Ilya Kovalchuk leads all scorers at the IIHF World Championships.
The Devils' star is having a monster tourney for Russia with six goals and nine points in five games. Kovalchuk is also a plus seven and has amassed 25 penalty minutes. Too bad these numbers don't count in many hockey pools.

Ilya Kovalchuk notched a goal and an assist in Russia's 5-3 win over Team USA on Tuesday in world championship action.
He has amassed five goals in three games for the unbeaten Russians, who have defeated Latvia, Germany and the U.S to open the tournament. Kovalchuk appears to be fully over the shoulder injury that sidelined him near the end of the regular season.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored a goal and added an assist for the Devils in a 3-2 win over Pittsburgh Thursday.
Kovalchuk has recorded four points in as many games since his return from a shoulder ailment and has amassed 31 points in 36 contests on the season. David Clarkson and Travis Zajac also found the back of the net for the Devils in the victory.

Ilya Kovalchuk lost an edge and tumbled heavily into the end boards with 15:31 left in Tuesday's win over Montreal.
"It looked almost like the identical play," coach Pete DeBoer said, recalling Kovalchuk's shoulder injury that caused him to miss 11 games. "You cringe a little bit, but he got up no worse for wear." However, in this case he was fine to continue playing and said he was unscathed after the contest.

Ilya Kovalchuk is slated to play in New Jersey's final three games of the regular season.
"He's healthy so he will play," said Devils GM Lou Lamoriello. The team has been eliminated from playoff contention and Kovalchuk played in two games over the weekend after in his return from a shoulder injury.

Ilya Kovalchuk logged a team-high 22:43 minutes in his return from a shoulder injury on Saturday.
Kovalchuk didn't experience any pain, but was unhappy about the fact that he finished with a minus-one rating. "You don't want to be minus when the team wins 6-2," Kovalchuk said. "It doesn't really matter, but still we as a line we want to produce and that's what the coaches want from us. They give us a chance to play on the (power play) and all different situations, so you've got to put the puck in the net." It was Kovalchuk's first game in nearly a month.

Ilya Kovalchuk will play Saturday afternoon against Florida.
It is a 1:00 pm EST start time so you should activate him immediately.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) is hoping to play in at least one of the Devils' two games this weekend.
Of course hoping is much different from actually playing. We will try to update you prior to Saturday's 1:00 pm start time as to whether Kovy will be suiting up.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) was upbeat after Friday's practice.
"I felt the best so far that I felt," Kovalchuk said. "I feel pretty confident. I took a couple of one-timers and a little bit of contact, so it's good." Kovalchuk wouldn't say if he'll be available for Saturday's game and it's worth noting that he skated on the fifth line Friday. With that in mind, we'll continue to consider him questionable for the Devils' upcoming contest.

New Jersey coach Pete DeBoer isn't looking very far into the future when it comes to Ilya Kovalchuk's possible return from a shoulder injury.
Kovalchuk won't play Thursday night, which will mark the 11th straight game he has missed, but DeBoer wouldn't commit to shutting the Devils' star player down for the rest of the regular season if the team is eliminated from playoff contention. "I don't know," said the New Jersey bench boss. "I'm taking this day to day, literally. I'm not looking beyond if he's not ready for Philly, let's look at Florida [on Saturday]."

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) will not travel with his Devils teammates to Philadelphia for Thursday night's match against the Flyers.
It will mark the 11th straight game Kovalchuk has missed. New Jersey has posted a 0-6-4 record since he exited the lineup with a shoulder injury.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) will practice again Wednesday but remains day-to-day.
Kovalchuk has been skating and practicing with the Devils but there remains no definitive timeline for him to return to the lineup. Kovalchuk has been sidelined since suffering a shoulder injury March 23, during which time the Devils have yet to win a game and have likely fallen out of the playoff chase.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) missed his 10th game in a row Monday night against Toronto.
Kovalchuk skated on his own Sunday rather than practice with his teammates and did not even accompany the team to Toronto. However, he might be available on Thursday. Needless to say, losing the Russian native proved very costly in the New Jersey Devils' bid for a playoff spot.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) might be available on Thursday.
"I would call him day to day," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said. "My conversation with him before we left New Jersey is he had a good day (skating) yesterday morning and he was going to try and have another good one today and we would talk tomorrow morning." The Devils have lost nine straight games without him, but will try to end that streak on Monday.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) has been ruled out for Monday's game.
Kovalchuk isn't even traveling with the team at this time. He's already missed nine straight games and the Devils have lost every single one of those contests.

