Hurricanes get Weight from Blues

The top team in the NHL isn't content to stand pat. The Carolina Hurricanes, sitting atop the standings with 76 points, acquired veteran center Doug Weight from the St. Louis Blues, adding another important piece in their pursuit of the Stanley Cup. Weight, a four-time All-Star and a member of the US Olympic team, is scheduled to join the Hurricanes Thursday. ''This is certainly a statement to everybody how serious we are about our chances to make a run to the championship," said Jim Rutherford, Carolina's president and general manager. Weight, 34, led the Blues with 44 points. He was named to the US team that will be led by Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette. He is in the last year of a five-year contract that pays him $5.7 million this year, with Carolina picking up $2.1 million of that salary, Rutherford said. The Hurricanes also received the rights to left wing Erkki Rajamaki, currently playing in the Finnish League. Carolina sent right wing Jesse Boulerice, center Mike Zigomanis, and the rights to unsigned draft pick Magnus Kahnberg to the Blues, along with three draft picks -- including this year's first-round selection . . . Vancouver Canucks defenseman Ed Jovanovski will have surgery tomorrow, and will be scratched from the Canadian Olympic team because of a lower abdominal injury.

BASEBALL
Cubs sign Hairston for one year, $2.3M

Second baseman/outfielder Jerry Hairston Jr. agreed to a one-year, $2.3 million deal with the Chicago Cubs and avoided salary arbitration. Hairston, acquired by the Cubs last year from Baltimore for Sammy Sosa, hit .261 with four homers and 30 RBIs. He appeared in 44 games at second and 58 in the outfield, including 48 in center field . . . Roger Clemens made an unexpected appearance at the Astros' minicamp in Houston, pitching batting practice to prospects that included his oldest son, Koby. Clemens, 43, hasn't decided whether he'll play a 23d season. The righthander, who wasn't offered salary arbitration by the Astros and can't re-sign with them until May 1, said his back and hamstring were healed, but he has doubts whether he could last another full season . . . Righthanded reliever Travis Harper avoided arbitration with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, agreeing to an $850,000, one-year contract . . . One of Roberto Clemente's sons says the request that baseball retire his father's No. 21 is being misunderstood. Clemente's team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, retired his number in 1973. ''It's not based on being the first Latino," Luis Clemente said. ''It's more as a person -- who he was and what he taught."

NBA
Okafor sidelined another five weeks

Charlotte Bobcats forward Emeka Okafor is expected to be out at least another five weeks with a sprained right ankle that has already cost him 19 of the last 20 games. The former University of Connecticut star originally sprained the ankle Dec. 19 and missed eight games. He returned Jan. 10, but was reinjured in the Bobcats' double-overtime win over Houston. Charlotte hasn't won a game since. The Bobcats also said forward Gerald Wallace (knee bruise) and guard Keith Bogans (knee sprain) are expected to be out another 2-4 weeks . . . The league asked, and LeBron James declined a request to participate in the NBA's All-Star dunk contest Feb. 18 in Houston. He will, however, be in the skills challenge, as will last year's winner, Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash. Also returning are defending champions Josh Smith (slam dunk) of Atlanta, and Knicks guard Quentin Richardson (3-point shooting).

COLLEGES
UNC reaches No. 1 in women's poll

North Carolina finally added what was missing from its women's basketball résumé after a national championship and two Atlantic Coast Conference titles: a No. 1 ranking. A day after beating Duke in a battle for the top spot after the Blue Devils had knocked off Tennessee six days earlier, the Tar Heels (20-0) earned their first No. 1 ranking, with Duke at No. 2, LSU No. 3, UConn No. 4, and Tennessee dropping to No. 5. Boston College remained at No. 23 . . . In the men's poll, UConn (18-1), Duke (19-1), and Memphis (19-2) held on to the top three spots, while BC climbed to No. 15 . . . Florida guard Lee Humphrey will miss at least two games after separating his left shoulder in a bicycle accident Sunday. Humphrey, who leads the Southeastern Conference in 3-point field goal percentage and is the top defender for the No. 8 Gators, will miss tonight's game at Mississippi and Saturday's game against Kentucky.

MISCELLANY
MetroStars trade Razov to Chivas USA

Chivas USA acquired forward Ante Razov, the No. 4 goal scorer in MLS history, from the MetroStars for forward Thiago Martins. Razov has 84 goals in 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, and MetroStars. He had seven goals and six assists in 25 games last year with Columbus and the MetroStars. Martins had three goals and one assist in 22 games last season . . . Forward Jan Koller said he hopes to recover from knee surgery in time to play in the Czech Republic's World Cup opener against the United States June 12 . . . Andre Agassi won his opening match of the year, 6-4, 6-4, over Ricardo Mello of Brazil at the International Tennis Championships in Delray Beach, Fla. Agassi had played only one match since reaching the US Open final in September. He sprained his left ankle playing racquetball Oct. 12 and aggravated the injury during the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai . . . Snowboarder Shaun White won his second gold medal at the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colo., in the halfpipe, in the final tuneup for the Olympics.