Oregon promotes offensive coordinator Helfrich to coach; Lupul inks new deal

Oregon has promoted offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich to head football coach, replacing Chip Kelly.

Two people with knowledge of the situation confirmed the promotion to The Associated Press. They requested anonymity because the school had not announced it. The move was first reported by CBSSports.com.

Kelly stepped down at Oregon on Wednesday to coach the Philadelphia Eagles. Helfrich's promotion does not come as a surprise. Before Kelly left for the NFL, the offensive coordinator was considered the front-runner for the position.

Helfrich was appointed offensive coordinator at Oregon when Kelly took over four seasons ago. The Ducks have appeared in BCS bowls each of those four years.

TORONTO — Forward Joffrey Lupul has signed a five-year contract extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Lupul is now signed through to the 2017-18 season. Sunday's deal comes a day after Lupul was picked as one of the Leafs' alternate captains.

The 29-year-old played 66 games last season and ranked second on the team in goals (25), assists (42), points (67) and power-play goals (8). He had career highs for assists and points.

Lupul has 151 goals and 172 assists in 517 games with Toronto, Anaheim, the Philadelphia Flyers and Edmonton Oilers.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — New York Islanders head coach Jack Capuano is out of the hospital following surgery to treat kidney stones, but it is unknown when he will make his season debut behind the bench.

Capuano was released Sunday morning after having surgery Saturday, when the Islanders opened the season with a 2-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils.

It wasn't until about 25 minutes before the game that the Islanders said Capuano wouldn't coach because of medical reasons.

New York hosts Tampa Bay on Monday, and an Islanders spokesman says Sunday it is still to be determined whether Capuano will coach then.

Assistant coach Doug Weight ran the Islanders bench Saturday.

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns have picked player development director Lindsey Hunter as interim coach, two days after the team parted ways with Alvin Gentry.

Hunter played for 17 seasons in the NBA. He joined the Suns in the scouting department last year and this season took over the team's new player development department.

As a guard with five NBA teams, Hunter averaged 8.5 points in 937 games, 438 as a starter. The Suns have lost 13 of 15, including four straight at home. They don't play again until Wednesday, when they face the Kings in Sacramento.