Marc Bergevin's acquisition of Ilya Kovalchuk continues to have an impact on the Habs lineup today

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Jeff Drouin
March 16, 2022 (4:49 PM)

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When Marc Bergevin signed Ilya Kovalchuk to a contract in January 2020, it was only to fill a gap in the Habs' offense.

The risk was not too great, given that Bergevin had given Kovalchuk a fairly affordable amount of $700,000. But a little more than two years later, this signing may have been one of the former Habs general manager's best, as the forward had some good moments in a Habs uniform, even being a crowd favorite at the Bell Centre for a short period of time.

After collecting 13 points, including 6 goals in 22 games, the Habs management had traded Kovalchuk to the Washington Capitals on February 23, 2020 in return for a third round pick in the 2020 draft.

But where this signing became beneficial for the Habs is what Marc Bergevin did with the draft pick obtained in the trade.

As reported by Cimon Asselin of Habsolumetnfan.com, the former Habs GM had used the third pick obtained from the Capitals to trade him to the St. Louis Blues in return for goalie Jake Allen.

And it is fair to say that Allen has been very helpful to the Habs since his arrival in Montreal. Absent since mid-January, he would be on the verge of making a return to the game, he had looked good under the circumstances in this season of misery for the CH, due to the absence of Carey Price and with the two goaltenders healthy, the Habs have probably one of the best duos of goaltenders in the NHL.

So if we summarize, it's a bit like if Marc Bergevin had traded Ilya Kovalchulk for Jake Allen. Normally, we agree it is very rare to see such a transaction. We can therefore say that the Habs won by signing Kovalchuk in January 2020.