The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) Avangard club has confirmed the signing of a contract with striker Ilya Kovalchuk. This was reported on the website of the Omsk club on December 26.
On the eve of the newspaper “Sport-Express” wrote that the contract was concluded before the end of the season, the hockey player’s salary will be 20 million rubles.
The club noted that the agreement with the Olympic champion was signed according to the 1 + 1 scheme, Kovalchuk will perform at number 17.
“When inviting Kovalchuk to Avangard, we pursued two goals. First of all, he has a great desire to play hockey and help our team. Ilya will strengthen our attack and, of course, our majority. He’s very familiar with Bob Hartley and his demands since the NHL. In addition, we rely on him not only on the ice, but also in the dressing room. We need a leader who can lead, set an example with his actions on the court, turn the tide of the match, and cheer up the team, ”said Alexey Volkov, General Manager of HC Avangard.
Kovalchuk spent last season in the National Hockey League (NHL). He has played for Los Angeles, Montreal and Washington DC and has 26 points in 46 games.
In the KHL, Kovalchuk played from 2013 to 2018 for the St. Petersburg SKA, with which he became a two-time winner of the Gagarin Cup.
In July, Russian goalkeeper Ilya Sorokin signed with the New York Islanders National Hockey League club.