Confirmed Signing with Link: Ilya Kovalchuk with Avangard Omsk of the KHL

[Khelandros]

There is not a hockey player I could care less about.

But you do care, just a little.

 

[Sky04]

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.

I don't have anything against Kovalchuk, just delusional arguments from rose colored fanboys who can't separate fact from infatuation. I get, you have this weird man-crush on him, that doesn't mean you need to make excuses for him and downplay Ovechkin who's performed better than Kovalchuk at every level.

That's funny, what did prime Kovalchuk ever win?

 

[bleedgreen]

I don't have anything against Kovalchuk, just delusional arguments from rose colored fanboys who can't separate fact from infatuation. I get, you have this weird man-crush on him, that doesn't mean you need to make excuses for him and downplay Ovechkin who's performed better than Kovalchuk at every level.

That's funny, what did prime Kovalchuk ever win?

The funny part is.... when did I dis Ovechkin?

Look at you going off about it. Who’s the fanboy?!?

Wasnt the biggest criticism of Ovy that even with a stacked team he couldn’t “lead” them to victory when it mattered? Which was ridiculous. I’m just pointing out all the same criticisms went to both these guys. Prime Ovechkin didn’t win the cup.

 

[Sky04]

The funny part is.... when did I dis Ovechkin?

Look at you going off about it. Who’s the fanboy?!?

Probably the one making delusional arguments about Kovalchuk being better than Ovechkin.

*yes that's you*

 

[Sol]

Such a weird player when he came back. You can tell he has talent, he just never gels.

 

[LokiDog]

Kovy was one of my favorites prior to going to NJ. That huge contract and then him leaving for Russia and bouncing around after sullied the perception of him, but there was a good chunk of time where he was one of the most exciting snipers in the game. 417 goals in 816 games before leaving for the KHL for 5-6 years. He’d had 48 in his last 114 before leaving, so he was still scoring. Ends up with 443 goals but he probably could have been close to 600. Weird career indeed but those first 10 years he was a special player.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I have a hard time believing nobody offered him a contract

 

[HawkeyTalkMan]

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.

ok i meant he could have continued right there pacing with Ovechkin for his career vs early in his career only.

And you are 100% wrong about his bad attitude. He very much was disinterested in buying into team systems and playing outside the offensive zone and was a known floater. I have a close friend that also worked within the NJ organization and he was very unreceptive to coaching and changing his me first attitude. it was also very well documented when he came back and played for the Kings

 

[bleedgreen]

Probably the one making delusional arguments about Kovalchuk being better than Ovechkin.

*yes that's you*

When did I say he’s better than Ovechkin?!?

Hes a better shooter and to me better goal scorer. That’s different than better player or career in the NHL. I wish all the YouTube’s still existed like they used to but this used to be a fun debate that was completely legit. The fact that time has passed significantly and the fact he left the NHL has changed this conversation for most people. In their primes this was an every day conversation. You want to act like it never happened...ok. You want to say I’m the fan boy but this is a Kovy thread and you’re freaking out about Ovechkin.

 

[Maurice of Orange]

If Kovalchuk never left New Jersey and went to the KHL for 5 seasons, he possibly could have been amongst the top 25 goal scorers in NHL history.

 

[bleedgreen]

ok i meant he could have continued right there pacing with Ovechkin for his career vs early in his career only.

And you are 100% wrong about his bad attitude. He very much was disinterested in buying into team systems and playing outside the offensive zone and was a known floater. I have a close friend that also worked within the NJ organization and he was very unreceptive to coaching and changing his me first attitude. it was also very well documented when he came back and played for the Kings

Brodeur called Kovalchuk the best captain he’d played hockey with. So no. He busted his ass every night and led the team. Did you not watch this? I remember it pretty clearly.

Lol show me the Kings proof. Stevens used him well and got along great him it appeared. When he got fired it all went downhill and Kovalchuk’s usage and time immediately changed. His teammates defended him the whole time. Said he worked his tail off. Teammates that should’ve barely known him or cared.

 

[Matty Sundin]

Only really saw him in Montreal against Toronto recently. He looked good but I heard he was terrible on the Capitals.

 

[Koivu11]

I thought he was going to sign with Montreal?

I have a feeling that management changed their mind about bringing him back.

 

[Prairie Habs]

Wait what happened to him returning to Montreal? I thought they were bffs?

Toffoli and Anderson happened. He also trailed off in his time in MTL then looked pretty bad in WSH. At the time he left I would have been fine with bringing him back for a year, but now passing is definitely the right call.

 

[bleedgreen]

His play didn’t really tail off in Montreal as much as his usage changed, which they publicly said would happen when they signed him. They were tore up with injuries and as everyone came back they moved Kovy down the lineup, exactly as they said they would. I think they were avoiding the perception that they would let Kovy take time away from some of the developing younger players who had been playing well when they got hurt. They billed the move as a band aid and tore it off when they got healthy.

 

[Sky04]

His play didn’t really tail off in Montreal as much as his usage changed, which they publicly said would happen when they signed him. They were tore up with injuries and as everyone came back they moved Kovy down the lineup, exactly as they said they would. I think they were avoiding the perception that they would let Kovy take time away from some of the developing younger players who had been playing well when they got hurt. They billed the move as a band aid and tore it off when they got healthy.

Ok calm down Kovalchuk's #1 fan, we don't need a million excuses as to why he can't produce in the NHL anymore. He was getting old and stopped working hard, simple as that. The KHL and NHL-less Olympics are more suited for him.

