From www.nhl.com
NEW YORK (November 4, 2003) -- Atlanta left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, who led all NHL scorers with 11 goals and 17 points as the Thrashers posted the best October in franchise history (5-3-2-1, 13 points) has been named the NHL Offensive Player of the Month for October.
Kovalchuk edged Colorado Avalanche center Peter Forsberg (five goals, 11 assists in nine games) for the award.
Kovalchuk notched at least one point in 10 of 11 games, posted a plus or even rating in nine of 11 contests and was on the ice for 20 of the Thrashers' 29 goals. Kovalchuk averaged 25:00 of ice time per game, an increase of 5:33 over last season's career-high 19:27, and led the NHL in shots with 61. He equaled a career high with a four-game goal streak (eight goals) from Oct. 18-25, including two hat tricks, on Oct. 18 against Chicago and Oct. 23 against Nashville, and concluded the month with a career-best seven-game point streak (nine goals, four assists) from Oct. 18-31.
The first player selected in the 2001 Entry Draft, the 20-year-old Tver, Russia native scored 29 goals in his rookie campaign of 2001-2002 and notched 38 in 2002-2003.
NEW YORK (November 4, 2003) -- Atlanta left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, who led all NHL scorers with 11 goals and 17 points as the Thrashers posted the best October in franchise history (5-3-2-1, 13 points) has been named the NHL Offensive Player of the Month for October.
Kovalchuk edged Colorado Avalanche center Peter Forsberg (five goals, 11 assists in nine games) for the award.
Kovalchuk notched at least one point in 10 of 11 games, posted a plus or even rating in nine of 11 contests and was on the ice for 20 of the Thrashers' 29 goals. Kovalchuk averaged 25:00 of ice time per game, an increase of 5:33 over last season's career-high 19:27, and led the NHL in shots with 61. He equaled a career high with a four-game goal streak (eight goals) from Oct. 18-25, including two hat tricks, on Oct. 18 against Chicago and Oct. 23 against Nashville, and concluded the month with a career-best seven-game point streak (nine goals, four assists) from Oct. 18-31.
The first player selected in the 2001 Entry Draft, the 20-year-old Tver, Russia native scored 29 goals in his rookie campaign of 2001-2002 and notched 38 in 2002-2003.
