Ilya Kovalchuk(notes) is back on the free-agent market, and talking already.

An arbitrator ruled Monday that the NHL acted correctly in voiding
Kovalchuk’s landmark 2 million contract with the Devils.

The league had rejected the 17-year contract, saying the longest deal in
league history violated its salary cap.

The NHL Players Association filed a grievance against the league. A hearing
was held last week and arbiter Richard Bloch sided with the league when he
issued his ruling.

“We want to thank arbitrator Bloch for his prompt resolution of a complex
issue,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. “His ruling is
consistent with the league’s view of the manner in which the collective
bargaining agreement should deal with contracts that circumvent the salary
cap.”

The decision put Kovalchuk back on the market as an unrestricted free agent,
and the high-scoring Russian already was talking to the Devils again.

“While we do not currently have a contract with Ilya Kovalchuk, discussions
have resumed and we are hopeful that a contract will be reached that meets with
the principles in arbitrator Bloch’s award and the NHL’s approval,” New Jersey
president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said.

Kovalchuk was hockey’s biggest prize in free agency this year with 338 goals
and 304 assists in 642 career games. He thought he had a lucrative deal with the
Devils, but now he has to work out a new one.

Lamoriello noted Bloch’s ruling indicated neither the team nor Kovalchuk
operated in bad faith and both parties believed the contract was compliant with
the collective bargaining agreement.

NHL spokesman Frank Brown said it was too early to say whether the league
would take punitive action against the Devils. New Jersey can be fined or lose
draft picks for signing Kovalchuk to a contract that circumvented league rules.

The players’ association said it was disappointed with the ruling, which it
was reviewing. It had no further comment.

Kovalchuk and the Devils agreed to the deal July 19. The next day, the
league determined the contract was illegal because years of low salary at the
end lowered the cap hit.

The union filed a grievance July 26.

The All-Star was slated to earn only 0,000 in each of the last five
seasons of the rejected deal. It would have run through the 2026-27 season, when
Kovalchuk will be 44.

Kovalchuk had 41 goals and 44 assists last season, when he was traded to the
Devils by Atlanta in February. The 27-year-old left wing is the league’s leading
goal scorer since 2001.

The Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Devils and SKA St. Petersburg of
Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League talked with Kovalchuk after free agency
started July 1. The final decision came down to the Kings and New Jersey.

Other long-term deals have been signed without incident, though none is as
long or tapers as sharply as Kovalchuk’s agreement.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo(notes) has a million, 12-year deal
that pays only million over the final four seasons and takes him to age 43.
Marian Hossa(notes) of the Chicago Blackhawks will be 42 at the end of his .8
million, 12-year contract that pays .5 million in the last four seasons.

Henrik Zetterberg(notes) and Johan Franzen(notes) of the Detroit Red Wings and Chris
Pronger(notes) of the Philadelphia Flyers are among those with similar contracts. In
length, the Kovalchuk deal tops New York Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro’s(notes) 15
years and Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin’s(notes) 13.

TORONTO (AP)—The National Hockey League Players’ Association has filed a
grievance over the league’s rejection of the landmark 2 million contract
between Ilya Kovalchuk(notes) and the New Jersey Devils.

The league rejected the 17-year deal contract last week, saying the longest
contract in league history violated its salary cap.

The union disputed that belief in its grievance Monday. It said that under
the collective bargaining agreement, the union and Kovalchuk are entitled to an
expedited resolution.

The NHL acknowledged that it has received a copy of the grievance.

“Although there is no defined timetable at this point, we intend to work
with the Players’ Association to ensure an expeditious resolution of this
dispute,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. “The league
looks forward to the opportunity to establish its position before the
arbitrator.”

Daly said that the league would have not further comment until the issue was
resolved.

Kovalchuk’s deal was likely rejected because he was to earn 0,000 in each
of the last five seasons of the contract that was to run through the 2026-27
season, when he would be 44. He was to earn .5 million in the first 11 years
of the deal.

Kovalchuk was drafted first overall by the Thrashers in 2001 and has 338
goals and 304 assists in 642 career NHL games. Last season, he had 41 goals and
44 assists. He was traded to New Jersey in February.

By extending Kovalchuk’s contract and paying him less money late in the
deal, the Devils lowered their salary-cap hit to million annually.

Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said last week that he
believed that the contract complied with the terms of the collective bargaining
agreement. He also said he would not comment again until the grievance process
played out.

