NHL conference call - Ilya Kovalchuk

Atlanta Thrashers Left Wing Ilya Kovalchuk

Atlanta currently sits second in the Southeast Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference with 46 points on a record of 20-18-6. Earlier today, Ilya, the first overall selection in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft was named the National Hockey League's Offensive Player of the Week for this past week after he tallied eight goals and three assists for 11 points, as the Thrashers won three of four games during the week.

Currently on a career high and team record-tying five-game goal-scoring streak, Ilya leads all NHL goal-scorers with 32. On pace for 62, as he looks to win his second Maurice Richard Trophy as the League's leading goal scorer. On December 22, the 22-year-old native of Tver, Russia was named to the Russian National Team for the 2006 Winter Olympics to be held in Turin, Italy in February.

Again, we thank Ilya for taking the time to join us today and answer your questions.

Q. Can you first of all talk about last week and how well you've played and right now on a personal note what's going right for you?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: All of the team is playing real well right now. First of all, Kari Lehtonen is back. He's got a lot of confidence, he's playing real well and he's a great goalie. So with the new rules, it's all about the goalie and the special teams.

So our power play is playing well and our penalty killing gives us an unbelievable game every night. So we're playing well and we feel like we --our goal is to make the playoffs, so we think that -- we didn't catch it yet, we're still working and we still have to keep going, working hard and get the points.

Q. What kind of a change have you noticed, any drastic changes at all from the last time you played in the NHL to the game that you play this year?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: You've got more space. The defense can't hook you anymore, so they need to get good body position on you. If you're a good skater, it's easier for you to beat them now. It opens more for the forwards, so skill guys versus guys with good speed. So it's more fun game, more goals. It's unbelievable, if you lead 4-0, 3-0, the game is not over yet. I think the game is more exciting for fans.

Q. It seems like the last couple of weeks you're playing much better in comparison to late November, early December where the team was -- that Western road trip, didn't do very well. Seems like you're trying to do less on your own and you're playing better as a member of the team. Can you talk about that a little bit?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: I always try help my team to win games. That's why I feel that we've got a great atmosphere in the locker room right now. Whether you're in the game, you're in the practice facility or locker rooms, everybody is smiling. It's a great feeling.

Q. And you're only 18 goals away from scoring 50, have you thought about that? It seems like not too long ago, it might be impossible to score 50 goals again and you're not that far away from it.

ILYA KOVALCHUK: I don't want to think about it, because my goal is make the playoffs this year and I don't care how many goals I am going score in the NHL.

Q. Just want to go back to last week when you played the Penguins, you scored a power-play goal, and then Sidney Crosby is in the penalty box and you wagged your finger at him. What was the thinking behind that, just a little bit of fun?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: Yeah, hockey is an emotional game, that's what it's all about, it's nothing personal and he is a good hockey player. So it's nothing, you know, it's excitement, it's just emotion.

Q. And I know you didn't want to directly comment about 50 goals this season, but if you look around the League there are six or seven guys on pace for that this season, can you give us one specific reason why there's more guys this year that are on pace for 50?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: You've got more chances in the game right now, you've got more room, more space. All of the guys, (Carolina's Eric) Staal, (NY Rangers' Jaromir) Jagr are very skilled guys. So I think that it's easier for you to score right now. You've got more power plays, so I think that's why.

Q. When you were growing up, did you pay attention to the 50-goal mark of any player that tried to get that mark, did you look at that number and think what a special number that would be?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: No, I think when you score the 50, that it takes you to the next level, because every forward, when he starts playing, he wants to score 50, I know for sure.

Q. Thanks for taking the time to be with us. Can I ask you about playing with Marc Savard, it seems like that has been a nice fit since you've been put together on the same line. He's a pretty good set-up guy and he seems to find you all over the ice.

ILYA KOVALCHUK: Oh, yeah, he's looking for me all the time. He's a great partner, he's a great player. There's no bad thing about it. He's having a great season, he has 42 assists already. I think he's a big factor right now and he is one of the best centers in the League.

Q. Going back to what happened Friday night, I remember also in the World Juniors one year when you beat Canada, you had some fun there, too, with the empty-net goal. Is that something that you like to do, with the passion, and it's a sport where often guys are kind of shy, but because this game is trying to be sold in the States, are you going to continue to try to bring some excitement on the ice?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: I've always been excited. But I never felt before -- like bef ore the game or a week before if I am going to show off. It's all emotion, you know.

Q. To go back to the finger wag over at Crosby, it caused quite a stir up here in Canada. Don Cherry on 'Hockey Night in Canada' said "somebody should have gone over there and broken arm," saying you, for wagging your finger. Do you think guys like Cherry, like they just have to kind of lighten up and get into this new spirit of the game and excitement and your celebrations are actually good for the game?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: You know, I don't care what he says, he's one of the guys, you like to watch him on TV because he always says some stuff. It's a free country, you can say whatever you want. I don't know, hockey, it's a fun game and some media guys, they are pretty fun, too, so that's okay.

