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Aaron Ekblad will not be a free agent for a long time. That alone made this free-agency day for the Florida Panthers an overwhelming success.The Panthers have locked up their star 20-year-old defenseman for eight additional years, the sides formally completing the work Friday on what will be a $60 million extension that keeps him in Florida through the 2024-25 season. The deal was announced on the first day of the NHLs free-agent signing period, though Ekblad was still under contract to Florida for the coming season.I dont think its any secret, Panthers general manager Tom Rowe said. Hes a guy we want in the fold for a long time to come.Ekblad was an All-Star in each of his first two years with Florida, and now clearly becomes a face of a franchise that believes it is getting closer to finally hoisting the Stanley Cup.Couldnt be happier, Ekblad wrote on Instagram as he posed in a Florida jersey.He was the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft and already is Floridas franchise leader with eight career game-winning goals.An exceptionally skilled, intelligent and mature young player that is a difference maker for our team both on and off the ice, Rowe said.The Panthers won the Atlantic Division last year, reaching the playoffs for just the second time in 15 seasons. The ownership group led by Vincent Viola has made no secret that it is driven by winning a championship, and Florida is starting to look like a real potential contender.He bought the team to win a Stanley Cup and the players that weve got here all want to win a Stanley Cup, Rowe said. We felt what we did today gives us a better chance of doing that.There were other moves, including the signing of goaltender James Reimer to a five-year, $17 million deal to share the workload with starter Roberto Luongo.Reimer has spent six seasons in the NHL, mostly with Toronto. He also appeared in nine games -- eight regular-season, one playoff -- with Stanley Cup finalist San Jose this past season.Reimer came to South Florida to see the Panthers facilities Friday and was quickly convinced he was making the right decision.Weve got a great team and great management and ownership, theyre passionate about winning, Reimer said. As a player, thats the organization you want to be a part of.Luongo is still one of the best in the NHL, but the Panthers have been mindful of not overusing their 37-year-old goalie. Hes sat out roughly one of every four Florida regular-season games in each of the last two years and had offseason hip surgery. The Panthers made a trade for former Colorado backup Reto Berra late last month. If Luongo isnt ready for opening night, Berra would begin as Reimers backup.We really targeted Reimer as a guy we see long term, Rowe said.So Reimers role will hardly be a limited one, and hes looking forward to being with Luongo.Hes a heck of a goalie, hes an elite goalie and I think his personality is known across the league, Reimer said. Hes just a great guy. For me, Im excited to learn from him.Reimers arrival means Al Montoyas time as Luongos backup is over, and longtime Panthers defenseman Brian Campbell is gone as well, as was expected, particularly after the team landed Keith Yandle late last month. Campbell is going back to the Chicago Blackhawks for next season.Florida also added a pair of forwards Friday, signing Colton Sceviour and Jonathan Marchessault to two-year contracts.Sceviour had 11 goals and 12 assists with Dallas last season, then added five more points for the Stars in 11 playoff games. Marchessault had seven goals and 11 assists in 45 games for Tampa Bay last season.Rowe coached against Sceviour in the AHL and sees him as a third-line option right away for Florida.Its a young league and the games getting faster every year and we felt the guys we picked up today, it gave us more skill and definitely gave us some quicker guys at that third-line position, Rowe said. It gives (coach Gerard Gallant) some options, more options than we had last year. Jamiyus Pittman Jersey . Tuesdays surgery at Atlantas Piedmont Hospital was performed by Dr. Xavier Duralde and Hawks team physician Dr. Michael Bernot. Jordan Mills Jersey . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. http://www.wholesaledolphinsjerseys.com/?tag=youth-chase-allen-jersey . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. Jason Sanders Jersey . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. Ryan Anderson Jersey . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. LONDON -- At 6-foot-10, John Isner likes to go big.At the All England Club, where the grass has always been both a blessing and curse for the American, hes huge.Isner, of course, is most famous for the monstrous match he won here six years ago against Nicolas Mahut. Marathon is an inadequate word to describe what transpired on Court 18. It consumed three days and a total of 11 hours, 5 minutes and was decided 70-68 in the frantic fifth set.It was the longest tennis match ever and required a staggering 183 games.On Peoples Sunday, Isner got tangled up with Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. While it wont be remembered as fondly by historians as the epic of 2010, it was something special.Tsonga, saving a match point along the way, won 6-7 (3), 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2, 19-17.The match, played over two days, went 4 hours, 25 minutes, with the fifth set alone running 2 hours, 8 minutes.Isner had 38 aces and 101 winners. Tsonga had 21 aces and 88 winners.It was tied for the fourth-longest fifth set in a major in the Open era, matching the 1987 first-round match here between Paul McNamee and Todd Nelson.As the fifth set progressed, did that endless match flash into his consciousness?No, Isner said afterward. He was serving very well. I knew the match could go a long way. But I wasnt thinking about six years ago.It was a rousing comeback for Tsonga, who like Isner is 31 years old. He dropped the first two sets Saturday before winning the third in a critical tiebreaker. The two players came back Sunday and played the final two sets.Its worth noting the No. 12-seeded Tsonga was actually seeded higher than No. 18 Isner. Tsonga is a two-time semifinalist here, in 2011 and 2012.Its good to be alive, said Tsonga, who is 6-0 in five--set matches at Wimbledon.ddddddddddddThe key moment for Tsonga came when he was serving at 15-16. With Isner holding match point, at 30-40, he came up with a forehand winner to bring it back to deuce before holding. Isner faced a break point at 17-all, but an unreturnable serve bailed him out.The double-edged sword for Isner on the grass here: It helps his thunderous serve go through the service box (43 percent of his serves were not returned), but it also creates low, skidding shots that are difficult for someone that tall to reach down and dig out.It was Isners third straight loss here in the third round, and Wimbledon remains the only major in which he has failed to advance to the fourth round.It was the ninth time Isner has gone to at least 6-all in a fifth set in his career. Understandably, he is in favor of a fifth-set tiebreaker in majors; the US Open is the only Grand Slam to employ the fifth-set tiebreaker.I would, Isner said. Ive said that a bunch.Tsongas reward for persistence is another quick turnaround: Monday, hes got fellow Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas in four sets. Gasquet and Tsonga have split eight career matches