Kovalchuk and Devils - A Bettman Conspiracy?

by Phigment on Jul 25, 2010 7:56 PM EDT

What are everyone's thoughts on the NHL rejecting this contract. People keep saying it is "just like" Hossa, Pronger, etc. But I see their decline in salary at a much smaller percentage when compared to the 7 years added to this deal with NJ. 7 years is the length of Hossa and Pronger deals. That is just the "markdown" time in the Kovalchuk contract.

I really would like to get comments and rationale for your opinion?

Poll

Is this a conspiracy by the NHL and Bettman?

Yes

12 votes

No

47 votes

59 votes | Poll has closed

This item was written by a member of this community and is not necessarily endorsed by Broad Street Hockey.

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Comments

Sigh. Way too many of these fanposts lately.

(1) This should have been a fanshot. Fanposts are 75 words or more and bring some sort of detailed argument to the table. Such writing allows for proper discussion and debate by the masses here at BSH and elsewhere.
(2) If you look at “Recent Fanposts” you’ll notice plenty of fanposts already devoted to Kovy’s contract. You could have gauged the feelings of BSH commentors through them.

Formerly RyanGiggs11, currently a Contributor to SBN Philly // @scotkess
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank

by Scott Kessler on Jul 25, 2010 8:06 PM EDT reply actions

Can’t stick a poll in a fanshot, and not nearly as many people will see a new fanshot. I quite like that this issue is being discussed on so many different levels, even if it’s being spread out a bit much (wasn’t too many months ago that new fanposts and fanshots were relatively rare — now there’s new stuff seemingly all the time, and I certainly don’t think we should take issue with that).

As for the issue at hand and the possibility of a conspiracy…well, I’ll leave that to the friendly folks at ILWT…but I will ask, just how many conspiracies is Bettman apparently involved in? By my estimation, he is in love with Pittsburgh (and Crosby; but whether his love for the city is a byproduct of the player or his love for the player is a byproduct of the city is unclear), hates Philadelphia and the Flyers because of said love of Pittsburgh, hates Detroit (both the team and its fans), hates small markets he didn’t personally put a team in, hates Canada (specifically Canadians from Quebec or whose first language is French, and especially but not limited to the following cities: Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Quebec City), is a secret Southerner, hates the sport of hockey in general, and now hates the Devils, Lou and/or Kovalchuk. That guy must have a lot on his plate these days.

Contributor at The Brotherly Game, SBN's Philadelphia Union blog

by Ben Feldman on Jul 25, 2010 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

It’s more of an accross the board thing for Philly area blogs right now. I’m fine with new things to talk about but if this was made just for a poll, then shouldn’t T or G throw it up as a poll on the front page? It just feels wrong to me to use a fanpost solely for a poll.

Formerly RyanGiggs11, currently a Contributor to SBN Philly // @scotkess
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank

by Scott Kessler on Jul 25, 2010 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions

To be fair, I came up with the “hates hockey in general” one as a tongue-in-cheek way of wrapping all the conspiracies with one blanket justification. I don’t think that’s really the reason (or is it? Dunn dunn dunn!)

Honor is no substitute for victory.

by The Dark on Jul 26, 2010 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions

When everyone’s driving 70 on the parkway, don’t turn into a whiny bitch when you get pulled over for doing 85.

by BroadStreetBully on Jul 25, 2010 10:59 PM EDT reply actions

Hahahahaha, well said!

Lightning strikes once, Hextall strikes twice!

by hintzy64 on Jul 27, 2010 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions

If the League gets it way, having the Kovalchuk contract become null and void, and the NJD get a Cap hit penalty of 1M or more…Then the Devils fans will scream conspiracy.
It will be foolish, and they will have no correct basis for their sniveling.
They will not accept that the organization they love is at fault.
It will be just as tedious to listen to them whine about it as it is listening to a penguins fan once again claim that without question or debate, Crosby is the best player ever. (especially since the only recent MVP award he has won is from a viewers poll taken from a Sports News station that dose not report on hockey)
However…
If that ruling then prompts the league to issue penalties to other teams previously under investigation for possable shady contracts, (such as Chicago, Vancouver and Philadelphia) then somthing is a defnetly wrong.
In fact…….
If that happens, then I am 7,000% sure that, because Bettman hates the Flyers so much, he purposely voided the Kovalchuk contract, just so he could levy a fine to the devils, and therefore justifiably penalize the Flyers.
Is there no end to this mans malice towards out team
It is so unfair how we are persecuted and hated.
Hey Canada, he dose not hate you guys, he’s just bitter that too many of you play for the Flyers!
Detroit, he’s mad that you didnt beat us in three games. He hated seeing is in the SCF.
Chicago, guess what hes pissed at you too because of the same reason.
He personally drafted the bill to build the Penguins stadium with PA taxpayers funds, just so he could make Flyers fans pay for their new rink!
In fact I bet you Bettman pulled out a gun and Homer us trade Gagne away for nothing.
And I bet he personally injures all of our goaltenders, but real sneaky like so no one sees him do it.

