‘He (Kovalchuk) was always clear to us that he didn’t want to leave home’Published Jul 01, 2025Last updated 5 hours ago7 minute readMontreal Canadiens left wing Ilya Kovalchuk takes part in the pregame skate during NHL action against the Winnipeg Jets in Montreal on Jan. 6, 2020. Photo by Allen McInnis /Montreal GazetteArticle contentHe’s coming. He’s not coming.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentNo, I was talking to a guy whose sister dates one of the players and he tells me he’s definitely coming.Article contentArticle contentNot a chance, I heard from a guy at Smooth Herman’s, who heard it from his barber, and there’s no way he’s coming to Sydney.Article contentHypothetical, yes. But those were not far off from the extent of conversations some 25 years ago amongst then Cape Breton Screaming Eagles fans after the team elected to draft Russian star Ilya Kovalchuk at the 2000 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.Article contentArticle contentWhen all was said and done, Kovalchuk never did don the jersey of the Screaming Eagles, but it didn’t stop the drama from occurring around the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League team and his selection.Article contentWhy didn’t he report?Article contentMAKE A SPLASHArticle contentThe story begins on July 4, 2000, with the Screaming Eagles participating in only the franchise’s fourth CHL Import Draft following the club’s move to Sydney in 1997 from Granby, Que.Article contentCape Breton was scheduled to be the fourth QMJHL team to make its selection at the Import Draft behind the Val-d’Or Foreurs, who took Ivan Huml first overall, and the Hull Olympiques who claimed Vladimir Artyushin fourth overall and future NHLer Ales Hemsky seventh overall.Article contentWith the Eagles on the clock with the No. 10 overall pick, general manager Gaetan Larue wanted to make a splash in the draft, seeking a top line winger for the 2000-01 season, adding to what the Eagles expected to be a potent offence.Article contentArticle contentLarue decided to go with Kovalchuk with the hopes the highly touted NHL prospect at the time would make his way to Canada and the Eagles organization.Article contentArticle contentWas he ever wrong.Article contentTwo days after the import draft concluded, the drama began to unfold between the Eagles organization and Kovalchuk, which lasted well into the 2000-01 campaign.Article contentKovalchuk’s agent at the time, Scott Greenspun of the New York-based Impact Sports Management International Ltd., went on the record with the Cape Breton Post, telling the publication that the 17-year-old Kovalchuk would not be reporting to the Eagles.Article contentIn fact, Greenspun made it clear that he told “probably 20 teams” before the draft that Kovalchuk was under contract with Moscow Spartak for the 2000-01 season and that he preferred to play in his home country.Article content Ilya Kovalchuk of Russia reacts after not scoring in the shootout against Jonathan Quick of the USA in the men’s hockey preliminary round held at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, Feb. 15, 2014. Photo by Jean Levac /Ottawa Citizen/Postmedia NewsArticle content‘IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CAPE BRETON’Article content“It has nothing to do with Cape Breton,” said Greenspun in the Post interview. “He (Kovalchuk) was always clear to us that he didn’t want to leave home and that he was going to play at least one more year in Russia.”Article contentDespite the public statement by the agent, Larue remained optimistic that Kovalchuk would join the Eagles that season.Article content“I took Kovalchuk because I’m confident I’ll be able to get him to come to Cape Breton,” Larue told the Post. “It’s not an easy job, but I’m sure I have a chance. (Greenspun) said that, but the negotiations are not finished.”Article contentAt the time, there was much speculation that Greenspun’s comments may have been a negotiating ploy to work out a more lucrative deal for his client.Article contentIt was rumoured, at the time, that in the past some teams ignored the long-standing CHL rules and paid more than $100,000 to lure talented Europeans to their clubs.Article contentThe rule in those days was a team could pay no more than $2,000 per season for the player and that money was to go to the hockey federation of the player’s home country. A team caught violating the rule would lose the player, one of its two European roster spots, and face a fine of $25,000 or equal to the amount paid to the player, whichever was greater.Article contentArticle contentIf the player had knowledge of the violation, they would be banned from the CHL. If not, the player would be waived and available to any other team with room for a European player.Article contentRegardless of the rule, the then young Eagles franchise couldn’t afford to shell out the big dollars to lure a player anyway, which left many wondering if Greenspun was being true to his comment.Article content‘HE’S A 17-YEAR-OLD KID’Article contentGreenspun reacted to the speculation.Article content“It’s not my stand,” he said. “It’s not the agent posturing, or me telling the kid he shouldn’t go. He’s a 17-year-old kid. He wants to play at home at least another year. It’s not anything more complicated than that. His family is close by and he’s playing with teammates he’s played with for a while. It’s not a statement against the Canadian Hockey League, it’s a preference for someone who is 17-years-old.”Article contentArticle contentLarue fired back.Article content“The agent can say anything he wants. It’s part of the negotiation,” said Larue. “When I was in Europe in April I made some contacts there. I can’t tell the whole story right now, but I’m confident