Ducks Send Vishnevski to Atlanta
The fax went out within minutes of the NHL arbitration announcement. The basics: Vitaly Vishnevski is available.
Thursday, the Ducks found a taker for Vishnevski, who was awarded a one-year, $1.55-million contract by an arbitrator July 30, a ruling the Ducks considered excessive for a defensive role player.
Vishnevski, who spent six years with the Ducks organization after he was drafted fifth overall in 1998, was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers for a second-round draft pick in 2007, the rights to center Karl Stewart and a conditional draft pick for 2008.
“I’m grateful for what he did in our uniform,” Ducks General Manager Brian Burke said. “That being said, this is a case where we did not feel the salary that was awarded in arbitration was appropriate given his role on the team. There was a large financial motivation to this.”
Neither Vishnevski nor his representatives could be reached for comment. By trading the 26-year-old Russian, the Ducks slashed $1 million from their payroll, though the move still leaves them about $2 million above their self-imposed salary cap.
The Ducks prepared for Vishnevski’s loss by signing defensemen Ian Moran on Tuesday and re-signing Joe DiPenta earlier this summer.
In return, the Ducks get Stewart, 23, who Burke described as a “feisty, obnoxious player.” The real prize for the Ducks, though, is the second-round selection, which Burke said will “put some draft picks back in the system.”
Before the trade, the Ducks didn’t have a second-round pick in 2007.
“From our perspective,” Burke said, “this deal makes sense.”
-- Michael Becker
The Evgeni Malkin mystery finally ended as the center surfaced in Los Angeles with his agents, five days after slipping away from his Russian Super League team during training camp in Helsinki, Finland, and vanishing from sight.
Less than 24 hours after flying from Finland to the United States, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ draft pick showed up on a rink. He skated with about 20 NHL players at the Kings’ practice rink in El Segundo.
Center Phil Kessel, the fifth choice in this year’s NHL draft, signed a multiyear contract with the Boston Bruins.
TENNIS
Murray Continues Run by Defeating Ginepri
Andy Murray proved he was no one-day wonder, beating Robby Ginepri, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-4, in three sets on a hot and humid day to reach the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters at Mason, Ohio. One day after he ended Roger Federer’s two-year run of 55 straight victories on the continent, Murray added to a modest run of wins that has marked him as an up-and-coming player.
Second-seeded Rafael Nadal beat Tommy Haas, 7-6 (5), 6-3, to reach the quarterfinals and No. 4 Ivan Ljubicic beat No. 16 Dominik Hrbaty, 7-5, 6-4.
Defending champion Kim Clijsters will sit out the U.S. Open because of a left wrist injury. A posting on her website said that she will be sidelined for probably two months.
The U.S. Open starts Aug. 28.
Martina Hingis beat Daniela Hantuchova, 7-5, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals of the Rogers Cup in Montreal. She will face fourth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, who defeated Ai Sugiyama, 6-2, 7-6 (6).
SOCCER
Galaxy Trades Wolyniec to the Red Bulls
The New York Red Bulls acquired forward John Wolyniec from the Galaxy for a fourth-round draft pick next year and a second-round selection in 2008.
The 29-year-old Wolyniec played for New York in 1999 and from 2003 to 2005, when it was known as the MetroStars. With the Galaxy this season, he scored one goal in 10 games.
The U.S. women’s team will play Taiwan in an exhibition game Oct. 1 at Carson as it prepares for qualifying for next year’s World Cup.
MISCELLANY
Anthony, James and Wade Named Captains
The U.S. men’s basketball team flew to Sapporo, Japan, to prepare for the world championships. The U.S.’s first game is 10 p.m. Pacific time today against Puerto Rico.
Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were named team captains by Coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Guard Eddie House signed with the New Jersey Nets after averaging a career-high 9.8 points last season with Phoenix.
Nastia Liukin, trying to defend her national gymnastics championship, finished the night with 62.6 points in the sport’s new scoring system to take a commanding 1.1-point lead over Natasha Kelly and move 1.55 points ahead of Chellsie Memmel, the reigning world champion, in the U.S. championships at St. Paul, Minn.
Jana Bieger was tied for third with Memmel.
Utah’s Brian Johnson will take his redshirt season this fall, allowing his knee to completely recover from surgery and narrowing the Utes’ quarterback race to two. Either Brett Ratliff or Tommy Grady will start for Utah when it plays UCLA on Sept. 2.
Seniors Eshaya Murphy of USC and Noelle Quinn of UCLA are among the 25 preseason candidates for the 2006-07 Wade Trophy for the women’s basketball Division I player of the year.
The Atlantic Coast Conference has eight candidates, followed by the Pac-10 and Southeastern Conference with four each.
-- Mike Terry
President Bush signed legislation that officially names the post office in Reseda the Coach John Wooden Post Office.
PASSINGS
Wallace, Who Led Nation in Scoring, Dies
Grady Wallace, a South Carolina basketball star who was the nation’s leading scorer in 1957, died Thursday at Columbia, S.C., the school said. He was 72.
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