The Sydney Sixers are sweating on the fitness of superstar fast bowler Mitchell Starc following Tuesday evening’s Qualifier loss to the Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium.
Struggling New York Knicks call players-only meeting after fans boo
The New York Knicks have hit a rough patch.
After they were blown out at home Monday, Jan. 19 by a middling Dallas Mavericks team – marking their fourth consecutive loss and ninth in 11 games – team captain Jalen Brunson called a players-only meeting to sort through their struggles, according to ESPN.
Per the report, Brunson challenged his teammates to uncover solutions for their poor play, rather than to wait and defer to the coaching staff.
This came after the Knicks were booed at home Monday night, down by as many as 30 points. New York would lose 114-97, and it was the offense that once again let the Knicks down. Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 44 points, but the rest of New York’s starters (Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges) contributed only 24 points.
“I mean, I’d be booing us, too,” Brunson told reporters after the game. “Straight up.”
The Knicks began the year with promise, jumping to the No. 2 seed and winning the NBA Cup in mid-December. Once the new year began, however, the team has struggled to find consistent offense, with the ball stagnating; in January, the Knicks have scored 109.4 points per 100 possessions, which ranks 26th in the NBA.
“We’ve got to lock in,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said Monday night after the loss. “We’ve got to do our job for 48 minutes. They scored 75 points in the first half. And at halftime, we usually (show) the clips and talk about technical Xs and Os and crap that coaches do and teams do. There was nothing to be said at halftime, except ‘Lock in and do your (expletive) job,’ excuse me on that.”
Brown pointed out how the Mavericks scored 39 points in the second half, compared to 44 in just the second quarter.
“It’s within our guys,” Brown said. “But we all have to do our job for 48 minutes.”
The Knicks (25-18) are still third in the Eastern Conference, and they have the chance to course correct against crosstown rivals, the Brooklyn Nets (12-29) on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New York Knicks call players-only meeting after fans boo blowout loss
CC Sabathia, Dave Parker to join Brewers Wall of Honor in 2026
The Brewers announced two Hall of Famers, CC Sabathia and Dave Parker, will join the team’s Wall of Honor this season after both were inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame last year.
Sabathia, 45, pitched for Milwaukee for only 17 games down the stretch in 2008, but a memorable tenure it was.
Over those 17 games, Sabathia went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA, 2.44 FIP, and 128 strikeouts across 130 2/3 innings, accumulating 4.9 bWAR as he tossed a league-best seven complete games, including three shutouts. He even finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting and sixth in NL MVP voting despite only playing in the league for roughly half the season.
Parker, who passed away last summer just before his induction into the Hall, played for the Brewers for just one season toward the tail end of his career. In 1990 with Milwaukee, Parker appeared in 157 games, hitting a solid .289/.330/.451 with 21 homers, 92 RBIs, 71 runs, and four steals. He was named an All-Star for the seventh and final time while also picking up his third Silver Slugger and earning MLB’s Designated Hitter of the Year award. He then finished his career in 1991, splitting the year between the Angels and Blue Jays.
Both players will be honored on Friday, May 8 prior to the Brewers’ game against the New York Yankees. The event will include appearances from both Sabathia and Parker family members, including ceremonial first pitches and videos on the scoreboard.
Per the Brewers’ press release, “[T]he Brewers Wall of Honor is a distinction awarded to players, coaches, and executives who meet a set of criteria based on service to the organization and career accomplishments. Sabathia and Parker will join the permanent exhibit with a bronze plaque affixed to the exterior of the ballpark commemorating their contributions to the franchise.”
To view the full list of players, coaches, and executives included on the Brewers Wall of Honor, click here.
Beltran, Jones elected to HOF
Centerfielders Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, it was announced today.
This was Beltran’s fourth year on the ballot, and he received 358 votes out of 425 ballots cast, giving him 84.2%, comfortably above the 75% threshold required for election. Jones, in his ninth year on the ballot, got 78.4% of the vote, with 333 total votes.
