The Pittsburgh Penguins and the NHL have both confirmed that defenseman Caleb Jones will be suspended for 20 games after violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
The former Edmonton Oilers' defenseman will be suspended without pay.
“At the time of the test, I was receiving an exosome therapy for a documented injury from an outside provider. I believe that my positive test was related to a contaminated substance associated with that treatment,” Jones said in a statement.
“While I did not use the prohibited substance intentionally or for performance enhancement, I understand that players are responsible for everything that enters their body and accept the discipline imposed by the program. I’m sorry to have let down my teammates, the Penguins organization, and our fans.”
Jones, 28, has played with several teams since leaving the Oilers. He's made stops with the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, and Los Angeles Kings of the NHL, as well as the Colorado Eagles, Ontario Reign, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. He has one assist in seven games this season for the Penguins.
He signed a two-year, $1.8-million contract prior to this season.
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said in a statement, “Throughout the process, Caleb has been forthcoming with the organization as to how he believes the positive test occurred." He added, “Caleb takes full responsibility for his actions, despite him being unaware that what he consumed was a prohibited substance at the time.”
Framber Valdez, the two-time All-Star and World Series-winning left-hander and the last elite arm on the free agent market, agreed to a startling three-year, $115 million contract with the Detroit Tigers, ESPN reported Feb. 4, creating a potent punch atop the rotation for the 2026 season.
Valdez will team with two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal in Motown for, likely, one season only. Skubal becomes a free agent after this season and spent his Wednesday in an arbitration hearing with the Tigers; he's seeking $32 million while the Tigers countered at $19 million, with a decision due later this week.
In the meantime, Detroit was hammering out an agreement with, potentially, Skubal's less-decorated successor. And Valdez ended up signing for the highest average annual value − $38.3 million − given to a left-handed free agent.
Valdez, 32, has been among the more durable pitchers in the major leagues since seizing a full-time spot in the Houston Astros’ rotation in 2021. His best campaign came in 2022, when he pitched a career-best 201⅓ innings with a 2.82 ERA and three complete games, and posted three dominant playoff outings in winning Game 2 starts in both the ALCS and World Series, and the decisive Game 6 against the Philadelphia Phillies to nail down the Astros’ championship.
He becomes the latest high-profile, big-money free agent to depart the Astros in recent years, joining George Springer, Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman. Correa eventually returned to the Astros in a trade last summer, while the Astros traded slugger Kyle Tucker one year before he, too, would have likely walked as a free agent.
In Valdez’s final season in Houston, the Astros’ streak of qualifying for the playoffs ended at eight, as Valdez struck out 187 batters in 192 innings. He was embroiled in a mild controversy when he turned his back after his pitch struck Astros catcher César Salazar in the chest.
Valdez and Salazar were clearly crossed up on which pitch was coming, but Valdez’s remorseless reaction and the fact it came two pitches after Trent Grisham hit a grand slam off the lefty sparked questions that Valdez intentionally deceived Salazar.
The players met with manager Joe Espada after the game and Valdez insisted the cross-up wasn’t intentional. Valdez earned All-Star berths in 2022 and 2023, and three times has finished in the top 10 in AL Cy Young Award voting.
His signing will disappoint a handful of potential suitors, most notably the Baltimore Orioles, who lurked as a potential favorite as the winter dragged on and Valdez remained unsigned. Instead, Valdez will form a stout rotation in Detroit with Skubal, Jack Flaherty and 2025 All-Star Casey Mize.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers skates before the game against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on January 19, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Olympic break has begun, but one last big move took place in the NHL before the trade freeze for the games. On Wednesday the New York Rangers traded star forward Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings in a move designed to solidify the Kings’ playoff push in the back end of the season. Panarin subsequently signed a two-year, $22M contract extension ($11M AAV), which will keep the wing until the end of the 2026-27 season.
In exchange the Rangers received forward prospect Liam Greentree, and a conditional third round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, which will become a second round pick if the Kings win a playoff round, as well as a conditional fourth round pick which hinges on the Kings winning two playoffs series this season.
Los Angeles Kings analysis and grade
There has been dire need for Los Angeles to find a legitimate, point-per-game superstar to try and put together a playoff run this season. Truth be told, it’s been a down year for the Kings who projected to be much better on paper than they’ve been on the ice.
Panarin is a legitimate star who can get 40-year-old Corey Perry off the top line. Perry has been good in short bursts, but injured far too much to be a consistent difference maker. Panarin will solidify that top line alongside Alex Laferriere and Adrian Kempe to form a unit capable of winning games for Los Angeles and getting them into the playoffs.
The biggest question mark about this deal is what the expectations are for the Kings. This team is still woefully lacking at center, have no great prospects at the position, and just gave away the No. 1 prospect in their system for a few years of Artemi Panarin — who will be 37-years-old at the end of this deal.
If your goal as an organization is being content with getting bounced early in the playoffs, then this is a great deal — it will achieve precisely that. I’m not buying for a second that Panarin is the missing piece to put together a Stanley Cup run, especially in the West up against the likes of the Avs, Wild, and Stars.
The saving grace is that the Kings managed to pull off this deal without including a 1st round pick, which was being rumored as part of the asking price for Panarin, along with a top prospect.
Grade: B
New York Rangers analysis and grade
For the life of me I can’t fathom why the Rangers felt the need to rush the deal and pull the trigger on a Panarin trade before the Olympics. With Panarin being a Russian national he won’t be in Milano Cortina for the games, eliminating any risk of injury — and after the games teams will be feeling froggy to make big trades, especially if a core player gets injured.
I really like Liam Greentree as a prospect. There’s potential for him to develop into a Top 6 forward on the Rangers, but he’s utterly untested. One would assume the Rangers would have at least asked for a NHL-tested player and a first round pick to get this done, making the deal reek of settling.
This is designed to turbo-charge the Rangers tank and rebuild, but this just wasn’t a smart deal. In the course of a week we’ve seen talks of a Panarin deal shrink from landing a highly-valued young player like Jackson Blake (CAR) and a first rounder, to now accepting much, much less.
Bad timing. Mediocre return. The Kings ongoing struggles will continue until there’s a shakeup in the front office — starting with Chris Drury.
Sep 7, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Just when it looked like the offseason might be over, Scott Harris and Jeff Greenberg came through with a huge move that vastly upgrades the Detroit Tigers’ pitching staff, and gives them a strong second starter who can help lead the rotation beyond 2026.
The Tigers inked long-time Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez to a three-year deal worth $115 million. The 32-year-old was looking for a longer term deal, but instead will make $38.3 million a season on a shorter deal. Per Ken Rosenthal, some of that money is deferred, but we don’t have the specifics yet. That’s the highest yearly salary the Tigers have ever paid a player. He has an opt-out after his second year, so he can test free agency in 2028 after the new CBA is agreed. For now, he finds himself in a very good spot pitching for A.J. Hinch again after Hinch managed him for his first two major league seasons in 2018-2019. He also will work with a excellent group of pitching coaches and gets a catching upgrade with Dillon Dingler and Jake Rogers behind the dish.
Well no one really saw this coming. We begged for it a bit back in November in this piece, hoping that the Hinch-Valdez connection might help lure him to Detroit. Still, after a somewhat quiet offseason, the Tigers swooped in to land the best free agent on the market, and arguably the best pitcher available this offseason depending on how you feel about Dylan Cease.
Tigers are now outspending the other four AL Central teams by an average of $97 million in 2026 payroll. And no one else in the division is within $55 million. https://t.co/1v2ltLezs5
The Tigers will surrender their Competitive Balance Round B selection in the 2026 draft, as the Astros did give Valdez a qualifying offer back in November. It was a good offseason for a big signing, as at least they weren’t giving up an A round pick right after the regular first round. The pick they’re giving up is 69th overall, so that’s nice.
BREAKING: Star left-hander Framber Valdez and the Detroit Tigers are in agreement on a three-year, $115 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Valdez, 32, gets the highest AAV ever for a left-handed pitcher as well as the highest for a Latin American pitcher. Huge move for Detroit.
Valdez has been averaging 4 fWAR seasons for four straight years now with remarkable consistency. He made 31 starts in three of those four years, and 28 in the other, so he’s also been very durable. That gives the Tigers confidence that they’re going to get their money’s worth here.
Chris McCosky of the Detroit News posted on X that the Tigers still don’t know Tarik Skubal’s arbitration result, so this was an independent decision, apparently.
Valdez is one of the great groundball artists in the game, racking up quick outs with his 94 mph sinker, while mixing in a nasty curveball and changeup combination. He strikes out an average amount of hitters, but he prevents home runs and generally is a precision strike thrower who won’t give out many free passes. Over the past four seasons he’s compiled a 3.21 ERA across 767 2/3 innings of work with a 23.9 percent strikeout rate, 7.9 percent walk rate, and a HR/9 of just 0.70.
We’ll have a deeper dive tomorrow morning, but this is a huge move from a Tigers team derided for its lack of aggression over the past two offseasons. Valdez gives them arguably the best rotation in baseball alongside ace Tarik Skubal and makes them a much more series contender in 2026.
Now people can start wildly speculating that Skubal is getting traded and Valdez is his replacement. Ah the pageantry of a baseball offseason.
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Bobby Hauck, coach of perennial FCS power Montana and the Big Sky Conference's all-time wins leader, announced his sudden retirement Wednesday, saying he didn't enjoy his job anymore because of the changes in college football in recent years.
Bobby Kennedy, who finished his first season as receivers coach, will succeed Hauck. Kennedy and Hauck had worked together as assistants at Washington in 2002, and Kennedy also has been on staffs at Texas and three other power conference schools.
Hauck, 61, had two stints totaling 14 years with the Grizzlies and led the team to eight Big Sky championships, 13 playoff appearances and four national championship games. The 2025 team was 13-2 and reached the national semifinals.
The Missoula native and Montana graduate was 166-92 in 19 seasons as head coach at Montana and UNLV. He was the winningest active FCS coach with a 151-43 record with the Grizzlies.
“I want to enjoy my career and my job, and a lot of the head coach stuff in current-day Division I college football is not enjoyable,” Hauck said at a news conference. “I just think it's the appropriate time.”
Hauck said he didn't know what he would do next. He said he doesn't want to be a head coach again, though.
Hauck returned to Montana in 2018, and in 2021 new NCAA rules took effect allowing players to transfer without sitting out a season at their new school and to be compensated for their name, image and likeness. Revenue sharing with athletes began last year.
“Dealing with agents and the transient nature of this and the lack of forward thinking by young people, which has never been a strong suit for centuries for young people. ... But now when they've got adults pushing them and pulling them in different directions, I kind of got tired of that.”
CINCINNATI (AP) — Taliah Scott scored 26 points and made five 3-pointers, Darianna Littlepage-Buggs had 10 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 15 Baylor beat Cincinnati 76-70 on Wednesday night.
Baylor (20-4, 9-2 Big 12) secured its 26th consecutive 20-win season — the second-longest streak in Division I behind Connecticut. The Bears have also won 17 of their last 20 road games, dating back to the 2023-24 season.
Scott scored 11 of Baylor's 25 second-quarter points to go ahead 36-33 at the break. Then Jana Van Gytenbeek scored 11 of their 20 points in the third quarter, capped by a 3-pointer with 22 seconds left for a 56-54 lead.
Scott made a driving layup with 50.9 seconds left in the fourth to extend Baylor's lead to 72-65. She added two free throws with 33.6 left on their next possession to regain a seven-point lead.
Van Gytenbeek tied her career high with 19 points for Baylor, which won for the fourth straight time in the series. Bella Fontleroy added 12 points and eight rebounds.
Mya Perry led Cincinnati (8-15, 3-8) with 20 points. Caliyah DeVillasee added 14 points and Joya Crawford had 11.
The Bears entered as the top-ranked defense for 3-pointers after holding opponents to 22.9% shooting, including 21.8% in Big 12 play. Cincinnati went 6 of 18 from distance (33%) and shot 43% overall with 13 turnovers.
Neither team led by double figures.
Up next
Baylor: Returns home to play Arizona State on Saturday.
Cincinnati: Goes on the road to face Kansas on Saturday.
The top remaining free agent pitcher has a new home.
Framber Valdez has agreed to a three-year, $115 million contract with the Tigers, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.
The deal includes an opt-out after year two.
Framber Valdez is signing with the Tigers. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
The deal has the highest average annual value ($38.3 million) for a left-handed pitcher in MLB history, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The Blue Jays were among several teams interested in Valdez as recently as Tuesday, The Post reported.
But it’s the Tigers, who already have two-time defending Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal in the rotation, who land Valdez.
The 32-year-old Valdez has been a reliable workhorse for the Astros over the last eight years, but really stepped up his game in 2021. That season, he started a five-year stretch of reaching at least 134 innings, hitting the 190-inning threshold three times. He was twice named an All-Star and helped the Astros win the 2022 World Series over the Phillies.
In 2025, Valdez went 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA over 192 frames.
Instead of overpowering velocity, Valdez primarily wields a sinker-curveball combination. With that arsenal, his ground-ball rate ranked in the 97th percentile in baseball last season.
Valdez now slots into the Tigers’ starting rotation, presumably as the No. 2 hurler behind Skubal and ahead of righties Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty.
Skubal, notably, is waiting for an arbitration decision — which is expected Thursday — after he filed at $32 million and the Tigers at $19 million. The $13 million gap is an MLB record.
Detroit, despite a horrific final stretch in October that saw the division title slip away, still made the playoffs as a wild-card entrant and beat the American League Central-winning Guardians in the first round before getting eliminated by the Mariners in the ALDS.
Now armed with one of the deeper pitching staffs in the AL, the Tigers should firmly be in the mix as one of the contenders in the junior circuit.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - JANUARY 13: Julian Champagnie #30 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball in front of Jaylin Williams #6 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center on January 13, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.
This is it, folks, the game we’ve been waiting for, as the two best teams in the Western Conference fight it out for the final time in the regular season, and we expect to see a sparkling exhibit of the finest basketball the best league in the current solar system has to offer on national television. OHHHH, WAIT, hang on a second, the injury report for the Thunder just came in.
Caruso, Alex: Out Injury/Illness – Right Adductor; Injury Management
Dieng, Ousmane: Out Not With Team [traded]
Dort, Luguentz: Out Injury/Illness – Right Patellofemoral joint; Inflammation
Gilgeous-Alexander, Shai: Out Injury/Illness – Abdominal; Strain
Hartenstein, Isaiah: Out Injury/Illness – Right Eye; Corneal Abrasion
Holmgren, Chet: Out Injury/Illness – Low Back; Spasms
Mitchell, Ajay: Out Injury/Illness – Abdominal; Strain
Sorber, Thomas: Out Injury/Illness – Right ACL; Surgical Recovery
Topic, Nikola: Out Injury/Illness – N/a; Surgical Recovery
Williams, Jalen: Out Injury/Illness – Right Hamstring; Strain
So, seven guys who played last night are not available today. The last three players on the list have more long term injuries. Available to play are: Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams, Jaylin Williams, and the three two-way players. Jared McCain was acquired in a trade with the Sixers today, but he will not be available for tonight’s game. The available players are the bottom of the roster, but the Thunder roster is incredibly deep and these guys are all good NBA players, and the Spurs can’t take a win for granted tonight.
Honestly, this looks like a big night for Victor Wembanyama, who could have more space to work than he usually has since this lineup is seriously lacking in size. Branden Carlson (one of the 2-way players) is 7’0”, so he’ll be tested tonight. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are both listed as questionable, so it looks like it could be a big night for De’Aaron Fox, as the Spurs will try to put the game away early to give the Spurs backups time to work against the Thunder bench players who will be forced to play big minutes. I look forward to Keldon Johnson bullying some of the Thunder wings when he enters the game.
Tonight is the first night of a back-to-back for the Silver and Black as they travel to Dallas tomorrow to face Cooper Flagg and an improving game, with a rematch on Saturday in San Antonio. Those are both important games, but the team’s focus needs to be on tonight’s game. The remaining five games for the Spurs are all against Western Conference opponents, and doing well in those contests will keep the Spurs in the running for a top playoff spot and home court advantage in the playoffs.
The Spurs won 34 games in all of last season, and they can equal that total tonight with 32 games left to play. That’s going to be an amazing achievement if they can pull it off. LETS GOOO SPURS!!
Game Prediction:
Jared McCain tries to enter the game, but his Sixers uniform confuses the referees, who don’t know who to assign the technical foul to.
San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder February 4, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT Streaming: ESPN TV: ESPN/FanDuel Sports Southwest Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
The Los Angeles Dodgers will attend a White House ceremony in their honor this year, the Trump administration confirmed Wednesday, amid calls for the team to scrap the traditional visit.
A White House official exclusively told The Post that the team has been in touch with the administration and plans to attend, but a date has yet to be set.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw celebrates with the Commissioner’s Trophy after winning the 2025 MLB World Series. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectPresident Donald Trump, and Los Angeles Dodgers Owner and Chairman Mark Walter pose with a jersey presented to Trump as he hosts the 2024 World Series champions in the East Room of the White House Getty Images
The Dodgers declined to comment.
When asked this weekend about the visit, team President Stan Kasten said, “I don’t have any news for you on that,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the Times: “I’m going to go to the White House… I am going to continue to try to do what tradition says and not try to make political statements, because I am not a politician.”
While a date for this year’s visit has yet to be confirmed, the team’s only trip to Washington will be during their first road series of the season, when they play three games against the Nationals during the weekend of April 3-5.
The team has gone to the White House after each of their two recent World Series championships, visiting with President Biden in 2021 and President Trump last April.
Los Angeles Dodgers Yoshinobu Yamamoto hoists the MVP trophy following a win vs Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Game 7. Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
While last year’s visit was polarizing among some factions of the fan base, there was full attendance from the team, with owner Mark Walter and now-retired pitcher Clayton Kershaw giving addresses to the crowd at the East Room reception.
“The White House is an incredible honor to get to go see, regardless of who’s in office,” Kershaw said after last year’s visit. “We went in 2021. We went this time. I know there’s been a lot of stuff about, should the Dodgers go? All this stuff. But at the end of the day, getting to go to the White House, getting to see the Oval Office, getting to meet the President of the United States, that’s stuff that you can’t lose sight of no matter what you believe. I was super honored to get to go today. It was an incredible opportunity. I’m glad we got to be part of it.”
Mookie Betts was the only player last year who openly voiced initial uncertainty about going. He skipped a White House trip with his former team, the Boston Red Sox, after their 2018 title during Trump’s first term, ultimately decided to join the Dodgers in 2025.
“No matter what I say or what I do, people are gonna take it as political,” Betts said at the time. “But that’s definitely not what it is. This is about what the Dodgers were able to accomplish last year.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - DECEMBER 25: Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks warms up before the game against the Golden State Warriors on December 25, 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors’ first-round pick in 2030 is on the move. That is, as long as it falls between picks 21 and 30.
The Washington Wizards swapped the Warriors’s first-round selection, one they acquired in the Chris Paul trade/Jordan Poole salary dump in 2023, to the Dallas Mavericks. Oh, they also got 10-time All-Star big man Anthony Davis.
Dallas is receiving a 2026 Thunder first-round pick and a 2030 protected Warriors first-round pick in this deal from the Wizards along with second rounders in 2026 (Phoenix), 2027 (Chicago) and 2029 (Houston), sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/t5Qqtkl0Is
One year after trading NBA scoring leader and All-Star starter Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Davis, the Mavericks flipped The Brow for a package of expiring contracts and two low-quality first-round picks. The Warriors’ pick is four years out and protected for picks 1-20, while the other is the 2026 first-rounder of the Oklahoma City Thunder, currently projected to be the last pick of the first round.
The most prominent player switching teams is Khris Middleton, who’s likely to get a buyout from the Mavericks if he wants one. Also switching teams are Dante Exum, Jaden Hardy, AJ Johnson, and former Warriors great D’Angelo Russell. The most poetic outcome would be Russell taking a buyout and returning to the Lakers one more time.
Davis played only 29 games in his year with the Mavericks, plus two play-in tournament contests. He’s currently out with a hand injury, but that’s likely just fine with the Wizards, who need to draft in the top eight this June or they owe their first-round pick to the New York Knicks. They’ve shut down Trae Young with some questionable injuries since trading for him in January, choosing to build for next season around players like Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, and Kyshawn George.
The Wizards joined the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls in using their massive salary cap space for this summer on trades, rather than free agents. The Jazz added Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson, Jr., while the Bulls have picked up two impending free agents: Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey and Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons.
What does that mean? It leaves the Los Angeles Lakers as the lone competitive NBA team with significant cap space next summer, provided LeBron James does not return and they sign Austin Reaves to a new contract after their other moves are done.
Even a year after they got Doncic for him, the Anthony Davis trade is still paying off for the Lakers. Dammit.
Hayes shoved the Wizards' mascot, G-Wiz, during pregame introductions before the Jan. 30 game in Washington. The mascot had been running with a giant flag when Hayes, 25, made contact, sending the mascot careening into cheerleaders running onto the court, video of the incident shows.
The Lakers will be without Hayes for Thursday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jaxson Hayes shoved Wizards mascot, G-Wiz, in pre-game introductions
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Oluchi Okananwa scored 23 points, and the No. 22 Maryland women pulled away in the second half for an 86-70 win over No. 12 Michigan State on Wednesday.
Maryland (18-6, 6-6 Big Ten) led 43-33 at halftime and broke the game open in the third quarter.
Okananwa went 8 of 13 from the field and added four rebounds, five assists and a steal as the Terps shot 49% as a team.
Yarden Garzon added 16 points and five assists, Kyndal Walker scored 14, and Saylor Poffenbarger finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Maryland forced 20 turnovers, which led to 23 points, while holding Michigan State to 4 of 15 from 3.
The Terps pushed the margin to 72-55 early in the fourth on Poffenbarger’s 3-pointer. Okananwa scored seven straight points soon after, including a layup and a deep 3-pointer that stretched the lead to 84-68 with under two minutes left. Maryland never allowed the Spartans to get within single digits in the final quarter.
Grace VanSlooten led Michigan State (19-4, 8-4) with 19 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Kennedy Blair had 15 points and seven assists, while Jalyn Brown scored 13.
Up Next
Michigan State: The Spartans play Saturday at Penn State.
Maryland: The Terrapins visit Nebraska on Saturday.
While flirting with a spot in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Detroit Red Wings were soundly defeated in consecutive games by the Ottawa Senators in a 12-3 combined final score.
It was at that time that GM Steve Yzerman decided his team wasn't ready for playoff hockey and became a seller at the upcoming NHL Trade Deadline, trading Tyler Bertuzzi to the Boston Bruins, Filip Hronek to the Vancouver Canucks, and Oskar Sundqvist to the Minnesota Wild.
The following season, Detroit found itself in an advantageous position in the standings, holding a nine-point lead over the cutoff for the final wild-card playoff spot. However, what followed was a disastrous 3–9–2 stretch in March, culminating in the team losing any hope of the postseason on the final day of the regular season due to a tiebreaker.
Last season, the Red Wings were in one of the final Wild Card postseason spots near the end of February, but once again, struggled in March. They posted a 4-10 record that month and fell out of the postseason race.
Wednesday evening marks Detroit’s final game for several weeks, as the NHL schedule breaks for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
When play resumes in late February, the Red Wings, currently second overall in the Atlantic Division, will be determined to write a new script this time around.
Multiple rumors suggest the Red Wings could become buyers for the first time since 2015, when they acquired Erik Cole from the Dallas Stars and Marek Zidlicky from the New Jersey Devils.
That season also marked the year before their most recent appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
If they were to begin today, the Red Wings would confirm their spot in the postseason for the first time since 2016.
To ensure Stanley Cup Playoff hockey comes to Little Caesars Arena for the first time, the Red Wings must avoid the March struggles that have plagued them in each of the past two seasons, a goal they'll have their sights trained on.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 08: Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks holds his left hand as he reacts to pain after injuring it against Lauri Markkanen during the second half of their game at the Delta Center on January 8, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There exist two rebuilding forces in today’s NBA. Though similar in intent, they are vastly different in method. And thanks to the recent action on the trade block, two perfect anecdotal examples have surfaced in two of the league’s franchises.
The Washington Wizards and the Utah Jazz. Two teams united in purpose, but divided in execution.
Both teams have waded through the muck of the NBA Draft lottery for years in the fallout of failed championship contenders of yesteryear. The Wizards capped out with their backcourt dynamic of John Wall and Bradley Beal, and have failed to reach such highs since. Time has torn this franchise to ribbons — mere scraps of a competent basketball team remain. The Jazz hit their ceiling on the core of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, and did not hesitate to hit the big red glowing self-destruct button on the corner of owner Ryan Smith’s desk.
Stripped to their parts, both franchises lingered at the floor of the NBA standings in hopes of securing a game-changing talent in the draft, and both franchises have yet to secure their sure-fire superstar to shepherd the flock from poverty.
So, with the Feb 5 trade deadline rapidly approaching, two muddying basketball teams saw an opportunity to change their fates and jumped at it.
First was the Jazz, a team intent on retaining its core of Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, and Walker Kessler, who shipped off three first-round picks and four replaceable players in return for a former All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year in Jaren Jackson Jr.
Next were the Wizards, caught in the frenzy and chomping at the first big fish they saw. Like JJJ, the newest Washington Wizard is also a former All-Star and DPOY, though with a much more accomplished career. This addition is Anthony Davis, and the Wiz dealt two first-round picks, three second-rounders, and (just like Utah) four easily replaced players to obtain his services.
On the surface, these moves appear incredibly similar. Two defensive specialists capable of producing on the offensive end are arriving at their new teams, ready to pull the plug on tanking practices and set their sights on winning basketball. In truth, these trades will produce drastically different results.
I’ve already shared my thoughts on Utah’s trade for Jackson. In short, I think his addition is a brilliant use of the Jazz’s embarrassment of assets. Carrying far too many draft picks than a single team could ever hope to utilize, Utah consolidated and returned an all-star caliber big man at 26 years of age without compromising their future (the Jazz still have at least one first-round draft pick in every future draft).
Utah retains flexibility in cap space and asset management while injecting their current plans with a complementary piece. This was a calculated deal initiated with the future in mind, not an all-in gamble made in desperation.
The Wizards’ acquisition of Anthony Davis is the very definition of haste. Davis, approaching his 33rd birthday, has a list of injuries longer than his accolades (which is saying a lot). He’s played at least 60 games just twice in his last seven seasons. His most recent team, the Mavericks organization that was so certain of his value that they traded Luka Doncic unprovoked, has parted ways with him after just 29 appearances in Dallas.
The Mavs couldn’t wait to get out of the Anthony Davis business, even with the sunk cost of Doncic in LA. That says a lot to me if I were an NBA executive.
Davis is on the decline, and for a player as injury-prone as he’s proved to be over his career, a bet on an aging Davis is a bet you’re likely to lose. No matter how optimistic one could be about the Wizards’ young core (Sarr, Carrington, George, Coulibaly, Johnson, etc.), it’s unlikely that Davis will be consistently available to lead on the court as the youth mature into their primes.
Especially considering the Trae Young acquisition, it feels like the Wizards are anxious to compete for the playoffs tomorrow.
A backcourt of Young and Davis is fascinating on paper. Young, one of basketball’s most prolific shooters (by volume, not efficiency) and distributors, paired with Davis, one of the most prolific rim protectors and an excellent supplement on the offensive end, is an awesome pairing.
But is it built to last? What’s this team’s potential as currently constructed? Time will tell, but there are far fewer sands left in this hourglass compared to that of their Utahn counterparts.
The Jazz move forward without torching their timetable. The Wizards cut out the waiting game and opted for a win-now solution. From my perspective, this is the difference between investing and gambling, and the latter is often far less friendly to its participants.
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
