Playing Career
Kovalenko was drafted 148th overall in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques while playing in Russia for HC CSKA Moscow.
He was traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Montreal Canadiens with Jocelyn Thibault and Martin Ručínský for Patrick Roy and Mike Keane.
In 1996, he scored the final goal in the history of the Montreal Forum, the fourth in a 4–1 victory over the Dallas Stars.
In 1999, he scored the first goal in the history of the RBC Center as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes in a 4–2 loss to the New Jersey Devils.
Kovalenko has not played in the National Hockey League since 2000–01 with the Boston Bruins, and has spent the last four years playing in the Russian Super League. In 2004–05, Kovalenko split time between Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and Avangard Omsk.
Nicknamed "The Tank" by his teammates because of his immovable presence from the goal crease.
Read more about this topic: Andrei Kovalenko
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