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3 Things Panthers Need To Beat Oilers & Win Stanley Cup Again

The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers are set to face off in the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row. The Panthers will now look to defeat the Oilers again to become back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. 

However, the Panthers know that the Oilers are going to be an extremely tough challenge. Edmonton has an incredible roster and is entering the Stanley Cup Final red-hot. Thus, if the Panthers hope to defeat them, they need these three things to happen. 

Panthers Need To Shut Down Connor McDavid & Oilers' Stars

If the Panthers hope to knock out the Oilers, they going to need to shut down Connor McDavid and the rest of their top stars. McDavid has been excellent this post-season, recording six goals and 26 points in 16 games. Leon Draisaitl has 25 points in 16 games, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard are also producing at an over a point-per-game pace. 

Besides their top stars, the Oilers are also getting strong production from players like Evander Kane, Corey Perry, and Connor Brown. With all of this, the Panthers need to be on their A-game defensively if they hope to get by the Oilers.

Panthers Need Sergei Bobrovsky To Outplay Stuart Skinner

A major reason for the Panthers' success this post-season has been the play of Sergei Bobrovsky. The 36-year-old currently has a 12-5 record, a 2.11 goals-against average, and a .912 save percentage. However, after a tough start to the playoffs, Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner has also been excellent. Skinner has recorded three shutouts and a .966 save percentage or better in five out of his last seven games.

With how hot Skinner is playing right now, the Panthers are going to need Bobrovsky to thrive against Edmonton. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner has shown that he is capable of stepping up in the playoffs, and it will be fascinating to see if he does that against Edmonton from here. 

Panthers Need Offense To Continue To Shine

The Panthers' offense has been excellent this post-season, and another notable reason why Florida is back in the Stanley Cup Final. Besides getting strong offensive production from their top stars, their depth guys have also been stepping up big time. For example, Eetu Luostarinen has a notable 13 points in 17 games. In addition, the Panthers have had 19 different goal-scorers this playoffs.

The Oilers' are an offensively-dominant team, so the Panthers will need their top players, like Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, and Sam Bennett to step up for them. 

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Photo Credit:  © Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

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Oilers vs Florida Panthers: Full 2025 Schedule & 3 Bold Series Predictions

Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)

EDMONTON – Get ready Oil Country, the Stanley Cup Final is coming for you.

After the Edmonton Oilers smashed the Dallas Stars' dreams of competing in the final playoff round, the NHL announced the schedule for the Cup Final.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

For the second consecutive season, the Oilers will face the Florida Panthers, winner-take-all.

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Oilers vs Panthers Full 2025 Series Schedule

All games are posted in Mountain Time. Italics are used for games that will only be played if necessary. Bold denotes home games.

Game 1: June 4 (Wednesday) - Florida at Edmonton - 6 PM

Game 2: June 6 (Friday) - Florida at Edmonton - 6 PM

Game 3: June 9 (Monday) - Edmonton at Florida - 6 PM

Game 4: June 12 (Thursday) - Edmonton at Florida - 6 PM

Game 5: June 14 (Saturday) - Florida at Edmonton - 6 PM

Game 6: June 17 (Tuesday) - Edmonton at Florida - 6 PM

Game 7: June 20 (Friday) - Florida at Edmonton - 6 PM

3 Stanley Cup Final Series Predictions

A new series needs a new series of predictions. This might be the second year that these teams are facing each other, but this is not last year’s Edmonton Oilers.

Here are my three major series predictions:

Oilers Won’t Go Down 0-3

The Oilers have not lost more than two games in a row for this entire playoff run. Since losing their first two games against the Los Angeles Kings, they have only lost two total games.

They have demonstrated a calmness and maturity that they didn’t have last year. Those attributes will serve them well in the Cup Final. And there is no way that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl allow their team to be put in the same unfortunate situation.

Evander Kane Will Be Evander Kane

It’s time for the Oilers to raise some Kane…that is, Evander Kane.

Last year, Kane was virtually invisible in the series against the Panthers. He only played two games (Games 1 & 2), recording two hits and one block in 25 total minutes of ice time.

That’s not going to be good enough this year.

