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Ducks vs Flames Prediction, Picks & Same-Game Parlay for Tonight’s NHL Game

The Anaheim Ducks will head north of the 49th parallel to take on the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday, January 25. This marks the first meeting between these two Pacific Division teams this season.

My Ducks vs. Flames predictions and NHL picks suggest that while Calgary may continue its offensive struggles, some key players may be primed to rise to the occasion in this exciting divisional bout.

Ducks vs Flames prediction

Ducks vs Flames best bet: Yegor Sharangovich Over 2.5 shots on goal (+136)

On a team that has scored the second-fewest goals in the league, Calgary Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich has been somewhat of a bright spot.

The one-time 30-goal scorer is mired in a subpar offensive season (as is most of his team), but has been firing on all cylinders recently.

He has 14 shots in his last four games, hitting the Over in each. For good measure, he has the same number of shots as Nathan MacKinnon and David Pastrnak during that span.

He faces an Anaheim Ducks team that ranks 21st in shots allowed. Look for the Belarusian to fire a few pucks towards Lukas Dostal tonight.

Ducks vs Flames same-game parlay

Recent trade acquisition Zach Whitecloud has stepped right in to fill the void left by Rasmus Andersson. The former Vegas Golden Knight has seen a significant uptick in ice time in his three games as a Flame thus far, culminating in 25:16 of ice time on Friday night.

He's blocked six shots in three games since being traded to Calgary and just shattered his season-high ice time mark a game ago — a fantastic scenario to block a few shots from a confident Ducks team on a six-game winning streak.

Despite Anaheim's recent hot stretch, I like the Under here, as Calgary has scored just five goals in its last four games while being held to just one in three straight. 

Ducks vs Flames SGP

  • Yegor Sharangovich Over 2.5 shots on goal
  • Zach Whitecloud Over 1.5 blocked shots
  • Under 6.5

Ducks vs Flames odds

  • Moneyline: Ducks -105 | Flames -115
  • Puck Line: Ducks +1.5 (-250) | Flames -1.5 (+205)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+100) | Under 6.5 (-120)

Ducks vs Flames trend

Calgary has won four of the last five meetings and seven of the last 10. The Under has hit in three of the last four Find more NHL betting trends for Ducks vs. Flames.

How to watch Ducks vs Flames

LocationScotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
DateSunday, January 25, 2026
Puck drop8:00 p.m. ET
TVVictory+, Sportsnet

Ducks vs Flames latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

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Pistons' J.B. Bickerstaff named NBA All-Star Game coach for first time

Veteran NBA coach J.B. Bickerstaff will coach his first NBA All-Star Game next month.

Boston's loss to Chicago on Saturday ensured Detroit will have the No. 1 seed in the East on Feb. 1 (the cut-off date for deciding the coaches). This will be Bickerstaff's first time as an All-Star Game head coach, and he will coach one of the three teams — two USA, one world team — in this year's All-Star Game format (more on that below).

The Pistons have been the clear No. 1 seed in the East and looked every bit the title contender this season, with a 32-11 record that leads the East and is second in the league (to the Thunder). This is the second year of the turnaround Bickerstaff has led in Detroit, he took over a 14-win team two seasons ago and led it to the playoffs last season. Bickerstaff finished second in Coach of the Year voting last season and is considered the frontrunner to win the award this season.

Another coach will come from the West. Because Oklahoma City's Mark Daigneault coached the All-Star Game last year, he is ineligible to coach this year, which leaves either Mitch Johnson from No. 2 seed San Antonio or David Adelman from No. 3 seed Denver as the most likely coach from the West (just half a game separates their teams in the standings).

All-Star Game format

This year, the NBA All-Star Game returns to NBC and debuts on Peacock — and it falls right in the middle of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. That was a perfect setup for the first-of-its-kind All-Star Game format, a USA vs. World showdown that fans and players have been asking for.

The 24 All-Star players — 12 from each Conference, the 10 starters have been named — will be divided into three teams, two USA teams and one world team. Those three teams will compete in a round-robin tournament of four 12-minute games. Each of the three teams will have a minimum of eight players (if the USA or World teams are short on players, the league office will select one or more players to reach the required number).

At the end of the round-robin, the two top teams will play a championship game (the fourth 12-minute game of the day) for the title.

