What should the Nashville Predators offer for Ilya Kovalchuk?
by Dirk Hoag on Jan 11, 2010 12:05 PM EST
38 comments
An interesting idea has been proposed, and I want to get your input on this, Nashville Predators fans.
Down in Atlanta, the Ilya Kovalchuk contract negotiations continue to drag out, and with each passing day it becomes a little bit more likely that a deal won't happen there at all. If Thrashers GM Don Waddell becomes convinced of that, he'll open trade negotiations so at least he doesn't let the Russian sniper walk away for nothing.
So SB Nation's Atlanta blog, Bird Watchers Anonymous, is asking the obvious question - what would the trade market for Kovalchuk look like? And that's where you come in...
In the comments below, I want to get your input as to what the Nashville Predators would/should offer up in the Kovalchuk sweepstakes.
But first, some ground rules - keep in what Atlanta might want in trade (they already have plenty of goalies, thank you), and that as a pending free agent, this is strictly a 2nd-half and playoff rental. But you just know the asking price will be quite steep.
So what do you think, Preds fans? I'll try and put together a consensus package based on the discussion below and forward it to The Falconer Tuesday evening. So put your GM's hat on...
What should the Nashville Predators offer for Ilya Kovalchuk?
UPDATE: You can compare what's being discussed here with the conversation among other fan bases, as linked to from Bird Watchers Anonymous.
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Adding Kovalchuck to the team would completely disrupt any progress made in Barry Trotz’s “Band of Brothers” since the horrible start. It would be a more awkward fit than the Forsberg addition.
by Preds On The Glass on Jan 11, 2010 12:09 PM EST reply actions
come now
Play along! :)
I actually don’t think it would be that bad for team chemistry. And besides, if you have a chance to add one of the 5 best active players, you do it.
Now, considering that Rinne, Weber, Suter, and Wilson are likely our untouchables, and Erat, Legwand, and Arnott have NTCs and wouldn’t be good pieces for the Thrash anyway, that narrows things down considerably. I’ll go with this:
“rights” to Alex Radulov, or whatever that entails
Dan Hamhuis
Ryan Jones
pick (not sure where we stand on picks)
Thats what I think it would take for Waddell to seriously listen. Kovalchuk is an elite, once in a lifetime player.
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by Chris Burton on Jan 11, 2010 12:26 PM EST up reply actions
I agree with Chris (Hammer, Jones, Traitor and a pick) but the pick needs to be 2nd, 3rd round. If Atlanta wants more, just remind them that we already gave them Rich Peverly.
I still don't think that's a fair trade at all,
but if they would think it is, do it immediately!
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by Aditya T (smashville) on Jan 11, 2010 12:39 PM EST up reply actions
The thing is
The Preds don’t really have the pieces to make a good, fair deal with the Thrashers. They can’t have Weber, Suter, or Wilson. Period.
Dirk,
I have to think that in the right situation with the right money Radulov would come back. He’s too narcissistic not to.
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by Chris Burton on Jan 11, 2010 1:01 PM EST up reply actions
He may at some point, but until he commits to it, no sane GM would value his rights at all.
Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Radulov stays in the KHL. He’s got another year on his contract, and Sochi 2014 will be on the horizon. I’d bet he wants to position himself for a major role on the Russian team when they play the Olympics on home soil.
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Why can’t we trade Weber or Suter? We have so many promising D-men, who knows, maybe one of them could become their equal with the right chance. Trading one of our top D-men for Kovalchuk doesn’t seem like a bad idea to me.
Because they're our two best players.
Unless we know for sure that we can get better from the young ones, then they need to stay or the core of the team will crumble.
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by Aditya T (smashville) on Jan 11, 2010 2:50 PM EST up reply actions
But you have to be realistic. Face it, if you want a player like Kovalchuk you’ll have to give up something very valuable (a core player). Hamhuis, Jones, Radulov’s rights and a draft pick still wouldn’t be good enough for Atlanta.
Sorry but,
I would definitely keep both Weber and Suter rather than getting an offensive stud. Our team is based on the defense, and I believe that is how we will always be successful.
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by Aditya T (smashville) on Jan 11, 2010 2:56 PM EST up reply actions
That’s a good question, and the problem here is that Kovalchuk’s contract is up this summer, and he’ll want something like $10 million/year on a new deal.
To put that figure in perspective, that would cover the salaries of Weber, Suter, and Sullivan. Ouch!
So if we did look at getting Kovalchuk, it would probably be just for down the stretch this season and the playoffs.
Lots of folks are still stung by the Forsberg deal, which I think was the right move at the time, it just didn’t work out for the team. You’re right, though, to get a big-time scorer like Kovy something pretty strong has to go the other way.
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You don't give up core players for rentals
you give up prospects and picks; we have both. Trading Weber or Suter is counterproductive or a wash at best.
What I wouldn't give
For the Rich Peverley of this season…
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by Chris Burton on Jan 11, 2010 1:00 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t think Radulov’s rights are worth a wooden nickel right now in the NHL. There’s no indication that he intends to return to North America, so until that’s worked out, he’s worthless.
