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Blackhawks Vs Flames: Projected Lineup, How To Watch, & More Ahead Of Game 15

On Wednesday night, the Chicago Blackhawks found a way to win a hockey game that they didn't play particularly well in. After being dominated for 40 minutes, Tyler Bertuzzi's hat trick sparked the big win after Spencer Knight gave them a chance. 

Now, they are back in Alberta to take on the Calgary Flames. After taking three out of a possible eight points to start the six-game road trip, there is still time to salvage more. 

Although the road trip hasn't been exactly perfect, this is still a great start to the season for Chicago. At 6-5-3, they are right in the mix and one of only six teams in the Western Conference with a positive goal differential. 

Blackhawks Are 1 of 6 Teams in West With Positive Goal DifferentialBlackhawks Are 1 of 6 Teams in West With Positive Goal DifferentialThe Eastern Conference seems easier at the moment than the Western Conference, which gives the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks">Chicago Blackhawks</a>, who have taken a nice step forward, some hope early in the season.

Scouting Calgary

The Calgary Flames are the worst team in the NHL when it comes to the standings. After a surprisingly good season in 2024-25, they have fallen way back. At 4-9-2 for 10 points, they are the only team in the NHL with a points percentage below .400 entering play on Friday.

 Zary - Kadri - Farabee

Huberdeau - Frost - Coronato

Honzek - Backlund - Coleman

Lomberg - Sharangovich - Klapka

Hanley - Weegar

Bahl - Andersson

Pachal - Parekh

Wolf 

With Nazem Kadri, Morgan Frost, Mikael Backlund, and Yegor Sharangovich, they aren't all that bad down the middle of the ice. It is the lack of depth everywhere else that has them in last place. 

Dustin Wolf, who was the Calder Trophy runner-up in 2024-25, has not been playing nearly as well this year. That is also a big reason why the Flames are where they are in the standings. 

Kevin Bahl took a maintenance day during the morning skate and Yan Kuznetsov went in his place on the second pair, but Bahl is expected to play. 

Projected Blackhawks Lines, Defense Pairs, and Starting Goalie

The Blackhawks, for every game but two, have run a lineup that consists of 11 forwards and 7 defensemen. That is likely to continue in this one. 

Greene - Bedard - Burakovsky

Teravainen - Nazar - Bertuzzi

Moore - Donato - Mikheyev

Dach - Foligno

Vlasic - Rinzel

Kaiser - Levshunov

Grzelcyk - Murphy

Crevier

Knight

If the Blackhawks do go with 11/7 again, Sam Lafferty is likely to be the healthy scratch. With Oliver Moore looking good as a part of the everyday roster, the path to consistent playing time gets harder and harder for Lafferty. 

Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi are both coming off big games which helped them beat the Canucks. For Bertuzzi, it was a hat trick. For Bedard, it was another multi-point performance which extended his point streak to six games. 

Of the seven defensemen dressed, all but two (Connor Murphy and Matt Grzelcyk) are very young. Head coach Jeff Blashill believes that this strategy helps all of them, including the veterans.  

Spencer Knight was in the starters crease during the morning skate, so he is the projected starting goalie for Chicago. Knight's year is going very well. If he keeps this up, Team USA might come knocking on his door for an Olympic spot. 

How To Watch

Viewers in the Chicagoland area can find the game on CHSN. It can also be heard on the radio via AM 720 WGN. National viewers can find it on ESPN+ in the United States and Sportsnet West in Canada. The puck will drop shortly after 8 PM CT. 

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Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Sidney Crosby, rejuvenated Pittsburgh Penguins one of NHL’s biggest early surprises

PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby has been doing this for longer than Ben Kindel has been alive. Alex Ovechkin has, too, for that matter.

So yeah, it was maybe a little surreal for the Pittsburgh Penguins rookie forward, all of 18, to be on the ice Thursday night alongside the two players who have defined their franchises and in many ways the NHL for two decades and counting.

The calendar says it’s 2025. Yet watching the 39-year-old Crosby score two goals to boost his season total to an NHL-leading 11 and have the 40-year-old Ovechkin collect two assists to fuel a second-period Washington rally in what eventually became a 5-3 Penguins victory, it was hard to tell.

