The latest suggestion is that the Boston Bruins are in the trade market for Ilya Kovalchuk of the Montreal Canadiens. It mustn’t be allowed to happen.
It’s well-known that the Boston Bruins need a second-line right winger and Eric Engels of Sportsnet is reporting that they may be in on the ageing Russian star (again!). There’s plenty of reasons why such a move should be avoided though.
Firstly, there’s the rivalry between the two teams. Granted, in recent years it’s just simmered away and doesn’t have the hatred or vitriol behind it that it once did.
Also, Ilya Kovalchuk is hardly a Montreal Canadiens legend. He’s an NHL legend of his era, yes, but he’s only been in Quebec for a couple of months. It’s not the same as trading someone like Carey Price, who has been there his entire career.
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Secondly, Ilya Kovalchuk’s statistics have been inflated since leaving the Los Angeles Kings primarily on the basis of more ice-time and very different usage. The Kings didn’t seem to get how to make the player tick, the Canadiens do.
His most frequent even-strength line mates in Montreal are Tomas Tatar and Phillip Danault compared to Trevor Lewis and Micahel Amadio in LA. It’s safe to say, they’re playing a big role in helping him increase his production.
Four extra minutes ice-time a night is sure to do it too; the first quarter of this season, Kovalchuk saw 17 games and managed 9 points, averaging 15:24 in ice-time. The third quarter, since arriving in Montreal, those numbers are 10 points in just 13 games and 19:22 in terms of ice-time.
The basis for his improvement has rested heavily on increased usage. If he were to come over to the Boston Bruins, there’s no assurances they’d be able to give him that much time out there.
You’d assume his fit in the Boston Bruins line-up would be partnering Jake Debrusk and David Krejci on the second line. There’s no doubt, he could be elite there with that calibre of line-mate, but in order to do so, he’d be taking an ice-time cut of at least 2 minutes per night – Krejci is averaging 17:21 this season.
Thirdly, it’d be a foolish move in terms of asset management. Ilya Kovalchuk was a free agent just mere months ago when the Canadiens snapped him up on his bargain contract. For the Boston Bruins to then turn around and give up assets to acquire him would be ridiculous.
Not least because any young asset the Boston Bruins surrendered would no doubt turn around and burn them in the Atlantic Division in the future; Montreal are starting to look quite well put-together in terms of their prospects, after all.
Now, don’t get me wrong, seeing Kovalchuk in a Boston Bruins jersey doing what he’s done so well in recent weeks would be great. It’d be the perfect addition to the second line and I have no doubt his character would mesh with the room.
However, to add him at a cost would be ridiculous. Of the trades that have been touted as possibilities, this one just makes me shake my head.