Colorado coach Deion Sanders made his remarks after son Shilo has faced several legal issues in recent years, including bankruptcy
Former CFP committee chair Mack Rhoades resigns as Baylor’s athletic director
Rhoades had been Baylor's athletic director since 2016.
Lakers fire much of scouting staff in reorganization, including Joey and Jesse Buss
In the first major move of the Mike Walters era of the Lakers, the team has fired most of its scouting staff in a reorganization, including front office executives Joey and Jesse Buss — who are and remain part-owners of the team (along with the rest of their family).
This news was first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN and was confirmed by NBC Sports. The Lakers organization has not announced the changes.
Joey and Jesse Buss both spent their lives in the Lakers organization and worked their way up, their positions were not handed to them on a silver platter because of their last name. They were respected around the league — Jesse was the Lakers' draft guru and Director of Scouting (as well as assistant general manager), and the brothers together helped the Lakers land Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Max Christie and others. Joey Buss was listed by the team as alternate governor and vice president of research and development. The Buss brothers released this statement to Charania.
"We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last 20 seasons. Thank you to Laker Nation for embracing our family every step of the way. We wish things could be different with the way our time ended with the team. At times like this we wish we could ask our Dad what he would think about it all."
If that sounds a little bitter toward longtime owner turned team operating governor Jeanie Buss, it was just the start. Check out Jesse's statements to Charania — echoing what he told Dan Woike of The Athletic — which were more direct:
"Dr. Buss' idea was for Joey and I to run basketball operations one day. But Jeanie has effectively kept herself in place with her siblings fired."
After Dr. Jerry Buss's passing, Jeanie became team governor, and Jim Buss ran basketball operations. After a few rough seasons on the court, Jeanie removed Jim from basketball operations and hired the current president of basketball operations, Rob Pelinka.
The writing was on the wall that changes to the Lakers' scouting operation were coming after the $10 billion sale of the franchise to Walter. It's why Joey and Jesse founded their own sports investment and strategic partnership company three months ago.
Even before the house cleaning on Thursday, the Lakers had one of the smallest scouting staffs in the NBA — both in terms of scouting other teams and players, as well as potential future draft picks — and it was one area Walters was expected to invest early. It is a clear place of need for the franchise. Precisely what that new structure looks like — and who will be brought in to head it — remains to be seen.
Observations after MVP-caliber Maxey scores career-high 54 points in Sixers' OT win
Observations after MVP-caliber Maxey scores career-high 54 points in Sixers' OT win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Amid an MVP-caliber start to the season, Tyrese Maxey somehow raised his game again Thursday night.
On the second night of a home-road back-to-back, Maxey was special in Milwaukee, scoring a career-high 54 points in the Sixers’ 123-114 overtime win over the Bucks.
Maxey’s performance was far from one-dimensional. He also had nine assists, five rebounds, three steals and three blocks.
Paul George added 21 points, five rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes.
The Sixers had three players on the sidelines in Joel Embiid (right knee injury management), Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Adem Bona (right ankle sprain). Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was out with a left adductor strain.
The 9-6 Sixers will host the Heat on Sunday afternoon. Here are observations on Thursday’s Maxey-centric thriller:
George, Maxey key near-perfect start
George started his second game of the season with Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Justin Edwards and Andre Drummond.
Just like in his debut Monday vs. the Clippers, George scored the Sixers’ first five points. This time he added six more. The nine-time All-Star converted a driving layup through contact and then drilled a trio of long-distance shots. In a little over two minutes, he already had more points than he’d posted all game Monday.
Though George finally missed a heat-check jumper, he assisted the Sixers’ next hoop by tossing up a fast-break lob that Edgecombe flushed home.
The Sixers’ defense was solid in the first quarter and fueled plenty of open-floor offense. After an Edwards steal, Maxey hit a three to give the Sixers an early double-figure lead. Maxey and George totaled 23 of the team’s 33 first-quarter points and the Sixers had a 13-point advantage after the opening period.
Bucks storm back
The Sixers flipped the turnovers story of Wednesday night’s loss to the Raptors in the early going. They forced regular Milwaukee giveaways and scored the evening’s first 12 points off turnovers.
However, the Sixers’ lead shrunk once Maxey headed to the bench.
The Bucks began the second quarter by making a 10-0 run. With Milwaukee turning to zone defense, the Sixers relied largely on jumpers and had little success. Stops were in short supply on the other end, too.
