I am a Canucks fan and you are paying that much for a player that is not even in the NHL?


I love that trade for Vancouver!

There's a reason he didn't come back to the NHL last year.

I wonder if Kovo really has the heart to go through a NHL season and be effective. And is he really NHL good? Look at the lineups in the KHL, Look at the scoring leaders. Kovo lead the lead in points. The third leading point getter was Kovo, # 3 was Nigel Dawes. Leading goal scorer Nigel Dawes. Don't see teams falling over themselves to sign Dawes for 6m. (yes I know points and goals aren't always an indication of ability).

I thought the reason was due to NHL players not being sure if they would be able to play in the Olympics last year, and now that the Olympics are over Kovalchuk can come back

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/22794213/ilya-kovalchuk-aiming-nhl-return-5-years-away Seems pretty certain he will play at least one year to try and win a Stanley Cup. The discussion now seems like what team has the cap space and good chance of competing for the Cup next year. It is up to him since he is now a UFA, but I choose the Devils since I'm a Devils fan and him and Hall on the same line would be great.
Also I think he is much better than Dawes and it will help him that he is already proven to be a NHL star player.

(*Updated trade) I based that on Tryamkin's potential, plus he has been playing well in the KHL. So I think he will do when he comes back and Greene and Johansson are solid player but since I signed Carlson and Kovalchuk, for ~$13 million a year, the Devils would need to clear cap space,

He also couldn't go anywhere on his own decision since Jersey still has his rights.

If i'm not mistaken and i know i'm not on Kovalchuk, He wouldn't agree to come back to the NJD. That's why if he did come back to the NHL it was agreed that he would be dealt to a team of his own choosing. He wanted no part of the Devils at that time. Maybe things have changed now that they're playing better. But i see him going elsewhere.

Not anymore, if he comes back for 2018/2019 he will be a UFA. http://www.sportingnews.com/nhl/news/nhl-free-agency-2018-class-ilya-kovalchuk-khl-russia-olympics-devils-rangers/9h04nvhhxoyc1d8ealjmnmhoo

We're talking about last year. I know he isn't this year. He didn't come back last year because he didn't want Jersey to decide where he was going to play/not play in Jersey.

Yeah I heard that rumor circulating around after he didn't sign, or the Devils didn't sign and trade him at the beginning of the year, but some stories were saying that he didn't come back due to the fact that NHL players probably wouldn't be allowed to go to the 2018 Olympics. Now with that being over he seems intent on play at least one more year.
Also like you said the Devils weren't projected to do much of anything this year, so he defiantly did not want to come back and play for a team that might not even make the playoffs let alone be contenders for the Cup.

Oh my bad thought you were talking about this year. Also with the Devils playing more competitively this year it may change his mind on playing for them.

I trust Shero.