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Flyers Offseason: Odds Mitch Marner Trades the Maple Leafs for Philadelphia Are High

The Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner would automatically become the Flyers' best player. (Photo: John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images)

Fans hoping the Philadelphia Flyers swing big for Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Mitch Marner might see their wish come true this summer. At least, that's what the oddsmakers are thinking.

Marner, 28, is expected to test the free agent for the first time in his career, having just completed the six-year, $65.41 million contract he signed with the Maple Leafs on Sept. 13, 2019. Ironically, the 2019-20 season was the last time the Flyers made the playoffs.

Marner, meanwhile, has made the playoffs with the Maple Leafs every year of his NHL career. While his playoff performances have been scrutinized - and some of it has been deserved - Marner has still been plenty productive. The Markham, Ontario, native has 13 goals, 50 assists, and 63 points in 70 career postseason contests, with four of those goals being game-winners.

All signs (and reports) point to the 28-year-old star, who just had a career-high 102 points, finding a new team this offseason as a result. So where do the Flyers stand?

Flyers odds to sign Mitch Marner

At the time of this writing, theScore Bet currently favors the Chicago Blackhawks, who are devoid of forward talent outside of Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, to land Marner at +275 odds. In other words, the implied probability there is about a 26.7% chance.

The Flyers, meanwhile, have the second-best odds to secure Marner's signature in free agency this summer, sitting cozy at +400. With Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, Travis Konecny, and overall a better and more competitive team, the Flyers could make a better pitch to Marner at the end of the day.

They have an implied probability of 20%, so, slightly worse than Chicago.

Notably, the Flyers have better odds to land Marner than clubs like the Utah Mammoth (+550), the Carolina Hurricanes (+750), and Montreal Canadiens (+2000).

Marner's fit in Philadelphia

Right now, the greatest concern with fans in Philadelphia, aside from the aforementioned playoff performances, is Marner's actual fit on the team.

The former No. 4 overall pick has played center at the junior and NHL levels, albeit not regularly enough to warrant a full-time position change.

If he plays right wing, Marner will be jostling with Michkov, Konecny, and Bobby Brink for a position with Foerster and Owen Tippett already playing on the left. In the future, the Flyers may also need to create space for winger prospects like Alex Bump and Nikita Grebenkin.

Flyers Linked to KHL Star as Decision on NHL Future Looms LargeFlyers Linked to KHL Star as Decision on NHL Future Looms LargeReigniting reports from earlier in the year, the Philadelphia Flyers are once again said to be in on KHL star Maxim Shabanov, an undrafted free agent forward mulling an overseas leap to start his NHL career.

The idea for the Flyers should be to secure as much talent as possible and figure out the rest later. Players like Marner don't hit free agency often; he's scored 20 goals every year of his career except for his rookie year and the COVID-19-shortened 2019-20 season, and he's scored 97 or more points in three of the last four seasons.

If the Flyers are serious about arming Rick Tocchet with star power and competing in the near future, they will make a genuine effort to sign Marner, for better or for worse.

Plus, Tippett is coming off the least productive full season of his NHL career and will have trade protection language in his contract kick in next summer. Brink, at 5-foot-8, might not have an NHL future playing on a checking line 82 games a season.

Can the Flyers prioritize developing these players over Marner while knowing they will never be as good as Marner? It's hard to say.

As for Michkov, he finished the 2024-25 season playing left wing anyway, and playing with an elite puck transporter and playmaker like Marner could take his new game to another level.

At center, the Flyers still have three first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft in addition to 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko.

Loading up the winger positions ensures that the Flyers' young centers, be it Luchanko or other draftees, will have a much easier time offensively and won't have to "sink or swim" so much at the NHL level.

Marner, Michkov, and, to a lesser degree, Konecny, are all capable of making the players they play with better.

The Flyers cannot be afraid now that the stakes are high.

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Devils Should Target Brad Marchand In Free Agency

Certain NHL players are despised when playing against them but loved and adored as a teammate, and no player fits this mold more than 37-year-old Brad Marchand. 

