HOCKEY
Pat Verbeek has been hired as the new general manager of the Anaheim Ducks.
The Ducks announced Thursday that Verbeek would replace Bob Murray, who resigned Nov. 10 and entered a treatment program for alcohol abuse amid allegations of misconduct.
Verbeek spent the past three seasons as the Detroit Red Wings’ assistant general manager under Steve Yzerman. Verbeek worked the previous nine seasons for Yzerman with the Tampa Bay Lightning as their assistant general manager and director of player personnel.
Verbeek played nearly two decades in the NHL, earning two All-Star selections and winning the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999.
Murray had run the Ducks’ hockey operations since November 2008, but he stepped away after being accused of repeated verbal abuse of employees. He had the third-longest tenure of any active general manager when he resigned.
TENNIS
INJURY: Dominic Thiem, the 2020 U.S. Open champion, has delayed his comeback because of a hurt hand and now plans to make his return at Indian Wells in March.
Thiem hasn’t played in a tournament since June because of a wrist injury and was unable to defend his title at Flushing Meadows last year. He had been planning to play at the Cordoba Open this week but was forced to pull out after feeling pain in the knuckles on his right hand.
Thiem announced he has also withdrawn from three additional upcoming South American tournaments – in Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
LAVER CUP: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal both say they will play in the next edition of the Laver Cup.
Federer, who has been sidelined since July because of an injured knee, and Nadal, fresh off earning his men’s-record 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, said in a statement they will represent Team Europe in London on Sept. 23-25.
This will be the fifth Laver Cup. Neither Federer nor Nadal took part in 2021.
GOLF
ASIAN TOUR: Dustin Johnson’s bid for a third victory at the Saudi International began with him shooting 5-under 65, leaving him three strokes off the lead held by Matteo Manassero after the first round.
Johnson is one of a slew of high-profile players from the U.S. PGA Tour and European tour on big appearance fees at the opening event of the Asian Tour, and is looking to back up his titles from 2019 and last year. He also finished second in 2020.
BASKETBALL
WNBA: The Phoenix Mercury acquired Diamond DeShields from the Chicago Sky as part of a three-team deal that also sent Bria Hartley to the Indiana Fever.
Indiana received the seventh pick in the draft from Chicago this year and the Sky’s first-round choice next year. Chicago got Julia Allemand from Indiana as well as Phoenix’s first-round pick next season.
DeShields helped the Sky win the WNBA championship last year and has averaged 13.2 points and 4.3 rebounds in her career.
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