Jaromir Jagr returns to NHL, signs with Flyers

The new-look Philadelphia Flyers were at it again Friday, as they tore through the first day of the NHL’s free-agency period with four signings, two of which hurt the rival Pittsburgh Penguins.

Within a matter of hours, free-agent forwards Jaromir Jagr and Maxime Talbot signed deals with the Atlantic Division champions. Jagr, 39, a 1990 first-round pick of the Penguins, got a one-year deal worth $3.3 million, and Talbot, 27, signed a five-year deal worth $9 million.

Jagr had a $2-million offer from the Penguins on the table all week, before Penguins General Manager Ray Shero withdrew it Friday morning. Jagr, who played the last three seasons in Russia, helped lead the Penguins to two Stanley Cup titles in the 1990s. He also played for the New York Rangers and Washington.

Last week, the Flyers traded high-scoring forwards Jeff Carter (Columbus) and Mike Richards (Kings) and signed goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov after acquiring his rights from Phoenix. Jagr will be looked upon to provide some of that missing scoring punch.

The Flyers also signed free-agent defenseman Andreas Lilja, 35, from the Ducks, and gave a contract extension to right wing Jakub Voracek, 22, acquired from Columbus in the Carter trade.

In other moves Friday:

• Columbus signed defenseman James Wisniewski to a six-year contract. The deal was announced an hour before Wisniewski, 27, whose rights were acquired from Montreal on Wednesday, would have become an unrestricted free agent.

• Carolina signed two-year contracts with goalie Brian Boucher and center Tim Brent and reaching a one-year deal with former Kings forward Alexei Ponikarovsky.

• Washington signed right wing Joel Ward, defenseman Roman Hamrlik and center Jeff Halpern. It also traded goaltender Semyon Varlamov to Colorado for a first-round draft pick in 2012 and a second-round selection in 2012 or 2013.

• Montreal signed free-agent forward Erik Cole and backup goalie Peter Budaj

• Pittsburgh agreed to terms with forwards Steve Sullivan and Tyler Kennedy.

• Phoenix signed left wing Raffi Torres and goalie Mike Smith to multiyear contracts.

• Chicago agreed to one-year contracts with forwards Andrew Brunette, Jamal Mayers and Brett McLean and defenseman Sean O’Donnell.

• Ed Jovanovski left Phoenix and signed with Florida, his original team, for four years and $16.5 million; Sami Salo signed a one-year, $2-million deal to stay with Vancouver; Cam Barker agreed to a two-year, $2.25-million contract with Edmonton; Andy Greene re-signed with New Jersey; Adam Pardy went from Calgary to Dallas for two years and $4 million; Andreas Lilja left the Ducks for Philadelphia; and goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere left Toronto for Colorado.

ETC.

Brown adds Person, Snyder

Lakers Coach Mike Brown’s staff continues to take shape.

Chuck Person will remain with the team as an assistant after working in a similar position last season under Phil Jackson. Quin Snyder also joins the Lakers as an assistant coach after spending last season as an assistant with Philadelphia.

“I’m very pleased to add Chuck to my coaching staff,” Brown said in a statement. “I’ve seen firsthand his dedication and his desire to making the players he coaches better. … With the addition of Quin to my coaching staff, we’ve added someone with an extremely intelligent basketball mind.”

Person played 13 seasons in the NBA where he gained acclaim as an outside shooter. Before joining the Lakers, Person served two-year stints as an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings. Snyder spent three years as a head coach in the NBA Development League before he was hired by the 76ers. He was the coach at the University of Missouri from 1999 to 2006.

— Matt Stevens

The labor negotiating teams led by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and players’ association chief DeMaurice Smith met for a couple of hours in Minneapolis and plan to return to the table after the July 4 weekend.

The sides held a 15-hour session Thursday that spilled over into the early hours Friday. After taking a six-hour break for some sleep, the sides met again but by late morning left the office building where talks were being held.

Smith and NFL lead negotiator Jeff Pash said the players and league would be back at it next week, but declined to comment further. Several people familiar with the situation said the negotiations would resume Tuesday in New York City. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the talks are not being made public.

K.J. Choi made five birdies over his last six holes, shooting a six-under-par 64 and matching the lowest score in the two years the PGA Tour’s AT&T National has been played at Aronimink in Newtown Square, Pa. It gave Choi, at seven-under 133 going into the weekend, a two-shot lead over Chris Riley (66), Charlie Wi (66), Justin Leonard (67) and Bo Van Pelt (66). UCLA’s Patrick Cantlay (69) was tied for 21st at one-under 139.

John Cook and John Huston shot nine-under 63s, matching the course record, and were tied for the first-round lead in the Champions Tour’s Montreal Championship at Blainville, Quebec. Defending champion Larry Mize was two strokes back along with Joey Sindelar, Tommy Armour III, Jeff Sluman, Jay Haas, Dan Forsman and Lu Chien-soon. … James Morrison of England shot a five-under 66 for a total of 10-under 132 and took a one-shot lead after the second round of the French Open at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. Richard Green of Australia (68) was in second place. American Bubba Watson missed the cut and criticized fan behavior and poor security on the Albatross course. He apparently was affected by spectators taking photos and videos during play. … UCLA’s Brianna Do and Texas high school star Marissa Dodd advanced to the Women’s U.S. Amateur Public Links final at Bandon Dunes in Bandon, Ore.

Argentina’s Sergio Aguero scored on a soaring volley in the 76th minute, salvaging a 1-1 draw against Bolivia in the opening match of the Copa America at La Plata, Argentina. Bolivia’s Edvialdo Rojas scored in the 48th minute, giving the underdogs the lead in a match played in freezing weather.

Joey Logano used a last-lap push from teammate Kyle Busch to win the Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.