NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2026-01-25 13:23:31
Collins scores 28 off bench as No. 19 Texas Tech women beat Utah 77-49
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Snudda Collins scored 28 points off the bench, and the No. 19 Texas Tech women rolled past Utah 77-49 on Saturday night.
Collins had 20 points by halftime, going 4 for 4 from behind the arc in the first half as the Lady Raiders built a commanding 39-20 lead. Texas Tech shot 52% from the field and 45% from 3-point range while holding Utah to 33% shooting and just 3 of 16 from deep.
Texas Tech put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring the Utes 25-12 to push the margin past 30. The Lady Raiders led 64-32 entering the fourth and never allowed Utah to threaten.
Bailey Maupin added 15 points for Texas Tech (20-2, 7-2 Big 12), and Jada Malone scored 11 off the bench. Gemma Nuñez pulled down nine rebounds and dished out five assists as the Lady Raiders forced 18 turnovers and finished with 12 steals.
Reese Ross led Utah (14-6, 5-3) with 13 points and nine rebounds. Lani White scored 10 points.
The win snapped a two-game skid for Texas Tech.
Up NextTexas Tech faces Iowa State on Wednesday.
Utah hosts No. 22 West Virginia this Tuesday.
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Mets, Craig Kimbrel, agree to minor league deal
The Mets, who are always on the lookout for pitching depth, came to an agreement with Craig Kimbrel Saturday night, according to Jon Heyman. It is a minor league deal for Kimbrel, with an invite to MLB Spring Training. He will make $2.5m in base salary if he does make the team, according to Will Sammon.
Kimbrel, 37, likely needs little introduction to those reading this. He is in the twilight seasons of an excellent career, to say the very least. He has amassed 440 saves across 15 seasons with a 2.58 ERA, making him one of the premier relievers in the game during his prime. He started his career with the NL East rival Atlanta Braves, where Mets fans saw plenty of him — he has made 46 appearances against the Mets, earning 30 saves and a 1.46 ERA against those appearances.
Kimbrel has since bounced around since he left the Braves via trade early in the 2015 seasons, when he was dealt to the Padres alongside Melvin Upton Jr. for Carlos Quentin, Cameron Maybin, and Matt Wisler when he was a prospect (an excellent trade for Remembering Some Guys). He spent a year in San Diego before being dealt again, this time to the Red Sox, in exchange for Manuel Margot. After three years in Boston, he spent three years with the Cubs, and truly became a jouneyman, appearing in Major League games with the White Sox, Dodgers, Phillies, and Orioles, before splitting 2025 between the Braves and Astros.
Kimbrel can still miss bats despite his age, notching a 34.7% strikeout rate in 14 games (12 innings) last year, which is pretty closely in line with his career 38.8% strikeout rate. He also had a 2.25 ERA in those 12 innings, as well as a 3.00 ERA in 42 minor league games with the Braves and Rangers (who he did not appear in a Major League game with last year), acquitting himself well enough to get another chance in 2026.
For the Mets, Kimbrel gives them another interesting arm to throw at the wall while they continue to map out what the middle and front end of their bullpen looks like. For Kimbrel, the Mets give him a legitimate chance to continue his potentially Hall of Fame career, considering parts of their bullpen are not set in stone. It will be a fun side story during Spring Training.
Pierre scores career-high 25, reaches 1,000 points in TCU's 97-90 win over Baylor
WACO, Texas (AP) — Jayden Pierre scored a career-high 25 points, Xavier Edmonds added 23, and TCU defeated Baylor 97-90 on Saturday night.
The Horned Frogs (13-7, 3-4 Big 12) rode a strong second half to the win, outscoring Baylor 59-52 after heading to halftime tied at 38. Pierre scored 14 in the second half, reaching 1,000 career points in the process.
Edmonds scored five points during a 7-0 TCU run that stretched the lead to 17, their largest of the night, with seven minutes remaining. Baylor cut the lead to single-digits late but couldn't complete the comeback, as Edmonds hit six straight free throws with under a minute remaining.
TCU shot 52% from the floor and 46% from 3-point range, and hit 26 of 32 free throws. The Horned Frogs scored 44 points in the paint and led for 25:09, taking the lead for good with 15:14 remaining in the second half during a 9-0 run.
The Bears (11-8, 1-6) were paced by Isaac Williams and Tounde Yessoufou, who each scored 21 points before fouling out. Cameron Carr added 20 points, six rebounds, and six assists.
