Ray Priore, who won two Ivy League titles in 11 seasons as head coach, told USA TODAY that NIL, transfer portal made recruiting bigger challenge.
‘He’s smiling a lot’: Rashford is enjoying himself again at Barcelona, insists Flick
Forward fit to face Chelsea after shaking off cold
Barça manager is happy to have England player
Hansi Flick has said that joining Barcelona on loan from Manchester United and experiencing life in a new country has put the smile back on Marcus Rashford’s face.
The forward was out of favour at United last season but he has found fresh momentum since moving to Spain. Rashford has made a positive impression for Barça, scoring six times in all competitions this season, and Flick is relieved that the England international is fit to face Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday night after missing his side’s win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday with a cold.
Continue reading...NHL Insider: Canucks Spark Trade Rumors As Injuries Mount, Red Wings Eye Defense Depth
On Monday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman added another team to the rumor mill in the Vancouver Canucks. The insider explained on the newest episode of his podcast 32 Thoughts that he believes once we get closer to the deadline, that rumors will start to swirl in Vancouver as they currently sit with a 9-12-2 record and are tied with the St. Louis Blues for third-worst in the Western Conference.
The Canucks have been dealing with a slew of injuries including key players like Filip Chytil, Teddy Blueger, Nils Hoglander and starting goaltender Thatcher Demko are all out. Their injuries have gotten to the point that they've added former Toronto Maple Leafs forward David Kampf to fill in on their second line at center when for Toronto Kampf was a healthy scratch most nights.
It's been a tough stretch since their near-loss to the Edmonton Oilers in seven games during the 2024 playoffs after being viewed as a team that nearly took down the eventual back-to-back conference champions to a potential lottery team. This may create some panic within the organization as many believe superstar Quinn Hughes would like to go to New Jersey and play with his two brothers, Jack and Luke.
Red Wings Roll Into Jersey Riding Hot Stretch For Clash With DevilsRed Wings travel to Jersey hoping to build on hot streak when facing off against Devils without star forward Jack Hughes.Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
This could create the urge within the Canucks organization to make some moves and Detroit could be a team to facilitate a deal. Defense has been a weak point for the Red Wings this season with Vancouver possessing two standout defenders besides Hughes in Marcus Pettersson and former second round pick by the Red Wings in 2016, Filip Hronek.
Either of the players would add a much needed boost and give give Detroit GM Steve Yzerman the opportunity to award his players and team for their first-place start to the season. He could add a much needed improvement at left shot defense with Pettersson and help move Albert Johansson to the seventh defenseman spot.
The Canucks traded a first-round pick to get Pettersson from the Pittsburgh Penguins this past February and signed him to a six-year contract extension with a $5.5M AAV. This deal is superb for a defenseman of Pettersson's quality as a shutdown defender which may lead Detroit to spending a bit more to acquire him but it could be worth it in the long run plus he could create a Swedish connection with fellow defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka.
The odds of the Canucks trading away a player they just signed on long-term is slim but to make a advantageous move like bringing in some of Detroit's young talent to try and entice Quinn Hughes to stay could be a motive that Steve Yzerman can look to exploit.
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Colorado Rockies promote Warren Schaeffer to full-time manager
Sep 21, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer (34) during the first inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
DENVER — The Colorado Rockies have promoted Warren Schaeffer to full-time manager, the team said Monday.
Schaeffer assumed the role on an interim basis after the Rockies fired Bud Black, the winningest manager in franchise history, in May following a 7-33 start.
The Rockies finished the season 43-119 and in last place in the NL West.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue leading this team,” said Schaeffer. “My focus remains on continuing to build a strong, unified culture based on accountability, hard work and trust. We have a group of guys who care deeply about competing the right way, and my goal is to keep strengthening those relationships while leading a team that our fans can embrace and be proud of.”
Schaeffer becomes the eighth full-time manager in club history. The 40-year-old has been a member of the Rockies organization for over a decade.
