with their presence. They decided to pass on Kovalchuk and signed goaltender Evgeni Nabokov instead.

So the search for the perfect match for Kovalchuk continues on...

Rod Brind'Amour Retires After 21 Seasons

By: Tim Brennan

One day prior to the free agency bonanza, veteran center Rod Brind'Amour announced his retirement from the sport of hockey. He will accept a position in the Carolina Hurricanes front office.

Brind'Amour finishes his career ranked 16th in the National Hockey League in games played (1,484), 44th in assists (732), 46th in points (1,184) and 54th in goals (452) while playing for St. Louis, Philadelphia and Carolina. Along with that, the ninth overall draft choice in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues claimed two Selke Trophies for best defensive forward and captained the Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup in 2006.

Known as a leader, a penalty kill specialist and an ace in the face-off circle, Brind'Amour's strongest asset was his high level of physical conditioning. Throughout the course of his career, Brind'Amour ranked among the top of the league in ice time and could always be found in the gym before and after a game or on a day off, thus he was given the moniker "Rod the Bod".

The Ottawa, Ontario native started out in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues, joining the team during the 1989 playoffs. Brind'Amour came over from the college ranks at Michigan State and impressed the team in his five game debut with the Blues by scoring on his first shot. Brind'Amour finished third on the team in goals and would go on to be named to the NHL's All-Rookie team in 1990 after posting 26 goals and 35 assists for 61 points in 79 games. Getting prepared for his third season in St. Louis, Brind'Amour was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers along with center Dan Quinn for center Ron Sutter and defenseman Murray Baron.

Brind'Amour's impact on the Flyers was immense, compiling 235 goals and 366 assists for 601 points in 633 games in the orange and the black. Due to his hard work ethic and leadership, Brind'Amour became a fan favorite in Philadelphia and was selected to play in the 1992 NHL All Star Game. A testament to his conditioning and willingness to play through pain, Brind'Amour set the Flyers franchise record for consecutive games played by appearing in 484 games. During his time in Philadelphia, the two way center would develop his reputation as a top notch player on both sides of the puck. His ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup were within his grasp during the 1997 playoffs as the Flyers scorched past Pittsburgh, Buffalo and the New York Rangers in 5 games apiece in route to a conference championship and matchup against the Detroit Red Wings. Although the Flyers would get swept by the Red Wings, Brind'Amour kept Philadelphia in Game 3 after a pair of power play goals tied the game up at 2 apiece. Brind'Amour also scored 13 goals and 21 points during that post-season, making those career highs for him. So Rod would have to wait for another opportunity to finally get his name engraved.

The shocking news of Brind'Amour's trade to Carolina halfway through the 1999-2000 contest rang through Philadelphia as one of their favorites was sent away in exchange for center Keith Primeau. His impact on Philadelphia was tremendous, but he would become a legend for the Hurricanes. At the time of his retirement, Brind'Amour is the career leader in points for the Hurricanes with 473, ranks first in assists (299), shorthanded goals (10), third in goals (174) and third in power-play goals (60). He helped the Hurricanes reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002, where they would play the Detroit Red Wings. During those playoffs, the "BBC" line of Brind'Amour, Bates Battaglia and Erik Cole, was formed and became the most famous line in Hurricanes history. Rod's second chance at a championship were squandered as the Canes would eventually lose to the Red Wings in 5 games.

After a few seasons in Raleigh, Brind'Amour was named Carolina's captain prior to the 2005-06 season. The captain led by example by scoring 31 goals and earning 39 assists for 70 points and aided the team to a franchise record 52 wins. The elusive championship that Brind'Amour had been trying to claim finally came in 2006 as the Hurricanes defeated the surprise Edmonton Oilers in 7 games. He scored 12 goals during the Cup run, which are a franchise record. The moment at which he lifted the Cup with a feeling of exuberance is one I along with fans of Brind'Amour will never forget.

In the three seasons following the Cup win, Brind'Amour tallied 82 and two 51 point campaigns. Last season was a troubling one for the 39 year old, as his role was limited to an average of 11 minutes a game and he was stripped of his captaincy in favor of the team's star player Eric Staal. Brind'Amour scored nine goals and added 10 assists for 19 points in his final season while placing third in the NHL in face-off percentage and unfortunately had a league worst -29 plus/minus rating.

Like a true professional, Brind'Amour never complained when the C was taken off his jersey and pressed on during a difficult final chapter in his hockey career. Brind'Amour will always be remembered by Flyers and Hurricanes fans alike for being one of the most important players in their team's history and being a great role model.

Flyers Active Participants in Free Agency's Opening Day Frenzy

By: Tim Brennan

The Flyers were one of the more active teams on July 1st, starting the day off with a trade to acquire Andrej Meszaros from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Shortly thereafter, the Flyers reached a two year contract with restricted free agent Braydon Coburn, a deal that will see the 25 year old defenseman earn $3.2 million a season. Veteran defenseman Sean O'Donnell signed on with a one year contract while tough guy Jody Shelley agreed to a three year pact.

