Antoine Dupont and Matthieu Jalibert have thrilled during Les Bleus’ storming start to the Six Nations
The greatest double acts roll off the tongue. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Morecambe and Wise, Lennon and McCartney. It’s the same in sport: Lillee and Thomson, Torvill and Dean, Redgrave and Pinsent. After a while their individual talents complement each other so perfectly it becomes hard to mention one without the other.
Which is what is now happening on the rugby fields of Europe. For Butch and Sundance read Antoine Dupont and Matthieu Jalibert, the creative partnership behind a France team weaving the prettiest of Six Nations patterns. Between them “Jalipont” are helping to fashion some of the most spectacular attacking rugby anyone could wish for.
Nikola Vučević has played three games with Boston and, so far, he’s been exactly as advertised.
The Montenegrin big man is averaging 13.7 points and 9.7 rebounds while shooting 48.5% from the floor and better than 41% from three. As a proven veteran, you generally know what you’re getting from Vučević — steady scoring, strong rebounding, and a polished offensive game.
Growing up, my two favorite NBA players were Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan — Garnett for his defense and intensity, and Duncan for his fundamentals and beautiful post game. What I admire most about Vučević is that same kind of polished presence on the block. It’s something that the Celtics have lacked over the years. Al Horford, in his early years with Boston, was a reliable post option, but as he got older, he drifted behind the arc more to help space the floor.
Now, Boston has a player who is both a legitimate post threat and a capable outside shooter. On any given night, Vučević can easily be the team’s second-leading scorer, which gives Boston’s offense more balance — and that’s already been the case through his first three games.
In his first game in green, Vučević was clearly a bit passive. It looked like he didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes as he adjusted to a new team and system. He’s not going to be a great defender, and there will be moments when quicker players beat him. But having him come off the bench alongside Payton Pritchard creates a dynamic one-two, inside-outside punch that can keep the scoring flowing when Jaylen Brown and/or Derrick White are off the floor. Over time, Vučević will get more comfortable with the defensive rotations and team schemes. I expect him to look sharper on that end as he settles in.
Against his former team, Vučević showed the Boston Celtics faithful at TD Garden exactly what he’s capable of. The big man finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in the win over the Bulls. What impressed me most was his 4-of-5 shooting from three. If Vučević can consistently knock down the three-ball, he adds a dimension this team was missing prior to the deadline.
Another key element Vučević brings to this Celtics team is elite rebounding. Before joining Boston, he averaged nine rebounds per game, and so far, he’s posted rebound totals of 11, 6, and 12. In his debut alone, he grabbed six offensive boards — a huge boost for second-chance opportunities. That presence will pair well when Neemias Queta heads to the bench. Having at least one strong rebounder on the floor at all times — and the ability to consistently attack the offensive glass — will be pivotal for Boston, especially in tight playoff-style games.
Three games in, it’s hard not to like the fit. Vučević gives Boston a different look offensively — a true interior scorer who can also step out and stretch the floor, something Boston has missed since getting rid of both Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis. He stabilizes bench units, adds rebounding toughness, and brings veteran poise to a team with championship aspirations.
If this is the baseline, then Boston may have found exactly what it needed. I truly believe Vučević is going to be a great addition to this roster. More than anything, I’m glad he gets the opportunity to play meaningful basketball on a legitimate contender. Veterans like him don’t always get that chance late in their careers, and if these first three games are any indication, he’s going to make an impact.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 2: Jack Suwinski # 65 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on September 2, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are cutting ties with tenured outfielder Jack Suwinski as they are officially designating him for assignment.
Suwinski has been a part of the Pirates’ organization since July of 2021 when he was acquired in a trade that sent second baseman Adam Frazier to the San Diego Padres. Suwinski having now being DFA’d will have the opportunity to be claimed off waivers by the other 29 MLB organizations. If Suwinski is not claimed off waivers, he will return to the Pirates’ Minor League system and likely elect to hit the free-agency market.