Not great news for those hoping Ilya Kovalchuk could return on Monday: he didn't practice on Sunday.
That doesn't guarantee that he'll sit out tomorrow's game, but it isn't a promising sign. Hopefully your league allowed you to place the New Jersey Devils' star on the IR.

It doesn't look like Ilya Kovalchuk, who still ailing from a shoulder injury, will be ready to play Monday night in Toronto.
He said he may "need a few more days just to get the strength back in the hand and in the shoulder" and that he doesn't expect to travel with the team. Kovalchuk isn't taking slap shots or one-timers yet, but he is snapping wrist shots and skating with his Devils teammates at practice. It should be noted though that coach Pete DeBoer hasn't completely ruled Kovalchuk out for Monday's contest.

Despite some positive signs in his recovery lately, Ilya Kovalchuk is still experiencing discomfort in his shoulder when taking shots.
He skated on his own Friday and then when taking one timers he indicated that he still feels residual pain in his shoulder. Even if Kovalchuk returns to action sometime next week, the injury may still play a factor in his effectiveness. Keep that in mind when deciding whether or not to activate him.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) appears close to returning to the lineup, but it might be too late for the Devils.
With the 2-0 loss to the Senators Friday night, New Jersey dropped to 0-5-4 without the injured star forward. New Jersey is currently 10th in the Eastern Conference, four points behind the New York Rangers with seven games to play in 48-game shortened season. The Devils don't play again until Monday so it's possible Kovalchuk could return then.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) is not ready to return and won't play Friday night against the Ottawa Senators.
Kovalchuk attempted one-timers for the first during Thursday's practice but admitted soreness after the session. He didn't participate in Friday's morning skate and Pete DeBoer said Kovalchuk isn't "close enough to help us." The Devils don't play again until Monday so it's possible Kovalchuk could return then.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) skated again Wednesday during New Jersey's optional practice.
He is getting close to making his return from a shoulder injury, but isn't sure if he'll be ready to play in Friday's game against Ottawa. "We did definitely more shots and a little battle there at the end, so it's good," Kovalchuk said regarding his progress. "It feels good, so it's definitely a step in the right direction." If he doesn't come back Friday then a return Monday night in Toronto could be possible.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) says he's still "a few more days" from returning to the New Jersey Devils' lineup.
Kovalchuk took part in his first practice Tuesday since suffering a shoulder injury March 23. Kovalchuk took some shots, did some skating and participated as a penalty killer during special teams drills late in practice. He has been skating on his own so his conditioning should be OK, but Kovalchuk admitted he still hasn't taken a slap shot, which would put strain on the injured shoulder. The good news is coach Pete DeBoer admitted the Devils won't wait until Kovalchuk is 100 percent because of the rush to make the playoffs. That also means he'll be playing in a limited capacity when he returns, but at least fantasy owners will get something instead of nothing.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) took part in a non-contact practice Tuesday morning.
Kovalchuk wasn't wearing shoulder pads and was restricted to mostly skating around the drills and taking soft shots on goalie Johan Hedberg. Still, it is major practice for someone who had no timetable as of Monday. This likely won't accelerate this lack of a timetable, but it is still encouraging nonetheless.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) still doesn't have a timetable for when he'll be able to resume skating.
"It's whenever," GM Lou Lamoriello said. "No timetable." Kovalchuk has missed seven games with a shoulder injury, as he continues to rehab.

Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) should resume skating in the near future.
Kovalchuk can't return soon enough for the Devils, who are 0-3-3 while he's been sidelined. He has 10 goals and 27 points in 32 games this season.

New Jersey Devils coach Pete DeBoer says Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) will return this season but "not in the near future."
It was nine days ago when the Devils said Kovalchuk would miss two to four weeks, so we're taking this to mean that Kovalchuk will not return at or prior to the two-week mark. More likely is a return in the final two weeks of the season, which would still mean a great deal for a Devils team struggling even more to score goals without their best player. Fantasy owners should keep in mind, though, that the Devils have been overly optimistic in public about pretty much all of their injuries this season with nearly every injured player taking longer to recover than the original timetable.

Tough early news on Ilya Kovalchuk: he suffered a right shoulder injury that's expected to keep him out for 2-4 weeks, according to The Bergen Record.
He suffered the ailment during the New Jersey Devils' 2-1 win against the Florida Panthers on Saturday. Devils GM Lou Lamoriello wouldn't say what type of shoulder injury it is; instead, he merely said Kovalchuk's X-ray came up fine. It's likely that he'll undergo an MRI sometime on Sunday or Monday, so keep an eye out for updates.

