Coyotes Suspend Keith Tkachuk

All-Star left wing Keith Tkachuk, who missed all of training camp last season with the Phoenix Coyotes due to a contract holdout, was suspended indefinitely by the team Saturday for failing to report for his physical.

The 26-year-old Tkachuk, who had 40 goals and 26 assists in 69 games last season, has two years left on his current contract. Last year was his fourth 40-goal season, but it was his lowest total since scoring 22 goals in the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season.

Tkachuk was on the North American All-Star team last season and had two goals and an assist in the 8-7 victory over the World All-Star squad.

Tkachuk had 50-goal seasons in 1996 and 1997, becoming the first American-born hockey player to reach the plateau twice. Overall, Tkachuk has 236 goals and 205 assists for 431 points in 458 games.

He was the 19th overall pick in the 1990 entry draft and moved with the team from Winnipeg to Phoenix after the 1995-96 season.

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