He's a selfish POS who abandoned his teammates here in the US, made NJ lose a pick, only to chase money in the KHL. And he claimed the main reason was to be with family... then why does he want to come back?

It wouldn't bother me if they don't let him back in...
- WarriorHockey21

Russian economy is in a nose dive. He's not making nearly as much playing there anymore because the value of their currency.

I wonder if someone like Cam Fowler might become available. With the D guys there and emergence of Vatenen and Lindholm I wonder if a deal could be made with the Ducks.
- J35Bacher

I'd take him in a heartbeat!

You boys see OEL go Brian Leetch last night for his 20th? Pretty as a peach.
- Pixote Andolini

that was a bad ass goal. Talk about doing it all by yourself... lol he is literally the only offense that team has.

I wonder though if it would create a problem with the players association. Also if Russian prospects see this or players from SEL or other leagues maybe they stop coming over. Probably not but I wonder if it would open a can of worms by basically denying him from coming back
- J35Bacher

It could, but I don't think he did the players association any favors to begin with by pulling what he did.

If I am a franchise that he doesn't want to play for, especially in the same division/conference, why would I want to help a team get better by allowing them to add what is basically a star level player?

Russian economy is in a nose dive. He's not making nearly as much playing there anymore because the value of their currency.
- Moose_15

Exactly.

If I was Hextall my offseason goals would be to:

1) Get rid of Lecavalier and Umberger. Obviously this will be easier said then done, but I do believe Vinny gets bought out.

2) Fire Berube

3) Decide the fate of the remaining Dmen. I don't see the need for both Schenn and Grossmann. MDZ will be resigned, Shultz is here for 2 more years. AMac is going Nowhere. Streit could get moved.

4)Find a top 6 LW, prefered top line but sometimes you need to settle. Raffl can't be the best we have to offer on the top line.

5)Decide Brayden Schenn's fate. Where does he fit? You have Giroux, White, Schenn, Laughton, Cousins and Bellemare at C so who do you keep as your 4 Cs. Is it worth keeping Schenn as a LW?

When things are said and done I want our offence to look like this:

FA Winger - Giroux - Voracek
Schenn - Couturier - Simmonds
Raffl - White - Read
VDV - Bellmare - FA

It could, but I don't think he did the players association any favors to begin with by pulling what he did.

If I am a franchise that he doesn't want to play for, especially in the same division/conference, why would I want to help a team get better by allowing them to add what is basically a star level player?
- MBFlyerfan

With the Russian economy's issues, the KHL might not be a viable option. If I was the Flyers or another team there's no way I'd agree to let him come back.

He's a selfish POS who abandoned his teammates here in the US, made NJ lose a pick, only to chase money in the KHL. And he claimed the main reason was to be with family... then why does he want to come back?

It wouldn't bother me if they don't let him back in...
- WarriorHockey21

Devils (frank)ed themselves with the deal. They were the ones who wanted to back dive it to save money. Kovy wasn't fighting to have 6 years of $500k at the end.

I think Parise left because he wanted to. If the Devils made the decision to sign Kovy over keeping Parise then they're just idiots.

If I was Hextall my offseason goals would be to:

1) Get rid of Lecavalier and Umberger. Obviously this will be easier said then done, but I do believe Vinny gets bought out.

2) Fire Berube

3) Decide the fate of the remaining Dmen. I don't see the need for both Schenn and Grossmann. MDZ will be resigned, Shultz is here for 2 more years. AMac is going Nowhere. Streit could get moved.

4)Find a top 6 LW, prefered top line but sometimes you need to settle. Raffl can't be the best we have to offer on the top line.

5)Decide Brayden Schenn's fate. Where does he fit? You have Giroux, White, Schenn, Laughton, Cousins and Bellemare at C so who do you keep as your 4 Cs. Is it worth keeping Schenn as a LW?

When things are said and done I want our offence to look like this:

FA Winger - Giroux - Voracek
Schenn - Couturier - Simmonds
Raffl - White - Read
VDV - Bellmare - FA
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

I think Raffl is perfect for the top line, and what they need is a winger for the 2nd line.

Devils (frank)ed themselves with the deal. They were the ones who wanted to back dive it to save money. Kovy wasn't fighting to have 6 years of $500k at the end.

I think Parise left because he wanted to. If the Devils made the decision to sign Kovy over keeping Parise then they're just idiots.
- PhillySportsGuy

I imagine they wanted both -- but that was also a year when the cap went down for reasons I still don't quite understand.


EDIT -- it was the following year the cap went down -- which might've been a godsend for the Flyers if were then on the hook for what they supposedly offered to both Parise and Suter.

