Hey! A signing that helps the Phillies shore up their infield depth, but maybe doesn’t move the needle much.
Insurance in case Otto Kemp doesn’t work out, Moore could be a good option for the team as a bench bat.
Leave it to Tom Willander to keep things honest. The Vancouver Canucks rookie may be in his first season with the team that drafted him 11th overall in 2023, but he’s already proving himself as a driven, strong player who knows how to keep himself accountable.
“[It’s been] good and bad, we’ve had a rough patch, obviously,” the defenceman told The Hockey News regarding how things have gone for both himself and the Canucks as of late. “I’m having a good time still.”
At the beginning of the 2025–26 season, Willander didn’t quite know what to expect from himself or the NHL. Having signed his entry-level contract with the Canucks back in May of 2025, the defenceman was making the hop from the NCAA to his first pro-season. With a backlog of young defencemen in Elias Pettersson and Victor Mancini, many weren’t sure whether Willander would start the season with Vancouver or whether he’d be sent to the Abbotsford Canucks. Ultimately, he ended up spending five games in the AHL, grabbing a goal and an assist in his final couple of games. For Willander, getting those first few games was instrumental in helping him figure out how to approach the NHL.
“I think that was huge for me, because that kind of gave me a few games in the system with having that freedom and confidence that I feel like I wouldn’t necessarily have up here. So I think that was very important, to kind of kickstart it.”
Willander is one of two rookies to make their NHL debuts for the Canucks this season, the other being centre Braeden Cootes. The fact that Willander has stuck in the lineup is, in itself, a testament to how strong of a player he’s been this season. When you look at the NHL’s overall rookie scoring race, it’s even more impressive. He’s currently sixth in rookie defenceman scoring with three goals and 12 assists. When asked about what kind of expectations he had for himself this season, Willander kept things honest yet again.
“I didn’t really have any. It’s easy to watch the game on the TV, but you don’t really know it until you’re in it. It’s a hard league. I think I’ve experienced that firsthand. It’s been pretty good. Now, I think [I’m] starting to feel like I’m getting into it.”
His debut itself was something that many people probably didn’t expect until later on in the season, but a smattering of injuries in late October resulted in Vancouver calling Willander up less than a month into the regular season. Since then, the soon-to-be 21-year-old has stuck in the lineup consistently — and it doesn’t look like he’ll be leaving anytime soon.
“I actually didn’t see myself sticking long term for that at all,” he admitted, a thought that once-again circles back to his candidness and unexpected expectations. “[I] kind of surprised myself in that a little bit, but it’s been fun.”
Despite Vancouver’s blueline sporting its fair share of young players, the total experiences of veterans like Tyler Myers, Marcus Pettersson, and Filip Hronek comes to a total of over 2000 NHL games. The Canucks have been outspoken about how important it is to them to keep quality veterans as they prepare to transition into rebuild-mode. For Willander, these three have made a big difference in how he’s settled in and what he’s taken away from the league.
“I think they’ve been doing a great job,” he explained. “It’s always a tight group. I think you learn a lot from watching them play. Obviously, they all have their thing that they’re very good at. I’ve played a lot with Marcus, and watching Fil and watching Myesy, you learn a lot. I think they’ve all been very good teachers in the way that they’re definitely not shy from helping and lending a helping hand.”
As the NHL shifts into the Olympic break in February, Willander and the Canucks will be faced with many questions regarding the long-term trajectory of the team. For a player like Willander, who is finding more and more comfort with every NHL game that he tucks under his belt, the final few months of the 2025–26 season will be the time to fully iron-out his play at the NHL level.
“I look to better myself and better my game. Obviously, it’s a solid stretch of games where I feel like there’s still a lot of experience to be gained, and I think there are a lot of parts of my game that need a lot of working on — really, all parts of my game. I see it as a great opportunity to put myself in a good spot.”
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.
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Tonight, New York (29*-18) hosts the Portland Trail Blazers (23–25) at Madison Square Garden in the teams’ second and final meeting of the season. The Knicks had their hands full when they tussled earlier this month, but if they apply the same defensive juice that’s fueled their four-game winning streak, this one should be far more manageable.
Tip off is 7:30 p.m. EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Blazers Edge. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be good. And go Knicks!
* Should be one more, but the NBA Cup Final doesn’t count.