he’ll come to Cape Breton.”Article contentMore than a month would pass before the start of the Eagles training camp on Aug. 17, 2000. As the date approached, the Kovalchuk discussion once again became the centre of attention around the club.Article contentWhile the Eagles’ fan base certainly had their opinion but given the club’s history of negotiations involving European players, fans really didn’t know what to think about the situation.Article contentIn 1998, Cape Breton drafted Czechia defenceman Tomas Kloucek with the No. 12 overall pick at the CHL Import Draft. His agent said he would never report to Cape Breton, but he eventually did.Article contentAs training camp began, the Eagles organization wanted to separate itself from the Kovalchuk drama and focus more on what was in front of them and that was the new season.Article content“I’ve talked to the agent and, at this time, he won’t be coming,” said Larue.Article content Los Angeles Kings forward Ilya Kovalchuk, centre, celebrates his goal against the Winnipeg Jets in Winnipeg with teammates, from left, Derek Forbert, Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar on Oct. 9, 2018. Photo by Kevin King /Winnipeg SunArticle contentWOULDN’T SHOW AFTER WORLD JUNIORSArticle contentInstead of admitting the selection of Kovalchuk was wrong, the Eagles tried another way to keep fans optimistic about the forward potentially reporting to Sydney, saying he may join the team after the 2001 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in early January of that season.Article contentWhy?Article contentThe thought process at the time was Kovalchuk would benefit from joining the Eagles after the international tournament because the season in Russia usually ended in February and he wanted to get as much exposure as possible ahead of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.Article contentFlashforward five months later, Kovalchuk wouldn’t make his way to Cape Breton. He would finish the season in Russia, posting 25 goals and 43 points in 39 regular season games with the club.Article contentArticle contentIn June 2001, Kovalchuk was drafted first overall by the former Atlanta Thrashers – now known as the Winnipeg Jets following their departure from Atlanta in 2011.Article contentThe next season, Kovalchuk made the jump to the NHL, recording 29 goals and 51 points in 65 games with Atlanta during his rookie campaign in 2001-02, ending the hopes of him ever playing in Cape Breton.Article contentSo, what happened?Article contentIt’s simple. The Eagles decision markers didn’t do their homework on Kovalchuk. He was a backup plan. He was never coming to Canada to play junior hockey. When he didn’t report, the team tried to cover up their lack of preparation by putting blame elsewhere until they couldn’t any longer.Article contentThe fact of the matter is that anytime a team picks a European player in the CHL Import Draft there’s a risk involved. There’s a risk involved in drafting any player.Article contentIn Kovalchuk’s case, a few questions to the right people may have helped the Eagles avoid the situation. Looking back, it was chalked up to be a live-and-learn moment for the organization.Article contentArticle contentPLAN RUINED BY CATARACTESArticle contentWhile the Eagles weren’t prepared with the Kovalchuk selection, they did have a plan they thought would become reality for the 2000 CHL Import Draft.Article contentCape Breton originally planned on drafting Russian forward Vladimir Artyushin at the event. In fact, the club had confirmation that he would report if the Eagles were to select him. Artyushin agent at the time was Sasha Tyjnych.Article contentIt was the Shawinigan Cataractes who threw a wrench in the Eagles plans. They acquired the fourth overall pick from the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and later flipped the selection to Hull who drafted Artyushin with the pick, ultimately ruining Cape Breton’s plan.Article contentOddly enough, Artyushin played 14 games with Hull before being dealt to the Eagles mid-season. He would play 25 games with Cape Breton in 2000-01, posting two goals and nine points. He also had a goal in six playoff games.Article contentThe Eagles later moved on from Artyushin and he was put back into the 2001 CHL Import Draft and selected by the Western Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades, where he played five games in 2001-02 and later returned to Russia.Article contentAs for Kovalchuk, he did just fine by not reporting to Cape Breton. He went on to play 13 seasons in the NHL between Atlanta, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Montreal and Washington, notching 443 goals and 876 points in 926 regular season games.Article contentWhile he never won a Stanley Cup, he found success on the international level, representing Russia at the Olympic Games as well as other events. He’s also a three-time Kontinental Hockey League champion.Article content As part of an April Fools prank in 2014, the Cape Breton Eagles announced they would be retiring Ilya Kovalchuk’s No. 71, despite the Russian never playing a game for the Eagles organization. This graphic was posted on the Eagles social media pages by the team as part of the joke. Photo by ContributedArticle contentKovalchuk may not have played for the team, but it didn’t stop the Eagles organization from making light of the situation years later.Article contentOn April 1, 2014, the team announced it would be retiring Kovalchuk’s No. 71 during the 2014-15 season. The April Fools prank was published on the Eagles’ social media pages. The No. 71 remains open to future Cape Breton players.Article content
JEREMY FRASER: Reliving the Cape Breton Eagles, Ilya Kovalchuk import draft drama 25 years later
