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Granlund, Gauthier score in shootout as Ducks beat Avalanche 2-1

DENVER (AP) — Mikael Granlund and Cutter Gauthier scored in the shootout and Lukas Dostal stopped 40 shots as Anaheim defeated the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche for the Ducks' fifth straight win Wednesday night.

Jeffrey Viel scored in his second straight game as the Ducks opened a six-game road trip.

Artturi Lehkonen scored for Colorado, and Scott Wedgewood made 16 saves.

Alex Killorn played in his 1,000th career NHL game. He spent 11 years with Tampa Bay, winning the Stanley Cup twice, before signing with Anaheim as a free agent in 2023.

Colorado forward Valeri Nichushkin returned after missing Monday night's win over the Washington Capitals. He was involved in a car accident on his way to the rink and was held out as a precaution.

The Avalanche played without Gabriel Landeskog (upper body), defenseman Devon Toews (upper) and forward Joel Kiviranta (lower body). Forward Logan O’Connor has yet to play this season as he recovers from offseason hip surgery.

Up next

Ducks visit Seattle on Friday.

Avalanche wrap up a seven-game homestand against Philadelphia on Friday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Nets suffer ‘unacceptable’ embarrassment in complete breakdown against Knicks

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas #24 reacts on the court during the second quarter, Image 2 shows The Nets lost in historic fashion
Nets lose

The Nets’ loss wasn’t just humiliating. It was historic. 

Brooklyn got thrashed 120-66 by the Knicks in front of a sellout crowd of 19,812 at the Garden that saw a rout for the ages. 

Wednesday night marked the biggest margin of victory in Knicks history. The Nets slogged through the lowest-scoring effort in the entire NBA this season, worse than Indiana’s 121-78 loss to Detroit on Jan. 17. 

Cam Thomas reacts during the second quarter of the Nets’ 120-66 blowout loss to the Knicks on Jan. 21, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

It was just a point shy of the worst margin of defeat by any squad in the league this season, and only Brooklyn’s late 5-0 run in the waning seconds of garbage time against the end of the Knicks’ bench spared them the blushes of the worst rout in franchise history — their 59-point caning at the Clippers last season. 

It was, in short, embarrassing. 

“It’s just unacceptable,” admitted Noah Clowney. “It can’t happen that way again. At all.” 

Coach Jordi Fernández fell on the proverbial sword afterward, taking the blame. But both the coaches and the veterans — Nic Claxton, Michael Porter Jr. and Ziaire Williams — addressed the team in the locker room about the non-effort. 

“The first thing was fight,” Drake Powell said. 

“Everybody’s on the same page that we shouldn’t be losing by 60,” said Clowney, adding, “Defensively we were disastrous. We didn’t get back for the first part, they lit our ass up for 3, and had everything they wanted.” 

Michael Porter Jr. drives down court as Jalen Brunson gives chase during the first quarter of the Nets’ ugly blowout loss to the Knicks. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

It was a complete breakdown on both ends. 

The Nets shot just 29 percent, and 11-for-40 from deep. Even Porter was held to just 12 points, and he was Brooklyn’s leading scorer. 

On the other end, it was just as bad. Brooklyn allowed 57 percent shooting, and 16-for-32 from behind the arc. They got battered 56-27 on the glass. 

And in the end it was a 13th straight loss to the Knicks, the longest skid in the history of this rivalry that is almost as one-sided as the Globetrotters and the Generals. 

After losing by 36 to the Knicks on Nov. 9, Brooklyn topped that. 

“Tonight was even worse, and I’m the one responsible for it,” Fernández said. “I have to help them better. In the last 12 games, we’ve been poor defensively, poor offensively. And that falls on me. Players are not responsible for it. I’ve gotta make sure that they understand the values that we have and how we want to play.” 

It wasn’t like that. 

The Nets lost in historic fashion. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Yes, they kept pace a game behind Sacramento for fourth in the lottery race. But that’s no excuse for a non-competitive night like this. 

Up 6-4, they gave up 14 unanswered. 

Trailing just 30-20, the Nets allowed an 8-0 run. 

Rather than rally, Brooklyn folded. 

They conceded a 16-0 run at the start of the fourth quarter, and trailed by 59. And this against a struggling Knicks team that had lost nine of 11. 

“They haven’t been playing well, and they were like, ‘Well, we’re fittin’ to get us one.’ We came out thinking that we were going to get us one, and they played like they wanted it,” Noah Clowney said. “Even at halftime we felt like if we would’ve hit back, we had an opportunity. But we didn’t. We went out there and they hit us again.”

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Islanders Lose Special Teams Battle, Fall 4-1 To Seattle Kraken In Road Trip Finale

SEATTLE -- The New York Islanders were unable to end their seven-game road trip on a positive note, falling 4-1 to the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday night.

They return home with a 3-3-1 record. 

Ilya Sorokin made 22 saves. Philipp Grubauer made 23 saves. 

The Islanders went 1-for-7 on the power play, with just seven shots. One of the power plays lasted eight seconds, but they did play 10:22 with the man advantage, including a 5-on-3 power play for six seconds. 

Here's how the game unfolded.

The Islanders scored first in this one, courtesy of Anthony Duclair on the power play from the bumper spot off a feed from Calum Ritchie at 2:38 of the first period:

That was Duclair's fifth goal in four games, scoring eight in his last game. Ritchie extended his point streak to four games (4A) -- a career high -- while Mathew Barzal recorded his third point in two games (3A). 

