One of the KHL’s top scorers arrives in the NHL

The Colorado Avalanche, who already have a very good club, have just made a big move. They’ve reached an agreement with forward Nikolai Kovalenko.

The 23-year-old Russian was drafted by the Avalanche in 2018. He’s a former sixth-round pick of the team and clearly, Colorado won their bet.

Since the 2017-2018 season, the left-hander has been playing in the world’s second-best league (KHL). From 2017 to 2021, he played with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and in the last two seasons, he changed formations twice (Ak-Bars and Torpedo).

In 2022-2023 with Nizhnu Novgorod Torpedo, he collected an impressive 54 points in 56 games. He finished 11th among the league’s top scorers. What’s more, he had ten fewer games than the players above him in the standings.

Despite the conflict in Ukraine and the problems between the two leagues, Kovalenko has reached an agreement with an NHL league. However, as indicated in the report above, the player will be loaned out to the KHL next season. We’ll have to wait a little longer to see him in North America’s big league.

Some even compare him to Kirill Kaprizov. Our colleagues at Habs and NHL wonder if he’ll be as dominant as Kaprizov when he arrives in the NHL. After all, both were drafted late in their draft year and have similar backgrounds.

I imagine the Flyers are envious of the Avalanche’s situation… #MatveiMichkov

In gusto

– NHL releases welcome video to newly drafted players.

– The possibility is real.

– Nick Usher on his way out.

– He can’t be unseated.