Ilya Kovalchuk contract denied; NHL says try again

Ilya Kovalchuk's landmark 17-year, $102 million contract with the New Jersey Devils was rejected on Wednesday by the NHL, which ruled that the longest deal in league history violated its salary cap.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement posted on the league website that the Devils, Kovalchuk and the players' association still have several options if they choose to restructure the deal.

Until then, Daly said "the player is not entitled to play under the contract."

By tacking on years of low salary at the end of the deal when Kovalchuk would be well past his prime — if the Russian was even still playing — the Devils lowered their salary-cap hit to $6 million per season.

The NHL wants to eliminate such "retirement contracts" and challenged this one after allowing others to stand.

Kovalchuk's deal was likely rejected because the All-Star was slated to earn only $550,000 in each of the last five seasons of the contract that was to run through the 2026-27 season, when he would be 44. Kovalchuk was to earn $98.5 million in the first 11 years of the deal.

Neither the Devils nor Kovalchuk's agent, Jay Grossman, immediately returned messages after the contract was rejected. Before the deal was prohibited, Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello believed it would meet NHL approval.

"There is nothing that we have done wrong," he said on Tuesday. "This is within the rules. This is in the CBA. There are precedents that have been set. But I would agree we shouldn't have these. I'm also saying that because it's legal and this is something that ownership felt comfortable doing for the right reasons."

Based on provisions in the collective bargaining agreement between the players' association and the league, the union has five business days to file a grievance on behalf of Kovalchuk. The deal would remain voided if no grievance is filed or if an arbitrator agrees that the contract is illegal.

The arbitrator would have 48 hours to decide if the league was right to reject the contract. If the arbitrator agrees, the contract would be voided, and Kovalchuk would again be an unrestricted free agent.

Such long-term deals that have become popular for star players since the salary-cap era began following the NHL lockout in 2005 could become a thing of the past when the next CBA is negotiated.

Deals given last year by Chicago to free agent forward Marian Hossa, and by Philadelphia to 35-year-old defenseman Chris Pronger were reviewed by the NHL and approved.

Pronger's seven-year extension begins next season. He will earn $7.6 million for two years, $7.2 million in 2012-13, $7 million in 2013-14 and $5.5 million over the last three seasons of the deal.

Hossa signed a 12-year, $62.8 million contract that leaves the Blackhawks an annual salary cap hit of $5.23 million. He will earn $7.9 million per year through the 2015-16 season before his salary drops. Hossa is set to be paid $4 million in 2016-17, $1 million the following two seasons, and $750,000 in each of the final two years of the deal. Hossa would be 42 when the contract expires.

Kovalchuk dismissed money as a main factor in his decision to stay with New Jersey. He instead cited long-term security for him and his family and the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup with an organization that boasts three titles in 15 seasons.

Kovalchuk's contract would have topped the 15-year deal goalie Rick DiPietro got from the New York Islanders, and two-time NHL MVP Alex Ovechkin's 13-year pact with Washington.

Kovalchuk was to earn $6 million in each of the next two seasons, $11.5 million for the following five seasons, $10.5 million in the 2017-18 season, $8.5 million for the 2018-19 season, $6.5 million in 2019-20, $3.5 million in 2020-21, $750,000 the following season, and $550,000 for the final five years of the unprecedented deal.

Kovalchuk's time with the Atlanta Thrashers ended when he rejected a 12-year, $101 million extension. He totaled 41 goals and 44 assists last season when he earned $7.5 million, but posted only 10 goals and 17 assists with the Devils after being traded in February. Kovalchuk had two goals and four assists during New Jersey's five-game, first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia.

RELATED:

• Hockey's bid to rein in fisticuffs
  
• Will Olympics hockey boost the NHL?