The Islanders found themselves on a 5-on-3 power play, but weren't able to execute. 

Unfortunately for the Islanders, Seattle got their chance at a 5-on-3 and made Patrick Roy's squad pay when Matty Beniers deflected a Vince Dunn shot blocker side at 10:40 of the first. 

There were 9:02 minutes of collective power play time in the opening period, with the Islanders going 1-for-4 and Seattle going 1-for-2. 

The ice tilted right then and there, as Seattle went on to score another two to head into the third period up 3-1.

Dunn scored on a 2-on-1 rush at 13:37. Then it was Jaden Schwartz who Scott Mayfield to a loose puck behind the Islanders' net before he found former New York Rangers forward Kappo Kaako in the low slot at 16:28 of the second.

The Islanders had another two power-play opportunities in the middle frame, but one only lasted eight seconds after Duclair negated it. 

Jared McCann added an empty-netter at 16:32 of the third for a 4-1 final. 

With the loss and the Pittsburgh Penguins' win, the Islanders end the night sitting in third place in the Metropolitan Division. 


UP NEXT: The Islanders host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday at 1 PM ET. 

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Hammond, Lawal combine for 24 made FTs to help Virginia Tech sink Syracuse 76-74

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Ben Hammond scored 24 points and reserve Tobi Lawal recorded a double-double and Virginia Tech beat Syracuse 76-74 on Wednesday night.

Hammond made 12 of 13 foul shots, and Lawal scored 16 points, shot 10 of 14 from the stripe — including 4 of 4 in the final 32 seconds — and grabbed 11 rebounds.

The duo combined to make 22 of Virginia Tech's 26 foul shots.

Neoklis Avdalis and Amani Hansberry each scored 10 points for the Hokies (15-5, 4-3 ACC), who have won three of four.

J.J. Starling scored 12 points, Nate Kingz and reserve Sadiq White Jr. each scored 11 and Donnie Freeman and William Kyle III 10 apiece for Syracuse.

The Orange led 37-30 at halftime before Virginia Tech erased the deficit outscoring Syracuse 16-8 in the first nine minutes of the second half to claim a 46-45 lead when Hammond made 1 of 2 foul shots.

Lawal made 1 of 2 foul shots, Hammond made a short floater and a three-point play and the Hokies led 59-53 with 5:50 left and never trailed again.

The Orange have dropped consecutive games following a three-game win streak.

Up Next

Virginia Tech: The Hokies play Saturday at 23rd-ranked Louisville.

Syracuse: The Orange host Miami on Saturday.

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Penguins/Flames Recap: Malkin’s line stands out, Pittsburgh defeats Calgary 4-1

Pregame

Kris Letang can’t go in this game due to an upper-body injury so go ahead and just don’t look at this blueline group tonight.

First period

Pittsburgh gets the first power play, Ryan Shea is out there with all the big guns. He looks nervous and loses the puck over his stick twice for no reason. They do get a few chances down to the net a little after that.

Shea looks a lot more comfortable at 5v5, feathering a shot in that Evgeni Malkin can deflect. Dustin Wolf overplayed the angle and gets caught leaning a little while the puck trickles on in to the far side. 1-0 Pens thanks to Malkin’s 11th goal of the season, 7:49 in.

Rest of the period scoots on along. Calgary is a nothin’ happenin’ team to start things off, generating only five shots on goal. Pittsburgh gets 11 and carries a 1-0 lead

Second period

Connor Dewar comes close to scoring a couple of times but can’t keep his hot hand going.

The second line comes through again, Malkin enters the zone and passes across the middle for Tommy Novak. Novak touches a pass over for Egor Chinakhov who pulls the puck back to change the angle catches Wolf with a hard shot, even though his body momentum is falling back from the net he still gets a lot of velocity on his seventh goal of the season. Pittsburgh pushes their lead to 2-0.

The Flames find a way to get a goal back juuust before the final buzzer. Zach Whitecloud takes a point shot that doesn’t look like much trouble until Yegor Sharangovich makes his way to the middle of the ice and puts a deflection on it. Ends up in the net with 2.7 seconds on the clock.

It was almost all systems under control, right up until the very last bit. Calgary gives themselves more of a chance and something to believe in heading into the third. Shots in the second were 9-8 in favor of CGY but Skinner was making it looks easy right up until a shock out of no where beat the buzzer.

Third period

Pittsburgh comes out the gates strong and responds to Calgary’s late-period goal. Bryan Rust gets down low and throws the puck to the net. Sidney Crosby is right out in front and hacks at a puck that leaks through Wolf and to the back of the net. 3-1 game 50 seconds into the third.

Dewar trips a Flame on the following shift to allow the first Calgary power play of the night, his teammates take care of business and keep the PK going strong.

Calgary has a great chance a little later when Pittsburgh’s defensive structure breaks down a little and an unmarked player in the middle of the ice takes a big shot. Skinner makes a great save with the glove that he can’t control but that ends up working out just as well. Jack St. Ivany plays the puck up for Novak and the Pens have a 2-on-1. The defender completely ignores Novak to take away the pass, so Novak skates the puck all the way in makes a slick backhand deke and casually flips the puck top shelf on Wolf. Pretty stuff for Novak’s ninth goal of the season and extend the lead to 4-1.

That capped off most of the notable moments. Calgary beat Skinner but glanced a shot off the post and from there it was just about riding the game out until the clock reached 0:00.

