The National Hockey League and the NHLPA have set up an amendment to the rules that govern long-term contracts and, as a result, the Ilya Kovalchuk deal has been approved.

The deal between the New Jersey Devils and Kovalchuk is a 15 year deal worth $100 million. All that is left to finalize the contract is the paperwork. The Kovalchuk deal, given the new circumstances, will be the last of its kind.

So on to the amendment:

First, the amendment deal with long-term contracts. The NHL defines long-term contracts as deals that are five years or longer.

The first issue the NHL and NHLPA have dealt with pertains to long term deals extending past the age of 40. The contract’s average yearly value for the years leading up to and including the age of 40 will be calculated by dividing the total value in the aforementioned years by the number of years leading up to and including the age of 40.

Further, for deals covering beyond the age of 41, the cap charge each year will be equal to the value of the contract in that year.

Take a player in his mid-30s as an example. Let’s say that the player agrees to a contract that is seven years in length. The deal will expire when he passes the age of 41. The NHL, with the amendment just agreed on, will average out the first five years of the seven year deal and the total becomes the dollar amount divided by five years. The annual salary becomes the cap hit the team takes on and the player’s cap hit in the final years of the deal after the magic age of 40, would be the actual value of the contract.

Now the amendment also impacts long term deals agreed on when the player is of the ages of 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40. For those ages and those deals, the amount used for calculating the average annual value of the player is a minimum of $1 million in each of those years. This minimum average annual value is even in place if the player’s actual salary pays him less than $1 million during those seasons of the contract. Go figure.

In other words, a team could be taking on a cap hit for a player in such a long term deal of $1 million even if the player isn’t being paid $1 million. This is apparently to discourage the structuring of Kovalchuk-like deals that would pay a player a pittance in an attempt to front load the deal in the earlier years.

In any event, the Kovalchuk deal is through and the other contracts the NHL was looking into, like the Luongo and Savard deals, are also good to go. The new amendment comes into play to impact any contracts signed on or before September 3.

This new way of structuring long term contracts will most assuredly have impacts in the way teams build their organizations. Have we seen the end of the top-loaded contract in the National Hockey League? Or will new ways be fashioned to secure franchise players?

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

In a rather surprising turn of events, at least for me, the National Hockey League has rejected the deal I reported yesterday between the New Jersey Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk.

The NHL announcement was made just hours after Kovalchuk was introduced by the Devils at a press conference. The NHL says that the deal was rejected because it circumvents the league’s salary cap. The NHL apparently does not believe that the Devils organization had no expectations that Kovalchuk would be playing near the end of the lucrative contract.

It is, in other words, a way of artificially lowering the annual value of the contract and that’s a no-no.

The NHLPA now have the option to file a grievance with the NHL for the rejection and the process will go to arbitration. The contract, meanwhile, remains dead in the water.

The league has nosed around in this sort of top-loaded arrangements before and perhaps we had to expect, at least on some level, that something would be considered fishy about such a long contract offer. In the end, the NHL has decided that the deal wasn’t negotiated in good faith after all. Unlike the situations with Chris Pronger and Marian Hossa, there were a few red flags.

The CBA deals with the issue of circumvention in section 26:3 where it states in part:

(a) No Club or Club Actor, directly or indirectly, may: (i) enter into any agreements, promises, undertakings, representations, commitments, inducements, assurances of intent, or understandings of any kind, whether express, implied, oral or written, including without limitation, any SPC, Qualifying Offer, Offer Sheet or other transaction, or (ii) take or fail to take any action whatsoever, if either (i) or (ii) is intended to or has the effect of defeating or Circumventing the provisions of this Agreement or the intention of the parties as reflected by the provisions of this Agreement, including without limitation, provisions with respect to the financial and other reporting obligations of the Clubs and the League, Team Payroll Range, Player Compensation Cost Redistribution System, the Entry Level System and/or Free Agency.

Essentially the league found fault with the notion that the Devils actually had realistic expectations of Kovalchuk playing for the whole length of the contract. The CBA states that players signing contracts before the age of 35 can retire and have the balance of the contract be taken from the team’s cap. But the team has to make a good faith effort to ensure that the player doesn’t plan on skipping the balance of the contract just to collect the cheques.

So it’s likely back to the drawing board for Kovalchuk. It’s possible that the arbitration process may reveal something of use and it’s also possible that the Devils will augment the existing contract so that it fits under league specs. Regardless of what happens, the Kovalchuk saga still isn’t over.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Ilya Kovalchuk is staying with the Devils he knows. He’s signed a whopping 17-year deal worth $102 million to stay in New Jersey.

The league’s leading goal scorer since 2001 has finally ended ages of speculation, putting an end to seemingly countless possibilities about where he’d end up and for how long. Los Angeles, New Jersey, the KHL, the Islanders, and loads of other teams and places were on the radar, it seemed, and there was no end to the conjecture. Needless to say, it was kinda fun to play guessing games.

