Hockey

For the remaining week prior to the start of the Olympic Hockey tournament, CTVOlympics.ca will be keeping a close eye on the NHL for updates on the status of Olympic athletes leading up to puck drop on February 16th.  

Slovakia's Marian Gaborik left the ice during practice with the New York Rangers Tuesday with what is being described by the team as a thigh laceration.

According to Northjersey.com Gaborik collided with Rangers' and Team Sweden Henrik Lundqvist during one-on-one drills. Gaborik attempted to leap over the sprawled netminder but instead tripped and slid face first into the corner boards. The Slovakian sniper remained on the ice for a moment before skating to the Rangers bench holding his right leg.

Rangers' assistant coach and general manager Jim Schoenfeld told the New York Daily News that Gaborik was getting stitches on a knee laceration and that the injury was not a more serious groin or knee issue.

"Basically we were working on the shootout drills and they had a collision," Schoenfeld told the New York Post. "There is a laceration on Marian's leg. He is being stitched as we speak. As we know more we will pass it along."

Ruutu Ready to Return

In other Olympic injury news, Finland will receive some welcome news on Tuesday night when agitating forward Tuomo Ruutu will return to the lineup for the Carolina Hurricanes in time for their game against the Florida Panthers.

Ruutu has missed the past 15 games with an 'upper-body' injury suffered on January 8th in a fight with Colorado Avalanche forward Darcy Tucker.

Caps Recall Varlamov

The Washington Capitals have recalled Russian goaltender Semyon Varlamov from the Hershey Bears of the AHL on Tuesday.

The 21-year old is the youngest player on the Russian roster for Olympics.

He has not played due to a 'lower-body' injury since December 7th in a Capitals shut out of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In 16 games this season, Varlamov sports a 12-1-2 record, with a 2.21 goals-against average and .924 save percentage.

Kronwall still sidelined, Holmstrom Game time decision

Sweden's Niklas Kronwall, who was hoping to make his return to the Detroit Red Wings' lineup Tuesday night, will not be in the lineup against the St. Louis Blues.

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Kronwall is awaiting a better-fitting brace for his injured left knee. The 29-year old Stockholm native missed 30 games earlier in the season with a sprained left MCL.

Kronwall's Red Wings' and Olympic teammate Tomas Holmstrom will be a game time decision for the contest. The Free Press is reporting that he tried to skate at Wings' practice Monday but left early to ride the stationary bike instead.

"I was out skating before practice. I couldn't really push away hard," Holmstrom told the Free Press. "I'm going to skate [Tuesday], and then we'll see."

Backstrom hits the ice with Wild

Finnish netminder Niklas Backstrom is nearing a return to action with the Minnesota Wild.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune is reporting that Backstrom spent two hours on the ice Monday with goaltending coach Bob Mason prior to the Wild's practice. He then participated with teammates for the hour-long practice and stayed for 20 minutes after practice ended to work on his injured back.

Backstom hopes to return to the Wild's lineup prior to the Olympic break.

More bad luck for Demitra

Slovakian Pavol Demitra's hard luck season continues.

Demitra left the Canucks on their current road trip to return to Vancouver on Monday to attend to a personal matter. Canucks' head coach Alain Vigneault was unsure if Demitra would rejoin the Canucks prior to the Olympic break.

"He has a personal matter that he had to take care of so he flew back to Vancouver this afternoon," Vigneault told the Vancouver Sun.

The Canucks said that they had no further comment on Demitra.

The 35-year old missed the majority of the season after undergoing surgery to repair an injured shoulder in October. He scored his first goal of the NHL season on Saturday.