Maxey continued playing tremendous, efficient basketball once he subbed back in. He ticked off his 15th consecutive 20-point performance to start the season when he buried a three late in the second quarter. The 25-year-old poured in 23 points in the first half on 13 field goal attempts.
Maxey’s performance not in vain
Even with Maxey scoring freely, the Bucks edged in front. A Myles Turner dunk put Milwaukee up 53-52 and gave the Bucks their first lead of the night.
Drummond’s foul trouble made the Sixers’ task tougher on the second game of a back-to-back (and with two big men unavailable in Embiid and Bona).
Drummond was whistled for his fourth foul in the first minute of the third quarter, but Sixers head coach Nick Nurse kept him in. He couldn’t manage an extended foul-free stretch, fouling Turner with 8:54 left in the third.
Out of necessity, both Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow played substantial minutes at center. Barlow had a couple of nice defensive moments in the third quarter, including a block on Gary Trent Jr.’s layup attempt. Maxey also had several impressive plays to snuff out Milwaukee attacks in the paint. Given his offensive output, his defensive energy was remarkable.
Nurse stuck with Barlow for the final 21 minutes of regulation. Drummond returned for overtime but fouled out with 2:49 left in the extra session.
The Sixers trailed by four points entering the fourth quarter. Maxey wiped out that deficit rather quickly, draining a mid-range jumper and then sinking a go-ahead step-back triple from 30 or so feet out.
He’s looked like he can score from just about anywhere this season and deep range has been a serious weapon. There were hardly any signs of fatigue from Maxey, who logged 47 minutes and still leads the NBA in minutes per game (by about three minutes). It’s not hyperbolic to say he very well may be the league’s best-conditioned player.
When Maxey finally missed a couple of shots, other Sixers chipped in timely baskets. Edgecombe (12 points, 10 rebounds) nailed a three and threw down a Maxey alley-oop. George and Quentin Grimes each made driving layups.
The closing minutes of regulation were full of twists and turns. Maxey stepped on the sideline and AJ Green then knocked down a three to knot the game up at 101-all. The Sixers promptly regained the lead when Maxey hit a cold-blooded corner three right in front of the Bucks’ bench.
Edwards had two big missed jumpers down the stretch of the fourth quarter. Following a Maxey turnover, Turner canned a three with 15.1 seconds left and the Bucks took a two-point lead. Maxey evened it up by driving into the paint, drawing a foul with 7.0 seconds to go, and hitting both of his free throws.
On Milwaukee’s final possession of the fourth, Ryan Rollins (32 points, 14 assists) air balled a three at the buzzer. Grimes contested it well.
Edwards scored five massive points in overtime, including a three to start the scoring. Grimes delivered a tightly guarded triple. Across the board, the Sixers made clutch plays to ensure Maxey’s effort wasn’t in vain.
Maxey set his new career high by making two inconsequential free throws with 12 seconds left. Everything else he did was essential for the Sixers, who are already well-accustomed to leaning on him late in games that go down to the wire.
Sabres Display Head-Scratching Effort In Loss To Flames
The Buffalo Sabres apparently believed that they had found the winning formula after a pair of victories over Detroit and Edmonton, but must have forgotten that they had lost eight of the previous nine games and were at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. The Sabres stunning lack of consistency was on display in a 6-2 loss to the NHL bottom-dwelling Calgary Flames on Wednesday.
The Sabres allowed the Flames to take an early 2-0 lead before rallying in the middle frame with goals from Mattias Samuelsson and Tage Thompson. Calgary, who had lost 5-2 in Chicago on Tuesday and started backup goalie Devin Cooley in the second of back-to-back games, retook the lead early in the third on a Morgan Frost goal and proceeded to pull away with a pair of goals from Mikael Backlund and Joel Farabee 2:16 apart.
After the game, Thompson was at a loss to explain the club’s inability to rise to the occasion against teams like Calgary and St. Louis on home ice, who are both at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
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"I thought all game we were pretty sloppy with the puck when we did have it, especially through the neutral zone, trying to force stuff," Thompson said. "I think get a little too high on ourselves after a couple wins. I think we're better than we are. Instead of remembering what got us those wins. I thought the other game against Edmonton, we were really hard to play against. I thought today we were really easy, really light on the puck and anytime you're doing that and you're going to lose games."
