Veteran Russian forward Sergei Soin will reportedly miss the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi with an injury, according to Sports.ru, paving the way for a replacement forward to make the roster.
Soin, 31, was hurt while playing for KHL Dynamo Moscow last week. Originally Colorado’s second-round pick (50th overall) at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he’s spent his entire professional career playing in Russia, establishing himself as a speedy checking forward.
Soin was one of the 14 forwards named to the Olympic squad two weeks ago, getting the nod over a number of NHL forwards -- including the likes of Carolina’s Alex Semin, Edmonton’s Nail Yakupov, New Jersey’s Andrei Loktionov and Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov.
At first glance, Semin appears to be a strong replacement candidate. He’s been very good for the ‘Canes since returning from a concussion, and has 11 points in his last 12 games.