What prevented Kovalchuk from reaching Ovechkin/Crosby/Malkin level?

[The Lewler]

That inside outside move he would pull at the blueline followed by the snap/wrist snot was unbelievable.

That highlight video is sick.

 

[Wingman77]

Ego. He didn't think he needed to be any better.

Some time ago, Ilya Kovalchuk came to Devils coach Jacques Lemaire and asked for help to improve his defensive game and also whether he could kill penalties.

"He wants to learn. He asked me to talk to him about the game and what I want him to do," Lemaire revealed today. "He said, 'I want to improve.' I think he's improving big time. Now he's aware of the defensive game. He's been scoring and thinking about the defensive game, which is good. Before he was thinking about the offense and he wasn't scoring. So it's great.

"He wants one day to kill penalties. He never did it. That's what he wants and he will. I talked to him about killing and he seemed excited. So I said, 'I'll be on your (butt) if you want that.' He said, 'I don't mind.' Very good. We'll see how long he's going to last."

http://www.njdevilsnews.com/content/?type=n&id=8204
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=612754

Next.

 

[Hisch13r]

Ego. He didn't think he needed to be any better.

If that was true he wouldn't have become 2 way player

 

[ODAAT]

Kovalchuk in his prime had the size and speed of a prime Ovechkin, arguably even better hands, and arguably just as good of an arsenal of shots. He also didn't appear to be any less smart a player than Ovechkin, and despite all of this, he really never produced anywhere close to a prime Ovechkin. People will talk about how Kovalev underachieved given his skill set, and I feel the same way about Kovalchuk.

Discuss.

missed home cooking??

 

[Acallabeth]

Kovalchuk has good hockey IQ and the best physical toolset out of those players, but the players you mentioned Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin were just naturally smarter players at generating offense. It's what seperates a superstar (Kovalchuk) from the three generational talents.

Answer right there.
I don't think that there is another player in the NHL who is a physical monster and elite at all hockey skills. Kovalchuk had everything to be the best player in the world, but his inability to make the right decisions on ice is glorious. People love to say that Ovechkin has a 20+30 player hockey IQ, but in reality AO is an extremely smart player (needless to say about 87/71). Kovalchuk also didn't have the same aggression and drive that Ovechkin is known for (and that makes Radulov, not Kovy, the best player in the KHL).

Having a good KHL season but who the hell is his teammate Panarin with 10 more points? 2nd in league scoring by 2 points behind Radulov

Panarin is amazing, a very talented man.

He was always a selfish player in Atlanta, and proved it again when he left New Jersey. Russians like him can stay home. Good riddance to that guy.

You really don't like that exciting hockey, do you?

 

[CanadienShark]

Kovalchuk developed a really, really nice game in NJ. Arguably more effective than the Ovechkin of these past years. In answer to why he never hit the same numbers, who knows. Ovechkin had this bull in a china shop mentality, I suppose.

 

[AD1066]

lack of heart and a love of money as a motivational factor

It's evident who watched the guy and who didn't.

For all his lack of heart, he was getting cortisone injections in his back so he could keep skating during the playoffs.

Standing and waiting for a one-timer... standing and waiting, standing and waiting... also happened to be big, greedy and dumb. Even Nash is a better player

He was very dynamic player during his NJ tenure, and I'm not sure in which universe Nash was the better player during their overlapping careers.

 

[Son Goku]

two things. Atlanta stunk. and....he was just not as good as Ovechkin. Crosby is a different type of player entirely. Frankly I am not sure that Malkin has been any better than Kovalchuk.

I think you're in the minority.

 

[SkinsFan09]

I don't compare Ovi with Crosby or Malkin. I see the other 2 above him. Maybe it's the SCF ring they have IDK. I feel like Ovi only really cares about scoring goals and getting points while the other 2 want to be remembered as 2 of the very best that have played.

Why do people continue to believe this nonsense?

"...but as far as his want to win, he really does just want to win the games, and he doesn't care if he scores or not. That isn't an act."

 

[cgf]

Why do people continue to believe this nonsense?

"...but as far as his want to win, he really does just want to win the games, and he doesn't care if he scores or not. That isn't an act."

Because he's russian. And we all know russians are all just selfish, money-grubbing ********, not like good ol' canadian boys.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Answer right there.
I don't think that there is another player in the NHL who is a physical monster and elite at all hockey skills. Kovalchuk had everything to be the best player in the world, but his inability to make the right decisions on ice is glorious. People love to say that Ovechkin has a 20+30 player hockey IQ, but in reality AO is an extremely smart player (needless to say about 87/71). Kovalchuk also didn't have the same aggression and drive that Ovechkin is known for (and that makes Radulov, not Kovy, the best player in the KHL).


Panarin is amazing, a very talented man.


You really don't like that exciting hockey, do you?

BS hahaha. I guess you have missed the fights Kovalchuk has been in? I've never seen Ovechkin KO someone in a fight, try again.

 

[eddytheeagle20]

Because he's russian. And we all know russians are all just selfish, money-grubbing ********, not like good ol' canadian boys.

exactly Canadian players are just as greedy as anyother players look at kariya and ryan Johansson this past season

 

[Cult of Hynes]

exactly Canadian players are just as greedy as anyother players look at kariya and ryan Johansson this past season

Eric Lindros as well if you want to go back further. Messier and his stint in Vancouver. Pronger and the whole Edmonton ordeal. I mean the list does go on and on with players of all nationalities.

Kovalchuk had a ton of heart, he played through injuries in the playoffs and still found a way to make an impact even if it wasnt as much as it could have been when he was healthy. After the whole him going back to Russia thing passed by I look back and realize how damn good he really was and actually miss watching the guy play and what he brought to the Devils. The contract still sucked though.