Head coach Lindy Ruff was unsparing in his critique of the club, saying that his club had an opportunity early in the game to outwork the other team, but the opposite occurred and that the Sabres just wanted things to be easy.
"In the third period, we got beat to the net. Two goals around net front. We weren't strong enough. Our power play could have changed the direction of the game. They weren't good enough. Execution. Their puck movement wasn't good enough," Ruff said. "We lost too many battles. I mean, as a group, there wasn't a lot of players to like in the game. If you want to break down every goal, somebody got outmuscled somewhere. Somebody got a beat back up ice."
Buffalo continues their four-game homestand on Friday against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo
NHL Hot Seat Radar: Leafs' Berube Receives Vote Of Confidence, Oilers Struggle
The NHL’s 2025-26 regular season continues to unfold, as does our weekly look at the Hot Seat Radar.
The radar focuses on NHL figures facing increased pressure, whether their jobs are at risk or not. For some, they may not be going anywhere, but they could still be feeling the heat to see improved results before a more significant problem arises.
When it comes to the hot seat, cooling down is a good thing. It means they're under less pressure to improve their situation. Of course, warming up means there's less time to turn things around.
We've talked about Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams and coach Lindy Ruff in each of the last two weeks, so this time, we're revisiting Craig Berube's situation before looking at Alberta rivals.
Cooling Down: Craig Berube, Coach, Toronto Maple Leafs
With the Maple Leafs off to a 9-9-2 start, Leafs analysts and fans have begun to question Berube's methods.
GM Brad Treliving isn't thinking about a change.
"Yeah, I've got all the faith in our coach right now," Treliving told reporters on Monday, according to The Hockey News' David Alter. "Listen, when you go through things like this, understandably, everything gets talked about and looked about. My job right now is to support our coach, support his message and support our group, and push the group."
Berube is the same coach who steered the Leafs to the best record in the Atlantic Division last season. This is a very competent bench boss.
Unfortunately, the injury bug has taken a huge bite out of the Maple Leafs’ roster, as veterans Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, Chris Tanev, Anthony Stolarz, Nicolas Roy and Brando Carlo all are currently on the sidelines. But that can’t be an excuse – at least, when it comes to Toronto sitting in second-last place in the Atlantic and Eastern Conference.
From this writer’s perspective, Berube’s job is still safe. Now, he can’t afford another five-game losing streak, but given that the Leafs’ next six games include two games against the Columbus Blue Jackets and games against the disappointing Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Do The Maple Leafs Have 'Too Much Vanilla' Or Not Enough Marner?Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said the solution to dealing with the team's bad start is not to point fingers and dig in together. But they seriously need Marner's two-way play right now.Cooling Down: Ryan Huska, Coach, Calgary Flames
Huska was firmly on the hot seat coming out of the gate, as the Flames quickly fell into the bottom of the Pacific Division and league with abysmal performances left, right and center that led to an eight-game losing streak.
However, with four wins in its past nine games, Calgary has made modest improvements and is on the precipice of climbing out of the Western Conference basement and past the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues.
Calgary’s latest win – a 6-2 romp over the lowly Buffalo Sabres – took some of the heat off of Huska. And some of that heat got transferred back to the Sabres' Adams and Ruff.
If the Flames aren't going to make the playoffs, they at least need their young players and their trade bait to put up some points. That wasn't really happening in October. But in the past week, Matt Coronato has five points in four games, and Frost has four points. Pending UFA defenseman Rasmus Andersson is showing how valuable he could be for another squad with two goals and six points in four games.
The management and coaching game is a zero-sum business, so while the Flames have to be feeling slightly more competitive with their performance in November, it will only take another three- or four-game losing skid to warm up Huska's seat yet again. Calgary isn’t likely to make a surge in the standings, so Huska could find himself in the pressure cooker in short order.
Warming Up: Kris Knoblauch, Coach, Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers have been one of the bigger disappointments in the league this season with a 9-9-4 record. But it isn’t just that Edmonton is struggling that puts Knoblauch on the Hot Seat Radar for the first time this season. It’s how the Oilers are losing that increases the pressure on Knoblauch to turn things around before any questions about his job arise.
Edmonton has lost six of its last nine games – including five in regulation – being outscored 40-26 in that span.
