Other Kovalchukian Toughts - The Colonel

You have been bombarded. The name 'Kovalchuck' or the shortened 'Kovy' have burned up more digits than you can shake a contract at. I know - you need an aspirin and something appropriate to wash it down.

But in no particular order, I would like to throw two more cents at some alternative Kovalchukian thoughts before I get over it and move on to other things:

1. NJD is going for it this season. They have some strong forwards. They believe they have a solid blueline. They have Marty AND Hedberg in net. AT least the second round of the playoffs is within their grasp...

2. Like him or not, Lou's contract is brilliant on several levels. First, he sets his LW position with room to extend Parise coming up. Second, the big hit is a few years down the road when potential NJD winning fills more seats at the Rock and therefore has more of a chance to pay for the big contract. Third, it is within the rules of the CBA as written (like it or not). Fourth, if for some reason he cannot extend Parise, he has his new #1 LW already in the fold. (Don't take this one lightly - this puts pressure both on Parise to perform and 'K to stay healthy and productive going into the $11M+ years.) And finally, Lou is not getting any younger, and neither is The K-man. It could be that both the problems with this in later contract years and the LWer's longevity solve this whole thing a couple of six - 10 years down the road.

3. How much does a player making that much money owe the team in terms of off-ice service to the fanbase/community? I say, as an average Joe out here, he owes a lot. An appearance once or twice a week is not too much to ask for the money in my book, especially if he is working with kid's programs. Like me or don't for that, I don't care - I am not alone on this thought by a long shot.

4. In next year's fantasy pool, do you take Kovalvechkin or Gagne in TBL? Sure I'm giving myself away, but I take Gagne first. He is on the last year of his contract so has a lot to play for. The Big K has to set aside ego to play #2 LW, learn a new coach's system, and if his frustration level is high, screw it, he has the big contract, right? I say you are going to get more effort, night in and night out, from Gagne.

And I cannot resist, although this has nothing to do with The K-ster. The only thing left to get a playoff run in is to sit Marty for 15 - 20 games during the regular season. Come on - let's learn from history. If you want to go long in the post-Lockout world, you are going to run your goalie for roughly 20 games past their regular season totals. Marty is only making it an average of nine games, and not looking at his best doing it, most likely because the 70+ games in front of the playoffs wore him out. Pride be damned, sit Marty for 15 - 20 WITH the addition of the re-newest Devil and you may have found yourself something past the first round.

Another blog-thought from On Goal Analysis,and our last words about the K person this summer...