Kane seemingly took a backseat during the Dallas Stars series. I suspect he might have struggled to find a way to get physically engaged. There should be no struggles to get physically engaged with the likes of former Calgary Flames forwards Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk.

Oilers Will Get The Last Laugh

My final prediction: the Oilers will win the Stanley Cup. There is enough different about this year’s Oilers that they won’t fail in the final twice. Oilers in five.

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Knicks found blueprint to come all the way back, beat Pacers, but can they execute it two more times?

Thursday night the Knicks followed the blueprint.

The question now is, can they repeat it two more times?

Throughout the Eastern Conference Finals, we've been waiting for New York to ramp up its defensive intensity across the board, to be the more physical team and drag the game down into the mud, where it could win. Instead, for three of the four games, Indiana was the more physical team. Surprisingly, Tyrese Haliburton has been more physical than Jalen Brunson. The Pacers were given enough room to run their free-flowing offense, which is elite when Haliburton is scoring, then driving into the paint and then finding cutters or kicking out to shooters.

Thursday night, the Knicks brought a swarming defensive energy they had only shown in flashes this series — they were up in the bodies of the Pacers, bothering them. Mitchell Robinson helped lead that, but even the bench guys like Landry Shamet — not a guy exactly known for his defense — were swarming guys and making plays.

"I'm just very proud of what we did," Brunson said after the game. "Now, we've just got to replicate it in the first quarter of next game and then continue to build on that."

Knicks comeback blueprint

Brunson is right. For the Knicks to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since The Matrix was in theaters, they need to build off of what we saw in Game 5 and be better than they were in that blowout win. New York needs to execute under pressure and take care of the ball, limiting turnovers (they still had 15 Thursday night), and they need guys like OG Anunoby (3-of-14 in Game 5) and Duece McBride (3-of-10 on open 3-pointers in this series) to step up and hit shots.

New York also needs to carry over a lot of things from Game 5. This attacking version of Karl-Anthony Towns has to show up.

On the other end of the court, Brunson and the Knicks were more aggressive in taking the ball out of Haliburton's hands, and in the face of that, Haliburton was passive. He was not seeking out his shots — he took just seven for the game — instead, he was driving to pass, which threw the entire team off balance. With Haliburton struggling, nobody else stepped up. Myles Turner turned the ball over twice early and was off all night. Indiana's execution was lacking in the way the Knicks' execution was lacking in other games this series. Thursday night it was Indiana being sloppy with the ball.

(Note to the Pacers: If you thought the Knicks' physical, swarming defense was an issue, I'd like to introduce you to the Oklahoma City Thunder. You ain't seen nothing yet.)

For the Knicks to win this series, that defensive pressure has to keep Indiana on its heels and off-balance. The Pacers will play better at home, New York can't let up.

Tom Thibodeau must continue to trust his bench — including Shamet, Hart, Delon Wright, and Precious Achiuwa, whose minutes all matter in keeping their stars fresh.

Additionally, Brunson has to continue to be the best player on the court. He was the aggressor on this night and led the Knicks in getting downhill and scoring 60 points in the paint on 58.8% shooting. New York had eight and-1s in the game. Brunson was himself again.

Don't expect passivity from the Pacers at home in Game 6 on Saturday night — with the home crowd behind them, they should be able to match the desperation of the Knicks. It's tempting to say that Game 6 is Indiana's Game 7, that they have to close it out because they can't win a Game 7 in Madison Square Garden — except they did that just a year ago, when they blew out the Knicks by 21 in a Game 7 in Manhattan.

Still, the Pacers don't want a return trip to New York, Game 7s can be random. Indiana wants to close it out.

New York now has the blueprint to stop that and come all the way back and win the series. Whether they can execute it will be the question.

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Athletics at Blue Jays Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 30

Its Friday, May 30 and the Athletics (23-34) are in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays (28-28).

Jeffrey Springs is slated to take the mound for Oakland against Chris Bassitt for Toronto.

