Ilya Kovalchuk RUMORS & NEWS

Newark Star-Ledger "Never one to pass up a chance to rib one of his teammates, Devils goalie Martin Brodeur assessed Ilya Kovalchuk’s performance in his first game back since injuring his right shoulder on March 23. “We scored six goals and he didn’t even have an assist,” Brodeur joked. Then Brodeur added:..." April 21

Bergen Record "Ilya Kovalchuk seemed happy today he got a haircut Thursday. “You’ve got to look good, you know,” Kovalchuk said. “We’re going to be on national TV (Sunday vs. Rangers).” It sounded today as if Kovalchuk is preparing to go back on camera and play after missing the last 11 games with a right..." April 20

Newark Star-Ledger "It is not something the Devils want to contemplate, but by this weekend the season could be over for Ilya Kovalchuk, captain Bryce Salvador, as well as the entire team. Neither Kovalchuk (right shoulder) nor Salvador (right wrist) will play in tomorrow night’s game against the Philadelphia..." April 18

Bergen Record "Right wing Ilya Kovalchuk missed his 10th game in a row with a right-shoulder injury he sustained March 23 against Florida. He did not accompany the team to Toronto but skated on his own at Prudential Center. Kovalchuk also skated on his own Sunday rather than practice with the team. Devils..." April 16

Newark Star-Ledger "High-scoring winger Ilya Kovalchuk isn’t ready to drive the Devils’ stalled offense just yet. Kovalchuk, who said Thursday afternoon that he’s not interested in returning from his right shoulder injury, only to be a "passenger" on the bench, didn’t participate in Friday’s morning skate at the..." April 13

Bergen Record "Ilya Kovalchuk was on the ice of the Devils’ practice today at Prudential Center. It was his first time skating with the team since he injured his right shoulder on March 23 in the third period of a 2-1 win over Florida. As Kovalchuk stepped on the ice, goaltender Martin Brodeur exclaimed,..." April 09

Bergen Record "Right wing Ilya Kovalchuk continues to rehab his right shoulder injury, but general manager Lou Lamoriello said there is no schedule yet for him to begin skating. "It's whenever," Lamoriello said. "No timetable." Kovalchuk has missed seven games since being injured March 23 against..." April 08

Newark Star-Ledger "Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello is looking to acquire a forward who can add some scoring punch to a lineup that will be without Ilya Kovalchuk until just prior to the Stanley Cup playoffs. But as Kovalchuk recovers from a right shoulder injury, Lamoriello cautioned that he is not willing..." March 28

Bergen Record "The Devils said Monday that the MRI taken on Ilya Kovalchuk's right shoulder Sunday didn't reveal anything different concerning his injury than the X-rays taken after he was hurt in Saturday's 2-1 win over Florida. So, the initial estimate provided by general manager Lou Lamoriello on Sunday that..." March 26

Yahoo! Sports "The New Jersey Devils finally got goalie Martin Brodeur back this week, winning both of his starts and watching him score a goal in his first game back. After Sunday’s news, he might have to pick up his game. His offensive game, we mean. Ilya Kovalchuk injured his right shoulder in the third..." March 24

Newark Star-Ledger "Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk will be sidelined for at least a short period of time-- if not longer-- after suffering a right shoulder injury with 10:53 remaining in tonight's victory over the Florida Panthers. Kovalchuk crashed hard into the end boards and did not speak with reporters after the..." March 24

New York Post "Five games without a point is a mini-slump for most players. For Ilya Kovalchuk, it’s a drought. But it ended Thursday night, and the Devils won their third straight game, thanks to the spark from the supremely skilled sniper. Kovalchuk scored a tie-breaking shorthanded goal and assisted..." February 08

Newark Star-Ledger "Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk and Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov have now battled on two different continents this season. During the NHL lockout, Kovalchuk skated for SKA St. Petersburg while Bryzgalov played for CSKA Moscow in the KHL. "I had a hat trick against him, actually, but he beat us..." January 23

Newark Star-Ledger "He showed up with a fresh, short haircut right out of the Devils' dress code and grooming manual. No sense in trying to test general manager Lou Lamoriello's benevolence again so soon. And then Ilya Kovalchuk, less than 24 hours from stepping off a plane from Russia, did what he does best. He..." January 17

In Lou We Trust "The headline is pretty straight forward. Ilya Kovalchuk will carry a heavy load for the New Jersey Devils in the upcoming 2013 season. Before getting into what would otherwise be a brief point, I'd want to emphasize that Kovalchuk will play for the New Jersey Devils in 2013. Yesterday, there were..." January 09

