Ilya Kovalchuk.

BY WEB STAFF
sportsnet.ca

A published report suggests the Los Angeles Kings are back in the hunt for coveted free agent Ilya Kovalchuk.

The Los Angeles Times quoted Kings GM Dean Lombardi saying the Kings and Kovalchuk are "re-engaged" in negotiations. That's a change from this past Sunday when Lombardi said the team had made its best offer and been turned down.

On Tuesday, there were reports that the New Jersey Devils had offered Kovalchuck $60 million over seven years, significantly less than the $100 million over 10 years that Kovalchuk had been looking for. He turned down $100 million from the Atlanta Thrashers this past season, prompting the Thrashers to deal him to New Jersey in February.

According to the Times, Kovalchuk has moved off the $100-million figure and will present a counterproposal to the Kings some time Wednesday.