Report: Still 'strong' interest between Russell Westbrook, Sacramento Kings

Russell Westbrook remains without a contract to start the NBA season. He chose not to pick up his $3.5 million player option in Denver (not a shock after he had a locker room clash with Aaron Gordon during the playoffs), but no team has stepped up yet with a deal to replace it.

Despite rumored offers for him in China, Westbrook is staying put stateside, and his most likely landing spot remains the team he flirted with all summer, the Sacramento Kings. Here is what ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on NBA Today.

"I'm told there is strong mutual interest between Russell Westbrook and the Sacramento Kings. And the Kings have a need for a reserve point guard. They were 29th in bench points, 29th in bench assists last season. Russell Westbrook helps with that, and he's got relationships across that organization. Domantas Sabonis, he's close with, played with him. He played with Dennis Schroeder as well, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine. They have L.A. ties as well. BJ Armstrong, the new assistant general manager there. He knows BJ Armstrong from the agency side, and he does have respect with Scott Perry, their new general manager, and Doug Christie, their new head coach. We'll see if a deal gets done before the start of the season or during this upcoming year."

Charania is not the only one reporting this, well-connected Sacramento radio guy Carmichael Dave called it "70/30 Russell Westbrook joins the Kings this year." If the sides can figure out the money.

Sacramento does have an open roster spot and is about $5.4 million below the luxury tax line. Dennis Schroder will start at the point, but unless second-year player Devin Carter is ready to make a big leap up to backup point guard, that role falls more to Malik Monk, who is better as an off-ball two guard (but can play some point). It's easy to see where he slots into the roster, the question is money.

Westbrook, 37, averaged 13.3 points and 6.1 assists a game last season for the Nuggets, and he remains one of the highest energy players in the game. However, he's not a consistent or efficient scorer at this point in his career, nor is he a great defender. He could fill a bench role, as he has done the past couple of seasons, but don't be shocked if we get into the season before a team makes that offer.

Sacramento is also a roster that could look very different at the end of the season. This is a team open to trading DeRozan, LaVine or Sabonis if the deal is right. Where Westbrook would slot into all that is a question for coach Doug Christie.

McCann scores with 3.8 seconds left in OT, Kraken beat Golden Knights 2-1

SEATTLE — Jared McCann score with 3.8 seconds left in overtime, lifting the Seattle Kraken to a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night.

With time running down, Matty Beniers, who put the Kraken up 1-0 in the second period, ripped a shot from the left circle that bounced off goalie Adin Hill’s pads. McCann was positioned right on top of the crease and shot the rebound past Hill for his second goal of the year and his 400th career point.

Joey Daccord made 26 saves, with four of those in overtime. He has 61 saves through his first two games.

The Kraken have their first 2-0-0 start in team history.

Pavel Dorofeyev scored his league-leading fifth goal of the season for the Knights. Hill made 20 saves.

Each of Vegas’ first three games have gone beyond regulation. The Knights (1-0-2) fell 6-5 in a shootout to Los Angeles on Wednesday, then came from behind to beat San Jose on Thursday, 4-3.

Beniers scored at 7:58 of the second period with his first of the year and Seattle’s first on the power play, tucking in a back pass from Jordan Eberle just inside the right post past Hill.

Dorofeyev tied it 1-1 at 4:11 of the third on the power play. That was his fourth of the season with the man advantage, also a league high. He has all four of Vegas’ power-play goals. This one came on a shot from the left circle on a pass from Mark Stone.

It was just Seattle’s fifth win in 15 games against Vegas.

Up next

Golden Knights: Visit Calgary on Tuesday night.

Kraken: Visit Montreal on Tuesday night to start a six-game road trip.

Jets Bring Up Kale Clague as Insurance Following Injury to Haydn Fleury

On Saturday afternoon, Winnipeg Jets defenceman Haydn Fleury suffered a lower body injury after blocking a shot from Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe.

Fleury left the ice in the second period and did not return to the game, eventually taking a twirl on the ice following the second intermission, but did not come back out on the ice with his teammates  for the third period.

Photo by Terry Lee/USA Today 

Head coach Scott Arniel spoke after the game, indicating that Kempe's shot hit Fleury in the knee.

“Yeah, he got hit with that shot. He’s pretty sore," Arniel said. "It caught him on the side of the knee cap. He’ll wake up (Sunday) and we’ll see how he is, see how he’s doing.” 

