The Nashville Predators announced Monday that forward Joakim Kemell has been reassigned to the Milwaukee Admirals.
Kemell was recalled from Milwaukee on Nov. 10 following the announcement that Zachary L'Heuruex would miss 4-6 weeks with a lower-body injury.
Kemell was with the Predators for their road game against the New York Rangers and a pair of games in the NHL Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden, but he did not play in either.
He has played in just two games with Nashville this season, against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 9 and the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 13. Kemell has played six games in Milwaukee, scoring a goal and five assists.
With Kemell being reassigned, this could mean that forward Cole Smith is ready to return to the lineup. Smith suffered an upper-body injury in the Predators game against the Calgary Flames on Nov. 1. It was announced the next day that he'd be out for 3-6 weeks.
The Nashville Predators host the Colorado Avalanche next on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. CST and Bridgestone Arena. The Milwaukee Admirals will face the Henderson Silver Knights on Friday, Nov. 21, at 9 p.m. CST at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson.
LeBron James went through his first full practice with the Lakers, coming off a couple of practices with the franchise's G-League team, but his status for the Lakers' game Tuesday against the Utah Jazz remains "TBD," as Lakers coach J.J. Redick put it.
"Just trying to get back to where I feel like myself again," LeBron said after practice, via the Associated Press. "Got to see how the body responds over the next 24 hours-plus."
The Lakers have the front end of a home-and-home with the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. After that, the Lakers are off until Sunday, when they face the Jazz in Salt Lake City, before returning home to face the Clippers in a critical West Group B NBA Cup game, which you can watch on Nov. 25 on NBC and Peacock.
LeBron said he's feeling good.
"My lungs feel like a newborn baby," LeBron said. "That's the most important thing: I've got to get my lungs back up to a grown man. My voice is already gone (from) one day back barking out calls and assignments and stuff. Got to get my voice working again. Be a lot of tea and rest tonight. Feels good to be out here with the guys. Missed them."
Whenever he does set foot on an NBA court this season, LeBron will set a record as the first player ever to reach 23 seasons in the league. Even without LeBron, the Lakers are 10-4 to start the season, led by a top-10 offense sparked by Luka Doncic playing at an MVP level.
The Franklin hire is being celebrated around the industry, but the coach has plenty of faults — and they go beyond his inability to win against top teams.
Lakers star Lebron James sits on the bench during a preseason game against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 17. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
LeBron James said his lungs felt like those of a “newborn baby” and his voice was “already gone” after his first Lakers practice Monday as he moved a step closer toward making his season debut after being sidelined by sciatica.
The Lakers listed James as questionable for Tuesday night against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena, and he sounded as if he was close to playing in his NBA-record 23rd season.
"We got a long time,” said James as he wiped sweat from his face while speaking to reporters. “I mean, we've been taking literally one minute, one hour, one step at a time throughout this whole process. So, see how I feel this afternoon, see how I feel tonight. When I wake up in the morning. ... We'll probably have [a] shootaround [Tuesday]. So, just gotta see how the body responds over the next 24 hours-plus."
LeBron James on how he’s feeling: “My lungs feel like a newborn baby.”
Says he’s trying to get his conditioning back up and his voice is already shot from yelling at practice, but he was happy to be back. pic.twitter.com/rl6WMAuYmw
James, who will turn 41 next month, was asked how long it took him to become pain-free.
“I wouldn’t take it that far,” James said. “Like I said, if you ever had it, you go about it and you wake up one day and you hope that when you step down from the bed that you don’t feel it. You go to bed at night, and you hope that when you’re in the bed that you don’t feel it. So I’ve been doing pretty good with it as of late. There’s a lot of exercises and a lot of mobility things and a lot of things you can do to help it. So I’m just keeping a positive mindset.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick said it was like having a new player in practice with James on the court.
James agreed, saying, “Definitely feels new, for sure.”
The Lakers have four days off after Tuesday's game against Utah — including three practice days — before playing the Jazz in Salt Lake City on Sunday.
"One day back, barking out calls and assignments and stuff, getting my voice working again," said James about his first day at practice. "Be a lot of tea and rest tonight."
James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer (42,184 points), admitted he had to mentally adjust to missing the start of a season for the first time in his career.
"It sucks. It definitely sucks,” James said. “Never in my life since I started playing the game of basketball have I ever not started the season — in my life. It's been a mind test, but I'm built for it and it's been putting in the work, both mentally and physically trying to get myself ready to rejoin the team.
