Lemieux, a longtime agitator and big-game performer, was a player agent who represented several of today’s biggest stars, including Devils forward Timo Meier and Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen.
Retired Colorado Avalanche player Claude Lemieux waves to fans as he is honored for his years on the ice before the Avalanche host the New Jersey Devils. AP Photo/David Zalubowski
“Rest in peace Pepi,” Meier wrote on his Instagram story, referencing the nickname Lemieux received as a rookie with the Montreal Canadiens in 1983, short for “Pepe Le Pew,” the amorous cartoon skunk.
“Gone too soon.”
The news of Lemieux’s death — he was reportedly found in a warehouse of his family’s furniture store in Florida by one of his sons — came just three days after he was honored by the Canadiens as a torchbearer ahead of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Hurricanes.
Timo Meier #28 of the New Jersey Devils stretches in warm ups before a game. NHLI via Getty Images
With Andersen set to tend goal for the Hurricanes that night, Lemieux reached out to the goalie to let him know he was tapped to help fire up the opposing team’s home crowd at the Bell Center.
“He’s like family,” Andersen told the North State Journal, noting it was a big deal for the entire Lemieux family for its patriarch to be honored.
Andersen’s pursuit of the Stanley Cup continues with a heavy heart, as does Meier’s run at the IIHF World Championships with Switzerland.
Timo Meier posted about his agent Claude Lemieux’s death on Thursday night.
Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup winner, also counted Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider and Bruins blueliner Hampus Lindholm among his clients as the President Hockey North America for 4Sports Hockey, with 17 active contracts totaling nearly $355 million in value, per PuckPedia.
“Claude was so much more to us than just a member of the 4sports family,” the agency wrote in an Instagram post. “He was a truly special person, a trusted friend, an inspiring leader, an exceptional and very successful agent, and someone who touched all of our lives with his kindness, loyalty, strength, and generosity. His presence shaped not only our company, but also the people around him in so many meaningful ways.
“We all deeply respected, appreciated, and loved him. The memories, the laughter, the friendship, and the inspiration he gave us will remain with us forever.”
With all eyes on Game 7 of the NBA Western Conference Final between the Thunder and Spurs we’re looking for insight — the deep, analytic analysis that will tell us whether Oklahoma City has a chance to go back-to-back and potentially start or dynasty, or if Victor Wembanyama will punch his first ticket to the NBA Finals.
We’re also looking to the carpeted stairs of a tastefully decorated suburban home to find out what a trick-shot-making corgi says about it all. Over on Instagram, “aircorg,” otherwise known as “Steph Furry,” has correctly predicted all six games of the Western Conference Finals so far. The corgi knew the Thunder would go up 3-2 before the Spurs answered back in Game 6, which is exactly what happened.
The canine is calling a Spurs victory in Game 7. That might really make fans in San Antonio feel good, but in looking at the past predictions of aircorg I have serious doubts this pupper has innate psychic abilities. In fact, I think the corgi might be a fraud and this is all just random chance.
Understand that this revelation brings me no joy. We take accusations like this very seriously, and wouldn’t run a story like this unless we were quite sure this corgi was a fraud. So, before you write to my editor, please allow me to show my work.
There have been a lot of predictions from the corgi in recent years, but I chose to use Super Bowl LX as a starting data point. Aircorg correctly predicted that the Seahawks would win, good boy — but moving forward the results were far less compelling. Here are the corgi’s prediction records for each sport, from the Super Bowl moving forward:
A 60-40 split is fine … for a dog. It’s barely better than a coin flip. While aircorg had an impressive run in the NCAA tournament and is on a tear in the NBA right now, the dogs truly struggled in the play-ins and early rounds.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t love the dog, but his ability to make picks is shaky at best. I’m just here to protect you, dear reader, from taking a second mortgage out on your house and wagering it all on the advice of a trick-shot-making pupper.
LAS VEGAS , NV - NOVEMBER 13: Harold Reynolds and Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. present the 2025 Hank Aaron Award during the MLB Awards presented by MGM Rewards at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Thursday, November 13, 2025 in Las Vegas , Nevada. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
As most baseball fans know by now, Major League Baseball is staring down the barrel of a work stoppage after this season. We have known that CBA negotiations would be tense for a while. After the success of the big money Dodgers, the idea of a salary cap has come up more than ever. Over the past couple days, we saw the opening proposals from the MLB and the MLBPA.
I wanted to break down the proposals, talk about how far the two sides have to go, and discuss what it means for the Nats. The great Jeff Passan actually wrote a good piece explaining the situation. It really seems like the only question is how long will the lockout last, not whether there will be a lockout.
The MLBPA and MLB have made their first proposals in what's expected to be a prolonged labor negotiation. All that's at stake is the future of baseball.
