from Sportsnet,

...Kovalchuk retired after that NHL season so that he could return to Russia and join the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg. This season Kovalchuk scored 32 goals and 78 points in 60 games for SKA to finish second in league scoring.

And now he wants to return to the NHL. But since he retired mid-contract (a deal that still hasn’t lapsed), his rights remain with the Devils. So how would a return work?

“The New Jersey Devils own his rights, he could sign and play for them no problem,” said Elliotte Friedman on Hockey Night in Canada’s Headlines segment. “If he wants to play for somebody else, technically all the other NHL teams would have to approve it.

"But here's the way that this I think is going to work: if he doesn’t want to play for New Jersey or if New Jersey doesn’t want him playing for them, and neither the agent nor the team is commenting on this, I think whoever gets him is going to work out either a sign and trade with New Jersey or they’re going to trade for his rights."

read on and watch the abbreviated segment at Sportsnet which also included Nick Kypreos mentioning Patrick Roy and the coaching job for the LA Kings...

Below, watch Coach's Corner which consists of talk around the playoff teams.