Former Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli "has taken over as president of hockey operations and general manager" of the Oilers, and Oilers Entertainment Group President & COO Patrick LaForge "has stepped down." Kevin Lowe, who had previously served as the team's president of hockey operations, "becomes a vice-chair" of OEG. Craig MacTavish, who had previously served as GM, is "still with the organization, but his new role will be determined in discussions with Chiarelli" (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 4/25).

The Univ. of Pittsburgh on Friday introduced new AD Scott Barnes, who "spent the past eight years" in the same position at Utah State. He will officially "start his tenure July 1, taking over for Steve Pederson, who was fired Dec. 17." A 14-person selection committee "narrowed the field down to four candidates for submission" to Pitt Chancellor Patrick Gallagher, who "finally settled on Barnes early in the week." Interim AD Randy Juhl said of Barnes, "He's one that we had to do a little bit of convincing to become a candidate" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/25).

Outgoing Univ. of Missouri AD Mike Alden today officially retires, "ending the second-longest tenure in school history." Former Houston AD Mack Rhoades takes over tomorrow. Alden’s tenure "will be remembered as a prosperous one by most measures," as he inherited a $13.7M budget in '98 that is projected to swell to more than $95M during the next fiscal year. Alden: "My last official act as the AD will be cheering on the Tigers in softball on Sunday" (K.C. STAR, 4/26).

Some Orioles players and staff members yesterday "considered spending the night inside the clubhouse and avoiding the city's ongoing unrest" around the death of city resident Freddie Gray, "especially with an early start" for today's game versus the Red Sox. There were "scary moments" yesterday at Camden Yards, with protests breaking out outside, and fans inside were urged not to leave "because of an 'ongoing public-safety issue.'" Afterward, Camden Yards "was briefly locked down, with fans not allowed to leave" because of the protests (Baltimore SUN, 4/26).

The Rockies today "will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first game played" at Coors Field. Players from the '95 Rockies will gather "for a pregame celebration" (DENVER POST, 4/26). The ballpark is the "third-oldest" facility in the NL, as only Wrigley Field and Dodger Stadium are older (DENVER POST, 4/26).

Last night's UFC 186 at Montreal's Bell Centre, headlined by Demetrious Johnson's submission of Kyoji Horiguchi in the main event, drew a crowd of 10,154 and a gate of $668,000 (MMAWEEKLY.com, 4/26). Johnson is "widely recognized as one of the great, most-talented fighters in the sport." But the crowd "was sparse at Bell Centre in a city widely recognized as one of North America’s great fight towns" (MONTREAL GAZETTE, 4/26).

Meanwhile, boxer Wladimir Klitschko last night "prevailed by unanimous decision" over Bryant Jennings "before a reported crowd of 17,056" at MSG (N.Y. TIMES, 4/26).

Yesterday "marked the one-year anniversary" of the start of the Donald Sterling scandal, which resulted in the former Clippers owner's lifetime banishment from the NBA. Team G Chris Paul yesterday said, "I had no clue what you were talking about when you said the one-year anniversary. I think that shows you how far behind us that is" (ESPNLA.com, 4/25).

ESPN's Britt McHenry yesterday "returned to work" to cover Capitals-Islanders Game 6 at Nassau Coliseum after serving a one-week suspension from the net. She tweeted, "Back to work. Excited to be covering Caps-Isles today" (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 4/25). McHenry "seemed a little more nervous than usual as she previewed the afternoon’s playoff game, and judging from the majority of Twitter reactions she got, she should be." Many viewers wrote on Twitter that they "turned off the television" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 4/25). McHenry: "I'm fine and glad to be back" (N.Y. POST, 4/26).

An announced crowd of 17,732 attended Game 3 of the Nets-Hawks playoff series at Barclays Center yesterday, but those who were in the building "posted photos all over Twitter showing how scarce the crowd was to start the contest" (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 4/25). The crowd was "late-arriving" (ESPN.com, 4/25).

Former UAB football player Derek Slaughter during his commencement ceremony yesterday "raised his helmet as he walked across the stage" in protest of the shuttering of the school's football program. He also "refused" to shake school President Ray Watts' hand (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 4/25).

Former Expos manager and exec Jim Fanning, who "managed the franchise to its only playoff appearance in Canada," died yesterday at the age of 87 (AP, 4/25).

Michigan State yesterday drew a school-record crowd of 48,000 for its spring football game, the "eighth-best spring crowd in the country this season" (DETROIT NEWS, 4/26). Meanwhile, Kansas State played its spring game "in front of 17,080 at Sporting Park" (K.C. STAR, 4/26).

NASL club Minnesota United FC announced a "sellout crowd of 9,233 fans" for its home-opening match yesterday against the San Antonio Scorpions (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 4/26).

"We're smart enough to know that TV pays the bills. A lot of them. You get the eight o'clock game, you play the eight o'clock game" – Mets manager Terry Collins, on being resigned to traveling late tonight to Miami after the team's 8:05pm ET game versus the Yankees (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 4/26).

"As far as advice? I'm only 25. I don't have any advice" – Colts QB Andrew Luck, when asked to impart words of wisdom to a group of DePauw Univ. students he was speaking to on Friday (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 4/25).

"I gave them the message to go out there and not make the mistakes that I made. If I can help them understand, then I've made an impact. It costs no money to give them a good message like that" – Former Ravens RB Ray Rice, on the message he gave to Rutgers Univ.'s football team on Friday night (AP, 4/24).

"This is what happens sometimes in this business when you trade objectivity for access" – N.Y. Daily News’ Mike Lupica, on Floyd Mayweather Jr. embracing and marketing himself as a villain while undertones of domestic violence remain (“The Sports Reporters, “ESPN, 4/26).

The N.Y. TIMES' Andrew Keh writes for some NBA players, attending chapel service "has become as much a part of their pregame routine as having an ankle taped." All 30 teams "have volunteer chaplains, with no guidance or oversight from the league," and players from both teams "are invited to attend a closed-door meeting" an hour before each game. But opposition to chapel services "exists, though it tends to be discreet."

The BOSTON GLOBE's Ben Volin writes NFL teams "morph into private detective units between the end of the season and the draft." They "go to tremendous lengths to discover everything they can about a prospect," as both money and the franchise's success are "at stake." This year, the "bull's-eye is on Jameis Winston," but he is "hardly the first prospect to undergo such intense examination."

Elsewhere:

• Disney's Thomas Staggs walks "one of corporate America's most daunting gantlets."
• People skills and "relentless work ethic" were key to rise of Bears GM Ryan Pace.
• Study: Despite fanfare, the NFL Draft process remains "a crapshoot."

Hey @CNBC I just unfollowed you I'm tired of the same tweets coming again and again. Are you so lame you can't find new news to tweet???

— Chip Ganassi (@GanassiChip) April 25, 2015

In-house ad for @NYIslanders tickets at @barclayscenter is booed by those in @Nassau_Coliseum at the end of the second period.

— Denis Gorman (@DenisGorman) April 25, 2015

"Fans going crazy here, looking for a free chicken sandwich." -- Steve Buckhantz, in the fourth quarter of a one-point playoff game

— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) April 25, 2015

"Sparse" would be a generous description of the crowd at Marlins Park right now. Nonexistent would be a fair one.

— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) April 24, 2015

Do they drop confetti from the roof of the Q when the Cavs win a road game?

— Dan Shaughnessy (@Dan_Shaughnessy) April 26, 2015

This is normal find in a bathroom, right?! Long day for the red m&m. @RIRInsider pic.twitter.com/GvqkcVPUYR

— Krista Voda (@kristavoda) April 25, 2015