MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 22: Coby White #0 of the Chicago Bulls dribbles the ball during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 22, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Coby White has been one of the Chicago Bulls’ lone bright spots during an otherwise forgettable stretch of basketball in the 2020s. Chicago chose White with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2019 draft, and watched him improve year-over-year to become arguably the team’s best player. Now the Bulls have traded White before he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The Hornets are loading up for a playoff run, while the Bulls are tearing it down in their effort to retool a mediocre roster. Let’s grade this trade for both sides.
Hornets grade for Coby White trade
The Hornets have one of the NBA’s best young cores in place with LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, and Brandon Miller leading the way. White offers an immediate upgrade from Sexton in the backcourt with his ability to play on- or off-the-ball with high-volume three-point shooting ability.
White has always been a streaky shooter, yet he winds up with a similar three-point percentage every year. White has made either 37 percent or 38 percent of his threes each of the last four seasons. He’s been a little slowed this season while battling a calf strain, and he’s only made 34.6 percent of his threes at the time of the trade.
White is not a very good defender. He currently ranks in the 14th percentile of defensive EPM. He’s an offense-first player ranking in the 84th percentile of offensive EPM, but this hasn’t been his best season. The Hornets have already bought low on White at the trade deadline, and it’s possible they can resign him to another bargain contract. He’s only 26 years old so he could have multiple suitors, but the North Carolina native could be motivated to stay in his home state with a rising young team.
I like the idea of White as a super sixth man in Charlotte who can play some point guard if Ball endures more injury troubles. This is a small price to pay for a good player.
Grade: A
Bulls grade for Coby White trade
The Bulls decided they weren’t going to resign White this summer, so they traded him for future assets while they still could. That’s fine, but Chicago could have gotten way more for him at last year’s deadline if they knew what they were doing.
It sure feels like the Bulls are fully rebuilding after trading White, Nikola Vucevic, and Kevin Huerter ahead of the trade deadline. Anfernee Simons will be a good replacement for White, but he needs a new contract. Jaden Ivey will step into a big role, but he hasn’t looked like the same player coming off a horrific leg injury, and he’ll also be a restricted free agent this summer. Chicago has one healthy big man on the roster in Jalen Smith, and he’s more of a power forward than a center as the league opts for more two-big lineups. The Bulls could be very bad the rest of this season.
Trying to get more ping-pong balls rather than going for another doomed play-in tournament run is a good move for Chicago’s front office, but it feels like too little, too late. The Bulls might be able to get to No. 9 or No. 10 in the reverse standings, but they’ll still need a lot of lottery luck to move up. Chicago deserves it: the Bulls have refused to lose on purpose for the last five years unlike the other star-less teams, and they have one of the biggest fanbases in the league that is starving for a superstar. Landing Cameron Boozer or Darryn Peterson would change everything for the Bulls, and now there’s a greater chance it happens even if it still requires a ton of luck.
The Bulls should have traded White a year ago to maximize his value. By holding onto him until the very last second, they got basically nothing in return for him.
The NHL odds for the 2025-26 NHL MVP have been led by Nathan MacKinnon for much of the season, but his lead is starting to dwindle...
After being as short as -450, Nate is now just -170, with Macklin Celebrini at +215. We could be in for a wild MVP race following the Olympic break. Check out the rest of the NHL MVP odds below!
Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. When the regular season is nearly finished and a consensus has emerged, you might see a player with a minus sign (-) ahead of his odds, like this:
Connor McDavid -400
The (-) means that McDavid is the odds-on favorite, and a bettor would need to wager $400 to win $100. Other contenders in the MVP race might have plus (+) odds to win.
Nathan MacKinnon +650
Here, a bettor stood to profit $650 for every $100 wagered.
If American odds aren't your thing, simply use a tool like our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.
The last player to win the Hart Trophy and Stanley Cup in a single season was Tampa Bay Lightning forward Martin St. Louis (2004).
