The Nico Iamaleava saga has become one of the biggest stories in all of football.
Dodgers legend Manny Mota suffers stroke: 'We hope he can recover all his functions'
Dodgers legend Manny Mota, who won a World Series with the organization as a player in 1981 and as a coach in '88, suffered a stroke Monday night.
"He is in recovery, where he is responsive to commands and is resting comfortably," the Dodgers wrote Tuesday on X.
His son, Dodgers broadcaster José Mota, told ESPN Deportes on Tuesday that his "dad never lost consciousness during the incident and is currently doing well."
On Tuesday morning, Mota told Grandes en los Deportes that his 87-year-old father was taken to the hospital after the stroke and that he "responded quickly to treatment." He added that his dad "is responding to commands to move his body and try to speak.”
“He's alert and responding," José Mota said. "Today is crucial. We'll see the results of removing the clot. At his age, it's difficult to predict, but we hope he can recover all his functions.”
Read more:'Los Angeles ... is our home.' Manny Mota, Dodgers have been nearly inseparable for 75 years
A pinch-hitting specialist, Manny Mota appeared in games over 20 MLB seasons, including the final 13 with the Dodgers. Mota, an outfielder from the Dominican Republic, was an All-Star in 1973 and retired in 1982 with a career batting average of .304 and a then-record 150 pinch-hits.
Mota remained with the team in various roles, including coaching from 1980 to 2013, the longest tenure in franchise history, and working with the Spanish-language TV broadcast team from 2013 to 2020.
In 2023, Mota was inducted into the team's Legends of Dodger Baseball, a group that also includes Steve Garvey, Don Newcombe, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser and Dusty Baker. Ron Cey is slated to be inducted this summer.
Dodgers minority owners Magic Johnson and Billie Jean King are among those who have taken to X to express their love and support for Mota.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Real Madrid 1-2 Arsenal: Champions League quarter-final, second leg – as it happened
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli scored as Arsenal laughed in the face of the remontada
“Is there really any point watching this game?” asks Matt Dony. “I mean, is there really any point even playing it in the first place? It’s Madrid in Europe. We all know what’s going to happen. They’ll have a blindingly good 10-minute spell towards the end of the first half, where they score two goals. There’ll be a scruffy third goal around the 70th minute, then they’ll willpower a winner sometime after the 87th minute. And there is nothing Arsenal can do about it.”
The emergence of the Arsenal players for their warm-up is the cue for the home fans to pay tribute to Joe Root. The noise is quite something, especially as we’re still half an hour away from kick off.
Continue reading...How many NBA teams have never won a championship?
How many NBA teams have never won a championship? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Last season, the Larry O’Brien trophy returned to Boston, a city that has won more NBA championships than any other.
It was the 18th title for the Celtics, which is 18 more than many teams in the league.
There are 10 NBA franchises that have never won an NBA championship, and as many as five of them will be competing in the first round of the playoffs that begin Saturday.
Two of those teams — the Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers — reached their respective conference finals last season. They were each attempting to become the fourth NBA team over the last decade to capture their first NBA championship — joining the 2022-23 Denver Nuggets, the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors and the 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers.
Which teams have never won an NBA championship?
There are 10 active NBA teams that have not yet won an NBA championship: the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz.
The Pacers, Clippers, Timberwolves and Magic have secured their spot in the 2025 playoffs, and they could be joined by the Grizzlies if they win their play-in game on Friday.
Perhaps you thought the Oklahoma City Thunder would be on this list. The Thunder, who had the best record in the league this season at 68-14, won the NBA championship in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics. Since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008, the team has not yet won a title but did reach the NBA Finals in 2012.
As the NBA playoffs near, let’s look at each of the title-less teams and see how close each has come to winning that elusive championship:
Brooklyn Nets
Joined NBA: 1976
NBA Finals appearances: 2 (2002, 2003)
The Nets have not won a title since joining the NBA in 1976. But they did win two ABA titles!
Charlotte Hornets
Joined NBA: 1988
NBA Finals appearances: None
Neither the Hornets nor the Bobcats have won a title. In fact, they are one of two teams to have never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs. Probably why Michael Jordan sold the team.
Indiana Pacers
Joined NBA: 1976
NBA Finals appearances: 1 (2000)
The Pacers, a three-time ABA champion, pushed a Los Angeles Lakers team led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant to six games in the 2000 Finals.
