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Jets' Connor Hellebuyck Named NHL's Third Star Of The Week

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) celebrates on the ice after getting the shutout win over the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has been named the NHL's third star of the week.

The 31-year-old posted a 3-0-0 record, as well as a .931 SV% and a 1.62 GAA. He recorded his eighth shutout of the season against the Dallas Stars and was stellar when the Jets defeated the red-hot St. Louis Blues. 

He currently leads the NHL in wins (46), save percentage (.924), goals against average (2.02) and shutouts (8). 

Hellebuyck will likely win back-to-back Vezina Trophies but may also find himself very high on the Hart Trophy ranking, expected to receive a fair share of first-place votes.

Here's what NHL.com had to say about Hellebuyck's extraordinary week.

"Hellebuyck went 3-0-0 with a 1.62 goals-against average, .931 save percentage and one shutout the help the Jets (55-22-4, 114 points) clinch their first Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history. He denied 14 shots as Winnipeg halted the St. Louis Blues’ franchise-record 12-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory April 7. Hellebuyck then earned his League-leading eighth shutout of the campaign with 25 saves in a 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars April 10. He finished the week by stopping 28 shots, and turning aside two of three shootout attempts, in a 5-4 triumph versus the Chicago Blackhawks April 12. The 31-year-old Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, paces the NHL (minimum: 25 GP) in wins (46), goals-against average (2.02), save percentage (.924) and shutouts (8) through 62 total appearances this season. Only four goaltenders in League history have recorded more wins in a single campaign: Martin Brodeur (48 in 2006-07 w/ NJD), Braden Holtby (48 in 2015-16 w/ WSH), Bernie Parent (47 in 1973-74 w/ PHI) and Roberto Luongo (47 in 2006-07 w/ VAN)."

Finishing ahead of Hellebuyck as the NHL's first star of the week was Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves, posting three wins, a shutout and a .962 SV%, and Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid, recording nine assists in three games. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Jets stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

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Expect Montreal's Ivan Demidov To Shine in NHL Debut Monday versus Blackhawks

Montreal Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov is poised to put together a breakout performance versus Chicago Blackhawks Monday

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Monday night is the ultimate opportunity for NHL fans, with a loaded slate of thrilling matchups that fans eagerly anticipate. The game that sticks out is one with the Montreal Canadiens, who are looking to bounce back after a tough 1-0 loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday and clinch their first playoff berth since losing in the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals. 

They will take on a Chicago Blackhawks team that can't wait for the season to end after finishing with the second-worst record in the league at 23-46-11 and the second-worst defence with a 3.58 goals against average.

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 9-3 record on our last 12 picks and our 17-6 record on our last 23 underdog picks.

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

More NHL: NHL Betting Roundup: Demidov and Nikishin To Make Debut, Landeskog Return

Chicago Blackhawks vs Montreal Canadiens Best Bets:

  • Ivan Demidov anytime goal (+230)
  • Ivan Demidov Over 1.5 shots on goal (-160)
  • Habs -1.5 (-114)
  • Nick Suzuki Over 0.5 assists (-162)

One of the hottest players in the NHL right now is Habs captain Nick Suzuki with 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points over his last 24 games since the Four Nations break. He has helped carry Montreal into a playoff spot as they've managed a 14-5-5 record during his hot streak. 

They are on the verge of securing a playoff berth and have called in the reinforcements to get the job done. Top prospect Ivan Demidov will be making his NHL debut Monday with many comparing him to the new all-time leading goal scorer in Alex Ovechkin. 

More Betting: Early Stanley Cup Playoffs Bets to Explore Before First Round is Set

Demidov, 19, is coming off a season where he dominated in Russia's KHL while playing with SKA St. Petersburg and recorded 49 points in 65 games. He started skating with Montreal this past weekend and was impressive to say the least, making through the legs moves and stride dekes to get past some of NHL level defencemen.

He is expected to slot into the third line alongside centre Alex Newhook and winger Joel Armia, who are both due for a goal. 

Canadiens' Ivan Demidov Targeting His NHL Debut | Saturday HeadlinesCanadiens' Ivan Demidov Targeting His NHL Debut | Saturday HeadlinesElliotte Friedman joins Ron MacLean to talk some of the NHL’s top stories, including the Edmonton Oilers preparing to potentially lose Mattias Ekholm, Ivan D...

