Sports Ticker

9/15/2006 5:28:45 PM

BOSTON (Ticker) - The Boston Bruins apparently have severed ties with the last of former general manager Mike O'Connell's major acquisitions of the summer of 2005.

According to a report by the Boston Herald on Friday, veteran centre Alexei Zhamnov failed his physical on the first day of the Bruins' training camp and was sent home.

Zhamnov, who signed a three-year, $12.3 million contract with Boston last summer, suffered a broken ankle on January 7, ending his 2005-06 season after he recorded just one goal and nine assists in 24 games.  He still is owed $8.2 million, which will be covered by insurance.

However, the 35-year-old Russian must have his ankle re-examined midway through the 2006-07 campaign as well as before and during the following season in order to confirm he still is unable to play.

Zhamnov was one of five additions to the Bruins made last summer by O'Connell, who also signed former Norris Trophy winner Brian Leetch, Shawn McEachern and Dave Scatchard and acquired Brad Isbister in a trade.  All five lasted one season or less with Boston.

A fourth-round pick of Winnipeg in 1990, Zhamnov has collected 249 goals and 470 assists in 807 career games with the Jets, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers and Bruins.  He scored at least 20 goals each of his first eight seasons, netting a
career-high 30 tallies in 1994-95, and made his lone All-Star Game appearance during the 2001-02 campaign.

The 6-1, 204-pound Zhamnov has represented his country at the Winter Olympics on three occasions, helping the nation capture the gold medal in 1992, silver in 1998 and bronze in 2002.