Free at ESPN: A breakdown of what all of it means, what you need to know and where everything stands. https://t.co/e0wzrJQGnb
The last time owners pushed for a salary cap was back in 1994. If you have been following the game long enough, you would know that was a disaster. A work stoppage interrupted the season, and there was no World Series in 1994. The Expos, the Nats predecessors, were rolling that year, but never got to go all the way. That was a big turning point in the downfall of that franchise.
Over 30 years later, the owners are pushing for a cap again. In their initial proposal, the owners proposed a $245.3 million cap and a $171.2 million floor. The plan would also include a redistribution of the TV revenue to make this possible. Right now, 6 teams are above that cap and 15 teams are below the floor. This would seriously change baseball forever.
MLB proposes the first salary cap since August, 1994, at $245.3 million, with a salary floor of $171.2 million.
Honestly, the cap is lower than I thought it would be and the floor is higher. This proposal would really force Mark Lerner to spend money. Right now, the Nats are $77 million below the proposed floor. If something like this passes, the Nats would have to extend players, trade for larger contracts and sign free agents. As a fan of the Nats, that is fine by me.
For fans of bigger market teams and the players association, this proposal will not make them happy. Right now, the Dodgers and Mets are both $50 million over the cap. They would have to shed serious payroll and not spend any money to be compliant. That would make their fans and the players upset.
Now, we turn to the player’s proposal. They have proposed a $150 million floor, but obviously have no cap with it. The players also want to increase the minimum salary, which is an idea I can get behind. Guys like James Wood are making peanuts compared to what they deserve. Lastly, they want the CBT threshold to go from $244 million to $300 million. That last proposal just seems like a non-starter given the concerns about parity. This would allow teams like the Dodgers to spend even more.
The MLBPA made its first proposal to MLB today in collective bargaining. Among the topline issues:
– A "competitive-integrity tax" for any team that does not spend $150M – Increase minimum salary from $780,000 to $1.5M – Increase in base CBT threshold from $244M to $300M
It is clear that the two sides are very far apart. They do have some common ground, especially when it comes to revenue sharing. Both sides seem to know that there needs to be more revenue sharing for this system to work. The Dodgers TV deal can’t absolutely dwarf any other teams. That is not a viable system, and both sides know it.
So what happens if/when the lockout comes. Well, any player on the 40-man roster is pretty much out of commission. This could have some impact on what the Nats do later in the season. Yohandy Morales will be Rule-5 eligible after the season, so they have to put him on the 40-man anyway. That means his potential big league call up won’t be affected by this.
However, for players like Seaver King and Jackson Kent, this could leave them in the minors longer than they otherwise would be. The organization is not going to want to have them on the 40-man and not play games in the minors next year. By the way, the minor leagues are not impacted by this other than the 40-man roster players. I really enjoy minor league baseball, and fans might have to lock into that, at least to start next season.
Many people have theorized that this lockout could cost us all of next season. While I think the start of next season will be delayed, I have faith that they will figure it out. Once games are missed, the pressure will amp up on both sides to get something done. It won’t be pretty, but I believe we will see Major League Baseball at some point in 2027.
As the Maple Leafs continue their search for a new head coach following the dismissal of Craig Berube, conflicting reports have surfaced regarding former Edmonton Oilers bench boss Jay Woodcroft.
According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, the Leafs were set to interview the 49-year-old Toronto native this week. Woodcroft, who spent the past season as an assistant with the Anaheim Ducks after being let go by the Oilers early in 2023-24, has drawn attention following a strong track record in Edmonton, including a trip to the 2022 Western Conference Final and elite power-play performance. Seravalli’s sources positioned him as one of the front-runners for the job, especially given his local roots and recent interview with the Los Angeles Kings.
But on the latest episode of 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman pushed back firmly on that narrative.
“I understand there were some reports this week that he’s going to interview in Toronto. I don’t believe that’s the case,” Friedman said. “I do not believe Toronto has asked permission to talk to him.”
Friedman added that it remains possible the Maple Leafs never engage with Woodcroft at all.
This discrepancy highlights the fluid nature of the Leafs’ coaching search under new general manager John Chayka. With reports indicating Toronto has spoken to or plans to speak with around 20 candidates, the process appears thorough but opaque, leading to the kind of crossed wires that often occur in high-stakes NHL hiring cycles.
#Leafs coaching search update, per sources: - #FlyTogether Jay Woodcroft scheduled to interview this week. Interviewed with #LAKings last week. Handicapped as “one of the front runners” for the Toronto job. Either spot, solid bet to be an NHL HC again next season. - Wide swath of…
For now, it seems safe to scratch Woodcroft’s name from the top of the list. That elevates the spotlight even further on University of Denver head coach David Carle, who remains a strong favourite according to multiple reports. The two sides have had dialogue, though Friedman wondered if any in-person meetings have taken place yet.
