Ilya Kovalchuk's Contract Won't Force Devils to Break Up Young Core

by Adam Gretz

Filed under: Devils, NHL Economics

While we're waiting for the NHL to make its decision on the latest Ilya Kovalchuk contract, there seems to be some concern swirling around the New Jersey Devils and what they'll have to do to fit the contract under the salary cap, and what impact it may have on the future construction of the team.

We know this much: the Devils are going to have to find a way to dump somebody. Once the Kovalchuk contract gets approved (if it gets approved, that is), the Devils will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $3 million over the $59.4 ceiling for the 2010-11 season. As such, they're going to have to get rid of some money, whether it be in the form of a trade, or placing a player on waivers and hiding his contract in the American Hockey League.

Both are legitimate -- and very likely -- options. What shouldn't be an option is trading a player like Travis Zajac or worrying about losing Zach Parise in the future.

 

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