The Montreal Canadiens announced early Friday morning that the team had agreed to terms with free agent Ilya Kovalchuk on a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay him a $700,000 NHL salary and $70,0000 if he plays in the AHL.
The Russian forward had come back to the NHL on a three-year deal with a $6 million AAV with the L.A. Kings. In his short stint back, Kovalchuk recorded 43 points, 19 of them being goals, in 81 games spanning two seasons. Both the player and the team mutually agreed to terminate his contract earlier this season. He has been a free agent since mid-December.
Kovalchuk is not the same player he was when he was winning Rocket Richard’s and scoring upwards of 30 goals a season, but he still has a quality shot and could add some much needed depth to a team that has been plagued with injuries all year. The Canadiens also just lost their leading goal scorer Brendan Gallagher to a concussion suffered in Carolina against the Hurricanes on New Years Eve.
This signing comes to much surprise as rumours had Montreal not being interested in Kovalchuk and Kovalchuk wanting to play for a contender.
Now that he is signed, it is time to put on his skates and get to work because there is still hockey to be played.