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Player Info


	Alexei Kovalev Date of Birth: 2/24/1973 Age: 27 Place of Birth: Togliatti USSR HT: 6-2 WT: 215 Shoots/Catches: L 1999-00 Salary: $ 2 100 000 US NHL Seasons: 8 Drafted: N.Y. Rangers 91 (1/15) Acquired: T-N.Y. Rangers 98
27 Alexei Kovalev RW

Year	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PIM	S	S%	PPG

2001-02	Pittsburgh Canadiens	45	20	24	44	0	46	188	10.6	0.98

Career Stats

Pittsburgh Canadiens Depth Chart

The Skinny

Is Kovalev still one of the NHL's biggest mysteries? The smooth Russian possesses one of the purest packages of skill, but has also been one of the league's most frustrating players to watch in the past. He can be worth the price of the ticket when on his game, but that's only when he's on his game.

A disappointment in New York, the change of scenery seemingly did wonders for Kovalev in 1998-99. Enjoyed an outstanding playoff series against New Jersey.

Talented enough to score in bunches, Kovalev is surely happy to see Herb Brooks in town. Shortly following the coaching change in Pittsburgh, Kovalev was seen on the point during power plays and on the club's No. 1 penalty kill unit alongside German Titov (now with Anaheim). It's a known fact that Brooks believes in playing extremely talented players in all situations.

Kovalev was white-hot in early December of 1999! In fact, when Kovalev starts using all his skills, as he was doing, he's as elegant and deadly a goal-scorer as there is in the NHL!

Bio

Kovalev is fast, has soft hands, is a great one-on-one player and has a great shot. However, he has not been able to score big at the NHL level. In seven seasons entering 1999-2000, Kovalev has never recorded more than 25 goals or 60 points in any one season.

While with the New York Rangers late in 1997-98, Kovalev and Wayne Gretzky found that oh so rare and elusive chemistry, vaulting Kovalev as one of the hottest snipers in the league. However, Kovalev, who missed some action with a separated shoulder, couldn't keep it going and was totally off his game in the early parts of 1998-99. The Rangers ran out of patience and traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange of Petr Nedved. Things started to fall in place for Kovalev, who entered 1999-2000 with high expectations.

Drafted 15th overall by the Rangers in 1991, he was the first Russian ever selected in the first round of the NHL's annual entry draft, Kovalev joined New York in 1992-93, after three seasons with the Moscow Dynamo. He enjoyed personal-best totals in 1995-96, when he totaled 24 goals and 58 points. A good clutch player, Kovalev was a key member of the Rangers' Stanley Cup ride in 1994, notching nine goals and 21 points in 23 playoff games.

Trophies

1993-94

Stanley Cup (N.Y. Rangers)

Trades

11/25/1998	Pittsburgh Penguins traded Petr Nedved, Sean Pronger and Chris Tamer to the New York Rangers for Alexei Kovalev, Harry York and future considerations.
6/9/1991	Drafted by the New York Rangers in the 1st round (15th overall) in 1991.

Career Stats

Year	Team	Lea	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PIM	S	S%	PPG
2001-02	Pittsburgh Canadiens	NHL	45	20	24	44	0	46	188	10.6	0.98
1998-99	Pittsburgh	NHL	63	20	26	46	8	37	156	12.8	0.73
1998-99	N.Y. Rangers	NHL	14	3	4	7	-6	12	35	8.6	0.50
1998-99	Total NYR/Pit	NHL	77	23	30	53	2	49	191	12.0	0.69
1997-98	N.Y. Rangers	NHL	73	23	30	53	-22	44	173	13.3	0.73
1996-97	N.Y. Rangers	NHL	45	13	22	35	11	42	110	11.8	0.78
1995-96	N.Y. Rangers	NHL	81	24	34	58	5	98	206	11.7	0.72
1994-95	N.Y. Rangers	NHL	48	13	15	28	-6	30	103	12.6	0.58
1994-95	Lada	CIS	12	8	8	16	-	49	-	-	1.33
1993-94	N.Y. Rangers	NHL	76	23	33	56	18	154	184	12.5	0.74
1992-93	N.Y. Rangers	NHL	65	20	18	38	-10	79	134	14.9	0.58
1992-93	Binghamton	AHL	13	13	11	24	-	35	-	-	1.85
1991-92	Moscow Dynamo	CIS	33	16	9	25	-	20	-	-	0.76
1991-92	Olympic Team	Rus	8	1	2	3	-	14	-	-	0.38
1990-91	Moscow Dynamo	USSR	18	1	2	3	-	4	-	-	0.17
1989-90	Moscow Dynamo	USSR	1	0	0	0	-	0	-	-	0.00

-	Career	NHL	510	159	206	365	-2	542	1289	12.3	0.72
-	Career	AHL	13	13	11	24	-	35	-	-	1.85
-	Career	Rus	64	25	19	44	-	73	-	-	0.69