LIGHTNING’S YZERMAN STEPS DOWN AS GM

Steve Yzerman announced Tuesday that he is stepping down as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning after building them into a perennial contender, handing the reins to longtime assistant Julien BriseBois just two days before training camp.

Yzerman will move to a senior adviser role working under BriseBois and he said he was “100 percent committed” to the Lightning this season. Owner Jeff Vinik joined both men at a news conference in Tampa, Florida.

It was a surprising move for a powerhouse team in the league, one that reached the Eastern Conference final last season. Yzerman, 53, spent the past eight seasons as Tampa Bay’s GM, a tenure that included five playoff appearances, three trips to the conference final and an appearance in the 2015 Stanley Cup Final.

He said he came to the decision in late July not to sign another contract as GM and that it took until now to iron out details on what to do next. Yzerman said BriseBois is “more than ready” to succeed him.

BriseBois, 41, had been an assistant to Yzerman since they joined the Lightning in 2010. For a number of years, he has been considered a future NHL general manager and takes over a talented team.

Woman sues Michigan State.

» A woman filed a lawLANSING, MICH. suit against Michigan State University, saying she became pregnant after she was drugged and raped by Larry Nassar when he was a medical student in 1992 but that campus police refused to investigate.

The lawsuit was among dozens filed to meet a Monday deadline for legal claims against Michigan State, although the complaint might be too old to qualify for a share of $75 million set aside by the university for victims who aren’t part of a larger $425 million settlement.

The woman said she had a knee injury as a 17yearold field hockey player and was encouraged to go to Nassar in 1992 because he was conducting a study about flexibility through the College of Osteopathic Medicine. The lawsuit alleges that Nassar drugged her, raped her and videotaped the assault.

She said she became pregnant and had a miscarriage.

Bettman downplays mediation.

N.Y.» NHL commissioner BUFFALO,

Gary Bettman downplayed the significance of entering mediation with former players in a bid to settle a concussion lawsuit, saying the league is simply following a judge’s order.

“The judge asked us to go into mediation and so we’re complying with the judge’s request,” Bettman told The Associated Press.

He said he had nothing to add when asked if there has been progress, and Bettman reiterated the NHL’s position on the lawsuit hasn’t changed, by saying: “We also think the lawsuit doesn’t have merit.”

Rangers, Bruins complete trade.

The New York Rangers acquired defenseman Adam McQuaid from the Boston Bruins for defenseman Steven Kampfer and two draft picks.

The teams announced the trade before the Bruins flew to China for two exhibition games. Boston gets a 2019 fourthround pick and a conditional seventhrounder in a move that clears space for younger players on the blue line.

New York adds size and experience with the addition of the 6foot4, 212pound McQuaid, who has played 462 regularseason NHL games. McQuaid, who turns 32 in October, has 66 points in his career and one year left on his contract at a salarycap hit of $2.75 million.

Czech national team fires coach.

Karel Jarolim fired as coach of the Czech Republic’s national team following a 51 loss to Russia in an international friendly.

Jarolim took over in 2016 after the Czechs failed to advance from the group stage of the European Championship in France.