SOCHI, RUSSIA – FEBRUARY 18: Ilya Kovalchuk #71 of Russia scores a goal in the second period against Lars Haugen #30 of Norway during the Men’s Ice Hockey Qualification Playoff game on day eleven of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Bolshoy Ice Dome on February 18, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

The Ilya Kovalchuk saga is finally over. After years of speculation surrounding him and whether or not he’d skate again in the NHL, Kovalchuk has officially signed a three-year deal with the LA Kings.

At 35, Kovalchuk will join the Kings for the 2018-19 season and will remain under contract through the 2020-21 season. The Kings didn’t announce the details of the contract in their initial announcement, but it was later revealed that Kovalchuk will carry an annual hit against the salary cap of $6.25 million.

As the leading scorer in the KHL and a recent Olympic MVP, Kovalchuk adds an immediate injection of offense into a Kings’ roster that’s hurting for offense. The Kings ranked 16th in average offense in 2017-18 (2.89 goals per game) and ranked last in average offense in their first-round playoff exit (0.75 goals per game).

Kovalchuk scored 31 goals in 53 KHL games in 2017-18 and 32 goals in 60 games in 2016-17. While offensive production in the KHL doesn’t always translate to the NHL, Kovalchuk’s previous experience in the NHL should make for a relatively seamless transition. That being said, the NHL has changed quite a bit since Kovalchuk was with the New Jersey Devils back in 2012-13. Can he keep up with the league’s increased speed? How will his skill hold up as he approaches 40?

Now that Kovalchuk’s destination has been determined, the NHL’s market should start to open up.

The Kings already had some interesting stories to follow this season, but Kovalchuk’s return to the NHL should be a fascinating story to follow all season long.

About David Rogers

Editor for The Comeback and Contributing Editor for Awful Announcing. Lover of hockey, soccer and all things pop culture.