Suwinski being DFA’d frees up space on the Pirates’ 40-man-roster to officially sign newly acquired designated hitter, Marcell Ozuna. The Pirates resigned Suwinski to a one-year contract this offseason to avoid arbitration.
The time that Suwinski spent with the Pirates was highlighted by power at the plate coupled with wild inconsistency. The 27-year-old slugger made his MLB debut in 2022 and played in 106 games for the Pirates that season. Suwinski enjoyed a breakout season in 2023 where he had 26 homers, which ranked as the 20th-most in the National League. Suwinski’s cardinal sin was while he would have incredible power at the plate, he also had a nasty reputation of having a high swing and miss rate. That same 2023 season where he ranked 20th in homers, he also ranked sixth in total strikeouts with 172.
Jack Suwinski: 2nd more home runs by a Pirate player in their first 2 MLB seasons, behind only Ralph Kiner.
While he had flashes of greatness and potential as a power hitter in Pittsburgh’s lineup, Suwinski was never able to replicate the pop he he showed during the 2023 season. 2024 saw Suwinski appear in 88 games and hitting just 9 home runs.
2025 seemed to be the real breaking point for Suwinski’s time in Pittsburgh. He would appear in just 59 games, as he battled inconsistent play at the plate and did several stints with Triple-A Indianapolis. Suwinski finished the season with a slash line of .147/.281/.534 with 57 strikeouts and a career low t3 homers.
Suwinski’s departure opens the door for prospects Jake Mangum, Jhostynxon Garcia and Esmerlyn Valdez to have more playing opportunities in a thin Pittsburgh outfield group.
Olympics hockey, just like the NHL, doesn't allow for ties.
A game will go to overtime if it is tied after 60 minutes and there also is the possibility of a shootout if the game remains tied once an overtime period ends.
But there are differences between NHL rules and Olympic rules on how overtimes and shootouts are conducted. The maximum length of a sudden death overtime depends on the round in which the game is being played. And the shootout format is totally different from the one used by the NHL.
Here's an explainer on how overtimes and shootouts work in Olympic hockey:
Olympic overtime rules
If the teams are tied after 60 minutes in the preliminary round, a five-minute sudden-death overtime will be played at 3-on-3. Unlike the NHL, teams don't change ends for overtime.
Overtime in a playoff game, along with the bronze medal game, lasts a maximum of 10 minutes. It's also 3-on-3, as opposed to 5-on-5 in NHL playoff games.
In the gold medal game, teams play 20-minute 3-on-3 overtime periods, separated by 15-minute intermissions, until someone scores. Teams don't change sides for the first overtime but do for subsequent overtimes.
Olympic shootout rules
If overtime doesn't settle a game outside of the gold medal game, there will be a shootout. The winner of a coin toss gets to choose whether their team shoots first or second.
The format differs from the NHL, with five shooters per team instead of three. If nothing is settled after five rounds, then each round is sudden death as in the NHL. But there's another difference. Olympic teams can use the same shooters multiple times during the sudden death rounds (think back to TJ Oshie in the 2014 Olympics). They also can change goaltenders.
In the sudden death round, the team that shot second in the first five rounds will shoot first. The rounds continue until one team finishes with one more goal than the other. That team is declared the winner.
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team USA Stripes forward Kawhi Leonard (2) of the LA Clippers reacts with Donovan Mitchell (45) of the Cleveland Cavaliers in game three during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images
Good morning, it’s Tuesday, February 17th. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 34-21 and don’t play again until Thursday.
I hope you enjoyed the All-Star break. From here on out, the playoffs are going to be on everyone’s mind. But before we do that, let’s take a moment to discuss the weekend we just had.
All-Star Recap
There has been a lot of discourse about All-Star Weekend this year. To be honest, there’s a lot of discourse about everything nowadays. Since there are no games on right now, I figured I’d add my two cents to the pile.
The problem is, I didn’t get to watch All-Star weekend this year.
