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Who's Hot And Cold In The NHL: Andersson Fuels The Flames, Jets' Toews Has An Off-Week

Two defensemen get the most love in the latest look at who was hot and cold in the NHL in the past week.

Their teams needed the help as well.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are tied in points with three other teams in the East, including the Philadelphia Flyers, which are currently in the second wild-card spot due to a tiebreaker. The Calgary Flames, meanwhile, are likely not going to climb out of the basement, but they at least showed more than a smidge of offense in their recent surge.

With that said, let’s get right down to business. Here are this week’s hot and cold NHL players:

Hot: Rasmus Andersson, D, Calgary Flames 

Despite being in the trade rumor mill, Andersson had a stellar week for the Flames, posting seven assists and nine points while being a plus-5 in four games. Andersson also was a huge workhorse for Calgary, logging 25:02 of ice time, bumping up his season average time-on-ice average to 24:25. 

The 29-year-old Swedish blueliner is on a five-game points streak, and he had three-point nights against the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks, both wins that suggested Calgary is capable of scoring a lot more than its current average of 2.38 goals-for.

Andersson is almost certainly going to be traded by or before this year’s trade deadline if the Flames remain in the NHL's basement. The pending UFA's current strong play is going to drive up Calgary’s asking price for him.

Cold: Jonathan Toews, C, Winnipeg Jets 

The Jets made a big splash by signing Toews this summer, and his choice of Winnipeg to stage his NHL comeback was a feather in the organization’s cap. But one question that arose was how well he would play after missing two seasons.

Toews has had some up-and-down weeks. This past week, Toews recorded zero points and four shots in three games. He has now gone five points without a point, and he has one point in the last nine contests. This season, he has three goals and eight points in 21 games.

The Jets were blanked by the Minnesota Wild and lost by one goal to the Carolina Hurricanes Friday, so they could’ve used some offense from Toews. Winnipeg can afford to be patient with Toews, but sooner or later, the team will need him to produce some more points.

Hot: Zach Werenski, D, Columbus Blue Jackets 

Werenski had a phenomenal year for the Blue Jackets last season, and this year, the 28-year-old is off to another strong start. This week, Werenski posted five assists and eight points in only three games, giving him seven goals and 21 points in 22 games. 

Werenski averaged 27:41 of ice time this week, and that includes two straight games of more than 28 minutes per game. His current average of 26:50 would be a career high, but regardless, he’s underscoring his status as one of the best D-men on the planet.

Frank Vatrano (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)

Cold: Frank Vatrano, LW, Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks have been thriving this season, but one prominent Anaheim player who has been struggling is veteran Vatrano. The 31-year-old had zero points on seven shots in four games this week, and he’s averaged just 13:34 of ice time in that span. His average ice time of 12:18 this season is about five fewer minutes per game than he had last season.

Two seasons ago, Vatrano put up 60 points. And last season, he averaged 45 points. The Ducks could have traded him to get some more assets in the late stages of their rebuild, but instead, they signed him to a three-year contract extension worth about $4.5 million annually.

This year, he’s got only two goals and three points in 22 games. It doesn’t get much colder than that.

The Ducks lead the Pacific Division thanks in part to Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier and Troy Terry, who have 29, 26 and 25 points, respectively. Even rookie Beckett Sennecke has 16 points, and acquisition Chris Kreider has 15 points in 18 games.

Vatrano got pushed down Anaheim’s depth chart, and he isn't in a position to excel right now. At least the team is doing well.

Hot: Yaroslav Askarov, G, San Jose Sharks 

As San Jose’s goalie of the present and future, Askarov has to do much of the heavy lifting in net for this young Sharks team.

This week past, the 23-year-old was electric, compiling a 3-0-0 record, .937 save percentage and 1.92 goals-against average. San Jose needed Askarov to be sharp, as the Sharks won one game in overtime, one in the shootout and the third game by two goals, although one of those goals was an empty-netter.

In 14 appearances this season, Askarov has an 8-5-1 record, .913 SP, and 2.83 GAA. If the Sharks are to be in playoff contention, Askarov will need to be at least that well. But he’s living up to lofty expectations, and San Jose has to be thrilled with what they’re getting out of him already.

