Perhaps head coach JJ Redick’s pregame speech should be spent convincing the team that every game is actually the second night of a back-to-back.
Bizarrely, the team’s last two wins came the night after blowout defeats. And each time, they looked great in those contests, responding with their own blowout wins. And the opponent both time was good.
What an oddity.
The good or bad news, depending on how you look at it, is the Lakers don’t have a back-to-back again until March. Maybe that’ll be the next win.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
Shoutout to LeBron, who played all five games across this seven-day stretch. Now, let’s have him stop trying to dunk on people like it’s 2016 and not 2026.
Have yourself a historic night, DA. Take just about any combination of his points, rebounds, lack of turnovers and perfect shooting and you’ll find some version of an incredible stat.
Tonight, Deandre Ayton became the 4th player in @Lakers franchise history to record 20+ PTS and 10+ REB on 100% shooting in a game, joining:
Per the Lakers, Deandre Ayton (25pts, 10-10 FG, 13 REB) became the first player this season to record a 20-point game on perfect shooting with at least 10 field-goal attempts and the 34th player in NBA history to do so with 10 or more rebounds. AK
It’s really kind of impressive Luka didn’t get tossed. Once he gets a technical, he really doesn’t tone things down. It feels like he’s due and if it happens, he’ll deserve the backlash he gets.
This is a game where the box score doesn’t tell the whole story of his impact, though his plus-minus goes some way in doing that. Plus, the one field goal he scored included a nasty in-and-out dribble in the open court.
Timme earned minutes with his play on Saturday and made good on them on Sunday. I have reservations about the viability of the Smart-LeBron-Vando-Timme-Ayton lineup he was part of, but it certainly worked well on Sunday.
Dalton Knecht, Bronny James, Nick Smith Jr., Kobe Bufkin
Nothing much from this group tonight, who got in for the final two minutes of the game.
JJ Redick
An interesting wrinkle with not only playing Timme, but doing so in a jumbo lineup. He not only played alongside a center, but as part of a lineup that had LeBron or Vando as the nominal shooting guard. Just an enormous lineup that worked incredibly well.
Grade: A-
Monday’s DNPs: Maxi Kleber
Monday’s inactives: Austin Reaves, Adou Thiero, Chris Mañon
Jordi Fernandez was happy with Cam Thomas’ playmaking, and isn’t worried about his shotmaking.
But the guard’s playing time isn’t going up anytime soon.
Thomas – who was the Nets’ leading scorer last season, and had been a fixture in the starting lineup – has been a reserve ever since returning from another hamstring injury on Dec. 27. He came off the bench for a tenth straight appearance on Sunday, logging 23:58; and Fernandez said his playing time isn’t about to increase.
“Yeah, right now we’re happy where he is, with the minutes he’s playing with the production, being that willing playmaker; because we know how good he is scoring the basketball, and taking those steps defensively,” Fernandez said before the Nets’ 124-102 loss in Chicago.
“Right now we’re happy where he is. We need him to stay in those minutes a little longer because I, we, just believe what’s most important right now is his body, and (how) his body reacts. And we’re gonna be cautious with that.”
Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) shoots against Chicago Bulls forward Isaac Okoro (35) during the second half at United Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Thomas played just 25 games last season due to three hamstring injuries, then he hurt the same hamstring earlier this season in Indiana.
Since his return, Thomas has averaged a dozen points on .408 shooting and .340 from deep in 22.5 minutes. He handed out a career-high tying ten assists Sunday in Chicago; but he had just three points on 1-of-6 shooting in a loss where the Nets desperately needed him to replace absent Michael Porter Jr.’s missing offense.
Cam Thomas #24 of the Brooklyn Nets handles the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on January 18, 2026 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NBAE via Getty Images
“Yeah, I mean I’m not going to believe that he’s going to go 1-for-6 ever again. So I’m ok with him taking those shots,” said Fernandez. “But the ability, he proved that, ten assists to one turnover, that’s elite. And he’s more than capable of doing it. He can see the game. He’s a smart player.
“They’re being aggressive in coverages, and he’s found his teammates. And his teammates made the shot. So very proud of him and the way he played. He shared the basketball, made this simple play over and over and over. And that’s the CT with playmaking that we want to see.”
The Nets are 8-12 without Thomas, but just 4-16 with him — and one of those was a win in his 5:35 cameo at Indiana.
“He’s been sticking with it. He’s had a little bit of a stretch. But like you said just him staying engaged, staying sticking through it with us,” said Nic Claxton. “And if it’s his process as well, you know he’ll start knocking down those shots.”
SEATTLE (AP) — Hannah Brandt had the only goal in a shootout and Aerin Frankel finished with 36 saves to help the Boston Fleet pull out a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Torrent at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday night.
Megan Keller scored on a 5-on-3 power play at 12:28 in the first period to give Boston (8-1-2-2) a 1-0 lead. Four of Keller's five goals this season have come with an extra skater. Susanna Tapani collected her fifth assist and Abby Newhook notched her first.