Minnesota Timberwolves at Memphis Grizzlies
Date: January 31st, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM CST
Location: FedEx Forum
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: Wolves App, iHeart Radio
If there was one major takeaway from the Wolves’ demolition of the defending champs on Thursday night, it’s this: Minneosta absolutely has the proverbial light switch. And not the “sometimes we lock in, sometimes we don’t” light switch that every NBA team claims to have in January. I mean the full-on, how are these even the same people? version—where you watch them torch Oklahoma City Thunder on the second night of a back-to-back, build a 20-point lead, and control the game basically start-to-finish… and then you think back to Sunday afternoon’s sleepwalking fiasco against Golden State Warriors and you feel like you’ve been watching two different franchises sharing the same jerseys.
And sure, you can try to explain it away. Emotions. Turmoil. The off-court noise that’s been swirling around Minneapolis. Fine. Maybe that’s part of it. But the deeper issue is that the “off” games didn’t start last week. They’re sprinkled all over this season like landmines: the abysmal effort against Chicago Bulls, the fourth-quarter collapse against the Utah Jazz, the late-December face plants against Brooklyn and Atlanta. Those were choices. Those were “we didn’t feel like it” nights. And that’s why the Wolves are sitting where they’re sitting: the No. 5 seed out West, a half-game behind Houston Rockets for the four spot, rather than hanging with Denver and San Antonio in that scrum for the 2 and 3 seeds.
So yes, it probably sounds like I’m being harsh and doom-and-gloom after the most impressive win of the season. But it’s only because the OKC game was a reminder of what this team is when it decides to be serious. When the defense is connected. When the ball moves. When the pace is controlled. When the Wolves stop treating possessions like optional. When they play like a team that has been to back-to-back Western Conference Finals and remembers what that feels like. Because when they play like that… they’re a nightmare.
And here’s the other reason that Thursday mattered: it reframed the fear. Early in the season, the biggest nightmare scenario was ending up on OKC’s side of the bracket and getting wiped off the map by the champs. But now? The Wolves have taken two of three from OKC. They’ve looked good doing it. And if they had hit free throws in that first matchup (yes, I’m dragging us back to that crime scene again) they might honestly be 3–0 against them. The Thunder weren’t at full strength Thursday, missing key guys, and we don’t get to pretend that doesn’t matter. But the larger point stands: Minnesota can absolutely take OKC to the wire and impose their will. Anthony Edwards is one of the few guys in the league who can hold serve with the offensive robot that is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and when Minnesota is rolling, they can make the Thunder look small and uncomfortable in a way not many teams can.
Which brings us to the dangerous part.
Because after a win like that, after a statement game, after the crowd buzz, after the “we’re back” energy, here comes the ultimate letdown spot. The Wolves now get a weekend trip to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies without Ja Morant and Zach Edey, with a couple more rotation guys floating around as questionable game-time decisions. This is exactly the kind of game where Minnesota, especially this version of Minnesota, can start reading its own press clippings, take a few sloppy possessions early, and accidentally turn the night into a street fight. And the worst part? If they do that, Thursday’s masterpiece starts to feel like a wasted work of art. This is the “make it count” game. You don’t beat the champs and then hand it back by losing to a wounded opponent two days later. That’s how you end up in the play-in and spend April pretending it’s “not a big deal.”
So with that, here are the keys to the game.
#1: Don’t play down to the competition—because Memphis has already proven they’ll take your lunch money if you let them.
This is where the Wolves have to stop treating urgency like a special occasion. Memphis, especially shorthanded Memphis, should not be allowed to hang around. And yet the Wolves have had this recurring habit this season: the moment the opponent looks “boring,” Minnesota starts acting like the game is a suggestion. They can’t do that here. The whole point of Thursday was rediscovering what “serious basketball” looks like: shrinking the floor, defending the perimeter with real resistance, rotating like you actually like your teammates, protecting the paint, and making the other team earn everything. If the Wolves come out flat and start giving Memphis easy drives, open threes, and second chances, then they’re basically telling everyone, the fans, the conference, themselves, that Thursday was a one-night rental.
#2: Dominate the paint like you’re supposed to—because this is a size matchup that should tilt hard in Minnesota’s favor.
