In this particular installment of “Remember When,” we revisit February 1994 when, just one day shy of his 21st birthday, Alexei Kovalev found himself on the wrong side of Mike Keenan’s strict coaching style, resulting in the infamous Kovalev 5 minute shift. After a shift that lasted over a minute—longer than Keenan deemed acceptable—Kovalev attempted to head to the bench. Keenan, however, refused to let him off the ice, forcing the young forward to stay out for the remainder of the period.
Note from Dave: I couldn’t find a picture of Kovalev with the Rangers with our image provider, so I had to use this one.
What was meant to be a lesson in discipline turned into a showcase of Kovalev’s resilience. During the grueling five-plus minutes of continuous play, he not only drew two penalties but also managed to score a goal, turning Keenan’s intended punishment into a personal triumph. 1994 was truly a one-of-a-kind season.
Unfortunately, the Kovalev 5 minute shift was one of the few moments we have of Kovalev with the Rangers, as he was traded to the Penguins for Petr Nedved in 1998, only to be traded back in 2001 in a deal involving Mikael Samuelsson.
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