Forward Willsie Leaves Capitals and Joins Kings

The Kings signed unrestricted free-agent forward Brian Willsie, who set career marks by scoring 19 goals and 41 points last season with the Washington Capitals.

Willsie, who can play either wing, agreed to a deal Tuesday that will pay him $800,000 next season and $900,000 in 2007-08.

Willsie, 28, was the only Washington player to appear in all 82 games last season. The Capitals reportedly wanted to bring him back but didn’t make a qualifying offer because that would have allowed him to request arbitration. He played mostly on a checking line, but the Kings say they believe he can contribute offensively.

“We expect him to be a solid, all-around player with us in Los Angeles and to provide a winning attitude and competitive nature,” Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi said in a statement.

Jeremy Roenick’s brief and unproductive tenure as a King ended when he signed a one-year deal with the Phoenix Coyotes. The Canadian Press reported it is for one year at $1.2 million plus incentives.

Roenick, 36, had previously played for the Coyotes and had kept a home in Arizona. He was acquired by the Kings in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers last summer, bringing a contract worth $4.94 million and promises that he would boost the team on the ice and off. However, he sustained a series of injuries and admittedly held back after he suffered a concussion. He had nine goals and 22 points in 58 games with the Kings.

In other NHL free-agent signings, forward Marty Reasoner left Boston for a two-year, $1.9-million contract with the Edmonton Oilers; Jarkko Ruutu left Vancouver for a two-year, $2.3-million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins; center Petr Cajanek remained in St. Louis with a new, two-year deal; and veteran goaltender Fred Brathwaite left the Russian team Ak Bars Kazan to join the Atlanta Thrashers, who also signed forwards Jason Krog and Darren Haydar.

In addition, the Tampa Bay Lightning, which acquired goalie Marc Denis from Columbus last week, reached agreement with him on a three-year contract reportedly worth $8.6 million.

-- Helene Elliott

Joffrey Lupul is stunned over being traded by the Ducks to his hometown Edmonton Oilers in the deal for defenseman Chris Pronger, his father said.

Craig Lupul said his 22-year-old son had no inkling he would be part of a trade after the Ducks reached the Western Conference finals last season. Lupul had 28 goals and added nine in the postseason.

“It just came as a complete shock,” said Lupul, an Edmonton lawyer. “It’ll take awhile for it to sink in. He really liked his team in Anaheim. He’s played with all those guys for three years now. He just got a house. He was pretty comfortable and pretty excited for next year.”

Joffrey Lupul could not be reached for comment.

-- Eric Stephens

PRO BASKETBALL

Report: Wade Set to Sign Extension With the Heat

Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat has agreed to a maximum contract extension with the Miami Heat, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Agent Henry Thomas told the newspaper he expected Wade to sign the extension, for five years and between $75 million and $85 million, on July 12. That is the first day teams can sign free agents.

Wade, 24, is scheduled to make $3.8 million next season under the contract he signed as a rookie in 2003. The exact amount of the extension won’t be known until next year, when the new salary cap is announced.

The Phoenix Suns have agreed to a two-year contract with free-agent forward Eric Piatkowski.

The 35-year-old forward won’t officially become a Sun until the NBA signing period opens July 12, but Piatkowski’s agent, Jeff Austin, confirmed the deal. Piatkowski played last season in Chicago.

The Detroit Pistons reached an agreement with free-agent center Nazr Mohammed, a day after losing Ben Wallace to the Chicago Bulls.

SOCCER

Juventus’ Capello to Be New Real Madrid Coach

Fabio Capello resigned as coach of Juventus, leaving behind the match-fixing scandal that has embroiled Italy’s top soccer clubs.

Capello will be announced Thursday as coach of Real Madrid in the Spanish league.

Juventus faces possible demotion to a lower division in the match-fixing case that is before a sports tribunal in Rome. An Italian prosecutor has asked the tribunal to relegate Juventus to Serie C or lower and strip the team of the Serie A titles it won in the last two seasons.

Prosecutor Stefano Palazzi has also asked to relegate AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio to Serie B.