NHL

– The Columbus Chamber is stating that the Blue Jackets could leave the city because of mounting losses. The Chamber states that the Blue Jackets are losing about $12M per year. A deal to keep the Blue Jackets in Columbus will require public money. Ty D. Marsh, Chamber president and CEO said, “We believe there is a sense of urgency here. We’re looking for a solution or progress by the end of the year.” Is Columbus going to become the next Phoenix. Stay tuned.

– Bruins F David Krejci has been diagnosed with the H1N1 virus. Krejci is believed to be the fifth NHL player to be diagnosed with the virus. Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli said in a statement, “Like most people, we are taking many precautions to try to prevent our players and staff from contracting the H1N1 virus. Our medical staff is working with David to get him healthy as soon as possible, and our players and staff will continue to take precautions with hopes of preventing the spread of the virus to others in the organization.” Krejci is off to a poor start with only five points in 14 games.

– Blue Jackets F Kristian Huselius (undisclosed) has been placed on the IR - he is out one week.

MLB

– The Angels have re-signed OF Bobby Abreu to a two-year/$19M contract with a team option for 2012. Abreu said that he’s “very happy to sign this contract” after settling for a one-year/$6M deal as a free agent last offseason.

– According to the NY Post, the Mets have told RHP J.J. Putz that they will decline his $9.1M option for 2010. Choosing the $1M buyout instead is a no-brainer given Putz’s arm issues. Putz logged just 29 1/3 innings for the Mets while allowing 18 runs. He may have to settle for an incentive-laden one-year deal to prove that he’s healthy.

– According to a report in the NY Daily News, the Royals have traded 1B Mark Teahen to the White Sox for 2B Chris Getz and 3B Josh Fields. If it wasn’t obvious already, this all but guarantees that OF Jermaine Dye will not return next season. Teahen, 28, batted .271/.325/.408 with 12 home runs and 50 RBI in 2009 and is a .269/.331/.419 lifetime hitter. With the trade of Getz, the White Sox should be in the market for a second or third baseman this winter. In Getz and Fields, the Royals have added two young and inexpensive players with upside. Just who will play third base next season is up for debate. Neither Fields nor 3B Alex Gordon, both former first round picks, have lived up to their initial billing.

– The D’Backs have declined 3B Chad Tracy’s $7M option for 2010. Tracy gets a $1M buyout instead and becomes a free agent after hitting just .237/.306/.389 while playing fewer than 100 games for the third straight season. He hasn’t been healthy and productive since 2006, will be 30 years old next season and is no longer a realistic option defensively at third base, so Tracy may have to settle for a bench job this winter.

– The Dodgers have declined RHP Jon Garland’s $10M option for 2010. Arizona is reportedly on the hook for his $2.5M buyout as part of the midseason trade that sent Garland to Los Angeles, so the Dodgers basically gave up Tony Abreu for six starts from the veteran right-hander. Garland pitched well, going 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA down the stretch, but was left off the NLCS roster and is now a free agent.

– The White Sox have signed OF Mark Kotsay to a one-year/$1.5M deal. He’ll likely serve as the team’s fourth outfielder and backup at first base.

– The Reds have signed RHP Matt Belisle and C Randy Flores to one-year deals.

– RHP Daniel Cabrera has filed for free agency.

– 3B Danny Richar filed for free agency.

– The Cardinals have released RHP Brad Thompson.

– The Mariners have claimed RHP Yusmeiro Petit off waivers from D’Backs.

– LHP Noah Lowry has filed for free agency.

– RHP Justin Miller has filed for free agency.

– The Nationals have claimed LHP Doug Slaten off waivers from D’Backs.

NBA

– Nets G Devin Harris (groin) said on Thursday that his original injury timetable was optimistic, and that he’s likely to be out at least another two-to-four weeks. “It could take four weeks to heal. If I come back in two weeks and I still feel it, I’m going to take the next two weeks. We don’t have a date quite in mind.”

– KIngs F Andres Nocioni, who was named the Kings’ new starting small forward on Wednesday, was arrested by Sacramento Police and booked into Sacramento County Jail early Thursday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence. It’s hard to say what kind of disciplinary action this will bring from the Kings or the NBA, while it’s also hard to tell if this will effect his new job as the team’s starting forward. We should have more information later on Thursday, although the Kings don’t play until Saturday at Utah

WWE

– WWE United States champion The Miz spoke to the Orlando Sentinel. The highlights:

On WWE’s young stars: “I think right now we’re at a time where a lot of the veteran WWE main-eventers are starting to get a little older and we’re starting to realize that they’re not going to be here for the next 10, 15 years and they need to start bringing up a new crop of new WWE superstars.”

On his reality TV background: “That’s always a topic of conversation. People always ask me how does the locker room like you and the locker room has always hated me. I’ve never had too many friends in the WWE whether it was jealousy, whether they just didn’t like me because I came from the reality world.”

“I find it amazing that WWE fans but also the locker room will take in MMA stars, they’ll take in football players, they’ll take in seven-foot tall people, you know. But a reality star comes in and oh, low and behold, he can’t fight. He can’t come into our business. I’m there just to prove everyone wrong, to prove to all those people that said he’s not supposed to be here, he’s just from a reality show. Let him host something. Let him host a Diva thing or something. I can actually wrestle and I can actually mean business and do what I say I am and actually be the best in the business.”

TNA

– According to the PWTorch Newsletter, the news of Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff is being greeted with a “wait and see” attitude from within TNA. The expectations from those within the industry is ranging from a short-term deal all the way to an ownership stake of TNA.

At one point Hogan and Bischoff were seeking a stake in ownership during a previous negotiating stint with the company, however TNA turned that idea down.

There is a wide range of emotions amongst the wrestlers in the company about the news. More than one wrestler has expressed fear that TNA would become all about Hogan and friends, such as Brutus Beefcake and The Nasty Boys. However, others have expressed optimism that the duo of Hogan and Bischoff could open new doors in the business world for the company. Some wrestlers were excited by the possibility of working with Hogan in the ring, even if it means putting him over.

The biggest fear with most of the wrestlers in TNA is that the company will become like WCW, in that older wrestlers receive almost all of the spotlight. It’s been described as a “roller coaster” for the TNA roster by one source, since it felt like they were finally getting their chance to shine when Vince Russo was put in charge of creative and he made it clear he was going through with his youth movement. So far the movement is being labeled a success within the company, as Russo has pushed the three names Dixie Carter gave him (AJ Styles, Matt Morgan and Hernandez) to create into new marquee names.

– TNA Wrestling star Samoa Joe has posted a message on his Twitter page in response to the Internet rumour that he was upset with TNA management because they did not use a friend’s catering business at the Bound For Glory pay-per-view. Joe wrote:

“I often wonder how Wrestling news sites can call their posts “news” when they cannot cite sources or provide proof of what they say occurred? I’m not targeting anyone in particular. I’m just saying in normal journalistic circles sources and evidence are key aspects of journalism. I mean wrestling is a highly political game so you have to wonder what are these sources agendas? I’m just saying I know a few sites follow me I am interested in their take and their accountability policies. BTW I’m not a “sheet hater.” They bolster interest and discussion in the industry & I feel they have become a integral part of wrestling media. I get trashed & scrutinized everyday which is fine – IT’S PART OF MY JOB, but when people fabricate what I say about others, thats wank. I don’t want sheets to disappear. I just am calling for you to UP YOUR GAME, be better than what you are currently, Truth = Relevance.”