When dealing for the biggest unrestricted ever, it’s folly to think the wannabes aren’t going to join the fun.
The Devils’ waiting game has given the lowly Islanders the chance to at least advance their name brand, if not actually entice Ilya Kovalchuk to join them for an improbable Stanley Cup bid.
Kovalchuk has made a point of wanting to play for a contender, but the Isles’ reported 10-year, $100 million offer might be enough to make the 27-year-old consider the once-proud franchise that has not won a playoff round since 1993. At the very least, it could be leverage to play against his two principal suitors, the Devils and Kings.
The Islanders actually need to make another big signing to reach the collective bargaining agreement’s minimum payroll and are said to have to thrown a monkey wrench into the cozy little standoff between the Devils and Kings, each thought to be bidding $7 million per season.
Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello told The Post yesterday, “I’m still here [in the office], I’m not on the beach,” when asked if he was still negotiating for Kovalchuk. He said the Devils are “not necessarily” on hold waiting for Kovalchuk’s decision before making other moves.
Kovalchuk came to the Devils in a Feb. 4 trade after spurning offers from the Thrashers of $70 million over seven years and $100 million over 12 years. Those figures seem unlikely to be equaled now, and the question may be where Kovalchuk prefers to play.
Reports from Russia claim St. Petersburg of the KHL has offered $10 million per season in a four-year deal. The Devils have some $4 million of cap space available, with five other roster spots to fill for a minimum of $3 million total. They can exceed the $59.4 million cap by 10 percent during the summer, but if they sign Kovalchuk, they would have to shed major and vital salary by opening day to get under the cap.
Meanwhile, the Devils are believed to have made a major bid for defenseman Dan Hamhuis, perhaps for more than the $27 million over six years he took from Vancouver. When the Devils learned Hamhuis was going to take less than top offer to play in his native British Columbia, they signed Anton Volchenkov for $25.5 million over six years.
On the other hand, it is believed the Devils signed backup goalie Johan Hedberg to a one-year, $1.5 million deal after he turned down a similar two-year offer from the Thrashers.