“Kind of like the old Sid and Ovi rivalry there,” Kindel said after picking up the first two assists of his still very young career. “It was great to see and unreal to watch.”

That Crosby and Ovechkin found a way to summon a little something special during their 99th all-time meeting (playoffs included) is hardly surprising. The two future Hall of Famers have long had a habit of bringing out the best in each other.

What is surprising, however, is that for the first time in what seems like a long time — by the Penguins’ standards at least — the game felt like it carried actual stakes.

New faces, new energy

The team considered a long shot to reach the playoffs when the season began — only woeful Chicago and San Jose faced slimmer odds of hoisting the Stanley Cup than Pittsburgh — finds itself tied with New Jersey for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division a month in.

Yes, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet. And yes, the injuries are starting to pile up, from veteran forward Rickard Rakell to 6-foot-6 “power” forward Justin Brazeau, from goaltender Tristan Jarry to center Filip Hallander, who the team announced Friday is out at least three months because of a blood clot in his leg.

Still, the Penguins have been one of the NHL’s most pleasant early surprises.

A massive influx of fresh faces and fresh blood has brought an energy that was lacking as the team’s run of three championships in nine years became an increasingly distant memory.

The arrival of first-year coach Dan Muse and his high-energy approach has provided a jolt. So has the emergence of teenagers Kindel and 19-year-old defenseman Harrison Brunicke, who has shown promise during an extended look before he likely returns to his junior team for a little more seasoning.

“They always give us juice,” said Penguins forward Bryan Rust, who at 33 is the fourth-longest tenured player on the team behind Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. “Obviously, they’re so excited to come in the rink and they’re having fun. They always got a smile on their face and they are also really, really good players. So I think that combination can really help a few of us older guys that have a little bit more fun, too.”

The organizational overhaul general manager Kyle Dubas began in earnest when he traded away popular two-time Stanley Cup winner Jake Guentzel at the deadline in the spring of 2024 is starting to bear fruit.

Pittsburgh’s prospect pool is far deeper than when Dubas arrived in 2023, and one of them seems to have bypassed the “pool” entirely.

Kindel, taken with the 11th overall pick in this year’s draft, made the club coming out of training camp and has five goals and two assists in 13 games. On Thursday night, he found himself on the first line with Rust and Crosby and earned a promotion to the top power play unit, where he held his own in a group featuring a a handful of players bound for the Hall of Fame.

“You can see he’s comfortable out there,” Muse said.

There’s a lot of that going around. The Penguins have the league’s second-ranked power play unit and have been buoyed by Jarry’s apparent return to form after the two-time All-Star was demoted to the minors. While Jarry is out for at least three weeks with a lower-body injury, his absence will give the club a chance to see how close 21-year-old phenom Sergei Murashov is to being NHL-ready on a full-time basis.

While Kyle has pathologically avoided putting any sort of timetable on when the rebuild (a term he has never used) is complete, he did say at the start of training camp in September that he believes the Penguins can return to contender status while Crosby remains on the roster.

A good team?

There’s a chance it might happen with Malkin, 39 and in the final year of his current contract with no sign of an extension on the horizon, still around, too.

The Russian star is tied for third in the NHL in points with 20, including 17 assists. His pretty cross-ice feed to Rust that Rust converted into the go-ahead goal midway through the third period against Washington helped Pittsburgh avoid a second straight late collapse.

On Monday night in Toronto, the Penguins dominated play for 40 minutes only to crumble in the final period as the Maple Leafs ripped off four straight goals to pull out a 4-3 win.

When Washington’s Tom Wilson beat Arturs Silovs from his knees to tie it at 3 late in the second period on Thursday, it seemed the feel-good vibes the Penguins have been generating throughout the past month were on the verge of disappearing.

“It would have been really easy for this group to cave,” Muse said. “It would have been really easy for this group to play back on their heels, play worried.”

They didn’t. They fended off a couple of Washington power plays, then pounced when Rust redirected Malkin’s tape-to-tape pass and didn’t let up the rest of the way.

