The Alumni Lounge: A Montreal Canadiens Podcast

Alex Kovalev, aka l’Artiste, AK27, or simply Kovy, stopped by the Alumni Lounge to chat about his fondest memories of playing in Montreal, life as coach of the KHL’s Kunlun Red Star and his acting career. The former Russian superstar opened up about the struggle of leaving home from a young age, developing his unique style of play, his approach to living life to the fullest and more.

Show Notes

0:00 Introduction
7:20 Beginning of interview
7:33 Kovy on his many nicknames
8:51 Living in Moscow
9:20 Transition to coaching
11:58 Turning to acting after retiring
14:54 Racing around the tracks with Breezer
17:00 Being a pilot
18:15 Being traded to Montreal
24:37 Favorite memories of being a Habs
29:45 Leaving home at age 14
34:43 Style of play inspired by different players
39:30 Playing with Lemieux, Gretzky and Messier
40:07 Being a leader no matter what role he plays
41:45 Famous 7-minute shift with the Rangers
47:33 Bob Gainey’s role in reviving Kovy’s season in 2009
51:35 Disappointing end to NHL career
54:51 Importance of saving money
56:12 Living life to the fullest

What is The Alumni Lounge: A Montreal Canadiens Podcast ?

Step inside "The Alumni Lounge" for unfiltered stories from the legends who built the legacy of the most storied franchise in professional sports. Hosted by former Canadiens defenseman Patrice Brisebois and comedian and longtime sports reporter Chantal Desjardins, The Alumni Lounge, which is presented by Scotia Advice+ from Scotiabank, features in-depth chats with popular Habs players of the past, touching on everything from never-before-heard tales from the dressing room to the struggles high-performance players face after they hang up their skates.