Seattle (3-1-2-5) outshot the Fleet 11-4 in the first 20 minutes but couldn't take advantage of its two power-play opportunities.
The Torrent tied it 1-1 at 14:12 in the second period on a one-timer by Julia Gosling, who leads the club with 10 points on five goals and five assists. Brooke Bryant and Cayla Barnes picked up their first assists.
Boston killed a third power play late in the second to extend the Torrent's scoreless streak with an extra skater to 17. The Fleet haved surrendered just one goal in 30 power-play opportunities by their opponents, tops in the league.
Schroeder saved a point-blank shot by Jill Sauinier in the final minute of regulation to keep it tied and also had a save on a one-on-one shot by Haley Winn in the first minute of overtime.
Boston leads the league with 28 points, six clear of the second-place New York Sirens. Seattle earns a point and is tied for last place with the first-year Vancouver Goldeneyes, although the Torrent have two matches in hand.
Adams was unable to find a good landing upon a block attempt and fell to the ground holding his leg with 9:50 left in the fourth quarter. He went back to the locker room and did not return to the game.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka told reporters after the 119-110 victory that Adams has an ankle sprain. While he was said to have had quite a bit of swelling, the center did not suffer a broken bone.
Adams had five points, 10 rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes of play on Sunday. The former first-round pick has averaged 5.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game this season.
LeBron James goes up for a basket in the first half of the Lakers' win over the Toronto Raptors. (Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
The Lakers were as whole as they have been in a while Sunday, giving Coach JJ Redick more weapons at his disposal at a time when their schedule has picked up the pace.
They got Luka Doncic (left groin soreness), center Deandre Ayton (left knee soreness) and backup center Jaxson Hayes (left hamstring tendinopathy) back in the fold for Sunday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors at Crypto.com Arena. Only Austin Reaves (left calf strain) remained sidelined.
More so, it was a back-to-back game that even LeBron James played in a night after the Lakers lost in Portland.
Simply put, the Lakers are a sound basketball team when healthy and they are really good when Doncic, James and Ayton all score at least 20 points in a game like they did in a 110-93 victory in which they held the Raptors to a season-low in points.
The Lakers entered the game having lost five of their last six games and had surrendered over 130 points in their last two losses.
“This is a very tough time of year for everybody in the NBA right now,” said Redick after his team improved to 25-16 at the halfway mark of their 82-game schedule. “...There are a number of teams that have rotation players, starter-level players, all-star level players like us that are out of the lineup or in and out of the lineup.
"It can make an already difficult stretch of the season even more difficult, and the guys have done a great job of just getting through the stretch fighting. And really, we're starting to get healthy and hopefully we get AR (Austin Reaves) back soon.”
Ayton was on top of his game, producing a double-double with 25 points and 13 rebounds. He also was 10 for 10 from the field and five for six from the free-throw line.
And the big 7-foot center made history in the process. He became just the third player in Lakers history to shoot 100% from the field on 10 attempts with at least 10 rebounds, joining Wilt Chamberlain (March 11, 1969) and Mitch Kupchak (Nov. 10, 1981).
Ayton also became the first player in the NBA this season to record a 20-point game on perfect shooting with at least 10 field-goal attempts and he was the 34th player in league history to accomplish the feat.
“I definitely give it up to my teammates,” Ayton said. “They find me in the easiest spots ever and I got some easy ones tonight, for sure.”
Doncic registered 25 points and seven assists and James had 24 points and seven assists.
Rui Hachimura came off the bench to score 10 points for a Lakers team that entered the game having lost five of their last six games.
Doncic and Ayton made their presence felt in the first half.
Despite picking up three fouls in the half and getting hit with a technical foul in the first quarter, Doncic had 18 points and five assists in the first 24 minutes. His three-pointer with 0.7 seconds left in the second quarter gave the Lakers a 55-54 lead.
Ayton was active from the start, running the court, catching lob passes and scoring in the post, which allowed him to finish the first half with 12 points on six-for-six shooting and seven rebounds.
The Lakers will begin what’s known as the “Grammys Trip” on Tuesday, an eight-game affair that will have them on the road for about two and a half weeks.
They will start at Denver and go to the Clippers, Dallas, Chicago, Cleveland, Washington, the Knicks and the Nets.
This trip will come off the Lakers playing five games in seven days, of which there were two sets of back-to-back games.
“We finished five games in eight nights and started five games in seven nights, and tonight's the culmination of that,” Redick said before Sunday's game. “So it's been a difficult stretch, particularly with injuries and certain games.”
The plan for the game against the Raptors was to play 10 players, Redick said, a change from the usual nine-man rotation.
All 10 of the players Redick played when the game mattered the most and all of them played a role in keeping the team fresh and energized.
Something the Lakers will need going forward.
