5 logical destinations for Ilya Kovalchuk

Earlier Tuesday, New Jersey Devils general manager Ray Shero confirmed that Ilya Kovalchuk wants to return to the NHL for next season.

Kovalchuk remains property of the Devils, but they simply can't trade his rights. Kovalchuk's agent is able to speak with other teams about a contract, but once an agreement is in place, he would have to sign with New Jersey who would then trade him to said team.

Since New Jersey is in rebuilding mode, they probably want nothing to do with Kovalchuk, but will happily trade him for assets to help speed up their rebuild.

Kovalchuk is 34 years old, but is coming off his best season in the KHL in which he recorded 32 goals and 78 points in 60 games. He hasn't played in the NHL since 2012-13, but there will certainly be a long list of teams interested in acquiring the Russian sniper.

Without further ado, here are the five most logical fits for Kovalchuk (projected cap space courtesy of Cap Friendly):

Edmonton Oilers

There's something to be said about two GMs who have a good rapport. Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli and Shero pulled off one of the biggest blockbuster trades in recent memory last spring, swapping Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson.

Kovalchuk will likely demand somewhere around $6 million per season, so a short-term deal in Edmonton, who is obviously in win-now mode, would make plenty of sense.

The Oilers could use a high-powered winger to play alongside either Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, or even Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. They are also in need of a legitimate right-handed shot on their power play (no offense, Mark Letestu).

Though a one-for-one deal likely wouldn't work since Shero has very little trade leverage, it's possible the Oilers could send Jordan Eberle the other way in a deal. He has been brutal during Edmonton's playoff run, so it's possible management's patience could be wearing thin with the 26-year-old.

From Shero's point of view, it's possible reuniting Eberle with Hall could rejuvenate the slumping winger. If this were the case, Shero could then trade him once his value is higher, or keep him as part of New Jersey's core moving forward.

Dallas Stars

The Stars are just a year removed from a first-place finish in the Central Division in which they recorded 109 points. This past season was a debacle, but they are still likely looking to win right away while Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin are in the prime of their careers.

If they wind up putting their third overall pick on the trade block for help in goal or on the blue line, then it would only provide further proof that they are looking to contend for a cup right away.

The addition of Kovalchuk would give the Stars arguably the most prolific offense in the entire league. It's unclear how this would sit with newly minted head coach Ken Hitchcock. However, the veteran bench boss could be on board considering lack of goal-scoring (and playoff failures) eventually led to his demise in St. Louis.

Montreal Canadiens

After a first-round playoff exit, saying Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin is on the hot seat would be an understatement.

Bergevin is running out of time to right the ship in Montreal, meaning he isn't afraid to move what few prospects his organization has in order to bring in a piece who could help them win now.

He made the bold move last offseason of signing former NHLer turned KHLer Alexander Radulov, and it turned out to work brilliantly. Whether or not the Habs bring Radulov back shouldn't alter their interest in Kovalchuk. They are desperate for offense.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights obviously aren't in win-now mode. Their trade bait won't be known until the expansion draft on June 21, but they will certainly have plenty of cap space.

What they will want is something, or someone, that will ignite a fan base and bring people to the rink. If they can form a somewhat competitive team, it will go a long way in keeping fans interested.

The Golden Knights have already signed Vadim Shipachyov, and have shown interest in Evgeny Dadonov - both of whom played with Kovalchuk at SKA Saint Petersburg in the KHL last season.

Heck, if they were able to bring in two Russian defensemen in addition to Dadonov and Kovalchuk, they could form the latest installment of "The Russian Five." Now there's something you can sell to your fans.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes might be the biggest wild card on this list. They are not exactly in win-now mode, but they're much closer to being a competitor than most think.

The acquisition of Scott Darling solidified their goaltending issue. They have a surplus of young defensemen that every team in the league covets, but they still need help up front.

New Jersey is one of many teams in the market for a young defenseman. They wouldn't be able to pry away one of Carolina's high-end blue-liners for Kovalchuk, such as Noah Hanifin, Jaccob Slavin, or Brett Pesce, but Ryan Murphy or Klas Dahlbeck, plus something else would make sense.

Furthermore, Carolina also has three second-round picks and two third-round picks that it could dangle in a potential trade, though it would not be able to officially complete the trade until July 1 after the selections had been made. With the addition of Kovalchuk, the Hurricanes could very well be a playoff team come 2017-18.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)