Carey Price was the last goaltender (2015) to win the MVP award before Connor Hellebuyck did last season.
Alexander Ovechkin was the last player to repeat as the Hart winner (2008 and 2009).
Centers have won six of the last 10 MVP awards.
The last time a defenseman won the Hart Trophy was Chris Pronger back in the 1999-00 season.
NHL Hart Trophy history
A quick look at recent NHL MVPs and the position they played.
Season
Player
Position
Team
2024-25
Connor Hellebuyck
Goalie
Winnipeg Jets
2023-24
Nathan MacKinnon
Center
Colorado Avalanche
2022-23
Connor McDavid
Center
Edmonton Oilers
2021-22
Auston Matthews
Center
Toronto Maple Leafs
2020-21
Connor McDavid
Center
Edmonton Oilers
2019-20
Leon Draisaitl
Center
Edmonton Oilers
2018-19
Nikita Kucherov
Right Wing
Tampa Bay Lightning
2017-18
Taylor Hall
Left Wing
New Jersey Devils
2016-17
Connor McDavid
Center
Edmonton Oilers
2015-16
Patrick Kane
Right Wing
Chicago Blackhawks
2014-15
Carey Price
Goalie
Montreal Canadiens
2013-14
Sidney Crosby
Center
Pittsburgh Penguins
2012-13
Alexander Ovechkin
Right Wing
Washington Capitals
2011-12
Evgeni Malkin
Center
Pittsburgh Penguins
2010-11
Corey Perry
Right Wing
Anaheim Ducks
2009-10
Henrik Sedin
Center
Vancouver Canucks
2008-09
Alexander Ovechkin
Right Wing
Washington Capitals
2007-08
Alexander Ovechkin
Right Wing
Washington Capitals
2006-07
Sidney Crosby
Center
Pittsburgh Penguins
2005-06
Joe Thornton
Center
Boston Bruins/ San Jose Sharks
NHL MVP award winners by position
Position
Hart Trophy awards
Center
55
Right wing
18
Left wing
13
Goalie
9
Defenseman
7
Centers won the Hart Trophy 17 times over an 18-year period from 1979 to 1996. Wayne Gretzky personally skated away with the league's MVP award eight straight times during that era.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes has been suspended one game without pay for push a Washington Wizards mascot. (Julio Cortez / Associated Press)
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes has been suspended one game without pay for pushing a Washington Wizards mascot during pregame introductions, the NBA announced Wednesday.
The Lakers played the Wizards at Capital One Arena on Friday night.
Hayes will miss the Lakers’ game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.
The backup center is averaging 6.4 points on 77.5% shooting and 3.8 rebounds. He’s the primary lob threat for Lakers All-Star Luka Doncic.
The Lakers just completed an eight-game trip with a 5-3 record.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 23: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks sustained an apparent injury on the bench during the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Fiserv Forum on January 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This season has been a miserable one for the Bucks, whose record will only get worse now that Giannis is out for an extended period (again). Simply put, they are a bad team that, for the first time in a long time, sits at the lunch table with the NBA’s bottom-feeders as opposed to its contenders. I don’t need to go through the reasons why—we all know them by now: team has a major talent deficit, coaching is among the worst in the league, yada, yada, yada. The question is this: what should the Bucks be hoping to gain from this season at this point? As I’ll explain, they have the option to tank with somewhat minimal downside—a unique quirk of this season. Alternatively, the Bucks could do what they’ve always done and make moves to improve the roster and compete until the bitter end.
To compete or to tank
For me, the place to start this conversation is to evaluate the incentives for each option. Look, I think there’s at least a chance that this team could make the play-in tournament, even with Giannis playing just the final portion of the season. I wouldn’t say it’s very likely, but it’s possible. From that point, there’s no telling what the eternal play-in trio of Atlanta, Chicago, and Miami will serve up. With Antetokounmpo, I’d give the Bucks as good a chance as any to at least win the first play-in game. Maybe they’d sneak into the playoffs. Maybe they’d win a game over the Pistons, Celtics, or Knicks. But I think it’s fair to say that they’d lose the series in a noncompetitive fashion. Now, I suppose there is some level of incentive for this path—both from a playing perspective and the org’s bottom line—but neither of which I see as anywhere near important enough to override the upside of the alternate route.
