Kovalchuk Contract Details Leak On Eve Of NHL Decision

The NHL is waiting until the last possible moment to make a decision on this second Ilya Kovalchuk contract. They have to make a decision by 5 PM Eastern on Wednesday, and if the rest of this crazy, Ilya-filled summer is any indication, they'll make that decision at 4:59ish.

But on this night before the decision is made, the details of the contract have leaked, at least according to one reporter.

On Rogers' Sportsnet in Canada this evening, Nick Kypreos talked about those details. Tom Gulitti of The Bergen Record passed them along via Twitter. 

Here's what the contract looks like, according to Kypreos.

2010-11: 6 million

2011-12: 6 million

2012-13: 11 million

2013-14: 11.3 million

2014-15: 11.3 million

2015-16: 11.6 million

2016-17: 11.8 million

2017-18: 10 million

2018-19: 7 million

2019-20: 4 million

2020-21: 1 million

2021-22: 1 million

2022-23: 1 million

2023-24: 3 million

2024-25: 4 million

15 years, $100 million.

So now, we ask the question: will this deal pass the test? Those three years at $1 million could be an issue, and if the Devils argument for having those "diveback" years at the end of the deal is that they believe Kovalchuk will be worth that little money at the tail end of his career, how can they argue in favor of the increase at the end of the deal?

It'll be interesting to see what happens tomorrow, and it'll be interesting to see if we're going to another arbitration hearing if this thing is rejected.

17 days til camp.