After appearing in 1090 NHL games with the Boston Bruins and eventually earning the captaincy, the organization traded him to the Florida Panthers ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. 

While the left winger is solely focused on the Eastern Conference Final and advancing to the Stanley Cup Final, hockey fans and media speculate where the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion will sign when free agency opens in July. 

The New Jersey Devils should be one team that inquires about the veteran. 

Dec 30, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (12) is congratulated by left wing Brad Marchand (63) after scoring against the New Jersey Devils during the third period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

The Basics 

Marchand's salary cap hit in 2024-25 was $6.125 million. Adding another Stanley Cup to his resume could increase his overall value, but keeping his age in mind, his next contract could very well be his last in the NHL. 

For sentimental reasons, it makes sense that he returns to Boston to conclude his career in the city that drafted him in 2006. If the Panthers earn their second consecutive Stanley Cup, it is plausible that Florida will look to keep Marchand in the Sunshine State. It is worth noting that the Panthers' other unrestricted free agents include Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad. 

Those interested in the Devils' current salary cap situation can click here. 

Why He Needs To Be A Target For The Devils 

It is no secret that the Devils need to re-examine and alter their forward group this summer. General manager Tom Fitzgerald confirmed his roster will look different in September because the group he had "wasn't good enough." 

Scoring outside New Jersey's core forwards was inconsistent, and it was one of the team's most significant concerns leading into the postseason, as well as one of their downfalls in the first round against the Carolina Hurricanes. 

In the postseason, the Devils primarily utilized Ondrej Palat as their top left winger and Erik Haula on the second line. Marchand's 51 points in the 2024-25 regular season was more than Palat (28) and Haula (21 points) combined. 

In addition to providing much-needed offense, Marchand plays with a particular style of grit and physicality, becoming an actual pest to the opposition. The veteran checks a lot of boxes and could bolster New Jersey's middle-six and play up the lineup if needed. 

There Will Be A High Demand For Marchand 

If the Devils are interested in the former Bruin, they won't be the only ones. Marchand is valuable on and off the ice and would be an asset to any locker room. 

The players in the Panthers' locker room quickly embraced him, and in the postseason, Marchand has been a factor, collecting 12 points in 14 games.

After the trade deadline, Fitzgerald acknowledged he was runner-up for one player he sought after. 

"You are in a fight into the 12th round," he said. "I don't want to say a knockout punch, it was a split decision. A player went to a different team. It was difficult, but that happens. You win some, you lose some. My goal from the get-go was to add to this group, and the player that I went after hard was that player, with or without Jack (Hughes). We were still trying to add that. We came in second."

Securing Marchand would immediately improve head coach Sheldon Keefe's roster and positively impact New Jersey's on-ice performance. While no one will know what will happen in free agency, one thing for sure is Fitzgerald can't afford to come in second this summer when New Jersey expects to make the playoffs and put together a run.

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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Pacers steal Game 2, beat Knicks 114-109 in Eastern Conference Finals

Pacers steal Game 2, beat Knicks 114-109 in Eastern Conference Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The New York Knicks are officially in trouble.

New York again couldn’t defend home-court advantage in Game 2 Friday, losing 114-109 to the Pacers with the Eastern Conference Finals headed to Indiana.

Both teams stayed neck and neck throughout the first three quarters, with Indiana making a serious push late in the fourth. Indiana even took a 110-100 lead with a few minutes left, but New York brought life into the crowd with a run of its own.

However, the Knicks didn’t have enough in the tank with limited bench options to turn to. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 39 points on an efficient 15 of 23 clip from the field. No other teammate scored more than 16 (Myles Turner).

Tyrese Haliburton, the star of Game 1 with his late heroics, logged 14 points on 5 of 16 shooting but compensated for it with 11 assists.

Jalen Brunson tried to put New York on his back with 36 points, but his solid 13 of 27 clip to go with 11 assists didn’t move the needle at the right time.

Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 20 points, but the latter rarely played in the fourth quarter despite it being a pivotal stretch.

