Lou Lamoriello said today he would trade for Ilya Kovalchuk again, even knowing the Devils would fail in the playoffs, and the team will “make every effort” to sign the free agent.
“There’s no question he is someone that we would like to re-sign,” Lamoriello told WFAN. “We’ll make every effort.”
Kovalchuk turned down a 12-year, $101 million deal from the Thrashers before he was traded to the Devils, so Lamoriello knows he won’t come cheaply. And with young stars and prospects eventually needing to be paid, Lamoriello knows he is somewhat limited.
“We have to make sure that we don’t do something we will be sorry for,” he told hosts Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts. “You have to make every decision for today, but tomorrow comes awfully quick.
“(If you’re not careful), you won’t have a hockey team, you’ll have a couple of players.”
Lamoriello traded Johnny Oduya and Nicklas Bergfors to Atlanta in the deal for Kovalchuk, who was expected to help the Devils get deep into the playoffs. But they lost in the first round for the third straight season.
“We would make that trade over again, even knowing the end result of what transpired,” said Lamoriello, who praised Kovalchuk’s talent, work ethic and dedication to the team.
Kovalchuk is not expected to sign before he becomes unrestricted July 1.