"It's just been kind of the same revolving door. Just repetition, repetition, repetition; rehabbing, rehabbing, rehabbing. Just trying to get back where I can feel like myself again. It's great to be out here today."
James said this wasn’t the first time in his career that he had sciatica.
“I had it two years ago,” he said. “You had it, then you know what the hell it’s about. If you ain’t never had it and people are making jokes about it, I pray you never get it. It’s not fun.”
James practiced with the Lakers’ G League team, the South Bay Lakers, twice last week, getting in some five-on-five work.
"It was great,” James said. “I got cleared to play some five-on-five for the first time since ... hurting my MCL versus Minnesota. And that was the blessing."
The Lakers have gone 10-4 without James. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have led the way as one of the most potent two-way tandems in the early part of the NBA season.
Doncic leads the NBA in scoring (34.4 points per game) and Reaves is ninth (28.3). Doncic is fifth in assists (8.9) and Reaves is seventh (8.2).
James, who is 50 games away from breaking Robert Parish’s all-time record of most games played in NBA history (1,611), knows he'll have to adjust things when he returns.
“I have to work my way back into it,” James said. “The guys have been going on road trips, shootarounds, flights. So it’s kind of like a kid going to a new school again. Got to learn the guys and everything. So they got some great chemistry. Feeling my way back in and do it organically. It shouldn’t be hard. But it’s definitely a feel-out process.”
Etc.
Redick said all 14 players practiced for the first time this season and that Rui Hachimura (left call soreness) and Marcus Smart (viral illness) will be available to play against the Jazz after sitting out against Milwaukee on Saturday.
San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama missed the team's most recent game with a left calf injury, and he will reportedly miss additional time. On Monday, the team announced that the 7-foot-4 center has been diagnosed with a left calf strain and is expected to be re-evaluated in two to three weeks.
To say that this is a critical blow to the Spurs and to fantasy basketball teams would be an understatement. From a value standpoint, only Denver's Nikola Jokić has been better thus far, with Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander next in line. Where will the Spurs turn to fill the resulting void? And where else can fantasy managers look for reliable value? Let's look at the impact of Wembanyama's absence on fantasy basketball.
Who will replace Wembanyama in the starting lineup?
The answer to this question is straightforward: Luke Kornet (nine percent rostered, Yahoo!). Signed as a free agent this past summer, the 7-foot-2 center started Sunday's win over the Kings and finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, one assist and three blocked shots. Kornet won't provide the three-point or assist value that Wemby brings to the table, but he's worth a look for managers needing a high field-goal percentage, rebounds and blocked shots.
Kelly Olynyk (one percent) played 18 minutes off the bench on Sunday but is only worth a look in the off chance the Spurs were to lose Kornet. Bismack Biyombo (less than one percent) is a non-starter in fantasy; he played the final two minutes of Sunday's game due to the result no longer in question.
Who else will Wembanyama’s absence impact?
The entire Spurs rotation will be impacted, albeit to varying degrees. De'Aaron Fox, who made his season debut on November 8 after missing the start of the season with a hamstring injury, is the player who may see his fantasy value increase the most. Over his last two games, Fox has totaled 52 points and 21 assists, shooting 21-of-42 from the field. In his first three appearances, the point guard attempted 14 shots in each.
The key for fantasy managers who have Fox rostered is that his efficiency remains the same as it has been in the last two games. After totaling 10 assists and 12 turnovers in the two games prior, he only committed six turnovers in the next two.
The efficiency is also key for Stephon Castle, who began the season as the starting point guard and continued to serve as a primary playmaker once Fox was cleared to play. However, the reigning Rookie of the Year exited Sunday's game before halftime with a hip injury and did not return. As long as he isn't out for an extended period, Castle (70 percent) stands to receive a bump to his fantasy value with Wembanyama out.
Suppose Castle were to join Wembanyama on the sideline for an extended period. In that case, Julian Champagnie (three percent) is the most likely replacement, as he filled the resulting void to begin the second half on Sunday. Also, he started the season as a starter due to Fox's absence, averaging 10.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.0 three-pointers in that role.
Devin Vassell, who has started all 14 games for the Spurs, is another player who could have the ball in his hands a bit more while the team looks to compensate for Wembanyama's absence. He dished out seven assists in Sunday's victory, but the wing's start to the season has been underwhelming from a fantasy standpoint. Injuries are never good, but Vassell's role becoming more critical could serve as a catalyst for him.
