"It's Special": John Leonard Excited For Upcoming Red Wings Debut

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Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan announced on Monday that forward Patrick Kane, who scored the 498th goal of his NHL career during their 4-0 victory on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks, will miss at least the next two games. 

In Kane's stead, the Red Wings decided to call up forward John Leonard from the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins, where he led all AHL scorers with 19 goals scored in 20 games. 

During Monday's practice, Leonard skated in Kane's spot on the second line alongside Alex DeBrincat and Andrew Copp, and all signs point to him making his regular-season Red Wings debut on Tuesday evening against the New York Islanders. 

Leonard, who already has 70 games of NHL experience with the San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes, and Nashville Predators, is looking forward to the opportunity. 

"I think any time you get to play in the NHL, it's special. I'm excited for the opportunity, and it's obviously a historic organization to be a part of."

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Leonard is playing in his first season with the Red Wings organization, having signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the club after playing last season under contract with the AHL's Charlotte Checkers. 

He enjoyed a productive campaign in Charlotte, tallying 36 goals while adding 25 assists in 72 games, and followed that up by contributing eight goals with six assists in 18 postseason games. 

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As the AHL's current leading goal scorer, he hopes to bring the mentality that's made him successful to the Red Wings. 

"I think I just want to bring the same kind of mentality, use my speed and be a good 200-foot player. Responsible in both ends, being able to get pucks up on the walls and hopefully create some offense." 

A Massachusetts native, Leonard grew up a Bruins fan but is appreciative to continue his NHL career with a historic club like the Red Wings, who are in their centennial campaign. 

"I grew up in Massachusetts so I watched a lot of Bruins hockey," he said. "The Red Wings are an Original Six team, so it's special to be a part of." 

The Red Wings will face the Islanders on Tuesday evening beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET. 

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Something For Islanders To Consider When It Comes To Travis Mitchell

Rookie defenseman Travis Mitchell has done a fine job in stabilizing the New York Islanders' third defense pairing with Alexander Romanov out.

Alongside Scott Mayfield, Mitchell has kept things simple in his 11:06 average minutes per game, with a goal on three shots, five blocks, and 11 hits.

While we don't know if general manager Mathieu Darche has plans to upgrade that position externally in the near future, given that his team is hovering near the top of the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference, and the fact that he has the finances with players on Long-Term Injured Reserve, he does have something to consider when it comes to Mitchell.

If Mitchell plays against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday and then against the Vancouver Canucks on Friday, he will lose his waiver exemption.

He has played eight games. He loses his waiver exemption once he plays 10 games.

That means, if the Islanders want to recall defenseman Isaiah George at some point -- he just returned to game action with Bridgeport after missing a month with an upper-body injury -- Mitchell will require waivers — or another player like Adam Boqvist. 

Isaiah George Back In Action With Bridgeport, Giving Islanders Another Defensive OptionIsaiah George Back In Action With Bridgeport, Giving Islanders Another Defensive OptionDefenseman Isaiah George returns from injury, injecting speed and defensive prowess into Bridgeport. Will he earn a call-up to bolster the Islanders' blue line?

The Islanders could place someone on injured reserve but carrying eight defenseman seems like overkill.

The Islanders do lack defensive depth -- albeit not at the left-side defense position -- but risking the loss of someone who has provided stability is not ideal. 

Columbus Blue Jackets (32 pts) vs. Anaheim Ducks (41 pts) Game Preview

The Columbus Blue Jackets are home to take on the Anaheim Ducks at 7 PM. 

Anaheim Ducks - 20-12-1 - 41 Points - 6-4-0 in the last 10 - 2nd in the Atlantic

Columbus Blue Jackets - 13-13-6 - 32 Points - 2-5-3 in the last 10 - 8th in the Metro  

Blue Jackets Stats

  • Power Play - 19.0% - 17th in the NHL
  • Penalty Kill - 71.6% - 30th in the NHL
  • Goals For - 92 - 23rd in the NHL
  • Goals Against - 111 - 29th in the NHL

Ducks Stats

  • Power Play - 17.9% - 22nd in the NHL
  • Penalty Kill - 75.0% - 28th in the NHL
  • Goals For - 114 - 3rd in the NHL
  • Goals Against - 108 - 24th in the NHL

Series History vs. TheDucks

  • Columbus is 31-29-1-8 all-time, and 16-13-0-5 at home vs. Anaheim.
  • The Jackets are 0-2-4 in the last 6 games at NWA against the Ducks.
  • The CBJ went 0-1-1 vs. the Ducks last season.

