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These NHL Veterans Hope Their First Stanley Cup Win Is Coming This Spring

Brent Burns (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

From the first day they strap on a pair of skates, aspiring NHL players dream of hoisting the Stanley Cup. 

When they make it to the league, the dream gets even closer. But championships can be elusive, and some NHL stars can play well into their 30s or even 40s while still striving to sip from the silver chalice.

Last summer, the Florida Panthers’ roster was rich with veterans who finally realized their Stanley Cup dreams, from Sergei Bobrovsky to Kyle Okposo, through Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Dmitry Kulikov and on down the line. 

Here’s a look at this year’s longest-tenured veterans who are looking for their storybook ending in 2025 and, for many, a boost that will help them maximize their bargaining power for next season.

Ryan Suter, St. Louis Blues, 1,526 games

At 40, Ryan Suter has been the oldest skater in the NHL this season, 54 days younger than goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. After signing in St. Louis on a one-year, league-minimum contract following his buyout by the Dallas Stars, the 2003 seventh-overall pick appeared in all 82 games for the Blues and skated nearly 20 minutes a night. 

Suter’s 1,526 games played lead all active players, and he hasn’t missed a game since 2018. His personal ironman streak stands at 535 games and counting. 

But in 20 NHL seasons, Suter has not yet appeared in a Stanley Cup final. He has been getting closer — his longest runs to date came in his last two playoffs, when he got to the Western Conference final with Dallas.

After the Blues’ storybook run through the second half of the season, Suter now gets another chance to see if this is the year.

Cam Fowler is another veteran St. Louis defender who’s looking to make the most of this opportunity. 

At 33, the longtime Anaheim Duck has 1,042 games on his resume. With 36 points in 51 games since his December trade to St. Louis, he has been a crucial addition to the Blues’ top pair. Under contract for one more year, Fowler is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2017. His best playoff run came in 2015, when the Ducks lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference final. 

Brent Burns, Carolina Hurricanes, 1,495 games

With 923 consecutive games played, Brent Burns is the NHL’s reigning active ironman and the only man ahead of his fellow quadragenarian, Suter. 

Burns has been to the Stanley Cup final once, putting up 24 points in 24 games before the San Jose Sharks fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016. With 120 total playoff games, Burns also reached the Western Conference final with the Sharks in 2019 and the Eastern Conference final with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023.

The Hurricanes are making their seventh straight playoff appearance – one of the NHL’s longest active streaks. With free agency looming for the bearded one, is this the year that Carolina finally puts it all together and raises the Cup for the second time in franchise history?

Claude Giroux, Ottawa Senators, 1,262 games

As a 22-year-old, Claude Giroux put up 21 points in 23 games during the Philadelphia Flyers’ Cinderella run to the 2010 Stanley Cup final. He’s been trying to get back ever since, but his last attempt fizzled in the second round when he joined the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Panthers for their 2022 playoffs – a couple of years too early, as it turned out.

Now, at 37, Giroux is back where he grew up in Canada’s Capital Region. This spring, he’ll chase the Cup in front of an Ottawa Senators fan base that’s thrilled to finally put its seven-year playoff drought to bed in just the second season under new owner Michael Andlauer.

Giroux is also on the cusp of free agency, finishing out the three-year deal he signed with Ottawa in 2022.

Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars, 1,191 games

The pattern continues. At 35, Jamie Benn is in the final season of the eight-year extension that he signed all the way back in 2016. His Art Ross Trophy days are nearly a decade in the rearview mirror, and he has been excruciatingly stuck on 399 career goals for more than a month. But since Benn took over the captaincy from Brenden Morrow in 2013, his Stars have gone to the Stanley Cup final in the 2020 bubble and, more recently, had back-to-back appearances in the final four.

The Stars’ Matt Duchene also sits high on the list of Cupless vets at 1,137 games. After making his first-career trip to a Conference final last year, he re-upped with Dallas in hopes of finishing the job. This season, Duchene has played some of his best hockey, cracking the 80-point mark for just the second time in his 16 years.

NHL Playoffs: Skinner, Tkachuk Headline New Faces To Watch In The Cup ChaseNHL Playoffs: Skinner, Tkachuk Headline New Faces To Watch In The Cup ChaseWith just over a week to go in the 2024-25 NHL regular season, our 16 playoff competitors look about set.

John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs, 1,183 games

For every pundit who predicted that John Tavares’ seven-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs would be an albatross in its later stages, the 34-year-old silenced them with yet another point-per-game campaign, ace face-off work and 18 reliable minutes a night under new taskmaster coach Craig Berube, consistent with his ice-time average in Toronto.