I understand why the NBA decided to start the events early to avoid overlapping with the Winter Olympics. But, did you really expect me to catch a 5 pm start on Valentine’s Day? No chance.
I knew I wasn’t going to catch Friday’s events, which actually started during prime time at 8 pm Eastern — but I foolishly made plans for Sunday evening as I didn’t realize the big game would be over by 7:30. That’s partly my fault, but mainly, I blame the NBA for poor scheduling.
My problems aside, I was pleased to know that the All-Star Game was actually fun this season. At least, for a few moments.
The flashes of entertainment we received this weekend all came from one single fix: effort. No format change or fancy tournament will matter if the players don’t care. This has been the only important factor for the entire history of the event.
Long story short, we’ve all spent too much time problem-solving something that is out of our control. Either the players care, or they don’t. The events are only as fun as the players make them. This year, they delivered. Next year? We’ll have to wait and see.
LONDON (AP) — Real Madrid and Benfica will do it all over again on Tuesday after their epic Champions League showdown last month.
A 4-2 win for Benfica against Madrid in the last round of games in the league phase produced one of the most dramatic finishes in the competition's history.
A goal deep into added time by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin secured Benfica's place in the playoffs. Defeat for Madrid, meanwhile, meant the record 15-time European champion missed out on automatic qualification for the round of 16.
The mastermind behind that win for Benfica was former Madrid coach José Mourinho.
Now he gets the chance to inflict more pain on his old team in the first leg of their playoff series at Benfica's Stadium of Light.
“I don’t think it takes a miracle for Benfica to eliminate Real Madrid,” Mourinho said, although he did acknowledge his team would have to be close to perfect to advance.
Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain is playing at Monaco in the playoffs on Tuesday. Galatasaray hosts Juventus and Borussia Dortmund is at home against Atalanta.
SCOTTSDALE — Patrick Bailey’s 2025 MLB season was not a strong one offensively, but you wouldn’t know that if you watched a highlight reel of the Giants season.
In addition to winning a second straight Gold Glove Award, Bailey provided two of the biggest moments at the plate for the Giants. He put his name in the history books in July with a rare walk-off, inside-the-park homer against the Philadelphia Phillies, and two months later he stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers with a walk-off grand slam.
Bailey smiled Monday when asked which highlight he watched more often over the winter.
“I feel like I get tired when I watch the Phillies one,” he said. “So I like the Dodgers one.”
That second walk-off was notable for more than just allowing Bailey to become the first player in MLB history to check both of those specific boxes in one season. It came from the right side, and it was his first homer against a lefty in two years.
Bailey hit .212 with a .566 OPS from the right side last season, but he responded with a quick “no” during a group session last week when asked if there was any thought of giving up switch-hitting. The other five catchers in camp all hit from the right side, including both young options on the 40-man roster — Daniel Susac and Jesus Rodriguez — so the Giants are positioned to limit Bailey’s exposure to tough lefties if they want to, but he doesn’t intend to cede any playing time.
During a live batting practice session over the weekend, Bailey scorched a ball into the gap off lefty reliever Matt Gage. The swing showed off some mechanical changes made over the winter.
Bailey’s hands are lower and he has a much bigger leg kick from the right side than he did in 2025. The latter adjustment came when he was doing a drill that required him to hover his lead leg in the air and then bring it down in a controlled manner.
“I took a couple of good swings that way and I was like, ‘You know what, let’s just lift my leg really high and give myself more time,'” he said. “I almost feel more athletic when it’s up in the air. Pitchers do it, so it feels like an easy timing mechanism. It feels really good so far.”
Bailey is hopeful the changes help him rediscover some of the results from his rookie year, when he had a .829 OPS against lefties. But he also knows there’s a long way to go on his left side, too. Bailey’s OPS against righties last year was .615; overall, he had a .602 OPS and six homers, both career lows.
