Report: Ilya Kovalchuk wants to return to NHL

Ilya Kovalchuk, the best player outside the NHL, may be about to return to North America.

According to a report from Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada and Tom Gulitti of NHL.com, Russian superstar Ilya Kovalchuk wants to go back to North America, after four seasons in Russia’s KHL.

Kovalchuk joined SKA St. Petersburg in 2013, just three years after signing a 15-year contract with the New Jersey Devils. Now, with his desire to come back to the NHL, Kovalchuk’s rights are still held by New Jersey. He must report to the Devils unless all 31 teams agree to him signing somewhere else, unless New Jersey trades his rights.

The 34-year-old left winger is widely considered one of the best players outside the NHL, having scored 32 goals and 46 assists in 60 games this season for St. Petersburg en route to his second career Gagarin Cup. Kovalchuk has 816 points to his name in the NHL, playing eight seasons with the Atlanta Thrashers and four with the Devils.

Kovalchuk is a three-time All-Star in the NHL, and has a Rocket Richard Trophy to his name. As a key member of the Russian national team, he also has two IIHF World Championship gold medals, and an Olympic bronze from Salt Lake City in 2002.

When he left the Devils, Kovalchuk had $77 million and 12 years left on the enormous contract he signed a few years earlier. The same contract had caused a headache for New Jersey during negotiations, as the deal’s first iteration was vetoed by the NHL for circumventing the salary cap. The Devils were ultimately penalized a third round draft pick in 2011, and had their first rounder from 2014 moved to 30th overall.

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Speculation over a move to the NHL comes at an interesting time for many Russian players, as several of them have hinted at leaving their teams to play for their country next February at the Olympics.