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Binnington-Hofer Third Period Mishap Wednesday Just A Snafu

What amounted to appear as just another goal for the Chicago Blackhawks in a rather forgetful 7-3 loss by the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night turned into actual theatre.

Some may or may have thought it was a hilarious moment, some may not. But when Louis Crevier scored with 7:04 remaining in the third period that made it a 7-2 game, that's when the shenanigans happened.

Blues coach Jim Montgomery had seen enough, not by goalie Jordan Binnington, but by the mundane play of the players in front of his goalie again, Montgomery had summoned for goalie Joel Hofer to go and finish the rest of the game.

But here was the problem: Hofer was simply not ready to go in.

So I've been and have paid attention to enough of the road buildings to know that the backup goalie for a particular building does not have the luxury to sit on the visiting bench. United Center is one of those buildings.

Buildings (and I may not be naming them all) that come to mind are San Jose, Montreal, Winnipeg, Dallas, where the visiting goalie either sits in the corner entrance to the ice and/or on the opposite side of the benches due to the lack of space for the backup goalie.

In Chicago, there is no such spot for the backup goalie to sit, so in that building, they're in the back in the locker room watching with the trainers or whomever with the team staff.

All I can say in this instance is that at the time of game, Hofer had to feel like there was no reason to keep his gear on any longer, so he had probably taken it off, but when Montgomery made the call, he likely had no idea that to be the case, and when he was calling for Binnington to come out, he was not budging until he saw Hofer come over the boards or through the bench door, which is customary. Of course it made for all sorts of conspiracy theorists claiming Binnington refused to come out of the game, which is ridiculous, and those with their strong -- and as usual, wrong -- opinions, look foolish in the end.

Montgomery seemed confused at the time as to why no goalie was coming. Well, the Blues only get so much time to make the change or risk getting a delay of game minor. So once Hofer got word he was being called to come in, he is likely scurrying to get whatever gear he needed to get on and be ready to go.

The memes with this one are already going bonkers, with Hofer behind the bench area, peeking to his right and wondering if he's still needed (great job by Henrik Lundqvist making light of the situation and explaining it):

Binnington would finish out the game and it's a great reminder to find out what actually happened first and a great example to all goalies that no matter how much or how little time is left in a game, always be prepared:

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Report: Canadiens Interested In Flames Top Target

According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, the Montreal Canadiens have interest in Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman. 

"It is my understanding that Blake Coleman is high on their list," LeBrun said about the Canadiens. "Blake Coleman is a player of interest. He's a guy that brings some elements that the Habs are not as high on. His physicality, his versatility. He's a two-time Stanley Cup champion. He is of interest of the Montreal Canadiens, but, of course, as I mentioned before, Gino, he is of interest to a lot of teams and is a player that Calgary gets the most calls on and have since the start of the season."

The Canadiens having interest in Coleman is not surprising in the slightest. With the Canadiens being a young team on the rise, it would be massive if they brought in a gritty veteran forward with playoff success like Coleman. It is exactly why we here at The Hockey News recently discussed him as a potential fit for the Canadiens. 

If the Canadiens landed Coleman, he could slot nicely on their third line, but also move up the lineup if needed. Furthermore, due to his strong two-way play, he would also give the Canadiens another option to work with for their penalty kill if acquired. 

Coleman would be more than a rental for the Canadiens if acquired, too. This is because he has a $4.9 million cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season. This undoubtedly adds to his appeal.

It will be interesting to see if the Canadiens' interest in Coleman can lead to them landing him from here. 

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Kings' Moore Placed On IR, Guttman Recalled From AHL Reign

The Los Angeles Kings have made another roster move as they've placed left winger Trevor Moore on injured reserve.

With Moore being moved to IR, the Kings have called up center Cole Guttman on an emergency basis from the AHL's Ontario Reign.

Moore hasn't featured for Los Angeles since Dec. 29 against the Colorado Avalanche. He's been sidelined with an upper-body injury, which was originally considered "day-to-day," but seems to be a longer timeline than that.

The 30-year-old has scored five goals and 13 points in 37 contests for the Kings this season.

Add Moore to the list of Kings who aren't available. 

Right winger Corey Perry has been designated non-roster status as he steps away from the team to handle a personal family matter at home. 

