Is Alexander Radulov recruiting Ilya Kovalchuk to the Stars?
By C.L. Kohuss
Dallas Stars forward Alexander Radulov took a selfie recently with exiled hockey Napoleon Ilya Kovalchuk. Could he be trying to bring the former star to Dallas?
Ilya Kovalchuk hasn’t played in a NHL game in a long time. Since somewhere around
480 B.C.
2013 by our estimate. But a recent photograph taken by Dallas Stars forward Alexander Radulov has us wondering: Will Kovalchuk make his daring return next year in a Victory Green uniform?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhmSdiGhet0/?hl=en&taken-by=radulov22
We’re not sure what that says, we don’t speak “awesome.” But one can only imagine it reads to the tune of “I’m a-okay with coming to Tejas, ya’ll.” It’s true that hockey players hang out with other hockey players from different teams all the time and it means nothing except some bros getting together to play NHL ’18.
Yet it could also mean that Radulov is totally bringing the ageless Kovalchuk to Texas. Maybe to learn the ways of the celly? Maybe Ilya has forgotten. To be fair, it’s been five years for him. And he did only score 11 last time he was over this way. That was back when he was a New Jersey Devil and fans weren’t putting Keith Kinkaid’s proverbial head on a pike like they are today. The good times, Devils’ fans.
For our money, this is exactly what Dallas needs. We honestly don’t remember the last time they had a mid-30’s guy on their squad clogging up cap space while producing 30 points on a second or third line. And after coach Ken Hitchcock announced his retirement, the best way to start over is to add gray beards to your team.
Plus, Kovalchuk recently turned 35. You know what that means? He’s officially off the voluntary retirement list and becomes an unrestricted free agent. He can agree to terms with any NHL team before July 1, when he can sign a deal.
Again, this photo could mean absolutely nothing — but it definitely means he’s coming to Dallas. It only makes so much sense. If you’ve been out of the league since the beginning of time and want to make a splash, why not do it with a team that suffered an utter failure at the end of their season? Because hockey, ya’ll.
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