One of the underrated parts of the OKC win was how physical Minnesota played. They didn’t treat it like a track meet. They treated it like a “we’re bigger than you and we’re going to remind you” game. Now they get a Memphis team still without Edey, and the Wolves should smell blood. Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid need to own the glass and own the restricted area. Gobert should be living on lobs and put-backs. Randle has to punish mismatches without turning into a black hole. Naz has to keep doing what he’s been doing in stretching the floor, forcing bigs to move, and making Memphis choose between protecting the rim and respecting the pop. This is a game where Minnesota can win with grown-man basketball if they actually commit to it.
#3: Do the little things that stop a “letdown game” from turning into a crisis—turnovers, free throws, and basic professionalism.
This is the annoying part, because it’s the same lecture every time. But it’s the truth: Minnesota’s losses during this ugly stretch have been loaded with self-inflicted damage. Sloppy live-ball turnovers that turn into easy points. Missed free throws that turn into a tight fourth quarter you never should’ve had to play. Possessions where the Wolves just… stop making the simple play. If you want to be a top seed, you don’t live on the edge against undermanned teams because you can’t complete the fundamentals. You bank these games by taking care of the ball and converting the freebies. Not glamorous, not fun, but it’s how you stop the season from spiraling.
#4: Keep the shooting quality high—because the OKC flamethrower night only matters if you keep generating good looks when the percentages cool off.
Nobody should expect the Wolves to shoot like they did against OKC every night, especially with the schedule tightening and the legs getting heavier. But the key isn’t “make every three.” The key is “take the right threes.” Thursday worked because the ball moved, the defense collapsed, and Minnesota got clean looks, shots that didn’t require a miracle or a heat-check ego trip. Against Memphis, the Wolves can’t fall back into the bad habit of hero-ball possessions that turn into contested jumpers with four guys watching. If the ball is hopping, Minnesota doesn’t need a perfect shooting night. They just need a steady diet of good shots and the discipline to live with the results.
#5: The Edwards-Randle tone-setting has to be consistent—because this team follows their mood like it’s a weather pattern.
Ant was phenomenal against OKC. He set the tone early, he controlled the emotional temperature, and he made it clear the game was going to be a battle. Randle had a rougher outing, and that’s okay, everybody has those games. But now, against Memphis, he needs to get right in the exact way this Wolves team needs him: play physical, make quick decisions, facilitate when the doubles come, and punish when they don’t. And Ant has to keep doing the thing that separates contenders from pretenders: bring the same edge when the opponent isn’t glamorous. This team becomes whatever their two stars decide it’s going to be. If they’re locked in, everyone locks in. If they’re casual, the whole thing gets casual.
And that’s the real maturity test here.
Thursday night was the kind of win that can change a season’s emotional trajectory. It reminded everyone that Minnesota can absolutely beat the best team in the league when they’re connected. But the NBA doesn’t hand out trophies for “best single-game performance in late January.” The league rewards consistency. And the Wolves are about to hit the 50-game mark, which is usually when you stop being what you think you are and start being what you actually are.
They’ve proven they can flip the switch. That’s real.
Now comes the harder part: proving they can keep it on. Because when April and May arrive, there’s no “we didn’t feel like it tonight.” There’s no letdown spot. There’s no hiding. If Minnesota wants to make a real run, if they want to get back to that third straight Western Conference Finals, if they want do something this franchise has never done and get to the last round, then games like this Memphis one can’t be treated like chores.
They have to be treated like steps.
College basketball's eligibility saga has its next addition.
Former UCLA men's basketball guard Amari Bailey is attempting to return to college basketball after playing 10 games in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets during the 2023-2024 NBA season, according to ESPN's Dan Murphy.
"Right now I'd be a senior in college," Bailey told ESPN in a statement. "I'm not trying to be 27 years old playing college athletics. No shade to the guys that do; that's their journey. But I went to go play professionally and learned a lot, went through a lot. So, like, why not me?"
Per ESPN's report, the 6-foot-3 guard has already hired an agent and an attorney to represent him in his case, in which he is looking for the NCAA to give him the right to play one more season.
"It's not a stunt," Bailey continued. "I'm really serious about going back. I just want to improve my game, change the perception of me and just show that I can win."