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Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty in rigged poker games case

NEW YORK (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, pleaded not guilty Monday to charges he profited from rigged poker games involving several Mafia figures and at least one other ex-NBA player.

Billups, a five-time All Star who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, was arraigned in a federal court in Brooklyn on money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors say he was involved in a scheme to rig mob-backed illegal poker games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons. Others face charges of running an illegal gambling business, robbery conspiracy and extortion conspiracy. Prosecutors said Monday that plea negotiations have begun with some defendants but did not identify them.

U.S. District Court Judge Ramon Reyes said he hopes to bring the sprawling case to trial by next September, telling lawyers to "do what you have to do.”

Billups, dressed in a dark grey suit, spoke only to answer yes-or-no questions from the judge. His lawyer, Marc Mukasey, entered his plea. They declined to comment after the hearing. Last month, another Billups lawyer called him a “man of integrity” who denies the allegations.

“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation and his freedom,” attorney Chris Heywood said after Billups first appeared in court on Oct. 23, when prosecutors first announced the indictment.

Billups, 49, was released on a $5 million bond secured by his family’s Colorado home. He must refrain from gambling, avoid contact with other defendants or alleged victims, surrender his passport and limit travel to seven states, including Oregon and New York, and Washington, D.C.

Inducted last year into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, Billups was arguably the most prominent among more than 30 people charged in last month’s sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports.

Ex-NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also charged in the poker scheme, as well as another separate scheme to let gamblers exploit insider information about players to win NBA bets that implicated Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.

In addition to Monday's arraignment, Billups and his co-defendants attended a status conference and are due back in court March 4.

Prosecutors say the poker-rigging scheme used altered card-shuffling machines, hidden cameras in chip trays, special sunglasses and X-ray equipment built into the table to read cards. They allege the operation defrauded victims of an estimated $7 million starting in at least 2019.

Billups allegedly served as a celebrity “face card” that could draw wealthy, unsuspecting players to the games. Prosecutors said organizers texted during one game that a victim “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “star struck.”

Prosecutors say Billups received a portion of the ill-gotten gains. including a $50,000 wire transfer after a rigged game in October 2020.

Organizers also had to share their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno mob families for operating within the illegal poker games run by the New York criminal enterprises, prosecutors said. In return, Mafia members allegedly carried out assault, extortion and robbery to collect debts and protect the operation.

During his NBA career, Billups earned about $106 million. After retiring in 2014, he embarked on a career as a TV analyst before pivoting to coaching.

Billups was selected as the third overall pick in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics after starring in college for the Colorado Buffaloes. He played 17 years in the NBA, with stints with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.

But he is perhaps most beloved in the Motor City, where he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for his knack of making clutch shots.

Billups was named the NBA Finals MVP during the Pistons' title run in 2004 and had his No. 1 jersey retired by the team.

He was hired as Portland’s coach in 2021 and signed a multiyear extension with the Trail Blazers earlier this year after the team missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season in 2024. Billups previously served as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers.

After his arrest, he was placed on unpaid leave and the Trail Blazers named assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter as interim coach.

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Flory Bidunga’s 18 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 blocks lead Kansas past Notre Dame 71-61

Flory Bidunga had 18 points, nine rebounds, five assists and five blocks, Bryson Tiller added 17 points and nine boards, and Kansas beat Notre Dame 71-61 in the Players Era Tournament on Monday for its first power-conference victory of the season. Tre White chipped in with 16 points and nine rebounds for Kansas (4-2), which was coming off a 78-66 loss to then-No. Duke in the Champions Classic.

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"I've Been Blessed": Moritz Seider Shares His Gratitude for a Healthy Career Start

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Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider has proven himself to be among the League's most durable players, and in doing so, he's already set a new Red Wings franchise record as part of their centennial campaign.

Last week, Seider skated in his 346th consecutive game to begin his NHL career, passing the previous mark of 345 by former Red Wings forward John Ogrodnick.

Seider also played a key role in Detroit's dramatic 4-3 overtime comeback victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday afternoon, as he knotted the score at 3-3 in the third period with a seeing-eye shot from the point that eluded goaltender Jet Greaves. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

For Seider, he understandably takes pride in not only being available for his team but is also grateful that he's been blessed with good health that enables his durability. 