Put simply, there is a significant incentive to what I would call a “qualified tank” for the rest of the season. I added the word “qualified” because Milwaukee must still keep an eye on New Orleans. The Bucks own the least favourable of their own first-round pick and the Pelicans’ pick in this year’s draft. It’s easy to assume New Orleans won’t win much this season and will stay at the bottom of the standings. I guess it’s relatively likely that it ends up that way. Still, we should remember that 1. the Pelicans have no incentive to tank, while the teams around them do (and what do you think will happen when these teams play each other?), and 2. they actually have a pretty talented roster when healthy. This is why it’s not necessarily smart for Milwaukee to try to tank every game indiscriminately.
Ideally, the Bucks lose at the same rate the Pelicans lose, and win at the same rate they win (unless it’s the very end of the season and there’s a situation in which the Bucks can move up the draft odds order by losing, but the Pelicans cannot move down by winning). But let’s be honest, it’s also completely unrealistic to think the front office could hatch a plan in which they dictate who plays from night to night based on whether the team needs a win or a loss. I get that this strategy is somewhat typical for younger teams (that also generally don’t have to worry about swap obligations), but probably not for a veteran-laden squad like Milwaukee.
My take on the situation is that the Bucks, especially without Giannis, are very bad and will lose a lot of games without needing lineup manipulation. They’ll win the odd game too, which will probably be a good thing, because the Pelicans won’t go winless the rest of the way. From there, it’s simply out of Milwaukee’s hands. All Bucks fans can do is 1. hope New Orleans loses as much as possible, and 2. hope the other bottom-feeders win, though they will be increasingly trying not to as the season draws to a close. As I’ll get into, this is the ultimate foil for any “disaster” the Bucks could run into vis-a-vis the draft.
On a broader level, though, the Bucks need as high a pick as possible, so this dance is a necessary one. I want to remind folks of Milwaukee’s daunting first-round pick outlook moving forward. Should everything stay as is (which, it must be noted, could change), the Bucks will likely not have the opportunity to control their own destiny regarding their pick until 2031. Why? Because they don’t own their pick next year, and Portland either owns their pick or has swap rights in the three years after that. If you ask me, the Blazers are likely to be better than the Bucks by that point and thus swapping for Milwaukee’s more favourable picks.
However, as I mentioned, this year’s pick swap is with New Orleans, which is obviously worse than Milwaukee (right now, at least). Sidenote: the Pelicans’ pick is owned by the Hawks, but I hesitate to even mention this because it just confuses people; the only thing fans need to know is that it is New Orleans’ and Milwaukee’s picks in the swap. Anyway, assuming the Pelicans remain a bottom-feeder, the Bucks are likely to retain their own pick since they will probably finish a good number of spots above New Orleans in the standings.
That said, even if Milwaukee finishes with a similar record to New Orleans (at the bottom, crucially), the situation could still turn out fine for Milwaukee—and actually has higher-reward outcomes than the scenario above. Sure, the Bucks would have a much higher chance of their pick being swapped, but both their and the Pelicans’ pick will have a high floor to fall back on. For example, let’s assume just for argument’s sake that the Bucks end up with the third-worst odds and the Pelicans end up with the second-worst. Both of those picks would have a floor of seventh.
Alternatively, let’s lay out a scenario in which the Bucks end up with the ninth-worst odds and the Pels end up with the second-worst, but Milwaukee’s pick somehow jumps above New Orleans’ pick to number one (see Cooper Flagg). The Bucks would give it away, which wouldn’t be great. However, the Pelicans’ pick would have a floor of sixth. Of course, the disaster scenario is that by the end of the season, the Bucks and the Pelicans have somehow swapped spots with roughly where each team currently sits. Milwaukee could give up a top-three pick and only get swapped one seventh or after. Fingers crossed that does not happen.
