Grievance filed over Ilya Kovalchuk’s contract

As expected, the NHL Players’ Assn. filed a grievance Monday over the league’s rejection of the 17-year, $102-million contract between Ilya Kovalchuk and the New Jersey Devils.

The NHL last week refused to approve the contract on the basis that the deal circumvented the collective bargaining agreement, apparently because it was dramatically front-loaded and tapered dramatically to $550,000 a year for the last five years in order to get a low average annual value.

“The grievance is not surprising or unexpected. We welcome the opportunity to establish our position before the arbitrator,” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said.

The matter is supposed to go to an arbitrator within 48 hours. However, there is no arbitrator in place and there are doubts that both sides can agree on one in short order.

If the arbitrator upholds the rejection of the contract, Kovalchuk will become a free agent and can negotiate with any team — and if that happens, the Kings hope to swoop in. They had offered him $80 million over 15 years and had structured their offer to taper off much less drastically in later years than the Devils’ deal.

If the arbitrator rules that the league was wrong to reject the contract, the contract will go into effect.

—Helene Elliott

ETC.

Chris Paul is staying put with the New Orleans Hornets — at least for now.

The Hornets’ star guard did not request a trade in his meeting with new Coach Monty Williams and top team officials, General Manager Dell Demps said.

Paul has two years remaining before he can opt out of his current contract with the Hornets. However, he said at his charity golf outing this month that he would welcome a trade if the Hornets did not demonstrate a willingness to give him a supporting cast that would make the club good enough to compete with any team in the NBA.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers completed their first personnel move since losing LeBron James, trading troubled guard Delonte West and point guard Sebastian Telfair to the Minnesota Timberwolves for point guard Ramon Sessions, 7-footer Ryan Hollins and a future second-round pick.

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Forward Josh Powell signed with the Atlanta Hawks as a free agent after spending the last two seasons as a backup with the Lakers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed The Chicago Bulls signed veteran forward Kurt Thomas

The Boston Celtics re-signed swingman Marquis Daniels.

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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is clear to play this season, the NFL announced.

Posting on his Twitter account, league spokesman Greg Aiello said in regard to Vick, “There has been no change in his playing status. Beyond that, we have no further comment on Michael.”

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Jennie Finch threw a three-hit shutout in the final international start of her career and Jessica Mendoza hit a two-run home run as the U.S. national team beat the USA Futures squad, 3-0, at the World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City.