After months of speculation, Ilya Kovalchuk nixed any buzz of a possible return to the NHL next season, opting to sign a one-year contract to stay with St. Petersburg SKA of the KHL.
Whether the 34-year-old sniper actually had suitors in North America isn't exactly clear, but he told St. Petersburg's official team website that the NHL opting out of the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang was one the main factors he decided to stay home.
Kovalchuk has suited up in Russia for each of the last three winter games, but hasn't enjoyed much success with his countrymen, failing to medal in each event. However, Russia's freedom to dip into KHL rosters could make them an early favorite for next year's tournament.
In 2016-17, Kovalchuk finished second in the KHL scoring race with 78 points in 60 games, en route to capturing the Gagarin Cup as league champions.
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