BRIEFLY : HURRICANES WANT FEDOROV.

Byline: - Daily News Wire Services

The Carolina Hurricanes have stepped forward in an attempt to sign disgruntled Detroit Red Wings center Sergei Fedorov, inking him to an offer sheet reportedly worth $38 million over six years.

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said he received a faxed copy of the offer sheet. Detroit will have seven days to match the offer to Fedorov, a Group II free agent. If the Red Wings choose to match, they'll be able to trade Fedorov to any team except Carolina for one year.

``He would be a tremendous player to have in our lineup and a significant addition towards building a championship hockey club in North Carolina,'' Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said.

Fedorov, in Nagano, Japan, playing for the Russian Olympic team, has sat out the entire season in a contract dispute with the Red Wings. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Fedorov had 30 goals, 33 assists and 30 penalty minutes in 74 regular-season games with the Red Wings last season. He added eight goals, 12 assists and 12 penalty minutes in 20 playoff games, as Detroit won its first Stanley Cup championship since 1955.

Fedorov has 242 goals, 350 assists and 346 penalty minutes in 506 NHL games, all with the Red Wings, since the 1990-91 season.

John Muckler became coach of the troubled New York Rangers on Thursday, promising a mix of ``run and gun'' and ``trap'' styles in attempting to get the team back on track.

Muckler, 64, has experience in both - starting with the free-flowing Edmonton Oilers powerhouses of the 1980s and the more physical Buffalo Sabres teams of the 1990s. Colin Campbell was fired Wednesday by general manager Neil Smith in the midst of a disappointing 17-24-16 season.

FOOTBALL: Defensive end Gabe Wilkins became the second defensive starter in two days to leave the Green Bay Packers, signing on with San Francisco. Wilkins had 50 tackles and 5-1/2 sacks for the Packers. He reportedly got a five-year deal worth $20 million.

The 49ers, however, missed signing guard Joe Patton, who re-signed with Washington. The Redskins continued their search for an impact defensive tackle, with Dana Stubblefield, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year with the 49ers, paying a visit.

Minnesota agreed to a three-year contract with 38-year-old kicker Gary Anderson, who holds the NFL career record for field goals. Anderson was 29 of 36 in field goals last year for the 49ers. . . . Former Green Bay punter Craig Hentrich signed a multiyear contract with Tennessee that will give him $5.5 million over five years. . . . Carolina signed Ernest Dixon, a special-teams standout and reserve outside linebacker who spent his first four seasons with New Orleans. The Panthers also announced they had come to terms with wide receiver Mark Carrier. . . . Free agent offensive lineman George Hegamin, a third-round pick by Dallas in 1994, signed a series of five one-year contracts with Philadelphia.

Former Dallas coach Barry Switzer testified that he was joking during an encounter with two men who claim he physically attacked them and made racial remarks. The two are seeking $300,000 in punitive damages and $600,000 for mental anguish over 1994 encouter at a hotel lobby.

VOLLEYBALL: Brooke Rundle of Westlake High, daughter of former UCLA All-American Larry Rundle, has signed a letter of intent with UC Santa Barbara.

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Photo

Photo: If Carolina signs Sergei Fedorov, it would have to give up five first-round draft picks in the NHL entry draft.

Associated Press