HALIFAX -- The Halifax Mooseheads finally got their man Wednesday, acquiring the rights to centre Nathan MacKinnon -- the first overall pick in the 2011 QMJHL entry draft by the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. In exchange, the Mooseheads sent Carl Gelinas, Francis Turbide and three first-round picks to Baie-Comeau for the multi-skilled centre from Cole Harbour, N.S. The Mooseheads and Rimouski Oceanic were among the clubs that made offers to Baie-Comeau for the first overall pick prior to the draft. "Weve been after him for quite a while," said Mooseheads general manager Cam Russell. "We were talking about trading for him at the draft. It didnt happen, but we stuck with it and got to the point where we had the players and picks to offer." MacKinnon prompted the trade by refusing to report to Baie-Comeau. Russell said MacKinnon had told him before the draft he would be willing to play for Halifax. The five-foot-10, 170-pound centres hockey path has closely followed that of fellow Cole Harbour native Sidney Crosby. MacKinnon, 16, grew up playing in the same minor hockey system and then jumped to Shattuck St. Marys prep school in Faribeault, Minn. He also has Crosbys agent, Pat Brisson, as his adviser. MacKinnon had 45 goals and 93 points in 40 games this season. "Hes a big, strong, fast-skating power forward," added Russell. "Great shot, great moves. They both have excellent skill sets, with Crosby being maybe more of a playmaker, but you hate to throw comparisons out there. Its not fair to the kid. Hes just the best kid at his age right now." Halifax had picks to spare after sending Adam Erne to Quebec on Monday. The Mooseheads acquired two first-round picks and a second-rounder from the Remparts for Erne, taken 22nd overall in the draft. They pulled off the deal without giving up Jonathan Drouin, the left winger they got second overall in the draft. Now Russell hopes he has a group of young players that will grow together in the next two or three years. MacKinnon will be eligible for the 2013 NHL draft. It should mark a turnaroud for a franchise that has been at or near the bottom of the league for most of the last three seasons. "Well have two guys that are really going to help our team," said Russell. "Weve got a lot of young guys on our team now. "All those kids together are going to make us a stronger, more competitive team. The best marketing tool we can have is winning." MacKinnon played for Nova Scotia at the Canada Winter Games in Halifax in February. "Hes a local kid, which is always nice, but when its a kid of his calibre it makes it even more exciting," said Russell. The trade was announced ahead of the leagues trade window. "Due to exceptional circumstances, the League has given the organizations the right to unveil the details of the trade prior to the opening of the trade period on Aug. 1," QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau said in a release. The league did not specify the reasons. Baie-Comeau receives the Mooseheads first round picks in 2012 and 2013 and Quebecs 2013 first-rounder, as well as 19-year-old Gelinas, the Mooseheads 2010-11 player of the year, and 18-year-old checking centre Turbide. Cheap Philadelphia Phillies Jerseys . -- The Baltimore Ravens have terminated the contract of guard Bobbie Williams, who played in all four playoff games for the Super Bowl champions. wholesale nfl jerseys . Before anyone asked a question, the Brewers slugger repeated the restrictions hed placed on his first spring meeting with the media. "I understand why a lot of you guys are probably here but I made a statement last week," Braun said. http://www.jerseyscheapnfl.us.com/ . -- Baltimore Orioles left fielder Nolan Reimould was taken to a hospital after he was hit in the left side of the head by a fastball from Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Alex Cobb in the first inning of a 3-3, 10-inning tie on Friday. Cheap Washington Nationals Jerseys . Durant told reporters Tuesday while on a promotional tour in China that it has been an honour to play against the seven-foot-six Houston Rockets centre. Yao is expected to announce at a news conference on July 20 that hes retiring from the NBA after nine seasons because of leg and foot injuries. wholesale jerseys . Mike Zigomanis, Joe Colborne and Jerry DAmigo also scored in the opening period as Toronto (23-15-5) jumped out to an early 5-1 lead. Will Acton added a goal in the third period. DAmigos goal was a short-handed score.PHILADELPHIA -- The 76ers took a long tumble from the top of the Atlantic