“We’re confident Warren is the right person to lead our club moving forward,” said Rockies President of Baseball Operations Paul DePodesta. “He has established strong relationships with our players, understands the culture of this franchise and embodies the energy and work ethic we want on and off the field.”
Black initially found success with Colorado when he led the Rockies to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2017 and ’18. They haven’t finished with a winning record since. Black’s contract was set to expire following the season. He signed a one-year extension in October.
Black was 544-690 in nine seasons while wearing the purple pinstripes.
Schaeffer’s promotion was only one of the major changes for the Rockies this year.
They hired DePodesta this month from the NFL’s Cleveland Browns to run baseball operations. DePodesta, who inspired Jonah Hill’s character in the movie “Moneyball,” returned to baseball after nearly 10 years with the Browns. He was named Cleveland’s chief strategy officer in 2016.
During his nearly 20 seasons in MLB, he was the only executive to win divisional titles with five different organizations — the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland.
He took over for Bill Schmidt, who stepped down following the season. The Rockies are in need of a transformation after becoming the first team with three straight 100-loss seasons since Houston in 2011-13.
ESPN, College Football Playoff finalizing agreement to extend new playoff format deadline past Dec. 1
ESPN and the CFP will take more time to determine a playoff format for 2026.
Former Canadiens Defender Out Several Months
The New York Islanders have announced that former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexander Romanov is set to have shoulder surgery and will be out for the next five to six months.
Romanov was injured during the Islanders' Nov. 18 matchup against the Dallas Stars after being hit from behind by Mikko Rantanen. Now, the Islanders have provided an update on Romanov, and it is certainly tough news for the former Canadiens blueliner.
Romanov is a key part of the Islanders' blueline, so the Metropolitan Division club will now need to adjust to not having him in their lineup. In 15 games so far this season with the Islanders, Romanov has recorded one assist, 31 blocks, and 31 hits. This is after he had four goals, 20 points, 147 hits, and 165 blocks in 64 games this past season with the Islanders.
Based on the Islanders' update, the earliest Romanov is expected to return is in late April, which would be playoff time. However, if the former Canadiens defenseman ends up needing six months to fully recover, that would make him unavailable until late May.
Romanov was selected by the Canadiens with the 38th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. In 133 games over two seasons with the Canadiens from 2020-21 to 2021-22, he recorded four goals, 15 assists, 19 points, 204 blocks, and 365 hits.
Brett Berard Ready To Make Immediate Impact For Rangers Upon Call-Up
Brett Berard is back in the fold for the New York Rangers after getting called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack on Sunday.
With the Rangers’ offense hindered by J.T. Miller’s injury and possibly now even Vincent Trocheck’s iffy status, Berard could play a pivotal role in the team’s Monday night game against the St. Louis Blues.
It’s funny how things work sometimes, as it was just one week ago that Berard emphasized he’s not focused on getting called up to the NHL.
“Not focus on getting called up or not focused on what might happen,” Berard said last week in Hartford. “I'm here in Hartford, and I'm here to help the team win, and I love the guys in the room. I love the coaches, so it's been a blast coming to the rink every day.”
Now, Berard is back in the NHL with an opportunity to make an immediate impact for the Rangers.
“I think being up here in the NHL is every kid's dream, and it feels like the first day I got called up last year too,” Berard said. “It's the same, same emotion, same excitement, happiness. Just going out there playing a free mind, playing my game. I think when I'm playing my game and fast is when I'm most free and not thinking. So just gonna try to do that, probably try to provide a spark for the guys and play physical. I'm super happy.”
Berard showed flashes of his potential during his 35 games spent in the NHL last year. However, the 23-year-old forward was sent down to the AHL toward the end of training camp, leading him down a downward spiral.
He admitted that not making the Rangers’ opening-night roster hurt his confidence, and insinuated it impacted his level of play to open up the 2025-26 campaign with Wolf Pack where he went without a goal for the first 14 games of the season.
“I kind of lost a little confidence there,” Berard confessed. “The first few games, it was hard to kind of get my game back. But I think it was also good and challenged my mental toughness, too, to kind of go through a little funk like that at the start of the year. So I think it was good, and especially the last two weeks, I've felt really confident in my game.”
The Rangers have lost four consecutive games, and Mike Sullivan has directed the blame at an overall lack of juice and energy.
That’s exactly what Berard provides. The 5-foot-9 winger plays a fast, yet physical brand of hockey.
Berard’s presence could be the exact sort of spark the Rangers need right now as they look to overcome this recent skid.
Rangers Recall Brett Berard And Dylan Garand Amid A Slew Of Injuries The New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> have recalled Brett Berard and Dylan Garand from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.
“The role that he'll play is an energy guy that can be disruptive, get in on the forecheck, help with our team speed,” Sullivan said of Berard. “But along with that, it becomes just the importance of playing a team game and attention to detail away from the puck, in particular.
“Those types of guys, when you put them on the ice, you want to trust that they're reliable and dependable, and they know what their job is and they execute their job. A lot of that boils down to details. That's the message to those types of players. Berard is one of those guys. He can really skate. He brings a ton of energy. He brings a little physicality to our team, so I'm sure he'll give us a spark.”
Berard practiced on a line alongside Noah Laba and Conor Sheary during Monday’s practice. He’s expected to make his season debut on Monday night against the St. Louis Blues.
Lawsuit claims Suns owner Mat Ishbia treated team like his ‘personal piggy bank’
The legal battle between Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Mat Ishbia and two of the franchise’s minority owners took another turn Monday, with the stakeholders accusing Ishbia of using the basketball organizations as his own “personal piggy bank” while hiding details of his spending from them.
Andy Kohlberg and Scott Seldin say Ishbia has mismanaged the pro basketball organizations, accusing him of financial malfeasance and of trying to use a capital call to try to bully them out of some of their shares in the franchises. Instead, they allege, it blew up in Ishbia’s face and afforded them an opportunity to take a majority share of the teams.
The accusations come in a legal filing made last week in Delaware court in response to a countersuit filed by Ishbia last month against the two minority owners, who had originally sued in August to begin what has become a messy legal drama.
“Ishbia does not own the Suns to make money for the company but he does operate it as a personal fiefdom for his own personal gain and for the benefit of his other businesses, including his mortgage company United Wholesale Mortgage,” the legal filing states. “The reality is that Ishbia is using the Suns as his personal piggy bank, including through a lengthy list of conflicted transactions — only some of which the Minority Owners are aware of.”
Ishbia, the two minority owners allege, made a loan to the Suns at an interest rate that is significantly above market rate. They say he leased the Mercury’s new practice facility to himself. They also claim that he has turned the Suns and Mercury into money-losing franchises while he intends to make money through UWM.
“This isn’t a lawsuit; it’s a shameless shakedown dressed up as legal process,” a spokesperson for Ishbia said. “From day one, Mat Ishbia was transparent that he was going to do things differently. Contrary to how the team was previously managed, Mat made it very clear he would invest significantly into the Suns and Mercury. He told all the investors that they could step up with him or sell their stake and step aside. Kohlberg and Seldin stayed in and now they’re trying to freeload off the value Mat created.
“Kohlberg and Seldin want to drag the organization backward, and they openly admit in this filing that investing in the team and its fans ‘makes no business sense.’ They are advocating neglect. They are free to sell their shares in the open market and if they don’t, they should be prepared to lose this lawsuit and participate in Mat’s continued investments in the teams and community.”
Ishbia, in an appearance on “The Draymond Green Show,” said the two minority partners “can sell if they want” and should be thanking him.
“Those people, they think about money. All the people think about money,” Ishbia said. “The way I look at it is, let’s do the right thing. Money follows success. It’s not the other way around.”
