“What I felt was that their group was suffering”: A Miserable Night at Target Center

The Minneapolis and Twin Cities community has been through a lot the past couple of weeks. The presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has caused constant feelings of unease, fear, and anger, with many people apprehensive about even leaving their homes. It only got harder over the weekend.

On Saturday morning, an ICU nurse, Alex Pretti, was killed by federal officials. The event took place following a confrontation between federal officials and observers in South Minneapolis. Pretti’s death came just over two weeks after Renee Nicole Good was killed in a similar situation.

Nothing about Sunday’s game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors felt normal. With the game delayed 24 hours from Saturday’s original timeslot and peaceful protests happening throughout the city, including on the street in front of Target Center, there were not many people inside the arena who felt much like playing or talking about basketball.

Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch opened his pregame press conference with an emotional statement about what transpired the day before.

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch opens his pregame press conference with a statement about the killing of Alex Pretti pic.twitter.com/jNZ6HA1bm2
— Ryan Eichten (@REichten) January 25, 2026

Finch would later say, “I’m more than a resident. This is my home. I love living here. I love being a part of this community. I’ve been embraced from Day 1. People have been amazing. It’s sad to watch what is happening. On the human level, certainly as somebody who takes great pride in being here, I know a lot of our players feel the same. They all love being here, and it’s just hard to watch what we’re going through.”

Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr also spoke before the game on the events in Minneapolis over the weekend, saying, “I’ve been following everything. It’s very sad. This has always been a great stop on the NBA tour. I love the city of Minneapolis. People here are wonderful, and it’s very sad what’s happening. I feel for the city. There’s a pall that’s been cast over the city. You can feel it. A lot of people are suffering, obviously a loss of life is the number one concern. Those families will never get their family members back. When all the unrest settles down, whenever that is, those family members won’t be returning home, and that’s devastating.”

The Timberwolves held a moment of silence for Pretti, as they did for Good two weeks prior. After about ten seconds of silence, a fan shouted “Fuck ICE,” which was met with cheers from the Target Center crowd.

When the game began, it was clear the Timberwolves were not in the right headspace to play basketball. They quickly fell behind 14-2 to start the game while turning it over nine times in the first quarter. They got the deficit down to just one by halftime, but got outscored by 21 points in the third quarter, eventually losing 111-85.

Players from both teams gave their feelings on the weekend’s events after the game. Like many of us, several Timberwolves players were glued to their phones and TVs, taking in the coverage of everything that was happening.

Julius Randle shared how everything has been affecting him and his thoughts for the local community.

“Regardless of politics, everything, there’s a human aspect to it. For me. I have kids. I have family. For me, the job as a man is to be a protector of the house. And when you see things like that, obviously it’s tough. It’s hard to stomach those things. I’m not political at all. I don’t get into any of that stuff, but it’s tough, regardless of whatever is going on. Somebody lose their life, you never want to see that. From the minute I’ve been here, Minneapolis has been great to me. The fans, the community, have been really behind me. Everyone. Neighbors that I live, community I live in, the school my son goes to, just everything. Been nothing but a joy living here so things like this happening in the community it’s tough. I don’t like seeing it.”

Anthony Edwards was asked a similar question about having a message for the Minnesota community.

The Warriors, who have been in town for a few days, have seen everything unfold during their stay in Minneapolis. On Friday, tens of thousands of people joined together in downtown Minneapolis for an anti-ICE protest. The march started near U.S. Bank Stadium and finished inside Target Center, passing right by the Warriors’ hotel room.

“I was pretty high up in my room, so I could see the whole street,” said Warriors guard Moses Moody. “I don’t know how many blocks, like, all the way down. And it was like, it’s not like a line of people, it’s like, it was a lot of people out there. I can actually see details of what’s going on and everything. But just seeing that large amount of people as they’re protesting over cause, it’s something.”

“I got videos on my phone of it all the way down,” Warriors superstar Stephen Curry explained. “Was like three straight hours, negative 10 degree weather. It was beautiful to see that turn out that speaks to how important you know, people felt to have their voice heard, and those elements and whatever streets right outside our hotel, they were they were out, and it was amazing to watch.”

When the game began on Sunday, the Warriors’ coaches and players could tell that the Wolves and their community were still not ready to play basketball. “Honestly, what I felt was that their group was suffering,” Kerr said in reference to the Timberwolves. “I thought the vibe in the stands, it was one of the most bizarre, sad games I’ve ever been a part of; you could feel the somber atmosphere.”

Kerr’s appraisal of Target Center Sunday night was absolutely correct. The tone walking into the arena was sour, the players on the court seemed to have their minds elsewhere, and the crowd was lifeless, all for good reason.

Eventually, the Timberwolves will have to shift their focus back to basketball, but Sunday night was not that night. From the top of the Wolves organization down to the ushers, the ticket takers, and the fans, no one really felt ready to participate in a basketball game.

January 26, 2026

Hynes: Consistency The Next Step For Wild's David Jiricek

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Head coach John Hynes said David Jiricek continues to make progress as he adjusts to the pace and demands of the NHL game.

Which is good considering he is, and was, talked about as being an offensive defenseman. But having zero points in 22 games this year leaves some concern as it doesn't really scream offensive defenseman.