“This was a long arduous process that has taken frankly a little longer than I thought,” agent Jay Grossman said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “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.”

It is said that the deal came down to a showdown between the offers from the Kings and the Devils. There was no word on the final reasoning for Kovalchuk, but many are speculating that it’s because he thought New Jersey was made of better championship material. Having Martin Brodeur in goal has to be considered a possible drawing feature, too.

This means that Kovalchuk will finally be able to show his stuff as a Devil for an entire year, something that Zach Parise considers to be a major bonus. “It’ll make a big difference,” he said. “You are throwing someone in mid-season when sometimes it is tough when you are comfortable with certain situations.”

The deal breaks down as follows: Kovy earns $6 million for the next two seasons, then $11.5 million for the next five, then $10.5 in 2017-2018, $8.5 in 2018-2019, $6.5 million in 2019-2020, $3.5 million in 2020-2021, $750,000 in 2021-2022, and $550,000 for the last five years of the deal. Phew.

These sorts of massive year deals are becoming common ways for today’s managers to lock up key players. The length of Kovy’s deal with the Devils may be unprecedented, but the principle certainly isn’t. It’s a deal that makes sense in the long run for Lamoriello and his hockey club, too, because it enables them to kick him out in the latter years of the contract to smaller and smaller salary amounts.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Scott Niedermayer is ready to leave hockey on top of the world. Just four months after helping Team Canada seal the deal with Olympic gold, the superstar defenceman is hanging up his skates for good.

The Anaheim Duck will be finishing off an 18-year career in style, going out after winning four Stanley Cups and a small pile of medals and trophies. He now says that he’s “100% committed” to his decision to retire.

The plan currently is for Niedermayer to stick around the Ducks organization as a consultant to GM Bob Murray, continuing to help a team that he pulled out of obscurity upon his arrival. Niedermayer, together with Chris Pronger, helped Anaheim to its Cup victory in 2007 by logging nearly 30 minutes a game and finishing up with a Conn Smythe for his efforts.

He’s come a long way from his time on the New Jersey Devils, too. Niedermayer came into the league with a lot of hype and he earned every bit of it, controlling the New Jersey blueline with the elegant grace of a seasoned veteran.

Niedermayer will be remembered as a pure powerplay quarterback and as a class act. He helped both the Ducks and Devils motivate their defensive groupings from the back and helped control the offense at the same time, proving his versatility every single game. The fact that he has only missed the NHL playoffs twice as a player is a testament to his skill and leadership.

For the Ducks, the problem is not only an emotional one but a practical one. How will they cope with losing two star defenders in two years? How will they rebuild from having two of the best players leave the fold in relative succession? The torch will be passed, that’s for sure, and it’ll be time for youngsters to step up.

Even though his departure leaves a significant hole behind, Niedermayer’s loyalty will never be in doubt. Whether skating smoothly in a Team Canada jersey or a Ducks sweater, he’ll always be remembered as one of the finest defenceman in hockey’s modern era and a surefire entry to the Hall of Fame.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

The Philadelphia Flyers have surprised a fair number of people by knocking off the New Jersey Devils and becoming the first team in the post-season to advance in the playoffs.

It took a shootout victory against the New York Rangers to get them in, but once they were in the post-season the Flyers made a serious run for it and took out the Devils in five games. In a series that exemplified the heart of the Flyers team, both Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne broke their right foot blocking shots in Game 4 and Ian Laperriere needed 60-70 stitches to close a cut he suffered after, you guessed it, blocking a shot.

Team toughness was certainly big for the Flyers, so it’s a good thing they’ve got some time to rest up and prepare for the next round.

It’s no secret that the team had a rough go of it in the regular season. Hopes were high with the acquisition of Chris Pronger and even Ray Emery was brought aboard with some confidence, but injuries and underachieving play quickly became the story in Philly and coach John Stevens found himself out on his can. Peter Laviolette took over the post and things seemed to turn around slowly.

Injuries are still a problem, as Emery’s been out and so has Michael Leighton. It was up to Brian Boucher to step it up against Martin Brodeur and he wound up winning the goaltending duel. Allowing eight goals in the series and finishing with a .940 save percentage, Boucher certainly proved he was up to the task.

With a little bit of time to heal and review tape, the Flyers will be ready for the next round. They won’t have Carter or Gagne in the lineup and that’ll hurt, but other players have been stepping it up in the meantime. Being the last team to qualify and the first team to advance has got to feel good.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

As we reported here earlier, Ilya Kovalchuk is now a member of the New Jersey Devils. This sets into motion a series of compelling storylines and, suitably, closes a pile of other storylines.