Sophomore forward David Punch was a late scratch for TCU due to illness. He leads the team with averages of 14.6 points and 7.8 rebounds.
Up nextTCU hosts Houston on Wednesday.
Baylor visits Cincinnati on Wednesday.
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Check Out These Photos from Astros FanFest 2026
(All photos courtesy Houston Astros)
The Astros hosted a successful 2026 FanFest on Saturday, Jan. 24 at Daikin Park. The 2026 FanFest wraps up a great week of Astros Caravan stops throughout the Texas community and represents the official launch of baseball season for Astros fans.
The official kickoff of the 2026 season saw 10,420 fans participate in autograph sessions, photo opportunities, games, Fan Forums, Q&As, play catch on the field, take swings in the batting cages, and more.
“We were thrilled to welcome the greatest fans in baseball back to Daikin Park to kick off the 2026 season, and we’re grateful to our players and coaches for spending the day with them,” said Anita Sehgal, Astros Executive Vice President, Marketing and Communications. “Fan Fest is such a special tradition, and we love creating unforgettable moments and memories for all our fans.”
Astros Manager Joe Espada participated in FanFest along with all the members of his coaching and support staff: Omar López (bench coach), Josh Miller (pitching coach), Ethan Katz (assistant pitching coach), Victor Rodriguez (hitting coach), Anthony Iapoce (assistant hitting coach), Dave Clark (first base coach), Tony Perezchica (third base coach), Jason Bell (Major League field coordinator/outfield coach), Tommy Kawamura (game planning coach), Tim Cossins (catching instructor) and Dan Hennigan (director of hitting and offensive coordinator), as well as bullpen catchers Javier Bracamonte and Caleb Nunes.
Astros General Manager Dana Brown also took part in FanFest.
The Astros had 22 players at FanFest, including IF/OF Jose Altuve, OF Yordan Alvarez, RHP Spencer Arrighetti, RHP Hunter Brown, 3B Carlos Correa, RHP Lance McCullers Jr., and OF Cam Smith. The player group also included RHP Jason Alexander, IF Nick Allen, RHP AJ Blubaugh, OF Zach Cole, IF Zach Dezenzo, LHP Colton Gordon, LHP Bryan King, IF Brice Mathews, RHP Jayden Murray, LHP Bennett Sousa, RHP Logan VanWey, LHP Brandon Walter, RHP Ryan Weiss, RHP Hayden Wesneski and IF Shay Whitcomb.
Several Astros alumni were also in attendance, including Astros Hall of Famers José Cruz, Larry Dierker, Terry Puhl, and Shane Reynolds, as well as Alan Ashby, Brandon Backe, Michael Bourn, Jason Castro, Jarred Cozart, J.C. Hartman, Art Howe, Phil Garner, and Chris Sampson.
Many members of the broadcast teams on Astros TV and Astros radio also had a presence. This group included Todd Kalas, Geoff Blum, Julia Morales, Robert Ford, Francisco Romero, Alex Treviño, Brian Bogusevic and Kevin Eschenfelder.
FanFest is also the culmination of a successful Astros Caravan from January 21-23, which gave fans the opportunity to connect with players, manager, alumni, broadcasters and front office personnel at various locations as the club approaches the start of Spring Training. This year’s caravan made visits to Tomball, The Woodlands, Corpus Christi, Central Houston, Austin, Baytown, Port Neches, Beaumont, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Ingram and San Antonio.
Brad Marchand returns to Panthers lineup in Minnesota after 7 game absence
Marchand, you ready? Good, cause you’re going!
When the Florida Panthers took the ice for pregame warmups on Saturday night in Minnesota, there was an unexpected surprise that emerged from the locker room.
Brad Marchand, who has missed each of the past seven games with an undisclosed injury, joined his teammates for warmups.
Marchand lined up on the right side of a line with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen.
Panthers line rushes…@ScrippsSports 📺 now for @FlaPanthers vs Wild pic.twitter.com/SDAKhxuUOG
— Steve Goldstein (@goldieonice) January 25, 2026
A.J. Greer was moved alongside the duo of Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett, while Sam Reinhart slid to a line with Carter Verhaeghe and Evan Rodrigues.
Florida will seek their fifth road win in six tries against the Wild before heading straight to Chicago to complete a back-to-back set on Sunday.
Despite missing the chunk of time, Marchand remains tied for the team lead in assists and one point back of Sam Reinhart for the team lead in points. He’s been an integral part of Florida remaining in contention during their injury woes.