I'm expecting a shining welcome party for the young superstar as Demidov will be playing in his first NHL game against a very vulnerable Blackhawks backend that the Habs have been able to regularly dominate with a 4-1-0 record and 17 goals scored over their last five games versus Chicago.

Montreal should be able to get the job done and secure their playoff spot in an easy win. 

More NHL:Blues Enter Stanley Cup Playoffs As Dark Horse Contender

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Jackson Page becomes first snooker player to make two 147 breaks in one match

  • Welshman stars in World Championship qualifying win
  • In line for £147,000 bonus and edges closer to Crucible

Jackson Page has received a £147,000 bonus after becoming the first snooker player to compile two 147 breaks in the same match in Sheffield on Monday. The 23-year-old from Ebbw Vale achieved the unique feat in the eighth and 12th frames of his 10-2 win over Allan Taylor in the third round of world championship qualifying.

The prize fund was available for any player who made two 147 breaks across the three “triple crown” events and the Saudi Arabian Masters this season – and will rise further if he holds on to the tournament’s £15,000 high break prize.

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Jet Greaves Named As One Of The NHL's Three Stars

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Jet Greaves is on fire!

The 24-year-old goalie from Cambridge, Ontario, was just named as one of the NHL's three stars of the week. Greaves was given the honor of being the league's first star.

Greaves was called up last week on an emergency recall and was immediately named the starter against the Buffalo Sabres. He beat the Sabres by allowing just two goals and had a .951 SV%.

Then came this past weekend. He was called upon to be the starter against the Washington Capitals on Saturday, and all he did was stop 22 shots and earn his first career NHL shutout in route to a 7-0 Columbus win. 

The following night, against those same Washington Capitals, he was again put in the net in a must-win situation for the CBJ. He gave up a goal to Alex Ovechkin on the first shot of the game but then shut down the Caps after that. He made 29 saves to pick up his third win in 4 nights. 

Greaves went 3-0 with a .968 SV% and gave up just a single goal. That one goal came against the NHL's new all-time goal scorer, Alex Ovechkin. You can't really complain about that one. 

It remains to be seen if Greaves will start the season's final two remaining games, but I would put money on it that Greaves does. 

Up Next: The Blue Jackets travel to Philadelphia to play the Flyers on Tuesday in the final road game of the season and the penultimate game of the season. 

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story. 

Blue Jackets Sweep Weekend Series Against Washington; Stay Alive In Playoff RaceBlue Jackets Sweep Weekend Series Against Washington; Stay Alive In Playoff RaceZach Werenski(22), Adam Fantilli(28, 29), and Dmitri Voronkov(22) scored the goals for Columbus, while Jet Greaves was fabulous, stopping 29 Washington shots.  Blue Jackets' Prospect Skates For First Time Since April 5th 2024Blue Jackets' Prospect Skates For First Time Since April 5th 2024The Columbus Blue Jackets received some good news today. Their first-round draft pick, Cayden Lindstrom, joined the scratches and skated with them ahead of the Medicine Hat Tigers’ second-round game tonight. Blue Jackets' Goalie Prospect Signs ATO With Cleveland MonstersBlue Jackets' Goalie Prospect Signs ATO With Cleveland MonstersThe Columbus Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate has announced that they have signed goaltender Evan Gardner to an amateur tryout contract.
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Suns fire head coach Mike Budenholzer after one season at helm

In a move widely expected around the league, Mike Budenholzer has been fired after one season as head coach of the Phoenix Suns, the team announced Monday.

Phoenix released the following statement: "Competing at the highest level remains our goal, and we failed to meet expectations this season. Our fans deserve better. Change is needed."

This change had been expected for a while. Phoenix owner Mat Ishbia is not a patient man and, after an unmitigated disaster of a season, finishing 36-46 and missing even the play-in despite having the highest payroll in league history, major changes have been coming. Budenholzer being shown the door was only the first step. It is expected the Suns will work with Kevin Durant to find him a new home via trade, they also will try to trade Bradley Beal (who still hold s a no-trade clause and can veto any deal), and general manager James Jones — who has largely only followed Ishbia's orders — could also be scapegoated here, some around the league speculate.

Budenholzer came to Phoenix with the reputation of a defense-first coach, but without many quality perimeter defenders and no great rim protectors, the Suns struggled on that end, eventually seeming to give up, and finished 27th in the league on that end of the floor. At points, Durant was pleading with Budenholzer to simplify the offense that many of the younger players on the team never fully grasped. Budenholzer simply never connected with his players.

