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Friday, June 22, 2001
Prospect profile: Ilya Kovalchuk




It's a bit surprising that Ilya Kovalchuk could be the first Russian ever to be picked No. 1, considering the NHL boasts the presence of Russian stars Pavel Bure, Sergei Fedorov and Alexei Yashin. Yashin was the second pick in 1992, but if all goes according to projections, the 6-foot-2 Kovalchuk will eclipse that high point.

As a 17-year old, Kovalchuk scored 28 goals in 40 games for Spartak in Russia's top professional league. Last April, he scored a hat trick and added an assist in a 6-2 win over Switzerland in the gold medal game of the under-18 world championships.

Kovalchuk skates extremely well for his size and has the ability to dominate a game. Unlike Yashin, another big and strong Russian forward, Kovalchuk possesses an identifiable mean streak. His 18th birthday may have been in April, but youth doesn't deter Kovalchuk from physical confrontation, regardless of an opponent's size or age.

In fact, some of Kovalchuk's physical and general on-ice behavior has led to questions about his viability as the No. 1 pick -- and as a future NHL star. Ultimately, his talent outweighs his reputation of being somewhat of a selfish player and hot head.

"Absolutely not," said Thrashers general manager Don Waddell when asked if he was worried about Kovalchuk in any way. "Sometimes, he comes across as a selfish player on the ice, and that's because of his determination.

"How people have viewed his selfishness is how he played. Once you meet him, he's a good kid."

The Thrashers have the No. 1 pick and Waddell says he's leaning toward keeping it, rather than trading it away. And the name Waddell has referred to the most in recent weeks when discussing the draft is Kovalchuk's.

"I truly believe he can (contribute in the NHL) because of his skill level," Waddell said. "He played on a team that wasn't a very good team, but they won a championship kind of on his back -- because of his skill level."

Brian A. Shactman covers the NHL for ESPN.com.
 More from ESPN...
Prospect profile: Jason Spezza

Prospect profile: Pascal Leclaire

Prospect profile: Dan Blackburn

Prospect profile: Mike Komisarek

Prospect profile: Stephen Weiss


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