The Bruins and the Kings appear to have been front-runners for Kovalchuk’s services, but they seemingly backed off after realizing that Thrashers general manager Don Waddell was simply asking for too much in return. Both teams were uncomfortable mortgaging their young cores for Kovalchuk, a player who will most likely test the free-agent market following the season.
If there had been an option to negotiate a new deal with the Russian superstar, then Kings GM Dean Lombardi was, according to numerous sources, more than willing to budge on Waddell’s demands. In fact, there is still a very strong chance Lombardi will make a serious pitch for Kovalchuk in the summer. Kovalchuk has made it known he would like to live in Los Angeles, but for now, the asking price was too high, and he will instead reside in Newark, N.J.
In the Bruins case, they were looking at Kovalchuk as a short-term rental, and there was no way Peter Chiarelli was blowing up the core he has put together since joining the team in 2006. Chiarelli expressed this sentiment Thursday on his weekly appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub and also said he is still going to try and make some sort of deal to help out his club.
“I continue to make calls,” said Chiarelli. “I know our fans are clamoring for me to do something. [But doing something] just for the sake of doing something, you have to be careful when you’re doing that. I know we’ve lost eight in a row and that’s very disappointing. Of course, the vultures start coming out when you’re in a point of weakness.
“There’s one player out there that everyone is talking about [Kovalchuk] that we’d have to mortgage the present, the short term, the medium term and the future for. And I’m not going to do it,” Chiarelli continued. “I know we’re struggling and it’s painful for me to watch. What I’m saying is that a trade may help and it’s certainly something as a GM I have to look into. And I’m looking into it diligently. But it’s not the only solution.”
As for the exact package Atlanta wanted from the Bruins, there are plenty of rumors flying around. We’ll save the speculation here, but when asked what Boston would have had to give up, one Bruins source responded reluctantly.
“You’ll have to ask Don Waddell that one.”
At this point, the Bruins are still reported to have interest in Hurricanes forward Ray Whitney, another impending unrestricted free agent, but they will have competition for him as well. The Penguins, Kings and Capitals are all reported to be making strong pushes for the veteran who won a Stanley Cup in Carolina in 2006 with current Bruins forward Mark Recchi.
