The management of Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of KHL announced few hours after the end of the KHL regular season that their second most productive player Jaroslav Bednar will not be re-signed for the next season. The 33 year old Czech forward, who spent one season with the team, amassed 34 points (14 goals and 20 assists). The only other player to have more points on the team was another Czech forward Pavel Brendl, who scored 27 goals and added 10 assists.

Results of the 54th round of the German DEL: Hannover - Hamburg 4:2, Nuremberg - Mannheim 0:1, Wolfsburg - Ingolstadt 1:4, Düsseldorf - Eisbären Berlin 3:2 (SO), Frankfurt - Straubing 3:2, Kassel - Cologne 3:6, Krefeld - Augsburg 6:4

Results of the 51st round of the Slovak Extraliga: Banska Bystrica - Liptovsky Mikulas 7:1, Nitra - Zvolen 3:0, Spisska Nova Ves - Poprad 3:4, Trencin - Slovan Bratislava 3:8, Zilina - Skalica 2:3, Kosice - Martin 4:0

Avangard Omsk has closed out their regular KHL season with five straight losses. In the last, 56th game of the season, they lost 2:3 to Dinamo Minsk with contribution of Jaromir Jagr. While in the penalty box in the 48th minute Dinamo scored to go ahead 2:1. Avangard evened the score 41 seconds later however Minsk scored their winning goal couple of minutes later. Dinamo Minsk ended up last in the Bobrov Division of KHL.

Marian Gaborik has rejoined his New York Ranger after three game pause - hamstring injury. His return did not make the desired impact as the Rangers were shut out by Washington Capitals after having scored at least four goals in previous games.

Adam Burish is one step closer to returning to the NHL this season. The Chicago Blackhawks forward injured his knee in an exhibition game against Minnesota in September. He has been cleared by the team doctors. Chicago coach Joel Quenneville will be able to use him against Detroit however his return is more likely on Wednesday against Los Angeles Kings.

After reviewing the kneeing foul by Minnesota Wild forward Derek Boogaard on Ryan Jones of Edmonton Oilers on Friday, the NHL has suspended him for two games. Boogaard will forfeit $21000 of his salary.

Shortly after the management of Torpedo Nizhnyj Novgorod announced that the current coach Yevgeniy Popichyn will not be leading the teams into the next season, further player changes were announced. The management decided not to re-sign five players - Czech goaltender Martin Faletr, Swed Joakim Lindström, Grigori Shafigulin, Andrei Zabolotnev, and Viktor Alexandrov.

Russian team Metallurg Magnitogorsk is not only interested in Finnish defenceman Niskala (as previously reported) but is also trying to land Czech forward Jaroslav Hlinka who currently leads Swedish Linköping. The information was published by the Swedish paper Expressen. No further information was made available. Hlinka has previously played in Russia five seasons ago when he played for Ak Bars Kazan. He could possibly join three of his countrymen in Magnitogorsk - Tomas Rolinek, Jan Marek, and Jaroslav Kudrna.

For the first time since his "gold" goal in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games has Sidney Crosby scored. His two goals helped his Pittsburgh Penguins turn around the game against Dallas Stars. The Pens were losing 1:3 at the start of the second period but they scored five unanswered goals and ended up winning 6:3. His two goals propelled Crosby to the lead of the goal scoring race past Alexander Ovechkin of Washington Capitals.

Results of the 52. round of Swedish league elitserien: Linköping - Färjestad 1:2, Lulea - Djurgaarden 0:1, Södertälje - Skelleftea 2:7, Timra - Brynäs 2:2, HV 71 - MODO Hockey 2:3 (OT), Rögle - Frölunda 7:3

Results of Saturday games of the Finnish league SM-liiga: Ässät Pori - Pelicans Lahti 5:3, Hämeenlinna - Jyväskylä 2:3, IFK Helsinki - Lukko Rauma 3:2, Jokerit Helsinki - SaiPa Lappeenranta 2:3, KalPa Kuopio - Ilves Tampere 5:3, Tappara Tampere - TPS Turku 2:3

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Ladislav Smid is done for the season. He has been on the injured reserve since January 20 with injured neck following a hit by Vancouver Canuck Mason Raymond and was informed yesterday by the team doctors that he will require a surgery.

According to the newspaper Sport-Express there are four KHL teams that expressed interest in Bengt-Ake Gustafsson who is currently coaching the Swedish national team. The 2006 Olympic champion coach is leaving the national team after the upcoming World Championships in Germany. The closest team to signing Gustafsson is SKA Saint Petersburg, which is currently coached by American coach Barry Smith whose fate will be determined by the play-off results.

Russian team Torpedo Nizhnyj Novgorod is not planning on utilizing the services of the current coach Yevgeniy Popichyn in the future. Torpedo has not achieved expected results and, according to local media, the management is looking for a replacement before the next season. Among the names mentioned as candidates for the job are Fedor Kanareikin and Kari Heikkilä.

The KHL has signed a contract of cooperation with Czech team Lev Hradec Kralove, which could join the Russian based league next season. According to the website khl.ru the contract has moved the realization of the project another step up. Upcoming key negotiations will address economic questions with team management, the city of Hradec Kralove, as well as the Czech Hockey Federation. The Czech side must submit their guarantees by April 1.

Finnish national defender Janne Niskala has sparked interest of the Russian team from Magnitogorsk, which has reportedly approached him with a contract offer for next season. This is according to the Swedish newspaper Expressen. The bronze medallist from Vancouver has not confirmed this information so far. Niskala is currently playing for Swedish team Frölunda. He has also recently played in the NHL for Nashville and Tampa Bay.

The Montreal Canadiens forward Maxim Lapierre has been punished by four game suspension for his dangerous hit on Scott Nichol of San Jose Sharks into the end boards. The earliest he'll be able to come back is March 13 against Boston Bruins. Montreal has called up Ben Maxwell from Hamilton of AHL to take Lapierre's place. Nichol will be out at least the same amount of time due to the shoulder injury suffered as a result of the hit.