Sports commentator and television host Dmitry Guberniev weighed in on Ilya Kovalchuk’s return to Spartak Moscow as a player. His remarks were cited by Sports Express.
Guberniev stressed there is no room for surprise when it comes to Kovalchuk. He noted that the longtime forward keeps himself in peak physical condition and remains a remarkable athlete described as a player blessed with exceptional talent. The host expressed confidence that the move is not merely a public relations stunt but a genuine, strategic addition to Spartak’s roster. “I follow him, I admire him, and I wish him success. He will prove himself again. Forty years old is not old,” said Guberniev.
Kovalchuk will wear jersey number 71 as he reappears for Spartak.
<pHistorically, the forward began his Spartak career from 1999 to 2001, and with the team he helped secure the national Major League title. In 2021, he claimed the Gagarin Cup three times as part of Avangard Omsk, after which he paused his professional play. There has been no formal announcement of retirement from Kovalchuk at this time.
In the National Hockey League, Kovalchuk spent time with franchises in Atlanta, New Jersey, Washington, and Montreal, highlighting a career that spanned multiple leagues and countries. The prevailing sentiment around his return is colored by a broader conversation about the presence of Russian players in the NHL and the role they continue to play in top-tier hockey.
Earlier, veteran coach or administrator Fetisov had remarked that the moment had arrived for a Russian hockey player to re-emerge in the NHL, underscoring ongoing discussions about the balance between domestic league excellence and the allure of international competition. This context frames Kovalchuk’s comeback as part of a long-running narrative about national talent contributing across leagues and continents, and it remains to be seen how his latest chapter with Spartak Moscow will unfold for both the club and the player’s enduring legacy.