SKA sign Kovalchuk; Ovechkin in Moscow for talks with Dynamo

New Jersey Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk is set to sign a lockout contract with SKA St. Petersburg, the club’s official website reports, while a fellow Russian star is in contact with Dynamo Moscow, the reigning Gagarin Cup holders.

­With the NHL season in jeopardy the Russian ice hockey stars set their eyes towards the KHL. Evgeny Malkin and Sergey Gonchar are already training with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.

Ilya Kovalchuk, meanwhile, had also made up his mind. On Monday if was announce he will wait out the lockout with the fat-cats from St Petersburg, SKA. He will be presented as the club’s new acquisition on Tuesday.

Kovalchuk led the Devils to the Stanley Cup final last season, his best achievement in his North American career, during which the two-time world champion notched up 812 points in 811 league appearances.

During the previous lockout in 2004-05, Kovalchuk played for Ak Bars Kazan.

Kovalchuk is expected to make his debut for one of the KHL’s richest teams on Sunday in SKA’s away clash with Dynamo Moscow, who are currently seeking to sign another NHL superstar Alex Ovechkin.

According to KHL rules, contracts with NHL players must include a get-out clause in case the lockout is resolved.