Ever since the Montreal Canadiens signed Ilya Kovalchuk at the start of 2020, there has been plenty of talk about whether or not the Habs should trade the Russian winger. After excelling with the Canadiens ever since he first stepped foot on the ice in a blue and red jersey, Kovalchuk, a UFA, immediately became a fan favourite. Just a day before the 2020 NHL Trade Deadline, the Montreal Canadiens have traded Ilya Kovalchuk to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a third-round pick in 2020. In addition, according to Pierre LeBrun, the Canadiens are set to retain 50% of Kovalchuk’s salary.
After his long-awaited return from the KHL to the NHL, Ilya Kovalchuk was not able to live up to the three-year contract that he signed with the Kings. Less than halfway into his contract, the L.A. Kings and Kovalchuk agreed to terminate the deal, this allowing him to become a free agent. The Canadiens signed the former first-overall pick to a cheap one-year, two-way contract worth just $700k.
Through 22 games with the Canadiens, Kovalchuk scored six goals and added seven helpers for 13 points. Based on his play with the Canadiens, Montreal was reportedly asking for at least a second-round pick in trade, however, not many teams believed it he would be worth it. Despite Kovalchuk proving that he still has hockey left to play, trading a first or second-round pick is still a high price for a 36-year-old winger.
Although some fans are not too happy with the trade, it is important to remember that Kovalchuk is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. That being said, there is no telling that he would re-sign with the Canadiens. Despite saying earlier that he would love to stay in Montreal, Kovalchuk is not getting any younger and has his eyes set on winning the Stanley Cup, a feat which Montreal may not be the best spot for him to achieve that goal.
It made more sense for Habs general manager Marc Bergevin to trade Kovalchuk while he could instead of risking losing him for nothing in free agency. Plus, there is still a chance that an offseason return could occur between the Canadiens and Kovalchuk, a situation similar to back in 2018 when the Habs traded Tomas Plekanec to the Toronto Maple Leafs, only for him to return in NHL free agency during the offseason.
With Kovalchuk on the roster, the Capitals add yet another big-time threat to the roster while also strengthening their offensive depth. Kovalchuk could slot in anywhere in the Capitals top-nine and immediately adds scoring depth to whatever line he is on.
The Former star is determined to win the Stanley Cup for the first time in his career and will be quite exciting to watch during the playoffs as he looks to complete a lifelong dream alongside some of his old friends. Adding that kind of determined mentality to the locker room is always important for contending teams come playoff time.
The Canadiens did the right thing by allowing Kovalchuk to compete for the Stanley Cup while he is still playing at a high-level. Both the Habs and the Russian sniper clearly have a strong relationship and have a lot of respect for each other. The two sides will likely discuss a potential return during the offseason.