Boulton celebrates career hat trick No. 1.

And you really do have to hand it to him. If Kovalchuk feels humiliated by the way this season is going, having a hat trick scored against your team by a fourth-liner from the team you turned your back on … that’s gotta be hard on the ego. So applause to Boulton!

Special props to “NHL On the Fly” for saying (with great enthusiasm) something along the lines of “We’ll have much more from Eric Boulton later in the program!” Has to be the first time he’s been used as a teaser. Let’s enjoy the moment.

Photo: Eric Boulton from AtlantaThrashers.com.

The Atlanta Thrashers mascot heckles Alex Ovechkin.

After a lengthy summer of twiddling our thumbs, Washington Capitals fans finally got to see their boys back in action Friday evening. There was much anticipation surrounding the regular season opener in Atlanta against the Thrashers and their new head coach Craig Ramsey. Most fans expected a blowout win to start the season. The excitement and anticipation was met with a sub-par performance by the Capitals and a disheartening 2-4 loss in Blueland and the news that the Capitals No. 1 goalie, Semyon Varlamov, had been placed on injured reserve.

Caps fans never fear! This team has a knack for winning at home and for putting on shows that won’t soon be forgotten. That was certainly the case the next day back home in D.C. where the Caps pummeled the New Jersey Devils 7-2, with Michal Neuvirth in net.  The last give minutes of the game were perhaps the most exciting, as the Capitals took the pummeling from the scoreboard to the faces and bodies of the Devils players. Not often in the “new NHL” do you see five fights in one game — with four of them being within 10 seconds of playing time.

Out of all the frays, New Jersey Devil Pierre-Luc Leblond got himself a one game suspension for instigating a fight with the Caps’ Swedish Rookie, Marcus Johansson, in the final five minutes of the 3rd period. This sparked quite a bit of outrage on the Caps bench as the young Swede refused to drop the gloves with Leblond seconds earlier before being chased across the ice and lassoed to the ground by the collar of his jersey by the Devils Forward. Capitals Rookie Defensemen, John Carlson, willingly stepped in for his teammate and found himself hitting the showers early because of it. Caps Head Coach Bruce Boudreau tried his best to keep the rest of his players from hopping over the boards before it turned into an all out bench clearing brawl.

Mike Green taking a swing at Devil's Captain Ilya Kovalchuk. Photo Courtesy of Getty Images.

Not only did the evening nearly end in an all out brawl, but most surprisingly — and perhaps the most bizzare fight yet of the young season followed by Pavel Datsyuk and Corey Perry’s spat on October 8th —  2010 Norris Trophy candidate Mike Green and Devil’s Captain Ilya Kovalchuk squared off with 4:17 left to go in the 3rd period.  For the sake of both their manhoods, I will refrain from commenting on either of their interesting fighting styles. Although I’m sure Caps forward Alexander Semin will still take more heat in the dressing room for his innovative fighting style at the expense of Rangers Defenseman, Marc Staal two seasons ago.

In the 2009-2010 season alone the Caps only amounted 20 regular season fighting majors over a span of 82 games. So far for the 2010-2011 campaign, the Caps managed to knock out 1/4 of last years total in a single outing. For a game with so much knuckle-to-knuckle action, perhaps this is an early indicator this team is not just about lighting the lamp anymore. With the off-season addition of DJ King — who was ironically a healthy scratch for the fighting bonanza against the Devils — it is easy to assume Caps General Manager George McPhee had the idea of adding more grit to his line-up. Perhaps this is his way of saying the Caps won’t only beat you on the scoreboard, but in hand-to-hand combat as well now? Can’t say I can complain about that, the team needs to evolve its’ overall playing style *Cough*PowerPlay*Cough* and learn to be more dynamic. Be careful NHL, this isn’t the same Washington Capitals team who will shy away from the rough stuff.

One thing’s for sure, I’m 99.99 percent positive Mr. King will be given a sweater the next time the Caps face the Devils on November 22.

Oh and Neuvirth, I think you are already starting to prove me correct, even if Varlamov has succumbed already to his wonky groin. I still say out of our two young talented goalies, Neuvirth will be the better of the two at the end of the day.

Photos: From Getty Images.