The 75th NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 5 p.m. Eastern, an earlier time than in previous years, leading into more coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

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Islanders' Brock Nelson Trade Serving As Blueprint For Rangers As They Navigate Artemi Panarin Market

The New York Rangers are using the New York Islanders' & Colorado Avalanche's Brock Nelson deal at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline during ongoing trade negotiations for Artemi Panarin, according to Elliotte Friedman:

At the 2025 deadline, the Islanders sent Nelson to the Avalanche in a deal involving top prospect Calum Ritchie, a 2027 first-round pick, and a conditional 2027 third-round pick, along with defenseman Oliver Kylington, who was quickly flipped to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations. 

BREAKING: Islanders Trade Brock Nelson To Avalanche In Blockbuster MoveBREAKING: Islanders Trade Brock Nelson To Avalanche In Blockbuster MoveAfter trying to retain the aging goal scorer, the&nbsp;<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders">New York Islanders</a> have traded Brock Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche:

Panarin, 34, is a pending free agent and has been told by Rangers management that he will not be brought back this pending offseason as the two sides work towards a trade.

Potential trade suitors include the Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, and Florida Panthers.

Panarin, a winger, sits at 19 goals and 37 assists for 56 points in 51 games this season for the Rangers.

He is in the final season of a seven-year, $81,499,999 contract ($11,642,857 AAV) with the Rangers.

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Newcastle v Aston Villa, Crystal Palace v Chelsea and more: football clockwatch – as it happened

Villa win at Newcastle, Chelsea take the points at struggling Palace, and Forest record a crucial victory at Brentford

Oh, but here’s Rosenior, explaining that Cole Palmer isn’t fit to play today, but has a chance of making Wednesday’s trip to Naples.

He notes that the league is close and physical, but he has good players and is excited to see where the project goes – the club “demands winning in this moment”. There aren’t many days on the training pitch, but he hopes the work they’re doing with the team and with individuals are working.

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Fernández helps Chelsea into top four as Palace pay penalty before Wharton red

If this was a taste of what life on the road under Liam Rosenior might be like for Chelsea fans, then anyone who doubted his appointment may have to think again.

A brilliant performance from Estêvão, who scored the first after a mistake from his fellow teenager Jaydee Canvot before setting up João Pedro for the second, inspired Chelsea to end a run of five Premier League games without an away win at their new head coach’s first attempt, as they piled on the misery for Crystal Palace, who also had Adam Wharton sent off.

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Canadiens: The Penalty Kill Is A Complete Mess

In Saturday night’s defeat against the Boston Bruins, the Montreal Canadiens gave up three power-play goals, which ultimately led to their demise. Of course, that could have been avoided had the Habs played a more disciplined game. Still, hockey being a physical sport, it’s almost impossible to avoid penalties altogether, which is why it’s crucial to have a reasonable penalty kill.

Last season, the Canadiens ranked ninth in the league with an 80.9% penalty kill success rate, but this year they are 26th with a 76.5% efficiency rate. In 52 games, they’ve already given up 40 power-play goals and are on pace to surrender 63 man-advantage lamplighters. Last season, they had only given up 49 in 82 games.

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What has changed? Well, the Habs lost three of the eight players who were mainstays on their penalty kill. David Savard retired, Joel Armia walked as a free agent and signed with the Los Angeles Kings, while Christian Dvorak did the same with the Philadelphia Flyers. Armia currently plays on the Kings’ first penalty kill, but they are 25th overall in the league in that department, just ahead of the Canadiens at 77.3%. As for Dvorak, he’s not used on the penalty kill by the Flyers.

You don’t become a penalty killing specialist overnight. This season, the Canadiens have been relying on rookies Oliver Kapanen and Joe Veleno to play significant roles when down a man. Kapanen has done it overseas, but he understandably needs some time to adapt to the NHL's power play. As for Veleno, he’s spending 27.4% of his time on ice on the penalty kill, which is almost double the amount of shorthanded time he had on the ice last season with the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks.

At the start of the season, Martin St-Louis also made it clear that he wanted Alex Newhook to become a PK specialist. In his 17 games this season, Newhook spent 33.4% of his time on ice down a man. His injury has no doubt been a big blow to the penalty killing unit.