Both team and player have indicated they’d like to continue the relationship, but as always, the Leafs’ future plans will hinge on their playoff results. Though he ceded the captaincy to Auston Matthews last summer, Tavares might end up being named a Leaf for Life if he and his teammates can find a way to erase the curse of 1967 this spring.

James van Riemsdyk, Columbus Blue Jackets, 1,081 games

He’s not in yet. But the fact that James van Riemsdyk could still qualify for the playoffs with the Columbus Blue Jackets after 81 games deserves a mention. 

Just a few weeks before he turns 36, van Riemsdyk has played an important leadership role in Columbus as part of the feel-good story of the season. The Blue Jackets refuse to go away, and he has been skating in the top six while chipping in five points in his last four games.

In 16 NHL campaigns, van Riemsdyk has only made the playoffs eight times so far. His best run came all the way back in his rookie year, with Giroux on the 2010 Flyers team that fell to the Blackhawks.

Signed to his second-straight one-year deal at a bargain-basement rate, van Riemsdyk has shown he can still make a meaningful contribution at the NHL level.

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets, 567 games

Approaching age 32 with six years to play on his current contract, Connor Hellebuyck’s situation is different from most of the players on this list. 

He still has plenty of runway left to chase a Cup. But as the favorite to win his third-career Vezina while part of a Presidents’ Trophy-winning team, there’s no time like the present for him to check a championship off his to-do list.

Last year, Bobrovsky was the goalie who’d played the most games without a Cup win — and got it done. Semyon Varlamov (621 games) is now the only active Cup-less goalie with more games played than Hellebuyck, but his New York Islanders didn’t qualify for the dance.

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Ottawa Senators vs Toronto Maple Leafs: When Will The 2025 Battle of Ontario Begin?

The wait is finally over: the Ottawa Senators are back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in eight years—and they’re diving in headfirst with a clash against their fiercest rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Mar 15, 2025: Senators forward Ridly Greig lands a punch on Leafs forward Scott Laughton at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

This marks the first playoff edition of the Battle of Ontario since 2004. Back then, the two clubs faced off four times between 2000 and 2004. The Senators came up short in each of those series, but as far as today's players are concerned, those battles might as well be a century ago.

In fact, two key opponents from that era—Travis Green and Daniel Alfredsson—have joined forces behind the Senators bench, helping end what was the third-longest active playoff drought in the NHL. The Senators swept the season series 3-0.

With the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs starting on Saturday, fans of both teams are looking to make plans. There are travel plans to make, parties to organize, and nachos to make. So when will the 2025 Battle of Ontario begin? Here's what we know:

According to Senators President Cyril Leeder, who addressed the media the morning after the team clinched their playoff spot last week, Game 1 is likely to be this Sunday.

"Not sure yet," Leeder told the media. "All we've been told from the league is that it's likely the East (schedule) will open on the Sunday (April 20). So that could be Sunday or Monday it'll open."

Starting the Eastern Conference series on Sunday would make sense. Six of the seven games scheduled for Thursday night are all-Eastern matchups, including two involving the Sens and Leafs. So it wouldn't make sense to only give the East one day (Friday) off while giving the West (except for LA) Thursday, Friday, and Saturday off. 

So letting Western teams open things up on Saturday would be logical.

*Update: The NHL has announced with the Winnipeg Jets will host the St. Louis Blues on Saturday at 6pm ET, and the Dallas Stars will host the Colorado Avalanche at 8:30pm.

Sens Mile

Meanwhile, Senators owner Michael Andlauer was downtown on Wednesday with Leeder, former Senator Chris Neil, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, and members of City Council. Andlauer got a good workout in, cranking up the “Sens Mile” flag to officially kick off Ottawa’s playoff run.

(Image credit: City of Ottawa)

Games 3 and 4 will take place at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, sometime in the mid to latter part of next week. According to Leeder’s media session last week, the Red Zone Plaza will be back in full swing, much like it was in 2017.

“We’ve got plans for the CIBC Red Zone Plaza. We’re going to activate that. We’ve got to get that going. What are we going to do out there? We’ve got to hire bands. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate. We’ll have some outdoor patios for restaurants. Do all the planning in the arena, game production. We want that to elevate a bit. What can we do differently? What can we bring into it to help that?”

“There’s a lot of planning going on right now. And it’s a good problem to have. Our staff, as I said, are pretty excited about the opportunity to show what they can do at playoff time.”

Playoff Ticket Sales 

Fans who sign up to be Sens season ticket holders for next season can still guarantee access to all home playoff tickets at a preferred rate.

As for the general public, the Senators announced on Tuesday that single game tickets for Round 1 of the playoffs at Canadian Tire Centre will go on sale at noon on Thursday (April 17th). They'll be available for purchase at Ticketmaster.ca, with a limited quantity available for Game 3 and Game 4. Since the Leafs are the opponent, fans can count on paying a premium and plenty of competition from Leaf fans.