Kovalchuk’s agent, Jay Grossman, also said last week that he wouldn’t
comment until the matter is resolved.

Other long-term deals have been signed without incident, though none is as
long or tapers as sharply as Kovalchuk’s.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo(notes) has a million, 12-year deal
that pays only million over the final four seasons and takes him to age 43.
Marian Hossa(notes) of the Chicago Blackhawks will be 42 at the end of his .8
million, 12-year contract that pays .5 million in the last four seasons.

Henrik Zetterberg(notes) and Johan Franzen(notes) of the Detroit Red Wings and Chris
Pronger(notes) of the Philadelphia Flyers are among those with similar contracts. In
length, the Kovalchuk deal tops New York Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro’s(notes) 15
years and Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin’s(notes) 13.

TORONTO (AP)—The National Hockey League Players’ Association has filed a
grievance over the league’s rejection of the landmark 2 million contract
between Ilya Kovalchuk(notes) and the New Jersey Devils.

The league rejected the 17-year deal contract last week, saying the longest
contract in league history violated its salary cap.

The union disputed that belief in its grievance Monday. It said that under
the collective bargaining agreement, the union and Kovalchuk are entitled to an
expedited resolution.

The NHL acknowledged that it has received a copy of the grievance.

“Although there is no defined timetable at this point, we intend to work
with the Players’ Association to ensure an expeditious resolution of this
dispute,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. “The league
looks forward to the opportunity to establish its position before the
arbitrator.”

Daly said that the league would have not further comment until the issue was
resolved.

Kovalchuk’s deal was likely rejected because he was to earn 0,000 in each
of the last five seasons of the contract that was to run through the 2026-27
season, when he would be 44. He was to earn .5 million in the first 11 years
of the deal.

Kovalchuk was drafted first overall by the Thrashers in 2001 and has 338
goals and 304 assists in 642 career NHL games. Last season, he had 41 goals and
44 assists. He was traded to New Jersey in February.

By extending Kovalchuk’s contract and paying him less money late in the
deal, the Devils lowered their salary-cap hit to million annually.

Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said last week that he
believed that the contract complied with the terms of the collective bargaining
agreement. He also said he would not comment again until the grievance process
played out.

Kovalchuk’s agent, Jay Grossman, also said last week that he wouldn’t
comment until the matter is resolved.

Other long-term deals have been signed without incident, though none is as
long or tapers as sharply as Kovalchuk’s.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo(notes) has a million, 12-year deal
that pays only million over the final four seasons and takes him to age 43.
Marian Hossa(notes) of the Chicago Blackhawks will be 42 at the end of his .8
million, 12-year contract that pays .5 million in the last four seasons.

Henrik Zetterberg(notes) and Johan Franzen(notes) of the Detroit Red Wings and Chris
Pronger(notes) of the Philadelphia Flyers are among those with similar contracts. In
length, the Kovalchuk deal tops New York Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro’s(notes) 15
years and Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin’s(notes) 13.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP)—Ilya Kovalchuk(notes) is staying with the New Jersey Devils.

The team said on Monday that the biggest prize of the NHL free agent market
agreed to a new contract, ending weeks of speculation where the high-scoring
forward would play next season. Terms were not immediately available.

The Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Devils and a team in Russia made
the biggest runs at Kovalchuk since free agency started on July 1, but he
seemingly decided his chances of winning a Stanley Cup were much better in New
Jersey.

The 27-year-old Russian was traded to the Devils by Atlanta in February
after rejecting a 12-year, 1 million extension offered by the Thrashers.

Kovalchuk (KOH’-vul-chuck) had 41 goals and 44 assists last season in
earning .5 million, but only 10 goals and 17 assists came with the Devils.

When the deal with the Thrashers was completed, Devils president Lou
Lamoriello felt his team finally had the goal scorer it needed to make a run at
a fourth Cup since 1995.

It didn’t work out that way. Kovalchuk had two goals in the postseason as
the Devils were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in five games in the
opening round, their third straight exit in the first round.

The first pick overall in the 2001 NHL draft, Kovalchuk has scored 338
career goals. He has only been to the playoffs twice in eight NHL seasons,
winning only one game.

Kovalchuk was acquired from the Thrashers along with defenseman Anssi
Salmela(notes) for forward Niclas Bergfors(notes), defenseman Johnny Oduya(notes), prospect Patrice
Cormier(notes), a first-rounder and a swap of seconds.