This makes three coaches in three years for the Suns under Ishbia (he pushed Monty Williams out the door and hired Frank Vogel — another coach with a ring and a defensive reputation — who did not connect with the players). Budenholzer signed a five-year contract to take the job last summer, now the Suns are paying three coaches (Williams is still cashing a check).

The next coach is going to take over a team with a dramatically altered roster built more around Devin Booker, but that new coach also will not face the championship or bust expectations that came with Budenholzer and all the high-end talent on the roster (well, the new coach won't face those expectations outside the owner's suite, at least).

Chauncey Billups had been rumored as a name for the Suns job — Durant, Booker, and others like the former Piston and NBA champion player, plus he had a Michigan connection with Ishbia — but he signed an extension to stay in Portland and keep building out that roster and culture. Will Ishbia and the Suns search for another big name, or will they pivot and look for a top assistant deserving of a chance?

It's going to be one long, hot summer in Phoenix either way.

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Winnipeg Jets Accomplish A Canadian Club Rarity By Capturing NHL's Presidents' Trophy

Neal Pionk, Mark Scheifele and Cole Perfetti (Matt Marton-Imagn Images)

The Winnipeg Jets earned their first Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history on Sunday. 

Although Winnipeg lost 4-1 to the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday, the Washington Capitals lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets, meaning they can’t catch the Jets.

The Jets led the Western Conference since Jan. 14, dominating the regular season with a 55-22-4 record with one more game remaining. Although Winnipeg and Washington raced for the top spot for most of the season, the Jets separated themselves.

That means the Jets are the first Canadian team to win the Presidents' Trophy in 13 years.

The Vancouver Canucks were the last Canadian team to finish on top of the NHL, accomplishing the feat in 2012. They also won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2011, when they lost in the Stanley Cup final to the Boston Bruins.

Since the award was introduced in 1986, a Canadian team has won the Presidents’ Trophy only eight times. Winnipeg is the fifth Canadian club to win it, with three Canadian franchises winning multiple times. Before the Canucks won, the Ottawa Senators clinched the trophy in 2003.

The Oilers were the first team to capture the Presidents' Trophy, taking it home in 1986 and 1987. After that, the Calgary Flames were the best team in the regular season in 1988 and 1989. The Oilers followed their Presidents’ Trophy win in 1987 with the Stanley Cup championship, while the Flames did the same in ’89.

However, winning the Presidents' Trophy does not often lead to Stanley Cup success. The last team to be the champion of the regular season and playoffs were the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2012-13 season.

In recent years, it has been more likely for teams to win the Stanley Cup one or two seasons after winning the Presidents' Trophy.

The Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning and Capitals are all recent examples of this. Florida won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2022 and the Cup in 2024. The Avalanche won the Cup in 2022, one year after being regular-season champs, while the Lightning captured back-to-back Cups in 2020 and 2021 after finishing first in the 2019 regular season. The Capitals won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2016 and 2017 before winning the Stanley Cup in 2018.

The Jets, meanwhile, haven’t had plenty of playoff success lately. In their last two playoff campaigns, they lost in the first round in five games. They hope things will be different this year with a Presidents' Trophy under their belt.

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Phoenix Suns fire Mike Budenholzer after single, disastrous season

Mike Budenholzer has a 520-363 career record over 11 NBA seasons. Photograph: Ross D Franklin/AP

Mike Budenholzer is the latest NBA coach to be fired as the Phoenix Suns announced they are parting ways with him after just one season in charge.

The team announced Budenholzer’s departure in a short, terse statement on Monday. “Competing at the highest level remains our goal, and we failed to meet expectations this season,” the statement said. “Our fans deserve better. Change is needed.”

The move was unsurprising after the Suns missed the postseason, despite the presence of All-Stars such as Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. The Suns lost nine of their last 10 games to slump to a 36-46 record, meaning they finished 11th in the Western Conference, three wins short of a place in the play-in tournament. That snapped a four-season run of postseason appearances for Phoenix, including a run to the NBA finals in 2020-21, when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks that season were coached by Budenholzer.

Related: Nuggets announce shock firing of Malone less than two years after NBA title

Budenholzer was hired in May, replacing Frank Vogel, who also had a one-year tenure that ended in disappointment. It was hoped that Budenholzer – an Arizona native – could finally bring a championship to the desert. He didn’t come close.