Indiana had six players come off the bench, but only one made a notable impact. T.J. McConnell put up 10 big points on 5-for-8 shooting in 14 minutes.

For comparison’s sake, the Knicks had only three players come off the bench. Both Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride played over 25 minutes, but scored just six apiece. Cam Payne made a nine-minute cameo, but missed all three attempts, including two from three.

With the backs against the wall, the Knicks desperately need to pull an upset of their own in Game 3 at Indiana.

Game 3 in Indiana is scheduled for Sunday, May 25. Should the Knicks lose, they’ll be on the brink of an Eastern Conference Finals sweep right after eliminating the reigning champs Boston Celtics.

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Pacers steal Game 2, beat Knicks 114-109 in Eastern Conference Finals

Pacers steal Game 2, beat Knicks 114-109 in Eastern Conference Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The New York Knicks are officially in trouble.

New York again couldn’t defend home-court advantage in Game 2 Friday, losing 114-109 to the Pacers with the Eastern Conference Finals headed to Indiana.

Both teams stayed neck and neck throughout the first three quarters, with Indiana making a serious push late in the fourth. Indiana even took a 110-100 lead with a few minutes left, but New York brought life into the crowd with a run of its own.

However, the Knicks didn’t have enough in the tank with limited bench options to turn to. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 39 points on an efficient 15 of 23 clip from the field. No other teammate scored more than 16 (Myles Turner).

Tyrese Haliburton, the star of Game 1 with his late heroics, logged 14 points on 5 of 16 shooting but compensated for it with 11 assists.

Jalen Brunson tried to put New York on his back with 36 points, but his solid 13 of 27 clip to go with 11 assists didn’t move the needle at the right time.

Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 20 points, but the latter rarely played in the fourth quarter despite it being a pivotal stretch.

Indiana had six players come off the bench, but only one made a notable impact. T.J. McConnell put up 10 big points on 5-for-8 shooting in 14 minutes.

For comparison’s sake, the Knicks had only three players come off the bench. Both Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride played over 25 minutes, but scored just six apiece. Cam Payne made a nine-minute cameo, but missed all three attempts, including two from three.

With the backs against the wall, the Knicks desperately need to pull an upset of their own in Game 3 at Indiana.

Game 3 in Indiana is scheduled for Sunday, May 25. Should the Knicks lose, they’ll be on the brink of an Eastern Conference Finals sweep right after eliminating the reigning champs Boston Celtics.

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Serie A title decider: Napoli win the Scudetto to deny Inter – as it happened

Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku scored the goals against Cagliari that claimed a second title in three years

Caledonia’s Simon McMahon gets in touch: “Gilmour and McTominay starting for Napoli and on the verge of winning Serie A is just insane, John. Really hope they do it, got the pizza and beers in, COME ON NAPOLI!!!”

Naples is getting game ready, too. Mathías Olivera is being given a penant for his 100th game. The sound of Live Is Life can be heard at the Diego Armando Maradona.

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Napoli secure Serie A title after Scott McTominay’s stunner sees off Cagliari

  • Napoli win league by point from Inter, who beat Como

  • McTominay also named Serie A player of the season

A spectacular scissor kick from Scott McTominay set Napoli on their way to a 2-0 win over Cagliari that sealed the Serie A title for Antonio Conte’s side in their final league game of the season.

Napoli went into the match leading the Italian table by just one point from Inter, who kicked off at the same time on Friday night away to Como. When Stefan de Vrij put Inter ahead via a corner after 20 minutes, they leapfrogged Napoli in the live standings, but the goal from the former Manchester United midfielder McTominay in the 42nd minute, acrobatically converting Matteo Politano’s cross, eased nerves in Naples.

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Cora doesn't name Devers as third base option after Bregman injury

Cora doesn't name Devers as third base option after Bregman injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Don’t count on Rafael Devers to move back to third base as Alex Bregman’s injury replacement.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t mention Devers as a third base option while naming potential replacements after Friday’s 19-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

“Ceddanne (Rafaela) can play third, Sogey (Nick Sogard) can play third, (Abraham) Toro can play third,” Cora said. “I don’t know how much KC (Kristian Campbell) played last year. We know Connor (Wong) can do it. So in case of emergency, we can move KC to the outfield, Ceddanne to the infield, and go from there.

