Talk » size. "The more the players at a younger age can work on their

The Los Angeles Dodgers traded veteran second baseman/outfielder Howie Kendrick to the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. In return, the Dodgers received first baseman Darin Ruf and utility man Darnell Sweeney, a former Dodgers prospect.Sources say that Kendrick, 33, was unhappy with his irregular playing time with Dodgers this season and had asked to be traded. The Phillies could use him either in left field or at second base, or possibly both.Kendrick has one year remaining on a two-year, $20 million contract that will pay him $10 million in 2017. He hit a career-low .255, with a .326 on-base percentage, this year while starting 123 games at four positions (second base, third, first and left field).Howie Kendrick brings a proven, veteran presence to our young lineup, Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said in a statement. He is a hard worker, a great teammate and a true professional hitter. In addition, Howies defensive versatility provides significant flexibility to our roster, which should prove to be valuable to our club in 2017.The 30-year-old Ruf led the minor leagues in home runs in 2012, with 38, but was never able to win a full-time job in Philadelphia, where he was blocked at first base by Ryan Howard. His appeal to the Dodgers is that he has a career slash line of .299/.379/.542/.921 against left-handed pitching, with 17 home runs in 271 at-bats.Sweeney, 25, came up through the Dodgers system but was traded to Philadelphia in 2015 in the deal that sent Chase Utley to L.A. He batted .233, with six home runs and 12 stolen bases, in 118 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season, while playing second base, shortstop, third base and center field.Koen Casteels Belgium Jersey . 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Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Dries Mertens Belgium Jersey . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. CHARLOTTETOWN -- The game of hockey will soon change for peewee-level players across the country after a vote by Hockey Canada on Saturday that banned bodychecking. Hockey Canadas board of directors overwhelmingly voted to eliminate bodychecking for peewee players at its annual general meeting in Charlottetown on Saturday, with only the Saskatchewan Hockey Association voting against. The decision comes in the same month that both Hockey Alberta and Hockey Nova Scotia did away with bodychecking for its peewee players, who are usually 11 and 12 years old. Quebec had also previously banned it. Debate over when to allow players to start hitting has inflamed emotions on both sides of the argument for years. But research that came out of Alberta last year showed there was a three-fold increase in the risk of injuries for peewee players who check in Alberta, compared to those in Quebec where bodychecking is not allowed until bantam. Paul Carson, vice-president of hockey development for Hockey Canada, said safety was a key factor in the boards decision. He said reaction at the meeting was mixed, but most thought it was the right move. "While some would be reluctant because of their traditional beliefs of the game, they also understood that the safety and the area of skill development were critical issues to consider," said Carson on Saturday. Kelly McClintock, general manager of the Saskatchewan Hockey Association, maintains that bodychecking is a skill that should be taught to children as young and eight and nine. "Our membership has always been very strongly in favour of having bodychecking as early as possible," he said. "Its always been a pretty emotionall discussion.ddddddddddddquot; He said the association was disappointed, but not surprised that the motion passed. The changes will take effect in the upcoming 2013-14 hockey season, which begins in September. Hockey Canada said the board has agreed to develop a bodychecking standard for coaching, to be implemented in the 2014-15 season. But McClintock says thats putting "the cart before the horse." "For us it was probably a little bit more of a concern over the process, that it happened very quickly in the last three weeks to a month," said McClintock. "I think we have to look at the process that we follow when were going to do something like this." Halifax Mooseheads coach Dominique Ducharme, who is in Saskatoon for the MasterCard Memorial Cup, noted that 11- and 12-year-old kids can vary drastically in size. "The more the players at a younger age can work on their skills, beside wondering about getting body checked and body weight and height difference, I think maybe (in) the long run it might just help develop players with even better skills," he said. But Mooseheads forward Stefan Fournier said bodychecking teaches players an important aspect of the game at an younger age. "When youre a peewee hockey player the games not as fast. It teaches you to learn to keep your head up when youre skating around. That kind of stuff does limit head injuries," said Fournier, a day before hitting the ice at the Memorial Cup final against the Portland Winterhawks. "The games fast and if you have your head down for a split second you can get caught." By Aly Thomson in Halifax and Joshua Clipperton in Saskatoon ' ' '