Hockey Talk

[zitothebrave]

While this won't be the most viewed thread, it deserves some mention.

Kovalchuk retired today, giving up 77M dollars. I don't know if I could do that honestly. Even if I wasn't happy with my job, I don't think I could turn down 77 million dollars. He'd be able to retire at 40 or 41 (or even if he retired after 2019 he'd only be giving up 14 Million) I highly doubt he'll make even over the rest of his career the 63 million he's set to make over the next 6 seasons.

[gilesfan]

I odn't think I've ever heard a baseball or football player turn down that kind of money.

[The Chosen One]

Easier for a baseball/football player because their home isn't too far away... and they're still at least in their home country.

He is from Russia... maybe he'll play in a Russian league.

[zitothebrave]

I don't think I've ever heard of anyone turning down that much money to retire. I mean Cliff Lee turned down a boatload to go to Philly, Brady potentially turned down a boatload to stay in NE, some guys have signed for cheap in the NBA for a ring, but I can't think of someone turning away from that much guaranteed money, just to go play hockey in Russia. I wonder if he's having some kind of family issue over there and has to play like Jordan had to retire from the NBA cause of gambling issues, if Kovalchuk was about to run into some **** with the NHL or Russian authorities or something.

[thethe]

How much do these guys get paid in Russia? He has made plenty in his career...maybe he felt he didn't need anything else.

[zitothebrave]

While not out of the question that he'll be the top paid player in Russia (he will) the team salary cap is 22M so I don't know if he'll make the 11M he's set to make for the next 5 years.

[thethe]

Even still...not everyone needs to continually have more and more money. Maybe he is fine with the 40 million he has made (I'm assuming this is how much he has made).

[zitothebrave]

I'm not saying it's bad of him. Just pretty damn crazy.

[elmonthc]

He pretty much warned them of this last year. Not really a rickty williams situation.

Love the moves by the wings signing weiss and alfie. Would have liked a 1st line dman too but oh well. Loved their first pick in the draft as well. Pure scorer and thats what we need going foward.

[AUTiger7222]

He pretty much warned them of this last year. Not really a rickty williams situation.

Love the moves by the wings signing weiss and alfie. Would have liked a 1st line dman too but oh well. Loved their first pick in the draft as well. Pure scorer and thats what we need going foward.

Don't like that the Wings kept Dan Cleary instead of Damien Brunner. Hated that Fippula left but that was just a salary cap issue that the Wings couldn't compete with.