The Hockey Herald

via AJC:

We all expect Ilya Kovalchuk to leave when his contract expires after the 2010 season, but there’s no need for Don Waddell to wait. The general manager should clear the air that befogs his last-place team. He should trade Kovalchuk now.

Kovalchuk has flashed past the point of diminishing returns. He has averaged 42 goals over his first six seasons; he’s on pace to score 24. He has averaged 3.7 shots per game over those six seasons; he’s averaging 2.8 shots now. He’s playing like a man who wants to be elsewhere.

Can we blame him for that? Not really. The Thrashers have been awful for most of their existence, and Kovalchuk has been a Thrasher since 2001. Esteemed colleague Mike Knobler wrote an eye-opening story two weeks ago, posing the question: Why isn’t Kovalchuk team captain? And the man himself seemed to provide the answer in a quote: “I’m not here to be the franchise’s face or anything.”

Related posts:

1. Kovalchuk named captain – unlikely to move?
2. Hossa not only Thrasher hearing trade rumors
3. Kovalchuk calls for changes in offseason
4. Ilya Kovalchuk to the Leafs?
5. Devils trade Oduya, Bergfors, Cormier & a 1st to Thrashers for Ilya Kovalchuk and Anssi Salmela