Although GM Paul Holmgren addressed the need for a dependable 5-6 defense pairing and added another rugged forward, all those moves come at a cost. The Flyers only have around $1 million to spare after those four moves, with Meszaros earning $4 million per season for the next four years; $1.1 million for Shelley per season for three years and O'Donnell making $1 million for this upcoming season. Instead of going after a goaltender, what is being considered the team's weakness, the Flyers kept one of their top four defenders, acquired two defensemen to fill the 5th and 6th spots on the blueline and a top notch fighter.

But one has to wonder, why spend all the available money when there are still players needed to be re-signed, (Darroll Powe and Arron Asham), and there are voids to be filled?

The Flyers offered big contracts to both Evgeni Nabokov, whom they acquired prior to the start of free agency, and Marty Turco but were ultimately turned down. The Flyers also expressed interest in Dan Ellis, Chris Mason and former Flyer Antero Niittymaki but all of them signed to other teams lacking a starter. Since Michael Leighton signed with the intent of becoming the starter, none of the above wanted to challenge for a spot but wanted the guarantee of being number one on the depth chart.

So without a goaltender to help Leighton and a vacancy on the first line right wing, the Flyers will need to make a trade to open up salary cap space to pursue a player or two.

These moves seemed a little rushed, especially the Coburn deal. Coburn's numbers have dropped each season as he only tallied 19 points this season, as opposed to 28 the season before and 36 two years ago. He struggled defensively as well, with countless turnovers and poor play in his own end, resulting in a -6 plus minus rating, tied for the 6th worst on the team. Coburn's turnover in the Winter Classic led to Marco Sturm's game winner in overtime. Along with a poor season, Coburn didn't bother to play defense in the Finals, going -9 in 6 games. If anything, the Flyers should have given him a 1 year deal worth around $2.25 a season so that there would be room to sign others and not put so much money into one player.

The addition of Meszaros was interesting seeing as Philadelphia was looking for a 5th defenseman but happened to get a top four d-man capable of playing big minutes. The only problem is the salary at which this #5 defenseman comes at, $4 million a season. Meszaros struggled in Tampa but also didn't get much of a chance to prove his worth. O'Donnell was brought in for two reasons, stability on the final defense pairing and leadership. It also helps to be close friends with Chris Pronger. And the signing of Shelley is troubling, considering that the Flyers have a few rugged forwards (Ian Laperriere, Darroll Powe, Arron Asham) that contribute more to the team than Shelley could. Maybe this could finally be the year that Shelley breaks out and scores more than 3 goals a season.

If you are a Flyers fan, you must be wondering how these moves can be considered helpful to the team. The acquisition of Meszaros will prove to be a solid addition, while Coburn and Shelley will have to play well to meet up with the expectations put upon them due to their contracts.

Devils Replace Martin with Volchenkov, Tallinder and Sign Hedberg

By: Tim Brennan

The opening day of free agency was one of the more interesting in recent years, with a limited amount of activity and only a few big names moving elsewhere. No one expected the Devils to do much, as they always tend to make minor adjustments to keep the team competitive. The focus was on Ilya Kovalchuk and Paul Martin and whether they were coming back or flying the coup for more money.

Early on, the Penguins nabbed Martin giving him a 5 year, $25 million deal. GM Lou Lamoriello searched for the right fit in New Jersey to fill the void for the two way ability that Martin left. Instead of grabbing one defender, Lamoriello decided to pluck two defensemen from the free agency tree to fill both needs.

The Devils signed defensive defenseman Anton Volchenkov to a 6 year deal worth $25.5 million while also picking up defenseman Henrik Tallinder and handing him a 4 year, $13.5 million contract.

Volchenkov was considered one of the top defenders on the market this offseason, known for his tremendous shot blocking ability to go with vicious physical play, as shown in the picture above. This past season with Ottawa, Volchenkov tied his career high in goals with 4 to go along with 10 assists for 14 points. As his stats so evidently make it clear, Volchenkov thrives defensively, especially on shutting down the opposing teams top forwards and throwing a body into anything. The "A-Train" has been a regular in the top ten for blocked shots the past five seasons. The Devils haven't had a steady shutdown bruising defenseman since Scott Stevens so anyone who faces the Devils defense next year should be wary of what they will be going up against.


The Tallinder signing was something that Lamoriello had been looking forward to making for a while now. The Devils were impressed by Tallinder's mentoring of Buffalo stalwart Tyler Myers last season and wanted to bring him in to help some of the younger players assimilate into playing at the NHL level. Tallinder's defense is strong but many have questioned his consistency offensively and his inability to utilize his 6'3, 214 pound frame. Along with Volchenkov, Tallinder can play big minutes so don't be surprised to see the Swedish defender paired up with Finnish prospect Anssi Salmela for next season.


Along with addressing defense to make it tougher on the opposition in their zone, the Devils finally picked someone to give Martin Brodeur a breather. The Devils signed Johan Hedberg, who played for the Atlanta Thrashers last season, compiling a 21-16-6 record at the age of 37. Hedberg took over as starter for parts of the 2009-10 season and has always provided quality numbers. He might be on a one year deal, but that doesn't mean that he won't make an impact with the team. Hedberg has averaged 33 games a season over the course of his career and is the right fit as a backup in New Jersey since Martin Brodeur continues to play more than 75 games a season.

It's a no brainer that the Devils were winners thus far in free agency, bolstering their blueline with two key defenders and finally filling the void behind Brodeur.