Unfortunately, Sunday did not seem to bring much relief, as Fleury was absent from the Jets' skate. In a corresponding move, Winnipeg recalled fellow blueliner Kale Clague from the Manitoba Moose. 

This move will likely serve as a precautionary one for the sake of the team's seventh defender - to which Clague will surely slot in. 

Colin Miller - who sat out the first two games as the No. 7 defenceman - is expected to pair with fellow veteran blueliner Luke Schenn on the team's third grouping.

Clague, the former Brandon Wheat Kings star, has bounced between the NHL and AHL over the past five years since being drafted in the second round by the Kings in 2016. He signed a one-year deal for the league minimum with Winnipeg this offseason.

Currently down second pair defenceman Dylan Samberg, Winnipeg will now miss Fleury's smooth skating abilities as he recovers from the knee injury, but will have Clague as an option to fill in on the two game road trip through New York and Philadelphia, should Fleury miss time.  

Rantanen, Robertson score in shootout, Stars top Avs, 5-4

DENVER — Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen scored shootout goals, Jake Oettinger stopped Nathan MacKinnon on Colorado’s final shot, and the Dallas Stars beat the Avalanche 5-4 on Saturday night.

Oettinger had 35 saves through overtime and two more in the shootout for Dallas, which spoiled a milestone night for Brent Burns, who had an assist for his first point in a Colorado sweater.

Burns became the eighth defenseman to play in 1,500 career games and he extended his ironman streak in the NHL at 928 games, the longest active one in the NHL and fourth longest in league history.

Thomas Harley had a goal and an assist and Nathan Bastian and Robertson scored 3:03 apart in the second period to give Dallas a 3-2 lead.

Rantanen helped eliminate his former team in Game 7 of the first round last spring with a third-period hat trick. He got the better of the Avalanche again, beating Scott Wedgewood for the deciding goal in the shootout.

Wedgewood stopped 18 shots and one in the shootout.

Saturday night had a playoff feel, with a fight, shoving matches and momentum swings throughout the night. Marty Necas and MacKinnon had a goal and two assists each for Colorado, but both were stopped by Oettinger in the shootout.

Artturi Lehkonen tied it 3-all 34 seconds into the third but Wyatt Johnston answered with a breakaway goal 1:24 later.

MacKinnon tied it with a power-play goal midway through the third period.

Gavin Brindley gave Colorado a 2-1 lead midway through the second period with his first career goal after Necas had answered Harley’s goal with his third of the season.

Up next

Stars: Host the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night in their home opener.

Avalanche: On the road at the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.

1 Day Until Opening Night At NWA: The History OF Jersey #1

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 1 day until opening night at Nationwide Arena. 

Let's take a look at who wore 1 and where they are now.

Jean-François Labbé - 2002 - Undrafted out of Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Jean-François Labbé played in 14 games with the Blue Jackets over the course of two seasons. He went 3-5 with an .890 SV%. He spent the bulk of his time playing in the AHL for the Syracuse Crunch. 

He left North America in 2003 for Russia. He then played in Germany and Poland before returning to Canada in 2009. After playing a season for Sherbrooke Saint-François in the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey, he would retire. 

Labbé was primarily an AHL goalie, playing in a total of 261 games. He had a record of 131-97-25 and had 13 shutouts. He has won numerous awards in the AHL, including Best Goaltender and Most Valuable Player. For his efforts, Labbé was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2016.

After retiring, he moved into coaching, where he was either a head coach or a goaltending coach at different stops. 

Tomáš Pöpperle - 2007 - Drafted by Columbus in 2005. 

Pöpperle played two games for Columbus in 06-07, which were the only two NHL games of his career, both of which were in relief. His SV% was .929% and he had a GAA of 1.35.

He played 66 AHL games for the Syracuse Crunch before returning to Europe. He last played in 23-24 in Germany's second tier. 

Steve Mason - 2009-2013 - Drafted by Columbus in 2006. 

Mason won 96 games for Columbus in his career. His win total is second to only Sergei Bobrovsky. His 19 shutouts are also second, while he played 13,138:02 of TOI, which is third. His GAA is fourth in team history, while his save % is fifth. 

After he was traded to Philadelphia, he played four years for the Flyers before spending a season with the Winnipeg organization. After suffering two concussions and a serious knee injury, Mason wouldn't play again and would retire. 

