New Jersey Devils fans have been waiting a long time for the day that forward Ilya Kovalchuk would make his official return back to the NHL after the Russian superstar left Jersey’s team hanging when he retired from the NHL back in the summer of 2013.
Then, Kovalchuk had just completed his third year of a 15-year contract that was signed in 2010, but the winger decided he wanted to go back to Russia and join SKA St. Petersburg on a four-year deal.
It was that the same offseason that not only saw Kovalchuk depart Jersey, but also saw David Clarkson and Zach Parise bolt via unrestricted free agency (UFA).