New Jersey Devils News

Russian superstar Ilya Kovalchuk will be back with the New Jersey Devils as he will re-sign with the team. The contract's details will be released during a conference the team will host on Tuesday afternoon.

Kovalchuk is a recent addition by the Devils as they added him to their lineup during the 2010 NHL trade deadline. But the move didn't boost the Devils like expected as they were defeated by the Philadelphia Flyers during the playoffs' first round.

During this year's free agency Ilya Kovalchuk was reported to have refused offers from the Los Angeles Kings, the Atlanta Thrashers and SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.

SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL has offered Ilya Kovalchuk a $42M, 3-year contract (which makes its $14M per year), as reported by Russian newspaper Sport-Express.

In case Kovalchuk accepts the offer, he will also get a huge signing bonus.

SKA has long been trying to get Kovalchuk (we wrote about this in November, December and February).

Alexander Medvedev's quest for signing Ilya Kovalchuk to a KHL contract for the 2010/11 season goes on, despite the recent trade that brought the Russian sniper to New Jersey.

This is what SKA St. Petersburg's president said to gazeta.ru:

Alexander Medvedev: "Atlanta already regrets that they parted with Kovalchuk. On the other hand New Jersey almost secured themselves a playoff spot. We are still considering to transfer Ilya to the KHL. I'm going to attend the game New Jersey - Philadelphia, I will talk to both Ilya and his wife after the match."

Read also:
SKA to offer Kovalchuk a contract?
SKA of the KHL is interested in Kovalchuk

Ilya Kovalchuk has been traded to the New Jersey Devils. It's rumored that before the trade the former Atlanta Thrashers captain, one of the NHL top snipers, turned down a 12-year offer.

Kovalchuk costed the Devils defenseman Johnny Oduya, forward Nicklas Bergfors, prospect Patrice Cormier and the Devils' 2010 first round pick.

"New Jersey is a good team and it's a great chance to go far in the playoffs," Kovalchuk said to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It's sad at the same time because now - I can say it - I've been a Thrasher for eight years. I'm appreciative of everything, the organization and the fans."

Kovalchuk's first match as a New Jersey Devil will be on Friday night against Toronto. His first match against Atlanta is scheduled for April 6th. "That’s going to be an interesting game" - admitted Kovalchuk while speaking to WJLA-TV in Washington.

21-year-old Russian defenceman, Vladimir Zharkov of the New Jersey Devils scored his first NHL point.

On 4 December, 2009, in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Zharkov assisted to Niclas Bergfors to give the Devils a 2-1 lead.

So far in the 2009-10 season Zharkov played 3 games having average 13 minutes TOI, 1 assist, 2 PIM, 6 SOG.

Video of Zharkov's assist: