How much is Lane Kiffin making as LSU's football coach? Here's what to know of his reported contract details and salary:
Lane Kiffin secures $91 million base deal with LSU
The "college football is in crisis!"
An Objective View Of The Rangers That Won't Be Pleasing
Alan Greenberg has been watching the Rangers – dating back to The Original Six era – and writing well about The Game for decades. Visiting from Florida, he attended the Blueshirts-Bolts game the other night.
If you care about your beloved Blueshirts you should take heed of Greenberg's views.
"I agree with Sean Avery's comments that the Rangers 'lack toughness.' Specifically, the hit on Adam Fox (he's out for months) brought no retaliation from the home team. Allowing that hit to go unpunished, violates every hockey rule."
Like others who witnessed the game either in person or on TV, Al was appalled by the Blueshirts "effort," or lack of it, as the case may be.
"The team looks so unmotivated," he adds.
Which brings us to this point which is that both coach Mike Sullivan and captain J.T. Miller should be the prime motivator. The hire of Sully, in particular, bothers Greenberg; as it annoys me.
"Sullivan is an excellent coach with a cushy contract, but is he the right coach for this team?" Al logically asks and then answers. "I said that the Rangers needed a younger voice to relate to the youngsters. A good example is Spencer Carbery who took the Capitals to the top."
After watching the one-sided loss to Tampa Bay, Greenberg visited the Rangers dressing room where Miller, Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad were interviewed.
Oh, Woe, Is The Blueshirts?The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> were so bad losing to Tampa Bay that The Maven felt obliged to cheer saddened Blueshirt fans with a joke but then I realized that this is no time for comedy.
Greenberg: "I could hear the frustration in their voices and see the frustration in their body language. When I see only the veterans allowed to speak, it's 'damage control.' They know how to choose their words."
I go back to Allan (Associated Press) Kreda's reaction to the Rangers' reaction. "A collective shrug."
Why worry? MSG's checks won't bounce – and they seemingly last from here to eternity!
Warriors waive Jackson Rowe, reportedly plan to add LJ Cryer on two-way contract
Warriors waive Jackson Rowe, reportedly plan to add LJ Cryer on two-way contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors are shifting their 2025-26 NBA roster around.
Golden State has waived two-way forward Jackson Rowe, the team announced on Monday.
Warriors waive Jackson Rowe: pic.twitter.com/HSWjySS79t
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) December 1, 2025
Rowe, who is currently nursing an ankle injury, made six appearances with Golden State last season, averaging 3.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.
The 28-year-old forward signed a two-way deal with the Warriors on January 28 after multiple stints with Golden State’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz.
The Warriors will bring in 24-year-old rookie point guard LJ Cryer to occupy the two-way slot, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported, citing sources.
The Warriors plan to add guard LJ Cryer on a two-way contract, per sources. He's averaged 24.3 points in seven G-League games for Santa Cruz. Making 41.4 percent of his 12.4 attempted 3s per game.
To make room, the Warriors are waiving Jackson Rowe.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 1, 2025
Cryer originally signed with Golden State in the summer on an Exhibit 10 contract and spent the entire training camp and preseason with the team before being waived on Oct. 18, prior to the start of the season.
Cryer, who went unselected in this year’s NBA draft after a five-year college career at Baylor and Houston, averaged 24.3 points in seven G-League appearances for Santa Cruz.
With Seth Curry rejoining the team for the remainder of the season, the Warriors, who currently are the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference with an 11-10 record, have 15 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals.
Blues Recall Aleksanteri Kaskimaki Amid Injury News
The St. Louis Blues have recalled center Aleksanteri Kaskimaki amid injury news to Jimmy Snuggerud and Alexey Toropchenko.
Snuggerud will be re-evaluated in six weeks following surgery to repair his left wrist, and Toropchenko has been given a week-to-week timeline after sustaining scalding burns to his legs in a home accident.
Amidst the injury news, Kaskimaki is earning his first call-up to the NHL and is likely to skate in his first career NHL game. The 21-year-old is participating in his second AHL season with the Springfield Thunderbirds and has scored four goals and seven points in 16 games.
Kaskimaki is on pace for 17 goals and 30 points in 69 games, which would be in and around his rookie season totals of 11 goals and 34 points in 63 games.
The Espoo, FIN native skated in three pre-season games this season, scoring a goal in his final outing against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Blues host the Anaheim Ducks tonight, and it has yet to be confirmed whether Kaskimaki will be in the lineup. Pius Suter was held out of the lineup with a lower-body injury on Saturday, but his current status is questionable. If he is unable to play, the Blues' third-round pick (73rd overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft will make his NHL debut.
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Lane Kiffin leaves Ole Miss: How do Vegas oddsmakers think it impacts the Rebels’ power rating?
We asked oddsmakers what Lane Kiffin's departure to LSU means for Ole Miss' power rating and CFP hopes.
Penguins Recall Two Players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
After sending Danton Heinen and Tristan Broz to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins recalled two players from WBS on Monday.
They recalled Rutger McGroarty and Boko Imama ahead of Monday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers. McGroarty has been one of the best players in WBS, compiling four goals and seven points in five games since coming back from an undisclosed injury.
Imama had a gorgeous goal on a penalty shot this past week and has forechecked really nicely throughout the season. He's also not afraid of being physical and can also bring some snarl to the lineup.
Boko Imama on the penalty shot with ease😮💨@WBSPenguins | #WBSvsHERpic.twitter.com/C2o84NyduZ
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) November 27, 2025
Both players figure to be in the lineup against one of the Penguins' biggest rivals.
Puck drop for Monday's contest is set for 7 p.m. ET.
Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
Rumor: Utah may add around trade deadline, not ship Lauri Markkanen out
The conventional wisdom around the league has been that Utah would look to trade Lauri Markkanen at the February trade deadline. He is a 28-year-old All-Star-level player averaging 27.9 points and 6.3 assists a game this season, who is not on the timeline of the young stars they are rebuilding around. Also, a lot of teams could use him (hello Detroit!).
Except Utah may hold on to him and try to start winning sooner rather than later, Marc Stein reports in his latest Stein Line substack missive.
Difficult as it can be for rival teams to read the intentions of a front office that now houses Austin Ainge as well as Danny Ainge, more teams than not that we speak to are increasingly convinced that the Jazz are more likely to try to add to their Markkanen-led core this Trade Season rather than trade Markkanen away. Markkanen is averaging a career-high 28.5 points per game in his ninth season to build on a monster national team summer for Finland. It's true that the 28-year-old has still yet to log a single playoff minute in the NBA, but he unabashedly loves Salt Lake City. There is a strong case to be made, once you take it all in, for building around the 7-foot Finn.
A few quick thoughts on this:
• If a team were going to trade its biggest star at the deadline, this is exactly the vibe they would want to give off to maximize leverage. While it is definitely possible that ownership is pushing the front office to win more now and not all-out tank, I'm just saying (as Stein noted) that reading the intentions of Danny and Austin Ainge is next to impossible.
• How good is Utah, really, even with an addition or two? At 6-13 on the season, Utah sits 11th in the West as of this writing and is 1.5 games out of the final play-in spot. Promising young center Walker Kessler is out for the season. Even with a healthy Markkanen, breakout player Keynote George continuing his hot play, rookie Ace Bailey growing and improving over the course of the season, and a role player addition or two, is this team more than the No. 9 or 10 seed in the West? Is that what they should be pushing for, because....
• Utah owes its first-round pick to Oklahoma City, but it's top-eight protected. If the NBA Draft Lottery were today, the Jazz would be ninth heading in, with a 79.7% chance of losing their pick entirely (and enriching the 20-1 team at the top of the standings). Is making the play-in worth giving up a chance at a high pick in what is considered a deep draft at the top? Look, we remember how Jazz fans and team owner Ryan Smith felt after last season's draft lottery, where they had the worst record in the league and fell to fifth.
Woke up frustrated
— Ryan Smith (@RyanQualtrics) May 13, 2025
Went for a run
Audibly screamed
Sun peeked over our mountains
Ran into a fellow disappointed Jazz fan
Remembered THIS IS UTAH.
So……
Getting back on the horse
With the best fans in the league
Because it’s what we do here
Goal doesn’t change.
Still, this is a rebuilding team, and what it needs is more young, high-level talent on the timeline of Kessler and Bailey, and the draft is how Utah is going to get that. Trading Markkanen, getting into the top eight is the path to that.
We'll see which path the Jazz take, but apparently holding on to Markkanen is on the table.
Pat Fitzgerald is expected to land at Michigan State
Last month, former Northwestern coach (and periodic NFL candidate) Pat Fitzgerald said he wanted to get back into coaching, now that the litigation regarding his departure from his prior job had been resolved.
Suns vs. Lakers predictions: odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for December 1
The Phoenix Suns (12-9) travel to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers (15-4) Monday night. Luka Doncic and co. jumped out to a 46-27 lead and rolled to a 133-121 win over the Pelicans Sunday night while the Suns fell Saturday night at home to Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, 130-112.
Los Angeles will be playing its fourth back-to-back game of the season. The Lakers are 2-1 in this spot. LeBron James was unavailable for the first three, but he is expected to play tonight. The Lakers have won six in a row since LeBron returned to the lineup and seven in a row overall.
Phoenix has cooled off recently with just a single win in their last four games. This will be the Suns' third game in four nights. Devin Booker and co. were in OKC Friday and at home against the Nuggets as noted Saturday. Saturday at Oklahoma City and versus Denver.
Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup and find a potential sweat or two! We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff. Odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Game Details and How to watch the Suns vs. Lakers live
- Date: Monday, December 1, 2025
- Time: 10 PM ET
- Site: Crpto.com Arena
- City: Los Angeles, CA
- Network/Streaming: Peacock
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game odds for the Suns at the Lakers
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: LA Lakers (-198), Phoenix Suns (+164)
- Spread: Lakers -4.5
- Total: 234.5
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups for the Suns and the Lakers
Suns
PG Devin Booker
SG Grayson Allen
SF Dillon Brooks
PF Royce O’Neale
C Mark Williams
Lakers
PG Luka Doncic
SG Austin Reaves
SF Rui Hachimura
PF LeBron James
C Deandre Ayton
Injuries for the Suns and the Lakers
Suns
G Ryan Dunn (wrist) is probable for Monday's game
F Isaiah Livers (hip) has been ruled OUT for Monday's game
G Jalen Green (hamstring) has been ruled OUT for Monday's game
Lakers
F LeBron James (foot) is listed as questionable for Monday's game
G Marcus Smart (back) is listed as questionable for Monday's game
C DeAndre Ayton (knee) is listed as questionable for Monday's game
Important stats, trends and insights ahead of Suns at Lakers on Monday.
- The OVER has cashed in 13 of the Lakers' 19 games this season (13-6)
- The OVER has cashed in 10 of the Suns' 21 games this season (10-11)
- The Lakers are 13-6 ATS this season
- The Suns are 14-7 ATS this season
Rotoworld Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans LeBron’s point total Over and the Lakers to cover:
"LeBron James has increased his minutes in almost every game and has played a minimum of 30 minutes per contest. LeBron scored 11 in his season debut, going Under his total, but went Over in two of his past three with 17, 25, and 13 points. After sitting out Sunday's game and expected to suit up against a Suns' team that ranks 19th in defensive rating on the road compared to 10th at home, I like LeBron to score at least 15 points and go Over his points prop.
The Lakers may be playing without rest, but they're in a better spot than the Suns. Phoenix played at Oklahoma City on Friday, then hosted Denver on Saturday. Going to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Monday is not an ideal stretch for any team as the Thunder, Nuggets, and Lakers all rank top three in the West and Top 5 in the NBA. I like the Lakers to cover."
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Suns & Lakers game
- Moneyline: Lakers ML (high confidence)
- Spread: Lakers (medium confidence)
- Total: Under (low confidence)
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
What devices does Peacock support?
