kovalchuk #1 in nhl all-star votes
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corvette chick at heart
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From: Atlanta, Ga
kovalchuk #1 in nhl all-star votes
:yay: GO KOVY!!!!!
Dallas -- There are probably better players in the NHL -- although not many -- but there might not be a more exciting one than Thrashers left wing Ilya Kovalchuk.
Fans recognize that, and that is why Kovalchuk, 20, was the leading vote-getter in the All-Star balloting with 145,380 and will be the first player in the organization's five years to start in the All-Star Game. The league announced the results on Thursday for the 2004 game, which will be Feb. 8 in St. Paul, Minn.
Kovalchuk entered Thursday's games tied for the league lead in points with 46. He ranks second in goals with 22. In his first season, he played in the NHL's young stars game.
Last season, with Dany Heatley having a better season and the Thrashers with too poor of a record to justify earning two reserves on the team, Kovalchuk did not make the team. Heatley went on to win the game's MVP award.
With Heatley having missed the entire season with torn knee ligaments, Kovalchuk's play has been a major factor in the Thrashers' first-place standing in the Southeast Division.
"It's my first time, so I think it will be a very fun time," Kovalchuk said. "You play with all of the best players at one time. I go there because we're all doing a great job. If my teammates played like last year, I wouldn't be first in points.
"We're all doing good and that's why. I think we can have a couple guys as all-stars this year. That's the result of good work for everybody."
If Kovalchuk is to be joined by a teammate, it would probably be center Marc Savard; however, Savard will miss all three games on this road trip because of a concussion and that could hurt his chances, especially if he is out for a prolonged period.
Kovalchuk was asked if he thought this meant the fans recognize him as an exciting player. Certainly, his celebrations after scoring goals have earned him notoriety.
"I never try to be like something special, I'm just a very emotional player," he said.
Dallas -- There are probably better players in the NHL -- although not many -- but there might not be a more exciting one than Thrashers left wing Ilya Kovalchuk.
Fans recognize that, and that is why Kovalchuk, 20, was the leading vote-getter in the All-Star balloting with 145,380 and will be the first player in the organization's five years to start in the All-Star Game. The league announced the results on Thursday for the 2004 game, which will be Feb. 8 in St. Paul, Minn.
Kovalchuk entered Thursday's games tied for the league lead in points with 46. He ranks second in goals with 22. In his first season, he played in the NHL's young stars game.
Last season, with Dany Heatley having a better season and the Thrashers with too poor of a record to justify earning two reserves on the team, Kovalchuk did not make the team. Heatley went on to win the game's MVP award.
With Heatley having missed the entire season with torn knee ligaments, Kovalchuk's play has been a major factor in the Thrashers' first-place standing in the Southeast Division.
"It's my first time, so I think it will be a very fun time," Kovalchuk said. "You play with all of the best players at one time. I go there because we're all doing a great job. If my teammates played like last year, I wouldn't be first in points.
"We're all doing good and that's why. I think we can have a couple guys as all-stars this year. That's the result of good work for everybody."
If Kovalchuk is to be joined by a teammate, it would probably be center Marc Savard; however, Savard will miss all three games on this road trip because of a concussion and that could hurt his chances, especially if he is out for a prolonged period.
Kovalchuk was asked if he thought this meant the fans recognize him as an exciting player. Certainly, his celebrations after scoring goals have earned him notoriety.
"I never try to be like something special, I'm just a very emotional player," he said.
Thread Starter
corvette chick at heart
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 691
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From: Atlanta, Ga
Originally posted by cobbcustomz
never heard of him before
never heard of him before
ILYA KOVALCHUK 17
Left Wing
Height 6' 2"
Weight 220
Shoots Right
Born Apr 15, 1983
TVER, RUS
Drafted first overall by the Atlanta Thrashers at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Kovalchuk lived up to expectations by posting 29 goals and 22 assists in 2001-02. His 29 goals -- the first of which came against the Boston Bruins' Byron Dafoe on Oct. 6 -- led all rookies. He also finished second in the rookie scoring race, with only teammate Dany Heately compiling more points. Competing for Russia at the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Kovalchuk earned a bronze medal. He tallied a goal and two assists in six Olympic games.
-- Pete Iorizzo
Game By Game Stats: 2003-2004 , 2002-2003
Career Regular Season Stats
Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM PP SH GW GT Shots Pct
2001-2002 Thrashers 65 29 22 51 -19 28 7 0 4 1 184 15.8
2002-2003 Thrashers 81 38 29 67 -24 57 9 0 3 0 257 14.8
2003-2004 Thrashers 42 22 25 47 -5 22 11 0 4 0 181 12.2
NHL Totals 188 89 76 165 -48 107 27 0 11 1 622 14.3
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