The Ilya Kovalchuk rumour thread

We are 5 weeks and 5 days from the Trade Deadline (March 3) and Ilya Kovalchuk will surely be the most sought after player and upcoming UFA.

In pure speculation right now, here are a few teams I can see making a splash to try and acquire the all-star sniper.

Let's assume the price is two 1st round picks (the same that Kessel and Pronger got) + a top 6 roster player and a top prospect.

NASHVILLE:
They have the cap space, they have the players and prospects to get a deal done.

Could offer the two 1st round draft picks, defected Russian sniper Alexander Radulov and Cody Franson/Jon Blum

LOS ANGELES:
Have some flexibility cap wise, and definitely has the prospects to part with. Two 1sts, Alexander Frolov and Thomas Hickey/Voynov/Loktionov

MINNESOTA:
Two 1sts, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Cuma/Gillies/Scandella

VANCOUVER:
Two 1sts, Mason Raymond and Cody Hodgson

Thoughts or contributions?

Come on, let the speculation fly!!!! Where will he go? East or West? What will the asking price be? What will teams offer? Who can afford him?

Will Tampa enter with an offer of Lecavalier +? Will Dallas make a bid with Brunnstrom +? Can Colorado make a pitch with Svatos +?

Do you think a guy who's rumoured to want $11 million per season is going to get that much on the trade market?

I see him, more or less, getting a Marian Hossa package. Surely, Waddell is familiar with that return.

I bet Edmonton would pay him 11 mil ... and they do have the pieces to get him. Only question is how serious they are about acquiring a star?

Blazer wrote:I bet Edmonton would pay him 11 mil ... and they do have the pieces to get him. Only question is how serious they are about acquiring a star?

Let me guess? Their first round pick (guaranteed top 3 at this point), Eberle/MPS, Penner and Smid/Cogliano?

Doesn't that seem like too much to give up for the guy if they can't get him re-signed?

Edmonton would probabaly have to clear more cap space then just penner to sign him.

PKC wrote:

Blazer wrote:I bet Edmonton would pay him 11 mil ... and they do have the pieces to get him. Only question is how serious they are about acquiring a star?

Let me guess? Their first round pick (guaranteed top 3 at this point), Eberle/MPS, Penner and Smid/Cogliano?

Doesn't that seem like too much to give up for the guy if they can't get him re-signed?

Sure, but we are talking an Ovy-Malkin-Crosby type talent here.

Kovalchuk>>>Kane, Iginla, Nash, etc...

I am not sure he will get the money he is asking, at least certainly not from a contending team. The only teams that will be able to spend that much are teams that are rebuilding, and that contract would hinder any team from being a serious contender.

If he wants to win, there's no way he can ask for more than Ovechkin, which is a hell of a lot of money for one person. And Ovechkin has more accomplishments.

Isn't he considering leaving Atlanta because he wants to play for a winner?

Kessel got two 1st round picks and a 2nd round pick. Vanek would have cost the Oilers four 1st round draft picks. Chris Pronger cost the Flyers Sbisa, Lupul, two 1sts and a conditional 3rd, then was re-signed. Hossa got a return of two roster players a prospect and a 1st round pick. Surely Kovalchuk is better than any of those players.

Toronto. Only move left to set this franchise back on track.

Schenn, Hagman, Poni, Stalberg

Obviously you were joking, but the truth of the matter is Hagman has a NTC, we know Burke will not trade Schenn, and Atlanta would laugh at his trade.

Edmonton won't get involved, they are going to rebuild through the draft, plus it would be foolish to give up the possible first overall pick for a guy who would most likely bolt for free agency.

The LA Kings have been rumoured for a long time, and I feel if he's going anywhere, that's where it will be. He goes to an up and coming team (although I feel Atlanta is getting good as well) and he also gets to hide behind other LA stars.

If not LA, somewhere in the West.

Dash wrote:Obviously you were joking, but the truth of the matter is Hagman has a NTC, we know Burke will not trade Schenn, and Atlanta would laugh at his trade.

Atlanta is a small market team. I think they'd be happy to pick up four players with a lot of upside: a defenceman with a lot of potential, Hagman who's signed for a very affordable contract and has proven he can produce on a crappy team, Poni and Antropov have chemistry, and Stalberg is a prospect that they're expecting a lot from. If it took Schenn to get Kovalchuk Burke would trade him in a heart-beat. He'd be stupid not to. It's one thing not to trade Schenn for Tavares, but it's another thing not to trade him for a top-five in the league scorer. I really don't think this trade was all that bad. For all we know Kovalchuk doesn't get traded, and walks at the end of the year. Then they get nothing

Montreal, Halak and a 2nd.

No, seriously, I think this guy re-signs.

Kovalchuk will go to a western conference team.

No way he'll go to Toronto

Hoags wrote:Kovalchuk will go to a western conference team.

No way he'll go to Toronto

I don't know. No way Burke can justify missing the playoffs for the next three years. No first round picks, no one that good in the minors (Bozak and Kadri). It's going take an impact player to get the Leafs playing at an elite level.