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This would be great...
but I don’t think it will happen. My gut tells me he’s headed to Boston.
by hockeydekefreak on Jan 11, 2010 1:36 PM EST reply actions
Not interested …. sorry. Never seen anything out of him to indicate he’d be a good team fit anywhere. If we were to make an offer there is no chance in making him a long term Pred … so we’d mortgage the future for a definite rental …. with our defensive struggles we can’t really afford to move an active blueliner, Blum and Ellis aren’t likely pieces of any deal ….
How do you end up with 604 points in 583 NHL games and still a -89 for a career? 1.04 points per game for …… 1.19 points per game against his team with him on the ice.
I agree with you
I’m not really interested in bringing Kovalchuk to Nashville unless we lock up him for a while, but this is an exercise to see what we’d have to give up, thats all. I don’t think anyone actually believes we’d ever pull it off.
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by Chris Burton on Jan 11, 2010 2:01 PM EST up reply actions
Regardless of cost...
…I don’t think he’d fit anywhere but in the 3rd or 4th line…a placement that I doubt he’d be happy with.
I agree with Chris that unless we can get a lock on him for more than just a rental player, maybe he’d be an assist to our team in terms of depth. Otherwise, though, I’m not sure I’d be willing to give up Jones or Hamhuis (emphasis on keeping Hamhuis, Jones will develop into a threat…he needs more ice time).
I have to say that I’m impressed with the way people just don’t drop everything to drool over the possibility of adding a 50-goal scorer like this, and take seriously his defensive liabilities.
One thing I’ll toss in, however, is that I would bet the Preds are better positioned to cover up for those liabilities than Atlanta is, and also that Kovalchuk scores a TON on the power play, which is particularly where Nashville needs help.
Give him all the PP work he can handle, and skate him with Legwand and Ward at even strength. I’d take that…
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On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.
Who would you send to ATL for him, Dirk?
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by Chris Burton on Jan 11, 2010 3:01 PM EST up reply actions
I was wondering whether I should chime in or not, but here goes:
Kevin Klein or Dan Hamhuis +
Jonathan Blum, Mike Santorelli or Cal O’Reilly +
2nd round pick
Perhaps allowing the pick to become a 1st if the Preds re-sign him to a new deal (often used in rental deals like this).
I doubt that would be enough to swing a deal, but that’s about as much as I’d be willing to give up. Just thinking of what the forward lines would look with him in there, it’s a pretty enticing daydream to engage in!
More fun than a stick to the face!
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.
This is one of the first reasonable things posted
I say Blum, Santorelli, and a 2nd, but I’m not convinced Ellis or Blum wouldn’t be an upgrade on Klein or Hamhuis NOW.
Put Kovy on the Legwand line and we’re suddenly looking for a shutdown line …. Kovalchuk is that much of a liability.
He cost $10k per day more than any player on our roster, the Thrashers biggest need is defense with Kovy … they’ll probably want a roster (pref top 6) forward plus a top 4 d-man plus picks/prospects. Huge financial cost and roster impact for a guy who would only be around a couple of months.
For comparison .. Kovy’s daily salary is more than Tootoo’s, Smithson’s, Bouillon’s, Rinne’s, Hornqvist’s, Klein’s, Belak’s, and Jones’s combined.
Assuming the Preds are willing to pay Kovalchuk, then it’s a worthwhile trade because he’s a guy who’ll bring more fans in and he can score goals. but like all trades, It all comes down to whether or not Poile is willing to move the prospects, players and/or picks to do so.
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by Kevin Sellathamby on Jan 11, 2010 2:53 PM EST reply actions
Name players have never increased attendance. The “Forsberg bump” began a month before the trade and has been replicated every season since at the same time.
Name players have never increased attendance?
Do you mean in Nashville or league-wide?
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by Chris Burton on Jan 11, 2010 5:05 PM EST up reply actions
kovy for dumont and young D
well atl will want a core player in return for Kovalchuck, and they always need defense, and they need it all cheap. so why not dumont and franson or sulzer. with kovalchuck we’ll have a better set up man than dumont and will free up a spot on our top 2 offensive lines, and Atl will get an offensive contributor in return. and franson and sulzer have both proven their worth this season and would definitely improve their sorry defense.
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by Aditya T (smashville) on Jan 11, 2010 7:29 PM EST up reply actions
JP Dumont
Has a no trade clause, so that won’t work.
While I somewhat agree with your premise, that would not be enough to acquire Kovalchuk. Try again, though, and just so you know, Erat, Arnott, Legwand, and Dumont cannot be traded. And Poile wouldn’t trade Suter or Weber.
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by Chris Burton on Jan 11, 2010 7:36 PM EST up reply actions
How are we deciding what gets sent to the Thrasher's blog?
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I will assume dictatorial powers to come up with something reflecting the discussion…
More fun than a stick to the face!
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.
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