Ilya Kovalchuk returning to Devils

After a long summer of twists and turns in the Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes, the New Jersey Devils emerged the winner.

Kovalchuk was the most sought after free agent on the market, and was pursued by the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Devils and SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.

Kovalchuk, 27, played with the Devils last season after being acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Thrashers. Last season, Kovalchuk scored 41 goals and 44 assists in games for the Thrashers and Devils.

"Ilya is excited to be continuing his career with New Jersey and knows first-hand the team's dedication and commitment to winning." said Jay Grossman, president of PuckAgency, which represents Kovalchuk.

The numbers and years haven't been released yet and are estimated to be announced during a press conference tomorrow.