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) January 25, 2026
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Photo caption: Jan 6, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)
Bilodeau, Perry help UCLA jump out early in 71-64 win over Northwestern
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tyler Bilodeau and Trent Perry combined for 28 first-half points and finished with 18 points apiece, leading UCLA to a 71-64 victory over Northwestern on Saturday night.
UCLA used a 10-0 surge to take a 41-27 lead late in the first half and led 41-31 at the break. The Bruins had its largest lead, 58-42 with 12:50 to play. Later in the second half, Northwestern's 7-0 spurt cut its deficit to 62-56. Jamar Brown answered with a 3-pointer and the Bruins then sealed it from the free-throw line.
Bilodeau didn't miss a shot in the first half, going 6 of 6 from the floor with four 3-pointers. He made a layup early in the second half before finally missing on a 3-pointer with 6:43 to play. He finished 7-of-11 shooting from the floor and 4 of 8 from long range. Perry scored 12 first-half points and and was 6 of 12 overall.
Donovan Dent, who scored 23 points and had 13 assists in the Bruins' 69-67 win over No. 4 Purdue on Wednesday, added 13 points and five assists against the Wildcats.
Eric Dailey Jr. chipped in with 11 points and eight rebounds for UCLA (14-6, 6-3 Big Ten), which has won four of its last five games.
Nick Martinelli scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Northwestern (9-11, 1-8). Tre Singleton had 12 points and six rebounds. The Wildcats have lost six of their last seven games.
UCLA is 7-1 in the series.
Up nextUCLA: At Oregon on Wednesday.
Northwestern: Hosts Penn State on Thursday.
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Craig Kimbrel signs minor league deal with Mets as pitching depth piece
Craig Kimbrel agreed to a minor league deal with the Mets, which includes an invite to big league spring training, The Post’s Jon Heyman reported Saturday.
The 37-year-old Kimbrel, whose 440 career saves rank fifth all time, spent last year bouncing between Triple-A and the majors in the Rangers, Braves and Astros organizations.
In 14 big league appearances (13 with the Astros), he posted a 2.25 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 12 innings. He last closed in 2024, when he had a 5.33 ERA and 23 saves with the Orioles.
Kimbrel will have a shot this spring to win a job in a remade Mets bullpen, which lost All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to the Dodgers but added ex-Yankees Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to help replace him in the late innings.
They also signed veteran reliever Luis Garcia to a major league deal earlier this week — part of a flurry of activity in which they acquired infielder Bo Bichette, right-hander Freddy Peralta, swingman Tobias Myers and outfielder Luis Robert Jr.
Among the reported non-roster invite relievers who will join Kimbrel in big league spring training are Carl Edwards Jr., Nick Burdi, Joe Jacques, Anderson Severino and Kevin Herget.
Shrewsberry scores 22 as Notre Dame pulls off 68-64 comeback win over Boston College
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Braeden Shrewsberry scored 22 points and Notre Dame beat Boston College 68-64 in a double-digit second half comeback on Saturday.
Shrewsberry was 8-of-17 shooting for the Irish (11-9, 2-5 Atlantic Coast Conference). Jalen Haralson added 17 points on 8 of 13 from the floor. Carson Towt had 13 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass.
Fred Payne led the Eagles (9-11, 2-5) with 18 points to go with five rebounds and four assists. Donald Hand Jr. had 17 points and six rebounds. Luka Toews had 14 points.
The Eagles took a 35-24 lead into the half after opening the game on an 8-0 run. The Irish flipped the script in the second half with a 10-run to start the half, and an 18-6 run over eight minutes to take the lead for good. It turned a 13-point deficit into a seven-point advantage with 2:57 remaining.
Shrewsberry had 12 points in the second half, and Haralson had 11.
The Eagles cut the deficit to two points with a 3-pointer from Toews with 10 seconds remaining. After Shrewsberry was fouled and made the resulting free throws for the Irish, Payne drove to make a layup, returning the deficit to two points with two seconds on the clock.
The Eagles were assessed a technical foul immediately after the score for calling a timeout when they had none remaining. It gave the Irish a pair of free throws and possession, sealing the result.
Up nextThe Irish host No. 14 Virginia on Tuesday.
The Eagles will also host No. 14 Virginia in their next game, next Saturday.
___
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Mets signing veteran closer Craig Kimbrel to minor league deal: report
The Mets are adding another veteran reliever to the system.
Right-hander Craig Kimbrel has agreed to a minor league deal with an MLB camp invite, according to a report from The New York Post's Jon Heyman on Saturday.
