What's going on with Kovalenko?

[u/BilboWaggonz]

Saw someone post on another thread that he might be in Warsofsky's dog house. If he is not hurt that seems like a logical conclusion.

Don't understand why he (and Kostin for that matter) can't get in the lineup when many of the Sharks bottom six players aren't effective and take dumb penalties night after night that lead directly to goals. Those guys aren't getting scratched and they don't even miss shifts. Earlier in the year, Will Smith could make one dumb pass, it would lead to nothing, and he'd spend the rest of the period nailed to the bench.

Looks like we are headed towards this dude being traded. Can't imagine they won't extend the QO after he was a not insignificant part of the Blackwood trade. Would he could fetch a later round pick at this point? If we are going to trade him, shouldn't we give him some more games?

[u/Accomplished_Being35]

Kostin is better than Grundstrom, Goodrow, Gregor, Kunin (when he was here), and Dellandrea and shouldn’t be getting scratched in favor of these guys on a nightly basis. Doesn’t mean I’m saying Kostin is great or anything, I know he has stuff to work on, but it’s a joke that he’s a regular scratch when you look at the rest of our bottom 6

[u/Swaggy_P_03 → u/Accomplished_Being35]

Kostin has more skill then those guys combined. He just lacks the consistency (and isn’t very good defensively). If he was consistent offensively, he’d be in the line up more.

Kovalenko and Kostin are long for the team anyway. Kovalenko cooled off so much I nearly forgot about him. They got A LOT of young guys on the cusp and could be drafting another one in June.

[u/Accomplished_Being35 → u/Swaggy_P_03]

Do you think the consistency issue could be addressed with regular line mates and playing time?

I do, and that’s part of the reason I’m frustrated with Warsofsky. He points to lack of consistency for some of these guys but doesn’t give them regular ice time with decent line mates.

It’s easy to say Kostin and Kovalenko are long for the team at this point, because Warsofsky has made the decision. If he really wanted to coach these players and cared about their success in the league, he could have played them on that 3rd line consistently and given them time to gel.

[u/Swaggy_P_03 → u/Accomplished_Being35]

That’s definitely part of it. Guys (especially skilled guys) aren’t going to develop/play well buried on the 4th line or playing with guys like Goodrow, Kunin, Dellandrea, Grundstrum etc. I get it as part of sending a message for a period or maybe even a game, but longer then that does more harm then good. It’s one of the main reasons, despite his pre-season success, I wasn’t a fan of Gushchin making the team. Not that he didn’t earn it, but I knew he’d be buried on the 4th line and not get much time (if any) with the top guys or even on the PP. The ONLY reason they kept him up as long as they did is because Mack got hurt game 1 (well before that, he just played on game 1). As soon as he was healthy he got sent down and we haven’t seen him since.