NHL

(AP) - Turns out the NHL has a bigger bite than Ottawa's Jarkko Ruutu. The league suspended Ruutu two games without pay for biting the gloved hand of Buffalo's Andrew Peters in a game Tuesday. "It's weird to even think that that goes on in hockey," said Peters, known more for his fists than his skill. "Even in my role, I would never think of doing something like that." More »

(Newser) - As investment portfolios dwindle and businesses suffer, more professional sports teams' owners are falling on hard times. League bosses worry that potential buyers, already an endangered breed, won't go for newly available teams because their primary businesses are foundering. Even the Cubs, one of MLB's few profitable franchises, can't find an owner, reports the Wall Street Journal . More »

(Newser) - Two of the NHL's oldest franchises got together for some old-school outdoors hockey today, with the Detroit Red Wings beating the Chicago Blackhawks 6-4, the Chicago Tribune reports. The league's second annual Winter Classic, staged in a converted Wrigley Field, threw the players plenty of curveballs, from chilly temperatures to last-minute ice repair. “Holy Cow. It’s Cold,” one sign read, a nod to Cubs announcer Harry Caray. More »

(Newser) - Fighting has been as much a part of hockey as skating for generations, but the rough stuff has been on the rise in the NHL since the 2004-05 lockout. By one account, fights are up by 15% from last season. With the enforcer's role becoming more vital, the New York Times looks at the reasons behind the pugnacious trend. More »

(Newser) - Fisticuffs may be frowned upon in most pro sports, the Boston Globe reports, but the NHL has a definite, if brutal, code to fighting on the ice that goes back to hockey’s rural Canadian origins. Most fights are mutually agreed upon between players, and brawlers know who not to go after. “It’s the show of respect for each other,” one coach said. More »

(Newser) - Sean Avery won’t return to the Dallas Stars after his suspension, the Morning News reports. The team said it can’t continue with the volatile player, who had barely begun a 4-year contract that guarantees him $15.5 million. “It was a bad marriage and it was time to separate,” the Stars coach said. The team said the split was friendly, and would help Avery find another team if he wishes to continue playing. More »

(Newser) - Jaromir Jagr is far from New York, playing hockey in Siberia, yet he tells the Atlantic he’s happy in the outpost of Omsk. Indeed, his $11 million salary helps cushion the blow of not being re-signed by the Rangers. And "in Russia, you have the real freedom, which is not like US freedom,” he says. “Back there you have so many rules.” More »