NBA
– The plan for Phil Jackson to join the Magic front office “probably will not gain traction with team officials,” according to the Orlando Sentinel. Per the report, the Magic want to hire someone who will be in Orlando on a full-time basis. Of note, the initial idea was brought to the Magic, rather than being proposed by the Magic.
NHL
– The Oilers have agreed to terms on a new contract with GM Steve Tambellini. Tambellini joined the Oilers in 2008. The 54-year-old native of Trail, British Columbia, served as the Canucks’ vice president and assistant general manager for three seasons. Oilers’ president of hockey operations, Kevin Lowe said,
“Three years ago, we asked Steve to begin a rebuild which we all know hasn’t been easy. However, Oilers fans can take some consolation in the fact that Steve and his staff have acquired some amazing talent which will most definitely be the cornerstone to future sustained success for the Edmonton Oilers.”
– The Panthers have signed executive VP & GM Dale Tallon to a multi-year contract extension. Tallon made Kevin Dineen the head coach in June of 2011 after the Panthers went 30-40-12 during the 2010-11 season–Dineen guided the team to a 38-26-18 mark in 2011-12. The 94 points was the franchise’s most since totaling 98 points in 1999-2000 (43-27-6-6). The Panthers also earned their first division title and the team’s first playoff berth since 2000. Tallon was selected as a finalist for the NHL’s Executive of the Year that will be awarded in Las Vegas on June 20.
“I am very grateful to Cliff [Viner, team general partner] and all our partners for providing me the opportunity to sign an extension with the Panthers. Through the hard work of our diligent hockey operations staff we have changed the environment and culture of our club, developing a new identity for the Florida Panthers. I am very proud of our coaching staff, players and support staff for all that we accomplished this season. We are driven each day to make our team better and to reach our ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup championship to South Florida.”
– According to the Washington Post, F Mike Knuble has been informed by GM George McPhee that he won’t be brought back for the 2012-13 season. ”I don’t think it was unexpected, the way things went this season. There are younger guys stepping up and those guys will need a spot to play and a chance to play…It’s really the first time in my career that I’ve been told by a team they don’t want me back, but it’s not like I was blindsided.” Knuble, who will turn 40 years of age on July 4, will become a UFA on July 1. He recorded six goals and 12 assists in 72 games with the Caps last season.
– According to the Ottawa Sun, Senators’ GM Bryan Murray will not rush F Daniel Alfreddson’s decision on his future in the NHL. ”I don’t need to hear from him right away and I don’t need to hear from him before the draft. I know he’s got a tough decision. I’m not going to ask him. Daniel and I had good conversations before he left here in the exit interview. I think he’ll make up his mind when he feels comfortable making up his mind and I’m just going to leave it at that.” Murray added that he would like to get Alfredsson back in the fold for the 2012-12 campaign
– Lawyers for Todd Bertuzzi and the Vancouver Canucks have lost an appeal to keep confidential the details of a deal struck last year pertaining to a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Bertuzzi by former NHL player Steve Moore. Moore’s civil lawsuit for damages and lost wages stems from an incident during a game on March 8, 2004, in Vancouver between the Canucks and the Colorado Avalanche. Bertuzzi, then with the Canucks, attacked Colorado’s Moore from behind and punched him in the side of the head, driving him to the ice. Moore suffered three broken vertebrae, deep facial cuts and never played in the NHL again. The incident was in retaliation to a hit Moore delivered to Canucks star Markus Naslund in an earlier game between the teams. Naslund was injured on the play, but Moore did not receive a penalty or any further disciplinary action.
– Court records show retired NHL player Darren McCarty and his wife got personal protection orders against four former friends in suburban Detroit. The Detroit News reports Wednesday that the veteran of 15 NHL seasons who won four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings claims harassment by the three women and one man. McCarty and his wife, Sheryl, say in court papers the four tried to draw McCarty back into a partying lifestyle. McCarty told the newspaper he wants to be left alone. He says harassment has included death threats. The orders were granted last month in an Oakland County court. One of the women denied the claims, but she couldn’t comment further because of the orders. McCarty spent 13 seasons with the Red Wings. He retired in 2009.
– The Toledo Walleye of the ECHL say Red Wings’ prospect D Bryan Rufenach has died this week while travelling in Switzerland. He was 23. The Barrie, Ontario, native was picked by the Red Wings in the seventh round of the 2007 draft. He was signed to his first pro contract by the Walleye last year after four years at Clarkson University. Walleye coach Nick Vitucci says the team’s thoughts and prayers are with Rufenach’s family. He describes Rufenach as “a great teammate” who “would play any role asked of him.” Rufenach played 54 games with Toledo in 2011-12, scoring 13 goals. He was promoted to Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League on three occasions.
NFL
– The Giants have signed head coach Tom Coughlin to a 2-year extension through 2014. Coughlin turns 66 in August, so he’s now locked in through his age-68 campaign. Coughlin has coached the G-Men to Super Bowl victories in two of the past four years, joining Bill Parcells and Steve Owen as the three coaches to lead the Giants to multiple world championships. Coughlin will pass Parcells for second in franchise history in coaching victories this year.
– Browns’ head coach Pat Shurmur hinted Wednesday that rookie QB Brandon Weeden could be named named the starter by the beginning of training camp. While saying he’d like to pick starters “sooner rather than late,” Shurmur compared the quarterback competition to the one in St. Louis two years ago when QB Sam Bradford was named the starter to open camp, following a “battle” with QB A.J. Feeley. “(Bradford) had a pretty good year for us.” Weeden is “quickly getting a feel for his receivers” while McCoy has struggled with fluttering passes in OTAs.
TNA
– Alex Silva, the first TNA Gutcheck contestant to earn a contract, is currently training at Ohio Valley Wrestling, TNA’s developmental territory. The reason he has not been back on television since earning the contract is because he was not originally scripted to win. According to F4WOnline, originally, both Bruce Prichard and Ric Flair were supposed to vote ‘no,’ while Al Snow would have been the only judge to vote ‘yes.’ Flair was so impressed with Silva’s promo that he broke from the script during the segment and voted ‘yes.’ Prichard, who was also impressed by Silva but caught off guard by Flair’s unforeseen move, had to improvise and also changed his vote to ‘yes.’ TNA had the option of re-filming the segment but it would have looked bad in front of the crowd so they just decided to hire him.
– Spike TV and TNA ran commercials in a number of top markets on during Monday’s RAW Supershow to promote Impact going live every week and its new 8pm ET start time. TNA waited until the second week of Impact’s new start time to run the commercials because last Monday was Memorial Day.