Some thoughts

  • The Malkin line with Chinakhov and Novak are a super-fun watch. There’s obviously the production element on a night like tonight where each member of the line scored a goal. Even beyond those contributions they are playing exciting hockey, working off one another very well and growing in chemistry in the offensive zone as they get more time together. All have some speed on the puck all can handle the puck and are unafraid to carry it in and through opponents when they drive up the ice.
  • Sidney Crosby took a Bryan Rust centering pass to what looked like the side of the leg above the knee on the first shift of the game. Looks like the worst was avoided save for a moment of pain that had the captain instantly doubled over and smarting for a bit. That’s all the Pens needed at this point when key players have been dropping like flies lately.
  • Our key to the game for the Pens from the preview was out-scoring the expectations to improve over where they stumbled against Calgary two weeks ago in a 2-1 loss. Chinakhov’s second period goal (to make the score 2-0) on 1.04 total expected goals from Moneypuck. It was looking good at that point and continued from there. Crosby’s early third period goal extended that race to 3 actual goals vs 1.52 expected. In the end it shook out to be four goals on just over two expected, which is precisely what was needed. In the last Pens/Flames matchup the Pens weren’t getting the finishes. They had it tonight, leading to a fairly drama-free game of being out in front for most of the contest. That’s a good way to live.
  • The developing story of the day for the Pens was breaking the goalie rotation to play Skinner again. Turned out to work very well, Skinner only saw 19 shots but did more than his part in allowing only one goal on 1.77 expected from the Flames.
  • Another angle was that bare bones blueline for the evening. Gotta factor in quality of opponent (low!), also gotta tip a cap to those guys for a great effort. It was shades of the 2017 playoff run with an undermanned crew stepping up and doing what it takes to get the job done. Wotherspoon was breaking up plays all over the ice. Connor Clifton, as always, made his presence known with some big hits. Shea pitched in as he could on the one power play of the night. Even Ryan Graves blocked three shots. Forwards, especially centers like Ben Kindel and Blake Lizotte, were drifting way back defensively and appearing mindful to make themselves available as options for quick bail outs.
  • One of the few times the Pens got trapped in their defensive zone for a long shift happened during the second period. Wotherspoon was almost 2:30 into his shift and still had enough vinegar in the tank to put Morgan Frost on his wallet twice. I don’t know if you want to call Wotherspoon the most improved player or maybe just the one who has had the opportunity to emerge this season and show his stuff, but my goodness he’s impressed at every turn. What a solid player he is.
  • Speaking of that blueline, Kris Letang was only briefly on the ice for the morning skate, taking basically a quick lap around the rink and then leaving. That doesn’t sound like it bodes well for his chances to play tomorrow night against Edmonton. Erik Karlsson has been on the ice much more in recent days, though he couldn’t go today he did make a comment yesterday about not being a “mascot” for this road trip. Wouldn’t expect him to rush into a return three weeks prior to the start Olympics yet it would be a massive benefit if Karlsson can answer the bell tomorrow or at least on Sunday in Vancouver.

So that’s that, another impressive win in the books. Now the Pens move on quickly to Edmonton and get ready to take on an Oiler team that has been quite the boogeymen for them in recent years.

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Rapid Recap: Thunder 122, Bucks 102

After escaping on Monday with a two-point win over the Hawks, the Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t build momentum and lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s the fourth straight loss for the Bucks against defending NBA champions. Giannis led the way for the Bucks with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while seldom-used guard Cole Anthony had 17 points on 77.8% shooing from the floor. Reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all players with 40 points on a hyper-efficient 16/19 shooting, while also dishing out 11 assists.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap

During his pre-game remarks, Doc Rivers mentioned that in order to beat a team like OKC, even shorthanded, they couldn’t turn the ball over. That didn’t translate on the court, as the Bucks committed three turnovers in the first four minutes. That allowed the Thunder to grab a big lead early, and they continued to add onto it. Milwaukee didn’t even hit double-digits on the scoreboard until the 3:09 mark, courtesy of a Pete Nance three-pointer. At one point, Ajay Mitchell outscored the Bucks by himself (12 to 11). By the time the first was over, the Bucks fell behind by 20, 38-18.

Milwaukee seemed to find their footing early in the second from three-point range. They went 3/5 in the first 4:28 of the frame, but the problem was that they couldn’t get a stop on defense. SGA didn’t have to do much to break down Milwaukee’s defense: there were a few stretches where the Bucks tried to hang around, cutting the lead down to 14 points a couple of times, but OKC always had a response. SGA hit a three with 38 seconds left with Kyle Kuzma all over him to put the Thunder back up by 19, and the score at halftime was 69-51 in favor of OKC.

The Bucks tried to mount a comeback, but the Thunder were having none of it. SGA scored or assisted on eight of the first 14 OKC points in the first half of the quarter to keep the Bucks at bay. Milwaukee did try to creep into the game again, cutting the deficit to 16 points with 4:03 to go in the quarter thanks to an Andre Jackson Jr. three-point basket. Yet, as they did throughout the night at Fiserv Forum, the Thunder responded with a 9-0 run to go up by 27 points. The Bucks were able to shave down the deficit a bit heading into the fourth quarter, down 99-77.

