Stuart placed on team suspension

Veteran defenseman Mike Stuart has been placed on team suspension by the ECHL?s Idaho Steelheads as he pursues professional opportunities in Norway. Head coach Derek Laxdal put Stuart on team suspension to retain his rights should the veteran blue-liner opt to return from Europe this season. Stuart, 29, had eleven points (3 goals, 8 assists) in 21 games with Idaho. He had replaced Tyler Spurgeon as one of the team?s alternate captains when Spurgeon was called up to the American Hockey League. Stuart was a 2000 NHL draft pick of the Nashville Predators and has briefly appeared in the NHL on two different occaisions. The move leaves Laxdal with six healthy defensemen going into this weekend?s series with Ontario: Cody Lampl, Weston Tardy, Matt Sorteberg, Brendan Milnamow, Guillaume Monast, and Brad Miller. Two more, Kyle Radke and Riley Weselowski, are currently on the injured reserve list.Idaho hosts the Ontario Reign Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday night at Qwest Arena in downtown Boise. Tickets are available by calling the Qwest Arena box office at 208.331.TIXS.