Alexei Kovalev begins his career as a head coach.

A former star in the National Hockey League is embarking on an exciting new chapter in his professional hockey career. 

According to an official report from Kunlun Red Star, the Kontinental Hockey League's first team in China, former NHL forward Alexei Kovalev will be taking over the position of head coach on the team. Kovalev will replace former head coach Kurt Fraser who had a relatively short stint with the team, taking over behind the bench in January of 2019 and remaining in that role presumably up until today's announcement. As far as I can tell based on quick search this will be the first head coaching gig for Kovalev at this level of competition, although there's no doubt that he brings with him a wealth of hockey experience. 

First there is his experience as a professional player, experience that includes over 1300 games in the NHL and several more in both the Kontinental Hockey League and in the Swiss League. Over his career in the NHL Kovalev recorded 430 goals and 599 assists for a combined 1029 points collected on a variety of teams in a variety of different markets. Kovalev spent time with the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers so he's definitely well traveled as well and will no doubt have plenty to offer the men who will now be under his guidance. Oh and there's also the small matter of his gold medal from the 1992 World Juniors and his Stanley Cup Ring from 1994 when the Rangers captured that title.

Coaching is not new for Kovalev either, although he has not been a head coach at the KHL or NHL level before he has spent the last several seasons working with many of the players he will now be overseeing. Kovalev has been a part of the Kunlun coaching staff for the past two seasons in a smaller role, and this will now be his third season with the team when he takes over as head coach. Perhaps worth noting as well here is the fact that Kovalev also has some experience as a general manager, having briefly managed a team in the Swiss league as well.