The only other candidate to receive over 50% of the vote was second baseman Chase Utley, who received 59.1% of the vote in his third year on the ballot. Andy Pettitte received 48.5% in his eighth year on the ballot. Felix Hernandez, in his second year on the ballot, had the largest year-over-year jump in BBWAA voting history, going from 20.6% last year to 46.1% this year. Alex Rodriguez received 40% of the vote in this, his fifth year on the ballot. This was Manny Ramirez’s tenth and final year on the ballot, and he received 38.8% of the vote.
Beltran and Jones each had brief stints with the Rangers, and are the 10th and 11th players to have played for the Rangers and be elected to the Hall.
The only newcomer to this year’s ballot to get more than 5% of the vote was Cole Hamels, who received 23.8%.
The other former Rangers on the ballot were Omar Vizquel, who got 18.4% of the vote in his 9th year on the ballot, and one-and-dones Edwin Encarnacion (6 votes), Shin-Soo Choo (3 votes), and Hunter Pence (2 votes).
Congratulations to Beltran and Jones, who are both very worthy selections. Hopefully, Chase Utley, another guy who should have already have been voted in, will join them next year.
You can see the full results here.
Kings Vs Rangers Game Preview: Kings Looking to Move In Wild Card Spot
The Kings are currently on a 3-game point streak after being defeated by Vegas in overtime and by the Ducks in both games, which went to a shootout and overtime. The Kings have not won a game since January 10th, and if they want to stay in the playoff race, they will need a big win tonight against a struggling New York Rangers team. The Rangers are coming into this game after losing to the Ducks 5-3 last night. The Kings need to take full advantage tonight and walk away with a win so they can still be in the playoff race.
Kings Projected Lines
Here are the projected lines for the Kings tonight:
Corey Perry - Alex Laferriere - Adrian Kempe
Warren Foegele - Quinton Byfield - Joel Armia
Kevin Fiala - Alex Turcotte - Andrei Kuzmenko
Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward
Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke
Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci
Darcy Kuemper
Anton Forsberg
Projected Rangers Lines
Here are the projected lines for the Rangers tonight:
J.T. Miller - Mika Zibanejad - Gabe Perreault
Artemi Panarin - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafreniere
Brennan Othmann - Noah Laba - Will Cuylle
Taylor Raddysh - Sam Carrick - Jonny Brodzinski
Vladislav Gavrikov - Braden Schneider
Matthew Robertson - Will Borgen
Carson Soucy - Scott Morrow
Jonathan Quick
Spencer Martin
Line Changes and Injuries
The Kings get Corey Perry back after he missed 3 games to attend to a family matter. The Kings also sent Andre Lee to the Ontario Reign on Monday. The Rangers are getting back Carson Soucy after he missed the last 2 games due to the birth of his child. The Kings will be starting Darcy Kuemper tonight after Anton Forsberg started in the 2-1 overtime loss against the Ducks. The Rangers are starting former King Johnathan Quick, and this game could be his last game in Los Angeles.
Key Factors
The last 2 games the Kings have played have shown some issues that have cost them games this season. In the first game against the Ducks, the Kings led 2-0 but lost 3-2. So if they find themselves with a lead tonight, they have to do a better job of protecting it while also maintaining their momentum throughout the game.
In the 2nd game against the Ducks, the Kings scored 1 goal, all on the power play, which has not been very successful, ranking 29th in the NHL. While that power-play goal was good for the Kings, they went 1/6 on the power play throughout the game, which was more than enough chances to win.
The Rangers' penalty kill ranks 15th in the NHL, and if the Kings get a power play, they need to score more often to not only win games but also get into the playoffs. The Kings are currently on a 3-game losing skid, during which all 3 games went into overtime.
The Rangers have been struggling as of late, and Johnathan Quick is on a 4-game losing skid, where his best save percentage in those 4 games was .893. The Kings are desperate for a win, and tonight is the perfect opportunity for them to do so. If they can capitalize on the man advantage and protect a lead, they will walk away with a win tonight.
My prediction for tonight's game is a 3-1 Kings victory.