You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices
Why was Mark Stoops fired at Kentucky? Buyout, record for former Wildcats coach
Kentucky has fired Mark Stoops, the winningest coach in program history, after 13 seasons. Here's a look at why the Wildcats made the move:
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are showing the resilience of champions
In the past, moments like Chelsea’s shorthanded goal might have sent Arsenal reeling. No longer
The gap at the top is five points. Arsenal have now played two of their three toughest away games of the season. They’ve come through a potentially extremely tricky week with reputation enhanced, despite being without one of their starting centre-backs for all three games and both for one of them. If there is any sense of disappointment, it is only that they failed to beat Chelsea, whom they have become accustomed to getting the better of, despite having a man advantage from the 38th minute on Sunday.
But really there shouldn’t be any disappointment. Coming out of the international break, having conceded a late equaliser to Sunderland in their previous game, Arsenal looked potentially vulnerable. Despite having been by far the most impressive side this season, their lead over Manchester City was only four points. They were without Gabriel, who probably ranks alongside Declan Rice as their most important player. They faced Tottenham, Bayern and Chelsea over the course of eight days, and Manchester City appeared to be beginning to gather momentum.
Continue reading...Pete Golding takes over for Lane Kiffin, as permanent Mississippi coach
Ole Miss didn't have to search very long, or very far, for the replacement to former head coach Lane Kiffin.
Bulls vs. Magic predictions: odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for December 1
The Chicago Bulls (9-10) and Orlando Magic (12-8) link up for the first of two in a double-header on Peacock!
Chicago has lost three straight games and four of the last five. In addition, this will be the third game in four days for the Bulls who have now fallen below .500. This will be the second meeting of the season between these teams and their second in Orlando. Chicago won the first game, 110-98, outscoring the Magic 27-18 in the fourth quarter.
Orlando looks to even the season series with Chicago and it comes at a good time. Paolo Banchero (groin) remains sidelined, but having not played since last week and only twice in the last seven days, the Magic are still healthier and more rested than the Bulls. With two straight wins and a 5-1 record in the past six outings, the Magic are in a good spot at home.
Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup and find a potential sweat or two! We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff. Odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Game Details and How to watch the Bulls vs. Magic live
- Date: Monday, December 1, 2025
- Time: 7:30 PM ET
- Site: Kia Center
- City: Orlando, FL
- Network/Streaming: Peacock
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game odds for the Bulls at the Magic
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Orlando Magic (-345), Chicago Bulls (+275)
- Spread: Magic -8.5
- Total: 239.5
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups for the Magic and the Bulls
Magic
PG Jalen Suggs
SG Desmond Bane
SF Franz Wagner
PF Tristan da Silva
C Wendell Carter Jr.
Bulls
PG Josh Giddy
SG Coby White
SF Ayo Dosunmu
PF Matas Buzelis
C Nikola Vucevic
Injuries for theMagic and the Bulls
Magic
F Paolo Banchero (groin) has been ruled out of tonight's game
F Mo Wagner (knee) has been ruled out of tonight's game
Bulls
F Isaac Okoro (back) has been ruled out of tonight's game
F Julian Phillips (illness) is questionable for tonight's game
F Jalen Smith (hamstring) has been ruled out of tonight's game
Important stats, trends and insights ahead of Bulls at Magic on Monday
- Orlando is 11-9 ATS this season
- Chicago is 9-10 ATS this season
- The OVER has cached 12 times in Orlando's 20 games this season (12-8)
- The OVER has cashed 10 times in Chicago's 19 games this season (10-9)
Rotoworld Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Magic to cover:
"Orlando is in a much better spot than Chicago. The Magic have played two games since Monday and had Saturday and Sunday off to relax and watch some college football and NFL. How nice? For Chicago, well this will be the third game in four days, but at least they had Sunday off. This is a Magic or pass spot at home. Orlando has won the past two and five of the last six, while Chicago is 0-3 in the previous three and 1-4 over the last five."
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Magic & Bulls game
- Moneyline: Magic ML (high confidence)
- Spread: Magic (low confidence)
- Total: Under (low confidence)
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
What devices does Peacock support?
You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices
Surprising home struggles have come at bad time for Panthers squad trying to keep pace in playoff race
It was only a few weeks ago when things felt like they were turning a corner for the Florida Panthers.
