Kovalchuk named ROC's men's hockey GM for 2022 Olympics

Ilya Kovalchuk has been named the Russian Olympic Committee's men's hockey general manager for the 2022 Beijing Games, the organization announced Monday.

The ROC will rely on former NHLers behind the bench, too. Alexei Zhamnov will take on head coaching duties, while Sergei Fedorov, Evgeni Nabokov, and Sergei Gonchar will work as assistants, the team announced.

Kovalchuk last played in the NHL in 2019-20, when he suited up for the Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, and Washington Capitals. He competed in the KHL last campaign, winning the Gagarin Cup and recording 17 points in 16 regular-season games.

The 38-year-old played 14 NHL campaigns and nine in the KHL. He's represented Russia several times in international tournaments and won a gold medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.

Superstars Alex Ovechkin, Nikita Kucherov, and Andrei Vasilevskiy were the first three players named to ROC's roster.