Carle’s success at the NCAA level, developing talent and implementing structured, possession-oriented systems, aligns with what many believe the Leafs need to complement their star-studded core of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Matthew Knies. His potential hiring would represent a fresh voice untainted by past NHL baggage — a common theme in Toronto’s recent coaching hires.
Really it seems like the ball is in Carle’s court if he wants to leave the NCAA ranks, having previously turned down the Chicago Blackhawks for an NHL head coaching spot.
As the Sixers prepare to make the 22nd pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, we want to bring up another name that Philadelphia drafted in the 20s within the last decade. It just so happens that Landry Shamet is still playing basketball as the 26th pick by the Sixers in 2018, now with the Knicks and playing about 15-20 minutes per night off the bench for New York in the postseason.
Shamet’s game logs for the Knicks in these playoff rounds look a bit sporadic — and we’re certainly not attempting to condemn the Sixers for including Shamet in the Tobias Harris trade back in February 2019. It feels like letting Isaiah Joe and Julian Champagnie go for nothing have elicited stronger condemnations from Sixers fans as both Joe and Champagnie have turned into rotation players in the Western Conference Finals. For what it’s worth, Oklahoma City and San Antonio have done a good job developing lots of players so the surges from Joe and Champagnie should probably be mostly attributed to what their current franchises have done for them and not necessarily what the Sixers didn’t do.
But that’s not the case with Shamet. Even though he did not even play one full season with the Sixers, Shamet came right in and did what many would probably like the 22nd pick in this year’s draft to do for the team. Having played three years of college basketball at Wichita State, Shamet was an instant bench contributor for the Sixers in 2018-19. It was a Sixers team that was (surprise, surprise) coming off a second-round loss in the 2018 playoffs and looking to accelerate towards contention. Shamet would average 20.5 minutes per game in the regular season with the Sixers and shoot 40% from the three-point line and 81.5% from the free throw line. He was looking like a pretty solid use of a late first-round pick.
However, as the 2018-19 season trudged along, Elton Brand felt the team needed more top-end talent and decided to cash in some bench pieces for Jimmy Butler and Harris. The irony is that Philadelphia was eliminated by a Toronto team that was mostly built on the depth it had behind Kawhi Leonard in 2019. Other recent champions like Milwaukee and Denver have seen rotations go 7-10 players deep behind their own superstars. It feels like New York, San Antonio and Oklahoma City are all similarly constructed now. So, Philly’s forever search for more stars doesn’t seem to have aligned with the way the league has trended.
As Shamet’s NBA career continued, he’s mostly been the same player he was in his short time with the Sixers, though he’s dealt with injuries. Between stints with the Clippers, Nets, Suns and now Knicks, Shamet has appeared in 64 playoff games, coming off the bench in the majority of those games. He’s a 37% three-point shooter in the playoffs. This is not an example of a late bloomer or someone who just found his way onto the right roster where he could be developed properly. This is someone who from the day he was drafted eight years ago has been the same useful NBA reserve.
To reiterate, Philadelphia’s trade for Harris and inclusion of Shamet in the trade back in 2019 was entirely understandable. The big mistake the Sixers made was re-upping with Harris on the big contract they gave him in the summer of 2019 when he was a free agent. For as unpopular as Harris was in Philly, he gave them a better chance to win in the 2019 playoffs than Shamet would have.
We’re simply asking the question if you’ve ever found yourself missing a player like Shamet in recent postseasons or if some of those feelings started to introduce themselves during the Knicks series this past season watching Shamet play for New York. Whether you miss Shamet or not, as we sit here eight years after the Sixers drafted Shamet, the Sixers are once again preparing for a draft pick in the 20s in which they hope to get a bench player that can help them build a deeper roster for future postseasons.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Jordan Staal looks at the Carolina Hurricanes’ on-their-game play as being part of a machine.
One that keeps rolling through its process, over and over, in smothering scoring chances and keeping the pressure on an opponent.
It has them within a win of reaching their first Stanley Cup Final in two decades entering Game 5 at home against the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Final.
“Right now, when you get into these grooves, it’s just kind of the machine,” the captain told reporters in Montreal. “You just kind of want to keep it running, keep doing what you’re doing.
“I don’t think the guys will waver too far from the next shift, the next play, the hyper-focus that we’re on.”
The Eastern Conference’s top seed started this series with a jarringly horrid start after going 11 days between playoff rounds — the longest postseason layoff in more than a century — and promptly allowing four goals in the first 11-plus minutes of a 6-2 loss.
