Media: Russian star Kovalchuk talks with KHL club

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Experienced Russian hockey player Ilya Kovalchuk career could be continued by the Continental Hockey League (KHL) in the club “Spartak” in Moscow, writes “Sport24”.

Last season, the striker played for three National Hockey League (NHL) clubs. The championship was started by the Los Angeles Kings (3 + 6 in nine matches), continued by the Montreal Canadiens (6 + 7 in 22 games), but shortly before the end of the transition period, Kovalchuk moved to the Washington Capitals, where he scored and won three passes, but in eight Stanley Cup matches – one pass.

Today, Kovalchuk, 37, is an unrestricted free agent. It was previously reported that the attacker is ready to sharply reduce his financial requirements to become a player in the title contest. However, the hockey player’s plans have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which leaves many questions for next season in the NHL.

Although Kovalchuk’s agent Yuri Nikolayev has already rejected our information, Sport24 sources report that the first contacts between Kovalchuk and Spartak about possible cooperation took place in September. The attacker, on the other hand, now negotiates himself, without intermediaries. The status allows, ”the media writes.

One of the most important factors in becoming a Spartak hockey player is that the Moscow club is led by Oleg Znarok, with whom Kovalchuk has good relations and under whose leadership the experienced hockey player has played for both the St. Petersburg SKA and the Russian national team.

Kovalchuk returned to Russia in 2012, spending six seasons in the SKA. During this time, he became a two-time Gagarin Cup champion, as well as a 2018 Olympic champion in the national team.

In 2018, the striker decided to return to the NHL to become a Kings hockey player. In North America’s strongest league, Kovaččuks has played 926 in the main event with 876 (443 + 433) points, and has scored 11 goals and 17 assists in 40 Stanley Cup matches.

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