Mason started his career with a bang, winning the 08-09 Calder Trophy and being named to the NHL's all-rookie team. He was also named an NHL all-star during his rookie year, to go along with his NHL second-team honors. 

Mason was traded to the Flyers on April 3, 2013, in exchange for goaltender Michael Leighton and a 2015 third-round draft pick. In Philly, he would finish with a record of 104-78-36.

Mason, while playing for Canada at the U20 World Junior Championships, went 5-0 with a SV% of .951 and won tournament MVP, best goaltender, and was an all-star. 

Oh, what could have been. 

There is one day left until opening day at Nationwide Arena. 

The Jackets go into the home opener having split their first two games on the road against Nashville and Minnesota. Kirill Marchenko and Elvis Merzļikins were the stars for Columbus on Saturday night to beat the Wild in what felt like a must-win, just two days into the season. 

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Blackhawks Kicked Off Centennial Celebration In Style

The Chicago Blackhawks had a party at the United Center to kick off their year-long centennial celebration. It started with a red carpet entrance into the building for over 50 alumni and the entire Chicago Blackhawks roster. 

After the red carpet event was over, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that former TV play-by-play announcer Pat Foley and former NHL forward Jeremy Roenick have been named team ambassadors. They join Chris Chelios, Troy Murray, and Denis Savard in this role. 

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on XChicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xjoin us in welcoming Jeremy Roenick and Pat Foley as Blackhawks Ambassadors, alongside Chris Chelios, Troy Murray and Denis Savard! we’re thrilled to have them be part of our Ambassador program to help celebrate 100 years of Blackhawks hockey and grow the game in Chicago👏

After warmups, a ceremony to celebrate 100 years of hockey in Chicago was led by Foley. All of the alumni and the current team were on the ice to take in the ceremony. 

"100 years ago, the best game in the world came to the greatest city in the world," Pat Foley said during his speech. 

The Blackhawks then unveiled their Centennial season banner, which now hangs in the rafters alongside the six Stanley Cup banners. 

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on XChicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xa special banner for 100 years of Blackhawks hockey🥲 p.s. we miss you @muzz19❤️Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on XChicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on X100 years of Windy City hockey🏙️

Jim Cornelison followed the ceremony with his rendition of "O Canada" and "The Star Spangled Banner" alongside organist Carrie Marcotte. By the end of that, the United Center was incredibly loud and ready for hockey. 

The game didn't go as planned for the Blackhawks, as they allowed the Montreal Canadiens to score the game-winning goal with 15 seconds left in regulation.

Blackhawks Allow Game-Winning Goal With 15 Seconds Left, Lose 3-2 To CanadiensBlackhawks Allow Game-Winning Goal With 15 Seconds Left, Lose 3-2 To CanadiensThe Chicago Blackhawks made it home for their home opener on Saturday night. They took on the Montreal Canadiens in what was the first game of their centennial celebration. 

It was a hard game that ended in heartbreak, but the celebration was everything a fan could have asked for. Now, they will begin moving through the different eras of Blackhawks hockey, which will take them all the way through the season. Attending games at the United Center is a must in 2025-26. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

Hull KR aim for more while triumph brings hope for all Super League teams

Unpredictability and fresher feel has been apparent in Super League and whets the appetite for England’s home Tests against Australia

For the first time in two decades Super League woke up on Sunday morning with a name other than Wigan Warriors, St Helens or Leeds Rhinos as its champions. Hull KR are the first new winners of the competition since 2004, and only the fifth in history to be crowned at all.

For the Robins, this is a watershed moment. Without a major trophy in 40 years before this season, they have now completed an historic treble in 2025 and are arguably Super League’s premier club side. But for the wider competition as a whole, their success could not have come at a better time.

Continue reading...

Flyers Getting Unexpectedly Strong Early Contributions from Their Goalies

(Photo: James Guillory, Imagn Images)

Heading into the 2025-26 season, goaltending was perceived to be the biggest weakness of the Philadelphia Flyers, but so far, it's actually been their greatest strength.

Prized free agent signing Dan Vladar kept the Flyers in the game all night in their first game of the year against the Florida Panthers on Thursday night, racking up an impressive 32 saves on 34 shots (.941) after, somewhat surprisingly, starting ahead of Sam Ersson.

Ersson got his chance on Saturday night, though, and while his 35 saves on 39 shots and .897 save percentage weren't quite as impressive, he did more than enough to give the Flyers a chance to win the game against the Metropolitan Division rival Carolina Hurricanes.

