Tuhia he haere tonu mo tenei waahanga - I wikitoria a Kovalchuk i ana mētara tuatahi me Russia i tetahi huihuinga nui o te ao i te IIHF World U18 Championships, i whiwhi mētara hiriwa me te koura i te tau 2000 me te 2001. I whakataetae hoki ia mo Russia i te World Junior Championships i te tau 2001
, engari i mutu ko te tuawhitu.