This is the first post of the new hockey season, on a blazing hot day, in the beginning of July.
API, Sports Illustrated and the New York Post are reporting a blockbuster event in hockey. It seems that Ilya Kovalchuk is about to re-sign with the New Jersey Devils for $60 million over a seven year term. A month ago, nobody in the hockey world would have thunk this possible.
The details will be widely reported elsewhere, and the prospect of Ilya remaining with the Devils will not be certain until the last phone call has been made and the last page of a contract has been signed. But his agent, Jay Grossman (of PuckAgency), indicated that July 5th was D-Day, and that Ilya's future would be announced today. So, how could this have happened? Here is one hypothesis.
Ilya Kovalchuk is represented by PuckAgency in Briarcliff Manor NY. Two weeks ago, the Devils announced the acquisition of two other players, Johan Hedberg (goalie) and Anton Volchenkov (defenseman). Guess who represents Hedberg and Volchenkov? PuckAgency, of course!
Could it be that Lamoriello and Grossman worked out a deal which would kill three birds with one stone? The Islanders were (or still are, as of this writing) in the running. But uncertainly clouds the future of the Isles, who have been reported to be looking for a move to Kansas City if a new arena is not build to replace the Nassau Coliseum. Would Kovalchuk risk playing in KC after his experience in Atlanta?
By the time the newspapers hit the stands on Tuesday, July 6th, the hockey world will know if the rumors are true. If they are, a lot of fans in the Garden State are going to be buying #17 jerseys for the fall. If not, API, Sports Illustrated and the New York Post will have a lot of "splainin to do".
Hockey Rules!
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