Let the Battle begin.

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Brandon Nimmo expects Mets offense to improve after series loss to Twins; open to playing center field

The Mets went into their series with the Minnesota Twins playing very well. They hadn't dropped a series since their opening set with the Astros, nor lost consecutive games all season.

Both those things changed after Wednesday's 4-3 loss in extra innings, and largely because of the lack of clutch hits from the Mets' offense. After they took the first game on the back of Juan Soto's power and shoddy Twins defense, the Mets dropped the final two games of the series after going a combined 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position (5-for-28 across the three games).

"It's baseball. You're gonna have ups and downs and right now, going through some downs with runners in scoring position but we’re getting guys on so the more opportunities we get the more we’re going to cash in," Brandon Nimmo said after the game. "Right now we’re finding ways to win games even without it, and I’m proud of that... It’s something I expect to get better and we’re aware of it. Sometimes you go through times where you’re good at it and sometimes you’re not as good at it. I’m just proud that we’ve been able to find ways to win despite it early on."

Most of those hits with RISP came in one inning on Wednesday. Down 3-0, the Mets rallied to score three runs in the eighth inning before ultimately falling in the 10th inning.

"We didn't play good baseball for the first half but then coming back in the eighth, putting a rally together against one of the better arms from them, was really good to get back in the game," manager Carlos Mendoza said. "Overall, we couldn't close the deal today. We didn't get the job done. We've just got to play better."

"I’m proud of the guys for fighting back," Nimmo said, pointing out how they played a day game after a night game and had to prepare to head back home for a four-game series starting Thursday against the Cardinals.

But the Mets (11-7) now have to take on a scrappy Cardinals (9-9) team on the heels of their first losing streak of the season.

Although many of the Mets hitters aren't hitting when it matters, Pete Alonso continues to. The slugger had three more hits on Wednesday, including an RBI double that started the Mets scoring. He's been the Mets' early-season MVP and Nimmo understands the importance of that production.

"He’s swinging it amazing, man. He’s really staying in the zone, he’s taking what they’re giving him," Nimmo said of Alonso. "He’s putting really good at-bats up there... I know he worked really hard this offseason I’m glad it’s paying dividends right away... He looks like a complete hitter up there, which is fantastic. I’m so happy for him. We’ll need that as the year moves on."

Nimmo in center?

With Jose Siri about to hit the IL, the Mets will have to figure out who will pay center field alongside Tyrone Taylor. Mendoza had said Nimmo could see time with Luisangel Acuña, potentially getting a crack in the outfield -- Jeff McNeil is also going to get looks in center while rehabbing in the minors.

Nimmo was asked about the potential shift from left and the veteran outfielder was open to whatever the Mets need him to do.

"I'll play wherever they want me to. If that requires center field, then that's where I'll be," Nimmo said. "We’ll see how they want to write things up as we move forward.

“I honestly don’t care [switching back and forth]. They can switch me back and forth if they want. Wherever is best for the team that’s where I’ll play that day. It doesn’t take any skin off my nose. I don’t have the pride like that. I just want to help the team win. Wherever they want me, that’s where I’ll play.”

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Clippers' Kawhi Leonard still has 'love' for the game of basketball

Clippers star Kawhi Leonard dribbles up court to start a fast break against the Grizzlies at the Intuit Dome.
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard dribbles up court to start a fast break against the Grizzlies at the Intuit Dome during a game earlier this season. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The joy for the game of basketball remains strong for Kawhi Leonard.

The injuries that have robbed him from playing time have not taken away Leonard’s passion for the game. The inability to play this season because of a right knee injury he had to manage has not lessened Leonard’s happiness for basketball.

He’s 33 and has spent the last five of his 13-year NBA career with the Clippers, and his “love” for the game has only grown.

That is what has motivated Leonard through it all and it’s what he will lean on when the Clippers face the Nuggets in Game 1 of the Western Conference playoffs starting Saturday afternoon in Denver.

“I love the game. I love the game and I have a passion for it still. I love to compete out there. So, that's pretty much what drives me back,” Leonard said after practice Wednesday. “You know, everything has its ups and downs. You got to go through those in life and you just keep going, really.”

This was yet another up-and-down season for Leonard.

Read more:How do the Clippers match up against the Nuggets entering their playoff series?

He missed the first 34 games and played in just 37, including only one set of back-to-back games.

Yet Leonard never wavered.

That didn't surprise teammate Norman Powell. The two were teammates on the Toronto Raptors team that won the NBA championship in 2019.

Powell saw how Leonard handled things then and now.

“I think we all have love for it,” Powell said. “I think everybody’s journey and path is different and what they face and what they see and how they feel about it. It’s not just him. I feel like it happens a lot with different guys.