At the time of this writing, according to Moneypuck, Ersson (1.87) and Vladar (1.00) are 11th and 14th in the NHL in goals saved above expected.

Sure, it's only been two games, and one for each goalie, but the Flyers were handily outplayed in both while icing a more than depleted defense.

Ex-Flyers Goalie Pitches Shutout in AHL DebutEx-Flyers Goalie Pitches Shutout in AHL DebutIn his first ever AHL game, this recently traded former Philadelphia Flyers goalie earned an impressive shutout.

So, despite that, the Flyers are actually tied with the Hurricanes for 12th in the NHL with a team GAA of 2.89, and they've faced 28 more shots on goal.

This is all to say that the Flyers' goalies came to play to start the season, and it's on them to continue these types of performances. The onus is on the Flyers, too, to protect them with a better defense and some goal support.

Ersson and Vladar have always been capable, but it's been a matter of consistency for both players in their NHL careers.

It's fair to say that both Ersson and Vladar were the Flyers' best players in their respective first starts of the season, and that's not something anybody expected to say after matchups with Florida and Carolina.

Islanders Matthew Schaefer Etches Name In History Books Yet Again In Home-Opener vs. Capitals

ELMONT, NY -- After becoming the youngest defenseman in NHL history to record a point in his NHL debut on Thursday, New York Islanders No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer made history again on Saturday night.

Islanders No. 1 Pick Matthew Schaefer Becomes Youngest Defenseman To Record Point In NHL DebutIslanders No. 1 Pick Matthew Schaefer Becomes Youngest Defenseman To Record Point In NHL DebutPITTSBURGH, PA -- During the New York Islanders’ season opener on Thursday, 2025 first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer scored his first NHL point, marking an early milestone for the young defenseman. 

At 4:28 of the third period, Schaefer came diving into the low slot like New York Giants running back Cam Skataboo, using one hand to jam the puck over Logan Thompson's right pad to send UBS Arena into an absolute frenzy:

Schaefer became the youngest player, at 18 years and 36 days, to play over 25 minutes in a game, logging 26:04.

The record was previously held by Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby, who played 25:39 at 18 years and 118 days, per Stathead.com. 

Not only did he lead the Islanders, but he played the most minutes of anyone else in the game. 

Schaefer only played 17 games last season with the OHL's Erie Otters due to mono and a broken clavicle. So, how does head coach Patrick Roy balance playing Schaefer big minutes for someone hasn't played much hockey over the last year?

"Sorry, I don't look at what happened last year. I'm focusing on what I see right now and what I see right now is a guy that's capable of handling those minutes," Roy said. "We're going to be there for him. Whatever he needs, we'll take care of him. I'm not balancing anything right now. He forced me to play him. We're going to give it to him."

Who do Rangers fans want after Gerrard news?

Just when the Scottish media had been drawn into a "Steven Gerrard returns to Rangers" frenzy, the former England midfielder withdrew from the process as the Scottish Premiership club seek a new head coach.

The timing of the move, with Gerrard having left Saudi Pro League club Al Ettifaq in January, is believed to be behind the decision.

Having initially held positive discussions with the former Aston Villa boss, Rangers are left looking elsewhere for a successor to the sacked Russell Martin.

But how have Rangers fans, many of whom had pressed for Martin's exit, reacted to the news and who do they want to now fill the hotseat?

Wasted seven days or lucky escape?

Rangers fans seem united in their shock at Gerrard's decision but split about whether it is a good or bad thing for the club, with chairman Patrick Stewart, sporting director Kevin Thelwell and the new American owners also under scrutiny.

Brian: Hugely disappointed with Gerrard's decision. I felt energised at the prospect of him becoming manager after the debacle of Russell Martin's tenure, when I'd just lost all hope and belief in the club. We are now left in this vacuum of hopelessness where I feel lost.

Jeff: Everyone is really upset that it's not worked out with Gerrard, but most likely this is because they're focused on their corporate set-up. This director of football role is actually hurting the club. We're forced to look to inferior set-ups to make sure we can ensure that the director of football gets his position strengthened.

Alexander: Gerrard obviously knows that Rangers are in a bad place right now and, no matter what, he would be unable to lift the team. The next manager is going to have to build the team up from their confidence and fitness levels to get the team back to basics in how to defend and, more importantly, how to play as a team. Setting a new standard of performance will be crucial to getting Rangers back on track.

