The NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) has filed a grievance today on behalf of Ilya Kovalchuk in response to the NHL’s controversial decision to reject what would have been the longest contract in NHL history, consisting of a 17-year, $102 million dollar deal with the New Jersey Devils.
The NHL rejected the contract on the grounds that it “deliberately circumvented” the league’s salary cap by being too front loaded. In the agreement, Kovalchuk would receive just under 80 percent ($80 million) in the first 7 years, and 93 percent in the first 10 years.
The 27 year old Russian would be 44 years old when the deal expires in 2027. The controversial portion of the agreement comes in his final 5 years of the deal that would have him being paid the league minimum of $550,000 in an attempt to free up more room for the Devil’s under the salary cap.
In arbitration, the NHLPA must prove that the deal, which pays Kovalchuk 6 million for the next two season, 11.5 million for the five seasons after that, 10.5 for the 2017-2018 season and so forth, does not “deliberately circumvented” the league’s salary cap.
Some concern has been raised considering how this contract compares to the similarly front loaded contracts of the likes of Marian Hossa, Chris Pronger, Henrik Zetterberg and Robert Luongo that have been approved by the NHL.
Furthermore, there are more problems ahead for Kovalchuck and the Devil’s. Theoretically the appeals processes should be expedient, with the arbitrator given only 48 hours after hearing the case to decided on an outcome, however, the NHL has yet to hire any. Interviews have been held but there is currently no one in place to hear this case, meaning this ordeal could be prolonged indefinitely.
With the current collective bargaining agreement expiring in 2011 a lot is riding on this arbitrat