When formidable New Jersey Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk said he was retiring from the NHL at age 30 to spend more time with his wife and three children in his native Russia, it seemed as if he was pretty much putting the North American portion of his career on ice -- forever.
It had been a difficult and costly decision: By walking away from the final 12 years of his 15-year contract with the Devils, Kovalchuk was forfeiting $77 million. When he signed with SKA Saint Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League, it was for a good salary, but the contract was for only four years.