San Jose Sharks sign Joe Thornton to three-year, $21 million contract ...

To experience everything that ESPN.com has to offer, we recommend that you upgrade to a newer version of your web browser. Click the upgrade button to the right or learn more.The San Jose Sharks have signed captain Joe Thornton to a $21 million, three-year contract extension, the team announced Saturday.

Thornton, who is earning $7.2 million this season, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent July 1 and would have been arguably the biggest name on the market."Joe stepped up and made a tremendous commitment to this franchise, his teammates and the fans in San Jose," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said.The 31-year-old center has been among the league's scoring leaders for the better part of his career, winning the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 2005-06 and helping Canada capture Olympic gold at the Vancouver Games. [Read the full article]

A grievance hearing brought by the players' association on behalf of New York Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez will not be heard Monday as scheduled because the sides are nearing a settlement, a source familiar with the discussions confirmed to ESPNNewYork.com.The grievance over the conversion of Rodriguez's contract to nonguaranteed and the withholding of $3 million had been scheduled to be heard Monday and Tuesday before arbitrator Shyam Das in New York. A Mets spokesman confirmed Monday's hearing has been adjourned andRodriguez appeared in one game after allegedly striking his girlfriend's father at Citi Field in August. Rodriguez then required season-ending surgery to repair a torn right thumb ligament, an injury the Mets maintain the closer admitted he suffered during the incident.Any settlement likely would restore Rodriguez's contract to guaranteed. [Read the full article]

Purdue senior Robbie Hummel retore his ACL in practice on Saturday morning and will miss the entire 2010-11 season, the university said.Hummel missed the Boilermakers' final eight games last season after tearing the ACL in his right knee the first time in a February 27 game against Minnesota.Before the injury, Hummel started all 27 games for Purdue, averaging 15.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. The forward earned All-Big Ten and honorable mention All-America honors."This is obviously disappointing for Robbie, as well as our team, since he worked so hard to return from the tear he suffered in February,'' Purdue coach Matt Painter said in a statement.[Read the full article]

With his longheld NBA title goal met, Lakers forward Ron Artest is putting a lasting piece of it on sale for the public, raffling his championship ring online at www.ronartest.com.More on the LakersFor more news, notes and analysis of the Lakers, check out the Land O' Lakers blog from the Kamenetzky Brothers. BlogThe proceeds will go to Artest's non-profit organization, Xcel University, which then will select two charities one in Los Angeles, one nationally to receive the money.The charities they are considering are charities that want to increase mental-health awareness and help erase the stigma associated with mental-health therapy.The beneficiares will be announced Oct. 27, when more details of the raffle also will be revealed.The Lakers will receive their rings at halftime on opening night, Oct. 26, as they host the Houston Rockets. [Read the full article]