Kovalchuk looks to Ovechkin, Capitals for his blueprint
Alex Ovechkin has a lot to smile about with a first-place team and a $124 million contract. Ilya Kovalchuk hopes to get there.
Ilya Kovalchuk had a close-up view of his alternative universe Thursday night. Another Russian hockey star. Another former No. 1 draft pick. Another franchise trying to work its way into the NHL elite — though significantly closer than his own. A fan base back home, comatose seemingly a week ago, that now runs through turnstiles to watch hockey, even if their driveway sits closer to SEC games than the northern provinces.
Kovalchuk wants that. Alex Ovechkin has that.
“He’s totally into it there — that’s where he wants to be,” Kovalchuk said Thursday before the Thrashers’ game against Washington. “The first time he came there, there was an empty building. Now it’s sold out every game. Every player wants to play in that situation. But it’s not just him that made that possible. They have great players around him. They built it.”
The Thrashers are still trying to get there. Kovalchuk scored two goals and Ovechkin was held scoreless. But a rally fell short and Thrashers lost to the Capitals, 5-4, at Philips Arena.
“We’re going to battle them all year long,” Kovalchuk said.
He’ll be fine. No matter how his contract negotiations with the Thrashers evolve, he will remain one of the NHL’s biggest stars. He has grown up. Marriage, fatherhood, being named a team captain — those things change a person. As teammate Slava Kozlov said, “When he was named captain, he started playing with more passion, more responsibility.”
No matter where Kovalchuk plays next season, he will have those qualities. The question is where he will have them.
There is certainty with Ovechkin. The Capitals drafted him in 2004. It was like an E.R. surgeon placed electric paddles on a franchise’s chest. Maybe the awakening wasn’t immediate, but nobody had to wait long. After missing the postseason in four out of five seasons (two with Ovechkin), Washington won consecutive Southeast Division totals.
Last season, the Capitals won 50 games. They sold out 29. That was more than the previous five seasons combined (20).
Ovechkin has that. Kovalchuk wants that.
Hockey is off the radar in Atlanta. Hangovers from so many non-playoff seasons (and no wins) don’t easily subside.
“People believe as soon as you win,” Kovalchuk said.
The Thrashers are off to a strong start (4-2-1). Seven games into an 82-game season, caution is the operative word. But it says something that the team is young, aggressive, disciplined and following their coach, John Anderson. It says something that Kovalchuk is excited. He hasn’t put his name on a contract extension yet; he has said nothing to indicate it’s not going to happen.
This has never been about Atlanta. He loves living here. (“Every day, I can wear a T-shirt,” he said, and don’t discount that factor after so many Russian winters.)
This never has been about playing in a traditional hockey market. There are advantages to being one of your sport’s biggest stars but nobody knowing you in the produce section at Publix. (When asked if he had grown tired of being asked about his contract, he smiled and said, “It’s good I’m only in Atlanta.”)
This always has been about the organization and its direction. It’s about winning. Ovechkin, his close friend, signed a monster contract last season: 13 years, $124 million. He made a commitment to the city and the franchise. Both sides in the Thrashers-Kovalchuk negotiations can paint this publicly anyway they like. But the bottom line is, he just hasn’t decided whether to make that commitment yet.
“I don’t know what it’s going to take — what I should to sign [for] or how long I should sign for,” he said. “It’s a big deal.”
He greeted Ovechkin with a chest bump in the morning. Kovalchuk was on the ice at Philips Arena, Ovechkin had just emerged from the visiting locker room by the Caps’ bench. They’ve played together in the Olympics and World Championships. They spend time together in Moscow in the summer.
Now both are back in the NHL and Ovechkin has something Kovalchuk wants.
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66 comments Add your comment
R. Stroz
October 23rd, 2009
12:15 pm
The Real Fred Creighton? As in the former coach of the Atlanta Flames?
It’s been a long time since I heard that name in these parts.
Jeff Schultz
October 23rd, 2009
12:35 pm
EA — If yesterday had been less hectic I would’ve done a Jeff Schultz blog on Jeff Schultz. But I might do one next week when the Caps come back to town.