Who To Watch For TheDucks

  • Leo Carlsson leads the Ducks with 17 goals and 40 points.
  • Troy Terry leads the team with 24 assists.
  • Lukáš Dostál 12-6-1 with a SV% of .905. He started and won last night against the Rangers.
  • Goalie Carter Ville Husso is 5-3-0 with a SV% of .888.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Ducks

  • Zach Werenski has 10 points in 14 games against Anaheim
  • Boone Jenner has 7 points in his last 15 games against the Ducks.
  • Sean Monahan has 29 points in 35 games vs. Anaheim.

Injuries 

  • Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 24 Games - IR - No timeline for a return
  • Mathieu Olivier - Upper Body - Missed 9 Games - IR- No timeline for a return

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 63

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. Bob Wischusen will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 THE FAN, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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Former Sharks Forward Signs With New Team

Former San Jose Sharks forward Dylan Gambrell has found a new home, as the Iowa Wild has announced that they have signed him to an American Hockey League (AHL) contract for the rest of the season. 

Gambrell spent all of this season down in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters, where he recorded 13 goals, 12 assists, 25 points, and a minus-6 rating in 54 games. This was after he had 14 goals, 22 assists, and 36 points in 66 games with the Toronto Marlies during the 2023-24 season.

Gambrell last played at the NHL level during the 2022-23 season with the Ottawa Senators. In 60 games with the Atlantic Division club that campaign, the former Sharks forward recorded four goals, six assists, and 10 points.

Gambrell was selected by the Sharks with the 60th overall pick of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. In 110 games over four seasons with the Sharks from 2017-18 to 2020-21, he posted 10 goals, 13 assists, 23 points, and 130 hits. 

Canadiens: Big Decision Ahead

It’s been a tough season between the pipes for the Montreal Canadiens, and the organization decided to call up Jacob Fowler as a result, whether it admits it or not. The prospect showed that he could do the job in the NHL, giving the Habs another viable option in net.

On Sunday night, after Jakub Dobes had a dominant performance against the Edmonton Oilers, Martin St-Louis admitted that he doesn’t know what the future looks like for his goaltenders. The Canadiens had a day off on Monday, and the Laval Rocket doesn’t play until Thursday, so the Tricolore has time to figure it out.

Dobes Backstop Canadiens To Big Win Over Oilers
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Canadiens Prospect Out To Prove Team Canada Wrong After Snub

After the 4-1 win over Edmonton, the popular post-game show, L’Antichambre on RDS, discussed the goaltending situation, and one of the panellists, Norman Flynn, was quite vocal about Samuel Montembeault’s play getting the Canadiens to the playoffs last season. According to Flynn, that should buy him some time. He essentially asked if the organization was already out of patience with the veteran netminder, saying it was too early, that the halfway point of the season hadn’t even been reached yet.

Whether Flynn likes it or not, professional sport is a business of results. You’re only as good as your last performance, especially on a team that has turned a corner and is entering another stage of its rebuild. To say that it’s too early to move on from Montembeault is questionable.

Last season, Cayden Primeau played in 11 games before the Canadiens elected to move on by calling up Dobes and waiving the former seventh-round pick. This year, Montembeault has had 15 matches to find his game, and he’s still trying. The team has been so patient, in fact, that it even managed to shake Dobes’ confidence by benching him when he was outperforming the Quebecer.

I’m not advocating for the Canadiens to waive Montembeault; they don’t need to do that, but I believe having three goaltenders wouldn’t be a bad idea right now, especially if the Habs want to make the playoffs. Sending Dobes down would be detrimental to his confidence; it’s already been messed with enough this season. Tintin had Dupond and Dupont; there’s no reason why St-Louis couldn’t have Jacob and Jakub while Montembeault tries to find his game.

Of course, Fowler needs to play, and there would be no point in keeping him up with the Habs if he’s not playing, but it’s too early to worry about that right now. The Habs can cross that bridge when they get there.


Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

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Joshua v Paul makes Joe Louis’ ‘Bum of the Month’ look like the Rumble in the Jungle | Sean Ingle

The best we can hope for is that Paul does not get seriously hurt. Joshua, Netflix and the sport itself should know better

Precisely 85 years ago, one of the most fearsome heavyweight boxers in history stunk out the joint. Joe Louis was in the midst of his “Bum of the Month club”: a staggering run of 13 world title defences in 29 months against an assortment of stiffs, wild men and colourful characters. And when he arrived in Boston on 16 December 1940, most believed that Al McCoy would rapidly become his next victim. Only it didn’t quite turn out that way.

