Shanahan leaves Red Wings for Rangers
Brendan Shanahan became the second big-time forward to say goodbye to the Detroit Red Wings this offseason, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $4 million with the New York Rangers on Sunday.
The 37-year-old forward joined longtime Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman as players who won’t be returning to Hockeytown.
The Rangers, notorious for overspending on top-name players often past their prime, had been relatively quiet in the first week of free agency. They added forward Matt Cullen and defenseman Aaron Ward from the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes while other clubs quickly filled up space on the $44 million salary cap by handing out big-ticket deals.
With room to spend, the Rangers targeted Shanahan, who has 598 goals – 15th on the NHL career list – and 634 assists with New Jersey, St. Louis, Hartford, and Detroit. He turned down equal or higher-valued deals from the Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens.
Horse Racing
Barbaro has surgery
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro has developed “potentially serious” complications to his injured right hind leg, and underwent surgery to replace hardware and treat a new infection.
Late Saturday, the 3-year-old colt, who shattered his leg at the start of the Preakness on May 20, had the titanium plate and a number of screws replaced after developing discomfort in the leg and a “consistently” high temperature.
It is the third procedure in less than a week for Barbaro. He had the cast on his injured leg replaced and some new screws inserted Monday, and on Wednesday another new cast was applied. Also, Barbaro is being treated for a small infection on the sole of his uninjured left hind hoof, according to the hospital.
•Two horses died and their jockeys were hospitalized after a racing accident at Les Bois Park in Boise, Idaho.
As the field headed for the first turn Saturday in the last race on the card, the lead horse Rawston went down with a possible broken leg and died upon hitting the track, Capitol Racing officials said. Jockey Rowdy Louark was treated and released at St. Alphonsus Hospital.
The next horse, Regal Dr. Stuart, also went down and was later put down by a state veterinarian.
•Steve Asmussen, North America’s leading trainer in 2004 and 2005, has been suspended for six months by the Louisiana Racing Commission, a decision he decided not to appeal.
The racing commission suspended and fined Asmussen last month, after a horse he trained, No End in Sight, tested positive for mepivicane, a local anesthetic, after a March 24 race at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La.
Miscellany
Gatlin withdraws
Justin Gatlin, the co-world record holder at 100 meters, has pulled out of the Athletissima Grand Prix meet with knee problems.
Gatlin was scheduled to run Tuesday in the meet in Lausanne, Switzerland, but organizers said Sunday they were informed the Olympic 100-meter champion was unable to compete.
•Tommy Biffle had a final day catch of 16 pounds and a tournament total 63 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the $100,000 Bassmaster Elite Empire Chase in Brewerton, N.Y.