If Kimbrel, 37, appears with the Mets in the big leagues next year, it will be his 17th season in professional baseball. He appeared in just 14 big league games last year, allowing four runs (three earned) on 10 hits in 12 innings pitched, after signing a minor league deal and spending the majority of his time at Triple-A. The right-hander did strike out 17 of the 49 batters he faced with seven walks while pitching for Atlanta (once) and Houston (13 times).
He pitched to a 3.00 ERA and 1.051 WHIP across 39 innings over 42 minor league appearances last season. He tallied 51 strikeouts to 21 walks.
Kimbrel's last full major league season came in 2024 with Baltimore, and it did not go well for him as he was designated for assignment in late September after losing his spot as the closer. In 57 appearances with the Orioles, he pitched to a 5.33 ERA and 1.357 WHIP over 52.1 innings with 73 strikeouts to 31 walks. He had 23 saves in 29 opportunities.
The Mets will hope Kimbrel can return to the form that made him a surprise All-Star for Philadelphia during the 2023 campaign. He had a 3.26 ERA and 1.043 WHIP across 69 innings and 71 appearances out of the bullpen, with 94 strikeouts to 28 walks.
However, after four good appearances to start the 2023 postseason, he had two blowups in save situations that cost the Phillies Games 3 and 4 of the NLCS. Kimbrel allowed four runs on six hits over six innings with five strikeouts and five walks in seven outings.
Overall, he has 440 saves to his name over his big league career, with a 2.58 ERA over 821.2 innings and 851 games.
AJ Dybantsa points today: BYU freshman goes off for 43 points vs Utah
AJ Dybantsa continues to put together video game-like performances for Brigham Young University basketball.
The projected No. 1 overall draft pick in the upcoming NBA draft finished with a casual 43 points on 15-of-24 shooting in the 13th-ranked Cougars' 91-78 win over Utah on Saturday, Jan. 24 at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah.
Dybantsa's 43 points set a BYU record for the most points scored in a single game by a freshman. It is also the most points in a single game this season by a player in the Big 12, according to Fox's broadcast.
"No weaknesses," former UConn forward and Fox Sports analyst Donny Marshall said of Dybantsa's overall game and performance against Utah on the network's postgame show.
AJ Dybantsa is sensational!
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 25, 2026
The @BYUMBB forward sets the BYU freshman scoring record with 43 points. pic.twitter.com/VQ73yPXK3H
The 6-foot-9 forward showed off a little bit of everything with his game, as he found success inside and outside of the paint, including from beyond the arc as he was 3-of-4 on 3-point shooting attempts. He also added six rebounds and three assists to his career day.
Dybantsa scored 24 of his 43 points in the second half, which included the dagger on the Cougars' fifth conference win of the season: an emphatic dunk that set the arena off into a frenzy with 2:33 remaining in regulation.
"I don't know. To be honest, I was hot from the beginning. I was making a lot of shots that I normally make, so I felt like it was going to be a good day," Dybantsa said to Fox Sports' Casey Jacobsen postgame on his day.
He's one of three freshmen to score at least 40 points on Saturday, with the others being Illinois' Keaton Wagler (46 points vs. No. 4 Purdue) and Houston's Kingston Flemings (42 points vs. No. 12 Texas Tech).
Here's a deeper look into Dybantsa's day against Utah:
AJ Dybantsa stats vs Utah
Here's a look at Dybantsa's stats from Saturday's game against Utah:
- Points: 43
- Shooting: 15-of-24
- 3-point shooting: 4-of-5
- Free throw shooting: 9-of-10
- Rebounds: 6
- Assists: 3
- Steals: 0
- Blocks: 1
- Turnovers: 3
- Minutes: 36
AJ Dybantsa highlights vs Utah
Here's a look at a few highlights from Dybantsa's career night against the Utes in the Holy War:
"IT'S AJ MANIA!" AJ Dybantsa can't be stopped 😱 @BYUMBBpic.twitter.com/TjRtMX7ZDl
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 25, 2026
"AJ DYBANTSA! A GAME FOR THE AGES!" @BYUMBBpic.twitter.com/baXHNdfFhF
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 25, 2026
"How did he do that?!" AJ Dybantsa with the footwork and the bucket 😮💨 @BYUMBBpic.twitter.com/Q21HAN73hV
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 25, 2026
INCOMING: AJ DYBANTSA ‼️@BYUMBBpic.twitter.com/qFFCnVaWm6
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 24, 2026
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AJ Dybantsa has monster game for BYU vs Utah, sets freshman record
Rodman scores, Sentnor adds 2 goals and the USWNT routs Paraguay 6-0
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Trinity Rodman, fresh off signing a contract with the Washington Spirit, scored and the United States had five second-half goals in a 6-0 rout Paraguay on Saturday.