“Again, I'm not blaming anything, but this in-season tournament cup with that break has just created a very imbalanced cadence of games,” said Redick, referring to the NBA Cup tournament. “And outside of All-Star break, I think our next two-day break between games is like the end of March, or something like that. So, you kind of have no choice but to prioritize the rest and recovery.”
HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant had 18 points and moved into sixth place on the NBA’s career points list, and Jabari Smith Jr. scored a season-high 32 points as the Houston Rockets beat the New Orleans Pelicans 119-110 Sunday night.
Alperen Sengun had 21 points and eight rebounds and Amen Thompson finished with 20 points as Houston won for the third time in four games.
Trey Murphy III scored 21 points on 7-for-15 shooting and Zion Williamson had 20 points and six rebounds. Derik Queen finished with 15 points for the Pelicans, who lost for the fourth time in five games and 13th time in 15 games.
With 15.2 seconds left in the game, Durant stepped to the free throw line needing one point to pass Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki (31,560 points) on the NBA’s scoring list. The 15-time All-Star made two free throws and received a standing ovation from the home crowd. Durant now has 31,562 career points. Michael Jordan is fifth on the list at 32,292.
GRIZZLIES 126, MAGIC 109
LONDON (AP) — Ja Morant had 24 points and 13 assists in his return to the lineup to lead Memphis Grizzlies to a victory over Orlando in the first NBA regular-season game in London since 2019.
Jock Landale added 21 points and 8 rebounds and Jaren Jackson Jr. had 17 points as Memphis avenged its 118-111 loss to Orlando in Berlin on Thursday in the first of their European doubleheader.
Orlando trailed by 33 points in the first half before reducing the deficit to 17 on Paolo Banchero’s 3-pointer to make it 108-91 with 8:15 left in the fourth quarter. The Grizzlies closed it out from there.
Anthony Black led the Magic with 19 points and Wendell Carter Jr. added 18 points and 7 rebounds. Banchero finished with 16 on 7 of 20 shooting. He also had 9 assists and 8 rebounds.
The game at London’s O2 Arena was the 10th regular-season game in the English capital. The first one was March 4, 2011.
Europe is set to host two more regular-season games in 2027. The host cities are Paris and Manchester, England. In 2028, Paris and Berlin will host games.
LAKERS 110, RAPTORS 93
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic had 25 points and seven assists, LeBron James added 24 points and seven assists, and Los Angeles returned to form with a victory over Toronto.
Deandre Ayton had 25 points and 13 rebounds in his impressive return from a knee injury for the Lakers, who won for just the second time in seven games while playing their final home game before an eight-game, 15-day road trip.
Ayton had his highest-scoring performance since Nov. 3 while making all 10 of his shots.
Doncic also returned with a strong performance after missing Saturday’s loss at Portland to rest his nagging injuries, hitting five 3-pointers.
James played in back-to-back games for the second time this season — and the second time this week, capably completing a set of five games in seven days for the 41-year-old superstar who had previously been resting for one game in back-to-back sets.
Scottie Barnes had 22 points and nine rebounds for the Raptors, who have lost back-to-back games for the first time in four weeks after the Clippers beat them in Toronto on Friday. Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 20 points and former Lakers draft pick Brandon Ingram added 19 points and seven assists for Toronto, which faded in the fourth quarter in the opener of a five-game road trip.
BULLS 124, NETS 102
CHICAGO (AP) — Coby White scored 24 points, Ayo Dosunmu had 19 and Chicago beat Brooklyn to split a home-and-home set.
The Nets won the opener 112-109 on Friday night in Brooklyn.
Nikola Vucevic added 17 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for Chicago. Matas Buzelis also scored 17 points.
Nolan Traore scored 16 points for Brooklyn. Danny Wolf and Jalen Wilson each had 14. The Nets have lost nine of 11.
Dosunmu had 3-pointers at the beginning and end of a 10-0 run late in the first quarter to help the Bulls take a 39-22 lead into the second. Chicago led 70-51 at the half and the advantage stayed above 20 points for most of the second half.
HORNETS 110, NUGGETS 87
DENVER (AP) — Brandon Miller scored 23 points, Tidjane Salaun came off the bench for 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Charlotte blew past the injury-depleted Denver.
Rookie big man Ryan Kalkbrenner had 17 points and six rebounds, Collin Sexton had 14 points and five assists, and LaMelo Ball had 10 points, six assists and three steals for Charlotte.
Over the past three games, Miller has averaged 25.7 points per game.
The Hornets had lost four of their previous six games and entered the night 1-9 in its past 10 matchups against Denver, which suffered its second-most lopsided loss of the season.
The Nuggets were without five of their top eight scorers — center Nikola Jokic (bone bruise in left knee), forward Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain), forward Cameron Johnson (bone bruise in right knee), guard Christian Braun (left ankle sprain) and center Jonas Valanciunas (right calf strain). The five players combine to average 77.3 points per game.
TRAIL BLAZERS 117, KINGS 110
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Deni Avdija had 26 points, eight assists and eight rebounds in his return from a back injury to help Portland beat Sacramento.
