How can we get Ilya Kovalchuk?

by From the North on Jan 31, 2010 3:46 PM EST

Any ideas on where he is headed? Any chance we could be the often mentioned "other eastern conference team" that is interested in him? It seems like he could be the big-name scorer we need - but would we have to trade away too much talent to get him - and leave him with no support? I am curious about what other people think...could we get him? Is it an impossible dream? What trades might make it happen?

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I don’t think we have the pieces to make it happen. If it did, we would have to trade Staal or Sutter & our 1st. Then we still would have to deal with trying to resign him.

I’m pretty sure it won’t happen and I actually hope it doesn’t.

by PackPride17 on Jan 31, 2010 3:55 PM EST reply actions

Never gonna happen, you just can’t afford to have more than one or two stars on the team. We are already full in that department, the Canes would not spend the $ to get him or trade away our future prospects. He’s just not worth it, he’s a great player but not worth what we’d have to give up.

I'm Jim Rutherfords assitant and decision maker. -Canescup

by canescup on Jan 31, 2010 4:22 PM EST reply actions

Yeah, I don’t think we have the pieces to do a deal of this magnitude. Also, we don’t have the cap space to do it. And you have to consider, the thrashers really don’t want him in the EC, much less in the same division.

The Canes have never been a big “go after the superstar” type of team. 0% chance of us getting him.

Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader

by Ivan459 on Jan 31, 2010 5:30 PM EST reply actions

We will get Kovy when hell freezes over, this is not to be confused with the winter storm of the past few days.

"He has all the virtues I dislike, and none of the vices I admire." -Sir Winston Churchill

by SouthernHockeyFan on Jan 31, 2010 5:53 PM EST reply actions

He is just not worth it.

I for one would hate that move. You’d give up alot to get him, and not guaranteed to sign him over the summer.

I’d rather see Pronger on the team than Kovalchuk.

Go Canes!

by ivyleager on Feb 1, 2010 8:30 AM EST reply actions

Kovalchunk throws temper tantrums when things do not go his way that make Sid Crosby look like a mature adult…..

Ugh…. the thoughts of him being on our team make me want to find a tall bridge and a short rope…

by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Feb 2, 2010 2:17 PM EST up reply actions

Don't Forget

When Staal won All-star game MVP honors, Kovalchuk was the one setting him up half the time. They were fantastic together. He doesn’t seem to cause a whole lot of drama off the ice either; he seems pretty down-to-earth. Would be a great addition, imo.

Ain’t going to happen, though. You’re talking $8M-$10M additional payroll. We’d have to let Walker go($2.5M) after this year, trade Samsonov ($2.5M), Cole ($2.9M) or both, hope Brindy retires ($3.6M), and maybe even not resign Whitney ($3.5M). Cullen’s a possibility for trade ($2.5M). That’s assuming a defensive line-up of Pitts, Gleason, Corvo, McBain, Alberts, Carson & Rodney.

Of course after that Phanuf trade yesterday – i guess anything can happen.

by Caniac1026 on Feb 1, 2010 11:41 AM EST reply actions

Sorry....

No chance Atlanta would trade him to a South East Div enemy! If by chance it did happen… can you imagine how Kovalchuk would haunt them for years after that? Atlanta management wouldn’t let that happen! Their market is fragile enough without their only superstar being traded to a team that would play them so many times in a season. If you look at the big trade from yesterday… how many times is Phaneuf going to really be able to hurt the Flames now that he is in the eastern Conf? We could use the scoring though!

by HowieHurricane on Feb 1, 2010 12:24 PM EST reply actions

i dont think he would help this team enough for how much money he would want. hes not worth it, he would just be a financial burden.

by silent_shadow36 on Feb 1, 2010 3:11 PM EST reply actions

Possibility

I really don’t think acquiring Kovalchuk would be plausible for us financially unless a few things happened. Just for fun, I really don’t think it would cost us that much (relatively to getting a top-5 NHL player) and we are one of the few teams that have the expendable assets. Plus I agree that Staal + Kovalchuk were amazing together when Staal won his All-Star MVP, I’d love to see that nightly.

to Atlanta.
Ray Whitney
Joni Pitkanen or Tim Gleason
Eric Cole / Samsonov / Larose (Any signed player minus the Staal/Ruutu/Jokinen/Sutter)
Drayson Bowman
our 2011 1st round pick (next years)

to Carolina:
Ilya Kovalchuk (signed)
Tobias Enstrom

Now of course I’d only do this if:
1) Kovalchuk was willing to sign for a $8-9 million a year contract long term. The extra forward we throw in (Cole/Samsonov/Larose) is more of a salary dump to make room.
2) Whitney probably couldn’t be re-signed unless he took a big discount.
3) Pitkanen/Gleason would be the centerpiece of the deal, it would be a hard loss to deal with but Enstrom is capable and in this plan we would likely take Fowler in the draft to be our long term replacement.
4) Staal/Kovalchuk for the future? That first next year would be the 30th pick in the draft anyway (haha), I could deal with losing it. Especially after picking up a Hall/Seguin/Fowler type guy in the draft this year.

by JussiJuice on Feb 4, 2010 11:33 AM EST reply actions

Oh I forgot that Brindi would also have to retire to make budget space. So financially (actual money) the long term swap would be:

Kovalchuk – +$9 million a year long-term
Enstrom +$3.75 million a year for the next 4 years
Total In $12.75 million

Whitney – $3.5 million
Pitkanen/Gleason – $3 million ($4 for Pit or $2.75 for Gleason)
Cole – $2.9 million
Brind’Amour Retires $3 million
Total Out $12.40 million

by JussiJuice on Feb 4, 2010 11:40 AM EST up reply actions