They were returning from another long road trip and showing some signs of real positivity, playing three straight solid games away from home, an area they’d struggled mightily to that point of the young season.
After dropping five of their first six road games, including an embarrassing 7-3 affair in Anaheim to kick off that most recent trip, the Cats played quite well in Los Angeles, San Jose and Vegas, only dropping the middle matchup thanks to an incredible effort in goal by the Sharks’ top goaltending prospect Yaroslav Askarov.
Returning to home ice, where the Panthers were set to play 10 of their next 11 and where they’d gotten off to a 5-1-1 start on the year, was only supposed to increase Florida’s growing momentum after their strong end on the road.
Unfortunately for the Cats, things haven’t followed on that projected path.
After starting the home stretch with three wins in four games, defeating Washington, Vancouver and New Jersey but losing to Tampa Bay, Florida has since dropped each of their past three games at Amerant Bank Arena.
“I think everyone wants to beat us, that’s always the case” said Panthers defenseman Gus Forsling, referencing the team’s consecutive Stanley Cup wins. “They get one goal, and they get some energy, and things like that happen in the games.”
“We want to get back to defending,” he added.
Indeed, Forsling and the Panthers are surely frustrated with the defeats.
In each of the previous two – a 4-2 loss to Philadelphia and a 5-3 loss to Calgary – Florida jumped out to a 2-0 lead both nights.
All three saw the Panthers surrender late goals, but in different, exasperating ways.
Edmonton scored a pair of empty-net goals that came almost immediately after Daniil Tarasov vacated his crease, never allowing the Cats a chance to try and push for a tying score with an extra attacker.
The Flyers game…well, it was tied entering the final minute, they won the game by two and didn’t score an empty-net goal.
Two nights later against Calgary, Florida’s early two-goal lead was gone by the first intermission, and they entered the final frame down by a pair. Still, it took a Flames’ ENG to seal the win, but it was an exclamation point on an extremely unsatisfying week on home ice that was supposed to be the exact opposite.
“It’s a game of inches,” said Panthers forward A.J. Greer. “When we put ourselves in some bad positions, whether that’s defensively or just in general with certain mistakes that we know we shouldn’t make, the other teams have been capitalizing on them.”
This homestead was when the injury-filled Panthers were going to piss off the rest of the league and reel off a bunch of wins, leapfrogging teams in the tightly-packed Eastern Conference playoff race and setting themselves up for another strong spring, when most of Florida’s injured players should be returning to the lineup, if not already back.
Alas, Florida’s ‘one step forward, two steps back’ routine has come at a bad time.
The standings aren’t so constricted anymore.
Tampa Bay is now four points clear of second-place Boston for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, with Florida nine points back and only ahead of Toronto and Buffalo in the conference.
The Panthers are only four points back of the second Wild Card spot, but there are five teams between Florida and Pittsburgh, the current final playoff position holder.
The good news?
Well first off, it hasn’t been all gloom and doom for the Panthers lately.
In addition to the continued scoring surplus from the likes of Sam Reinhart and Brad Marchand, several of Florida’s long-slumbering offensive weapons are starting to show serious signs of life.
The recently-created line of Sam Bennett centering Greer and Carter Verhaeghe has ignited all three players, but if Bennett and Verhaeghe can get back to producing at the levels they’ve come to expect of themselves in recent years, it will go a long way toward the Cats getting back on a successful track.
Additionally, Florida still has decent amount of meat on the bone in terms of their homestand, and two of their upcoming four games in Sunrise are against teams in that five-team mix between the Panthers and the playoffs.
Starting Tuesday, the Cats will host Toronto, Nashville, Columbus and the Islanders this week. Four games in six nights.
Toronto and Nashville are two of the few teams below Florida in the standings, and the Blue Jackets and Islanders are teams that, like the Panthers, are chasing that final playoff spot.
It’s a great opportunity for the Cats to put a rough week behind them and turn things back in a very positive direction before getting back on the road.
Will they take advantage?
Stay tuned.
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Photo caption: Oct 11, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice looks on during the third period against the Ottawa Senators at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)