Q. Have you always been -- you've been criticized in the past for being too flamboyant about your goal celebrations, have you always since you were a kid been doing crazy stuff?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: No, I'm just an excited guy, I'm always excited about my goals, and I don't care how many, if it's one for it's 41st, it's always exciting. That's why I'm playing hockey, to score goals to win the games.

Q. Looking forward to the Olympics a little bit, I know you played well in the World Cup a couple of years ago, that was for (Zinetula) Bilyaletdinov and then you played for (Vladimir) Krikunov last year at the World Championship, can you talk about your enthusiasm for playing for Krikunov and talk about the differences in coaching style?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: You know, it's always unbelievable to play for your country. It was my dream growing up and when I started playing hockey, it was my goal to play for the Russian National Team, especially in the Olympic Games because it's only one time in four years. It's great, I think we've got really good goaltending and our team is going to be very tough to beat. So it's going to be an exciting tournament.

I'm just a player, you know, I don't care who is the coach, so if he's going to trust me and put me on the ice, I'm going to try my best.

Q. How has becoming a father changed you, and what impact did that have on your life?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: It's unbelievable. The kids, it's our future, and so I'm very excited. When you wake up and see your little daughter, always exciting, always smiling, so it's a great feeling.

Q. Regarding the Sidney Crosby incident, I'm wondering whether you talked to any of the Russian players, it seems like with the NHL today that you and Alexander Ovechkin are among the most charismatic guys, do you think that's important to help them sell the game? I'm wondering because the controversy surrounding what happened with Sidney, do you not think the NHL needs more of that kind of drama to help sell tickets in a lot of places?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: Oh, I don't know, I think that this year with hockey, it's very exciting and I think it's great to watch. Almost every building is sold out every night. I don't know, we just should play our best, try our best.

Q. You should be able to react if you're passionate, right? That's part of what makes you fun to much watch, your passion?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: I'm a very passionate player and I got excited and got a reaction.

Q. How high do you think you can go in the standings, do you want to be in the top four seeds?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: Our goal is the division title. So that gives you automatically third place, so to beat Carolina, that's our goal.

Q. Do you think it's realistic? They are, what, 12 points ahead of you?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: Oh, yeah, it's like, what, 39, 38 games left, so I think we're playing really well right now. And especially with our goalie, Kari Lehtonen, he's unbelievable, one of the best goalies in the NHL. I think that's our goal and we should be working hard to try our best.

Q. And how important would it be for you to win the Rocket Richard Trophy?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: I think the most important for me is to be in the playoffs. I don't think about winning any trophies right now. It's not a big deal for me.

Q. Just to follow up on the playoffs, when you grew up in Russia, how much did you know about the Stanley Cup and how badly -- what does it mean to a Russian player like yourself to maybe one day have a chance to win it?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: The first time I saw the NHL on TV in Russia was Vancouver and the Rangers, the '94 series. I was a big fan of Pavel Bure, so I watched all seven games, it was unbelievable. After that, I started to really follow the NHL because when I start playing there, I didn't hear anything about the NHL. I never thought I'm going to play here.

Q. What's it like to have Pavel Bure as your general manager for the Russian Olympic team?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: He's a really good guy. I have a really good relationship with him. He's always friendly, he's known a lot of guys from the NHL. I think he'll pick the right guys and he will bring a great atmosphere in the locker room.

Q. When you won the Rocket Richard Trophy a year ago, one of the three who tied for the League lead, how the great Rocket Richard was as a young player, with the fans and the young kids and how he really paid a lot of attention and signed autographs and did whatever was needed; and Bob Hartley mentioned the same thing about you. I was wondering where that enthusiasm comes from, do you feel an obligation to the younger kids to try to generate their enthusiasm for hockey?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: That's our future, and I love kids, because when I was really young when I started playing and (veteran) guys came in the locker room and shake your hand or signed an autograph for you, it's an unbelievable feeling. For me it's not a big deal to sign the cards, but for them, it's maybe something special. I don't know, that's why I'm doing it.

Q. I mentioned Hartley there in the question, you really seem to have done very, very well playing for Bob Hartley, and I was wondering how that works out between the two of you, is he like a father figure to you and somebody whose opinions you really respect?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: Yeah, he's really tough on me every night. He really teaches me how to play defensively because that was my weakness. I think I started playing better, I'm minus three right now, so my goal is to be a plus player, too. He's a great guy, great, and not just in the locker room, he's always helping me. If I have any questions, he's taking care of me all the time.

Q. I know you were saying that -- and I believe you, about not caring so much about 50 goals or anything like that, but right now you're on a pace to for 60, and the only two Russians to have done that in the NHL are Bure and Alexander Mogilny, how would it feel if you were to do that and be in the same category as those two guys?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: Well, it's going to be great, but the most important thing for me, you know what it is, right.

Q. That's the playoffs?

ILYA KOVALCHUK: Yeah. So it's going to be great, but nothing better than playoffs.