Roenick Hits Flyer Jackpot to the Tune of $37.5 Million

Six-time All-Star Jeremy Roenick reached a five-year, $37.5-million agreement with the Philadelphia Flyers days before he was to become an unrestricted free agent.

The 31-year-old center agreed in principle to the deal once his old team, the Phoenix Coyotes, gave the Flyers permission to discuss a contract, Philadelphia General Manager Bob Clarke said Friday.

The Coyotes will receive a compensatory second-round draft pick.

“I think the fans are going to love him,” Clarke said. “He can really skate, he hits, he handles the puck and he’s been a premier player for a long time.”

The Minnesota Wild acquired center Sergei Zholtok from the Edmonton Oilers for future considerations. Zholtok, 28, had five goals and 26 assists with Edmonton and Montreal last season. . . . The New York Rangers acquired defenseman Sean Gagnon from the Ottawa Senators for right wing Jeff Ulmer and defenseman Jason Doig.

Pro Football

Quarterback Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winner, agreed to terms with the Chicago Bears. Wuerffel was Green Bay’s third-string quarterback last year. The Bears also released kick returner Glyn Milburn in a salary-cap move. . . . The Tennessee Titans signed unrestricted free agent cornerback DeRon Jenkins to a multiyear contract. . . . The Miami Dolphins signed free-agent safety Shawn Wooden to a two-year contract. Wooden played with the Bears last season.

A burning scoreboard at Heinz Field sent dark smoke billowing around the Pittsburgh Steelers’ new stadium. Steeler spokesman Ron Wahl said a welder accidentally set waterproofing material near the scoreboard on fire but construction workers quickly put out the flames.

Jurisprudence

Former NFL running back and punt return specialist Dave Meggett was arrested and charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct in Charleston, S.C. Police said Meggett, 35, picked up a 26-year-old woman who had just left a downtown Charleston bar, forced her into his Porsche and had sex with her without her consent.

Pittsburgh Penguin forward Billy Tibbetts, who pleaded guilty to a rape charge as a teenager, has been identified as a convicted sex offender in fliers given out in his neighborhood.

The fliers, given to neighbors within a 250-foot radius of Tibbetts’ home in the Shadyside section of Pittsburgh, give the 26-year-old’s address, photo and full name. They say Tibbetts is an out-of-state sex offender from Massachusetts.

At 17, Tibbetts pleaded guilty in 1994 to raping a 15-year-old girl at a 1992 party in Scituate, Mass.

Minnesota Viking rookie running back Michael Bennett pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of unlawful use of a telephone and paid a $1,315 fine to resolve a court case that followed him into the draft.

Purdue’s Tim Stratton, who won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end last season, was arrested in West Lafayette, Ind., after a fight that sent another student to the hospital.

Race-car driver Jeff Andretti was handcuffed and charged with disorderly conduct after a friend was stopped by Bethlehem, Pa., police for a traffic violation. Police said Andretti, a passenger in the car, pushed an officer who warned him not to intervene. Andretti registered a blood-alcohol rate of .14, above the .10 legal limit for drivers, police said.

The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that Juan “Short Dog” Smith was properly convicted and sentenced to death for killing former NFL player Bennie Thompson’s toddler son, his ex-wife, and her fiance.

Miscellany

Roman Sludnov of Russia swam the 100-meter breaststroke in 59.97 seconds, becoming the first swimmer to complete the race in less than a minute, setting a world record for the second day in a row at the national championships in Moscow.

In the WNBA: Sophia Witherspoon made a career-high seven three-point baskets and scored a season-high 26 points as the Portland Fire defeated the Miami Sol, 74-72, in overtime at Miami. . . . Tammy Sutton-Brown had 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Charlotte Sting defeated the Indiana Fever, 75-67, at Indianapolis . . . Jae Kingi scored a career-high 25 points and had two steals in the final minute as the Detroit Shock ended a a six-game losing streak with a 75-71 victory over the Phoenix Mercury at Auburn Hills, Mich. . . . Chamique Holdsclaw had 17 points and 11 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season as Washington ended an eight-game losing streak with a 74-64 victory over the visiting Utah Starzz.

World-record holder Maurice Greene (10.01) and Marion Jones (10.96) cruised to victories over 100 meters with solid times at the Golden Gala track and field meet at Rome.

Kevin Harvick set a qualifying record of 122.474 mph to earn the pole for Sunday’s Busch GNC Live Well 250 at West Allis, Wis.

Mark Smith, 41, the fourth-leading career basketball scorer at Illinois, died as the result of years of substance abuse, according to his brother, Duane Smith.