Don’t bury Kovalchuk to the Rangers just yet
In the last few days, there’s been plenty of information about how San Jose or Boston are ready to obtain Ilya Kovalchuk. Another team that has also become a top candidate to land his services are the St. Louis Blues. So what happened to the earlier reports that Ilya to the Rangers was all but done?
Kovalchuk and the Rangers
From what I’ve learned, seen, read, and heard dating all the way back to last season, I don’t believe the Rangers are out of the mix. I even tweeted this out earlier today:
Kovalchuk wants to play for the #NYR. The #NYR would like to have him. He wants 3 years and 6M. They don’t want to pay that. He’s using other teams to help him drive up his value. He will take offers to Gorton and if he signs with the #NYR it will likely be for a little less.
— Forever Blueshirts (@4EverBlueshirts) June 20, 2018
At this point, Kovalchuk and the Rangers are playing out like a soap opera. Reporters out of Russia claimed in April he had a deal with the Rangers but couldn’t sign it to July 1st. Then Kovalchuk stated that he never spoke to the Rangers and this was all made up before flying over and then having conversations with the Rangers.
Still, the most revealing and important piece of information in this whole entire drama came directly from the mouth of Jeff Gorton at the NHL Draft Lottery. He said, “It’s fair to say that’s something we’re going to look at again further and see what’s going on.” So why are we to disregard months of info and a quote from Gorton only to assume the Rangers are out on Kovalchuk? Simply put, no one should.
The draft is this Friday, and the Rangers must focus on that for sure. However, I don’t think we have heard the last of Kovalchuk and the Rangers yet.
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