Kenny: There were doubts in my mind whether he could repeat the success he had initially with us. He had that impetus carry over from his playing days that brought passion and confidence to the players. That has a shelf life. His backroom staff were very important to his success.

Craig: So Gerrard only wants to manage a club able to compete as that's best for him. What he's really saying is "I am unable to improve a team or players as I'd be out of my depth and don't have the necessary skills to do this".

Callum: Anyone asked to come in and manage the club will now know that they weren't first choice. If, as has been reported, Thelwell and Stewart were the stumbling block then the obvious solution is to sack that pair and invite Gerrard back for more talks.

Andrew: "Timing" seems a convenient excuse. Surely he knew timing was bad at the start of the week. It sounds somewhat like he doesn't buy into the owners' plans, which is potentially slightly concerning. If the owners have pushed him away, that's pretty poor.

Robert: Gutted. There is obviously more to it than timing as why would Gerrard have flown half around the world to speak to the club? There needs to be clarity on the reason he turned us down.

David: Gerrard is not the manager Rangers need right now. He was also the one who walked away from Rangers. The board must be held responsible and fans have no faith in them.

Kenny: Probably for the best. Looks like he thinks he's better than his record actually is. Don't think he's in a position to dictate when he picks up the role. Rangers now have the name of a sack-happy club.

Stewart: Unfortunately, our club has now wasted seven days pursuing Steven Gerrard. If he had doubts, he should have pulled out earlier.

Joss: He never intended to take it. Just wanted the opportunity to knock it back, as if he might have other big offers on the horizon. I don't believe there are a queue of big clubs looking to secure his services.

Tim: Terrible optics yet again coming from the club. Supporters are losing faith in the owners and the people they appointed. Whoever becomes manager will have to start winning very quickly.

Stuart: I'm surprised at Gerrard. Does he think he'll go on to manage a big club in England fighting for honours? Highly unlikely. I wasn't fully behind him. I believe anyone we get will be hit and miss with the players available at Ibrox at the moment.

Philip: I think both Rangers and Gerrard have dodged a bullet here.

Tommy: Guess we have to realise that we have to move forward from Gerrard. Twice turned down now and it makes a mockery of Rangers as a club.

William: A shambles again. They had plenty of time to get decent candidates. The board are a disaster. Back to the drawing board.

Keith: It's a shame, but who can really blame Gerrard? Rangers are a shambles currently.

Thom: The Rangers job is a poisoned chalice. No straight minded person would entertain taking the reins. Even great coaches have been forced from post.

No consensus over next manager pick?

Former Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl is reportedly the new favourite, but there appears to be no consensus about who Rangers should turn to next.

Heart of Midlothian's Derek McInnes, St Mirren's Stephen Robinson, Livingston's David Martindale, former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, Coventry City's Frank Lampard, former caretaker Barry Ferguson, St Johnstone's Simo Valakari, former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O'Neil, former Everton manager Sean Dyche, ex-Aberdeen boss Neil Warnock, Marco Rose, formerly of RB Leipzig, Bodo/Glimt's Kjetil Knutsen, Shanghai Port's Kevin Muscat... take your pick.

Graeme: I'm worried what message Gerrard's decision will send to other potential interested potential candidates and fans. Is it about available funds not being there for strengthening the squad? I'd love to see Benitez come, but I suspect another second-rate manager is on the cards.

Mark: Why not look nearer to home - Stephen Robinson or David Martindale? Both solid performance. Gerrard left, so he should not have had the chance to come back. Or, if you want top notch, Rafael Benitez is free.

David: I am glad he turned it down. Never forgiven him for leaving like he did last time, nor will I ever. Danny Rohl is the man for me.

Donald: Not to keen on Steven Gerrard coming back, plus Russell Martin has ruined the team as he brought in too many duds. Derek McInnes was my favourite, but it won't happen this time round.

Kenny: I'm sure Gerrard will return as Rangers boss one day. It looks like financial restraints are too much for him at this time, which is fair enough. However, the Rangers directors need to get it right this time. We need someone with experience and a proven track record.

Jeff: If Lampard, McInnes or Ferguson are not announced, it's going to be Groundhog Day, but it'll be the board as well as Stewart and Thelwell who will come under pressure this time.

Douglas: Simo Valakari would me my top choice. He has and is proving his ability in Scotland at St Johnstone with an enjoyable brand of football. Rangers should give him the opportunity before another club from England or Europe steps in.

