Andrew Gross

NorthJersey

The Ilya Kovalchuk market is officially open.

The Devils confirmed Tuesday that general manager Ray Shero spoke with Kovalchuk’s agent Jay Grossman on Monday and that the Russian point producer is looking to return to the NHL after four seasons playing at home in the KHL.

The Devils said Shero is “keeping all options open” with regards to Kovalchuk after TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported via his Twitter account on Tuesday that Shero has given Grossman permission to speak with the other NHL teams regarding a sign-and-trade deal.

How former Devil Ilya Kovalchuk can return to the NHL

“Ilya asked me to make his intention to explore the options to return to the NHL known to Ray Shero, which has been done,” Grossman said in an e-mail to The Record.

Kovalchuk, 34, who retired from the Devils and the NHL following the owner’s lockout-shortened 2013 season after he signed a 15-year, $100 million deal in 2010, cannot officially sign a new NHL contract until July 1, which is when the league’s free agency market opens.

Kovalchuk cannot come off the NHL’s voluntary retirement list unless he signs with the Devils.

However, the Devils are entering the third season of an organizational rebuilding effort under Shero and a Devils-Kovalchuk reunion may not make sense for either party.

Shero has stated he wants to stay away, at least until the Devils are closer to being a legitimate contender, from higher-priced contracts to older players, calling that patchwork rather than a real plan. And Kovalchuk, who participated in the playoffs just three times in his 11 NHL seasons after the Atlanta Thrashers made him the No. 1 overall pick in 2001, likely wants to play for a contender with his career theoretically winding down.

The left wing had 417 goals and 399 assists in 816 career NHL regular-season games for the Thrashers and Devils. He had 11 goals and 20 assists in 37 games in his final season for the Devils.

Playing on the bigger KHL rink in a less physical league, Kovalchuk had 32 goals and 46 assists in 60 regular-season games for St. Petersburg SKA and added six goals and three assists in 18 playoff games as the squad won the Gagarin Cup.

The NHL is expanding to 31 teams for 2017-18 with the Vegas Golden Knights joining the league but since Kovalchuk cannot sign a deal until July 1, he will not factor into the league’s expansion draft.

Kovalchuk’s expected return to the NHL just gives Shero more flexibility to improve his club this offseason.

The Devils’ top needs are a top-six scoring wing and a top four defenseman.

They own 11 picks in the upcoming NHL Draft, including the first overall selection after winning the NHL Draft Lottery.

BRIEF: The Devils re-signed defenseman Viktor Loov, 24, who spent last season in the AHL, to a one-year, two-way deal worth $650,000 in the NHL. Loov was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 18 in exchange for center Sergey Kalinin.

Email: grossa@northjersey.com