TORONTO -- Suspended from the National Hockey League and banished from Moscow, Alexei Yashin's latest stop on his global ice hockey odyssey is a dimly lit arena in downtown Toronto.
Yashin is skating with the University of Toronto Blues while an NHL arbitrator mulls over his bid to become a free agent and the Ottawa Senators talk contract with his agent.
Meanwhile, Yashin is under strict orders from agent Mark Gandler not to comment about his contract dispute or the arbitration hearing. "We are trying to do the best we can do," was his reply after a practice earlier this week. "Business is business and hockey is hockey." But it's easy to tell the slick playmaker was eager for quality ice time.
While skating with the Blues, Yashin looked like he was going through the motions. He played to their level because there is no way they can reach his.
"I am just trying to keep in shape," said Yashin, who last played competitive ice hockey in with CSKA in late October. "I was practicing all this time, sometimes twice a day."
The Senators suspended Yashin when he failed to report to training camp because he was unhappy with his contract. Yashin then headed to Russia, appearing in several games for CSKA Moscow before the IIHF barred him from further play because he was under contract to Ottawa.
His name has been mentioned in more trade rumors than the Senators have victories -- they were 6 wins and 16 losses after Thursday night's 5-3 loss to the New York Islanders -- but it's unlikely anything will happen before arbitrator George Nicolau rules on his case.
Written submissions were sent to Nicolau earlier this week. He has another four weeks to rule on a request by the NHL Players' Association to have Yashin declared a free agent.
(For other results, see Scorecard.)
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