“I think that David is getting more and more comfortable playing. I think just firm decisions with the puck have been good,” Hynes said. “From a competitive standpoint, he’s always a guy that we think competes hard. It’s just positioning at a high pace at the NHL level, it’s puck decisions at times, it’s just trying to get more consistency in those two areas.”

A development curve can look different for every player, particularly for young defensemen learning to process the game at NHL speed.

It is even easier for a young defenseman to get caught up in his boxscore stats and be worried since he isn't producing. But Hynes said Jiricek understands his development curve.

“Yes, I think that he understands where he’s at and that he’s still developing and still getting ready and everybody’s path is different,” Hynes said.

The Wild have focused on maintaining open communication with Jiricek as he continues to build his game, outlining expectations and areas of improvement while keeping him aligned with the organization’s long-term plan.

“But I do think that we try as best we can to communicate with the player and players of what their situation is, what’s good, what needs improvement, what our plan is for them,” Hynes said.

That transparency, Hynes said, has helped Jiricek remain comfortable with the process, even when it involves spending time away from the NHL lineup.

There have been many times this year that Jiricek has been scratched.

Minnesota swung big with a huge trade last season to acquire Jiricek from the Columbus Blue Jackets when they traded Daemon Hunt, a first round pick in 2025, a third round pick and fourth round pick in 2026 and a second round pick in 2027.

The Wild ended up getting Hunt back when Columbus put him on waivers this year after preseason.

There were even times this season where Hunt would play on his off-side while Jiricek would sit in the press box.

This obviously left Wild fans very concerned, considering what they gave up to acquire the defensemen who couldn't even stay in the lineup.

But, the Wild have been very open with Jiricek in their communication. When he is scratched, Alex Goligoski often sits with him in the press box and analyzes the game with him to offer pointers and things of that nature.

Goligoski was hired by the Wild this season as a player development advisor. He works specifically with defensemen.

“So, I think that there’s a comfort level in that, that there’s communication,” Hynes said. “He knows that he’s got a lot of potential. He knows he can play. He wants to play.”

Hynes emphasized that consistent game action remains a priority for Jiricek's development.

“But I think it’s important, too, that when you’re in his situation that you are willing to go through the process and have a realistic assessment of where your game is at, where our team is at,” Hynes said. “And try to put him in positions if he’s not going to play regularly here, then we think it’s the best thing for him to play regularly in Iowa. And he agrees with that, so now it’s just continuing to build his game and continue to develop.”

For the Wild, the hope is that the production eventually follows the habits. Jiricek’s development has been less about immediate offense and more about learning how to survive, and then thrive, at NHL pace.

If the positioning sharpens and the puck decisions continue to improve, the points that once defined his profile should arrive naturally.

Until then, Minnesota appears willing to live with patience, believing the foundation matters more than the numbers on the back of the stat sheet.

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.

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January 26, 2026

Seven Days of Sun, Week 14: Stability, spacing, and why Booker still anchors everything

Week 14 is officially in the books, and it somehow managed to be the best of times and the worst of times all at once. The line between winning basketball and losing basketball could not have been clearer.

The record tells the story. A 2–2 week. The two wins came with Devin Booker on the floor. The two losses came without him, at least when it mattered most in the fourth quarter. You could feel it. You could see it in how the offense flowed, or stalled, depending on his presence.

In the games Booker played, the team shot 45.7% from the field and 50% from deep, knocking down 46-of-92 from three. When he was not available, those numbers cratered. 34.7% overall in the 5 quarters without him. 17.8% from beyond the arc. Woof.

4 games in Week 14 for the Suns:

11 quarters with Booker: 45.7 FG%, 50 3PT% (46-of-92)
5 quarters without Booker: 34.7 FG%, 17.8 3PT% pic.twitter.com/9H7xLWoBAd
— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) January 26, 2026

If you are looking for a clean personification of what Devin Booker means to this team, there it is in black and white.

Yes, surviving Atlanta emotionally after that night was always going to be tough. But the looks were there. The same can be said against Miami. Open threes. Clean opportunities. Shots that usually fall. If a handful of those go down, both games feel very different late.

And that is the reminder this week delivers. Even if Booker is not the most efficient version of himself this season, he brings steadiness. He brings order. He brings a scoring and playmaking gravity that holds everything together. That is the heliocentric core of this offense. Take it away, and there is a learning curve.

Without him, there are moments where the team looks rudderless. That has been evident. In the 41 games Booker has played, the Suns are 26–15. In the four games he has missed, they are 1–3.

That gap is not theoretical. It is real. And Week 14 made sure everyone noticed.

Week 14 Record: 2-2

@ Brooklyn Nets, W, 126-117

Possession Differential: +1.9
Turnover Differential: +5
Offensive Rebounding Differential: 0

It was not pretty, but it was professional. The Suns handled Brooklyn on Monday, never fully shaking the Nets but keeping a firm grip all night. Phoenix spread the wealth, dropped 126 points, had three over 20, six in double figures, and grabbed win number 26.

@ Philadelphia 76ers, W, 116-110

Possession Differential: +1.9
Turnover Differential: +3
Offensive Rebounding Differential: -3

Vibes do not show up in the box score, but they were loud in Philly. On the second night of a back-to-back, the Suns showed up healthy, whole, and very much alive, with Jalen Green finally back in the mix. No Embiid, no George, no excuses. This one mattered for tone, momentum, and belief.

