Coyotes’ Tocchet Suspended

Right wing Rick Tocchet of the Phoenix Coyotes was suspended for two games without pay and fined $1,000 by the NHL on Friday for injuring Edmonton left wing Ryan Smyth during a Jan. 20 game.

“The type of hit delivered by . . . Tocchet caused a serious injury to his opponent,� said Brian Burke, NHL senior vice president and director of hockey operations. “Players should be reminded that these types of hits are dangerous and [they] will be subject to discipline.�

Smith suffered a torn ligament in his left knee when Tocchet kneed him during the first period. Tocchet was assessed a major penalty.

Tocchet already has served one game of the suspension. He also will sit out tonight’s game against Edmonton.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are hoping to disclose a four-year contract extension worth more than $40 million--the biggest contract in NHL history--for all-star right wing Jaromir Jagr on Tuesday, team co-owner Roger Marino said.

The Penguins and Jagr agreed to terms on the extension last week and have since been hammering out the contract’s wording. All that seems to be left is getting all parties together in Pittsburgh for a news conference.

The agreement, the richest in NHL history, will begin with the 1999-2000 season and run through 2002-2003. Jagr, the 1995 NHL scoring champion, will play out the two remaining years on his contract at $5.1 million this season and $4.7 million for the 1998-99 season before the new pact takes effect.

The contract surpasses the three-year, $25.5-million agreement Wayne Gretzky signed with the Kings in 1992. It’s also worth more than Paul Kariya’s two-year, $14-million agreement with the Mighty Ducks and the two-year, $16-million contract Eric Lindros signed with the Philadelphia Flyers last month.