Games are restarting, but few reporters will be there

Many familiar pregame sights won't be back when baseball and the NBA return later this month. Managers won't exchange lineup cards at home plate and basketball lineup introductions won't feature special high fives. There also won't be the ritual of a gaggle of reporters crowding around a manager before the game...

Bills hire Sinnarajah as VP of business administration

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have hired Jason Sinnarajah as senior vice president of business administration. From Toronto, Sinnarajah has sports-related experience in previously working at Google, where he managed the company’s partnerships with the NFL and NHL in providing updated search...

Sabres drop lawsuit after assistant coach granted green card

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Sabres dropped their lawsuit against the federal government after immigration officials reversed course by approving the team’s strength and conditioning coach’s petition for a green card. “The matter has been resolved amicably between both...

Healthy Ekman-Larsson ready to give Coyotes a playoff boost

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Oliver Ekman-Larsson had knee surgery last summer, fully expecting it to help him have a healthy 2019-20 season. The Arizona Coyotes captain instead played with lingering pain, never able to fully recover. The NHL's shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic was a huge letdown, but it...

IIHF encouraged by NHL's potential return to Olympics in '22

International Ice Hockey Federation chief Rene’ Fasel is encouraged after learning the NHL's pending labor deal opens the possibility of the world's best players returning to the Olympics. Aside from the uncertainty raised by the coronavirus pandemic, Fasel told The Associated Press he doesn’t...

Blackhawks say team name honors namesake who inspired

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks say they will continue to use their team name because it honors a Native American leader who has been an inspiration to generations. “The Chicago Blackhawks name and logo symbolizes an important and historic person, Black Hawk of Illinois’ Sac & Fox...

NHL, players announce labor deal, plan to resume play Aug. 1

The NHL is in position to resume playing in less than a month — with 24 teams in action, all in Canada — and could be on the verge of enjoying labor peace through 2026. The National Hockey League and the NHL Players' Association on Monday announced a tentative deal on a return-to-play format and a...

Sports jumps on PPP bandwagon, but big leagues take a pass

Rapper Ice Cube, Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and longtime boxing promoter Bob Arum led a cavalcade of sports leagues, federations, businesses and teams that navigated a federal loan program designed to help small firms cope with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Data released Monday showed...

The Latest: NHL, union reach tentative return-to-play deal

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world: ___ The National Hockey League and NHL Players’ Association have reached a tentative agreement to return to play this season and extend the collective bargaining agreement. The four-year extension of the CBA finalized Monday,...

NHL, players' union announce tentative agreement to resume play on Aug. 1 and four-year extension of labor pact