Add Ilya Kovalchuk to the list of Russian stars returning home. He is set to join SKA St. Petersburg tomorrow for a press conference at 5 Russian time or basically when we’re leaving for work in the morning. He’ll team up with former NHLers Maxim Afinogenov and Petr Prucha on a club that includes Dmitry Kalinin, Evgeny Artyukhin, Denis Grebeshkov, Kevin Dallman, Alexei Semenov, Fedor Fedorov and Viktor Tikhonov. They should be interesting to follow.
According to the official site, KHL teams can have as many as six foreign players but are allowed to dress only five for a game. With the players locked out, they can add up to three NHLers per roster but contracts are limited to 65 percent of their NHL salaries. If there’s a resolution, contracts will immediately be annulled. Interestingly enough, foreign players must meet one of the following criteria to play in the KHL.
– He has experience of playing in the KHL;
– He has represented his country at one of the last two IIHF World Championships, World Junior Championships or the Olympics;
– He is a Stanley Cup winner, a Stanley Cup finalist, or a winner of one of the individual prizes awarded by the National Hockey League at the close of the season.
For Kovalchuk who previously starred for Spartak Moscow before the Thrashers selected him first overall in ’01, he returns home. The 29-year old New Jersey Devil paced the club in scoring last season with 83 points (37-46-83). The former ’01 first overall pick performed admirably during the Devils’ run to the Stanley Cup Final posting eight goals and 11 assists despite a lower body injury.
Nash teams with Thornton in Switzerland: Also making news today was newest Ranger Rick Nash, who decided to team up with close Olympic Canadian pal Joe Thornton. The dynamic duo will play in the Swiss League for HC Davos. Ironically, the pair played together for the Swiss club during the last lockout during ’04-05.
“If you find the right spot, it can be a real good experience, you meet some nice people and you get to keep playing hockey,” Thornton told ESPN’s Katie Strang. “It worked out well for us I thought.”
Nash tallied 26 goals and 20 helpers over 44 games eight years ago for HC Davos. He also scored nine goals in the playoffs. Instead of sticking around like Brad Richards, Ryan Callahan and many other Blueshirts who are organizing team practices, he’ll star alongside Jumbo Joe.
Nash has received criticism on Twitter for passing up the opportunity to get better acclimated with new teammates. However, no one can predict when the madness will end. If the NHLPA is true to their word under stronger union boss Donald Fehr, then there won’t be NHL hockey anytime soon.
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