Gabe Perreault is taking big steps as the Rangers’ retool questions mount
LOS ANGELES — The Rangers’ announcement of their plans to retool naturally coincided with Gabe Perreault’s return to the top line.
Now that the Blueshirts have decided to take a step back, recalibrate and make some personnel changes, Perreault, who did not record a point in 16:24 of action in the Rangers’ 4-3 loss to the Kings on Tuesday night, is at the top of the list of players who can be managed more strategically going forward this season. Development has long been a critique of this organization, but circumstances are looking different than previously.
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tRY IT NOWSkating on the first unit with Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller for a third straight game Tuesday against the Kings, Perreault is starting to find his footing at the NHL level.
“It’s obviously nice playing with guys like that,” Perreault told The Post before the Rangers set out on the current road trip. “They’ve been here for a long time and kind of make it easy on me. Sometimes, it’s not always easy playing top line, top D-pair. It makes it harder in that sense. But I think since my first time in the top six, now I’m definitely more comfortable and more used to it, in a way. I hope to just keep getting better and more comfortable.”
The 20-year-old sure looked confident in the final minutes of regulation Monday night, when he was streaking toward the Ducks net and flipped to his backhand before Jackson LaCombe got his stick in the way at the last second.
It was a one-goal game at the time, and Perreault attacked the net like it was.
He’s had the puck on his stick a lot more. And after failing to record a single shot in half of his first six games, Perreault has only had two such performances over his 11 games since.
“Gabe had a hell of a game [against the Ducks],” Rangers captain J.T. Miller said Monday night. “I think maybe [he] did a lot of things that people watching don’t see. Obviously, he’s a really gifted player with the puck. It’s how he’s made a name for himself at this point. That being said, he was in such good spots all over the rink today. You can tell he’s learning a lot as he goes. He’s trying to be a sponge and it’s fun to play with.
“He’s just going to get better as he gets going, but I think today, his play without the puck was better. He was good with the puck, but I’m saying his play without the puck really stood out to me.”
In an otherwise disappointing effort against the Senators last week, Perreault recorded the first multigoal effort of his young NHL career. His three goals and four assists through 17 games indicate his game could be coming.
The more he plays with top six caliber talent the more opportunities he has to cement himself there.
In 58:13 of 5-on-5 ice time with Zibanejad and Miller, the trio has been on the ice for seven Rangers goals and three against, per Natural Stat Trick. The two veterans have said they enjoy skating alongside one another for the versatility at center.
- CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND RANGERS STATS
If Perreault can seize the top-line wing role early, it would be one less thing for the Rangers to address in the retool.
“I think he’s getting quicker with his decision-making,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of the rookie. “I think his foot speed picking up and the game is probably slowing down in his brain, also. I think that’s all happening at the same time. That’s just the process so. He makes a handful of plays every night. He almost scores in the third period there to tie it up [Monday night]. He plays the game with a lot of courage. I give him credit. He takes that puck to the far post. When you take it to the far post like that, usually you’re going to pay a price when that happens.
“I think he plays the game with a lot of courage, his willingness to do those types of things. I think it just speaks to his competitiveness.”
Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
Former outfielders Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones have been elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 class, as both players reached the 75% threshold for induction as voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).
The duo will join second baseman Jeff Kent in the 2026 class, as Kent was selected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee back in December.
Both Beltrán and Jones finished just shy of making the Hall a year ago, as Beltrán received 70.3% of the vote and Jones hit 66.2%. Beltrán, now in his fourth year on the ballot, received 84.2% of the 425 ballots cast, while Jones, in his ninth year on the ballot, reached 78.4%.
Beltrán, 48, seemed like a first-ballot lock near the end of his career, but after he reportedly took a key role in the 2017 Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, he lost his managerial job with the Mets before coaching a game, and his reputation was tarnished.
Still, Beltrán finished his career with 70.0 bWAR, batting .279/.350/.486 with 435 homers, 2,725 hits, 1,587 RBIs, 1,582 runs, and 312 steals over 2,586 games during his 20-year career. He was also named AL Rookie of the Year with the Royals in 1999, and he was selected as an All-Star nine times, won a pair of Silver Sluggers, and three Gold Gloves.
