Wide receiver Sidney Rice and defensive end Red Bryant were released by the Seattle Seahawks on Friday, giving the Super Bowl champions additional salary cap space as free agency approaches. Seattle made the expected roster moves official eight days before teams can start speaking with potential free agents. Bryant had spent his entire career with the Seahawks after being a fourth-round draft pick in 2008, while Rice signed as a free agent before the 2011 season. According to the leagues transaction report, Rice was released with a "failed physical" designation. Both were due hefty salaries in 2014 that didnt necessarily match the production they had shown on the field. Rice had struggled with injuries with the Seahawks and was lost for the 2013 season after Week 8 with a knee injury. Bryant was a unique player as a 300-pound defensive end for the Seahawks, but his playing time had diminished. Seattle should save more than $12 million in salary cap space with the moves. Rice was due $8.5 million in base salary for 2014 and Bryant $4.5 million. "We want to thank both Red and Sidney for their effort, commitment and contribution to the Seattle Seahawks over the last few years," Seattle general manager John Schneider said in a statement. "These are extremely tough decisions, but we wanted to give them a head start on free agency. We wish them well in the future." Both moves were expected to happen and are likely the first in a series that will change the makeup of the Super Bowl champions. Bryant was one of just four players left from before the arrival of Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll. He was given a new contract during the 2012 off-season, but the emergence of Michael Bennett -- one of Seattles top free agent priorities -- appeared to make Bryant expendable. The only players still remaining from the pre-Carroll era are centre Max Unger, defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and punter Jon Ryan. Bryant was also a captain and vocal leader of Seattles league-best defence. He could be an attractive option in free agency for a team seeking a defensive end that can hold the edge in defending the run in a 3-4 defence. Rice had not matched the production that came with his big contract, mostly because of injuries. Rice played in 33 games with 31 starts with 97 receptions for 1,463 yards and 12 touchdowns. But his 2011 season was cut short by a concussion and he was unable to finish the 2013 season after suffering an ACL tear in his knee and being placed on injured reserve. Rice led Seattle in receptions (50) and yards receiving (748) during the 2012 season, one of just two seasons in his career that hes played in all 16 regular-season games. Rice tweeted a goodbye to Seattle fans shortly after his release became official: "The amount of love I have for the .12thman and the (at)Seahawks organization! Thanks for a wonderful experience!" Air Jordan Retro 5 Cheap . 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Jordan 5 For Sale Cheap .com) - Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies withstood 18 Dallas 3-pointers, as Memphis took control in the third quarter and fended off a Mavericks rally en route to a 114-105 win in a Southwest Division showdown.Staring down a six-game stretch heading into the Olympic break, the Maple Leafs gathered as a group and discussed the importance of yielding as many points as possible out of a pair of match-ups with the Panthers and Lightning as well as games against the Senators and Canucks. Already with four wins out of five, a victory on Saturday night against Vancouver would make it mission accomplished. "We want to end this part of the year off on a winning note," said Dion Phaneuf after the team took part in an off-ice workout on Friday. "We talked about it two weeks ago, how we wanted to get as many points as possible to set ourselves up going into the break in a good position." Despite the Leafs rolling to a 10-2-1 record in their last 13 games, a playoff position is still far from secured though. On Jan. 12, the day they beat the Devils 3-2 in a shootout to begin this impressive stretch, the Leafs sat two points out of a Wild Card spot. As of Feb. 7, they sit with a five-point Wild Card cushion and have gained ten points on the Montreal Canadiens to draw even at 68 points. Though still with 23 games remaining, Toronto is nowhere close to a position where they can ease up on their effort. "I dont think any team wants to give away any points," said Carl Gunnarsson. "Were in kind of a tight spot too. We really need the points." So too do the Canucks who have struggled mightily of late, losing six straight games and posting a dismal 4-12-2 record since the turn of the calendar to see their six-point Wild Card cushion evaporate to just one. That doesnt, however, mean the Leafs are taking anything for granted. "When youre playing a team that hasnt had as much success as theyd like, theyre going to want to end their pre-Olympic break on thee right note," Phaneuf said.dddddddddddd"Were expecting a push out of them." How hard the Canucks can push though is the question, since they are missing Henrik Sedin, Kevin Bieksa, Dan Hamhuis, Chris Tanev, Andrew Alberts, Mike Santorelli and Yannick Weber to various injuries and ailments. "Quite honestly, Ive never been through so many injuries at one time in all the years that Ive coached," said head coach John Tortorella after putting his team through practice at the MasterCard Center on Friday. "I dont want to paint this as Woe is me and were getting all the bad breaks, we have to find a way to get out of it. I think we have in the past three games regained our structure and hopefully itll get things going our way tomorrow." Outscored 23-10 during their six-game skid, an inspired performance from both Daniel Sedin and Roberto Luongo would be most welcomed by the Canucks. Sedin has not scored in 2014 and has just five assists in the 18 games he has played since the turn of the calendar. Luongo meanwhile has lost his last four starts, posting an ugly 3.50 GAA and .881 save percentage. With their playoff cushion all but evaporated, the Canucks no longer have time to slowly work their way out of this slump. They need points, and fast. "I think a win is the top priority," Luongo insisted. "I dont want to sit here and make excuses, injuries are part of every team in the NHL, and everybody goes through it. You still have to find a way to accumulate points. That being said, were missing a lot of guys but sometimes its little things and then all of a sudden it snowballs into bigger things and next thing you know, you dont realize it but youre in a six-game losing streak." ' ' '