The first two possessions of the fourth quarter typified what the game had been all night long. Pete Nance hit a three-pointer to get the deficit under 20. On the Thunder’s first offensive possession, the Bucks forced Kenrich Williams into a fadeaway three at the end of the shot clock, but he drilled it anyway. The two teams traded baskets for much of the quarter, but after two straight dunks from Giannis, Oklahoma City called timeout. But with the Bucks down by 18 points and just under five miuntes to go, Doc Rivers subbed out Giannis for the rest of the game. Then, with 2:28 left, Rivers subbed in end-of-the-bench players, as OKC coasted to an easy victory.

Stat That Stood Out

One key to this one was not turning the ball over. Milwaukee couldn’t do that at all in the first quarter, as they turned the ball over eight times. The Thunder were able to turn that into 11 points, en route to their 20-point first-quarter lead.

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Freddy Peralta trade grades: Who won Mets-Brewers deal?

The Milwaukee Brewers have traded pitcher Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets for a pair of top prospects.

The addition of Peralta adds an ace to the Mets' pitching rotation and the move is expected to help keep New York competitive in the National League East, after finishing 13 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the top spot in the division in 2025.

The Mets' pitching staff showed early signs of dominance in 2025, leading the league with a 2.32 ERA ... before the team collapsed in the second half and missed the postseason with an 83-79 record.

The team finished out the final 92 games with a 38-54 record. Kodai Senga dealt with injuries, which limited his availability. Clay Holmes made the transition to a starter after spending time coming out of the bullpen.

Here's grades for the Freddy Peralta deal:

Freddy Peralta trade grades:

Mets

The trade provides not only another big name to the roster − Peralta was a 2025 All-Star and is held in high regard for his fastball and his strikeout ability. The 29-year-old Dominican pitcher has reached over 200 strikeouts and over 30 starts in three consecutive seasons.

The Mets also received pitcher Tobias Myers in the deal.

Grade: A

Brewers

The Brewers added two of the Mets’ top prospects to their system. 

Jett Williams was the 14th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, having spent the past four seasons playing at various levels of the minor leagues. He has not yet played at the major league level. Williams, who was ranked as the Mets' No. 3 prospect by MLB.com, has shown the ability to play multiple positions, including shortstop, second base and outfield.

Brandon Sproat obviously doesn't have the level of experience that was lost by sending Peralta away, but he's a highly-regarded pitching prospect (ranked as the Mets' No. 5 prospect, per MLB.com). Sproat has played in four major league games for the Mets. He has an 0-2 record.

Grade: B-

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Freddy Peralta trade grades for Mets-Brewers deal

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Sherrone Moore is returning to court in case related to his firing as Michigan football coach

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore is returning to court for the first time since being charged with vengeful acts against a woman shortly after he was fired for having a relationship with her.

Moore, 39, faces three charges, including felony home invasion and stalking. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and must wear a tracking device while free on bond.

A judge in the Ann Arbor area set a hearing for Thursday to get an update on the case, six weeks after Moore was fired and arrested. The next step would be to schedule another hearing to determine if there's enough evidence to order a trial on the felony charge.

Moore went inside the woman's apartment on Dec. 10 and blamed her for losing his job that day, even grabbing butter knives and kitchen scissors and threatening to kill himself, according to authorities.

“My blood is on your hands," Washtenaw County assistant prosecutor Kati Rezmierski has quoted Moore as telling the woman, who was a football staff member.

Rezmierski said the woman had told school officials about their relationship. Moore was fired for the relationship and lying during the university's investigation. Kyle Whittingham, who coached Utah for two decades, is the new Michigan coach.

Moore coached the Wolverines for two seasons as the successor to Jim Harbaugh, who won a national championship before quitting to become coach of the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers.

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Braves News: Andruw Jones, offseason options dwindling, more

Well options are beginning to dwindle for the Braves to add another impact player this offseason. They have a stated desire to add to their starting rotation and Framber Valdez is still out there on the market (though would cost a draft pick to sign), but the market has been moving for the last couple weeks and Spring Training is rapidly approaching. There are still options on the trade market and that has perhaps felt like the area that Anthopoulos would make his move. Freddy Peralta is no longer available, as he was sent to the Mets, but there are a number of other options of varying qualities that could be had on the trade market.

Braves News

We heard from Andruw Jones after he reached the voting threshold to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

MLB News

The Mets traded two top 100 prospects for one year of Freddy Peralta from the Brewers. While this should meaningfully help the Mets this year, that’s a pretty wild package for one year of a good but not elite pitcher, even on an incredibly cheap contract.

The Yankees re-signed Cody Bellinger to a large 5 year deal with opt-outs.

The Angels re-signed Yoan Moncada to a 1 year, $4 million deal.

The MLB owners will reportedly make a very strong push for a salary cap this upcoming CBA negotiation, but there is substantial skepticism that they will get it or that games will be missed.

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Yankees news: Keeping Cody Bellinger

FanGraphs | Ben Clemens: By now I’m sure you know that Cody Bellinger is staying in the Bronx, with a cool five-year, $162.5 million deal. The reunion with the Yankees felt near-inevitable with, with such a glaring hole in the club’s construction and Bellinger unable to get someone to stretch his deal out to six or seven years. The Yankees retain a strong floor for 2026, even if the ceiling of the team is up for debate.

