July 1: The Kings have officially announced the three-year, $18.75MM contract for Kovalchuk.
June 23: The Ilya Kovalchuk saga is finally over, and the Russian sniper has decided to move to Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms with Kovalchuk on a three-year contract, and will officially sign him on July 1. The contract will carry a $6.25MM cap hit.
Kovalchuk is returning from the KHL after five years away, but had several teams pursuing him right down to the wire. The deciding factor seems to have been the third season, which was the exact same thing that convinced fellow J.P. Barry client Patrick Marleau to go to Toronto at an advanced age. Kovalchuk’s deal is a 35+ contract, meaning that cap hit will be applied to Los Angeles regardless of whether the player retires or returns to Russia.
Marleau’s contract is a direct comparison as it came in at the same money value as well, and could be a blueprint for the bonus structure. Kovalchuk won’t be eligible for performance bonuses, as they can only be applied to one-year deals.
The Kings have struggled for several seasons in the offensive zone, and were after nearly every scoring winger on the market. Kovalchuk may be the best of the bunch of them, and it cost them only money to sign him out of free agency. He does come with obvious risk, but after leading the KHL in scoring and winning an Olympic MVP en route to a gold medal, there apparently was just too much reward available. Kovalchuk can immediately bring goal scoring ability and help the Kings powerplay, something that desperately needed another option for 2018-19.
Los Angeles is obviously trying to compete for the Stanley Cup right now, but there is plenty to be wary of as they move forward. The core of their team is made up of players in their thirties or close to it, and many of them are signed long-term. The only one that’s not is Drew Doughty, who could sign an extension as soon as July 1st. While that group could certainly find some success this season, it’s a precarious position the organization finds themselves in while their prospects continue to develop.
Kovalchuk left the NHL with 816 points in 816 games and could easily join the 500 goal club on this contract. With 417 through the first part of his career he was one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league every year. If any of that skill is still around, the Kings will be more than happy to pay him a contract of this amount.
He’s Russian. He thought Los was Las and the Golden Knights we’re giving him a contract. Simplest way to explain this.
Doug Wilson says thank you.
Rather have him than Thornton for 7 mill a season
I’m a kings fan…. and even I’m torn on this. It screams “goborik” again. Different style players… but both Long in the tooth. I’m ok with the idea of the signing… but that amount of money pretty much puts us at our limit. Probably no more free agent moves coming unless they are able to unload a couple contracts.. and I don’t see anyone taking on browns contract
Yikes. $6.3 mil cap hit for 3 years?
He better produce like he did before with that contract.
My thoughts exactly… and he doesn’t really help what the kings need. He’s a sniper, sure. But the kings lack speed/play making and the ability to create offense… he doesn’t help that at all. The game will be much too fast for him at this stage of his career to warrant that contract. Might be a sniper on the power play… but that’s gonna be about the only area he’s a factor
It not a bad move if we can bring back Slava To then we can trade others pice to get that cup
If they bring back Voynov the team would be looking really nice
Can’t afford to sign Slava & extend Doughty
I dont see Slava getting a big cap hit with his history
I agree his history no good u put him we can unload other player and u won’t get much in a trade for slava
Uh…well said
Whew, Boston dodged a bullet. But… now they might spend that bullet on Rick Nash, so Don Sweeney is still a dangerous dummy.
Agreed! Rick Nash does not fit in Boston. Rather they look elsewhere
Kovalchuck is definitely a risk at that cap hit, but with the League Cap increasing I think it was a risk worth taking. He gives the Kings another offensive weapon that they desperately needed. Playing with Kopi or Carter should increase his chances to reach respectable point totals. He doesn’t have the injury history like Gaborik did so that comparison isn’t really comparable.
I also like the idea of bringing back Voynov. He is an extremely talented defensemen, only 27 yrs old and can immediately step back in to a top 4 role like he was before the domestic situation. He was a key player in the Cup winning teams of 2011-12 and 2013-14. He wont command top dollar either after his past issues