MONTREAL -- Ilya Kovalchuk wants to keep playing in the NHL and he's happy the Montreal Canadiens are giving him that opportunity.
"It's not about the money," Kovalchuk said at Bell Centre on Saturday. "It's just I want to be involved, I want to play hockey. That's my favorite thing to do. My kids asked me if it's snowing here and I said yes, so they said, 'We want to go with you.'"
Kovalchuk did not play when the Canadiens hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday and said he hopes to make his Montreal debut against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday.
"I'm a little tired because I just came in this morning," Kovalchuk said. "I didn't sleep much but I'm feeling good. I met all the guys, the coaching staff. It feels like the team is really friendly and it's great. I want to get there as soon as I can. So it's the coach's decision and hopefully I'll skate tomorrow."
He will wear his familiar No. 17 with the Canadiens, with an assist from former Los Angeles Kings teammate Nate Thompson, who got defenseman Brett Kulak to give up the number and switch to No. 77.
"I did it through [Nate] because I wasn't here," Kovalchuk said. "But tomorrow I've got a little present for him. So I appreciate that. It means a lot to me."
Kovalchuk signed a three-year, $18.75 million contract with Los Angeles on July 1, 2018, after five seasons with SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League.
He had nine points (three goals, six assists) in 17 games with the Kings this season and was a healthy scratch in his final 18 games before he was placed on unconditional waivers Dec. 18 and had his contract terminated.
"I just wanted the opportunity for me to get a fresh start because obviously it didn't work out the way I wanted it to in L.A.," Kovalchuk said. "I appreciate everything they did for me and for my family. It's a great organization with great players there, but I'm here and I'm excited. It's the first time ever I'm going to play for a Canadian team and it's obviously different, you can tell already. I don't think we had that many media guys all year, all last year."
The No. 1 pick by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2001 NHL Draft, Kovalchuk has 859 points (436 goals, 423 assists) in 897 NHL games with the Thrashers, New Jersey Devils and Kings, including 43 points (19 goals, 24 assists) in 81 games since returning to the NHL, and 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 32 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
He scored 52 goals in 2005-06 and in 2007-08 and has six seasons of at least 40 goals. He had 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 23 playoff games when the Devils reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2012, which they lost to the Kings in six games.
Montreal is without forwards Jonathan Drouin (upper body) and Paul Byron (lower body), who have each missed 22 games; Joel Armia (upper body), who has missed four games; and Brendan Gallagher (upper body), who has missed one. All of them are on injured reserve.
"The team is a little bit banged up right now and hopefully all the guys will come back soon," Kovalchuk said. "But they're a fast team, they're small guys who can fly, and it's fun. A lot of young guys, so it's great."
Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com
Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html
Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html
No comments:
Post a Comment