Kovalev to Ottawa
nordiques100 writes” The Ottawa Senators have made a major bold signing, picking up former Hab Alexei Kovalev on a 2 year 10 million dollar deal.
The signing comes on the heels of the failed Dany Heatley trade and now with Kovalev in the fold, it likely means something may be in the oven involving Heatley.
The team has chosen to move forward, and the skilled Kovalev is a fine start. He is one of the best one on one players in the NHL when he puts his mind to it.
Spurned by the Habs, Kovalev now joins the rival Sens. With Komisarek in Toronto, Ryder in Boston, Rivet in Buffalo, several former Canadiens will be seen often in Northeast Division battles.
It will now be interesting to see what can be salvaged with Heatley. They are in a cap conundrum if he stays, and really, they will be in trouble if he stays whatever the reason. He is the most hated man in Ottawa. His time to leave is now.
But if there is a team out there willing to shell out big dollars and big assets, its not been found just yet. Until then, Sens fans should at least be appeased by this signing as its a good indication the team isnt going to let one player ruin their ability to move forward.
20 Responses to Kovalev to Ottawa
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Except is he really an upgrade? Average of 25goals / 65pts over the last 4 seasons? In the lineup for over 300 games but only actually PLAYED in about 200 of them? Worth $5M?
One on one, some SWEEEEET hands. When he is on his game, he is on his game. Problem is, he takes too many games off.
I dont see this as a huge upgrade for the Sens. Its either a lateral move or a downgrade from Heatley.
Kovalev WILL NOT RETURN TO MONTREAL… Only 8 times a year 🙂
my guess is that he come back and bites them in the ass and give it his all during those games.
Will montreal fans boo him? Probably.
Of course they will boo him. Then trash the city if he scores.
Kavalev is finished. To date no player has ever recovered from an alien kidnapping.
$5million a year for Kovalev is way too much, I said I wouldn't mind him back in Montreal but for no more than $3million/yr. Bryan Murray is crazier than Gainey is. I don't think they will boo him too much, but Komisarek on the other hand might be the most hated man in Montreal right now.
I was thinking the same about Komisarek.
Wonder who will get booed more .. Komisarek or Heatley 😛
In Montreal, Komisarek will, but Heatley will be booed there as well and probably every arena in the league.
Yeah I think so too.
Seems like a good fit. Spezza only tries in half the games and so does kovalev. Maybe between the 2, u might get a full 82 game effort!
I really hope, and think, habs fans won't boo him. It's not his fault he didn't come back… gainey didn't offer him a contract after all the signings… but I wouldn't be surpirsed if they did, most habs fans are retards…
WTF?
Does anyone fail to realize that generally speaking the fans at the Bell Center tend to booo the other teams best player(s). It's a freaking mark of honour! Why the hell are people sooooooo concerned suddenly about who does and doesn't get booed?
I'm sure Kovalev won't give a rats ass if he's booed or not. If he does he should give the Sens back their 10 million over 2 years and go home to retire.
Instead I think he'll come into town and light he Habs up, it might be the only nights out of the year that the Sens will get their money's worth out of him but I have no doubt he will put on a show when he plays Montreal. And he's gonna get booed even harder for lighting them up.
Komisarek is gonna get booed back to the stone age when he comes to Montreal. It's one thing to sign with another team, yeah you're gonna get the Bronx cheer if you do that. But man, to go to the Leafs?
I gotta hand it to him, he must have the biggest set of brass balls in the league. But he's gonna get hella-booed when he comes back.
I must disagree, there is at least 4 arenas in the Southern US where no one will even know who Heatley is.
Nice signing by the Sens, Kovalev has huge upside, its only a two year deal, he's well worth the gamble.
This also feuls another rivalery with the Habs. The hate will be back amongst Eastern Canada markets this year.
I'd say with Kovalev, the Sens are now a playoff team, maybe even the second best team in their division after Boston. He does take nights off of course, no argument, but he can also win you 10 games a year by himself. He's always been a big playoff performer as well, even against the top checkers he performs well. He likes the big stage and there will be plenty of it when he goes back to MTL. He'll also give the Sens one of the best PP in the East.
He also isnt the face of the franchise or #1 offensive player in OTT. Spezza and Alfie are ahead of him on the depth chart, and he and Alfie are both RW so it should make for 2 pretty good lines. BUT he does play the Right side on the PP like Heatley did, and Alfie usually plays on the left side lower boards while Spezza takes the mid-wall and they QB together. Should be a great PP in Ottawa.
Without the pressure in MTL, he should do well. He's gonna get his 65-70 points and be on the highlight reel. I'm looking forward to seeing him play, he still has one of the best wristers in the game, can beat any goalie squared up probably as well as anyone in the league besides AO.
After the Heatley trade, the Sens are gonna be a very very very deep team. Not the top talent, but may be able to roll out the overall best 4 lines in the Eastern Conference, could have one of the best goalies if Leclaire can handle the pressure (no evidence that he can) and an experienced D that is good at everything and great at nothing (although they severely lack toughness in front of the net…cue Cowen and Weircoche).
Good coach as well. He's from Viking, same town as the Sutters and grew up with them, he coaches Sutter style, but allows a ton more freedom.