With Alexandre Texier coming back in the lineup for the game against the Bruins, the coach decided to scratch Veleno, who has not only been a regular on his penalty kill but also one of the centermen who can take the shorthanded draws. This season, he has won 51.2% of his draws, which is more than Nick Suzuki and Kapanen.

As things stand, Stephane Robidas is the assistant coach who’s responsible for the penalty kill. Is it time to perhaps explore another avenue? Earlier this week, the Ottawa Senators, who are currently 31st in the league when down a man, gave Mike Yeo the helm of the penalty kill unit instead of Nolan Baumgartner; the latter wasn’t fired, but the team felt the PK needed a new voice.

Perhaps it would also help to let Nick Suzuki back on the PK. Of course, you don’t want to overuse the captain, but with the second line making more of an offensive impact and having more ice time, it could be an idea.

Better goaltending would also help. While you generally won’t blame the goaltender for power-play goals, the best player on a successful penalty-killing unit is often the masked man. This season, that’s not happening for the Canadiens. Whichever way you look at it, good goaltending is a must in all aspects of the game.

There’s no magical solution, but clearly something has to be done if the Canadiens don't want to be fighting for a playoff spot until the very end, as last season. Special teams are a must for a successful team, and in an ideal world, nobody wants to wait for the last game of the season to know if they’ll be part of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

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Leicester City sack Martí Cifuentes after dropping to 14th in Championship

  • Departure was ‘difficult decision’, says Foxes’ owner

  • Andy King will take interim charge for Charlton match

Leicester City have sacked Martí Cifuentes after dropping to 14th in the Championship. Leicester held crunch boardroom talks on Sunday before deciding to relieve the manager from his position.

Leicester slumped to a humiliating home defeat against struggling Oxford United on Saturday and have won one of their past five matches.

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Avalanche Power Play Underwhelms Despite Efforts

Patience was preached at the start of the season while the power play worked through its growing pains. Nearly four months later, January has arrived, and the unit still looks stuck in the same place.

Although the Avalanche remain atop the NHL at 34-6-9 through 49 games, they are just 4-4-2 over their past 10—a stretch that hints at a slight dip in form. Injuries have played a significant role. Captain Gabriel Landeskog has been sidelined since Jan. 4 after suffering broken ribs against the Florida Panthers, while Devon Toews has missed much of the month with an upper-body injury.

Given the circumstances, some patience is warranted when evaluating recent results. The power play, however, falls into a different category. It has been a persistent issue for much of the season. While Colorado continues to control play at five-on-five, its man advantage has consistently lagged behind.

CREDIT: GUERILLA SPORTS. Bednar's comments following the game against the Washington Capitals.

Has The Power Play Improved at All Since Meeting?

Colorado is currently tied for 21st in the NHL, converting on just 16.1 percent of its power play opportunities. Prior to the Jan. 8 home game against the Ottawa Senators, head coach Jared Bednar confirmed the team held a significant meeting focused on the man advantage, aimed at aligning strategies and ensuring a unified approach to addressing what has been a season-long issue. Bednar also encouraged open dialogue during the meeting, emphasizing the importance of player input and collective problem-solving.

Have those efforts translated into tangible progress? Not exactly. Entering Colorado’s 8–2 win over Ottawa, the power play conversion rate remained unchanged at 16.1 percent. On the surface, the numbers suggest stagnation—but a deeper look, game by game, provides additional context worth examining.

Brock Nelson and Martin Nečas each scored power play goals against the Senators, reaching the 20-goal mark on the season. Colorado finished the night 2-for-6 with the man advantage, a rare bright spot in an otherwise inconsistent stretch for the unit.

On Jan. 10, Trent Miner recorded the first shutout and first win of his NHL career in a 4–0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. While the result was a positive, the power play failed to contribute, finishing 0-for-2.

Two days later, Colorado’s 17-game home winning streak came to an end in a 4–3 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Avalanche went 1-for-3 on the power play, with Nelson once again providing the lone goal on the man advantage—his 22nd of the season.

After three days of rest, Colorado struggled in a 7–3 loss to the Nashville Predators, where the power play again came up empty, finishing 0-for-2. The Avalanche responded with a 5–2 win days later against Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. While the power play remained far from sharp, it did produce a goal, going 1-for-6, with Nathan MacKinnon scoring his 37th of the season.

Colorado now enters its latest stretch coming off back-to-back losses—a 2–1 shootout defeat to the Anaheim Ducks followed by a 7–3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Across those two games, the power play went a combined 0-for-6.

