More departures: Kuba leaves Czech team, Stewart bolts England

A few NHL-related transactions to pass along…

Kuba done with Vitkovice…for now

Florida Panthers defenseman Filip Kuba has parted ways with HC Vitkovice Steel of the Czech Extraliga, according to the team website.

Kuba signed with Vitkovice back in early November and appeared in 11 games, scoring four points.

In a lengthy Q&A, he explained the reasons for his decision to leave — one, his family was still in North America and two, he believes the NHL could resume play soon.

(Warning: Google Translate ahoy!)

Q: Do you believe that the NHL could soon start up, or is it your wish?

Kuba: I believe that it will.

Q: Do you have any specific messages that have not yet been leaking to the public?

Kuba: Not really. Alone I actually just what is in the media. That the situation escalates, the two sides are actually already backed into a corner, one harms another. I think it’s not so, and I believe that by the end of December, both parties agree and then starts playing again.

Kuba went on to say that if the season is canceled, he would likely re-join Viktovice for the year.

Stewart exits Nottingham

Carolina forward Anthony Stewart left EIHL club Nottingham on Friday on the advice of his agent, Eustace King.

“That’s not necessarily reading into anything about the [CBA] talks,” Stewart told the Raleigh News and Observer. “It was just in case we do get going … I don’t want to have played too many games. If we get going it’s going to be a lot of games in a short time.”

Stewart appeared in 19 games for Nottingham, scoring 11 points. He’s headed into the final season of a two-year, $1.8 million deal with the ‘Canes and credited the Panthers and the EIHL for keeping him sharp during he lockout.

“It’s a big ice surface and some guys are really fast,” he said of the UK-based circuit. “It’s a skating league.”

It should be noted that many European leagues are on their Winter/Christmas break and, ergo, many players’ departures are corresponding with that time off.