CSKA Moscow of the KHL announced today that former Colorado Avalanche forward Nikolai Kovalenko has signed a two-year contract with the club. Kovalenko, 25, returns to the KHL after spending two seasons on North American ice.
Before his North American debut, Kovalenko played three seasons in the KHL with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod and Ak Bars Kazan. In 127 games, he scored 37 goals and 103 points. He’ll join a Moscow roster with players like Detroit Red Wings prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov.
Kovalenko’s Time with the Avalanche
Selected 171st overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, Kovalenko made his NHL debut in the 2024 playoffs. In his first 28 games this season, the Russian forward played an average of 12 minutes a game, scoring just four goals and four assists along the way. Kovalenko, originally slated to shore up the Avalanche’s bottom-six, did not bring the scoring touch he had in the KHL.
Kovalenko did, however, manage a substantially above-average giveaway to takeaway ratio, with just six giveaways and 16 takeaways, respectively. His defensive metrics, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired, forcing him further and further down the lineup as his scoring struggles continued.
Kovalenko later became a key piece in the Mackenzie Blackwood trade, going to the San Jose Sharks along with Alexandar Georgiev, a 2025 fifth round pick and a 2026 second round pick.
Kovalenko’s Time with the Sharks
After leaving the Avalanche, Kovalenko spent the rest of the season in San Jose. In 29 games, he managed just three goals and nine assists for 12 points with the club. Additionally, Kovalenko found himself a healthy scratch in several games throughout the season. These frustrations, coupled with a lack of playing time, likely led to his decision to return to the KHL.
Still, at just 25 years of age, a return to the NHL is certainly possible. Teams are always on the hunt for depth. A lot can change in two years, and a return to the NHL could always be possible for Kovalenko.
Avalanche Look for Bottom-Six Scoring
Last season didn’t end as planned for the Avalanche, who were defeated in seven games by the Dallas Stars in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. âIt wasnât about the officiating at all. We just didnât get it done,â Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said in his postseason press conference. âWe had three third-period leads, with 12 minutes to go and some crucial times where we had to come through, whether it was on special teams or whatever, to step on their throat early in the series and we didnât do it.â
This offseason, the Avalanche kept their cards close to the chest. Rather than hunt big name free agents, they chose to sign 40-year-old Brent Burns to a one-year deal and forward Parker Kelly to a four-year contract.
Still, the loss of Jonathan Drouin, who contributed 37 points in 43 games last season, suggests a replacement should be in order. The free agency pool, unfortunately, is not as replete with talent as it was two weeks ago. General manager Chris MacFarland will need to get creative in order to bolster the Avalanche’s depth scoring.
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