LOS ANGELES–In the five years since Ilya Kovalchuk abandoned his contract with the New Jersey Devils to play for SKA St. Petersburg in his native Russia, the NHL has trended toward a style driven by youth and speed. Kovalchuk, 35, will not bring youth or speed to the Los Angeles Kings, who signed him to a three-year, $18.75-million contract as a free agent this month and expanded their already sizable stockpile of 30-somethings.
