Ilya Kovalchuk possibly finished in the NHL.

[CB Nostalgia]

https://www.nydailynews.com/resizer/5P8FqSFUPXFz4aqa7H9GHkGBN7E=/800x532/top/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tronc.s3.amazonaws.com/public/NH23LDEDS3MCS4WHOZIKPQZ3WI.jpg

Pre LA Kings Stats:

816 Games Played
417 Goals
399 Assists
816 Points

03-04 Rocket Richard Winner
4 Gold Medals
3 Silver Medals
3 Bronze

2 KHL Championships including playoff MVP

Ilya Kovalchuk's career is criminally underrated and becoming more forgotten on a daily basis. The guy spent the better part of a decade on a pretty terrible team, got traded to a contender and almost immediately won a Stanley Cup. After being offered arguably the craziest contract in NHL history, Rick Dipietro not withstanding, he and Devils ownership decided to part ways. Saving the team a real headache with future cap recapture penalties being instated in the near future.

After spending seven of his prime seasons in the KHL and scoring nearly 150 goals he returned to the NHL for the LA Kings. Where he was quickly sent to fourth line/PP2 duty while putting up the following stat line on a lottery team:

64 GP 16 G 18 A 34 P

While its clear at 36 years old Kovalchuk is slowing down, he still can play at the NHL level. According to Kings GM Rob Blake, Kovalchuk and the team are mutually terminating the contract that has two years remaining. This situation could really be the end of Kovalchuk's NHL career as he's receiving KHL contract offers.

It may be hard to make the case for a HHOF selection, Kovalchuk was easily a top five player in the NHL during his first ten years. His name was firmly cemented with guys like Ovechkin, Crosby, Datsyuk, and Malkin for "best player in the world' from 2001-11.

[SGC300ier]

I think I'm more shocked to hear he was still in the NHL.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[JMarchand1981]

No better reason to toss these in here:

Was a pop 2 last time I checked.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47655461682_98d8a21570.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2fB9Gt5)2001-02 Topps Chrome Refractor Ilya Kovalchuk (https://flic.kr/p/2fB9Gt5)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32816940997_35ac5fa03b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/RZVpex)2001-02 Upper Deck Young Gun Ilya Kovalchuk (https://flic.kr/p/RZVpex)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49042888478_88e04564d0.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hHKC7J)2001-02 Topps Chrome Refractor Ilya Kovalchuk 1 (https://flic.kr/p/2hHKC7J)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49043391131_5f57d1b7af.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hHNcxa)2001-02 Topps Chrome Refractor Ilya Kovalchuk 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2hHNcxa)

[PRoy33Collector]

No better reason to toss these in here:

Was a pop 2 last time I checked.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47655461682_98d8a21570.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2fB9Gt5)2001-02 Topps Chrome Refractor Ilya Kovalchuk (https://flic.kr/p/2fB9Gt5)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32816940997_35ac5fa03b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/RZVpex)2001-02 Upper Deck Young Gun Ilya Kovalchuk (https://flic.kr/p/RZVpex)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49042888478_88e04564d0.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hHKC7J)2001-02 Topps Chrome Refractor Ilya Kovalchuk 1 (https://flic.kr/p/2hHKC7J)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49043391131_5f57d1b7af.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hHNcxa)2001-02 Topps Chrome Refractor Ilya Kovalchuk 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2hHNcxa)

I sold my self-subbed PSA 10 refractor earlier in the year and regretted it as soon as I packed it up. I always liked that design of Chrome.

[senorlaverga]

His premier rookie will always be iconic, even if he hangs them up.

[UD HighGloss]

Enjoyed collecting his rookie cards and brings back memories, but HOF?

If Ilya makes the HOF you may as well stick Heatley in there too; 50 in ‘07.

Sure he has a Cup and a Rocket but for someone under 1000 games, 1000 points, 500 goals, etc it is too lacking. You could make the argument that if you extrapolate his numbers with the years he missed, at least one of those milestones or more could have been hit... but he was gone for TOO LONG and its a reach.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Soxrule111]

He was my favorite player growing up. I was a fan of the Thrashers, and he was the face of that team to me. I would pick the thrashers over the hawks anytime as a kid, largely due to him.

[DontToewsMeBro]

Kovalchuk was, and is, an asshat. Just like 99% of Russians.

[BestRCs]

Kovalchuk was, and is, an asshat. Just like 99% of Russians.

...........:rolleyes:

[valleynuckfan]

...... an asshat. Just like 99% of Russians.
pourquoi?

[DontToewsMeBro]

pourquoi?

They're Russian
What else is there to say?
French for "Russian" is "douche"

[CrownCollector]

They're Russian
What else is there to say?
French for "Russian" is "douche"


There are six official languages of the UN. These are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

The Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish word for douche is DontToewsMeBro.

[ilovethelakings]

Kovalchuk was, and is, an asshat. Just like 99% of Russians.

So are you part of that 99%? :coffee:

[odjickfan]

His premier rookie will always be iconic, even if he hangs them up.

His FW too.

[ilovethelakings]

Just when you thought he was done.....he is back again. Maybe he will do well as a Hab.

[ZappBrannigan]

Montreal still thinks it can win with Russians.

[BigMike79]

Doing pretty well with the Habs

[Cavaliercards]

I think I'm more shocked to hear he was still in the NHL.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Same thing I was thinking

[ilovethelakings]

And now he is a Cap. I am actually interested in seeing how well he does in D.C.

[Cavaliercards]

Glad to see him join the team in DC

[duwal]

so how many teams are paying part of his salary this season???

[Vintage Collector]

I think he colluded with ovechkin.

Glad to hear he is back. Hope he does well.

[ilovethelakings]

so how many teams are paying part of his salary this season???

I would love to know the answer to this one.

[lambeauleap87]

so how many teams are paying part of his salary this season???

He counts as a cap hit for four different teams.

[ilovethelakings]

He counts as a cap hit for four different teams.

Can we get a meme of Kovy smiling on couch surrounded by the mascots of all of the teams paying him this season? And to everybody who understands that reference, good for you :coffee:

[seth2720]

man i remember how expensive his stuff was back in the day!