Another day, another update about Ilya Kovalchuk that doesn’t have too much else to share. He’s gone to Los Angeles, he’s met with Kings GM Dean Lombardi and he’s met with Kings players Dustin Brown, Jarret Stoll, and Matt Greene. He’s gotten the tour of the Kings practice facility and presumably been wined and dined about Hollywood to show what a great place it is.
The saga continues, however, and both Kovalchuk and his agent Jay Grossman have headed home without a contract signed. Helene Elliott of the LA Times continues her constant vigil on things happening in California.
The fact that Kovalchuk left town seems to indicate he and the Kings aren’t near an agreement: if they were, he would have stayed here for a news conference. But planes (especially private jets) go back and forth often between California and Florida, where Kovalchuk lives in the off-season. So he could come back West on short notice.
Or this can drag on, which is more likely.
The Devils made it clear where they stand on matters the other day saying that they’ve done all that they can do for the time being and it’s up to Kovalchuk. Other teams that aren’t dealing with Kovalchuk seem to be stuck in a holding pattern or sorts, afraid to make a move for another player before this soap opera plays itself out. Be it the Flyers with Simon Gagne or free agents like Alexander Frolov. Players wait, general managers wait, fans pull their hair out waiting and coming up with crazy notions that somehow Kovalchuk is just like LeBron James.
‘Tis the season for insanity.