Jones, also 48, had a slightly shorter career than Beltrán, playing 17 seasons from 1996 to 2012, though he still accumulated 62.7 bWAR. One of the greatest outfield gloves in baseball history, Jones won 10 Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, and was named an All-Star five times. For his career, he hit .254/.337/.486 with 434 homers, 2,196 hits, 1,289 RBIs, 1,204 runs, and 152 steals over 2,196 games.
Beltrán will likely enter the Hall as either a Kansas City Royal or a New York Met. He spent seven years with both clubs, starting his career in Kansas City and accumulating 24.8 bWAR there before spending 2005-2011 in New York, totaling 31.1 bWAR with the Mets. Jones will almost certainly go in as an Atlanta Brave, having spent 12 of his 17 MLB seasons in Atlanta and totaling 61.0 of his 62.7 bWAR with the Braves.
Beyond Beltrán and Jones, the only other player to break the 50% threshold was former second baseman Chase Utley, who garnered 251 votes, good for 59.1%. Andy Pettitte and Félix Hernández both fell just shy of 50%, as Pettitte received 48.5% of the vote on his eighth ballot and Hernández got 46.1% of the vote in his second year on the ballot.
Of the 12 first-year candidates, Cole Hamels is the only name to remain on the ballot entering next year, as the left-handed starter received 23.8% of the vote. Ryan Braun led the group of players who won’t return to the ballot, as he picked up 15 votes (3.5%). Former Brewer Gio González received no votes, while former closer Francisco Rodríguez received 50 votes (11.8%) and will remain on the ballot for a fifth year next time around.
Congratulations to Beltrán and Jones on joining Kent and the other 354 elected members (281 players) in the Hall this summer! The full voting results of this year’s ballot are below.
Big-name Aussies in push to conquer cricket’s ‘last great frontier’ as shock Waugh role revealed
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh and batting champion Steve Smith are among the high-profile names that have signed up for the inaugural season of the European T20 Premier League.
Mets legends, ownership react to Carlos Beltran's induction into Hall of Fame
Carlos Beltran will soon have a permanent place in Cooperstown, as the former Mets outfielder earned Hall of Fame enshrinement on Tuesday by receiving 84.2 percent of the vote (425 total ballots).
Moments after the nine-time All-Star heard the news, Mets ownership and franchise icons joined the celebration, sharing statements on Beltran's stellar career and achievements.
"One of the most dynamic players ever to wear a Mets uniform, Carlos combined rare power and speed with elite defense, setting a standard of excellence that endures today," said Mets owner Steve Cohen. Beyond his achievements on the field, his leadership, insight, and presence continue to shape our organization. It is a proud moment for Carlos, his family, and Mets fans everywhere."
Beltran, who slashed .279/.350/.486 with 435 home runs, 565 doubles, and 1,587 RBI across 20 seasons, became just the sixth Puerto Rican to reach the Hall of Fame. His roots were emphasized by fellow countryman and Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who grew up idolizing Beltran.
"Growing up in Puerto Rico, Carlos was an important role model to so many of us. After getting to know him personally, I saw firsthand what an exceptional father, leader, and role model he truly is," Lindor said of Beltran. "He paved the way for future generations of Puerto Rican baseball players and set them on a path to success. For that, he truly deserves this moment."
During his two decades in the majors, Beltran spent most of the 2000s in Queens, playing alongside David Wright, Carlos Delgado, and José Reyes for several seasons. While the Hall of Fame remains a long shot for Wright, whose career was cut short due to injury, he credited Beltran for his leadership as a veteran teammate.
"I remember being a young player in Port St. Lucie in my first Spring Training and looking at you and trying to emulate your game as best as I could," Wright said of Beltran. "When I think of five-tool players, you are one of the first faces that come to mind. And to top it off with your work ethic."
Beltran also received congratulations from former Mets infielder Jeff Kent, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in December via the Contemporary Baseball Era committee ballot. The 2026 class includes Beltran, Kent, and former Braves slugger Andruw Jones.
