The Caps picked up Russian forward Ilya Kovalchuk from the Montreal Canadiens for a 2020 third round pick, the team announced just now, and Montreal will retain 50 percent of Kovalchuk’s salary and cap hit.
“Ilya is a talented offensive player who we feel will provide us with additional depth and flexibility up front,” MacLellan said of Kovalchuk, 36. “He is a skilled forward who can make plays and contribute to our offensive game.”
Kovalchuk has 13 points in 22 games with the Canadiens and another nine points in 17 games with the Los Angeles Kings this season.