 

[featherhawk]

his wife

 

[Ducks in a row]

Ilya Kovalchuk

2003-04 Maurice Richard Trophy
Tied for 2nd in points in 2003-04
8th in points 2005-06
10th in points in 2007-08
6th in points in 2008-09
5th in points in 2011-12
2001-02 NHL NHL All-Rookie Team (1st)
2003-04 NHL NHL All-Star Team (2nd)
2011-12 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)

He had played on the same team with some good players in the past like Dany Heatley,Marc Savard,Marian Hossa. You couldn't really say he was the best player in Atlanta with Dany Heatley being clearly better 1 season then him and on the same level another. Marc Savard was better in Atlanta during his short time their. Marian Hossa had also been better. His 1st full season in New Jersey he finished 2nd on the team in points.

He was a player with great skill and ability but for the most part I would say he did not produce as well as expected just was not as good as he should of been. He just didn't have the desire to be the best like Ovechkin had early on or Crosby has. Even at his best he was never the best player. Him leaving for Russia like he did when under contract with New Jersey making a ton of money will forever be a negative mark on him.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Ilya Kovalchuk

2003-04 Maurice Richard Trophy
Tied for 2nd in points in 2003-04
8th in points 2005-06
10th in points in 2007-08
6th in points in 2008-09
5th in points in 2011-12
2001-02 NHL NHL All-Rookie Team (1st)
2003-04 NHL NHL All-Star Team (2nd)
2011-12 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)

He had played on the same team with some good players in the past like Dany Heatley,Marc Savard,Marian Hossa. You couldn't really say he was the best player in Atlanta with Dany Heatley being clearly better 1 season then him and on the same level another. Marc Savard was better in Atlanta during his short time their. Marian Hossa had also been better. His 1st full season in New Jersey he finished 2nd on the team in points.

He was a player with great skill and ability but for the most part I would say he did not produce as well as expected just was not as good as he should of been. He just didn't have the desire to be the best like Ovechkin had early on or Crosby has. Even at his best he was never the best player. Him leaving for Russia like he did when under contract with New Jersey making a ton of money will forever be a negative mark on him.

No way was Savard better, no way was Heatley better. Those two comments show you have no clue what youre talking about.

 

[Voight]

BS hahaha. I guess you have missed the fights Kovalchuk has been in? I've never seen Ovechkin KO someone in a fight, try again.

Lets see him lay out someone like Ovy has.

Eric Lindros as well if you want to go back further. Messier and his stint in Vancouver. Pronger and the whole Edmonton ordeal.

Lindros is the worst of all time IMO. Guy basically said **** off to the two teams that drafted him, the Greyhounds and Nords. He was such a baby that I dont think anyone else can surpass him. Even worse is when he finally got to a team he wanted to play for, he caused problems his whole time there.

 

[o Oblivious]

Kovalchuk is/was an absolute monster. Here is what sets him apart from Ovechkin

1) Aside from two seasons with Marc Savard, a lack of an elite C to play with (Ovechkin has always had Backstrom).

2) He wanted to learn and improve his defensive game.

To this day, I would still take Kovalchuk on my team 10/10 times over Ovi. You are getting a far more complete forward in Kovalchuk who is just as dangerous offensively as Ovi.

 

[Woll Smoth]

The Russian Factor

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Reputation apparently. Kovalchuck was insanely good and was a threat anytime he was on the ice. PPG for his career so his stats back it up too.

Size, speed, hands, creativity, crazy good shot. He was the complete package, such a good player.

 

[Misleader]

Kovalchuk is/was an absolute monster. Here is what sets him apart from Ovechkin

1) Aside from two seasons with Marc Savard, a lack of an elite C to play with (Ovechkin has always had Backstrom).

2) He wanted to learn and improve his defensive game.

To this day, I would still take Kovalchuk on my team 10/10 times over Ovi. You are getting a far more complete forward in Kovalchuk who is just as dangerous offensively as Ovi.

Who was Ovechkin's center when he was a rookie? Or in his second season?

 

[Stickpucker]

Chuck never got to play with Backstrom and Green on that Wsh PP

 

[Islanderfan17]

Kovy was a monster, easily one of the biggest gamebreakers in the NHL when he was around. Sure, he wasn't prime OV, but he was pretty close in my eyes and scared the **** out of me any time he had the puck.

 

[Ducks in a row]

No way was Savard better, no way was Heatley better. Those two comments show you have no clue what youre talking about.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats....position=S&country=&status=&viewName=summary#

Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk both had good rookie seasons

http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats....position=S&country=&status=&viewName=summary#

Dany Heatley was much better

http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats....position=S&country=&status=&viewName=summary#

Both Ilya Kovalchuk and Marc Savard was great that year in Atlanta Marc Savard just didn't play as many games

http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats....position=S&country=&status=&viewName=summary#

Marc Savard finished 1 point behind granted in 4 more games played but still it was close. Marc Savard also had been better defensively.

 

[Bluesman]

1. Lack of hype. While Ovi/Sid/Geno deserve the praise they've received, the fact is they were placed on this level before they had proven it in the league.
2. Environment. While Ovi didn't have much (okay, anything) to work with his first couple of seasons a team was put around him that fit his talents fairly well. Meanwhile not only did this not happen for Kovy in ATL but his first few years were before the lockout as opposed to Ovi coming into the league right after the lockout.
3. Physicality. Ovi's physicality gives him a dimension that Kovy doesn't have, a dimension that "passes the eye test" for heart, passion, etc.