Ilya Kovalchuk facts for kids

In this article, the patronymic is Valeryevich and the family name is Kovalchuk.

Quick facts for kids Ilya Kovalchuk
Kovalchuk in 2017
Born	(1983-04-15) 15 April 1983 (age 42) Kalinin, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	227 lb (103 kg; 16 st 3 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Spartak Moscow Atlanta Thrashers Ak Bars Kazan Khimik Moscow Oblast New Jersey Devils SKA Saint Petersburg Los Angeles Kings Montreal Canadiens Washington Capitals Avangard Omsk
National team	Russia
NHL Draft	1st overall, 2001 Atlanta Thrashers
Playing career	1999–2024

Ilya Valeryevich Kovalchuk (Russian: Илья Валерьевич Ковальчук; born 15 April 1983) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player. He was a left wing, which means he played on the left side of the ice. Ilya played for many teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) in North America. He also played in Russia's top leagues, the Russian Superleague (RSL) and Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Kovalchuk started playing hockey in the youth system of Spartak Moscow. He joined their main team in 1999. After two seasons, he was picked first overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers. This was a huge deal because he was the first Russian player ever picked first in the NHL draft!

He played for the Thrashers for eight seasons. Then, in 2010, he was traded to the New Jersey Devils. He signed a big contract with them. In 2013, Ilya decided to leave the NHL and go back to Russia. He played for SKA Saint Petersburg for five seasons. Later, he returned to the NHL in 2018. After a short time back in the NHL, he returned to the KHL in 2020. He took a break from hockey for two years before playing for Spartak Moscow again. He announced his retirement in 2024.

Ilya Kovalchuk is known for scoring many goals. He is tied for fourth all-time in the NHL for overtime goals. He is also the seventh-highest scoring Russian player in NHL history. In the NHL, he was chosen for the NHL All-Star team twice. In 2004, he shared the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for scoring the most goals in the league.

Ilya also played for the Russian national team. He won gold medals at the World Championship in 2008 and 2009. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, he was named the most valuable player. He helped the Olympic Athletes from Russia win the gold medal.

About Ilya Kovalchuk

His Early Life

Ilya Kovalchuk was born in a city called Kalinin, which is now known as Tver. This city is about 180 kilometers northwest of Moscow. He was the second child and first son of Valeri and Lyubov Kovalchuk. Ilya was a big baby, so his parents named him after Ilya Muromets. This was a famous hero from old Russian stories.

Ilya's father, Valeri, played basketball in Tver. Later, he became a coach. He was in charge of a sports school from 1980 to 1998. Ilya's mother, Lyubov, worked at a hospital. Valeri even wrote a book about Ilya's journey in hockey. It was called "From Tver to Atlanta." Sadly, his father passed away in 2005. Ilya also has an older sister named Arina. When Ilya was seven, he was invited to join the Spartak Moscow youth hockey school. He would travel there every weekend by train with his father.

Family Life

Ilya Kovalchuk met his wife, Nicole Andrazajtis, in 2002. Friends introduced them. Nicole was a well-known singer in Russia. She was part of a music group called Mirage. They got married in 2008 in Russia. Ilya and Nicole have four children together. Their daughters are Karolina (born 2005) and Eva (born 2015). Their sons are Philipp (born 2009) and Artem (born 2010).

His Involvement in Politics

Ilya Kovalchuk is a member of a group called PutinTeam. This group was started in 2017. Its goal was to support Vladimir Putin's campaign for president in 2018.

Hockey Career

Starting with Spartak Moscow

When he was young, Kovalchuk played in a big youth hockey tournament in Quebec in 1997. He played for Spartak Moscow. Later, he played for their main team for two seasons. In 2001, the Atlanta Thrashers picked him first overall in the NHL draft. He was the first Russian player ever to be drafted first. When he played for clubs, Ilya wore the number 17. This was to honor Valeri Kharlamov, a famous Soviet hockey star from the 1970s.

Playing for the Atlanta Thrashers (2001–2010)

In his first NHL season (2001–02), Kovalchuk scored 29 goals and 51 points. He missed 17 games because of a shoulder injury. He finished second in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy. This award goes to the NHL's best rookie player. He and his teammate, Dany Heatley, were both named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.

In his second season, he scored 38 goals. By 2003–04, Kovalchuk scored 41 goals. This made him a co-winner of the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy. He tied with Jarome Iginla and Rick Nash for the most goals in the NHL. He also had 46 assists, giving him 87 points. This tied him for second in the NHL that season. Kovalchuk also played in his first NHL All-Star Game in 2004.

Kovalchuk playing for the Atlanta Thrashers during the 2005–06 season.

There was a lockout in the NHL during the 2004–05 season. So, Kovalchuk went back to Russia to play. He played for Ak Bars Kazan and Khimik Moscow Oblast. After the lockout, he signed a new contract with the Thrashers. In the 2005–06 season, he scored 52 goals. He also had 46 assists, for a total of 98 points. This was his best season for points. He was the first Thrashers player to score 50 goals in a season.

