Retired NHL player-turned NBC analyst Jeremy Roenick dropped the gloves when he heard about the retirement of New Jersey Devils wing Ilya Kovalchuk.
Roenick attacked Kovalchuk's decision with a vengeance on Twitter, USA Today reported Wednesday. Kovalchuk has 12 years remaining on a 15-year contract worth $100 million that he signed with New Jersey in 2010.
According to USA, the 30-year-old Kovalchuk is giving up $77 million and is presumed to be headed back to his native Russia to play for SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League.
Roenick, the 20-year NHL veteran, fired out six tweets in 17 minutes on the subject of Kovalchuk's retirement.
"Studiest thing iv heard since Aaron Hernandez .. Kovalchuk retiring !!! Is he out of his mind??? Something is fishy" was his first tweet, followed by:
"Uwill all see now why I have talked negatively about kovalchuk !!! He doesn't want to play for the devils and he'll end up in the KHL!!!"
One minute later ...
"Kovalchuk is as selfish as they come!!!! I'm appalled. I feel bad for all u devils fans. U deserve better than that!!"
Roenick echoed the selfish sentiment six minutes after that:
"I am shocked that kovalchuk would do this to the devils and their fan base!!! Devils lose so much w this decision it's scary!!! Selfish !!!!"
Then, Roenick expressed remorse for Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello:
"I'm so irate right now. I feel bad for Lou lamoriello. Gave a 100 million dollar contract to a player who has no care for the NHL!"
Finallly, Roenick finished his tweet rant by tooting his own horn:
"Hey Ilya hope u live comfortably in Russia w the money u made from the 23 million u stole from the devils Again I'm right in my analysis"
ESPN reported Kovalchuk's retirement as one of the costliest ever to a single franchise in the NHL.
New Jersey traded away Niclas Bergfors, Johnny Oduya, Patrice Cormier and its first- and second-round draft picks in 2010 to the Atlanta Thrashers for Kovalchuk, Anssi Salmela and the Thrashers' 2010 second-round selection.
The NHL also rejected the Devils' original 17-year offer to Kovalchuk and penalized the franchise $3 million and took away New Jersey's third-round draft pick in 2011 and first-round pick in 2014, ESPN reported.
Finally, Kovalchuk's early good-bye will cost the Devils $250,000-$300,000 in salary cap space for the next 12 years.
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