In this past week, the Oilers lost three of four games: 5-4 to Columbus, 5-1 to Buffalo and 7-4 to Washington.
We’re not telling you Knoblauch will be fired anytime soon, but if the Oilers want to try to get back to the Stanley Cup final, Knoblauch has to address the defense first and foremost.
Yes, the team's save percentage of .857 is quite poor. But the Oilers likely won't get an upgrade in net in the trade market. The solution has to come from within the dressing room.
The Oilers have the eighth-most expected goals against this season at 68.72, according to naturalstattrick.com, and the most actual goals against, with 80. So even though they're allowing the sixth-fewest shots against per game, they need to reduce the quality of chances against.
Edmonton is not where it was two years ago when the team fired coach Jay Woodcroft following a 3-9-1 start. The league's increased parity this season plays a part in the team sitting fifth in the Pacific Division.
But if the losing continues for the Oilers, Knoblauch’s job security will eventually come into question.
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College basketball panic meter: Is Kentucky a title contender?
Kentucky, Marquette and Memphis are among the teams that have gotten off to rough starts to the season. Is it time to panic?
Lakers fire executives Joey and Jesse Buss and members of scouting staff
The Lakers confirmed that Joey and Jesse Buss, who both had been executives with the team, are no longer with the franchise.
The announcement was made Thursday in a move many figured would come later with changes to the Lakers’ basketball operations department after Mark Walter became the majority owner. The sale was at a $10-billion valuation and was approved by the NBA board of governors in October.
According to a person not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, everything with the Lakers is being evaluated and that included firing scouts on Thursday.
It was felt that starting the process now was the best course of action to take, according to one person aware of the situation but not authorized to speak publicly, rather than wait.
Joey Buss was an alternate governor and vice president of research and development with the Lakers while Jesse was the team’s assistant general manager.
“We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last 20 seasons," Joey and Jesse Buss said in a statement to ESPN, which first broke the story. “Thank you Laker Nation for embracing our family every step of the way. We wish things could be different with the way our time ended with the team. At times like this, we wish we could ask our Dad what he would think of it all.”
Read more:Hernández: LeBron James' 'very unselfish' play shows he can fit in. Will it continue?
Their dad was Dr. Jerry Buss, who transformed the Lakers into a global franchise after buying the team, along with the Kings and the Forum, in 1979 for $67.5 million. Both Joey and Jesse worked alongside their sister, Jeanie Buss, who will continue to be the Lakers’ primary team governor for the foreseeable future.
Joey was team president and chief executive of the Lakers’ G League team, the South Bay Lakers, and Jesse was the Lakers’ director of scouting. Each, along with their siblings, are still minority owners of the franchise.
The two were given a lot of credit for helping the Lakers find and develop Austin Reaves, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Max Christie.
The Lakers didn’t have a comment about the Buss brothers no longer being with the team.
“Yeah, I found out this morning that it was going to happen,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said after practice. “But I don’t have any comment on personnel decisions as it relates to the organization.”
The Lakers signed general manager Rob Pelinka to a contract extension in April and extended Redick's contract in September.
The sale of the Lakers was finalized on Oct. 30.
Fresh off winning a World Series with the Dodgers, Walter, who had been a minority owner of the Lakers since he bought 27% of the franchise with Todd Boehly in 2021, promptly sat courtside for the next Lakers home game on Nov. 2. He looked on when the Lakers honored the world champion Dodgers at a home game on Nov. 5.
Walter was part of the group that purchased the Dodgers for $2 billion in 2012. Since then, the team has won three World Series titles in five appearances with 13 consecutive playoff berths.
The swift reorganization process with the Lakers differs from Walter’s history with L.A.’s other pro sports headliner. After Walter bought the Dodgers, general manager Ned Colletti stayed with the organization through the 2014 season.
In addition to becoming the highest-spending team in baseball under the new ownership group, the Dodgers also bolstered their analytics department, improved nutrition programs for major and minor league players, and expanded clubhouses with the latest physical therapy technologies.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Game #21: Ducks vs. Senators Gameday Preview (11/20/25)
After beating the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Wednesday, the Ducks are right back at it on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators on Hockey Fights Cancer Night. A win against the Senators would give the Ducks a three-game win streak.
