NHL salary cap elevates to $69 million

NHL: The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association say the salary cap for the 2014-15 season is going up to $69 million after a year of record revenues.

In a joint announcement Friday before the NHL draft, the sides said the cap is rising from the $64.3 million upper limit that teams operated on during the just-completed season. As stipulated in the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players, clubs must maintain a minimum payroll of $51 million.

Now clubs know the salary parameters they have to work with entering the free-agent signing period that begins Tuesday.

• Predators acquire Neal: The Pittsburgh Penguins have sent forward James Neal to the Nashville Predators in exchange for forwards Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling.

The 26-year-old Neal had 27 goals and 34 assists in 59 games for the Penguins this season. Hornqvist, 27, had 22 goals and 31 assists in 76 games this season.

• Ducks deal for Kesler: The Anaheim Ducks have acquired center Ryan Kesler from the Vancouver Canucks in a trade for center Nick Bonino, defenseman Luca Sbisa and the 24th overall pick in Friday’s draft.

The 29-year-old Kesler is a standout two-way center who has spent his entire 10-season career in Vancouver, compiling six 20-goal seasons and 392 career points.

• Coyotes part with Ribeiro: The Arizona Coyotes are buying out center Mike Ribeiro’s three-year contract.

Ribeiro showed flashes of brilliance during his time with Arizona, but was benched twice by coach Dave Tippett late in the season while the Coyotes were still in the playoff hunt.

Delle Donne out

WNBA: Chicago Sky forward Elena Delle Donne wasn’t in the lineup against the New York Liberty in Friday’s WNBA game, sidelined indefinitely with a recurrence of Lyme disease.

The reigning rookie of the year missed five games this month because of the disease.

She was sidelined by the bacterial disease in college at Delaware, missing time on three separate occasions.

Hoosiers implement multiyear rides

Colleges: Indiana is going to begin guaranteeing multiyear scholarships to athletes and will agree not to reduce the amount of money students on partial scholarship receive based on illness, injury or ability.

The school will begin implementing a 10-point student-athlete bill of rights. It will include significant financial support to former athletes who wish to return to finish their degrees and increased health care commitments.

• Cal names interim A.D.: Former California wrestler Michael Williams will take over as interim athletic director while the school seeks a replacement for Sandy Barbour.

Barbour will step down on July 15 to set up an academic program in sports management on campus.