"I know your family is proud of you, and I can’t wait until you and I meet up again in Cooperstown, where we’ll be inducted into the most prestigious class in all of sports -- the Baseball Hall of Fame," Kent said. "Good luck my brother. I look forward to seeing you in July."
This summer, Beltran could become the third player to don a Mets cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. He played for seven teams from 1998-2017, but collected more homers, doubles, RBI, and runs scored with the Mets than anywhere else.
His seven seasons (839 total games) with the Mets also produced a career-best 31.1 WAR, and his three Gold Glove awards were won while wearing orange and blue.
The Mets also posted a video to X/Twitter that featured former managers Willie Randolph and Jerry Manuel, among other icons, lauding Beltran.
A special message from some of Carlos’ former teammates and managers! 🧡💙 pic.twitter.com/zB4QyUVdvb
— New York Mets (@Mets) January 20, 2026
Josh Giddey could return from strained left hamstring this week after being sidelined since Dec. 31
CHICAGO (AP) — Guard Josh Giddey is just about ready to return to the Chicago Bulls’ lineup after being sidelined the past three weeks because of a strained left hamstring, coach Billy Donovan said Tuesday.
Donovan said prior to the game against the Los Angeles Clippers that Giddey could return at Minnesota on Thursday. The Australian missed his 11th game in a row.
“Feels pretty good,” Donovan said. “I think it’s just waiting to hear from the medical of what they want to do and how Josh feels. But everything that I’ve gotten from Josh in medical is that there were no setbacks and he’s doing well.”
Giddey has not played since a loss to New Orleans on Dec. 31. He walked off the court gingerly in the first minute of the second half in that game.
Giddey has performed at an All-Star level in his second season in Chicago since a trade from Oklahoma City. He is averaging a team-high 19.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 9 assists, and has seven triple-doubles.
“I don’t know what the cutoff point is in terms of missed games and things like that, but before he got hurt, I think you could certainly make the argument he was playing at that level for strong consideration,” Donovan said.
The Bulls were ninth in the Eastern Conference at 20-22 entering Tuesday's game. Forward Patrick Williams sat out because of a sprained right ankle and is day to day. ___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
David Wright congratulates Carlos Beltran on getting elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
David Wright was one of the first former Mets to congratulate Carlos Beltrán on his election into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday.
The beloved former Mets third baseman wished Beltrán a “huge, huge congratulations” in a video posted by SNY.
“To think of the impact that you had on my career, the leadership, showing me how a pro prepares, how a pro works, I’ll never forget,” Wright said. “It was a huge building block, whether you know it or not. Well deserved. A true five-tool player, a true star of the game. Proud to call you a teammate and couldn’t be more excited for the Hall of Fame. Congratulations, buddy.”
David Wright congratulates Carlos Beltrán on his election to the Hall of Fame! pic.twitter.com/wIxYqrAags
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) January 20, 2026
Wright wasn’t alone in his congratulations for Beltrán, as current Mets star Francisco Lindor released a statement to honor the Mets great.
“I would like to congratulate Carlos, Jessica, and the rest of his family on the remarkable achievement of his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame,” Lindor said in a statement. “Growing up in Puerto Rico, Carlos was an important role model to so many of us. After getting to know him personally, I saw firsthand what an exceptional father, leader, and role model he truly is. He paved the way for future generations of Puerto Rican baseball players and set them on a path to success. For that, he truly deserves this moment.”
Wright and Beltrán were teammates from 2005 through 2011 before Beltrán was traded to the Giants.
Their most memorable season came in 2006 when the Mets reached the National League Championship Series and took the Cardinals to seven games, ultimately losing in heartbreaking fashion at Shea Stadium.
During his seven seasons with the Mets, Beltrán hit .280 with 149 home runs and 559 RBIs.
The Mets, on their official account on X, posted the video of Beltrán receiving the call that he had been elected by the Baseball Writers Association of America into the Baseball Hall of Fame, with the center fielder getting emotional and his friends and family cheering in celebration around him.