“McCoy was expected to crumple under the first punch Louis tossed in his direction,” the New York Times’ correspondent wrote. “Instead, the wily New England veteran made Louis appear ludicrous at times. Adopting a crouching, bobbing, weaving style, McCoy was an elusive target for the paralysing fists of the titleholder.” After the messy contest was stopped at the end of the fifth, a storm of jeers rang out. Louis had won, but only his bank balance had been enhanced.

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At Square One: inside the big barn that offers English cricket a brighter future

Centre with goal of inclusivity pursues a reassessment of the coaching and even the language of the sport

“Cricket is shit if you’re shit at cricket. But everyone has been shit at cricket. Even Ben Stokes. When someone threw a ball at him for the first time, he didn’t smash it six rows back. Ben Stokes was shit at cricket, and then he got good at cricket, and he got good quick enough to stay in it. Because anyone who’s crap at cricket for too long thinks, this is rubbish, let’s fuck off.”

Everyone wants cricket to be better. Everyone wants cricket to be more present in state schools, more open to those beyond its boundaries, less of a self-sustaining garden party. Or at least everyone says they do. Even the England and Wales Cricket Board, which has spent 30 years producing reports about how racist, sexist and elitist the game it oversees is, always with the same air of mild, patrician bafflement, as though this is all somebody else’s area of concern.

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Teenager Flagg makes history in Mavericks defeat

Cooper Flagg dribbles the ball
Dallas Mavericks are 12th in the Western Conference following the defeat [Getty Images]

Cooper Flagg became the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 40 points in a game as the Dallas Mavericks lost 140-133 after overtime to the Utah Jazz.

The number one pick at this year's Draft, the 18-year-old forward finished with 42 points, seven rebounds and six assists at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

Only Cliff Robinson (45), GG Jackson (44) and LeBron James (43) have scored more points in a game as a teenager, while Flagg equalled Mark Aguirre's record for a Mavericks rookie.

Flagg, who turns 19 on Sunday, is the third teenager in the league's 79-year history - after James and Kevin Durant - to claim 40 points, five rebounds, and five assists.

The Mavericks led 75-71 at half-time - by which time Flagg had 24 points - and 124-116 late in the fourth quarter.

However, after blowing their eight-point lead to trail 129-127, they required two free throws from Max Christie with less than five seconds remaining to level the game.

The Jazz dominated overtime to register their 10th win of the season as Keyonte George finished with 37 points and Lauri Markkanen 33.

The Jazz are 10th in the Western Conference and the Mavericks 12th.

Who is Cooper Flagg?

The 6ft 8in Flagg became the first freshman to be named Maine Player of the Year after leading high school Nokomis Regional to the state title in 2021.

He transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida, winning the 2022 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year and 2024 National High School Player of the Year awards.

He was part of the USA side that won the 2022 Under-17s World Cup and was named in the all-tournament team.

In 2024-25 Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in a 37-game debut season for Duke University.

They reached the Final Four and he was named National College Player of the Year.

Flagg, who made his debut for the Mavericks against the San Antonio Spurs in October, averages 17.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists after 25 matches.

Observations From Blues' 5-2 Loss Vs. Predators

ST. LOUIS – Sometimes, there are greater things in life that a game.

Yes, the St. Louis Blues lost yet again, and they lost for the second time in five days to the Nashville Predators, 5-2, at Enterprise Center on Monday (and we’ll get into it in observations, of course), but on a night when the Blues honored Hockey Fights Cancer Night and if you missed Kelly Chase’s speech in the first period, you need to take a moment to see it, as it happened right after Blued captain Brayden Schenn and Nashville’s Nic Hague fought for that purpose alone:

As for the game itself, the Blues (12-15-7) got goals from Dalibor Dvorsky, his first multi-goal and multi-point game in the NHL, but it was a tough night for Joel Hofer, who allowed four goals on 25 shots.

The Blues lost to the Predators (13-15-4) for the second time in five days and have been outscored 12-4.

Let’s look at Monday’s game observations:

* Kelly Chase is an inspiration  For those that want, or need, to be versed on what the former Blues enforcer has been dealing with, it’s acute myeloid leukemia, a form of blood and bone marrow cancer first diagnosed in 2023, and the amount of chemotherapy, stints in cancer treatment centers, hospitals, the whole gamut this man has had to go through, I can’t even imagine.

So when he spoke with his doctor, Dr. Ramzi Abboud, former Blues captains in Garth Butcher and Hall of Famer Bernie Federko, it was inspiring on this night:

Blues coach Jim Montgomery was a teammate of Chase’s with the Blues in 1993-94, and he had two positives from this game. One was Dvorsky, and the other?

