Russian forward Ilya Kovalchuk already has his mind set on next season.
The former Atlanta Thrasher and New Jersey Devil ditched a gargantuan contract following the 2013 season and has spent the last several years playing with Pavel Datsyuk for the KHL’s St. Petersburg SKA. But it’s starting to look like the former All-Star will be heading back to North America to finish his career. After St. Petersburg was knocked out of its semi-final series, the Tver, Russia native confirmed he will be playing in the NHL next season and how long he intends on staying there for.
At 34, ‘Kovy’ has only so much left in the tank. However, he shined at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games and helped the country earn gold over Germany. He was eventually named the best forward of the tournament.
The pending free agent confirmed he would be making a return back in February but didn’t reveal exactly how long he intends to play for. The Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers are two of a handful of teams that have reportedly expressed interest in his services.
With an Olympic Gold and World Championship under his belt, Kovalchuk will now attempt to become a member of the Triple-Gold Club. It will be interesting to see how he fares in the league after being across seas for so long.
(H/T r/Hockey)
