Shanahan Booted St.Louis

Mike Shanahan was fired as chairman and chief executive officer of the St. Louis Blues and replaced by longtime colleague Jack Quinn.

A spokesman for the NHL team would not say why Shanahan was removed.

The change at the top caught Blues coach and general manager Mike Keenan by surprise, Keenan’s agent, Rob Campbell, said.

Keenan is entering the second year of a five-year deal, but an escape clause allows him to leave the team if either Shanahan or Quinn leaves.

Shanahan said he was told of his ouster at a lunch meeting Wednesday when he was shown an organizational chart without his name on it, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Mario Lemieux, the four-time NHL scoring champion who sat out last season following five years of medical problems, will announce Tuesday whether he will retire or return for the 1995-96 season.

The San Jose Sharks have reached an agreement in principle on a contract with All-Star defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh, which leaves goaltender Arturs Irbe as their main negotiating focus.

John Vanbiesbrouck came up a winner when an arbitrator awarded the Florida Panthers goalie $1.9 million for the 1994-95 season.

Developer Ross Perot Jr. has backed out of an offer to purchase part of the Dallas Stars hockey team.

The Western Hockey League Board of Governors announced the purchase of the Regina Pats hockey franchise with an eye toward turning it over to one of several potential owners in the future.