Sports / In Brief

Bruins' Seguin signs six-year deal

BOSTON -- The Bruins continued their pre-lockout signing strategy Tuesday, agreeing with forward Tyler Seguin on a six-year, US$34-million contract extension.

Seguin, 20, led Boston with 29 goals and 67 points and posted a plus-34 rating last season. In and out of the lineup as a rookie in 2010-11, when the Bruins won the Stanley Cup, Seguin cemented his place on the team last season, and played in the 2012 all-star game in Ottawa.

Seguin was the No. 2 overall pick by Boston in 2010 and had 22 points in his rookie season as Boston defeated Vancouver in seven games to win the Stanley Cup. The Bruins were eliminated last season in the first round by the Washington Capitals.

On Friday, they locked up forward Brad Marchand to a new, four-year deal.

Seguin's salary begins with a $4.5-million salary in 2013-14 and ends with a salary of $6.5 million in 2018-19. The contract averages $5.75 million per year.

"We've tried to be relatively proactive in extending contracts for guys prior to the start of the season and we're trying to keep our core together," Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli said Friday. "It's part and parcel of that in what we're trying to do.

"It may fly in the face of the labour situation at this time, but we feel very strongly in the core of our team," he said. "(They're) players that we know and I think that's important: Players that we know, that have given us service."

Modell's funeral draws thousands

BALTIMORE -- Thousands of family and friends turned out Tuesday for the funeral of former Browns and Ravens owner Art Modell, including current and former players, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

An important figure in the development of the league, Modell also was one of the NFL's most polarizing owners. Cleveland fans never forgave him from moving his club to Baltimore for financial reasons after the 1995 season, but Ravens fans were fond of him and Modell also was remembered as a loving family man on Tuesday.

Ray Lewis, Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, Haloti Ngata and Torrey Smith were among current Ravens players who attended the service at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation. Former Ravens players Michael McCrary, Peter Boulware and Rob Burnett also went to pay their respects.

Lewis, Baltimore's second pick in the 1996 draft after Modell moved the franchise, gave a eulogy filled with emotion.

"Rest in peace 'Pop Art,' " he said.

NFL, players to seek resolution

NEW ORLEANS -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and four players whose suspensions in connection with the bounty investigation were recently lifted by an appeals panel have agreed to new meetings on the matter.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Tuesday no specific dates have been set for the meetings. An attorney for Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma said his client hoped to meet with the commissioner by early next week.

The NFL Players Association, which is representing Saints defensive end Will Smith, Cleveland linebacker Scott Fujita and free agent defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove, did not immediately comment.

Goodell is reconsidering whether to hand down revised suspensions for the four players who had been punished in an alleged pay-for-pain pool offering cash bonuses for hits that injured opponents.

Ginsberg said Vilma's meeting would not be considered a hearing, but would be more akin to preliminary fact-finding meetings that occur at the outset of the disciplinary process outlined by the NFL's collective bargaining agreement.

"We expect to meet with commissioner Goodell and hopefully have a full, honest exchange of information and come to a just resolution," Ginsberg said.

He was not sure whether Vilma would meet with Goodell individually or at the same time as the other three players represented by the NFLPA.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 12, 2012 0