The season started with optimism after the Suns jumped to an 8-1 record, but Durant went down with a calf strain that knocked the team into a tailspin. Even after the 15-time All-Star returned to the lineup a few weeks later, Phoenix were unable to recapture their early momentum.

Budenholzer couldn’t seem to settle on a regular playing rotation with rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro playing big minutes one night before being benched the next. Veteran center Jusuf Nurkic had an awful start to the season – and complained about a lack of communication with Budenholzer – before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets.

Booker and Durant stayed relatively healthy for most of the season, but Beal had constant injury issues and missed more than 20 games in the regular season for a sixth straight year. The Suns tried to retool at the trade deadline, but Beal’s no-trade clause and the team’s salary cap status above the second apron made making any major moves difficult.

Budenholzer’s departure signifies major upcoming roster upheaval for a team who have underachieved for three straight seasons. Owner Mat Ishbia has deep pockets and a desire to win, but almost every move he has made since taking over the team in February 2023 has backfired.

Budenholzer has a 520-363 career record over 11 NBA seasons with the Hawks, Bucks and Suns.

Budenholzer’s departure comes a week after the Denver Nuggets fired their coach, Michael Malone.

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How do the Lakers match up against the Timberwolves entering their playoff series?

Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards works toward the basket as Lakers' LeBron James defends him during a basketball game.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards works toward the basket as Lakers forward LeBron James defends during the teams' first meeting of the season. (Eric Thayer / Associated Press)

Four games and no information? A season series that offers little roadmap for the postseason meetings to come?

It’s a bit of a weird situation as the Lakers head into the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, their roster overhaul and strange December making it hard to really look to the past for information on the future.

“We had games the last, six, seven weeks where we hadn't played the team since [Anthony Davis] was on the team and didn't have Luka [Doncic]. So we have a way of prepping based on previous games, previous games against Luka,” JJ Redick said Sunday. “We have a general idea of what their rules are, just like they have a general idea of what our rules are.”

Still, there have to be things from the Lakers games with the Timberwolves this year that are going to matter.

As the teams open their first-round playoff series Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Crypto.com Arena, let’s take a quick look at how they match up.

Read more:How the NBA's play-in tournament works and when it starts

KEY TEAM STATS

Lakers

Record: 50-32

Offensive rating (OFF RTG): 115.0 (11th)

Defensive rating (DEF RTG):113.8 (17th)

Net Rating (NET RTG)*: 1.2 (14th)
(*Net rating subtracts defensive rating from offensive rating for a projected margin of victory.)

Timberwolves

Record: 49-33

Offensive Rating (OFF RTG): 115.7 (8th)

Defensive Rating (DEF RTG): 110.8 (6th)

Net Rating (NET RTG)*: 5.0 (4th)
(*Net rating subtracts defensive rating from offensive rating for a projected margin of victory.)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Lakers

Luka Doncic: 28.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 7.5 apg, 43.8 fg%/37.9 3-pt. fg%/79.1 ft%

LeBron James: 24.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 8.2 apg, 51.3 fg%/37.6 3-pt. fg%/78.2 ft%

Austin Reaves: 20.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.8 apg, 46.0 fg%/37.7 3-pt. fg%/87.7 ft%

Timberwolves

Anthony Edwards: 27.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.5 apg, 44.7 fg%/39.5 3-pt. fg%/83.6 ft%

Rudy Gobert: 11.9 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.4 bpg, 67.4 fg%/67.5 ft%

Julius Randle: 18.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 4.7 apg, 48.5 fg%/34.7 3-pt. fg%/80.6 ft%

HOW THEY FARED

Season Series: 2-2

Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles

Lakers 110, Timberwolves 103

The Lakers won their season opener as LeBron James and Bronny James become the first father-son duo to play as teammates in an NBA game. JJ Redick’s first win was sparked by the Lakers holding Minnesota to just 42 first-half points. Anthony Davis dominated with 36 points, Rui Hachimura had 18, LeBron James had 16 and Austin Reaves scored 12, the Lakers shooting five of 30 from three-point range. Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 27.

Dec. 2 in Minneapolis

Timberwolves 109, Lakers 80

The Lakers had a season low for points, playing without an injured Austin Reaves (hip contusion). The team made only six of 31 from three, with D’Angelo Russell making four of them. Anthony Edwards shot just three of 13 , but three different Minnesota reserves scored in double figures off the bench.

