The National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) responded to the NHL"s rejection of the contract between Ilya Kovalchuk and the New Jersey Devils signed last Monday, July 19 by filing a grievance on July 26, the last day in which they could do so.
The NHL, however, seems just fine with that,: "The grievance is not surprising or unexpected," the league's deputy commissioner, Bill Daly, told NHL.com on Monday July, 26. "We welcome the opportunity to establish our position before the arbitrator."
Rejection of $102 million Contract Has Left Kovalchuk and Devils in Limbo
The contract had called for Kovalchuk to earn $102 million US after playing 17 more years, which would have taken the Russian sniper to the age of 44. The last player with a knack for scoring goals like Kovalchuk who played that late was Gordie Howe, who retired in 1980 at the age of 52. Howe, however, had a tough element to his game that Kovalchuk cannot match.
The contract Kovalchuk signed was loaded with money up front and not so much toward its end, as in the last few years of the contract he would have reportedly made only $550,000. The averaging out of the contract was keeping the yearly salary cap hit down for New Jersey.
NHLPA Releases Written Statement on Kovalchuk Contract at 10:30 a.m. (P.S.T.)
This is a written statement released by the NHLPA's Jonathan Weatherdon on Monday morning (PST): "The NHLPA has filed a grievance disputing the NHL's rejection of the Standard Player Contract between the New Jersey Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk. Under the terms of the CBA, the NHLPA and Mr. Kovalchuk are entitled to an expedited resolution of this matter. The NHLPA will have no further comment until this matter has been resolved by an Arbitrator."
Daly also said on Monday that there was "no defined timetable at this point" for a resolution but that the NHL would work with the PA "to ensure an expeditious resolution of this dispute." The process will take time, however, as both the NHL and the NHLPA must now agree upon the selection of an arbitrator and then the arbitrator will have 48 hours to review material before rendering a decision.
Should the arbitrator rule in favour of the NHL and void the contract Kovalchuk will again become an unrestricted free agent, free to negotiate with any team that has an interest in his services. Even with the contract signed last week the Devils needed to unload a player to get under the cap so they may not be able to pay enough in a restructured contract to keep Kovalchuk.
The other teams the former Atlanta Thrasher had reportedly spoken with include the New York Islanders and the Los Angeles Kings, who are said to have come close to signing Kovalchuk.
Marian Hossa, with Chicago, and Philadelphia's Chris Pronger, and others, have signed contracts that work under the same principle of a long term and more money up front but averaged out over the life of the contract for the cap hit. The NHL has not stated why they did not grieve those contracts.
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