When it was reported on Saturday night’s Hockey Night In Canada broadcast by Elliotte Friedman that Ilya Kovalchuk could return to the NHL next season, it caused fans around the league to imagine the Russian winger on their team’s top line and hope he could bring some of the elite scoring ability he showed before bolting for the KHL in 2013. While it is still possible for him to play anywhere in the league, Bob McKenzie of TSN wanted to set the record straight on the requirements for Kovalchuk’s return. 
Since Kovalchuk is still on the Voluntary Retirement List (VRL) for New Jersey, he is able to sign a contract with only the Devils should he return, unless every single team in the NHL signs off on a contract with someone else. Though nothing is impossible, McKenzie (and we here at PHR) believe that getting the entire league to sign off is incredibly unlikely and isn’t the route for Kovalchuk into the league.
Instead, the 34-year old would need to sign with the Devils and then be traded to whichever team won the bidding, likely resulting in an asset for the Devils in return. The team cannot trade his rights while he is still on the VRL, meaning they would need to do a sign-and-trade should he expect to play for a different team. Of course, that would likely remove several teams from contention since the Devils would not want to watch Kovalchuk play on a rival squad.
Though he’s been away from the NHL for several years, Kovalchuk is still regarded as one of the top scoring wingers in the world and would draw significant interest if he was a normal free agent. Because of the New Jersey requirement however, it may sour some teams on the whole process, unsure of what exactly they’re getting and for how long. Though the NHL and KHL generally respect each other’s contracts, Kovalchuk has been involved in grey-area transactions before and likely doesn’t have all that many more elite-level years left anyway. It will be interesting to see who pursues him, or if it is the Devils themselves that bring him back into the fold. For a team that has trouble scoring goals, but has a lot of money tied up in their aging core, perhaps adding a player of Kovalchuk’s stature would be a last-ditch effort to create a contender in New Jersey with this group.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
I don’t think it is fair to say the Devils have money in older players anymore, or that we are possible contenders. Kovys only use to us would be a longer term contract or a trade asset IMO
I added “with this group”, but I don’t think it’s unfair to say that they have a lot invested into an aging core. Zajac, Cammalleri, Greene, Schneider are all on the wrong side of 30, while Palmieri, Henrique and Hall aren’t youngsters anymore.
The Devils aren’t in a rebuild phase despite all the draft picks. If they want to win with the group they have now, it has to be soon. Signing Kovalchuk–who is 34–would be an attempt at making this group work, not looking to the future.
Devils are sitting pretty here, they win all 3 ways. He stays overseas, he plays for them, or get a good trade from someone who wants him. He’s still got some goals left in the tank.