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Ice rink construction begins at loanDepot park ahead of 2026 Winter Classic

It’s going to be a fun few weeks in and around Miami’s MLB ballpark.

That’s because the NHL has started moving into loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins, and setting things up for the 2026 Winter Classic.

The game is set for Jan. 2 between the host Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers.

On Wednesday, the league began the process of building the ice rink inside the ballpark.

That processes included the NHL bringing down not one, but two mobile refrigeration units to help maintain the ice surface in warm South Florida.

“I think it’s pretty bold move by the League,” said NHL Vice President of Hockey Operations Derek King. “I think for us, it’s ‘Why not Florida?’ It’s an amazing hockey market, so for us to bring the game here, I think it’s pretty exciting.”

Ice installation begins at loanDepot park for the 2026 Winter Classic. Source: David Dwork

The retractable roof at loanDepot park is expected to remain closed during construction of the rink and likely until the game arrives, as temperatures in South Florida are expected to remain in the 70s and 80s in the days leading up to the Winter Classic.

As King and NHL Senior Manager of Facilities Operations Andrew Higgins explained, the construction of the rink itself will likely run though next week. Around Dec. 23 or 24, the installation of the ice surface will begin, at which time the air conditioning inside loanDepot park will be cranked up extremely high.

“We’ll be able to close in the building, keep everything conditioned,” said King. “That’s going to allow us to build it like we would in any other venue.”

Both the Panthers and Rangers are scheduled to hold practices on the ice at loanDepot park the day before the Winer Classic.

Anything the players and coaches have to say about the ice quality will be taken into account by Higgins and his staff, and adjustments can and will be made as needed.

Additionally, the ice that is being built at the ballpark will be quite thicker than what is normally seen inside NHL rinks.

Usually, ice is about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick, but the ice for the Winer Classic will be around 2 to 2.5 inches thick. That way, if there are any issues, they can just shave the ice down instead of adding water to it.

“I think the quality (of the ice) is going to be great,” said King.

When the game arrives, the plan is for the stadium to open its roof panels and the massive glass windows past left field that provide a pristine view of the Downtown Miami skyline.

The 2026 Winter Classic is set for an 8 p.m. faceoff.

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Kevin Garnett reconciles with Timberwolves, will have role with franchise, have jersey retired

Kevin Garnett is a legend of the game, enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, with his No. 5 jersey hanging in the rafters in Boston.

Yet, so deep was his feud with former Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor that Garnett — the greatest player in franchise history —was never around the team, and his number is not retired there. Now, with Taylor out and the new Mark Lore/Alex Rodriguez group in charge, all that is about to change.

A franchise icon, Garnett has reconciled with the Timberwolves and will have a "new, all-encompassing role involving business, community efforts and content development," role with the franchise and the WNBA's Lynx, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and confirmed by the team itself.

It also means we can expect the long-overdue Garnett jersey retirement in Minnesota to come together sooner rather than later.

Garnett played 14 seasons with the Timberwolves, at the beginning and end of his career, was named MVP in 2004, was a nine-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA player while with the club, and remains the franchise leader in points, rebounds, blocked shots, assists, and steals. He also took the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals for the first time.

Despite his icon status among Timberwolves fans, Garnett had a long-running feud with former owner Glen Taylor that dated back to his 2007 trade to Boston (KG went on to win a ring in Boston in 2008). Former Timberwolves coach and president Flip Saunders worked to mend fences between Taylor and Garnett, and there was an announcement about a reconciliation a decade ago, but that fell apart again pretty quickly after Saunders ' death. Since then, Garnett has not been around the franchise where he played his best years.

When Lore and Rodriguez purchased the team, they set out to repair the relationship between Garnett and the franchise, ultimately resulting in this announcement. What all of this will ultimately look like remains to be seen, but what matters is that Garnett is back in the Timberwolves family. As it should be.

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Report: Strahm ‘likely' to be traded — what it means for Phils

Report: Strahm ‘likely' to be traded — what it means for Phils originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies could keep adjusting their bullpen, after adding a veteran arm.

During Tuesday’s media availability, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the club could continue to “look for arms in the bullpen.” By Wednesday, they acted on it, agreeing to a two-year, $22 million deal with right-hander Brad Keller.

This morning, ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote that the “best available” left-handed reliever is Matt Strahm, “who is likely to be traded by Philadelphia.”

Strahm is entering the final year of his contract and is set to make $7.5 million in 2026. He’s coming off yet another strong season, posting a 2.74 ERA in 66 appearances.

This is not the first time the southpaw has been mentioned this offseason. In November, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported that the Phillies generated interest in multiple left-handed relievers at the General Manager Meetings, including Strahm, as clubs surveyed bullpen options across the league.

