NEWARK, N.J. - Unlike the NBA's LeBron James, the biggest prize on the NHL free-agent market isn't moving.
Ilya Kovalchuk is staying with the New Jersey Devils, agreeing to a staggering 17-year, $102 million deal.
Kovalchuk's agent and the team announced Monday that the high-scoring left winger has agreed to stay with New Jersey, ending weeks of speculation where the league's leading goal scorer since 2001 would be skating next season.
"This was a long arduous process that has taken frankly a little longer than I thought," agent Jay Grossman said in a telephone interview. "But you know what, nothing is worth anything unless you work for it. I can tell you he is very happy to be with the New Jersey Devils."
The deal is somewhat salary-cap friendly for the Devils, who will absorb an annual hit of $6 million - the average amount per season.
Kovalchuk will earn $6 million each of the next two seasons, $11.5 million for the following five seasons, $10.5 million in the 2017-18 season, $8.5 million for the 2018-19 season, $6.5 million in 2019-20, $3.5 million in 2020-21, $750,000 the following season, and $550,000 for the final five years of the unprecedented deal.
The Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Devils and SKA St. Petersburg of Russia's Kontinental Hockey League talked with Kovalchuk after free agency started on July 1.
The Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Devils and SKA St. Petersburg of Russia's Kontinental Hockey League talked with Kovalchuk after free agency started on July 1.
"Obviously his goal is to win the Stanley Cup. If he didn't think there was an opportunity to do that, then he would not have gone there," Grossman said.
Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello, and coach John MacLean didn't return telephone messages seeking comment.
Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello, and coach John MacLean didn't return telephone messages seeking comment.
Top-line forward Zach Parise believes that Kovalchuk will be much more comfortable with the Devils next season when he is with them for the entire year.
"It'll make a big difference," Parise said. "You are throwing someone in midseason when sometimes it is tough when you are comfortable with certain situations."
"Just the way the seasons have ended the last three or four years, there has been a lot of disappointment out there," Parise said. "Lou looks like he's really striving to make changes and get things going in the right direction, because we have not been performing the past few years when it counts."