The correspondent says Ilya looks as if there wasn’t this loud story on Ilya’s contract. Ilya was in a good mood because he had been right back from his hometown — Tver — and was heading to Miami, Florida to his wife and kids.

In this video you can also see Nikolai Zherdev now of the Philadelphia Flyers, who is training at the same arena.

Is Ilya Kovalchuk's future once again hazy? Looks like it.

A greeting from one of his alternate captains (Patrik Elias)...

and one from his goalie (Martin Brodeur)...

The posse sits in support or in wait to speak to Lou Lamoriello about this huge-ass deal that THEY would like to have as well; or maybe a bit of both...

Little do these guys know what lies ahead in the next few hours?

Kovalchuk poses outside the Devils' arena this afternoon; but will he still be there if they cut down his deal?

Photos:  Ilya Kovalchuk by Getty Images and The Associated Press.

The NHL says Kovalchuk's contract is 'illegal' -- how can this be? Hasn't precedent been set? (see: Hossa, Ricky D, Bobby Lou, et. al)

File this under “things that make you go ‘hmmm…’”

It’s quite intriguing that the National Hockey League has decided to put its foot down with the Ilya Kovalchuk contract. There are several contracts similar to his, though not as long. I doubt they have a legal leg to stand on. Even if the New Jersey Devils and Kovalchuk himself knows this contract was written in such a way as to circumvent the Collective Bargaining Agreement, how can they prove intent? Is it that he’ll be 44 years old when the contract expires and, basically, nobody (let’s say 0.005 percent of players) plays past 40-ish?

Even so, how do you prove intent to circumvent? And even if you do prove it, if the current CBA has that loophole, how do you retroactively close it? And where do you draw the line? Fifteen years was OK for the Islanders’ Rick DiPietro. Marian Hossa signed a big front-loaded contract. Robert Luongo is on a monster deal. Where is the line? Why bring the hammer down at this point?

I am very curious as to how the league thinks it can get away with this randomness — either you can or you can’t do something under a contract. And, while I am not a lawyer, if those other contracts were not in violation, how can this one be?

The Kovalchuk drama continues!  He always was a diva — this somehow fits.  (No really … don’t you think?)

What are your thoughts?

Photo:  Ilya Kovalchuk by Getty Images.

Below is the video, along with my translation.

***

Translation by Goddess Thorkhild.

***

Ilya Kovalchuk: I have a lot of American acquaintances, but as for friends or people with whom I communicate with, they are very few. Because the mentality is different anyway.

At IIHF Worlds in Quebec in 2008 our hockey players won the title for the first time in 15 years. We won’t have this victory without Ilya Kovalchuk. The decisive final seemed to be lost to Canada. But 5 minutes before the end of 3d period Kovalchuk scored and equalized. 4-4. And in the overtime the precise shot by Ilya was the golden.

In the hot American state of Georgia, Ilya Kovalchuk arrived from Tver in 2001. He was just 18, and he went to Atlanta alone. His father, who had always accompanied his son, refused to fly with him this time. He thought Ilya wasn’t mature enough for the NHL, but he proved the opposite. He became the most recognizable player on the Atlanta Thrashers at once.

Ilya Kovalchuk: [At first] I always wanted to go home, and during the first two or three years after the final whistle, I took my things and ran away from here and flew to Moscow –- I missed my friends and parents.

Lyubov Kovalchuk: When he goes to Tver, he immediately phones [asking] “mom, will I have potato with mushrooms?” You will, you will.

The Americans at once shortened the surname “Kovalchuk” to a name short and convenient for them: “Kovy.” Ilya got used to that rather fast. But he is still grated by relations among people in America.

Ilya Kovalchuk

His father taught him to skate. Valery Nikolaevich taught his son to work till exhaustion on hockey tricks and shots. Since age 15 Ilya trained in Tver in the mornings, and went to Moscow in the evenings to play for Spartak’s junior team. In Atlanta Kovalchuk plays wearing number 17, on Team Russia he wears number 71. On Team Russia, the number 17 is retired forever in memory of the legendary Valery Kharlamov. He is Kovalchuk’s idol. Professionals notice -– Ilya, like Valery once did, is able to take the game on himself and to decide the result of any game. If you’re compared with Kharlamov you’re a true superstar.

