Alex Kovalev is still full of talent, can still make D-men and goalies look stupid, all without really trying too hard. Little wonder then that he was referred to as "l'Artiste" during his days in Montreal.



Kovie came to Ottawa two years ago, not very enthusiastically, I believe. Montréal had refused his numbers, there was an ongoing feud between Bob Gainey and him, and Kovie's family was well established in Montréal. Taking Ottawa's offer was a no-brainer: they gave him his dollars, and being a mere 200km from Montreal was an easy commute for the family, and must've really stuck in Gainey's craw.

AK-27 hasn't been a luminary i Ottawa. He's had his usual flasehs of brilliance, but not enough to keep him around. We've seen of late that Kovie still has some magic. He has 4 goals and 3 assists in his last five games, and was the architect of the wins against the Oilers that got the Sens out of their slump. It's no coincidence.

Kovalev is a talent when he puts his mind to it. And that may be of interest to teams heading to the post-season. I know it's been said elsewhere, but Kovalev is the type of talent that can match Sidney Crosby on a line. They are both inventove enough and precise enough to befuddle most defensive pairings. With Evgeni Malkin out of the season for good, there's a slot open for Kovie.

But Kovalev better wake up. This is no long-term sweet deal. Malkin has a much better work ethic, and Kovie would be nothing but a rental player. His value going forward will depend entirely if he can show what he's got deep into the playoffs. Otherwise, the mighty AK-27 may have to sell himself at a discount or head back home to the KHL to get the type of dollars he might be looking for.