Capitals’ Executive Suspended

For picking a fight at the other team’s dressing room, Washington Capital General Manager George McPhee ended up with a cast on his right thumb, a ripped suit, a $20,000 fine--and a one-month suspension.

McPhee was fined and suspended until Nov. 1 by the NHL Thursday, barring him from games and practices and any business on behalf of the Capitals for the first 10 games of the regular season. He is believed to be the first NHL general manger suspended for fighting.

The fight occurred when McPhee, upset that Chicago had used a lineup of brawlers in a fight-filled Sept. 25 game at Columbus, Ohio, confronted Blackhawk Coach Lorne Molleken and punched him.

In addition, Washington Coach Ron Wilson was fined $5,000 and Chicago owner Bill Wirtz $3,000 for violating a gag order while the league was conducting its investigation.

*

The Pittsburgh Penguins traded defenseman Kevin Hatcher to the New York Rangers for 6-foot-3, 230-pound defenseman Peter Popovic. Hatcher is in the final year of a contract worth $3.1 million this season. Popovic will make $1.4 million. . . . After storming out of a meeting with Boston Bruin management, holdout goalie Byron Dafoe asked the team to trade him if it isn’t interested in meeting his price. Dafoe was asking for $4 million a year but has since lowered his demands; the Bruins have offered a three-year, $9-million contract. . . . Edmonton will officially welcome home its favorite adopted son, Wayne Gretzky, tonight by lifting his jersey to the ceiling of the rink where he helped the Oilers win four Stanley Cups. . . . The Calgary Flames traded captain Todd Simpson to the Florida Panthers for veteran left wing Bill Lindsay. . . . The Vancouver Canucks came to terms with restricted free-agent defenseman Ed Jovanovski on a four-year, $9.2-million contract and also signed free agent defenseman Greg Hawgood. Vancouver also claimed former King goaltender Manny Legace off waivers.