After three years of bachelor life in America Kovalchuk decided to marry a Russian only. Nicole is half Lithuanian, half Russian. In 2003 she sang with the pop group Mirage. Then she met Ilya. They had common friends. Nicole still sings.

Nicole: In the shower, in the car, for the children, to the smallest I sing lullabies, of course.

Ilya and Nicole married in church in Moscow in Novodevichiy Monastery.

Nicole:: Yes, it happened after three years after our first meeting, after birth of Carolina. You know, I never asked “When will it happen? Let’s get married.” I think the man should come to this decision himself.

Ilya Kovalchuk: My mom and dad lived together for 30-35 years, and they had such a united family, that’s why they grew us in the same way. So I knew that if I was making such a step, I should do it only once in my life.

Ilya Kovalchuk: I have my family, I have my small world in Atlanta, because I try not to get scattered, and to pay as much time as possible to my family, wife and children.

Nicole thinks that the main thing for a hockey player’s wife is a skill to have patience and wait. But then the meetings are especially joyful.

At IIHF Worlds in Switzerland in the final game against Canada team Russia hardly scored to lead in the second period. To keep such a tiny lead during the rest of the game is almost unreal. Our team was exhausting in front of us. And only Kovalchuk hardly the ice. He literally brought team Russia to the first place on his mighty shoulders.

Lyubov Kovalchuk: And in the end there was his gesture, he showed, I said “you weren’t so happy this year as last time.” He said, “mom, I was flat-out.”

Ilya’s father didn’t see the beautiful victory of his son. In 2005 Valery Nikolaevich died from a painful disease. He wasn’t even 60. Ilya still hardly perceives his father’s death.

Lyubov Kovalchuk: When Ilya started to practice, his father started a diary. The famous phrase which is often quoted now, is written in the beginning of the diary, “Our goal is the national team.”

When his father died, Ilya offered to move his mother to Atlanta. But she refused categorically.

Lyubov Kovalchuk: Why don’t I want to live with him constantly? I must have my own life.

In this Tver hospital she works already for 30 years. She gets to work by tram at 8 a.m., though she could have the most expensive car. Patients do not have any idea that she is the mother of a millionaire and a Russian superstar from the NHL Ilya Kovalchuk. It is not accepted to brag about fortune at the Kovalchuk’s.

Photo: Ilya Kovalchuk by Goddess Kaatiya. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Ilya Kovalchuk on the red carpet at the 2008 All Star Weekend in Atlanta.

For Thrasher fans it’s the thing to do nowadays to pretend they never loved you. That they don’t have your jersey hanging in the back of their closet. That they didn’t pay to see YOU. That they didn’t want you anyway. That we’re better off without you.

I confess it is with a tiny bit of satisfaction that, despite your trade to what you called a “class organization,” you, my dear Kovalchuk, went out much like you would have with the Thrashers — except that with the Thrashers you probably wouldn’t have won that one playoff game.

That being said, I loved you Kovy. Part of me always will. Just like all the others who have come and gone: Hossa (a personal favorite of mine and the only Thrasher jersey this non-jersey wearing Goddess has ever donned), Marc Savard, Peter Bondra, Slava Kozlov (I could post forever about how much I love him and how he, along with the Red Wings’ Russian Five, are the ones who really solidified my love of hockey), and now you, Kovy.

To all the Thrashers I've loved before. Kozzy and Kovy at Casino Night 2009

And, please forgive my little grin. You don’t really deserve it, but I can’t help it.

Note: This post was written by a completely biased Thrasher fan who, deep in her heart, really wishes him back. No objectivity implied, striven for, or accomplished.

Photos: Ilya Kovalchuk; and Ilya Kovalchuk and Vyacheslav Kozlov by Goddess Kaatiya. Copyright 2009-2010. All Rights Reserved.

Intriguing article out of NY. Of course it’s out of New York — The Post — so maybe case open AND closed. Kovy, Kovy, Kovy

I am far too attached to Ilya Kovalchuk to be even remotely objective on the subject of the trade. I’ll just sum it up by saying the Thrashers break my heart into tiny pieces every year, just when I am glueing them back together again. This time, though, it was the Thrashers and “I want to stay in Atlanta” Ilya crushing what was left of my naive hockey-loving heart into tiny irreparable shards.