Bregman exited Friday’s game in the fifth inning after he pulled up awkwardly rounding first base. The prized offseason addition immediately removed himself from the game, prompting panic across Red Sox Nation.

Later, the Red Sox announced Bregman left the game with right quad tightness. He called the injury a “day-to-day” thing, which is encouraging given how the injury initially looked.

Cora may not need to find a long-term answer at third base after all, but his omission of Devers’ name is telling. Devers has already called out the Red Sox front office for asking him to play first base after moving him from third to designated hitter. It appears Cora and Co. are avoiding another difficult conversation with the veteran slugger.

They also may not want to disrupt Devers’ scorching-hot stretch as the DH. He blasted two homers and drove in eight runs in Friday’s blowout victory, bumping his OPS up to .972 in the process.

If Bregman has to be placed on the injured list, another option for Boston is promoting top infield prospect Marcelo Mayer. Although Mayer is primarily a shortstop, and he has recently spent his time at second base, he also has experience at the hot corner.

Watch “Felger & Mazz” discuss the third base drama below or on YouTube:

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Green Bay seeking NCAA waiver that would allow it to play in The Basketball Tournament

Green Bay is seeking NCAA approval to compete in The Basketball Tournament, an event that typically features former college basketball players and offers a $1 million prize to the winning team. ESPN says that Green Bay is seeking an NCAA waiver that would enable it to compete in this event rather than going on an international tour. NCAA rules allow college teams to make an overseas trip to play in exhibition games once every four years.

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Shaquille O'Neal drops a bomb on Jimmy Fallon: A recent viral moment was indeed about No. 2

One may be the loneliest number, but No. 2 is what sent Shaquille O'Neal urgently mincing off the "Inside the NBA" stage last month while the cameras kept running.

O'Neal copped to the truth Thursday night during his 18th appearance on "The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon," giving what might be more detail than anyone needed about that sudden departure in April.

Read more:'Do we need to throw hands?' Shaquille O'Neal-Dwight Howard beef still going strong in 2025

First, he clung to the fib, saying, "I was drinking a lot of water that day. So I know I had the No. 2 run, but it was really a No. 1. So let's just get that out of the way."

He explained he was drinking olive oil at the time "to be sexy," because he'd seen on Instagram that if he drank olive oil daily for 14 days, he would clean out his system and have a flat stomach. "So I was trying that."

A laughing Fallon held his face in his hands.

"You know what," O'Neal said. "I just made a mistake. I lied to you on national TV. It wasn't a No. 1 run. It was a No. 2 run. I had to go bad. Oh, I had to go so bad."

Fallon begged him to keep telling the lie. O'Neal asked whether the host had seen him squeezing his butt cheeks as he scooted away from the "Inside the NBA" desk.

Then Fallon showed a photo of what the crew did to O'Neal the next day: It put a blue porta-potty in studio on his side of the table.

Blessedly, the conversation then moved in a different direction.

Read more:Shaquille O'Neal-Shannon Sharpe beef reaches diss track level. Here's how we got here

Things were a bit more serious but no less amusing back in April when O'Neal got up while a co-host was in the middle of talking and — in a big hurry — walked awkwardly in front of his fellow panelists and out the stage door. Ernie Johnson Jr., Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley weren't sure what was going on.

"You all right, big fella?" Barkley asked with a look of concern on his face.

As the camera (cruelly) followed him, O'Neal blurted to his co-hosts to "go ahead, keep talking" while one reminded him, "Hey, we're on TV."

"It's that olive oil you've been drinking," Barkley said. "Hey, take some matches with you."

Read more:Jimmy Kimmel's a grandpa after his '83-year-old' daughter gives birth

As the remaining hosts broke into giggles, Kenny Smith said, "After 40, you can't hold it no more."

"That wasn't something planned, was it?" Ernie Johnson Jr. wondered.