About the 2026 NBA Draft
So now that I’ve gone through the incentive to tank (again, provided the Pels are also bad) from a long-term team-building POV, let’s get more specific and discuss the strength of the 2026 draft itself. Obviously, no two drafts are the same. The no. 1 pick in one draft does not hold the same value as the no. 1 pick in another draft. I mean, just compare Cooper Flagg to Zaccharie Risacher (all due respect). Notably for the Bucks, this upcoming draft is loaded, per all the experts. There are three bona fide contenders for the top pick—Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and AJ Dybantsa—but the talent remains exceptional all through the lottery, first round, and heck, even second round.
The 2026 NBA Draft was always destined to trigger a massive tanking race. This class clearly had three potential No. 1 overall picks from the very start of the process, and all three are living up to the hype to start their one-and-done college seasons.”
“The depth of this freshman class has also impressed, with North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson dominating on both ends with his high-motor, breakneck style, and Houston point guard Kingston Flemings emerging as a legit top-5 pick in his own right as the biggest surprise of the year so far.
“It isn’t just freshmen that make this draft class special. A group of upperclassmen led by Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson, Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz, and Florida’s Thomas Haugh are proving that staying in college for a few years won’t kill your draft stock in the NIL era.
“With that in mind, it seems clear that the incentives behind a tank are a lot more intriguing than Ryan Rollins getting playoff reps, rich owners getting richer, and the Bucks getting a pick in the mid-teens. I believe that moving forward, whether Giannis is in the picture or not, it’s a no-brainer to get as high a pick as possible in this draft and leave this season with the best possible asset. That player can slot in as a core building block for a team with the very few of those.“
Final thoughts…
Other than the obvious concern that the Pelicans go on a winning streak, the only other part of a “tanking” plan I worry about is whether Jon Horst will actually commit to it. I don’t expect him to change much about how the team operates, including lineup manipulation (other than holding Giannis out for the rest of the season, which I absolutely think the Bucks should do for several reasons). What I do worry about, though, is Horst trying to improve the team with a trade for some reason that gets them, like, five more wins than they needed. He’s only acted aggressively in the Giannis era. Is he capable of switching speeds and recognising the golden (but admittedly complicated) opportunity in front of him?
Finally, just a note on tanking in and of itself. Look, I admit that after hoping for this team to win every game for so long, as all fans did, it brings me no joy to now be “cheering” for the opposite result (most of the time). Tanking is tough for both teams and their fans. By the same token, finishing high in the lottery is the easiest way to acquire elite talent, which is what allows you to win in this league, especially in a small market like Milwaukee. Just about every team has tanked it or will tank in the future. I’m not here to get into the whole “is tanking bad for the league?” conversation; that’s a topic that’s been covered extensively at this point. I would just say that until the NBA changes the tanking incentives—which, to be clear, I don’t think it should—teams are going to operate with those incentives top of mind. Don’t hate the player, hate the game.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 30: Jaxson Hayes #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the first half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on January 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA continues to get softer as a league. Apparently, it’s now a punishable offense if you push a mascot, and the league is using Jaxson Hayes as an example.
He will be suspended for one game without pay for pushing the Wizards’ mascot, G-Wiz, during pre-game introductions. The Lakers went on to win that game 142-111.
Here is the shove Hayes gave that the NBA felt was worthy of a suspension. It seems like a very slight bump, and Luka Dončić certainly deals with more physicality on the court than whatever this is.
Jaxson Hayes shoved Wizards mascot, G-Wiz, in pre-game introductions
Well, I hope G-Wiz got the justice he feels he deserves, and that Hayes learns something here, I guess?
