Big Bad Blog
WEEI.com Blog Network
RSS
Kovalchuk the best thing that never happened for Bruins 07.19.10 at 5:52 pm ET
By DJ Bean

Seventeen years is a long time, but not too long for the Devils and all-galaxy winger Ilya Kovalchuk, apparently. According to reports, Kovalchuk will get in excess of $100 million dollars in a deal that will run longer than both World Wars and the American Civil War combined. The front office in New Jersey must have had a whale of a time trying to project how things will be in 15, 16, and 17 years. Today’s babies will be driving. Today’s children will be parents. Today’s parents will perhaps be grandparents.

And Kovalchuk’s contract will still be on the books.

The Bruins' offseason would have been a lot different had they pulled of an in-season deal for Ilya Kovalchuk. (AP)

The Bruins' offseason would have been a lot different had they pulled of an in-season deal for Ilya Kovalchuk. (AP)

So, as Devils fans celebrate the retaining of their top offensive threat and take to partying like it’s 2027, it’s quite amusing to think back to a time when fans wanted the Bruins to make a deal last season to acquire the then-Thrasher at any cost. The asking price for Kovalchuk during the season included the first-round pick the Bruins had acquired from the Maple Leafs in the Phil Kessel deal. Blake Wheeler‘s name also popped up in rumors regarding the two teams, though it’s difficult to project which players would have made their way to Atlanta in a deal. During the season it was quite apparent the pick would be at least a top-five-to-top-three pick, and thus the Bruins pulled out of the running due to an unwillingness to move the pick.

Five months and an outrageously lengthy deal later, it appears the Bruins made the right move by making no move at all with the Thrashers. They kept the pick, which ended up being the second overall selection, and got what many believe is a star in center Tyler Seguin. Once signed, Seguin will receive a salary of $900,000 in addition to performance bonuses, which means his cap hit during the life of his entry level deal could max out at around $3.75 million.

Seguin’s contract, should he become the player many expect him to be, will be good money for a potentially elite player. However, given the current cap disaster the Bruins are dealing with, many are wondering how they will even be able to stay under $59.4 million while paying the rookie (who, at age 18, has been alive just one more year than Kovalchuk’s deal will run) the bargain rate of $900,000.

The team has between $500,000 and $600,000 in cap space and, in addition to having to sign Seguin, are just over a week from winger Wheeler’s arbitration date. That situation could be rather costly, as Wheeler earned $2.8 million last season and a source told WEEI.com Monday that the two sides have made “no progress” on a deal to avoid arbitration.

Had the Bruins made a deal involving the Toronto pick for Kovalchuk during the season, not only would they be without the long-term benefits of Seguin, but they would have almost surely lost the winger on the open market. Trying to work out a deal to keep him in the fold would be a stray from what the current front office is used to, as history has shown that general manager Peter Chiarelli’s idea of a lengthy contract is the seven-year, $28.05 million extension the team gave to center Marc Savard in November.

Keeping in mind the team has long-term plans outside of Seguin and Wheeler, getting and keeping Kovalchuk — even if he did receive as long a deal as he got from the Devils and carried a $6 million cap hit — would have made a lot of the Bruins’ other plans a lot tougher. Who knows if they would have been able to give defensemen Dennis Seidenberg and Johnny Boychuk raises before free agency hit or whether they would have waited it out in hopes of making sure they could retain Kovalchuk. Forget about devoting any time to potential extensions for Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. Maybe Tim Thomas would have been forced to be expendable in a soft deal, thus making the goaltending situation far less stable. There are dozens of other combinations of undesirable cost-cutting maneuvers the Bruins would have been forced into just to make sure they had a chance at keeping the winger.

The Bruins should be applauded for having one of the better offenses for any team in the league. They gave themselves a chance to do big things by getting the pick from Toronto, and in keeping it, they may have avoided financial strife and roster catastrophe.

