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The LA Times reported Sunday that the Los Angeles Kings are no longer in the running for free agent superstar Ilya Kovalchuk. Kings general manager Dean Lombardi told the Times Sunday that Kovalchuk decided against signing with the Kings. “We took our best shot to meet his needs and the team’s,” Lombardi said.
The New Jersey Devils, of whom Kovalchuk spent half of last season, and the New York Islanders are the two teams considered in the hunt for the winger. Last year, Kovalchuk turned down a $101 million offer from the Atlanta Thrashers.
The Kings, it seems, were unwilling to meet the New York Islanders $100 million offer for Kovalchuk. Unlike LA, the Islanders have the money to sign Kovalchuk and several others, the team is just $9 million over the cap floor.
If Kovalchuk signed the Islander’s reported offer, it would make him the highest paid player in the NHL. Here’s what the other top 10 made last season:
Alexander Ovechkin – Washington - $9.538 million
Sidney Crosby – Pittsburgh - $8.7 million
Evgeni Malkin – Pittsburgh - $8.7 million
Eric Staal – Carolina - $8.25 million
Brad Richards – Dallas - $7.8 million
Rick Nash – Columbus - $7.8 million
Vincent Lecavalier – Tampa Bay - $7.727 million
Dany Heatley – San Jose - $7.5 million
Zdeno Chara – Boston - $7.5 million
Marian Gaborik – New York Rangers - $7.5 million
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Matthew Coller is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network, and is a freelance writer. He can be followed on Twitter
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