New York Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: For more details on the Bellinger deal, look no further. It’s far from a standard MLB deal, with a pair of opt outs and a $20 million signing bonus that works as essentially an insurance policy should we see baseball games lost to 2027 labor strife. Bellinger’s now the third-highest paid Yankee, and the appropriate pressure will no doubt be felt. For the team, the estimated total payroll for 2026 is now $317 million, the third-highest in baseball after the Dodgers and Mets (whose payroll rose again at least a bit after trading for Freddy Peralta), or about $10 million more adjusted for inflation than the 2009 championship team’s player expenses.

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: In other news, Andy Pettitte saw his Hall of Fame vote share jump significantly this time around, his eighth time on the ballot. The longtime Yankee lefty received votes on 48.5 percent of submissions, the fourth-highest vote total behind inductees Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones, as well as Chase Utley. This represents a 20-point jump over Andy’s 2024 vote count, and with two more years of eligibility remaining, there’s still a real chance the five-time World Series champion sees himself in Cooperstown.

Baseball America: BA is out with their top 100 prospect list, considered by many to be the most reliable compendium of future MLB stars. Four Yankees find themselves in the rankings, with George Lombard Jr. atop the team’s table at No. 46 overall. Elmer Rodriguez, who we will likely see with the big league club at some point in 2026, is ranked 59th, with 2025 first-rounder Dax Kilby at 61st, and right-hander Carlos Lagrange just making the cut at 96.

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Houston Rockets vs. Philadelphia 76ers game preview

Before we start with the preview, I want to thank Holly and Xiane for stepping in and handling the game previews while I was celebrating my brother’s marriage. As always, I’m worried that you guys liked them way more than me and will try to get rid of me. For now, you’re still stuck with me, but you should definitely continue enjoying their writing. They’re both great and deserve your attention.

The Houston Rockets finally won the second game of a back-to-back last week against a shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves team. Those had been an issue for Houston because back-to-backs mean no Steven Adams. Now, Houston will be without Adams for an indefinite amount of time and have to navigate all games without their big Kiwi.

Their next test takes them to Philadelphia, where the 76ers have absolutely surprised a lot of people with their start to the season. We all knew Joel Embiid and Paul George would miss some games, and both have missed 19 contests so far. Still, Philly has thrived thanks to an MVP-level campaign from Tyrese Maxey, solid play from Quentin Grimes, and potential Rookie of the Year frontrunner V.J. Edgecomb. Those three have been the backbone of the squad with veterans like Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond, the Sixers look to be in much better shape moving forward than they have at times in previous years.

And that doesn’t count Jared McCain, who was looking like the no-doubt Rookie of the Year last season before injuries ended his season early and then another one took him down right before this season started. He’s struggled so far this season and is with the G-League. If he figures things out, he adds another layer to Philly’s strategy and makes them even more difficult to defend.

Tip-off

6pm CT on January 22, 2026

How To Watch

Space City Home Network

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Sixers

Joel Embiid: GTD

Paul George: GTD

The Line (as of this post)

N/A

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Friday night on the road against the Detroit Pistons

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Do The Penguins Have What It Takes To Target Jason Robertson?

It's safe to say that the Pittsburgh Penguins are exceeding expectations so far this season, as they are squarely in the playoff race and thwarting any talk of the draft lottery entirely. 

As it stands now, they are second in the Metropolitan Division with 59 points, and they are on pace for 99 points this season. There is a pretty good chance that - if this pace holds - the Penguins will be soft buyers at the deadline, adding to fill some holes on their roster but doing so without mortgaging the future.

But there is also another option for the Penguins, and it's something that is picking up more and more steam: What if the Penguins go big?

And one of the biggest names out there is Dallas Stars superstar Jason Robertson. 

Robertson, 26, continues to put together impressive campaigns for the Stars, as he has 29 goals and 58 points in 50 games. That puts him on pace for 48 goals and 95 points, which is right on par with career numbers.

Of course, it's worth noting that if Robertson - a pending restricted free agent (RFA) - is dealt from Dallas, it likely will not occur until the offseason. The Stars are in the midst of a playoff race and currently sit 12 points behind the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche at second in the Central Division, so trading the 6-foot-3, 204-pound left winger prior to the deadline would certainly hurt their playoff goals. 

Latest Jason Robertson Contract Estimate Puts Stars in Cap TroubleLatest Jason Robertson Contract Estimate Puts Stars in Cap TroubleNew estimate of Jason Robertson's next contract from NHL insider sparks concern on being able to retain the 26-year-old star forward.

But that doesn't mean it won't happen. Yes, the Stars are projected to have over $16 million in cap space this summer, so, hypothetically, they should be able to pay Robertson - who just switched agents - without issue. But the Stars also have seven other pending-UFAs and RFAs, and if Robertson is paid north of $12 million - as is rumored that he wants - it may be a bit tough for the Stars to fill out their rest of their roster and account for extensions like Thomas Harley's without shedding cap elsewhere. 

If Dallas and GM Jim Nill are serious about contending long-term, Robertson will be in a Stars' uniform next season. But if they feel they can't make it work, they should expect a pretty hefty return on the market.

So, do the Penguins and GM/POHO Kyle Dubas have what it takes to acquire Robertson, should he become available?

Is Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas The Clear Frontrunner For GM Of The Year?Is Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas The Clear Frontrunner For GM Of The Year?Pittsburgh Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas has had quite the year - and, if things continue to go well for them, he deserves some recognition.

Actually, they are in a better position than most of the other teams who would probably be interested in Robertson's services and could realistically have a shot. 