Sure, it’s still just early November. Yet for a team that looked lifeless for long stretches over the last couple of years of former head coach Mike Sullivan’s otherwise highly successful tenure as the roster churned and the play of its stars (Crosby aside) sagged, it’s a start.

“We’re finding ways to win games in a lot of different ways,” Rust said, later adding, “I think being able to win in all sorts of ways, I think, is a sign of a good team.”

Or at the very least, an interesting one.

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Power-hitting infielder Munetaka Murakami enters MLB posting system, can be signed until Dec. 22

NEW YORK — Power-hitting Japanese corner infielder Munetaka Murakami is entering Major League Baseball’s posting system and will be available to teams to sign as a free agent from Saturday through Dec. 22.

Murakami, who turns 26 on Feb. 2, was the Central League’s MVP in 2021 and ’22 with the Yakult Swallows and is a four-time All-Star.

He batted .273 with 22 homers and 47 RBIs this season, limited to 56 games by an oblique injury. He struck out 64 times.

Murakami hit 56 homers in 2022 to break Sadaharu Oh’s record for a Japanese-born player in Nippon Professional Baseball while becoming the youngest player to earn Japan’s Triple Crown. He topped 30 homers in four straight years before an injury-interrupted season in 2023.

He has a .270 career average with 246 homers, 647 RBIs and 977 strikeouts in 892 games over eight Central League seasons, all with the Swallows.

After playing primarily at first base in 2019 and 2020, he has spent most of his time since at third.

At the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Murakami hit a ninth-inning walk-off double off Giovanny Gallegos that scored Shohei Ohtani and Masataka Yoshida to give Japan a 6-5 semifinal win over Mexico. The following day in the championship game, Murakami hit a tying home run off Merrill Kelly in the second inning and Japan went on to beat the United States 3-2.

Under the agreement between MLB and NPB, the posting fee will be 20% of the first $25 million of a major league contract, including earned bonuses and options. The percentage drops to 17.5% of the next $25 million and 15% of any amount over $50 million. There would be a supplemental fee of 15% of any earned bonuses, salary escalators and exercised options.

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NHL Waivers: Maple Leafs Place Cayden Primeau On The Wire

The Toronto Maple Leafs placed goaltender Cayden Primeau on NHL waivers, according to The Athletic's Chris Johnston.

The Maple Leafs claimed Primeau off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes ahead of the 2025-26 season. Now, the Hurricanes are in a position to bring him back to their organization if they wish.

If Primeau goes through waivers unclaimed, the Maple Leafs would then be able to assign him to their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. 

Primeau has appeared in three games this season with the Maple Leafs, where he has recorded a 2-1-0 record, 4.30 goals-against average and .838 save percentage. His last start for the Maple Leafs was on Oct. 29 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, when he allowed six goals on 24 shots in a loss.

Primeau being placed on waivers comes with Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll being close to returning to the NHL club following his leave of absence. While speaking to reporters, including TSN's Mark Masters, Woll confirmed that he will start a conditioning stint with the Marlies this weekend.

In 58 career NHL games over seven seasons split between the Montreal Canadiens and Maple Leafs, Primeau has posted a 15-25-7 record, a .882 save percentage and a 3.73 goals-against average. 

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Upcoming Road Trip Holds Buffalo Sabres Season In The Balance

All you have to do is look at the Buffalo Sabres upcoming schedule and their place in the standings and recognize that their season hangs in the balance. The Sabres 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday is their first regulation loss in eight games, but the club’s 5-5-4 record has them tied for last spot in the Eastern Conference with Columbus, the New York Rangers, and the New York Islanders. 

The realities of the schedule that are undeniable are that the Sabres, in spite of earning points in seven straight prior to Thursday, have lost five of their last six games and given back most of the progress they recouped since bouncing back from an 0-3 start by winning four of their next five games. The loss to the Blues, who were playing the second of back-to-back games, having scratched one of their top forwards in Jordan Kyrou, and playing backup goalie Joel Hofer, was especially egregious. 

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Norris Out Eight Weeks At Least

Buffalo in a condensed schedule in October and early November have played 10 games at KeyBank Center, nearly one-quarter of their home schedule for the season and have gone 5-3-2, that coupled with going winless on the road (0-2-2) has them only four points away from the bottom of the NHL standings. 