That reporting followed the Phillies’ end-of-season press conference. During that availability, Dombrowski was asked about a reported comment Strahm made after the team’s Game 4 loss in the NLDS, when the series-clinching run scored on an error by reliever Orion Kerkering.

Per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, the comment referenced a perceived lack of focus on pitcher-fielding practice. Dombrowski responded by saying the club did “plenty” of pitcher-fielding work leading into the series and added that Strahm himself “didn’t do them, but we did them.”

Neither side suggested the exchange impacted any evaluation, but it added context to an offseason in which Philadelphia has remained open to bullpen adjustments.

In addition to Strahm, the Phillies have left-handed options in Tanner Banks and José Alvarado, and Keller’s arrival further deepens the bullpen in terms of matchups.

Strahm’s value lies in his durability and that he’s a lefty who can get righties out. In 2025, right-handed hitters batted .196 with a .585 OPS against the 34-year-old. Keller’s standout year makes the idea of moving the Strahm easier to entertain — right-handed hitters produced just a .466 OPS against Keller.

Their group of left-handers also look stable if Strahm were to be dealt.

Among left-handed relievers who faced at least 110 left-handed batters last season, Banks allowed the fewest earned runs in the majors (five) and posted a 1.47 ERA — a mark topped league-wide only by back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.

And in Alvarado’s career, he’s held left-handed hitters to a .565 OPS.

If the Phillies are comfortable with a group headlined by Banks, Alvarado, Kerkering, Keller and closer Jhoan Duran, Strahm becomes a trade chip. Effective left-handed relief remains one of the scarcest commodities in the sport, and Strahm’s salary is reasonable for a team looking to add late-inning help.

What it could mean

A move could tie back to the club’s biggest unresolved roster question. The Phillies have made an offer to J.T. Realmuto — according to Zolecki — and Dombrowski said Tuesday they “haven’t been able to get it done so far.”

If the talks stall, the trade market could become the cleaner path to filling catcher than a thin free-agent class.

Chicago’s Carson Kelly is one possible fit. The 31-year-old hit 17 homers in just 369 at-bats in 2025 and posted a .761 OPS along with a 3.6 WAR. Statcast placed him in at least the 90th percentile in blocks and caught stealing above average.

Kelly is entering the final year of his two-year, $11.5 million contract and has a mutual option for 2027 that is unlikely to be exercised. The Cubs also have catching depth, with the organization’s No. 2 prospect Moisés Ballesteros posting an .868 OPS in his first 20 big-league games.

Carson Kelly — Credit: David Banks (Imagn Images)

A more expensive, higher-profile option would be St. Louis’ Willson Contreras, who has two years and $36.5 million remaining on his contract. Contreras moved to first base full time last season, but he was a slightly above-average defensive catcher prior to the shift, and the bat remains productive — a .257/.344/.447 line with 20 homers and 80 RBIs in 2025.

With the Cardinals holding depth at both catcher and first base, a deal could help them clear payroll, while the Phillies would be betting on Contreras’ ability to handle catching duties again.

Willson Contreras — Credit: Joe Puetz (Imagn Images)

The organization could also explore a younger solution behind the plate. A recent trade between Seattle and Washington involving catching prospect Harry Ford and left-handed reliever José A. Ferrer provides a framework for how teams may value controllable catchers. Kansas City’s Carter Jensen, the Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing and Milwaukee’s Jefferson Quero are among the young backstops currently blocked at the big-league level.

Trading Strahm would only happen if the Phillies believe their bullpen can absorb the loss. The return would need to address a bigger need elsewhere, and catcher is the most obvious one at the moment.

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Three takeaways: Deeper, healthier Panthers building momentum, earn tough home win after long road trip

The Florida Panthers are starting to make some headway in the Eastern Conference standings thanks to a very strong couple of weeks.

Wednesday night’s 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings was Florida’s sixth in their past seven games.

The victory improved the Cats’ record to 18-13-2, and their 38 points are one point back of both the second Wild Card spot and, perhaps more importantly, one point back of third place in the Atlantic Division.

Interestingly, the Atlantic is so tightly packed, the first-place Detroit Red Wings have 41 points, so only three more than the Panthers, and Florida has two games in hand.

It certainly looks like the Panthers are setting themselves up for a very happy holiday.

Let’s get to Wednesday’s takeaways:

A TOUGH HOME WIN

Ask any coach or any player…the first game back home after a long road trip is never an easy one to win.

Florida had just played four away games in six nights, all against playoff teams at the time (Utah has since fallen out of a playoff spot), and come away with six of a possible eight points.