In addition, Los Angeles has to continue without forwards Anze Kopitar and Joel Armia in the meantime. They both exited the Kings' battle against the Minnesota Wild on Monday and are both listed as day-to-day.

Kings Receive Great News With Kopitar And Armia Injury UpdatesKings Receive Great News With Kopitar And Armia Injury UpdatesThe Los Angeles Kings provided updates for the injuries to Anze Kopitar and Joel Armia following their exits in Monday's game against the Minnesota Wild.

Nonetheless, the Kings are certainly shorthanded in terms of forward depth. While the team has already called up forwards Andre Lee and Taylor Ward from the Reign, Guttman is the latest to get an opportunity in the NHL. 

Trevor Moore (Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images)

Guttman has 41 career NHL games, all with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2022-23 and 2023-24. The Northridge, Calif., native hasn't made an NHL appearance since Jan. 19, 2024.

He signed as a free agent with the Kings this past off-season, inking a two-year deal and earning $775,00 per season.

This season with Ontario, he's made 31 appearances, scoring nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points. Furthermore, he faced a two-game suspension in late December for landing an illegal check to the head.

The 26-year-old center has played five games since the end of his suspension. In that span, Guttman has registered four goals and seven points.

In total, he's played 31 games in the American League and has recorded nine goals and 23 points for Ontario.

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Penguins Re-assign Young Forward To Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

The Pittsburgh Penguins made a roster move before Thursday's game against the New Jersey Devils.

They sent forward Ville Koivunen back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton so that he can get some playing time. He was set to be a healthy scratch on Thursday due to Evgeni Malkin's impending return. 

Koivunen scored his second NHL goal of his career on Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

Koivunen has played in 27 games this season, scoring two goals and recording five points. He scored his first NHL goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Dec. 4. 

His underlying numbers have been very strong this season, but he's been a bit too inconsistent. Hopefully, a stint in WBS will help that, because when he's on, he's a effective player. 

Koivunen has four goals and 11 points in six AHL games this season. 

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The mediocre Ashes: England arrived as a rabble and Australia weren’t much better | Geoff Lemon

Australia were there for the taking but Brendon McCullum’s tourists were so poor and ill-prepared they never got close

As far as endings go, it ended nicely. People streamed on to the Sydney Cricket Ground, wanting to get close to the trophy presentation and to have a canter on the turf. Nothing thrills an audience more than a chance to walk the stage. On a sun-kissed blue-heaven day, the match had finished early enough to leave plenty of afternoon to spare. Later Usman Khawaja soaked that up with his own crowd of family and friends, on his last day as a Test player.

These endings are supposed to signal the close of something momentous. Another Ashes wrapped up, another chapter in the rivalry written. Still, once it was done, the whole thing felt like it had been more hole than doughnut.

Continue reading...
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Craig Berube Explains When Injured William Nylander Could Return To Maple Leafs' Lineup

William Nylander, who's dealing with a lower-body injury, could return to the Toronto Maple Leafs' lineup as soon as Saturday when they host the Vancouver Canucks inside Scotiabank Arena.

Nylander has been out of Toronto's lineup with the ailment since Dec. 27 against the Ottawa Senators. It's unknown how the 29-year-old picked up the injury, but he left midway through the second period and didn't return.

He's set to miss his sixth consecutive game on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently listed as day-to-day.

"Willy's doing good," head coach Craig Berube said after Toronto's morning skate on Thursday in Philadelphia. "Possible for Saturday."

Nylander has skated all by himself, most recently (as of what we know) on Saturday morning, before the Maple Leafs' morning skate. He also skated on his own before Toronto's practice on Friday, the day he was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to Dec. 27.

The Maple Leafs confirmed that day that there was no setback in Nylander's injury and that it was simply a roster management move to recall Marshall Rifai from the Toronto Marlies.

Toronto hasn't lost in regulation since Nylander exited the lineup. They've gone 3-0-2 in their last five games, with wins against the New Jersey Devils, Winnipeg Jets, and most recently, the Florida Panthers. The Maple Leafs have outscored their opposition 20-13 in that span.

Despite being out for the last five games, Nylander still leads the Maple Leafs in scoring this season. The forward has 14 goals and 41 points through 33 games, three ahead of John Tavares who has 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists) in 42 games.