For one, the Penguins have boatloads of cap space to spare. According to PuckPedia, they are projected to have $52.9 million next season, and even if they have a lot of decisions to make on pending-UFAs and RFAs - they have 12 - none of them project to command a very high cap hit. So, financial flexibility is not an issue, and the Penguins can basically afford to pay Robertson whatever he wants.

In addition, and contrary to popular belief, the Penguins do have assets. Yes, the Stars, allegedly, aren't very interested in draft picks and prospects, but those assets are likely to be part of any package regardless because of the caliber of player they'd be trading. Pretty much any Penguins' prospect - aside from Ben Kindel and Sergei Murashov - should be fair game, and the Penguins have all three of their first-round picks for the next three seasons in addition to six second-round picks and six third-round picks.

NHL Insider: Penguins Could Take Swing At Stars' Jason RobertsonNHL Insider: Penguins Could Take Swing At Stars' Jason RobertsonPenguins eye scoring sensation Jason Robertson. If Stars can't sign him, Pittsburgh prepares to trade for the rising star.

A scoring winger who is cost-controlled would make sense as part of a return, and the Penguins have that in Rickard Rakell or Bryan Rust. As would an NHL-ready prospect such as Rutger McGroarty. There is even talk of the Stars coveting a defenseman, too, and this could be a situation where a third team can get involved and take on Pittsburgh's draft capital as part of the deal to send the Stars a blueliner, assuming the Stars wouldn't be interested in prospect-level defensemen.

In some scenarios, the Penguins might have to get a little bit creative. But if the Penguins wanted to, they could make this work, even if they were forced to part with an additional asset in order to outbid other teams and get the deal across the finish line.

It would almost certainly cost more than this, but as a starting point, the Penguins are probably looking at something along the lines of Rakell, McGroarty, and a 2026 first-round pick. And if the Penguins do indeed make the playoffs, losing that first-rounder is going to sting a whole lot less, especially since they may have a high second-rounder in this year's draft if the Winnipeg Jets continue to lose hockey games.

Pittsburgh Penguins' scoring winger Rickard Rakell is one of the players who could make sense in a potential trade with the Dallas Stars for Jason Robertson. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Pittsburgh Penguins' scoring winger Rickard Rakell is one of the players who could make sense in a potential trade with the Dallas Stars for Jason Robertson. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

There are a few other teams that could probably make a compelling offer, too. The Washington Capitals are projected to have $36.5 million in cap space next season and - like the Penguins - seem to be back on the upswing and have some compelling prospects. But they also have a bit more cap obligation than the Penguins, especially if Alex Ovechkin returns for another NHL season next year, and their NHL roster isn't chock-full of players Dallas would want or that Washington would part ways with.

The Anaheim Ducks - another team on the upswing - could be players because of their cap situation and capital/prospect pool as well. But, like the Capitals, they have some existing cap obligations, primarily to young RFAs like Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Olen Zellweger, all of whom will be due for a substantial raise. And they're unlikely to part with any of their younger cost-controlled NHL assets, even if they have a few enticing veterans they could bargain with.

There's also the Detroit Red Wings, who have both the cap space ($42.7 million) and the prospect pool to make it work but don't necessarily have the available or cost-controlled, coveted NHL assets to pull it off. Perhaps teams like the Los Angeles Kings, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils make some degree of sense, as they have a few good but expendable NHL assets that they could leverage in a trade.

All in all, if Robertson is available, there are going to be a ton of teams vying for his services, and whoever comes out on top will likely end up paying a steep price. He's the exact kind of player a team on the verge of coming out of a rebuild should be vying for, as he provides the superstar talent for the better part of the next decade that such a team might otherwise be lacking.

So, the Penguins may have to give up quite a lot, but that's the price you pay for a premier NHL player in his prime who still has at least an entire contract extension's worth of elite years left in the NHL.

Newly Acquired Defenseman Could Be Sneaky Good Pickup For PenguinsNewly Acquired Defenseman Could Be Sneaky Good Pickup For PenguinsUp to this point in the season, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> have been one of the most active teams in the league on the trade market.

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Knicks end losing streak with 120-66 win over Nets

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks broke a four-game losing streak without breaking a sweat, crushing the Brooklyn Nets 120-66 on Wednesday night in the most lopsided victory in franchise history.

Jalen Brunson scored 20 points and Landry Shamet was 6 for 6 on 3-pointers and added 18 for the Knicks, who led by as much as 59 points before the 54-point victory that surpassed the previous largest victory margin of 48 points.

The Knicks had lost nine of their last 11 games so this was a good time to play Brooklyn, because they never lose to the Nets these days. New York won its 13th straight meeting in the local rivalry.

The Knicks were already on track to win this one easily before outscoring the Nets 16-0 to open the fourth quarter, extending a 32-point lead to 104-56.

Michael Porter Jr. shot 4 for 14 and was limited to 12 points, but was still the leading scorer for a Nets team that has lost eight of nine.

Two days after the Knicks were booed frequently while trailing by 30 points in the first half of their 114-97 loss to Dallas, the scoreboard was crooked in their favor.

A 14-0 run gave the Knicks an 18-6 lead midway through the first quarter, and they closed the period with a 14-3 spurt to open a 38-20 lead after Shamet finished the period with consecutive 3-pointers.

The Knicks led 60-38 at the break. They then outscored the Nets 60-28 in the second half.

CAVALIERS 94, HORNETS 87

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points, Evan Mobley added 14 points and 14 rebounds and Cleveland jumped out to 21-point first-quarter lead and held on to beat Charlotte for its fifth road win in the last six games.