“But with him, I know he’s a very level-headed person and he understands things that aren’t under his control and he just controls the controllable. That’s the best attribute about him. He’s a gifted basketball player, but his mental fortitude and toughness, on and off the floor, all the things he’s been through in his life, everything that he’s been through on the floor, makes him who he is. So, I don’t think it takes away from his love or enjoyment of the game. I think he sees it as another obstacle he’s going to get through and figure it out and that’s what I like best about him. He’s always figuring it out.”

Leonard averaged 21.5 points, 5.9 assists and 3.1 assists per game this season. He shot 49.6% from the field, 41.1% from three-point range.

Read more:'We are here': Tyronn Lue knew the Clippers could exceed expectations

In the Clippers’ two must-win games to close the regular season, Leonard was a force. He averaged 30.5 points and played 44.5 minutes in wins at Sacramento and Golden State.

In the eyes of Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, that was just another sign of the competitor Leonard is and how much the game means to his star forward.

“Yeah, I mean, it just says a lot about him, about his dedication to the game,” Lue said. “I said he’s a hard worker. But like I said, we'll continue to keep giving our medical staff a lot of credit. They put him through a lot of stuff and didn't let him shortcut, checked every box before he came back and he's been feeling good. So, I'm happy about that as well.”

Leonard missed the final eight regular-season games last season and played in just two of the Clippers' six playoff games against the Mavericks because of right knee inflammation.

He didn’t play in his first game with the Clippers this season until Jan. 4 and it has been a slow build-up to get Leonard to this point.

But he’s back in the playoffs and ready to play the game he loves.

“I'm just happy that I was able to get here, and my teammates did a great job down that last stretch,” Leonard said. “And yeah, just like I said, just don't take the opportunity for granted and try to play my best and that's it. I’m just having fun.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Mets' Justin Hagenman's MLB debut 'was everything you hope for and more'

Not knowing he would make his MLB debut until the night before he was scheduled to pitch for the Mets, Justin Hagenman pitched admirably in 3.1 innings against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday, with the experience going about as well as he could've hoped for.

"It was fun. It was everything you hope for and more," he said. "Just glad I was able to settle in and kind of treat it like a game and do kind of what I’m used to."

The 28-year-old born in Voorhees, N.J., got the call out of Triple-A because scheduled starter Griffin Canning was under the weather and couldn't go. So, Hagenman made his way to the Twin Cities from Syracuse, and after Huascar Brazoban pitched a scoreless opening inning before walking the leadoff man in the second, Hagenman entered the game for his MLB debut.

Already dealing with a runner on base out of the gates, Hagenman did well by striking out the first batter he faced.

"After you get the first out under your belt, it’s like ‘alright, now we go,’ so it was a good feeling," he said.

Hagenman followed up the strikeout with a flyout before striking out a second batter to end the inning.

In the third, the right-hander froze DaShawn Keirsey Jr. with an outside sinker with the count full, but got into some trouble after a single and double put runners on second and third. However, the Twins failed to score in the inning after the Mets threw out a runner at home on a fielder's choice for the second out and Hagenman ended the threat with his fourth strikeout of the afternoon.

"The beginning, you know first batter, you get up there and it’s just different. I don’t even know how to describe it, but just a little different," Hagenman said. "But felt like I was able to settle in and do what I do best and attack and [got] pretty good results."

"I thought he was really good," said manager Carlos Mendoza. "Threw strikes, mixed well, used all of his pitches. I liked the tempo, he worked quick. I thought he gave us what we were asking of him."

With his family in the stands, able to travel on short notice, Hagenman pitched into the fifth inning and left with a runner on second base after 3.1 innings and 50 pitches (32 strikes) thrown.

A run charged to Hagenman came around to score in the frame after Jose Butto allowed a single to former Met Harrison Bader.

"Super grateful that they were able to make it out," Hagenman said about his family. "You never know and this is a one-time opportunity so super happy that they were able to make it and it was a good time."

After the game, New York announced that Canning will start on Thursday in the Mets' series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field. David Peterson will then start on Friday.

Therefore, Hagenman will most likely be sent back down to Triple-A, but not before completing his dream of pitching in the majors. He'll also have a few souvenirs from the game, including the ball he threw for his first pitch and for his first strikeout.

And despite a rough start for the Syracuse Mets in three games so far, the journeyman with a 3.95 career ERA in the minors may have just bought himself a few more spot starts in case of emergency this season with his outing.

"Taking it all in still, but it’s been good," he said.

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Utah's Robert Bortuzzo Gets Fitting Send-Off In Utah’s Season Finale

© Jeff Le-Imagn Images

As last night's game came to an end and the Utah Hockey Club's first chapter closed, it looked like their defenseman Robert Bortuzzo could be calling it a career.

