Free agent Kovalchuk decides to remain with Devils

New Jersey Devils' Ilya Kovalchuk is sent off the ice for a penalty in the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 2 of their NHL Eastern Conference quarter-final playoff series in Newark, New Jersey April 16, 2010.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Russian goal scorer Ilya Kovalchuk answered one of the big questions of the NHL free agent season by deciding Monday to remain with the New Jersey Devils.

Kovalchuk, one of the National Hockey League's most productive forwards, finished the 2009-10 season with the Devils after arriving from the Atlanta Thrashers in a blockbuster deal.

The 27-year-old left winger, the most sought after unrestricted free agent on the market, was rumored to be headed to the Los Angeles Kings before announcing he would stay with the Devils.

Kovalchuk has scored 40 or more goals in each of the past six seasons. He tallied 27 points in 27 games for New Jersey after his arrival to give him 41 goals and 85 points for the season.

Kovalchuk was the first selection of the 2001 entry draft by Atlanta and had played his entire career with the Thrashers before the trade.

Deadly on the power play in his days with Atlanta, Kovalchuk has scored more than a third of his 328 goals on the power play.

(Writing by Larry Fine, Editing by Steve Ginsburg)