Ice Hockey
Predators acquire Forsberg
The Nashville Predators, the NHL's top team, on Thursday acquired former league MVP Peter Forsberg from the Philadelphia Flyers. The Predators (39-16-3), who led the overall NHL standings with 81 points going into Thursday's action, paid a high price for the all-star Swede, sending winger Scottie Upshall, defenseman Ryan Parent and a third-round pick to Philadelphia. "Peter Forsberg is one of the NHL's most complete players and the ultimate competitor -- a consistent winner who has year in and year out been a difference-maker in the Stanley Cup Playoffs," Predators general manager David Poile said.
■ Baseball
Yankees want to visit China
If Major League Baseball decides to play a regular-season game in China, the New York Yankees would volunteer to go. A ballpark is being built in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics. "We'd be interested in going," said Yankees president Randy Levine, who led a team delegation to Beijing earlier this month. "But not in 2009. It would have to be after that," he said. New York plans to open the new Yankee Stadium in 2009. Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina, who doesn't like long plane trips, complained when the team went to Tokyo for its 2004 opener. He was happy China would be several years off. "Just in time for me to not be playing," the 38-year-old right-hander said.
■ Ice Hockey
Doan to remain a Coyote
National Hockey League legend Wayne Gretzky, coach and part owner of the Phoenix Coyotes, was happy enough with captain Shane Doan to sign the right wing to a new five-year deal. Doan, the only player remaining from before the club moved to Phoenix, Arizona, from Winnipeg in 1996, inked a deal reportedly worth US$23 million and avoided free agency after the current season. "Shane is the face of our franchise and our best player. He is a great captain and leader and an even better person. We are thrilled to have him in a Coyotes uniform for the next five years," Gretzky said.
■ Football
Eagles coach's son charged
A second son of Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid was charged with drug violations on Thursday, just days after the coach took a leave of absence to deal with family matters. Garrett Reid, 23, was charged with 14 misdemeanor offenses stemming from a high-speed traffic accident in suburban Philadelphia on Jan. 30, including assault, drug possession and driving under the influence of a controlled substance. Authorities found syringes with heroin and testosterone in Garrett Reid's Jeep, and he acknowledged that he had used heroin and the anabolic steroid in the past, the Montgomery County police complaint states. He was scheduled to surrender yesterday morning to police in Plymouth Township.
■ Doping
Lawyer admits disclosure
A lawyer pleaded guilty in US federal court on Thursday to obstructing justice by disclosing, against a judge's order, secret grand jury documents to two reporters covering the US government's probe of doping in sports. Troy Ellerman could be sent to prison for as long as two years and fined up to US$250,000 for the convictions. He could also lose his license to practice law. The 44-year-old Ellerman entered the plea in US District Court the day after federal prosecutors announced he negotiated a deal that would prevent two San Francisco Chronicle reporters from going to jail for refusing to divulge their source.
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