Santa Clara, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - The San Francisco 49ers will stay in- house for Jim Harbaughs successor. The team announced Wednesday that longtime defensive line coach Jim Tomsula has been elevated to the head coachs post vacated by Harbaughs tumultuous departure for the University of Michigan. Tomsula has been a Niners assistant since 2007 and worked under three head coaches -- Harbaugh, Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary -- over that stretch. He also served as the teams interim head coach for the 2010 season finale after Singletary was fired. The 46-year-old will be formally introduced at a press conference scheduled for Thursday at Levis Stadium. After conducting a thorough coaching search, and meeting with a number of outstanding candidates, Jim Tomsula clearly is the right man to lead this team, 49ers CEO Jed York said in a statement. Jim is a great teacher and a tremendous mentor who conducts himself with great class and integrity. Tomsula takes over a San Francisco squad that reached the NFC Championship Game in three straight seasons under Harbaugh from 2011-13, but is presently in a state of transition after parting ways with the new Michigan head coach following the conclusion of a disappointing 2014 campaign. With rumors of friction between Harbaugh and the 49ers front office swirling all throughout this past season, San Francisco dropped four of its final four games after a 7-4 start to miss out on the playoffs. There were other off-field distractions the Niners had to deal with as well. Top pass rusher Aldon Smith was suspended for the first nine games for multiple violations of the NFLs personal conduct policy, while defensive lineman Ray McDonald was released in December after being investigated for an allegation of sexual assault. Tomsula may be having to find two new coordinators during the offseason. Offensive play-caller Greg Roman accepted the same position with the Buffalo Bills earlier in the week, while it is unclear whether defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will return after being passed over for Tomsula for the head coaching nod. The 49ers also had discussions with two-time Super Bowl champion head coach Mike Shanahan as well as Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase before deciding on Tomsula. Cheap Reggie Jackson Jersey . -- Two nights after losing to the Eastern Conferences worst team, the Phoenix Coyotes handled the best. Cheap CJ Wilson Jersey . -- Quarterback Josh Johnson has returned to the San Francisco 49ers and his former college coach, Jim Harbaugh. http://www.cheapangelsjerseys.com/. New York City FC introduced Frank Lampard in Brooklyn on Thursday after signing the 36-year-old former Chelsea midfielder to a two-year contract. Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic . What they did need, the Devils got from Patrik Elias. Elias scored a power-play goal 40 seconds into overtime to give the New Jersey Devils a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars. Cheap Angels Jerseys . The thinking at the time was Clowney could have already been promised he would be selected first overall by the Houston Texans, therefore negating any need to meet with any other teams. The plot took another twist this week.(SportsNetwork.com) - The suddenly-sliding Toronto Maple Leafs will try to enter the Christmas break on a positive note when they visit the Dallas Stars for Tuesdays encounter at American Airlines Center. The Maple Leafs are in the midst of a three-game skid that comes directly on the heels of a six-game winning streak. Toronto also boasted a 10-1-1 record in the 12 games prior to its current 0-3 stretch. Toronto has been outscored by a combined 15-5 margin during the losing streak, and the Leafs have surrendered 11 goals over the last two outings. After getting slammed 7-4 by visiting Philadelphia on Saturday, the Maple Leafs began a seven-game road trip the following night in Chicago and were handed a 4-0 loss. Antti Raanta stopped 31 shots to pick up the shutout for the Blackhawks. James Reimer allowed all four goals on 34 shots for the Maple Leafs, who have matched their longest skid of the season, tying an 0-3 stretch from Nov. 14-18. Toronto hasnt dropped four straight since losing the last four games of the 2013-14 season in regulation. The record we have in the last three games we have to figure out a way to turn it around, Toronto defenseman Dion Phaneuf said. Toronto is just 5-4-3 as the guest this season. The Leafs will try to pick up their first win of the current swing tonight before the road trip resumes Sunday at Florida. The Leafs recorded a 5-3 home win over Dallas on Dec. 2 and are hoping to sweep the season series tonight. However, the Stars are 3-0-1 in their last four home meetings against Toronto and they posted a 7-1 rrout of the Leafs when they last visited Big D on Jan.dddddddddddd23 of last season. While Toronto aims for a return to the win column on Tuesday, the Stars will try to enter the Christmas hiatus with a fifth consecutive victory. Dallas stretched its winning streak to a season-high four games thanks to Sundays remarkable comeback victory in Edmonton. The Stars trailed the Oilers 5-2 in the second period before rallying for a 6-5 shootout win. Taylor Halls goal with 6:43 left put the Oilers ahead by a 5-2 score, but Jamie Benn began the comeback for the Stars with a power-play tally in the final minute of the second period. Tyler Seguin would even the score for Dallas in the third. The NHLs leading goal-scorer tallied 52 seconds into the third to cut the deficit to 5-4, then tied it up with his 25th goal of the season at the 9:13 mark. Shawn Horcoff then scored in the eighth round of the shootout to give the Stars the win. Seguin, who is two points behind Philadelphias Jakub Voracek for the scoring lead, also posted an assist. Benn also added an assist, while Horcoff and Erik Cole notched the other regulation goals. I thought the leaders of the team took the bulls by the horns, Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. Anders Lindback stopped 9-of-10 shots to get the win in relief of Kari Lehtonen, who allowed four goals on 19 shots before getting pulled halfway through the second period. The Stars are 6-6-5 as the home team this season. Dallas will emerge from the NHLs Christmas break on Saturday, when it visits the St. Louis Blues. ' ' '