“And by the way, since I bought the team at $4 billion, it’s worth, what, $6 billion now? It’s gone up,” he said later. “I told them, ‘Instead of suing me, why don’t you just write me a letter and say, thank you? Your investment is worth more.”
"Instead of suing me, why don't you just write me a letter and say, thank you?" – @Mishbia15 responds to the minority owners' lawsuits on The Draymond Green Show… pic.twitter.com/YvqIus8Xfr
— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) November 24, 2025
The disagreement stems from a capital call this past summer. Kohlberg said he originally went to Ishbia last September looking for the majority owner to buy out his share because of his own liquidity issues. Ishbia bought more than half of the teams in early 2023 at a $4 billion valuation and has since then bought out other minority shareholders. Kohlberg, through the legal filing, said Ishbia did not respond initially. When he went to him again and asked that he answer his offer by June 1, 2025, Ishbia, the filing said, set a capital call for the next day.
That capital call, the two minority owners claim, was used as a way to dilute their shares in the teams, which could occur if they did not pay, and to create a new lower per-unit share price. They ended up contributing their share, but when another member did not, Ishbia set another capital call for the next month, according to the filing, and they paid again.
They later learned that more of the capital had not been funded and that Ishbia had used a debt-to-equity conversion to fill the financial gap. This maneuver, Kohlberg and Seldin say, was not the legitimate way to do that. The two minority owners also say that a July 8, 2025, capital call was also not fully funded on time. They argue that under the team’s operating agreement, they would be afforded to buy the shares Ishbia had not funded himself. If they did, they would then have a majority stake in the franchises.
“Ishbia blundered into the very trap he set for the Minority Owners and faced a devastating dilution of his ownership interest if his failure was discovered,” the filing said. ”A failure that would wipe off his net worth and put his continued status as an NBA team owner and governor in jeopardy.”
Since assuming controlling interest of the Phoenix organizations in February 2023, Ishbia has promised championships. He started by spending. With the Suns, he made a big, early splash, trading for superstar Kevin Durant. Ishbia and the front office later doubled down and traded for Bradley Beal despite the star guard’s injury history and burdensome contract that included a no-trade clause. The moves backfired.
Last season, the Suns were perhaps the NBA’s biggest disappointment. Built around Durant, Beal and Devin Booker, they had the league’s most expensive roster, yet they finished 36-46 and failed to make the Play-In Tournament. Ishbia promised change.
Over the offseason, he overhauled the roster and front office. Phoenix traded Durant to the Houston Rockets and negotiated a buyout of Beal, a move that got the Suns out of the second apron, a payroll threshold that limits an organization’s ability to make roster moves, as well as the luxury tax.
Built around Booker, this season’s team lacks star power but has played well over the season’s first month. Entering Monday, the Suns (11-6) were one of the NBA’s early surprises under first-year coach Jordan Ott and had won eight of their past nine.
The Mercury have been more successful. In July of 2024, the WNBA franchise opened a $100 million, 58,000-square-foot practice facility in downtown Phoenix. Last season, the Mercury advanced to the WNBA Finals, where the Las Vegas Aces swept them in four games.
But the off-court issues continue.
Kohlberg and Seldin, who have invested in the Suns for more than two decades, first began their legal battle against Ishbia this summer, when they sued him for a lack of transparency and the team’s unwillingness to provide them with internal financial records. They alleged that Ishbia’s capital call in June appeared to be “part of a leverage strategy to exert pressure on and dilute” their ownership shares.
Ishbia countersued last month, claiming the minority owners were trying to force him to buy out their ownership stakes at an “extortionate” cost. He dismissed their claims as part of a public-relations ploy.
Kohlberg and Seldin are the only remaining minority owners who still invested in the Suns and Mercury, and originally bought in while Robert Sarver led the franchises. Ishbia bought the two teams in early 2023 and has since rolled up minority stakes; he now owns roughly 85 percent of the franchises.
Ishbia professed this fall that he will not settle any of the seven lawsuits he and the teams face. In addition to the mismanagement complaint, former and current employees have accused the organization of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other issues. The Suns have denied these allegations.
