SPORTS DIGEST || MVFC well represented on Buchanan watch list

MVFC well represented on Buchanan watch list

The Missouri Valley Football Conference is well represented on the pre-season Buck Buchanan Award watch list.

Five of the 20 players on the watch list are in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

The MVFC players on the Buck Buchanan Award list are Grant Olson, North Dakota State; Caleb Schaffitzel, Missouri State; Tyler Starr, South Dakota; Colton Underwood, Illinois State and Marcus Williams, North Dakota State.

Youngstown State is a member of the MVFC.

Devils star Kovalchuk retires from NHL

NEWARK, N.J.

Superstar forward Ilya Kovalchuk stunned the New Jersey Devils and the sports world Thursday, retiring from the NHL to return to his native Russia.

In leaving, the 30-year-old Kovalchuk walked from $77 million left on the 15-year contract that he signed with New Jersey in 2010, including guaranteed annual salaries of at least $11 million over the next four seasons.

The Devils announced the stunning news Thursday afternoon, saying that the 30-year-old Kovalchuk had alerted general manager and president Lou Lamoriello earlier this year that he wanted to return home with his family after 11 seasons in the NHL.

Patriots’ Dennard accused of DUI

FOXBOROUGH, Mass.

Alfonzo Dennard of the New England Patriots was arrested Thursday in Nebraska and accused of driving drunk in the state where he once starred as a defensive back.

It’s the second arrest of a Patriots player in 15 days. Tight end Aaron Hernandez was arrested on June 26 and charged with murder in the killing of Boston semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty. The Patriots cut Hernandez after he was arrested and before the charges were announced.

Dennard’s arrest is his second in 15 months. He hasn’t served a 30-day jail sentence for assaulting a police officer outside a Lincoln, Neb., bar on Apr. 21, 2012.

AP Source: Nets sign Andrei Kirilenko

NEW YORK

A person with knowledge of the deal says the Brooklyn Nets have agreed to a contract with forward Andrei Kirilenko.

The person, speaking Thursday on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced, says Kirilenko has accepted the taxpayer’s mid-level exception worth about $3.2 million. The contract includes a player option for the second year.

The Russian forward opted out of his $10.2 million deal for next season with the Minnesota Timberwolves and found a home with the Nets — owned by fellow Russian and former CSKA Moscow owner Mikhail Prokhorov.

Iguodala’s arrival casts Warriors in new light

OAKLAND, Calif.

The Golden State Warriors are a team that the most sought-after free agents have avoided for most of the last two decades, nothing more than loveable losers with a faithful following and an ambiguous name on the NBA map.

Maybe no more.

Owner Joe Lacob, general manager Bob Myers, assistant GM Kirk Lacob and coach Mark Jackson already had started the process of turning around the futile franchise with last season’s playoff run. The foursome saw the latest evolution when they met with free agent Andre Iguodala and his agent, Rob Pelinka, in his Los Angeles office on July 1.

Portland Blazers introduce Robin Lopez

PORTLAND, Ore.

Robin Lopez vows to help the Portland Trail Blazers with something the team missed last season: defensive stops.

The 7-foot-center acquired by the Blazers in a three-team trade with New Orleans and Sacramento was introduced to his new team on Thursday.

Lopez told reporters his attention will be on blocking shots and defending shots.

Vindicator staff/wire reports