Team | New Jersey Devils |
---|---|
Former teams | Atlanta ThrashersSpartak Moscow (Rus-2)Ak Bars Kazan (RSL)Khimik Moscow Oblast (RSL) |
League | NHL |
Position | Winger |
Shoots | Right |
Height ft | 6 |
Height in | 2 |
Weight lb | 235 |
Ntl team | Russia |
Birth date | April 15, 1983 |
Birth place | Tver, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
Draft | 1st overall |
Draft year | 2001 |
Draft team | Atlanta Thrashers |
Career start | 1999 |
Ilya Valeryevich Kovalchuk (; born April 15, 1983) is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger who is an alternate captain of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. Drafted first overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers, he began his NHL career in 2001–02 with Atlanta and was nominated for the Calder Memorial Trophy as league rookie-of-the-year. He is a three-time NHL All-Star and won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league's leading goal-scorer in 2004 in a three-way tie with Jarome Iginla and Rick Nash. After eight seasons with the Thrashers, he was traded to the Devils in February 2010. As a free agent he signed a 17 year, $102 million contract with the Devils in 2010, but the contract was ruled invalid by the NHL; new terms of 15 years and $100 million were later signed.
Internationally, Kovalchuk has played for Russia in the IIHF World U18 Championship, World Junior Championship, World Championship, World Cup and Winter Olympics, highlighted by back-to-back gold medals in the 2008 and 2009 World Championship.
Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Kovalchuk returned to Russia, playing for both Ak Bars Kazan and Khimik Moscow Oblast of the Russian Superleague. After the lockout, Kovalchuk returned to the Thrashers and scored 52 times, tying him with rookie Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals for third in the league in scoring (behind Jonathan Cheechoo of the San Jose Sharks (56), and Jaromír Jágr of the New York Rangers (54)). He also tied his career-high of 46 assists for a career-high 98 points, leading the Thrashers in team scoring for the second consecutive season, while finishing eighth overall in league scoring. He also became the first Thrashers player to score 50 goals in a season.
In the 2006–07 NHL season, Kovalchuk's point production dropped for the first time in his career. He finished with 42 goals and 34 assists for 76 points. During a game against the Nashville Predators during the season on January 11, 2006, Predators coach Barry Trotz accused Kovalchuk with "always [playing] with an illegal stick." Trotz had asked the referees to check Kovalchuk's stick following a Thrashers goal, but claimed that Kovalchuk was able to switch his stick before the referees could check. Despite his drop in production on the season, Kovalchuk and the Thrashers qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Kovalchuk scored one goal and one assist in his NHL playoffs debut as the team lost in the opening round to the New York Rangers in four games.
In 2007–08, Kovalchuk scored two consecutive hat tricks in a loss to the Ottawa Senators and a win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 1 and 3, 2007, respectively. Later that season, on January 23, 2008, Kovalchuk was suspended for one game by the NHL for a hit from behind on New York Rangers defenseman Michal Rozsíval in a game a day prior. He finished with his second 52-goal season in three years, along with 35 assists for 87 points.
With the departure of Bobby Holik to the New Jersey Devils in the 2008 off-season, the Thrashers' captaincy remained vacant for the first half of the 2008–09 season. Kovalchuk served as one of five alternate captains to start the season until the alternates collectively requested to general manager Don Waddell and coach John Anderson for Kovalchuk to take over the captaincy. Soon thereafter, on January 11, 2009, Kovalchuk was named Holik's successor and the sixth team captain in Thrashers' history during the team's Casino Night charity event. The announcement came amidst speculation that the Thrashers were looking to trade Kovalchuk with his contract set to expire at the end of the following season. Kovalchuk completed his first season as team captain with 43 goals for his fifth consecutive 40-goal season and 91 points.
Near the beginning of the 2009–10 season, Kovalchuk scored the 300th and 301st goal of his NHL career in a 4-2 win during the St. Louis Blues' home opener on October 8, 2009. He was leading the league in goals several weeks into the season when he suffered a broken foot after blocking shot in a game against the San Jose Sharks on October 24.
Contract controversy
On July 1, 2010, Kovalchuk became an unrestricted free agent. Kovalchuk's free agency was a tumultuous one as it lasted almost three weeks and featured many twists and turns. News outlets even jumped the gun a few times during the three weeks and had Kovalchuk close to agreeing to contracts with different teams. The Los Angeles Kings seemed to have the inside track as they met with Kovalchuk and his agent several times, but finally on July 19, Kovalchuk agreed to a 17-year, $102 million deal to remain with the Devils. The length of the deal broke the record for the longest contract in NHL history. However, the contract was rejected by the NHL the next day, on the grounds that it circumvented the league's salary cap. Arbitrator Richard Bloch heard the union's appeal, and nullified the deal.
Another contract was submitted to the NHL. During the early morning hours of September 4, 2010, the league approved the contract along with a new agreement with the NHLPA. The contract is a 15-year, $100 million deal.
Consequently, the NHL penalized the Devils for trying to circumvent the NHL Salary Cap with Kovalchuk's original contract. As a result, the Devils surrendered $3 million, a third round draft choice in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and one future first round draft choice within the next four seasons.
Kovalchuk won his first medals with Russia in a major international event at the IIHF World U18 Championships, earning silver and gold medals in 2000 and 2001, respectively. He also competed for Russia at the World Junior Championships in 2001, but finished seventh.
The following year, Kovalchuk made his senior international debut with Russia at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, during his rookie NHL season with the Atlanta Thrashers. He recorded three points in six games to help Russia to a bronze medal finish. He then made his World Championships debut in 2003, but failed to medal.
Kovalchuk made his second straight Winter Olympics appearance in 2006 in Turin. He had a four-goal game on February 19 in a 9–2 win over Latvia, but returned to Atlanta without a medal, losing in the bronze medal game.
In 2008 Kovalchuk played in the IIHF World Championship, held in Quebec City, Canada. He scored his only two goals of the tournament in the gold medal game against Team Canada – once to force the game into overtime, then the game-winner to give Russia the championship. The following year, he led Russia to a second straight gold medal over Canada in the 2009 IIHF World Championship and was named the tournament MVP.
In May 2010, Kovalchuk played for Russia in the 74th IIHF WC in Germany, finishing second.
Played for Russia in:
Category:1983 births Category:Atlanta Thrashers captains Category:Atlanta Thrashers draft picks Category:Atlanta Thrashers players Category:Ak Bars Kazan players Category:HC Atlant Moscow Oblast players Category:HC Spartak Moscow players Category:Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics Category:Ice hockey players at the 2006 Winter Olympics Category:Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics Category:Living people Category:National Hockey League All-Stars Category:National Hockey League first overall draft picks Category:National Hockey League first round draft picks Category:National Hockey League players with 50 goal seasons Category:New Jersey Devils players Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Russia Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Russia Category:People from Tver Category:Rocket Richard Trophy winners Category:Russian ice hockey left wingers Category:Russian Orthodox Christians Category:Olympic medalists in ice hockey
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