 

[Prairie Habs]

His play didn’t really tail off in Montreal as much as his usage changed, which they publicly said would happen when they signed him. They were tore up with injuries and as everyone came back they moved Kovy down the lineup, exactly as they said they would. I think they were avoiding the perception that they would let Kovy take time away from some of the developing younger players who had been playing well when they got hurt. They billed the move as a band aid and tore it off when they got healthy.

Not really.

In his first 15 games with us he had 6 goals and 12 points in 15 games and averaged 22.5 shifts a game. In his last 7 he had no goals and 1 point averaging 21.7 shifts a game. He came in hot and then ran out of gas.

Armia, Byron, Cousins, Danault, Domi, Gallagher, Kovalchuk, Lehkonen, Suzuki, Tatar, Thompson

was our forward group in his last game with us. With Kotkaniemi in the AHL Suzuki was our only developing young forward, and Kovalchuk obviously doesn't play C. We called up Evans (and Weise) the next game after trading Kovalchuk, Cousins, and Thompson, but he only averaged 10 minutes a night anyway, even with 3 regulars traded. Kovalchuk was never benched to give time to young players.

 

[the]

I wish we could have signed him in Montreal. He was fun and exciting to watch, something we didn’t have in a long time.

 

[bleedgreen]

Not really.

In his first 15 games with us he had 6 goals and 12 points in 15 games and averaged 22.5 shifts a game. In his last 7 he had no goals and 1 point averaging 21.7 shifts a game. He came in hot and then ran out of gas.

Armia, Byron, Cousins, Danault, Domi, Gallagher, Kovalchuk, Lehkonen, Suzuki, Tatar, Thompson

was our forward group in his last game with us. With Kotkaniemi in the AHL Suzuki was our only developing young forward, and Kovalchuk obviously doesn't play C. We called up Evans (and Weise) the next game after trading Kovalchuk, Cousins, and Thompson, but he only averaged 10 minutes a night anyway, even with 3 regulars traded. Kovalchuk was never benched to give time to young players.

I didn’t say benched. I said moved down the lineup. The last couple of games I watched he was on the third line. When he had started up top. As you guys got healthy he moved down the lineup. Weren’t Armia, Domi, Gallagher (?), and maybe Suzuki hurt when he started? More? Much of your list was hurt. Armia had a good season I thought and when I was watching YOUR broadcast the announcers made it clear the team expected Kovy to shift down the lineup as guys like Armia and such got healthy. This isn’t my half cocked theory, I got it listening to your announcers during your games. I watched his first couple and they made it very clear that was the plan.

 

[Vitto79]

Likely best for his pocket book

 

[Filthy Dangles]

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.

Eh, as pure goal scorers in their primes they were comparable but Ovechkin was still clearly better to the point of you consider him a tier higher. Its evident when you dig more into the numbers like icetime, even strength goals and what not.

That's not to mention Ovechkin was a much more rounded and overall player in terms of getting assists and making plays and impacting possession.

So yeah in terms of pure ability to score goals, somewhat close but clearly Ovechkin. When you start talking about their entire game and value to a team...Ovechkin and it's not really close. And that's no slight to Kovalchuk, Prime AO was one of the best to ever do it.

 

[HawkeyTalkMan]

Brodeur called Kovalchuk the best captain he’d played hockey with. So no. He busted his ass every night and led the team. Did you not watch this? I remember it pretty clearly.

Lol show me the Kings proof. Stevens used him well and got along great him it appeared. When he got fired it all went downhill and Kovalchuk’s usage and time immediately changed. His teammates defended him the whole time. Said he worked his tail off. Teammates that should’ve barely known him or cared.

ok Im not going to talk you down on your opinion based on what you read in the press. what is spoken about in public to cameras and reporters is very different from what is talked about behind closed doors. look no further than all the rifts between pacioretty/thierren/subban who constantly said there was no issue and they all hated each other. teams and players often avoid throwing each other under the bus to the press

I am not deciphering messaging to the public, im telling you from a firsthand source from the organization he bailed on high and dry which was also one of the most tight lipped organizations in the league at the time when Lou was still running the team who is the most conservative front office execs the last 30 years about things staying behind closed doors

 

[HawkeyTalkMan]

Brodeur called Kovalchuk the best captain he’d played hockey with. So no. He busted his ass every night and led the team. Did you not watch this? I remember it pretty clearly.

Lol show me the Kings proof. Stevens used him well and got along great him it appeared. When he got fired it all went downhill and Kovalchuk’s usage and time immediately changed. His teammates defended him the whole time. Said he worked his tail off. Teammates that should’ve barely known him or cared.

also its pretty funny to tout a brodeur quote as the best captain he's ever played with considering Kovalchuk was widely criticized in Socci for calling team Russia off the ice after a loss before the canadian national anthem

there are obvious things that dont pass the smell test about his character

 

[Cootsfanclub]

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)

I totally disagree with this assessment. In his time in New Jersey he played like an absolute horse and racked up minutes. He led the league for forward TOI every single season he played for the Devils and had significant SH time in most of them. If anything he left everything on the ice before going home to Russia.

 

[The Macho King]

When did I say he’s better than Ovechkin?!?

Hes a better shooter and to me better goal scorer. That’s different than better player or career in the NHL. I wish all the YouTube’s still existed like they used to but this used to be a fun debate that was completely legit. The fact that time has passed significantly and the fact he left the NHL has changed this conversation for most people. In their primes this was an every day conversation. You want to act like it never happened...ok. You want to say I’m the fan boy but this is a Kovy thread and you’re freaking out about Ovechkin.

Lol this is a really bad take.

I'm far from an Ovi lover, but he is *at worst* the second greatest goalscorer in history. And number 1 ain't Kovalchuk.