“Winning at home is important,” Ryan Strome said after their win against the Bruins. “We’ve got a great record here. Our fans have come out really strong this year and supported us. You could just tell by the enthusiasm. It’s so great to see, and they're so excited for us.
“Ottawa’s a hungry team right now and they're going to be well-rested, waiting for us, so we've got to be ready to go. It’s going to be another tough game, so try to get some rest here and get ready to go. crack some things. All in all, finding ways to win, especially on home ice, is so key. Trying to carry that (into) tomorrow is huge.”
Takeaways from the Ducks' 4-3 Win over the BruinsDucks defeat Bruins with clutch play and timely adjustments. Dostal's stellar goaltending paves the way for crucial offensive chances.Petr Mrázek is expected to start for Anaheim after Lukáš Dostál started and made 36 saves against the Bruins. Any lineup changes for Anaheim won’t be known until warmups due to no morning skate, but defenseman Pavel Mintyukov will likely be a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game.
Late Wednesday night, a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed that Mintyukov would prefer to be traded if he continues to be scratched.
The Senators will be without Thomas Chabot, Olle Lycksell, Ridly Greig and captain Brady Tkachuk. Chabot, Lycksell and Tkachuk are all on injured reserve while Greig is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
Ducks forward Chris Kreider will play in his 900th game, his 17th with the Ducks after spending the previous 13 seasons with the New York Rangers. Kreider has added a much-needed netfront presence to the Ducks after coming over from the Rangers as an offseason acquisition this past June. He helped create the game-tying goal on Monday against the Utah Mammoth and the game-winning goal on Wednesday against the Bruins.
Ducks Projected Lines
Chris Kreider- Leo Carlsson - Troy Terry
Cutter Gauthier - Mason McTavish - Beckett Sennecke
Frank Vatrano - Ryan Strome - Alex Killorn
Ross Johnston - Jansen Harkins - Nikita Nesterenko
Jackson LaCombe - Drew Helleson
Olen Zellweger - Jacob Trouba
Ian Moore - Radko Gudas
Petr Mrázek (projected)
Senators Projected Lines
David Perron - Tim Stützle - Drake Batherson
Lars Eller - Dylan Cozens - Fabian Zetterlund
Michael Amadio - Shane Pinto - Claude Giroux
Nick Cousins - Stephen Halliday - Hayden Hodgson
Jake Sanderson - Artem Zub
Tyler Kleven - Jordan Spence
Nikolas Matinpalo - Nick Jensen
Linus Ullmark (confirmed)
Penguins Goalie Ranked Among NHL's Top Rookies
The Pittsburgh Penguins made multiple moves this off-season. Among the most notable was them acquiring goaltender Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks.
The decision to bring in Silovs is already looking like a very good one by the Penguins, as the young goaltender has played excellently for the Metropolitan Division club so far. In 10 games so far this season, he has posted a 4-2-4 record, a .918 save percentage, and a 2.44 goals-against average. He also recorded his first career NHL shutout in his Penguins debut on Oct. 7, stopping all 25 New York Rangers shots he faced.
Now, Silovs' strong start to the season has gotten him some big-time praise.
Silovs was ranked as the sixth-best rookie in the NHL in The Athletic's latest Calder Trophy rankings. With this, he ranked ahead of other promising rookies like Yaroslav Askarov (San Jose Sharks), Zeev Buium (Minnesota Wild), and Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis Blues).
Given how well Silovs has started the season, it is understandable that he is being viewed as one of the top rookies in the NHL right now. It will be interesting to see how he performs as this season rolls on from here.
Red Wings' Lucas Raymond Says He Feels Good – And It's Showing
Having just recorded a new career-high in points last season, Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond is beginning to heat up once again.
Raymond is currently riding a five-game point streak coming into Thursday evening's tilt against the New York Islanders, having tallied twice while adding eight assists during that span. Among his points was scoring the game-winning goal against the New York Rangers on Nov. 16 late in the third period as part of Detroit's 2-1 win.
Right now, he's on track to reach 90 points, which would be a new career-best. And he's doing it while having already missed two games because of an upper-body injury.
The good news for the Red Wings is that Raymond is feeling good - and that's bad news for the rest of the NHL.
"I feel good, physically just coming back from an injury, it's always a little slow in the beginning, but I feel good," Raymond said following practice on Thursday morning. "I think the team has been playing some really good hockey games as well lately, so that helps.