@ Atlanta Hawks, L, 110-103

Possession Differential: +2.7
Turnover Differential: 0
Offensive Rebounding Differential: +3

The Suns limped out of Atlanta shell-shocked, losing both the game and their emotional armor in one brutal night. Jalen Green went down. Devin Booker left on crutches. A road trip that ended 3–3 suddenly felt like a gut punch instead of a win.

vs. Miami Heat, L, 111-102

Possession Differential: -2.1
Turnover Differential: -5
Offensive Rebounding Differential: -2

Phoenix shot a brutal 37% from the field and an unforgivable 7-of-35 from deep, turning a winnable game into a slow bleed. The Heat were quicker, sharper, and better armed, even on a back-to-back.

Inside the Possession Game

Weekly Possession Differential: +6.4
Weekly Turnover Differential: -1
Offensive Rebounding Differential: +2
Year-to-Date Over/Under .500: +8

Grpah it? Let’s graph it.

The Suns actually did a better job overall of maintaining and earning extra possessions. From a raw numbers standpoint, it was a solid-looking week. But as noted above, this becomes a different team without Devin Booker on the floor.

The next week, maybe two, is going to be telling. Not because the effort disappears, but because the context changes. It will be interesting to see how these same metrics hold up without him, because the team has shown it can still generate extra possessions. That part of the equation does not belong to Booker anyway.

He is not your rebounder. He is not the guy hunting steals or living in passing lanes. That work belongs to the players around him. Booker’s role is different. He is the rudder. He gives direction. He stabilizes everything.

Because of that, the possession and turnover margins might stay relatively intact. The efficiency, however, is another story. That is where the drop off tends to show up, especially when you factor in the upcoming opponents and the reality that players are now being asked to operate with less space.

Without Booker’s gravity, defenders shrink the floor. Shots come a beat quicker. Reads get tighter. Roles blur. And that is where you start to feel his absence most, not in the hustle stats, but in how hard every basket suddenly becomes.

Week 15 Preview

Another week, another four games in six nights. All of them at home, sitting right in the middle of a five-game homestand. The setting is friendly. The schedule is not.

It starts with the Brooklyn Nets, a team the Suns handled earlier this week. That does not mean it gets easier the second time around. If Phoenix wants to take care of business again, controlling Michael Porter Jr. becomes priority number one. The Nets are not a great team, but they are feisty. They hang around. They turn games into work if you let them. Oh, and it’ Dave King’s Bright Side Night. I’ll see you there!

Then comes the back-to-back, and this is where the degree of difficulty spikes.

First up, the Detroit Pistons, currently the best team in the Eastern Conference. And if you want to talk about timing luck, look at it from their perspective. Two games against the Suns, and both come without Devin Booker. That is a gift.

The very next night, the Suns turn around and face the Cleveland Cavaliers, who currently sit fifth in the East. That one comes with some residue. Phoenix lost to Cleveland on New Year’s Eve.The Suns walked into Sunday night like gunslingers at high noon, stared down Miami, and then realized the chamber was empty. Phoenix shot a brutal 37% from the field and an unforgivable 7-of-35 from deep, turning a winnable game into a slow bleed. Miami’s pace exposed every loose possession, every second chance, every stagnant trip. Fourteen assists on 37 makes told the story. The Heat were quicker, sharper, and better armed, even on a back-to-back. Sometimes the duel ends before you ever get a clean shot.

The homestand closes Sunday with the Suns’ first Western Conference opponent since January 7, the LA Clippers. The record says 20–24. The seeding says tenth. The recent form says something entirely different. They have won 15 of their last 18 games. They have figured something out. They are organized. They are physical. And they are a team nobody is excited to see on the schedule right now.

So yes, the Suns are home. But comfort is relative. This week is going to ask questions. The answers will tell us a lot.

What is your prediction for Week 15?

January 26, 2026

The Dallas Mavericks are a preventable tragedy

On Saturday night, January 24th, 2026, the Los Angeles Lakers came to town with their new franchise star, Luka Dončić, for his second trip back to Dallas since the trade that shattered everything.

In just a few days, we’ll mark the one-year anniversary of that midnight surrender — the moment Dončić was sent away for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, a future pick, and the kind of package you might offer for a slightly bruised star, not a generational one. I was at my desk that night. I remember staring blankly at the screen as I typed a column called “The Worst Moment in DFW Sports History Is Here.” I meant every word.

And a year later, nothing — not the ping-pong miracle that delivered Cooper Flagg, not the long-overdue firing of Nico Harrison, not even the surreal image of Dončić returning to the AAC as a Laker while gifting 22 fans a luxury suite experience — comes close to eclipsing the emotional and strategic catastrophe of that trade.

Because the truth is simple and brutal: You never close a championship window voluntarily.

In the coming days, as the trade deadline nears, much of the Mavs discourse will focus on what veterans Dallas might ship off. Klay Thompson. Daniel Gafford. Maybe even P.J. Washington. It’s a familiar cycle by now: tear down, reshuffle, pray for the ping-pong balls to be kind again. But I’d ask Mavericks fans to pause — to feel — before submitting fully to this future-tense loop.

Because the real tragedy of this past year wasn’t just the trade itself. It was how easily so many moved on. How quickly the refrain became “we weren’t going to win anyway,” or “he was leaving eventually,” or worse, “he’s not our guy anymore.”