This is an odd event, to say the least, and hearing what Lakers head coach JJ Redick thinks and what Hayes has to say about it will likely be very entertaining.
Of all the things a player could get suspended for, this seems beyond trivial and silly, but hey, the league continues to crack down on physicality, including what happens between players and mascots.
And honestly, when it comes to gambling, salary cap circumvention, and a myriad of other issues players can get in trouble for, pushing mascots is the best problem to crack down on first.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 01: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to missing a 3-point basket during the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on February 01, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis was the biggest story in basketball last year. It was a bold move, and by bold we of course mean “moronic.” At least the NBA Draft Lottery machine went brrrr in the right way to give Dallas the No. 1 overall pick and Cooper Flagg, or they would be utterly unwatchable.
Davis’ tenure with the Mavericks is now over after being traded to the Washington Wizards in a stunner. It will be remembered mostly for Anthony Davis spending a whole lot of time in street clothes, as he only played 29 times for Dallas out of a possible 90 games. Now the dust has settled on both deals we have a complete look at what the Mavericks got for Luka Doncic, the No. 1 scorer in the NBA this season.
Dallas Mavericks trade …
Luka Doncic
Maxi Kleber
Markieff Morris
D’Angelo Russell
Dante Exum
Dallas Mavericks receive …
Khris Middleton
AJ Johnson
Malaki Branham
Marvin Bagley III
Max Christie
2026 1st round pick (from Thunder)
2029 1st round pick (from Lakers)
2030 1st round pick — Top 20 protected (from Warriors)
Kudos to the Mavs for managing to get a decent return in the Anthony Davis trade, but this really underscored just how horrific the original Luka trade was. The Mavericks lost the best scorer in the entire NBA, handing the Lakers their future — and they got two firsts that will be in the back-end of the first round, and another first they might never see because of the protection. Oh, and they also got the island of misfit toys.
One of the worst trades in basketball history remains one of the worst trades in history.
HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 27: Evan Mobley #4 and Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five before the game against the Houston Rockets on December 27, 2025 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have made two big moves already at the trade deadline. It’s unlikely that they make another core-altering trade, but you never want to rule things out with this front office. If they did want to make an additional deal, it’s clear that other teams are interested in big man Jarrett Allen.
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If the Cavs were to make another bigger move before the deadline, it seems like Allen would be the one guy that could be sent out. His roughly $30 million per year contract increase that starts next season isn’t an overpay, but it could be looked at as such if you’re a team like the Cavs that is already over the second apron and has an All-NBA caliber center in Evan Mobley.
At the same time, Allen should be a phenomenal fit with James Harden. Harden is at his best when he’s able to run high pick-and-rolls with a good screener and rim finisher. Allen checks those boxes better than Mobley does at this point in his career. It’s not difficult to envision Harden and Allen lineups carving through opposing defenses.
Still, Allen’s trade value is worth monitoring. The front office has shown that they aren’t afraid to make win-now moves, and it’s clear that there is at least a market out there for Allen’s services.
We’ll see if the Cavs make any additional moves before Thursday’s deadline.
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 11: Caleb Jones #82 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates during the game against the New York Rangers at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 11, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Defenseman Caleb Jones has been suspended for 20 games by the NHL
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Caleb Jones has been suspended for 20 games, without pay, for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the suspension is accompanied by mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program for evaluation and possible treatment.
The National Hockey League will have no further comment on this matter.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 30: Stephen Curry #30 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors embrace prior to the start of the game against the Detroit Pistons at Chase Center on January 30, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to February Daily Topics at Golden State of Mind. A question (almost) every day this month to give the community a prompt to talk about!
The 2026 NBA trade deadline is less than 24 hours away. We’ve already seen some huge names get moved, such as Anthony Davis and James Harden. The Golden State Warriors have moved in silence, as they make a run at Giannis Antetokounmpo … and don’t seem interested in doing anything else.