Read More: Boston Bruins, ilya kovalchuk, Tyler Seguin, Print  |  Email   | Bark It Up!  |  Digg It
  • Slugo

    The deal was for Wheeler, Stuart, and the Bruins #1 pick (no. 15). The hesitation from fans was for Stuart not for Wheeler or the pick. Nobody wanted to give up Toronto’s pick.
    If Chiarelli trades Savard just to keep Wheeler he should have his head checked. Chiarelli has done a decent job here but has made some questionable moves on a regular basis.

  • Deano

    I agree not making the move for Kovalchuk actually worked in Bruins favor. Ilya will be making too much against the cap to keep him on any roster. If there was no salary cap I would have made the trade of Wheeler, Stuart and the 15th pick.

    Maybe with Kovalchuk last year the bruins could have won the stanley cup. My reasoning is wheeler did nothing and Stuart was injured in the playoffs and they were pretty close to the conference finals.

    Any thoughts on a Savard for Kaberle deal, how does the money match up? Would Bruins have to add another piece to make the deal happen? It seems the phone lines between Boston and Toronto have been hot lately, and we need Kaberle more than we need Savard right now, especially if Kaberle is a smaller cap hit than Savard.

  • http://weei.com DJ Bean

    Deano,

    Kaberle, at $4.25 million a year, makes $243,000 more than Savard. He’s also in the last year of his deal. Though they have pretty similar cap hits, such a trade obviously would not improve the Bruins’ cap predicament. Something will have to happen to make room, but I wouldn’t bank on getting Kaberle back in any deal. Thanks for reading as always.

    -DJ

  • deano

    Yeah, you’re right Kabelre doesn’t make sense. I did not know his contract situation.

  • AJ

    I don’t get it. Savard was hurt and has his flaws but he is a bargain at around 4 million a year. I really like the team right now. trading savard would be a bad idea keep seguin at the wing in the first few years.

  • SEGUIN RULES

    Chuk is not even that good. Not a 2 way player. Worth about 5 mill x 4 years tops… Tons of publicity and posturing does not equal worth.. Pathetic how people are enthralled by publicity and think that equals dollars. Learn and respect the sport and end the absurd Blind Hero Worship..

  • BearSingingBlues

    I hear alot about Savard and Thomas moves, don’t get it, please take a look at team roster, 1 name sticks out Ferrence ,to much money to be tied to injury every damn game player. Get him out -add McQuaid and i’ll like our chances. Besides if we have the rookie at wing we could basically have 2 centers on ice at all times. I like it. Lack alittle in puck moving defensmen but utilize the that you got 2 centers on ice. Think coaches can figure out puck carrying plays, I’m not smart , but I could.

  • Brahmsian

    Would you believe one wishful thinker at NESN.com thought the Bruins could sign Kovy for $7 million a year? Most posters there weren’t that unrealistic, but too many were close. I made myself rather unpopular at that website with my frequent statements that Kovy was NOT coming to Boston at a price the Bruins could afford so other posters there should just forget about him. I got called “defeatist” and worse things seemingly hundreds of times.

    It got to the point where I winced whenever I saw “Kovalchuk” or “Kovy” in print.

  • http://www.blogabond.com/Comments/CommentPreview.aspx?CommentID=147858 Sherika Wheelen

    I imagine there are heaps of individuals like me, who happen across assorted strong blogs or web sites by chance. Your site seems to hold a great community and a strong blogosphere presence. Its good to hold interesting and different views on issues.

  • http://www.tyuiopas.com Regenia Bovio

    This is getting a bit more subjective, but I much prefer the Zune Marketplace. The interface is colorful, has more flair, and some cool features like ‘Mixview’ that let you quickly see related albums, songs, or other users related to what you’re listening to. Clicking on one of those will center on that item, and another set of “neighbors” will come into view, allowing you to navigate around exploring by similar artists, songs, or users. Speaking of users, the Zune “Social” is also great fun, letting you find others with shared tastes and becoming friends with them. You then can listen to a playlist created based on an amalgamation of what all your friends are listening to, which is also enjoyable. Those concerned with privacy will be relieved to know you can prevent the public from seeing your personal listening habits if you so choose.

  • http://www.cases-mate.com/ iphone case

    post to my blog?

Bruins Box Score
Bruins Schedule
Bruins Headlines
NHL Headlines