Avdija missed three games after straining his lower back late in a game against New York last Sunday. He looked fine while helping Portland to its ninth victory in 12 games, going 10 of 18 from the floor in 31 minutes.
Shaedon Sharpe also had 26 points, and Donovan Clingan added 21 points and 17 rebounds. Toumani Camara had 17 points as the Trail Blazers won their third consecutive game against the Kings this season.
The Trail Blazers have won 12 of 15 games to get back to .500 at 22-22 for the first time since they were 6-6 on Nov. 11.
Malik Monk scored 23 points for the Kings, while Russell Westbrook added 20 points and seven assists. Domantas Sabonis had eight points and six turnovers for the Kings in his second game since missing 27 games because of a knee injury.
CBS Sports | R.J. Anderson: With Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette having inked deals with the Dodgers and Mets, respectively, the free agent rumor mill turns to the player that the Yankees rumor mill has been focused on all winter: Cody Bellinger. According to reports, the Mets are among the teams that have checked in on Belli, with the belief around the industry that the Mets are interested in him on a short-term, high-AAV deal with opt outs similar to the ones Bichette and Tucker signed.
Since that was the deal Bellinger signed with the Cubs two winters ago, however, it remains unclear whether the outfielder will be interested in doing that again, as this may be his final real opportunity to get a long-term deal. For what it’s worth, the Yankees do not appear interested in getting into a bidding war on Bellinger, believing that the offer they currently have on the table — five years, $160 million, with two opt outs — represents fair market value.
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: (subscription required) Kuty engages in some similar speculation about Bellinger’s market as Anderson does above. He confirms, though, that while other teams have expressed interest, the only confirmed formal offer that Bellinger has received has been the deal offered by the Yankees.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. announced his intention to play for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic this March, bringing the number of Yankees in the international tournament to three (Aaron Judge and David Bednar are currently committed to Team USA). Between this trio, the Francisco Cervelli/Jorge Posada duo running Italy’s squad, and the number of other Yankees who are eligible for the tournament, Yankees fans will be able to see a number of familiar faces during the competition.
The Athletic | Tyler Kepner: (subscription required) Tomorrow, the 2026 Hall of Fame class will be announced. In these last few days prior to the announcement, the last reporters who plan to make their ballots public have been writing articles explaining their decisions. The former Yankees beat writer Kepner makes his case for the six players he submitted a vote for this year: Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones, Andy Pettitte, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and David Wright.
As part of what was a busy offseason for the Detroit Red Wings, they signed veteran James van Riemsdyk to a one-year contract not long after trading Vladimir Tarasenko to the Minnesota Wild.
While van Riemsdyk missed all of Training Camp and the pre-season because of a family matter and got off to a slower start than he would have liked, he has more than made up for lost time.
van Riemsdyk scored a spectacular between-the-legs goal during Sunday evening's 4-3 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators, his 13th tally of the season and 10th since the start of December.
The Middletown Township, New Jersey native was the second overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, one pick behind his future Red Wings teammate Patrick Kane, who went first overall to the Chicago Blackhawks.
While van Riemsdyk's family has spent the majority of their time in Minnesota so far during his tenure in Detroit, several of them were able to make the trip to Michigan for Sunday's game.
"Tonight, I was fortunate enough to have my family, my oldest three kids, my wife and father-in-law here," he explained afterward. "Those kind of games become more special when you spend a lot of time away from them."
Having a dad who plays professional hockey for the Red Wings comes with a few built-in perks for the van Riemsdyk kids.
"They've been to a couple (games) this year, I'll go see them now and I'm sure they'll be fired up to come into the locker room and have some snacks," he said with a grin.
The NHL veteran has already played for two other Original Six clubs in the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins, and he's got nothing but good things to say about his experience so far with the Red Wings.
"As far as the hockey component and how i've been treated, I can't say enough good things about it," he said of his experience in Detroit. "I've really enjoyed it."
Not only is van Riemsdyk loving his time in Detroit, the Red Wings are reaping major benefits from having him on the team.
So far, he's proven to be one of the most underrated contract signings of the offseason.
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For the second time in a week, the Lakers had a bounceback performance on the second night of a back-to-back, beating the Raptors 110-93 on Sunday.
After a back-and-forth first half saw both teams hold nine-point leads, the Lakers used a big second-half run to blow the game open. Jarred Vandebrilt and Drew Timme had big nights off the bench while LeBron James, Deandre Ayton and Luka Dončić all had at least 20 points.
The Lakers opened up an early two-point lead, which quickly disappeared as the Raptors played much better offensively. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles was cooking for Toronto with seven points. Gabe Vincent drained a 3-pointer, which was a welcome sight.
Toronto was shooting 57% from the field as Los Angeles struggled to defend them.
Sandro Mamukelashvilli came in and scored 12 points in five minutes, helping keep the Raptors ahead. Luka Dončić started cooking with eight points to keep the Lakers within striking distance. LA allowed Toronto to score 18 points in the paint.
