Ilya Kovalchuk Trade Rumors

Trade rumors continue to surround the New Jersey Devils and their forward Ilya Kovalchuk.

Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Frolov have apparently been offered contracts to play for the KHL. They have a decision to make seeing as they become unrestricted free agents on July 1. The KHL is a very real option for European players. There is a report that Kovalchuk has been offered $30 million to play in the KHL for three years. That is $10 million dollars a season. And it gets better.. All that money is tax-free.

Kovalchuk had a pretty good regular season before flopping in the playoffs like he usually does. This time he blew it with the Devils. I don't think the Devils could offer him anywhere close to the $10 million dollar figure - nor could any NHL team for that matter because of salary cap issues. In my opinion, Kovalchuk is a $7 million player at best in the NHL. For Ilya Kovalchuk then, the KHL could make him a wealthier man over the next few years.

KHL > NHL