"I just take a lot of pride in being available, other than that you work so hard in the summer to be in those moments to be in shape and stay healthy, and along the way you just try to maintain form," he said.

"Obviously, I've been blessed with being healthy and being able to get out there and fight every night," he continued. 

ImageMoritz Seider Breaks 40 Year Red Wings Franchise Record Moritz Seider Breaks 40 Year Red Wings Franchise Record Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider recently skated in his 346th consecutive game to begin his NHL career, passing the previous mark of 345 by former Red Wings forward John Ogrodnick

Like his teammate Lucas Raymond, it wasn't long ago that Seider was a rookie on the Red Wings and getting acclimated to life in the NHL.

This current Red Wings roster features several rookies, including forwards Emmitt Finnie and Nate Danielson as well as defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka. 

Seider remembers his 2021–22 rookie campaign as both an exciting experience and, at times, a mental drain compared to the experiences of playing in both German and Swedish Leagues. 

"Just mentally, I think you can be overwhelmed in your first season and you just drive on adrenaline all the time," he said. 

"Every city is new, you kind of find your way around," he continued. "You go to restaurants you've never been to before, sleep in hotels you've never been in. It's all exciting, but once a certain mark hits, you kind of get mentally exhausted from playing so many games in a short amount of time. It's the biggest difference." 

Not only did Seider overcome the challenges of playing in the NHL, but he was soon awarded the Calder Trophy as the League's best rookie. He's become Detroit's top defenseman, and also signed an eight-year contract extension prior to the start of last season. 

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Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner admits lowering payroll 'ideal' for 2026 season

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner hasn't wavered in commitment to building a championship-caliber roster this offseason, but he's hoping to achieve his family's annual goal at a lower price.

Amid speculation of the Yankees wanting to cut payroll below $300 million next season, Steinbrenner addressed their financial state on Monday, admitting to reporters via video call he'd prefer to see their 2026 number drop. 

What he didn't divulge, however, was a budget or dollar range the Yankees are operating under as baseball's hot stove rises in temperature. Steinbrenner insists there's no mandate to shed payroll -- although it's now clear what's written atop his holiday wish list.

"Would it be ideal if I went down [with the payroll]? Of course," Steinbrenner said. "But does that mean that’s going to happen? Of course not. We want to field a team we know can win a championship, or we believe could win a championship. It all depends on what’s out there and what the possibilities are and how much I feel we’re able or we need to pull the trigger on those possibilities.”

Steinbrenner contended the Yankees' payroll in 2025 was $319 million, not far off from a $323 million figure analyzed by Cot's Contracts. At the moment, their payroll is $283 million, according to Cot's, and this number includes millions projected toward the league's Competitive Balance Tax. The Yankees eclipsed the top luxury tax threshold in the last two seasons.

By retaining outfielder Trent Grisham via the $22 million qualifying offer and re-signing reliever Ryan Yarbrough to a one-year, $2.5 million deal last week, bringing back lefty slugger Cody Bellinger would easily push the Yankees back over $300 million. Steinbrenner declined to comment on their free-agent pursuits, but Bellinger is a top priority.

There also was some pushback from Steinbrenner when he was asked about the Yankees' profit margins. While he didn't explicitly say the franchise is operating at a loss, he hinted at some belt tightening and challenged reports on their latest revenue totals. According to Forbes, the Yankees generated over $700 million in 2025.

"I don't want to get into it, but that's not a fair statement or an accurate statement," Steinbrenner said. "Everybody wants to talk about revenues. They need to talk about our expenses, including the $100 million expense to the city of New York that we have to pay every Feb. 1, including the COVID year. It all starts to add up in a hurry.

"Nobody spends more money, I don't believe, on player development, scouting, performance science. These all start to add up. If you want to go look at the revenues, you got to somehow try to figure out the expense side as well. You might be surprised."

While there's no disputing the Yankees spend money -- they had the third-highest payroll in MLB this past season -- disgruntled fans want to know where and how it's being allocated. And considering Steinbrenner isn't obligated to open the books, statements on this matter are always met with warranted skepticism.

Of course, boasting the highest payroll doesn't guarantee a championship. But flexing financial muscle has worked for the Dodgers, coming off a second straight World Series crown. They're the first team to hoist the Commissioner's Trophy in back-to-back seasons since the Yankees in 1999-2000.

