Ilya Kovalchuk racks up shocking number of traffic tickets after NHL exit

Ilya Kovalchuk was a name that every household throughout the NHL knew, just as well for his shot as his goal-tallying potential. Picked first overall at the 2001 NHL Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers, he appeared nearly a thousand times. He tallied 876 points over his career and played for the likes of Atlanta, New Jersey, Montreal, and Washington. He returned to the NHL after the 2019-20 season and stayed in Russia for the KHL till last year.

Ilya Kovalchuk draws more attention for speeding than scoring these days

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Ilya Kovalchuk earned over $100 million while playing in the NHL. But now he's in the news for something entirely different. According to a recent report, over the last year and a half, he has been issued nearly 200 traffic tickets in Russia. These consist of more than 100 speeding tickets, 24 instances of parking illegally, and 45 instances of violating other traffic laws such as disregarding road signs.

Ilya Kovalchuk doesn't give a damn 😂😂 https://t.co/YJingl8fhQ

— RGF (@rgfray1) May 13, 2025

These are no small mistakes. It's questionable why Ilya Kovalchuk continues to disregard traffic laws or why he remains allowed to drive. With so many tickets piling up, individuals wonder how much of his hockey fortune goes into mere tickets.

Kovalchuk's off-field problems raise brows
It's shocking to find a famous retired athlete finding himself in so much trouble in his life after sports. Ilya Kovalchuk was a fan favorite both in the NHL and the KHL.

Nowadays, some of those fans are dismayed to read headlines about his driving habits instead of his brilliant hockey career. If he goes on in this vein, he might lose his driver's license and maybe even a good chunk of his finances.


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