Edward: Barry and Neil [McCann] and Billy [Dodds] and Allan [McGregor] should be back as soon as possible. They did well in difficult circumstances last season.

Martin: Gary O'Neil is a good person.

Tam: Derek McInnes or Barry Ferguson are the only two that know Rangers and Scottish football.

Nigel: Deflated. I think he would given everyone an immediate lift. Any manager we appoint now from the current names suggested would involve a settling in period trying to win over sceptics, which is how Martin started. McInnes or Ferguson for me.

Susi: They need to appoint someone who is not just in it for the money. They need to have a bit of passion about the club.

Frank: Never wanted Gerrard back. Said he wants to return to management with a club expected to win trophies as he believes that suits him. That's why he left for Aston Villa, then the Arab League - really? Should never have been considered. Potter is available and, given a five-year deal and left to get on with it, would be successful.

Guy: Good decision by Gerrard. The players are poor, don't like criticism and the fans toxic and no sort of leadership from the owners. I like Rangers, but if you are a progressive manager, you don't touch. The people who sort the club out in respect of managers are Dyche or Neil Warnock - they need strong leaders who won't take crap from over-rated players.

Ruaridh: I'm astonished that nobody seems to be mentioning Stephen Robinson for the Rangers vacancy. He knows Scottish football inside out and has always produced good footballing teams (and encouraged young talent) without having huge amounts of money to spend. He's just 10 minutes down the road too! We don't need a high-profile manager. We just need a good manager and Stephen Robinson is exactly that.

Peter: Surprised. Disappointed but certainly not gutted. For me, Derek McInnes was and remains the clear number one choice, so hopefully Rangers now push the boat out to get him. Possibly a blessing in disguise.

John: I never understood the desperation to get Gerrard in. His profile was the only aspect, because I do think they need a big character/name. Rohl is a gamble. They need a Lampard or Southgate to come in.

William: I'm in the minority. I'm glad as it took him three years to win a title. We need a Graeme Souness -type manager who won't let players just turn up to get their huge salaries. A hard, experienced pro.

David: I have said all along that Barry Ferguson and his staff is a natural selection to be manager. He has the commitment, the passion the respect of players and fans and the ability to mould a successful team to challenge Celtic.

Ally: What they should have done in the first place and try get Derek McInnes. If he doesn't want to leave Hearts, it's got to be Barry with his same team again. They will set us up properly and go back to what Rangers used to be and have a strong Scottish base who know the league and the pressure playing for Rangers will bring.

Bill: If Ange Postecoglou is sacked at Nottingham Forest, Rangers would be mad not to take him on board. He has a fantastic proven record in Scotland and is a brilliant tactician and man-manager. Would the owners be brave enough?

Boaby: Personally I would go for Marco Rose, although there is no guarantee he would be interested. The obvious alternative is Mr McInnes, who had Walter Smith's endorsement, which is more than good enough for me.

John: I'm actually glad Gerrard turned down Rangers. He's not what Rangers need. It's understandable to want to go back to the guy that last won something for the club. But he didn't take the club forward. Steve Cooper can and would take Rangers forward. Yet he's never been considered or even linked to the position.

Chris: So glad Gerrard is not coming back. Let him go somewhere else to try to get his mojo back. Only one trophy winner in the names being banded about. Appoint Kevin Muscat now please and don't consider the other mediocre "did well from limited resources or staved off relegation" candidates please.

Euan: Don't believe the statement for a minute. If timing wasn't right, why commit to the talks in the first place. Senior exec team at Rangers are displaying a concerning lack of football knowledge, fishing in a small pool of the footballs' unemployed/recently sacked. Why not be bold and try and tempt Kjetil Knutsen from Bodo/Glimt or someone else who is actually currently doing a good job?

Callum: Whilst it would have been good to see Stevie back, we need a manager with experience to turn the squad around. So long as it is not another Martin-esque appointment like Rohl.

Ian: I think Rangers should seek out Billy Davies for their next manager. He has a good record as a manager and was a good player for Rangers and knows what it means to play for them.

"He Just Gets Better and Better": Lucas Raymond Lauded By Red Wings Teammates After Milestone Goal

While the Detroit Red Wings found themselves trailing by a 2-0 score in the opening 20 minutes of play of Saturday evening's game against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs, they put in the work to make sure they didn't suffer the same fate as their disappointing 5-1 setback on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens. 

