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.