Stop Me If You Heard This One In 2010, The Ilya Kovalchuk Sweepstakes Have Begun

Devils GM Ray Shero says he has confirmed with agent Jay Grossman that Ilya Kovalchuk definitely wants to return to the NHL next season

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 9, 2017

Shero says Grossman free to speak to other teams about a potential deal. Devils would do a sign and trade. But deal has to make sense for NJ

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 9, 2017

Kovalchuk can't officially sign an NHL contract until July 1. So lots of time for all this to play out. But the Kovalchuk sweepstakes are on

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 9, 2017

A sweepstakes, you say? One that will have multiple teams vying for the services of a Russian goal scorer late into his 30's and perhaps beyond? And it could - but probably (definitely) won't - end on July 1st? Man, oh man, that sounds so very intriguing...to any organization but the one that had an entire offseason and asset pool hijacked by the same guy's superficial need to see eight zeros on his now defunct contract.

I've already put way too much thought into this scenario playing out. I have spewed far too many words on the subject, and I simply don't have the stomach to do another deep dive on Ilya Kovalchuk's potential return to the NHL. Therefore, I'll leave it at this - I want the New Jersey Devils to sign him as soon as possible, and instantly flip the son of a bitch for anything that's worth so much as a damn to the future of the franchise. I have no idea what kind of return he'll command, nor do I particularly care as long as he is someone else's problem sooner rather than later. "Look at his KHL numbers..." this and ::insert Alexander Radulov comparison:: that, but if I have to experience another 'Summer Of Kovy' I will legitimately hit myself over the head with a baseball bat. As far as I am concerned, the highest bidder gets a 34 year old Russian with his fair share of character issues, an incessant desire to be fawned over, and a spine/skill set that will likely age quicker than the Devils' prospect pool. I couldn't be happier that the man who matters most appears to mirror that mindset, because the last two years have been dedicated towards everything that is anti-Ilya. Plus, who bothers entering a sweepstakes when they've already won the draft lottery?