Kings Reach Agreement With Center McCauley

Free agent Alyn McCauley, a respectable two-way center who scored 12 goals for the San Jose Sharks last season, agreed to a three-year, $6-million contract with the Kings on Sunday, giving them depth and upgrading their skill level as they rebuild after their third straight non-playoff season.

McCauley, 29, began his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs and joined the Sharks in a 2003 trade engineered by then-general manager Dean Lombardi, who is now the Kings’ general manager. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound forward recorded career bests of 20 goals and 47 points with the Sharks in 2003-04.

“I know Dean put together a very good organization and roster in San Jose and he has the hunger for being successful and wanting to win,” McCauley said by phone from his summer home in Gananoque, Canada. “I want to be hoisting the Cup in the near future. For me, it was a matter of sharing the same view as Dean and the rest of the guys, a combination of their attitude and where their sights are set.”

The Kings signed another former San Jose player, winger Scott Thornton, on Saturday.

The Ducks, who have not ventured into the free-agent market, lost rugged defenseman Ruslan Salei to the Florida Panthers. Salei, the Ducks’ first pick and ninth overall in the 1996 entry draft, signed a four-year contract worth $12.1 million.

Salei, 31, was the Ducks’ longest-tenured player and set a club record for defensemen by playing 594 games. The Ducks had initially discussed a two-year offer with him, but he wanted at least three years. They also were unhappy with his slow adjustment to the new anti-obstruction focus and his frequent penalties.

The second day of the NHL’s free-agency period was less frantic than the first, but several significant signings were announced.

Center Jason Arnott parlayed a career-best 76-point season with the Dallas Stars into a five-year, $22.5-million contract with the Nashville Predators, and center Doug Weight, traded by St. Louis to Carolina in January, returned to the Blues for two years and $7 million. The Blues also announced a contract extension for Coach Mike Kitchen.

Also, the New York Islanders signed hard-working center Mike Sillinger, who scored 32 goals for St. Louis and Nashville last season, and the New York Rangers re-signed Martin Straka for $3.1 million over three years.

And in a trade driven by salary-cap restrictions, Tampa Bay sent defenseman Darryl Sydor to Dallas for a fourth-round draft pick.

-- Helene Elliott

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PRO BASKETBALL

Nuggets, Nene Agree to a Six-Year Deal

Power forward Nene agreed to a six-year, $60-million deal to stay with the Denver Nuggets.

His agent, Dan Fegan, interrupted Nene’s honeymoon in his native Brazil with the good news.

“Ecstatic couldn’t be too strong a word,” Fegan said of Nene’s reaction.

Combined with the five-year, $80-million extension that Carmelo Anthony agreed to Saturday, Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke spent the first weekend of free agency committing $140 million toward building what he hopes will be a championship contender.

The contracts, which can be signed July 12, will nudge the Nuggets into luxury tax territory.

Nene, who has career averages of 10.7 points and 6.2 rebounds, played only three minutes last season before blowing out his right knee on opening night.

Keeping Nene means forward Kenyon Martin probably is one step closer to leaving Denver.

Martin and Coach George Karl feuded last season and the two haven’t spoken since Martin, who is still due more than $70 million over five years, was suspended after his halftime blowout in Game 2 of the Nuggets’ playoff series against the Clippers.

The New Orleans Hornets agreed to terms with free-agent guard Bobby Jackson, adding another veteran to an improving team.

Jackson’s agent, Andy Miller, said Jackson had agreed to a multi-year deal with the Hornets but wouldn’t disclose the terms.

Jackson averaged 11.4 points and 2.1 assists mainly off the bench for Memphis last year.

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MISCELLANY

New Jersey Racetracks Ordered to Close Soon

New Jersey racetracks were open Sunday, but face another closing after the Fourth of July holiday if the state fails to adopt a new budget.

An appeals panel Sunday ordered racetracks to shut down at the end of the day Tuesday, and the head of the agency that oversees gaming ordered Atlantic City’s 12 casinos to close Wednesday morning if New Jersey fails to enact a budget by then.

The racing industry was pleased that the courts allowed operations during the lucrative holiday weekend and hoped the budget deadlock would be broken by Thursday, which could be Monmouth’s first closed day.