Ilya Kovalchuk potted his league-leading fourth shorthanded goal of the year in Wednesday's win over Philadelphia.
Last season, the Devils set an NHL record for the best penalty-killing percentage (89.58 percent) and led the league with 15 shorthanded goals. They have eight so far this season, which leads the pack again. The Devils utilize an aggressive penalty kill with skilled players like Kovalchuk (4), Patrik Elias (1) and Adam Henrique (2), which has helped them remain a threat to score while killing penalties. In case you were wondering, defenseman Andy Green has the other one.

Ilya Kovalchuk sniped two goals in the Devils' 6-3 loss on Saturday night against the Hurricanes.
He also had a whopping seven shots on net. The goals were Kovalchuk's first since Feb. 23, a span of eight games. That doesn't mean he hasn't been getting his chances, though, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him catch fire again soon. Patrik Elias had the other marker.

Ilya Kovalchuk has registered 12 points in the past nine games, including goals in back-to-back games.
Kovalchuk has now officially shaken off a bit of a slow start (five points in his first nine games) in this 48-game shortened season. It wouldn't be surprising to see Kovalchuk flirt with the 50-point plateau.

Ilya Kovalchuk netted a goal in New Jersey's 5-1 defeat Saturday afternoon.
Kovalchuk has seven goals and 17 points in 18 games in 2013. Andrei Loktionov and Alexei Ponikarovsky each recorded an assist.

Ilya Kovalchuk found the back of the net in New Jersey's 4-2 loss to Carolina Tuesday.
His fifth marker of the year was scored on a first-period power play and it extended his current point streak to four games. Goals had been hard to come by for Kovalchuk in the early going, but he appears to hitting his stride now with three tallies and three assists during his point spree. Ryan Carter's second goal of the campaign was the team's other score in the loss.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored a goal on Sunday to extend his point streak to three games.
Kovalchuk has two goals and five points over that span. He has 10 points in 12 contests this season, but he should do even better for the remainder of the season. It wouldn't be surprising to see Kovalchuk flirt with the 50-point mark in the shortened campaign.

Ilya Kovalchuk snapped a six-game goal drought Thursday.
The sniper scored while his team was short-handed, then assisted on a five-on-three power-play goal in the third period. "I wasn't worried about Kovy," coach Pete DeBoer said. "You know it's just a matter of time with him. He could have had four tonight if he hadn't been unselfish at the end and tried to set everybody up. But that's him. I know the guys in the room appreciate what he's about. He does a lot of things to help us win games other than to score goals and tonight he scored a big one." Kovalchuk has 35 shots on goal this season, with three goals and four assists. He should be able to get around 20 goals in this shortened season.

Ilya Kovalchuk knows he can produce more, but he isn't overly concerned about his offensive numbers because the team is winning.
"It's never perfect," Kovalchuk said of his play. "I think I can produce more, that's for sure. But, overall, I think we're playing well and the team is doing good, so it doesn't really matter." Coach Pete DeBoer isn't worried either because he has liked the way Kovalchuk has played despite his struggles to put up points. He has only two goals and three assists in nine games and he hasn't generated a point in his last five outings. Kovalchuk has been credited with 30 shots thus far and should break out soon.

This time, Capitals coach Adam Oates was on the wrong side of an Ilya Kovalchuk game-winner.
Only the best can make the bad-angle shot Kovalchuk converted with 20.5 seconds remaining in overtime. "I've seen that before," said Capitals coach Adam Oates, a Devils assistant the last two seasons. "I used to like it." Kovalchuk has two goals and two assists on the year.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored the game-winning goal in New Jersey's 3-2 overtime victory on Friday.
Kovalchuk scored with just 21 seconds remaining in regulation time. Patrik Elias had his first goal and second assist of the season. Stephen Gionta netted the opening goal at 13:55 of the first period.

Ilya Kovalchuk recorded a goal and an assist for the Devils in a 3-0 win over Philadelphia Tuesday.
Kovalchuk's goal came on a second period penalty shot, but he also added a helper on David Clarkson's first period power-play marker. Travis Zajac added his second tally of the campaign in the win.

Ilya Kovalchuk produced a goal and an assist in Wednesday's scrimmage against AHL Albany.
His projected center for the 2013 season, Travis Zajac, scored a pair of goals in the match. The two of them will be counted as key members of New Jersey's offensive attack this season following the loss of Zach Parise.