Toronto took care of business in the series opener last night with a 12-0 smack of the Athletics. Ernie Clement drove in five runs and Bo Bichette knocked in three as the Jays pulled back to an even .500 for the season with an overall record of 28-28.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Athletics at Blue Jays

  • Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
  • Time: 7:07PM EST
  • Site: Rogers Centre
  • City: Toronto, ON
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSCA, SN1, Sportsnet

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Athletics at the Blue Jays

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Athletics (+140), Blue Jays (-165)
  • Spread:  Blue Jays -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Athletics at Blue Jays

  • Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: Jeffrey Springs vs. Chris Bassitt
    • Athletics: Jeffrey Springs (5-3, 3.97 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/24 vs. Philadelphia - 6IP, 3ER, 4H, 2BB, 6Ks
    • Blue Jays: Chris Bassitt (4-3, 3.38 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/25 at Tampa Bay - 4IP, 5ER, 9H, 2BB, 2Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Athletics at Blue Jays

  • The Blue Jays have won 7 of their last 9 home games with Chris Bassitt on the bump
  • The Blue Jays' last 6 home games with Chris Bassitt on the mound have gone under the Total
  • The Blue Jays have covered the Run Line in 6 of their last 7 home games with Chris Bassitt as the starter
  • Bo Bichette has homered in back-to-back games
  • Anthony Santander is without a hit in his last 5 games (0-17) and has just 4 hits in his last 12 games (4-33)

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Athletics and the Blue Jays

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Athletics and the Blue Jays:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Toronto Blue Jays on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Toronto Blue Jays at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Tigers at Royals prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for May 30

Its Friday, May 30 and the Tigers (37-20) are in Kansas City to take on the Royals (30-27).

Casey Mize is slated to take the mound for Detroit against Seth Lugo for Kansas City.

The Tigers finished off a three-game sweep of the Giants in Motown Wednesday with a 4-3 win. Colt Keith and Justyn-Henry Malloy each drove in a pair to account for the Detroit offense.

KC salvaged the final game of their three-game series against the Reds with a 3-2 win Wednesday. Bobby Witt Jr. drove in a pair and Noah Cameron allowed just a single run over 6.1 innings to earn the win.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Tigers at Royals

  • Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
  • Time: 8:10PM EST
  • Site: Kauffman Stadium
  • City: Kansas City, MO
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, FDSNKC

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Tigers at the Royals

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Tigers (-116), Royals (-103)
  • Spread:  Tigers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Royals

  • Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: Casey Mize vs. Seth Lugo
    • Tigers: Casey Mize (6-1, 2.46 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/24 vs. Cleveland - 5IP, 1ER, 4H, 1BB, 6Ks
    • Royals: Seth Lugo (3-4, 3.02 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/11 vs. Boston - 6IP, 3ER, 6H, 0BB, 5Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Tigers at Royals

  • The Tigers are on a 4-game winning streak
  • The Under is 8-5-1 in the Tigers' matchups against AL Central teams this season
  • The Tigers have covered the Run Line in 3 straight road games against the Royals
  • Gleyber Torres is 6-20 (.300) over his last 8 games
  • Bobby Witt Jr. is 8-44 (.182) over his last 11 games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the Royals

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Tigers and the Royals:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Detroit Tigers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play ATS on the Detroit Tigers at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Celtics player spotlight: Last chance for Jordan Walsh to earn larger role?

Celtics player spotlight: Last chance for Jordan Walsh to earn larger role? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jordan Walsh was the youngest member of the Boston Celtics each of the last two years.

Even though he showed signs of improvement this past season, we’re still waiting for the 2023 second-round pick to have that breakout moment.

Jayson Tatum’s injury and any offseason roster changes that are made could give Walsh more of an opportunity with the Celtics in the fall, but it will be up to him to seize it.

As we continue our “Celtics Player Spotlight” series, let’s recap Walsh’s 2024-25 season and analyze how he fits into Boston’s lineup for 2025-26:

2024-25 Season Recap

After playing in just nine games as a rookie, Walsh appeared in 52 contests in Year 2, including five of Boston’s 11 playoff matchups. He averaged 1.6 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 7.8 minutes per game.

Walsh scored 10-plus points in two games this season — Dec. 31 against the Raptors and the April 13 season finale versus the Hornets. He also tallied season highs in minutes (21) and rebounds (eight) in that matchup against Charlotte.

Walsh is a good defender with enough length and athleticism to defend multiple positions. He brings great energy to the court, too.