Steinbrenner believes there's a "weak correlation" between spending the most and winning the ultimate prize. He also remains in support of MLB implementing a salary cap, as long as a sensible salary floor number is incorporated.

It's unclear how the winter will shake out for the Yankees, searching for players to fill voids at several key positions. But if they're truly hellbent on celebrating a championship for the first time since 2009, strategies must change. And fans can't feel reassured by their owner expressing a portion-controlled apetite.

The Yankees' overall value is currently listed at $8.2 billion, according to Forbes.

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Canadiens Send Forward Prospect Back To AHL

Joshua Roy (© David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

The Montreal Canadiens have made another roster move, as they have assigned forward Joshua Roy to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket. 

Roy played in two games during his most recent call-up to the Canadiens' NHL roster, where he was held off the scoresheet. In three total games for the Habs this season, the 22-year-old forward has recorded zero points, two shots, two penalty minutes, and an even plus/minus rating. 

Down in the AHL with Laval this season, Roy has recorded four goals, three assists, seven points, and a plus-4 rating. Now, after being reassigned to Laval, he will be aiming to impress in hopes of landing another call-up to the Canadiens' roster soon.

Roy was selected by the Canadiens with the 150th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In 38 games over three seasons with the Canadiens so far, he has posted six goals, five assists, and 11 points. His best season with the Canadiens was back in 2023-24, however, as he recorded four goals, five assists, and nine points in 23 games. 

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Everton brush off bizarre Gueye red card to beat lethargic Manchester United

A year to the day since Ruben Amorim fielded his first Manchester United XI, his latest iteration folded in a capitulation to 10-man Everton, who ended United’s unbeaten sequence at five games.

Idrissa Gueye’s bizarre red card for slapping Michael Keane, his centre-back, gave United most of the match to overcome Everton, who had previously won once at Old Trafford in 32 years before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s 20-yard strike gave a delighted David Moyes a first victory here as a visiting manager in the Premier League.

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A Turning Point For California NHL Hockey Could Be On The Horizon

In the late 2000s to mid-2010s, California NHL fans were living their dream, regardless of which team they rooted for.

Between 2006-07 and 2016-17, the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup, and the San Jose Sharks came close, marking plenty of success on the West Coast.

In that span, the Kings won two Stanley Cups and bowed out in the Western Conference final once. The Sharks made the conference final three times, advancing to the Cup final in 2015-16. The Ducks won it all in 2006-07 and made the conference final twice afterward.

While all the California teams were contenders in the early to mid-2010s, the Kings clearly led the pack.

However, by 2018-19, all three teams were beginning to age out, and they started rebuilding. That was, until the Kings' surprisingly strong 2021-22 season.

While the 2020-21 season was shortened to 56 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kings continued their downward spiral, finishing 21-28-7 with 49 points. Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Dustin Brown, and Jonathan Quick were entering the later stages of their career, and they didn’t have many promising assets aside from Quinton Byfield and Adrian Kempe. The team finished 27th overall in scoring, Quick had a down season in net, and there were holes throughout the roster, leading many to believe the Kings would be stuck at the bottom for years to come.

However, in 2021-22, the Kings had a surprising turnaround, amassing 99 points and securing their first playoff berth since 2017-18. They lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round after dropping Game 7, but their success didn’t stop there.

Led by a mix of veteran leadership and maximizing their young talent, they've made the playoffs the last three seasons as well. However, they’ve been a first-round exit every time.

On the other hand, the Ducks and Sharks haven’t had the same success. Anaheim hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017-18 and San Jose hasn’t made it since 2018-19. 

Leo Carlsson (Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images)

The Ducks have slowly been building their roster through productive draft picks, with the most notable being Leo Carlsson, their first-round pick in 2023, who has amassed 29 points in 22 games so far this season. They’ve also added key contributors, such as Mason McTavish, Beckett Sennecke, Troy Terry and Jackson LaCombe. In January 2024, they also acquired Cutter Gauthier from the Philadelphia Flyers.