At the end of the first, the purple and gold were down by seven.
The Lakers trail the Raptors 30-23 after one. Luka Dončić has 12 points, but has struggled from the field. No other Laker is in double figures. Toronto is dominating inside, scoring 18 points in the paint compared to LA's 8.
Los Angeles immediately tied the game to start the second period. They went on an 11-0 scoring run that began with a jumper by Vincent at the end of the first. LeBron James and Deandre Ayton were now in double figures with 11 and 12, respectively.
Drew Timme continued his fantastic play off the bench with a 3-pointer. Mamukelashvilli converted on a layup to stop some of the bleeding for the Raptors.
Toronto scored a quick nine points to tie the game. Former baby Laker Brandon Ingram started heating up, scoring four in a row. LA was still losing the points in the paint battle as they had 22 to Toronto’s 32.
Neither team could build a double-digit lead, though. Jake LaRavia was the only starter not to score, missing all four of his shot attempts. The Lakers went into halftime with a one-point lead after Luka drained a 3-pointer to end the half.
The Lakers lead the Raptors by one at the half, thanks to a last-second three by Luka Dončić. He leads LA with 18 points, and LeBron James isn't far behind with 13. The Lakers took control of this quarter thanks to their double-big lineup, that featured two-way center Drew Timme.
Ayton opened the third period with a hook shot. Smart then drained a 3-pointer, which was countered by Immanuel Quickley knocking down a triple of his own. Toronto started heating up, scoring 11 points. Ingram’s midrange jumpers were automatic and Los Angeles was having trouble defending them. Once again, neither team could build a double-digit lead as the two sides kept trading leads.
LaRavia finally got on the scoreboard with a jumpshot.
A pair of triples from Rui Hachimura and LeBron gave the Lakers a five-point lead with 1:24 left in the quarter.
Toronto’s Murray-Boyles left in the first half and was confirmed out for the remainder of the game with a left thumb sprain.
Hachimura drained his second triple of the night, giving him eight points. LA ended the third quarter with a seven-point lead.
A timely 11-3 Lakers run to close the 3rd Q gave them an 87-80 lead heading into the final quarter.
Rui Hachimura hit his 2nd triple from the same spot above the break, and LA are 12 for 30 from distance (40%).
The final frame began with a quick four points from LeBron. Toronto’s A.J. Lawson responded with a 3-pointer, which was then countered with a triple from Smart. Los Angeles was in complete control of the game with the Raptors only scoring five points in the quarter, until Scottie Barnes knocked down a couple of shots.
LA was outscoring Toronto 18 to nine in the quarter. Los Angeles emptied their bench at the 2:17 mark as they had the commanding lead.
Key Player Stats
Dončić ended with 25 points and seven assists. LeBron had 24 points with seven assists and two blocks. Ayton pitched in with 25 points and 13 rebounds, finishing a perfect 10-10 from the field.
Marcus Smart scored eight points with five rebounds and three assists. Vincent notched five points and two assists off the bench. Hachimura had 10 points.
Vando had just two points, but grabbed nine rebounds and finished a team-best plus-minus of +25. Timme played 16 minutes, scoring three points with three rebounds and recording a plus-minus of +17.
The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday at 7:00 PM PT.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — When Patrick Roy put on the tape of Max Tsyplakov as a KHL player, he saw a markedly different player than the one who’s been struggling to keep his spot in the lineup with the Islanders.
“He was a power forward. A guy that would brings pucks to the net, a guy that played really well defensively,” Roy said after the Islanders practiced Sunday. “So to me, that’s his DNA. And I want him to play his game.”
Tsyplakov will get another chance to do so Monday night against the Canucks as he reenters the Islanders lineup with Max Shabanov drawing out. He’ll play on the second line with Cal Ritchie and Emil Heineman, which should in theory give him a good opportunity to show off those skills.
“[They’re] guys who have really good speed,” Tsyplakov told The Post. “And Heiny has a good shot and Ritchie, good speed, can make a good shot. I just need to work hard, make it my job down low in the O-zone. Be good on the half-wall in the D-zone, just break out [the puck].”
New York Islanders right wing Maxim Tsyplakov (7) tries a wrap around shot on Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) in the third period at Grand Casino Arena. Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Roy took a diplomatic tack when asked about Shabanov’s recent play, but the winger has struggled of late. He’s gone five games without a point and has just one goal in his last 26.
“I thought he played OK in his games,” Roy said. “Sometimes you just try different things.”
Tsyplakov has struggled to gain traction this season, and has played just four times since Dec. 9 as a result.
“It’s tough,” Tsyplakov said. “Just need to try to be positive. Practice, work hard, get the chance and use the chance.”
Phil Goyette, a four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Canadiens and the first head coach of the Islanders, died at age 92 on Sunday, the Canadiens announced in a statement.
