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Hradek: Lombardi's intense questioning turned off Kovalchuk
Hradek: Lombardi's intense questioning turned off Kovalchuk
EJ Hradek wrote a column on the Ilya Kovalchuk soap opera. Day to day analysis/reporting. Most of the stuff has already been reported but found this interesting. Need to have an ESPN Insider account to read the rest.
Quote:
July 12-14
The Kings, now back in the mix -- this was a confusing summer to be a hockey writer -- host Kovalchuk, his wife (Nicole) and Grossman in Los Angeles. The sides talk for two days. During his trip, Kovalchuk meets some of his potential Kings teammates as well as L.A. Galaxy soccer icon David Beckham. The Kings present Kovalchuk with a 15-year offer worth approximately $80 million. One source would later tell me that Kovalchuk was turned off by intense questioning from Kings GM Dean Lombardi. At the time, though, the Kings appear to be the favorite to land the sniper.
This doesn't really help Kovalchuk's image of being a egotistical out of reality piece of garbage. "So I turned down the 80 million because my prospective employer felt he could ask me several questions before giving me so much money. Doesn't he know I'm Kovalchuk?"
This doesn't really help Kovalchuk's image of being a egotistical out of reality piece of garbage. "So I turned down the 80 million because my prospective employer felt he could ask me several questions before giving me so much money. Doesn't he know I'm Kovalchuk?"
This doesn't really help Kovalchuk's image of being a egotistical out of reality piece of garbage. "So I turned down the 80 million because my prospective employer felt he could ask me several questions before giving me so much money. Doesn't he know I'm Kovalchuk?"
It's tough to pass judgment without knowing what Lombardi was asking. I think most of us could relate in having a job interview with a prospective boss and getting a bad vibe.
If I were Kovy I would do the same thing, someone who is hesitant in my services after I've been proving by scoring 40+ goals for 10 straight seasons is enough of a resume.
Well Dean Lombardi has always known to be pretty conservative with how he spends his dollars. Sometimes too conservative. You have an opportunity to put a 50 goal scorer beside your franchise center I really don't see why you have to be so careful about it.
This doesn't really help Kovalchuk's image of being a egotistical out of reality piece of garbage. "So I turned down the 80 million because my prospective employer felt he could ask me several questions before giving me so much money. Doesn't he know I'm Kovalchuk?"
If I were Kovy I would do the same thing, someone who is hesitant in my services after I've been proving by scoring 40+ goals for 10 straight seasons is enough of a resume.
There's more to building a team than what the guy is bringing on the stat sheet. That's the side of the game we don't get to see and anyone that has played competitive sports knows what happens off the ice and between members of the team can be just as important as what happens on the ice. Plus, if the team is going to make a 15 year, 80 million dollar commitment to somebody, they usually want to make sure they know exactly what they're getting.
Well Dean Lombardi has always known to be pretty conservative with how he spends his dollars. Sometimes too conservative. You have an opportunity to put a 50 goal scorer beside your franchise center I really don't see why you have to be so careful about it.
This
The Kings would have been Favs, and could have followed a similar path as the Hawks in devolopment
If you have a Shot, go for it, don't worry about resign 2 Lesser players for 3 Million each in a few years, deal with it then, id rather have an elite sniper and take that shot. A Hossa, Gabby, or Kovy even in their mid to late 30's (if Healthy ie Gabby) will be very effective, and 30 Goal guys likely. Take the Shot, and Dean could have, but he didnt have the balls and now looking at the Kings roster, I doubt they make it out of the 1st, defenitly not out of the 2nd. I just dont see the Elite talent, upfront mostly, to have a dangerous team ie Contender
There's more to building a team than what the guy is bringing on the stat sheet. That's the side of the game we don't get to see and if anyone has played competitive sports they know what happens off the ice and between members of the team can be just as important as what happens on the ice. Plus, if the team is going to make a 15 year, 80 million dollar commitment to somebody, they usually want to make sure they know exactly what they're getting.
I guess being the league's top sniper isn't enough, some teams like the Devils didn't question Kovalchuck's abilities and that's how they got him signed.
Well Dean Lombardi has always known to be pretty conservative with how he spends his dollars. Sometimes too conservative. You have an opportunity to put a 50 goal scorer beside your franchise center I really don't see why you have to be so careful about it.
I don't know if it is that. Lombardi traded for Ryan Smyth who is making 6 million a season. He didn't mind handing out a big contract to a guy like Handzus either.
It just looks like he is targeting a certain type of player for his squad, and isn't interested in overpaying for less dimensional types.
I guess being the league's top sniper isn't enough, some teams like the Devils didn't question Kovalchuck's abilities and that's how they got him signed.
I'm sure that had nothing to do with the fact that they already knew how he interacted with coaches and teammates
Asking tough questions to someone your going to make a serious financial commitment should not come as a surprise. Especially if you know little about the person except their talent level.
I don't know if it is that. Lombardi traded for Ryan Smyth who is making 6 million a season. He didn't mind handing out a big contract to a guy like Handzus either.
It just looks like he is targeting a certain type of player for his squad, and isn't interested in overpaying for less dimensional types.
Yeah this is more the case. 3.5 to Mitchell, traded for Smyth, gave Scuderi (winner) what he deserved and got a warrior in Zus. I don't think DL really had his heart set on Kovalchuk because he's not the kind of gritty, warrior two-way type of player that Lombardi covets. And he also values wingers a hell of a lot less then centers, d-men and goalies.
It's cool that Kovalchuk was willing to come out and try to persuade DL though.
I'm sure that had nothing to do with the fact that they already knew how he interacted with coaches and teammates
Asking tough questions to someone your going to make a serious financial commitment should not come as a surprise. Especially if you know little about the person except their talent level.
Also especially when wing is the last place you want to be spending so much money on.
Kovy and Lou even said it. If it wasn't for the fact that Lou landed IK at the deadline, I'm 110% convince that IK would be a King or something else BUT a Devil.
Kovalchuk has managed to do what in the NHL? Two horrible play-off appearances, captain of one of the lame duck franchises in the NHL (which immediately got better when he left) and being the most dramatic player in the league the last year? Kovalchuk is one of the most talented players in the world, however his character and the results he's provided has some serious questions... which I guess he can't deal with.
Yeah this is more the case. 3.5 to Mitchell, traded for Smyth, gave Scuderi (winner) what he deserved and got a warrior in Zus. I don't think DL really had his heart set on Kovalchuk because he's not the kind of gritty, warrior two-way type of player that Lombardi covets. And he also values wingers a hell of a lot less then centers, d-men and goalies.
It's cool that Kovalchuk was willing to come out and try to persuade DL though.
Yeah because I'm sure DL wouldn't want a 40+ goal scorer on his team. I'm sure that that was all Kovy's idea. If he really wanted to go there so bad, he would have. I haven't seen LA sign a major free agent this year. You can say it's because Lombardi doesn't want them all you want, but I doubt that's true.