It appears that all of the cards are on the table for the Warriors. They’re going all-in for the two-time MVP from Greece, and it seems as though the Milwaukee Bucks can name their price (as long as it doesn’t include Steph Curry).
That means that virtually every Warriors player is seeing their name in trade rumors and rumblings. For some fans, it’s exciting seeing names pop up; for others, it’s concerning or sad.
Whether you’re pretending to be Mike Dunleavy Jr. making the best move, or just acting as a sentimental fan, we all have players we cling tightly to. Who are those players for you? Who would you make untouchable in trades?
For me, while I’d be heartbroken to see Draymond Green leave, Curry is the only untouchable. There’s no trade I’d make for Curry … not even Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, if such a silly idea were possible. At this point he means too much, and seeing his story come to an end in Golden State is an irrational priority of mine.
The Seattle Kraken have recalled center Oscar Fisker Molgaard from the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds. Additionally, they have placed rookie Berkly Catton on the injured reserve.
Fisker Molgaard has been called up twice before but has played only two games in the NHL, both during his first call-up in November. He recorded an assist in his NHL debut.
Fisker Molgaard will likely be a healthy scratch tonight and is presumably called up as a precaution in case any Kraken forwards sustain an injury before tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.
In the AHL, the 20-year-old has posted seven goals and 22 points in 35 games, ranking seventh in goals and fourth in points. Following tonight’s game, Fisker Molgaard will head to Milano Cortina for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Catton now joins Ben Meyers and Matt Murray on the injured reserve. Catton sustained his upper-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 29. He was announced to be out for the Kraken’s final three games before the break and that he would be able to return to the lineup when NHL play resumes.
The 20-year-old has scored five goals and 11 points in 40 games during his rookie season.
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While the NHL will suspend operations for the Olympic break, business will continue as usual in the AHL, and it will hold its All-Star Classic on February 10 and 11. The Montreal Canadiens’ farm team, Laval Rocket, will be represented by three players. Forward Laurent Dauphin, defenseman Adam Engstrom, and goaltender Jacob Fowler.
Fowler, who made his NHL debut this season amid the Canadiens’ goaltending woes, has had a new mask made for the occasion. While it’s pretty similar to the one he usually wears, it includes one significant change that is sure to please the organization’s fans.
Fowler turned to local artist JF Aumais to have the new mask made, and Aumais revealed the design yesterday on his Facebook page, stating that Fowler wanted to stick with his classic Iron Man design, but adding a few twists. The mask includes the AHL All-Star Classic logo and, on the back plate, where Fowler’s regular mask features a Florida license plate, it has a Quebec license plate instead, featuring the province’s motto Je me souviens.
JF Aumais poses with Jacob Fowler and his new mask. Photo credit: JF Aumais Mask Wraps Facebook
Fowler is having a great season with the Rocket; he has a 14-7-0 record, three shutouts, a 2.25 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. While most believed he was going to spend the whole season with the Rocket, the goaltending trials and tribulations in Montreal led to a surprise recall for the 21-year-old. In 10 games with the Canadiens, he put up a 4-4-2 record with a 2.62 GAA and a .902 SV on top of recording a shutout against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Fowler was ultimately sent back to the AHL, not because he wasn’t performing well, but rather because the organization wanted him to get plenty of action, which he wouldn’t have had in a three-goalie system with the Habs. The 10-game audition was sufficient to see that the Canadiens have a diamond in the rough in their hands with Fowler, who should be in Montreal full-time sooner rather than later.
Pierre LeBrun of TSN indicates that the Rangers are retaining 50 percent of Panarin's salary on his contract set to expire at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Vincent Mercogliano of The Athletic reports that the conditional third-round pick is the better of Los Angeles's two third-rounders in 2026, but if the Kings win one playoff round, it becomes a second. If they win two rounds, the Kings will add a 2028 fourth-round pick.
Mickey Lolich, the 1968 World Series MVP for the champion Tigers and a one-time Mets pitcher, died Wednesday.