Working on what we know, Kovalchuk wanted out of Atlanta. The first overall selection in the 2001 NHL entry draft had no interest in remaining a Thrasher and had no interest in investing any more of himself to the city of Atlanta than was necessary. While he never came right out and demanded a trade, there was no question that Kovy wanted out.

A player who wants to remain with a team typically doesn’t turn down two lucrative deals to stay there, as Kovy did with Don Waddell’s obscene pair of offers last fall. Even after rejecting those deals, Waddell wanted to keep his superstar. That’s why he peppered up a deal worth another pile of money to keep his player. The deal, had Kovalchuk signed, would have made the Thrasher the highest paid player in the National Hockey League.

With battles in the management in Atlanta and inconsistency on the ice, Kovalchuk’s desire to leave could hardly be blamed. In looking at the Thrashers, he saw what the rest of us see on a nightly basis: a team going nowhere. His dedication to the squad was nonexistent, so Waddell’s desire to keep such a player really brings up a few questions.

Why take such a risk? Why pay a player so much money if it’s clear he doesn’t want to play there?

That, it seems, is where the Devils came in. Obviously looking for a roster shuffle of their own, New Jersey has gone on a disappointing slide as of late and have had to contend with the loss of Patrik Elias. It’s not an easy picture in Jersey, so Lou Lamoriello knew something had to be done. With the Kovalchuk sweepstakes heating up, it was time to make something happen.

Lamoriello gave up Swedish defenceman Johnny Oduya, rookie forward Niclas Bergfors, prospect Patrick Cormier, and a first-round pick for Kovalchuk and defenceman Anssi Salmela.

So who wins?

Kovalchuk is obviously an impact player, but how well he’ll mesh with Jersey’s style remains to be seen. Indeed, the style question is probably the biggest question mark regarding this whole convoluted matter. Considering how desperate the Devils were for a roster repositioning, it may be possible that they’re also desperate to try new things on the ice too. But is now the time for experimentation? Is now the time to shift things up ice from a defensive-minded perspective to a run-and-gun style?

This alteration in style would make sense if it appeared that Kovalchuk was more than just a rental, but few signs point to his desire to sign a long-term deal in New Jersey. The most likely option at this point remains that he’ll bolt for the KHL, so it’s hard to imagine the logic behind Lamoriello and Co. shifting things so drastically for a muted playoff run.

In the end, Atlanta comes out looking okay. Oduya is a capable defenceman who can crunch some minutes. Bergfors may turn out to be an unsung hero sort of player and Cormier’s reputation proceeds him.

The situation mirrors the one from two years ago when the Thrashers were “forced” to give up Marian Hossa for a pile of similar players. In the long run, deals like this may lead to an inevitable and much-needed reshuffling of management in Atlanta. Of course, the ownership has to have a reasonable interest in seeing on-ice success for that sort of thing to happen.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

At long last, the Ilya Kovalchuk saga is over.

Kovalchuk was traded to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Niclas Bergfors, Johnny Oduya, the elbowing prospect Patrice Cormier and a first-round pick.

The deal gives the Devils an unproven playoff talent (and a rather good sniper) and finally ends Don Waddell’s attempts at signing his player in Atlanta. Waddell offered Kovy a 12-year extension worth $101 million, reportedly, but his player turned it down.

Kovalchuk is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end and there’s a whole lot of speculation as to where he’ll end up. Many are suspecting that he’ll bolt to the KHL for a rather large chunk of change. There’s no word yet as to whether or not New Jersey is hoping he’ll re-sign at season’s end to a significant long-term deal or if they’re just planning on having him aboard as a rental.

How Kovalchuk will fit with New Jersey’s system is probably the biggest question mark of all. He’s not particularly known for being a defensive player, so it’ll be interesting to see how he meshes with the Devils. New Jersey is Martin Brodeur’s team, after all, and one has to wonder how the Devils will handle juggling two big name superstars.

We’ll have more analysis on this trade at a later time.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Defenceman Paul Martin will have to miss his chance to play for Team U.S.A. at the Olympics this year. A slow-healing broken left forearm will keep him on the shelf, he announced today, and he’ll have to miss the games in Vancouver.

Martin withdrew his name from the U.S. Olympic hockey roster today. He was injured in an October 24, 2009, game after being hit by Bill Guerin’s shot. Martin suffered a setback in his recovery in December after the fracture wasn’t healing at a rate the doctors would have liked. He had another surgical procedure to get things on the right track, but it doesn’t look as though he’ll be back in time to compete.

“It is healing properly, it’s just not to the point where the doctor wants to see it,” Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said.

Martin skated last week but was told on Monday that he’d have to continue wearing a cast for at least another two weeks.

“While the decision was an extremely difficult one, I feel it is in my long-term best interest to not rush any return to the ice,” said Martin. “I look forward to rejoining my New Jersey Devil teammates in the near future, and would also like to wish my fellow Devils’ Olympians and the rest of Team USA good luck in their pursuit of the gold medal.”

