Kings’ Ilya Kovalchuk out 4 weeks with ankle injury

Ilya Kovalchuk returns to the NHL as a Los Angeles King after five years in the KHL. (Michael Owen Baker/AP)

Los Angeles Kings forward Ilya Kovalchuk will miss the next four weeks while recovering from an ankle bursectomy procedure.

It’s been a rough return to the NHL for Kovalchuk, who signed a three-year, $18.75-million deal with the Kings this past off-season.

The 35-year-old has five goals and 14 points in 25 games.

The Kings claimed winger Nikita Scherbak off of waivers earlier on Sunday.

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