Former Canucks Forward and KHL MVP Suspended Several Games for Questionable Reason
Photo credit: KHL
Former Vancouver Canucks forward Josh Leivo has been suspended by the KHL just two games into his stint with a new club for a pretty ridiculous reason.
The KHL’s 2025-26 season is not even a week old yet and there’s already some controversy, this time surrounding a former Vancouver Canucks forward – Josh Levio.
“As has already been said, if a player of Joshua Leivo’s caliber enters the market, the club needs to react immediately. Over the past two seasons in the KHL, this forward has become a real star of the League, breaking what seemed to be Sergei Mozyakin’s eternal record and winning the MVP title at the end of the 2024/25 regular season. It can be said without a shadow of a doubt that Josh is a real scoring machine and an ideal tip for any attack. His shot can be called elite, he is the first violin in the majority and, as they say now, makes the difference. He is a dominant master who feels comfortable against any opponent and any defensive line. We are confident that Leivo will quickly adapt to our friendly team and will write his name in the glorious history of Traktor.” GM Alexey Volkov said.
KHL suspends former Vancouver Canuck Josh Leivo for ridiculous reason
Leivo and Trakor Chelyabinsk played two games on the league’s opening weekend, losing in overtime in both to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl & Barys Astana and as the former Canuck was preparing for Tuesday’s contest against HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, he received some bad news from the KHL.
According to Hockey Worldwide on Instagram, the KHL decided to issue a two-game suspension to Josh Leivo because the forward didn’t attend the league’s 2024-25 award ceremony back in late May.
They added that Leivo appealed the decision with the league, but he was denied and will miss the next two games (including Tuesday’s) for Traktor Chelyabinsk.
“The KHL has issued a two-game suspension to forward Joshua Leivo because he didn’t attend the season ending award ceremony ❌
The 32-year-old had his appeal of the suspension denied by the league.” Hockey Worldwide said.
The native of Innisfil, Ontario is coming off one the best seasons in KHL history, registering 49 goals and 80 points in 62 games and go on to win the following four awards: Golden Stick, Golden Helmet, Top Scorer and Top Goal Scorer.
Leivo will be eligible to return to Traktor Chelyabinsk’s lineup on Sunday as they travel to the Bolshoy Ice Dome – host rink for the 2014 Winter Olympics – where they’ll take on HC Sochi.
Previously on CanucksDaily
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Former Canucks Forward and KHL MVP Suspended Several Games for Questionable Reason
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