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 is a forward position in hockey. Ilya played for several teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) in North America, including the Atlanta Thrashers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, and Washington Capitals. He also played for many teams in Russia, like SKA Saint Petersburg and HC Spartak Moscow, in leagues such as the Russian Superleague (RSL) and Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Kovalchuk started playing hockey in the youth system of HC Spartak Moscow. He joined their main team in 1999. After two seasons, the Atlanta Thrashers picked him first overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. This was a big deal because he was the first Russian player ever chosen first in the NHL draft. He played for the Thrashers for eight seasons. In 2010, he was traded to the New Jersey Devils. He later signed a large contract with them. In 2013, Ilya decided to leave the NHL and return to Russia. He played for SKA Saint Petersburg for five seasons. Then, he came back to the NHL in 2018. After playing for a few more NHL teams, Kovalchuk returned to the KHL for the 2020–21 season. He took two years off from hockey before returning to his first club, Spartak Moscow, and officially retired in March 2025.

Ilya Kovalchuk is known for scoring many goals. He is tied for fourth all-time in the NHL for goals scored in overtime during the regular season. He is also the seventh-highest scoring Russian player in NHL history. In the NHL, Kovalchuk was chosen for the NHL All-Star team twice. In 2004, he shared the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's top goal-scorer with two other players.

Internationally, Kovalchuk played for the Russian national junior team. He also played for the senior Russian national team in major tournaments like the World Championship and the Winter Olympics. He helped Russia win gold medals at the World Championships in 2008 and 2009. At his fifth Olympics in 2018, Kovalchuk was named the most valuable player. He helped the team from Russia win the gold medal.

About Ilya Kovalchuk's Life

Growing Up and Family

Ilya Kovalchuk was born in Kalinin, a city in Russia. This city is now called Tver. He was the second child and first son of Valeri and Lyubov. His father, Valeri, played basketball and later coached. Ilya's father even wrote a book about Ilya's journey in hockey. Ilya's older sister is named Arina. When Ilya was seven, he was invited to join the Spartak Moscow youth hockey school. He would travel there every weekend with his father.

Marriage and Children

Ilya Kovalchuk met his wife, Nicole Andrazajtis, in 2002. Nicole was a famous singer in Russia at that time. They got married in 2008. Ilya and Nicole have four children together. Their daughters are Karolina and Eva. Their sons are Philipp and Artem.

Ilya Kovalchuk and Politics

Ilya Kovalchuk is a member of a group called PutinTeam. This group was started in 2017 by another famous hockey player, Alexander Ovechkin. The group's goal was to support Vladimir Putin in his 2018 presidential campaign in Russia.

Ilya Kovalchuk's Hockey Journey

Starting with Spartak Moscow

When he was young, Kovalchuk played in a big hockey tournament in Quebec, Canada, with Spartak Moscow. He then played for Spartak Moscow's main team for two seasons. In 2001, the Atlanta Thrashers picked him first overall in the NHL draft. This was a historic moment because he was the first Russian player to be drafted first in the NHL. When he played for clubs, Kovalchuk wore the number 17. This was to honor Valeri Kharlamov, a famous Soviet hockey player 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 some games due to a shoulder injury. He finished second in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy, which is given to the NHL's best rookie. He was also named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. In his third season (2003–04), Kovalchuk scored 41 goals. This made him a co-winner of the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for leading the NHL in goals. He also had 46 assists, totaling 87 points. He played in his first NHL All-Star Game that year.

Kovalchuk with the Atlanta Thrashers during the 2005–06 season.

Because of a lockout in the NHL in 2004–05, Kovalchuk went back to Russia to play. When the NHL started again, he signed a five-year contract with the Thrashers. In the 2005–06 season, he scored 52 goals and had 98 points. This was his highest point total in a season. He became the first Thrashers player to score 50 goals in a season.

In the 2006–07 season, Kovalchuk's points dropped a bit. However, he and the Thrashers made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time ever. They lost in the first round. In the 2007–08 season, Kovalchuk scored two hat-tricks in a row. He finished that season with 52 goals again.