Goyette, who played seven seasons with the Rangers, including with the 1972 team that lost to the Bruins in the Cup Final, went 6-40-4 as the coach of the expansion Islanders before Earl Ingarfield took over behind the bench.
The Canadiens did not provide a cause of death in their statement, but said that Goyette’s family “would like to thank the public for their wishes of sympathy.”
Ilya Sorokin will start in goal for the Islanders on Monday against the Canucks.
Sixth seed cruises through 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 at Melbourne Park
Australian No 1 to face Hamad Medjedovic in second round
McDonald to serve first…
De Minaur and MacDonald have met twice before with the Australian winning on both occasions, but the most recent of those was indoors in 2022, so it’s unlikely to be playing on the minds of either combatant.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — In his first comments since the Rangers retooling announcement, head coach Mike Sullivan assured that his team would continue to try to win every game.
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That means the veteran bench boss plans to coach and make decisions that he thinks will put the Blueshirts in the best position on a game-to-game basis. There doesn’t appear to be any plan to hold players out of the lineup to protect against injury until a trade is imminent.
Amid the club’s current circumstances, however, the Rangers should be considering development and the long-term vision when making certain decisions going forward.
Asked how much he has to weigh coaching to win and development, given how the last couple of days have gone, Sullivan said he didn’t consider the two to be mutually exclusive.
“My outlook on it is that it tends to go hand-in-hand,” he said Sunday after practice at Honda Center. “I think when you look at the nature of the league and how it’s evolved, there was once a time when, really, development took place in the American League and the NHL was the NHL. I think with the salary cap and things of that nature, younger players are getting forced onto rosters, entry-level contracts, things like that to make the business side of it work. And as a result of that, development has to take place at the NHL level also. That’s probably been the last 20 years and that’s been my experience of being in the NHL.
New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan coaches against the Seattle Kraken during the first period at Madison Square Garden. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“It’s an important element of what we do. I love that aspect of our job, but I also think it goes hand-in-hand with winning. I don’t know that it’s one at the expense of the other at our level. We’ve put a lot of young guys in prominent roles this year out of necessity, with guys being injured and guys get an opportunity to play up the lineup and in special teams situations. A lot of times, that’s how careers begin and develop, is with an opportunity with circumstances like this. Guys carve their way, they force their way onto a roster through their performance and their play. And that healthy competition is a positive thing for organizations. “We have a commitment to all of our players to help them continue to grow and develop, regardless of where they are in their career. Obviously, the young guys we pay particular attention to and we’ll continue to do that.”
The Rangers have already had an influx of youth in the lineup this season, beginning with Noah Laba seizing the third-line center role out of training camp. Matthew Robertson also made the Opening Night roster, but the rookie defenseman has since taken root on the Rangers back end.
Since then, Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann and Scott Morrow have essentially joined the fray full time. Brett Berard and Jaroslav Chmelar also got looks at different points this season as well.
It is telling that Dylan Garand is still in Hartford amid goalie Igor Shesterkin’s lower-body injury.
The Rangers evidently have more trust in Spencer Martin than their organizationally grown netminder, whom they drafted 103rd overall in 2020. Garand has yet to make his NHL debut, but he has served as backup before.
Carson Soucy is expected to join the Rangers in California ahead of their matchup with the Ducks on Monday night.
As a result, defenseman Connor Mackey was assigned back to Hartford.
The 31-year-old Soucy did not play in Philadelphia due to personal reasons.
The Rangers recalled forward Anton Blidh from Hartford.
The 14th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Pierce is a preternatural defender at short stop, with a top flight glove that could rival any player in the organization. Early reports say he’s already started building muscle as a professional, which is helpful for his projection on offense. His hit tool carries, with a swing similar to Bobby Witt Jr. — out of the draft he received comps of a “faster Dansby Swanson.” A coach’s son, he has the good face, and should get the starting role in the Holy City and have plenty of time to develop into or above his projection of an above average regular.
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
N/A
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
N/A
We were back to majority consensus with 2025’s top draft selection slotting it at No. 6 overall. The Rays organization is now stacked with several top draft choices from last season, thanks to various trades, and I’m interested to see if Pierce’s nomination leads to a run on recent draftees. Also, in honor of Danny Pierce’s nomination, please enjoy this mic’d up video from earlier in the off-season:
Acquired in return for Danny Jansen at the 2025 trade deadline, Arienamo was promoted straight to Double-A by the Rays, and his success at that level carried over into the Venezuealan winter league, where his 1.112 OPS and 13 HR were each the second highest marks in the league. He’s considered to have a high baseball IQ, strong motor, excellent bat control, and defensive flexibility, any one of which could earn him an entertaining major league debut.
