Did Ilya Kovalchuk really take the Los Angeles Kings for a roller-coaster ride?

Or were fans' expectations too high for a player compared at least once to Wayne Gretzky for the potential impact of his arrival?

In reality, both are possible. The details of the negotiating process will come out only after Kovalchuk has signed somehwere – which, remarkably, hasn't happened yet. And the Kings can survive losing the Kovalchuk sweepstakes,

AROUND THE PACIFIC

the likely outcome since the two sides haven't negotiated since Sunday. Los Angeles still needs a top-six winger, which was the reason for all the anticipation and negotiation in the  first place. But replacing the production of Alexander Frolov (19 goals, 51 points) doesn't demand a player of Kovalchuk's caliber. 
 
The question of what comes next, however, goes beyond how the Kings fill a forward spot.

• What happens to the Division race as a whole?

With Kovalchuk, the Kings were a threat (if not the favorite) to end the San Jose Sharks' run of three straight division titles. The Phoenix Coyotes cannot be discounted entirely after their 107-point season. And if the issue of winning the division seems trite, consider that with the exception of 2009, a 1st or 2nd seed has won every Stanley Cup since 2001. To win it all in the NHL, as a general rule, you have to win your division.

Without Kovalchuk, the Kings would only win the division as the underdog.

• What does Dean Lombardi do to energize his fan base? 

The general manager who has so patiently rebuilt the Kings will have a sympathetic audience if Kovalchuk breaks the bank in New Jersey, Russia, Neptune, or wherever else he decides to play. More on that later. Lombardi has not ruled out re-signing Frolov, who is still a gifted two-way player and the longest-tenured King. Season-ticket holders, however, would correctly view this as a fall-back plan, not the kind of signing that inspires more growth among a fan base that posted a league-best 5 percent attendance increase last season.

Since the Philadelphia Flyers asked him to waive his no-trade clause, Simon Gagne has been rumored as another possibility. Gagne plays better defense than Kovalchuk, has a winning pedigree, and is himself a potential 40-goal scorer when healthy. If the GM deems Gagne is a good "fit" for his team (to borrow a favorite Lombardi phrase), there is a good chance he'll pull the trigger. If Gagne is a good fit in reality, expect the fans to embrace him. 

• How can Hollywood become a hockey destination again?

This was the question posed recently by L.A. Times columnist Helene Elliott. It's a valid one, if only a bit premature.

Lombardi has every reason to save salary-cap space for Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson, his talented, young defensive duo who will hit the open market together in 2011. If Kovalchuk's asking price (rumored to be as high as $10 million per year) had put either Doughty or Johnson out of the running for a long-term extension, so be it. That doesn't make Los Angeles look any less attractive to a potential free agent.

If, however, Kovalchuk signs for a shorter term and less money -- New Jersey is rumored to have offered $60 million over seven years and $26 million over three years -- the Kings can only wonder what they did wrong, other than play on the wrong coast. Or the wrong country, in the case of the KHL.

Notes

Mike Modano told the Dallas Morning News "I can see myself fitting in with this group" after meeting with the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. The 40-year-old center has been a member of the Stars organization since he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Minnesota North Stars in 1988. ... Sharks head coach Todd McLellan told the San Jose Mercury News that the team's captaincy will remain up for grabs until training camp. Incumbent captain Rob Blake retired last month. ... Former first-round draft pick Kyle Palmieri had a hat trick in the Ducks' intrasquad rookie scrimmage Tuesday. Palmieri was arrested in April in South Bend, Ind., for underage drinking and resisting arrest, but said he will not be expelled from the University of Notre Dame. ... Including the recently bought-out contracts of Patrick O'Sullivan and Petteri Nokelainen, the Phoenix Coyotes' payroll for next season stood at $45.5 million according to CapGeek.com. Their final 2009-10 cap payroll, subsidized by league revenues, was $41.7 million.

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