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Goaltender Martin Biron announced his retirement at the age of 36 on Sunday, after playing parts of 16 NHL seasons. The New York Rangers put Biron on waivers last week, at which time he said he needed to talk to his family and friends and consider his options. Biron was assigned to the Hartford Wolfpack on Tuesday, but he did not report. "After thinking about it with my family, Ive decided to retire as a player and move on to a new chapter," Biron wrote on his verified Twitter account. "Thank you all for your support." Biron went 230-191-52 with a 2.61 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in 508 games with the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and Rangers. He gave up nine goals on 38 shots in two appearances this season before being waived. Biron, a native of Lac-Saint-Charles, Que., played three seasons in the QMJHL for the Beauport Harfangs and the Hull Olympiques. He was the 16th overall pick of the Sabres in 1995 and started there until he was displaced by Ryan Miller and requested a trade. He spent two-plus seasons with the Flyers before going to the Islanders and then serving as Henrik Lundqvists backup on the Rangers. Biron missed the start of training camp to attend to a personal situation. Not long after he arrived, the Rangers released veteran goalie Johan Hedberg from a professional tryout. His early-season struggles led to the Rangers calling up 26-year-old Cam Talbot from the AHL. New York starter Lundqvist went 2-4-0 with a 3.45 goals-against average and .890 save percentage in his first seven appearances. Birons retirement brought an outpouring of support on social media, from current and former teammates including Rangers defenceman Michael Del Zotto and forward Brian Boyle, Philadelphia Flyers assistant coach Ian Laperriere and Phoenix Coyotes enforcer Paul Bissonnette. Paul Coffey Jersey .Y. - Joe Johnson hit six 3-pointers in his 27 points, Mason Plumlee added 18 points, and the Brooklyn Nets won their 11th straight at home, beating the Boston Celtics 114-98 Friday night. Andrew Ference Jersey .com) - A chant of Zeke reverberated around AT&T Stadium before Ezekiel Elliott powered into the end zone for his fourth and final touchdown. http://www.officialoilersfanstore.com/.com) - The Vancouver Canucks hope an upcoming stretch of home games will be enough to get the club into the postseason. Ryan Smyth Jersey . Jacob Jacques, Andrew Ryan and Jonathan Drouin also scored for Halifax (37-18-3), who outshot the Islanders 40-26. Kevin Darveau stopped 25 shots. Bradley Kennedy had the lone goal for Charlottetown (18-33-5), which has nine losses in its last 10 games. Mark Fayne Jersey . - The infectious smile was missing from Nam Nguyen last week.GENEVA - The fight to remove Sepp Blatter from the most powerful job in world soccer intensified in Europe on Wednesday.In a surprise entry to the FIFA presidential contest, Portuguese great Luis Figo — the 2001 world player of the year — claimed the required support of five national federations by the entry deadline Thursday.I look at the reputation of FIFA right now and I dont like it. Football deserves better, the former Barcelona and Real Madrid playmaker said in a statement without giving detailed campaign plans.Meanwhile, Dutch federation president Michael van Praag launched his campaign in Amsterdam, promising to modernize FIFA, expand the World Cup with more places for non-European countries and give Blatter an advisory role.FIFA is doing badly and has lost all credibility, said Van Praag, who famously told Blatter last year in Brazil that people no longer took him seriously. FIFA is constantly under suspicion. Of conflicts of interest, of nepotism, of corruption.Van Praag said he had no animosity toward Blatter and spoke with him to offer a position running a foundation helping less privileged children.In fact, I like him a lot as a person, the 67-year-old Dutch official said. However, someone who has led an organization for so many years and who has become the personification of its poor image, can no longer be the face of a modernization operation or of a new FIFA.Blatters opponents also include FIFA Vice-President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan.Two more possible candidates from France, former FIFA official and longtime Blatter ally Jerome Champagne and former player David Ginola, seek to file nominations by Thursday evenings deadline.Still, Blatter is strongly favoured to win a May 29 vote by the 209 FIFA member federations, despite bribery and financial scandals which implicated several of his executive committee colleagues.Soccer leaders worldwide have shown little desire for change during Blatters 17-year reign overseeing spectacular commercial success for the World Cup. FIFA has cash reserves of $1.5 billion and distributes increasing bonuses to members.Figo has little experience of sports administration, but said a mood for change exists.I have seen the image of FIFA deteriorate, and as I speak to many people in football — to players, managers and association presidents — so many of those people have toold me that something has to be done, the 42-year-old Portuguese said.ddddddddddddFigos entry into the race complicates Europes strategy, potentially splitting support for him and Van Praag among the 53 UEFA voters, including some traditional Blatter loyalists. UEFA is the only one of FIFAs six continental bodies actively opposing Blatter.Figo was UEFAs ambassador for the Champions League final in Lisbon last year, and Van Praag is an elected member of UEFAs executive board which met on Monday.Thats when Van Praag announced his bid, saying he was running because no credible challenger had emerged. On Wednesday he further distanced himself from UEFA when saying his campaign was my initiative.The former president of four-time European champion Ajax is the first contender to reveal his nominees: Belgium, Faeroe Islands, Romania, Sweden and Scotland, plus his native Netherlands.The need for a European candidate was created last August when UEFA president Michel Platini opted not to stand against Blatter, while encouraging rivals for his 78-year-old former mentor.Platinis spokesman Pedro Pinto welcomed Figos entry.Credible candidates with new ideas will hopefully add to an open debate in the campaign, Pinto said in a statement. It is good for FIFA, and it is good for football to have valid candidates with extensive experience in the sport, and from different parts of the world.Platini has also supported Prince Alis candidacy.Ginolas bid is taken less seriously as hes being paid by a bookmaker to run. FIFAs ethics rules forbid officials having links to betting, gambling, lotteries and similar events or transactions connected with football matches.Figos paid contract with Asian gambling operator Dafabet, including as an ambassador for its 2014 World Cup promotion, has now ended, the firm said.Now that Luis has decided to stand for FIFA presidency it has been mutually agreed to end the ambassador contract, so he can concentrate his time fully on his campaign, Dafabets head of sports marketing and sponsorship, John Cruces, wrote in an email reply.The winning candidate needs two-thirds of the votes for victory in a first round of secret voting in Zurich, or a simple majority in subsequent rounds.___Associated Press writer Mike Corder in Amsterdam and AP Sports Writer John Leicester in Paris contributed to this report Cheap Nike Celtics Jerseys Cheap Nike Nets Jerseys Cheap New York Knicks Jerseys Cheap Philadelphia 76ers Jerseys China Raptors Jerseys Wholesale Chicago Bulls Jerseys Wholesale Cleveland Cavaliers Jerseys China Pistons Jerseys Wholesale Indiana Pacers Jerseys Cheap Milwaukee Bucks Jerseys Atlanta Hawks Jerseys Online Cheap Nike Hornets Jerseys China Heat Jerseys Cheap Nike Magic Jerseys China Wizards Jerseys Cheap Nike Nuggets Jerseys China Timberwolves Jerseys China Thunder Jerseys China Blazers Jerseys Cheap Utah Jazz Jerseys China Warriors Jerseys Cheap Nike Clippers Jerseys Discount Lakers Jerseys Phoenix Suns Jerseys Online Cheap Sacramento Kings Jerseys Dallas Mavericks Jerseys Online Wholesale Houston Rockets Jerseys Wholesale Memphis Grizzlies Jerseys New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys Online Discount Spurs Jerseys ' ' '