DENVER -- New Denver Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly says re-signing free agent shooting guard Andre Igoudala is his No. 1 priority. Connelly was formally introduced on Thursday by team president Josh Kroenke. "The last guy we talked to before coming in for this press conference was Andre," Connelly told reporters. "Hes such a pro that hes out there (on the court) working out." The Nuggets top defender, Igoudala recently opted out of the final year of his contract after averaging 13 points a game last season. His situation is just one of several Connelly will have to deal with as he tries to help the Nuggets become a genuine playoff contender. The 36-year-old Connelly comes to the Nuggets from New Orleans, where he served as assistant general manager under Dell Demps. He replaces NBA Executive of the Year Masai Ujiri, who took the GM job with the Toronto Raptors last week. Considered a rising front-office talent, Connelly inherits a team that won a franchise-most 57 games during the regular season only to bow out in the first round of the playoffs again, this time to Golden State. Besides the potential loss of Igoudala, the Nuggets will be without Danilo Gallinari for the start of next season as the Italian forward recovers from an ACL injury. And Connelly, with Kroenke, also will have to find a replacement for NBA Coach of the Year George Karl, who was let go on June 6 after the early payoff exit. The Nuggets interviewed former Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins on Wednesday and have also interviewed Indiana Pacers assistant coach Brian Shaw, but have not set a specific deadline for hiring a coach. "I dont think we want to put a concrete timeline on anything," Connelly said. "Theres the potential to talk to additional candidates, and weve talked to two great candidates. The two guys weve interviewed are tremendous, and I look forward to going into Joshs office and seeing where we are in that process." Finding the right personality fit for the coaching job is most important to Connelly, who said he wont dictate a style or philosophy with the new coach. "I would never try to impose any strategic restraints on a coach," Connelly said. "Im looking for a good guy whos excited to have the job and build off where we are presently." Kroenke, who offered Connelly the job during a Saturday night dinner, was bullish about his new hire. "Im really excited to have Tim here, and its going to be a lot of fun moving forward," Kroenke said. "I hope Nuggets fans are as excited as I am. Ive known Tim the last several years, and weve stayed in loose contact. "It became a very easy decision to hire him and bring him here after a couple dominoes started to fall." One domino was assistant GM Pete DAlessandro leaving to become general manager for the Sacramento Kings late last week. "Pete and I discussed the position, and I think hes going to have a wonderful opportunity in Sacramento," Kroenke said. "Once that happened, I didnt waste any time and it was a quick decision for me. There was one person I wanted to bring in and immediately discuss the job with, and that was Tim." Kroenke said the prospect of re-signing Igoudala, the teams highest-paid player at more than $14 million, is very good. "I think 100 per cent," Kroenke said. "I had a good conversation with his agent last week. Andre is somebody we definitely want to bring back, and Andre is aware of our intentions to bring him back as well." Connelly thanked Ujiri as he said how happy he was about the new job. "I feel great about where the team is," Connelly said. "Theres a winning culture ingrained here, and its a heck of a team Im inheriting. 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Nike Free Run Canada . 10 Texas Rangers jersey for one last time. Young formally announced his retirement Friday after returning to Rangers Ballpark, his baseball home for all but the last of his 13 major league seasons. A couple of the hottest scorers in the NHL will lead their teams into Saturday nights matchup in St. Louis between the Nashville Predators and the St. Louis Blues.For the Predators, right winger James Neal will be looking to extend a streak that has seen him score a goal in six consecutive games, a total of seven goals. The streak equaled the longest goal-scoring streak in franchise history and is the longest in the league this season.For the Blues, left winger Jaden Schwartz has scored five goals in his last six games.Neal had one goal in the Predators 5-1 win at Ottawa on Thursday night while Schwartz scored twice in the Blues 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks.Neal leads Nashville with eight goals in 16 games while Schwartz is tied for the Blues lead with right winger Vladimir Tarasenko with six goals in 14 games.You feel confident with your game when that happens, Neal said about his streak, the longest of his career. You get a little streak going and you just want to keep shooting the puck because you feel like theyre going to go in for you.Added center Mike Fisher, Hes doing a great job of getting in scoring areas. His linemates are getting him the puck and hes played really good for us. ... Hes in the zone right now. Thats huge for us.Predators coach Peter Laviolette has been impressed with Neals performance.Hes played well all year, Laviolette said. The beginning of the year when he didnt have the goals, he waas like one of the top five guys on shots on net.dddddddddddd We kind of got hit with that sickness and bug and it knocked the guys back for a couple of games. Even if they were in the lineup, they were pretty sick for two or three days.He was part of that and I think he got set back a little bit by that. After two or three games, getting his feet back under him, hes jumped right back into it. Hes putting the puck at the net all the time. Hes working for opportunities.Schwartz also got off to a slow start this season, one of several Blues mired in a scoring slump. He had just one goal in his first eight games after missing the seasons first four games because of a knee injury.Its guys in front doing a good job, taking the goalies eyes away; that gives you the opportunity to pick a corner, Schwartz said. Thats big obviously. When pucks are going in as a team, its a little bit of weight off your shoulders. Not relaxed, but you get a better feel shooting the puck.Coach Ken Hitchcock said Schwartz is doing exactly what he should be doing.Hes shooting the puck, hes going to the net, hes around it, hes attacking the net, hes playing in north straight lines, Hitchcock said. Every time he does it, he has success. Every time he goes east-west, he doesnt. Hes getting more and more determined to score. ' ' '