"(Due) to a coach's decision, Ilya Kovalchuk has been removed from the squad and has been placed on an individual training programme," SKA St. Petersburg assistant coach Maxim Sokolov said Monday.
They lost the opening game of their playoff series against Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 3-2 in overtime Sunday, and Kovalchuk was checked off the puck during a sequence that led to the tying goal.
He was a minus-2 with only one shot on goal in 24:26 of ice time.
Kovalchuk notched 16 goals and 49 points in 50 regular-season games.
Vrbata scored his first goal in February Sunday night, but ended up playing only 12:41 in the contest. He has 12 goals and 12 assists - with nine of those points coming on the power play - in 57 games this season.
His contract set to expire this summer, Vrbata and his $5 million salary and cap hit are expected to be on the move come next week's trade deadline. Vancouver's nine points out of a playoff spot in the Pacific Division, and seven behind in the wild-card race, so all signs point to the club selling off assets as Feb. 29 approaches.
Vrbata, who will turn 35 in June, is in his second season with the Canucks.
Giroux will miss his second consecutive game after sustaining an upper-body injury Friday following a hit from Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban. He remains day to day.
The 28-year-old forward has 16 goals and 33 assists in 57 games this season.
His absence comes at a critical time for the Flyers, who are five points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
BUFFALO, N.Y. - With top-line forward Ryan O'Reilly out, the Buffalo Sabres have recalled his older brother from the minors.
Cal O'Reilly was promoted from Rochester on Monday. The move comes a day after coach Dan Bylsma announced Ryan O'Reil...
The Florida Panthers would love to have Jaromir Jagr back next season.
Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said he will wait for word from the 44-year-old veteran on whether he wants to return for a 22nd NHL season, but the team would be hap...
Teach a man to throw a fish, or he'll struggle repeatedly trying to get it over the glass.
A University of New Hampshire hockey fan illustrated that Saturday while attempting to carry out a school tradition during a game against Boston University.
Wildcats fans at a local fraternity have being throwing fish on the ice after New Hampshire's first goal at home games since the 1970s, but this toss won't go down in history as one of the best.
The moral - just like in fishing - is that patience pays off.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Sharks have acquired defenceman Roman Polak and forward Nick Spaling from the Toronto Maple Leafs for two second-round picks and forward Raffi Torres.
The deal Monday comes a week before the trade deadline.
...
TORONTO - The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired forward Raffi Torres and two draft picks in a trade with the San Jose Sharks.
The deal sends defenceman Roman Polak and forward Nick Spaling to the Sharks.
The Leafs have acquired San Jose's ...
"Roman and Nick are both quality, character players that will complement and enhance our current roster,” Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said. "Our existing group of players has battled hard and they have earned the right to have every chance to succeed this season."
Polak's in the final year of a five-year, $13.75-million deal and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the campaign.
The 29-year-old recorded one goal and 12 assists in 55 games.
Spaling will also become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, carrying a $2.2-million cap hit.
The 27-year-old was in and out of the lineup for the Maple Leafs in 2015-16, tallying just one goal and six assists in 35 games.
Leafs have now traded three of their nine UFAs. Remaining: Reimer, Parenteau, Boyes, Grabner, Arcobello, Clune.