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Ilya Kovalchuk left North America and the NHL at the end of the 2019-20 season, and since then, it appears his regard for the law has left him as well.
Back in the 2001 NHL Draft, Ilya Kovalchuk was drafted No. 1 overall by the Atlanta Thrashers, and while his career saw plenty of drama and controversy follow him, he would end up playing in 926 games, tallying a solid 876 points in what would end up being a fantastic NHL career.
After the 2019-20 campaign however, he would return to Russia and the KHL, playing in two seasons between 2020 and 2024, but now, the 42-year-old has seemingly hung up his skates for good.
According to reports, Kovalchuk has had almost 200 traffic infractions over the last year-and-a-half including 115 fines for speeding, illegally parking 24 times and 46 times ignoring the road rules and not complying with the requirements of signs.
That is an absolutely ridiculous amount, and it's unclear exactly why he simply refuses to follow the road rules, but what's even more ridiculous is the fact that he is currently still even allowed to get behind a wheel.
It's also unclear exactly how much those infractions have cost him of the money he's earned in the NHL and the KHL throughout his hockey career.
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TODAY'S BEST
Two Teams Linked to a Trade with Bruins for Pavel Zacha
The Boston Bruins are gauging trade interest in forward Pavel Zacha, according to The Fourth Period. Following a down season and a trade deadline where Zacha’s name was thrown around but was ultimately not moved, Bruins GM Don Sweeney is trying to move the 27-year-old Czech center. Zacha is playing in the final season of a contract that has a $4.75 million cap hit. Zacha, acquired from the New Jersey Devils in 2022 for Erik Haula, has been a solid pickup for Boston. He posted 21 goals and 57 points in 78 games in 2023-24, though his production dipped slightly to 47 points over a full 82-game slate last season. He can play up and down the lineup and has a strong two-way game. Who Has Shown Interest in a Zacha Trade? Two teams reportedly monitoring Zacha are the Vancouver Canucks and the Utah Hockey Club. Both teams are seeking top-six forward depth and would value Zacha’s steady offensive contributions. The Canucks have been busy all summer, signing and trading players. They have also been linked to Jack Roslovic talks in free agency, meaning they wouldn’t be adding both. Utah has been looking to make a splash this season and work their way up the standings in an attempt to compete for the playoffs. The Bruins would likely demand a notable return, but neither team is looking to send players back. The trade would likely involve a high pick or a mid-tier prospect. Zacha controls part of the process with an eight-team no-trade list. He’s owed just $3.75 million in actual salary each of the next two seasons, further boosting his trade appeal.
Aaron Boone Makes Feelings Clear After Yankees’ Big Trade
The New York Yankees didn't come into the season with the strongest third base situation, and it only got worse over time. They converted traditional second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the hot corner after getting him at the Trade Deadline last season and installed a timeshare with him, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera there in 2025. However, the latter player broke his ankle on May 12, and the Yankees released the now 37-year-old LeMahieu on July 10. Chisholm was primarily back at second at that point, so this left Peraza and Jorbit Vivas as their only true remaining third basemen. With Peraza hitting .147 and Vivas hitting .164, it was clear what the team's biggest need was. That's why it acquired veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. New York manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts about the 30-year-old before Friday's bout with the Philadelphia Phillies, via SNY. "I know there's real offensive potential there. I know he's had real offensive success, as well as some struggles there over the last calendar year or two," he said. "It seems like over the last month he's really started swinging the bat like he's capable of. He can impact the ball, he can control the strike zone, he's had some swing-and-misses that have probably hurt him a little bit." "But then he can really defend over there," he continued. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there.' He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing." McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 homers and 35 RBI over 100 games this season. He also has a .978 fielding percentage and six errors. Right-handed pitcher Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) will start for the Yankees against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-5, 3.75 ERA) on Friday.
Why as many as 100 NFL players are facing fines and potential suspension
There is not a bigger sporting event in North America than the Super Bowl, and tickets are only getting more expensive every year. There is also a ridiculous secondary market for tickets where seats sell for well above the original face value. It is usually fans or ticket resellers going for a quick profit. But as was reported on Friday, sometimes it can be players in the NFL looking to make a profit. According to multiple reports, including the Associated Press and ESPN, more than 100 players are facing fines and potential suspensions for selling their allotment of tickets to this year's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for above face value. Players are reportedly facing fines of one-and-a-half times the face value they originally paid for the tickets, while they are also prevented from purchasing tickets to the Super Bowl for the next seasons. The Associated Press obtained a memo from the NFL detailing the violation and investigation. That memo was as follows: “Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.” If players are not willing to pay the fine, they could be facing suspension from the league. It seems unlikely that any of the players — none of whom have been named, or their teams — would refuse to pay such a fine. It's also one of those moments where you can say, professional athletes — they're still normal people trying to make a quick buck. The most logical answer here is perhaps some of the players caught up in this are younger players who have not yet struck it rich on a big contract or perhaps even practice squad players who are not making top dollar.
Astros Star Pitching Prospect Named Top Trade Chip Ahead of Deadline
After coming off a brutal loss to the Athletics, the Houston Astros have seen their edge in the American League West start to shrink. It has been a fantastic season so far for the Astros, but with the competition in the AL West getting tougher, Houston must think about making some upgrades before the trade deadline. The recent deal that sent Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners was a clear signal they are looking to improve and make a run at the Astros in the division. The Mariners are a very good team that needed offensive help, and that is starting to come. More News: Astros Place Another Starting Pitcher on IL With Concerning Injury Houston likely will try to be aggressive to make some improvements as well. When looking at the roster, they could use a left-handed bat to help the offense, along with a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher. Depending on how aggressive the team will try to get, it could cost them some of their best prospects. Fortunately, their farm system has coveted pieces, with one prospect standing out as a potential trade option. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com recently wrote about the best trade chip for the Astros being right-handed pitching prospect Miguel Ullola. “The 23-year-old possesses a strong fastball and a solid slider, projecting as a mid-rotation starter. Houston is looking for a left-handed bat and suddenly has an opening at third base following Isaac Paredes’ recent injury.” More News: Astros Should Target Ryan O'Hearn Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline Even though Houston knows there is no such thing as too much starting pitching, Ullola is a great trade chip after the 23-year-old has posted a 3.50 ERA across 69.1 innings pitched in Triple-A. With an elite strikeout per nine rate of 11.6, there is a lot to like about the potential of Ullola going forward. As arguably the best trade chip the Astros have, they wouldn’t move him, more than likely, for just a rental player. The right-hander would be far too valuable to give up for a player for just a couple of months. More News: Astros Must Improve Offense Following Mariners Acquisition of Josh Naylor Due to the injuries to Isaac Paredes and Yordan Alvarez, help in the lineup seems like it would be the most pressing area for them to try to upgrade. This is a unit that hasn’t been great for most of the year, but a lot of that is because of the injury to their star slugger. If it is Ullola who is dealt at the trade deadline, that would mean more than likely an impact player is coming back in return. For more Astros news, head over to Astros On SI.
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