Gionta retires, taking new role with Sabres
BUFFALO — Brian Gionta has retired after 16 NHL seasons, two Olympic appearances and a Stanley Cup title with the Devils in 2003. The 39-yearold forward once captained the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens.
Gionta has agreed to a part-time job as a playerdevelopment assistant with the Sabres. He is from Rochester and lives in Buffalo. He spent most of last season out of the NHL while preparing to play at the Pyeongchang Winter Games. He then signed with Boston, where he had two goals and seven assists in 21 games, including one in the playoffs. He had 291 goals and 595 points during his 1,026 games in the NHL.
More NHL: In exhibitions, the Rangers beat the Devils 4-3 on Vinni Lettieri’s goal in OT. The Bruins beat the Flyers by the same score in regulation . ... By an 8-0 vote, the Seattle City Council approved plans for a privately funded $700 million renovation of Keyarena, clearing a major hurdle in the city’s bid to land an expansion franchise. soccer: Midfielder Luka Modric was crowned world footballer of the year by FIFA. Marta won the women’s award for a sixth time. Modric won the Champions League for a fourth time in five seasons with Real Madrid and led Croatia to its first World Cup final where it lost to France. college basketball: The NCAA announced the Women’s Final Four sites from 2021 through 2024. The next two sites were determined a few years ago, with Tampa Bay hosting in 2019 and New Orleans in 2020. San Antonio will hold it in 2021, then Minneapolis, Dallas and Cleveland. college football: Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt says Quart’e sapp remains a part of the team. Pruitt said Saturday after Tennessee’s loss to Florida that he asked Sapp to leave the sideline after the linebacker refused a request to enter the game. Sapp tweeted Sunday that, “I never was asked nor did I ever refuse to go into the game.”