This would certainly be the shock of the summer, but at the same time, it makes sense to me...if my thoughts on Ilya Kovalchuk are bang-on and I’ve got him all figured out.
Look, I like Ilya Kovalchuk and what he brings to any team that he plays for. He’s an exciting and dynamic player that brings the crowd to the edge of their seats every time he touches the puck. He’s one of the few guys in the league that offers a wow factor just having his mere presence on the ice. Having that kind of presence has to be so exciting for any potential owner looking for a boost not only in on-ice performance, but also a nice little bump in ticket sales, either single-game or full-season.
Having said all that, my concern with any team that brings him in would be, “Are you getting a player that is motivated to perform for the better of the team or for the better of Ilya Kovalchuk?” Call it a complete gut-feeling because I have no idea what Kovalchuk is like outside the rink or inside a locker-room, but I’ve just never gotten a sense from reading about him that he was the kind of guy that worried too much about team accolades or winning or giving a city a chance to be successful. He strikes me as a player who’s OK with playing and being the star in a city with no pressure, doing well as an individual player and getting paid well as an individual player.
Just look at the favourite teams to get his services for next season and beyond. The LA Kings have always been and will continue to be the favourites to land the superstar. After that, we have the rumours now swirling about the Islanders and of course, there have always been the rumours about the KHL.
What do all three of those options have in common? They are all willing to give the big guy a truckload of money, all offer destinations where he could be the big fish and have no pressure on him (even if he falls into a slump) and they offer either low to no chance to win the Stanley Cup. Clearly, he has the best chance to win the Cup in Los Angeles as of right now, but even with the addition of Kovalchuk, you don’t have a bonafide Stanley Cup contender yet.
I actually hope that I’m wrong about him and that he’s not all about the paycheque, but I just have never been given anything to think the contrary about him. Some people are motivated by money, some by fame, some by championships and I get that. But what Kovalchuk might gain by getting the equivalent of 2 Lotto Max jackpots in one contract, he’ll lose in never being included in the group of the truly great despite having just as much talent. That to me would be a complete shame, but unfortunately deserved.