When the reigning champion, SKA, made its exit from the playoffs, it heralded the departure of one of the brightest stars to have graced the League, and this he did for six of its ten seasons. Less than a week before his 35th birthday, two-time Gagarin Cup winner Ilya Kovalchuk announced that he was heading back to North America to re-ignite his NHL career. In addition to wishing him all the best, KHL. ru decided to take a look back at the formidable forward's achievements during his time back in his home country.