The Penguins want to keep Alexei Kovalev.
Kovalev wants to stay with the Penguins.
But it will have to be the team, not the player, that instigates talks toward a contract extension.
"They have to start it," Kovalev said yesterday in his first interview since the end of last season. "What happens is up to them. It's not like I'm going to go up to them and say, 'Hey, please make my contract longer.' I already have a contract."
Kovalev, 29, will receive $4.6 million next season in the final phase of his two-year deal. When that expires, he will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. In the summer of 2004, he can be eligible for unrestricted free agency.
That, coupled with the July 1 loss of center Robert Lang to the Washington Capitals as an unrestricted free agent, has mounted public pressure on the Penguins to make sure Kovalev isn't the next out the door. Owner Mario Lemieux and General Manager Craig Patrick have said they want to sign him to a long-term deal as early as this summer, but no negotiations have begun, and Patrick said Monday he feels no urgency to get them started.
Kovalev reiterated his desire to remain in Pittsburgh, where he has blossomed into one of the NHL's most gifted and prolific forwards, registering 283 points in 291 games over four seasons with the Penguins.
"This organization and this city gave me the opportunity to be the kind of player I always wanted to be. This is where I want to play. I've said that 1,000 times, and I'll keep saying it."
He added that he has been flattered by hearing and reading of the city's passion for keeping him in town.
"It's definitely something that makes you feel good about yourself, that people appreciate what you do. From the day I got here, I didn't want to be just another guy on the team. I wanted to play my game and show everybody what I could do. That's why it's nice to have that feeling, that people want you to be a big part of their team for a long time."
But for the Penguins to ensure that happens, Kovalev feels, they first must have a clearer picture of when or if they will get a new arena. A financing plan was due from local government officials by the end of June, but a one-month extension was requested and granted by the team.
"I really think that their first priority is a new arena, and their second priority is to do something with me. That's OK. I understand that. It's not something I'm worried about."
Kovalev insisted that he is not spending much time pondering how much he wants to be paid. He has taken notice of some of the huge contracts given out around the NHL in the past nine days, including five-year, $45 million deals from the New York Rangers to center Bobby Holik and from the Dallas Stars to right winger Bill Guerin. But he wouldn't say if those figures, for players widely viewed as not being his equal, would influence his asking price.
"Really, I'm not thinking about money. That's my agent's job, not mine."
Kovalev said his immediate concern regarding the Penguins is who might take Lang's place as his center. Kovalev and Lang worked on a line together almost exclusively for the past four years.
"I'm happy for Robert because he finally got the respect he deserves as a great player in this league, but it's definitely going to be tough for me without him. When you play with the same guy for such a long time and get to know everything he does, it's tough when he's gone."
He mentioned Martin Straka and Randy Robitaille as candidates to replace Lang, two players Coach Rick Kehoe also cited last week.
"Marty, I've played with for a long time, too. He competes every night, plays so hard, that it's great to be with him. And Randy, everybody saw the way he finished so strong last season to give us a boost. I think we still have a lot of talent, a lot of guys who can score, and we'll make up for it. But the young guys have to step it up. It can't just be Mario, Marty and me. We'll see. If the young guys step up, I think we'll have a good team. That's what I care about."
NOTES -- The NHL's 2002-03 regular-season schedule is expected to be released today. ... The Penguins yesterday announced their seven-game preseason schedule, including home games Sept. 28 against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Oct. 1 against the Boston Bruins. They will play twice in Wilkes-Barre, Sept. 22 against the New Jersey Devils and Oct. 2 against the Capitals. They also will play in Albany, N.Y., Sept. 20 against the Devils, in Washington Sept. 20 and in Columbus Sept. 29. ... Training camp will open at Southpointe Sept. 12. ... Minor-league left winger Martin Sonnenberg signed a contract yesterday with the Calgary Flames.
Kovalev: Next contract move is up to Penguins 
E-mail this story 