As for the Sharks, they’ve struggled with inconsistent drafting and didn’t find a promising young player in the draft until 2023, when they selected Will Smith. The team was lucky enough to obtain the first overall pick in the 2024 draft and sceleelected Macklin Celebrini, who has formed a strong connection with Smith on the first line and has helped bolster the Sharks' offense. However, they’ve struggled with the goalie situation since the departures of Antti Niemi and Martin Jones, and the team also hasn’t been able to build up a stable defensive core. 

As a result of slow rebuilds, both teams have been stuck near the bottom of the Pacific Division for the last six seasons.

Will Smith, Macklin Celebrini and William Eklund (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

Don't Be Shocked If The Tables Turn Soon

After a long wait, it appears the rebuilds for the Ducks and Sharks are close to ending.

Through 22 games, the Ducks sit atop the Pacific Division with a 14-7-1 record and 29 points. They rank second in goals-for per game with 3.59. The team’s young talent has looked excellent so far, with Carlsson, Gauthier and Terry all averaging over a point per game, and Sennecke has also been a key top-six forward.

Their goalie, Lukas Dostal, also deserves some praise for his strong play. Through 17 starts, he holds an 11-5-1 record, .904 save percentage and 10.1 goals saved above expected, which ranks seventh among NHL goalies.

Within the last year, Anaheim has also added veterans Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba, who have fit in well next to the Ducks' young talent. The team also has nearly $17 million in cap space, the third-most in the league.

After starting the season 0-4-2, the Sharks have had a complete turnaround, largely as a result of Celebrini’s play. Through 23 games, he’s notched 34 points, 12 on the power play, two game-winning goals and two hat-tricks. They’re heating up and are 9-4-1 in their last 14 games.

San Jose’s young talent may not be as fully developed as Anaheim’s with players like Michael Misa and Sam Dickinson still adapting to the NHL. But Celebrini has shown he’s capable of leading the team, and with him on the verge of becoming a superstar, the Sharks just need to continue to build around him. Their first line, consisting of Celebrini, Smith, and Tyler Toffoli, has the highest goals percentage in the league amongst lines with 120 minutes or more at 83.3 percent.

While their first line has looked like one of the best in the league, there are still holes in the team on offense and defense. They rank 22nd in goals-for per game and 21st in goals against per game. But with possibly two first-round picks, two second-round picks and two fourth-round picks this year, as well as nearly $6 million in cap space, the Sharks are in a good spot.

The Kings Are In A Much Tougher Position

Trevor Moore and Darcy Kuemper (Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images)

Sure, the Kings still have talent and are playing at a high level, but they don’t have as much build around. They also have several players either nearing the end of their careers or contracts. 

Just five forwards – Byfield, Kevin Fiala, Kempe, Trevor Moore and Alex Laferriere – are locked up beyond next season. It also doesn’t help that their longtime captain, Anze Kopitar, announced he’ll be retiring at the end of the season.

They also have defensemen Cody Ceci, Mikey Anderson, Joel Edmundson and Brian Dumoulin locked up beyond next season. All except Anderson are 30 years or older and likely don’t have much left in the tank. Their goalie, Darcy Kuemper, is also in his age-35 season and is only under contract for one more year.

According to PuckPedia, they’re only projected to have $2.3 million in cap space this offseason, although that number could jump up to around $20 million next year.

While the Kings might not have a complete fall from grace, their time as the leader of California hockey may be coming to an end. Unlike Anaheim and San Jose, they don’t have a super promising young core, and their prospect pool ranked 29th in Future Watch. The Sharks ranked first, and the Ducks ranked second. The Kings also have too many expiring contracts and not enough money to fill all the holes, which could force the team to enter some sort of rebuild in the near future. 

This may not be the year, but California hockey is on the verge of changing.

Michael Hapanovich is an intern with The Hockey News.

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Blackhawks Prospect Makes Top Young Players List

Oliver Moore (© Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images)

The Hockey News' Ryan Kennedy recently ranked the top 100 hockey players 21 years old and under. 

The Hockey News recently revealed the players ranked from 81 to 100, and a Chicago Blackhawks prospect made the cut: forward Oliver Moore. 

Moore was given the No. 91 spot on Kennedy's list for The Hockey News, and it is understandable when noting that the 20-year-old forward has good upside. 

Moore has shown promise this season with the Blackhawks, as he has recorded two goals and five points in 10 games. This is after he recorded four assists in his first nine NHL career games for the Blackhawks this past season.