Math Shows...

Since the power play meeting, the Avalanche have had 25 opportunities with the man advantage and scored just four goals, a conversion rate of 16 percent—slightly below their season average. On paper, the unit has technically declined, though in reality it has largely remained the same.

That stagnation is beginning to wear on the fan base, with some suggesting that if the issue isn’t resolved before the postseason, the consequences could be significant when the margin for error shrinks. In a conversation with The Hockey News, Bednar addressed the power play, outlining where he believes the unit is struggling most and identifying the areas that need improvement.

"We want to be as dangerous as possible," Bednar said on January 19. "We've had some power plays in that stretch that haven't looked great, and we've had some that have looked fantastic, but it's definitely getting more consistent and guys are continuing to work on it and share ideas and get on the same page and then just work on the execution part of it. I still think it's going to (improve) yet again."

Image

Next Game

The Avalanche are on the road to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday morning. Coverage begins at 11:30 local time. 

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Buendía and Watkins stun Newcastle to keep Aston Villa’s title hopes alive

Some wins are a little bit lucky and others downright fluky or simply ground out, but this Aston Villa victory belonged to a different category.

It was the sort of triumph that can be filed under “thoroughly deserved”. Indeed, much of Villa’s attacking play was so fluid, fluent and gloriously improvisational that, by comparison, Newcastle looked as if they were engaged in a footballing equivalent of painting by numbers.

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Penguins vs Canucks Prediction, Picks & Same-Game Parlay for Tonight’s NHL Game

Brock Boeser is heating up. His shot volume has increased noticeably over the past 10 games, and he has hit the scoresheet in back-to-back outings.

My Penguins vs. Canucks predictions expect Boeser to have another quality offensive showing with Filip Chytil back by his side.

Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Sunday, January 25.

Penguins vs Canucks prediction

Penguins vs Canucks best bet: Brock Boeser Over 0.5 points (-120)

Filip Chytil returned from injury last time out and regained a slot in the Top-6 centering Brock Boeser. That proved to be very beneficial for Boeser.

He put forth a productive offensive performance, scoring a goal while finishing tied for the team lead with six shot attempts. That matched his highest attempt output on home soil all season long.

That Boeser had such a strong showing with Chytil was no coincidence. He has now played three games with Chytil as his center this season, and Boeser scored in two of them while averaging five shot attempts.

The Vancouver Canucks have out-played their opponents with that duo on the ice, winning the shot attempt battle 46-39 and controlling nearly 61% of the expected goals at 5-on-5.

They are the line best equipped to make noise in that game state, which is important as the Pittsburgh Penguins are one of the least penalized teams in the league.

Penguins vs Canucks same-game parlay

Zeev Buium is another Canucks weapon coming off a whale of a game. Buium had a goal, three shots, six attempts, and logged nearly 24 minutes of ice time while also playing on the top power play.

He is a dynamic blueliner getting a lot of opportunities to put his skillset to use.

Marcus Pettersson has blocked multiple shots in seven of the past nine games. He’s one of the team’s more reliable defenders and is not shy about putting his body on the line.

Penguins vs Canucks SGP

  • Brock Boeser Over 0.5 points
  • Zeev Buium Over 0.5 points
  • Marcus Pettersson Over 1.5 blocked shots

Penguins vs Canucks odds

  • Moneyline: Pittsburgh -145 | Vancouver +125
  • Puck line: Pittsburgh -1.5 (+160) | Vancouver +1.5 (-190)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-130)

Penguins vs Canucks trend

Brock Boeser has six points over his last five games against Vancouver. Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Canucks.

How to watch Penguins vs Canucks

LocationRogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
DateSunday, January 25, 2026
Puck drop6:00 p.m. ET
TVSportsNet Pittsburgh, Sportsnet

Penguins vs Canucks latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

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Padres Reacts Survey Results: Gaslamp Ball readers would take Lucas Giolito over Nick Martinez, Justin Verlander

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Friar Faithful have been waiting for news of a signing to breathe some life to this offseason that has been crawling to an end, but what they got Saturday was a report from Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune that pitcher Yu Darvish was ready to retire and walk away from the three years and $43 million remaining on his contract. Since that report, Darvish himself has denied on X that anything is finalized and that he is not announcing his retirement.

