Panarin back with Rangers
Artemi Panarin rejoined the Rangers for practice in Boston on Wednesday after taking a two-week leave of absence.
Coach David Quinn said Panarin won’t play tonight against the Bruins and his timeline for getting back to game action is unclear. But there’s a buzz around the Rangers that their best player is back.
“He walked in at breakfast and everyone was pretty happy to see him,” defenseman Jacob Trouba said. “We heard rumblings that he might be meeting us in Boston, so everyone kind of kept it quiet, but I think everyone was excited. Obviously great to have him back and happy to have him back in the locker room. I think the team’s obviously excited to have him back around.”
Panarin left the team Feb. 22 after a Russian tabloid printed allegations from a former coach that he attacked a woman in Latvia almost a decade ago, which he denies.
The team called it a fabricated story designed to intimidate Panarin for his political views. Andrei Nazarov, a former NHL enforcer who coached Panarin in the Kontinental Hockey League, said he was motivated to speak about the alleged incident because he disagreed with Panarin’s repeated criticism of the Russian government.
CFL, XFL MAY TEAM UP
Twenty-six years after being released by the Calgary Stampeders, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is looking at re-establishing his Canadian Football League ties.
The CFL and XFL revealed Wednesday they’re poised to begin serious discussions about a potential partnership. Neither side would say who initiated the talks, only that they’ve agreed to collaborate on ways to grow football.
Johnson is a co-owner of the American-based XFL.
“It’s an exciting moment for us to really start talking about how do we collaborate,” CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said. “That’s a great word and it’s at the heart of this.
SAINTS TO CUT SANDERS, ALEXANDER
The Saints have informed receiver Emmanuel Sanders and linebacker Kwon Alexander they’ll be released in moves that will save the club nearly $20 million against the NFL’s salary cap, a person familiar with the situation said.
The moves to cut the two veterans came on the same day the league established that the 2021 cap for player payroll would be $182.5 million. The formula determining the cap is based on overall league revenues, which declined last season because of the COVID-19 restrictions on fan attendance.
SPURS, ALDRIDGE PART WAYS
LaMarcus Aldridge has played his final game for the Spurs, with coach Gregg Popovich announcing Wednesday night that the team and the seven-time All-Star have mutually agreed to seek opportunities for him elsewhere.
The Spurs will try to trade Aldridge before the March 25 deadline. If no trades are worked out, the team could simply buy Aldridge out and let him sign elsewhere as a free agent.
“LaMarcus is not with the team,” Popovich said before the Spurs played the Mavericks. “He’s healthy, in that respect, but we’ve mutually agreed to work out some opportunities for him and that’ll be elsewhere. So, he won’t be with the team moving forward.”
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2006 draft played in 21 games this season, averaging 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds in 25.9 minutes — a career low in rebounds and his fewest points and minutes since he was a rookie.
KANSAS AD OUT
Kansas athletic director Jeff Long resigned Wednesday, less than two days after the school mutually parted with Les Miles amid sexual misconduct allegations dating to the football coach’s time at LSU and one day after Long vowed he would lead the Jayhawks’ search for a replacement.
Kurt Watson will serve as the interim athletic director.