NHL: Laviolette on the hot seat?

The Carolina Hurricanes have missed the playoffs for two straight years and speculation has been rampant that Canes head coach Peter Laviolette will be on a short leash this year. Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford tried to put an end to the speculation by telling the News and Observer there is no pressure on Laviolette and he doesn’t want anybody to be under the gun heading into the season. The Hurricanes are two years removed from winning the Stanley cup in 2006 and rely on playoff income to be financially stable. Source: News&Observer

NHL: Schneider on Sens and Sabres radar?

Internally the Ottawa Senators continue to flirt around the idea of acquiring Ducks defenseman Mathieu Schneider The Senators are in the market for an offensive defenseman and have shown an interest in Schneider for some time but were waiting for the Andrej Meszaros situation to resolve. The Senators have about $5 million in cap space and would have to send some salary back to the Ducks for a trade to work. Discussions are on-going. The Ducks are believed to be looking for draft picks and prospects in return. Brian Burke, the GM for the Anaheim Ducks has asked his scouting staff to provide scouting reports on potential targets from the LA Kings, Vancouver Canucks, Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres. The

NFL: Raiders set to fire head coach

ESPN.com reports the Raiders are set to fire head coach Lane Kiffin as early as Monday morning. Chris Mortensen reported in January of 08 that Al Davis had drawn resignation letter for Kiffin and asked him to quit. The Raiders lost to the Denver Broncos 41-0 in week 1. Source: ESPN.com News Wire

NFL: Jets targeting Bill Cowher?

Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher tells Adam Shefter of the NFL network that he intends to stay retired and can‚Äôt see himself returning to the sidelines until at least 2010. Cowher didn’t rule out coaching in 2009 but said it’s unlikely. Cowher has been linked to just about every team whose coach is on the hot seat. Speculation is rampant that New York Jets owner Robert Wood Johnson IV has been keeping a close eye on whether Cowher intends to return to coaching. Expectations are high in New York and if they fail to make the playoffs head coach Eric Mangini could be on his way out. Sources close to Bill Cowher believe the coach is seeking up

NHL: Shanahan staying in NYC?

I’m hearing the New York Rangers have a 1year – $1.8 million offer on the table to Brendan Shanahan. Indications are Shanahan is seeking over $2 million per season but he is expected to accept the Rangers offer. Expect an official announcement by the weekend. The New York Post speculates there has been some complications in the negotiations.

NFL: Browns secondary takes another hit

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports Browns safety Sean Jones will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and will miss up to four to six weeks. Jones is the Browns most dynamic player in an already shaky secondary. This past Sunday the Browns had to face Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys aerial attack, now they have the task of facing Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers passing attack with their top safety out of action.

NHL: Eric Staal close to signing 7 year extension?

The News and Observer reports Carolina Hurricanes forward Eric Staal is expected to sign a long term extension in the next ten days. The paper speculates Staal could receive a seven-year contract that would pay him between $7 million and $10 million a year. Count on the low number. Could Eric’s brother Jordan be next in line for an extension from the Pittsburgh Penguins? Check out the “Latest Penguins Buzz Segment” for the latest insight. Source: News and Observer

NFL: Titans to part ways with Vince Young?

Could the Tennessee Titans be moving on from Vince Young? According to the Nashville Tennessean that might be the case. The paper reports Vince Young on Monday told close associates of his that he didn’t want to play football any more. Vince Young will be sidelined for 2-4 weeks and the team may be ready to move forward with Kerry Collins. Source:Nashville Tennessean

NHL: Wild resume talks with Marian Gaborik

According to Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune, the Minnesota Wild are expected to resume negotiations with right winger Marian Gaborik. Wild assistant General Manager Tom Lynn and agent Ron Salcer will meet in Los Angeles over the next few days in the hopes of re-signing their star forward. The Wild are expected to make an multi-year offer in the range of 8.5 million per season, according to the paper. Inside Pittsburgh Sports has learned, Wild GM Doug Riseborough has turned down any inquiries about Gaborik but their scouting staff has begun targeting potential trade partners, if the two sides can’t come to an agreement. Source: Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune

NFL:Shawne Merriman out for the season

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen is reporting Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman is out for the season with a torn knee ligament and will be placed on injured reserve. Rookie Kyle Tucker will replace Merriman in the starting lineup.