Moore also put together strong numbers in the AHL this season with the Rockford IceHogs before being called up to Chicago's roster, as he recorded six goals and nine points in nine games. He also had a good 2024-25 season with the University of Minnesota, posting 12 goals and 33 points in 38 games.

With all of this, it is hard not to feel excited about Moore's future with the Blackhawks. The 2023 first-round pick as the potential to become a very impactful player, and it is why he has made The Hockey News' list. 

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What we learned as Steph Curry's smooth 31 points power Warriors' win over Jazz

What we learned as Steph Curry's smooth 31 points power Warriors' win over Jazz originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – Between the Warriors and Utah Jazz, one team was bound to snap a three-game losing streak Monday night at Chase Center. 

Luckily for the home fans, the team that found its way back into the win column was the Warriors, beating the Jazz 134-117.

Scoring was spread up and down the Warriors. Steph Curry scored a game-high 31 points on 12-of-24 shooting and now has scored at least 30 points in five of his last six games. The sneaker free agent played in Nikes, the first game he had done so since 2013, rocking a pair of IONESCREW Sabrina 3s with Bay Area native and New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu in the building.

Jimmy Butler scored an efficient 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and Buddy Hield dropped a season-high 20 points off the bench on 8-of-13 shooting and 4 of 8 from deep, also adding five rebounds and four assists.

The Jazz began the game ahead 11-0 as the Warriors missed their first six shots, including five 3-pointers. Each team then used its own extended runs in the first half, as the Warriors strung together a spectacular second quarter and very strong third to give them a 22-point lead entering the fourth. 

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ blowout win.

GP2 Gets The Starting Nod

How did Steve Kerr combat an already-small Warriors team against the much-bigger Jazz on a night where Golden State was without Draymond Green and Al Horford? Putting a 6-foot-2 Gary Payton II on a 7-foot Lauri Markkanen to begin the game, of course. 

Payton from the get-go did all the small things (no pun intended) that make him so valuable in certain matchups. He was cutting behind Utah’s defense, grabbing rebounds and keeping the ball moving right away. The Warriors’ first three made shots were all assisted by Payton. 

Standing 10 inches shorter than Markkanen and still frustrating him was only one part of Payton’s game. Payton, in 21 minutes, scored nine points, came down with six rebounds and dished a career-high eight assists. 

Oh, and Markkanen went just 6 of 15 from the field, making one of his five 3-point attempts. 

18-0 Run … Without Steph

The goal when Curry sits is to stay afloat. To keep the game in reach, stay even if possible and win on the margins the best you can. Another way to win the non-Steph minutes is to go on an 18-0 run without him.

And that’s exactly what the Warriors did in the second quarter. 

The Warriors entered the second quarter down by nine points, 35-26. They then led 44-35 when Curry came back in at the 7:13 mark, going from trailing by nine points to having a nine-point lead themselves. Points came from four different players: Moody (eight), Butler (four), Quinten Post (three) and Will Richard (three). 

Those four players, plus Pat Spencer, were the ones on the floor for the run. A Curry three then made it a 21-0 run, before a Kyle Filipowski three finally ended the Jazz’s scoring drought.

Curry still scored eight points over seven minutes in the second quarter, but it was all about what the Warriors were able to do without him. His teammates scored 33 points in the second quarter, which would have outscored the Jazz by 13.

Message Received 

An irate Kerr called a timeout with a little under two minutes left in the first quarter after yet another open 3-pointer made by Jazz guard Keyonte George. Kerr was clapping his hands and letting his team have it. In particular, the message seemed to be aimed at Brandin Podziemski, who tried blaming a teammate for George’s corner three while he guarded nothing but open space. 

Defense, on a night where the Warriors didn’t have Green as their savior, was missing in action early on. The Jazz shot 61.9 percent from the field in the first quarter (13 of 21), and went 7 of 10 on threes. George scored 15 points by himself, two fewer than the Warriors’ starters combined. 

Kerr kept Podziemski in for the rest of the quarter, but then replaced him to start the second quarter, where he remained throughout the rest of the first half. In fact, Podziemski didn’t come back in until there were a little under seven minutes left in the third quarter. He was a minus-10 at the time with two points. 