The strange thing about Bailey’s 2025 season was that he was actually one of the Giants you might most want up late in a game. He hit .290 in what were deemed “high-leverage” plate appearances, with a .739 OPS that was comfortably above the league-average mark of .717. Bailey drove in 28 runs in 107 high-leverage plate appearances and 27 in his other 345 plate appearances.
The new staff is diving into those specific numbers, and Bailey is well aware of the splits. He said he enjoys the big moments, but he’s working with hitting coach Hunter Mense on trying to be more balanced and improve his swing intent earlier in games.
The splits are odd, but there also might be a simple explanation. Bailey is the game’s best defensive catcher and expends a lot of physical and mental energy before and early in games leading the pitching staff. At the same time, he’s a first-rounder who has shown flashes of being a good big-league hitter.
It would make sense if Bailey had a bit more focus in those tense moments late in games and was able to tap into more of his natural talent. But that’s not something he’s leaning on.
“Obviously what I do with catching a lot is a grind, but at the end of the day, a lot of other guys do it,” he said. “I’ve got to hold myself to that standard whether it’s the ninth inning or the first inning. Each run is the same. But yeah, we’re definitely kind of trying to play around with intent on each swing and just trying to be the same.”
Even with a subpar offensive season, Bailey was worth 3.2 fWAR, ranking him eighth among MLB catchers and behind only Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers and Willy Adames among Giants position players. His defense is simply that valuable, and the Giants don’t anticipate that changing much with the implementation of ABS. Bailey will take the lead in requesting their challenges, and given that they’re limited, his pitch-framing skills are likely to still have a huge impact.
A step forward at the plate would be huge for the lineup and could turn Bailey into an All-Star, which would be nice timing given that he’s about to go through his arbitration years. So far, he’s encouraged by how he’s feeling after offseason adjustments.
“I wasn’t happy with either side last year,” he said. “But I’m super confident this year, both right-handed and left-handed.”
It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Jeremy Sochan. After a year riding the pine for the San Antonio Spurs, he and his camp received permission to pursue a trade. The one trade that was publicly shared was the offer from the New York Knicks, which was rejected by the Spurs.
After a suitable trade did not materialize before the deadline, the Spurs graciously waived him, allowing Sochan flexibility to his future.
Jeremy signed with the New York Knicks, packed up, and took himself out East.
And now it has been revealed that Jeremy and his girlfriend Mya Mills are going to be parents.
Mills, a British model and social media influencer, made the announcement via Instagram. Looks like their baby girl is expected May 20th, one day after Mills turns twenty-five.
Sochan is currently twenty-two-years-old. The Knicks is his second NBA team after starting his career in 2022 being drafted by the Spurs.
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CHENNAI, India (AP) — Canada batter Yuvraj Samra’s exhilarating century proved in vain as New Zealand advanced to cricket's T20 World Cup Super 8s with an eight-wicket win on Tuesday.
New Zealand’s resounding victory knocked 2024 semifinalist Afghanistan out of the tournament, with the Black Caps joining England, South Africa, West Indies, India and Sri Lanka in the next round.
Australia will miss out for the first time since 2009 if Zimbabwe beats Ireland in their Group B tussle in Pallekele later on Tuesday.
On a perfect batting wicket, Glenn Phillips (76 not out) and Rachin Ravindra (59 not out) led New Zealand to 176-2 in 15.1 overs as the Black Caps claimed their third win in Group D.
Samra’s 110 off 65 balls, which included six sixes and 11 fours, had earlier guided Canada to 173-4 after captain Dilpreet Bajwa won the toss and elected to bat.
The 19-year-old Samra, who caught the eye last year when he smashed a 15-ball half century against Bahamas, became the first batter from an associate country to score a hundred at the T20 World Cup.
Bajwa made 36 off 39 balls and together with Samra put on 116 for the first wicket.
New Zealand struggled to stem the flow of runs and felt the absence of captain Mitchell Santner, who was ruled out of the game due to a “dodgy burger” on Monday night, and fast bowler Lockie Ferguson.