Luka didn’t just put this team back in the national spotlight. He took a roster stapled together by trade deadline grit and dragged it to the NBA Finals. Three wins away from a parade. And the response from the front office? Not joy. Not commitment. But cold calculus and revisionist logic.

Nico Harrison, shortly after pulling the trigger, told reporters:

“The easiest thing for me is to do nothing. Everyone would praise me for doing nothing. We really believed in it. Time will tell if I’m right.”

Patrick Dumont, echoed that detachment just weeks later:

“We got to the championship games and we didn’t win… so we had to decide: how do we get better?”

As if getting to the championship games…ahem, NBA Finals isn’t what every team in the league is begging the basketball gods for. As if three wins short of the mountaintop is cause to abandon the hike altogether.

Here’s the part that gnaws at me. Most teams never get a Luka. Most teams never get a Dirk. They get glimpses. Moments. And if they’re lucky, a window. The Mavericks had one. Open. Real. Proven. And they chose to board it shut.

I’m not saying another Finals run was guaranteed. Of course it wasn’t. Sports don’t offer that. Life doesn’t offer that. But the point isn’t the parade. It’s the pilgrimage. It’s the chance. You stay in the window until time or nature or the laws of basketball physics close it on you. But you don’t quit on it after one failed attempt. You don’t trade the star who took you there for a player on the back end of his prime and a few half-measures. You don’t make a move Babe Ruth-level in consequence and rationalize it with a shrug.

And if you do?

You don’t get to act surprised when the crowd doesn’t clap.

Saturday night wasn’t just a basketball game. It was a requiem. Luka put up 33 and 11 with a +18 in 39 minutes — in that building, against this team. But the stat sheet wasn’t what made the night surreal. It was the suite full of Mavs fans — invited by Luka himself — who came to thank the player this franchise gave up on. Some of them had defended him through the ugliest moments of last year. And he remembered.

But the reaction online, from the “just move on” crowd, was predictable. Scoffs. Side-eyes. “He’s not your guy anymore.”

Except maybe he is.

Because for some of us, caring about a team means not forgetting. It means mourning what could’ve been. It means feeling both pride and heartbreak when the player you raised becomes something historic — just no longer in your jersey. Being a fan isn’t just about who suits up today. It’s also about honoring the ghost of what was supposed to happen. Dirk did not win it all until he did. We cannot say for certain what would have happened had Doncic been allowed to play out his era, but many of us would rather have continued on those train tracks—wherever they may have led.

Cooper Flagg is the future now. And he deserves our full attention, our full hope. But hope doesn’t require amnesia.

The Dallas Mavericks will rebuild. They’ll market. They’ll sell tickets. They’ll hire a GM outside of the sneaker industry. But they will never undo the moment they chose to walk away from a title window rather than walk through it.

And until the next banner is raised — if it ever is — we will remember. We should remember.

Because sometimes the greatest loyalty is found in the refusal to forget.

January 26, 2026

2026 Chicago Cubs player profiles: Moisés Ballesteros

Third in the series.Today we look at the Cubs’ young DH/C/1B.

In previous episodes, we looked at the Cubs’ two catchers, Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly, indulged in a little speculation, and had video of some of their exploits.

As we move on to the rest of the roster, it seems reasonable to look next at the Cubs’ left-handed DH, Moisés Ballesteros, who isn’t ready for prime time (and perhaps never will be) as a catcher, though the Cubs still continue to float the idea that he’s just a few reps away from competence.

A lot can be said about Ballesteros’ defensive deficiencies, but that tale has been told, and so we’re only saying this little bit — he has a career .985 fielding percentage. Baseball consensus also has it that he’s probably too short to make the scoop at first base, but I’m not really concerned about him playing defense for extended periods.

Because the real tale is about his bat, which is ready for prime time, and is why he’s in The Show. His bio has it that he’s 5’8”, 215, and he looks every bit of 215. He’s husky but he does tend to a bit of avoirdupois weight — however, he has shown a good bat path and quick hips which enable him to get around on any pitch with facility. He was clearly not overwhelmed at the plate in his rookie season, with a slash line of .298/.394/.474 lending credence to the idea that he could be a full-time or LH/Platoon Designated Hitter. Most predictives have him somewhere around .260/.330/.410, with 7-10 HR and 40-45 RBI. The SLG and power numbers look a little low to me but ‘ballpark’.

I’m sure we’d all like it if he exceeded those numbers, and I’d give him a good chance. He’ll probably log a few innings at catcher in the spring. If he doesn’t, then we can probably abandon that part of the narrative. Likewise first base, where Tyler Austin and Jonathon Long offer preferable RH alternatives if the left-handed Busch isn’t going.

Austin is penciled in to back up both Ballesteros and Michael Busch, and will be the subject of our next profile.

January 26, 2026

Next CBA could end high school draft pick eligibility

Since the start of the baseball’s amateur draft, high school players have always been eligible. Selecting a young player out of high school and offering him enough money to forego college was just one of the ways to ensure an organization secured top-notch talent.

If that player agreed to a deal, which included a signing bonus, then he would report to the minors and start at the lowest rung of the minor league system. Even if it didn’t work out, he’d hopefully have money left over from that signing bonus.