The Heatley shyt show has really brought the team together I think, and they have a ton to prove and a massive chip on their shoulder. There has been new leadership oppurtunities for guys like Neil, Spezza and Fisher. Leclaire is really excited to play and I think if healthy, he could have his best season as a pro. He has a lot to prove after being traded with a 2nd for Vermette. (even though I said he is overarted and I still beleive that, I hope of course he proves me wrong)
Bey Heatley, you bought my buddies dinner in North Carolina and they said you're a really nice guy, you even paid for them and all their booze (and the taxi). Good luck to you next season.
Toronto has the otuhgest team in front of its own net, Montreal has all the dancers up front, Ottawa will be a very solid team, Boston is huge and tough and angry and Buffallo is always scrapy and pesky.
The Northeast dynamics are amazing, different styles, tons of new sub plots, gonna be a really great season in the Northeast. Too bad you cant get tickets in Toronto to see any games.
indeed:
gill, who played in boston and toronto and spacek in buffalo know all about these NE wars.
recchi, ryder are former habs, chara of course the hated former sens, and i dont think one of the newest leafs is fond of milan lucic.
speaking of the leafs, komisarek of course will bring his hate to TO and the kostitsyns are still in MTL to battle grabovski.
the sabres have former hab rivet while Ottawa now with Kovalev adds some spice to the sens/habs rivalry.
its going to be fun watching divisional games for sure.
lots of questionmarks though.
the heatley saga. hopefully its solved by camp and he is gone. having that hang over the team will be horrible.
coach clouston. can the players respond over a FULL season or will they quit as they did on hartsburg and paddock. really i think its up to the players, the supposed leaders of the team to step up and accept the coaches direction. alfredsson cannot sit on the fence anymore when it comes to the caoch. he HAS TO back him 100%.
Leclaire. can he bounce back? will likely be rusty but should be ok. elliott is solid and good enough to take over. leclaire has always had an injury so look for eliiot to play lots.
Karlsson. looks like he stands a good cahnce to make the team and be the PP QB. sorry, lee, campoli, kuba, just not all that threatening. i think karlsson is poised for stardom.
kovalev will face pressure in ottawa. $5 mil per is why. he is an expensive alternative to heater and he must deliver. he doesnt really add to the leadership group there. he disappears some times and he may fold like the other leaders in ottawa.
they are still missing that element. i think alfredsson and phillips and others have done a terrible job providing leadership. i think if they "grow up" however, things may change for the franchise. i think its time for alfie to put his foot down and really give it to his teammates when they're sagging. he gives it his all but he seems waaay too passive to be the captain on a team that NEEDS a kick in the pants from someone other than the coach or GM or owner. its up to the players here. including if heatley stays. they've bleeped up for 2 years now letting things get out of control. if it happens again, forget the playoffs.
I dont think Karlsson will make the team this year, he could play a couple of games but he wont last 82 games, is he weighs 175 pounds going into the season, by game 82 he'll weigh 155, he has bulked up, but is still very very thin by NHL standards. Patrick Weircoche may make the team, huge shot, big guy I think he is 6'5 now and over 200 pounds, he could be a big surprise. Ottawa will have 3 NHL ready rookie D next year, so I beleive they will try and break at least Karlsson or Weircoche in this season, maybe even Cowen gets 1-2 games.
It is all about Lecalire, he's the guy that will make this all happen. He could be as good as Lunqvist, he could be as bad as Lehtinen, just no knowing until he game 1 and we see what he is all about. I've always seen him as a streaky goalie, kinda like Patrick Lalime as when he is on he is amazing, but if he gets down he isnt even an AHL starter. But we have a good defensive team and solid players all through the lineup, good skaters who are tough, he should be able to have a few easy games for us and well be able to socre so it wont be huge pressure every night. Might make it mentally easy for him.
Clouston is a stud. He is a head coach 100%, all about winning. He is great, very tough but knows not to embarass his players and they will all respect him. Kinda like how Bab***** started in Anaheim as a dump and chase, forecheck coach and players like Kariya and Fedorov quickly ajusted. He is that type but not as friendly or obviuosly as good. He lets them play their game within his structure and I think Kovalev will probbaly go from a 19-20 minute guy to a 17 minute guy for him. He loves rolling his 3rd and 4th lines, thats his type of hockey, and is all about the team.
Alfie is a great leader, when teams dont win they always point to the Captains like they did against Mario and Yzerman. Is Alfie Mark Messier? NO. But he is a great Captain, he has accomplished a ton, taking his team to the finals, getting them to #1 overall in NHL points twice, he is not the problem. Ottawa has a pretty low maintenace team overall, except obviuosly Heatley, Hasek, Emery was low maintenace to the point of being withdrawn from the team, and through it all the leaders have stood up for the team like Alfie, Spezza, Fisher, the core is there to do some damage, and they'll be there come game 1 to punch some neigh sayers in the face. If they make the playoffs, they'll be a dangerous team (of course if Leclaire is the reald deal)
Heatley leaving in the long term will help the club. he is a good player with good chemistry on the #1 line, but the team needed a change in culture and in the overall offensive dynamic. They'll gte a solid return for Heatley, they have a big hole on the 3rd line and 2nd/1st line, but when we plug them we'll be a dangerous team. Instead of 1 amazing line and 3 good lines, we'll have 2 very good top lines, a solid 3rd line and the best 4th line in the NHL. (Ruutu – Winchester – Neil).
yay! the leafs are gonna squash this bug!
kovalev comes down the line towards the net… oh he gets nailed by his former teammate komi!
every leafs-sens game!