Caden Bodine, C 22 | S/R| 5’10” | 200 A (BAL) | .326/.408/.349 (133 wRC+) 49 PA, 0 HR, 0 SB, 5 BB, 8 K
Drafted 30th overall in 2025, Bodine was acquired in the Shane Baz trade. He profiles as a relatively safe prospect thanks to near-70 grade bat-to-ball skills, and comfortably-plus blocking and receiving behind the plate. There is some concern that his smaller frame limits him to fringe power, but those concerns are off-set by solid plate discipline from both sides of the plate; his sweeter swing is left handed. All catching prospects will see their value proposition shift with the challenge system, but his defensive actions, leadership, and receiving give him real value, projecting him as a solid major league contributor.
Acquired in the Brandon Lowe trade, Brito has three plus pitches with a fastball that touches 100 with cut-ride, and two breakers in a mid-80s curveball with surprising depth and a mid-80s slider he commands best. He also mixes in a developing low-90s cutter and a scattershot but intriguing mid-80s changeup with strong velocity and movement separation, with some added deception from his smaller frame helping limit hard contact. The concern is control, as he’s posted below-average strike rates in A-ball across 2024–25 and lacks consistent feel outside the slider, leaving him to project as a slightly wild, high-leverage reliever for now. Still, with multiple plus pitches, improved durability, and meaningful command gains, he has mid-rotation starter upside, giving him possibly the widest range of outcomes on this list.
Slater de Brun, OF 18 | L/L | 5’10” | 187
Drafted 37th overall in 2025, through a draft pick traded by the Rays, de Brun was essentially re-acquired in the Shane Baz trade. Like many Rays outfield prospects he’s not expected to develop much power, but compensates with an ability to hit to all fields, and has the benefit of years to develop. His hit tool rates plus thanks to a quick, compact swing, and his double-plus speed elevates both his baserunning and range in center; he has a solid arm and can stick long term. The key to his development will be improving pitch selection to maximize his power potential. Despite not yet playing in a pro game, he’s a good bet to skip the complex league and debut in Charleston this season.
Michael Forret, RHP 22 | 6’3” | 190 A+ (BAL) | 1.51 ERA, 2.45 FIP, 59.2 IP (16 G, 15 GS), 33.5% K, 7.5% BB AA (BAL) | 1.88 ERA, 2.03 FIP, 14.1 IP (3 GS), 15 K, 3 BB
A product of the State College of Florida Manatee – Sarasota (formerly Manatee Junior College), Forret was a well above slot ($450k) 14th round draft choice in 2023 and arrives via the Shane Baz trade. Despite missing some time to a back injury in 2025, his array of fastballs and breaking balls already look major league ready. He seems adept at trying new things, as he picked up a whiff-worthy kick change in 2024, and is already tinkering with a Rays-like sweeper, both through his offseason program at Tread Athletics. He has a low release point (below 6 feet) but a rising fastball, and has — to quote Eric Longenhagen — “sensational feel.” He pitches with efficiency and variety, and could climb the ladder quickly in 2026.
Isaac had his season cut short large-in-part due to the discovery of a brain tumor, disrupting an otherwise great start to the season that duplicated his cup of coffee in Double-A as a 20-year old, despite some minor arm injuries along the way. He has the best power projection in the system, and if he can hold his own for a full season in 2026 — particularly against southpaws, which is somewhat of a concern — the former first round pick (29th overall, 2021) could see his status restored near the top of the Rays prospect rankings.
Morgan continued to hit without power in 2025, a great discouragement for some evaluators, but his present 50-grade hit tool and feel for the zone allow a major league projection. He continued his improved, quieter two-strike approach in 2025 that built on his success retooling his swing in the AFL last year. The Rays gave Morgan 14 starts in Left Field last season, and Baseball America called the defense “playable,” but his value is tied to his plus-plus defense at First.
A sixth rounder from 2023, Nichols entered the Rays organization with low mileage and control issues, a match made in development heaven. Fast forward to 2025, and his 68% strike percentage ranked 10th best among all minor league pitchers with 100 innings, according to Baseball America. His breaking ball is a big fish in a little pond thanks to its two-plane movement. By my eye, he has a mid-90’s dead zone-ish fastball with easy, over the top heat, and a classic but inconsistent change up. Despite all his gains in control it’s his command that might hold him back, but he fills the zone and might be able to eat innings, which is enough for a back end starter floor. If you’re buying stock, he’s Kimberly-Clark.
Santiago Suarez, RHP 21 | 6’2” | ? A+ | 2.88 ERA, 2.07 FIP, 40.2 IP (10 GS), 26.9% K, 3.6% BB AAA | 5 ER (9 H, 2 BB, 3 HR) 11.0 IP (2 GS), 9 K
Suarez climbed the ladder to Triple-A to finish a short season, as some triceps/shoulder issues hampered his 2025, but when called upon this Venezuelan strike-thrower has earned the trust of his managers to go out there and pitch. He has two plus fastballs, with easy heat but average ride on the 4-seam, and a hard cutter with tight bite. His only complimentary pitch thus far is a 12-6 curve, which makes it a fairly vertical arsenal. He gets good extension, although I’d be remiss to not mention the double pump in his plant leg that on first glance looks like noise, but has led to evident repeatability. What Suarez boasts in control he might lack in command. Right now it’s a supinator’s profile with an average arm slot. To progress he either needs to add some east-west depth to his arsenal (à la Chris Bassitt), or find ways to unlock the spin rates a touch more (Shane Baz). I’d expect him to slot into Montgomery’s rotation as one of the younger starters for his level.
