New York Rangers: Would signing Kovalchuk this offseason make sense?
Former New Jersey Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk reportedly wants to make a return to the NHL. He wants to come to New York, but would it make sense for the New York Rangers to sign him?
In his “31 Thoughts” column, Eliotte Friedman mentioned Ilya Kovalchuk and his desire to return to the NHL.
“27. One of the Olympic hockey subplots will be Ilya Kovalchuk. Unlike last summer, when New Jersey held his rights, he is unrestricted this time. And, if he comes back to the NHL, it is believed his eyes are on New York.”
Kovalchuk famously signed a 17-year contract with the New Jersey Devils in 2010 worth over $100 million. After the NHL rejected the deal for violating the salary cap, he signed a 15-year, $100 million deal.
However, this deal was short-lived. Kovalchuk spent the 2012-13 lockout in the KHL and in 2013 chose to retire from the NHL to play in Russia permanently. He ended his last NHL season with 31 points in 37 games for the Devils.
Kovalchuk’s current contract with SKA Saint Petersburg ends after this season. This opens the door for an NHL comeback.
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Since Kovalchuk left the NHL
In his almost six years in the KHL, Kovalchuk captained SKA Saint Petersburg to two Gagarin Cups, or KHL championships, in 2014-15 and 2016-17.
His regular season point totals increased every year since 2013. In 60 games played last season, Kovalchuk earned 78 points. He has 63 in 53 games played so far this season.
Kovalchuk will also play for the Olympic Athletes of Russia hockey team in the Winter Olympics in the coming weeks. At 34 years old, he is showing no signs of slowing down.
For an NHL team, all of these things make Kovalchuk an attractive player to sign in the offseason. The Rangers are looking to make lineup changes, but signing Kovalchuk would be a step in the wrong direction for the team.
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Why Kovalchuk should not be a Ranger
GM Jeff Gorton and President Glen Sather wrote a letter and sent it to fans via email and posted on social media. In that letter, they announced that it was time for the team to begin a rebuild.
“We will be focused on adding young, competitive players that combine speed skill and character,” the letter said.
Although Kovalchuk is skilled and probably has a few more NHL seasons left in him, he is 34, going on 35 years old. He has not played in the NHL in five years, and playing in the NHL is not quite the same as the KHL. Signing him would be the opposite of the Rangers’ goals going forward.
The Rangers will be sellers at the trade deadline. One of the core players they are looking to trade is 33-year-old Rick Nash. It would be redundant for the Rangers to trade Nash to build towards a younger, faster team and then sign Kovalchuk in July.
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While signing Kovalchuk is appealing because of his offensive abilities, the Rangers could find younger goal scoring talent that is better suited for a rebuild. It is exciting that Kovalchuk could make a return to the NHL next season, but it should not happen with the Rangers.