The call from the Hall
— New York Mets (@Mets) January 20, 2026pic.twitter.com/yGMoSsfr88
This year was his fourth time on the ballot, and he received 84.2 percent of the vote, easily surpassing the 75 percent threshold to be inducted into Cooperstown.
Beltrán had already indicated to The Post that he would prefer going into the Hall of Fame wearing a Mets cap on his plaque.
Owner Steve Cohen and his wife Alex were among those who also celebrated Beltran’s big day.
“On behalf of the entire organization, we are thrilled to congratulate Carlos on receiving the highest honor in baseball,” they wrote in a statement. “One of the most dynamic players ever to wear a Mets uniform, Carlos combined rare power and speed with elite defense, setting a standard of excellence that endures today. Beyond his achievements on the field, his leadership, insight, and presence continue to shape our organization. It is a proud moment for Carlos, his family, and Mets fans everywhere.”
During his 20-year career, Beltrán was a nine-time All-Star and won three Gold Gloves and two Silver Slugger awards. He hit 435 home runs, fourth best among primary switch-hitters.
Aside from the Mets, Beltrán played for the Yankees, Astros, Cardinals, Royals, Rangers and Giants.
Joining him as part of the Hall of Fame class of 2026 is fellow center fielder Andruw Jones.
They are just the third and fourth primary center fielders since 1981 to join the Hall of Fame.
MLB owners to push for salary cap ‘no matter what’ after Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette deals
Fellow Major League Baseball owners aren’t happy with the Dodgers’ big spending.
After the two-time defending World Series champions agreed to a deal with Kyle Tucker, adding to their embarrassment of riches and league-high payroll, chatter is growing on how to stop them.
The Athletic’s Evan Drellich reported Tuesday that a source told him there’s “a 100 percent certainty” that the other 29 teams will push for a salary cap during upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations.
“These guys are going to go for a cap no matter what it takes,” the anonymous source told the outlet.
The Tucker pact, a four-year, $240 million contract with $30 million in deferred money, intensifies talks of the coming labor battle — and potential lockout — when the CBA expires in December.
The massive free agent signing brings the Dodgers’ projected luxury tax payroll to $402.5 million for 2026, per Cot’s Contracts.
That’s more than the bottom-four payroll clubs combined, outnumbering the sum of the Marlins ($79.3 million), Rays ($93.9M), Guardians ($103.5M) and White Sox ($105.1M) with some time to go before Opening Day.
The Tucker-Dodgers marriage wasn’t the only move this offseason that has owners upset, per Drellich, though.
The Mets’ three-year, $126 million deal for Bo Bichette “also raised dander,” according to the report.
“The Dodgers and Mets might be the only teams that will try to stand in the way of a cap,” the source said.
The Amazin’s aren’t far behind the Dodgers in terms of spending, with a luxury tax payroll sitting at $345.7.
Agent Scott Boras, who has long been one of the biggest pro-labor and anti-cap voices in the sport, described the Dodgers as an anomaly, and “not a system issue.”
“[The Dodgers] are the benefactors of acquiring Shohei Ohtani, MLB’s astatine,” Boras said in a statement to The Athletic. “Short-lived and rare. No other player offers such past or present. Ohtani is the genius of elite performance and additional revenue streams of near $250 million annually for a short window of history.
“The process of acquiring Ohtani was one of fairness and equal opportunity throughout the league,” he continued. “A rare, short-lived element is not a reason to alter the required anchored chemistry of MLB. The mandate of stability to gain media rights optimums is the true solution to league success.”
Jonathan Quick Makes Return To Los Angeles As His 40th Birthday Approaches
Jonathan Quick is set to start against his former team as the New York Rangers take on the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.
It will be just the third game he’ll play against the Kings and the second time starting in the confines of Crypto.com Arena.
In 16 seasons with the Kings, Quick won two Stanley Cups and established himself as one of the great goaltenders of this generation.
It’s been a long time since those days, but the memories of Quick’s dominance in Los Angeles are certainly still remembered.
