It doesn't appear a reunion is in the works between Ilya Kovalchuk and the New Jersey Devils.
Kovalchuk, the Russian superstar winger and unrestricted free agent, has expressed interest in coming back to the NHL, but a return to the Devils looks unlikely.
"I've not reached out to Kovalchuk's representatives and I've not heard from them, so there you go," Devils general manager Ray Shero told Mike Morreale of NHL.com.
Kovalchuk has spent the last five seasons in the KHL after retiring from the Devils in 2013, a move that tore up his 15-year contract.
A return to the NHL prior to this offseason would have seen the Devils retain his rights since Kovalchuk played out just three years of that pact before retiring. But now that Kovalchuk is over 35 years old, he's free to sign with any team.
The New York Rangers are among the teams to have reached out to Kovalchuk. Recent reports indicate the prolific goal-scorer is looking for an extended stay in the NHL, likely on a two- or three-year contract.
Kovalchuk picked up 63 points in 53 games with St. Petersburg SKA this season. He's also recorded 417 goals and 399 assists over 816 NHL games.
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