Rob
October 23rd, 2009
12:51 pm
Easy solution: trade Kovy to the Caps.
Steve Brown
October 23rd, 2009
1:13 pm
Kovy has all the information he is going to have in order to make his career decision now (except offers as a free agent from other teams). If I’m GM I make my best offer to Kovy now and inform him if that isn’t good enough we will endeavor to trade him ASAP in order to protect the franchise. As the season goes on uncertainty over Kovy will were on the fans, his teammates and his trade value. Deja Vu all over again!
Steve Brown
October 23rd, 2009
1:14 pm
Meant ware not were, sorry.
Brendan
October 23rd, 2009
1:55 pm
Kovy doesn’t know what the team’s record will be in December, or February, or what good or boneheaded moves might be made as the trade deadline approaches. I repeat. I’d WAIT, in his shoes. He holds the cards. If he wants to stay, that contract represents his leverage to get the players and budget that he wants. If this team maxes out its cap, in an INTELLIGENT FASHION, at the deadline, then perhaps I’d re-sign, right at the deadline. Hopefully, Waddell doesn’t mortgage the future by surrendering all our upcoming drafts picks on yesteryear’s All-Star, now sporting a beard of grey. I think Waddell has learned his lesson.
If Kovy tells Waddell, “I’m going to re-sign, don’t trade me,” I think that’s a strong indicator of intent. If Kovy wanted out, he’d say, “trade me, right F’n Now!” Or, “trade me at the deadline … or suffer consequences of me walking at season’s end.” Is that what’s happening?
GaVaHokie
October 23rd, 2009
3:03 pm
Well, thanks to Ovechkin’s contract, he can start getting used to a revolving door of players… the Caps better win the Cup this year, they won’t be able to keep that team together for long.
Only 10 players under contract for next year with two major contracts for Semin and Backstrom to be signed.
http://nhlnumbers.com/overview.php?team=WAS&season=0910
If Atlanta gives Kovalchuk $11 million, expect the same in Atlanta… Bogosian, Little, Kane… it’s going to get tough fitting guys in under the cap.
Watch what happens to teams like Chicago and Washington and Philly over the next couple of years.
Steve Brown
October 23rd, 2009
3:10 pm
Brendan,
Waddell and the owners have to at least act like they run the team or they lose respect of players, fans and any star that has choices.
R. Stroz
October 23rd, 2009
4:38 pm
I hope Kovy understands to some extent that he can’t have his cake and eat it too. In other words, if Kovy goes for the maximum salary allowed, the Thrashers will be a revolving door of young talent going elsewhere, and as such, the Thrashers will NEVER have elite status for more than two years.
If I were Kovy and his agent, I would demand an out clause of some sort stating that the ASG must maintain a payroll 6 to 8 million over the salary minimum. If the ASG drops salary, then Kovy can drop the ASG.
Rush Limbaugh
October 23rd, 2009
5:08 pm
I’m gonna kick your ass the next time I see you, Shultzie!
Brendan
October 23rd, 2009
7:40 pm
Steve Brown, I respect what you’re saying. What you’re saying makes a lot of sense. Especially in the REALITY that most teams find themselves in. But in Thrasherville, we live in Bizarro World, where hamburges eat people. Stay with me.
You’ve seen it. For the love of Pete, you’ve seen the results of this ownership! One (1) GM, four (4) Head Coaches, that includes Waddell, League Minimum Budgets, and Seven of Nine (7/9) isn’t just a Star Trek Voyager (TM) reference, it’s the factual number of times this team has finished in the bottom of third of the Eastern Conference. And just this past Summer … was the sixth time in nine years … of this team picking inside the lottery draft. Two former lottery draft picks have already been traded away (Heatley, Stefan). Two more’s futures are in some form of doubt (Kovalchuk, Lehtonen). My vote goes to … (drumroll, please) CHANGE WE NEED.
