Ilya Kovalchuk to return to New Jersey Devils By QMI Agency

Ilya Kovalchuk is set to leave SKA St. Petersburg, according to the KHL club's host. (REUTERS)

Ilya Kovalchuk is finding his way back to the National Hockey League.

According to Dmitry Chesnokov of Yahoo Sports, SKA St. Petersburg coach Jukka Jalonen said that Thursday’s game against Salavat Yulaev in Ufa, Russia was likely Kovalchuk’s last in the KHL this season, which means he’ll leave for New Jersey as early as Monday.

The upstart winger, who signed a hefty, long-term deal with the New Jersey Devils in 2009, had been waffling on returning to his NHL club. He’s in his third year of a 15-year, $100-million contract.