Kovalchuk happy to be a 'Devil for life' - Signs 17 year/$102 million deal.

[Forkboy]

:wow:

NEWARK, N.J. -- After three weeks of surveying the scene, scoping out his options and visiting with a potential employer, Ilya Kovalchuk sat down with his family on Saturday and together they decided to call New Jersey home for what could be the rest of their lives.

Kovalchuk, who has been spending his offseason in South Florida, went to his local post office Saturday afternoon to receive the fax, sign his historic contract and send it in making him "a Devil for life."

With that, the curtain came down on one of the longest summer dramas in NHL history.

The Russian sniper, who has been called the best unrestricted free agent in the post-work stoppage era, signed a record 17-year contract worth a reported $102 million to remain in New Jersey.

He was re-introduced to the hockey world as a member of the Devils on Tuesday in a news conference attended by well over 50 media people, several teammates, including Zach Parise, Martin Brodeur, Patrik Elias and captain Jamie Langenbrunner -- as well as roughly 100 fans who were welcomed inside the Verizon Tower at Prudential Center to see it for themselves.

Kovalchuk scored 27 points for the Devils over the final 27 games of the 2009-10 regular season after being traded to New Jersey from Atlanta, where he spent the first seven-plus seasons of his career and was a two-time 50-goal scorer.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=534688

[Upton]

1. 17 years?

The Devils are alright, they're one of my favorite teams out of the East, but don't you think these long term contracts are getting out of hand? I mean, with Kovalchuk's deal, it's just all about adding years to minimize the salary cap hit.

[Forkboy]

2. It's an insane contract, and you're right about the reasons why.

Technically there's nothing wrong with it, but I wonder if the spirit of the whole thing counts for anything. I haven't heard any rumblings about looking into this kind of thing yet. I can totally understand why teams would want to go this route if they can, but it seems a little shady to me.

Having said that, I've been a Devils fan since the day Scott Stevens got traded to them. They're my 2nd fave team behind Boston, so I'm not going to complain too loudly, mind you.

[Cush]

3. NHL Rejects the deal

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=328025

The NHL has rejected Ilya Kovalchuk's 17-year, $102 million contract with the New Jersey Devils on the grounds that it circumvents the NHL's salary cap.

[Forkboy]

4. And there you go, just what Upton and I were talking about.

Thanks for the update!

[madinmaryland]

5. They should have just signed Harding and Kerrigan!

Much more satisfying to the eye!

:D

[Forkboy]

6. Not by much.

:rofl:

[joeybee12]

7. You are obssessed with figure skating, aren't you Brian boitano? n/t

[madinmaryland]

8. I wasn't the one posting a brazillion figure skating threads during the Olympics!

:D

[joeybee12]

9. But you wanted to!!!

:evilgrin:

[Onceuponalife]

10. In other news, Pope Ratzinger condemns Kovalchuk to Hell

for embracing Satanism.