“And then the other real positive was seeing my old teammate Kelly Chase,” Montgomery said. ‘When you think about Blues players and why this city and the fans love Blues players, is because of the fight inside of players like Kelly Chase. I was incredibly lucky to be and I’m very thankful for the season I had to play with him where I could learn from someone that competes like him night in, night out for his teammates and to see him up there and the message he delivered, I got a little emotional listening to him, and how can you not because you’ve got to love the man.”

Schenn, a fellow Saskatoon native like Chase, would obviously run through a brick wall if Chase asked him to.

“Kelly’s been amazing to me, to my family, to my brother, to guys around this room, to the organization,” Schenn said. “I really mean it when I say it: he’s a guy that will literally do anything for anyone, and I think we all see that. He’s a guy that’s going through a battle of his own and he’s still trying to raise money and help people out. He has a mentality and a personality that he would do absolutely anything for anyone. I’ve learned so much from him, even before when I was with the Flyers, I knew him way back being a Saskatchewan guy, he’s taken care of me tremendously from a young age. I owe a lot to what I’ve learned on and off the ice to Kelly Chase.

I’ve been to the Gozzer Ranch in the summertime in Idaho where he hangs out. He knows my parents well, he knows (Schenn’s brother) Luke well, he’s done fantasy hockey camps and different charity events in Saskatoon that we’ve attended. This guy, he’ll do absolutely anything for anyone. He raises a ton of money to help out people and I’ve heard him say it, it’s true when it comes to hockey players. He said, ‘Guys are an inch deep and a mile wide,’ with how they help out, which is true. You do anything you possibly can to help out everyone, but I think he’s a guy that really digs in and tries to help people as much as he can and he’s doing it nonstop.”

* Dvorsky’s glimpse of youth shining – It was another first for Dvorsky, whose multi-goal and multi-point game was his first.

But the great sign of maturity is instead of gloating of his accomplishments on this night in a loss, the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft only offered, “Obviously it feels good to score, but first of all, I’m disappointed that we lost. That’s the most important is the team win and it’s always nice, but a win would be better.”

But Dvorsky’s goals, each was set up well.

The first tied the game 1-1 at 10:06 of the first period on a setup by Hugh McGing, who stripped Nashville defenseman Nick Blankenburg of the puck after a Justin Faulk flip-in, then fed Dvorsky for a high slot wrister that beat Juuse Saros:

“The positive is Dalibor Dvorsky, it was nice seeing him moving his feet, beat a goalie clean with his first goal,” Montgomery said.

And on the second, with the game out of hand at the time, Dvorsky finished off a Jake Neighbours pass at the left post to cut the Blues’ deficit to 4-2 at 8:29 of the first period:

Dvorsky, who finished with 17:07 of ice time and three shots on goal, said it’s the kind of game that can fuel his confidence after coming in without a point in 11 straight.

“It’s a step forward for sure,” Dvorsky said. “It boosts my confidence. I feel like I always try and play with confidence, but the two goals are good.

“First of all we need to focus on winning the next game, but it’s always nice to score. I would never do it without the help of teammates. Great pass from ‘Ginger’ on the first one, then the whole PP unit did a great job on the second one, so it’s always about the teammates.”

* First shift set the tone – The Blues had their top players on the ice, the Predators had their top players on.

It’s essential to begin the game the proper way, and the Blues did not after Nashville won the opening draw with former Blue Ryan O’Reilly, getting the puck in deep and the Blues were scrambling.

O’Reilly collected a puck behind the net and fed Filip Forsberg in a tight area, and it was the first of three goals for Forsberg when he beat Hofer high on the short side from a sharp angle 27 seconds in for a 1-0 lead:

“It’s a great example of not being prepared to start on time,” Montgomery said.

* Another poor second period – The Blues came in, no secret to anyone, porous in the middle 20 minutes, and it didn’t get any better.

They were outscored 3-0 and fell to a league-worst minus-20 (48-28).

From chasing pucks to turnovers to getting hemmed in, it was another case of generating little to nothing on one end to being bombarded at the other.

“Too many turnovers, especially at the offensive blue line,” Montgomery said. “The old saying, and it’s a Ken Hitchcock saying, ‘play to the goal line and work and go to work together as a five-man unit, stay connected.’ If you had that mentality, if you look at our Friday night’s win against the Hawks (3-2), our first shift in the second, we won the draw, D-to-D, we gain the red line and we put it in, and that Schenn line went to work and we gained momentum off it, and our second period last game was really good. And it’s starts. You’ve got to be ready to start that period on time, you’ve got to be ready to start games on time.”

