Last year Ilya Kolvalchuk was rumored to want to come back to the NHL. Two main factors that kept him back were the fact that he wasn't a UFA but the devils owned his rights and that he wanted to go to the Olympics. So he decided to stay in the KHL at least for this season. This offseason Kovalchuk will become a UFA in the NHL and can sign with any team he wants. Will he sign in the NHL, and with which team?

No, i don't think he will. There are rumours of him returning to the NHL every year, and he never does.

Its different next year because he can sign with anyteam he wants and doesnt need all NHL gms to sign off on it

Does he real have any value as a NHLer any more? Take a look at the top scorers in the KHL, many are former iff NHLers. The NHL just might be took much work for him now.

Kovalchuk has flat-out dominated that league for some time. If he wanted to come back, there would definitely be teams wanting to give him a shot.

still though, when you look at his history, people make so many reasons why he'll sign in the NHL each year, so i think he stays in the KHL once again.

Radulov seems to be doing okay in the NHL.

yeah, but Radulov is 3 years younger than Kovalchuk, which is significant when you're a hockey player in your 30s.

it's entirely possible that Kovalchuk doesn't make a real impact if he comes back to the NHL because his skating may not be up to speed (pun probably intended). older players that can't keep up with the young kids have been slowly phased out of this league.