“The truth is, you actually got to win a lawsuit,” Ishbia said in September. “And where I’m different than most successful people … is like, we don’t settle. If we don’t do anything wrong, I’m not paying someone. I hope you guys all report on how many lawsuits we actually lose.”
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, NBA, WNBA
2025 The Athletic Media Company
How Michigan football can still make 2025 Big Ten football title game
Michigan football appears in Big Ten title game in 3 of 7 possible scenarios, but must upset No. 1 Ohio State, first. Here are tiebreaker scenarios.
Sabres Goaltending Situation Remains Crowded
It’s not like NHL clubs can put players on Overstock.com, but if they could, the Buffalo Sabres would be probably be first to post. The club continues to carry three goalies on the NHL roster and all three have been given limited runs as the primary starter. At this point, the philosophy on the part of head coach Lindy Ruff seems to be if you win, you stay in.
Rookie Colten Ellis started four of five games earlier this month, but after a 6-2 loss to Calgary, Ruff returned to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who posted consecutive wins over Chicago and Carolina. Up to that point, Luukkonen appeared to be the highest-paid third goalie in the NHL, as Alex Lyon made the bulk of the starts in the opening month, and Ellis got the net even after Luukkonen was completely healthy after injuries before and during training camp.
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This led to some speculation from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that Luukkonen may become disenchanted with the logjam if it costs him a spot on Team Finland for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Another could be the dearth of quality goaltending options at the trade deadline in March and in free agency next July.
Teams with playoff aspirations like Edmonton in the West and Montreal in the East may be a goalie away from improving their playoff chances. The Sabres crowded crease was alleviated slightly by the contract termination of veteran Alexandar Georgiev (likely headed to Spartak of the KHL), who cleared waivers on Monday, but the Sabres seem to be stuck with a three-headed monster between the pipes for the entire season and with youngster Devon Levi in Rochester, on the outside looking in.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo
David Stearns discusses Jeff McNeil's Mets future: 'I think he wants to be a part of this'
A bit lost in the shuffle in the wake ofBrandon Nimmo getting traded to the Rangers for Marcus Semien, is what it could mean for the Mets future of Jeff McNeil.
McNeil, whom the Mets were open to trading before the Nimmo deal went down, was the regular second baseman for New York in 2025 -- playing 79 games there.
But while McNeil played second base most of the time last season, he also got time at all three outfield spots and even made two appearances at first base.
With McNeil basically blocked at second base by Semien, president of baseball operationsDavid Stearns discussed what his role could be in 2026.
"I think Jeff, by virtue of his positional versatility, still has the ability to impact our team in a variety of ways," Stearns explained during a Zoom with reporters on Monday. "What exactly that's going to look like is probably going to have to wait until we watch the rest of the offseason unfold. But certainly his ability to play corner outfield is a help. There may still be days if Semien needs a blow, where he's playing some second base. We may ask Jeff to play some first base, depending on how the offseason pans out.
"I talked to Jeff yesterday. He understands where we're headed. I think he wants to be a part of this, and he understands his positional versatility is a real asset for us."
Reading between the lines a bit, it seems McNeil -- if he remains a Met -- might be viewed as a super utility player rather than someone who is a regular.
McNeil underwent a "minor" procedure for thoracic outlet syndrome shortly after the end of the 2025 season.
His agent said that the injury caused McNeil pain when he swung a bat late in the season, and that he is expected to be ready to go for spring training.
McNeil, 33, is owed $15.75 million in 2026 in what is the fourth and final guaranteed year of the deal he signed before the 2023 campaign. The Mets hold a club option for the 2027 season that is worth $15.75 million and contains a $2 million buyout.
