Kovalev Needs to Go!
Posted 3:54 PM ET | Comments 0
I do not dislike Russians. I do not think Russian players are inferior to Canadian players. In fact, I believe that Russian players are the most exciting players in the game-and look at the talent it has produced: Malkin, Ovechkin, Markov, etc. However, there are certain Russian players in this league that either think there better than everyone else, or there just lazy-maybe both. I am talking about guys like Alex Kovalev and Alexei Yashin.
Kovy and Yashin are two elite players who simply don't have the hunger, the passion, and the desire to win anymore. They come over with high expectations, and usually fulfill them in the beggining, but when the big bucks start rolling in, all they can think about is their green. They keep complaining and never performing...what's that saying; "You can talk the talk but can you walk the walk?"Something along those lines. When Kovalev resigned with the Habs a couple of years back, he said, publicly "I want to bring a Stanley Cup to Montreal". Of course, the media jumped all over that, saying that Kovalev was being a true leader, and as usual bashing Koivu for not being the one to say that. Just one problem. It was Koivu who cam back from two potential career-ending knee injuries. It was Koivu who fought cancer and came back to lead the playoff scoring until the Habs got eliminaed. It was Koivu who got his eye busted and still came back with career highs {75 points}. And what has Kovalev done. He brings us out of our chairs once in a while...if he feels like it.
From where the Habs stand right now, Alexei Kovalev doesn't deserve 4.5 million, let alone a spot on the team, the way he played last year. That money, and spot, could be used for a guy like Teemu Selanne, or another defenseman, or it gives a young guy a chance to make his case for a spot on the Habs.
As for Yashin, go to Russia-no one is going to give you 3 million to float around and do squat. Hopefully guys like Ovechkin and Malkin don't end up like this.
Kovy and Yashin are two elite players who simply don't have the hunger, the passion, and the desire to win anymore. They come over with high expectations, and usually fulfill them in the beggining, but when the big bucks start rolling in, all they can think about is their green. They keep complaining and never performing...what's that saying; "You can talk the talk but can you walk the walk?"Something along those lines. When Kovalev resigned with the Habs a couple of years back, he said, publicly "I want to bring a Stanley Cup to Montreal". Of course, the media jumped all over that, saying that Kovalev was being a true leader, and as usual bashing Koivu for not being the one to say that. Just one problem. It was Koivu who cam back from two potential career-ending knee injuries. It was Koivu who fought cancer and came back to lead the playoff scoring until the Habs got eliminaed. It was Koivu who got his eye busted and still came back with career highs {75 points}. And what has Kovalev done. He brings us out of our chairs once in a while...if he feels like it.
From where the Habs stand right now, Alexei Kovalev doesn't deserve 4.5 million, let alone a spot on the team, the way he played last year. That money, and spot, could be used for a guy like Teemu Selanne, or another defenseman, or it gives a young guy a chance to make his case for a spot on the Habs.
As for Yashin, go to Russia-no one is going to give you 3 million to float around and do squat. Hopefully guys like Ovechkin and Malkin don't end up like this.