Ferguson is on paternity leave but is expected to re-join the team for the Super 8s.
Samra was dropped, but not before he had raised his century off 58 deliveries, when the ball burst through the hands of James Neesham at long-off.
His belligerent knock ended in the final over when Phillips caught him at deep backward square leg at the second attempt.
When it came to New Zealand's reply, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert fell inside four balls in the power play before Phillips and Ravindra shared an electrifying 146-run partnership in just 12 overs.
Nepal, which lost its first three Group C games, takes on Scotland in Mumbai later on Tuesday.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Cameron Boozer had 22 points and 12 rebounds and helped No. 3 Duke rout Syracuse 101-64 victory Monday night.
Isaiah Evans scored 21 points, Nikolas Khamenia added 14 points off the bench and Patrick Ngongba and Cayden Boozer each had 12 for the Blue Devils (24-2, 13-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who looked primed for a weekend nonconference showdown with top-ranked Michigan.
Duke shot 62.3% from the field, including 12 for 20 from 3-point distance.
Boozer shot eight for 10 from the field and finished with the 14th double-double of his freshman season.
William Kyle III scored 12 points and Nate Kingz added 10 for Syracuse (15-12, 6-8), which failed to carry the momentum from back-to-back victories for the first time since winning three straight in January.
NO. 6 IOWA STATE 70, NO.. 2 HOUSTON 67
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Nate Heise hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and Tamin Lipsey came up with an offensive rebound in the final seconds to cap Iowa State’s rally in a victory over Big 12 leader and Houston.
Heise was 3 for 3 from 3-point range hours after sister Taylor Heise scored to help the U.S. Women’s Olympic hockey team beat Sweden 5-0 to reach the gold-medal game in Milan.
The Cyclones (23-3, 10-3) closed with a 17-4 run to take down a second top-10 team in three days. Iowa State topped No. 8 Kansas 74-56 on Saturday.
The Cougars (23-3, 11-2) had their six-game winning streak snapped and their conference lead was cut to a half-game over No. 4 Arizona heading into their matchup Saturday in Houston. Iowa State is third, a game behind Houston.
Heise hit the 3-pointer from the left corner with 1:17 to play to give the Cyclones a 69-67 lead. Houston had two chances to tie or take the lead, but was called for a shot-clock violation with 43 seconds to play, then Chris Cenac Jr., missed a shot with four seconds left.
Blake Buchanan was fouled after rebounding Cenac’s miss, but missed the front end of a one-and-one. Lipsey, though, got the offensive rebound, tapping the ball back to Joshua Jefferson, who was fouled with asecond left. Jefferson made his first free throw for the final margin.
Jefferson led Iowa State with 12 points. Heise had 11 and Buchanan had 10.
Kingston Flemings led Houston with 22 points. Emanuel Sharp had 16 points, all in the first half. Milos Uzan had 11 points.
Walker Buehler throws a pitch during a June 2025 game for the Red Sox.
Former World Series hero Walker Buehler is getting another chance to revive his MLB career — and this time, it’s with a former rival.
Buehler, 31, has agreed to a minor-league deal with the Padres, and he’ll get a chance to compete for a spot in their starting rotation throughout spring training, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Triston McKenzie, Matt Waldron, Germán Márquez, JP Sears and Marco Gonzales are all competing with Buehler for likely just one rotation spot with the Padres, according to the Union-Tribune.
Walker Buehler throws a pitch during a June 2025 game for the Red Sox. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
The deal marked a return to the NL West division where Buehler starred for the first seven seasons — not counting 2023, when he missed the entire campaign due to a second Tommy John surgery — with the Dodgers and won a pair of rings with them in 2020 and 2024.
He started just one game for Triple-A Lehigh Valley and appeared in three — while starting two — for the Phillies the rest of the season. Buehler finished with a 4.94 ERA across his stints with both teams in 2025.