Smith also noted that O'Neal had been drinking olive oil to clean out his system, saying, "Oh, he's cleaning out his gut all right!"

"I did not like his gait as he left!" Johnson said.

Read more:Tracy Morgan posts proof of life after vomiting courtside at last night's Knicks game

And Barkley simply couldn't move past the idea of the smell.

"Please turn his mic off, that's all," Smith quipped. Then, as Smith tried to return to talking about L.A. Clippers forward Kawhai Leonard, the team in TNT's Studio J came through with the instant replay of Shaq bailing out. Instant. Freaking. Replay.

IN SLO-MO.

The three very professional analysts immediately began very professional analysis of O'Neal's shambolic gait.

The big man returned fairly soon after that, mumbling something about drinking too much water and about Barkley talking way too long when he really needed to cut to a break.

"Sorry about that, America," he said.

Seriously Shaq, you have absolutely no reason to apologize. As long as you remember the matches.

Sign up for Screen Gab, a free newsletter about the TV and movies everyone’s talking about from the L.A. Times.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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The Hockey Show: Are the Panthers about to repeat? Dimitri Filipovic discuss conference finals, exits by Toronto, Winnipeg

We’re down to the NHL’s final four and for the third straight season, the Florida Panthers are still alive!

This week on The Hockey Show, hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork welcomed Dimitri Filipovic of the PDOcast to get into the latest happenings in and around the NHL.

That mostly included talk about the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and can you blame them?

They touched on a couple of the recently eliminated teams, like the Toronto Maple Leafs – who had a 2-0 series lead and a 3-1 lead in Game 3 before getting knocked out in seven by Florida – and the Winnipeg Jets – the Presidents’ Trophy winners who struggled mightily on the road and didn’t get the same goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck during the playoffs that they did during the regular season.

The boys (and Rose) also got into the two conference finals, with the Dallas Stars and the Edmonton Oilers out west and the Panthers facing the Carolina Hurricanes in the east.

Dallas pulled off an impressive comeback on the Oilers to take Game 1 of their rematch series while Florida continued some incredibly strong road play by taking Games 1 and 2 in Carolina by a combined score of 10-2.

Wins and fails of the week included a masterclass in being interviewed on live TV by Florida’s A.J. Greer, a Panthers fan walking around Downtown Toronto in a fresh new Florida Brad Marchand jersey before Game 7 and a horrible attempt at a sign trolling Marchand by a fan in Raleigh.

You can check out the full episode in the video below:

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All-NBA teams 2024-25: These star players made the cut

All-NBA teams 2024-25: These star players made the cut originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo were the only players to appear on every MVP ballot this season.

It only made sense that they would be unanimous All-NBA picks as well.

Gilgeous-Alexander — the league’s MVP — along with Jokic and Antetokounmpo were unveiled Friday night as first-team All-NBA players, along with Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell.

Tatum was another unanimous first-team pick. Mitchell made the first team for the first time.

Antetokounmpo has seven first-team selections and nine appearances on the All-NBA team overall. Jokic is a five-time first-teamer and seven-time All-NBA pick, Tatum is first-team for the fourth time (fifth overall), Gilgeous-Alexander has been first-team in all three of his All-NBA appearances, and Mitchell is All-NBA for the second time in his career.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Tatum were all first-teamers last season as well.

Second team

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is an All-NBA player for the 21st time in 22 seasons. He made the second team.

Also on the second team: Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Golden State’s Stephen Curry and New York’s Jalen Brunson.

Curry made All-NBA for the 11th time, something only 21 players in NBA history have done. Edwards and Brunson are two-time All-NBA players, and Mobley made a team for the first time.

Third team

Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, the Los Angeles Clippers’ James Harden, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams were named to the third team.

Harden is an eight-time selection, Towns is a three-time pick, Haliburton made a team for the second time and Cunningham and Williams both are All-NBA for the first time.

All 100 ballots

Eight players appeared on every ballot. Antetokounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Tatum all got 100 first-team votes.

