Breaking: Kovalchuk retires!

[KillerKat]

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Star forward Ilya Kovalchuk stunned the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, retiring from the NHL to return to his native Russia.

 

The 30-year-old Kovalchuk walked away from the $77 million that was left on the 15-year contract he signed with New Jersey in 2010, including guaranteed annual salaries of at least $11 million over the next four seasons.

 

The Devils announced the news Thursday afternoon, saying that Kovalchuk alerted Lou Lamoriello, the team's president and general manager, earlier this year that he wanted to return home to Russia with his family after 11 seasons in the NHL.

 

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/devils-star-ilya-kovalchuk-retires-200719478--nhl.html

 

 

Wow! Must've been really home sick. I would be vomitting right now if I were a Devils fan. They've lost Parise and Kovalchuk in back to back offseasons.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Yeah I watched the press conference.

His heart had always been in Russia.

[KillerKat]

Guess this could be the reason for the ridiculous contract. The front office knew this and tried to change his mind.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

I'm glad we got our Russian though, Semin has been a breath of fresh air.

[Panthro]

Kgb

[kman72]

haha too funny, good friend of mine is a huge devils fan and he is flipping his poo right now lol 

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Back to the motherland to become the highest paid hockey player in the world.

What's even funnier is that the Devils have to pay $200,000 the NHL until his contract expires... It expires in 2025 lol.

If he would have waited one more year the Devils would have owed $700,000 a year to the NHL (until 2025).