Ally Sentnor added a pair of goals and Reilyn Turner scored in her debut match for the United States. Emma Sears also scored.
Turner, who plays professionally for the Portland Thorns, scored in first-half stoppage time on an assist from Thorns teammate Olivia Moultrie.
Sentnor added a goal in the opening minutes of the second half to put the United States up 2-0.
After an own goal in the 53rd minute, Rodman scored her 12th international goal in her 48th appearance with the team. Rodman, named captain for the match, celebrated with a brief dance for the U.S. bench.
Sentnor added her second in the 57th minute, capping a span that saw the United States add three goals in four minutes. Sears made it 6-0 with a goal in the 72nd.
“I think in the first half there were definitely nerves. We were rushing a lot,” Rodman said. “I think there was almost too much space, that we were overthinking things.”
It was the first of two matches for the U.S. team to conclude its January training camp. The United States also plays Chile in Santa Barbara on Tuesday night.
European-based U.S. players were not included in the camp because they are in the midst of their seasons. Gotham players were also left off the roster as they prepare for the final stage of the first Women's Champions Cup in London next week.
The players in the starting lineup Saturday averaged just 10 appearances with the national team. Coach Emma Hayes was working with a group of National Women's Soccer League Players who are coming off an offseason.
“We had three debutantes, players that have only maybe played a second or third cap. There was a lot of inexperience for us, and a lot of nerves that come with that,” Hayes said. “But I thought the team handles themselves really well, considering.”
The team honored retired forward Christen Press before the match. Press won Women’s World Cup titles with the United States in 2015 and 2019 and a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Over a decade with the national team, she appeared in 155 matches, scoring 64 goals and 43 assists.
Press, who formally retired from professional soccer in October, was among the national team players who fought for equal pay and also advocated for better pay and playing conditions in the NWSL.
Rodman agreed on Thursday to a three-year contract to remain with the Washington Spirit, ending months of speculation about her future in the NWSL. At issue was the NWSL's salary cap and whether it has hampered the league from attracting and maintaining top players.
The 23-year-old Rodman became a free agent at the end of last season after five years with the Spirit. One of the biggest stars in the NWSL, keeping her in the league was considered important as other U.S. national team stars, including Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson, opted to play in Europe.
The financial details of Rodman’s contract were not disclosed, but the Spirit called it “one of the most significant deals in NWSL history.”
Hayes called it a “monumental achievement for the NWSL."
“I think it’s really fantastic for the NWSL that they’ve been able to keep Trinity Rodman," Hayes said in a prematch news conference. "I think knowing that she’s going to be settled and happy in Washington is going to be a win for the U.S. national team, because, as I’ve always said, happiness and what they want is of the highest order to me.”
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Yankees will soon find out if their run-it-back decision was the right one
Aaron Judge was still in uniform after the Yankees were bounced by the Blue Jays in the ALDS in October when he was asked about Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham heading to free agency.
“I hope we can run them back and see what happens,” the captain said.
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Try it freeJudge did not know it then, but he more or less offered up a tagline for the Yankees’ offseason to come.
Of course, it is not actually that simple, but with just over two weeks until pitchers and catchers report to Tampa for spring training, the Yankees are poised to bring back almost the same roster that ultimately came up short in the playoffs last fall, with a few notable asterisks.
Bellinger’s five-year, $162.5 million deal to remain in pinstripes last week was essentially the last big piece to the Yankees winter puzzle, barring a late surprise.
It followed Grisham accepting the $22.025 million qualifying offer; the club picking up Tim Hill’s $3 million option; Ryan Yarbrough, Amed Rosario and Paul Blackburn re-signing on one-year deals worth a combined $7 million; and the lone sizable external addition, acquiring hard-throwing lefty starter Ryan Weathers in a trade with the Marlins.
The Yankees could still use some reinforcements to solidify the bullpen and a right-handed hitting catcher, as they have not done much to change their admission that they are too left-handed.
Jasson Domínguez, whose role became much less defined with Bellinger back in the fold, could be used as trade bait to address one of those needs.
But for a team that won 94 games during the regular season last year, tied with the Blue Jays for the most in the American League, the Yankees are doubling down on the idea that they can be the best version of that team, not the one that endured another summer swoon and then got clobbered by those Blue Jays in the ALDS.