In the 2006–07 season, Kovalchuk's points went down a bit. He finished with 42 goals and 34 assists. Still, Kovalchuk and the Thrashers made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time ever. Kovalchuk scored one goal and one assist in his first NHL playoff game. But his team lost in the first round.

In 2007–08, Kovalchuk scored two hat-tricks in a row! A hat trick is when a player scores three goals in one game. He finished that season with 52 goals again.

In 2009, Kovalchuk was named the captain of the Thrashers. He was the sixth team captain in their history. He finished his first season as captain with 43 goals and 91 points. This was his fifth straight season with 40 or more goals.

Time with the New Jersey Devils (2010–2013)

Kovalchuk's contract was ending, and he couldn't agree on a new one with the Thrashers. So, on February 4, 2010, he was traded to the New Jersey Devils. He had been the Thrashers' all-time leader in games played, goals, assists, and points. He had two assists in his first game with the Devils. He finished the season with 41 goals and 44 assists combined from both teams.

Kovalchuk (top) playing for the New Jersey Devils, with teammates.

On February 4, 2012, Kovalchuk got a "Gordie Howe hat trick." This means he scored a goal, had an assist, and got into a fight in the same game! This was the first time he did that. He scored his first regular hat trick with the Devils on February 14, 2012. On March 20, Kovalchuk scored his 400th NHL goal. He was the 87th player in NHL history to reach this milestone.

In the 2011–12 season, Kovalchuk set a new NHL record. He scored 11 shootout goals, with 7 of them being game-winning goals. The Devils made it to the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals that year. They played against the Los Angeles Kings. Kovalchuk was playing with an injury and only scored one point in the series. The Devils lost to the Kings in six games.

Playing for SKA Saint Petersburg (2013–2018)

During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Kovalchuk signed a temporary contract with SKA Saint Petersburg in the KHL. He played there until the NHL season started again. He was even named captain of SKA Saint Petersburg.

Kovalchuk with the Devils during the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals.

On July 11, 2013, Kovalchuk decided to retire from the NHL. He said he wanted to go back home to Russia with his family. He signed a four-year contract with SKA Saint Petersburg just a few days later. He helped his team win the Gagarin Cup (the KHL championship) in 2015. He was chosen as the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the playoffs, but he gave the award to his teammate. He won another Gagarin Cup with SKA Saint Petersburg in 2017.

Kovalchuk with SKA Saint Petersburg in 2012.

Later NHL Career (2018–2020)

After the 2017–18 season, Kovalchuk said he wanted to return to the NHL. Many teams were interested in him. On June 23, 2018, he signed a three-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings. He scored his first goal with the Kings on October 9, 2018.

His first season with the Kings started well, but the team struggled. The coach was replaced, and Kovalchuk's playing time was cut. He was not happy about this. In the 2019–20 season, the Kings decided to stop playing him. On December 17, his contract was ended, and he became a free agent.

On January 3, 2020, Kovalchuk signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens. He quickly became a good player for them, getting eight points in his first eight games. Even though he played well, the team was not doing great. So, on February 23, 2020, Kovalchuk was traded to the Washington Capitals. He played a few regular season games and some playoff games for the Capitals. His team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

Return to Russia and Retirement (2020–2024)

Kovalchuk returned to the KHL for the 2020–21 season. He signed a contract with Avangard Omsk. He won the Gagarin Cup with Avangard on April 28, 2021. A few days later, he and the team agreed to end his contract.

After two years away from professional hockey, Kovalchuk decided to return to his first club, Spartak Moscow. He signed a one-year contract on December 6, 2023. On April 9, 2024, he announced that he was retiring from hockey.

International Play

Medal record
Kovalchuk at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Men's ice hockey
Representing Olympic Athletes from Russia
Olympic Games
Gold	2018 Pyeongchang
Representing Russia
Olympic Games
Bronze	2002 Salt Lake City
World Championships
Gold	2008 Canada
Gold	2009 Switzerland
Silver	2010 Germany
Silver	2015 Czech Republic
Bronze	2005 Austria
Bronze	2007 Russia
Bronze	2019 Slovakia
IIHF World U18 Championships
Gold	2001 Finland
Silver	2000 Switzerland

Kovalchuk won his first medals for Russia in big international events at the IIHF World U18 Championships. He earned a silver medal in 2000 and a gold medal in 2001. He also played for Russia at the World Junior Championships in 2001.

The next year, Kovalchuk played for the senior Russian team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. This was during his first NHL season. He helped Russia win a bronze medal. He then played in the World Championships in 2003.

Kovalchuk played in his second Winter Olympics in 2006 in Turin. He scored four goals in one game against Latvia. But Russia did not win a medal that year.

In 2008, Kovalchuk played in the IIHF World Championship. He scored two goals in the gold medal game against Team Canada. One goal tied the game, and the other won the championship for Russia! The next year, he helped Russia win a second straight gold medal over Canada. He was named the MVP of that tournament.

In May 2010, Kovalchuk played for Russia at the World Championship in Germany, where they finished second.

