Ilya Kovalchuk

Kovalchuk is 37-years-old, so this likely marks the end of his NHL career. That's not too surprising given that his attempt at an NHL comeback was largely a mixed bag. He did have some strong stretches, but he was inconsistent. Still, he finished with 26 goals and 60 points in 110 games, which are solid numbers even if they were a far cry from what he contributed in his prime. If this is the end of his NHL career, he'll be closing the books with 443 goals and 876 points in 926 career games with Atlanta, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Montreal, and Washington.

It appears that Kovalchuk's NHL career is over after he did not receive a contract offer from an NHL that he deemed worthy. This was Kovalchuk's second time in the NHL as he had 26 goals and 34 assists in 110 games over two seasons with three teams after scoring 417 times with 399 assists in 816 contests in his first NHL go-round. The 37-year-old returns to the KHL where he will play for former NHL coach Bob Hartley. 

Kovalchuk can become an unrestricted free agent on Oct. 9 and it's looking like he won't be back with the Capitals. He didn't fit in very well with Washington after he was acquired from Montreal. He had one goal and three assists in seven regular-season appearances, while adding just one assist in eight postseason outings. 

"It's not just because [Ovechkin's] my buddy, but it's a great chance to win something special," Kovalchuk said. "I think that group of guys, they're ready. They're experienced, they're healthy, they're big, strong." He was acquired by Washington from Montreal prior to the trade deadline after having his contract terminated by Los Angeles. Kovalchuk had one goal and three assists in seven outings for the Capitals prior to the pause of the 2019-20 campaign. He can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year and he plans to continue playing.