“It’s obviously disappointing,” Buehler said after being demoted to the Red Sox’s bullpen. “It’s the first time in my career that I’ve been in a situation like that, but at the end of the day the organization and to a lesser extent myself, kind of think it’s probably the right thing for our group and it gives me an opportunity to kind of reset in some ways.”
Walker Buehler reacts during a June 2025 start for the Red Sox. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
But at the peak of his career, Buehler was an ace for the Dodgers who topped 23 starts in a season three times and finished inside the top-10 for Cy Young voting twice.
During the Dodgers’ World Series run in 2024, Buehler threw five shutout innings against the Yankees in Game 3 before recording the final three outs in Game 5 to secure Los Angeles’ championship.
He also delivered a strong start for the Dodgers during Game 3 of the NLCS against the Mets.
Feb 13, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) hits during live batting practice at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
MLB | Bryan Hoch: Flame-throwing prospect Carlos Lagrange knew he’d be throwing a three-inning live batting practice session. He did not know he would be facing the greatest hitter on the planet, Aaron James Judge. Each got the better of the other, as they faced off three times. Judge demolished a 99-mph heater from Lagrange out over the left field wall. Later, Lagrange struck out Judge with 102.6-mph gas. There’s video of the two facing off over on X, so it’s not hard to find Monday’s battle of power versus power.
The Athletic | Chris Kirschner ($): Speaking of Judge, he is preparing for more than the regular season. For the first time in his career, he will represent Team USA at the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Monday, he gave some of his thoughts on the opportunity. Noting that Team USA fell short against Japan in 2023, Judge made his feelings clear that he wants a rematch with the reigning champions this time around. “They’re the reigning champs. They got a great squad coming back. I think that’s why Team USA really bulked up this year to go out there and take care of business. If (Japan) is bringing back the same crew they did three years ago, it’s gonna be a heavyweight fight…”
ESPN: One more from the Yankee Captain. Discussing the club’s offseason, Judge made it clear he was impatient for the Yanks to make some moves. “Let’s sign these guys right now and start adding more pieces because I’m seeing other teams around the league get better… They’re making trades. They’re signing big prospects or big players. And we’re sitting there for a while kind of making smaller moves.” Judge also clarified that he expressed his discontent to the front office. All that said, with the first games of the spring coming later this week, Judge is confident the Yankees are right where they need to be.
MLB Trade Rumors | Charlie Wright: Finally, there is actually news that has nothing to do with Aaron Judge. Yanquiel Fernandez, whom the Yankees claimed from the Colorado Rockies, has cleared waivers after the club designated him for assignment. That enables the Yanks to outright Fernandez, once one of the brightest prospects in the Rockies’ system, to Triple-A. A path to the Bronx in 2026 for Fernandex is unlikely barring a whole slew of worst-case scenarios. But he provides depth and who knows… maybe the 23-year-old can figure it out with a change of scenery.
With the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina wrapping up later this week, the NHL season is one step closer to resuming.
And when it does resume on Feb. 25, the chaos will ensue.
The Pittsburgh Penguins may not take the ice again until a day later on Feb. 26, but - as is the case for many other teams across the league - the business side of things figures to pick up right away. And it’s because the NHL trade deadline is just eight days after that on Mar. 6.
As has been widely chronicled this season, the Penguins are in a great position heading into the home stretch, as they sit second in the Metropolitan Division standings with a game in hand on the division-leading Carolina Hurricanes, who they also play three times in March.
But even if they already have a pretty deep roster on the forward front, they could still use some solid depth options on their blue line, especially with veteran right defenseman Kris Letang’s status uncertain for return-to-play after having surgery just prior to the Olympic break. So, if the Penguins are going to add for their playoff push, it will likely be on the blue line, but they probably won’t want to pay and arm and a leg for premium talent right now.
So, that said, here are five potential trade targets for the Penguins to bolster their blue line by the deadline.
Murphy, 32, is obviously not one of the youngest defensive options on the trade market, but Chicago Blackhawks’ blueliner is definitely one of the more reliable ones.