bread. butter. cheese. VICTORY!

by Prometheus74 on Jul 25, 2010 11:56 PM EDT reply actions

I love it, you’ve hit the nail on the head, but you forgot that Bettman also hit Primeau in the head with a hammer, hit Lindros in the head with a 4 × 4 and broke both of Forsberg’s feet just to make sure we’d not make the SCF as well

by Pocono Flyers Fan on Jul 26, 2010 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I just want to point out that I threw that “Lou did it on purpose” a few hours after it was rejected … and posted here saying it … So I am going to say “Yes!” and hope I am right so I can open some forum for making these odd predictions.

by ic0n67 on Jul 26, 2010 9:43 AM EDT reply actions

There are signs of it looking like a conspiracy (Devils are the biggest obstacle for Crosby the Pens aka Bettman’s team, ergo it makes sense for them to shoot them down), but it just looks sad when you keep crying over your team getting screwed over.

In Lou We Trust: The system hates us, man.
"Pfft, Wii’s where it’s at. *Swings toy plastic racquet, separates shoulder"- RudyKelly

by Kevin Sellathamby on Jul 26, 2010 6:41 PM EDT reply actions

The Devils are the biggest obstacle to the Pens? How is that? They lose in the 1st round constantly! Take off the signature Mike Emerick Glasses and watch the team perform in the playoffs!

Phigment

by Phigment on Jul 26, 2010 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I think he’s referring to the Devils winning all six regular season games against Pittsburgh this year (Brodeur’s 104th shutout was one of those wins). But yeah, I’m not sure I’d call them the Pens’ biggest obstacle (unless you were being sarcastic, Kevin?).

Contributor at The Brotherly Game, SBN's Philadelphia Union blog

by Ben Feldman on Jul 26, 2010 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions

And the Flyers are a better example as an obstacle? Last two times you two faced in the Playoffs the Flyers lost.

In Lou We Trust: The system hates us, man.
"Pfft, Wii’s where it’s at. *Swings toy plastic racquet, separates shoulder"- RudyKelly

by Kevin Sellathamby on Jul 27, 2010 7:49 AM EDT up reply actions

As opposed to the Devils, who haven’t survived to face them since before the lockout? A team has to be there to be any sort of obstacle. For the entire history of the Devils, they’re 2-3 against the Penguins in the playoffs. The Flyers are 3-2. Neither is an absolute barrier, but until 2008, the Flyers had never lost in the playoffs against Pittsburgh. To say that the Devils are the biggest obstacle to the Penguins is slightly less laughable than saying that the Nets were the biggest obstacle to LeBron winning the NBA Championships. Very slightly. To be honest, I don’t think there really is a single obstacle to the Penguins in the short-term; teams change and get streaky often enough that any given team could win any given series. Longer-term, they ought to have fun in 2013, when Crosby and Staal both become UFA.

Honor is no substitute for victory.

by The Dark on Jul 27, 2010 8:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Didn't you hear?

Bettman is personally going to reverse the world’s magnetic field on Dec. 21st, 2012 so the world ends and the Penguins don’t have to worry about free agency.

He’ll also make sure Crosby has a ticket on one of those ark thingies with John Cusack.

by Phalange on Jul 27, 2010 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes they did. But we played them once in the Conference Finals. And since Homer took over the Flyers they have played 3 seasons. 1 loss in the Conference Finals to Pittsburgh 4-1 (Lost in the Finals). 1 loss in the 1st Round to Pittsburgh 4-2 (Stanley Cup Winner). 1 loss in the Stanley Cup Finals to Chicago 4-2 (Stanley Cup Winner). That is a very respectable record for 3 years.

Now….the last 3 Devils (the number 1 obstacle to the golf course). Lost in the 1st round to the freaking Rangers (4-1). Lost in the 1st Round to the freaking Hurricanes (4-3 and the Devils lost games 6 and 7). Lost to the Flyers in Round 1 (4-1). Hmmmm, I think your analysis is off base.

They haven’t even played Pittsburgh in the playoffs recently.

Phigment

by Phigment on Jul 27, 2010 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, give me a break...

I can’t stand this “conspiracy” crap, no matter which situation it’s being applied to. How ridiculous.

Yeah, there are a number of questionable long-term contracts that have been signed recently, but I can’t think of anything quite so blatant as this one. Having the salary drop to ~$500k at the same time as the NMC disappears for the final 5 years is practically a dead giveaway that they don’t intend on ever getting that far. (Sorry if I don’t have exact numbers there, but you get the idea.)

Lightning strikes once, Hextall strikes twice!

by hintzy64 on Jul 27, 2010 10:31 AM EDT reply actions

Exactly. The key for me was the fact that the $550k salary time frame (6 years) is almost the same length of the entire Hossa and Pronger contracts. These guys have a year or 2 – Kovalchuk has a “career” at that low rate!

Phigment

by Phigment on Jul 27, 2010 8:21 PM EDT up reply actions