Bortuzzo, 36, has been a very reliable NHL player over his 14-year career. In that time, he played for the St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, and Utah.

After starting his career with the Penguins back in 2011-12, he played in three seasons before being traded to the Blues for fellow Utah defenseman Ian Cole in 2015.

St. Louis is where he made a name for himself and played the bulk of his career. He spent 10 seasons with the Blues, and during that time, he won a Stanley Cup in 2019.

In 2023, his time with the Blues came to an end when he was traded to the Islanders for a 2024 seventh-round pick. However, he would only suit up for 23 games with New York. 

Utah HC Inaugural Season Comes to an End Against Playoff Bound St. Louis BluesUtah HC Inaugural Season Comes to an End Against Playoff Bound St. Louis BluesAll things come to an end.

After that season ended, he signed with Utah in August of 2023 on a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000. Unfortunately, he missed a fair bit of time due to injury. However, he was able to come back and play in Utah's last game against the Blues — a perfect send-off, if this is, in fact, the end of the line for him.

During the game last night, he was given a tribute from the Blues' organization, as it was his first time back at Enterprise Center since being traded. The Hockey News' own Lou Korac captured the video.

It hasn’t been 100% confirmed that this is it for Bortuzzo, but all signs point to last night being the final game of his career. If so, he had one heck of a career and will retire not only a Stanley Cup champion but also a very respected person in the league. 

Congrats, Bortuzzo.

Utah’s Inaugural Season Wraps Up With Optimism For What’s NextUtah’s Inaugural Season Wraps Up With Optimism For What’s NextLast night, the Utah Hockey Club played their final game of the 2024-25 season. Utah Hockey Club vs. St. Louis Blue Game Preview: Game 82Utah Hockey Club vs. St. Louis Blue Game Preview: Game 82The Utah Hockey Club are on the road to take on the St. Louis Blues tonight in their final game at 8:00 P.M. MT / 10:00 P.M. EST. Vejmelka Caps Off Strong Season With Goalie Of The Week HonorsVejmelka Caps Off Strong Season With Goalie Of The Week HonorsThe NHL has announced their top goalies of the week, and to no one’s surprise, Utah Hockey Club’s Karel Vejmelka has been named as one of them.
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What we learned as Kings' season ends with brutal play-in loss to Mavs

What we learned as Kings' season ends with brutal play-in loss to Mavs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SACRAMENTO – There were cheers. There were boos. But at the end of the night, there was no beam shining above Golden 1 Center on Wednesday night.

The Kings’ 2024-25 NBA season came to an end after a 120-106 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA play-in tournament.

Dallas led by as many as 26 points, and while Sacramento made a predictable third-quarter run, the game never really was close beyond the first quarter.

It was a matchup between two teams with franchise-altering changes this season, including trading away their stars midseason. But even after the turbulent season Dallas endured, it managed to outperform Sacramento in a do-or-die game.

No Luka Dončić. No Kyrie Irving. No problem for Dallas.

In just his 10th game with the Mavericks, Anthony Davis led the way for his new squad with 27 points, nine rebounds, one assist, one steal and three blocks in 35 minutes. Klay Thompson added 23 in a sweet, sweet revenge game. P.J. Washington contributed 17, and Brandon Williams added 17 off the bench.

For the Kings, DeMar DeRozan led all scorers with 33 points. Zach LaVine added 20.

It’s all over, but here are three takeaways from the season-ending loss:

Rollercoaster Season Ends

After a coaching change, trading their franchise player and all the ups and downs in between, the Kings’ 2024-25 season officially is over.

It is their earliest postseason exit in three years.

Just two seasons ago, the Kings snapped their 16-season NBA playoff drought as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Just one season later, they won two fewer games and dropped to the No. 9 seed. They defeated the Golden State Warriors in the first of a win-or-go-home play-in game but fell to the New Orleans Pelicans in the second play-in game.

They’ve now made a playoff appearance just twice in the last 20 seasons.

The season ending had less to do with Wednesday’s game specifically and much more on the larger picture of the team’s roster flaws that must be addressed this offseason.

Which, for Sacramento, now begins Thursday morning.

Klay’s Revenge 

The last time Thompson stepped foot into Golden 1 Center for a play-in game, he went scoreless as the Kings ended the Golden State Warriors’ 2023-24 season.

The sharpshooter had an unusual performance through 32 minutes last year, shooting 0 of 10 from the field and 0 of 6 from beyond the arc.

A large part of his unforgettable night, which wound up being his final game in a Warriors uniform, was the defense from Keon Ellis. Ellis said before Wednesday’s game that he anticipated Thompson would want to bounce back from last year’s showing. 