Read more:Lakers rest on final day of regular season, prep to face Timberwolves in playoffs

Dec. 13 in Minneapolis

Timberwolves 97, Lakers 87

The Lakers offense was only slightly better in Austin Reaves’ first game back from injury. LeBron James was out dealing with a foot injury. Four players not currently on the roster played significant minutes — Anthony Davis, Max Christie, D’Angelo Russell and Cam Reddish.

Feb. 27 in Los Angeles

Lakers 111, Timberwolves 102

Playing with their full rotation, the Lakers held Minnesota to 17 first-quarter points while leading by as many as 17 points. LeBron James scored 33 and grabbed 17 rebounds while Austin Reaves had 23 and Luka Doncic 21 against Minnesota, which was playing without Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. Rookie Terrance Shannon Jr. led Minnesota with 25 points off the bench. Anthony Edwards got ejected and played just 26 minutes.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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New Orleans Pelicans fire David Griffin, their head of basketball operations

This was expected. Over the weekend, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported that people around the league are "undeniably bracing" for sweeping changes in New Orleans.

They have: The Pelicans have parted ways with Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin, the team announced Monday, following an injury-riddled 21-61 season that saw New Orleans miss even the play-in.

"After considerable thought and evaluation, I have decided to relieve David Griffin of his duties as executive vice president of basketball operations," Pelicans owner/governor Gayle Benson said in a statement. "This was a difficult decision, but one that I feel is necessary at this time to bring a fresh approach to our front office and build a culture that will deliver sustainable success, on and off the court. I am committed to hiring the right person to lead our basketball operations department and deliver an NBA Championship to our city. That is what our fans deserve. I am truly appreciative of David for his leadership and many contributions to the Pelicans organization and the New Orleans community over the last six years. We wish David and his wife, Meredith, and their family all the best moving forward."

The new executive will decide Willie Green's future as the team's head coach. Generally, that's a bad sign for a coach, new GMs tend to want to hire their own guys, although Benson reportedly is a Green fan.

In the six years Griffin was on the job, the Pelicans made the playoffs twice and won two games total in those series.

While the chronic injuries to Zion Williamson and others — this season Dejounte Murray (torn Achilles), Trey Murphy III (torn laburm), Herb Jones (torn labrum) and CJ McCollum all missed considerable time with injuries — was part of the problem this season, it was player evaluation and usage that had become a bigger source of frustration. Dyson Daniels spent two seasons scrapping for minutes in New Orleans, losing out on run that went to Jones, Murphy, Jose Alvarado and others, but he was traded to Atlanta this season, given a real opportunity with the Hawks playing 11 more minutes a night, and has had a breakout season where he is the frontrunner for Most Improved Player and is in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year (and, at least will make First Team All-Defense). Daniels became the symbol for missed opportunities.

Whoever is hired as a new head of basketball operations takes over a team at a crossroads: Do they test the trade market for Zion Williamson, or bring him back? Zion has three years and $126.5 million remaining on his contract, and he looked like an All-NBA player (24.6 points a game on 56.7% shooting with 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists a night) when healthy, but he only played 30 games.

It's decision time for the Pelicans, and there will be someone new making the decisions.

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Football Daily | Hold the back page: the battle for third, fourth and fifth place is on!

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The Scottish Grand National, the Hell of the North that is the Paris-Roubaix bicycle race and the Masters at Augusta were among the sporting spectacles which Football Daily watched over the weekend while also keeping an eye on goings-on in the Premier League. And while we are happy to applaud the spirited efforts of also-rans such as – deep breath – Our Power, Grozni, Rock My Way, Mads Pederson, Wout van Aert, Florian Vermesch, Patrick Reed, Scottie Scheffler and Im Sung-jae, our interest in these not-football contests was certainly not piqued by the prospect of seeing who would finish third, fourth and fifth.

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MLB Team Power Rankings: Red-hot Padres leapfrog Dodgers for top spot

Another week, another major shakeup in our MLB Team Power Rankings. That's the beauty of the early part of the baseball season.

From what we've seen so far, most of MLB's best teams reside in the National League. That was somewhat expected, but we figured that the Braves would be one of those teams. That's not the case so far.

These power rankings are a combination of current performance and long-term projected outlook. The Dodgers should be fine and figure to find their way back to the top spot before long, but the Padres can't be denied right now.