Contract details

Walsh has completed the first two years of his rookie contact. He has a salary cap hit of $2.21 million for the 2025-26 season, per Spotrac. His contract includes a team option for the 2026-27 campaign.

Potential roles for 2025-26

Scenario 1: Walsh improves as an outside shooter, plays larger role

Walsh’s defense is solid, but that alone won’t give him a larger role for the Celtics. They need scoring off the bench, and especially from the wing positions with Tatum potentially missing most or all of next season as he recovers from an Achilles injury.

Walsh has struggled to make an impact offensively with the Celtics. He has shot 36.7 percent from the floor, 26.6 percent on 3-pointers and 57.1 percent from the free throw line over two seasons. It’s not a large sample size and the volume of shot attempts is low, but there hasn’t been much to like from his offensive game so far.

If he improves his 3-point shooting, that should open up more minutes for him next season.

Scenario 2: Walsh doesn’t provide enough offense to justify more meaningful role

If Walsh is unable to stretch the floor as an outside shooter, or if he can’t produce offense in another way, then it’s hard to see how he earns a more prominent role in his third season.

If Walsh is unable to become a 3-and-D wing who can average 10-plus minutes per game, then it’s fair to wonder whether the Celtics will pick up his team option for the 2026-27 season. A wing who is a poor 3-point shooter doesn’t really fit with how the Celtics have played on offense under head coach Joe Mazzulla over the last three seasons.

Final thoughts

With a team option in his contract for 2026-27, the upcoming season might be Walsh’s best (and maybe last?) chance to carve out a consistent role for the Celtics.

His defense is definitely NBA-caliber, but he must make more of an impact offensively.

The Celtics, with an expensive roster as a team in the second apron, need low-cost players to play meaningful roles. Walsh stepping up in Year 3 would benefit Boston tremendously.

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Jonathan Marchessault reportedly open to trade from Predators

After making a splash in free agency last season, Nashville Predators forward Jonathan Marchessault could be on the move again. 

Frank Seravalli said on Wednesday on Daily Faceoff Live that Marchessault is reportedly "open to the idea of being traded this offseason," with Montreal being a desired location. Marchessault is from Quebec City. 

Marchessault signed a 5-year, $27.5 million contract with the Predators on July 1, 2024, after the Vegas Golden Knights passed on resigning him. 

He had spent the majority of his career in Vegas, picked up by the team in the 2017 Expansion Draft from the Florida Panthers. Marchessault made a name for himself as a Golden Knight, playing 514 games, recording 417 points and winning the 2023 Stanley Cup and Conn Smyth Trophy. 

When his contract expired at the end of the 2023-24 season, Marchessault expressed that he didn't want to leave Vegas and wanted to finish his career as a Golden Knight. 

“I’ve done everything I can to stay here,” Marchessault said to local media on May 15, 2024. “I would love to stay. This is my home. I’ve been part of the guys that started this. It’s the most proud thing I’ve done in my life." 

Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon cited the length of Marchessault's desired contract, five years, and his age by the time it'd expire, 38 years old, as the reasons why Vegas didn't resign him.  

Marchessault and Steven Stamkos' signing as free agents made the Predators look like a preseason playoff favorite, but the offense never really clicked.

Marchessault finished with 56 points in 78 games, 13 points behind his 2023-24 total. Stamkos finished with 53 points in 82 games, 28 points behind his previous season's total. 

The Predators finished with a 30-44-8 record, finishing sixth in the Central Division. 

If Marchessault was traded, and depending on who the Predators would receive, offloading his contract could open up a ton of space in the salary cap. This would allow Nashville to shop for some big-name free agents come July 1, potentially. 

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner is expected to be the hottest free agent on the market this summer. He just finished a six-year, $65.41 million contract. 

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Nationals at Diamondbacks Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends and stats for May 30

Its Friday, May 30 and the Nationals (26-30) are in Phoenix to take on the Diamondbacks (27-29).

Jake Irvin is slated to take the mound for Washington against Merrill Kelly for Arizona.

The Nationals closed out their series with the Mariners with a 9-3 win in ten innings last night in Seattle. Josh Bell went yard as part of Washington's seven-run tenth inning to help secure the series win.

Arizona was off yesterday following back-to-back losses to the Pirates including a 10-1 smack on Wednesday. Zac Gallen opened the floodgates allowing five earned runs over five innings for the home team.