Mitchell got 61 first-team votes, 35 second-team and four third-team. Edwards got 11 first-team, 87 second-team and two third-team. Curry got two first-team, 68 second-team and 30 third-team. And Brunson got two first-team, 62 second-team and 36 third-team.

James and Cunningham were on 99 of 100 ballots.

Giannis: The people’s choice, again

For the eighth consecutive year, Antetokounmpo was listed on every All-NBA ballot. That’s the longest active run in the NBA.

The last time an All-NBA ballot was sent to the league without Antetokounmpo’s name listed was 2017, when four of the 100 voters didn’t rank him among the league’s top players.

Since then: 799 ballots cast, 799 listing Antetokounmpo.

Jokic appeared on every All-NBA ballot for the fifth consecutive year; it would be six in a row if he hadn’t fallen one vote short of unanimous status in 2020. Jayson Tatum was on every All-NBA ballot for the fourth consecutive season.

LeBron: The first at 40

James is the first 40-year-old to make an All-NBA team — he turned 40 in December.

James has 13 first-team appearances, four second-team selections and four third-team nods.

No other player has more than 15 All-NBA selections. Kobe Bryant (11 first-team picks), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10 first-team picks) and Tim Duncan (10 first-team picks) are the other members of the 15-time club.

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All-NBA teams 2024-25: These star players made the cut

All-NBA teams 2024-25: These star players made the cut originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo were the only players to appear on every MVP ballot this season.

It only made sense that they would be unanimous All-NBA picks as well.

Gilgeous-Alexander — the league’s MVP — along with Jokic and Antetokounmpo were unveiled Friday night as first-team All-NBA players, along with Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell.

Tatum was another unanimous first-team pick. Mitchell made the first team for the first time.

Antetokounmpo has seven first-team selections and nine appearances on the All-NBA team overall. Jokic is a five-time first-teamer and seven-time All-NBA pick, Tatum is first-team for the fourth time (fifth overall), Gilgeous-Alexander has been first-team in all three of his All-NBA appearances, and Mitchell is All-NBA for the second time in his career.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Tatum were all first-teamers last season as well.

Second team

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is an All-NBA player for the 21st time in 22 seasons. He made the second team.

Also on the second team: Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Golden State’s Stephen Curry and New York’s Jalen Brunson.

Curry made All-NBA for the 11th time, something only 21 players in NBA history have done. Edwards and Brunson are two-time All-NBA players, and Mobley made a team for the first time.

Third team

Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, the Los Angeles Clippers’ James Harden, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams were named to the third team.

Harden is an eight-time selection, Towns is a three-time pick, Haliburton made a team for the second time and Cunningham and Williams both are All-NBA for the first time.

All 100 ballots

Eight players appeared on every ballot. Antetokounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Tatum all got 100 first-team votes.

Mitchell got 61 first-team votes, 35 second-team and four third-team. Edwards got 11 first-team, 87 second-team and two third-team. Curry got two first-team, 68 second-team and 30 third-team. And Brunson got two first-team, 62 second-team and 36 third-team.

James and Cunningham were on 99 of 100 ballots.

Giannis: The people’s choice, again

For the eighth consecutive year, Antetokounmpo was listed on every All-NBA ballot. That’s the longest active run in the NBA.

The last time an All-NBA ballot was sent to the league without Antetokounmpo’s name listed was 2017, when four of the 100 voters didn’t rank him among the league’s top players.

Since then: 799 ballots cast, 799 listing Antetokounmpo.

Jokic appeared on every All-NBA ballot for the fifth consecutive year; it would be six in a row if he hadn’t fallen one vote short of unanimous status in 2020. Jayson Tatum was on every All-NBA ballot for the fourth consecutive season.

LeBron: The first at 40

James is the first 40-year-old to make an All-NBA team — he turned 40 in December.

James has 13 first-team appearances, four second-team selections and four third-team nods.

No other player has more than 15 All-NBA selections. Kobe Bryant (11 first-team picks), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10 first-team picks) and Tim Duncan (10 first-team picks) are the other members of the 15-time club.