The Red Wings roared back to life in the second period, scoring three times to take the lead, followed by another go-ahead goal in the third period shortly after Toronto re-tied the score en route to a 6-3 victory, their first of their centennial campaign. 

The fingerprints of Lucas Raymond were all over the win, as he scored not only the game-tying goal in the second period, but also the third period go-ahead marker that ultimately stood up as the game-winner. 

Raymond's second goal was also a milestone tally, as it was the 100th of his NHL career - not a bad way to start a season in which he was named one of two alternate team captains. 

Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, who scored Detroit's initial go-ahead goal in the second period, had no shortage of praise for Raymond in the dressing room following the game.

"I think he's just progressing every day, every game. Each year I've been here, he just gets better and better," Kane said of Raymond. "The thing you love about him is that he wants to be the best. He puts the work in, whether its during practice or off the ice. He's always finding ways to better himself, so he's been really impressive since I've been here." 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest newsgame-day coverage, and player features

Raymond said that while he wasn't initially aware that his second goal was his 100th career tally, it's always fun to light the lamp and he has no intention of slowing down. 

"It's fun, obviously. I didn't know about it, but it's cool, you know. You don't take that stuff for granted, and it's always fun to score. I'd like to keep that going." 

When asked what he thinks of such high praise from a bonafide Hall of Fame player like Kane, Raymond instead talked about what Kane's presence and leadership means to the club as a whole.

"It's fun, Kaner is huge for us, not just the stuff everyone sees on the ice but off the ice with his leadership," he said. "It's fun to see the work he puts in every day, and it's great for young guys to come in and just be able to watch a guy like that. I remember when he came in, that was what stood out for me right away." 

Last season, Raymond established a new career-high in points with 80, a number he could very well blow past this campaign. 

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Mariners at Blue Jays – ALCS Game 1 prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats

The top two seeds in the American League playoffs meet for the pennant beginning Sunday night in Toronto as the Blue Jays host the Seattle Mariners. Bryce Miller gets the ball for Seattle and Kevin Gausman takes the mound for the Blue Jays.

Toronto earned the right to host the ALCS after taking out the Yankees in four games in the Division series. The Jays’ offense was ridiculous in the series scoring 34 runs in just those four games. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was the catalyst against the Bronx Bombers hitting .529 (9-17) with three home runs and nine runs batted in the series.

The Mariners’ series against Detroit featured three one-run games. Whereas Toronto’s series win was a testament to their bats, Seattle’s win featured good pitching and good hitting, but rarely both on the same night. As he did during the regular season, Cal Raleigh led the way for the Mariners with eight hits in 21 trips to the plate including one home run.

Lets dive deeper into Game 1 of the American League Championship Series between the Blue Jays and the Mariners and see where the numbers lead us.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Mariners at Blue Jays - ALCS Game 1

  • Date: Sunday, October 12, 2025
  • Time: 8:03PM EST
  • Site: Rogers Centre
  • City: Toronto, ON
  • Network/Streaming: FOX

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Mariners at the Blue Jays - ALCS Game 1

The latest odds as of Sunday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Seattle Mariners (+143), Toronto Blue Jays (-175)
  • Spread: Blue Jays -1.5 (+104)
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Mariners at Blue Jays - ALCS Game 1

  • Pitching matchup for October 12, 2025: Bryce Miller vs. Kevin Gausman
    • Mariners: Bryce Miller (Reg. Season: 4-6, 5.68 ERA)
      Last outing: 10/8 at Detroit - 4.1IP, 2ER, 4H, 0 BB, 2Ks
    • Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman (Reg. Season: 10-11, 3.59 ERA)
      Last outing: 10/4 vs. Yankees - 5.2IP, 1ER, 4H, 2BB, 3Ks

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Mariners at Blue Jays - ALCS Game 1

  • Randy Arozarena is 5-17 (.294) with 1 HR in his career against Kevin Gausman
  • Cal Raleigh is 6-14 (.429) with 3 HRs in his career against Gausman
  • Eugenio Suarez is 7-22 (.318) in his career against Gausman
  • Bryce Miller has struck out no more than 4 in any of his last 4 starts
  • Bryce Miller appeared in 1 game this season against the Jays on May 11 giving up 8 hits and 7 runs over 5 innings

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s ALCS Game 1 between the Mariners and the Blue Jays

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Sunday's game between the Mariners and the Blue Jays:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Seattle Mariners at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

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