Devils working on new deal to re-sign forward Ilya Kovalchuk
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The New Jersey Devils are working on another deal to sign Ilya Kovalchuk.
Less than 24 hours after an arbitrator ruled that the NHL acted correctly in voiding Kovalchuk's landmark $102 million contract with New Jersey, team president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said the Devils will continue working to re-sign the high scoring Russian.
Lamoriello refused on Tuesday to comment on the ruling by Richard Bloch. The arbiter ruled Monday that Kovalchuk's 17-year contract, the longest deal in league history, violated the league's salary cap.
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"We want Ilya to be a Devil," Lamoriello said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday. "We will do everything possible to achieve that."
Lamoriello said the Devils renewed talks with Kovalchuk after Bloch's decision was announced around 5:45 p.m. EDT on Monday. He would not get into specifics.
Jay Grossman, Kovalchuk's agent, did not return two telephone messages left by The AP and one e-mail sent to him.
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Kovalchuk was the NHL's top free agent this year with 338 goals in 642 career games.
What is obvious is that the Devils will have to take a bigger cap hit if they reach a new and probably shorter deal in terms of duration with the 27-year-old Kovalchuk.
Under the deal that was voided by the league, Kovalchuk would have only counted for $6 million annually against the cap. The lower cap value resulted because he would have been paid just $550,000 in each of the last five years of the contract.
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If he re-signs with New Jersey, there is a chance the team might have to move some players to make room for him.
Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek did not immediately return a telephone call left by The AP on Tuesday seeking comment.