“Elite, just an elite goaltender and a fierce competitor,” Mike Sullivan says of what he remembers of Quick during his tenure with the Kings. “I think he commands so much respect because he's earned it through his body of work. I've said this so many times, I think he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
“I mean, with what he did in his years here in LA to help those teams win Stanley Cups the way they did, he was such a huge part of it, he was a cornerstone of those teams… He’s an inspiration to me.”
Quick recently made his 800th career start, and on Wednesday, he’ll turn 40 years old, joining Brent Burns, Alex Ovechkin, and Corey Perry as the only players who are in their 40s.
Mika Zibanejad Emphasizes That His First Olympic Nod Is A ‘Huge Honor’When it comes to the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> and their link to the 2026 Winter Olympics, there’s a lot of attention on Team USA, given that Mike Sullivan will serve as the head coach, while both J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck will also represent their country on the world stage.
It’s an impressive milestone, but it’s no surprise to Sullivan that Quick is still in the NHL approaching his 40th birthday.
“It's not by chance he's continuing to play at the level he's playing at the age he's at,” Sullivan said. “You have to love what you do to continue to keep your game at the level that he keeps it at his age. I just think he's a great example for all of us, just the passion that he brings to his job every day and how hard he works at it, to try to keep his game at the most elite level and the most competitive level that he can. I have so much respect for his overall body of work in this league, and now having the opportunity to work with him and watch what he does on a daily basis, it's not by accident.”
Kiefer Sherwood Leaves The Canucks As A Fan-Favourite And Record-Holder
The first and only time Vancouver Canucks fans saw playoff-Kiefer Sherwood was when he was still playing for the Nashville Predators in 2024. While he only scored once, Sherwood was a force for Nashville in what became a hard-fought series. The forward left such a positive impression that, when he ultimately signed a two-year, $1.5M AAV contract that off-season, then-Canucks captain Quinn Hughes became one of his biggest advocates.
“Just playing him in the playoffs against Nashville and seeing his competitiveness and what he brings, you need guys like that on a championship team,” Hughes had told Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet at the time.
In Sherwood’s time with the Canucks, Vancouver wasn’t quite able to reach that playoff threshold, but there were definitely times in which the forward’s clutch ability made Rogers Arena feel as though it was smack-dab in the middle of a series. From puck drop on Sherwood’s first game with Vancouver, to his first-career NHL hat trick against the Colorado Avalanche, to scoring the game-winning goal against the Dallas Stars after clawing back from a 5–2 deficit, Sherwood’s tenure with the Canucks had no shortage of clutch moments.
There’s something about four-syllable names that calls to Canucks fans and their chants. J.T. Miller, Thatcher Demko, and Conor Garland are three players who have had their name echo through the walls of Rogers Arena. Sherwood is no different — especially when it came to the sheer amount of times he did something worth chanting for.
“Looking back, I couldn’t have asked for anything more from my experience in Vancouver,” Sherwood said in a final media availability only a couple of hours after being traded. “To have the fans be as appreciative as they are, and even chant my name is crazy… it’s something I still sometimes process and look back on.”
While to him it may have felt like the fans gave Sherwood their all, the effort was reciprocated tenfold. Sherwood finishes his tenure with the Canucks with 36 goals, 27 assists, and 670 hits. His 460 hits with the Canucks in 2024–25 mark a new single-season record for the NHL, while his two 12-hit games (October 22 vs. the Chicago Blackhawks and March 22 vs. the New York Rangers) are tied with Luke Schenn for the franchise-high in one game. In total, he has made 10+ hits in a single game 13 different times as a Canuck.
Ultimately, Vancouver and Sherwood were kind to one-another when it comes to the dynamic between player and fan. Sherwood found career-high after career-high while wearing Vancouver’s orca, and Canucks fans found a no-quit player they could support throughout even the roughest of games — one more than deserving of the Fred J. Hume “Unsung Hero” Award given to him at the end of last season. Even though Sherwood’s next stint in playoffs won’t be for the Canucks, he’ll undoubtedly have many people cheering him on from all across BC.