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Flyers Linked to KHL Star as Decision on NHL Future Looms Large

Shabanov's creativity and willingness to attack good ice will be attractive skills to the Flyers.

Reigniting reports from earlier in the year, the Philadelphia Flyers are once again said to be in on KHL star Maxim Shabanov, an undrafted free agent forward mulling an overseas leap to start his NHL career.

Anthony San Filippo of On Patinson reported Thursday that the Flyers are indeed pursuing Shabanov, citing league sources who believe that the Russian forward's decision will come down to Philadelphia, the Vegas Golden Knights, or, ultimately, staying with Traktor Chelyabinsk in pursuit of the elusive Gagarin Cup.

Additionally, San Filippo reported that a source in the Flyers' hockey ops feels the final outcome is "up to the player."

By now, the Flyers' growing Russian contingent has been well-documented. Last spring, the Flyers surprisingly added Ivan Fedotov after he terminated his contract with CSKA Moskva, and Belarusian goalkeeper Aleksei Kolosov returned from his loan to Dinamo Minsk.

That summer, Matvei Michkov made his highly anticipated move to the Flyers, joining Fedotov, Kolosov, defenseman Egor Zamula, and prospect Egor Zavragin in the organization. Then, a few months ago, the Flyers traded Scott Laughton to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick.

Oh, and the Flyers went out of their way to hire decorated KHL coach Oleg Znarok to help Michkov and Co.

Basically, in Philadelphia, Shabanov will have all the opportunity in the world to earn an NHL roster spot permanently, and he'll have plenty of countrymen around him in support, including a former Traktor U16 teammate in Zamula.

But Vegas, too, will represent a strong challenge to the Flyers for his services.

Is Rick Tocchet a 'Quitter'? New Flyers Coach Understands Heavy BacklashIs Rick Tocchet a 'Quitter'? New Flyers Coach Understands Heavy BacklashAfter leaving the Vancouver Canucks and joining the Philadelphia Flyers a short time later, Rick Tocchet has been labelled a quitter by his own former fanbase. But, is there any truth to such heavy criticisms?

Shabanov played with sharpshooter Pavel Dorofeyev for parts of three seasons, including in the MHL, and Ilya Samsonov and Ivan Barbashev help comprise a Golden Knights team that is objectively way better than the Flyers are.

They also have prospects like Pavel Moysevich, a Belarusian goalie, and Ivan Morozov coming through.

In addition to Vegas, the Flyers may have to ward off a Metropolitan Division rival in the Pittsburgh Penguins to secure Shabanov's signature.

According to RG, "NHL scouts, particularly from the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vegas Golden Knights, have closely monitored him."

 “Maybe I'll think about it, maybe not. I've said before that all my thoughts were focused on having a successful season with Traktor. I don’t read what people write about me or listen to what they say,” Shabanov was quoted as saying about his NHL future by RG.

The Flyers should have plenty of appeal for Shabanov, especially as it relates to opportunity on the ice. The 24-year-old forward only needs to look as far back as Vadim Shipachyov's tenure in Vegas to see what could happen if he doesn't emerge as a stud immediately.

Shabanov's size, standing at just 5-foot-8, could eventually emerge as a concern, but his talent is evident. He's creative, skilled, adventurous, and knows where the good ice is.

As far as the Flyers are concerned, that's a worthy gamble. Now, we wait on a final decision.

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Mets manager Carlos Mendoza provides injury updates on Paul Blackburn, Frankie Montas

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza provided injury updates on a few recovering starting pitchers before Friday night's highly anticipated matchup with the Dodgers.

Here's what the manager said...

Frankie Montas

The veteran right-hander (lat) will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Brooklyn on Saturday, and be limited to two innings (30-35 pitches) of work in the start.

Montas threw live batting practice for the first time last week. The 32-year-old logged a 4.84 ERA across 150.2 innings last season.

Paul Blackburn

One step closer to a return to the majors, the veteran right-hander (knee) will make one more rehab start (seventh overall) with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old has produced a 3.91 ERA with 27 strikeouts across 23 innings in the minor league ranks this spring.