The Chicago native joins a growing list of players to re-enter college basketball, though unlike the others, he has NBA regular-season experience. His request also comes at a time when the NCAA is currently in court fighting against the temporary restraining order that former Alabama and G-League forward Charles Bediako received from Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court Judge James H. Roberts Jr. to return to play for the Crimson Tide.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), NCAA senior vice president of external affairs Tim Buckley said that the NCAA "has and will not grant eligibility to any players who have signed an NBA contract."
The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any players who have signed an NBA contract. Congress can strengthen NCAA rules so professional athletes cannot sue their way back to competing against college students. https://t.co/hrSqL7xr8b
— Tim Buckley (@Tim_BuckleyMA) January 30, 2026
Buckley's statement follows in line with what NCAA president Charlie Baker said in December when the college eligibility saga started to pick up.
"@NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an @NBA contract (including a two-way contract)," Baker wrote in a statement posted on social media. "... Rules have long permitted schools to enroll and play individuals with no prior collegiate experience midyear. While the NCAA has prevailed on the vast majority of eligibility-related lawsuits, recent outlier decisions enjoining the NCAA on a nationwide basis from enforcing rules that have been on the books for decades -- without even having a trial -- are wildly destabilizing. I will be working with DI leaders in the weeks ahead to protect college basketball from these misguided attempts to destroy this American institution."
Bailey was a one-and-done at UCLA, where he started 28 games during the 2022-2023 season. In 30 games for the Bruins, Bailey averaged 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 49.5% from the field and 38.9% from beyond the arc.
He declared for the NBA draft after the Bruins were upset 79-76 by Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. He was drafted by the Hornets with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, where he'd play in just 10 games that NBA season.
Bailey spent most of the 2023-24 NBA season with the Hornets' G-League affiliate, Greensboro Swarm, before spending the entire 2024-25 season with the Long Island Nets, the G-League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets. He's on a G-League roster this season, according to his G-League profile.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Amari Bailey played in NBA. He now seeks a college basketball return
Early forecasts from the stat nerds aren’t bullish on the Yankees’ American League East chances.
FanGraphs released its first ZiPS projections earlier this week, and it’s not looking pretty for the Bronx Bombers if no more moves are coming this offseason.
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
Try it freeThe Yankees are projected to have 87 wins in 2026, the second-fewest in the division behind the Blue Jays (90), Red Sox (90) and Orioles (88).
Only the Rays (75) are being pegged for fewer victories.
That number would be the Yankees’ fewest over a full season since 2023, when they went 82-80 and missed the postseason, and second-fewest over the last decade.
Fangraphs is giving them just an 18.9 percent chance to win the division and a 41.4 percent chance at grabbing one of the three AL wild-card spots.
The underwhelming win estimate comes after a relatively quiet offseason for the Bombers.
The Yankees re-signed Cody Bellinger to a five-year, $162.5 million deal and brought back Trent Grisham after he accepted the qualifying offer, but did little else to improve the lineup.
Left-hander Ryan Weathers, acquired in a trade from the Marlins, will provide rotation depth, though being able to stay on the field has been a question for most of his career. The starting staff has plenty of other questions elsewhere, with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt all coming off surgeries and returning at various points post-Opening Day.
In the bullpen, the Yankees lost Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in free agency to the Mets.
Earlier this week, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman expressed confidence in his team’s roster.
“I’ve been openly willing to challenge anybody that we don’t have a championship caliber roster [and] team,’’ Cashman said. “And it’s our job to try to make it better along the way.”
Let’s be honest. The Ottawa Senators have one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL. Trading top picks in 2022 and 2023 is starting to rear its ugly head, as the cupboards are bare when it comes to high-end talent.
But Carter Yakemchuk, the 7th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, represents the slightest glimmer of hope. He has the potential to be a top-pair offensive defenseman in the NHL if he develops properly.
Consensus seems to be that the 20-year-old needs time in the American Hockey League with the club’s affiliate team, the Belleville Senators, to work on his defensive game.
But Yakemchuk, who recently returned from an injury that kept him out of the lineup for 13 games, might actually be better served developing in the NHL.
Let me make the case.
Before diving into why the Senators should get Yakemchuk to the NHL sooner rather than later, I want to make it clear that his development is critical for the future of this roster.
There isn’t much top-end help coming in the pipeline, but if he pans out and reaches his potential, the Senators could be set on the blueline for years to come with Jake Sanderson and Yakemchuk leading the way.