The veteran right defenseman could help bring more stability to Pittsburgh’s third pairing, and he is also a good buffer in case one of Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang goes down. He is solid and steady in his own zone, good at the net front, and uses his 6-foot-4, 214-pound frame to win puck battles in the defensive zone. He also has a touch offensive ability with four goals and 12 points in 57 games this season.
Murphy is on an expiring contract at $4.4 million, meaning the Penguins have plenty of room for him, and they could certainly use some true depth on their right side behind Karlsson and Letang. He will be one of the top right defensemen available on the market, though, so the Penguins may have to throw in a small sweetener to best their competition if they want to land him.
Rentals probably aren’t going to be super enticing for Kyle Dubas and the Penguins, but depending on the cost, Murphy would be worth it.
Another name to potentially keep an eye on is the 29-year-old Whitecloud, who went to the Calgary Flames in the deal that sent Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights earlier this season.
Think a right-side Parker Wotherspoon-lite here: Whitecloud has long been a solid bottom-four presence, as he simply goes about his business doing most of the small things right. He isn’t as unspectacularly spectacular as Wotherspoon, but he boasts a solid enough defensive resume and the track record to make him another attractive depth option on the right side for the Penguins.
He makes just $2.75 million, and he’s under contract for two more seasons. Like Murphy, he would be one of the top right-side defenders on the trade block, so the Penguins won’t be the only ones vying for his services.
Shifting to the younger side of the spectrum, one of the more fascinating cases is 24-year-old New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider.
Schneider, like the Rangers, has failed to truly establish consistency in the NHL, even if there is still a lot of upside to consider for the young right blueliner. He has struggled defensively so far this season and still hasn’t quite lived up to expectations set for offensive production, as he has just two goals and 11 points this season - his fourth full season at the NHL level.
With the Rangers transitioning into a rebuild, Schneider - a pending-UFA and former first-round pick (19th overall in 2020) - may be a player they are willing to part with for the right price. He seems to fit the “younger player, change of scenery” situation Dubas has sought lately, and if he shows he fits with Pittsburgh in their stretch run, he could be part of their future on the blue line.
It’s no secret that Dubas leans into familiarity when it comes to both the draft and the trade market. And he has some of that familiarity with Liljegren, who was with the Toronto Maple Leafs for parts of four seasons during Dubas’s time as general manager there.
He, like Schneider, has not quite hit his potential at the NHL level. And like Schneider and Murphy, he is also on an expiring contract at $3 million average annual value. This is another “take a chance” situation on a guy who could pan out and a blueliner who, although a right defenseman, is versatile and capable of playing on both sides.
The Penguins could use all the defensive depth they can get their hands on, and Liljegren should be a relatively low-risk, low-cost option for them. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound defenseman has one goal and 11 points in 42 games with the San Jose Sharks this season.
A few months ago, there was a lot of talk about Mintyukov potentially being a trade chip for the Anaheim Ducks, who - like the Penguins - were not necessarily expected to be pushing for the playoffs. But, as they sit in the second wild card spot in the Western Conference, it’s safe to say that they’ll be making a playoff push in the last month and a half of the season.
Therefore, it’s unclear whether the 22-year-old left defenseman is even going to be on the market. His situation hasn’t changed all that much, since Jackson LaCombe and Olen Zellweger have passed him on the depth chart, and has played the entire season on the third pairing. But he is a pending-RFA, and he has been playing better as the season has bore on - even if he hasn’t matched the production pace of his encouraging rookie season with six goals and 15 points in 51 games this season.
He isn’t someone the Ducks should want to give up on yet, but if Mintyukov wants out, the Penguins and Dubas should be calling. The cost would be relatively high, and there is still a lot to be built on in terms of his defensive game.
But he is a puck-moving, mobile blueliner who helps in transition and has a lot of offensive upside, and he is still very young. If the price is right - and if the Penguins could swing a deal - he could become a cornerstone piece of their future, and perhaps a new system and environment would do wonders.