"I feel good, it's a long season and you're always going to be battling something. Very rarely do you feel a hundred percent, so I feel good. There's nothing that's bothering me."
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It wasn't long ago that Raymond was a fresh-faced rookie himself during the 2021-22 NHL campaign, having to navigate through the rigors of not only playing in the top league in the world but also living on a new continent on the opposite side of the globe.
Playing in his fifth NHL season, Raymond is happy to see the progression of new rookies on the club like Nate Danielson, Emmitt Finnie, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka.
"First, it's a lot of fun, I think everything is new," Raymond said while looking back at his rookie season. "A lot of new impressions, every arena that's new and you play for the first time in against a bunch of players you watched growing up, there's a lot of excitement, and I think you want to enjoy as much as possible."
Rising Rookies: Emmitt Finnie Snaps Drought Playing With Nate Danielson Detroit Red Wings rookie forward Emmitt Finnie was happy to end his scoring drought on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken, his first goal since Oct. 25 against the Blues. Naturally, there's going to be a learning curve for even the most highly-touted young professionals.
"At the same time, it can be tough," Raymond said of the introduction to life in the NHL. "You want to play well and have a good impact. But a lot of fun and something I'll take with me."
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Flyers turn it on to overcome another deficit, beat Blues in overtime
Flyers turn it on to overcome another deficit, beat Blues in overtime originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Rick Tocchet said he was going to be “shocked” if the Flyers didn’t play a good game Thursday night.
His team was coming off a four-day break, a stretch that included plenty of practice time and video sessions to address what the head coach felt were some concerning trends.
While the Flyers fell into another 2-0 hole, Tocchet had to be happy with his club’s resolve. The Flyers rallied for a 3-2 overtime win over the Blues at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“I don’t know if it was that bad of a start,” Tocchet said. “I know the optics, you make a bad pass or something, that’s when it looks bad. But overall, I didn’t think it was that bad.”
Travis Sanheim delivered the game-winner for the Flyers (10-6-3), who bounced backed from their most lopsided loss of the season.
“Not the start you wanted,” Sanheim said. “In saying that, you have the four days off, it takes a little bit to get your mind and your legs back into it. Then I thought we started to find our game toward the second half of the game.”
Rodrigo Abols and Tyson Foerster scored the other goals to fuel the Flyers’ comeback.
Tocchet’s club has gone to overtime nine times and improved to 6-3-3 in games decided by one goal.
“Another resilient win for us,” Nick Seeler. “Just need to build on it and continue to work at those first-period starts.”
The Flyers swept the two-game regular-season series from the Blues (6-9-6). They picked up a 6-5 shootout win in St. Louis six days ago.
• For the third time in the last five games, the Flyers fell down 2-0.
They’ve been outscored 9-1 in the first period over the last six games.
Justin Faulk scored both of the Blues’ first-period markers. The first came on a blast from deep just 5:31 minutes into the game. The second came on a St. Louis power play after Trevor Zegras was whistled for hooking.
Dan Vladar kept the Flyers in it with some key saves. He stopped 27 of 29 shots and was very good down the stretch.
“From my side, I wasn’t happy with the start,” Vladar said. “Just felt a little bit off, but as the game went on, I started to feel a little bit better. I think since the get-go, we played a pretty good game.
“Obviously when you’re down 2-0, you basically have nothing to lose. You’re going to keep getting scored on or you’re going to do what we did, so I’m really proud of the guys in front of me.”
Emil Andrae had a clutch defensive play at Vladar’s doorstep with three minutes left in regulation to keep the game tied 2-2.
“I probably owe him some steak, for sure,” Vladar said.
The 23-year-old Andrae continued to pick up more minutes and also had an assist.
“You can really tell that he really wants to be here,” Vladar said.
Blues backup Joel Hofer denied 25 of the Flyers’ 28 shots. With some help from his post, Hofer robbed Zegras on a third-period power play for the Flyers.
But Foerster ended up providing the equalizer about three and a half minutes later.
• It was appropriate that Abols got the Flyers on the board with 2:03 minutes left in the second period.
The 29-year-old center was playing an active and energetic game with the team in desperate need of a spark.
“On the scoreboard, I think it was a slow start,” Abols said. “Obviously 2-0, it’s not what we want, but game-wise, I think it wasn’t that bad. Just stick with it. There’s a ton of belief in this room.”