So the pressure is on GM Steve Staios and his front office to find the right path for Yakemchuk, who was this regime’s first official draft pick.
The easy answer is patience. The organization has predicated itself on making calculated moves during Staios’ tenure, earning him the nickname Steady Steve.
It would feel out of character for the Senators to hand the keys to Yakemchuk and let him figure things out at the NHL level, instead of being patient and letting him get reps in the AHL while adapting to playing professional hockey.
On the surface, it looks like he has struggled to start his professional career. He is a -24 on the season with 19 points in 31 games. When a player is that far in the minuses, it raises eyebrows.
But the stout defensive game that the NHL team has developed under head coach Travis Green is not quite trickling down the 416 and the 401 just yet.
Belleville is dead last in goals against in the AHL, despite having a team save percentage of .894. The BSens give up way more shots than the NHL team, which leads us back to Yakemchuk.
Is it smart for a player who has undeniable offensive talent but needs to work on his defensive game to be on a team that struggles to defend?
-24 is an ugly stat line for a rookie defenseman, but +/- needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Jake Sanderson was -14 last season, yet no Senators fan was saying he needed to work on his game defensively.
I’m not pretending I’ve seen every single shift Yakemchuk has played in Belleville. The organization is obviously monitoring him closely, given his importance to the Senators’ future.
But it’s important to remember what Yakemchuk was drafted for. He is an offensive defenseman with skills that could help the NHL team today. I look at the Senators’ quietly struggling power play, which is ranked 31st in the NHL since Christmas.
Would it be crazy to get Yakemchuk on the first power play unit right away?
Sanderson’s game has reached a new level this season, and reducing his minutes with the man advantage would allow the Senators to use him at even strength more often, and could rejuvenate that area of the Sens’ game offensively.
The power play just so happens to be where Yakemchuk has excelled in his first professional season, helping lead a top-5 power play in the AHL. Despite missing time with an injury, Yakemchuk ranks 8th in the league in power play assists, leading all rookies.
And with the way the Senators defend as a team, there might not be a better situation for a young defenseman to work on his defensive game.
His minutes could be sheltered behind Artem Zub and Jordan Spence, who have been excellent this season and would likely see more time at even strength than Yakemchuk.
He is also a 7th overall pick from two years ago. It’s fair to assume a player drafted that high can make an impact in the NHL at a young age.
It’s worth noting that during his midseason media availability in December, Staios said Yakemchuk would likely have been called up by that point had he not been injured.
So maybe we will see him in Ottawa sooner than we think.
The bottom line is the Senators probably need to make an upgrade on veteran defenseman Nick Jensen if they want to push for a playoff spot, and the solution might be right under their noses.
They need to take a look at Yakemchuk in the NHL before shipping out assets to acquire another right-shot defenseman.
Jack Richardson
The Hockey News - Ottawa
This article was first published at The Hockey News. Read more from The Hockey News Ottawa:
Linus Ullmark’s Former Goalie Coach Now Part Of Senators’ Coaching Picture
One-On-One With Senators Captain Brady Tkachuk
Next Level: Ridly Greig 'Does Whatever Needs To Be Done To Win'
Jake Sanderson's Blunt Goaltending Critique Hits Hard In Ottawa
Time Is Running Out For The Senators... And Steve Staios Knows It
Days after being called up from the AHL's Toronto Marlies, Marshall Rifai will make his season debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks.
"(It's) obviously exciting," Rifai said after Friday's practice in Vancouver. "Just any other game, though. I've got to come in and prepare the way I always do. And that's what I plan to do."
This'll be the first time Rifai dresses for an NHL game with the Maple Leafs since Feb. 21, 2024 — almost two years ago — against the Arizona Coyotes.
Yeah, it's been that long.
(He was called up several times last year but never got into Toronto's lineup.)
The 27-year-old defenseman missed a good chunk of the season after undergoing wrist surgery in September, following an injury in a preseason game. Rifai returned to the Marlies' lineup on Dec. 27 and has since played 12 games with the club.
"It's one of those things when you don't get to do what you love every day, and you have to take a step back, it just leaves room for gratitude," Rifai said of missing three months.