Brendan Summerhill, OF 22 | L/R | 6’3” | 200 A | .333/.429/.444 (160 wRC+) 42 PA, 0 HR, 5 SB, 6 BB, 5 K
Following an All-Star performance at the Cape Cod summer league, Summerhill exhibited some of the best bat-to-ball skills in NCAA as a junior at Arizona. His draft stock took a minor hit due to injury (broken hand from from punching a cooler) and was drafted 42nd overall, but Summerhill rebounded well with a dominant stop at Charleston to finish the year. Summerhill has plus barrel control, allowing for a high-contact approach for his long swing. He has plus speed as well, which provides a chance to stick in center. Evaluators would like to see more power to complete a five-tool profile. Even if the power doesn’t materialize, it’s an above average contributor’s projection.
DETROIT (AP) — Alex DeBrincat scored 36 seconds into overtime to give the surging Detroit Red Wings a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.
Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Lucas Raymond and James van Riemsdyk also scored for Detroit. Patrick Kane assisted on Sandin-Pellikka’ goal, moving him two points shy of Mike Modano’s record of 1,374 career points by a U.S.-born player.
John Gibson made 19 saves for his 15th victory in his last 17 games. The Red Wings improved to 9-4 in overtime games.
Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for Ottawa. Dylan Cozens and Shane Pinto also scored, and James Reimer made 30 saves.
DeBrincat’s team-high 26th goal was set up by Andrew Copp as Detroit kept pace with Tampa Bay atop the Atlantic Division standings. The Red Wings have won six of their last seven games.
LIGHTNING 4, STARS 1
DALLAS (AP) — Brandon Hagel’s tiebreaking goal midway through the second period proved to be the winner, and Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 19 saves on 20 shots as Tampa Bay beat Dallas.
Rookie Dominic James and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist, and Pontus Holmberg added a late empty-net score for the Lightning, who bounced back from a shootout loss at St. Louis on Friday that ended a franchise record-tying 11-game winning streak. Tampa Bay has a 13-game points streak and they are tied with Carolina atop of the Eastern Conference with 64 points, second overall to Colorado (74).
Hagel took a pass at the goal line to the left side of Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger, playing off the line, and muscled the puck through the stick of Stars defenseman Esa Lindell for a 2-1 lead. It was Hagel’s sixth winning goal this season, tied for second in the NHL behind Nashville’s Steven Stamkos, who has seven.
Tampa Bay is a league-best 18-4-4 on the road and 20-1-0 when leading after two periods.
Vasilevskiy has 10 straight 20-win seasons and is 17-4-3 in his career against Dallas.
Oskar Back scored for the struggling Stars, who came off a 2-3-1 road trip and have lost three straight in regulation, scoring one goal in each game. Oettinger, tied for eighth in the NHL with 17 wins, stopped 22 shots and is 1-4-2 in his last seven starts.
OILERS 5, BLUES 0
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Zach Hyman had two goals and an assist, Connor Ingram made 27 saves for his first shutout of the season, and Edmonton beat St. Louis.
Vasily Podkolzin had a goal and an assist and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Andrew Mangiapane also scored for the Oilers, who have gone 5-1-2 in their last eight games.
Nugent-Hopkins played in his 1,000th regular-season contest, becoming just the 63rd player in history to record a goal in his milestone match. Connor McDavid and Mattias Ekholm each had a pair of assists.
Edmonton is now 21-1-4 when scoring first this season.
Jordan Binnington had 23 saves for St. Louis, who snapped a two-game win streak.
The Knicks are still nursing some injuries with a couple important iffy statuses for MLK Day. But their opponent is in much worse shape.
Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart are both questionable with minor ankle injuries for Monday against the Mavericks. Neither played in Saturday’s loss to the Suns.
Brunson, who sprained his ankle Wednesday, missed two consecutive games. The Knicks (25-17), losers of three straight, are 1-4 without him this season.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11 speaks with New York Knicks guard Josh Hart #3 off the bench during the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Mavericks (17-26), meanwhile, are severely depleted and eager for a good draft lottery odds.
Anthony Davis (finger sprain), Kyrie Irving (knee surgery), D’Angelo Russell (illness), P.J. Washington (personal reasons), Dereck Lively II (foot surgery) and Daniel Gafford (ankle sprain) are all out.
Cooper Flagg, the ballyhooed rookie, is listed as questionable for what would be his MSG debut as a professional. Flagg sat the last two games with an ankle sprain.
Flagg didn’t play in the last head-to-head with the Knicks on Nov. 19 in Dallas. The Knicks won 113-111.
