The Arizona Coyotes have decided to put center Adam Ruzicka on unconditional waivers, signaling their intention to terminate his contract.
This decision comes on the heels of a social media video posted by Ruzicka, where he is seen with a white powder resembling cocaine and a credit card on a counter.
V Arizone nasnežilo 🤷♂️ https://t.co/zfQexXEkOI pic.twitter.com/2FLQsPf3dq
— Kamil Schreiber (@kamil_schreiber) February 23, 2024
The 24-year-old Slovakian player is currently in the second season of a two-year contract valued at $1.525 million. He joined the Coyotes approximately a month ago after being claimed off waivers from the Calgary Flames on January 25.
Ruzicka"s on-ice performance with the Coyotes has been limited, with no points recorded in the three games he played after having nine points in 39 games with the Calgary Flames.
Despite his short tenure with the Coyotes, the team has decided to take swift action following the controversial social media post.
This move marks Ruzicka as the second player in the NHL this season to face contract termination, following Corey Perry of the Chicago Blackhawks. Perry"s termination was due to a violation of team workplace policy, but the veteran winger successfully filed a grievance with the NHL Players’ Association and is currently playing with the Edmonton Oilers.
The NHL has a precedent for disciplining players for off-ice conduct similar to Ruzicka"s situation.
In 2019, Washington Capitals" Evgeny Kuznetsov faced a three-game suspension for “inappropriate conduct" after a video surfaced on social media, showing him near a table with lines of white powder and American dollar bills. Kuznetsov had also been banned from playing for Russia for four years due to a positive test for cocaine.
