I don't know about the rest of you but I am completely sick of this entire Kovalchuk "sweepstakes" and to be honest I hope he signs with the KHL. That's right...I said it....the KHL. (Ok..deep breath....for both me the author and you the reader...now let us continue.) Yes the man is a fantastic hockey talent...we can all agree on that very fact. As a pure individual player he would be an asset to any team and to a franchise he would be valuable resource...filling seats and selling jerseys throughout the league. Although on the other hand...he has now begun to represent a figure that is very bad for our beloved sport of hockey. The over entitled soon to be overpaid hockey superstar. Now many of you may not be familiar with this "figure" because out of all the major sports it seems we  (professional hockey) have had some degree of success in negating these types. More so...and more importantly...I believe we see less of this "figure" in our sport because of what hockey players tend to represent as a whole. That of course being a solid foundation in discipline, team mentality, mental/physical toughness....and an overall blue collar work ethic. Of course...this is a business and I do realize it as such...but first and foremost it is a sport...and it's our sport. I for one do not want to see the NHL begin to resemble the NBA or the MLB...and I will leave it at that. So now back to Mr. Kovalchuk...the player  we all saw come here in a blockbuster trade...who then told us he was here to win a Stanley Cup and then in turn gave forth the effort and and skill (for the most part) that seemed to prove his merit. Until....now. Where has that individual gone? Where has the pride of the "team" concept and desire to win a Stanley Cup vanished to? These things have been replaced by numbers...and ridiculous ones at that. Should a players skill dictate his salary? Yes...of course it should...but where is our sport headed when a player can only be satisfied with 10 million dollars a year? Is this for the love of the game? I think not. So if Ilya Kovalchuk does in fact return to the New Jersey Devils I will find it hard to cheer for him...plain and simple. That opinion may have little bearing on you the reader...but think of the various current NJ Devil players that may share the very same sentiments that I do.