Los Angeles Clippers
Joined NBA: 1970
NBA Finals appearances: None
The Clippers’ postseason history is well documented, as is the organization’s past dysfunction. There’s even a television series about it. But the Clippers enter this season’s playoffs having won 18 of their last 21 games. Perhaps this is the year they finally reach their first NBA Finals?
Memphis Grizzlies
Joined NBA: 1995
NBA Finals appearances: None
The Grizzlies have more international relocations than NBA championships, having shifted from Vancouver to Memphis in 2001.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Joined NBA: 1989
NBA Finals appearances: None
The Timberwolves came within three wins of their first NBA Finals appearance last season after Anthony Edwards led the team to the Western Conference Finals.
New Orleans Pelicans
Joined NBA: 2002
NBA Finals appearances: None
The Pelicans, along with the Hornets, are the only teams in the league that have never reached the conference finals. Perhaps one day we’ll get the Pelicans-Hornets NBA Finals matchup we deserve.
Orlando Magic
Joined NBA: 1989
NBA Finals appearances: 2 (1995, 2009)
The Magic have made it to the Finals twice and lost both. But they will forever be the last team to eliminate Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, so there’s that.
Phoenix Suns
Joined NBA: 1968
NBA Finals appearances: 3 (1976, 1993, 2021)
The Suns have been two wins away from winning a title on three occasions, including in 2021 when they held a 2-0 series lead over the Milwaukee Bucks. They are the only current team in the league to have reached three NBA Finals without winning a championship.
Utah Jazz
Joined NBA: 1974
NBA Finals appearances: 2 (1997, 1998)
Thanks, Michael Jordan.
Which teams have never been to the NBA Finals?
Five current NBA franchises have still yet to play in the Finals with one team in the midst of a half-century drought.
- Los Angeles Clippers – 55 seasons
- Minnesota Timberwolves – 36 seasons
- Charlotte Hornets – 35 seasons
- Memphis Grizzlies – 30 seasons
- New Orleans Pelicans – 23 seasons
Stephen A believes Grizz likely beat Warriors if Morant wasn't injured
Stephen A believes Grizz likely beat Warriors if Morant wasn't injured originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Could the Memphis Grizzlies have walked away with a win against the Warriors on Tuesday at Chase Center if star guard Ja Morant hadn’t sustained an ankle injury during the third quarter?
Without discounting Golden State’s merit in its 121-116 win over Memphis, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes so.
“But in the same breath, let’s make sure we understand partially anyways what happened,” Smith said Wednesday on “First Take.” “Ja Morant did get hurt. And if Ja Morant, considering some of the plays that he was making, had remained healthy throughout…”
In the dying minutes of the third quarter of Tuesday night’s pivotal NBA play-in tournament game, Morant landed awkwardly on the foot of Warriors guard Buddy Hield.
Soon after Memphis’ medical staff attended to Morant, the 25-year-old limped to the charity line and sank a free throw before hobbling back to the bench.
Morant scored a team-high 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting before sustaining the injury. He returned with 9:26 left in the fourth quarter and finished with 22 points.
As Smith argued, the Grizzlies, despite experiencing noticeable ups and downs throughout the game, fought until the end behind the likes of its star players.
“You look at Desmond Bane and what he was doing,” Smith added. “Jaren Jackson looked alive a little bit late. You saw Ja Morant and how he tried to play through the obvious pain from that ankle injury.”
In sports there’s no shortage of what-ifs, and, merely, that’s what Smith is proposing.
“I would just look at it from that standpoint – not taking anything away from the Golden State Warriors,” Smith concluded.
“But you did find yourself saying, especially in the end, if Ja Morant had not gotten hurt, we might be saying something different this morning.”
Joe Dumars officially hired to head New Orleans basketball operations; does he trade Zion Williamson?
It's now official: Joe Dumars will take over as the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the New Orleans Pelicans.
This was expected, it had been reported that Dumars would take over for David Griffin, who was fired after the season ended.
"Joe's achievements as a renowned Hall of Fame player, NBA champion and front office executive are indisputable," Pelicans Governor Gayle Benson said in a statement. "I have a great deal of respect for what Joe has already accomplished as a player and executive, but more importantly I admire his character and leadership. His vast experience and relationships throughout the NBA, along with his strong leadership qualities, will have a tremendous impact on our organization and our goal of winning an NBA championship.
