I think he could be a 55-60 point player still, when used better than he's being used now.
He could possibly hit 70 in a good year, but I think even if he did hit that this year, he likely wasn't hitting that next year. It would have been a one time thing. His points per 60 probably isn't that bad.
That said, we all know this guy. Would it really surprise anyone if he decided to skip country again over to the KHL after this debacle? I think Willie's likely gone after this year. I don't see him (or really any of the interim's/hires coming back next year. Even Hitch probably retires again or gets replaced after Chiarelli is fired) coaching there next year.
Maybe he gives it a go next year with them and a new head coach, when he'll be 36 for the entirety of the season.
Signing him for 3 years was probably too much though, it makes him immovable in a situation like right now. They might even be hoping for another disappearance to the KHL for him. Blake might already be planning how to get Kovalchuk to make his next departure, if he doesn't do it voluntarily. He might even be calling up Putin himself asking him to try and talk Kovalchuk into coming back to the KHL or face permanent deportation from Russia.
And not because he can't play the next 2 years, as much their cap is really in a bad way and they have too many old guys and he's immovable because of the current situation and he has 2 more years left after this.
