Kovalchuk happy to return to New Jersey

Hockey Betting Lines

07/20/2010 - Newark, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Jersey Devils made it official on Tuesday and re-introduced superstar left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, who agreed to a 17-year contract worth a reported $102 million on Monday.

Kovalchuk was acquired by the Devils last February in a trade with Atlanta and tested the free agent waters this summer before deciding to return to New Jersey.

"This was a tough process for me. This was the biggest decision of my life," said Kovalchuk at Tuesday's press conference. "I believe I made the best choice for me and my family."

New Jersey and the Los Angeles Kings were Kovalchuk's two main pursuers since the free agent signing period began July 1.

The Newark Star-Ledger reported terms of the contract, breaking down the pact year-by-year. He's due to earn $6 million in each of the next two seasons, $11.5 million from 2012-17 and $10.5 million the following year. The salary falls off after that until he makes $550,000 annually the final five years of the deal. He would be 44 years old when the contract concludes in 2027.

"I'll only be 44, so I hope I'm going to keep myself in shape to keep playing," Kovalchuk quipped.

Kovalchuk played 27 games last season for the Devils after being acquired from Atlanta and compiled 10 goals and 17 assists to help New Jersey win the Atlantic Division crown. He added two goals and four assists in five playoff games as the Devils were ousted by Philadelphia in the first round.

"There is unfinished business from last season," Kovalchuk added. "That was the biggest reason I wanted to stay here. I know we're going to do much better in the future years than we did last year."

Kovalchuk turned down reported offers of $70 million over seven years and $100 million over 12 years from the Thrashers, who finally gave up on re-signing the sniper and sent him to New Jersey in a package that netted Atlanta defenseman Johnny Oduya, right wing Niclas Bergfors, forward Patrice Cormier and a first-round draft pick.

Selected with the first overall pick of the 2001 draft, Kovalchuk twice reached 52 goals with Atlanta and last season combined to score 41 goals in 76 games. The 27-year-old Russian native has 338 goals and 304 assists for 642 points in 621 regular-season games. He is Atlanta's all-time leader in virtually every offensive category and gives the Devils an offensive player in the prime of his career, something the organization has never really had, but at a price the franchise has never before paid.

"What you have to understand is we just built a tremendous facility here, and [the owners] have made a commitment to winning. This type of a decision is for that reason," Devils CEO Lou Lamoriello said about why the team broke from its usual frugal direction.

"We have a player that will complement the players we have, that [in turn] will complement him. The logo in front will always be more important than the name on the back. The thing I feel the best about is there's nothing more important than the team. I spoke with Ilya about that when he first came here."

Kovalchuk also said as much Tuesday, also acknowledging teammates Martin Brodeur, Jamie Langenbrunner, Zach Parise and Patrik Elias, who were in attendance.

"We have an unbelievable group of guys, I can't name all of them," Kovalchuk noted, adding that the franchise's winning past also played a role in his decision. "The history, first of all, then -- when I first came here -- I saw the way the organization treats its players. I'll be a Devil for life. They're a first-class organization."

It's been a busy offseason for the Devils, as the club named John MacLean its new head coach and signed defensemen Henrik Tallinder and Anton Volchenkov. New Jersey also re-acquired center Jason Arnott, who scored a double-overtime goal in the clinching Game 6 of the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals against Dallas, in a trade with Nashville.

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MySportsbook.com favors Buckeyes, Fighting Irish and Golden Bears in this weekend's big games.

NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 21 - My Sportsbook NCAA football fans: things are beginning to get really interesting on college football's national stage. Following last weekend's "Separation Saturday", which included five teams ranked in the top 15 dropping games, the BCS Championship picture is beginning to take shape - with Ohio State leading the charge. And, according to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, the number-one-ranked Buckeyes will continue their winning ways this weekend.

Revenge will be the name of the game in Columbus this Saturday, as Ohio State looks to even the score following last season's loss to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. Although Penn State are listed as 16.5 point underdogs, they are 11-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes. Paterno and the Lions, however, will have to shut down Heisman Trophy favorite Troy Smith who has thrown for 769 yards and seven touchdowns this season.

Speaking of revenge, Notre Dame will be out for some against Michigan State, following last year's 44 - 41 overtime loss to the Spartans in South Bend. The thirteenth-ranked Irish, listed as a 3-point favorite, will also be looking to avenge last Saturday's thrashing from the Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans, meanwhile, have won seven of the last nine match-ups against Notre Dame and are coming off an impressive 38-23 victory over Pittsburgh.

Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.

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NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
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Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
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Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&amp;M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6

For complete NCAA football odds and World Series odds please visit MySportsbook.com