Ilya Kovalchuk is a free agent, but don't expect him to land in San Jose.
The 36-year-old cleared unconditional waivers Tuesday after being placed there by the Kings with the intention of terminating his contract. Kovalchuk is now an unrestricted free agent and is eligible to sign with any team.
The Russian star has accounted for 436 goals and 423 assists over 897 career NHL games, including six 40-plus goal seasons. He returned to the NHL last season after spending the previous five years in Russia's KHL and signed a three-year contract with Los Angeles, but he has failed to live up to expectations.