If the Acee report did come to pass at some point this offseason, it might create some of the financial flexibility the San Diego Padres and president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller have been looking for. The money saved from a Darvish retirement even with a potential buyout could allow Preller to chase bigger free agents.

As it stands, the Padres are a team that have reportedly been in a financial crunch over the past two offseasons and that appears to be the case based on the limited number of major league contracts signed and the bevy of minor league contracts that have been doled out this offseason. Many of those contracts come with invites to Spring Training and based on the success of Gavin Sheets from a season ago, it appears Preller is looking for another player to have a strong spring to make the MLB roster.

The money the Padres do have to spend would be best spent addressing their rotation needs and that sentiment is shared throughout much of the MLB and fan communities. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported earlier this week that the financial constraints of the Padres have them looking at more mid- to lower-tiered arms. He listed Lucas Giolito, Nick Martinez and Justin Verlander as potential free agent targets for San Diego. Gaslamp Ball asked readers to decide which of the three pitchers they would want in the Padres’ rotation in 2026.

It was not a shock to see the overwhelming majority of those who took part in the poll wanted the Padres to bring in Giolito. He is the youngest of the group at 31 years old and spent last year with the Boston Red Sox, after missing the 2024 season recovering and rehabbing from elbow surgery, which probably has some fans thinking Giolito could be a Nick Pivetta 2.0. Pivetta pitched in Boston prior to coming to San Diego and he was the best pitcher in the starting rotation for the Padres in 2026. Could Giolito have similar success under the tutelage of San Diego pitching coach Ruben Niebla? The Friar Faithful seem to be willing to give it a chance.

Martinez has been in San Diego, he is well-known to Padres fans, and he seemed to be well-liked in the clubhouse. Preller does not often bring players back to San Diego who have left and gone on to play in another city, but that does not mean he is out on Martinez. It just seems that his return is highly unlikely, and the fans seem to want that to be the case as well.

Verlander is going to be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame when he is eligible for induction, and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who would dispute that. San Diego fans seem to think his best years are behind him and that the Padres could or should do better if they are going to spend on a free agent pitcher. Verlander had a good season, statistically speaking, in San Francisco last year with the Giants, but his win/loss record left a lot to be desired, and he is a 42-year-old with a lot of wear-and-tear on his arm.

There are some fans who did not like any of the options suggested by Rosenthal and used in this poll and that is to be expected. You always want your team to find and sign the best players because it gives your team the best opportunity to compete and win. No one wants to shop in the proverbial bargain bin, but sometimes we have to get the best of what is available and for the Padres and their fans, that appears to be Giolito.   

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Cubs historical sleuthing: 1970s Braves edition

This is a really good view of a bygone era at Wrigley Field, also sent to me by BCB reader Joe Coney.

I had to enhance the colors a bit; the original photo as sent to me was a bit washed out. This also made it easier to read the matchups on the scoreboard, and I had a hunch about this game even before that.

It’s clearly pre-Tribune Co. era, because there’s no message board. Going back a few more years, with no soccer clock under the scoreboard this has to be from before 1978.

The Braves are the visiting team, as you can see from the pitcher’s jersey. The Braves began wearing these road jerseys in 1976.

So now we’re down to 1976 or 1977. The Cubs pitcher is wearing No. 39 and, to this point in the game, is still pitching.

That has to be Mike Krukow, who debuted with the Cubs in September 1976. But he didn’t face the Braves that year.

Thus, this is one of the two starts Krukow made against the Braves in 1977. The first one was in early May, and the ivy is too full for that time of year.

Thus, this is the other Krukow start against the Braves that year. It was played Saturday, July 23, 1977. Everything on the board matches what happened that day.

The Cubs are leading 1-0 and it’s the bottom of the seventh inning. The runner on second is Jerry Morales and Steve Ontiveros (16 on the board) is at bat. There’s one out. Atlanta’s pitcher is Steve Hargan, who gave up a single to Ontiveros, with Morales taking third. After that the Braves replaced Hargan with Rick Camp, who gave up RBI singles to Manny Trillo and George Mitterwald, and the Cubs led 3-0 going into the eighth.

But Krukow faltered and gave up a couple of hits. Willie Hernandez relieved him and allowed RBI hits to Gary Matthews (who’d be a Cub seven years later!) and Willie Montanez, and the Braves took a 4-3 lead.