"And when I came back, I was fresh, which I think is a big thing in a long pro season and played a lot of pro hockey here. And I try to use that to my advantage instead of thinking it was a disadvantage.
"I get to come in fresh in the middle of the season and provide a boost for my team."
Rifai will line up alongside Troy Stecher on Toronto's third defense pairing on Saturday against the Canucks (Simon Benoit will come out of the lineup for Rifai). The two defensemen share something in common: both went undrafted, with Stecher coming out of the University of North Dakota and Rifai out of Harvard.
#Leafs lines at practice in Vancouver. Jan. 30/26
— David Alter (@davidalter) January 30, 2026
McMann-Matthews-Domi
Maccelli-Tavares-Nylander
Knies-Roy-Robertson
Lorentz-Laughton-Jarnkrok
Extra: Cowan, Quillan
Rielly-Carlo
McCabe-OEL
Rifai-Stecher
Extra: Benoit-Myers
Woll
Stolarz@BodogCApic.twitter.com/4T78fIs0Ow
What makes Rifai an interesting player for Toronto is his untapped potential. With only two games played (both under former head coach Sheldon Keefe), there still isn't much known about what he could do at the NHL level.
"What I've seen since I've been here, from last year to this year is how he prepared," said head coach Craig Berube. "You notice little things with some of these guys: how early they get to the rink every day and their preparation. He's a good pro.
"He does all the right things, and a lot of times it's important that these guys do take the mental side approach. That's definitely going to help their game."
With the Marlies, Rifai is a strong skater who can move the puck and is quite the physical player. He won't always put points on the board, but he can play in most defensive situations.
"I’d just say I'm smart, make a simple play, use my feet when I can," he added. "If I have a chance to be physical, I'm going to try to hit and go from there."
William Nylander Ready To Help Maple Leafs Against Canucks, Details Recovery From Groin Injury And Excitement For Olympics Although Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said there's a "good chance" William Nylander will return against Canucks, the star declared himself fully healthy to play. What Berube appreciates about Rifai is his competitiveness. The head coach added that the trait is one of the biggest separators between being a consistent AHLer and a consistent NHLer.
"To play in the NHL, you have to be highly competitive," Berube continued. "It's just all that preparation that goes into what's needed daily to play in the NHL. I'm not sure everybody's cut out for that. It's a grind."
Rifai has over 200 games of pro experience, mostly all with the Marlies. He understands what's needed of him in every game. And just because Rifai is up in the NHL, it doesn't mean he's going to try to change how he plays.
After all, that's what got him to this point in his career.
"Everyone's got a role on a team," Rifai said, "and you've got to lean into your role at whatever level it is, and that's the mindset coming in here."
The Hockey Show is on the road this week.
That’s because the focus of the NHL is once again on the state of Florida, so naturally the two Florida boys who host The Hockey Show, Roy Bellamy and David Dwork, are in the middle of all the fun.
This time it’s for the 2026 NHL Stadium Series which is taking place in Tampa, less than a month after the league held the 2026 Winter Classic in Miami.
Yes, you are reading that correctly. Outdoor hockey in Florida is officially a thing.
On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Boston Bruins on top of a giant treasure map inside Raymond James Stadium.
If its anything like what we saw for the Winter Classic, fans are in for a major treat.
This week on The Hockey Show, Roy and Dave went on location in Tampa after being granted access to the stadium a couple days early.
Joining the show this week was Lightning beat reporter for The Hockey News Diandra Loux to provide insight into Tampa Bay’s excellent season, how they’ve found success despite dealing with a plethora of injuries and whether this will be the season Jon Cooper finally wins the Jack Adams Award.
They also chatted about Florida being the official State of Hockey and some of the pirate-related events happening around Tampa this weekend.
You can check out this week’s full show and interview in the videos below:
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Greetings, Panthers fans. Welcome to the weekend.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.
You know the drill.
This is now an open thread
The Golden State Warriors will play their 50th game of the season with Friday night’s home matchup against the Detroit Pistons. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on ESPN and NBC Sports Bay Area.
Golden State finished its recent four-game road trip on a high note after defeating the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, 140–124. After sitting out a game in Minnesota, several Warriors veterans — including Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Al Horford, and De’Anthony Melton — returned in a big way. Curry led the team with 27 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field, while Moses Moody benefitted from the extra attention paid to Curry, knocking down 5-of-9 three-pointers on his way to a 26-point night. Moody has done his part to keep the Warriors afloat recently, making over 50 percent of his threes over his last five games.