Ever since, though, the Hurricanes have gotten more and more to their preferred style that helped them sweep through Ottawa and Philadelphia in the first two playoff rounds. And that has helped them grab control of the series from the on-the-rise Canadiens who arrived at this round earlier than some expected.
Carolina won a pair of 3-2 overtime games, first at home and then on the road, then dominated from the puck drop of 4-0 road romp that pushed the Hurricanes to a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The Hurricanes are getting the puck into the offensive zone, using the aggressive forecheck to keep it there and pressure the Canadiens while giving talented goaltender Jakub Dobes a lot of work. The Game 4 win offered a withering case study, with Carolina scoring three goals in a nearly three-minute span of the first period then shutting off everything as the Canadiens tried to regroup.
It wasn’t perfect. Notably there was a nearly two-minute 5-on-3 opportunity in which the Hurricanes didn’t put a shot on Dobes with a chance to knock out the Canadiens midway through the second period.
Not that their coach was dwelling on it.
“I’m not pointing at any negative on this game, no chance,” Rod Brind’Amour said.
Now the pressure is fully on the Canadiens, who battled through two long series that included Game 7 road wins at Tampa Bay and Buffalo while the Hurricanes started 8-0 in the postseason.
Montreal hadn’t lost consecutive games since mid-March and hadn’t lost three straight games since a five-game skid in November.
“Obviously everybody knows where we’re at, we do,” forward Cole Caufield said after the team arrived in North Carolina.
The Canadiens pounced on the slow-starting Hurricanes in Game 1 by repeatedly getting clean breakouts and breakaways with skaters hitting full speed as they blew unchecked through the neutral zone.
But as this series has worn on, the Canadiens have looked a half-step — sometimes more — behind.
Montreal defenseman Alexandre Carrier said the focus is down to small details such as winning more 1-on-1 battles, and then building from there to hopefully stop the Hurricanes’ push.
“It’s a big opportunity,” Carrier said. “We’re not dead yet. So it’s important to really be excited for tomorrow and confident. And I’m excited to see what we can do.”
The Hurricanes have more than double the shots on goal (108-43) in the past three games. And while some of that is due to a style that naturally leans into shot volume, the Hurricanes have steadily tightened their defensive grip on a skilled Canadiens team.
The Hurricanes took a 19-3 edge in shots on goal in the third period, keeping the Canadiens pinned in their defensive zone while finishing with a total of 18 shots. That marked the second time in three games that Carolina had more shots on goal in a period than Montreal had for the game, the other in the first period of Game 3 (16-13).
Carolina had a 42-15 edge in high-danger chances for Games 2, 3 and 4, according to Natural Stat Trick.
“We talk about all the time defending as a five-man unit,” Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin said. “And our forwards are doing a great job of helping out with that, and allowing us to be tight-gapped, allowing us to be aggressive, allowing us to play the way we have to play.”
LAS VEGAS — Former Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy called it “upsetting” that he can’t interview with other clubs after Vegas management declined reported requests by Edmonton and Los Angeles.
“There were two teams that asked,” Cassidy said on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast. “It’s public knowledge now, and I would like to talk to them. I want to go to work. I’m a hockey coach.”
The Golden Knights fired Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season and Vegas struggling to hold on to a playoff spot. John Tortorella replaced Cassidy, won the Pacific Division and then defeated Utah, Anaheim and Colorado in the NHL playoffs to reach the Stanley Cup Final.
Vegas opens at Carolina or Montreal on Tuesday or June 4.
Cassidy, who led the Golden Knights to the 2023 Stanley Cup and is the organization’s longest-tenured coach, said contracts come with a standard clause that prohibits clubs from allowing even fired coaches to interview elsewhere without permission. He said his deal goes through next season.
“Probably because they don’t want a coach in the middle of the year to re-sign on Feb. 1 and go work up the street on Feb. 3 because they like a better situation,” Cassidy said of the clause.
The NHL Coaches Association issued a statement May 19 criticizing the Golden Knights for prohibiting Cassidy’s ability to interview elsewhere.
“It would be unprecedented at the head coaching level should multiple teams be denied permission to speak with Coach Cassidy,” the statement read. “The situation is still unfolding, but our priority is to protect the interests of our members in this type of circumstance.”
Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon defended the team’s stance in a news conference before the Western Conference Final against the Avalanche.
“We’ve been consistent that our focus currently is on the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the teams have respected that,” McCrimmon said at the time. “I’ve spoken with Bruce. He understands this as well.”
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson plans to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals after having surgery for a broken right pinkie finger, according to ESPN.com.
Robinson plans to wear a brace on his right hand. Robinson was injured sometime during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers and appeared to favor his right during the third quarter.
