hockeykicker
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Confirmed Signing with Link: Ilya Kovalchuk with Avangard Omsk of the KHL
- Thread starter hockeykicker
- Start date
Can he just decide what league he wants to play in and stay there
Hivemind
We're Touched
Newusername
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The Crypto Guy
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Kevin27NYI
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He was one of my favorite Non Islander players ever. Fun player.
Caser
@RUSProspects
maplepred
Go Preds Go!!
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There is not a hockey player I could care less about.
De Montreal
help
Weird career indeed, cant help the feeling that it was a bit wasted.
Smirnov2Chistov
EEK!
Wish Anaheim couldv'e taken a flyer on him. Still had that offensive jam to his game. Would've been lethal on our lethargic PP
Devilsfan992
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The Great Mighty Poo
Thank You 59.
hockeykicker
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Leafy Undergrowth
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I really feel Kovalchuk could have been right there with Ovechkin early in his career. He unfortunately toiled away in atlanta on bad teams, developed a poor, lazy, and selfish attitude playing for bad teams and never wanted to be a team player with any heart. Showed some flair when he got to NJ and they went to the cup final, but again got quickly disinterested playing for a bland team and not in a major market team (while it's proper NYC DMA, living in Hoboken and playing in new jersey isn't quite the same thing)
bleedgreen
Registered User
He WAS right there with Ovechkin. If he never left he likely would’ve put up more big numbers. He’s one of the best goal scorers of his generation. I think he’s THE best but he didn’t stay around long enough to prove it. I doubt he regrets it, I do as a fan.
He actually never showed a bad attitude. But people love pushing that whole thing.
DukeDog13
Registered User
Wait what happened to him returning to Montreal? I thought they were bffs?
nowhereman
Registered User
He left the NHL at 30 years old. What more do you think he had to prove, when he had been handily outscored by OV throughout their careers?
bleedgreen
Registered User
Because I don’t care about numbers, and I don’t spend time trying to prove it through numbers. To me he was always a better shooter. I think he’s the best pure shooter I’ve seen in my life over, is up there with Hull. Ovie is amazing, but as a shooter was always more of a grip it and rip it guy when in comparison only to Kovy. Ovie is very accurate but between the two Kovy just had the more pure and controlled release and maintained that level of control and accuracy through different kinds of shots.
Career wise I would factor teammates into numbers as well. Ovie has had an amazing pp based around him with consistently high end teammates he has great chemistry with. That’s definitely helped his numbers overall. That’s not taking a thing away from him, but you can’t say it hasn’t helped him. Kovy didn’t have that very consistently in his career.
Kranix
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NewtJorden
Unitas est Invicta
Sky04
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Kovalchuk was force fed goals in Atlanta and when he got to a competitive team his goal totals dipped, you don't care about numbers because they heavily favor Ovechkin and that's for a reason, because he's better. Having a good shot means shit if you don't score and Ovy scored more.
bleedgreen
Registered User
Lol take a breath man. I didn’t know Kovalchuk kicked your dog.
In their primes for one game, one night. I’d choose Kovalchuk every time. And he’d win.
What’s this about competitive team? He was amazing for New Jersey. They weren’t that great either. Never really comparable to the Cap teams.
Kovalchuk being “forced” fed pp goals as a dis when comparing him to Ovechkin.....
