The Ilya Kovalchuk contract situation is expected to be resolved today.

An independent arbitrator is scheduled to rule today on whether or not Kovlachuk's 17-year, $102 million contract will stand, or be voided.

If the arbitrator rules in favour of the deal, than Kovlachuk will play the remainder of his career in New Jersey.  If the deal is voided, the 27-year old sniper would once again be on the free agent market.

The NHL rejected the record contract on July 21, on grounds that it circumvented the league's salary cap. The rejection was likely due to the way the deal is structured.  Kovalchuk is due to earn $6 million in each of the next two seasons, $11.5 million from 2012-17 and $10.5 million the following year. The salary is scheduled to fall off after that until he made $550,000 annually in the final five years of the deal. He will be 44 years old when the contract concludes in 2027.

Kovalchuk registered 41 goals and 44 assists in 76 games split between Atlanta and New Jersey last season.

TSN