Forever Collectible Bobblehead! Russian hockey players used to be thought frighteningly efficient and superbly skilled, but without emotion. Ilya Kovalchuk doesn’t change this view. Ilya plays the game to a tee but unlike his older counterparts, he like to lay out the BIG hit! He’ll stand toe to toe with anyone and duke it out. Ilya also has a heavyduty slap shot, and can skate with just about anyone in the league. As he matures, Kovalchuk is becoming one of the most dangerous scorers in the NHL and he now has EMOTION! **** UPDATE - AUGUST 11, 2010 *** Independent arbitrator Richard Bloch on Monday ruled against the NHL Players’ Association in deciding that the NHL was within its powers to reject the 17-year, $102-million US contract agreed to by Lamoriello’s New Jersey Devils and Kovalchuk on July 19. **** UPDATE - MAY 18, 2008 *** The first ever IIHF World Hockey Championship to be played in Canada ended in silver for the host country after a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to Russia on Sunday in the gold-medal game. Ilya Kovalchuk's power-play goal at 2:42 of overtime gave the Russians their first gold medal at the event since 1993.