Kovalenko provided an assist and two hits in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Jets.
Kovalenko has five assists over his last three games. It's taken him virtually no time at all to settle into a middle-six role since he was traded to the Sharks from the Avalanche. The 25-year-old winger is up to 13 points, 29 shots on net, 42 hits and a minus-5 rating over 32 appearances this season, but it looks like his ceiling is much higher in San Jose, making him an option in deeper fantasy formats for now.
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Sharks' Nikolai Kovalenko: Lends assist in loss
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Kovalenko logged a power-play assist in Saturday's 4-3 loss to Utah.
Kovalenko is fitting right in with the Sharks, earning four assists over his first three games since he was traded from the Avalanche. The 25-year-old has filled a second-line role with his new team, and while the Sharks don't boast a great offense, it's more of an opportunity than he got regularly in Colorado. Kovalenko has a total of 12 points, 29 shots on net, 40 hits and a minus-5 rating through 31 appearances as a rookie this season.
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Sharks' Nikolai Kovalenko: Three helpers Thursday
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Kovalenko distributed three assists Thursday in a 4-3 win over St. Louis.
Kovalenko recorded his first three-point outing of the campaign Thursday, and it came in just his second game with his new club. The 25-year-old skated on the top line with Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli, and Kovalenko's ice time increased from 9:23 in his first game with the Sharks on Tuesday to 13:18 in Thursday's victory. Kovalenko will certainly be a name to keep an eye on if he can maintain a top-six role, and he could be an option on the man advantage Saturday against Utah if Klim Kostin (undisclosed) is unable to suit up. Kovalenko is up to four goals and 11 points through 30 appearances (28 with Colorado).
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Sharks' Nikolai Kovalenko: Could suit up Tuesday
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Kovalenko (undisclosed) will be available to play in Tuesday's road game versus the Hurricanes, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
Kovalenko was acquired by the Sharks in a trade with the Avalanche on Monday. The 25-year-old wasn't able to participate in the club's morning skate, but head coach Ryan Warsofsky said that Kovalenko will be an option at even strength and on the man advantage against the Hurricanes. Kovalenko will almost certainly be in the lineup if Klim Kostin (lower body), who is a game-time decision Tuesday, is unable play. Kovalenko accumulated four goals and four helpers over 28 games with Colorado.
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Sharks' Nikolai Kovalenko: Flipped in trade
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Kovalenko (undisclosed) was sent to San Jose from Colorado on Monday, along with Alexandar Georgiev, a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 second-round pick in a swap for Mackenzie Blackwood, Givani Smith and a 2027 fifth-round selection.
Kovalenko will join a strong young core of forwards in San Jose after logging 28 games for the Avalanche this season. In those outings, the 25-year-old winger notched four goals on 27 shots, four assists and 34 hits while averaging 12:00 of ice time. While Kovalenko was originally ruled out against New Jersey on Sunday with an undisclosed injury, it's possible the team was simply holding him out of action while it finalized this move.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Won't suit up in New Jersey
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Kovalenko (undisclosed) will not be available for Sunday's road matchup with the Devils, according to the NHL media site.
Kovalenko will miss his first game of the season. The 25-year-old didn't play in the final 15:31 of Saturday's 2-1 win over Detroit after blocking a shot, per Corey Masisak of The Denver Post. Kovalenko will be replaced in the lineup by Nikita Prishchepov.
Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Scores on power play in loss
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Kovalenko scored a power-play goal on two shots and added two PIM in Saturday's 4-1 loss to the Oilers.
Kovalenko had the opening tally at 7:02 of the first period. Kovalenko snapped his six-game point drought with the goal. The 25-year-old has taken on a larger role as the injury bug takes a second run at the Avalanche's forward group. The winger is up to four goals, eight points, 26 shots on net, 31 hits and a minus-6 rating through 25 appearances this season.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Up from minors
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Kovalenko was called up by Colorado on Wednesday.
Kovalenko has three goals and seven points over 22 appearances with the Avalanche this season. He hasn't played in the AHL this year but keeps getting briefly reassigned to the minors for cap purposes.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Sent down
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Kovalenko was reassigned to AHL Colorado on Monday.
This move is likely a paper transaction, and Kovalenko could be back with the big club as soon as Tuesday. The 25-year-old has registered three goals and four assists through 22 games.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Finds back of net Friday
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Kovalenko scored his third goal of the season Friday in a 5-2 loss to Washington.