If the player didn’t sign and instead went to college, he’d have to play a varied amount of time in the college system before he could re-enter the draft. The team that originally signed him would no longer hold his draft rights, making him available to the rest of the league—including, of course, that original team.

Sometimes going to college paid off. There have been numerous instances of players heading to college and improving their draft stock. However, the inverse was more likely to occur—college baseball didn’t go as well, injuries occurred, the player didn’t improve all that much, etc., and then his draft stock plummeted.

Before the days of NIL, that player would be out of luck when it came to money.

Now, in the days of NIL and revenue sharing, I wonder how much that has changed. How much do college baseball players make? Does that NIL money that wreaks havoc in college football and college basketball trickle down enough to convince a player from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, to choose the Sooners over the Astros?

I have such doubts.

Now, it seems that such a decision may soon become a moot point for high school baseball players.

Is this the END of high school eligibility in the MLB Draft?

Chatter inside of the industry is we could be in the final year or two of high school talent being draft-eligible.

👇A FREE read at @OverSlot_👇

READ: https://t.co/iLEvxTyBZj
— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) January 22, 2026

At OverSlotBaseball.com on Wednesday, Joe Doyle wrote an article free for all to read about how the league’s next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) could end high school draft pick eligibility.

Part of the reason why is making further changes to the minor league system and length of the draft. In 2021, as Doyle notes, the draft shrunk by half, going from 40 rounds to 20 rounds. At the same time, the minor league system contracted as a chunk of the lower levels were extinguished.

In the next CBA, the draft could become even smaller, perhaps even down to 15 or 10 rounds as soon as the 2028 Draft while the minor leagues could further shrink, this time with the elimination of what is now referred to as Class A ball in 2030.

As logic would indicate—and Doyle spells out—fewer rounds of the draft + no Class A ball = less draft eligibility, specifically for high schoolers.

As Pete Campbell once said, “Not great, Bob!”

Not only would this eliminate more jobs at the lower levels of the organization, it would also force high school players to forego a potential guaranteed payday to attend college. And for how long? Would the college eligibility rules change, too, so that a player could enter the draft after his freshman year? Or would the player have to stay on campus longer?

It’s clear why this is on the table—the owners want to save as much money as possible. You may not become a billionaire by being a cheapskate, but evidently that’s how you stay a billionaire.

This not only hurts players, but it also hurts clubs like the Kansas City Royals, organizations that depend on drafting younger players and developing them over the years. It takes potentially great players off the board. If this rule currently existed, there would be no Bobby Witt Jr. in Kansas City.

With the 2nd pick of the 2019 #MLBDraft, the @Royals select @CHHS_baseballs SS Bobby Witt Jr.: https://t.co/OHooNe2EPu pic.twitter.com/7rn5IWeAGH
— MLB Draft (@MLBDraft) June 3, 2019

I’ll note something Doyle makes clear in his column—this isn’t guaranteed. “To be sure, none of this is set in stone or agreed upon in any way yet,” Doyle writes.

For baseball fans, there are more pressing issues than this with upcoming labor talks. If the owners truly push for a salary cap, and it sounds like they will, it could be a long, ugly fight between the owners and the players that will certainly void games and perhaps the entire season.

Ending high school draft pick eligibility isn’t high on the list of fans’ concerns, but it will almost certainly affect how the Royals mold their future.

And not in a positive way.

January 26, 2026

Islanders Anxiety – Episode 358 – Barely Breathing (Parts 1 & 2)

Mother Nature isn’t the only one capable of bringing down a storm. We had so much to discuss that we broke this episode into two parts.

In Part 1, Mike and Dan find the Islanders at a low point after an average road trip and a disastrous return game.

In three games this week, the Islanders left us with layers of anger and frustration. They finished their trip with two bad games, one that somehow yielded a win and another that landed like a lead balloon. They then came back to UBS Arena to face the surging Sabres and once again no-showed a matinee game full of kids, an all-too familiar scenario for them over the last decade-plus. The Isles are still in a playoff berth as of now, but only because the teams below them are scuffling. Management has made no indications that any changes are coming, and the same assortment of deck chairs keeps getting rearranged, leading to no surprises and predictable outcomes.

A game against a Flyers team hunting for the same playoff berth on Monday is huge for both clubs. The Islanders follow that with back-to-back(!) games against a Rangers team that would love to play spoiler, even as they wave their second white flag in seven years. Then it’s a game against Nashville, that old boogie man. With just two weeks before the Olympic Break, these winnable games will all have an effect on how the rest of the Islanders’ season should be treated.

In Part 2, we react to the first concrete reporting on the Islanders moving their AHL team from Bridgeport, CT to Hamilton, ONT, and also wrap up the Mitch Marner Chronicles in another massive Master Leaf Theatre.

The Bridgeport Islanders leaving their home of over 25 years was first teased months ago, but a recent report in The Athletic put out a lot of details we didn’t know already. While the team has yet to make anything official, we give our initial reactions and concerns about the move, while also feeling sympathy for the fans who supported the Sound Tigers/Baby Islanders organization during an usually long time for one minor league team to stay in one place.