“Look, obviously the end of our season [last] year was, frankly, as hard a one for me [as we’ve had] — because I felt like we were really good, and really good and healthy and peaking at the right time and got beat in a series against a team that we obviously struggled with last year with the Blue Jays,” manager Aaron Boone said last month at the winter meetings. “So you want to take stock in that. Again, you’re always trying to improve your club and improve your team, but also pause and say, ‘Hey, we’re pretty good here.’ And we’ve got a lot of really good players and a lot of really good young core players that emerged on different levels last year that we need to continue to grow in their big league journey.”
The biggest potential change from 2025 to 2026 is that the Yankees expect to get Gerrit Cole back early in the season after not throwing a single inning last year because of Tommy John surgery. Exactly what version the former Cy Young winner comes back as, though, remains to be seen.
But they are also banking on getting a full season with Cam Schlittler in their rotation after his dazzling 14-start cameo last year. They believe there is even more in the tank for Ben Rice, who established himself as a middle-of-the-order bat last season and is now set to take on the challenge of facing lefties more often. They are betting that Grisham’s breakout season was real. And they are hoping that their 2025 trade deadline additions — David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Ryan McMahon, José Caballero, Rosario and Jake Bird — can continue to make an impact over the long haul instead of just a two-month boost.
Will it pay off, or will trying the same — or, at least, very similar — thing over and expecting a different result remind them of the definition of insanity? The Yankees are only a few weeks away from beginning the journey to find out.
Sabres Make Minor Trade, But Here's Why Buffalo Needs To Make A Major Move
The Buffalo Sabres made the first trade under new GM Jarmo Kekalainen Saturday. But if Sabres fans were hoping for a blockbuster, they were sorely disappointed, as Saturday’s deal sent prospect forward Viktor Neuchev to the Carolina Hurricanes in return for veteran American League defenseman Gavin Bayreuther. Neuchev will begin his Canes career with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, while Bayreuther will report to the AHL’s Rochester Americans.
However, there’s still plenty of time for Kekalainen to make a trade of significant consequence for his team. And whether it happens before the NHL’s Feb., 4 OIympic roster freeze, or by the league’s March 6 trade deadline, it absolutely has to happen.
Maybe it’s St. Louis Blues star center Robert Thomas the Sabres should pursue in a trade. Or maybe Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri should be Kekalainen’s focus.
But wait, there’s more: recently-acquired Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud may not be long for Calgary. So why shouldn’t Kekalainen bolster his blueline and add Whitecloud to Buffalo’s defense corps? Or what about New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck? We put this out there a couple of weeks ago, and it makes even more sense today.
And heck, if we’re talking about the Sabres stepping up and taking big swings on the trade front, it still makes sense for Kekalainen to try to acquire Vancouver Canucks star center Elias Pettersson. Or another Vancouver veteran – rugged winger Jake DeBrusk – could improve Buffalo’s attack.
Sabres' Lucrative Deal For Youngster Doan Is A Gamble – But A Good One The Buffalo Sabres signed young winger Josh Doan to a lucrative contract extension. The deal is a gamble for the Sabres, but it's a good one,You can see, then, why there’s really no excuse for the Sabres to stand pat. You want to reward Buffalo’s current players for saving their season, and you don’t do that by sitting on your hands and falling short of the Stanley Cup playoffs because you were too timid to take leap of faith and get the most out of your roster.
No, the best move for Kekalainen & Co. is for him to throw caution to the wind and get ahead of competing teams for experienced veterans of note. Long-suffering Sabres fans deserve to be on the good end of trades, because for too long, they’ve been on the wrong end of them.
Steep Price Sharks Paid For Sherwood Should Be Price Sabres Are Willing To Pay To Make Their Own Major MoveThe San Jose Sharks made a big move, acquiring Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks. But the price the Sharks paid to improve should be the same type of price the Buffalo Sabres should be willing to pay to make their own major move. Because standing pat isn't an option for this Sabres squad.Is there a chance a major trade doesn’t work out as hoped for Buffalo? Of course. If there were a risk-free way to improve your team, everybody would be doing it. Thus, the Sabres have to forget about the potential downside of a big trade and embrace the upside of one.
If Saturday’s minor-league trade is all Kekalainen does, Buffalo fans will rightfully be irate. The Sabres have no shortage of potential ways to be a better team by the trade deadline. And the sooner they take a chance on a brand-name player in a big deal, the better they’re likely to be.