After the Jazz’s started scoring from downtown, they were held to 4 of 25 (16 percent) the rest of the game, and Podziemski ended as a minus-2 in 18 minutes with six points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

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Cameron Carr scores 21 and Baylor holds off Creighton 81-74 in the Players Era Tournament

Cameron Carr had 21 points, nine rebounds and two blocks and Baylor held off Creighton 81-74 on Monday in the Players Era Tournament. Carr, who entered leading BU at 23.7 points per game, scored 11 of his points in the second half and finished 7 of 16 from the field and 7 of 8 at the free-throw line. Following an offensive rebound, Carr threw down an alley-oop dunk off a pass by Obi Agbim to make it 75-68 with 1:09 to go.

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Nashville Predators ranked last in NHL with 16 points in 21 games

The Nashville Predators, now more than ever, are in need of a win as they are ranked 32nd in the NHL, dead last, with 16 points in 21 games. 

They had been ahead of the Calgary Flames for a bit, who the Predators defeated 4-2 on Nov. 1, but the Flames have won three straight games and now have a three-point cushion ahead of the Predators.

Calgary and Nashville are the only two teams in the NHL that have yet to eclipse 20 points this season. 

Nashville has lost 10 of its last 12, getting some support from two overtime losses in that stretch. The Predators have won a true road game just once this year, a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 13. 

When it comes to divisional play, the Predators are four points behind the St. Louis Blues. 

Looking at individual and team statistics, Nashville has the lowest goals-for in the league, scoring just 48 in 21 games, for an average of 2.29 goals per game. The Philadelphia Flyers are second-to-last with 56 goals scored this season.

That is shown in the Predators' individual offense: no player who has played more than 5 games this season has a positive plus/minus. There are only two players with over 10 points this season: Filip Forsberg (15 points) and Ryan O'Reilly (13 points).

Four players have 10 points: Matthew Wood, Erik Haula, Luke Evangelista and Michael Bunting. However, the Predators' top forwards' lack of production has been concerning. Steven Stamkos has just five points in 21 games, on pace for a career-worst 20 points in 82 games.

Jonathan Marchessault has six points in 18 games and has a plus/minus of -11. Fedor Svechkov's impact has been non-existent with a point in 19 games. 

Nashville's goals allowed per game this season is in the bottom six, as opponents are averaging 3.48 goals a game against the Predators. 

Its defense recently got a boost with the return of Roman Josi, who has five points in nine games. Brady Skjei has had a tremulous start to the season with a plus/minus of -14, which is the fourth-worst plus/minus in the league out of 776 active players this season. 

Nashville has received solid support from its younger players: Spencer Stastney (seven points in 21 games) and Nick Blankenburg (six points in 11 games). Its defense hasn't been great, but it is one of the better parts of its game. 

Their power play is surprisingly not the worst in the league, ranked 26th at 15.4%, scoring on 10 of 65 opportunities.

The Predators' penalty killing unit is hanging just outside of the top 10 at 82%, killing 50 of 61 penalties. They've also been surprisingly disciplined this season so far, logging 157 penalty minutes, which ranks 30th in the NHL.

Usually, the Predators are leading the league in penalty minutes, but this season, they are near the bottom. 

Nov 16, 2025; Stockholm, SWEDEN; Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) heads to the ice before playing against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Global Series ice hockey game at Avicii Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

Juuse Saros still ranks in the top 10 in shots faced (460, 6th) and saves made (412, 6th) in the league, showing that he's put in a lot of the heavy work for the Predators. 

However, unlike Saros, Justus Annunen is ranked among the league's worst goalies right now. He is 0-3-1 with a goals against average of 3.98, which is the third lowest in the NHL. Annunen's save percentage of .849 is the fourth lowest in the league. 

Just over the quarter point of the season, the Predators have not made any changes nor have signaled any. General manager Barry Trotz has expressed disappointment in the team, but has not hinted at any coaching changes or potential trades.

Following the Predators 3-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, head coach Andrew Brunette remained positive that the team could turn things around if they kept working at it and had a hopeful mindset. 

The slate doesn't get better for the Predators this week. They host the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Monday, travel to the Atlantic Division leader Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday, face a Chicago Blackhawks team on the road that is defying expectations and host the Winnipeg Jets the next day on Saturday.