He was 85.
The Tigers said Lolich’s wife told them he died after a brief stay in hospice care, though his cause of death wasn’t disclosed.
Mickey Lolich pitching for the Tigers during the 1968 World Series. Getty Images
Lolich’s finest hour in baseball came during the 1968 World Series, when he tossed three complete-game victories, including a one-run gem in Game 7 against the Cardinals on just two days’ rest.
That came after Lolich briefly lost his rotation spot during the regular season following a string of rough outings in July. He wasn’t pleased.
“I was having a few problems, but I had been a starting pitcher ever since 1964,” Lolich said. “I remember telling [manager Mayo Smith], ‘If we win this thing this year it’s going to be because of me.’ But I was only talking about the season. I wasn’t talking about the World Series.
“I got my revenge back in the World Series.”
Mickey Lolich (29) and first baseman Joe Torre (9) of the Mets pose on a Kawasaki motorcycle at Shea Stadium during the 1976 season. Focus on Sport via Getty Images
Lolich spent 13 seasons with the Tigers and was a three-time All-Star, finishing in the top three of the AL Cy Young voting twice.
The Tigers traded Lolich to the Mets after the 1975 season for Rusty Staub; Lolich initially exercised his 10-and-5 rights to veto the deal, but Mets brass convinced him to accept the trade.
He had a 3.22 ERA in 31 appearances (30 starts) for the Mets in 1976 before retiring. After sitting out the ’77 season, he came back for two seasons with the Padres before retiring for good.
Lolich finished his career with a 217-191 record, 3.44 ERA and 2,832 strikeouts, the 23rd most in MLB history.
Mickey Lolich in 2018. MLB Photos via Getty Images
“Lolich will be remembered as one of the most durable and dominant left-handed pitchers of his era and a cornerstone of Detroit’s pitching staff for more than a decade,” the Tigers said in a statement.
The NBA trade deadline is drawing nearer and more teams are making game-changing moves to alter the NBA landscape heading into the playoffs. However, through all the hullabaloo, the most impactful event might have happened last night.
SGA had been selected as an All-Star Game starter. 2026 would have marked his fourth consecutive All-Star Game appearance.
When did SGA suffer his injury?
Gilgeous-Alexander suffered his abdominal injury during Oklahoma City's 128-92 win against the Magic on Feb. 3.
Despite the injury, SGA still managed 20 points and nine assists, extending his streak of consecutive 20-point games to 121 games. He played 28 minutes in the contest, scoring his final point with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
When will SGA return?
SGA will miss at least five games, and will be re-evaluated following the All-Star break. Oklahoma City's first game after the break will be on Feb. 20 at home against the Brooklyn Nets.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 04: George Kirby #68 of the Seattle Mariners at bat against the Detroit Tigers at T-Mobile Park on October 04, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The grass isn’t always greener. The skies, famously, aren’t liable to be much bluer elsewhere either.
George Kirby has thrived in Seattle. A perfect fit for the Mariners as an organization, obsessed as they are with avoiding free passes and controlling the count and zone. Intense on the mound and, seemingly, off of it, Kirby is a beneficiary of the organization into which he was drafted. A fly ball pitcher who, for most of his career, has been among the most contact dependent hurlers in the sport, Kirby thrives in Seattle.
All until 2025.
There was no catastrophe for Furious George, but things began on the wrong foot. Not only was he sidelined to start the season with shoulder inflammation, but his knee had been bothering him as well, contributing to a longer-term outlay that also doubled as Kirby’s first ever trip to the injured list in his big league career. Upon his return, for the first time ever, Kirby struggled. Extensively. He was drubbed out of the gate by the Astros and Nationals, and spent the rest of the season attempting to claw back into alignment. Kirby feasted upon the Angels for 37 strikeouts to just three walks and six earned runs in 19.1 innings, but the rest of the league ran him for a 4.64/3.58 ERA/FIP in 106.2 IP.
