Spartak coach Alexey Kovalev in an interview with he stated that Ilya Kovalchuk if he returns to the team, he will not only become its “leader”, but will also try to match the level of play of other hockey players.
Kovalchuk graduated from Spartak; the last place of work of the 40-year-old hockey player was Avangard, from where he left in 2021. The head coach of the “red and whites” Alexei Zhamnov spoke about the possible arrival of the player in Spartak even before the start of the season.
— Ilya Kovalchuk said that in two weeks he will decide whether to return to hockey. Does Spartak need such a veteran in the locker room? Like if you had Mark Messier on the Rangers.
— Ilya is an understanding person. And if he returns to the team, he knows it perfectly: he comes not only to become a leader, but to be on the same level as the rest of the hockey players in the game. He will have to do the same work as everyone else. If it takes shape, it will be used more often. But Kovalchuk is not the type to put himself above others.
And if we talk about young people, then everyone must understand: the responsibility lies with everyone. We don’t have such a thing that if Kovalchuk runs on the first line, and you play on the fourth line, then he will do everything for you. And your three to five minutes on the ice don’t affect anything. No, you have to play at the same level as everyone else. We all work together.
And you shouldn’t be afraid to execute certain elements. Of course there will be mistakes, they are inevitable. It is a sport. But the main thing is to learn from these mistakes. It just takes time, some guys even play their first season.
— Kovalchuk’s speed has decreased. What will he do? Majority?
– Nowadays, in the majority, you also have to move a lot, have feelings and reactions. And don’t just stand around and wait for the puck to click. When we get older, we lose speed in decisions. But you have experience, like how to slow down the game. It’s not always necessary to keep up with everyone in terms of speed. Sometimes you can change the pace of the game and it confuses your opponent.
Kovalchuk can play in position, changing direction, using his partners. There are many different options. But the most important thing is that a person understands them and adapts to them correctly. And Ilya will have no problems with that,” Kovalev told .
On June 1, Kovalev joined Alexei Zhamnov’s coaching staff at Spartak Moscow. The capital’s team is in fifth place in the West, the Red and Whites have scored 52 goals, this is the best figure in the KHL.
Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
