The deal Ilya Kovalchuk signed with the New Jersey Devils back in the summer of 2010 was certainly a landmark moment in the world of NHL contracts. For one, it marked one of the most egregious attempts to circumvent the salary cap structure at the time. Second, the Devils were punished very harshly for it. Third, Kovalchuk abandoned the deal last summer to return to the KHL, leaving all those involved to wonder whether it was all worth it.Today, the NHL didnt let the Devils off the hook entirely Deacon Jones Jersey , but New Jersey did receive a bit of a reprieve.After Kovalchuk signed his original 17-year, $102 million dollar contract, the league shuttled the contract, which forced the two sides to agree to a new deal. Then the NHL fined New Jersey a third-round pick in 2011, a first-rounder in one of the next four drafts and $3 million dollars. That seemed a steep price that got even worse when Kovalchuk bolted for the KHL.The third-round pick was lost in 2011, but general manager Lou Lamoriello refused to part with the Nick Scott Jersey first-round pick in either of the previous three drafts, including swapping one for Cory Schneider last year. Now, as it appeared that the Devils were going to lose their pick for this season, the league has given them a break, according to Darren Dreger.NHL will award Devils with the 30th pick in the Draft instead of the 1st round pick as usually determined. Also forgiving $1.5 mil of fine. Brycen Hopkins Jersey Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) The fine matters, but for most fans and executives, its likely the draft pick that is key. Instead of getting no pick this year, the Devils will get the last pick of the first round. Is it punishment? Sort of. Unle s they finished with a top-five pick, dropping in the first round hurts marginally but . The team will not have the right to trade the pick,.This, combined with the fact the Devils have a small cap-recapture penalty for Kovalchuks retirement, only $250,000 per season, certainly makes it seem that the organization dodged multiple bullets here.Reports are there are plenty of teams upset with that. Others, both teams and media, seem to think this was coming.It was too easy. Lamoriello not forfeiting the second-to-last Aaron Donald Jersey pick in the first round was the first clue. Sean Gentille (@seangentille) Arbitrary penalties and arbitrary removal of penalties are really the only way to run anything Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) More reax includes the a se sment..teams that didn't break rules punished retroactively on cap recapture. Team that did, is not punished... Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) The Cam Akers Jersey NHL has made a habit of arbitrary penalties for player discipline, so in some ways its fitting that the league extends that random wheel of justice to its teams as well. Throw in the fact the Devils were arguably hit too hard originally, when teams had circumvented the cap before and not faced punishment, and theres certainly a legitimate rationale behind it.Just dont expect anyone who isnt a Devils supporter to be happy about it.