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Ilya Kovalchuk (Russian: Илья Валерьевич Ковальчук, Il'ja Valer'jevič Kovalčuk; born April 15, 1983, in Tver, USSR) is a professional ice hockey player.
Playing career
Drafted by Atlanta first overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Ilya Kovalchuk was the first Russian to be drafted first overall in NHL history. In the 2003-04 NHL season, on February 8th, Ilya played and scored in his first career all-star game.
In club-level competition, Ilya wears the number 17 as a tribute to the late Valeri Kharlamov, a Soviet superstar in the 1970s. But when Ilya plays for his national team he wears number 71, because number 17 is retired to Kharlamov. In 2006 he played in the Torino Olympics as a member of the Russian men's hockey team, and had a four-goal game on February 19 in a 9-2 rout of Latvia. Despite his strong playing ability, he tends to have a bad temper. In the bronze medal game, on February 25, against the Czech Republic, Kovalchuk blindsided Pavel Kubina and was ejected from the game. Kovalchuk also has ongoing bad blood with Canadian rookie sensation Sidney Crosby, and has drawn criticism from some hockey analysts, including Don Cherry.
During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Ilya played with Aq Bars Kazan along with fellow NHL'ers Alexei Kovalev, Darius Kasparaitis, Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards, Michael Nylander, Alexei Zhitnik, and Dany Heatley.
In early 2006, Ilya joined in the charity effort focusing on unfortunate children in Atlanta and also throughout the Philadelphia area. He was recognized for his good service by the National Hockey League and is currently involved in several hockey related charities including "The DiGiacobbe Household," and the "National Boraske Foundation of Economics (NBFE)" which are both stationed in Ridley Park, PA.
As of June 2006, Kovalchuk plays for the Atlanta Thrashers of the NHL. A fan favourite at Philips Arena, he is known as "Kovy".
Kovalchuk has been caught numerous times for using an illegaly curved hockey stick, which some believe can help improve a player's shot. A Nashville Predators coach went so far as to say that he uses an illegal stick every game.
One of the more entertaining tales of the illegal curve took place during a game between the Atlanta Thrashers and the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers busted Kovalchuk for using an illegal curve and he was forced to take a two minute penalty. Immediately after leaving the penalty box, Kovalchuk took a pass near the red line (with a legally curved stick), skated in and scored the game winning goal. Afterwards, he slid past the Oiler's bench and pointed to the new blade.
Illegal curve or not, Kovalchuk's speed and talent are undeniable and he remains one of the most exciting players in the NHL.
Awards
- Played in NHL YoungStars Game - 2002
- NHL YoungStars Game MVP - 2002
- NHL All-Rookie Team - 2002
- Played in 1 NHL All-Star Game - 2004
- NHL Second All-Star Team - 2004
- Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy - 2004 (shared with Jarome Iginla and Rick Nash).
Career statistics
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1999-00 | Krylja Sovetov | Rus | 51 | 14 | 6 | 20 | 89 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2000-01 | Krylja Sovetov | Rus | 39 | 25 | 18 | 43 | 78 | 12 | 14 | 4 | 18 | 38 | ||
| 2001-02 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 65 | 29 | 22 | 51 | 28 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2002-03 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 81 | 38 | 29 | 67 | 57 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2003-04 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 81 | 41 | 46 | 87 | 63 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2004-05 | Aq Bars Kazan | Rus | 53 | 19 | 23 | 42 | 72 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2005-06 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 78 | 52 | 46 | 98 | 68 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| Rus Totals | 143 | 58 | 47 | 105 | 239 | 16 | 14 | 5 | 19 | 38 | ||||
| NHL Totals | 305 | 160 | 143 | 303 | 212 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
International play
Played for Russia in:
- 2002 Winter Olympics (bronze medal)
- 2003 World Championships
- 2004 World Cup of Hockey
- 2005 World Championships (bronze medal)
- 2006 Winter Olympics
International statistics
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Russia | Oly | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 14 | |
| 2003 | Russia | WC | 7 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 6 | |
| 2004 | Russia | WCH | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
| 2005 | Russia | WC | 9 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | |
| 2006 | Russia | Oly | 8 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 31 | |
| Senior Int'l Totals | 34 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 65 | |||
External links
1983 births | Atlanta Thrashers players | Hockey players at the 2006 Winter Olympics | Living people | National Hockey League first round draft picks | National Hockey League first overall draft picks | Russian ice hockey players | Rocket Richard Trophy winners
Ilja Walerjewitsch Kowaltschuk | Ilya Kovalchuk | Ковальчук, Илья Валерьевич | Ilja Kovaltšuk | Ilja Kovaltjuk
"Ilya Kovalchuk"