Ilya Kovalchuk: Kovalchuk a Free Agent After NHL Wins Arbitration Hearing
August 9th, 2010 by Mark Ritter Leave a reply »Numerous on-line publications are reporting that Independent arbitrator Richard Bloch has ruled on the 17-year, $102 million Ilya Kovalchuk contract and the that NHL has won it’s case.
As a result, Kovalchuk’s deal is now null and void and the talented Russian is now a free agent...again!
The NHL had challenged the Kovalchuk deal on the pretense that the contract circumvented the NHL’s CBA. While many suspected the NHL would have difficulty proving their case, it appears as if Bloch, like so many other NHL fans, was able to see the Kovalchuk deal for what it was—a joke!
Kovalchuk’s 17-year, $102 million deal would have seen the sniper retire at the age of 44. Needless to say, nobody was buying that Kovalchuk would play until he was 44, in fact, given the deal was largely front-loaded, it was thought that Kovalchuk would walk after roughly $96 million was earned or around the ten year mark.
While Kovalchuk is considered a free agent now, it does not mean the Devils are out of the Kovalchuk sweepstakes. The Devils may choose to sit back down with Kovalchuk and his agent in an effort to re-do the ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Mark Ritter
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