Dumars walks in the door facing big questions, starting with whether the franchise should continue to build around Zion Williamson. From his introductory statement, it sounds like he may have already made that decision.
"As a Louisiana native, this is truly a full circle moment. I grew up as a Saints fan and the first AAU basketball team I played on at 16 years old was based in New Orleans, so this opportunity is very special to me on a personal level..." Dumars said.
"There is a lot of talent on this roster. My vision is to build a disciplined team that is built on toughness, smart decision-making and a no-excuses mindset. I am proud to have grown up in Louisiana and know how passionate, resilient and tough we are as a community. Our fans deserve a team that represents that spirit, and those characteristics will be the foundation of our team's culture."
There has been buzz in league circles that Dumars has been given orders to retain coach Willie Green and trade Zion. Dumars was reportedly going to have "very candid conversations" with Zion, ESPN's Shams Charania on NBA Today (via Real GM). "They're going to have to have a sitdown eventually."
There would be teams willing to step up and take a swing on Zion's potential. Zion averaged 24.6 points a game on 56.7% shooting with 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists a night this past season, the question is always how many nights he would be healthy to give a team that production. Zion only played 30 games this season and has played more than 65 games just once in his career.
Still, teams will be willing to take a chance, and it sounds like Dumars will test those trade waters.
Four-stage 2025 Women’s Tour of Britain set for northern England and Scotland
- Race will start in Dalby Forest and finish in Glasgow
- Lotte Kopecky expected to defend title
The 2025 women’s Tour of Britain will go ahead in northern England and the Scottish Borders in early June, despite speculation that this year’s event was in difficulty.
Buoyed by news that the men’s and women’s Tour de France will start in Britain in 2027, this summer’s four-day women’s race will start in Yorkshire on 5 June and end in Glasgow four days later.
Continue reading...Fantasy Baseball Steals Report: Brewers aggressive while Mets tough to run on
As stolen bases continue to rise league wide, I will be here every Wednesday to help you track important stolen base trends so you can find more speed for your fantasy teams.
Stealing a base is as much about the opposing pitcher and catcher as it is the base runner themselves. So, being able to spot which teams and pitchers specifically are being run on most often will help you to figure out who can steal a heap of bases over the next week.
Last week, we identified J.T. Realmuto and the Phillies as a team to avoid when streaming stolen bases. While Realmuto was behind the plate, opposing base-stealers were just 3-for-7 over the past week. In the one game Rafael Marchán caught, they stole three successfully.
Why the Dodgers could shake up their roster.
Before we get to this week’s important trends, here is the stolen base leaderboard over the past seven days.
Story has found his groove both at the plate and on the base paths of late. Arozarena benefited from series against both the Astros and Rangers, which is great for base stealers. Also, it’s pretty to see Harper so high on this list without a teammate like Trea Turner, who’s much better known for stealing bases.
Now, here is the overall stolen base leaderboard on the season.
Next, here are some players with no stolen bases that we’d hoped would be more aggressive.
Now, let’s go over the most important stolen base trends over the past week.
Fantasy Baseball Stolen Base Targets
Once again, the Astros and Rangers Remain teams to target if you’re seeking stolen bases. They are the only teams in baseball who are throwing out under 10% of base stealers and things don’t seem to be improving.
Somehow, both Jonah Heim and Kyle Higashioka have allowed the most and fourth-most stolen bases by any catcher in the league while splitting playing time fairly evenly. Of course, it’s not all their fault as Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom have been two of the worst pitchers in baseball at holding runners on.
Kumar Rocker, Jack Leiter, and Chris Martin have also graded poorly here, as runners are taking large leads on them and getting massive jumps when they do decide to steal.
With the Astros, Yainer Diaz has continued to be exposed behind the plate. Yet, Victor Caratini, who was thought to give some defensive relief once or twice a week, has allowed eight stolen bases so far without catching a single runner.
Their pitchers have been a bit better at keeping runners close too, so this is a situation that leans a bit more towards the catchers.
They will have series against the Padres and Dodgers respectively this coming weekend and I expect those teams to run wild.
Brewers Picking Up Pace
Second in the league with 217 stolen bases as a team last season, the Brewers didn’t run much over their first week or so of play. Mainly, because they had their doors blown off by the Yankees over opening weekend and started the season 0-4.