At the 2015 IIHF World Championship, Kovalchuk was the captain for Russia. After losing the gold medal game to Canada, Kovalchuk and many Russian players left the ice early. They left before the Canadian national anthem was played. The Russian Hockey Federation was fined for this.

Records and Achievements

NHL Records

Most shootout goals in a single season (11) in 2011–12.
Most game-winning shootout goals in a single season (7) in 2011–12.
Atlanta Thrashers team record for most goals in a single season (52) in 2005–06 and 2007–08.

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Bold indicates led league

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1999–00	Spartak Moscow	RUS-2	49	12	5	17	75	—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	Spartak–2 Moscow	RUS-3	2	2	1	3	14	—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Spartak Moscow	RUS-2	40	28	18	46	78	12	14	4	18	38
2001–02	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL	65	29	22	51	28	—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL	81	38	29	67	57	—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL	81	41	46	87	63	—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Ak Bars Kazan	RSL	53	19	23	42	72	4	0	1	1	0
2005–06	Khimik Moscow Oblast	RSL	11	8	5	13	24	—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL	78	52	46	98	68	—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL	82	42	34	76	66	4	1	1	2	19
2007–08	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL	79	52	35	87	52	—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL	79	43	48	91	50	—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL	49	31	27	58	45	—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	New Jersey Devils	NHL	27	10	17	27	8	5	2	4	6	6
2010–11	New Jersey Devils	NHL	81	31	29	60	28	—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	New Jersey Devils	NHL	77	37	46	83	33	23	8	11	19	6
2012–13	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL	36	18	24	42	12	—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	New Jersey Devils	NHL	37	11	20	31	18	—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL	45	16	24	40	38	10	3	2	5	31
2014–15	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL	54	25	30	55	69	22	8	11	19	12
2015–16	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL	50	16	33	49	24	4	0	0	0	2
2016–17	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL	60	32	46	78	47	18	6	3	9	35
2017–18	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL	53	31	32	63	26	15	6	4	10	12
2018–19	Los Angeles Kings	NHL	64	16	18	34	10	—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Los Angeles Kings	NHL	17	3	6	9	12	—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	22	6	7	13	2	—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Washington Capitals	NHL	7	1	3	4	4	8	0	1	1	2
2020–21	Avangard Omsk	KHL	16	5	12	17	16	24	4	5	9	31
2023–24	Spartak Moscow	KHL	20	4	4	8	2	5	0	0	0	2
NHL totals			926	443	433	876	544	40	11	17	28	33
RSL totals			64	27	28	55	96	4	0	1	1	0
KHL totals			334	147	205	352	234	98	27	25	52	125

International

Year	Team	Event	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2000	Russia	U17	6	10	4	14	2
2000	Russia	WJC18	6	2	3	5	6
2001	Russia	WJC	7	4	2	6	37
2001	Russia	WJC18	6	11	4	15	26
2002	Russia	OLY	6	1	2	3	14
2003	Russia	WC	7	4	0	4	6
2004	Russia	WC	6	3	1	4	6
2004	Russia	WCH	4	1	0	1	4
2005	Russia	WC	9	3	3	6	4
2006	Russia	OLY	8	4	1	5	31
2007	Russia	WC	9	2	5	7	10
2008	Russia	WC	8	2	6	8	52
2009	Russia	WC	9	5	9	14	4
2010	Russia	OLY	4	1	2	3	0
2010	Russia	WC	9	2	10	12	2
2011	Russia	WC	9	3	5	8	6
2013	Russia	WC	8	8	5	13	29
2014	Russia	OLY	5	3	0	3	2
2015	Russia	WC	10	2	3	5	2
2018	OAR	OLY	6	5	2	7	4
2019	Russia	WC	10	2	3	5	4
Junior totals			25	27	13	40	71
Senior totals			127	51	57	108	180

All-Star Games

Year	Location	G	A	P
2004	St. Paul	1	0	1
2008	Atlanta	0	1	1
2009	Montreal	0	0	0
2013	Chelyabinsk	3	0	3
2014	Bratislava	1	2	3
2015	Sochi	4	2	6
NHL All-Star totals		1	1	2
KHL All-Star totals		8	4	12

Awards and Achievements

RSL/KHL Awards

KHL All-Star Game – 2013, 2014, 2015
Gagarin Cup winner – 2015, 2017, 2021
Gagarin Cup playoffs MVP – 2015 (he chose to give the award to Evgenii Dadonov)

NHL Awards

NHL All-Rookie Team – 2002
NHL first All-Star team – 2012
NHL second All-Star team – 2004
2002 NHL YoungStars Game MVP
NHL All-Star Game – 2004, 2008, 2009
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy – 2004 (tied with Rick Nash and Jarome Iginla)
Kharlamov Trophy – 2004

International Awards

Kovalchuk with his 2018 Winter Olympic gold medal meeting Russian president Vladimir Putin.

2002 Winter Olympics – bronze medal
2018 Winter Olympics – gold medal
2018 Winter Olympics MVP
2008 World Championship – gold medal
2009 World Championship – gold medal
2009 World Championship MVP
2009 World Championship best forward

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