Then it’s on to another epic-length Master Leaf Theatre, as Mitch Marner makes his return to his hometown and his former favorite team’s home rink. As expected, the takes afterward were equal parts dramatic and ridiculous, with some writing about the fan reaction in delusional or Shakespearian terms, and others calling out the evening’s failings, including those of the Leafs themselves in a gutless 6-3 loss. We add some new voices to the Master Leaf Theatre canon, which is always a treat, and enjoy some unexpected twists from classic artists of the genre. We had so much to get to that we forgot to mention the Leafs selling an autographed Marner Knights jersey on the concourse during his return game. That tells you all you need to know about how this “hostile” this environment was.

We’ve done a lot of this over the last two weeks, so we’re going to take a little hiatus unless something crazy happens.

Thanks for listening to this two-part episode. The severe weather impacted us in a few way and this was the best solution.

REFERENCES

Islanders plan to relocate AHL affiliate from Bridgeport to Hamilton: Sources by Pierre LeBrun, Eric Stephens at The Athletic

Master Leaf Theatre material:

Where did it go wrong for Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs? by Elliotte Friedman, Sportsnet
Mitch Marner hears boos (so many boos) in his return to Maple Leafs ice. As it should be by Rosie DiManno, Toronto Star
Behind the boos: Inside Mitch Marner’s return to Toronto as a Golden Knight by Joshua Kloke, The Athletic
Maple Leafs faithful rain jeers down upon Marner in tense reunion by Sonny Sachdeva
‘Going to be loud’: Why Toronto will be booing Mitch Marner by Luke Fox, Sportsnet
Maple Leafs fail to match intensity of Mitch Marner’s return by Luke Fox, Sportsnet
SIMMONS SAYS: Maple Leafs Auston Matthews behaving rather uncaptain-like by Steve Simmons

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January 26, 2026

The week ahead: Penguins keep stacking points

Even though they almost let it slip away on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins won all four games on their Western Conference road trip and mostly did so in impressive fashion. They beat the Seattle Kraken, Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers by multiple goals, with all three games being rather convincing wins, and then had a 3-0 lead on the Vancouver Canucks going into the third period. They needed goalie Stuart Skinner to stand on his head a little bit to secure that win, but the bottom line is he did, they got the two points, and they remain one of the best teams in the NHL since the holiday break with an 11-2-2 record in their first 15 games since then.

What that means for the standings:

The Penguins are tied for the seventh-best points percentage (.618) in the entire NHL.
Their goal-differential is tied for the sixth-best in the NHL.
They are tied for the fourth-best points percentage (.618) in the Eastern Conference.
They are four points ahead of the New York Islanders for the second spot in the Metropolitan Division in the same number of games played.
They are on a 101-point pace for the season.
The current playoff cut-off line in the Eastern Conference is 98 points in the wild-card race and 94 points in the Metropolitan Division.

Overall, they have put themselves in a pretty good spot.

They have a chance to keep it going on this upcoming three-game home stand against the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators.

The home stand begins on Thursday night against Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks. The Penguins won the first meeting this season, 7-3, back on Dec. 28 in Chicago to kickstart this recent strong stretch of play.

While Bedard is a blossoming superstar in the NHL, the Blackhawks as a whole are still not particularly good. They enter the week having won just three of their past nine games, have the sixth-worst record in the NHL and some of the worst 5-on-5 scoring chance and possession metrics in the NHL.

They are 30th in 5-on-5 expected goal share and 28th in expected goals against per 60 minutes. That should be a winnable game.

On Saturday the Penguins host former head coach Mike Sullivan and the Rangers for a celebration of the 2016 Stanley Cup team. Several former players will be in the house, and it should be another chance to collect some points against a Rangers team that is currently, by far, the worst team in the Eastern Conference. They are even worse due to the current injuries to top defenseman Adam Fox and starting goalie Igor Shesterkin. Aside from the injuries, the Rangers simply have a lack of offensive talent that limits their scoring ability and ability to push play during 5-on-5 hockey. It is a poorly constructed team that is currently without two of the players it could least afford to be without. The Penguins and Rangers have split the first two games this season, with the Penguins getting a 3-0 win in New York in the season opener, and the Rangers getting a 6-1 win in Sullivan’s first return back to Pittsburgh as an opposing coach.

Even the Monday against the Senators is a winnable game. Ottawa is probably better than its record indicates and has been ruined by awful goaltending all season, but there is still a chance there for more points.

The two big wild cards this week for the Penguins are going to be the availability of forwards Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin.

Malkin seemed to be in pain at the end of Sunday’s game when he was bumped on the bench in celebration of the win.

Rust, meanwhile, could be facing a potential suspension for a hit to the head late in Sunday’s win against the Canucks.

Any potential absence of either player (or both) would disrupt the line chemistry the Penguins have really started to develop over the past few weeks.

Even so, given the way the Penguins are playing, and given the teams on the schedule this week, it would be a bit of a disappointment to not come out of this week with four points. That should be a realistic expectation and goal.

January 26, 2026

Replacing a manager midseason is a big call, and not as simple as it sounds | Jonathan Wilson

Liverpool and Tottenham are in different situations but face the same problem: a manager in the hot seat but few ideal options

Sign up for Soccer with Jonathan Wilson here

Another weekend, another few days of soul-searching for Liverpool and Tottenham. Liverpool had been on a 13-game unbeaten run before Saturday’s defeat to Bournemouth, but nobody could claim a string of results that included home draws with all three promoted clubs was convincing. Spurs had won just two of their 13 league games before Saturday’s away draw at Burnley, which was salvaged only thanks to an injury-time goal from Cristian Romero.