The Blues weren’t for a second straight period when once again, Nashville got a puck in deep, behind the net, and Michael Bunting wrapped around a puck through Hofer, a shot he should stop at 1:23 to make it 2-1 and give the Predators the lead for good:

Dvorsky’s ill-advised flip of a puck into the crowd from his own zone was the result of playing the puck too slowly, and three Predators converged on him, causing a delay of game minor and one that Forsberg scored his second of the game on at 5:31 to make it 3-1, a wrister from the high slot:

And to cap things off, Hofer gave up a really bad one to Reid Schaefer at 18:45 to make it 4-1, a shot from near the blue line where the forward just spun and whirled the puck to the net that Hofer just missed:

“Obviously it’s something we’ve got to focus on and make sure we dive into,” Blues defenseman Colton Parayko said of second periods. ‘We’ve got to be better and I’m confident we will. We’ve got a strong group in here. It’s something we can obviously learn from and moving forward try to get better in the second.”

* Getting beat to pucks, looking slow – The Predators were hungrier, faster to pucks throughout, and the result was much the same as other losses this season.

When Forsberg added an empty-netter at 16:09 of the third period to make it 5-2, it marked the 12th time this season already – it only happened nine times all of last season – the Blues were beat by three goals or more.

Their goal differential is minus-37, which is far and beyond the worst in the NHL (Vancouver Canucks next at minus-23) and the 123 goals allowed is nine more than the next worst team, the Edmonton Oilers at 114.

“Yeah, they were the better team,” Montgomery said of the Predators. “They were more connected, they supported each other. We always talk about puck support and winning goal lines and net fronts and second quicks is a term we use as well. Unfortunately we didn’t meet the tasks tonight in those areas.”

* Injuries no excuse – The Blues won’t use the injury bug as an excuse. They are missing Dylan Holloway (high ankle sprain), Jordan Kyrou (lower-body injury), Jimmy Snuggerud (wrist), Nathan Walker (upper body) and Nick Bjugstad (upper body).

They’ve had to call up McGing, who has two points in three games, Matt Luff, who scored against the Chicago Blackhawks, and now they’re bringing up Otto Stenberg, the 25th pick in 2023.

“Obviously a lot of injuries and that’s the nature of the game,” Parayko said. “There’s probably every team with almost some injuries. For us, it’s a mindset. We’ve got to come together and whoever’s playing that night is ready. That’s the biggest thing. You’ve got to be prepared. It’s next-man-up. We have great players in our locker room. Every night no matter who’s injured, guys are stepping up and a lot of guys are playing extremely well. As a group collectively, we’ve just got to support each other, just get the job done.”

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Filip Forsberg nets hat trick in Nashville Predators 2nd win over Blues in less than a week

Filip Forsberg scored his 11th career hat trick as the Nashville Predators routed the St. Louis Blues for the second time in less than a week, 5-2, on Monday in St. Louis. 

Forsberg and Stamkos have a combined seven goals in less than a week against the Blues, with Stamkos scoring four in the 7-2 win over St. Louis on Dec. 11 at Bridgestone Arena. 

The Predators and Forsberg got the scoring going early as he'd find the back of the net 27 seconds into the game off a feed from Ryan O'Reilly to the front of the net. Forsberg, from the low right side of the net, picked the corner on goalie Joel Hofer. 

Dalibor Dvorsk responded halfway through the first period to tie the game at one a piece. Nashville continued its hot streak in the opening minutes of the period as Michael Bunting netted his ninth of the year to give the Predators the lead back, 2-1. 

On a Dvorsky delay of game call, Forsberg took a wrist shot from the point and beat Hofer for his second goal of the night, on the power play, and to bump the lead to 3-1. Reid Schaefer scored his third career goal on a turnaround shot from the blue line to open up the game, 4-1.

In the third period, Dvorsky responded with his second goal of the game. An empty net goal in the final four minutes of the game sealed the hat trick for Forsberg, his first since April 12, 2024, in a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. 

O'Reilly had two assists and now has seven points in six games. He leads the Predators in scoring with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in 32 games. 

Roman Josi recorded two assists and now has four points in three games. In addition, he passed Borje Salming for the fifth-most multipoint games by a defenseman born outside North America in NHL history with 177. 

After a slow start, Brady Skjei has four points in five games, recording a secondary assist in the victory. 