Jaylon Tyson scored 14 points and Jarod Allen added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, who held the Hornets to 32 points in the first half on 26% shooting.

Brandon Miller finished with 24 points and Kon Knueppel had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead Charlotte, which made just 8 of 46 3-point attempts and was outrebounded 60-47.

The Cavs bolted to a big lead in the first quarter after making 11 of 15 shots from the field to open the game.

Cleveland’s stifling on-ball pressure defense repeatedly forced Charlotte into uncharacteristic turnovers and hurried shots.

Mitchell set the tone for the Cavaliers with 14 points in the first half, and Cleveland’s defense never allowed Charlotte to get into any rhythm in the first two quarters. The Hornets tied a season low with 12 points in the second quarter and trailed 56-32 lead at the break.

CELTICS 119, PACERS 104

BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown had 30 points and 10 rebounds and Boston opened a 23-point first-half lead before coasting to a victory over Indiana.

Sam Hauser hit five 3-pointers, scoring 17 points for Boston, and Neemias Queta had 17 points and nine rebounds. The Celtics bounced back from Monday night’s one-point loss at Eastern Conference-leading Detroit.

Pascal Siakam had 32 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who had won four of seven games since losing 13 in a row in December and January. Jarace Walker scored 19 points off the bench for Indiana.

Hauser hit his first three attempts from 3-point range — two of them in the game’s first 68 seconds. The Celtics led 57-34 with 3:22 left in the second quarter, but Indiana cut the deficit to nine in the third before Anfernee Simons hit a 3-pointer.

The Pacers never got back within single digits.

HAWKS 124, GRIZZLIES 122

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jalen Johnson had 32 points and 15 rebounds and a key basket in the closing minute as Atlanta used a fourth-quarter burst and held on to defeat Memphis.

Luke Kennard and Onyeka Okongwu added 18 each for the Hawks, who snapped a four-game losing streak.

Ja Morant led Memphis with 23 points and 12 assists. His 3-point attempt at the horn was off the mark. Jaylen Wells finished with 18 points, while Jaren Jackson Jr. and Cedric Coward scored 17 points apiece.

Memphis held a 110-108 lead with 5:39 left, but the Hawks scored eight straight points, capped by a pair of free throws from Johnson. Memphis never overtook the Hawks the rest of the way, but were within 122-121 on a Coward 3-pointer with 1:09 left.

Johnson’s basket from the lane with 40 seconds left kept the Grizzlies at bay.

There were 21 lead changes and 14 ties in the game.

PISTONS 112, PELICANS 104

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jalen Duran scored 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, Daniss Jenkins added 17 points and Detroit never trailed while cruising to its fourth straight victory, beating New Orleans.

Duncan Robinson had 15 points while shooting 4 of 9 from 3-point range for the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, who have won seven of their last eight.

Saddiq Bey scored 20 points to lead the Western Conference-worst Pelicans, who have lost 14 of their last 16.

Zion Williamson, who started after being listed as questionable with an illness, went to the locker room early in the third quarter and didn’t return. He had 4 points and four rebounds in 15 minutes.

Trey Murphy III shot just 6 of 19 from the floor and finished with 17 points, ending his streak of eight straight games with at least 20 points. Micah Peavy also had 17 points and added seven rebounds and four steals for New Orleans.

THUNDER 122, BUCKS 102

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 40 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds and NBA-leading Oklahoma City withstood multiple injury-related absences to trounce Milwaukee.

The Thunder won for the seventh time in eight games despite playing without Jalen Williams (strained right hamstring), Isaiah Hartenstein (strained right soleus), Alex Caruso (strained right adductor), Aaron Wiggins (sore right groin) and Jaylin Williams (bruised left glute).

Gilgeous-Alexander picked up the slack, as the reigning MVP shot 16 of 19 from the floor.

Oklahoma City’s Ajay Mitchell scored 18 points in the first half and ended up playing 25 minutes before leaving with a hip bruise. Kenrich Williams also scored 18 points for the Thunder, who shot 54.4% from the floor.

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had 19 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.

RAPTORS 122, KINGS 109

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Scottie Barnes scored 14 of his 23 points in the third quarter and Toronto beat Sacramento.

Barnes shot 8 of 17 and had eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals while posting his season-high fifth consecutive game with 22 or more points.

Brandon Ingram also had 23 points for the Raptors, who outscored the Kings 43-21 in the third quarter and won in Sacramento for the first time since Jan. 25, 2023. Sandro Mamukelashvili added 22 points and nine rebounds. Immanuel Quickley scored 18 points.

One day after shooting 59% overall while tying its season high with 21 3-pointers in an 18-point win over the Golden State Warriors, Toronto’s offense had sporadic success against Sacramento,

The Raptors blew a nine-point lead in the first quarter and trailed by nine at halftime before Barnes found his rhythm. He made five of six shots in the third quarter to help Toronto regain the lead and take control.

Russell Westbrook scored 23 points for the Kings. Zach LaVine had 19 points and five assists. Malik Monk scored 17.

Sacramento has lost three straight since its season-high four-game winning streak.

