HOCKEY
Blues sign forward Tarasenko
The St. Louis Blues say they have signed star forward Vladimir Tarasenko to an eight-year, $60 million contract. General Manager Doug Armstrong announced the move Tuesday, locking up Tarasenko, 23, after a season in which he made his first career All-Star game and was 10th in the NHL with 73 points, including 37 goals, to go along with a plus-27 rating. He was the youngest Blues player with a 30-goal season since Brendan Shanahan in 1991-92. Drafted 16th overall by the Blues in 2010, Tarasenko has 135 points (66 goals, 69 assists) in 179 career regular-season games over parts of three seasons. He also has 10 goals and an assist in 13 playoff games.
• The Carolina Hurricanes and forward Zach Boychuk have agreed on a one-year, two-way contract. The deal announced Tuesday will pay him $600,000 in the NHL or $200,000 in the minors with a guarantee of $250,000. This will be Boychuk's eighth year in the Carolina organization and General Manager Ron Francis calls him "a reliable depth forward who we know is capable of contributing offensively at either level." Boychuk had three goals and three assists in 31 games with the Hurricanes last season.
• The Arizona Coyotes have signed left wing Mikkel Boedker, 25, to a one-year, $3.75 million deal. Boedker filed for salary arbitration on Sunday, but the sides were able to iron out a deal Tuesday before they went before a mediator. The Dane has been one of Arizona's most creative scorers during seven seasons with the team. Boedker had 14 goals and 14 assists in 45 games last season. He had 19 goals and 32 assists in 2013-14. Boedker has 67 goals and 107 assists in 383 career NHL games.
• Forward Jimmy Hayes' new deal with the Boston Bruins will pay him $2.3 million a year for three years. The Bruins also signed forward Brett Connolly to a one-year contract with a cap figure of $1,025,000. Forward Brandon DeFazio got a one-year, two-way contract worth a cap figure of $575,000 at the NHL level. Hayes is a Boston native who played 72 games for the Florida Panthers last season and had 19 goals and 16 assists.
BOXING
Klitschko/Fury set for October
Promoters say unbeaten British boxer Tyson Fury will challenge Wladimir Klitschko for his world heavyweight titles in a bout in Germany in October. Klitschko, 39, is the WBA, IBF and WBO champion and the encounter will be a record 28th heavyweight title bout for him. Fury's promoters, Hennessy Sports, said the fight would take place in Duesseldorf on Oct. 24. The 26-year-old Briton is undefeated in 24 fights after defending his European title against Christian Hammer in London in March. He is the mandatory challenger to Ukrainian boxer Klitschko, who has not lost a match in 11 years. Klitschko last fought in April, defeating Bryant Jennings over 12 rounds at Madison Square Garden in New York.
BASKETBALL
Warriors trade Lee to Celtics
A person with knowledge of the deal says the Golden State Warriors have agreed to trade former All-Star forward David Lee to the Boston Celtics for Gerald Wallace. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the trade can't become official until the moratorium on NBA business ends Thursday. Lee injured his left hamstring in the final preseason game and his role diminished with the emergence of Draymond Green, the runner-up for defensive player of the year. The NBA champion Warriors have been looking to trade Lee this summer to limit the team's luxury tax hit next season. Lee is due about $15.4 million in the final year of his contract.
• NBA center Marc Gasol has confirmed that he will sign a new five-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. The 30-year-old free agent tells Spanish media he will stay at Memphis, as The Associated Press reported on Monday. The deal is expected to be worth more than $100 million. Marc Gasol adds that he won't play for Spain alongside brother Pau Gasol in the upcoming European championships from Sept. 5-20, saying "I have to devote myself and listen to the people of Memphis." The 7-foot-1 Marc Gasol is coming off the best season of his seven-year NBA career. He averaged 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists last season for Memphis.
• Free-agent shooting guard Alan Anderson has agreed to a $4 million, one-year contract with the Washington Wizards that should become official later this week. Anderson's agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed the terms of the deal on Tuesday. The 6-foot-6 Anderson, 32, played the past two years with the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 7.4 points and 2.8 rebounds last season.
• Charlie Villanueva will return for a second season in Dallas after earning a reserve role as a three-point threat and making the playoffs for the first time in his 10-year career. Villanueva announced his decision Tuesday on Twitter. He reportedly will get a one-year contract for the veteran minimum of $1.5 million after making the roster on a non-guaranteed deal out of training camp last season. Villanueva, 30, averaged 6.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 64 games for the Mavericks.
• Former Texas A&M point guard Avery Johnson Jr. will play for his father at Alabama. First-year Crimson Tide Coach Avery Johnson announced Monday that his son is switching Southeastern Conference schools. The younger Johnson has three years of eligibility remaining and will have to sit out next season under NCAA transfer rules. The Alabama coach says he is "thrilled as both a coach and a father" to have the guard join the program, praising his son's character and skill-set. Johnson played in 13 games as a freshman at Texas A&M. He averaged 4.3 minutes and 1.4 points per game, including a 10-point debut in the opener against Northwestern State.
FOOTBALL
Ex-QB McNabb arrested
Former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb has been arrested again in Arizona on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol. Police in the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert said Tuesday that McNabb was cited and released from a police facility after being arrested June 28 following a non-injury collision late that night. It could not be immediately determined whether McNabb has an attorney. McNabb served a day in jail last year after pleading guilty in another DUI case resulting from a 2013 arrest in the Phoenix area. McNabb led the Philadelphia Eagles to four consecutive NFC championship games while playing 13 years in the NFL. He retired after the 2011 season.
• Duke says linebacker Kelby Brown's college career is over after he tore a knee ligament. The school said Tuesday that Brown tore his left anterior cruciate ligament last week -- the same injury that kept him out for the 2014 season. He is scheduled to have his fourth knee surgery since 2010.
SOCCER
U.S. wins Gold Cup opener
Clint Dempsey scored twice on headers in front of his home state fans, and the United States opened defense of its CONCACAF Gold Cup title with a 2-1 victory against Honduras on Tuesday night in Frisco, Texas. Dempsey’s goals in the 25th and 64th minutes were created from crosses from Michael Bradley, wearing the captain’s arm band in his 100th international appearance. Dempsey’s big night came in the same area where the East Texas native trained as a youth, and kept the Americans perfect without even a draw in 13 Gold Cup openers.
BASKETBALL
Portis comes to terms with Bulls
CHICAGO — Former Arkansas Razorback Bobby Portis has signed with the Chicago Bulls, the team announced Tuesday.
The Bulls selected Portis, a 6-11 forward, with the No. 22 overall pick in the draft last month.
Terms of his contract were not disclosed, but the NBA rookie salary scale suggests a $1.16 million contract for the first year and $1.21 million for the second year.
Teams can sign their picks for as much as 120 percent of the suggested salary or for as little as 80 percent.
Portis, 20, was a second-team All-American and the SEC Player of the Year last season after averaging 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds a game as a sophomore and leading the Razorbacks to a 27-9 record and into the round of 32 at the NCAA Tournament. He ranked second in the conference in scoring and field-goal percentage (53.6 percent) and was fourth in rebounds.
The former McDonald’s All-American from Little Rock Hall averaged 15 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.49 blocked shots in 28.5 minutes per game during his career at Arkansas. He shot 52.6 percent from the field, 36.5 percent from behind the three-point line and 73.7 percent from the free-throw line.
Portis is the only player in Arkansas history to score 1,000 points and grab 500 rebounds by his sophomore season. He is became the 12th Razorback to be selected in the first round and the first since 2006, when guard Ronnie Brewer was selected No. 14 by the Utah Jazz.
Portis should help bolster a Chicago front line that is aging and banged up. Pau Gasol is 34; Joakim Noah, 30, is playing with a surgically-repaired left knee; and Taj Gibson, 29, underwent left ankle surgery June 15 that is expected to prevent him from taking part in basketball activities for four months.
The Bulls finished 50-32 last season and reached the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Sports on 07/08/2015