Nikolai Kovalenko

October 2024 – A shoe-in for an NHL roster spot due to his pro experience, Kovalenko did not disappoint in training camp and pre-season, where he was shooting and hitting enough to excite fantasy owners and impress Avs coaching staff. His spot on the Avs was locked in quickly and he is the most likely rookie to stick around despite being hit with the reality of regular season being a different beast than exhibition play. Through 2 regular season contests he has put up 4 hits (as expected), but no points and only 3 SOG despite playing primarily in the top-six. He hasn’t been tried on either special team, and his opportunity is going to be more limited as teammates become healthy. He will likely stick around but move to the bottom-six, where his multi-cat value will still be present but may take a hit if his aTOI dips. Hayden Soboleski

July 2024 – Kovalenko suffered a knee injury in his final KHL contest, which limited his action in North America to end the 2023-24 campaign. He delivered about as much as expected – in 6 AHL outings (regular season + playoffs) he managed 4 points, 12 SOG, and 6 PIM, mimicking the multi-category delivery expected of him after his time in Russia. In 2 NHL contests, he managed just 1 SOG and no points in roughly 13 minutes of total ice time. The cap-tight Avs could be missing 2 top-six wingers to start the season so there will be an opportunity for Kovalenko to earn enough ice time to reach his fantasy potential quickly for fast-acting fantasy owners. Hayden Soboleski

December 2023 – The anticipation for Kovalenko’s North American debut has continued to build, with the winger now up to nine goals and 29 points in 27 KHL contests, matching last season’s breakout production. This has come after a wrist injury that put the 24-year-old on the shelf for 6 weeks to start the campaign. He is back in full force – his SOG rate is still over two/game, and his hitting numbers have improve to nearly three/game. The biggest question mark remaining is when the transfer will happen. Torpedo is currently a middle-of-the-road team and Colorado may be selfishly hoping that record goes south to avoid playoffs. Hayden Soboleski

July 2023 – Russian media has reported that Kovalenko intends to sign with the Avalanche soon, but will be loaned to his KHL squad for the 2023-24 campaign. This leaves the door open for some potential NHL games played near the end of the season depending on any post-season play. If he plays as well this year as he did in 2022-23, he will be getting an NHL tryout shortly upon arrival. Hayden Soboleski

March 2023 – Kovalenko’s breakout KHL campaign concluded with 21 goals and 54 points in 56 games for Torpedo, with another 7 points in 10 playoff matches. His 130 SOG in the regular season represented a career-high shot volume, and his multi-cat performance was not sacrificed in the process as he totaled 77 hits, 29 blocks, and 36 PIM. The winger also added some bulk, upping his listed weight by approximately 10 pounds. All of this pales in comparison to the most important development of the season however, which is the fact that Kovalenko is reportedly open to playing in North America soon. This has always been the biggest uncertainty stopping the Russian from being considered a top prospect in the organization, but if North America is in the 23-year-old’s future, he becomes an instant darkhorse to grab a bottom-six NHL role. If he finally jumps, don’t hesitate to grab him in multi-category keeper leagues. Hayden Soboleski

November 2022 – 20 games into his 5th full KHL campaign, Kovalenko has broken out for 7 goals, 10 assists, 2 SOG/game and 1.5 hits/game. He is on pace for career-highs in most categories, partially thanks to some powerplay usage on Torpedo – his new squad. The 23-year-old has always been a darkhorse fantasy prospect due to his long-term connections to Hockey Russia, but he is showing us that the upside is very much still there if Colorado can ever lure him overseas. Hayden Soboleski

April 2022 – The move to switch teams paid off for Kovalenko who put up a career-high 14 points in 29 KHL contests and averaged over 2 SOG/game and nearly 1 hit/game. His ice time stayed higher than years prior and even jumped to 18 minutes per night in the playoffs (third-highest among team forwards), but his offense unfortunately dried up when it mattered most (so did most of the squad’s). Still, he is showing multi-category value in the KHL which is not to be ignored in deep fantasy leagues. Wait and see if there is NHL interest (from either the team or player) at the end of next season before drafting. Hayden Soboleski

September 2021 – Kovalenko has switched squads for the 2021-22 KHL campaign, moving to Ak Bars on a two-year contract. 9 games in with his new squad his aTOI has risen over 4 minutes from the year prior and is among the highest of the forward corps. His shot volume has now exceed 2 per game and his three points is one off the team lead. He felt that he could perform better with more opportunity and he is proving himself right so far; if he can sustain this production he will be highly coveted upon completion of his deal…at age 23. Hayden Soboleski

April 2020 – Kovalenko suited up for 54 KHL games, becoming a regular after 33 games in 2018-19 which is a great indicator for the 20-year-old who was the third-youngest member of the squad. His 10 goals and 21 points in those 54 games were just fine, but his hitting rate was exceptional and hit SOG rate strong, reinforcing his value as a multi-category producer. He is still a long-term own until he signs an ELC and moves to North America, but his skills are AHL-ready when he does turn pro. Hayden Soboleski

March 2019 – Lokomotiv’s elimination from the KHL playoffs means Kovalenko’s season has ended. His 6 points in 33 games doesn’t exactly jump off the page, but 5 of those point being goals is a promising note, and his 2 points in 7 playoff games is also passable for a rookie. It wasn’t a perfect transition to the top league in Russia, but it’s experience playing against top competition, so it will be worth it if he continues to grow in 2019-20. He’s still on the fantasy radar, but hasn’t forced us to add him just yet. Hayden Soboleski

January 2019 – Kovalenko finished the WJC tournament with 3 points in 6 games, and was a standout in many games. His speed and relentlessness on the forecheck and cycle created chances on a regular basis, and he moved up the lineup as the tournament progressed ad he impressed on the ice. Hayden Soboleski

December 2018 – Kovalenko is one of the final last-minute additions to Team Russia in the WJCs. His record on the national team this year is good so far after being MVP of the Junior Club World Cup earlier this year. He has 5 points in 12 KHL games so far in 2018-19, which doesn’t explode off the scoresheet but playing in the KHL full-time as a 19-year-old is no small feat. After being nearly a point-per-game player in the Junior league in 2017-18 prior to being drafted, adapting to the men’s league is his next big step. He is extremely respected by coaches in Russia due to his strong desire to learn (and coming from a hockey family doesn’t hurt), and was granted the rare opportunity to choose his jersey number. These are all outstanding positive signs for the young Russian, who still needs time to develop but is looking like a late-round steal for the Avs if he decides to move to North America. Hayden Soboleski