Robinson finished Game 4 with eight points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes of action as the Knicks routed the Cavaliers to complete the sweep and earn their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1999.
The eighth-year favorite has been a key contributor for the Knicks off the bench, averaging 5.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks during New York's playoff run.
The Knicks will begin Game One of the NBA Finals on June 3 on the road against either the San Antonio Spurs or the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
‘Tennis became a race against time’ after 2005 diagnosis
‘The suffering was less than my passion,’ says tennis great
Rafael Nadal has revealed he spent most of his career in pain as he willed himself to play through a chronic foot injury and went on to win 22 grand slam titles while spending two decades ruling men’s tennis alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
The Spaniard, who retired in 2024, said he took immense risks with his health to keep his career going, after a Netflix series called Rafa provided an in-depth look into his physical and mental struggles to pursue greatness.
Toronto Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement has been one of the most consistent hitters in baseball over the last two weeks, and his profile matches up perfectly against struggling Baltimore Orioles starter Trevor Rogers.
The matchup sets up well for Clement to go Over his bases total for my Blue Jays vs. Orioles predictions and MLB picks for Friday, May 29.
Blue Jays vs Orioles predictions
Blue Jays vs Orioles best bet: Ernie Clement Over 1.5 Total Bases (+115)
Clement has recorded a hit in nine of his last 10 games, averaging 2.3 bases over that stretch. He’s also seen the power numbers improve over the last eight with seven extra base hits, resulting in a 1.055 OPS in that stretch.
Rogers is a contact pitcher who ranks in the 23rd percentile in xBA, relying heavily on his four-seam fastball, which has a 42% usage rate against right-handed batters.
His last six starts have been abysmal, owning an 11.07 ERA in that stretch with a .343 opponent batting average while giving up hard contact at a 41.1% clip.
Clement’s hitting profile matches up well to Rogers, as he owns a .327 average against the four-seamer with a team-high .572 slug rate against the pitch.
COVERS INTEL:Clement 36.9% squared up rate ranks in the 97th percentile, which should match up well against Rogers’ 84.9% zone contact rate.
Blue Jays vs Orioles same-game parlay (SGP)
I’ll continue fading Rogers by taking the Over on his earned runs total of 2.5. He’s eclipsed this total in six straight starts, and the Toronto Blue Jays should victimize him again as a strong-hitting team against the fastball.
Rogers owns just a 22% strikeout rate and is averaging just 2.5 K’s per game over his last four starts. Give me Vlad Guerrero Jr to go Under 0.5 strikeouts tonight. He’s seeing the ball well and has struck out just once in his last seven outings.
Blue Jays vs Orioles SGP
Ernie Clement Over 1.5 total bases
Trevor Rogers Over 2.5 earned runs
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Under 0.5 strikeouts
img loading="lazy" width="100%" height="null" src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/jaysmlcbp.jpg" alt="Canada’s best price for Jays"
Get the best Jays ML odds at BET99 — every game.
Blue Jays vs Orioles home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+315)
Rogers has been hit hard and often over his last six starts, surrendering six home runs in that stretch off a 41% hard-hit rate.
Additionally, the Jays have seen an uptick in their power numbers with eight homers over their last seven games.
So the matchup favors Toronto to go yard tonight, and I’m betting on Kazuma Okamoto, who owns a team-high .596 slug rate against the four-seamer, with a 66% hard-hit rate.
Mike DiStefanos' 2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 26-29, +1.10 units
SGPs: 11-44 +4.60 units
HR picks: 8-47, -0.67 units
Blue Jays vs Orioles odds
Moneyline: Toronto +104 | Baltimore -115
Run line: Toronto +1.5 (-195) | Baltimore -1.5 (-170)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)
Blue Jays vs Orioles trend
The Toronto Blue Jays have covered the Run Line in 12 of their last 16 games (+10.10 Units / 49% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Orioles.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Orioles and game info
Location
Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
Date
Friday, May 29, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
SN1, MASN
Blue Jays starting pitcher
TBD (X-X, X.XX ERA)
Orioles starting pitcher
Trevor Rogers (2-6, 6.96 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Orioles latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Orioles weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
With a busy schedule across the majors tonight, I've found immense value in my MLB same-game parlay predictions.
I'm eyeing the Miami Marlins to beat the New York Mets behind the brilliance of Max Meyer, while a high-scoring affair should be in the cards between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.
Max Meyer tossed seven scoreless innings last weekend against the New York Mets, allowing just one hit while walking three. He's cashed the Under in earned runs surrendered in three of four.
The Miami Marlins have also dominated the Mets in recent memory, winning eight of the last 10 meetings. They've covered the run line in three of the last four matchups as well.