Juuse Saros picked up his 11th win of the season and is now a game above .500. He made 20 saves on 22 shots in the victory. Saros' goals-against average is now below three at 2.99 and his save percentage is nearing .900, now at .897. 

Up next: Carolina Hurricanes (21-9-2, 1st in Metropolitan) at Nashville Predators (13-15-4, 8th in Central) on Wed. Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. CST at Bridgestone Arena 

Pat Cummins says Bondi terror attack ‘hit home pretty hard’ as tributes flow before third Ashes Test

  • Australia captain lives close by and takes his kids to beach ‘all the time’

  • Players to wear black armbands and join moment’s silence in Adelaide

Australia captain Pat Cummins has said the tragic events at Bondi beach ‘hit home pretty hard’ as they unfolded on Sunday night just down the road from his home in the neighbouring Sydney suburb of Bronte.

As the cricket world prepares to pay tribute to the victims of the Bondi beach terror attack when the third Ashes Test gets under way in Adelaide on Wednesday, Cummins and England captain, Ben Stokes, revealed the profound impact the massacre had on them and their teammates.

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Opinion: The Penguins Need To Right The Ship – And It Starts With Their Leaders

The last week for the Pittsburgh Penguins has been one of the most brutal stretches for an NHL team in recent memory.

Against the Dallas Stars on Dec. 7, the Penguins surrendered a late 2-1 lead and ended up losing, 3-2, in the shootout. Against the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 9, the Penguins had a 2-1 lead on the power play with 10 seconds left - and the puck in their offensive zone at the time - and gave up a goal with 0.1 second left en route to another shootout loss.

Typically, when the Penguins have had a tough loss this season, they've found a way to respond and bounce back. When the Penguins lost to Anaheim the first time on Oct. 14 - courtesy of a late gaffe by Parker Wotherspoon on a delay of game penalty - they came back two days later and put together a nice 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. After an awful loss and 3-0 blown third-period lead against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 3, they defeated the Washington Capitals, 5-3. Even the Global Series split with the Nasvhille Predators went the same way. 

Even GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has lauded his team's ability to bounce back from bad losses this season. So, after that rough, literal last-second loss against the Ducks, the same kind of response should have been expected to some extent. 

But that's not what happened. Not even close. In fact, things got about as bad as they can possibly get. 

On Saturday, the Penguins held a 5-1 lead over the San Jose Sharks approaching the midway point of the third period, and the score was all of a sudden at 5-5 with a minute and a half still to play in regulation. They dropped the contest in overtime on a John Klingberg goal. 

Surely they'd respond Sunday against the Utah Mammoth. Right?

Well, they took a 3-0 into the third period, and within seven minutes and six seconds, they were trailing, 4-3. They did manage to tie the game with a Justin Brazeau goal, but they ultimately dropped the contest in overtime for the second straight game. 

Takeaways: Penguins Searching For Answers After Another Third-Period Collapse To Utah MammothTakeaways: Penguins Searching For Answers After Another Third-Period Collapse To Utah MammothThe Pittsburgh Penguins suffered yet another third-period collapse against the Utah Mammoth on Sunday - and they can't seem to stop the bleeding

Instead of responding like they normally would following that heartbreaker against the Ducks, the Penguins went on to surrender 15 goals in their next three games, including nine of those in the third period and two in overtime. This also means that they only surrendered four goals in the first 40 minutes across those three contests.

The Penguins' inability to hold, apparently, any lead in the third period right now is certainly concerning, to say the least. And it's not something that was an issue in the first month of the season, when they were routinely shutting down the opposition when they were ahead in a hockey game. Now, the polar opposite is happening. 

So, where do they begin? How is it possible to address something like this, especially since it's happening so dramatically and drastically that it hardly seems real? Who is to blame? How can they change it? Can they change it?

There is certainly a lot of blame to go around right now, and no one is blameless. First-year head coach Dan Muse has made a few questionable deployment choices, but none of those have much to do with the team giving up three or four goals in a span of 7-11 minutes twice in consecutive games. GM and POHO Kyle Dubas and the rest of the staff in charge of personnel decisions could be giving a few more young guys - such as Tristan Broz and Avery Hayes - some NHL runway instead of players like Danton Heinen and Kevin Hayes, especially given the team's injuries to centers Evgeni Malkin and Blake Lizotte. 

Every coach, every player, and every person involved with whatever happened the last week is accountable to some extent. And, let's remember that the Penguins are still just one point out of a playoff spot despite this disastrous five-game losing streak, so reacting to extremes is probably a bit much. 

But it is a serious problem, and the Penguins need to address it now. Before the bleeding spreads out of control. It's worth noting that the Penguins are playing very well for large stretches of these games, and they have shown capability this season of being able to close out games. 

At the end of the day, sure, the coach is partially responsible, as is the GM. But it all comes down to the players and execution. And - specifically - it comes down to their veterans. 

It feels like the elephant in the room that no one wants to address, but the Penguins' longest-tenured and most respected veterans have not been doing much to help matters during this stretch. In fact, they've hurt the team on several occasions. 

Sidney Crosby's and Bryan Rust's defensive play is a glaring problem at the moment that is becoming hard to ignore. Crosby was on the ice for five goals against in the Sharks game, including the overtime game-winner that saw John Klingberg just walk right around him. A similar thing happened on Beckett Sennecke's tying goal for Anaheim at the end of regulation, as he walked right past Crosby and Kris Letang en route to the net front. Crosby was also on the ice for Utah's overtime goal. 

Then, there's Rust, who - according to HockeyStatCards - owns a team-worst defensive rating of minus-2.4. He has looked lost in his own zone at several points this season, and as good as he is on the penalty kill, he isn't offering much in the way defensively five-on-five.

Letang's defensive play has been a nightmare all season long, and it's becoming a big problem for the Penguins. Erik Karlsson has been outstanding for most of the season but has turned the puck over with more frequency in recent games. 

These are four veteran players who make up a good portion of the leadership group in the locker room. And they've been four of the worst offenders for the Penguins in this stretch of games, looking disjointed in pressure situations, disinterested in the defensive zone, and outright slow on fundamental things like line changes and coverage. 

If there is a central place to point the finger, this is it. The Penguins' core and veteran leadership group has simply not been good enough in these last five games. Yes, they're helping the Penguins on the scoresheet, and yes, they're contributing to the team's ability to have leads in the first place. 

But none of that matters if these players can't come through in the biggest, most high-stakes moments, which aren't always on the offensive side of the puck. Some of the defensive efforts on these goals against have been questionable at best and unacceptable at worst. And when a team's leadership group is doing this, it trickles down to the rest of the team. 

Maybe that's harsh, but it's the truth. And the thing is that these guys know this. They'll be the first to tell you that they need to be better. That they need to set that example. These players have enough talent and winning pedigree to know what it takes to win hockey games, and for whatever reason, there is a disconnect on the execution right now. 

And, maybe, that's some cause for optimism. Muse said in his presser on Sunday that the Penguins can't play cautious and need to remain aggressive with leads. Karlsson spoke after the game as well and explained that the blown third-periods aren't because of a lack of talent or ability or that it comes down to systems and schemes.

Instead, he said it's all a mindset - and, because of that, it's fixable.

“With the history that we've had here in the past couple weeks, you start overthinking stuff and you start worrying about the 'what ifs' instead of just playing the situation," Karlsson said. "If they beat you, they beat you. It's going to happen. We're playing against the best players in the world, and we've got to remember that we're part of that group and we're more than capable to play with anyone.

"It’s more a mindset right now. The good thing about that is it’s controllable. I don’t think it has anything to do with systems or X’s and O’s. It’s within ourselves. We’ve got to find a way to regain that trust individually and as a team.”

And finding those ways comes down to Karlsson. And Crosby. And Letang. And Rust. And all the other leaders in the locker room who set the example and the tone for everyone else in the room. If the Penguins want things to change, it starts with those guys. They need to be the ones to raise the bar and set the example. 

The Penguins have five more games before the holiday break, and they're certainly not out of things. This next week and a half will show everyone exactly what this team truly is - and what their veterans and best players are willing to do to change the narrative.


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Stars Pull Away Late as Kings Lose Kuemper, Fall 4–1 in Dallas

The Los Angeles Kings unraveled with a plethora of problems coming into this game, first with Quinton Byfield and Phillip Danault missing tonight's game, and then their best player, Darcy Kuemper, going down with a hard-hit injury, turning the momentum in the Stars' favor into a lopsided score. 

Dallas scored three goals in the final six minutes of the third period to break the tie and pull away with a 4-1 win, handing Los Angeles another frustrating loss against a Western Conference contender. 

Breaking News: Kings Travel To Dallas, Missing Key PlayersBreaking News: Kings Travel To Dallas, Missing Key PlayersHours before puck drop in Dallas, illness forces a shakeup in the Kings' lineup today, leaving Los Angeles without two of their trusted options in the middle against a tough Western Conference team tonight.

Kuemper’s Injury Becomes a Concern

The turning point may have come before the scoreboard. 

Midway through the first period, when the game was still 0-0, both teams were playing very good defense, and the Kings were playing with fight. Kuemper went down in the crease after contact near the head and neck area from Mikko Rantanen during a traffic scramble around the net. 

Despite the hard contact, no penalty was called on Dallas, which was hard to understand given the amount of contact on the play, and the refs' inability to take their time and make the right call. 

The explanation was that Kuemper was outside the crease, but the replay clearly shows he's in the blue paint, head contact, and still no penalty was called. 

Kuemper remained down on the ice for a while and ultimately was helped off the floor and left the game, not returning for the remainder of the night. Anton Forsberg was Kuemper's replacement and did a solid job at the start, but the injury changed the tone for the Kings. 

Before Kuemper went down, he stopped all five shots that came at him, including multiple shots from Rantanen and Nils Lundkvist. 

Kings’ Kuemper Leaves Game After Collision With Stars’ RantanenKings’ Kuemper Leaves Game After Collision With Stars’ RantanenLos Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper left the game against the Dallas Stars following a collision with right winger Mikko Rantanen.

Kings Strike First, But Can’t Hold On

Despite losing their goaltender, the Kings scored the first goal early in the second period. Andrei Kuzmenko capitalized on the Dallas giveaway to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead.

The Kings maintained a steady pace and outshot Dallas at times, but failed to capitalize. The inability to extend the lead and make it competitive at least came back to haunt them. 

Dallas got back in the game when Matt Duchene scored the first goal for the Stars in the second period to tie it 1-1 heading into the third. 

Late Collapse Seals It

For much of the third period, Forsberg was doing a good job of preventing Dallas’ offense from breaking through, but the Stars' depth eventually made it tough for Forsberg to stop. 

Oskar Back gave the Stars their first lead, converting off the nice cycle play by Radek Faksa and Colin Blackwell. From then on, the floodgates opened. 

In the final three minutes, Dallas scored two straight goals to seal the deal with a 4-1 win. 

Big Picture

The Kings showed fight when Kuemper was on the ice before his injury, but the late injury led to the breakdown for Los Angeles. Right now, that’s the most concerning part for the Kings, not just their performance, but the uncertainty surrounding Kuemper’s health. 

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Infielder Ha-Seong Kim returns to Braves on 1-year, $20 million contract

ATLANTA — Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is returning to the Atlanta Braves, agreeing Monday to a $20 million, one-year contract that addressed a major offseason priority for the team.

Kim gets a $4 million raise. He had declined a $16 million player option from the $29 million, two-year contract he agreed to in February with Tampa Bay, a deal that paid him $13 million. The Braves announced the new deal with Kim Monday night.

General manager Alex Anthopoulos said a long-term contract with Kim was discussed before the agreement on a one-year deal. Anthpoulos said he still hoped Kim's return means “hopefully a longer marriage here.”

The 30-year-old from South Korea batted .234 with five homers and 17 RBIs for the Rays and Braves, who claimed him off waivers on Sept. 1. Kim didn’t make his season debut until July 4 because of right shoulder surgery in late 2024.

“This contract reflects our belief in him and he’s a much better player,” Anthopoulos said of Kim's 2025 statistics.

Kim has a .242 average with 52 homers and 217 RBIs for San Diego (2021-24), Tampa Bay (2025) and Atlanta.

Anthopoulos said he's looking for Kim to return to his production levels he enjoyed with the Padres.

“We think we’ve got a very good chance to get the guy he was with San Diego,” Anthopoulos said, adding it will benefit both the Braves and Kim if he has a big 2026 season and improves his status for a bigger contract with more years after next season.

“Come here, be the player you can be, have a great year and get the contract you deserve,” Anthopoulos said.

Atlanta designated right-hander Osvaldo Bido for assignment to open a roster spot.

The return of Kim means Mauricio Dubón, acquired from the Houston Astros for Nick Allen in an exchange of infielders on Nov. 19, likely will be available in a utility role instead of being relied on to be the starter at shortstop.

Dubón, 31, appeared in 133 games with Houston last season and batted .241 while earning his second Gold Glove, each time as a utility infielder. He also won a Gold Glove in 2023.

The return of Kim comes after outfielder Mike Yastrzemski and the Braves agreed to a $23 million, two-year contract on Wednesday that includes a 2028 club option with the potential to make the deal worth $26 million over three seasons.

It has been a busy week for the Braves, who also added two-time All-Star reliever Robert Suarez on Thursday to a $45 million, three-year contract.