With the Russian economy's issues, the KHL might not be a viable option. If I was the Flyers or another team there's no way I'd agree to let him come back.
- Jsaquella

I think, though, one of the reports noted that if he sits out the entire 2015-16 season from professional hockey, he'd be eligible to return as a UFA in 2016-17.

I think Raffl is perfect for the top line, and what they need is a winger for the 2nd line.
- MBFlyerfan

Its kinda the reason I wanted to see them use Cousins in a winger role. We have a huge abundance of centers.. see what Cousins can do as a winger.

I imagine they wanted both -- but that was also a year when the cap went down for reasons I still don't quite understand.
- Moose_15

Yeah. The Devils (frank)ed themselves in this whole thing. Losing Kovy hurt, but let's not pretend they were really upset about getting out of this deal.

That teams problems run much deeper than one player. An empty farm system with poor development of players like Larsson.

I think, though, one of the reports noted that if he sits out the entire 2015-16 season from professional hockey, he'd be eligible to return as a UFA in 2016-17.
- Moose_15

Possibly, I thought that once a guy filed his papers he had to wait 5 years to return. Could be wrong, though.

Possibly,I thought that once a guy filed his papers he had to wait 5 years to return. Could be wrong, though.
- Jsaquella

http://www.thehockeynews....e-back-in-nhl-by-2016-17/


"according to the New York Post’s Larry Brooks, if Kovalchuk sits out an entire calendar year of hockey, he can re-enter the league without needing to receive approval"

If I was Hextall my offseason goals would be to:

1) Get rid of Lecavalier and Umberger. Obviously this will be easier said then done, but I do believe Vinny gets bought out.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

A Vinny buyout comes with a pretty big cap hit for three years. I doubt it happens this summer.

http://war-on-ice.com/captools.html

2015-16 2.889
2016-17 2.889
2017-18 2.389
2018-19 0.889
2019-20 0.889
2020-21 0.889

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/report-says-ilya-kovalchuk-could-be-back-in-nhl-by-2016-17/


"according to the New York Post’s Larry Brooks, if Kovalchuk sits out an entire calendar year of hockey, he can re-enter the league without needing to receive approval"
- Moose_15

In that case, I guess he can return.

Its kinda the reason I wanted to see them use Cousins in a winger role. We have a huge abundance of centers.. see what Cousins can do as a winger.
- jak521

I think that would take away from Cousins best attribute, his playmaking. If they are both on the team I think it's Laughton who shifts to wing.

A Vinny buyout comes with a pretty big cap hit for three years. I doubt it happens this summer.

http://war-on-ice.com/captools.html

2015-16 2.889
2016-17 2.889
2017-18 2.389
2018-19 0.889
2019-20 0.889
2020-21 0.889
- Feanor

If there's no way to trade him, I'd seriously consider biting the bullet and hope that the cap rebounds in a few years

Yeah. The Devils (frank)ed themselves in this whole thing. Losing Kovy hurt, but let's not pretend they were really upset about getting out of this deal.

That teams problems run much deeper than one player. An empty farm system with poor development of players like Larsson.
- PhillySportsGuy

I mean -- they did lose 2 firsts, 2 seconds, Johnny Odeuya and Nik Bergfors in the trade -- that'll deplete a lot of farm systems for a while. So the two issues aren't mutually exclusive.

When things are said and done I want our offence to look like this:

FA Winger - Giroux - Voracek
Schenn - Couturier - Simmonds
Raffl - White - Read
VDV - Bellmare - FA
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

I'd still like to separate G + V and create a harder defensive matchup.
UFA LW – Giroux – Simmonds
Schenn – Couturier – Voracek
Straka – White/Cousins/Laughton – Read
VandeVelde – Bellemare – White/Rinaldo

In that case, I guess he can return.
- Jsaquella

It's just a matter of when.

And I have no doubt some owner will take his/her chances on a pure shooting LW.

It's just a matter of when.

And I have no doubt some owner will take his/her chances on a pure shooting LW.
- Moose_15

I would have interest. The guy is a fantastic sniper

I mean -- they did lose 2 firsts, 2 seconds, Johnny Odeuya and Nik Bergfors in the trade -- that'll deplete a lot of farm systems for a while. So the two issues aren't mutually exclusive.
- Moose_15

They traded for him then resigned him in the offseason. They could have waited for the offseason to sign him. It's not like he gave them a discount.

It would be rally nice if the Flyers can get one of the bog wingers like Baun or possibly Ahti Oksanen.

I saw Casey Bailey signed with Toronto.