Meyer is a strikeout pitcher, racking up 68 Ks in 60 2/3 innings of work. He easily cashed the Over in last Sunday's outing, striking out eight Mets.
He's also hit the Over in punchouts in three consecutive appearances, and New York is striking out nine times per game across their previous three.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marlins.TV, WPIX
Cubs vs Cardinals SGP: Runs galore in St. Louis
The Chicago Cubs have won three straight against the St. Louis Cardinals, and head into the series opener on a two-game winning streak. They've covered the run line in all of those meetings, and St. Louis comes in cold, losing four straight.
The Over has also hit in three of the last five, and the pitching matchup profiles to potentially be high-scoring.
Shota Imanaga has been getting torched, allowing 15 earned runs across his previous two appearances. While Kyle Leahy has pitched solid overall this season, he did give up give up five earned runs last time out.
Chicago's offense is hot, scoring 17 runs in their last two games.
Masynn Winn is 4-for-12 lifetime against Imanaga, and he's hitting .302 against lefties.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MARQ, Cardinals.TV
Royals vs Rangers SGP: Kolek carves up struggling Rangers
The Kansas City Royals head into the series opener against the Texas Rangers as an underdog, but they've actually dominated them recently, winning six of the last seven meetings.
Stephen Kolek takes the hill, and he just threw a complete game shutout last weekend.
Since making his season debut in early May, Kolek owns a 2.77 ERA, and he's given up Under 5.5 hits in every start so far. The Rangers are 24th in hits, and they've collected just 10 hits across their last two games.
The Under has cashed in three of the last five, and neither team is exactly tearing the cover off the baseball. MacKenzie Gore has pitched extremely well lately, allowing only four runs across his previous three starts.
Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Royals.TV, Rangers Sports Network
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
OTTAWA, CANADA - APRIL 25: K'andre Miller #19 of the Carolina Hurricanes sits in the locker room ahead of Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on April 25, 2026 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Carolina Hurricanes return home on Friday night with a chance to wrap up the Eastern Conference Finals against the Montreal Canadiens. They currently sit with a 3-1 advantage after their dominating, 4-0 victory over the Habs on Wednesday night.
The Canes have accumulated an amazing 11-1 record this postseason, which puts them in rare company. Only a handful of teams have accomplished this in NHL history. While earning this record, they have kept their opponents “shots on goal” stat to startling lows.
After allowing a league low 23.9 shots per game during the regular season, they have bested that and are now allowing just 22.2 shots per game, lowest in the playoffs.
The Canadiens are especially finding it difficult to find shots, as evidenced by their fans shouting “shoot the puck” in the third period of their latest loss. They had yet to register a shot on goal in that period until there were just three minutes left.
After the Hurricanes dropped game one of the series, which can reasonably be blamed on rust following a long 11 day lay off, they have played their game and have pretty much dominated the ice since. The team has out-scored the Habs 10-4, outshot them 108-43 and outhit them 113-77. All of these factors have taken a toll on their opponents.
Jordan Staal called his team “a machine” and indeed they are. Perhaps I should change the name of the blog to “Carolina Machine Never Breaks” although that might make some people upset.
This has been a total team effort, although there are a couple of players really performing well. Of course Frederik Andersen would have to be at or near the top of the list. He has the best stats of any goalie in the postseason with an 11-1 record, a GAA of 1.44, and save percentage of .928. He also has three shutouts for his trouble.
Next up would be defenseman K’Andre Miller who is probably playing better than the front office could even dream of when they acquired him.
He leads the defense with 8 points, (tied for 4rth on the team) and leads the entire team with a +12 rating. He also leads the defense with 26 hits, good for 7th on the team and has 9 takeaways which is a team high. Oh yes, he also leads the team in TOI averaging just over 24 minutes a game.
After the win on Wednesday night on the TNT telecast, Wayne Gretzky said that Miller was playing as well as any defenseman he had seen in the playoffs. High praise indeed.
By the way, the photo above is classic Miller. Before every game he puts on his hoodie and is in deep thought. One can assume he is visualizing the game ahead of time.
Here is another shot:
If the Hurricanes win tonight, the Stanley Cup Finals will start on Tuesday, June 2nd. If not, then they will start on June 4rth.
Will Carolina be able to close this one out and improve their postseason record to 12-1? It won’t be easy, this Montreal club has been dangerous with their backs against the wall.
Game time 8 P.M. Eastern
TV: TNT and TruTV will have the action in the US with Kenny Albert handling play-by-play, Eddie Olczyk doing color from up top, Brian Boucher between the benches, and Jackie Redmond handling off-ice interviews. Also note that the NHL on TNT Face-Off pre-show will not only be an hour long, beginning at 7 PM Eastern, but that they will be on-site in Raleigh in the Buffalo Brothers Section behind section 113. Liam McHugh hosts while Wayne Gretzky, Henrik Lundqvist, Anson Carter, and Paul Bissonnette will be at the desk.