Let’s get started!

MLB: Boston Red Sox at Chicago White Sox
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Jose Soriano breaking out, Chase Meidroth gets the call
Eric Samulski breaks down some of the top waiver wire adds for the upcoming week of fantasy baseball.

1. San Diego Padres ⬆️

Last week: 8

We’ve got a new No. 1! And the Padres have certainly earned it in the early going, not just with the best record in baseball (and a 10-0 record at home!), but also a historic showing against the Rockies over the weekend. They’ll begin a series against the NL Central-leading Cubs on Monday, which should be a good one.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers ⬇️

Last week: 1

The Dodgers have dropped three series in a row since starting the season 8-0. Baseball gonna baseball. They should have a chance to get healthy with a home series against the Rockies to begin the week.

3. New York Mets ⬆️

Last week: 7

Pete Alonso is loving life hitting behind Juan Soto. After an admittedly disappointing 2024, Alonso already has four homers and 18 RBI to go along with a .321/.431/.660 batting line. He’s only struck out nine times in 65 plate appearances, so he’s seeing the ball extremely well right now.

4. Philadelphia Phillies ⬇️

Last week: 2

The Phillies’ offense has hit the skids, including a pair of shutout losses this weekend against the Cardinals. Nobody exemplifies the struggles more than Brandon Marsh, who hasn’t had a hit since the third game of the season on March 30.

5. San Francisco Giants ⬇️

Last week: 3

Jung Hoo Lee certainly enjoyed his first visit to Yankee Stadium over the weekend, slugging three homers in the three-game set, including a two-homer game on Sunday. His first season stateside was cut short due to injury, but he’s looking like a key piece for this lineup.

6. Chicago Cubs ⬆️

Last week: 9

We’ll start with the good news. After dropping both games of their season-opening series in Japan, the Cubs got back at the Dodgers by taking two out of three over the weekend, including a 16-0 shellacking on Saturday. The bad news? Justin Steele needs elbow surgery and will miss the remainder of the season.

7. Texas Rangers ⬇️

Last week: 4

The Rangers went 1-5 on their roadtrip and lost phenom outfielder Wyatt Langford along the way. They have a series against the AL West-leading Angels to begin the week.

8. New York Yankees ⬇️

Last week: 5

Yankees starters have combined for a major-league worst 5.40 ERA so far this season. The hope is that Clarke Schmidt can help provide a boost. He’s slated for his season debut on Wednesday.

9. Detroit Tigers ⬆️

Last week: 14

Remember when Spencer Torkelson’s name surfaced in some trade rumors this offseason? The Tigers are surely happy they didn’t follow through on those talks, as the 2020 No. 1 overall pick slugged his fifth homer on Sunday and now owns an impressive .309/.409/.673 batting line through 15 games.

10. Toronto Blue Jays ⬆️

Last week: 16

Sunday’s extra-inning victory over the Orioles carried some extra meaning for Jeff Hoffman, who had a potential free agent deal with Baltimore wiped out due to an issue with his physical. He struck out four batters over two scoreless innings for the win. Nothing like a little spite as a motivator.

11. Boston Red Sox ⬇️

Last week: 6

Garrett Crochet almost made history against his former team on Sunday, carrying a no-hitter into the eighth inning before it was broken up by recent call-up Chase Meidroth. In an interesting twist, Meidroth was part of the return package for Crochet.

12. Arizona Diamondbacks ⬇️

Last week: 10

Corbin Carroll was right in the middle of back-to-back comeback victories over the Brewers this weekend as his monster start to the season continues. He already has five homers after not hitting his fifth homer until July 13 last year.

13. Atlanta Braves ⬇️

Last week: 11

The Braves have rebounded somewhat since their 0-7 start to the season, but the best news of all is that Spencer Strider is set to make his return from Tommy John surgery on Wednesday.

Strider's final rehab start was enough to make you salivate.

14. Houston Astros ⬇️

Last week: 12

Isaac Paredes’ pull-happy approach is tailor-made for the Crawford Boxes and we saw it in action this weekend against the Angels, as he went deep in all three games.

15. Kansas City Royals ⬆️

Last week: 17

Cole Ragans has struck out 10 or more batters in three straight starts. He’s the second pitcher in franchise history to do it, joining former All-Star Kevin Appier, who accomplished the feat in 1996.