So did Mavericks coach Jason Kidd. 

Both were correct. Thompson had 16 points at the half and finished the game with 23 points and five 3-pointers.

A much more memorable game for the four-time NBA champion.

Keegan’s (Very) Tall Task 

The Kings have faced Davis plenty while he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. But Wednesday was their first meeting with the 6-foot-10 star big man since he was shipped to the Mavericks at the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

Davis played just nine regular-season games with the Mavericks due to a left adductor strain he suffered in his first game with the team. Over the last five games with Dallas, the 32-year-old averaged 21.8 points on 50.6-percent shooting with 11.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.8 blocks in 29.6 minutes.

And his presence was impactful as ever Wednesday night.

The Mavericks wisely utilized their two-big lineup, with Davis playing the forward position alongside 7-foot-1 Derek Lively at the 5. This meant 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward Keegan Murray had the large task of defending the 6-foot-10, 253-pound Davis for a vast majority of the game.

Murray has done a decent job guarding up this season and is one of the Kings’ better defenders, but there’s only so much one can do to limit someone of Davis’ stature.

Davis finished with 27 points on 9-of-23 shooting from the field and 3 of 6 from beyond the arc, with nine rebounds, one assist, one steal and three blocks in 35 minutes.

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Nola struggles again, fastball barely above 90 mph in loss

Nola struggles again, fastball barely above 90 mph in loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Aaron Nola said after his last start on Friday in St. Louis that he needed to get back to throwing strike one and recording out one. He had been falling behind too many hitters and at Busch Stadium he was in the stretch repeatedly from putting the leadoff man on base in four of five innings.

Nola threw a higher rate of first-pitch strikes on Wednesday night but nothing else was improved as he walked four, allowed seven runs over 5⅓ innings and fell to 0-4 with a 6.65 ERA. Nola had never been 0-3 before, much less 0-4.

His fastball velocity was down even farther to 90.4 mph. Nola’s season average is 91.4 and his career average is 92.8. There’s a big difference between sitting 89-91 and sitting 92-94. Granted, it was a frigid night at Citizens Bank Park, neither starting pitcher seemed to have a feel for the ball early and Nola’s velocity has always increased as temperatures have warmed, but this has to be a growing concern for the Phillies. Nola is under contract through the end of 2030, making just over $24.5 million annually. It’s too early to be worrying about a potential decline phase setting in.

“Definitely the worst start (to a season) I’ve ever had by far,” Nola said. “All I can do is keep working and keep trying to have good weeks and compete.”

As most baseball fans know and dislike being reminded, it’s still early. Nola struggled in April in 2017, 2019 and 2023 and was much better the rest of the way all three years. His fastball velocity last April was similar to what it has been this April and he averaged 92.8 after May 1. The Phillies are certainly hoping history repeats itself in that regard.

The Giants jumped Nola for four runs in the top of the first. He walked in one of the runs and left-hander Robbie Ray returned the favor by walking in two himself. The Phillies made Ray throw nearly 40 pitches in the bottom of the first but managed just those two runs.

This was the second consecutive start Nola walked in a run. He’d done it just once in his career prior.

“It drives me crazy,” he said. “It’s unacceptable. Three times in my career I’ve done that and two times in the past two games. I’ve just got to get ahead better. Too many free passes and usually those runs have been scoring. Just making it harder on myself in those situations. Eight walks in two games, it’s not good. I’ll clean it up.”

They scored twice more on a two-run homer in the fourth inning from Bryce Harper but that was it. The Phillies had another brutal night with runners in scoring position going 1-for-9 in the 11-4 loss. They’re 7-for-59 with RISP over their last seven games, a .119 batting average.

Harper is locked in, at least. He said Sunday in St. Louis that a week earlier, he told hitting coach Kevin Long to give him 10 days and he’d be where he needed to be at the plate. Harper narrowly missed a bomb to left-center field that afternoon at Busch Stadium, hitting a ball 394 feet that would have been out in nine of 30 stadiums. It was a flyout to the warning track and the Phillies went homerless in the series.

Wednesday night was the 10th day, and on the 10th day, Harper delivered — not that he hadn’t along the way. He walked twice, hit a game-tying homer in the fourth and singled to bring up the tying run in the sixth.

Other Phillies highlights were few and far between. It always feels uglier when you walk the yard and the Phils walked nine Giants. Joe Ross was hit hard in the seventh inning, allowing four runs as his ERA ballooned to 9.39. Carlos Hernandez walked three, threw 41 pitches in the eighth and ninth and might be a roster casualty Thursday if the Phillies need a fresh arm.

The Phils are 10-8 and have lost six of nine games. They need a win on Thursday afternoon to avoid dropping their third consecutive series and turn to Cristopher Sanchez, who was a double-play machine his last time out.