Lets dive into the opener in this series and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Nationals at Diamondbacks

  • Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
  • Time: 9:40PM EST
  • Site: Chase Field
  • City: Phoenix, AZ
  • Network/Streaming: MASN2, ARID

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Nationals at the Diamondbacks

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Nationals (+181), Diamondbacks (-219)
  • Spread:  Diamondbacks -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Nationals at Diamondbacks

  • Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: Jake Irvin vs. Merrill Kelly
    • Nationals: Jake Irvin (4-1, 3.42 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/24 vs. San Francisco - 8IP, 0ER, 3H, 2BB, 7Ks
    • Diamondbacks: Merrill Kelly (5-2, 3.52 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/24 at St. Louis - 6IP, 4ER, 6H, 1BB, 6Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Nationals at Diamondbacks

  • The Diamondbacks have won their last 3 against the Nationals with Merrill Kelly as the starting pitcher
  • With Merrill Kelly starting the Over was 5-2 (71%) in the Diamondbacks' home games last season
  • The Diamondbacks have failed to cover the Run Line in 7 straight games when they've held a rest advantage
  • CJ Abrams is 2-24 (.083) in his last 6 games
  • Corbin Carroll is 5-39 (.128) in his last 9 games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Nationals and the Diamondbacks

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Nationals and the Diamondbacks:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Arizona Diamondbacks on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Washington Nationals at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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6 Former Ducks Advance to 2025 Stanley Cup Final

The 2025 Stanley Cup Final matchup is set, and it might look a little familiar. That’s because it will be a rematch of the 2024 Cup Final.

Six former Anaheim Ducks will take part in the second consecutive Florida Panthers-Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Final, though only three of those players were involved in last season’s affair.

Adam Henrique and Corey Perry were on the losing side for the Oilers while Dmitry Kulikov marked his return to the team that drafted him by playing a crucial role in their run to their first ever Stanley Cup.

Oilers Have Big Opportunity In Cup Final RematchOilers Have Big Opportunity In Cup Final RematchEDMONTON – They could smell the blood in the water.

Now, Max Jones and John Klingberg have joined Henrique and Perry on the Oilers’ end. Defenseman Jaycob Megna has done the same with Kulikov and the Panthers.

Perry, 40, scored goals in consecutive games to help the Oilers knock off the Dallas Stars in five games. Henrique put the finishing touches on Game 4’s victory and Klingberg has proven to be a dependable option on the blue line for head coach Kris Knoblauch since returning from an injury that kept him out for most of the regular season.

Most of Kulikov’s ice time in this year’s playoffs has come on his off-side, playing alongside fellow left-hander Nate Schmidt as the Panthers’ de-facto third pair. Head coach Paul Maurice has utilized all three of his pairs efficiently, creating matchups that he can use in any situation.

May 24, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA;Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (7) controls the puck during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Jones and Megna have been on the outside looking in for their respective teams, acting as reserves. Neither of them have appeared in a single game this postseason and both are unlikely to barring catastrophic injury circumstances.

Regardless of the result, a former Duck will hoist Lord Stanley again. Last season, it was Kulikov, Anthony Stolarz, Brandon Montour and Josh Mahura who got the glory. Henrique and Perry will look to exact revenge after coming one game away from reaching the peak of the National Hockey League.

Featured image caption: May 29, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Edmonton Oilers right wing Corey Perry (90) reacts after scoring a goal against the Dallas Stars in game five of the Western Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Related articles:

Former Duck Jakob Silfverberg Wins Trio of Awards

Five Ducks Medal at 2025 Worlds

The Anaheim Ducks' Pitch to Mitch Marner in Free Agency

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Adebayo hilariously revisits lockdown defensive play guarding Steph

Adebayo hilariously revisits lockdown defensive play guarding Steph originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There aren’t many players in the NBA who can lock down Warriors superstar Steph Curry.

So when Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo stopped Curry during a key play back in a Heat-Warriors game in the 2017-18 season, he still talks about it to this day.

Adebayo recently joined House of Highlights “The Reel” to break down his best highlights, and he detailed what went through his mind as he defended Curry.

