Ilya Kovalchuk is back on the free-agent market, and talking already.
An arbitrator ruled Monday the NHL acted correctly in voiding Kovalchuk’s landmark $102 million contract with the New Jersey Devils. The league rejected the 17-year contract, saying the longest deal in league history violated its salary cap.
The NHL Players Association filed a grievance against the league. A hearing was held last week and arbiter Richard Bloch sided with the league when he issued his ruling.
The decision puts Kovalchuk back on the market as an unrestricted free agent, and the high-scoring Russian already was talking to the Devils again.
NHL spokesman Frank Brown said it was too early to say whether the league would take punitive action against the Devils. New Jersey can be fined or lose draft picks for signing Kovalchuk to a contract that circumvented league rules.
• The Detroit Red Wings signed defenseman Ruslan Salei to a one-year contract. Salei missed all but 14 games for Colorado last season because of a back injury.
• Forward Teemu Selanne signed a one-year deal to return to the Anaheim Ducks.
• Philadelphia Flyers forward Riley Cote retired from hockey but will stay with the organization as an assistant coach for the team’s AHL affiliate.
NBA to play abroad
LONDON — NBA commissioner David Stern announced the Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets will face each other March 4 and 5 at the O2 Arena in London.
Although the NBA is making the jump to play meaningful games in Europe, Stern was hesitant to say if the league would make it an annual occurrence.
“We would rather not make a promise that we couldn’t fulfill. We’ll need to assess how we do in March, what the impact is, and we’re going to go from there,” Stern said. “It would not surprise me if this became an annual event.”
• Center Joakim Noah and the Chicago Bulls are discussing a contract extension and hope to have an agreement by the start of the season.
• Mike Ilitch, the Little Caesars pizza mogul who owns the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings, said he wants to buy the Detroit Pistons in part to make sure another buyer doesn’t move the NBA franchise out of town. Pistons owner Karen Davidson has said she’s considering a sale of the team.
Footnotes.
Chad Kreuter was fired as Southern California’s baseball coach by new athletic director Pat Haden, who named assistant Frank Cruz as interim head coach for the 2011 season. Kreuter went 111-117 in four years with the Trojans, who have won 12 College World Series titles.
• Croatians Ivo Karlovic (Achilles tendon) and Mario Ancic (back) withdrew from the U.S. Open because of injuries.
• Martin O’Neill resigned as manager of Aston Villa, just five days before the start of the Premier League season. The soccer club said reserve team manager Kevin MacDonald will take over until a replacement is found. U.S. coach Bob Bradley has been linked with the job.
The Associated Press
