{"id":24360,"date":"2018-02-27T00:02:50","date_gmt":"2018-02-27T05:02:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=24360"},"modified":"2018-02-27T00:02:50","modified_gmt":"2018-02-27T05:02:50","slug":"ilya-kovalchuk-triple-gold-club","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2018\/02\/27\/ilya-kovalchuk-triple-gold-club\/","title":{"rendered":"Ilya Kovalchuk: The Quest For The Ultimate Goal Begins"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Olympic Games are over and it\u2019s official: <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/k\/kovalil01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ilya Kovalchuk<\/a><\/strong> has confirmed his intention to leave KHL after this season; to play in the NHL, of course.<\/p>\n<p>Even if he returned to Russia. Even if he is paid better in Russia. And even if he has just won the Olympic Gold for OA\u2026Russia, he wants to leave his comfy motherland and attempt a comeback to the NHL. He wants to make his biggest dream come true.<\/p>\n<h2>Following his friends&#8217; achievements.<\/h2>\n<h5>The same task, which his buddy and a teammate <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/d\/datsypa01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pavel Datsyuk<\/a><\/strong> has just fulfilled. To whom the IIHF president <strong>Ren\u00e9 Fasel<\/strong> handed in turmoil (near an elevator), a golden badge for membership in the very prestigious Triple Gold Club<\/h5>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/telegram.org\/js\/telegram-widget.js?4\" data-telegram-post=\"lysenkovtv\/2704\" data-width=\"100%\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Which is \u201c\u2026the group of ice hockey players and coaches who have won an Olympic Games gold medal, a World Championship gold medal, and the Stanley Cup, the championship trophy of the NHL,\u201d says <strong>Andrew Podnieks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>As of now, there are only 29 members in the Universe and beyond. No wonder, Ilya Kovalchuk doesn\u2019t mind following the accomplishment of Pavel Datsyuk and be the 30th.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI congratulate Pasha, he deserved that. It is very honourable to be a member of the Triple Gold Club He is a real captain of the team, I am incredibly happy for him,&#8221; said 34-year-old Kovalchuk. &#8220;He will be 40 soon, and I still have five or six years, so I will be trying hard. Of course, I know one must win the Stanley Cup, or do you think I didn&#8217;t know that? I&#8217;ll try.\u201c<\/p>\n<h2>New Jersey Devils and the rest of NHL<\/h2>\n<p>From 2005 to 2013, Kovalchuk played in the NHL for the late &#8220;Atlanta Thrashers&#8221; and the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/devils\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New Jersey Devils<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>With the Devils still owning Kovalchuk\u2019s rights, they have had preliminary discussions with the player\u2019s agent. However, keeping in mind that the Russian player was named the MVP of the Red Machine at the Olympics, Ilya Kovalchuk has a strong hand in the future negotiations.<\/p>\n<p>The fact that he has apartments in Miami and in the suburbs of New York shouldn\u2019t play a major role in his decision making. Most hockey fans\u00a0agree that the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/panthers\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Florida Panthers<\/a> aren&#8217;t a sure bet for Kovalchuk in the quest for the Cup. As for the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/rangers\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New York Rangers<\/a> with their full rebuild or the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/islanders\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New York Islanders<\/a> with the <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/t\/tavarjo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">John Tavares<\/a><\/strong> re-signing saga.<\/p>\n<h2>Wanted: A real-deal team<\/h2>\n<h5>Out of the three necessary championships in hockey needed to be qualified, Kovalchuk is due to participate in the NHL playoffs and to win the Stanley Cup.<\/h5>\n<h5>To do that, he will look for a well balanced, structured, with all necessary components team. Like a well-maintained machine.<\/h5>\n<h5>Just recently, Ilya has proved his capability to be an important part of a \u201cMachine\u201d. And he plans to keep it up. Even if the Machine is not necessary Red.<\/h5>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BfnP4CRlcbY\/\" data-instgrm-version=\"8\">\n<div style=\"padding: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 28.194444444444443% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;\">\n<div style=\"background: url(data:image\/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc\/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5\/p8\/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo\/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli\/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif\/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;\"><a style=\"color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BfnP4CRlcbY\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u041f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e \u0430\u0445\u0443\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e! #\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0430\u0445\u0443\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\">A post shared by <a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/lysenkovtv\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> \u041f\u0430\u0432\u0435\u043b \u041b\u044b\u0441\u0435\u043d\u043a\u043e\u0432<\/a> (@lysenkovtv) on <time style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;\" datetime=\"2018-02-25T08:39:57+00:00\">Feb 25, 2018 at 12:39am PST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async defer src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"LovD2R4yQPJZlRTMJBlSXg\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.ca\/detail\/924611068\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'LovD2R4yQPJZlRTMJBlSXg',sig:'ug9moHnTUCaxP0EseUXiQiQ6PsdSd63nlA63tnxKnpc=',w:'594px',h:'398px',items:'924611068',caption: true ,tld:'ca',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Olympic Games are over and it\u2019s official: Ilya Kovalchuk has confirmed his intention to leave KHL after this season; to play in the NHL, of course. Even if he returned to Russia. Even if he is paid better in Russia. And even if he has just won the Olympic Gold for OA\u2026Russia, he wants [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2459,"featured_media":24409,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2003],"tags":[37,1624,151,38],"class_list":["post-24360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-khl","tag-hockey","tag-ilya-kovalchuk","tag-new-jersey-devils","tag-nhl"],"modified_by":"Ben Kerr","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2459"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24360"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24360\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}