Newsmakers

Claimed Goaltender Evgeni Nabokov left Russia hoping to land back in the NHL with a competitive team. The contending Detroit Red Wings gave Nabokov that chance, signing him to a one-year contract, but those plans were upset when the struggling New York Islanders swooped in to claim him off waivers Saturday. Nabokov, though, doesn’t plan to show up. The 35-year-old goaltender has decided he won’t report to the Islanders, a person familiar with his plans told the Associated Press on Saturday.

Hired Utah’s new offensive coordinator is Norm Chow. The 64-year-old Chow was hired after spending the past three years in the same role at UCLA. He left after a 4-8 season, but the move comes as Utah is about to join the new Pac-12 Conference in 2011. UCLA will play at Utah on Nov. 12. The announcement follows a move this month in which former Utes offensive tackle Tim Davis was hired to coach Utah’s offensive line.

• UCLA hired Mike Johnson as its new offensive coordinator. Johnson landed quickly with the Bruins after spending most of last season as the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive coordinator. He agreed last Thursday to reunite with coach Rick Neuheisel, his fellow assistant with the Baltimore Ravens from 2006-07. Johnson also will coach the Bruins’ receivers, replacing fired coach Reggie Moore. Resigned Michigan director of football operations Scott Draper has resigned. School spokesman Dave Ablauf said that Draper stepped down to accept another position. Draper and former coach Rich Rodriguez were among the people the school reprimanded for their roles in NCAA rule violations related to exceeding limits on practice and training. Draper spent 19 seasons with the football program, including the past seven as director of football operations.

Honored The Detroit Tigers will retire Sparky Anderson’s No. 11 this year, one of several gestures the team is planning to honor the late manager. The Tigers also will wear a commemorative patch to honor the Hall of Fame manager who led them to the World Series title in 1984, and raise a flag with his name on it at their home opener. Anderson died Nov. 4.

Sentenced A Chicago man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to robbing former NBA star Antoine Walker at gunpoint at his home in 2007. Demorris Hill was tried late last year for the robbery, but the jury wasn’t able to reach a unanimous verdict. Prosecutors had said they planned to retry him before he pleaded guilty Friday to one count of home invasion.