The arbitration decision over Ilya Kovalchuk's monster contract with the New Jersey Devils will be announced Monday, as expected.
It would have been surprising if arbitrator Richard Bloch made his decision public over the weekend but there was a chance, however slim, that it could have come. Now we're left holding our breath for another day.
Bloch must deliver his ruling on the validity of Kovalchuk's 17-year, $102 million contract Monday.
If he says the deal is legal, the NHL must rubber-stamp the contract and Kovalchuk will stay with the Devils, presumably for a very long time. However, if Bloch says the contract was the Devils way of getting around a bigger salary cap hit, Kovalchuk goes back on the market.
That could open the door for the Los Angeles Kings, one of two reported suitors for the Russian star's services before he signed a deal with the Devils.
Any idea of what time Bloch needs to make the decision public by?
Im trying to find out now..noone is talking
cannot wait till this circus is over!!
decision has to come by end of buisness today (5pm)