Newsmakers: Steven Stamkos back with Lightning for ‘8 more years’
Signed Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is staying put in Tampa Bay. Stamkos tweeted that he was “excited to be back for 8 more years” and three people familiar with the decision confirmed the move. One of the people said the contract is worth $68 million, and Stamkos will average $8.5 million per season.
The Wild has re-signed left wing Jason Zucker to a two-year, $4 million deal. He was set to become a Group II free agent Friday and could have filed for arbitration by the July 5 deadline.
The Devils acquired top-line left wing Taylor Hall from the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Adam Larsson.Hall, 24, is entering the fourth season of a seven-year, $42 million deal with an average salary cap hit of $6 million.
The Columbus Blue Jackets took care of one of their biggest offseason priorities by signing defenseman Seth Jones to a $32.4 million, six-year contract. Jones, a pending restricted free agent, will count $5.4 million against the salary cap through the 2020-21 NHL season.
The St. Louis Blues have signed forward Kyle Brodziak to a two-year contract extension. The Blues also announced that the Chicago Wolves, their American Hockey League affiliate, have named Craig Berube head coach.
Traded The Detroit Pistons have traded guard Jodie Meeks to the Orlando Magic for a 2019 conditional second-round draft pick. Meeks played in only three games in 2015-16 after fracturing the fifth metatarsal in his right foot in the second game of the season. Since signing with the Pistons as a free agent in 2014, he’s played 63 games, averaging 10.9 points. Meeks has also played for Milwaukee, Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Lakers after an impressive college career at Kentucky. He’s shot 37 percent from 3-point range over seven NBA seasons.
Withdrew South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace has withdrawn her name from consideration for her nation’s Olympic team out of concern about the Zika virus. Pace, ranked No. 38th in the world, is the first player on the LPGA tour to cite Zika for sitting out of the Rio Games.
Guard Kobe Paras won’t be attending UCLA this fall and won’t be playing basketball for the Bruins. The school said that Paras has withdrawn from school after failing to meet academic conditions that were part of his admittance.
Banned Former Boston Marathon winner Lidiya Grigoryeva has been banned for 2 1/2 years for doping. The IAAF says the 42-year-old Grigoryeva, who won the Boston Marathon in 2007 and the Chicago Marathon in 2008, was banned under the biological passport program, which tracks suspicious blood parameters over a long period.
Grigoryeva, a Russian citizen, was also a European bronze medalist in the 10,000 meters in 2006. She does not lose any major titles or medals.
The IAAF also announced a ban of 2 1/2 years for another Russian, distance runner Alyona Kudashkina. She is reportedly a former pupil of Viktor Chegin, a coach linked to more than 25 doping cases, mostly in race-walking.
Died The Korea Skating Union says former Olympic short track speed skating champion Oh Se-jong has been killed in an accident earlier this week. He was 33 years old. South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported Oh was killed in a motorcycle crash on Monday night. Oh’s motorcycle hit a vehicle that made a U-turn in Seoul. The skating union could not confirm the circumstances of the crash.