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And Scene on the Kovalshow |
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22 games ago, Marc Bergevin signed Ilya Kovalchuk to a one-year, $700,000 contract and gave Habs fans something to be excited about. No, he wasn't seen as the savior, but rather as someone who could make games interesting to watch. And that he did.
In his short tenure with the Canadiens, Kovalchuk gathered 13 points, filled in for Brendan Gallagher on the first line during Gallagher's absence due to a concussio, and linked up well with Nick Suzuki on the second line as well. So much so that some wanted Bergevin to sign him to an extension. Kovalchuk was saying all the right things, too; he loved Montreal, not only the team, but also the city. When push came to shove though, he told the journalists that it wasn't time to discuss a contract extension, it was time to focus on a playoffs push.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and a quiet Sunday night as turned into a farewell Kovalchuk night on Twitter, as Kovalchuk was shipped to Washington for a 2020 third-round pick.
So, a player that could have been anyone's for free in December has now fetched a third-round pick for the Habs at the next draft and that, is a good move for Marc Bergevin, even considering the Habs do retain half of his salary. If you did not see this coming, you need a reality check. The fact that a player says he loves Montreal means absolutely nothing, remember Radulov's exit.
Besides, when Kovalchuk decided to come back to North America, he said that he was doing so to win the Stanley Cup and that, is not doable in Montreal in the foreseeable future. Lucky for Kovy, Bergevin shipped him to a real contender and who knows? Maybe he will win Stanley's mug in Washington... If he doesn't please do not entertain the idea that he could come back to Montreal this summer. Even if he does, this team needs to look forward and bet on the youngsters not on a 36 year old vet who would take ice-time away from them.
That being said, it was good while it lasted and the Kovalshow will remain one of the very few bright spots in an otherwise rather sad season. I think we'll all remember his OT winning goal against the Leafs on February 8th and his goal celebration in New Jersey. Happy trails and best of luck in the chase for the cup Kovy!
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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