Estêvão ready to rival Lamine Yamal in battle of the teenage prodigies
When Chelsea host Barcelona, fans can assess two 18-year-olds who are equally tipped as future Ballon d’Or winners
Comparisons mean little to Estêvão Willian. The Brazil winger did not even take kindly to being nicknamed Messinho – “Little Messi” – earlier in his career. He called the nickname “disruptive” and made clear that he had no interest in trying to be someone else. “I don’t like comparisons,” the 18-year-old told ESPN Brasil last year. “For those who don’t know how to deal with it, it’s quite disruptive. Me being Estêvão is very good.”
Chelsea no doubt agree. After all, opposition defenders aside, who could possibly complain about Estêvão just being Estêvão? Not for nothing is he widely tipped to win the Ballon d’Or one day. The teenager’s talent is outrageous, his start to life in England has been better than expected and, although the obvious risk with heaping too much praise on a young prospect is that it makes them take their eye off the ball, it is telling that those who know Estêvão say one of the qualities that set him apart is his character.
Continue reading...Canucks Recall Goaltender Nikita Tolopilo Under Emergency Conditions, Re-Assign Jiří Patera To AHL
The Vancouver Canucks have swapped a couple of their goaltenders ahead of practice on Monday, calling up Nikita Tolopilo under emergency conditions and re-assigning Jiří Patera to the Abbotsford Canucks. This comes only a couple of days after Tolopilo made his return to Abbotsford's lineup after missing around a month due to injury.
This move comes ahead of Vancouver's upcoming road trip to California, during which they will play the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, and Los Angeles Kings within the span of four days. After, they will make a trip to Colorado to play the Colorado Avalanche before returning to Rogers Arena. Seeing as their games against San Jose and Los Angeles will occur back-to-back, Vancouver would be wise not to force Kevin Lankinen into too many games.
As mentioned, Tolopilo has missed a good chunk of the season due to injury after being removed from Abbotsford's home-opener on October 24. He made his first start in a little less than a month after on Friday night, stopping 28 of 32 shots faced in Abbotsford's 5-3 loss to the San Jose Barracuda.
Patera recently made his Canucks debut last Monday, manning the net in his first NHL game since March 26, 2024. In this 8-5 loss to the Florida Panthers, he faced 40 shots and stopped 33 of them. Patera will now return to Abbotsford to play alongside Ty Young.
The Canucks' next opponent is the Ducks, who they'll play on Wednesday night in Anaheim. The Ducks currently sit at the top of the Pacific Division and do not look to be slowing down. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Game Day: Everything You Need To Know Ahead Of Predators' Nov. 24 Matchup vs. Panthers
Feb 25, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight (30) celebrates the win with his team against the Nashville Predators during the third half at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
The Nashville Predators would love to have the first 15 seconds of Saturday night’s game against the Colorado Avalanche back.
That’s when the Preds gave up the only 5v5 tally of the game and eventually fell 3-0 to the best team in the NHL on Hockey Fights Cancer Night at Bridgestone Arena. Colorado’s final two goals were empty-netters after the Preds pulled Juuse Saros in the third period.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier, as the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers pay a visit to Smashville Monday night. The Preds outshot the Avalanche, 35-26, but couldn't find the back of the net for the second consecutive game.
The only good news that came out of Saturday’s loss was the return of defenseman and team captain Roman Josi, who came off injured reserve after missing 12 games following an upper-body injury. Josi registered four shots and blocked a shot in 19:40 of ice time.
Nashville is 3-4-2 with Josi in the lineup this season; during his 12-game absence, the Predators went 3-7-2.
The Panthers are also coming into Monday’s game off a loss, so the Preds will once again have their hands full in trying to halt a two-game losing skid. Here’s everything you need to know about Monday’s matchup.
Game Day
Who: Florida Panthers (11-9-1) at Nashville Predators (6-11-4)
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.
When: 7 Pm CST
TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Radio: 102.5 The Game
Betting line (via BetMGM):
Panthers
-1.5 (+155)
O 6 (+100)
-150
Predators
+1.5 (-190)
U 6 (-120)
+125
Injury Report
Preds: Cole Smith (upper body) is currently on injured reserve.