The Warriors return to the Chase Center tonight, where they are 17–7 this season. However, they’ll be tested by a tough Pistons team that currently holds the best record in the Eastern Conference at 34–12.
Detroit gets the job done defensively, ranking second in the league in defensive rating (108.9). While the Pistons are more middle of the pack offensively (11th in offensive rating), they’re led by Eastern Conference All-Star starter Cade Cunningham. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft is showing his superstar potential this season, nearly averaging a double-double with 25.3 points and 9.7 assists per game, along with 5.7 rebounds.
Although the Warriors lack elite point-of-attack defense to slow Cunningham down, they’ll look to make up for it on the weakside. Steve Kerr recently said he’s leaning toward keeping Horford in the starting lineup at center, which places another high-IQ help defender alongside Green to compensate for the loss of Jimmy Butler. Horford had a strong showing Wednesday against the Jazz — which included three blocks and one steal on defense — and will look to continue that upward trend against Detroit.
Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!!
Warriors: Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Draymond Green, Al Horford
Pistons: Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren
Who: Golden State Warriors (27 – 22) vs. Detroit Pistons (34 – 12)
When: Friday, January 30th, at 7:00 p.m. PT
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, California
TV: ESPN and NBC Sports Bay Area (available on fuboTV)
The Athletics took another step Friday toward securing their potential opening-day Las Vegas lineup in 2028 by reaching an agreement with All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson on a seven-year, $70 million contract.
That contract takes Wilson through the 2032 season with a club option for 2033.
By signing him now, the A’s avoid salary arbitration after the 2027, 2028 and 2029 seasons. Wilson also would have been eligible for free agency after the 2030 World Series.
Wilson and A’s management scheduled a news conference for Monday in Las Vegas to sign the deal.
The 22-year-old is the fourth player the A’s have signed through at least 2028 when the ballpark is scheduled to open on the Strip.
The usually economical A’s have signed some notable deals going back to last offseason. Those include a seven-year, $86 million contract for left fielder Tyler Soderstrom, a five-year, $60 million contract with designated hitter/outfielder Brent Rooker and a seven-year, $65.5 million deal with outfielder Lawrence Butler. Soderstrom’s deal is the richest in team history.
Manager Mark Kotsay signed an extension that takes him through 2028 with a club option for 2029.
This offseason, the A’s traded with the New York Mets for veteran second baseman Jeff McNeil.
The A’s will play at least the next two seasons at a Triple-A stadium in West Sacramento, California.
Wilson hit .311 with 13 home runs and 63 RBI last season and was the first fan-elected rookie All-Star starting shortstop. He finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind teammate Nick Kurtz, who was a unanimous selection.
The A’s selected Wilson sixth in the 2023 amateur draft.
Earlier today, former Yankees reliever David Robertson took to his social media platforms to officially announce his retirement from baseball. At 40 years old entering what would have been his age-41 season, this news hardly comes as a surprise, especially considering how the past few years went for the former Olympian. Still though, for anyone that’s familiar with me, this news is devastating.
Robertson was first drafted by the Yankees in the 17th round of the 2006 MLB draft and worked his way through the minors before eventually making his MLB debut in 2008. In 2009 is when he truly made his mark during that playoff run when he pitched out of a bases-loaded-nobody-out jam in the 11th inning of the ALDS against the Twins. I remember telling someone then “this guy’s going to be good.” And my love affair had begun.
Since that playoff run, I was D-Rob’s #1 fan and maintain that title to this day. His best season came two years later in 2011 when he finished with a 1.08 ERA, earned his only All-Star nod, and received down ballot Cy Young and MVP votes. He was the heir apparent to Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer ever, and he served that role well for one year before Brian Cashman ruined my life. He finished his first stint with the Yankees with a 2.81 ERA across 402 games before joining the White Sox in the South Side of Chicago in his first dalliance with free agency.
He spent two and a half seasons there before Brian Cashman made attempted to make amends with me personally and brought him back for the 2017 playoff push and run. That postseason we saw something truly remarkable out of Robertson when he came in and pitched 3.1 scoreless innings as the Yankees clawed their way back to steal victory out of Luis Severino’s hands in the one-and-done Wild Card game. His second stint in the Bronx ended after the 2018 season when Brian Cashman once again ruined my life.
