The Dallas Stars will move forward with their new coach and a familiar young face after missing out on the NHL’s top free agent.
General manager Jim Nill started another long offseason for the Stars without postseason play by hiring coach Jim Montgomery out of the college ranks in early
May. On the first day of free agency
Sunday
Jimmy
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million, two-year contract to return to Dallas after the last two seasons
playing at home in Russia.
Nichushkin was the 10th overall pick by the Stars in the 2013 draft, and had 64 points (23 goals, 41 assists) while playing 166 games in three seasons by
time he was 21 before returning to Russia and playing in the Kontinental Hockey
League. Now he is back in the NHL at age 23.
”Over his past two seasons in the KHL and with the national team, he has continued his growth and development as a hockey player,” Nill said. ”He is a
fantastic addition to our depth at forward and we look forward to his return to
our club.”
The Stars were one of six teams who met last week with John Tavares, the New York Islanders captain who on Sunday agreed to a $77 million, seven-year deal to
play for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs.
Tavares could have been a big boost for the Stars, who have missed the playoffs eight of the last 10 seasons. Dallas still has high-scoring All-Star
forwards in captain Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. They also have goaltender Ben
Bishop, who got a new backup Sunday.
Free agent goaltender Anton Khudobin signed a two-year
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last season behind Tuukka Rask. Khudobin has played in 147 games with 135 starts
over the past nine seasons with four different teams.
Dallas also signed 12-year veteran right wing Blake Comeau to a $7.2 million, three-year contract after he spent the past three seasons in Colorado.
Defenseman Roman Polak got a $1.3 million, one-year deal after 54 games for
Toronto last season.
The 32-year-old Comeau, the Islanders’ second-round draft pick in 2004, had 13 goals and 21 assists last season with the Avalanche. That included three
short-handed goals.
”His elite speed makes him a disruptive defensive presence and he fits well with what head coach Jim Montgomery is trying to accomplish,” Nill said.
Goaltender Kari Lehtonen, who is second in Stars history with 215 wins but had become a backup to Bishop, is an unrestricted free agent.
The Stars lost left wings Antoine Roussel ($12 million, four years with Vancouver) and Curtis McKenzie ($3 million, two years with
Vegas)
Tony Romo
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with Minnesota) in free agency Sunday.
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Francisco Lindor had an exceptional Monday after a very good Sunday.
Lindor homered twice, including a grand slam, and finished with a career-high seven RBIs as the Cleveland Indians beat the Kansas City Royals 9-3 on Monday
night.
On Sunday, he had two doubles and a solo homer in Oakland.
Lindor homered in the fourth after Yan Gomes singled and Jakob Junis hit Tyler Naquin and Rajai Davis with pitches. He added a three-run homer in the
sixth to finish Junis’ evening.
”One was a changeup and the other one was a slider,” said Lindor, who has 23 home runs. ”My approach is hit the ball and if it goes out it goes out. It was a
good pitch to hit (on the grand slam). I was just trying to get one guy in. I’m
not a power hitter. Just get a good pitch to hit and drive it.”
Lindor has 17 home runs and 54 RBIs in 54 games against the Royals.
”Just a routine day for him, today and yesterday,” Indians starter Corey Kluber said. ”He continues to get better, which is kind of scary.”
Kluber (12-4)
Jaire
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in his previous start at St. Louis, gave up two runs in the first, but little
after that. He allowed three runs and seven hits, walked none and struck out
five over six innings.
Davis had three hits and scored three runs.
”I got myself into trouble with a couple of hit batters and good teams are going to take advantage of that,” Junis said.
Junis (5-10) has lost his last seven starts and is tied with teammate Jason Hammel for most losses in the American League. He has yielded a major
league-high 24 home runs, including 12 in his last five starts over 27
innings.
”You worry about his confidence more than anything else,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. ”Again, it’s an easy fix. When you’re off the side of the slider,
it’s gonna be a cement mixer. He started off good, just didn’t end that
good.”
Whit Merrifield homered on Kluber’s third pitch for his fourth career leadoff home run. Salvador Perez singled home Mike
Moustakas
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Kansas City run in the first.
Jorge Bonifacio logged his first RBI of the season in the Kansas City sixth after being suspended the first 80 games for taking a performance enhancing
drug.
The Royals have lost 23 of their last 28 games. They are tied with the Baltimore Orioles for the most losses in the majors with 54. They scored four
runs or fewer for the 23rd time in the last 24 games.
ROYALS SIGN FIRST-ROUND PICK
The Royals signed right-hander Jackson Kowar, a first-round compensation selection and the 33rd overall pick, to a $2.118.700 signing bonus. He went 10-5
with a 3.04 ERA as a Florida junior.
GOODBYE LEBRON
LeBron James has left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Los Angeles Lakers. ”If someone gave me $154 million I’d probably go somewhere too,” Indians manager
Terry Francona said. ”He did what he said he was going to do. He got them a
championship. When you’re a free agent, you’ve earned that right. I will miss
him, because I loved going to games when he played. It’s hard to begrudge
somebody. He earned it.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: RF Lonnie Chisenhall was a late scratch with a strained left calf. Francona said Chisenhall would definitely go on the disabled list. … RHP Danny
Salazar underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in Dallas. ”It just kind of
came to a point,” Francona said. ”That’s the last option. You try everything
else before you go into somebody’s shoulder. The good side is there was no
structural (damage). The rotator cuff was good. They cleaned him out. It’s a
shame we lost him for the whole year.”
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Shane Bieber is 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA in his first four big league starts.
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy is winless in six home starts this season, going 0-3 with a 6.32 ERA.
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