SCREW Kovy, he’s not what this team stands for, just let him go be happy with his money…what ever happened to playing for love of the game? Like RICHARDSON does!!!

You know, this thought never occurred to me…

Obviously, now DL knows they’re getting Kovalchuk and how much money they have to commit to him, so they’re starting small by signing these small deals, and are gonna come out with the big story tomorrow!

Analysis of his 5 on 5 play
http://www.behindthenethockey.com/2010/6/28/1541891/do-you-really-think-ilya-kovalchuk

Explanations of what the numbers mean (I like the second link):

http://hockeynumbers.blogspot.com/2007/11/corsi-numbers.html

http://vhockey.blogspot.com/2007/10/corsi-numbers.html

Thanks! #17

Actually, I feel all points you persent are valid and for the most part I agree with you.

Since you asked and I could not provide the link I felt it necessary to show that I wasn’t pulling this stuff out of a hat.

I am not a rabid anti-IK. I do question this guy as a team player who is willing to skate 200′ and have concerns over a long term contract.

Since however I don’t for a moment believe DL will blow up the systems he has labored so hard to put in place I am not all that concerned either way.

Cheers!

PS Really happy Richardson will be with us next year!

Thanks. I remember reading all that before For me, i don’t take away from those that his teammates say he’s not much of a team player. Only one of those quotes actually came from a teammate, and even that doesn’t say he’s not much of a “team player”. The rest is just speculation or somewhat stating the obvious- seriously, the guy is one of the premier goal scorers in the league, of course he’s going to want the puck on his stick, which is why he appears selfish. If he didn’t score, then that’d be a problem.

Living on the east coast, i’ve seen quite a bit of him over the years and i’m not so concerned about his +/-, 5 on 5, etc. ATL has never really had good defence or goaltending, and stats like +/- are substantially determined by the other players on the ice. Tom preissing was +40 one season with Ottawa, for ex.

I don’t know about him putting up a lot of points verse weaker opponents (i haven’t looked too closely at his game by game stats) but given that the kings have historically had trouble with weaker opponents, that’d wouldn’t be a bad thing if true

As with every single FA signing, trade, draft pick, etc, there is always uncertainty so only time will tell if this turns out to be a good move, assuming it does happen. I agree, though, if it doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world.