Zegras and Owen Tippett assisted Abols’ goal. Travis Konecny had two helpers on the night.
• In non-contact fashion, Oliver Bonk joined the big club this week for practice and Thursday’s morning skate.
The 20-year-old prospect hasn’t played this season because of a lingering upper-body injury. He missed all of training camp and the preseason after participating in just a few days of rookie camp.
Last month, general manager Danny Briere didn’t have a firm timeline for Bonk’s return. But it’s a good sign that the defenseman has been able to go through consecutive skates with the team.
When Bonk is cleared, he’ll head to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.
Rasmus Ristolainen was seen wrapping up a rehab skate Monday morning.
Briere on Oct. 27 considered Ristolainen four to six weeks away from potentially rejoining the team.
The 31-year-old defenseman hasn’t played this season. He has been recovering from surgery on a second triceps tendon rupture.
• The Flyers are back in action Saturday when they host the Devils (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
Flyers turn it on to overcome another deficit, beat Blues in overtime
Flyers turn it on to overcome another deficit, beat Blues in overtime originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Rick Tocchet said he was going to be “shocked” if the Flyers didn’t play a good game Thursday night.
His team was coming off a four-day break, a stretch that included plenty of practice time and video sessions to address what the head coach felt were some concerning trends.
While the Flyers fell into another 2-0 hole, Tocchet had to be happy with his club’s resolve. The Flyers rallied for a 3-2 overtime win over the Blues at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“I don’t know if it was that bad of a start,” Tocchet said. “I know the optics, you make a bad pass or something, that’s when it looks bad. But overall, I didn’t think it was that bad.”
Travis Sanheim delivered the game-winner for the Flyers (10-6-3), who bounced backed from their most lopsided loss of the season.
“Not the start you wanted,” Sanheim said. “In saying that, you have the four days off, it takes a little bit to get your mind and your legs back into it. Then I thought we started to find our game toward the second half of the game.”
Rodrigo Abols and Tyson Foerster scored the other goals to fuel the Flyers’ comeback.
Tocchet’s club has gone to overtime nine times and improved to 6-3-3 in games decided by one goal.
“Another resilient win for us,” Nick Seeler. “Just need to build on it and continue to work at those first-period starts.”
The Flyers swept the two-game regular-season series from the Blues (6-9-6). They picked up a 6-5 shootout win in St. Louis six days ago.
• For the third time in the last five games, the Flyers fell down 2-0.
They’ve been outscored 9-1 in the first period over the last six games.
Justin Faulk scored both of the Blues’ first-period markers. The first came on a blast from deep just 5:31 minutes into the game. The second came on a St. Louis power play after Trevor Zegras was whistled for hooking.
Dan Vladar kept the Flyers in it with some key saves. He stopped 27 of 29 shots and was very good down the stretch.
“From my side, I wasn’t happy with the start,” Vladar said. “Just felt a little bit off, but as the game went on, I started to feel a little bit better. I think since the get-go, we played a pretty good game.
“Obviously when you’re down 2-0, you basically have nothing to lose. You’re going to keep getting scored on or you’re going to do what we did, so I’m really proud of the guys in front of me.”
Emil Andrae had a clutch defensive play at Vladar’s doorstep with three minutes left in regulation to keep the game tied 2-2.
“I probably owe him some steak, for sure,” Vladar said.
The 23-year-old Andrae continued to pick up more minutes and also had an assist.
“You can really tell that he really wants to be here,” Vladar said.
Blues backup Joel Hofer denied 25 of the Flyers’ 28 shots. With some help from his post, Hofer robbed Zegras on a third-period power play for the Flyers.
But Foerster ended up providing the equalizer about three and a half minutes later.
• It was appropriate that Abols got the Flyers on the board with 2:03 minutes left in the second period.
The 29-year-old center was playing an active and energetic game with the team in desperate need of a spark.
“On the scoreboard, I think it was a slow start,” Abols said. “Obviously 2-0, it’s not what we want, but game-wise, I think it wasn’t that bad. Just stick with it. There’s a ton of belief in this room.”
Zegras and Owen Tippett assisted Abols’ goal. Travis Konecny had two helpers on the night.
• In non-contact fashion, Oliver Bonk joined the big club this week for practice and Thursday’s morning skate.
