San Jose Sharks’ Nikolai Kovalenko unsure about return to NHL, team

San Jose – Los San Jose Sharks believed that the Nikolai Kovalenko end would be part of their future when they acquire it as part of the trade that Sent to goalkeeper Mackenzie Blackwood To the avalanche of Colorado in December.

But after a first months frustrating in San José, Kovalenko’s perspective with sharks It seems cloudy at best, With the 25 -year striker saying Thursday that he would like to return with the team, but only if their use changes and their game time increases.

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 trade, Kalenko Averaged 12:40 in ice time With sharks, ninth most strikers still with the organization. Sharks (20-50-12) ended their season with A 3-0 defeat against the Edmonton Oilers On Wednesday and the last one in the NHL ended 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 coming to North America Last April, I have already contacted it.

In a recent interview With Russia’s hockey, Nikolai’s father, the NHL player for a long time, Andrei Kovalenko, said: “In general, there is a nikolai curator (from Nikolai)”, and that his son’s agent was talking to his former Khl team, Tordo Nizhny Novgorod, about a possible.

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 goes to the KHL without an exchange to another NHL team, the sharks It still has its 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 He saw an increase in ice timeSometimes 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.”