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Ilya Kovalchuk departs Atlanta after eight years for the Atlantic-leading New Jersey Devils (Frank Kheldar/Flickr).
Thrashers captain Ilya Kovachuk has been traded to the New Jersey Devils in a five-player trade.
The news broke Thursday night following Kovalchuk’s rejection of a 12-year, $101 million contract and general manager Don Waddell’s public announcement that Kovalchuk would be traded.
The Devils sent defenseman Johnny Oduya, winger Niclas Bergfors and center Patrice Cormier along with a first-round draft choice. New Jersey will receive defenseman Anssi Samela and the two teams swapped second-round draft selections.
Kovalchuk has spent his entire career in Atlanta after the Thrashers selected him with the top overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
“[The Devils are] a good team with a great chance to make the playoffs and go far,” Kovalchuk told TSN. “But, it’s sad at the same time… I’ve been a Thrasher for eight years and I appreciated everything.”
Kovalchuk will become an unrestricted free agent following this season.
More on the deal as Kovalchuk arrives in Newark and begins playing for the Devils.
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