For both, European competition had offered some relief – Liverpool looked very good in a 3-0 win away to Marseille while Spurs, at least in the first half, produced probably their best performance since August in beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 – but the sad truth is that the vast majority of European sides these days simply cannot live with the physicality of the Premier League. That’s not to say that Bournemouth or Burnley are better than Marseille or Dortmund, but it is to say that the challenge they pose a Premier League side is less.

January 26, 2026

Islanders vs Flyers Prediction, Picks & Same-Game Parlay for Tonight’s NHL Game

The New York Islanders have been generous to Under backers this season, particularly when facing sturdy defensive teams.

My Islanders vs. Flyers predictions and NHL picks expect that to hold true in an important divisional battle between two teams neck-and-neck in the standings.

Islanders vs Flyers prediction

Islanders vs Flyers best bet: Under 5.5 (+105)

Ilya Sorokin has performed as well as anybody this season, leading the NHL in goals saved above expected with a mark of +23.8 through 30 appearances. He's a huge reason why the New York Islanders rank fifth in goals against per game and sit in a playoff spot.

The Islanders have played in a lot of low-scoring games (they possess an O/U record of 22-27-2), especially against other stingy sides.

The Philadelphia Flyers meet the criteria. They're one of the best shot suppression teams in the NHL and also prevent goals very effectively — at least with Dan Vladar, tonight’s projected starter, between the pipes.

Isolating games against Top-10 teams in terms of limiting shots, eight of New York’s past 12 have featured five goals or fewer. That includes five straight on the road.

The Islanders don’t have enough firepower to score consistently against good defensive teams, while almost every opponent struggles to beat Sorokin. Neither of these teams has scored more than three goals over the past five head-to-head matchups.

With Sorokin and Vladar expected between the pipes, there’s no reason to expect either team to hit its offensive ceiling in this one.

Islanders vs Flyers same-game parlay

Owen Tippett has shot the lights out of late, averaging 3.2 SOG over the past 10 while clearing this line in eight. Coming off a hat trick against the No. 1-ranked Avalanche, Tippett should have all the confidence to keep shooting in this one.

Philadelphia is great at taking away the middle of the ice and forcing teams to shoot from the perimeter. That bodes well for Tony DeAngelo, a former Flyer who's recorded multiple shots in four straight returns to Philadelphia.

Islanders vs Flyers SGP

Under 5.5
Owen Tippett Over 2.5 shots
Tony DeAngelo Over 1.5 shots

Islanders vs Flyers odds

Moneyline: Islanders +100 | Flyers -120
Puck Line: Islanders +1.5 (-250) | Flyers -1.5 (+205)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 | Under 5.5

Islanders vs Flyers trend

The Islanders have cashed the Under in 14 of their last 20 road games for +9.75 units and a 45% ROI. Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs. Flyers.

How to watch Islanders vs Flyers

Location	Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date	Friday, January 26, 2026
Puck drop	7:00 p.m. ET
TV	MSGSN, NBCS-Philadelphia

Islanders vs Flyers latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

January 26, 2026

Watch Raptors' Mamukelashvili make sure Thunder's Lu Dort avoids ugly fall

This had the potential to be ugly, fortunately instead it was just pretty funny.

During Sunday night's game, Oklahoma City's Lu Dort rotated over to defend Toronto big man Sandro Mamukelashvili on the roll to the rim. When Mamukelashvili got the pass, he pump-faked, and Dort bought it — and ended up jumping on his shoulders.

Sandro Mamukelashvili made sure Lu Dort didn't fall. pic.twitter.com/MqfuKRBrrs
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) January 26, 2026

Classy move by Mamukelashvili to make sure Dort didn't take a hard fall.

Toronto went on to hand Oklahoma City its second straight home loss 103-101, behind 23 from Immanuel Quickley (whose name keeps popping up in trade rumors as the Raptors look for another big man). Mamukelashvili had 10 points in the win.

January 26, 2026

Sennecke Turns Up The Heat In Scoring Race With Canadiens' Demidov

From the moment he arrived in town last April, Ivan Demidov has been a Montreal Canadiens fan’s favourite, and his performance this season has not disappointed. He started the year on a line with fellow rookie Oliver Kapanen and Alex Newhook, which proved to be a very good line until Newhook was injured, forcing Martin St-Louis to find another combination. The rookies got a turn with Kirby Dach, but he was injured in their very first game as linemates. They then had a seven-game stint with Juraj Slafkovsky before spending a few games with Alexandre Texier. Still, ultimately, the coach reverted to the Slovak power forward, and the league has really come into its own.

After 52 games, the Russian rookie leads all NHL rookies with 43 points, 24 penalty minutes, and a plus-eight rating, and until Sunday night, his linemate Kapanen was leading all rookies in goals scored, with 16, but that changed with the Anaheim Ducks’ 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames. Ducks’ rookie Beckett Sennecke scored his first hat trick in the comeback overtime win, leapfrogging Kapanen in the rookie goal-scoring race. He now has 18 lamplighters.

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That performance also allowed Sennecke to get closer to Demidov and the rookie-scoring lead, as he now has 41 points, just two behind the Canadiens’ Russian wonder. Both players have skated in 52 games and should be Matthew Schaefer’s main competition in the race for the Calder Trophy.