Ontiveros hit an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game 4-4, and Paul Reuschel threw the ninth, serving up a leadoff homer to Rod Gilbreath. The Cubs went out 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth and lost the game 5-4.

Despite the loss the Cubs were 56-36 after this game and still led the NL East by 2.5 games, in the year many of us thought they’d finally make up for 1969. Well, you know what happened.

Just another little slice of Cubs history.

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Nearly a year removed from trade, Doncic more reflective after Lakers win

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Luka Dončić wearing his Dallas Mavericks jersey during the NBA game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Image 2 shows Lakers player #77 defends as Mavericks player #32 shoots the basketball, Image 3 shows Luka Dončić of the Lakers playing defense against a Dallas Mavericks player
Luka Doncic | 1.25

Luka Doncic hugged Mark Cuban. He laughed and exchanged words with his former Dallas Mavericks teammates. 

He even accidentally started walking toward the Mavericks’ locker room at halftime before correcting himself and spinning around. 

Doncic was back home in Dallas, where he was drafted, grew into a superstar and thought he’d spend his entire career. 

Jan 24, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) looks back during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Saturday marked his second time playing at American Airlines Center after the Mavericks stunningly dealt him to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trade deadline last Feb. Emotions went from being at a feverish pitch in his return last April to softening to nostalgia this time around. 

“I mean, obviously there’s always going to be emotions,” said Doncic, who had 33 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in the Lakers’ 116-110 win. “I was happy to be back here. I went to my house, I saw my cars. But obviously it’s always going to be emotions. I really appreciate how they cheered for me when I was introduced. It’s always going to be a special place for me.” 

During Doncic’s introductory news conference with the Lakers on Feb. 4, he walked onto the podium looking like a man who had been betrayed. He said the last 48 hours felt like a month, adding, “I thought I was going to spend my whole career there.”

Then came his return to Dallas in April. Doncic buried his face in a towel as tears streamed down his cheeks during the Mavericks’ video tribute for him. He responded with a 45-point, eight-rebound, six-assist and four-steal performance. 

Nine months later, Doncic has settled into the fact that he wears a purple and gold jersey. 

So have Mavericks fans, who went from holding a mock funeral outside American Airlines Center with a $3,000 casket to mourn Doncic’s departure to now paying their respects with a standing ovation as he was introduced and chanting MVP as he shot free throws in the second quarter. 

Ironically, Doncic torched the Mavericks on Saturday with one of the very things his former team criticized him for lacking: Defense. When the Lakers began clawing their way back from a 15-point fourth quarter deficit, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd strategized to have his team attack Doncic.

It backfired. 

“We counted after the game, he had six straight stops where they targeted him,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Just a fantastic job from him. Then [he] makes the game-sealing defensive play with the charge on [Naji] Marshall.”

Jan 24, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) shoots the ball over Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Things have come full circle for Doncic, who felt deeply slighted by the trade, but has responded to the criticism about him being out of shape and unwilling to play defense by entering this season in arguably the best shape of his career. 

He’s leading the league in scoring (33.4 points a game) and was the top vote-getter by fans for the All-Star Game. Kidd was asked Saturday if he wishes he could’ve done more to stop the trade.

“Luka’s moved on,” Kidd said. “And we’ve moved on. He’s playing extremely well. He’s leading the league in scoring. He has his team in the hunt. For that, we wish him the best. That’s the business of basketball, you’ve got to move forward.”

Doncic opened this season playing MVP-caliber basketball, leading the Lakers to a 15-4 record. Currently, the Lakers are in fifth place in the very crowded Western Conference with a record of 27-17, which is pretty impressive considering LeBron James missed the first 14 games of the season because of sciatica and Austin Reaves has missed the last month because of a calf strain. 

Meanwhile, ever since dealing Doncic for Anthony Davis, the Mavericks have been in a tailspin. Injuries to Davis and Kyrie Irving have derailed the franchise. Despite getting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick last year, Dallas is in 12th place in the West at 19-27. Nico Harrison, who orchestrated the Doncic trade, was fired as general manager in November.

Jan 24, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) moves the ball to the basket past Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mavericks fans let it be known how much Doncic still means to them by commuting to the arena amid a severe winter storm that was expected to bring two to three inches of sleet to the area.