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Kings' tumultuous 2024-25 NBA season ends with play-in game loss to Mavericks

Kings' tumultuous 2024-25 NBA season ends with play-in game loss to Mavericks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings’ rollercoaster 2024-25 NBA season came to a screeching halt.

Sacramento was blown out by the Dallas Mavericks 120-106 in the Western Conference play-in game on Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center, capping a season that saw the Kings fire their coach and trade their franchise star.

Forward DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 33 points, while guard Zach LaVine finished with 20 points and center Domantas Sabonis added 11 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.

Five Mavericks finished in double figures, led by 27 points from center Anthony Davis and 23 points from guard Klay Thompson.

The Kings head into the offseason with questions regarding who will coach the team next season and which stars want to stay and which want to leave.

The Mavericks head to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies on Friday at FedExForum in the 8-seed game. The winner faces the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in a best-of-seven first-round West playoff series.

Sacramento entered the season with high hopes of returning to the NBA playoffs, but a slow start dampened those expectations.

By mid-December, coach Mike Brown was on the hot seat and a five-game home losing streak resulted in his dismissal on Dec. 27.

Doug Christie was elevated to interim head coach and the Kings received an initial boost, winning seven consecutive games.

But the good vibes didn’t last.

NBA All-Star De’Aaron Fox grew frustrated with the situation and eventually was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in a deal that brought Zach LaVine to Sacramento.

But all the changes weren’t enough for the Kings to secure a playoff spot. Instead, they secured the No. 9 seed and needed to win two games to earn the No. 8 seed.

But Sacramento couldn’t get the job done Wednesday night, and now a pivotal offseason begins.

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Knicks' Josh Hart talks matching Pistons' physicality, 'electric' playoffs atmosphere at MSG

The Knicks find themselves back in the playoffs for the third straight season as they get ready to face off against the Detroit Pistons in the first round starting on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

Facing one of the league's youngest teams, spearheaded by superstar Cade Cunningham, will pose a unique challenge as New York will have to match or even exceed the physicality the upstart Pistons have established as their identity this season.

However, the Knicks have been in this position before and have the experience and toughness of their own to match up against Detroit.

"We all know what the playoffs takes and we’re picking up the preparation mentally and physically," said Josh Hart after practice on Wednesday.

Hart, now in his third season in New York, which coincides with his team's current playoff appearance streak, is no stranger to physicality as the Knicks' do-it-all guard of sorts.

In fact, head coach Tom Thibodeau referred to Hart as a "unique" player because of his rebounding and playmaking prowess.

"I think he’s unique because he rebounds the ball at really an elite level and he’ll go get them when it matters the most, in traffic," Thibodeau said. "And then it’s what he does after he gets it – his ability to push the ball, play with pace and he can out-quick most guys that are guarding him."

In 77 regular season games, Hart set career-highs in rebounds per game (9.6), assists per game (5.9) and steals per game (1.5) while averaging 13.6 points in 37.6 minutes per game, another career-high. Only Jalen Brunson (7.3 assists, also a career-high) was better on the Knicks at getting his teammates involved.

"I take that onus of getting guys involved pretty seriously," Hart said.

In regards to the Pistons' physicality with players such as Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart and others, Hart knows New York will need to go above and beyond to be able to outwork them.

"We have to not just match that physicality, but exceed it," he said. "I think there are times when you can use that to your advantage and to be able to get to the free throw line and draw fouls and do those kind of things.

"We know what kind of game it’s gonna be, we know what we have to be prepared for physically and mentally and obviously that physicality for the series is gonna be, you know probably one of the more physical series in the playoffs."

OG Anunoby also chimed in, saying, "We’re a physical team as well, I think we just have to show it."

But it's not just Detroit.

According to Thibodeau, he's noticed that the league is trending back towards allowing more physical play which is only heightened during the playoffs.

"I think that’s where the league is right now, there’s been a lot more physicality and so I think you have to embrace that and I think most teams have," he said. "And then you step it up into a playoff [series] where you’re playing the same opponent over and over again, the intensity does get high and the physicality will be ramped up."

One advantage that the Knicks will definitely have is home-court advantage. And it's not just any home court, it's Madison Square Garden where New York went 27-14 this year. For what it's worth, the Pistons went 22-19 at home and on the road this season.

While Hart has experienced playoff atmosphere inside MSG in recent years, some of the Knicks players like starters Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges have yet to discover what it's like playing inside The Mecca during the postseason. They will soon enough.

"They’ll get a feel for The Garden and how electric it is in the playoffs," Hart said. "... [I'm] excited to see how they are with that Garden, because that Garden come playoff time is one of the best arenas in the world."