Report: Maple Leafs Almost Traded Easton Cowan, Ben Danford For Blues' Brayden Schenn At Last Year's Trade DeadlineReport: Maple Leafs Almost Traded Easton Cowan, Ben Danford For Blues' Brayden Schenn At Last Year's Trade DeadlineKypreos reports that Toronto had two of its top prospects up for Brayden Schenn, but Blues GM Doug Armstrong was "reluctant to pull the trigger."

Berube bumped Matthew Knies up to Nylander's spot on the second line after the forward went down with the injury. Knies has been in Toronto's top six ever since, tallying three goals and two assists in the last five games.

This the longest stretch of games that Nylander has ever missed due to injury.

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Brad Marchand day-to-day, will not play Thursday in Montreal

The Florida Panthers could really use a win on Thursday night in Montreal.

Unfortunately for the Cats, they’ll have to do it without their leading scorer.

Panthers forward Brad Marchand will not play against the Canadiens on Thursday at Bell Center due to an undisclosed injury.

Florida Head Coach Paul Maurice announced the news to the media following Florida’s morning skate and said his star forward is considered day-to-day.

He did not rule out Marchand for Saturday’s game in Ottawa, though.

Maurice also held Marchand out of the third period of Tuesday’s loss in Toronto, saying afterwards that he did it as a precaution because Marchand has been battling an injury and didn’t want it to get worse.

The injury-plagued Panthers will field a forward group on Thursday without Marchand, Matthew Takchuk, Sasha Barkov, Tomas Nosek, Jonah Gadjovich and Cole Schwindt.

Florida is also playing without injured defensemen Seth Jones and Dmitry Kulikov.

Many of the aforementioned players are expected back in the coming weeks and months, meaning the Cats could be very close to full strength when the playoffs arrive.

Of course, that’s assuming Florida makes the playoffs and that no other players suffer significant injuries.

For now, the Panthers will have to make do with what they’ve got.

After Saturday’s game in Ottawa, Florida closes out their season-long road trip with visits to Buffalo, Carolina and Washington.

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Photo caption: Dec 30, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) looks on against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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Mets avoid arbitration with David Peterson and Tylor Megill for 2026 MLB season

The Mets have avoided arbitration with David Peterson, who will earn $8.1 million for the 2026 MLB season, per multiple reports.

New York has also avoided arbitration with Tylor Megill, agreeing to a $2.5 million deal for 2026, per Joel Sherman of The New York Post.

In addition to Peterson and Megill, the club has reportedly reached agreements with five other arbitration-eligible players: Francisco Alvarez ($2.4 million), Luis Torrens ($2.275 million), Reed Garrett ($1.3 million), Huascar Brazoban ($1.05 million), and Tyrone Taylor.

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Miles McBride's impact on Knicks' starting lineup on full display in win over Clippers

Back in the summer of 2025, teams around the league were waiting/hoping that the Knicks would make Miles McBride available via trade. Obviously, that never happened.

McBride’s play on Wednesday night showed you exactly why they took that stance.

Playing in the starting lineup, McBride had 16 points, four assists, a steal and a block in New York’s win over the Clippers.

He also defended ball screens well and made things tough for James Harden and other Clippers.

“He’s an extremely good on-ball defender - especially when it comes to the pick-and-roll game,” Mike Brown said of McBride on Wednesday after the Knicks’ win. “He’s strong, he’s powerful, he’s quick and he’s athletic and he’s a little longer than what you think – so when that screen comes, he knows you run towards the ball, (get your) shoulder and hip over that screen at the same time as the ball (to neutralize your opponent’s advantage). He did a fantastic job with that.”

Brown pointed out that McBride – 6-foot-2, 195 pounds – did well defending Harden.

“Obviously, there was a size disadvantage with James, but he did a great job on James. You're not going to stop him, you just hope he misses some of those shots, and he did just (by McBride trying) to get up underneath him,” Brown said.

McBride’s presence in the starting lineup also spaced the floor for New York.

He hit four of his 11 three-point attempts against the Clippers, forcing Los Angeles to extend its defense whenever he had the ball.