“I remember that play, it was my rookie year,” Adebayo recalled. “And if you go back, I was telling Goran [Dragić] to go back to Steph because he was guarding Zaza Pachulia. So I was like, ‘Take Steph.’ And he was like, ‘Nah, I’m cool.’

“And it was just me and [Steph]. And I remember [Kevin Durant] being like, ‘Go at him. Get off.’ And I was like, ‘Nah, I can’t be embarrassed.’ So I got the stop.”

Adebayo applied the pressure on Curry, who pump-faked and dribble-penetrated before almost losing the ball out of bounds. Curry then was forced to pass the ball to Durant.

And even eight years later, Adebayo makes sure to remind Curry of that one play.

“Now I talk s–t to Steph every once in a while,” he said.

Adebayo, who has been an NBA All-Defensive selection five times, said he takes pride in being one of the few players in the league who can guard the one through five positions and, most of all, appreciates the league-wide respect from his peers.

But he should know what a little trash talk does to Curry. Good luck trying to do that again.

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DeBoer Tosses Another Goalie Under The Bus In Series Loss To Oilers: 'Status Quo Had Not Been Working'

Peter DeBoer stuck the knife in his goalie's back. And then, the Dallas Stars head coach twisted it around for good measure.

How else to describe DeBoer's decision to not only yank Jake Oettinger seven minutes into a must-win game against the Edmonton Oilers — but then blame his goalie for once again coming up short in the Western Conference final.

Chances are this one is going to haunt DeBoer all summer long. And it could lead to him losing his job.

"Anytime you pull a goalie, the reasoning's always to try and spark your group," DeBoer said following a 6-3 loss to the Oilers in Game 5 on Thursday. "So that was the No. 1 reason.

"We had talked endlessly in this series about trying to play with the lead. And obviously, we were in a 2-0 hole right away. I didn't take that lightly and I didn't blame it all on Jake. But the reality is if you go back to last year's playoffs, he's lost six of seven games to Edmonton, and we gave up two shots on two goals in an elimination game.

"So it was partly to spark our team and wake them up. And it was partly knowing that status quo had not been working. That's a pretty big sample size."

It's one thing to pull your goalie to try to spark your team. It's another to throw him under the bus when the move doesn't work.

And let's make one thing clear: this was not the right decision. Not by a long shot.

For one, Oettinger wasn't at fault for either of the goals he allowed. The first goal was scored on the power play, with Edmonton's Corey Perry connecting on a pass from Connor McDavid in front of the net. The second goal was scored on a breakaway. 

Nobody was blaming Oettinger for allowing those goals. Certainly no one was thinking he would be pulled after facing just two shots. That included Oettinger, who started to skate back to his crease after DeBoer called a time out, only to have DeBoer call him back to the bench so that he could be replaced with backup goalie Casey DeSmith.

Not that DeSmith was any better.

Less than a minute after DeSmith came into the game, Edmonton scored again to take a 3-0 lead. DeSmith finished the game having allowed three goals on 20 shots. Again, the way the Oilers have been playing, it would not have mattered who was in net.

And yet, it does matter who was in net for the Stars.

Say what you want about Oettinger's play against the Oilers in the past two conference finals — he allowed 16 goals in six games against Edmonton last year and another 16 goals in five games this year — he is the Stars' No. 1 goalie. And after signing an eight-year contract extension worth $66-million in October, he will remain the Stars' No. 1 goalie for the foreseeable future.

The same cannot be said of DeBoer, whose post-game comments may have hinted that he knows he has coached his last game in Dallas.

Stars Suffer Nightmare Ending To Playoff Run With Questionable Game 5 Decision Stars Suffer Nightmare Ending To Playoff Run With Questionable Game 5 Decision There are many nightmare scenarios in which things could go wrong for a team during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. A star player gets injured, a call does not go their way, but rarely is a team's star player taken out of the game in an act of desperation. Unfortunately, that was the case for the Dallas Stars in their do-or-die Game 5 on Thursday night. Pete DeBoer would make a move that would leave some fans scratching their heads, and others fuming. 

Since being hired by the Stars, DeBoer has brought the team to the conference final in each of the past three years. After three straight losses, it might be time for someone else to try and get Dallas over the hump.

