Kovalchuk hits waivers as Kings move to terminate contract

The Los Angeles Kings have placed forward Ilya Kovalchuk on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract, the team announced Monday.

The veteran forward has been held out of the Kings' lineup as a healthy scratch since Nov. 9. He's recorded three goals and nine points in 17 games with L.A. this season.

Kovalchuk inked a three-year, $18.75-million deal with the Kings in 2018 after playing in the KHL for five seasons. L.A. will no longer have to pay him, as his remaining $2.65-million bonus was paid over the weekend, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun. However, Kovalchuk's $6.25-million cap hit will remain on the team's books, LeBrun adds.

The 36-year-old is now set to become an unrestricted free agent.