Radio: You can still listen to the familiar voices of Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy. The pregame Storm Watch with Adam Gold on 99.9 The Fan starts at 7PM and runs for 60 minutes. At 8PM the Hurricanes Radio Network (consisting of 99.9, 730 The Game in Charlotte, ESPN New Bern 107.5/1490, and ESPN Greenville 107.5/1570). You will also be able stream this call through 99.9 on your smart device, app, or the Carolina Hurricanes app—and it’s not geolocked.
Odds (per Fanduel) – Canes – 245 Habs +198
We are not expecting any changes to the line up but if there are any, or if there is anything to report from the morning skate, updates will be posted in the comments.
Federal prosecutors alleged on Thursday that former NBA player Terry Rozier arranged a $100,000 payoff to leave a game early as part of a plan shared with bettors. Prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York filed a superseding indictment hours after co-conspirator Marves Fairley pled guilty to two charges related to the NBA wagering scandal.
Fairley told the court that he paid a player — whom the government has identified as Rozier — for the information. An initial $100,000 payout Rozier was to receive was later negotiated down to $70,000.
Rozier was charged in October with conspiracy wire fraud and money laundering. The government added sports bribery and honest services wire fraud conspiracy on Thursday. According to The Athletic, Rozier’s lawyer denied the claim and said he would pursue a motion to dismiss the case.
“The new indictment confirms that our motion to dismiss was a good one — it’s just new charges and new theories trotted out in the hope that something sticks,” Rozier attorney Jim Trusty said, perThe Athletic.
Rozier pled not guilty to the wire fraud charges in December and was released on $3 million bond. Since then Fairley is the second co-conspirator to change his plea to guilty. Damon Jones, indicted on wire fraud charges in the NBA scandal and a high-stakes poker scheme, pled guilty last month.
The new indictment also spells out details of NBAPA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement and Uniform Player Agreement, highlighting violations. The new indictment reads that the agreements “required players to ‘refrain from gambling on NBA games, point shaving or other attempts to fix the score or outcome of an NBA game, or providing confidential team or league information to individuals involved in gambling.'”
Rozier, then a prolific scoring guard for the Charlotte Hornets, is accused of leaving a March 23, 2023, game early due to a lingering lower leg injury. He shared the information with a friend and gambler, Deniro Laster, who in turn shared it with other gamblers, including Fairley. Laster, Fairley, and “Co-Conspirator 1,” according to court documents, discussed via text Rozier’s plan to exit early and their own plans to use that information to place bets against his statistical performance.
Marves Fairley pleaded guilty in the NBA and NCAA game-fixing cases tied to insider betting schemes and point shaving. The scandals continue to raise serious concerns around betting integrity, player prop markets, and corruption in sports.
Fairley allegedly also shared the information with co-conspirator Shane Hennen, who in turn passed it along to a network of bettors, resulting in placement of more than $250,000 in “under” bets on Rozier for the game. In addition, two people in Rozier’s “close circle” placed $4,800 worth of bets on Rozier’s “under” totals. Not all of the bets paid, and Rozier ultimately agreed to accept $30,000 less than originally planned, according to the new indictment.
Rozier also allegedly agreed to give Laster part of the bribe.
The Hornets lost the game in question to the New Orleans Pelicans, 115-96. Rozier played 9 minutes, 34 seconds in the game and scored 5 points. During the 2022-23 season, Rozier averaged 21.1 points and 35.3 minutes of playing time per game.
In the new indictment, federal prosecutors outlined the scheme: In exchange for an approximately $100,000 bribe, ROZIER agreed with co-conspirators, including the defendant DENIRO LASTER, Marves Fairley and Co-Conspirator 1, that ROZIER would withdraw early from a to-be-determined game purportedly on the basis of his injury so that co-conspirators could bet on the information before it became public. ROZIER also agreed to give LASTER a portion of the bribe. LASTER communicated with Fairley and Co-Conspirator 1 using encrypted applications to keep them updated as the anticipated game grew closer. Meanwhile, Fairley and the defendant SHANE HENNEN lined up individuals who were poised to bet on the inside information once ROZIER identified the particular game he would withdraw from.
Two other conspirators have NBA ties
About five days after the game, Fairley and Laster traveled to Philadelphia to collect payouts from Hennen for the wagers on Rozier and other “fraudulent” bets. Prosecutors allege that Rozier set up and paid for Laster’s flight. On March 29, 2023, per the filing, “Fairley gave LASTER tens of thousands of dollars in cash as payment for the non-public information that LASTER had obtained from ROZIER and had provided to Fairley regarding ROZIER’s plan to exit prematurely from the March 23 Game.”
