Off the wire

LITTLE ROCK — HOCKEY Union makes proposal

The NHL and the players’ association will start the new year right where they ended the old one - at the bargaining table. The sides got together Monday for the first time since Dec. 13, and the union brought along a counter proposal in response to the 288-page contract offer the NHL presented on Thursday. There were some discussions between the negotiators inside the league’s midtown Manhattan headquarters and some time spent apart in internal caucuses. The NHL said it would be going over the players’ new contract offer Monday night and would get back to the union in the morning. Commissioner Gary Bettman said he expected negotiations would restart today. “There was an opportunity for the players’ association to highlight the areas that they thought we should focus on based on their response,” Bettman said. “That’s something we’ve now got to look at very closely in addition to the myriad other issues.” Neither side chose to delve into details of what was offered during discussions that Executive Director of the players association Donald Fehr said “weren’t terribly long.” The fact that neither offer was quickly dismissed could be taken as a positive sign that perhaps the gap has closed between them. “I’m out of the prediction business,” Fehr said. “You get up every day and you try to figure out how to make an agreement that day, and if it fails you try and do it the next day. That’s exactly where we are.”

The United States routed Slovakia 9-3 Monday to advance to the quarterfinals of the world junior hockey championships. Cole Bardreau opened the scoring in the fourth minute before Slovakia’s Matus Matis tied it 14 seconds later. The Americans built their lead on two goals apiece from Vince Trocheck and John Gaudreau. Canada stayed in first place in Group B by downing Russia 4-1. Jonathan Huberdeau, Mark Scheifele, Dougie Hamilton and Jonathan Drouin scored for Canada. Nikita Kucherov scored in the 17th minute for Russia, which will next play Switzerland.

FOOTBALL Collusion case denied

The NFL Players Association’s claim of collusion by league owners has been rejected by the federal judge who has previously sided with the players. U.S. District Judge David Doty issued his order on Monday, denying the NFLPA’s request to reopen the 1993 class-action lawsuit that was closed when the new collective bargaining agreement was reached in July 2011. The NFL contended the new CBA prohibited the players from suing, and Doty agreed in his written ruling. The NFLPA contended that the league imposed a secret salary cap during the uncapped 2010 season that cost the players more than $1 billion. Four teams were punished for overspending that year. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Doty’s decision “speaks for itself.” The NFLPA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

An attorney representing one of the two University of Texas football players suspended before the Alamo Bowl says a sexual assault allegation against his client is “completely false.” Perry Minton said in a written statement that linebacker Jordan Hicks “vehemently asserts” that the conduct under investigation by San Antonio police was “consensual by everyone involved.” Texas Coach Mack Brown suspended two unidentified players last Friday. The suspensions followed a San Antonio television station’s report that police were investigating two UT players - also unnamed - for alleged sexual assault. A person with knowledge of the suspensions told The Associated Press that Hicks and quarterback Case McCoy were the players. A police report said a 21-year-old woman accused two unnamed students of assaulting her early Friday morning at a downtown hotel.

Chiefs veteran offensive lineman Ryan Lilja, who helped block for Peyton Manning during the Indianapolis Colts’ Super Bowl-winning 2006 season, announced his retirement Monday. Lilja said he was going to “hang it up” after the Chiefs finished a 2-14 season with a 38-3 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Lilja played guard his entire career until injuries forced him to play the majority of this season at center. Lilja said he relished the opportunity to learn a new position, even though he knew at the beginning of the season that it would likely be his last in the NFL. A starter in 104 of 111 career games, he also said he appreciated the chance to finish his career with his hometown team. The former Kansas State star spent his first five seasons in Indianapolis and the last three in Kansas City.

Brigham Young said Monday that play making linebacker Kyle Van Noy will not declare early for the NFL draft but instead return for his senior season. Van Noy, 6-3, 235, said he wants to “finish what I started.” He led BYU’s No. 3-ranked defense with 13 sacks, 22 tackles for loss, 8 quarterback hurries, a school-record 6 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, 2 blocked kicks, a fumble recovery and 2 touchdowns. He is the only player to record a stat in every major defensive category each of the past two seasons. Van Noy joins junior wide receiver Cody Hoffman in deciding to complete his BYU eligibility. Hoffman finished with 100 catches for 1,248 yards and 11 TDs.

Rutgers cornerback Logan Ryan will skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft. The junior made the announcement Monday at a campus news conference. Ryan was a two-time all-Big East selection and is the fifth Rutgers player since 2008 to leave school early and enter the NFL draft, joining Ray Rice, Kenny Britt, Anthony Davis and Mohamed Sanu. Ryan finished second on the Scarlet Knights with 94 tackles this season and was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back. He is the only player this season with at least 90 tackles, 4 interceptions and 18 passes defended.

Nevada running back Stefphon Jefferson will forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft this spring. Jefferson set single season Nevada records in carries (375), yards rushing yards, rushing touchdowns (24) and total scores (25). He ranked second nationally in both rushing yards per game (144.9) and points per game (11.5). The junior from Visalia, Calif., said in a statement issued by the school late Sunday he will “always bleed silver and blue” but wants to try to take his career to the next level. He thanked the coaches and staff for all they have done to help make him successful.

Kansas State’s Bill Snyder, who guided the Wildcats to an 11-1 regular season, is the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year. Snyder was announced as the unanimous winner of the award at halftime of Monday night’s Chick-fil-A Bowl. The winner is picked each year by votes from a panel which includes previous winners. Kansas State will play Oregon in Thursday’s Fiesta Bowl.

BASEBALL

Royals sign Tejada, Chavez

Former AL MVP Miguel Tejada, 38, said he has reached a deal with the Kansas City Royals and is ready to return to the majors. The Associated Press reported that he has a one-year contract for $1.1 million and another $400,000 in performance bonuses. The six time All-Star last played in the big leagues in 2011 with San Francisco, hitting .239 with 4 home runs and 26 RBI in 91 games. Tejada played 36 games in Class AAA for Baltimore last season, batting .259 with no homers and 18 RBI, and was released in late June. Tejada has been playing for the Aguilas Cibaenas in the Dominican Republic Winter League. He says he lost 15 pounds during the summer. Tejada spent 15 seasons in the majors and was the 2002 AL MVP with Oakland. The Royals have also signed outfielder Endy Chavez, 34, to a minor-league contract and invited him to big league spring training. The Royals announced the deal Monday. Chavez made his major league debut with the Royals in 2001. The fleet fielder hit .203 with 2 home runs and 12 RBI in 64 games for Baltimore last season, and played in four postseason games for the Orioles. Chavez is a career .269 hitter with 26 home runs, 229 RBI and 100 stolen bases in 11 seasons with the Royals, the Montreal-Washington franchise, Philadelphia, the Mets, Seattle, Texas and the Orioles.