Returning home to face a strong Kings squad who were quite hungry themselves after having a four-game point streak snapped Monday in Dallas, the Panthers certainly had their work cut out for them.

Florida survived a strong push by LA at the start before slowly but surely turning momentum in their favor, getting back to the basics that have driven their recent success away from home.

“This was a tough one tonight to come back off the road, and I think the other team, especially at the start, played exceptionally well,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “I think the road team has the advantage in this situation, and we found a way to win a game. We're in that mode. We're not looking for perfection right now.”

DEPTH AND HEALTH

The Panthers have spent much of this season trying to find ways to succeed in their systems despite having an extremely depleted lineup.

Between the injuries piling up and Carter Verhaeghe missing a game due to the birth of his child, things came to a head earlier this month as Florida dropped five of six, all on home ice.

Then Verhaeghe came back and Eetu Luostarinen returned, and suddenly the Cats’ depth received a nice boost.

They’ve now won six of seven and have points in seven of eight.

“At the start of the month, we got beat by Toronto,” Maurice said. “We get beat. But (Carter) Verhaeghe and (Eetu) Luostarinen were out, and that made our number (of healthy forwards) eight, and when you get to that number, you're going to have a hard time. And then Carter’s wife had the baby, and the next night he came in, and we got a point and we played a little bit better. And then Luostarinen came back into our lineup, so now you're back to a more manageable number of injuries.”

A LOSS TO BE LEARNED FROM

Florida’s only defeat over the past couple weeks came on the second night of a back-to-back against the NHL’s best team.

It was an incredibly difficult turnaround for Florida, who had to endure a two-hour time change in addition to steep elevation changes when traveling from Fort Lauderdale to Salt Lake City and then to Denver, and playing games on consecutive nights in those environments on top of it.

Panthers’ defenseman Aaron Ekblad said a couple days later that it was possibly the most challenging back-to-back set of his career.

It showed on the ice, as Florida followed up a victory in Utah with an embarrassing 6-2 drubbing at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche.

Maurice and his Panthers didn’t let the defeat deter them off the path they had begun to walk and continued pushing toward better and more consistent play, instead using the loss as motivation and learning from what went wrong.

“I think we'd started to play better, and then we got pounded by Colorado, and there was just a lot of things that we don't do, but it almost was a blessing in disguise,” said Maurice. “(Playing on a) back-to-back, it exposed everything. From that point on, we've been better, much better. We gave up more than we wanted to give up tonight, for sure, but I think that's a function of context, because the Dallas game and the Tampa Bay game were played pretty darn well.”

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Photo caption: Nov 13, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) celebrates with teammates after reaching his 1000th career point on an assists to center Eetu Luostarinen (27) for a goal against the Washington Capitals during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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NHL Rumors: Could New Penguins Defender Be Trade Chip?

The Pittsburgh Penguins made a big move last week, as they traded goaltender Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers. One of the pieces the Penguins got back from the Oilers in the trade was veteran defenseman Brett Kulak. 

Kulak has the potential to be a nice addition to the Penguins' roster. When playing at his best, the 31-year-old is a reliable defenseman who plays a smart game. He certainly showed this during this past season with the Oilers, as he recorded seven goals and 25 points in 82 games.

Yet, with Kulak being a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and the Penguins having a ton of defensemen, could he end up being a potential trade chip for Pittsburgh this season? It seems possible.

During a recent appearance on the NHL Network, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman brought up the possibility of the Penguins trading Kulak this campaign.

"I think Kulak is a better player than he's shown this season," Friedman said. "He's had a really rough year. I've always liked him. It will be interesting to see if they flip him for more."

With Kulak being a proven veteran defenseman with plenty of playoff experience, it is certainly possible that he could generate interest from contenders this season. He is a solid bottom-pairing defenseman who can kill penalties, so he would be a nice depth pickup for a playoff club to bring in if the Penguins decide to shop him. 

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Will 2025-26 Oklahoma City Thunder break Warriors' 73-game win record?

LAS VEGAS — The last time we saw the Oklahoma City Thunder, it was in a dramatic NBA Cup loss to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

That dropped the Thunder to 24-2 on the season, "only" a record 76-win pace. They are off to the second-fastest start in NBA history, trailing only the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who were 25-1 and went on to set an NBA record 73 wins that season.

Does eclipsing that regular-season win record matter?

"Absolutely," Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Winning matters, and no matter what form it looks like to me. So absolutely."

They absolutely can do it, too. The first part of chasing a record like that is the "want" factor — do they want to chase it? Talking to some Thunder players in Las Vegas, the answer was yes, but it has to come in the flow of them improving throughout the season and staying healthy. Beyond the desire to do it, the Thunder have the talent — a defense that is the best in the league by a country mile, the fifth-ranked offense, and a net rating of +16.4 that would set a league record.

