Kovy trade: Devils had depth to deal, Flyers didn't
An NHL source tells us the Flyers were never a serious player in the sweepstakes for Atlanta superstar winger Ilya Kovalchuk, a potential unrestricted free agent after the season who was dealt to New Jersey Wednesday night.
Kovy trade: Devils had depth to deal, Flyers didn't
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
An NHL source tells us the Flyers were never a serious player in the sweepstakes for Atlanta superstar winger Ilya Kovalchuk, a potential unrestricted free agent after the season who was dealt to New Jersey Wednesday night.
Kovalchuk, who has 31 goals, turned down two mega offers from the Thrashers (12-years for $101 million, and seven years for $70 million), causing Atlanta to send him to the Devils _ and strengthening one of the Flyers' top rivals.
Atlanta had shown interest in Flyers' wingers James van Riemsdyk and Scott Hartnell, along with defenseman Braydon Coburn. Hartnell has a no-trade clause.
Instead, the Thrashers will receive defenseman Johnny Oduya, rookie forward Niclas Bergfors, junior prospect Patrice Cormier and New Jersey's first-round pick in the 2010 draft. Defenseman Anssi Salmela, traded by the Devils to the Thrashers last March for Niclas Havelid, will return to New Jersey as part of the deal. The teams will also flip second-round picks.
In the end, the Devils, who have the NHL's 21st-ranked offense, had the depth _ and the cap space _ to make the deal. The Flyers didn't.
With the trade, New Jersey has bolstered its sagging offense and could become a Stanley Cup champion _ much like the 1999-2000 team after it made a similar deal that brought another Russian sniper, Alexander Mogilny, to the Devils.
The Flyers will face the new-look Devils on Monday in Philly, and Wednesday in Newark.
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Defenseman Matt Carle (3 goals, 21 assists, plus-14) was bypassed as a replacement for the U.S. Olympic team Wednesday.
Anaheim’s Ryan Whitney (4 goals, 20 assists, minus-7) and Carolina’s Tim Gleason (5 goals, 10 assists, minus-2) were selected to replace the injured Mike Komisarek of Toronto and Paul Martin of New Jersey.
Like Gleason, Carle is a superb shot blocker.
Good. Don't want a rental player when more times than not the rentals don't make a real difference and we've got nothing come July 1st.— pizano13
Hartnell wouldn't waive his no trade clause, killing the trade.— primo- The Flyers don't need Kovy, they need a grinder, a scorer, someone they lost last July-Knuble. Hartnell was to be that player but his game is unpolished and too unproductive. Hartnell's game makes him no better than a 3 line but they have been hoping for 1 line production. My bet before seasons end Van Riemsdyk and Hartnell flip in line assignments.— keith7470
Kovalchuk would be just as handicapped by the bias as any other flyer. The Devils gave up 3 talented young players for a 3 month rental, knowing their window to win the cup ends with Brodeur's retirement.— Pelti- finally, a round of comments that inject some sanity into this mess. whether we like it or not, we're stuck with this team. we certainly weren't complaining about the offense when carter posted 40+ goals and richards 80+ points last season. the problem was defense, and that was addressed by the signing of pronger. certainly, the flyers surrendered a lot to get him, but it solidified the defense and that has shown. nobody thought at the beginning of the season that the flyers would need to be in a position to trade for kovalchuk, which was good because they didn't have the assets to do so anyway (they went all-in for pronger, after all). we can't lose sight of the fact that kovalchuk is at most a rental, and at least a very, very expensive FA signing that the flyers do not have cap room for. blame holmgren for past transactions leading to this point, but don't blame him for not signing such an expensive player.— pidginwedge
- Kovalchuk is a good player, but doesn't have a lot of playoff experience. Besides problems with D last year, Flyers offensive players all put up impressive regular season numbers, but disappeared in the playoffs. No reason to believe Kovalchuk will have all the answers in the playoffs, and its not worth mortgaging the future or taking a huge cap hit to find out.— cnova000
- Who cares if Kovie is a rental player. What the Devils gave up was nothing. Odullya is not that good, Bergfors has fallen into Lamaire;s doghouse and is in a goal drought. Cormier is suspended and can't play in the minors until next year. They gave up their #1 pick which will be 25 or 26th pick, flipped their #2 pick with the Thrashers. Woth the gamble, Lou.— navonod
- The Flyers should be able to get Whitney for a lot less, and he is a better fit for this team. If they are going to compete against the Devils, they need to get Whitney asap.— jdeang
- All good points,but damn why did it have to be the Devils?— Nunzscar
- at least it wasn't the rangers.— birdfannnj
- wow, did all of the people who don't understand hockey post here? head over the other article for better comments.— MichaelZoe
- Hey Zoe, enlighten us on your hockey knowledge. The Flyers would have had to give up Briere or Carter, Van Riemsdyk or Giroux, a prospect like Marshall, and a one we don't have for a rental who is not a good locker room fit on any team. He is streaky like any other player. The Devils may get 20 goals or 5. Does anyone remember the Adam Oates trade? Zoe does not.— keith7470
- Hartnell has a no trade clause, so does Gagne, two guys that are playin like they hold all the cards. If I was Paul Holmgren I would go to them and say lift your no trade clause or start earning your money cause outside of Richards and Carter, they need these guys to start putting the puck in the net. You could add Brierre to that list as well.— Fabulous
didnt want him. glad he didnt go to the Pens or Rangers. So unlike the Devs— Inchon- Fabulous - At least Briere scores goals. When was the last time Hartnell had a positive impact on a game? All he does is take dumb penalties..— gallen024
- Exactly gallen024, I dont think our core group in general has that nastiness and competitive edge to compete in the playoffs. Its obviously not coaching as we are seeing the exact same things from this team we saw with Hitch, Stevens, and now Lavi. Win three, lose two, and its always against teams below them or they lose against the upper echeleon teams. Lets face it, the Flyers are a mediocre team. If they have a chance at the cup it will be because of a miracle, out of body performance by all 20 skaters. I love this team but I dont see them being able to compete against a Washington, Pitt, Buffalo, NJ in a 7 game series.— Fabulous
Gonna be tough watching Kovie in Devs uniform, but there is NO way he re-signs there. Homer needs to find some way to unload one of Briere, Hartnell or Gagne by the deadline, if only for the cap space. It's known Gainey wants to trade one of his young goalies, and he's always a sucker for a french-canadian -- could Homer use Jedi Mind Tricks to get Gainey to take Briere+ for Halak? Halak is going to be an elite goalie; the type we haven't had since Hextall or before.
we need a grinder! ha! thats hilarious— jamarder- I can't believe the money he turned down. Did'nt hockey get in trouble before from crazy salaries?— Bustleton guy
- When are you people going to wake up. The Flyers have no chance of winning a Stanley Cup no matter what they do. They will be very lucky to make the playoffs. And if they do it will be first round goodbye.— rich729
- Hi Sam just getting around to your evaluation of the good fight by Laperrier (sp) and how it was such a great decision and a game changer and this that and everything. How about the guy from the 'Canes did he make a BAD decision ?— Stang59
