The Penguins today reacquired Alexi Kovalev today from the Ottawa Senators for a conditional 7th round pick in the 2011 entry draft. The pick could change to a 6th round one if the Penguins advance beyond the first round of this year’s playoffs and if Kovalev plays in 50% of the games while he is here. Kovalev, who was a member of the Penguins from the 98/99 season until the 02/03 season scored 149 goals during his stay here and racked up 198 assists. He was traded away to the New York Rangers during the 02/03 season playing one more season for them followed by five for the Montreal Canadians and the past two for the Ottawa Senators. It will be interesting to see if his two down season’s in Ottawa had more to do with age catching up with him or from being surrounded by a lack of talent on the Ottawa team.
Kovalev carries a pretty hefty salary of $5 million this season of which Pittsburgh will be responsible for $1,209,677. What is interesting about this trade is that it pretty much uses up all of the available funds that the Penguins have to spend at the deadline, and it is only because of Sidney Crosby being on Long Term Injured Reserve that the Penguins had this money to spend at all. What’s that you say? What about Evgeni Malkin‘s injury? Well folks, that doesn’t kick in until March 4th as you have to miss 11 games before you can be on LTIR. That means that the earliest Crosby can return now is March 5th against Boston.
If we see the Penguins make any more moves before the end of Monday’s trading deadline that don’t involve us losing a player or trading away more salary than we get back, then there will be no simpler way of saying that Crosby will not be back until at least the playoffs when the salary cap no longer is in effect.
My only question is, why would the penguins aquire a rental like kovalev if they did not expect crosby to return? Why do anything if you didn’t expect his return? I understand the numbers and all but if he wasnt expected back why wouldn’t you just continue to develop talent and look at next year? The kovalev deal to me proves he will be back this year!
Because return of Crosby or not, the Penguins will make the playoffs. The team makes millions of dollars for every home playoff game they play. If Kovalev can help them get through the first round, that’s a minimum of 2 more home games they would get in Round 2 and that many more millions of dollars in their cofers.
You are both absolutely right. I still firmly believe that they acquisition should not have happened. I personally don’t think Kovalev has anything left in the tank to offer the Penguins, and that too many people still think he is the same Kovalev from 3,5,10 years ago. I think he eats up too much of the available money we had left to spend on players. I realize that we gave up less than nothing to acquire him, but I would much rather have seen his cap dollars used in a better way. Do I hope I’m wrong now? Hell yes, but I really was hoping Penguin management was smarter than this.
Pronovost… I not all Lady Gaga over getting Kovalev but it hardly signifies that Crosby isn’t returning. While your scenario about when Malkin’s LTIR kicks in is true and it would most likely force us to lose a player if someone significant was picked up – that’s what usually occurs when trades are made at the deadline. Players are usually involved in a trade.
March 5th is about a week away, not months away. If Shero does pick up a significant player (salary wise) without trading a player or an equal move of some kind then I’d agree Crosby won’t be back this season. Otherwise, you like the rest of us won’t know until 3:05 on Monday.
Also if you have a better way for Shero to use that cap money have you put THAT opinion out there?
On the other side – I’m not saying you don’t know better than Shero either!
Boom… Boom… Boom…
Yeah you said “IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN”. Haha. I think the best player to play right wing in penguins system is corey perry. That will never happen though. Let’s hope neil does what ponikarovski did not.
Arent you the same writer that previously stated that there was NO CHANCE they would get Kovalev and to trust you that it will NOT happen. Just wondering if you learned anything from this if you have any comment on whether I should trust anything you ever write again.
The Penguins may have a tiny bit of wiggle room, with sending a player down or trading a player. At most they could pick up a role player off waivers or would have to make a trade. But without doing that Shero is most likely has under 1 million in cap space left. If Shero does make a big move (picks up a player above 2-3 million) without trading away salary, then most likely he is either aware that Crosby is not coming back or plans on putting Kovalev on waivers until the playoffs once Crosby does come back which at the earliest would most likely be a week or two before playoffs. It is being said that if Crosby just started working out now, he would be lucky to be able to get into game shape before the playoffs begin in April anyway.
This is untrue. All we’d have to do is send down Sterling, Vitale, Craig, etc. and we’re fine to pick up another salary. But hey, glad you have intelligence to make a post without fully researching things.
You also fail to take into effect that we could easily waive Rupp, Asham, etc if it really came down to it with our abundance of bottom 6 depth.
I am so glad you are not the GM of the Penguins. Craig has already been sent down to the minors, and Sterling and Vitale’s salaries add up to about nothing. Asham can’t be waived while he’s injured, and merely waiving a player doesn’t free up their salary. You have to send them down to the minors. You still have to pay them, but hey as long as YOU are spending Mario and Ron’s money, why not?
Yeah, I’m starting to think Krundle was right when he said there should be some kind of hockey intelligence test before you are allowed to post on this site.
Our abundance of bottom 6 depth???? I guess Sam’s plan is also to play with 17 guys instead of the full 20. I think what he fails to see is that those players all being up for the temporary injuries to Kunitz, Letestu and the rest are all ready eating away at the LTIR injury money.
Awesome on Kovalev!!! I was saying last night I think Shero’s not done with trades, and we need some offense, and we need Kovalev!! Sad to read it puts Crosby’s return in doubt. I happened to come upon a TV show late last night, talking about concussions, and unfortunately, it said that it’s REALLY bad to get one, go undiagnosed (winter classic?), then suffer a repeat. Prayers going out to Crosby for a full and healthy recovery!! Take Care Sid, and Go Pens!!