Kovalchuk eyes NHL return, wants to play 'several more years'

[Roberts]

Quote

Ilya Kovalchuk wants to return to the NHL this summer and play for "several more years," he told Russia's Match TV, according to The Associated Press.

The 34-year-old added that if he doesn't return to the NHL to try to win a Stanley Cup, "I won't forgive myself for it when I get older."

For now, Kovalchuk's top priority is winning another Gagarin Cup with his KHL club, SKA St. Petersburg, but will "examine offers" from the NHL this summer.

He added that he wants to join the prestigious Triple Gold Club and win an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold medal, and a Stanley Cup. He won gold with OAR at PyeongChang 2018, has two World Championship gold medals, but a Stanley Cup ring still eludes him.

Kovalchuk, who last played in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils in 2012-13, has 816 points in 816 career NHL games.

https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/1507087

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/kovalchuk-aiming-nhl-return-five-years-away/

[Warhippy]

Pffft

 

I want to be known as Kovalcup not Kovalcash.

 

He won't sign anywhere for less than $6.5 million but I just don't see him being worth it anymore

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

Kovalchuk is exactly what we need right now, make it happen Benning.

[Sean Monahan]

4 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

Pffft

 

I want to be known as Kovalcup not Kovalcash.

 

He won't sign anywhere for less than $6.5 million but I just don't see him being worth it anymore

Won’t he be a 35+ contract too?

[Warhippy]

48 minutes ago, Sean Monahan said:

Won’t he be a 35+ contract too?

IIRC at seasons end yes.  He will be 35 in April so any contract signed that sees him in the NHL will be a 35+ contract

 

also...they've got him listed at 230 pounds...wow.  I don't recall him ever looking that robust

[Coconuts]

Honestly, a return to Jersey wouldn't be the worst thing for the Devils as up and comers. Could see him wanting to go to Vegas.

[Odd.]

21 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

Honestly, a return to Jersey wouldn't be the worst thing for the Devils as up and comers. Could see him wanting to go to Vegas.

Jersey fans wont want him back. They'd probably riot if he came back as a jersey.

[Phil_314]

Wonder if Edmonton could give him a shot?  I know he's older but him with McDavid would probably still terrorize opponents (Connor can definitely lead the charge for a contender as one of the best in the league), plus they've been throwing everything but the kitchen sink on the wings on that team to make it work (Nuge and Ty Rattie are with Connor, while Lucic and Puljujarvi are on the 2nd line).  Honestly speaking I'm not sure they have any options that would currently be able to challenge him for top line wing roles if he signed there:

 

- Nuge: good scorer and talented, but could always shift back to C

- Poolparty: talented but not there yet (could see Ilya mentor him as a big skilled winger tho)

- Lucic/ Cammalleri: past their primes and no longer the top guys they used to be

- Strome/ Rattie/ Caggiula/ Slepyshev/ Aberg: young, but they don't have the same upside

 

At worst he would probably be like what Vanek was for us, a hired mercenary with talent who can still rack up points.  Not a leader but serviceable.

[Sean Monahan]

54 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

IIRC at seasons end yes.  He will be 35 in April so any contract signed that sees him in the NHL will be a 35+ contract

 

also...they've got him listed at 230 pounds...wow.  I don't recall him ever looking that robust

I can’t see any team willing to give him more than a one year contract in that case. Some sucker probably will though. 

[Lancaster]

1 hour ago, Odd. said:

Jersey fans wont want him back. They'd probably riot if he came back as a jersey.

Deliver the cup back to NJ and people will be lining up to kiss his rear.  

 

 

My prediction.... the Canucks gets Dahlin, OJ comes as advertise, Pettersson is the next Claude Giroux, Tryamkin returns, the Sedins re-sign for league minimum..... and Kovalchuk signs with the Canucks for those 1 million/year deal.  One can dream..... lol

[-AJ-]

Probably just wants to be the next Jagr or something.

 

Still, he's a good player, so it'd be fun to have him in the NHL again.

[SilentSam]

1 hour ago, Warhippy said:

IIRC at seasons end yes.  He will be 35 in April so any contract signed that sees him in the NHL will be a 35+ contract

 

also...they've got him listed at 230 pounds...wow.  I don't recall him ever looking that robust

... thoughts of ICARUS ??   ..... or just Vodka and Hot Dogs? 

[6string]

3 hours ago, Warhippy said:

IIRC at seasons end yes.  He will be 35 in April so any contract signed that sees him in the NHL will be a 35+ contract

 

also...they've got him listed at 230 pounds...wow.  I don't recall him ever looking that robust

He didn't look 230 lbs in the recent Olympics, he did not look like ( same thickness ) a Milan Lucic type frame.

[RRypien37]

3 hours ago, Warhippy said:

IIRC at seasons end yes.  He will be 35 in April so any contract signed that sees him in the NHL will be a 35+ contract

 

also...they've got him listed at 230 pounds...wow.  I don't recall him ever looking that robust

All those stats are almost always super inflated. 

 

I've seen a few players in person that were apparently my size (6'2 215-220) and I was taller and bigger than all of them. 

[Ghostsof1915]

Caps have some UFA's coming up.

 

[HC20.0]

Mixed feelings on this. Kovie didn’t leave on good terms obviously, and definitely set the Devils back pretty far (also inadvertently did them a solid by bailing on his contract), but there’s no denying that the dude is super skilled and fun to watch.

[NotJaredMcCann]

If Kovalchuk is really serious about the cup and not just the money, Benning should totally sell him the Vanek package. Give him 6-7 million on a one year deal with a limited no trade clause, then trade him at the deadline and retain half his salary. There would be more suitors who could afford him at 3-3.5 million and that way he gets his money (which, let's be honest, he's always prioritized) and his pick of the cup-contenders plus the privilege of living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world for a number of months (even easier to sell when his last two homes have been Russia and New Jersey lol). We get probably a 1st round pick and prospect. Everybody wins.

It definitely won't happen, but it's nice to dream our management team would be able to pull that off.

[canuck73_3]

Should be a hard pass for any team tbh. 

[Phil_314]

1 hour ago, canuck73_3 said:

Should be a hard pass for any team tbh. 

Why?  Interested to see why any naysayers say so.

[canuck73_3]

Just now, Phil_314 said:

Why?  Interested to see why any naysayers say so.

Because he’s a passed his prime me first player that adds nothing to any team. 10 years ago sure now, absolutely not.