The club is without centers Jiri Kulich and Josh Norris, winger Justin Danforth, Jason Zucker, and Zach Benson, and on Friday, head coach Lindy Ruff indicated that team captain Rasmus Dahlin will be taking a leave of absence temporarily to return to Sweden on a personal matter. The Sabres road swing includes stops in Carolina, Utah, Colorado, and Detroit, where they will have to have some success to stay within range of a playoff spot in the East.   

 

THN.COM/Free

 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram  @MikeInBuffalo

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The Hockey News Big Show: Which Breakout NHL Teams Will Stay Near The Top?

The Hockey News Big Show is here to discuss more big topics in the NHL and beyond.

Which Breakout NHL Teams Will Stay Near The Top? by The Big ShowWhich Breakout NHL Teams Will Stay Near The Top? by The Big Show

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed in this episode:

0:36: Only six points separate first place and last place in the Eastern Conference. In the West, there are six different teams within three points of the second wild-card position. Is this the tightest NHL standings you've seen at this stage of the season in years?

4:05: Of the breakout teams appearing near the top of the standings, which one do you "believe in" the most to be there (in the playoffs) at the end of the season?

8:16: One month into the season, which coach or GM is on the hot seat?

12:50: What did you see out of the Calgary Flames last year when they almost made the playoffs?

14:45: The Utah Mammoth reportedly were interested in trading Nick Schmaltz in the summer, but with the hot start he's having, should they make signing the pending UFA sooner than later a top priority?

19:39: Joe Thornton, Duncan Keith and Alex Mogilny are among the people being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame this weekend. What are some of the best stories about one of the inductees?

24:14: Gary Pearson joins us for the BetMGM playbook. If the Penguins' goaltending duo of Tristan Jarry and Arturs Silovs can sustain their elite play, could that improve their playoff odds? 

26:39: The Ottawa Senators sit at -120 odds to make it into the playoffs. Will they be able to put themselves in a good-enough spot until Brady Tkachuk returns from injury? 

28:50: The New York Rangers are at +150 to make it into the playoffs, yet they sit tied for last in the Eastern Conference. What has to change for those odds to make more sense? 

30:44: Can the return of Patrick Kane help the Red Wings reinforce their +150 odds to make the playoffs?

34:48: Now that Mogilny is finally being inducted, who is the next "player that is long overdue" to get into the Hockey Hall of Fame?

37:59: Who is the biggest bargain off-season signing so far?

39:50: Could this be the last season we see the Crosby-versus-Ovechkin rivalry?

43:51: Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (who infamously stuffed Ovechkin’s 900th-goal puck in his pants and got caught) said he had the full intention to give it back to him. Do we believe him?

45:13: Following meetings at the NHL offices in NYC between the CHL, Hockey Canada, the USHL and USA Hockey, it's rumored the USHL could possibly be making the move to join the CHL umbrella. Ryan - what have you heard? 

Watch the full episode here

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

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Doug Christie admits Keegan Murray's return from injury ‘going to be a second'

Doug Christie admits Keegan Murray's return from injury ‘going to be a second' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – Kings forward Keegan Murray is making incremental steps in his recovery from thumb surgery.

Coach Doug Christie said Friday that Murray has progressed to working out in the gym, although he offered no timetable for the 2022 first-round draft pick to make his 2025-26 NBA season debut.

“He’s in protocol. He’s working hard,” Christie said before the Kings’ game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden 1 Center. “I like to see him in the gym. I’m seeing him in the gym, but it’s going to be a second. He’s working as hard as he can. We just have to wait till we get the nod, and when we do, he’ll be ready to come.”

Murray has been out since tearing the UCL in his left thumb during a preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers in October. He underwent surgery a few days later.

Christie has tried a variety of options while Murray has been out. Most recently, Russell Westbrook has started at power forward, averaging 24.5 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in games against the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors.

Download and follow The Deuce & Mo Podcast

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Canucks Recall Goaltender Jiří Patera From Abbotsford Under Emergency Conditions

Ahead of a weekend back-to-back at home, the Vancouver Canucks have recalled goaltender Jiří Patera from Abbotsford under emergency conditions. This move is definitely one to keep an eye out for, as this may indicate that one of Thatcher Demko or Kevin Lankinen may be unavailable to play this weekend. 

The Canucks announced Patera's recall on Friday morning ahead of practice. According to Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV, neither Demko nor Lankinen are hurt. However, he specified that Demko "may need a maintenance day," and that the team wants to remain cautious when it comes to injuries, especially when it comes to their goaltenders. 

Patera has spent the past two seasons in the AHL with Abbotsford, starting in 12 games total across 2024-25 and 2025-26. Prior to this, his last NHL start was with the Vegas Golden Knights on March 24, 2025. During his last NHL stint, he played in five games, winning one and posting a GAA of 3.98. 

With Patera now up with Vancouver, the Abbotsford Canucks will need to turn to Ty Young for starts. Nikita Tolopilo, Abbotsford's projected starter for this season, still remains out of the lineup. Young and Patera had been splitting starts prior to the latter's call-up. With Patera now in the NHL, the Canucks' next goaltender in their depth chart is Aku Koskenvuo. 

Jan 6, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Jiri Patera (30) warms up before the start of a game against the New York Islanders at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

 The Canucks will face both the Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche this weekend before taking on the Winnipeg Jets next Tuesday. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

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 For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

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Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia and his wife announce death of their baby daughter

Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia and his wife announce death of their baby daughter originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia and his wife Kayla shared a heartbreaking message Friday about the death of their baby daughter.

In a joint Instagram post, the couple said their daughter, Sterling Sol Vesia, died Oct. 26. The 29-year-old relief pitcher was not on the Dodgers’ World Series roster for what the team described as a leave of absence for a personal matter.

“Our little angel we love you forever & you’re with us always,” the post caption read. “Our beautiful daughter went to heaven Sunday October 26th. There are no words to describe the pain we’re going through but we hold her in our hearts and cherish every second we had with her.

“Thank you to the Dodgers for their understanding and support during this time. Our baseball family showed up for us and we wouldn’t be able to do this without them. Thank you Dodger Nation, Blue Jays organization and all baseball fans for your love and support. We have seen ALL your messages, comments and posts. It’s brought us so much comfort.

“Lastly, we’d like to thank Cedars Sinai and all the medical staff who helped Kayla and Sterling. Every person we came across was truly so incredible.”

The post did not mention a cause of death.

The couple announced in April that they were expecting a baby.

In an Instagram post Oct. 23, the Dodgers said, “It’s with a heavy heart that we share that Alex Vesia is away from the team as he and his wife Kayla navigate a deeply personal family matter. The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family, and we will provide an update at a later date.”

During Game 3 of the World Series, players from both the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays wore Vesia’s No. 51 on the sides of their caps.

“I think it really speaks tot he brotherhood of athletes, of MLB players,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said about the Game 3 tribute. “For these guys to recognize Alex and what he and Kayla have gone through, heartbreaking is not even a good enough descriptor.”

Born in Alpine, California, Vesia was drafted by the Miami Marlins in 2018 and made his big league debut in July 2020. He joined the Dodgers in 2021 and posted a 4-2 record this past season with a 3.02 ERA in 68 appearances.

The Dodgers recently exercised the 2026 contract option of Vesia, who will receive a $3.55 million salary rather than a $50,000 buyout. If the Dodgers had declined, he would have been eligible for arbitration.

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Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia and his wife announce death of their baby daughter

Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia and his wife announce death of their baby daughter originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia and his wife Kayla shared a heartbreaking message Friday about the death of their baby daughter.

In a joint Instagram post, the couple said their daughter, Sterling Sol Vesia, died Oct. 26. The 29-year-old relief pitcher was not on the Dodgers’ World Series roster for what the team described as a leave of absence for a personal matter.

“Our little angel we love you forever & you’re with us always,” the post caption read. “Our beautiful daughter went to heaven Sunday October 26th. There are no words to describe the pain we’re going through but we hold her in our hearts and cherish every second we had with her.

“Thank you to the Dodgers for their understanding and support during this time. Our baseball family showed up for us and we wouldn’t be able to do this without them. Thank you Dodger Nation, Blue Jays organization and all baseball fans for your love and support. We have seen ALL your messages, comments and posts. It’s brought us so much comfort.

“Lastly, we’d like to thank Cedars Sinai and all the medical staff who helped Kayla and Sterling. Every person we came across was truly so incredible.”

The post did not mention a cause of death.

The couple announced in April that they were expecting a baby.

In an Instagram post Oct. 23, the Dodgers said, “It’s with a heavy heart that we share that Alex Vesia is away from the team as he and his wife Kayla navigate a deeply personal family matter. The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family, and we will provide an update at a later date.”

During Game 3 of the World Series, players from both the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays wore Vesia’s No. 51 on the sides of their caps.

“I think it really speaks tot he brotherhood of athletes, of MLB players,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said about the Game 3 tribute. “For these guys to recognize Alex and what he and Kayla have gone through, heartbreaking is not even a good enough descriptor.”

Born in Alpine, California, Vesia was drafted by the Miami Marlins in 2018 and made his big league debut in July 2020. He joined the Dodgers in 2021 and posted a 4-2 record this past season with a 3.02 ERA in 68 appearances.

The Dodgers recently exercised the 2026 contract option of Vesia, who will receive a $3.55 million salary rather than a $50,000 buyout. If the Dodgers had declined, he would have been eligible for arbitration.

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New Orleans' Jordan Poole out at leat 7-10 days with left quad strain

Zion Williamson is out for at least another week with a hamstring injury. Dejounte Murray is not expected to return to the Pelicans from his torn Achilles until the calendar flips to 2026.

That put the ball in the hands of Jordan Poole to be a primary shot creator in New Orleans, but now comes word that he has a strained left quad and will be out for at least a week, with a re-evaluation in 7-10 days.

Poole has put up numbers for the Pelicans — 17.3 points and 3.4 assists a game — but has not been efficient doing so, shooting just 34.5% from the field.

Saddiq Bey got the start on Wednesday with Poole out, and both Jose Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins are likely to see more run as well.

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Preston’s Osmajic gets nine-match ban for racial abuse of Burnley’s Mejbri

  • Incident took place during February game with Burnley

  • North End criticise FA’s decision to dish out punishment

Preston have been left “extremely disappointed” by the Football Association’s decision to ban Milutin Osmajic for nine matches over allegedly making racist comments to Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri.

Mejbri alleged Osmajic made the comments during last season’s Championship derby between the two Lancashire sides at Deepdale in February, which ended 0-0. The FA said an independent regulatory commission found the allegations to be proven after Osmajic was charged with an “aggravated” breach of their rules over conduct, while the Montenegro forward denied the charges.

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Canadiens Send Defenseman Down To AHL

Marc Del Gaizo (© David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

The Montreal Canadiens have announced that they have assigned defenseman Marc Del Gaizo to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket. 

Del Gaizo was called up by the Canadiens so they would have an extra defenseman for insurance for their road contest against the New Jersey Devils. Now, the left-shot defenseman will be heading back to Laval with this latest roster move. 

Del Gaizo has yet to make his regular-season debut for the Canadiens, but there is still plenty of time for that to change this season. He has, however, recorded one assist, four penalty minutes, and a plus-2 rating in six games so far this season with Laval.

Del Gaizo signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Canadiens during this summer. In 46 games this past season with the Nashville Predators, he posted career highs with two goals, seven assists, nine points, 53 blocks, and 71 hits. He also had eight goals and 12 points in 30 games with the Predators' AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, in 2024-25. 

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Fantasy Basketball Weekend Start/Sit Decisions: It's Breakout Time for Cooper Flagg

Whether you’re in a Yahoo! High Score league, a Sleeper league, a league with a games cap or simply have so many players with games scheduled that you can’t start them all, making a decision about who to start or sit can help you win or lose your matchup.

Obviously, in many leagues, having more games played each week ends up being the difference in a matchup. This is not me saying to bench a player in a points league without a games cap. Even if I’m expecting a terrible game, five points is better than zero!

The Hornets, Clippers, Lakers, Knicks, Pelicans, Suns, Trail Blazers and Jazz only play once this weekend, so if you’re just looking to maximize games, avoid those teams.

▶ Guards

Start: Donte DiVincenzo, Minnesota Timberwolves

Even with Anthony Edwards back, DiVincenzo is still an important part of the offense in Minnesota. They play two games this weekend, with one of those coming against the Jazz, who have allowed the second-most three-pointers per game this season. DiVincenzo has hit at least five triples in three straight games.

Start: Grayson Allen, Phoenix Suns

When Jalen Green made his debut for Phoenix on Thursday, the expectation was that Allen would be moved to the bench. However, Allen remained a starter, with second-year forward Ryan Dunn shifting to a reserve role. Assuming that holds, Allen will get another matchup with the Clippers on Saturday after hitting four three-pointers against them on Thursday.

Sit: Bradley Beal, LA Clippers

This should be an easy one, but he’s still heavily-rostered in Yahoo! leagues. Beal has started every game he has played this season, but he’s been limited to 20.3 minutes per game. Against the Suns on Thursday, with Kawhi Leonard (ankle) and James Harden (personal) out, Beal had a great opportunity to get back on track, but he ended up having his worst performance of the year. He might figure things out at some point, but until he proves it, he should be left on the bench.

Sit: CJ McCollum, Washington Wizards

McCollum has had a few decent performances this season, but the last two have been quite rough. Now, the Wizards have a back-to-back with the Cavaliers and Mavericks, two teams who are in the top 10 in points allowed per game this season. This isn’t the weekend to bank on McCollum figuring things out.

▶ Forwards

Start: Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks

Coming off his best performance of the season, Flagg has a strong opportunity this weekend. Dallas takes on the Grizzlies and Wizards, and both teams rank in the bottom three for points allowed per game. With Anthony Davis (calf) still hurt, Flagg is going to be the focal point of the offense again, and he’ll have the chance to build on his game against the Pelicans.

Start: Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat

Jaquez has been really good so far this season, with a couple of subpar performances sprinkled in. However, with Bam Adebayo dealing with a toe injury, and Tyler Herro still out, there will be plenty of usage available in Miami. The Heat play two games this weekend, including one against the Hornets, who have been bottom five in points allowed and bottom three in turnovers forced.

Sit: Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies

There isn’t a lot going right in Memphis right now, but Coward has been a bright spot. Still, matchups with two strong defenses in the Mavericks and Thunder won’t provide Coward with a great opportunity to stay hot. He’s still a great long-term option, and he appears to be the latest draft success for Memphis, but this isn’t an ideal weekend for him.

Sit: Cam Johnson, Denver Nuggets

It’s been a rough start to the season for Johnson, and I’m confident he’ll get back on track eventually. However, that will happen when he gets going from beyond the arc. Denver will take on the Warriors and Pacers this weekend, and both teams rank in the top 10 in fewest three-pointers allowed per game.

▶ Centers

Start: Deandre Ayton, Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers only have one game this weekend, but it’s against the Hawks, who have the worst rebounding percentage in the league, per NBA.com/stats. Ayton has two straight 20-point double-doubles, and this is a great opportunity for him to keep that streak going. Ayton started the season off slowly, but he’s starting to figure things out.

Start: Daniel Gafford, Dallas Mavericks

Anthony Davis (calf) and Dereck Lively (knee) are still out, and while Gafford won’t play the minutes that many starters will, he’ll be a force on the glass against two teams (Memphis and Washington) that rank in the bottom three in rebounds allowed per game. This should be a strong weekend for Gafford.

Sit: Isaiah Jackson, Indiana Pacers

I know everyone was thinking that Jackson’s three-game hot streak was the start of his breakout, but I’m not confident that’s the case. The Pacers take on the Warriors and Nuggets this weekend, and both teams have been effective on the defensive glass and now allowed many blocked shots. Perhaps that’s because nearly half of the Warriors shot attempts are from deep, and the Nuggets have Nikola Jokic.

Sit: Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets

The Nets play the Knicks and Pistons this weekend, and both teams have dominated the glass this year. Claxton has been effective recently, but that has come against some teams that have struggled to rebound this season. This isn’t the ideal weekend for Claxton to stay hot.