16. Los Angeles Angels ⬆️

Last week: 19

I’ll take “Things Nobody Expected” for $200, Alex. The Angels lead all MLB teams with 30 homers so far this season. It’s great to see Mike Trout mashing baseballs again, but Kyren Paris has been one of the biggest surprises of the young season. Trying to emulate Aaron Judge isn’t the worst idea ever.

17. Cleveland Guardians ⬆️

Last week: 21

What’s going on with Emmanuel Clase? He’s already allowed six earned runs in seven innings this year after allowing just five earned runs in 74 1/3 innings all of last season.

18. Seattle Mariners

Last week: 18

Cal Raleigh homered in all three games this past weekend as the Mariners completed a three-game sweep of the Rangers. While the Mariners’ spot in these rankings is unchanged from last week, they’ve now won four straight.

19. Baltimore Orioles ⬇️

Last week: 13

It’s been a shaky start to the year for the Orioles, but there was a nice moment on Saturday, as Felíx Bautista notched his first save since returning from Tommy John surgery. The 29-year-old isn’t quite back to normal just yet, as he’s walked five batters in four innings of work and isn’t pitching on back-to-back days.

20. Tampa Bay Rays

Last week: 20

When the Rays picked up Joe Boyle in the Jeffrey Springs deal with the Athletics this offseason, many predicted that the club would do their magic and turn him into a frontline starter. For one day at least, that came true. Adding a “splinker” to his high octane fastball and nasty slider, Boyle dominated the Braves over five-plus hitless innings on Sunday. The big question is his control — he lost the strike zone before being pulled in the sixth — but the Rays have to be thrilled with the early results.

21. Milwaukee Brewers ⬇️

Last week: 15

After playing a part in the Brewers’ epic ninth inning collapse against the Diamondbacks on Saturday, it was acknowledged that closer Trevor Megill has been dealing with a knee issue. It was apparently troublesome enough that the Brewers sent him for an MRI. No structural damage was found, but he’s now seeking a second opinion.

22. Cincinnati Reds ⬆️

Last week: 25

What a start the season for Hunter Greene. With seven scoreless frames on Sunday to finish off a three-game sweep of the Pirates, the 25-year-old fireballer now owns a 0.98 ERA and 31/4 K/BB ratio through his first four starts. Cy Young Award favorite?

23. Washington Nationals ⬆️

Last week: 26

Dylan Crews has had a brutal start to the season and CJ Abrams hit the injured list this weekend with a right hip flexor strain, but at least James Wood appears to be on a rocketship to superstardom.

24. St. Louis Cardinals ⬇️

Last week: 23

The "torpedo bat" commentary has died down somewhat since the Yankees’ tortured the Brewers two weekends ago, but count Willson Contreras among the converted. He went 2-for-4 in his first game with the bat on Saturday against the Phillies before adding two more hits — including his first homer of the season — on Sunday. Safe to say he’ll be sticking with it.

25. Athletics ⬇️

Last week: 24

A’s rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson went 0-for-4 on Sunday after hitting safely in 15 straight games to begin the season. He’s a fun mix of styles. Despite one of the most aggressive approaches in the game — he’s yet to draw a walk through 61 plate appearances — he has the third-lowest strikeout rate among qualified hitters. Hey, it’s working for him.

26. Minnesota Twins ⬇️

Last week: 22

You don’t have to remind Twins fans about this, but we’re now talking about a prolonged stretch of futility. After letting a playoff spot slip through their fingers last September, the Twins currently own the second-worst record in the AL.

27. Miami Marlins ⬆️

Last week: 28

I said two weeks ago that the Marlins were probably going to peak at No. 28 this year, so I’ll give them credit for being a pesky bunch. It’s rare that you’ll see a game-ending catch as good as the one Dane Myers had against the Mets last week.

28. Pittsburgh Pirates ⬇️

Last week: 27

Paul Skenes is coming off his worst start as a professional, as he allowed five runs over six innings against the Cardinals last Tuesday. With the way this offense is hitting (they are hitting .198 as a team), Skenes almost has to be perfect.

29. Colorado Rockies

Last week: 29

Didn’t score a single skinny run over the weekend, but hey, these new City Connects look pretty smooth.

30. Chicago White Sox

Last week: 30

The White Sox took the first two games of their series against the Red Sox over the weekend before they were completely befuddled by some guy named Garrett Crochet on Sunday. He might have a future in this game.