They are 9-5 since though and have gotten back to their base stealing roots. They swiped a league-high 11 bags over the past seven days including four on Tuesday night against the Tigers.
It’s been a team-wide approach too, without any one player shouldering that load. Frelick appeared on the leaderboard earlier as someone who’s been running. He was joined by Brice Turang and Joey Ortiz as Brewers that stole multiple bases over the last week.
In all, seven different different players stole a base and only one was caught. They should continue to run this weekend against the Athletics, who have been one of the worst teams at stopping the running game this season.
Can’t Run on the Mets
No team has been better at throwing out would-be base stealers this season than the Mets.
Opponents have attempted just 12 and have been thrown out seven times. A 42% success rate is obscenely bad and that few attempts says that the league knows not to run on them.
This is even more impressive because through a month of play last season, the Mets were the easiest team to run on in the league. In fact, they were on pace to allow the most stolen bases in the history of the sport.
The Mets are allowing stolen bases at a historic rate
— James Schiano (@James_Schiano) May 6, 2024
52 SB by their opponents in 34 games puts them on pace to allow the most steals since we've tracked SB allowed by a team (1956) pic.twitter.com/ZwlrJY3alm
It’s been a complete 180° turnaround since then and catcher Luis Torrens is a huge reason why. Acquired from the Yankees for a measly $100,000, he replaced the hapless Omar Narvaez – who is now on the White Sox – while Francisco Alvarez was out with a thumb injury and immediately stabilized their catcher position.
He threw out 13 of 28 base stealers last season and his competency behind the plate helped the team begin what would wind up as a historic turnaround.
Past Torrens, Mets’ pitchers like Clay Holmes, David Peterson, and José Buttó have been excellent at holding runners on. Also, long-time minor leaguer Hayden Senger has been up with the club this year for the once again injured Alvarez.
Senger has won the Mets’ minor league platinum glove before and is excellent behind the plate. He and Torrens have become one of, if not the best, catching defensive tandem in the league.
Duke freshman Kon Knueppel to take the 1-and-done route to the NBA draft
Duke’s Kon Knueppel is heading to the NBA after one college season. The 6-foot-7, 217-pound wing announced his decision Wednesday after a season that included him being named MVP of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament while helping the Blue Devils reach the Final Four. Knueppel averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists as the team’s No. 2 scorer behind Associated Press national player of the year Cooper Flagg.
Porzingis talks helping Brown manage injury: ‘He looks good'
Porzingis talks helping Brown manage injury: ‘He looks good' originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Kristaps Porzingis can relate to what Jaylen Brown is dealing with as the Boston Celtics prepare for the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs.
A knee injury limited Brown late in the regular season and sidelined him for three of Boston’s seven games in April. Brown played through the ailment on multiple occasions, but the C’s ultimately decided to rest the 2024 NBA Finals MVP despite him being only two games short of All-NBA eligibility.
Porzingis, who has his fair share of experience with knee injuries throughout his career, was in favor of resting Brown until the playoffs.
“I think we just have to urge him to make sure he does everything he needs to prepare, to get it healthy and to prepare for what’s going to come,” Porzingis said last week. “And I think he’s a smart guy. So he will. It just shows his heart and how bad he wants to be out there even for games that don’t mean super much for us right now. But that’s who he is and I appreciate him for that.”
On Wednesday, Porzingis told reporters he advised Brown on managing the injury so that he’s a full-go for the postseason.
“We definitely talked about it. Just because of my history also with some of the knee stuff that had bothered me in the past,” Porzingis said. “So definitely talked and gave him my point of view and what I thought could help him.
“He did the things necessary, I think, to be as healthy and as feeling good as possible for this run that we’re about to have. He looks good. He’s always saying that he feels good, but he actually looks good, and that’s the most important.”
Porzingis joined C’s teammates Jrue Holiday and Al Horford in downplaying Brown’s injury. Both spoke highly of Brown’s performance in practice, with Holiday noting that “nobody is worried about him.” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said he is “100 percent confident” Brown will be ready for the playoffs.
The optimism should help Celtics fans breathe a sigh of relief ahead of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic. While Boston should be able to get past Orlando even with a hobbled Brown, it will need its star to be at full strength for tougher matchups on its road to a repeat.
