San Jose – The San Jose Sharks believed that Nikolai Kovalenko end would be part of his future when they acquired it as part of the exchange that sent the goalkeeper Mackenzie Blackwood to the Colorado Avalacha in December.
But after a first months frustrating in San José, Kovalenko’s perspective with sharks seems cloudy at best, with the 25 -year -old front day he would like to return to the team but only increases. Use. Use. Use.
Between injuries and repeated healthy scratches, including seven in a period of nine games from March 15 to April 5, Kovalenko had 12 points in 29 games with sharks when he was transferred up and down and out of the alignment.
From the exchange, Kovalenko averaged 12:40 in ice time with sharks, ninth of the majority of all the strikers still with the organization. The Sharks (20-50-12) ended their season with a 3-0 defeat against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday and ended at the end at the NHL with 52 points.
Kovalenko, a pending restricted free agent, revealed on Thursday that two general managers of the Kontinental Hockey League, where he spent more than five seasons before arriving in North America last April, Alreamy contacted him.
In an interview recently with Russia’s hockey, Nikolai’s father, the NHL player of a lifetime Andrei Kovalenko, said: “In general, there is a discussion of the side (from Nikolai)”, and the agent of that son was to talk about AB.
The website also reported that Andrei Kalenko recently with Sharks General Manager, Mike Grier, his former Oilers teammate.
Nikolai Kovalenko said his dream is to play in the NHL. On Thursday, when sharks with the team for the last time this season, he was asked if he stayed with San José if he remains in the NHL.
“I think it’s a good question for Mike Grier, not for me,” Kovalenko said, “and if I would like to stay, we will have a conversation about this. If not, it’s fine, we’ll find only another team.”
Sharks must issue a qualified sacrifice to Kalenko at the end of June if they retain their rights. If Kovalenko leaves for KHL without an exchange to another NHL team, sharks still have their NHL rights.
Kovalenko wants to return to San José if Grier wants him back?
“I think it will be the same this year, obviously not,” said Kalenko, referring to his game time. “Then, maybe if something changed, or something, we can have this conversation.”
Kovalenko lost 14 games with sharks this season due to an injury, including nine consecutive games from February 4 to March 4. He returned to the alignment on March 6 when the sharks played the avalanche in Denver and dressed for six of the next seven games.
Kovalenko was scratched during six consecutive games from March 27 to April 5. The scratches coincided with the arrival of the front prospect Cam Lund, who signed his entry level contract with the sharks on March 21 and made their NHL debut six days later.
When asked about his message to Kalenko, the Sharks coach Ryan Warsoftky, earlier this month, said: “I think that every time you are on the ice, if it is a practice, if it is a skate in the morning, that is your game.
Kovalenko played the last six games of the season and saw an increase in ice time, sometimes playing in a line with Macklin Celebini and Will Smith. In the last six games, Kovalenko, a goal and two assists and averaged had about 15 minutes in ice time, revealing that it may be an asset for sharks.
The veteran center of Sharks, Alexander Wennberg, saw Kovalenko’s ability, but pointed out that if someone wants to play more, he must have merit.
“I feel that your son of winning your ice time,” said Wennberg, who has just finished his eleventh NHL season. “Obviously, everyone wants to play more, but you have to leave everything.
“Therefore, it is you, your work ethics and how much you want to do it, and (Kovalenkos) doing a good job. But obviously, it is competitive. Everyone and do the same, so only the upper level and helps the team.”
Georgiev left: Alexandar Georgiev’s time with sharks is finishing, and the goalkeeper says after Wednesday’s game that Grier told him that the team is in a different direction in the position.
Georgiev is in the last year of a three -year contract and $ 10.2 million he signed with Colorado in July 2022 and will become a free free agent. The sharks acquired Georgiev, Kovalenko and two Draft selections in the Blackwood trade.
Georgiev, 29, was 7-19-4 with a savings percentage of .875 in 31 games with sharks.
As a team, San José had the worst objectives of the NHL against the average (3.75) and the percentage of third sausage savings (.881), only ahead of Buffalo (.879) and Philadelphia (.872).
Mukhamadullin update: Sharks announced Thursday that Defense Shakir Mukhadullin underwent surgery last week to repair his left shoulder. Mukhamadullin said Thorsday that he will be ready for training camp in September.
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