Ukrainian gives up undisputed heavyweight title status
Fabio Wardley becomes sixth Briton to hold WBO crown
Fabio Wardley has been upgraded to WBO heavyweight champion after Oleksandr Usyk elected to relinquish the title – and his undisputed status – rather than defend it against the unbeaten Briton.
Wardley wrested the interim title from Joseph Parker via a dramatic 11th-round stoppage last month and was mandated to face the Ukrainian before the end of September.
After starting the season injured, Pittsburgh Penguins top prospect Rutger McGroarty kicked off his 2025-26 campaign with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Nov. 15 against the Springfield Thunderbirds. McGroarty certainly started the year off in a solid way, as he scored a goal in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's 3-1 win.
With McGroarty being one of the Penguins' most promising youngsters, seeing him start the year off with a goal is certainly encouraging. They are expecting the 2022 first-round pick to become a big part of their roster in the future, so he is undoubtedly a player to keep a very close eye on now that he is back to being healthy.
If McGroarty can continue to produce offense for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, it very well could lead to him getting called up to Pittsburgh's NHL roster in the near future. Thus, the 21-year-old forward will be looking to stand out down in the AHL from here.
McGroarty completed his first professional season in 2024-25, where he primarily played with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. In 60 games with the AHL squad this past campaign, he recorded 14 goals and 39 points. He also had one goal and three points in eight NHL games with Pittsburgh during the 2024-25 season.
Overall, McGroarty has shown promise, and it will be interesting to see what he can do during his second pro season from here.
Two players will be making their Vancouver Canucks debuts on Monday against the Florida Panthers. David Kämpf will draw into the lineup while Jiří Patera will start in goal. Kämpf will replace Conor Garland for Vancouver, who is listed as day-to-day after leaving Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Kämpf was signed to a one-year contract on Saturday after the Toronto Maple Leafs terminated his contract. The 30-year-old has plenty of NHL experience with 143 points in 536 games. Kämpf is known as a defensive center who should help the Canucks both on the penalty kill and in the faceoff dot.
As for Patera, Monday will be his first NHL start since March 26, 2024. Over his NHL career, the 26-year-old has posted a 3-3-1 record with a .902 save percentage. As for this season, Patera has played five games in the AHL, posting a 1-2-2 record with the Abbotsford Canucks.
Vancouver will look to earn another two points tomorrow as they take on the Panthers. Last season, the Canucks picked up wins in both meetings, including a 3-2 overtime win in Florida. Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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On Sunday night, Scott Morrow made his New York Rangers debut after being called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League earlier that day.
The Rangers acquired Morrow over the summer as part of the sign-and-trade deal with the Carolina Hurricanes centered around K’Andre Miller.
During training camp, Morrow was given an opportunity to make the opening-night roster, as he played in multiple preseason games while practicing on the second power-play unit.
He was one of the last players to be sent down to the AHL before the start of the 2025-26 season. In 11 games for the Wolf Pack, Morrow recorded one goal, one assist, and two points.
With Will Borgen out with an upper-body injury, the Rangers called up Morrow, and he was immediately slotted into the lineup in place of Urho Vaakanainen.
The 23-year-old defenseman played 9:56 minutes in his NHL season debut, the fewest amongst all Rangers blueliners.
However, Rangers assistant coach David Quinn praised Morrow for his performance.
“I liked his game. I thought Scotty did a good job,” Quinn said. “I thought he kept it simple. He moves the puck well, gets us out of our end when we needed to get out of our end when the chances presented themselves. I thought he defended well.”
Borgen’s injury status remains a mystery, so it’s possible Morrow could find himself back in the lineup on Tuesday night when the Rangers go up against the Vegas Golden Knights.
When Mason Appleton of the Detroit Red Wings shot the puck into the New York Rangers' empty net at the buzzer Sunday, Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick was having none of it.
He jumped onto the ice, along with his teammates, to spark a 'brawl' that resulted in a two-minute minor and a couple of misconducts.
Quick said the Red Wings shouldn't have been surprised. Well, they were, at his overreaction. There was considerable criticism for Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin, who did nothing in response. Perhaps that's because nothing happened. They had lost the game and, well, maybe Zibanejad and Panarin are a little more mature at accepting that than Quick is.
