Alexei Kovalev - Russian hockey player and NHL star

Alexei Kovalev is a hockey player who, for his brilliant career, managed to get many honorable awards and become a star of the National Hockey League. He - a famous hockey player, at the beginning of his career serving for the USSR and Russia in the hockey club "Dynamo". Alexey is the right forward. Kovalev has two nicknames: Covey and AK-27.

Dream

Kovalev Alexey Vyacheslavovich was born in 1973, on the 24th of February. He himself comes from Togliatti, Kuibyshev region.

A brilliant career could not have started, after all, when he was a child, he had heart problems. Doctors urged him to stop training, but in spite of this he continued to do what he liked. The disease receded over time. His father dreamed that Alexei became a hockey player, and from childhood he began to bring him to the ice.

Often I had to train at night, since the Palace of Sports, in which they then played, was busy until the night. At the same time Alexey studied at the general and hockey school. Soon he began to show amazing results and held leadership positions in the team. First in the Sports School he acted as a defender, but then the coaches decided to try him as an attacker.

His outstanding data was first noticed by the trainers of "Lada", and then Kovalev was invited to "Dynamo". His coach was then Vladimir Yurzinov. "Dynamo" has become a kind of launching pad in his career as a hockey player.

Dynamo player

At the age of 16 Alexei Kovalev moved to Moscow, and in 17 he became a game of HC "Dynamo". In this club he played three years. In 1992, the club won two significant victories - in the championship and at the Olympics. In the same year was his personal victory - he was the first hockey player in Russia, which was selected in the first prestigious NHL draft pick. For the time that he was a player of Dynamo, Alexei twice became the champion of the USSR, and also won the Olympics and the World Youth Championship.

Traveling across the ocean

He was offered to play in the NHL in the hockey team of the New York Rangers just at the time when the country was in a difficult situation - in 1991. Alexei Kovalev accepted the offer and signed a contract.

Two years later his surname, along with the names of several other Russian hockey players, appeared on the Stanley Cup. Then the confrontation between the two teams, the Rangers and Vancouver, became one of the most beautiful in the history of the National Hockey League. Being in the strongest League of the world, he was able to win the coveted trophy Alexei Kovalev. A photo depicting a frame from his brilliant hockey past is placed below.

Career

In 1998, there were changes: he began to speak in the "Pittsburgh". After a series of failures, Kovalev again began to carry. He plays irreproachably and conquers time and again victories. Kovalyov can not again win the Stanley Cup, but despite this, that period can be described as one of the most successful in his career.

In the season 2002/2003. He again returns to the Rangers, only now everything was developing not as well as before.

A year later Kovalev gets to Montreal and plays there for five years. He played several outstanding seasons and during that time fell in love with the Canadian audience. In the series of victories are the World Cup-2004, the Olympic Turin.

Because of disagreements with the coach, he has to leave the club, and Kovalev signs a contract with Ottawa for two years, but the performance for this team could not be called successful. Although it was in those days he scored 1000th point in the NHL (before him it was able to make only two Russian hockey players). Then again was the return to Pittsburgh.

Finally, after two decades, the hockey player returns back to his homeland - to Russia. Now he began to perform in the KHL. In 2011 he signs a contract with Atlanta. Season Kovalev started well, but the injury did not allow him to continue working with this club. While he was recovering, another hockey player was taken in his place.

Later, Kovalev played for some time for the "Florida", but was soon withdrawn from the squad. After playing in the Swiss "Visp".

During the lock-outs in 1994 he played for Lada, and in 2004/2005 - for AkBars.

Foreign HC: Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens.

Russian HC: Togliatti "Lada", Kazan "AkBars", Moscow "Atlant", Moscow "Dynamo".

Golf

In addition to hockey, now Kovalev decided to tackle and golf. This is not surprising, golf is the fun of most North American hockey players. But he has a special attitude to this sport - he perceives it not just as a kind of rest, but as a serious occupation. Kovalev participated in tournaments, including charities. And in this sport he achieved certain victories - he took the fourth place in the Russian Championship.

Hobbies

It is not alien to him to engage in creativity. At one time Alexei got carried away playing the saxophone. He took lessons from the jazz musician Igor Butman. He also played episodic roles, for example, in the movie "Brother-2", and another documentary was shot about him.

Another hobby is the plane. At first he simply loved to fly on an airplane and feel this sense of freedom ... And then Kovalev himself became a pilot, having received the necessary certificate. Alexei purchased the aircraft, and now he could manage it himself. On his plane there is an inscription that probably best describes this active and purposeful person: "Life is given to man in order to live."

Among his hobbies are also tennis, diving, taekwondo.

Charity

Alexey is engaged in charity. Its foundation helps children with heart disease - they are sent to the US in order to make an operation if necessary. He founded this fund together with another hockey player - Sergey Nemchinov and his wife.

Awards and achievements

• 1990 and 1991 - the champion of the USSR.
• 1992 - Olympic champion.
• 1992 - Honored Master of Sports of the USSR.
• 1994 - winner of the Stanley Cup.
• 2002 - winner of the Olympics (bronze).
• 2005 - the best forward of World Cup among youth.
• Participant of the "Match of All Stars" NHL (2 times).
• 2009 - MVP "Match of All Stars" NHL.
• Captain of the Russian team.
• I played 1439 matches in the NHL.

Personal life

About the family of Alexei Kovalev, an NHL hockey player, we know quite a bit. He does not like to talk about his personal life. It is known that he is married and has two sons. His wife's name is Eugenia, and the children are Nikita and Ivan.

Alexei Kovalyov's wife met him when he was playing on the tennis court, and at first thought that he was a tennis player. At that time he only moved to Moscow. Then they were still 14 years old, and from 16 they already lived together. Their marriage has lasted for more than 20 years.

Completion of career

The last club in which he played, was "Visp". In 2013, Kovalev decides to end his career as a hockey player. He decided to quit hockey due to numerous injuries that prevented him from continuing his career.