The 20-year-old prospect hasn’t played this season because of a lingering upper-body injury. He missed all of training camp and the preseason after participating in just a few days of rookie camp.
Last month, general manager Danny Briere didn’t have a firm timeline for Bonk’s return. But it’s a good sign that the defenseman has been able to go through consecutive skates with the team.
When Bonk is cleared, he’ll head to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.
Rasmus Ristolainen was seen wrapping up a rehab skate Monday morning.
Briere on Oct. 27 considered Ristolainen four to six weeks away from potentially rejoining the team.
The 31-year-old defenseman hasn’t played this season. He has been recovering from surgery on a second triceps tendon rupture.
• The Flyers are back in action Saturday when they host the Devils (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Have 2 Defense Targets To Consider
One area that the Philadelphia Flyers would benefit upgrading is the left side of their defense.
Due to this, let's take a look at two defensemen who are interesting targets for the Flyers to consider pursuing.
Bowen Byram, Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have had a shaky start to the 2025-26 season, and they very well could be sellers if they do not turn things around. If the Sabres do end up selling, blueliner Bowen Byram would be a clear player to watch.
Byram was the subject of trade rumors this off-season before signing his two-year, $12.5 million bridge deal with the Sabres. If the 24-year-old becomes available due to Buffalo's struggles, he would undoubtedly provide the Flyers' top four with a nice boost if acquired. In 20 games this season, he has recorded three goals and nine points.
Pavel Mintyukov, Anaheim Ducks
Pavel Mintyukov is a new name in the rumor mill who should grab the Flyers' attention. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the young defenseman "would like to be moved" if he continues to be scratched.
With Mintyukov being a 21-year-old former first-round pick with good upside, he is somebody who would make a lot of sense for the Flyers to target. In 18 games so far this season, he has recorded three assists and a plus-1 rating. He also showed offensive potential during his rookie year in 2023-24, scoring four goals and setting career highs with 24 assists and 28 points in 63 games.
Jets Grant Blue Chip Prospect Permission To Seek Trade
On Thursday, the Winnipeg Jets have granted 2022 first-round pick Brad Lambert permission to seek a trade, Daily Faceoff has learned.
League sources say #GoJetsGo have given 2022 first round pick Brad Lambert's representation permission to find a trade partner.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) November 20, 2025
Lambert, 21, has one goal in four games for #nhljets in limited minutes this season.
Insider Frank Seravalli confirmed that Lambert’s camp recently received approval to explore potential landing spots as his path to full-time NHL duty has tightened in recent weeks.
The Jets have welcomed back a wave of injured regulars, which has created a crowded forward group and limited Lambert’s opportunities despite a promising start to the season.
Jets Ink Five-Year, $25 Million Extension With Captain Adam Lowry Captain Adam Lowry commits his future to the Jets, securing a $25 million, five-year extension. The 21-year-old has appeared in four NHL games this season, scoring one goal while seeing very limited minutes. In total, he has dressed for ten career NHL games over three seasons with one goal and two assists.
Lambert scored his first career goal just two weeks ago in a game versus the Pittsburgh Penguins, however this didn't last long as he was again sent back down to the AHL this past Tuesday.
Once regarded as a potential top-five pick in the draft, Lambert fell to the Jets due to his final junior season. He still has two years left on his entry-level deal.
While the Jets remain high on his long-term potential, the organization also understands Lambert’s growing frustration with being stuck in the minors. Lambert's camp likely believes he will have a clearer route to NHL minutes with another club.
Lambert has been a consistent performer at the AHL level with the Manitoba Moose, recording 30 goals and 63 assists for 93 points in 141 games.
The Finnish forward was an important contributor for his home country at the 2022 World Junior Championship, where he helped secure a silver medal. Before reaching the professional ranks, he excelled at the junior level with the Seattle Thunderbirds, producing 38 points in 26 games.
For Winnipeg, this decision does not necessarily indicate a desire to trade Lambert, but it does reflect the reality of his stalled development path. If another team can offer a clearer opportunity and the Jets receive an appropriate return, both sides may see a move as beneficial.
As for what the return could be is hard to say as Lambert has shown some upside at the NHL level with his production so far but has been very limited. The last thing the Jets organization will want is to trade away a high-end prospect that can easily produce 25-30 points tomorrow with room to go even higher and get left with a lesser return.
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