Game 1 of Celtics-Magic at TD Garden is set for Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
NHL Power Rankings: Each Team's MVP As Jets Finish On Top
Welcome to the last edition of the NHL power rankings for the 2024-25 season. Thanks for following along in what has been another unpredictable and exciting season.
The Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals have ranked first and second for much of the season, even though neither was considered a top-tier contender. Yet, here we are, one day away from the last day of the regular season with the Jets winning their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy and the Capitals clinching the Eastern Conference title.
What’s left? Aside from wondering when the Canadiens will clinch the final spot in the East – or how the Blue Jackets will steal it from right under their noses – the last thing to do is to name the MVP for each team this season.
1. Winnipeg Jets (55-22-4, +85. Previous: 1)
The Jets have allowed the fewest goals this season. With already the fourth-highest single-season wins total in the cap era, Connor Hellebuyck is not only a shoo-in for the Vezina, but he also could be the first goalie since Carey Price since 2014-15 to win the Hart as NHL MVP.
2. Washington Capitals (51-21-9, +59. Previous: 2)
The sentimental pick would be Alex Ovechkin, and truly, he’s solidified himself as the greatest after breaking the all-time goals record. But every triggerman also needs a good set-up man. Dylan Strome is one of five Caps forwards slated to play all 82 games and will finish the season as the Capitals’ top scorer with career highs across the board.
3. Vegas Golden Knights (49-22-10, +53. Previous: 4)
Jack Eichel has blossomed into an elite, top-tier, two-way superstar for the Knights. He’s scored nearly 30 points more than the next highest scorer, Mark Stone, and has also played the most games since his breakout 2018-19 season with the Sabres.
4. Los Angeles Kings (48-24-9, +48. Previous: 5)
It’s difficult to pinpoint a singular player on such a balanced team. The Kings’ two stalwarts have been captain Anze Kopitar, who’s on the shortlist for another Selke Trophy, and Darcy Kuemper, who’s quietly had a terrific season. The last time Kuemper won 30 games and finished with a save percentage above .920 was his Cup win in 2022 with the Avs. Foreshadowing?!
5. Colorado Avalanche (49-29-4, +43. Previous: 3)
Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon are nearly inseparable as a unit and deservedly share the recognition for how they’ve carried the Avalanche. Even when the Avs made the shocking decision to trade Mikko Rantanen, they barely missed a beat thanks to their two play-driving superstars.
6. Toronto Maple Leafs (51-26-4, +36. Previous: 7)
Mitch Marner reached the century mark, and he’s been the Leafs’ most consistent and reliable player all season. It’s very conceivable he finishes top-three in Selke voting for the second time in three seasons.
7. Tampa Bay Lightning (47-26-8, +79. Previous: 9)
How crazy is it that Nikita Kucherov can win consecutive Art Ross Trophies and not win any other major award? Kucherov’s 1.56 point-per-game average over the past five seasons trails only Connor McDavid. He has the highest career point-per-game average among all Russian-born NHL players and will soon become just the sixth to score 1,000 points.
8. Florida Panthers (47-31-4, +29. Previous: 11)
Sam Reinhart just quietly does his thing, notching his fourth straight 30-goal season even with Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk missing significant time. He ranks first among Panthers forwards in ice time per game and plays an important role on their penalty kill and power play.
9. Carolina Hurricanes (47-28-5, +37. Previous: 8)
It feels like it’s Sebastian Aho every year, and rightfully so. He’s led the Hurricanes in scoring in all but two (!) seasons since joining the team in 2016-17.
NHL Playoffs: Six Teams That Can't Afford An Early ExitThe stakes are too high for some of the NHL’s top playoff teams to go home early.
10. Dallas Stars (50-25-6, +57. Previous: 6)
With so much star power up front, we’re going slightly off the board here with Thomas Harley, who leads all Stars defensemen in nearly every single statistical category. Since Miro Heiskanen’s game on Jan. 28, Harley has scored 27 points, including 12 on the power play, in 29 games while averaging 25 minutes per game. The Stars' defense would be in shambles without him picking up the slack.
11. Edmonton Oilers (47-29-5, +20. Previous: 10)
Leon Draisaitl is the top challenger to Connor Hellebuyck for the Hart Trophy. With Connor McDavid having a subpar season – for his standards – Draisaitl has picked up the slack with his third 50-goal campaign in four seasons and become just the third player not named Ovechkin, Crosby, Stamkos or Matthews to win the Rocket Richard in the past 15 seasons.