“He has to be guarded,” Brown said. “You watched during the course of the game, they had Kawhi [Leonard] on him and, you know, who would have thunk if OG [Anunoby] and Mikal [Bridges] and some of these other guys (are) on the floor, Kawhi is matched up with Deuce; it’s because he can shoot.”

McBride delivered on an important night for New York, snapping a four-game losing streak.

The Knicks had lost four straight entering the Clippers game. They’re defense was a mess. The offense wasn’t much better. Teams with high expectations can fracture during these stretches.

He also continued a remarkable stretch of shooting.

Since returning from an ankle injury on Dec. 29, McBride has hit 48 percent of his threes (48 attempts). Before the injury, McBride was shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc. McBride’s perimeter shooting and on-ball defense have stood out to opposing team’s evaluators.

“We knew about his shot but it’s the consistency that jumps out,” one opposing scout said. “He’s a threat for them every night.”

McBride is in the second year of a three-year, $13 million extension that runs through next season. He’s going to get a significant raise – whether it’s a new contract with the Knicks or a new deal from another team.

Every dollar counts for the Knicks right now. They are right up against the second apron in team salary. But as long as McBride continues to shoot and defend at a high level, the team will – presumably – do whatever it takes to keep him in New York.

That’s a story for another day, though.

Right now, McBride is showing you why the Knicks had no interest in trading him this past summer.

“He’s become key for everything they do,” the opposing scout says.

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Phils set to meet with Bo Bichette as interest intensifies

Phils set to meet with Bo Bichette as interest intensifies originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies’ reported interest in Bo Bichette is moving forward.

According to Matt Gelb and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the club is set to meet with the free-agent infielder. Jon Heyman of the New York Post, who first reported Philadelphia’s interest last Saturday, added Thursday that the meeting is scheduled for Monday.

The timing is notable. The report comes just days after the Phillies hired Don Mattingly as their bench coach. Mattingly and Bichette formed a strong working relationship in Toronto, and Heyman acknowledges this dynamic as a significant factor in Philadelphia’s pursuit.

Bichette, 27, is one of the top remaining position players on the free-agent market. Heyman reported Thursday that the Florida-native is “thought” to be seeking a deal in the $300 million range, which could get tricky given the current state of the Phillies’ payroll.

Offensively, he’s one of the steadiest infielders in the game. In 2025, Bichette hit .311 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs, finishing second in the majors with 44 doubles. He missed the final 20 games of the regular season due to a left knee injury but returned in the World Series, where he hit .348 with a home run and six RBIs — including a long homer off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7.

Defensively, the questions remain. Bichette has spent his entire career at shortstop and struggled at the position last season, recording minus-13 Outs Above Average, one of the lowest marks in baseball.

Second base appears to be the most likely fit in Philadelphia. Bichette logged his first career innings at the position during the World Series. That defensive flexibility is central to the club’s interest, especially with Trea Turner entrenched at shortstop.

From a roster standpoint, signing Bichette would force decisions elsewhere. Alec Bohm remains the most obvious trade candidate. The 29-year-old is entering his final year before free agency and will earn $10.2 million (per Gelb). 

A Bryson Stott trade seems unlikely. He brings defensive value and the versatility to move to third base — a position he last played in 2022. Bringing Bichette aboard would also complicate a reunion with free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto.

The Phillies have not indicated that Bichette is a top priority, but the scheduled meeting signals legitimate interest. With a thin free-agent infielder class and a lineup still seeking right-handed balance, Bichette checks a number of boxes.

Whether the Phillies are willing to reshape the roster to make it work will become clearer after Monday.

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Report: Maple Leafs Almost Traded Easton Cowan, Ben Danford For Blues' Brayden Schenn At Last Year's Trade Deadline

The Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly almost moved Easton Cowan and defensive prospect Ben Danford to the St. Louis Blues last March in a trade for Brayden Schenn.

According to Nick Kypreos, who wrote about this in columns for Sportsnet and the Toronto Star, the Maple Leafs had nearly traded the two prospects to the Blues before St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong decided against it.

"Last year, Easton Cowan was pushed as a trade chip in an effort to try and obtain Brayden Schenn, but Cowan’s going to be hard to put into play again this season. However, depending on what the return is, we can’t rule out the possibility," Kypreos wrote on Sportsnet.ca.