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Australian Open 2026: Novak Djokovic eases to clinical win over Francesco Maestrelli – as it happened

  • Ten-time winner beats Italian qualifier 6-3 6-2 6-2 in second round

  • Serbian could face Botic van de Zandschulp next at Melbourne Park

Djokovic to serve first…

Cries of “Nole!” as the living legend strides out onto a sunbathed Rod Laver Arena. He unpacks his bags in front of a knot of Serbian fans and pulls on a white crocodilian hat. Maestrelli is wearing his baseball cap backwards, like a Steve Buscemi meme.

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No. 7 Nebraska beats Washington 76-66 to extend its winning streak to 23 games

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Pryce Sandfort scored 23 points to lead No. 7 Nebraska past Washington 76-66 Wednesday night, extending the unbeaten Cornhuskers’ winning streak to 23 games.

The Huskers (19-0, 8-0), who earned their highest ranking in program history this week, were in control throughout against injury-plagued Washington and are alone in first place in the Big Ten. The Huskies (10-9, 2-6) lost for the fifth time in six games.

Sandfort had his third straight game with at least 20 points. Sam Hoiberg added 14 points, Rienk Mast had 12 and Jamarques Lawrence 11.

Hannes Steinbach had his 11th double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Huskies, who were playing their fourth top-15 opponent in 15 days and have used nine different starting lineups because of a run of injuries. Zoom Diallo added 18 points and six assists.

NO. 1 ARIZONA 77, CINCINNATI 51

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Motiejus Krivas scored 17 points, Ivan Kharchenkov added 14 and the Arizona pulled away late to beat Cincinnati and remain one of three unbeaten teams in the country.

Cincinnati (10-9) tested Arizona with an early 14-1 run to take a 20-16 lead midway through a rugged first half, but Arizona responded for a 33-27 halftime advantage. The 7-foot-2 Krivas thrived in the physical environment with 8 points, five rebounds and a block before the break.

Krivas continued his good work in the paint during the second half, scoring a handful of tough, close-range buckets to keep the Wildcats ahead.

Arizona used a 20-4 run over a nearly 10-minute stretch of the second to methodically build a 58-44 lead. The Wildcats had a 48-14 advantage on points in the paint.

Cincinnati was coming off a 79-70 win over No. 2 Iowa State on Saturday. They were trying to become the first team to knock off the No. 2 and No. 1 teams in consecutive games during the regular season since Kansas did it during the 1989-90 season, beating LSU and UNLV.

The Bearcats were led Baba Miller’s 14 points. Cincinnati couldn’t overcome a tough shooting night, finishing just 17 of 56 (30.1%) from the floor.

NO. 8 GONZAGA 84, PEPPERDINE 60

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Davis Fogle scored 17 points and Gonzaga pounded Pepperdine, beating the Waves for the 51st consecutive time despite missing its top two scorers because of injuries.

Tyon Grant-Foster and Mario Saint-Supery each scored 12 points for Gonzaga (20-1, 8-0 West Coast Conference) which won its 13th straight game overall. This is also the 29th consecutive season the Bulldogs have won at least 20 games. They rank second to only Kansas, which has a streak of 37 20-win seasons.

Styles Phipps scored 13 points and Aaron Clark 10 for Pepperdine (6-15, 1-7 West Coast), which lost to Gonzaga by 40 points at home this season. The Waves have not won in Spokane since 1998. Their last victory in the series was in 2002 in Malibu, California.

NO. 11 ILLINOIS 89, MARYLAND 70

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Andrej Stojakovic had 30 points and nine rebounds to lead Illinois to a victory over Maryland.

David Mirkovic had 15 points and nine rebounds, Keaton Wagler scored 13 points and Jake Davis had 12 points for the Illini (16-3, 7-1 Big Ten), who won their eighth straight.

The Illini played without senior guard and second-leading scorer Kylan Boswell, who broke his right hand in practice on Monday, will have surgery Thursday and is expected to be sidelined until mid-February. Boswell is averaging 14.3 points per game.

He had played in all 124 games in his college career — 71 in two seasons at Arizona and 53 in two seasons at Illinois — before Wednesday.

Diggy Coit, who scored 43 points Sunday in Maryland’s win over Penn State, was held to 15 points and guarded primarily by Stojakovic.

Andre Mills had 16 points and Solomon Washington had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Terrapins (8-11, 1-7), who are in a stretch of four of five games on the road.

NO. 22 NORTH CAROLINA 91, NOTRE DAME 91

Caleb Wilson had 22 points while frontcourt mate Henri Veesaar added a double-double to help North Carolina beat Notre Dame.

The 7-foot Veesaar had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Tar Heels (15-4, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who had lost three of four amid an abrupt defensive downturn — notably against shots from behind the arc.

The Tar Heels didn’t have any trouble this time, with the Fighting Irish (10-9, 1-5) struggling since losing leading scorer Markus Burton to left-ankle surgery in early December. North Carolina got off to a fast start from outside and kept firing, making a season-high 13 3-pointers while shooting 50.8% overall to send the Irish to a fifth straight loss.

The Tar Heels led 42-33 at halftime, then rolled out of the break with 10 unanswered points to blow the game open — powered by Veesaar’s immediate jumper, a 3-pointer and a layup during the spurt.

Wilson was strong out of the gate while working more in the post, with the star freshman finishing 8 for 11 from the field to go with seven rebounds and five assists.

Sir Mohammed scored 14 points, while Jalen Haralson added 13 to lead Notre Dame, which shot 36%. The Fighting Irish did manage to shoot well from outside early, but Notre Dame went just 2 of 13 on 3s after halftime and finished the game at 8 for 25 (32%).