In any representation of his last campaign, two clear storylines stand out. First is Kirby’s willingness to work outside the zone, as the famously walk-averse righty ran his highest-ever walk rate. 5.5% is still 18th-lowest in MLB among pitchers with at least 120 innings (of which there were 105), but Kirby’s been 6th, 1st, and 2nd in the category since entering the league. Cause for concern? Not… really. Kirby’s strikeout rate ticked up in essentially equal measure, perhaps circumstantial or perhaps with intent as he looked behind him (more on that in a moment). By K-BB%, Kirby has ranked 21st, 17th, 20th, and… 16th from 2022-2025, echoing Luis Castillo in his capacity to consistently deliver high-quality numbers despite frequent tweaks to his pitch mix and locations.
Yes, Kirby pitched out of the zone more than ever, but he got the expected outcomes. More whiffs than ever, the best called strike-plus-whiff rate of his career. Fewer swings, sure, and less chase even, but the chases he did get were more impotent. If Kirby’s intention was to mitigate some of the ambushability inherent to his strike-pumping ways, however, he only partially succeeded. Hitters still didn’t clobber Kirby, but while they were whiffing more, they barreled him up more frequently too. It’s not clear to me that this is connected, but that’s the confusion of gauging Kirby’s last campaign: what is tied to injury and rust, and what was intentional alteration?
Kirby cut his splitter and barely worked in a lesser changeup due to difficulty in using the pitch comfortably as he returned to health. Was the lowered arm slot which shifted the shape of his sinker and blurred the previously-distinct movement of his slider and curveball a tactical adjustment, or a compensation for his preseason discomfort? What was his plan, and what was what he did after getting hit in the mouth?
The second point of delineation is evident in Kirby’s overall line a year ago, a 4.21/3.37 ERA/FIP. We know better now than to attribute batted ball outcomes as pure fortune, but as we’ve addressed already, Kirby didn’t start giving up purely rockets. A small uptick in hard hit rate does not explain the 9th-highest ERA-over-FIP in MLB (among our same 105 player, 120+ IP cohort). Three of the top-10 in this range are, as to be expected, Colorado Rockies, with Diamondbacks and Phillies in the mix as well.
To have things go this poorly requires some ill fortune, as Dylan Cease and Sonny Gray can attest. But to have this occur with Seattle as your home park is difficult to reconcile. Kirby’s 0.85 gap between his earnie and his fippie (don’t love that) is the worst in a decade for a Seattle starter at this workload. Marco Gonzales ran a 0.57 gap in 2018, 15th in MLB, the last time a Mariner entered this range of ill fortune despite the contact-suppressing confines of T-Mobile Park at their backs. It requires a retreat to 2016 James Paxton to find a Seattle pitcher more maligned than Kirby, whose 0.99 ERA-FIP presaged a stretch of several brilliant seasons for the Big Maple. In T-Mobile Park history, only the most contact-managing, cartoonishly unfortunate have outpaced Kirby’s bitter, season-long pill.
This is about where I’ve hit my wall. Kirby’s issues are somewhat intertwined to defensive ineptitude, but neither by BABIP nor contact outcomes does his performance stand out too egregiously. Instead, it seems like Kirby’s mistakes were punished, even when they stayed in the ballpark, often enough that the exemplar of efficiency was unable to methodically carve through opponents with the ease he’s shown in seasons past.
Kirby’s plan in 2026 appears to be that of a player dissatisfied with his previous campaign. His splitter had been an adaptation of Kevin Gausman’s famous out pitch, and its jettisoning for comfort forced him to tie a hand behind his back. If he’s intending to return the pitch to his mix in 2026, as has been intimated, that alone will aid him in his efforts to build on a more strikeout-shaped repertoire. A season ago, Kirby seemed primed to ascend to ace-hood in Seattle’s staff. The first struggle-filled season of his career may finally grant the New York suburbanite what fuels him best: a chip on his shoulder.
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