‘MacKinnon Is The Team’s Boss’, Says Avalanche Forward Nikolai Kovalenko

Nikolai Kovalenko was the third player in the Avalanche history to make his NHL debut in the playoffs // Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Nikolai Kovalenko had an unusual NHL debut. He played his first game for the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The 24-year-old forward was called up from the AHL during the first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets when forward Joel Kiviranta was injured. Kovalenko became the third player in franchise history to make his NHL debut in the playoffs. Cale Makar did it back in 2019 against the Calgary Flames, while Joey Hishon debuted in 2014 versus the Minnesota Wild.

"It was an unexpected call because we were playing in the AHL playoffs,” Kovalenko said in a one-on-one interview with RG.org. “The first round was a best-of-three, and the next day, we had a game that could have been our last. I came home after the practice, and the head coach called me: 'Come back.' He didn’t say anything else. When I returned, he told me it was unclear whether I would play in the NHL because one of the players was injured.”

Kovalenko admitted he was very nervous before his first NHL game.

"I knew I would probably debut in the NHL because Kiviranta’s injury was serious. I was worried and had been thinking about how to be useful and channel my emotions in the right direction,” Kovalenko said. “I managed to calm down a little, but I can’t even describe what was happening inside me. When you go into the playoffs with a full arena, you don’t think about how you need to stand out. You think about how you can’t let the guys down. The whole team was preparing for these games the whole season, and the most important thing for me was to play simple and reliable game."

Kovalenko signed a contract with the Avalanche in the summer of 2023, but he spent the following season on loan with the Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo in the KHL. After the end of the KHL season last spring, he joined the Avalanche, but he couldn't play right away due to two injuries. He made his debut for the Colorado Eagles a month later and played four games at the end of the regular season, scoring three points (1 goal, 2 assists).

"The AHL has a completely different style of hockey. I won't say how I call it, but I think most people understand the kind of hockey the AHL has. It was challenging as I had to adapt to the “hit and run” style of play. Nevertheless, it was a valuable experience. The tactics and system of the Eagles are the same as those of the Avalanche. My priority was to understand the tactics. I was away from hockey for a month, so it felt great to be back on the ice and experience the emotions of celebrating a goal or winning with my team.”

Battling with injuries

Kovalenko was hailed as a prodigious talent from a very young age. He made his debut in the KHL for the Lokomotiv at 18. Unfortunately, the forward has been plagued by injuries.

"Show me one hockey player who doesn't get injured,” Kovalenko said. “I don't know any. I can say this with confidence. A couple of years ago, I realized that proper recovery and nutrition are the keys to good health. This allows you to prolong your career, so I try to devote as much time as possible to recovery.

"But whenever I go out on the ice, I never think about how to protect myself. An injury can happen at any moment. No one is immune to injuries. If you think about it, it will happen. I don't know how you can give 100% in a game while trying to protect yourself. It's impossible for me."

“MacKinnon is the team's boss”

Kovalenko mentioned that he was particularly impressed by team captain Nathan MacKinnon during his time in the Avalanche.

"He’s just the team's boss," Kovalenko said, adding that everything in the Avalanche locker room is on MacKinnon’s shoulders. "For me, he’s the best hockey player in the league. Everything is on him. Although some will say he’s just one of the best, he’s the best for me. Everything is built around him, and that’s fine.

“He also surprised me in personal conversations. First, by encouraging me. We came to the locker room, and he told me: ‘You are the man.’ Everyone said that Nathan used to be much more aggressive and demanding on the guys. I think he also worked with a sports psychologist. He has a lot of assistants: a nutritionist, coaches, and many others."

"Larionov played a big role in my career"

Kovalenko mentioned that in the Torpedo, he was often compared to MacKinnon due to his strictness towards himself and others, demanding as much as possible.  

"I am attempting to be more composed, directing all my emotions in the right direction, such as toward a clean and hard hit,” Kovalenko said. “I’ve been working with a sports psychologist for a year, and I can see progress. Previously, I was much more emotionally charged towards myself and my teammates. This, of course, was distracting me on the ice. I feel that the psychologist provides me with substantial help, although the opinions of the Torpedo team members may differ.”

Kovalenko played under the guidance of hockey legend Igor Larionov in the Torpedo.

“The main goal is to make the first team”

Kovalenko had pre-season training in Miami. In early September, he arrived in Denver, where he continued to prepare for the training camp:

"I am preparing for the main camp. I saw the list of players for the rookie camp, and I am not on this list. The main goal is to make the first team. I fully understand the type of hockey and the requirements here. I know what to prepare for. In Denver, we play at 1 mile above sea level. You can feel it during training. It is a little more difficult to train here, but because of this, you feel better in other states. It turns out that we have a small advantage."