From Philadelphia, Laster drove to Rozier’s North Carolina home, and the two counted the money. Prosecutors also detailed information gathered and fraudulent bets made on at least six other games involving co-conspirator Eric Earnest, Jones, and others.
Though all of the defendants and co-conspirators are not named in the latest indictment, Earnest, Fairley, Jones, Timothy McCormack, Long Phi Pham, and former NBA player Jontay Porter are identified. Nine others are identified only as “co-conspirators,” including one who was an NBA player and one who played in the NBA from 1997-2014 and was “an NBA coach since at least 2021.” Three others are relatives of Laster, Hennen, or Rozier.
In addition, court documents reveal that the fraudulent wagers were placed with four sportsbooks, including two that are official sports betting partners of the NBA. The league lists DraftKings and FanDuel as its “official gaming partners.”
Rozier, who was traded to the Miami Heat on Jan. 23, 2024, was placed on unpaid leave by the NBA last October due to the gambling charges. He was waived by the Heat on April 10.
May 17, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners third baseman Colt Emerson (4) celebrates after scoring a run against the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Good morning everyone and happy Friday!
The M’s will take on the Diamondbacks today for the first in a three-game weekend set. The D-Backs have long been one of my favorite NL squads — they’re geographically close(ish) but harmless to the Mariners in the grand scheme. Though, nobody will top the Nationals for me. What is your favorite NL team?
Major League Baseball presented its first official Collective Bargaining Agreement proposal, which features both a hard salary cap and floor. Evan Drellich at The Athletic has the full report. ($)
The city of Sacramento has joined the ranks of major American cities officially vying for an MLB expansion franchise, reports Evan Drellich at The Athletic. ($) Others include Nashville, Salt Lake City, Portland, Austin, Montreal, Raleigh, and Orlando.
BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 28: Yohendrick Piñango #24 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates with Brandon Valenzuela #59 after defeating the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 28, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Following a much-needed sweep of the Kansas City Royals, the Yankees enjoyed an off day on Thursday. They next head further west to take on the Athletics, who are very much in the American League’s playoff picture. The first place Rays were also off the schedule, though there were still games of note to take in on Thursday. So, here’s a look at went down around the Junior Circuit.
Toronto Blue Jays (28-29) 2, Baltimore Orioles (26-31) 1
In an evening AL East matchup, pitching was the name of the game, as the Blue Jays did just enough to push past the O’s in Baltimore.
Both starters, Patrick Corbin for the Jays and Chris Bassitt for Baltimore, were excellent in their respective outings. It was Toronto who got to their former teammate Bassitt first, when Andrés Giménez led off the third inning with a solo blast, his sixth homer of the season.
The solo shot would stand as the only real blemish on the veteran righty’s day on the mound. Bassitt finished his day after six innings of work, allowing just that one run on four hits and striking out a pair. Unfortunately for him and the Orioles, Patrick Corbin was just as good on the mound for Toronto.
In fact, his line was nearly identical. The left-hander worked his way through five innings of solid ball, also allowing a single run on four hits, though he tallied a few more strikeouts, racking up four on the evening. His first mistake, and Baltimore’s lone run of the game, came in the fourth, when Coby Mayo teed off on a solo homer of his own, squaring things up at one a piece.
After both starters exited the game, things remained quiet on the offensive side, as this game remained in a 1-1 gridlock into the later innings. In the top of the eighth, the Blue Jays did what they could to change that. George Springer led the frame off with a double, before being advanced by a sacrifice bunt. A pair of walks following this had the bases loaded with just one out. Kazuma Okamoto struck out for the second out, before pinch-hitter Yohendrick Piñango worked a walk to push the go-ahead run across. The bases-loaded walk in the eighth turned out to be the decisive blow, as the Jays skated past the O’s, though both clubs still have an uphill climb in the division.
In a matchup of middling AL West squads, early scoring pushed the Astros past the Rangers on Thursday. The game opened with a bang for Houston, as home runs from Jeremy Peña and Isaac Paredes had them up 3-0 before the Rangers had a chance to hit.
Josh Jung answered with a solo shot for Texas in the second, but the ‘Stros continued to lay it on in the third inning, with a double from Taylor Trammell and a Cam Smith knock putting them up 5-1. A forgettable day on the mound for Nathan Eovaldi (7 IP, 5 ER) had Houston up from end to end. The Rangers could only post a single run on the evening, as they dropped an important one at home. The AL West remains a situation to monitor, as the sub-.500 Mariners lead the division by a half-game, and four teams are within 2.5 games of first place.
COVERS INTEL:
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