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Cooperstown calls: Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent lead Class of 2026
It’s a tale of sustained excellence, peak brilliance and overdue redemption: Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones each surpassed the 75% needed for election by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on Tuesday, while Jeff Kent formally was awarded his place in Cooperstown this winter by the Contemporary Era Committee. The trio will headline the Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
Kent was announced as a Hall of Fame inductee in December, finally receiving long-overdue recognition for his sterling work at second base. His 377 homers are the most all-time at the position, while his 1,518 RBI and eight 100-RBI seasons are unmatched for a second baseman. Kent was a five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger winner who slashed .290/.356/.500 with 55.4 WAR over 17 seasons. Simply put, Kent was a generational talent who did things at second base that most didn’t think were possible.
Beltrán, meanwhile, fell just short of Cooperstown last year in his third trip on the BBWAA ballot, receiving 70.3% of the vote. But the writers have spoken this year, elevating Beltrán to the HOF with 84.2% of the vote. Beltrán appeared in 20 seasons and 2,586 games over his career, slashing .279/.350/.486 with 2,725 hits, 435 home runs, 312 stolen bases and 70 WAR. His counting numbers are all the more impressive considering he’s one of only five players in MLB history to post 500 doubles, 400 homers and 300 steals. Beltrán was a nine-time All-Star and won three Gold Gloves, as well as earning American League Rookie of the Year honors in 1999. What sets Beltrán apart from others, though? His resume in October. Beltrán was a different beast during postseason play, slashing .307/.412/.609 with a 1.021 OPS, which ranks among the best postseason performances ever.
Unfortunately for Beltrán, his career wasn’t all sunshine and roses as he was named in the report on the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal and admitted to using text messages to share scouting information during his tenure with Houston. After apologizing to MLB, he stepped away from baseball for several years. As time went on, the writers increasingly overlooked his role in the scandal and accepted his apology. Today, he serves as the Mets’ special assistant to the president of baseball operations, David Stearns.
The delayed election of Jones is just another example of how a perception of Hall of Fame worthiness can evolve over time. Jones surpassed the 75% mark this year in his ninth year on the ballot, eventually landing at 78.4%. It wasn’t always pretty for Jones, who came alarmingly close to falling off the ballot in his first year of eligibility after recording just 7.3% of the vote. But each year, Jones gained steam as voters began to understand the value of his elite defense at a premium position, combined with plus power at the plate. During his best years, Jones was one of the best center fielders the game has ever seen, winning Gold Gloves for 10 straight seasons while also hammering 434 home runs over his career. Prior to this year, only eight center fielders were enshrined in Cooperstown; with the election of Beltrán and Jones, that number now sits at 10.
A deeper dive into Jones’ prime reveals just how good he was. At age 19, Jones homered twice in his first two career World Series at-bats. He had seven 30-homer seasons, led MLB with 51 homers in 2005, and was a five-time All-Star. Unfortunately, injuries cut into Jones’ career after age 30 and prevented him from adding even more to his eye-popping stats. Jones spent one lone season in 2010 in Chicago, where he posted a 120 OPS+ and put up a 1.9 WAR across 107 games for the White Sox. His career was also not without issue, as an off-field arrest for domestic violence in 2012 may have delayed his rise toward Cooperstown.
Finally, reaching career highs on Monday was former White Sox southpaw Mark Buehrle, who saw his vote total jump from 11.4% in 2025 to 20% in 2026. It’s a steady increase over the course of his six years on the ballot, and one that could continue to trend upwards as seasons pass. This year’s election was rife with first-time voters, and this generally progressive sect gave the southpaw a healthy boost.
Buehrle has one of the best pitching hallmarks of all time, tossing at least 200 innings in 14 straight seasons. Only seven Modern Era pitchers have reached that milestone, and six are already in the Hall of Fame. Buehrle won 214 games, logged more than 3,200 innings since the start of the 21st Century and had elite defensive metrics earning him three Gold Gloves. Buehrle also boasts several signature moments (which voters love), including a perfect game, a no-hitter, an ALCS complete game, and a back-to-back starter win and save in the World Series. Hopefully, his case will only grow stronger with time, and the momentum eventually works in Buehrle’s favor.