There are a lot of similarities between the 2015-16 Warriors, who set the league record with 73 wins, and these Thunder. Both were teams coming off their first titles and looking to make a mark as a dynasty, both are led by superstars coming off their first MVP (Stephen Curry and Gilgeous-Alexander), and both teams have deep talent pools around those stars, talented guys who want to win.

Also, both those 2016 Warriors and these Thunder are willing to talk openly about chasing that record. However, those Thunder also remember that the 73-win Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in the Finals and blamed that, in part, on being tired from the record chase.

"Yes, because we're competitive, you know what I mean," Jalen Williams said when asked if they were going to go after the record. "You could say that we're chasing it, but it's also one of those things that we are not going out there to lose, either. So if it happens organically, then it does.

"Obviously, down the road, whenever that gets there, it's like, all right, do we sacrifice health when we're already solidified at the No. 1 or whatever the spot is? You get into those questions, we can answer those down the road.

"But a lot of it is just seeing how good we can be every game and if it results in a win and we get there, then that's cool. But once you get to the playoffs, everybody, your season really doesn't matter. So that's kind of how we look at it."

The loss to the Spurs in a big national game wasn't seen as a setback so much as a learning experience in the Thunder locker room.

"What are we, 24-2?" Williams said. "I mean, we can go home and just hang our hat on that, or we can look at it as a way to get better and understand that we played against a playoff team that beat us and gave us a two [second loss] on our thing. So that's how we'll look at it from a competitive standpoint."

The other competitive standpoint: The Thunder get two more shots at the Spurs next week. The two will face off on Tuesday night on Coast 2 Coast on NBC and Peacock, then they will play again in a prime slot on Christmas Day.

Take those two games from an outstanding Spurs team, and the Thunder's threat to surpass the Warriors' 73-win record will be in even more jeopardy.

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Milan Lucic Officially Signs With EIHL Club Following Stint With Blues

Milan Lucic has officially signed with EIHL club, Fife Flyers, following his professional tryout with the St. Louis Blues. 

Prior to pre-season, the Blues invited Lucic to their training camp, but the 37-year-old sustained an injury and missed most of the Blues' game action. When he recovered, he played with the Springfield Thunderbirds again on a PTO, but the Blues ultimately decided not to sign the 17-year NHL veteran. 

The 2006 second-round pick (50th overall) played 1177 games in the NHL with the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, notching 233 goals and 586 points. Lucic also won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in the 2010-11 season, scoring five goals and 12 points in 25 playoff games. 

Lucic's new team, the Fife Flyers, is a Scottish-based team that currently sits last in the 10-team British league with three wins in its first 20 games. The team’s roster includes ex-NHLers Simon Després and David Booth, as well as 38-year-old Canadian left winger Garet Hunt, who was Lucic’s teammate on the Memorial Cup and WHL Champion Vancouver Giants.

According to the Flyers' press release, Lucic's signing with the Flyers is pending paperwork completion, and he will wear No.8 this season in the Kingdom.

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With a healthy defense, Flyers place Zamula on waivers

With a healthy defense, Flyers place Zamula on waivers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers made what felt like an inevitable move now that their defense is fully healthy.

The club placed Egor Zamula on waivers Thursday. If he clears Friday, he can be loaned to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.

Zamula had become the team’s eighth defenseman with the return of Rasmus Ristolainen, who made his season debut Tuesday night in the Flyers’ 4-1 win over the Canadiens. Ristolainen had been out of game action for over nine months as he recovered from surgery in March on a second triceps tendon rupture.

The Flyers now have seven defensemen, with Noah Juulsen being a reliable extra when needed. The club plays its third game of a four-game road trip Thursday when it meets the Sabres (7:30 p.m. ET/ESPN+, Hulu).

Zamula had played only 13 games for the Flyers this season. He had one assist and a plus-4 rating. The 25-year-old struggled at times in the defensive zone and moving the puck with pace.

He last played 11 days ago when the Flyers fell to the NHL-leading Avalanche, 3-2. Zamula and Juulsen were on the ice for two of Colorado’s goals.

“They’re scratching and clawing,” Rick Tocchet said after the loss. “That’s what you’ve got to get from them, they’re trying.”

The Flyers made the decision on Zamula before the Dec. 20-27 holiday roster freeze. We’ll see if they have any interest in calling up a forward from the Phantoms. With Tyson Foerster out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his arm, Alex Bump could get a look at some point.