For guys who always go on about how tough and resilient they are, NHL players are sure easily offended, eh? You can't hit our player. You can't show us up by shooting into an empty net after we just spent the past 60 minutes getting outplayed and losing on home ice again.
Watch the video column up above for more.
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The Memphis Grizzlies announced Monday that All-Star point guard Ja Morant will be sidelined for the next two weeks with a Grade 1 calf strain.
Morant suffered the injury in the first quarter of Saturday night's road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He had scored seven points in six minutes before being subbed out of the game at the 6:01 mark with Memphis up 18-14 and not re-entering. The team will re-evaluate him in two weeks to determine how quickly he can return to the court.
Grizzlies say star guard Ja Morant will be re-evaluated in two weeks due to a Grade 1 right calf strain.
The injury is another roadblock in what has been a tough start to the season for Morant and the Grizzlies.
Memphis is sitting at 4-10 on the season and has been without forward Brandon Clarke, guard Ty Jerome, guard Scotty Pippen Jr., and center Zach Edey for the entirety of the season up until this weekend. Edey returned for the first time this season in that same Cavaliers game in which Morant got hurt. Morant himself also missed one game with an ankle injury and was suspended for one game for conduct detrimental to the teamafter a loss to the Lakers on Halloween.
On one hand, this injury is another misstep in a season that is seeing the two-time All-Star post career lows in field goal percentage (35.9%), three-point shooting percentage (16.7%), effective field goal rate (38.5%), three-pointers made per game (0.8), and rebounds (3.0). He's also posting the lowest scoring mark since his rookie season at just 17.9 points per game.
However, on the other hand, this continues a concerning injury track record for the 26-year-old. He has never played 70 games or more in any of his six NBA seasons coming into this year. Last year, he was limited to 50 games, and the year before that, he played in just nine, in part due to a suspension for gun-related gestures and off-field behavior.
Despite Memphis insisting that they have no interest in trading Morant, the suspension and mounting injuries may force it to behave otherwise. Of course, a mounting injury toll for a player in the third year of a five-year, $197.2 million contract also could dampen any value on the trade market.
For now, the Grizzlies will move forward without Morant for the next two weeks. That should mean additional playing time for Vince Williams Jr., who started for Morant when he was forced to sit last week against the Celtics with an ankle injury. Williams had 12 points, five rebounds, and two assists in that game, and the 25-year-old is averaging 8.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on 39.7% from the field in 19.3 minutes per game this season. We should also see a minutes increase for Cam Spencer off the bench and perhaps more of a scoring burden placed on starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and starting small forward Cedric Coward, who has been a lone bright spot for the Grizzlies in his rookie season.
We'll get out first look at how the Grizzlies approach these next two weeks without Morant when they face off against the Spurs on Tuesday at 8 pm ET on NBC and Peacock.
Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff provided an update of some on the club’s lengthy list of injured players, a list which had a familiar name added to it. Defenseman Michael Kesselring, who returned to the lineup on October 28 after missing nearly a month with an unspecified injury, left the Sabres 5-4 overtime victory over Detroit early in the third period.
"He's gonna be further evaluated today, but obviously it's going to be a little bit of time for him. I don't have a time frame yet." Ruff said after the morning skate at KeyBank Center.
The Sabres recalled defenseman Zach Metsa from AHL Rochester on Monday, but based on the morning skate, Jacob Bryson will take Kesselring’s spot in the lineup against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night.
Ruff also provided some optimistic news on winger Jason Zucker and center Josh Norris. Zucker has been out with a viral illness since November 1 and according to the Sabres head coach the veteran winger had not had solid food for nine days, Norris was injured on a faceoff in the season opener on October 9. Both were on the ice before practice.
"I think the soonest we could see (Zucker) is by this coming weekend. It's the first time they've been on the ice, haven't practiced. This is just the early stages," Ruff said. “(Norris) has done better, which is encouraging for sure. I think we originally thought a little bit longer, but he's feeling real good."
In other Sabres related news, former blueliner Dennis Gilbert was traded from Philadelphia back to Ottawa for defenseman Max Guenette. The Buffalo native was traded by the Sabres to the Sens last March in Dylan Cozens / Josh Norris deal and signed with the Flyers as an unrestricted free agent in July. Gilbert will report to the Sens AHL affiliate in Belleville.
Raphielle Johnson