His first stint with the Phillies would also be quickly forgotten as injury forced his two-year deal come down to just seven games in 2019 before he was shutdown and unable to return to the mound until 2021, missing the COVID-shortened 2020 season completely. However, he had an opportunity to suit up for Team USA at the Olympics, where he appeared in three games and helped the US Team earn the Silver Medal after losing to Japan in the finals.
His Olympics stint and overall resume was enough to earn him a flyer from the Rays to help bolster their bullpen for their own playoff push and run. Unfortunately, that Rays stint did not go great for him, but he was able to secure a free agent contract for his second stint in the city of Chicago, just this time he’d pitch for the Cubs. They eventually traded him to the Phillies for his second stint there and since then he’d bounce around to the Mets, Marlins, and Rangers until ultimately signing a midseason contract with the Phillies in 2025, which we now know would end up being his final season as a major leaguer.
The tail end of his career will likely soil some memories of him, but he really should be remembered fondly for a truly impressive career. It’s not often that someone gets drafted with the pedigree of a reliever and actually makes it to have a 15-year career. Not only that, but he’s a World Series champion, a World Baseball Classic gold medalist, and an Olympic silver medalist. He finishes his career with a 2.93 ERA, an ERA+ of 143, 179 saves, and 1176 strikeouts across 881 games. He’s not going to be a Hall of Famer (though he’d have my vote….which is only partially why I don’t have a vote), but he’s the pinnacle of what a truly good and stable relief pitcher should be.
Sure there were some bumps, but overall more good than bad and again a 15-year career as solely a relief pitcher is something truly remarkable in my books. That’s the most volatile position in the game and for him to have done that for as long as he did should be remembered fondly. I wrote his entry into PSA’s Top 100 Yankees series as well, and every year I’d show back up to plead my case to Brian Cashman to either sign him in free agency or trade for him at the deadline. This is why, even though I don’t show up often around here anymore, I jumped at the chance to write his retirement post. He helped me fall in love with the game when I was just getting into it, and he’s why relief pitchers are my favorite players and why I’ve been obsessed with them.
Thank you, D-Rob, for letting this one baseball fan fall in love with you. I’ll cherish the memories of wearing my socks high during those playoff runs you were part of, and sometimes even channeling your spirit for the ones you weren’t a part of as well. I’ll miss my annual tradition Congratulations on an amazing career and I wish you nothing but the best in retirement and on your next venture.
I knew this day would come, but I still think back to just commenting about D-Rob in the old PSA comments section before I even joined the staff year. Age comes for us all, I guess. But today we wear our socks high with pride for this Yankee that was, tomorrow, we hang them up even higher.
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Espanyol was stunned by visiting Alaves 2-1 to extend its run of winless games to five in La Liga on Friday.
Lucas Boyé finished from close range a counterattack to complete a comeback by the visitor.
Roberto Fernandez headed in the opening goal for Espanyol and Alaves captain Antonio Blanco equalized with a deflected left-foot shot from outside the area.
Espanyol was fifth but the loss was a blow for its European hopes with Real Betis and Celta Vigo trailing by two points.
Alaves was previously just a point outside the relegation zone and has jumped to 10th in the table.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
The Spurs’ Saturday game against the Hornets will start earlier than originally scheduled, the league announced. Due to the weather conditions in Charlotte, the league has moved up the tip-off time from 2 p.m. CT to 11 a.m. CT.
The National Weather Service has placed a winter storm warning affecting Charlotte, with heavy snow expected on Saturday. The extreme weather conditions that have been affecting the East Coast have already resulted in rescheduled games, so this is not the most surprising news.
By moving the matchup to earlier in the day, the expectation is that the Spurs should have an easier time getting out of the city in time to return to San Antonio for the second game of a back-to-back against Orlando on Sunday, according to The San Antonio Express-News’ Jeff McDonald:
Early starts can often have unpredictable results, and the Hornets have been playing well lately, so it could be a tough game for the Silver and Black. Fortunately, they landed in Charlotte on Friday with enough time to have a workout and will be well rested since they last played on Wednesday against the Rockets.
The game will be televised by KENS 5 and Prime Video.