Arbitrator Gives LeClair $7 Million

John LeClair won the largest arbitration award in NHL history Friday, getting a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers for $7 million.

The previous high for an arbitration award came in 1998, when St. Louis Blues center Pierre Turgeon got $4.65 million.

LeClair was seeking a one-year salary of $9 million. The Flyers countered with an offer of $4.6 million. The $7-million salary represents a 92% pay hike from the average of his last contract, a three-year deal.

The one-year contract allows the former 50-goal scorer to become an unrestricted free agent July 1.

“We respect the arbitrator’s decision,” Flyer General Manager Bob Clarke said. “We will continue our efforts to sign John to a long-term deal. John has requested that talks be suspended when training camp starts. We respect his wishes and will try over the next month to sign him to a long-term contract.”

Arbitrator Michel Picher heard arguments from both the Flyers and LeClair’s representatives Wednesday in Toronto.

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Right wing Ladislav Kohn and the Mighty Ducks agreed on a one-year contract, the result of an arbitrator’s decision in Toronto. Financial details were unavailable. Kohn had career highs of five goals and 21 points in 77 games last season with the Ducks.

An arbitration hearing is scheduled Sunday for center Antti Aalto, who teamed with Kohn and Mike Leclerc on the Ducks’ third line last season.

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The Kings signed free agent wingers Peter LeBoutillier and Nate Miller. Terms were not announced. . . . Restricted free-agent forward Steve Guolla agreed to terms with the Atlanta Thrashers.

Tennis

French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten, already assured of leading the ATP Champions Race for another week, beat Todd Martin in three sets, 6-7 (0), 6-3, 7-6 (5), in the quarterfinals of the Tennis Masters Series-Cincinnati at Mason, Ohio.

Kuerten needed 2 hours 38 minutes to wear down Martin despite a blister on his racket hand that required medical attention. The Brazilian will face Tim Henman of Britain in the semifinals.

Henman, one day after beating Pete Sampras for the first time, advanced with a 6-1 6-4 victory over Fabrice Santoro of France.

Arnaud Clement advanced by beating No. 13 Franco Squillari of Argentina, 6-2, 7-5. Clement will face seventh-seeded Thomas Enqvist of Sweden, who beat Fernando Vicente of Spain, 7-5, 6-1.

Fourth-seeded Tracy Lin of Anaheim defeated second-seeded Leja Hodzic of Cupertino, 7-5, 6-1, in the semifinals of the U.S. Tennis Assn. Girls’ 14 Super National Championships at College Park, Ga.

Auto Racing

Gil de Ferran, driving a Reynard-Honda for Team Penske, was clocked at 124.394 mph for the day’s fastest lap in qualifying for Sunday’s Miller Lite 200 at Lexington, Ohio. However, that only duplicated the performance of Dario Franchitti in last year’s first day of qualifying. Drivers at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course are trying to break the record for the 11th consecutive year.

Rookie Jamie McMurray spoiled Jack Sprague’s bid to win poles in six consecutive seasons, topping qualifying for today’s Federated Auto Parts 250 in Nashville. McMurray, making his third start in the TKO Motorsports Dodge, broke the NASCAR Craftsman Truck record at Nashville Speedway USA with a lap of 111.177 mph on the 0.596-mile track.

College Basketball

The NCAA Executive Committee decided to keep three Final Four basketball tournaments in Atlanta and a regional in South Carolina, rejecting calls by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Black Coaches Assn. to move them because of state flags that include the Confederate battle symbol.

Increased money for TV rights helped boost the NCAA’s annual budget to $325.6 million. The budget approved includes increased revenues of $22.2 million, a 7.3% increase from the current budget. Most of the new revenue comes from a $14.6-million increase in TV rights.

Rick Jones, a 6-foot-1 guard who transferred from Vanderbilt, will not attend Eastern Kentucky this fall after pleading guilty to drug possession charges last month.

Olympics

Utah’s attorney general dropped her investigation and will not take any action regarding Salt Lake’s tainted bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Jan Graham said her investigation was covered by the July 20 federal indictment of former bid chief Tom Welch and deputy Dave Johnson.

Jelena Dokic, Australia’s top women’s singles player, was included in the host nation’s Olympic tennis team after officials agreed in principle to let her live outside the Olympic village. Dokic had stalled on her decision to play because she wanted to stay at her Sydney home during the tournament.

Chris Witty will have to beat Tammy Thomas to keep her spot on the Olympic cycling team, according to her agent, Bill Stapleton. Thomas, who was left off the three-member women’s track cycling team, is slated to race Witty sometime between Aug. 18-20.

Miscellany

The National Thoroughbred Racing Assn. has given preliminary approval to a merger with the Breeders’ Cup. The deal is expected to close in 30 to 60 days. The Breeders’ Cup would still control its main asset--the Breeders’ Cup, a one-day series of eight races worth a total of $13 million. But the two organizations would pool their efforts to promote the sport and draw in new fans.

Former UCLA basketball coaches Gene Bartow, Larry Farmer, Gary Cunningham, Walt Hazzard and Jim Harrick will join legendary coach John Wooden at a UCLA basketball reunion party tonight at the Radisson Hotel in Culver City. Details: Eddie Sheldrake at (562) 755-1534 or (714) 879-1087.