HOCKEY

SHANAHAN LEANING TOWARD RETURN TO RANGERS

Brendan Shanahan is leaning to ward returning for a 20th NHL season, and wants to stay with the New York Rangers.

Sporting a clean-shaven face and full-toothed smile, the 38-year-old forward spoke Tuesday after his end-of-season interviews with New York general manager Glen Sather and coach Tom Renney.

He hasn’t come to a final decision whether to continue his surefire Hall of Fame career, but that is the direction his mind has taken him.

“My instincts are that I will prob ably play, but it’s something that I’m going to think over,” he said in front of dressing room stalls full of practice gear no longer needed this season. “As far as playing and coming here this year and being part of the Rangers, there’s nowhere else I’d rather play.”

SCOTT GOMEZ CHOOSES FREE AGENCY ROAD

Scott Gomez packed his equip ment and bid farewell to the Con tinental Airlines Arena and quite possibly the Devils yesterday.

The 27-year-old freewheeling center who led the Devils in scor ing in the playoffs will become an unrestricted free agent in July, and he clearly intends to test the mar ket.

“We have gone this far, it would be foolish not to see what’s out there,” Gomez said. “That doesn’ mean anything. It doesn’t mean I am leaning one way or I don’t want to be here. I have talked to all the guys that have played here and gone through this. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Gomez went to arbitration last summer and was awarded a oneyear, $5 million deal.

General manager and coach Lou Lamoriello said that fitting Gomez under the salary cap next year depends on a lot of variables he would not discuss.

“There is no question we would like to have Scott back, but we understand the situation he is in,” Lamoriello said.

FOOTBALL

MCNABB SAYS EAGLES TAKING QB KOLB WAS ‘SHOCKING’

Donovan McNabb had the same reaction most fans had when the Philadelphia Eagles selected quarterback Kevin Kolb with their first pick in last month’s NFL draft.

“It was shocking,” McNabb said yesterday in an interview on WIPAM radio.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the draft on April 28-29, McNabb downplayed the perception he’s upset the Eagles selected his eventual successor.

The five-time Pro Bowl quarterback also said his rehab is going well following surgery for a torn knee ligament and he expects to play in the preseason.

“When you draft somebody at the position you’re in, of course you have questions of ‘What does that mean?”‘ McNabb said. “The most important thing for me is to make sure I’m healthy and 100% and get back out there competing and do the right thing on the field.”