Newark Star-Ledger "Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk scored his first goal for SKA St. Petersburg in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League today during a 3-2 shootout victory over HC Neftekhimik. Kovalchuk, who is playing in the KHL during the NHL lockout, conducted a Q and A with the Russian website RIA..." October 04

Newark Star-Ledger "It was the ending they dreaded: Returning to a dressing room knowing their season was over and a cross-country flight to mull the comeback that fell short. The Devils' disappointment seemed overwhelming after losing the Stanley Cup finals to the Los Angeles Kings in six games. But for a few,..." June 12

Washington Times "Goal-scoring isn't Ilya Kovalchuk's problem. Count 'em: 406 goals in 779 NHL regular-season games. That's what earned him a 15-year, $100 million contract with the New Jersey Devils. It certainly wasn't his defense. A career minus player, mostly with the former Atlanta Thrashers, Kovalchuk..." June 06

New York Post "Ilya Kovalchuk had a decision to make two years ago when he was a free agent. The two teams he was torn between were the Kings and the Devils. Now those two teams will face one another in the Stanley Cup Finals, and Kovalchuk will see if he made the right decision. "It's actually a little weird..." May 26

Newark Star-Ledger "Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk isn't worried that Game 4 against the Rangers now becomes a must-win. "It's only 2-1. We have to regroup and come back Monday," Kovalchuk said. "The series has just begun." Dainius Zubrus said he didn't sense frustration when the Devils were unable to score..." May 20

Courier-Post "Word is Ilya Kovalchuk, the New Jersey Devils' most dangerous gunslinger, is playing with an injured lower back or leg, and that could be a reason he was held without a shot in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, a first for the Russian since Nov. 23. Hurt or not, the Flyers don't plan..." May 01

New York Post "Move over Dubya. Ilya Kovalchuk is The Decider. Officially. The Big Shot set the NHL record for most game-deciding goals in a season with his seventh in the Devils' 1-0 shootout victory over the Avalanche at the Prudential Center. "It's an extra point, so it's important," Kovalchuk said. "If..." March 16

New York Post "Where once was the promise of greatness, there now are examples. It's not Trottier-Bossy, Gretzky-Kurri, but some of the plays Patrik Elias and Ilya Kovalchuk have made lately for the Devils are reminders of the wonder combos of the past. With Zach Parise, they form a super line, but coach..." February 17

Newark Star-Ledger "Ask Devils sharpshooter Ilya Kovalchuk about his metamorphosis from a pure goal scorer to the quintessential team player this season and he denies such a change has taken place. He insists his current stretch of superlative hockey is how he played for nearly eight seasons for the Atlanta..." February 11

Bergen Record "Ilya Kovalchuk continued his torrid pace with a goal and two assists in today's 5-2 win over Pittsburgh for his third consecutive three-point game. Kovalchuk has three goals and seven assists during the team's four-game winning streak and now has 50 points (22 goals, 28 assists) in 48 games..." February 06

CSN Philly "When Ilya Kovalchuk and Brayden Schenn dropped the gloves in the third period during Saturday's matinee game at the Wells Fargo Center, Kovalchuk had no intentions on fighting Schenn. Kovalchuk was going after Zac Rinaldo, who knocked down Zach Parise after the whistle during the third..." February 05

New York Post "These are the games that make general managers believers. They also cause them enough horror to make them trade-deadline buyers. In the end, the Devils' 6-4 victory over the Flyers yesterday was glorious for the six-goal lead they opened and frightening because of the four they gave back in..." February 05

New York Post "Last year's blunder is this season's bright idea. Ilya Kovalchuk says a little communication makes all the difference. Moving lifetime left wing Kovalchuk away from the position where he earned his $100 million contract was a decision that will be forever cited among those that cost John..." December 12

Newark Star-Ledger "This was Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk at his best and worst. He was electrifying in scoring his second goal in as many games and creating several other chances, but he also made some mistakes that proved costly, including on Minnesota's critical fourth goal with 3:36 remaining. But Devils..." December 03

Newark Star-Ledger "Ilya Kovalchuk blamed himself for the Devils' 3-2 loss to the Islanders today because of his giveaway that led to a short-handed goal in the third period. But no one threw the Russian winger under the bus for that mistake or for his third-period unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that put the..." November 27

Newark Star-Ledger "The Devils held a team meeting before practicing at the Staples Center. Goalie Martin Brodeur is on the trip but did not practice. Rookie Keith Kinkaid is also still with the team while Brodeur recovers from a right shoulder injury. Winger Eric Boulton, who sat out Saturday night's game in..." October 25