The fact that Demidov has the lead right now is impressive considering he only plays an average of 18.1 shifts per game compared to Sennecke’s 21.7 shifts and Schaefer’s 26.9. Of course, it means the Russian gets less ice time, skating for an average of 15 minutes and 24 seconds, while Sennecke spends an average of 17:09 on the ice, and the defenseman, 24:04. Demidov is undoubtedly making the most of the time he is given.

In the last 10 years, seven forwards have won the Calder Trophy while only three defensemen have been able to grab it. Last year, Lane Hutson won it with 66 points, while Moritz Seider claimed it in 2021-22, and Cale Makar landed it in 2019-20, both with 50 points, but Covid shortened Makar’s rookie season. Over those 10 years, the forwards who won the Trophy averaged 67 points.

As things stand, Demidov is on pace for 68 points while Sennecke is on pace for 65. Meanwhile, Schaefer is on pace for 55 points, in Calder Trophy territory for a blueliner, and his role goes beyond just putting up points for the New York Islanders. It feels like Demidov will need to really separate himself with his production if he’s to win the rookie of the year trophy for a second year running for the Canadiens.

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January 26, 2026

NHL Player Props & Best Bets for Today, January 26: Viktory Formation

There are five games on the ice on Monday, January 26, and I’ve got a trio of NHL player props to cover you throughout the night.

A pair of my top NHL picks are targeting Boston Bruins wingers David Pastrnak and Viktor Arvidsson in a soft matchup against the New York Rangers.

Best NHL player prop bets today

Player
David Pastrnak Over 3.5 shots on goal	<<+105>>
Viktor Arvidsson Over 2.5 shots on goal	<<-115>>
Dylan Guenther Under 0.5 points	<<+105>>

Get a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL.
(not available in Ontario)

Our best NHL player props for Monday, January 26

Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.

Prop #1: David Pastrnak Over 3.5 shots on goal

+105 at BET99

Boston Bruins superstar David Pastrnak has recorded four or more shots in six of his past eight games, totaling 32 on 64 attempts. His 12.0 shots and 24.01 attempts per 60 minutes during the stretch rank eighth and fifth in the league, respectively.

With the New York Rangers ranking 28th in Corsi For percentage at 5-on-5 while allowing a healthy 29.2 shots per game out of the holiday break, this checks out as a soft matchup.

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NHL Network, Sportsnet+

Prop #2: Viktor Arvidsson Over 2.5 shots on goal

-115 at BET99

Viktor Arvidsson ranks second in shots while pacing the NHL in attempts per 60 minutes across his past 10 games, recording three or more in eight of those contests.

He’s piled up a monster 39 shots and 72 attempts during the stretch, and as noted, this is a great matchup for the B's snipers.

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NHL Network, Sportsnet+

Prop #3: Dylan Guenther Under 0.5 points

+105 at BET99

Utah Mammoth winger Dylan Guenther has dropped to a third-line role, and this is a tough matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Tampa has surrendered the second-fewest expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 and ranks second in penalty-kill percentage.

Plus, Guenther has missed the scoresheet in four of his past eight games.

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN+, Sportsnet+

These props are available now at BET99, one of our best betting sites.

MORE NHL FREE PICKS

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

January 26, 2026

Athletics Community Prospect List: Jump Takes Third Spot

Our CPL continues on this bright and beautiful morning and the third spot in our community’s rankings goes to another left-hander in Gage Jump. The Athletics’ second round pick last year had an amazing first season in the professional ranks, starting the year in High-A before getting promoted to Double-A, where he spent the majority of the season. Jump is much closer to the big leagues than his fellow left-hander Arnold and could legitimately become an option for the Athletics this summer if things continue on the path that they’re on right now. It shouldn’t be much longer before we see him donning the Green & Gold.

Taking Jump’s spot in the nominations list will be shortstop Edgar Montero. The young shortstop out of the Dominican Republic had a tough start to his pro career but elevated his game in his second full season. There’s lots to like in his approach at the plate as he’s able to draw walks without sacrificing much power in the batter’s box. Like other current nominees on our list he’s a bit farther away from truly impacting the big league squad but Montero has the chance to become a quality prospect given enough time. Does he rank above his fellow prospects on this list though?

The process for this public vote is explained below. Please take a moment to read this before participating:

Please only vote for one. The player with the most votes at the end of voting will win the ranked spot. The remaining four players move on to the next ballot where they are joined by a new nominee.
In the comments, below the official voting, the community will nominate players to be put onto the ballot for the next round. The format for your comment should be “Nomination: Player Name”.
If a prospect is traded, his name will be crossed out, and all other players will be moved up a space. If a prospect is acquired, a special vote will be put up to determine where that player should rank.

Click on the link here to vote!

* * *

A’s fans top prospects, ranked:

Leo De Vries
Jamie Arnold
Gage Jump

The voting continues! Who will take the fourth spot? The voting should get much more interesting from here on out. Here’s a quick rundown on each nominee— the scouting grades (on a 20-to-80 scale) and scouting reports come from MLB Pipeline.

Nominees on the current ballot:

Henry Bolte, OF

Expected level: Triple-A | Age 22

2025 stats (AA/AAA): 488 PA, .284/.385/.427, 20 doubles, 6 triples, 9 HR, 56 RBI, 57 BB, 141 K, 44 SB