Ilya Kovalchuk may be one of the most famous New Jersey Devils players of all time, but how does he rank when it comes to on-ice performance? When you look at the contracts he was offered during his time in New Jersey, one may think that his performance must be commensurate.
The reality is, Kovalchuk's time with the Devils was mired by injury and tense negotiations. When ranking the greatest New Jersey Devils players of all time, Pucks and Pitchforks previously ranked him as the 27th greatest Devils player of all time. Let's take a deep dive into his career and where he may rank among Devils forwards.
What is Ilya Kovalchuk's legacy in New Jersey?
During his three and a half seasons with the New Jersey Devils, Kovalchuk was one of the team's most prolific scorers. When Kovalchuk came over from the Thrashers mid-season, he performed at a point-per-game pace, putting up 27 points in 27 games.
In the 2010-11 season, Kovalchuk was second only to Patrick Elias in points and led the team in goals with 31. He fired the most pucks on net of any Devils player that season, and these totals earned him a 15-year deal worth $100 million.
The following season, Kovalchuk, despite not playing the full slate of games, dethroned Elias as the Devils' leader in points. He put up 83 points in 77 games, helping the team back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2009-10 season. He continued to be one of the Devils' most productive players, despite not playing the full 2012-13 season.
Unfortunately, the rest of Kovalchuk's contract didn't go according to plan. After playing in Russia during the lockout in 2012-13, Kovalchuk returned to Russia and wouldn't skate another game for the New Jersey Devils, despite having 12 years remaining on his contract.
Despite his few strong seasons with the Devils, he's always left Devils fans with a bitter taste in their mouths.
Reputation among Devils fans aside, Kovalchuk simply did not produce enough or for long enough to get himselves into the top five Devils' forwards of all time. Arguments can be made for who the top five are, but Kovalchuk isn't in the discussion.
When it comes to New Jersey Devils records, you have to scroll a bit to see Kovalchuk's name come up. In career points, Patrik Elias leads all Devils players with 1025 points in 1240 games. For longevity's sake alone, Elias ranks very highly among Devils forwards. Kovalchuk ranks 44th on the list, behind Devils forwards like Travis Zajac, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Taylor Hall.
Elias also leads the franchise in career goals with 408. Kovalchuk doesn't rank on the NHL.com list with 89 goals during his time with the Devils. When it comes to assists, which Kovalchuk was more known for on the Devils, he ranks 45th on the list with 112. Unsurprisingly, it's Elias who has the most in Devils history with 617.
When it comes to the top five forwards in Devils history, there are many names that could be thrown out there. Historically, players like Patrik Elias, Scott Gomez, Kirk Muller, John MacLean, Travis Zajac, Bobby Holik, Jamie Langenbrunner, or Petr Sykora could be on the list, while more current players like Hischier, Hall, Hughes, and Bratt may have their spot on the list, too. That said, Kovalchuk's name is firmly not on that list.
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