Lamoriello said that he believed Martin would be ready when the Devils take their West Coast swing in March after the Olympic break. His return would be vital at this point and time, as the Devils are currently stuck in a 3-6-1 skid.

With teammates Zach Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner, a late addition to the roster, headed to Vancouver to play for Team U.S.A., Martin’s got to be feeling pretty bad about having to miss this opportunity. Even so, I think the defenceman is making the right call here in setting his priorities on a complete return to the game. Rushing it is never a good idea.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

In a new feature here on HockeyDraft.Ca, I thought I’d take a look at a few of the players in the NHL burning up the charts but not getting the recognition they deserve. I’m going to have to credit Cassie Campbell for drawing my attention to Niclas Bergfors, the subject of the first edition of Who Is….

While everyone else is talking about John Tavares, and for good reason, Niclas Bergfors of the New Jersey Devils is second in rookie scoring this year. He’s been helping the Devils put the puck in the net and currently sits with 27 points in 41 games.

Bergfors is the type of player that gets things done for the Devils. He knows how to make plays and will sacrifice his body to get the job done. He isn’t afraid to get completely rubbed out to make a killer pass or move to put his team in scoring position, exemplifying the kind of dedication it takes to be a team player in today’s NHL.

Bergfors was born in Sodertalje, Sweden, and was selected by the Devils in 2005. He went 23rd overall.

In 2004-2005, Bergfors was stacking up quality numbers in the top Swedish junior league. He potted 18 goals and had a total of 34 points in just 21 games. He also represented Team Sweden at the U20 World Junior Championship and the U18 World Junior Championship, being named to the All-Star Team in the latter.

When 2005-2006 hit, Bergfors was the youngest player in the AHL and finished the season as the Albany River Rats’ active leading scorer.

While he proved to be an underwhelming player in 2006-2007, Bergfors made the Devils’ roster in 2007-2008 after a strong showing at training camp and in exhibition hockey. He hurt his shoulder in his first NHL game, however, and would have to wait to make an impact. After recovering, Bergfors was returned to Lowell and subsequently injured his other shoulder. The injuries ruined his season, as you might expect, but Bergfors was to return stronger than ever.

The 2008-2009 season saw him return to the Lowell and he posted the best numbers of his four years in the league. He received a brief early season call-up to the big club that year, suiting up for eight games and scoring his first NHL goal.

With this season at its halfway point, it’s looking like the struggles have paid off for Bergfors. He is a well-rounded player that is more than capable of making the jump to the NHL a serious venture. Bergfors goes hard at both ends of the ice, putting in the effort defensively that will make Devils fans happy and opponents frustrated.

The hole left by Brian Gionta leaves an interesting opening for Bergfors and, if he can make good use of the opportunity, the club will benefit from his presence on the right wing. Whether he turns into an offensive producer or a depth player remains to be seen, of course, but Niclas Bergfors is already proving that he was worth the wait in New Jersey.

Got a potential subject you want to see profiled in the next edition of Who Is…? Let us know in the comments section.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Martin Brodeur has moved past Terry Sawchuk on the all-time shutout list and into first place with his 104th, recorded Monday night in his team’s 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The New Jersey Devils goalie has now achieved the only major goaltending milestone missing from his resume, making him the game’s most dominant goaltender statistically. At 37-years-old, Brodeur has stacked up a career in the National Hockey League that most players only dream of.

Think about it: three Stanley Cups, four Vezinas, four Jennings Trophy wins, ten All-Star game appearances, a Calder Trophy, and a bloody “rule” designed to break down his playing of the puck behind the net. And that doesn’t even touch the guy’s international play, which is a staggering set of statistics all its own.

His teammates were like fans in the locker room at the Mellon Arena after the game, crowding around him for pictures and pats on the back. It must be something to share a locker room, a team bus, a team jet, and the ice with a legend.

“I don’t think much needs to be said, it’s pretty self-explanatory,” said Zach Parise. “All the winning that he’s done, the shutouts, the Cups, it’s unbelievable. It’s great for a guy like me, and all of us at this time, we’re on the ice when all these records are happening. I mean, it’s pretty fun. I’m sure it’s fun for him but it’s pretty cool for us too.”

Sawchuk’s shutout record was long believed to be one of the NHL’s great untouchables. It was a record that nobody thought a goalie, especially in today’s NHL, could touch. The record stood more than 39 years after Sawchuk’s retirement, too, and people were beginning to wonder if anyone would ever get there.

“This record was held so long by Terry Sawchuk,” said Brodeur. “When you do break records and you see how long they’ve lasted, it’s pretty cool. Tying it was pretty amazing in Buffalo a couple weeks ago and now surpassing it, it’s a great honour for me to be in that position.”

Posted by Jordan Richardson.