NHL great Stan Mikita dead at 78
The Chicago Blackhawks have lost one of the most revered figures in franchise history. Former captain Stan Mikita, who helped the team win the 1961 Stanley Cup, died yesterday. He was 78.
Mikita’s family announced his death in a statement released by the team. No further details were provided, but he had been in poor health after being diagnosed with Lewy body dementia — a progressive disease that causes problems with thinking, movement, behavior and mood.
Mikita spent his entire career with Chicago, beginning with his NHL debut in 1959 and running through his retirement after playing 17 games in the 1979-80 season. He is the Blackhawks’ career leader for assists (926), points (1,467) and games played (1,394), and is second to Bobby Hull with 541 goals.
Mikita remains the only NHL player in history to win the Art Ross (scoring champion), Hart (MVP) and Lady Byng (sportsmanship) trophies in the same season, and he accomplished the feat in consecutive years in 1967 and 1968. He became the first player to have his jersey retired by the Blackhawks in 1980, and was inducted into the hockey Hall of Fame three years later.
“Stan Mikita will be always remembered as a champion, an innovator and a master of the game,” team president John McDonough said. “He embodied the Chicago Blackhawks.”
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman called Mikita “one of the greatest players in NHL history and a Chicago icon.”
Sixers rookie hurt
Philadelphia 76ers rookie Zhaire Smith is expected to have surgery this week to repair a fractured left foot, according to team sources.
The 16th overall pick in June’s NBA draft, Smith injured his foot on Monday in Las Vegas while participating in a camp run by Tim Grgurich, a longtime NBA assistant coach known for player development.
An MRI revealed a Jones fracture in Smith’s left foot. He will be evaluated by a team specialist by today, and a team source said Smith is expected to undergo surgery within the week . . . .
The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Shelvin Mack. Terms of the deals weren’t disclosed.
The 6-foot-3 Mack played 69 games for the Orlando Magic last season and averaged 6.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and a career-high 3.9 assists in 19.8 minutes. He shot 43 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from 3-point range.
Djokovic advances
Novak Djokovic advanced to the second round with a 6-3, 7-6 (7) win over lucky loser Mirza Basic at the Rogers Cup in Toronto.
And former world No. 3 Stan Wawrinka came back to beat 16th-seed Nick Kyrgios 1-6, 7-5, 7-5.
In other matches, Robin Haase of the Netherlands downed Japan’s Kei Nishikori 7-5, 6-1.
Americans Sam Querrey, Frances Tiafoe and Ryan Harrison joined Russia’s Karen Khachanov and Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas as other first-round winners . . . .
Maria Sharapova advanced to the second round of the Rogers Cup in Montreal with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over qualifier Sesil Karatantcheva of Bulgaria.
WR admits depression
Former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. says he battled depression during his 16-year career with the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens.
Smith, who retired after the 2016 season and now works as an analyst for the NFL Network, told NFL. com that despite making five Pro Bowls and being selected All-Pro twice he “routinely felt trapped, inferior and alone” and often asked himself “what’s wrong with me?”
The 39-year-old Smith said by his final season with Carolina in 2013 he was so overwhelmed he didn’t know how to handle his emotions and “was a cynic of everything and everyone.” . . .
Kenyan marathon runner Samuel Kalalei has tested positive for EPO and has been provisionally suspended from all competition. The 23-year-old Kalalei won the Athens Marathon in November.