Kovalenko got on the board with an even-strength tally in the second period, but that was the last of Colorado's offensive output for the night. The 25-year-old added two shots, two hits, and a plus-2 rating in a team-low 6:31 of ice time. The 2018 sixth-round pick is slotting in on the fourth line, and he's up to three goals, four assists and a minus-4 rating through 18 contests.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Summoned from AHL
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Kovalenko was recalled from AHL Colorado on Friday.
Kovalenko was sent down Thursday in what was a paper move as the Avalanche are up against the cap. The 25-year-old has two goals and six points in 17 NHL games this season. He will likely be a bottom-six forward, as the Avs are expected to get top-six forwards Jonathan Drouin (upper body) and Valeri Nichushkin (suspension) back in the lineup Friday.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Sent to minors
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Kovalenko was reassigned to AHL Colorado on Thursday.
Kovalenko's return to the minors might just be a paper move for salary cap reasons since the Avalanche's next game isn't until Friday versus Washington. Consequently, it would not be surprising to see him rejoin the NHL club in the near future. There is a bit of a variable since Valeri Nichushkin (suspension) is set to be reinstated Friday, but Chris Wagner was put on waivers Thursday, so it might be Wagner rather than Kovalenko being sent to the minors for the long run as a result of Nichushkin's return. The 25-year-old Kovalenko has two goals and six points in 17 appearances with the Avalanche in 2024-25.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: One of each in win
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Kovalenko scored a power-play goal and added an assist in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Kraken.
Kovalenko earned his second multi-point effort of the year, securing that with his goal late in the third period. The 25-year-old continues to fill a middle-six role as the Avalanche navigate choppy waters on the injury front. Kovalenko is up to two goals, four assists, 13 shots on net, 22 hits and a minus-5 rating over 13 appearances. His pair of points Tuesday snapped a three-game dry spell.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Called up from minors
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Kovalenko was elevated from AHL Colorado on Monday.
Kovalenko continues to move between levels despite having played in 12 games for the Avalanche this season. In those outings, the 25-year-old winger has registered one goal on 12 shots, three assists and 22 hits while averaging 13:41 of ice time. When the Avs get fully healthy, which may take a while given all their injuries, Kovalenko could find himself the odd man out -- though he has plenty of time to cement himself as a full-time NHL option.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Sent to AHL
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Kovalenko was reassigned to AHL Colorado on Saturday.
This is likely a paper move unless the Avalanche are getting a forward back before Tuesday's game versus the Kraken. Kovalenko saw his point drought reach three games after he was limited to one hit and no other fantasy-relevant stats over 12:25 of ice time Saturday in a 5-2 loss to the Predators.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Gets first career goal
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Kovalenko scored a goal and added two hits in Sunday's 5-4 win over the Senators.
Kovalenko is starting to get comfortable in the NHL -- all four of his points have come over the last five games. The 25-year-old winger opened the scoring Sunday at 19:52 of the first period with his first career goal. He's added 11 shots on net, 19 hits and a minus-2 rating through nine appearances while filling a middle-six role.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Offers pair of helpers
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Kovalenko recorded two assists and three hits in Thursday's 5-1 win over Utah.
This was Kovalenko's first multi-point effort at the NHL level. The 25-year-old has picked up three assists, 10 shots on net, 17 hits and a minus-3 rating over eight contests this season. Kovalenko continues to play on the second line at even strength, though he's topped 15 minutes of ice time in just one game so far.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Secures first NHL point
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Kovalenko notched an assist, three shots on goal and two hits in Friday's 4-3 overtime win over the Ducks.
Kovalenko earned his first NHL point by setting up Casey Mittelstadt's second-period tally. Through five appearances, Kovalenko has added nine shots on net, 14 hits and a minus-3 rating. The 25-year-old winger is playing in a middle-six role and on the second power-play unit, but fantasy managers will want to see him put up an extended stretch of offense before picking him up.
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Avalanche's Nikolai Kovalenko: Returns to NHL club
Rotowire
Kovalenko was recalled by the Avalanche on Wednesday.
Kovalenko was sent to the AHL on Tuesday, but he'll rejoin the injury-plagued Avalanche ahead of Wednesday's game against Boston. Over his first three NHL appearances of the season, he's tallied eight hits and two blocked shots while averaging 14:06 of ice time.
