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Hockey Trades, Rumors & Signings The NHL always has a very active trading rumor-mill. Who is the next player to be shipped out? And who will be the next big free agent signing? Discuss NHL trade rumors and free agents.
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08-31-2010, 02:51 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Super Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 6,415
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If Kovalchuk Is A Devil, Could Zajac Be On The Way Out?
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/devil...k7bI0DSeRJvTfI
Quote:
t's difficult to fathom, but rumors are floating that Travis Zajac may be among the players the Devils will eventually sacrifice to get under the salary cap if Ilya Kovalchuk's $100 million, 15-year contract is approved by the NHL.
Conventional wisdom suggests Bryce Salvador ($2.9 million) and Dainius Zubrus ($3.4 million) are the obvious candidates to surrender for the $3-5 million in cap space the Devils would need to clear by the start of the season if Kovalchuk's deal is approved.
Zajac has been the Devils' No. 1 center for three seasons, since Scott Gomez departed, but New Jersey acquired Jason Arnott this summer, seemingly solidifying the pivot position that would again need help if Zajac departs.
Zajac, 25, signed a new deal last summer that has a cap hit of $3.89 million for the next three seasons. He is coming off his best season of 25-42-67.
The Devils signed Kovalchuk a second time on Friday, and the league could announce its decision on this one today. The NHL rejected their 17-year, $102 million deal signed July 19, and that voiding was upheld in arbitration Aug. 9.
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http://www.rds.ca/hockey/chroniques/305322.html
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According to several sources, the Russian player's contract, if approved by the National League, would be U.S. $ 100 million for 15 seasons, leaving the Devils $ 3.5 million over the salary cap.
If logic suggests trade Bryce Salvador ($ 2.9 million) and Dainius Zubrus ($ 3.4 million), the Devils, who have acquired the agent center Jason Arnott this summer might be tempted to divest Zajac, a finer bait Salvador and Zubrus.
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Moving Zajac would be a mistake, in my opinion.
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08-31-2010, 03:37 PM
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#2 (permalink)
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Assistant Captain
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 3,481
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It's tough to say. You could move Salvador and Zubrus for nothing, but Zajac could re-coup some prospects picks that were given up for Kovalchuk in the first place.
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08-31-2010, 06:00 PM
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#3 (permalink)
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How does this make any sense at all? They have little to no center depth as it is. He's only 25 years old, has had back-to-back 60+ point seasons, is one of the better defensive forwards in the game, has a very reasonable contract, and has proven chemistry with Parise. He's almost as untouchable as Parise or Brodeur right now.
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08-31-2010, 06:02 PM
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#4 (permalink)
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Enforcer
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 934
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The Devils never should've gotten involved with Kovalchuk to begin with. 6.6 million for 15 years? Yikes. Get me as far away from that as humanly possible.
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08-31-2010, 06:15 PM
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#5 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Where's Bure?
The Devils never should've gotten involved with Kovalchuk to begin with. 6.6 million for 15 years? Yikes. Get me as far away from that as humanly possible.
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It's a good contract through the prime of his career, it's after that I'm worried about. Besides, there is more to this contract than just his on-ice production. The Devils current ownership seems to have taken a more aggressive stance on doing business. They're looking to market a lot more (something the Devils have been severely lacking at before), and Kovalchuk is the kind of player they can market around. He'll bring excitement to their still relatively new arena. It's a changing of the guard that's going on with the Devils right now, and Kovalchuk is part of that. |
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09-01-2010, 03:03 PM
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#6 (permalink)
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Enforcer
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 934
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MadDevil
It's a good contract through the prime of his career, it's after that I'm worried about. Besides, there is more to this contract than just his on-ice production. The Devils current ownership seems to have taken a more aggressive stance on doing business. They're looking to market a lot more (something the Devils have been severely lacking at before), and Kovalchuk is the kind of player they can market around. He'll bring excitement to their still relatively new arena. It's a changing of the guard that's going on with the Devils right now, and Kovalchuk is part of that.
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Another left wing on their team by the name of Zach Parise was practically an American hero...he'd be easy money to put your marketing campagin behind.
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09-05-2010, 09:55 AM
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#7 (permalink)
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Enforcer
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 987
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Where's Bure?
Another left wing on their team by the name of Zach Parise was practically an American hero...he'd be easy money to put your marketing campagin behind.
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If the devils were going to be popular they would have been popular already. The devil's Cup 'parade' around their parking lot only drew 25,000 people. That's barely a sellout in their arena. From Lamoriello's point of view he's doing the right thing but people in the metropolitan area just don't have much interest in his team.
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09-05-2010, 11:22 AM
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#8 (permalink)
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Hockey Forum Sniper
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: EARTH
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Yes trade Zajac around. Right to the Maple Leafs 
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Wendel Clark skated to Bure and said: "If Odjick touches Gilmour one more time, I'll take YOUR head off!" Bure must have passed on the message. Odjick never touched me the rest of the game. - Gilmour
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09-05-2010, 03:00 PM
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#9 (permalink)
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Super Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 6,415
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Quote:
Originally Posted by viperstar
Yes trade Zajac around. Right to the Maple Leafs |
Send them Gunnarsson+. |
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09-05-2010, 03:24 PM
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#10 (permalink)
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Join Date: Aug 2004
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bless_D_Mess
If the devils were going to be popular they would have been popular already. The devil's Cup 'parade' around their parking lot only drew 25,000 people. That's barely a sellout in their arena. From Lamoriello's point of view he's doing the right thing but people in the metropolitan area just don't have much interest in his team.
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No, they prefer watching failure organizations like the Rangers and Islanders.  |
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If Kovalchuk Is A Devil, Could Zajac Be On The Way Out?