Division to eighth place in the East. They have to hope the wins start coming in bunches again. Because if the losses keep piling up, not only will a 20-9 start be wasted, the Sixers will miss the playoffs. Gerald Green scored 23 points, and Kris Humphries had 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead New Jersey to a 95-89 win over Philadelphia on Friday night, three nights after the Sixers thumped the Nets by 19 points. Philadelphia snapped a two-game winning streak and suffered a big blow in its push up the Eastern Conference standings. The 76ers fell to eighth with the loss and New Yorks win, and play six of their final seven games on the road. This was a game they could not afford to lose. The Sixers have not won three straight games since March 7-11. "Wow," coach Doug Collins said. "I did not see that coming, the way we played the last couple of games." The Nets again felt at home on the road and outscored the Sixers 32-23 in the fourth quarter. Deron Williams had 11 points and 10 assists, MarShon Brooks scored 22 points and Jordan Williams had 13. New Jerseys 13 road wins are four more than they have at home. The Nets have won seven of 11. "No feeling sorry for ourselves tonight," New Jersey coach Avery Johnson said. "We played hard. We were locked into this game at shootaround." Jrue Holiday led the Sixers with 19 points, Evan Turner had 18 and Thaddeus Young 13. The Sixers (31-28) hold a two-game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks (29-30) for the final playoff spot in the East. The Knicks also are 31-28, but hold the tiebreaker for seventh. "Were going to have to step up as a team and not fear it," forward Elton Brand said. "This is an exciting time. Lets keep playing, lets keep getting it together." For a team with so much at stake, the Sixers slogged out the first three quarters, missing a flurry of shots in the paint. In front of one of the thinnest crowds of the season, the Sixers lacked energy and again struggled to get to the free-throw line. Theyre playing without the cohesion and team-first attitude that carried them to the fast start. For example, Brand had the hot hand early with eight points in the first -- and didnt score again. "We cant play arround with a team and not have a sense of urgency with a team down 10 points when were playing for playoff positioning and theyre not," Brand said.dddddddddddd The Sixers were 11 1/2-point favourites, yet trailed 66-63 entering the fourth. The Nets were content to take over from there. Green buried three 3-pointers and Brooks hit a backbreaker late in the game to squash Philadelphias comeback bid. In a game with 17 ties, Williams completed a three-point play with 4:11 left to give the Nets an 83-80 lead. But again the Nets failed to hang on to the lead and it looked like the Sixers might have the feel-good win they badly needed. New Jersey wouldnt let it happen. Green buried a 3 with 1:41 left and a 90-85 lead. Brooks hit the last of New Jerseys six 3-pointers to finish off the Sixers. "Ive been thinking a little too much the last couple of weeks, not making shots and everything," Brooks said. "D. Williams has been talking to me about it. Hes like, Just shoot the ball. If you miss it, you miss it." Good advice. Brooks was 9 of 15 from the floor. Both teams shot 34 of 81 from the floor. The free throws were almost identical -- Philly was 20 of 27; New Jersey 21 of 27. The difference came beyond the arc, where the Sixers missed nine of 10 3s. Andre Iguodala and Jodie Meeks each went 0 for 3. "Im just at a loss, I really am," Collins said. Even with playoffs out of reach, the Nets are hardly a team with no direction: Theyre heading to New York. The NBAs Board of Governors unanimously approved the relocation of the Nets to Brooklyn on Friday. "I know were all looking forward to being a part of Brooklyn and being a part of that project," Johnson said. "I think its going to help. Were the only team thats in transition like we are. Theres a lot of energy and anticipation of us moving there." NOTES: Will Smith, who owns a stake in the 76ers, was at the game. ... Collins, a former broadcaster, will call basketball games for NBC during the Olympics. Collins was part of the 1972 U.S. Olympic mens basketball team that was denied a gold medal following a hotly debated finish against the Soviet Union. Collins declined to say if Olympians should be paid. "Regardless of whether theyre paid or not, I know theyre going over for one thing, and thats to win," he said. cheap nfl jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '