Defensive back Havon Finney (Chatsworth, California/ Sierra Canyon School), will be officially honored Wednesday as a 2026 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Navy All-American Bowl’s Road to the Dome digital series.
Defensive Back Brandon Arrington Will be Honored as a 2026 Navy All-American
Defensive back Brandon Arrington (Spring Valley, California/ Mount Miguel High School), will be officially honored Wednesday as a 2026 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Navy All-American Bowl’s Road to the Dome digital series.
Wide Receiver Jordan Clay Will be Honored as a 2026 Navy All-American
Wide receiver Jordan Clay (San Antonio, Texas/ Madison High School), will be officially honored Wednesday as a 2026 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Navy All-American Bowl’s Road to the Dome digital series.
What we learned as Steph Curry, Warriors' offense struggle in loss to Thunder
What we learned as Steph Curry, Warriors' offense struggle in loss to Thunder originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
OKLAHOMA CITY – When the Western Conference semifinals began last season, there was a feeling behind the scenes that the Warriors were confident in their prospects against the Oklahoma City Thunder if the two were to meet in the next round with a chance of being in the NBA Finals.
That shot never happened. Steph Curry went down to injury, and the Thunder outlasted the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers in seven games each to be crowned champions.
A decade ago, the Warriors were the young team coming up together that got past a Thunder team with similar ages to them on their way to a dynastic run. Now, the Thunder are the ones on that same path, proving so again Tuesday night.
The Warriors and Thunder were on two different planets of basketball talents in their first matchup of the 2025-26 NBA season, a public spanking in a 126-102 blowout loss for Golden State at Paycom Center.
Curry returned after missing the previous three games because of an illness. Curry started strong but then quickly cooled off and found himself in foul trouble. He played 20 minutes and was a minus-23 with 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting, one rebound and no assists. Curry made his first 3-pointer and then missed his final four attempts.
All three of Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green were on the bench with five minutes and 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter. The Thunder led by 25 points at the time, ending the three veteran stars’ day right there on the first night of a back-to-back.
Reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (28 points and 12 assists) and Chet Holmgren (23 points and 11 rebounds) dominated as a duo, and they received plenty of help from their Thunder teammates.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors starting their six-game road trip with a humbling 24-point defeat for their sixth consecutive road loss.
Steph’s Return
Recovering from an illness didn’t slow Curry’s constant movement. His first three times touching the ball went as so: Cutting for a left-side layup, coming off a screen for a three at the top of the arc, and running around for a layup on the right side. These are sights Thunder fans are used to seeing for many years of torture from Curry in OKC.
Curry scored seven first-quarter points in seven minutes, but also was called for two fouls, including a surprising Flagrant 1 upon review during an Isaiah Joe 3-point attempt. That marked the first flagrant foul of Curry’s 17-year NBA career after going 1,193 career games without being whistled for one.
But Curry was held scoreless in the second quarter after missing five shots in six minutes. He played 14 minutes in the first half and was a minus-17 with seven points and as many fouls (three) as made shots.
Foul trouble followed him in the second half, too. Curry was called for two fouls in the first two-plus minutes of the third quarter, bringing him to five at the 9:41 mark.
During his one game in OKC last season, Curry scored 36 points with five rebounds, seven assists and seven 3-pointers in a Warriors win. That wasn’t the player the Warriors got Tuesday night while the Thunder waxed them up and down the court.
Troubling Trend Continues
Turnovers once again doomed the Warriors. Again, and again, and again.
Trayce Jackson-Davis already had three in the first half, and a bad sequence when he entered in the third quarter gave him five in his first nine minutes. He wasn’t alone.
Jonathan Kuminga also racked up five turnovers for the third time this season. He now has 17 turnovers and 16 assists in November, struggling with his handles and dribbling into traffic.
His fellow forward, Green, also now has 17 turnovers in November in one fewer game after a three-turnover night against the Thunder. Green handed out four assists Tuesday night, giving him three more assists than turnovers. It was Green’s fifth straight game with at least three turnovers.
As a team, the Warriors totaled 21 turnovers, two fewer than their number of assists. Those 21 turnovers became 27 points for the Thunder. The Warriors far too often are getting caught in the air, forcing passes and lack space offensively.
An Embarrassment Of Riches
Holmgren, standing one inch taller than Warriors 7-foot center Quinten Post, immediately showed what different skill sets the two young big men have. Over three straight trips down the court, Holmgren spun off Post for a layup, hit an 11-foot jumper on him and then extended his range for a 24-foot three from the left wing. He was in his bag and knew a long list of teammates would join the party.
Holmgren is the Thunder’s second scoring option, and would be their third if two-way star Jalen Williams were healthy. He and Gilgeous-Alexander combined to score 26 points in the first half as the Thunder led by 19, with Holmgren scoring 11 and SGA leading with 15. They’re far from a two-man show.
How deep are the Thunder with two-way players who can break you down offensively and defensively? Cason Wallace didn’t score a single point in the first half, missing three shots, yet still was a game-high plus-19 at the time.
They’re long, they’re athletic, they’re deep and they’re connected. This Thunder team can beat opponents to a pulp in every which way. The problems the Thunder present as a team aren’t going away anytime soon, and the Warriors only can hope lessons learned help for a better result when they play them three weeks from now at Chase Center.
Three NHL Teams That Have Been Big Surprises So Far
We are now a month into the 2025-26 NHL season, and there have certainly been some teams that have surprised so far.
However, three specific NHL clubs entered the season with low expectations and are proving their doubters wrong. Let's look at all three of them and discuss why they have been the league's biggest plesant surprises early on.
Anaheim Ducks (11-3-1, 23 Points)
The Anaheim Ducks have been incredible out of the gate.
They're currently at the top of the Pacific Division standings and second in the NHL with 23 points, so there is no question that the Ducks have been a big surprise so far.
The Ducks finished last season with a 35-37-10 record and missed the playoffs for the seventh straight year. Yet, with the way they are playing right now, they certainly have a great chance of breaking their playoff drought this year. BetMGM's odds of Anaheim making the playoffs are 1.40 (-250), compared to 3.00 (+200) odds of missing out.
Leo Carlsson (10 goals and 25 points in 15 games) and Cutter Gauthier (11 goals and 20 points in 15 games) are big reasons for the Ducks' hot start. Newcomer Chris Kreider has also played a role in Anaheim's great start, posting nine goals and 12 points in 11 games.
Chicago Blackhawks (8-5-3, 19 Points)
After a quiet off-season, many expected the Chicago Blackhawks to be among the NHL's bottom teams again in 2025-26. Yet, the rebuilding squad has instead started the season off strongly.
The Blackhawks currently have an 8-5-3 record and are third in the Central Division. They have also been getting better as the campaign rolls on, as they have won each of their last three games and six of their last 10.
So, what are a few reasons for the Blackhawks' hot start?
Connor Bedard has been hitting a new level early on, as he has nine goals and 25 points in 16 games. Goaltender Spencer Knight has also been fantastic for Chicago, as he has a 6-3-2 record, .926 save percentage and 2.33 goals-against average. Frank Nazar, Andre Burakovsky and Tyler Bertuzzi have been playing excellently as well.
Overall, the Blackhawks have been a nice story early on this season, and it will be interesting to see how they build on it. They still have 7.50 (+600) odds of making the playoffs and 1.10 (-1000) odds of missing them, according to BetMGM.
Pittsburgh Penguins (9-5-3, 21 Points)
Many expected the Pittsburgh Penguins to be one of the worst teams in the NHL this season. However, they have responded by starting the season third in the Metropolitan Division after 17 games played.
The Penguins have been cooling off slightly as the season progresses, having lost their last two games and going 4-3-3 in their last 10 contests. That said, they still have the fourth-most points in the Eastern Conference, which is undoubtedly a big surprise.
Veteran stars Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby starting the year on fire is a big reason for the Penguins' strong start to the 2025-26 season. Furthermore, free-agent signings Anthony Mantha and the currently injured Justin Brazeau have provided Pittsburgh's top six with a big boost.
The Penguins' goaltending has also improved as Arturs Silovs has a .916 save percentage in nine games, while Tristan Jarry has a .911 save percentage in seven appearances.
Pittsburgh's odds of making the playoffs are 3.40 (+240), while the odds of not making them are 1.33 (-303).
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Advantage England? Emma Raducanu gives tips to squad for All Blacks clash
Tennis star visits training camp to share experiences
Steve Borthwick’s side take on New Zealand on Saturday
England’s preparations for their clash with the All Blacks on Saturday have been boosted by some words of wisdom from the former US Open tennis champion Emma Raducanu, who visited their Bagshot training base on Tuesday.
Raducanu took to the training field with Steve Borthwick’s squad, taking part in lineout practice and kicking drills with Marcus Smith before sharing insights with the captain, Maro Itoje. Borthwick also invited the Brighton manager, Fabian Hürzeler, to address the squad this week.
Continue reading...NBA confirms U.S. vs. World 2026 All-Star Game format. What to know
NBA confirms U.S. vs. World 2026 All-Star Game format. What to know originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The wait is over: The NBA on Tuesday announced the reveal of the U.S. vs. World All-Star Game format to be played in 2026.
In the game, two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players (world) will compete in a round-robin tournament featuring four 12-minute games.
NBC and Peacock will broadcast the league’s annual midseason showcase on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET, 2 p.m. PT at the new Intuit Dome, home of the LA Clippers.
Maria Taylor introduces the brand new All-Star Game format that will be used this year in LA! 👀 pic.twitter.com/MupVfhxz9J
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) November 12, 2025
As previously done, 24 All-Stars will be selected (12 from each conference). But unlike previous years, players will be selected regardless of position. The process of assigning U.S. players across the two teams will be announced at a later date.
If All-Star voting doesn’t meet the exact quota of 16 U.S. players and eight international players, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select players to fit where needed. In such case, a team may have more than the eight-player amount.
The round-robin tournament will start with USA A vs. USA B in Game 1. Game 2 will be World vs. USA A followed by World vs. USA B in Game 3.
The two teams with the best record from the three games will face off in the championship match. If there is a 1-1 split between all three teams, the tiebreaker would be point differential.
Each of the four games will feature just one standard 12-minute period. The winner will be whichever team has the most points after 12 minutes.
It’s the latest format in a line of experiments by the NBA, which includes the classic West vs. East, followed by two team captains based on All-Star voting. A target score was also introduced, followed by a mini-tournament last season in which the then-“NBA on TNT” crew of Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith drafted their rosters, along with a Rising Stars team comprised of rookies and sophomores.
But that format wasn’t well received in the end despite being a fresh tweak, leading the NBA to finally land on the U.S. vs. World idea that has proved intriguing in the past but never actually came to fruition — until now.
Jim Hiller Makes Another Tweak To The Kings’ Power Play Despite Three-Game Goal Streak
The Los Angeles Kings have experienced trouble on the power play to start the season. From opening night on Oct. 7 to Nov. 2, the Kings had the 25th-worst power-play conversion rate. In 37 opportunities, they scored six power-play goals to that point, going 16.2 percent on the man advantage.
However, when Los Angeles took on the Winnipeg Jets on Nov. 4, the team’s top unit was tinkered with as they replaced Andrei Kuzmenko with Corey Perry. Since then, the Kings have played three games and recorded a power-play marker in each of those contests.
Los Angeles Kings Make Much-Needed Change To Top Power-Play UnitCorey Perry, the Los Angeles Kings' joint-leading goal scorer, will be joining the team's top power-play unit, a much-needed alteration. Is this the change the Kings need to end their power-play scoring drought?Despite that, the Kings' head coach, Jim Hiller, believes that it’s time to make another tweak to their first power-play unit.
Hiller is putting Kuzmenko back on the top power play, swapping with Quinton Byfield, who will now grace the second unit.
Los Angeles’ bench boss pleads that this is an alteration that will get the best out of both players.
"We feel that's his great strength that gets him going in his overall game...try to get him some more touches there and see if that can translate,” Hiller said of Kuzmenko.
Report: Los Angeles Kings Not In Adrian Kempe’s Ballpark As Negotiations Are Back OnThe Los Angeles Kings and Adrian Kempe have reportedly resumed contract talks. However, it still seems that the two parties are on the same level just yet.As for Byfield, he doesn’t see this change as a negative decision for the 23-year-old center.
"Want to put the puck in his hands....he's a lefty. We got (Doughty) as a righty. I really want those two to be the shooters," the Kings coach told reporters at Tuesday morning's skate ahead of the team’s clash with the Montreal Canadiens.
This suggests that Byfield and defenseman Drew Doughty will work the right and left flanks, respectively, on the second unit. That leaves D-man Brandt Clarke as the quarterback, and Alex Laferriere and Phillip Danault as the net-front presence and in the slot.
Report: Kings’ Brandt Clarke Generating Trade Interest From Other TeamsWhile the Los Angeles Kings are looking to hang on to Brandt Clarke, he still remains a pending RFA and that has attracted some customers across the NHL.For Los Angeles’ top unit, the formation shouldn’t change too much, but Kuzmenko's substitution for Byfield will add more balance between left-handed and right-handed players on the ice.
The Kings are looking to continue their streak of power-play goals to four games against the Canadiens.
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.
Early Season Draft Risers in Sweden
With November’s
international tournaments in the books, it’s time to look back at some
early-season draft risers. Jacob Smeds takes a closer look at three
draft-eligible prospects who have boosted their stock during the first part of
the season, as well as two players already making a name for themselves ahead
of the 2027 NHL Draft.
Alexander Command (C), 2026 NHL Draft
Alexander Command
put together an impressive performance for Sweden at the Five Nations, adding
another layer to his already rising draft stock. Since the early stages of the
U20 Nationell season, he’s stood out for his powerful skating and confident puck
handling. Command moves through the neutral zone with ease, gliding past
opponents with a stride that looks both smooth and deliberate. What truly
separates him from most Swedish forwards is the blend of skill and grit in his
game. He’s unafraid to battle along the boards or drive to the net, combining
finesse with a competitive edge that makes him a player to watch.
So far, Command
has produced an impressive 11 goals and 22 points through 14 games in Sweden’s
top junior league. The production continued at the international level, where
he contributed in all four games for Sweden’s U18 team this past week. Command
was a somewhat surprising omission from Sweden’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup roster
earlier this year, though that was likely due to an untimely illness over the
summer. I would be very surprised if he isn’t a regular on the national team
for the rest of the season.
Elton Hermansson (RW), 2026 NHL Draft
Elton
Hermansson’s draft stock was already high before the season began, but his play
in Sweden’s second-tier league earns him a spot on this list. Beyond his
brilliant offensive game, he has shown a surprising level of responsibility in
his defensive play. Hermansson may never be a Selke candidate, but handling
professional competition requires more two-way awareness than junior hockey
does, and he has shown real progress in that area during the first few months
of the season.
Hermansson’s
offensive game remains brilliant. At this stage, it is mostly about refining
his decision-making in the offensive zone and further polishing the raw diamond
that he is.
Theodor Knights
(D), 2026 NHL Draft
Theodor Knights
has a clear profile as a reliable shut-down defenseman, filling a role that few
other Swedish prospects occupy. What stands out most about Knights is his
ability to blend physical play with strong skating. That combination allows him
to time his hits perfectly in the defensive zone and effectively break up
opposing rushes. Knights also has the right mentality, frequently standing up
for himself and his teammates when things get heated around his own net.
With his 6-foot-4
frame and defined playing style, he’s an easy player for NHL teams to project.
It’s not uncommon to see players like Knights go as early as the second round
or even late in the first. With that in mind, I don’t think we’ll have to wait long
to hear his name called at the draft.
Theodor Knights: Hlinka Lessons and Five Nations MindsetThe Hockey News’ Jacob Smeds speaks with 2026 NHL Draft prospect Theodor Knights. After starring for Team Sweden at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he now prepares for next week’s U18 Five Nations Tournament.
Olle Karlsson (C/RW), 2027 NHL Draft
Olle Karlsson
won’t be draft eligible until 2027, but he showed at the Five Nations that he’s
a name to watch. Karlsson played on Sweden’s fourth line in a shutdown role,
where he found great success. His line with Adam Andersson and Ludvig Andersson
earned the coaches’ trust in key defensive situations and delivered with
confidence. Karlsson was most effective as the first forward on the forecheck,
repeatedly forcing turnovers and keeping the puck in the offensive zone. His
strong skating ability was the most standout aspect of his game and played a
major role in that success.
Hampus Zirath (C), 2027 NHL Draft
Hampus Zirath
didn’t play U20 hockey last season and therefore wasn’t on many radars for the
2027 draft heading into this year. Over the first few weeks of the season,
however, he has impressed in the Swedish junior league. Sweden’s U18 head coach
Johan Rosén described Zirath as a blend of Viggo Björck and Victor Eklund in
terms of playing style, combining Björck’s hockey sense and shiftiness with
Eklund’s competitive edge. Zirath brings both offensive upside and a reliable
two-way game, making him an intriguing player to watch ahead of the 2027 draft.
Sweden Wins Both the U18 and U20 Five NationsIt was a dramatic final day at both the U18 and U20 Five Nations. Despite Czechia holding pole position heading into the final day at the U20 level, Sweden ended up winning the tournament — helped by a win against Czechia. Sweden also claimed the title at the U18 level on home ice, thanks to a victory over the United States on Sunday.<br><br>
England play Generation Game against All Blacks with overhaul of traditional order of selection | Robert Kitson
Steve Borthwick has picked six British & Irish Lions on his bench with a further nod to the growing importance of the endgame
Selecting your best XV to start a big rugby match feels increasingly quaint these days, as redolent of a different era as the Generation Game or Starsky & Hutch. To the point where you half expect to find the home teamsheet to face New Zealand this weekend has D‑N‑A‑L‑G‑N‑E printed at the top of it. Even with the All Blacks in town, the traditional order of selection no longer applies.
Instead it is all about the endgame. On this occasion Steve Borthwick has picked six British & Irish Lions on his bench compared with only four in his starting lineup. At some point around the 50th minute on Saturday there will be a mass discarding of XXL tracksuits and a fresh set of white orcs will rumble on. As South Africa’s “Bomb Squad” have long since shown, it can be mighty hard to combat.
Continue reading...LeBron James to work out with Lakers G-League team as he nears return
While the Lakers are on a five-game road trip without him, LeBron James will work out with the Lakers' G League team and is expected to be near a return when the Lakers return home in a week.
LeBron has been out since before the start of training camp due to sciatica on his right side. He was recently cleared for contact with a re-evaluation expected later this week or early next week. Part of the recovery process involves getting him back into playing, though 5-on-5 scrimmages. Before his team's win over Charlotte on Monday, coach J.J. Redick said LeBron was "practicing with South Bay" (Redick stated it was happening on Monday, but the Lakers' staff clarified it would take place at some point this week).
The Lakers' next home game is on Nov. 18 against the Utah Jazz. His taking the court then would fit with the long-planned return for LeBron in mid-November. Lakers players aren't concerned about James fitting in upon his return, whenever that may be.
"The thing about him is he understands the game, as everybody knows," Austin Reaves told the Associated Press. "Knowing him, he's been watching these first, what is that 11 games and, analyzing the game in a sense of where he knows when he comes back, 'This is how I can help the team.'"
The Lakers are off to a fast 8-3 start without LeBron behind a top-10 offense sparked by Luka Doncic playing at an MVP level. Reaves has stepped up as a high-level secondary scoring option, while Deandre Ayton has shown to be solid most games and the kind of two-way big man the Lakers have needed with Doncic. These Lakers will get a measuring stick game on Wednesday against the defending champion Thunder (who remain without their second-best player, Jalen Williams, who is nearing a return from wrist surgery).
Not long after, it appears the Lakers will add LeBron James back into the mix. With his return, LeBron will add another record to his already historic resume, becoming the first player to reach his 23rd NBA season.
Should Texas A&M be ranked above Indiana? + Big Ten private equity drama gets worse
What will change with tonights CFP ranking? Will Texas A&M jump Indiana? Wisconsin is retaining Luke Fickell, but how will they improve their NIL funding? Private equity drama with the Big Ten heats up.
Who's Hot And Cold In The NHL: MacKinnon's On Fire, Marchessault Slumps
The NHL's hot and cold players over the past week stand out for more than just their recent stats.
Most of these players' results since Nov. 3 are just a more pronounced part of a promising – or disappointing – campaign to date.
And in case you missed last week's hot and cold edition, Cutter Gauthier, Dawson Mercer and Michael Bunting were on a hot streak, while Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky were the opposite. Let's get to this latest bunch.
Hot: Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche
In short order, the Avalanche have surged to the top of the highly competitive Central Division, and a key reason why is the performance of superstar MacKinnon.
He’s grabbed the lead in the NHL points race, with 29 points in only 16 games. Ten of those points came in just three games over the past week, with five points on Nov. 9 and four on Nov. 8. Nobody else had as many points since last Monday.
MacKinnon’s currently on a nine-game point streak, with
The 30-year-old is in his prime, and MacKinnon has already made a great case for player of the month – and it’s only the 10th day of the month. That’s how you know you’re white-hot.
Cold: Jonathan Marchessault, RW, Nashville Predators
Prior to signing with the Predators in the summer of 2024, Marchessault had experienced a lot of winning, mainly because he was on the talent-rich Vegas Golden Knights for his prime years.
But since last year began, Marchessault has struggled mightily as a Pred. His zero points in the last five games since Nov. 3 cement that point.
In 2024-25, Marchessault’s goal total fell to 21 – exactly half of the previous year’s total of 42 goals. Marchessault’s point total fell to 66 – not horrible, but not what the Predators were hoping for when they gave him a five-year, $27.5-million contract.
This season, Marchessault’s production has fallen to four goals and six points in 15 games, putting him on a 21-goal, 32-point pace.
The 34-year-old is still playing about the same amount of ice time (17:55) he’s averaged over the past decade. Can the Predators afford to keep giving him a comfortable amount of playing time when the results just aren’t there?
Five NHL Favorites For Fewest Regular-Season PointsWhich NHL team will finish the regular season with the fewest points? Here are five favorites.Hot: Connor Bedard, C, Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks are somewhat surprisingly competitive this year, and they’re being led by the cornerstone of the franchise in 20-year-old Bedard, who is second in the league in points with 25 points in 16 games.
While MacKinnon was the NHL's first star of the week, Bedard was second, with seven assists and 10 points in the past week.
Bedard is on pace for 46 goals and 128 points in 82 games, which would destroy his career-high 23 goals and 67 points, although that would be a massive jump if he did so.
Bedard had some detractors last season who questioned whether he was a true generational talent. Thus far, he’s answered those doubters by dominating and signalling the start of the Bedard Era in the Windy City.
Cold: John Gibson and Cam Talbot, G, Detroit Red Wings
Detroit’s two veteran netminders – newcomer Gibson and returning veteran Talbot – were supposed to be a strength. That hasn’t turned out to be the case.
The Red Wings lost all three of their games in the past week, with Talbot allowing four goals on 26 shots and Gibson conceding five goals on 53 shots over two matches.
Now, their combined 3.33 goals-against average in that span was not all on them. Gibson actually played very well in a 1-0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 4, stopping 33 of 34 shots, and Talbot still had 0.37 goals saved above expected against the New York Rangers despite recording a .846 save percentage. At some point, the team needs to help them and either score some goals or shut down Grade-A scoring chances against them.
But while Gibson and Talbot haven't been horrible, they've been inconsistent and colder than we thought at least one of them would be.
In six of nine appearances, Gibson has posted a save percentage of .889 or worse. And his season numbers this year – an .882 SP, 3.15 goals-against average and 1.6 goals saved above expected – are hardly confidence-inspiring for Gibson and the Red Wings.
Talbot, meanwhile, hasn’t fared much better, putting up an SP of .891 and a 2.92 GAA. In three of his past four games, Talbot has an SP of .889 or worse.
The Red Wings will go with the goalie who has a hot hand, but so far this year, neither Gibson nor Talbot has seized the moment and made the No. 1 job their own.
Todd McLellan Hints At Additional Changes For Red Wings After Three-Game Slide Following their third straight regulation setback, Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan hinted that more roster changes could be on the way. Hot: Miro Heskanen, D, Dallas Stars
Heiskanen has been a foundational talent for the Stars for more than seven years now, and this past week reminded everyone how consistently effective he is in Dallas.
Heiskanen led all defensemen with eight assists and nine points in four games, and he's now on a four-game points streak.
The 26-year-old is averaging 25:21 of ice-time, nearly two-and-a-half more minutes than the Stars’ next-most-used skater. His 11 assists and 14 points in 16 games have him near the top of scoring by a defenseman this season.
Heiskanen is one of the league’s best bargains at $8.45 million, and he’s signed for another three seasons after this one. He’s a dynamo, and his best years may still be yet to come. But right now, he’s thriving at both ends of the ice.
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.
How Steph Curry earned first flagrant foul of NBA career in Warriors vs. Thunder
How Steph Curry earned first flagrant foul of NBA career in Warriors vs. Thunder originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Even in the 17th season of Steph Curry’s NBA career, the superstar Warriors guard still is notching firsts.
In the first quarter of Golden State’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday at Paycom Center, Curry committed his first career flagrant foul, per SportRadar. He had gone 1,193 career games without committing a flagrant foul.
Thunder guard Isaiah Joe attempted a deep 3-point shot in the closing seconds of the first quarter, and Curry stepped into Joe’s shooting path while closing out to contest the shot. Joe landed on Curry’s foot on his follow-through.
The play was called a foul on the floor and subsequently upgraded to a Flagrant 1 foul after review.
The criteria for a Flagrant 1 foul, as defined by the NBA, is “unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent.”
It is the second flagrant foul committed by a Warriors player this season. Draymond Green committed the first in Golden State’s Oct. 27 game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Making sense of Red Sox rumors early in MLB offseason
Making sense of Red Sox rumors early in MLB offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
One of the most exciting World Series ever played only concluded a week and a half ago, but the MLB offseason officially kicked into gear this week with the GM meetings taking place in Las Vegas.
While the GM meetings don’t lead to as much direct action as the winter meetings later in the offseason (Dec. 7 in Orlando this year), they are an obvious opportunity for executives and agents to begin the work that will shape rosters for the 2026 season and beyond.
And whenever people start talking, rumors are sure to follow.
With that, here’s what’s come out regarding the Red Sox this week out of Vegas.
Joe Ryan still makes sense as a trade target
This one’s not a rumor so much as it’s some informed speculation from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, who noted that the Red Sox “believed they were close to landing” Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan at the deadline this year. As such, Passan tabbed Ryan as the perfect offseason move for the Red Sox to make.
“As long as Red Sox ownership keeps the financial clamps on chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, he’ll need to get creative in improving a Red Sox team that’s already quite good,” Passan wrote. “Revisiting what he missed at the deadline is the simplest way to do so.”
While nobody in Boston wants to hear about “financial clamps” being placed on Breslow, Ryan would be a wise addition for any team, whether they were on a spending spree or trying to be frugal.
A bit of a late bloomer, Ryan made his first All-Star team last season, finishing the year with a 3.42 ERA and 1.035 WHIP in 30 starts. He posted a 0.985 WHIP in 135 innings in 2024.
With two seasons left under team control, Ryan is the perfect candidate to receive a pre-free agency contract extension, much like how the Red Sox handled Garrett Crochet after acquiring him via trade last season.
Certainly, the prospect of having Crochet (signed through 2031), Brayan Bello (signed through 2029 with a 2030 option) and Ryan at the top of the rotation for years to come makes such an acquisition awfully enticing for the Boston front office.
According to The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey, the Red Sox were unwilling to part with either Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu at the deadline when they talked with Minnesota about Ryan. With four starting-caliber outfielders on the current roster (Duran, Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, Roman Anthony), there should be no such hold-up this time when engaging the Twins in trade talks for Ryan.
Red Sox an ‘interesting fit’ to trade for Freddy Peralta
The Milwaukee Brewers are coming off their best regular season ever, winning 97 games and a division crown in 2025. So they might not be supremely motivated to offload talent.
However … MLB Network’s Jon Morosi noted that the Brewers did trade away pitchers Corbin Burnes and Devin Williams when they were a year away from free agency, noting that listening to offers on free-agents-to-be is “in their DNA.”
With that in mind, Morosi singled out the Red Sox as a team that may come calling for Freddy Peralta.
“The Red Sox, when you think about Garrett Crochet, and you consider what they’ve been able to build there with the Red Sox being able to get back to the playoffs in 2025, they’re — I think — one starting pitcher away from making a real run at this,” Morosi said. “And we know they’ve got an excellent farm system. They even have some position players they could move from the major league club if they had to with Duran and Abreu. So I think that’s an interesting fit to watch going forward.”
Peralta, 29, is the same age as Joe Ryan (they were born one day apart) and is also coming off an All-Star season in 2025, when he went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA and 1.075 WHIP, striking out 204 batters in 176.2 innings. Peralta previously made an All-Star team in 2021, when he posted a 2.81 ERA and 0.970 WHIP in a breakout season for Milwaukee.
If Breslow does have “the financial clamps” limiting him this offseason, Peralta may make the most sense as a Plan B for Boston. With one fewer year of team control and significantly more MLB experience, Peralta will be due a bigger payday than Ryan.
On the other hand, a lesser package could potentially land Peralta, which would at the very least provide a major boost to the rotation in the short term.
Breslow wants an impactful middle-of-the-lineup bat
Here’s a quote that might inspire some baseball fans in Boston to pull out their hair, smash their face off a table, and/or chew on a handful of broken glass (per The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey):
“There is just something about a bat in the middle of the lineup that forces another team to game plan against it that has a compounding effect on the rest of the roster. So we didn’t slug nearly as much as I think we can, or we will, and we’ll pursue opportunities to improve that.”
Using so many words to say “it’s helpful to have a power hitter in the middle of the lineup” is certainly verbose, but this isn’t a rant on Craig Breslow’s diction.
It is, however, a note that the Boston Red Sox did indeed have one of the best power bats in all of baseball in Rafael Devers but butchered their relationship with him so badly that they felt the need to trade him away last June. The Red Sox received a 20-year-old pitcher, an outfield prospect (subsequently traded), a bad relief pitcher and a potential back-of-the-rotation starter in return.
Unsurprisingly, the team didn’t slug nearly as much as Breslow thought they could.
As for who could fill that need?
Pete Alonso fits the bill, and could help fill the first base black hole that’s plagued the Red Sox since Mitch Moreland left following the 2019 season.
Kyle Schwarber was a fan favorite in Boston during his brief 2021 stint, but locking in on a designated hitter at top dollar for a roster that already has an extra outfielder and a DH that cannot play the field doesn’t seem like the likeliest path.
Free-agent shortstop Bo Bichette primarily batted leadoff for the AL-champion Blue Jays, but he did mash in his 40 starts in the cleanup spot, batting .372 with a 1.008 OPS. Even though Trevor Story opted in to his deal, he has already spent a year at second base with Boston and could do so again if the Red Sox opted to pursue Bichette.
But speaking of that Red Sox infield …
All quiet on the Alex Bregman front
If you’re looking for an update on Alex Bregman’s status, you’re out of luck.
After he opted out of his deal last week, not much at all has percolated in terms of teams that may pursue him in free agency. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel projected Bregman to land a five-year, $160 million deal, despite the fact that he’ll be 32 on Opening Day and missed significant time last year with a quad injury that never truly healed. (Bregman opted out of two years at $40 million per season.)
Much like last year, it would seem as though Bregman’s market may take a while to crystallize. And as he proved last spring, he’s willing to wait until the last minute to make up his mind.
Considering Breslow’s comment about the need for impactful middle-of-the-order bats, the Red Sox would seemingly be very interested in keeping Bregman in the fold. He batted .299 with a .938 OPS in 51 games before suffering the injury, hitting 17 doubles and 11 home runs with 35 RBIs. That dropped to a .250 average and .724 OPS in 63 games after returning from the injury.
Assuming the quad heals in the offseason, Bregman could be part of Boston’s solution in the middle of the order. The price, though, will likely have to drop significantly for that relationship to continue.
Morosi also offered up this potential wrinkle: Teams have expressed interest in moving Bichette to third.
If Bichette is open to a position change (the Red Sox learned last season that some players are not), and if Bichette actually wants to leave Toronto, the Red Sox could “replace” Bregman with the younger Bichette at a similar cost. For now, that looks like it would go in the “surprise” category of any potential offseason moves.
Royals eyeing Red Sox outfielders
The Royals have one of the best all-around players in baseball in Bobby Witt Jr. They also have an elite, young third baseman in Maikel Garcia.
After that, though, the lineup is lacking, so the team is reportedly looking to add to its outfield via trade. (Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger are free agents but are likely too expensive for Kansas City.) And according to Morosi — who’s full of all of the early-offseason information — the Red Sox are a potential partner.
While the Red Sox do have an abundance of outfielders, they also can only really afford to trade one of them away. As such, they’ll be selective when it comes to maximizing the return out of whoever it is they opt to send away. (The guess here: Jarren Duran.)
Morosi didn’t detail which players the Royals might be willing to part with, but the Red Sox’ priority in trading away an outfielder would most likely be in landing a frontline starter like Joe Ryan. Any potential Royals deal would likely be placed on the backburner for now.
Red Sox believe Jarren Duran needs ‘a fresh start’
Perhaps the most concrete evidence that Jarren Duran will be the odd man out of the outfield picture came from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, who wrote that Duran is indeed on the trade block.
“The Red Sox believe that they need an upgrade over Duran, and that he needs a fresh start,” Nightengale wrote. “It would a huge surprise if he’s in Fort Myers, Fla., come spring training.”
Duran was an All-Star in 2024, leading the league in doubles (48) and triples (14) while posting an .834 OPS. He was named MVP of the All-Star Game and finished eighth in AL MVP voting. He understandably took a step backward in 2025, though was still a productive player with a .774 OPS and an AL-leading 13 triples.
At 29 years old, he’s still in his prime, thus making him an appealing addition for a team in need of a corner outfielder and a lefty bat. Yet with Rafaela (25 years old), Abreu (26) and Anthony (21) in Boston’s outfield, the team is fairly set for the future in the outfield without Duran.