Snapshots: Kovalev, Aulie, Kalinin, Boll

Long-time NHL forward Alexei Kovalev is coming out of retirement as he is expected to play for EHC Visp of the Swiss NLB today according to a report from Swiss Hockey News.  The 43 year old last played with Visp back in 2013-14 before hanging up the skates.  Kovalev is currently their team manager but has been skating with the club all season and due to an injury to one of their import players, a spot in the lineup has opened up for him.

Kovalev played in over 1,300 games in his NHL career with the Rangers, Penguins, Canadiens, Senators, and Panthers.  With 1,029 points in that span, he ranks third all-time among Russian scorers in NHL history.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

• Defenseman Keith Aulie, who attended training camp on a PTO with Columbus, has signed a tryout deal with their AHL affiliate in Cleveland, Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch notes on Twitter. Aulie last played in the NHL with Edmonton back in 2014-15, where he got into 31 games.  He spent most of last season with HIFK in Finland.
• Devils forward Sergei Kalinin has recovered from his illness that had him on injured reserve, reports Andrew Gross of Fire and Ice. However, he has not yet been activated off IR and won’t be eligible to suit up until Thursday night against the Bruins.  Kalinin has not yet played this season and is coming off an eight goal, seven assist rookie campaign with New Jersey.
• Anaheim right winger Jared Boll is settling in as he plays his first season outside of Columbus where he spent nine seasons, writes Eric Stephens of the OC Register. He has yet to see much ice time this year as he is averaging less than five minutes per game, in large part due to the fact that the Ducks have yet to have the lead this season, which has resulted in their fourth line being overlooked often.  With over 1,200 penalty minutes in his career, Boll knows his role will be the same in Anaheim as it was with the Jackets, one where he will be expected to play physical every time the fourth line gets out on the ice.