[Signing] Kovalchuk to MTL

[ericdaoust]

And maybe be dealt to a contender by trade deadline...

Maybe. Same thing could happen with Scandella.

[lucafen4]

Good thing he's heading to a team where the media doesn't put too big a spotlight on players..........this will not go well

better a spotlight worth 700k than a spotlight worth 6.25m.

Expectations on a 700k player should be quite low.

[tweetdrivr]

I said it in the Habs thread too...this signing and the timing of the Scandella deal should get Bergevin fired. Unless he’s trying to tank for a lottery pick. In which case he’s a genius.

[Axeman33]

better a spotlight worth 700k than a spotlight worth 6.25m.

Expectations on a 700k player should be quite low.

There's no such thing as low expectations in Montreal.

[lucafen4]

There's no such thing as low expectations in Montreal.

As a Leafs fan... I wouldn't know.

[Axeman33]

As a Leafs fan... I wouldn't know.

As a hockey fan, you should.

[Magicstew]

Could this be the reincarnation of Alexi Kovalev in Mtl or is there where old Russians got to die? Markov, Semin

[tweetdrivr]

Could this be the reincarnation of Alexi Kovalev in Mtl or is there where old Russians got to die? Markov, Semin

Markov played most of his career in Montreal - he didn’t “go to die”. And Semin wasn’t old, just terrible. Of course it isn’t Kovalev, although that would be a welcome surprise. Either way this isn’t going to work.

[ericdaoust]

If Kovalchuk turns into 1/4 of the player Kovalev was then this is a steal of a deal.

[Axeman33]

Kulak is the big winner in this signing, scoring a Rolex watch just so Kovalchuk can have his number 17.

https://montrealgazette.com/sports/h...with-canadiens

No. 17 means a lot to Ilya Kovalchuk.

Why?

“Because (Valeri) Kharlamov was the favourite player of my dad,” Kovalchuk said after practising with the Canadiens for the first time Sunday at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard. “He kind of told me (about Kharlamov) because he died before I was born, obviously. But I watched a lot of videotapes of the ’72 (Summit) Series and everything. He was one of the best-ever Russian players.”

Kovalchuk will be wearing No. 17 when he makes his Canadiens debut thanks to new teammate Brett Kulak, who was willing to give it up and switch to No 77. Sunday’s practice was an optional one with only 11 players on the ice, and coach Claude Julien said he would wait a day before deciding if Kovalchuk will be in the lineup Monday against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell Centre (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

When Kovalchuk was asked what he gave Kulak in exchange for No. 17, the Russian winger said: “I think you should ask him. I got him a nice present. I think he’ll remember that he gave me 17.”

Kulak certainly will. The gift was a Rolex watch with “Thanks for No. 17” engraved on the back.

“I think it’s just a nice personal special touch, for sure,” Kulak said about the engraving. “It’s going to be a good thing for me to hang on to and good memory of when he came in. Seventeen is his number, so I was happy to give it up to him.

“I probably would have been OK with just Rock, Paper Scissors or something for the number,” Kulak added with a smile. “But I mean it’s really generous of him, a nice thing to do.”

Kulak is happy with his new No. 77.

“There’s a few really good D-men who have worn 77 in the past,” he said. “But I was just looking down the list and it kind of jumped out at me. I thought it was nice looking. My favourite number is 7. Seven is retired with the team (for Howie Morenz) but I figured whatever: two of them’s better than one. So I thought it was a good number.”

The Canadiens are hoping Kovalchuk can still look good in No. 17, which he has worn since being the No. 1 overall pick at the 2001 NHL Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers. Kovalchuk has 436-423-859 totals in 897 career NHL games, but only had 3-6-9 totals and was minus-10 in 17 games with the Los Angeles Kings this season before they put him on unconditional waivers on Dec. 17 and terminated his contract.

[ericdaoust]

So basically the Kings bought Kulak a watch. Tampering?

[DzingelBarries]

Habs put Kovalchuk on top line and threw him on PP1.

[Axeman33]

So basically the Kings bought Kulak a watch. Tampering?

LOL! Im pretty sure Kovalchuk could afford that with all the bazillion dollars he's made over the years.

[ericdaoust]

In Russia money spends you!

[tweetdrivr]

In Russia money spends you!

Old Mother Russia...