After all, this wasn't the first time DeBoer has made a controversial decision regarding a star goalie. Back in 2021, when he was coaching the Vegas Golden Knights, DeBoer decided to sit Vezina Trophy winner Marc-Andre Fleury in favor of Robin Lehner en route to the conference final. It was a decision that didn't sit well with Fleury, who was dealt to Chicago the following summer, or with Fleury's agent, who tweeted out a picture of his client with a sword sticking through his back, emblazoned with DeBoer's name on the blade.

We'll have to see what the fallout looks like after this decision. But already, fans and teammates were quick to come to Oettinger's defense.

Oettinger may have had a rough series against the Oilers, but you could say the same thing about nearly everyone on the Stars' roster. Mikko Rantenen, who led the Stars in scoring with nine goals in the first two rounds, had no goals and three assists in the conference final. Wyatt Johnston, Roope Hintz, Matt Duchene, Mason Marchmen and Jamie Benn combined for just two goals.

“We got to step up,” Dallas winger Jason Robertson, who had two goals in Game 5, told reporters. “It’s unacceptable for us to hang him out like that.

“I mean, all playoffs he’s been our guy, all season. It’s just unacceptable from us.”

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Which offseason path should Celtics take? Here's what fans want to see

Which offseason path should Celtics take? Here's what fans want to see originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Change is coming to the Boston Celtics this offseason.

That’s the sobering reality for a team that fell to the New York Knicks in the second round of the NBA playoffs and lost Jayson Tatum to a ruptured Achilles that could sideline him most (if not all) of the 2025-26 season.

The Celtics are deep into the luxury tax and need to shed at least $20 million in salary this summer to get out of the second apron and avoid punitive penalties that would hamstring them from a roster-building and financial perspective.

Tatum’s injury, while devastating in the short term, could serve as an impetus for president of basketball operations Brad Stevens to make changes to a core that’s not getting any younger while better positioning the Celtics for success whenever Tatum returns to the court.

What might those changes look like? This week, our Celtics Insider Chris Forsberg laid out three potential paths that Boston could take this offseason, complete with hypothetical trades and objectives for each scenario. We then asked you to vote on which path you’d prefer, and the results were instructive for how Boston fans view this team’s short- and long-term future.

Below are brief recaps of Forsberg’s three paths, followed by the voting results.

Path No. 1: Threading the Needle

Objectives:

  • Get below the second apron by trimming $20-plus million in salary.
  • Remain a tax-paying team, but limit the total spend.
  • Keep much of the core intact … for now.
  • Remain competitive in the East, even with Tatum out indefinitely.
  • Identify and develop young, low-cost talent for rotation roles.

Road map:

  • Trade Jrue Holiday and Sam Hauser with limited financial return.
  • Build a frontcourt with limited funds.
  • Use draft assets to acquire young, low-cost talent.

Path No. 2: Full Reboot

Objectives:

  • Get out of the luxury tax by trimming $40+ million in salary this summer.
  • Complete the first of two years outside the luxury tax, with a goal of resetting restrictive repeater penalties.
  • Dismantle the current core in favor of younger players and draft assets.
  • Endure short-term pains for long-term rewards.

Road map:

  • Trade Jaylen Brown and/or Derrick White, along with other core pieces.
  • Fill out the roster with low-cost, high-upside talent.
  • Allow Jayson Tatum to rehab for the entirety of the 2025-26 season.
  • Embrace lottery status over playoff contention.

Path No. 3: The ‘Golden State Bridge’

Objectives:

  • Maintain much of the core, but understand the bumps ahead.
  • Use interest in veteran pieces to generate future assets.

Road map:

  • Maintain a core of Tatum, Brown and Derrick White.
  • Load manage the stars over the next two seasons and lean into youth.
  • Focus on returning to title contention for 2027-28 season.

Now let’s get to the voting results.

Twitter/X poll results

  • ‘Golden State Bridge’: 42 percent
  • Threading the Needle: 40 percent
  • Full Reboot: 18 percent

YouTube poll results

  • Threading the Needle: 62 percent
  • ‘Golden State Bridge’: 23 percent
  • Full Reboot: 16 percent

Not surprisingly, the “full reboot” path — which would involve trading Jaylen Brown and/or Derrick White — was the least popular among fans. Brown is a franchise cornerstone and 2024 NBA Finals MVP who is deeply involved in the Boston community, so it makes sense why fans wouldn’t want to part with him or White (a fan favorite in his own right), even if there’s the potential for long-term gain.