12. St. Louis Blues (44-30-8, +21. Previous: 12)
It’s easily Robert Thomas, one of the league’s top playmakers and premier No. 1 pivot that nobody really talks about. He’s just one of five forwards (Kucherov, MacKinnon, McDavid, Pastrnak) to score at least 20 goals and 60 assists in each of the past two seasons.
13. Ottawa Senators (44-30-7, +7. Previous: 13)
Tim Stutzle has faded a little down the stretch with just five goals in 22 games, but he will finish as their top scorer for the second time in three seasons. He is the team leader in even-strength points (45), power-play points (31) and average ice time among forwards (19:50).
14. New Jersey Devils (42-32-7, +23. Previous: 15)
There is a very, very strong case for Nico Hischier to win the Selke. Along with his 35 goals, he plays tough matchups with lots of defensive-zone starts, has excellent underlying possession numbers, gets a lot of ice time on the league’s second-ranked PK, and ranks first in faceoffs taken and second in faceoffs won.
15. Minnesota Wild (45-30-7, -11. Previous: 16)
It’s easily Kirill Kaprizov had he not missed half the season, but Filip Gustavsson’s big bounce-back season is arguably the biggest reason why the Wild are where they are right now. Gustavsson solidified himself as the team’s No. 1 and ranks tied-sixth in wins (31), third in saves (1,547) and sixth in minutes played (3423:35). Did I mention he’s also scored a goal?
16. Columbus Blue Jackets (39-33-9, even. Previous: 19)
If Zach Werenski doesn’t finish at least second in Norris Trophy voting, we’re not watching the same game. If the Jackets clinch the last playoff spot – and given the way things are trending, it’s very, very possible – does that tip the scales in Werenski’s favor to win the Norris? P.S. It’s a small source of pride that the power rankings has quite accurately reflected the 16 playoff teams before the end of the regular season in the past couple of seasons – don’t disappoint me, Columbus.
17. Montreal Canadiens (39-31-11, -22. Previous: 14)
The Habs have been streaky and they’re taking forever to clinch a playoff spot, but the one constant this season has been Nick Suzuki. We could argue that Lane Hutson’s contributions have completely changed the Canadiens’ dynamic on offense, but they’re not in this spot without the steady guidance and clutch scoring from their captain.
Canadiens And Blue Jackets Have Divergent Expectations With Playoff Spot On The LineAnyone who suggested prior to the season that the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets would be battling for the final playoff spot in the final days of the 2024-25 campaign might have been laughed out of the room.
18. Calgary Flames (40-27-14, -17. Previous: 18)
Dustin Wolf’s incredible rookie season – in any other season, he’d be a lock for the Calder – is just another feather in his cap for an undersized goalie nobody (except maybe himself) expected to be this good. There are shades of Miikka Kiprusoff here, another undersized goalie picked late in his draft year who dominated in other leagues before dominating the NHL.
19. Utah Hockey Club (38-31-13, -10. Previous: 17)
You can tell Clayton Keller was doing his darndest to carry this team into the playoffs in its inaugural season in Utah. He set career highs in assists and points and also finished nearly 30 points ahead of their next top scorers, Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz, who also wouldn’t have put up the numbers they did without playing with Keller.
20. Vancouver Canucks (38-29-14, -14. Previous: 20)
It’s a crying shame the Canucks wasted another brilliant season from Quinn Hughes, who could still finish as high as third in Norris voting despite missing 14 games. He ranks third in even-strength points (47), second in power-play points (29), and second ice time per game (25:44) among defensemen. He’s their biggest play driver and the Canucks rate out as a mediocre club without him on the ice.
21. Detroit Red Wings (38-35-7, -23. Previous: 23)
Someone other than Dylan Larkin has to really step up because this supposed brilliant Yzerplan is really getting long in the tooth. Lucas Raymond will finish as the team’s scoring leader but his impact still doesn’t quite rival Larkin’s, who plays more minutes and often in tougher situations.
22. Buffalo Sabres (35-39-7, -21. Previous: 21)
Rasmus Dahlin is getting so little attention he’s really entering underrated territory even though he’s a top-10 defenseman. He will likely finish top-five in scoring among defensemen in the league and currently leads all Sabres defenseman with a plus-11 rating on a team that has a minus-21 goal differential.
