LOS ANGELES -- It has been four months since Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov was arrested on domestic violence charges against his wife, Marta Varlamova.
Voynov is facing a felony count of corporal injury to a spouse with great bodily injury, stemming from an incident in which he is alleged to have battered his wife at the couple’s home back in October. The charge carries a maximum of nine years in state prison if he is found guilty, and he is set to stand trial March 2 in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Voynov, who was suspended indefinitely by the league soon after his arrest, has not played since Oct. 19.
According to Voynov's agent, Rolland Hedges, his client is eager to have his day in court and to seek resolution in the case.
“He wishes it were over by now,” Hedges told ESPN.com when reached by phone Thursday morning. “There’s been disappointment that the process has taken so long, but he understands it.”
Hedges said his client, who has continued to skate on his own at the Kings' practice facility in El Segundo, California, is optimistic of his chances of playing again this season. There are others, however, who sound far less convinced that remains a realistic possibility.
At least two sources with knowledge of Voynov's legal situation expressed doubt that would happen.
Even if Voynov were acquitted of the charges, which remains a big if, he would not automatically be reinstated because of the outstanding suspension in place by the NHL.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN.com that the league would still need to investigate further before allowing him to play.
“We would still have our own process that we would need to engage in,” Daly confirmed via email, though he declined to elaborate when asked what that process might entail.
Though the Kings initially supported the league’s swift decision to suspend Voynov, team general manager Dean Lombardi has several times expressed frustration at the salary-cap implications caused by the situation.
The league granted the Kings temporary cap relief in November, allowing Voynov to be placed on long-term injured reserve. But the NHL came down hard on the organization soon after, assessing a $100,000 fine for violating the terms of Voynov's suspension following an incident in December in which Voynov participated in on-ice activities with his teammates.
Whether Voynov's teammates will become further entangled in the ongoing legal situation remains to be seen.
Redondo Beach Police Department lieutenant Joe Hoffman confirmed to ESPN.com that members of the Kings organization were interviewed during the police investigation, with a separate source confirming that teammates were questioned about the incident. But neither the District Attorney’s office nor Voynov's lawyer would comment on whether any teammates will be called to testify during the trial.
Hedges said that Voynov has been frustrated at his inability to explain the situation, which he and his wife claim was an accident, though others paint a very different picture of what happened that night.
According to court testimony in a preliminary hearing back in December, a police officer from the Redondo Beach Police Department said Voynov punched, kicked and choked his wife during the incident. The officer reportedly detailed a bloody scene at the Voynov's place of residence and said that Varlamova appeared scared.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office lead prosecutor Frank Dunnick also said that “there was evidence to suggest prior domestic violence.”
In a report published earlier this month, the Times claimed that the incident began at a Halloween party and continued when the couple arrived home, where Voynov threatened a divorce and to cut off his wife financially.
After repeatedly pushing and kicking Varlamova, Voynov reportedly pushed her into a flatscreen television, which opened up a wound above her left eye that required eight stitches to close.
Varlamova was treated at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance, where Voynov was later arrested.