Newark Star-Ledger "Devils coach Pete DeBoer cracked up laughing when someone asked him if he felt the need to play Ilya Kovalchuk in shorthanded situations in Saturday's 3-2 shootout win over Nashville because the winger hadn't played enough in the game. "For me, he's earning our trust," DeBoer said of Kovalchuk,..." October 20

New York Post "The Devils' dilemma worked itself out. When two superstar forwards play left wing on different lines, one can become secondary in the shuffles of ice time, linemates and roles. The Devils' hope is that Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk instead will provide New Jersey with the two-line attack that..." October 11

Newark Star-Ledger "It was no real surprise that the Devils named Zach Parise captain today. Except to Parise. "I found out before practice. We had a meeting and I found out then," Parise said. "I was surprised because I didn't know it was coming. Nobody gave me the heads-up before the meeting so I was pretty..." October 06

Newark Star-Ledger "Former Devils head coach John MacLean didn't necessarily get off on the right foot with Ilya Kovalchuk. So what does the $100 million left winger think about Pete DeBoer after the first day of training camp? "I just talked to him a little bit yesterday and today. I'm very looking forward to..." September 18

Newark Star-Ledger "Did Ilya Kovalchuk knock his next head coach out of the IIHF world championships? Kovalchuk snapped a 1-1 tie by scoring at 12:19 of the third period today to give Russia a 2-1 victory over Canada and coach Ken Hitchcock in the quarterfinals of the world championships in Bratislava,..." May 13

Newark Star-Ledger "Ilya Kovalchuk has been a Devil for 106 regular season and five playoff games. That's not long enough, he said, to get any added pleasure in preventing the Rangers from making the playoffs. The two teams meet at the Garden Saturday afternoon with the Devils in position to play the..." April 08

Newark Star-Ledger "Ilya Kovalchuk has no regrets. Sure, he got his money when he signed a a 15-year contract with the Devils last summer for $100 million. But he also got another season that ended without a trip to the playoffs. Still, he does not regret his decision. "No. Not at all," Kovalchuk told me..." March 31

Newark Star-Ledger "Ilya Kovalchuk was first onto the ice today in the AmeriHealth Pavilion and had no problems skating after being hit by shots in the left ankle and right foot Saturday night in Buffalo. X-rays over the weekend on both bruised areas were negative. Kovalchuk skated and took some shots before 11..." March 29

Newark Star-Ledger "Most believe it will take a miracle for the Devils to avoid missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 1996. Nine points out with nine games to go is a lot to overcome. Ilya Kovalchuk believes in miracles, even though he has been conditioned for disappointment throughout his..." March 24

New York Post "It's time. Time for The Big Shot to exert his influence. Time for the guy with the preposterous contract to revive the expiring Preposterous Dream. The Devils' playoff hopes are dying for goals. It's time for Ilya Kovalchuk to score them. Moses, if you must. Somebody has to do it. "Everybody..." March 20

Newark Star-Ledger "For those of you keeping score at home, here is the line on Ilya Kovalchuk: Five shots. No goals. Two breakaways. One shot off the right post. When the Devils were at their best in turning this season around, Kovalchuk was burying his chances. That is no longer the case. The Devils..." March 19

New York Post "Uh-oh. They're starting to sniff destiny. The Devils can turn the Preposterous Dream into full-blown Miracle Mania. And they're raising the battle cry. "Let's do it!" Dainius Zubrus declared after New Jersey's 2-1 overtime victory over the Penguins last night in Newark. They actually can..." March 05

Bergen Record "The odds are still stacked against them, but Ilya Kovalchuk and the Devils are climbing in the Eastern Conference standings and haven't given up on making the playoffs. They demonstrated that again Wednesday night by rallying for a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Prudential..." March 03

Newark Star-Ledger "On the nights the Devils aren't playing, Ilya Kovalchuk does not watch other NHL games. He does not follow what the Carolina Hurricanes or Rangers are doing in the Eastern Conference race. "I'm not a big fan of watching hockey on TV," Kovalchuk said. "I'm at the rink every day. It's enough for..." March 03

Newark Star-Ledger "The crowd, the decibel level and the entire Devils' bench rose as Ilya Kovalchuk picked up the puck for a breakaway. But to Kovalchuk, there was nothing but silence. "You don't hear anything," Kovalchuk said after scoring the only goal in a 1-0 victory over the Rangers on Friday night. "A..." February 19

Bergen Record "Ilya Kovalchuk is the perfect poster boy for the current version of the Devils. He's sizzling hot. He's brimming with confidence. He's aggressive, effective and energetic. He is the main reason to believe these resurgent, streaking Devils will make the playoffs. Kovalchuk's..." February 19