Ilya Kovalchuk Says "Auf Wiedersehen, NHL"

thejerseychaser.com/

Sometimes, players do great things, retire, and go on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.  See Chris Chelios, Scott Niedermayer, Brendan Shanahan, and Geraldine Heaney.  Other players do nothing, make money, and "retire" at 30.  See Ilya Kovalchuk.  

Only 3 seasons into his billion year contract (okay okay fine 15 years), Kovalchuk has announced his retirement, leaving $77 million on the table to return home to Russia.  

Why. 

Why the hell are you doing this? 

The Devils jumped through hoops to find a loophole to sign you til your deathbed, Kovy, and now you've decided you're good?  No more pretty money?  

Makes sense?  

If you really missed your family and friends in Russia, I'm pretty sure with the money you were making off this contract, you could pay to move the chunks of Russia they were in *to* New Jersey.  And I doubt anyone would have cared/noticed here, so many people, so much traffic, more landmass might help.  

Kovalchuk's departure means the Devils give up the 1st round draft pick in the 2014 Draft.  Which has all of us at Up The Pucks scratching our heads: why not give it up last year, when they had the 29th draft pick?  But hey, whatever floats the Devils boat.  

Don't get me wrong, I'm not jumping on the Jeremy Roenick Kovalchuk hating bandwagon:

Uwill all see now why I have talked negatively about kovalchuk !!! He doesn't want to play for the devils and he'll end up in the KHL!!!

— Jeremy Roenick (@Jeremy_Roenick) July 11, 2013

Kovalchuk is as selfish as they come!!!! I'm appalled. I feel bad for all u devils fans. U deserve better than that!!

— Jeremy Roenick (@Jeremy_Roenick) July 11, 2013

I am shocked that kovalchuk would do this to the devils and their fan base!!! Devils lose so much w this decision it's scary!!! Selfish !!!!

— Jeremy Roenick (@Jeremy_Roenick) July 11, 2013

Hey Ilya hope u live comfortably in Russia w the money u made from the 23 million u stole from the devils Again I'm right in my analysis

— Jeremy Roenick (@Jeremy_Roenick) July 11, 2013

Not really feeling that much hate towards him, just confusion.  These past three season have made no sense, so much effort for nothing in the end.  The Devils didn't with the Cup with him, sure they made a push to the Stanley Cup Finals but as we all know, it doesn't matter if there's no Cup at the end.  

So here's to you, Mr. Kovalchuk, may you never run out of borsch.