"I think you don’t know until you experience it," added Anunoby who got his first taste of it last postseason.

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Suarez makes second rehab start, getting closer to returning to Phillies

Suarez makes second rehab start, getting closer to returning to Phillies originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Ranger Suarez is getting closer, literally and figuratively.

Suarez is expected to move on to Triple A Lehigh Valley or Double A Reading for his next rehab start after pitching four innings on Wednesday night with Single A Clearwater.

Wednesday was the second start of Suarez’ rehab assignment with the Threshers. He threw 54 pitches and allowed a run, striking out seven. His sinker was in the standard 91-92 mph range throughout the entire outing.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson has said that ideally, Suarez would be built up to 100 pitches before joining the Phillies’ rotation. Suarez made only one start in the Grapefruit League before experiencing low back stiffness so he’s needed another spring training or something close to it.

The 100-pitch mark isn’t necessarily a strict limit Suarez must clear, though. He will likely extend to five innings and 75 pitches in his next rehab start, which would put him on track for 90 pitches the next time out. That 90-pitch outing might end up coming with the Phillies. So it could be two more rehab starts, it could be one more. This is all provided that Suarez checks out OK on Thursday.

Taijuan Walker has filled Suarez’ rotation spot in the interim and made three starts. He was stingy the first time out and avoided damage the second, beginning with 10⅔ scoreless innings. Walker was hit harder on Monday by the Giants, allowing six runs (four earned) and a pair of homers over five innings.

It is unclear what will happen with Walker once Suarez returns. A six-man rotation is a possibility but only if Walker is pitching well enough to make it worthwhile. Teams usually have a pitcher in the bullpen who can be optioned to Triple A for flexibility purposes but the Phillies do not. Their only relievers with minor-league options remaining are Orion Kerkering and Tanner Banks and they wouldn’t send down either pitcher.

If everyone is healthy when Suarez returns, the likeliest arm the Phillies would remove from the active roster could be Carlos Hernandez, who they’d have to designate for assignment.

These things have a way of working themselves out, as managers and general managers always say. The Phillies might need to figure out a way to gain that flexibility in the bullpen before Suarez even returns so Hernandez’ leash could be short. In the meantime, it’s a good sign for the Phillies that Suarez appears to be only a couple of weeks away from contributing in the majors.

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Wild Clinch 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs After Win Over Anaheim

Apr 15, 2025; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (14) congratulates Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) after defeating the Anaheim Ducks in overtime at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images.

ST. PAUL - In dramatic fashion, the Minnesota Wild clinched a playoff spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs after beating the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night. 

The Wild entered Tuesday just in need of a point in their last game of the season to clinch a playoff spot. It started off well when Marcus Johansson gave the Wild a 1-0 lead. 

Anaheim ended up scoring the next two goals and put the Wild on their heals. Minnesota pulled its goalie late in the third to try and tie it up. 

After great passing by Mats Zuccarello and Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek was able to tie the game with 20.9 seconds left on a play in his office, the crease. 

Since all they needed was a point, the Wild put Marc-Andre Fleury in for overtime in what could be his final game in his Hall of Fame career. 

Boldy ended up scoring in overtime to win it, minutes after Fleury stood on his head in overtime. The Wild all came off the bench and went straight to Fleury. 

They have now made the playoffs 11 times in their last 13 seasons and will be facing the Vegas Golden Knights in a seven game series. 

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Wright writes off Warriors in series vs. Rockets with suggestive post

Wright writes off Warriors in series vs. Rockets with suggestive post originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Fox Sports 1 host Nick Wright on Tuesday made a bold declaration about the Warriors’ upcoming first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets.

“After watching this Warriors performance the past week, I’d like to be the first person to congratulate the Los Angeles Lakers on beating the Houston Rockets to advance to the Western Conference Finals,” Write wrote on X after Golden State’s 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA play-in tournament on Tuesday.

Interesting. 

Wright indirectly is saying that Golden State will lose to Houston and that Los Angeles will win their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, ultimately giving fans a Western Conference finals between the Rockets and Lakers that the LeBron James gang would triumph in. 

As if the Warriors, featuring leaders such as Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler, needed any more motivation.

Wright, who Dub Nation probably hopes will be wrong, appears confident in his take. However, the Warriors objectively shape up well against the Rockets.

Golden State won three of its five matchups with Houston during the 2024-25 NBA season and enters the series riding a 24-8 record in the 32 games since six-time All-Star Butler made his Warriors debut.

The Rockets went 20-12 in the same span but might be rusty after losing their final three regular-season games while resting key players.

And for what it’s worth, the Warriors are 4-0 against the Rockets in all-time playoff series matchups and own a 16-7 record against them in 23 postseason games.

Wright could end up being extremely wrong.

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