Arizona Coyotes activate D Ilya Lyubushkin, who practiced Monday
Feb 1, 2021, 2:26 PM
Arizona Coyotes' Ilya Lyubushkin (46), of Russia, works against Carolina Hurricanes' Jordan Martinook (48) and Brock McGinn (23) for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, Jan. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
(AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin practiced on Monday and was activated to the roster after clearing quarantine.
Lyubushkin had not been with Arizona through training camp and the team’s 3-4-1 start to the 2021 season due to visa issues.
Head coach Rick Tocchet said that the 26-year-old Russian will take a few practices to get his legs under him but returned to the team in good physical shape.
“First of all, he came back like (with) great improvements with his weight and his body fat … so he’s really worked at it,” Tocchet told reporters Monday. “Poor guy, he’s been in quarantine … I don’t know how many days. He hasn’t really been on the ice.
“He was a little rusty out there. That’ll come back when he has two or three practices, but he looks to me like he came back in good shape because his is numbers are way down … better than last year. He’s done his work. Now it’s about getting reps.”
Lyubushkin averaged 14:11 on ice in 2019-20 and during 51 appearances totaled four assists.
The Coyotes head to the road for their next six games where they will play the St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche twice each. That road trip starts Tuesday in St. Louis.