Would Kovy be a mistake as GM? Shrugs. Could the organization lose any more respect than it already has? Antropov is only here … because Kovy recruited him. How many Tier I free agents have CHOSEN Atlanta as their destination? Freely. Ya know, without a sawed off shotgun lodged in their short ribs. How many Tier I players have the organization re-signed, when the option of where to play resided EXCLUSIVELY with the UFA? Some crickets chirp … some tumble weeds roll by … and off in the distance … a coyote howls.
It’s not a big, impressive list. If Kovy is the pot of hunny that brings all the FREE AGENT BEES, then that’s where I cast my vote. If Kovy is the lead inmate running the Asylum … all they need is ONE (1) playoff series victory to surpass everything in the past decade that preceeded it. Actually, rubbin’ chin, they just need one (1) playoff win.
Scratchin’ my head, just WHAT IS IT about this ownership that anyone values? They still haven’t successfully bought out an estranged partner in over four and half years! How much have they p1ssed away on lawyer fees, instead of free agents? Or *gasp*, player retention. If the answer is $1, it’s still too many. If the question really is, “Can we afford to let the inmates run the Asylum?,” the answer is, “YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN!! YES WE CAN!!”
scottbravesfan
October 25th, 2009
3:51 am
Asheville Dawg,
Shut the F up! No one wants to hear from your red neck ass. The stupid DAWGS SUCK!!!! And will never win a national championship as long as Saban is in Alabama and Meyer is in Florida.
Andy,
I love kovy as much as the next guy but this city has been home to Hank Aaron and Dominique Wilkens so you might want to wait on the “most exciting athlete this city has ever seen” comments.
And finally to Jeff, I just want to say thank you for talking hockey. I love the Falcons but I want to talk about something else besides football all week.
Canadiankid
October 26th, 2009
2:11 pm
Great column! I’ve been reading some of the comments, it’s pretty interesting. You have a lot of hockey fans who feel there isn’t enough Thrashers coverage and then you got some narrow-minded haters that won’t give the fastest sport in the world – and don’t kid yourself, it is just that – the time of day. I love football too (CFL – yeah I know, NFL and College) but hockey is the best and the people in the South should embrace it like you would the other sports in Georgia. PS: You can’t run out of bounds in hockey. The Thrashers have a good young team and hopefully Kovalchuk stays, he can definitely make it a whole lot better. And if not, we could use him in Vancouver…
Justin
November 16th, 2009
5:08 pm
I’m a huge hockey fan and moved to AL closest team is the thrashers not my favorite but it’s a home team and cool because you can go to their practices when was the last time the public was invited to see the rangers practice? enough about football damn there’s sooooo many HS and college teams can there not be one short article on hockey? and winning does bring attention to the sport… I moved from NC and I hate the hurricanes NOONE knew what hockey was or the hurricanes but damn if the day after they won the stanley cup everyone wasn’t flying flags and wearing ‘CANES shirts the next day… winning fills seats who wouldn’t want to have been there when the THRASHERS beat the KINGS 7-0?!?!?! I WISH I WAS!!!!! football is TAME a little girls sport compared to hockey yeah football is the second highest injury rate but look at the numbers of HS and college football teams compared to hockey? by the way CHEERLEADING has the most injuries so the most dangerous sport is a little girls sport. I hope KOVY stays we need him but I do understand he would be more famous and probably make more money up north. KOVALCHUK scored the second most points last week in all the NHL the thrashers are getting their stuff together a little better and with KANE getting more comfortable I see good things for them hopefully atleast another division championship!!!
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July 16th, 2010
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[...] celebrated for doing so. He didn’t go hockey mercenary like some teams want Kovalchuk to go. As Jeff Schultz of the AJC reported last year, Kovalchuk saw that transformation first hand: Ovechkin, his close friend, signed a monster contract last season: 13 years, $124 million. He made [...]
Are Ilya Kovalchuk’s salary demands tied to Alex Ovechkin rivalry? | Sports Talk
July 17th, 2010
8:35 am
[...] celebrated for doing so. He didn’t go hockey mercenary like some teams want Kovalchuk to go. As Jeff Schultz of the AJC reported last year, Kovalchuk saw that transformation first hand: Ovechkin, his close friend, signed a monster contract last season: 13 years, $124 million. He made [...]