23. Philadelphia Flyers (33-38-10, -47. Previous: 27)
It’s Travis Konecny almost by default in a season where the Flyers really took a step back. He was one of their few constants all season and ranks 11th in ice time among all forwards. Over the past three seasons, Konecny is the only Flyer to have scored more than 200 points, and only one other active Flyer, Owen Tippett, has more than 100.
24. New York Rangers (38-36-7, -3. Previous: 24)
The Rangers would be a lottery team without Igor Shesterkin, who’s saddled with a team that needs significant changes in just about every area except the crease. Per naturalstattrick.com, Shesterkin has the second-highest expected goals against and the most high-danger shots faced at 5-on-5, and yet the Rangers are just slightly below average ranking 21st in goals against per game.
25. Anaheim Ducks (35-37-9, -41. Previous: 22)
For the first time in four seasons, no Duck will score 60 points, which means Lukas Dostal is the MVP almost by default. His play trailed off after a brilliant start to the season (.945 SP in October) but, for the most part, he was a big reason why the Ducks were able to stay competitive in most games. Dostal was able to overcome the fifth-worst power play in the cap era to maintain a .500 record. Incredible stuff.
26. Seattle Kraken (35-41-6, -18. Previous: 26)
Joey Daccord set career highs in starts, wins and saves. He trails only Hellebuyck and Anthony Stolarz in total goals saved above average at 5-on-5 over the past two seasons, according to naturalstattrick.com.
27. Boston Bruins (33-39-10, -50. Previous: 30)
This team is basically David Pastrnak and Pastrnak’s 17 kids.
NHL Rumor Roundup: More Speculation About The Rangers And Bruins' Off-Season PlansAfter winning the Presidents' Trophy last season, the New York Rangers missing the playoffs is generating growing conjecture about their off-season plans.
28. Pittsburgh Penguins (33-36-12, -53. Previous: 25)
We need to get Sidney Crosby out of Pittsburgh stat, but the problem is Crosby won’t ever leave Pittsburgh. He is still one of the NHL’s most complete players and his 20 seasons of averaging a point-per-game or better doesn’t get enough respect for just how tough it is to accomplish.
29. Nashville Predators (29-44-8, -64. Previous: 28)
Filip Forsberg is absolved from the blame in the Preds’ disastrous season, scoring at least 30 goals for the third time in four seasons. The Preds’ supposed high-octane offense produced just one 30-goal scorer, and what’s interesting is that Forsberg’s decline in shot volume wasn’t picked up by Steven Stamkos or Jonathan Marchessault. The Preds offense, in general, took a huge leap backwards in terms of generating chances.
30. New York Islanders (35-34-12, -31. Previous: 29)
Bo Horvat stood out from the rest for being their most consistent and reliable player. He scored goals, took a ton of faceoffs and won a ton of them, played on the power play and penalty kill and was the only Islanders forward to average over 20 minutes per game while playing more than half the season.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (25-46-11, -70. Previous: 31)
Connor Bedard’s sophomore season was met with fresh challenges, including a mid-season coaching change, but one thing that stayed consistent was the Blackhawks funnelling their offense through their franchise player.
32. San Jose Sharks (20-49-12, -102. Previous: 32)
Despite a bevy of losses, the Sharks were able to enjoy themselves once in a while. That’s not hard to do with Macklin Celebrini coming off an excellent rookie season. The Sharks have featured a different scoring leader in each of the past five seasons, but it certainly seems like Celebrini will be topping their leaderboard for many, many seasons to come.
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Canucks Linus Karlsson Is Finding His NHL Role As A Netfront Presence
The Vancouver Canucks acquired 2018 third-round draft pick, Linus Karlsson, back in 2019. He made his NHL debut on November 16, 2023, and scored his first NHL goal on January 29, 2025 against the Nashville Predators. Now, the forward has 26 total NHL games under his belt as well as two postseason NHL games. Despite finding a goal-scoring home with the Abbotsford Canucks as the franchise’s leading scorer, Karlsson looks to find his role with Vancouver.
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Karlsson scored his third goal of the season Monday night against the San Jose Sharks — a tidy one that involved him crashing the net to tuck home a rebound. He scored his first NHL goal in a similar manner, keeping himself planted in front of the opposing goaltender to bat in any possible bounces.
