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Kovalchuk Contract Conversations “Constructive” |
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There are certain things in life that you think you are right about…but hope that you’re wrong. Such is the case regarding the Thrashers and their efforts to re-sign their team captain Ilya Kovalchuk.
I think Kovy will not put ink to paper on a new deal with the team before the season starts. Instead, I believe he’ll wait to see how this team plays together…seeing if the tweaking it’s gotten this summer with the additions of Kubina and Antropov has in fact improved the squad as advertised.
But I hope I’m wrong…I hope he’ll do so before in order to spare the club any of the Hossa-esque drama it went through two years ago.
To that case, general manager Don Waddell has indicated that regardless of when Ilya will re-sign…he’s confided that the day will indeed come and that contract talks with the Russian forward have so far been “constructive”.
“We’ve had several face-to-face meetings”, Waddell told Atlanta Journal-Constitution beat writer Chris Vivlamore. “We’ve had some very long discussions”.
But have those talks been fruitful?
“I feel very confident” Waddell continued, “That at some point – I don’t know when that point will be – but at some point, we will get a contract done…I’m OK at this point because of the conversations we are having. If the conversations were broken off or argumentative, I would have a lot more concern”.
This is fairly interesting news to me given that Waddell and the Thrashers organization are usually as tight-lipped as can be when discussing any such on-going deliberations…and I consider that a good thing.
So, that Waddell is making such positive statements on the situation is welcome news to me…surprising…but welcome nonetheless.
You’ll remember that last season Kovy made it crystal clear that he wanted to see the team improve this offseason…and to get “tougher”. He also intimated that to retain his serves, ownership needed to take a crowbar to there wallets, dust off the checkbook and allow Waddell to spend a little more to bring is such help…and that Waddell needed to invest said money wisely to do so.
Ilya also lobbied heavily for the team to go after Nik Antropov. The Great Octocluster allowed Waddell to spend $4-million a year on the 6-6, 230 pound forward...and Ilya ot his wish.
Other acquisitions... such as the 6-4, 244 pound Pavel Kubina helped to add size to a defense desperately in need of such …and the 6-2, 239 pound Anthony Stewart added size, toughness and depth as well. During last June’s draft, none of Atlanta’s selections were below six-feet in height, again showing that the Thrashers of tomorrow will be constructed of players that can bring a physical presence as well as skill.
Hmmm…now there’s a concept.
Since then, the question has been…was it enough?
To me, that could only be answered one way…by seeing how the team performed on the ice during the season. And that is what I ultimately still think he’ll do…wait and see.
However, I just wouldn’t mind being wrong on this occasion.
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