#113 - Ilya Kovalchuk

Ilya Kovalchuk (Murillo Pyramid Rank = #113)

Adjusted Stats

2001-2002   Atl          65 GP   34 goals   26 assists   60 points     0.92 PPG
2002-2003   Atl          81 GP   44 goals   34 assists   78 points     0.96 PPG
2003-2004   Atl          81 GP   49 goals   55 assists   104 points   1.29 PPG
2005-2006   Atl          78 GP   53 goals   47 assists   100 points   1.28 PPG
2006-2007   Atl          82 GP   45 goals   36 assists   81 points     0.99 PPG
2007-2008   Atl          79 GP   59 goals   40 assists   98 points     1.24 PPG
2008-2009   Atl          79 GP   46 goals   52 assists   98 points     1.24 PPG
2009-2010   Atl/NJ     76 GP   45 goals   48 assists   93 points     1.23 PPG
2010-2011   NJ           81 GP   35 goals   33 assists   68 points     0.83 PPG

Adjusted Playoff Stats

2006-2007    Atl         4 GP     1 goal        1 assist       2 points     0.57 PPG
2009-2010    NJ         5 GP     2 goals       4 assists     6 points     1.13 PPG

Career - 702 GP, 410 goals, 371 assists, 780 points, 1.11 PPG
Career-Highs - 59 goals (07-08); 55 assists (03-04); 104 points (03-04); 1.29 PPG (03-04)
Avg. (9 seasons) - 78 GP, 46 goals, 41 assists, 87 points, 1.11 PPG
Peak Avg. (02-11) - 80 GP, 47 goals, 43 assists, 90 points, 1.13 PPG

Playoff Career - 9 GP, 3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points, 0.89 PPG
Playoff-Highs - 2 goals (09-10); 4 assists (09-10); 6 points (09-10); 1.13 PPG (09-10)

Accolades - Richard Trophy
All-Star Teams - 1-time 2nd-team
Has Not Won Stanley Cup

Ilya Kovalchuk has averaged over 40 adjusted goals a season as a left-winger throughout the first nine years of his career. If he plays another ten years or so (which, given the size of his gargantuan contract, he probably will) he will probably end up eclipsing 700 adjusted goals and possibly 1400 points. These are not negligible accomplishments. And yet, the man appears to be an anchor on whatever team he is on...a cursed player.

While Kovalchuk was with the Atlanta Thrashers, he couldn't be solely blamed for their woes. Sure, there were whispers that Kovalchuk was a turnover machine, and that as a franchise player he simply wasn't complete enough to lead a team that could consistently win. But for God's sakes, it was the Atlanta Thrashers...Gordie Howe himself probably couldn't take them anywhere, or so the argument went. And so when Kovalchuk was traded mid-season in 2010 to the New Jersey Devils, who were leading their division, it seemed like this would be his chance to prove himself in a winning atmosphere.

The results were mixed to begin with, with the Devils suddenly entering into a swoon before promptly bowing out in the first round in five games (leaving Kovalchuk's teams 1-8 all-time in his nine playoff games...no one who has but one playoff win can be in the top 100 on the Pyramid, I'm sorry). Kovalchuk then became an unrestricted free agent, setting off one of the most bizarre odysseys to ever occur in an off-season (matched perhaps only by the Mats Sundin "will he or won't he?" retirement saga). After first appearing to sign with the Kings, Kovalchuk reached an agreement with the Devils, but the NHL nulled the deal and punished the Devils. So Kovalchuk had now cost the Devils a boatload of money, several first-round draft-picks, and solid players Niclas Bergfors and Johnny Oduya.

What happened in 2010-2011? Enough to drop Kovalchuk about twenty spots on my list. Despite a decent stretch in the second-half of the year, Kovalchuk has had one of the worst seasons by any star player in recent memory. He was a laughable -25, and the Devils, after nearly twenty years as a perennial contender, languished as the league's worst team for the first half of the season before a phantom run in the second-half once inept coach John McLean was fired. Is Kovalchuk the common link in all this misery? It's certainly starting to seem that he is the Shareef Abdur-Rahim of hockey. And as with Abdur-Rahim or Vince Carter, who in their prime put up excellent numbers, I wouldn't want youngsters decades from now to look at Kovalchuk's numbers and decide he must have been an elite player.

He has elite offensive talents, that much is certain. And contrary to the common prejudice against Russian players, Kovalchuk seems to try hard game in and game out. But sometimes he tries too hard to do everything himself...all those years playing in Atlanta have made him forget that hockey is a team game. I can't count the number of times I've watched Kovalchuk attempt to carry the puck into the offensive zone before turning it over at the blueline and giving up a 2-on-1 the other way. It must be a nightmare to coach. And the sad fact is, it results in losing hockey. But when things are going well, he can be a dominant force and seem to will his team to victory by himself. The problem is, hockey isn't a sport like baseball where you should be expected to win it by yourself...you need to utilize your teammates in the flow of the game, and I'm not sure Kovalchuk always understands that.

Kovalchuk should close out his career with the Devils (it will be hard to unload that contract), and maybe this year will be a blip for the team. But with the retirement of Martin Brodeur pending, it seems like the Devils will be a rebuilding organization for at least the next few years. It's the same old story for Ilya in 2011...except this time, he's not even getting as many goals to ease the pain of losing.