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Latest reports on Alex Bregman make Red Sox reunion seem unlikely

Latest reports on Alex Bregman make Red Sox reunion seem unlikely originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Re-signing Alex Bregman was a priority for the Boston Red Sox heading into the offseason. But if recent reports on the third baseman’s market are accurate, don’t count on a reunion.

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel recently projected Bregman — who turns 32 in March — will earn a five-year, $170 million contract in free agency. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand wrote that Bregman is “believed to be seeking a five-year deal.” McDaniel’s ESPN colleague Jeff Passan took it a step further, noting that Bregman “figures to seek six years.”

Signing Bregman to that kind of contract would be out of character for the Red Sox, who are notoriously reluctant to offer long-term deals to players in their 30s. It’s still a possibility — they signed then-29-year-old shortstop Trevor Story to a six-year pact in 2022 — but it’s hard to picture them outbidding clubs that are willing to get aggressive for Bregman’s services.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have surprisingly emerged as one of those clubs. Multiple MLB insiders have named the D’backs as a legitimate threat to sign Bregman, who hails from nearby New Mexico and works out in Phoenix. Jared Carrabis of the popular “Section 10” Red Sox podcast, who has a personal relationship with Bregman, believes Arizona is willing to go up to six years for the three-time All-Star.

Five or six years for Bregman is risky, but the Red Sox put themselves in a position where they lack a better alternative. They essentially signed Bregman to replace slugger Rafael Devers, who they shipped to the San Francisco Giants in June. It would be a terrible look for Boston’s front office to watch Bregman sign elsewhere while holding onto the roughly $250 million it saved in the Devers deal.

If Bregman leaves, Bo Bichette is the next best option on the free-agent market. The 27-year-old has almost exclusively played shortstop throughout his career, but due to his defensive shortcomings, he’ll likely move to second or third base wherever he signs. He’s coming off a bounce-back season with Toronto in which he hit .311 with 18 homers and 94 RBI in 139 games.

Boston has also been linked to 34-year-old slugger Eugenio Suarez. While he’d add much-needed right-handed pop to the Red Sox’ lineup, he’s a defensive liability. Signing him as a Bregman replacement at third would be a head-scratcher.

If chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and Co. stand pat, former top prospect Marcelo Mayer is the best internal option to take over at the hot corner. Mayer’s debut season was cut short due to a wrist injury, but he played exceptional defense while replacing an injured Bregman at third. His bat still has a ways to go, especially against left-handed pitching.

The Red Sox, who still haven’t made a big-league free-agent signing this winter, can still save themselves an even bigger headache by simply paying Bregman. The likelihood of a reunion seems to be rapidly decreasing, however, and fans should be hovering over the panic button if they haven’t hit it already.

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Islanders Recall Defenseman Marshall Warren From Bridgeport

EAST MEADOW, NY -- The New York Islanders have recalled defenseman Marshall Warren from Bridgeport.

The Islanders are no longer accruing cap space with Warren's $825,000 on the books. 

Both general manager Mathieu Darche and head coach Patrick Roy were in Bridgeport for their 5-0 loss to the Syracuse Crunch on Wednesday. 

Warren, 24, played two games earlier this season for the Islanders, filling in for Alexander Romanov when he sustained an upper-body injury back in late October.

The Laurel Hollow, Long Island native recorded two assists in his first NHL game, playing 11:20 minutes in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Then, he played 12:56 in a 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins before being returned to Bridgeport. 

Fellow rookie defenseman Travis Mitchell had been holding down the Romanov fort, with the veteran blue liner now out for likely the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Mitchell, who recorded one goal in nine games, averaged 11:32 per game and was loaned back to Bridgeport on Monday. Once Mitchell plays in his 10th career NHL game, he'll lose his waiver-exemption status, which is likely the reason he was returned to the AHL.

While the Islanders certainly liked Mitchell's stability, Roy is likely looking for someone who can play a bit more minutes and take some of the load off No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer and elite defenseman Adam Pelech.

Defenseman Isaiah George, who played 33 games with the Islanders last season, averaging 15:39 minutes per game, has been skipped twice now as a call-up option. 

We will not count the Mitchell recall as one because George was out injured at the time of the transaction. 

George has played only three games since missing a month of action with an upper-body injury, so he likely still needs more time before he's ready. 

Will see if Warren plays on Friday night against the Vancouver Canucks, who they host at 7 PM ET, before facing the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday at 5 PM ET.

Warren was recalled on Nov. 25 after Romanov's latest injury. However, seventh defenseman Adam Boqvist got a string of games with the Islanders, after which Warren was optioned back to Bridgeport. 

Warren has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 17 games with Bridgeport this season.