Re: Pavelski for Kovalchuk
Let's break it down:
Joe Pavelski is 27 years old and has 395 NHL games on his legs, ...
Let's break it down:
Joe Pavelski is 27 years old and has 395 NHL games on his legs, with a cap hit of 4 million a year through 2014.
Kovalchuk is 28 years old and has 744 NHL games on his legs, with a cap hit of 6.67 million a year through 2025 (including 10 million-plus in real dollars from 2012-2018).
Pavelski's 4 million has gotten the Sharks 34 points and a +13 this year, on the heels of a 66 point/+10 season last year.
Kovalchuk's 6.67 million has gotten the Devils 40 points and a -10 this year, on the heels of a 60 point/-21 season last year.
I'm sure the Devils would love to get out from under Kovy's cap number, but Pavelski is younger, fresher, produces a similar offensive output, plays much better defense, and is signed to a far more team-friendly contract. It would be a great trade for the Devils, and a horrible trade for the Sharks.
