Ryan Miller is named Olympic MVP

It is reported that Team USA goaltender Ryan Miller was named the MVP of the Olympic hockey tournament and was one of three Americans to make the tourney's All-Star team.

Miller, defenseman Brian Rafalski and forward Zach Parise were named to the team along with Canadian defenseman Shea Weber and forward Jonathan Toews and Slovakia forward Pavol Demitra, who led all scorers at the Games with 10 points. The All Star team of the Olympic tournament was named after the second period of the gold-medal game. Rafalski earned best defenseman honors and Toews was named best forward.

Pitkanen is suspended in quarterfinals

Joni Pitkanen of Finland was suspended for one game after receiving a game misconduct penalty for hitting Sweden's Patric Hornqvist in the head in the second period on Sunday night. "He's a key part on the power play and obviously on the breakouts he's such a good skater and mobile defenseman and sees the ice well," defenseman Sami Salo said. "Obviously it's a big loss but it opens up a spot for Janne Niskala."

Niskala has been acting as a seventh defenseman, the former Tampa Bay Lightning blueliner has been playing for Frolunda Gothenburg in the Swedish Elite League since 2008.

Lightning sign free agent Parrish

Lightning Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced the Tampa Bay Lightning have signed Mark Parrish to a one-year, two-way contract. Parrish has been assigned to the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League.
In 42 games with the Admirals this season, he has 12 goals and 25 points, tying him for second on the club in points and third in goals. He leads Norfolk in goals, points and plus/minus during the team's previous 26 games with nine goals, 20 points. A veteran of ten National Hockey League seasons, Parrish has appeared in 704 career NHL games with the Florida Panthers, Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars, recording 216 goals and 169 assists in those games.

Parrish, who appeared in the 2002 NHL All-Star Game, was originally a third round draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. Parrish appeared in 44 NHL games last season with the Stars, recording eight goals and five assists. Parrish has appeared in 48 career AHL games with the Admirals, Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the Beast of New Haven, scoring 15 goals and 29 points.

Red Wings' Holland appeared on NHL Live!

Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland will be among the guests on NHL Live! on Tuesday, scheduled from noon-2 p.m. on NHL Network and NHL.com and broadcast on XM Radio. Holland, who has been the Wings' GM since 1997, is also assisting Team Canada executive director Steve Yzerman.

Also scheduled to appear to speak with co-hosts Deb Placey and Billy Jaffe are retired defenseman Bret Hedican, Pierre McGuire of NBC and TSN and Kevin Allen of USA Today. NHL Live! is broadcast from the NHL Store Powered By Reebok in New York City.

Nationals sign Mench to Minor League deal

It is said that the Nationals have signed outfielder Kevin Mench to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training. The right-handed-hitting Mench spent this past season playing in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers, but he is best remembered for his years with the Rangers from 2002-06.

Mench's best season in the Major Leagues was in 2004, when he hit .279 with 26 home runs and 73 RBIs in the rangers jersey. He has played seven big league seasons and has a .269 career batting average with 89 home runs and 330 RBIs.

Red Sox announce their front-office changes

The Red Sox announced three changes to their baseball operations department on Wednesday. Eddie Romero, who served as coordinator of Latin American operations since 2006, has been promoted to assistant director of Latin American operations; Gus Quattlebaum was promoted to assistant director of amateur scouting, after working as a Major League scout since 2006; and Steve Peck, who joined the Red Sox in 2009 as a professional scout, after 13 years on the coaching and scouting staff of the Mariners, is now a Major League scout.

The Red Sox also announced the signings of right-hander Joe Nelson and catcher Gustavo Molina to Minor League deals with Spring Training invites. Both players are currently on the Triple-A Pawtucket roster. Now they are going to put on the red sox jerseys.

Mike Green is suspended for several games

The NHL announced that Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green has been suspended for three games without pay, for an incident that took place during NHL game against the Florida Panthers on January 29. At the first period, Green delivered an elbow to the head of Panthers’ forward Michael Frolik. Green was assessed a minor penalty for elbowing on the play.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and based on his average salary, Green will forfeit $81,606.21. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund. Green will miss Washington's next three games, against Tampa Bay at Boston and at the New York Rangers. He will be eligible to return to the game against Atlanta in his capitals jersey.

Nationals add reliever Walker

According to two baseball sources, right-hander Tyler Walker agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Nationals. The club also signed outfielder Chris Duncan and left-hander Chuck James to Minor League deals with an invitation to Spring Training.Walker is expected to be part of the new relief corps which includes Brian Bruney, Matt Capps and Eddie Guardado. He is a seven-year veteran who has played with the Mets, Giants and Rays.

Duncan is coming off one of his poorest seasons in the big leagues, hitting .227 with five home runs and 32 RBIs all in the cardinals jersey. On July 22, St. Louis traded Duncan to the Red Sox for infielder Julio Lugo, but Duncan never saw Major League action with Boston.

As for James, he missed the entire 2009 season due to left shoulder surgery. He was signed by the Nationals on the recommendation of assistant general manager Roy Clark, who was impressed by James when they were with the Braves. James' best season was in 2006.

Left shoulder surgery for Sanchez

Giants manager Bruce Bochy confirmed to the Associated Press that second baseman Freddy Sanchez underwent left shoulder surgery and could miss Opening Day. Bochy first told KNBR radio of Sanchez's surgery, which was an arthroscopic procedure. Sanchez also had surgery on his left knee in early October. "He's going to be a little delayed," Bochy told the AP. "It'll be close if he can go Opening Day or not."

Sanchez was plagued by shoulder and knee injuries last season, which limited him to just 25 games with the Giants after coming to the team last year. Sanchez batted .284 with a home run and seven RBIs in those 25 games after batting .296 with six home runs and 34 RBIs in 86 games with the Pirates. Even with his injury problems last season, Sanchez was rewarded with a $12 million, two-year contract extension still in his giants jersey on Oct. 30.