In his column with the Toronto Star, Kypreos added: "Cowan was close to being sent to the Blues last season in a package with defence prospect Ben Danford to bring back Brayden Schenn, who the Leafs desperately wanted to go head to head with Panthers bruiser Sam Bennett in the playoffs. But word is it was St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong who was reluctant to pull the trigger.

"Maybe Cowan could be used as trade bait this season. Danford, one of their goalies and spare scraps in the AHL could be, too. But even then, it’s hard to see the Leafs being able to add a scoring winger or puck-moving defenceman who can significantly help them."

Ahead of last year's trade deadline, Toronto was looking to bolster its center depth. They were looking for a bottom-six player who could play down the middle. Eventually, they acquired Scott Laughton (plus two later round picks) from the Philadelphia Flyers for prospect Nikita Grebenkin and a conditional first-round pick.

In another move, the Maple Leafs moved then-prospect Fraser Minten and a first-round pick to the Boston Bruins in exchange for defenseman Brandon Carlo.

Had Schenn joined Toronto, he would've been a Craig Berube favorite after the two won a Stanley Cup together with St. Louis in 2019. Schenn is in the sixth season of an eight-year, $52 million contract, which carries an annual average value of $6.5 million.

The 34-year-old has nine goals and 18 points in 44 games with the Blues this season.

'It Was Between Florida And Toronto': Panthers' Brad Marchand Reveals Signing With Maple Leafs Was Possibility If He Hit Free Agency'It Was Between Florida And Toronto': Panthers' Brad Marchand Reveals Signing With Maple Leafs Was Possibility If He Hit Free AgencyMarchand added on Tuesday that, despite Toronto's strong play as of late, it was unfortunate to see that the fans "ran" Mitch Marner out of town.

It would've been fascinating to see how the Maple Leafs would've looked had they made this trade.

Cowan is well-liked by Berube, who currently has him on a third line with Nicolas Roy and Nick Robertson. The trio has developed quite a chemistry since coming together, and have combined for nine points in their four games as a line.

The 20-year-old has five goals and 12 points in 31 games this season.

Danford, who was the other prospect reportedly thrown into the possible trade, just finished up the World Juniors with Team Canada, where he won a bronze medal and was primarily a third-pairing defenseman. He tallied one assist in seven games.

The 19-year-old impressed many Maple Leafs at the NHL camp last fall and is arguably Toronto's number-one prospect now that Cowan has moved on to the NHL. Danford is in his final year of the OHL, currently on a strong Brantford Bulldogs team with Memorial Cup hopes.

Maple Leafs reportedly want to add on defense

Speaking of trades, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving is reportedly seeing what's out there when it comes to the defenseman market.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Toronto's "primary focus" at the moment is on its blue line.

Two games after Chris Tanev returned from an upper-body injury — which forced him to miss almost two months — he picked up a lower-body ailment that could require surgery.

Maple Leafs Lose Chris Tanev And Dakota Joshua For 'Significant Time', Other Injury UpdatesMaple Leafs Lose Chris Tanev And Dakota Joshua For 'Significant Time', Other Injury UpdatesTanev picked up a groin injury, and Joshua suffered a kidney injury in Sunday's game against the Red Wings.

The Maple Leafs did get Brandon Carlo back on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers, and that's a big boost given how much he can play. (He finished with a plus-two, playing 17:41 of ice time alongside Morgan Rielly on Toronto's top pair.)

"The problem Treliving has right now," Dreger reports, "is that the market is thin. We're talking about older defense, perhaps the end of their run, and third-pairing guys. So there hasn't been a fit that's surfaced just yet."

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NHL Rumors: 2 Penguins On New Trade Board

NHL insider Chris Johnston released his latest trade board for The Athletic, and two Pittsburgh Penguins made the cut: defenseman Brett Kulak and forward Bryan Rust. 

Kulak was given the No. 21 spot on Johnston's list. The 32-year-old defenseman certainly has the potential to generate interest from contenders, as he is a solid bottom-pairing defenseman with plenty of playoff experience. 

In 10 games with the Penguins since being acquired from the Edmonton Oilers earlier this season, Kulak has recorded two assists, 20 blocks, and an even plus/minus rating. This is after he had two assists and a minus-7 rating in 31 games for the Oilers before being acquired by Pittsburgh. 