Ilya Kovalchuk spoke to the media on Wednesday when he returned to New Jersey and he said he never considered staying in the KHL.
"I never thought about wanting to stay because I have a contract," he said. "How could I stay (there) when I have a contract here? I don't know where you read all those comments but I have a contract here, and in the KHL they have a rule that as soon as the lockout ends, we come back, so nobody has a choice." There were several quotes and reports out of Russia that indicated that Kovalchuk wanted to remain in Russia, but had to come back to honor his deal. He thanked Devils GM Lou Lamoriello for allowing him to stay in Russia a little longer to play in the KHL All-Star Game and expressed how happy he was to be back. In the end the important fantasy news here is that Kovalchuk is back in North America and he should prepared to play on Saturday after racking up 42 points in 36 games with SKA St. Petersburg during the lockout.

Ilya Kovalchuk arrived at the Prudential Center Wednesday morning from his extended stay in Russia.
He wanted to stay a little longer to participate in the KHL All-Star Game on Sunday and now will report to Devils training camp. New Jersey coach Pete DeBoer is glad to have him back in the fold. "He's critical. He creates offense for us," DeBoer said. "When he's on the ice the other team is on their heels and aware. It's not even what he does individually, it's the subtle plays he makes that creates offense for other guys down the ice. He generates a lot of our offensive opportunities. It's going to be nice to see him back out here." It's unclear if he will take part in Wednesday afternoon's scrimmage versus AHL Albany.

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello said Ilya Kovalchuk won't face any repercussions for missing the start of the team's training camp.
Kovalchuk wanted to stay in the KHL and play in its all-star game, but he'll fly back to North America on Tuesday and start practicing with the Devils on Wednesday. Lamoriello said he's okay with Kovalchuk's decision, although for insurance reasons he hasn't actually given Kovalchuk permission to play in the KHL all-star game.

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello dodged the question when asked if he's okay with Ilya Kovalchuk playing in the KHL all-star game.
"No comment," Lamoriello said. Kovalchuk's decision means he'll be late for the start of the Devils' training camp. It's put the Devils in an awkward position, although in the long run it probably won't change much as Kovalchuk is signed through the 2024-25 campaign.

Ilya Kovalchuk has been in direct communication with the New Jersey Devils.
Kovalchuk expressed an interest in finishing the 2012-13 season in the KHL, but admitted that his contractual obligations with the New Jersey Devils make that impossible. Even still, he is expected to skip the start of the Devils' training camp so that he can participate in the KHL all-star game. It's not clear if the Devils gave him permission to miss the start of training camp.

Former Devils coach Jacques Lemaire doesn't think Ilya Kovalchuk's teammates will have any hard feelings after Kovalchuk made his desire to finish the season in the KHL clear.
Kovalchuk will ultimately return to the New Jersey Devils, although he plans to miss the start of training camp so that he can participate in the KHL all-star game. "Guys don't care about that. Maybe in the beginning when they hear what he says they have some comments, but that is forgotten quickly," Lemaire said. "You have to forgive and forget. I don't think the other guys will care about any of this." That might be true, but the fans and perhaps ownership might be less than thrilled with Kovalchuk right now. All the same, he's under contract through 2024-25.

Ilya Kovalchuk is expected to leave the KHL for North America on Monday.
Kovalchuk has expressed a desire to finish the season in Russia, but it looks like he will play in the KHL all-star game and then depart. It's not surprising that he'll end up in New Jersey given that he's under contract, but the entire saga might create some tension between him and the ownership as well as the fanbase. He'll also miss the start of the Devils' training camp, although he'll still be a step ahead of his teammates that didn't play during the lockout. In the end, this saga was interesting, but shouldn't have an impact on his short-term fantasy value.

Ilya Kovalchuk is interested in staying with KHL St. Petersburg for the remainder of the season, but concedes that probably won't be possible.
"I want to stay in St. Petersburg but I have contractual obligations in the NHL, which will be hard to break," Kovalchuk said. "Right now, I can't imagine how (my staying in the KHL) can be arranged... But I don't know anything yet." Kovalchuk was only referring to the remainder of the 2012-13 campaign. All the same, this puts the New Jersey Devils in an awkward position to say the very least.

Ilya Kovalchuk is currently playing in SKA St. Petersburg's game against Salavat Yulaev.
His KHL club is up 4-2 in the third period and he presently has one assist. Pavel Datsyuk is still in Russia as well, but he isn't expected to play against Metallurg Magnitogorsk later this morning. Kovalchuk also played Tuesday when Datsyuk sat out his game with CSKA Moscow. It's unfair to read too much into that aspect of the situation, but Datsyuk has already confirmed that he will return to Detroit after the KHL All-Star Game on Sunday while Kovalchuk has not made any promises yet.

