Hurricanes deal top prospect to Kings
The Carolina Hurricanes traded away one of their top prospects Friday, sending promising defenseman Jack Johnson to the Los Angeles Kings in a multiplayer deal.
The defending Stanley Cup champions also sent defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky to the Kings for forward Eric Belanger and defenseman Tim Gleason.
The Hurricanes selected Johnson, a 19-year-old Michigan sophomore, with the No. 3 overall pick in last year’s draft, but twice in the past year he turned down offers from the team to turn professional. That prompted Carolina general manager Jim Rutherford to entertain trade offers.
•Jaromir Jagr hit the ice with the New York Rangers for the first time since his dislocated left shoulder was repaired nearly five months ago.
•Colorado Avalanche forward Steve Konowalchuk retired after tests showed he has a disease that can lead to irregular heart rhythms.
The Avalanche also said forward Brad May would be out four to six months after reconstructive shoulder surgery Thursday.
Basketball
Jackson needs new hip
Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson, owner of an NBA-record 178 playoff victories, will have surgery to replace his right hip Tuesday – the same day his team opens training camp.
The 61-year-old coach is expected to be back on the job before the NBA season begins Oct. 31.
•The Philadelphia 76ers picked up the fourth-year option on swingman Andre Iguodala, who has started all 162 games in his first two seasons.
A first-round selection by the 76ers in 2004, Iguodala has averaged 10.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.66 steals per game.
•Larry Brown’s dispute over $40 million in his contract following his firing by the New York Knicks went before NBA commissioner David Stern.
Stern isn’t expected to rule for up to two weeks.
Miscellany
School drops nickname
Northeastern State is dropping the Redmen nickname the university has used for more than 80 years.
The NCAA can bar schools with “hostile or abusive” team names from hosting or participating in the organization’s championship events. Friday was the deadline for schools to say if they intend to change their names.
The school is considering 400 suggestions for a new nickname. By May a new name, logo and mascot will be in place.
•James Madison University’s board of visitors voted to drop 10 of its athletic teams in order to bring the school into compliance with the federal law demanding equity in male and female sports.
The school will eliminate seven men’s varsity teams and three women’s varsity teams on July 1 to bring it into Title IX compliance.
•Orlando is getting a more than $1 billion facelift with a new arena for the Orlando Magic, a renovated Florida Citrus Bowl and a new performing arts center.
The projects were made possible by a recently approved penny-on-the-dollar increase in Orange County’s hotel bed tax.