“That was really special,” Doncic said. “I didn’t know what to expect before because I know how the city gets when the weather is this bad. But I really appreciate a lot of people showing up.”

Doncic reciprocated the love, surprising 22 fans who supported him on social media with a suite, a pregame meet-and-greet and gift bags with his jersey and signature shoe. 

“That was something that was special for me to do,” Doncic said. “I see what a lot of them did on social media and after I got traded, how much support they gave me. Obviously, there’s a lot more fans than that, but I could only fit 22 of them.”

For Doncic, Dallas will always be the place where his professional career began, where he spent seven years, where he became one of the top players in the NBA. 

But now, instead of mourning the view in the rearview mirror, he’s able to look forward. 

And with the Lakers, he has a very bright future.

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NHL Player Props & Best Bets for Today, January 25: Gauthier Goes Wild

The NHL has a six-game offering today with some of the league’s top talent taking the ice.

Below, I’ll dish out my top three NHL player props and NHL picks, featuring Mark Stone, Sidney Crosby, and Cutter Gauthier.

Best NHL player prop bets today

PlayerBet99
Golden Knights Mark Stone Over 1.5 points<<+145>>
Penguins Sidney Crosby Over 0.5 assists<<+100>>
Ducks Cutter Gauthier Over 3.5 shots<<+100>>

Get a first bet encore up to $800 — no BET99 promo code neededGet a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL.
(not available in Ontario)

Our best NHL player props for Sunday, January 25

Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.

Prop #1: Mark Stone Over 1.5 points

+145 at BET99

Mark Stone has been one of the NHL’s most consistent producers this season, finding the score sheet in 31 of his 34 appearances, while currently riding a 14-game point streak.

The Vegas Golden Knights captain has collected multiple points in five of his last nine contests, and I suspect he’ll pick up a few more points against his former team, the Ottawa Senators.

Ottawa has been one of the league’s worst defensive squads this year, allowing 3.39 gpg (28th) while also owning the 32nd-ranked team save percentage (.870).

Meanwhile, Vegas has been on a heater with eight wins in its last 10 games while scoring a league-best 4.60 gpg over that span. The Golden Knights will score in bunches tonight, and Stone will be in the middle of the action as usual.

  • Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: SCRIPPS, RDS2

Prop #2: Sidney Crosby Over 0.5 assists

+100 at BET99

The Pittsburgh Penguins captain enters Sunday on a five-game point streak with at least one assist in four of those contests, and he’ll add another helper tonight vs. the lowly Vancouver Canucks.

Vancouver is in full-on tank mode after trading captain Quinn Hughes back in December. Since Dec. 22, the Canucks have lost 14 of their 16 games while allowing a massive 4.38 gap — the worst mark in the NHL.

The Pens are heating up with a 4-0-1 record in their last five contests, scoring 5.0 gpg through that stretch. Sidney Crosby should factor in at least one tally tonight in what projects as a high-scoring game for Pittsburgh.

  • Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Sportsnet, Sportsnet-Pittsburgh

Prop #3: Cutter Gauthier Over 3.5 shots

+100 at BET99

The Anaheim Ducks remain without star center Leo Carlsson following a thigh injury, which means other players have had to step up.

Fortunately for Anaheim, they’ve got another breakout forward in Cutter Gauthier, who leads the team with 23 goals and 45 points.

At just 22 years of age, Gauthier has already emerged as one of the NHL’s best shot creators. The Ducks winger has 191 shots on net this season, the third most in the league behind only Nathan MacKinnon (226) and Connor McDavid (200).

Gauthier has logged Over 3.5 shots in five of his last six outings and looks poised for another high-volume effort against the Calgary Flames, who have surrendered nearly 32 shots per game over their last nine contests.

  • Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Sportsnet

These props are available now at BET99, one of our best betting sites.

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

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Sunday morning Rangers things

Good morning, folks…

The first SportsDay Rangers podcast episode of 2026 features Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi.

Yu Darvish clarifies the reports of his possibly pending retirement.

Former Texas Rangers first baseman Rob Maurer died earlier this week.

The Twins signed a pair of players discussed as possible targets for the Rangers, reliever Taylor Rogers and catcher Victor Caratini.

Jose Ramirez and the Guardians have agreed to terms on a contract extension keeping him with Cleveland through 2032.

David Laurila has his Sunday Notes column up at Fangraphs.