Rust, on the other hand, landed the No. 32 spot on Johnston's new trade board. The star winger has been the subject of trade rumors for quite some time, but the Penguins also do not need to rush a move centering around him. This is because he is signed until the end of the 2027-28 season. 

Any potential Rust trade would be a big deal, as he is an incredibly important part of the Penguins' roster. However, with the Penguins also focused on the future, he has the potential to be an excellent trade chip for them if they are open to moving him. 

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Jets' Danny Zhilkin Expected To Make NHL Debut Thursday vs. Oilers

Winnipeg Jets rookie forward Danny Zhilkin is expected to make his long-awaited NHL debut Thursday night against the Edmonton Oilers, marking a major milestone in his young professional career.

The Jets recalled the 22-year-old from the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose ahead of the matchup, finally giving Zhilkin his first opportunity at the NHL level after three seasons of development within the organization. To create roster space, Winnipeg placed defenseman Haydn Fleury on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 6.

Fleury was injured during Tuesday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights after taking a hard fall into the boards following a hit. The defenseman was stretchered off the ice in a scary scene and has since been diagnosed with a broken nose and a bruised back.

For Zhilkin, the recall is the result of patience and steady progress. Selected by the Jets in the third round, 102nd overall, of the 2022 NHL Draft, he entered the professional ranks with high expectations and has gradually rounded out his game with the Moose. Each season has shown measurable growth, both offensively and defensively.

This year, Zhilkin has recorded 14 points in 30 games, already nearing the combined 17 points he produced across his first two AHL seasons. His increased production has come alongside improved consistency away from the puck, an area the Jets have prioritized in his development. His responsible two-way play has helped him earn trust from coaches and management alike.

Zhilkin was on the cusp of making the Jets earlier this season, surviving until the final roster cuts of training camp after an impressive preseason. At the time, his performance left the impression that an NHL debut was inevitable and Wednesday’s recall confirms that belief.

The timing of Zhilkin’s opportunity may also reflect a broader shift for Winnipeg. With losses piling up and postseason aspirations growing slimer, the Jets appear poised to take a longer look at their younger players to evaluate future roles. Zhilkin now gets the first chance to prove he belongs, with Thursday’s game against Edmonton serving as the opening chapter of his NHL journey.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo says he will never demand a trade out of Milwaukee, 'That’s not in my nature'

There has already been one big NBA trade this year. Will Giannis Antetokounmpo force another?

Don't bet on it. In league circles, talk of an in-season Antetokounmpo trade has died down amid reports that the Bucks are looking to add at the trade deadline, not trade the best player in franchise history. The only way Antetokounmpo gets traded at the deadline is if he demands a trade, and he told Sam Amick of The Athletic he would not go there.

"There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment, that I will come out and say 'I want a trade,'" Antetokounmpo, who can opt out of his contract in the summer of 2027, told The Athletic. "That's not … in … my … nature. OK?"

Later, Antetokounmpo reiterated what he said before, that he can't control the speculation online and in the media about his future, or who talks to his agent, or who calls the Bucks. However, he was very clear that he intends to be with the Bucks through the end of the season.

"I am not (going anywhere). I am invested in this team. I want to turn this team around. I want to play good basketball. I want to be healthy. I want to help my teammates. I wanna win games. The last six games we've played, we're 4-2. We have a lot of games in front of us. I'm locked the f*** in. I'm locked in. My priority is just staying healthy."

The rubber will hit the road with Antetokounmpo and his future in Milwaukee this coming offseason, when the team can offer him another max contract extension, heading into what could be the final year of his contract (he has a player option for the 2027-28 season, he can be a free agent in 2027). Every time that has happened previously, Antetokounmpo has used it as leverage to push the Bucks to upgrade the roster (such as adding Jrue Holiday, a key to their 2021 title), then ultimately signed the deal. If he signs the deal this summer, the pattern continues.

If he does not, the Bucks will be forced to trade him — without him directly asking out — or risk losing him for nothing in the summer of 2027. And there are multiple teams lined up with cap space for that offseason (hello, Clippers!).

But all of that is this summer. For now, listen to Antetokounmpo's words — he is not going anywhere this season.