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Red Wings Insist "There's Always Something to Play For" Ahead of Final Home Game

Jan 23, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) and Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) fight for position in front of Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) in the second period at Little Caesars Arena. (Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images)

"It's very disappointing seeing where we were and now where we're at," said Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin Sunday afternoon following practice.  The evening prior, the Red Wings were officially eliminated from playoff contention, though the "e" next to their name in the standings felt like a formality after limping through the month of March to the end of season with playoff hopes that existed as a mathematical possibility more than as any offshoot of their performances on the ice.  For the ninth season in a row, Detroit will not have representation in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Now, Monday night against the Dallas Stars, the Red Wings will play their final game at Little Caesars Arena of the 2024-25 season, a jewel of a venue opened in 2017 that's yet to host a Stanley Cup Playoff game.

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"There's always something to play for in this league," said Larkin.  "There's always someone watching.  There's always opportunity."  But on this particular Monday, it's difficult to identify just what that something might be.

"We're out.  What else can I say?  We're out," said coach Todd McLellan Sunday.  "We're not happy.  There are different moments throughout the season that you can point to, different aspects of our play that point to being out.  And that's where we are right now.  All that does is tell us we've got a lot more work to do, and we've got to get after it."

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"You could tell the spirit wasn't the same in practice," the coach admitted.  "I get it.  But they gotta come and work tomorrow.  I'm counting on them, and they should count on each other to do that."  McLellan used the word "reputation" to describe what was on the line for his team individually in three remaining games that lack collective stakes.

When asked what needs to improve for 2025-26, McLellan named the penalty kill, defending in all situations, five-on-five offense and defense, and becoming heavier as growth areas "off the top of my head real quick."  In short, there's a lot of work left to do in Detroit.

Where to Watch

Monday night's game (a 7pm puck drop) will air on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit in the Detroit market and the NHL Network elsewhere.  97.1 The Ticket will handle the radio broadcast, per usual.

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Why Parsons believes Butler's impact will help Draymond win DPOY

Why Parsons believes Butler's impact will help Draymond win DPOY originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Programming Note: Tune into “Warriors Pregame Live” at 6 p.m. PT on Tuesday on NBC Sports Bay Area before the Warriors and Grizzlies tip-off. Immediately after the final buzzer, tune back in for “Warriors Postgame Live.”

Retired NBA veteran Chandler Parsons believes Warriors forward Draymond Green will win the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year award because of Jimmy Butler’s impact.

Parsons laid out his reasoning on Monday’s edition of FanDuel’s “Run It Back Show” with co-hosts Michelle Beadle and Lou Williams.

“They’re a much better team with Jimmy Butler – that’s undeniable,” Parsons told Beadle and Williams. “They’ve struggled as of late, [but] they’re so much better defensively. Draymond Green is going to win Defensive Player of the Year because Jimmy Butler went there and their team got way better defensively – and he’s great defensively.

“Offensively, defensively, they’re a better overall team with Jimmy Butler.”

Golden State has won 23 of 30 games Butler has played in since acquiring the six-time NBA All-Star on Feb. 5 in a blockbuster trade with the Miami Heat, so while Dub Nation might be torn after the Warriors’ 124-119 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday at Chase Center, it would be wise to lean into the franchise’s big-picture momentum entering Tuesday’s NBA play-in tournament game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Nonetheless, Green individually has flourished since Butler’s arrival and has generated serious buzz to earn Defensive Player of the Year, an award he has won once before in 2016-17. Green has averaged 1.9 steals, 1.0 blocks and 6.2 rebounds in the 31 games since Butler’s first Warriors appearance – on Feb. 8, a 132-11 win over Butler’s former Chicago Bulls in which he scored 25 points – and is viewed as a finalist among other top-notch defenders such as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley, Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson and Clippers’ Ivica Zubac.

The Warriors have their work cut out for them as they pursue their fifth NBA championship in 11 seasons. And Parsons doesn’t want people to forget how Butler has helped Golden State and Green emerge as contenders for the league’s highest honors.

But most importantly, Parsons isn’t writing off the Warriors.

“So I can’t sit here and say teams figured them out,” Parsons said. “I think [the Warriors] are going to have to make some adjustments on the fly [about] how Steph [Curry] is being guarded. But the other guys got to step up. … It’s going to be a collective effort from them.”

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