Alexei Kovalev facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alexei Kovalev |
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Kovalev with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2011
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| Born | February 24, 1973 Tolyatti, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 222 lb (101 kg; 15 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Dynamo Moscow New York Rangers Lada Togliatti Pittsburgh Penguins Montreal Canadiens Ak Bars Kazan Ottawa Senators Atlant Moscow Oblast Florida Panthers |
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| National team |  Unified Team and Russia |
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| NHL Draft | 15th overall, 1991 New York Rangers |
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| Playing career | 1989–2017 | ||
Alexei Kovalev (born February 24, 1973) is a famous Russian ice hockey coach and former player. He is currently an assistant coach for HC Kunlun Red Star in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Alexei played over 1,300 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 18 seasons. He played for teams like the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers between 1992 and 2013. The Rangers picked him in the draft, and he helped them win the Stanley Cup in 1994.
Kovalev also played in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for Atlant Moscow Oblast. His last active team was EHC Visp in Switzerland's National League B.
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Becoming a Hockey Star
Alexei Kovalev was chosen by the New York Rangers in the first round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 15th player picked overall. This made him the first Russian-born player ever drafted in the first round of the NHL. He was also the first Soviet player to be picked so early.
Kovalev was known for his amazing stickhandling, deking (faking out opponents), and powerful wrist shot. He was a key player for the Rangers when they won the Stanley Cup in 1994. He had the third-highest points for New York in the playoffs that year.
Alexei Kovalev, Alexander Karpovtsev, Sergei Nemchinov, and Sergei Zubov were the first Russian players to have their names on the Stanley Cup. This was a big moment for hockey fans in Europe.
Playing During the Lockout
During the 1994–95 NHL lockout, Kovalev went back to Russia. He played for his hometown team, Lada Togliatti. This team was the champion of the International Hockey League in 1994. Kovalev scored eight goals and eight assists in just 12 games. He even scored three goals in a special game for Lada Togliatti's 30th anniversary.
Moving Between Teams
In November 1998, Kovalev was traded from the New York Rangers to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played 63 games for the Penguins, scoring 46 points. He also had a strong performance in the playoffs, with 12 points in 10 games. In the next two seasons, he had some of his best years, scoring 76 and 95 points.
In February 2003, the Penguins traded Kovalev back to the New York Rangers. This trade helped the Penguins reduce their team salary.
Joining the Canadiens
On March 13, 2004, Kovalev was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. He only played 12 regular season games for them that year, scoring three points. However, he shined in the 2004 playoffs, scoring six goals and ten points in 11 games.
During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Kovalev played for Ak Bars Kazan in the Russian Superleague (RSL). He scored 23 points in 35 games. He also played for the Russian national team at the 2005 World Championships in Austria. He was named the best forward of that tournament.
In August 2005, Kovalev signed a new four-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens. On December 20, 2005, he scored his 300th career goal and reached 700 points. This happened in a game against the Ottawa Senators.
In 2006, the sports company Warrior signed Kovalev to promote their hockey sticks. They even designed a special stick called the AK27.
Captaincy and All-Star Game
During the 2007–08 season, Kovalev played very well. He scored 35 goals and 49 assists, totaling 84 points in 82 games. He was even named captain of the Canadiens twice when regular captain Saku Koivu was injured.
In the 2008–09 season, Kovalev was chosen as the captain for the Eastern Conference team at the 2009 NHL All-Star Game in Montreal. He won the Most Valuable Player award for scoring two goals, one assist, and the game-winning shootout goal.
In March 2009, Kovalev scored his 100th goal with the Canadiens. He was named the NHL's First Star for the week ending April 5. He scored two goals and seven assists, helping the Canadiens win three games.
Later Career and Retirement
On July 6, 2009, Kovalev signed a two-year contract with the Ottawa Senators. On November 22, 2010, he scored his 1,000th career point against the Los Angeles Kings.
On his 38th birthday, February 24, 2011, Kovalev was traded back to the Pittsburgh Penguins. His time with the Penguins was short, and he did not re-sign with them.
After not signing with an NHL team for the 2011–12 season, Kovalev returned to Russia. He played for Atlant Moscow Oblast in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). In June 2012, he said he wanted to return to the NHL.
After the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Kovalev tried out for the Florida Panthers. He signed a one-year contract with them. In his first game as a Panther, he scored a goal and had two assists.
On March 21, 2013, Kovalev announced he was retiring from professional hockey. However, his retirement did not last long. In June 2013, he signed a one-year contract with EHC Visp in Switzerland. He played 44 games, scoring 22 goals and 30 assists, and helped his team win the Swiss NLB championship.
On July 3, 2014, Kovalev announced his retirement from professional hockey again at age 41. In October 2016, he made a brief return to play for EHC Visp, where he had become the general manager.
Managing Career
In March 2016, Alexei Kovalev became the general manager for EHC Visp of the Swiss National League B.
Major Achievements
- First Russian/Soviet player drafted in the first round (15th overall in 1991).
- One of the first four Russian players to have his name on the Stanley Cup.
- First Russian player to be a captain of an All-Star Team.
- Captain of the 2009 NHL Eastern Conference All-Star Team.
- Most Valuable Player of the 2009 NHL All-Star Game.
- Reached 1,000 career points on November 23, 2010.
- Played the most NHL games by a player born and trained in the Soviet Union (1,316 games).
NHL Awards
- NHL All-Star Game appearances: 2001, 2003, 2009.
- NHL Second All-Star Team in 2008.
- NHL All-Star Game MVP Award in 2009.
- Stanley Cup champion in 1994 with the New York Rangers.
International Awards
- 1992 Winter Olympics – Gold Medal in Ice Hockey.
- 2002 Winter Olympics – Bronze Medal in Ice Hockey.
- 2005 IIHF World Championship – Named Best Forward.
Personal Life
When he was eight years old, Kovalev was diagnosed with a heart condition. This stopped him from playing hockey for two years while he received treatment.
Kovalev is also a licensed aircraft pilot.
Charity Work
In October 2006, Alexei Kovalev started "Kovy's Kids Suite" at the Bell Centre. This program allowed children with heart conditions to attend hockey games. In March 2008, Kovalev released a two-disc DVD called My Hockey Tips and Training Methods. He gave all the money from the DVD sales to charities that help children with heart care.
Images for kids
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Kovalev with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2011
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Kovalev with the Ottawa Senators.
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Kovalev during his second time with the Penguins in March 2011.
