Nikolai Kovalenko’s NHL journey hits pause as he signs two-year deal with CSKA Moscow

A year ago, Nikolai Kovalenko was seen as a playoff x-factor for the Colorado Avalanche—a promising winger trusted with postseason ice time straight out of Russia. Now? He’s charting a very different path, returning home to sign a two-year deal with CSKA Moscow in the KHL.

It’s a dramatic turn for the 25-year-old, whose 2024–25 NHL season never quite took off, even after being traded to the rebuilding San Jose Sharks. The move underscores the tough reality many international players face when the NHL dream collides with limited opportunity, roster shuffles, and the unforgiving pace of North American hockey.

Traded from Colorado Avalanche to San Jose Sharks, Nikolai Kovalenko heads to CSKA Moscow to revive NHL hopes

When Nikolai Kovalenko arrived at the end of the 2023–24 KHL season, the Avalanche wasted no time plugging him into their playoff lineup, a clear vote of confidence in his skill and readiness.

But those expectations quickly cooled.Despite that initial gamble, Colorado struggled to find him a consistent role the following season. By midyear in 2024–25, the Avalanche cut their losses and traded him to the San Jose Sharks.

Even on a rebuilding Sharks roster, Kovalenko couldn’t seize a major role. His combined NHL stats tell the story: four goals and four assists in 28 games with Colorado, followed by three goals and nine assists in 29 appearances for San Jose.

When asked this week in San Jose Sharks about Kovalenko’s time there, a source close to the Sharks organization didn’t mince words: “He’s got skill, no question, but it just didn’t click here. Sometimes you need to go back, reset, and come back stronger. That’s what we hope he does.”Is that harsh? Maybe. But it’s the reality of an NHL season that simply didn’t offer him the breakout he, Colorado, or San Jose hoped for.

Why CSKA Moscow is the smart choice for Nikolai Kovalenko

The signing with CSKA Moscow, confirmed in Moscow this week, offers Kovalenko a chance to reset in familiar territory while playing for one of the KHL’s most respected and competitive clubs.

For Russian players, returning home can be both a comfort and a proving ground.CSKA is known for developing talent and offering players big minutes—something Kovalenko never consistently found in Colorado or San Jose. It's a logical move for a 25-year-old who still has prime years ahead and wants to keep growing his game.For Avalanche fans, Sharks fans, and NHL watchers alike, the move raises the obvious question: Is this the last we’ll hear of Nikolai Kovalenko in the NHL?Don’t bet on it. While he’s heading thousands of miles from Denver and San Jose, this is less a farewell than a detour. Players have come back stronger from the KHL before, and at 25, Kovalenko’s story is far from over. For now, he’ll have to prove himself on home ice with CSKA Moscow. But NHL scouts won’t stop watching—and neither should we.Also Read: Minnesota Wild re-sign Michael Milne to one-year deal, betting on NHL breakthrough