Sharks general manager Mike Grier acquired Nikolai Kovalenko from the Colorado Avalanche in the Mackenzie Blackwood trade. Since he was acquired, Kovalenko has done nothing but impress with his play. He’s been aggressive and has brought an offensive element to his game that not many people knew he had. The main pieces of the trade with Colorado were the two goaltenders, Blackwood and Alexandar Georgiev. Because of this, Kovalenko’s name sort of flew under the radar.
However, as mentioned, he has provided the Sharks with surprisingly strong play, particularly in the top six. We also know of the opportunities that are present on this team in terms of long-term plans. The biggest question that lies ahead for Kovalenko is: why can’t he be a key member of the core moving forward?
Kovalenko Making Most of Opportunity
Kovalenko’s first game in Teal was against the Carolina Hurricanes. The team lost 3-2 and Kovalenko played just nine minutes and wasn’t on the stat sheet. After that, he was elevated to a line with Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli and took off. He’s registered five points in the three games since the elevation. He’s yet to record a goal with the Sharks but is showcasing his quick hands and offensive instincts required to play with two of the team’s best players.
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Additionally, Kovalenko has seen time on the second power-play unit. He could soon play his way onto the top-line and get an even bigger chance to shine.
What Exactly is Working Well?
In his short time with Celebrini and Toffoli, Kovalenko has shown everything necessary to play with players of that calibre. He has the skating ability to keep up, as he is often one of the first players on pucks in the offensive zone. As mentioned, he has the playmaking instincts and ability to generate chances and take the pressure off Celebrini to be a do-it-all centre. Toffoli’s bread and butter is his shot and having multiple options to get him the puck in a shooting area has only elevated the play of everyone on the line.
For the time being, Kovalenko has earned the chance to continue on the team’s top six. However, one can only wonder if Kovalenko can work to this level with other players or if Celebrini is contributing a large part to Kovalenko’s success. This is important to consider for two reasons.
Most notably, it is a small sample size. Kovalenko only has five games as a Shark under his belt and just 32 in his career. He isn’t a long-time veteran with hundreds of games of experience, so there isn’t a proven track record to pull from. The other factor to consider in Kovalenko’s hot start is that all of his points have come while playing with Celebrini and Toffoli. In his first game against Carolina, Kovalenko played just 9:23 and wasn’t much of a factor. Now, admittedly, this could be because of the adjustment to a new club. We need to see a larger sample size of him not with his two current linemates.
Factoring Kovalenko Into San Jose’s Long-Term Plans
This is Kovalenko’s final year of a two-year contract that the Avalanche signed him to. Barring a real lapse in play, Grier will likely re-sign Kovalenko to a contract in the off-season. Since he will be a restricted free agent, the deal will likely be shorter to give Kovalenko an opportunity for a contract as an unrestricted free agent.
The sample size of Kovalenko’s game is quite small but to this point, he has the potential to be an important piece for the Sharks. He joins a list of players in San Jose’s system fighting for a long-term roster spot, but his play thus far has given him the edge over some of these players.
Main Photo: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
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