“If you want to score in this league, you have to have some natural presence. And I love to be that guy,” Karlsson commented on Monday about the style of his goal. “I just try to find a role that helps the team. And if I can help, it’s getting me a better chance to play up here.”
“He’s a guy that can [do that],” Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet said of Karlsson wanting a netfront role. “He should embrace that role, because he can do it.”
Linus Karlsson scores his first career AHL goal, and it’s an overtime winner for Abbotsford! pic.twitter.com/wcU6VMBiMn
— 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 Faber 🔥🎙️ (@ChrisFaber39) October 16, 2022
Tip-ins and netfront goals are something Karlsson has been practicing for awhile. In fact, Karlsson’s first goal with Abbotsford came from crashing the net and maintaining his presence in-tight. For Karlsson, carving out a full-time NHL role like this is definitely possible — he’ll just need to continue working at it.
“I think there’s something there, [but] he’s got to get stronger,” Tocchet said. “That’s just part of the maturation.”
— Izzy 🪿 (@izzycheung37) April 4, 2025
“I think it’s a lot of technique. I’m probably not the strongest guy, but I work a lot with this kind of stuff,” Karlsson added regarding his playstyle. “Most of the game is along the board. So really, that’s probably why I’m up here. That’s what I’m good at, like along the walls, and try to get the puck out of there.”
Ultimately, Karlsson’s goal for next season should be cementing himself in Vancouver’s regular lineup and continuing to play the way he has since being called up this time around. If that means playing netfront and collecting as many tip-ins and rebounds as possible, then that’s what he’ll have to do.
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Dray shares admirable message to Ja after star's injury vs. Warriors
Dray shares admirable message to Ja after star's injury vs. Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Warriors star Draymond Green had a sportsmanlike message for Grizzlies star Ja Morant after the guard admirably played through a tweaked right ankle in Golden State’s 121-116 win over Memphis in the NBA play-in tournament on Tuesday night at Chase Center.
“The dog that always is Ja,” Green told reporters postgame. “I think he may struggle to play in [Memphis’ play-in game] Friday. He came back tonight off straight adrenaline. But that’s who he is. That’s why this franchise has been in the position that they have been in over the last few years, and you’re kind of like, man, they may make a run.”
Morant hurt his ankle after landing on Warriors guard Buddy Hield’s foot when attempting a shot with 4:25 remaining in the third quarter. Morant went to the bench desperate for treatment and ultimately returned to finish the close game.
The 25-year-old finished with 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting with two rebounds and two assists over 35 minutes, though he had a Grizzlies-high 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting before landing on Hield’s foot.
As Green mentioned, Morant was able to play through the pain and rely on adrenaline to carry him to the finish line. And for that, the four-time NBA champion has even more respect for the rival, high-flying guard.
“Ja is special,” Green told reporters. “He’s one of the more special players in this league, and has the heart of a lion. So I wasn’t surprised at all. That’s who he’s been. That’s who he is going to be. His saying: ‘I’m going to run up the chimney,’ he live[s] by that.
“You know, I respect it because he never not run up the chimney.”
Like Green, Morant has never been afraid of smoke.
So Green wouldn’t be surprised if the Grizzlies were to make noise in the NBA playoffs – if they handle business against the winner of Wednesday night’s Sacramento Kings-Dallas Mavericks play-in game – on Morant’s back and tweaked ankle.
“I’m playing,” Morant told reporters Tuesday night about the Grizzlies’ upcoming game. “That’s basically the answer I’m giving. It ain’t nothing different.”
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Canadiens And Blue Jackets Have Divergent Expectations With Playoff Spot On The Line
Anyone who suggested prior to the season that the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets would be battling for the final playoff spot in the final days of the 2024-25 campaign might have been laughed out of the room.
Vying for the No. 1 spot in the NHL draft lottery? Maybe. But the playoffs? No way.
But here we are in the final two days of the season with these two very promising but very flawed teams fighting for the last spot. Montreal needs to get to overtime Wednesday night against Carolina to secure its ticket. Columbus needs Montreal to lose in regulation, and the Jackets need to beat the New York Islanders in regulation Thursday night.
Even though both teams have overachieved, the Blue Jackets' season will have been a success regardless of what happens. The Canadiens, on the other hand, face a lot of questions and a disastrous 2024-25 if they don't lock this down.
Today's video column has more.
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