The Never Ending Saga of Ilya Kovalchuk

With the NHL offseason kicking off and the free agent market set to open, the time is upon us to once again answer the question: Will Ilya Kovalchuk return to the NHL?

It’s a question that haunts us every offseason and yet is one that always seems to generate interest. Why? The simple fact of the matter is that he is very clearly a player with the skills to have an enormous impact. His departure all but shattered a team that had hoped to keep him for another 10+ years. His return could put a contending team over the top. Love him or hate him, Kovalchuk’s status in the NHL has huge implications.

When Kovalchuk left the NHL, it made huge waves. He had it all going for him — size, skating ability, an incredible scoring touch — and was an impact player on the ice from his very first shift in the league. Kovalchuk was drafted 1st overall in 2001 by the Atlanta Thrashers, was nominated for the Calder in his rookie season, was a three time All-star and a co-winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2004. His trade to the New Jersey Devils greatly impacted both franchises, as Atlanta sold off perhaps its last big piece before relocating to Winnipeg and New Jersey capitalized on his performance by making an unexpected push to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012.

His elite performance was rewarded with a controversial contract in 2010, when New Jersey signed him for 17 years and $102 million, a deal which was reworked to a 15 yr/$100 mill. contract due to the league’s disapproval. The Devils were also hit with stiff penalties over the following seasons, but it all seemed worth it. They had their elite player locked in for another decade and a half.

When the lockout hit in 2012–13, Kovalchuk dragged his feet in returning to North America. After that season was over and New Jersey missed the playoffs, Kovalchuk announced he was “retiring” from the NHL and was returning to his native Russia where he promptly signed a similar contract with SKA St. Petersburg. Now four years into that deal, Kovalchuk has two KHL championships on his resume and an incredible 1.08 points per game average over his KHL career. What better time, then, to start considering a comeback to the NHL?

It was back in early May when NHL.com broke the story that Kovalchuk was seriously considering a return to North America, but this is a discussion with which we are all very familiar. Rumors of his return have stretched all the way back to early 2015 and a “will he or won’t he” discussion always follows. According to New Jersey Devils GM Ray Shero, it seems Kovalchuk is closer than ever to making that return a reality. If he does return this season, what are his options?

Simple. If he wants to sign this offseason and rejoin the league, there is only one team that can sign him outright, and that’s the New Jersey Devils. In NHL.com’s article referenced above, Shero stated that Kovalchuk and his agent were also free to talk with other teams regarding a sign-and-trade situation. New Jersey would be open to a deal, but could also potentially keep the 34-year-old winger on the roster — at least through the trade deadline — if there are no immediate suitors. It is more than likely that Kovalchuk would not sign any deal without a trade in place, however, and has made it clear that he wants to play for a contender.

Who are the suitors for Kovalchuk’s services? Reports indicate that the Columbus Blue Jackets have considerable interest in acquiring the winger. They already brought in Kovalchuk’s former linemate, Artemi Panarin, and are the home of Russian goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. They are also very clearly a contender given their performance last year. But how would the temperamental Kovalchuk do in a Tortorella-led environment? That could be hard to say. Kovalchuk has long been accused of being lazy or lacking in commitment, which his exit from yet another long-term deal would support. John Tortorella isn’t the best fit to coach a player like that, but if he scores 50 goals, would all be forgiven?

While it seems like every team has at least some interest in discussing Kovalchuk, another potential landing spot could be Montreal. The Devils have been linked with the Habs over recent days in a pursuit for Alex Galchenyuk. While it is unclear whether they have enough pieces to appeal to Montreal, the addition of Kovalchuk could help their standing and could also potentially strengthen their case for resigning Alexander Radulov, a former linemate of Kovalchuk’s for Team Russia. Whether Montreal fits the bill of being a “contender” is up to Kovalchuk’s determination, though, as the Canadiens were bounced in the first round of the playoffs last season.

There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to whether or not a former scoring champ might be on his way back to the league. Not mentioned here is the consideration of whether he can still perform to the same level as he did before he left. Other returns — like Radulov — would seem to indicate that the KHL doesn’t slow down an NHL player’s ability all that much. Then again, if a deal doesn’t fall into place, Kovalchuk also has the ability to continue playing in Russia for one more year and return to the NHL in 2018–19 as an unrestricted free agent. He then has the ability to write his own ticket. With the discussion going round and round, only one question remains heading into the opening of the free agent market: Will the crazy saga of Ilya Kovalchuk ever really come to an end?