Ilya Kovalchuk is currently the only NHL player scheduled to play in the KHL All-Star Game on Sunday.
"The CBA will not be signed until Sunday, so Kovalchuk (has) no employment relationship with the NHL and he is going to Chelyabinsk," KHL vice-president Vladimir Shalaev told Sovietsky Sport. "We are disappointed that all the other NHL stars were quick to go to North America. Will Kovalchuk play in the KHL (until) the end of this season? Do not hurry up. Wait (until) Sunday." The NHL board of governors will ratify the CBA today (Wednesday) and the players are expected to ratify it on Saturday. Kovalchuk hasn't asked for nor has he been given permission to play in the All-Star contest by the Devils. In all these Kovalchuk stories there have been more questions than answers, but by the end of the week hopefully things will become clearer.

The KHL may be gearing up to challenge the NHL for the rights to some players who decide they want to stay.
KHL and SKA St. Petersburg president Alexander Medvedev has threatened to question whether contracts signed under the previous collective bargaining agreement are legally binding under the new version. "(The) new CBA may be basis for terminating existing contracts, some players will stay," Medvedev told SportsDaily in Russia. "Our league will act according to our own and international rules. If players decide to stay, we will help them." NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly says the contracts under the old CBA are still legally binding regardless of any changes. Devils GM Lou Lamoriello reiterated Tuesday that he has "no reason" to believe Ilya Kovalchuk won't return from the KHL once the ratification process is complete. Kovalchuk may have an interest in playing in the KHL All-Star Game that is scheduled for Sunday in Chelyabinsk, Russia, but if the CBA is finalized and camps open by the then it will be interesting to see what direction this story takes.

Ilya Kovalchuk spoke about his complicated situation after playing Tuesday in the KHL and it didn't offer much insight into what he plans to do.
U.S.-based correspondent for Russian sports daily Sport-Express, Slava Malamud, tweeted Kovalchuk's quote on the matter: "Not in a hurry to get to America... Time will tell (if I stay in the KHL). Nothing is out of the question." The KHL said they will honor NHL contracts and Kovalchuk has a big one waiting for him back in New Jersey, where he has $83,439,024 left on the 15-year, $100 million deal.

Ilya Kovalchuk reportedly told R-Sport that he is waiting for the official announcement of the CBA.
He said he is still playing in the KHL now to "stay in shape." It also probably doesn't hurt that he continues to earn his salary from SKA St. Petersburg for remaining active with the team. Now once the deal is done, NHL and fantasy hockey fans will wait for word of his KHL release.

Ilya Kovalchuk's future with the New Jersey Devils and the NHL has come into question with rumors swirling that he might choose to remain in Russia with the KHL.
He suited up for SKA St. Petersburg on Tuesday and had an assist in the team's 3-1 loss to Ak Bars Kazan, while Vladimir Tarsenko and Sergei Bobrovsky departed for North America. Slava Malamud, who is a U.S.-based correspondent for Russian sports daily Sport-Express, reported Kovalchuk said, "I will need to read the new agreement" before he decides what's next. Devils GM Lou Lamoriello said Monday that he had not spoken to Kovalchuk since the wheels were put into motion to officially end the lockout, but he didn't have any reason to believe that Kovalchuk wouldn't be back once everything is finalized. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said that the KHL has confirmed that it will honor its agreement not to poach players under NHL contracts. "I'm not inclined to treat this as a 'problem' unless or until it's a 'problem'," Daly said. "It's not and I don't expect it to be." We would expect Kovalchuk to be back with the Devils, but it's a curious situation.

There has been no indication that Ilya Kovalchuk won't be leaving the KHL to return to New Jersey and play for the Devils.
Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello said he has not yet spoken to the left winger but there is no reason to believe that Kovalchuk will not be in New Jersey sometime this week. Kovalchuk finished fifth in league scoring with 83 points in 77 games last season. He also led the Devils with 37 goals and was the team's offensive catalyst in their playoff run to the Stanley Cup Finals. Needless to say, Kovalchuk should be high on everyone's draft board.

Ilya Kovalchuk, Vladimir Tarasenko and Sergei Bobrovsky are still with KHL squad SKA St. Petersburg.
Sport-Express reports that the trio may play Tuesday against Ak Bars. Tarasenko and Bobrovsky have already said they are coming back, but it is interesting that Kovalchuk's name wasn't mentioned in the tweet. However, it is hard to believe that he would stay in the KHL when he has barely scratched the surface of his 15-year/$100 million contract that he signed with the Devils in 2010.