Opinions were somewhat split on the other two paths, but “threading the needle” seemed to be the overall favorite, with the Celtics dealing Jrue Holiday and Sam Hauser to get under the second apron while managing to keep the rest of the core intact.

Which path the C’s choose ultimately may come down to the offers they receive on the trade market. But this exercise reinforces the idea that it would be very painful for Boston to completely blow it up this offseason.

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Rays at Astros prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for May 30

Its Friday, May 30 and the Rays (29-27) are in Houston to take on the Astros (30-26).

Ryan Pepiot is slated to take the mound for Tampa Bay against Framber Valdez for Houston.

The series opened last night with the Rays ripping the Astros 13-3. Junior Caminero went 3-6 including a home run and a double and drove in a season-high six runs to lead the assault against seven Houston hurlers.

Lets dive into tonight's matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Rays at Astros

  • Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
  • Time: 8:10PM EST
  • Site: Minute Maid Park
  • City: Houston, TX
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNSUN, SCHN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Rays at the Astros

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Rays (+139), Astros (-165)
  • Spread:  Astros -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rays at Astros

  • Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: Ryan Pepiot vs. Framber Valdez
    • Rays: Ryan Pepiot (3-5, 3.55 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/25 vs. Toronto - 7IP, 0ER, 3H, 1BB, 5Ks
    • Astros: Framber Valdez (4-4, 3.39 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/24 vs. Seattle - 6IP, 1ER, 4H, 4BB, 5Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rays at Astros

  • The Astros have won their last 4 games with Framber Valdez as the starting pitcher
  • The Astros' last 3 home games with Framber Valdez as their starting pitcher have gone under the Total
  • The Rays have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 3.33 units
  • Rookie Cam Smith is riding a 7-game hitting streak (11-27)
  • Jose Altuve has hits in 6 of his last 7 games (13-28)

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rays and the Astros

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Rays and the Astros:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Houston Astros on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Houston Astros -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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NBA star Zion Williamson accused of rape in lawsuit

NBA star Zion Williamson accused of rape in lawsuit originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

A lawsuit was filed against NBA star Zion Williamson on Friday, accusing the New Orleans Pelicans player of raping and physically abusing a woman who claims they dated from 2018 to 2023.

The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by a woman who will proceed anonymously with the suit as Jane Doe. She accused Williamson, 24, of raping her in his Beverly Hills home in September 2020, and again at an unspecified location in Beverly Hills a month later.

In a statement, Williamson’s attorney, Michael A. Balascio, described the woman’s lawsuit as an “extortion attempt.”

“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them,” he said. “The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless.”

The NBA and the Pelicans did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In the first incident, the lawsuit alleges, Williamson raped the woman when she tried going to sleep. It states that when she attempted to go to sleep, Williamson called her “stuck up” and “a b****” and told her she could not go to sleep until she had sex with him.

When she refused, Williamson allegedly “pinned Plaintiff down on the bed with her hands behind her back and raped her,” the lawsuit states.

In the second incident, the lawsuit states, Williamson allegedly raped the woman when she told him that she wanted to go to San Diego to visit a friend. It alleges that Williamson then “picked her up, threw her down to the ground, and pinned her shoulders down,” before assaulting her.

The lawsuit alleges that Williamson took the woman’s phone shortly after both encounters for an unspecified period so that she could not report the assaults.

It alleges that the incidents were not isolated, and that Williamson “continued to abuse, rape, assault, and batter” the woman in multiple states, including California, Louisiana and Texas, until the relationship ended in 2023.

The lawsuit also alleges that Williamson threatened to pay his security to shoot her “in the head while the security guard was present and carrying a loaded firearm multiple times in Louisiana between 2020 and 2023.” Williamson also threatened to have the woman’s parents killed, the lawsuit states.

Williamson currently plays the power forward position for the Pelicans. He was the first overall NBA draft pick in 2019 after playing for the Duke Blue Devils in college.

NBC News’ Austin Mullen contributed.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News: