February 22th

CONGRESS CALLS NHL, OTHER SPORTS TO CAPITAL HILL

Congress will take yet another look at drugs in sports next week, with a hearing featuring top names from all four major professional leagues, including the NHL.

A house subcommittee, working separately from the committee that held last week's hearing featuring Roger Clemens, is holding a hearing Wednesday on "Drugs in Sports: Compromising the Health Athletes and Undermining the Integrity of Competition."

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, NBA commissioner David Stern and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman are scheduled to testify in the session before the House subcommittee on commerce, trade and consumer protection. Also on the witness list are players' union executive directors:

--Donald Fehr (baseball)
--Gene Upshaw (NFL)
--William Hunter (NBA)
--Paul Kelly (NHL)

Other panel includes:

--USOC chief executive officer Jim Scherr
--Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S Anti-Doping Angency
--NCAA president Myles Brand
--Robert Kanaby, executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations.
--Alexander Waldrop, CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

Former senator George Mitchell, who in December released a report on drug use in baseball, will not attend but is expected to submit written testimony.

No players are scheduled to appear, as was the case last week when Clemens appeared before the House committee on oversight and government reform.

The hearing, originally scheduled for Jan. 23, is similar to one the subcommittee held in May 2005, two months after the reform committee's hearing that featured Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro.

The subcommittee also held a hearing that year on college football's Bowl Championship Series.


NIKE SELLING BAUER HOCKEY FOR $200-MILLION

Sporting goods giant Nike Inc. is skating away from hockey, announcing Thursday the sale of Bauer Hockey to a group led by Canadian businessman W. Graeme Roustan and U.S. investment firm Kohlberg & Co. for $200 million.

Nike said it's selling Bauer following a review of its subsidiaries, which also include Converse Inc., Cole Haan and Hurley International. The company has already sold the Starter brand and added U.K. soccer apparel company Umbro.

"Selling this great hockey company was a tough decision but one that was in the best interests of Nike and Bauer as we each look to maximize our respective growth opportunities," said Nike president and CEO Mark Parker.

Founded in 1927, Bauer makes skates, hockey sticks, gear and apparel. Nike bought the company in 1995.

Under the deal, Bauer will continue to use the Nike Bauer Hockey trademark on its existing products for up to two years.

Roustan is a dual Canada-U.S. citizen with business investments in North America, Europe and the Middle East


ISLES WIN 6TH STRAIGHT IN CHRIS SIMON'S RETURN

Miroslav Satan's goal early in the third period Thursday night held up as the New York Islanders defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 1-0.

Rick DiPietro made 32 saves to record his third shutout on the season.

Chris Simon played just over six minutes in his return to the lineup after serving a 30-game ban for stomping on the leg of Pittsburgh's Jarkko Ruutu in a December game.

After the game Simon said, "The most important thing is that we won, my teammates have been so supportive and have been great to me. I can't control what other people think and how they react. I respect that they have their opinion and I'm just going to keep working hard in gaining them back. I worked hard this time that I've had away from the game on myself. I feel much better now coming back. I just want to move forward and help the team."

Simon was also suspended last March for 25 games after cross-checking Ryan Hollweg of the New York Rangers.


CAMPBELL EXPECTED TO REJECT LATEST OFFER

The Buffalo Sabres and defenceman Brian Campbell are still ways apart on a new contract, as the veteran defenceman and his agent Larry Kelly are expected to turn down the team's latest offer.

According to TSN, the deal offered earlier this week is a three-year contract averaging less then $6 million a season

Campbell is scheduled to become an unresticted free agent on July 1, is making $1.75-million this year and is among several big names rumoured to be on the move going into Tuesday's trade deadline.

The eight-year NHL veteran is fourth on the team with 41 points (four goals, 37 assists) and ranks ninth among NHL defenceman in scoring. He's coming off a career season, when he had 48 points (six goals, 42 assists) in 82 games last year.


PLAYOFF STANDINGS

(RANK-TEAM--PTS--RECORD)

WEST

1-DETROIT*--89--42-15-5
2-DALLAS*--79--37-22-5
3-MINNESOTA*--73--34-22-5
4-ANAHEIM--75--34-23-7
5-SAN JOSE--72--32-21-8
6-NASHVILLE--72--32-23-8
7-VANCOUVER--70--31-22-8
8-CALGARY--70--31-22-8
------------------------------------------------------
9-PHOENIX--66--31-26-4
10-COLORADO--66--30-25-6
11-ST LOUIS--65--28-23-9
12-COLUMBUS--65--28-26-9
13-CHICAGO--62--28-26-6
14-EDMONTON--59--27-29-5
15-LOS ANGELES--55--26-34-3

EAST

1-OTTAWA*--76--35-20-6
2-NEW JERSEY*--75--35-21-5
3-CAROLINA*--67--31-28-5
4-PITTSBURGH--75--35-21-5
5-MONTREAL--75--33-20-9
6-BOSTON--68--31-23-6
7-BUFFALO--68--30-23-8
8-NY RANGERS--68--30-24-8
------------------------------------------------------
9-NY ISLANDERS--67--30-25-7
10-PHILADELPHIA--66--30-25-6
11-WASHINGTON--63--28-26-7
12-ATLANTA--62--29-29-4
13-FLORIDA--61--27-29-7
14-TORONTO--59--25-28-9
15-TAMPA BAY--57--25-29-7

(* DIVISION LEADER)


TODAYS NHL SCHEDULE (Central Time)

(14) EDMONTON @ (2) DALLAS 730pm
(1) RED WINGS @ (8) FLAMES 8pm
(10) AVALANCHE @ (9) COYOTES 8pm
(11) BLUES @ (4) DUCKS 9pm