Panthers: Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov remain out due to injury.
Power Play Struggles Continue
Nashville’s power play is currently 10-for-65 (15.4%), putting them 26th in the NHL.
Head coach Andrew Brunette practiced his true first and second unit during Monday’s morning skate. The first unit featured Josi, Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Ryan O’Reilly.
Skating on the second unit were Nick Blankenburg, Brady Skjei,Luke Evangelista, Matthew Wood and Michael Bunting.
As for the penalty kill, the Preds rank 13th at 82.0% (11-of-61).
Preds Leaders
Filip Forsberg paces the Preds with eight goals and 15 points, followed by Ryan O’Reilly with six goals and 13 points. Rookie Matthew Wood has six goals as well, and he, along with Michael Bunting (4g-6a), Erik Haula (3g-7a) and Luke Evangelista (2g-8a) all have 10 points apiece.
Juuse Saros, who took the hard-luck loss against Colorado on Saturday, is 6-8-3 with a 2.85 goals-against average and .896 save percentage. Justus Annunen is 0-4-1.
Scouting The Panthers
Florida fell to the Edmonton Oilers by a 6-3 score in a Stanley Cup Final rematch on Saturday night. The defending Stanley Cup champs have won four of their last six games, and are 5-5-0 against the Preds in their last 10 meetings.
Florida swept the two-game series with Nashville last season, outscoring the Preds 10-3 in the two meetings. They are 8-2-0 during their past 10 visits to Bridgestone Arena, and have outscored the Preds 40-28 during that span, averaging 4.5 goals per contest in those eight victories.
Brad Marchand leads the Panthers with 13 goals and 24 points, followed by Sam Reinhart with 12 goals and 18 points.
In net, Sergei Bobrovsky is 10-6-0 with a 2.80 GAA and .887 SP.
Daniil Tarasov, who will get the start against the Preds Monday night, is 1-3-1,2.34, .910. Tarasov relieved Bobrovsky in the loss to Edmonton, stopping all 12 of the shots he faced including five high-danger chances.
Jets' Neal Pionk Suffers Second Lower-Body Injury in 8 Months, Listed As Day-to-Day
During Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets fans grew concerned only minutes into the game when Neal Pionk left the ice and did not return. After the game, the Jets announced that Pionk is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury and will undergo further evaluation on Monday.
He exited just over two minutes into the first period after delivering a fairly routine check in the Jets’ zone on Minnesota’s Danila Yurov. Pionk skated away from the play with a pained expression while bent over and holding his right knee. The sequence was not particularly intense, which made the injury seem unusual.
Pionk was sidelined earlier this year in March with a separate undisclosed lower-body injury that kept him out for a month before he returned in mid-April. The hope is that he has not aggravated that issue, especially since he plays a key role on the Jets’ blue line in the second pairing with Dylan Samberg, who has only recently returned from injury himself.
NHL Insider Weighs In On Jets' Brad Lambert Situation, Potential Trade ReturnNHL insider reveals the Jets' strategy for trading prized prospect Brad Lambert, drawing parallels to a past high-profile deal.It is still unclear who would replace Pionk if he cannot travel with the Jets for their upcoming three-game road trip that begins Wednesday in Washington. If Pionk is cleared to play, the team likely will not make any roster adjustments. If there is any uncertainty regarding his availability, a call-up on Monday seems very likely.
The most probable candidate for the call is Kale Clague, a former NHL defenseman with the Buffalo Sabres, although he would probably see limited ice time. In that scenario, Luke Schenn and Colin Miller would both enter the lineup rather than continuing to rotate into the third pairing with Logan Stanley.
Pionk has been steady this season, recording one goal and two assists over his past five games. Overall, the 33-year-old Omaha, Nebraska native has five points in 21 games and is on pace for a 20-point campaign. His track record of reaching at least 30 points in six straight seasons suggests he is likely to find his rhythm as the season progresses.
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