In 2009, Kovalchuk became the captain of the Thrashers. He finished his first season as captain with 43 goals and 91 points. This was his fifth season in a row with 40 or more goals. In October 2009, he scored his 300th and 301st NHL goals.

Playing for the New Jersey Devils (2010–2013)

Kovalchuk's contract with the Thrashers was ending, and they couldn't agree on a new one. So, on February 4, 2010, Kovalchuk was traded to the New Jersey Devils. He left the Thrashers as their all-time leader in games played, goals, assists, and points. He quickly made an impact with the Devils, getting two assists in his first game. He finished the season with 41 goals and 44 assists combined between Atlanta and New Jersey.

On February 4, 2012, Kovalchuk had a "Gordie Howe hat trick" while playing for the Devils. This means he scored a goal, had an assist, and got into a fight in the same game. This was his first time achieving this. On March 20, he scored his 400th NHL goal.

Kovalchuk with the Devils during the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals.

Kovalchuk set a new NHL record in the 2011–12 season for most shootout goals in a single season (11). He also set a record for most game-deciding shootout goals (7). Kovalchuk and the Devils made it to the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals that year. They played against the Los Angeles Kings. Even though Kovalchuk was playing with an injury, he helped the team get there. The Devils lost to the Kings in six games.

Contract Details

In 2010, Kovalchuk became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team. He agreed to a 17-year, $102 million deal to stay with the Devils. However, the NHL did not approve this contract. They said it tried to get around the rules about how much teams could spend on players. After some discussions, a new contract was approved. It was for 15 years and worth $100 million. The NHL also fined the Devils and took away some of their future draft picks because of the first contract attempt.

Playing for SKA Saint Petersburg (2013–2018)

During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Kovalchuk signed a temporary contract to play for SKA Saint Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia. He played there until the NHL season started again.

Kovalchuk with SKA Saint Petersburg in 2012.

On July 11, 2013, Kovalchuk decided to retire from the NHL. He said he wanted to return home to Russia with his family. He had a lot of money and years left on his NHL contract when he left. Kovalchuk 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) for the first time in 2015. He was even chosen as the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the playoffs, but he gave the award to a teammate. He won a second Gagarin Cup with SKA Saint Petersburg in 2017.

Playing for the Los Angeles Kings (2018–2019)

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

His 2018–19 season started well, but the Kings team was not doing well. Their coach was fired, and the new coach gave Kovalchuk less time on the ice. Kovalchuk was not happy about this. In the 2019–20 season, the Kings decided to stop playing Kovalchuk. On December 17, his contract was ended, and he became a free agent.

Playing for the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals (2020)

On January 3, 2020, Kovalchuk signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens. He quickly became a good player for them, scoring eight points in his first eight games. Even though he played well, the Canadiens were not going to make the playoffs. 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 before they were eliminated.

Playing for Avangard Omsk (2020–2021)

Kovalchuk returned to the KHL for the 2020–21 season. He signed a two-year 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.

Returning to Spartak (2023–2024)

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. Kovalchuk officially retired from hockey on March 14, 2025.

Ilya Kovalchuk's International Play

Ilya Kovalchuk
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.

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

Kovalchuk played in his second Winter Olympics in 2006 in Turin. He scored four goals in one game against Latvia. In 2008, Kovalchuk played in the IIHF World Championship. He scored two goals in the gold medal game against Canada, including the game-winning goal in overtime, to help Russia win the championship. The next year, he led Russia to another gold medal over Canada in the 2009 IIHF World Championship. 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 some other Russian players left the ice before the Canadian national anthem was played. The Russian Hockey Federation was fined for this action.

Ilya Kovalchuk's Records

NHL Records

Most shootout goals in a single season (11) in 2011–12.
Most game-deciding shootout goals in a single season (7) in 2011–12.
Tied the Atlanta Thrashers franchise 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 Play Statistics

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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