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Flyers shock NHL-best Avalanche, handing them their second regulation home loss

Flyers shock NHL-best Avalanche, handing them their second regulation home loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Talk about a signature win.

The Flyers sure delivered one Friday night with a 7-3 stunner over the juggernaut Avalanche at Ball Arena.

Owen Tippett led the Flyers’ charge with a hat trick. His second goal snapped a 3-3 tie just 56 seconds into the third period before Matvei Michkov added insurance only 1:04 minutes later.

Tippett then punctuated his night on a shorthanded breakaway. Michkov sealed the game with an empty-netter.

The Flyers took the final stanza, 4-0, from a Colorado team that entered with an NHL-best plus-37 goal differential in the third period.

Denver Barkey and Bobby Brink also found the back of the net for the Flyers.

Samuel Ersson had a commendable effort in net.

The Flyers (24-17-9) went 2-0-1 on their road trip against teams all in Western Conference playoff position. If they didn’t have a collapse against the Mammoth two nights ago, they would have swept the trip.

Rick Tocchet’s club handed the league-leading Avalanche (34-6-9) just their second regulation loss on home ice. Colorado dropped to 20-2-4 at Ball Arena.

Before this loss, the Avalanche were 19-2 in games decided by three or more goals.

• Ersson denied 32 of 35 shots.

The 26-year-old was making his third consecutive start and sixth straight appearance. The Flyers didn’t help him early with a couple of penalties in the game’s opening five minutes. Ersson was outstanding, though, converting 17 first-period saves.

The Flyers took a surprising 2-0 lead into first intermission. But Colorado turned it on like it typically does, making it a 3-3 game 12:12 minutes into the second period.

Parker Kelly put the Avalanche on the board after Christian Dvorak committed a turnover that kept Colorado in the offensive zone. Victor Olofsson tied it up at 2-2 off a great pass from Nathan MacKinnon.

Brink responded 32 seconds later to regain the Flyers’ lead, but Cale Makar quickly countered for the Avalanche.

Colorado netminder Mackenzie Blackwood stopped just 13 of the Flyers’ 19 shots.

• Tippett now has a team-leading two shorthanded goals after coming into the season with none in his career.

Last season, it was really intriguing early on when the Flyers tried Tippett on the penalty kill. They didn’t continue with it, but he’s starting to show why he can be a threat at shorthanded.

His power and speed can put pressure on the opposing power play. Tippett played 2:24 minutes on the penalty kill against the Avalanche. We’ll see if the Flyers keep giving him the opportunities.

• For a fourth straight game, the Flyers scored first. Tippett promptly regathered the puck and fired again after having his initial shot blocked, putting the Flyers ahead with a little under five minutes left in the opening frame.

Not even four minutes later, Barkey made it 2-0 with a power play goal off a feed from Michkov.

Michkov was very good, finishing with his first three-point game of the season.

• Dan Vladar missed a fifth straight game. He has been considered day to day with a lower-body injury. The Flyers’ next game against the Islanders feels like a possibility for his return.

• The Flyers come home for a matchup Monday against New York (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

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Wilkerson, Dorn and DeVries combine for 72 points as Indiana routs Rutgers 82-59 to end 4-game skid

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Lamar Wilkerson scored 27 points, Nick Dorn added 23, Tucker DeVries had 22 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and Indiana routed Rutgers 82-59 on Friday night to end a four-game losing streak.

It was Indiana's first win at Rutgers since Feb. 5, 2018.

DeVries scored 16 points in the first half, Dorn added 14 and Wilkerson had 13 as Indiana led Rutgers 47-32 at halftime. The Hoosiers made 50% of their field goals in the half, including 8 of 20 from 3-point range.

The Rutgers starters did not make a field goal for the opening 12 1/2 minutes of the game. Tariq Francis came off the bench to score 21 of Rutgers’ 32 first-half points. Francis was 8 of 14 from the field while the rest of his teammates combined to go 4 of 17.

Indiana led by double figures the entire second half and finished with 15 3-pointers on 35 attempts. Dorn made six 3-ponters, Wilkerson added five and DeVries four.

The only other players to score for Indiana (13-7, 4-5 Big Ten) were Tayton Conerway with six points and Sam Alexis with four to go with 10 rebounds. DeVries recorded his third double-double of the season.

Francis was the only double-digit scorer for Rutgers (9-11, 2-7) with 28 points.

Up next

Indiana: Returns home to play No. 4 Purdue on Tuesday.

Rutgers: Continues its homestand against No. 10 Michigan State on Tuesday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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Australian Open 2026: Sinner beats Spizzirri, Keys and Pegula ease through – as it happened

Keys, Pegula, and Anisimova all cruise into fourth round
Defending champion overcomes cramp amid extreme heat

Pliskova 0-1 Keys (9)* The 186cm Czech intersperses a trademark ace between a series of unforced errors to hand Keys a couple of break points. She saves the first but Keys secures the early advantage with a lovely in-to-out forehand winner. The champion has started strongly, striking the ball cleanly from the baseline. Pliskova, by contrast, looks a bit flat-footed and lacking timing.

The players are out on RLA. Key’s’s neon green Nike outfit is irridescent in the bright sunshine. Pliskova is serving in orange Adidas.

Continue reading...
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How will winter storm affect NBA schedule this weekend? What we know

A potentially catastrophic winter storm has caused commotion throughout parts of the country and could affect the NBA regular-season schedule as Southern states prepare for ice conditions, while Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states expect heavy snow.

The NBA announced Thursday that the Jan. 24 regular-season matchup between the Washington Wizards and the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte, North Carolina was moved to the early afternoon due to severe winter storm warnings in the area.

Their game was originally supposed to tip-off at 6 p.m. ET Saturday, however the game was moved up six hours and will now tip-off time at noon ET because of the impending weather.

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Mike Brown starting to make adjustments for struggling Karl-Anthony Towns

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks speaks with head coach Mike Brown during the second half against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on October 26, 2025 in Miami, Florida
KAT Brown

Mike Brown and Karl-Anthony Towns have repeatedly been adamant that Towns has a bigger adjustment than anyone to Brown’s system. 

But Brown has begun adjusting the system to Towns. 

“He’s getting more comfortable,” Brown said after practice Friday. “But also, too, I’ve had to make some adjustments to help him out, make it a little easier for him, which I’ve done. 

“It’s in the different play calls and actions that we do. We’ve made the adjustments to try and make it a little easier for him and to try and put him in positions that will help him get into stuff quicker.” 

Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks speaks with head coach Mike Brown during the second half against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on October 26, 2025 in Miami, Florida. Getty Images

Towns’ production is down across the board this year under Brown compared to last year under Tom Thibodeau. 

Josh Hart, who plays an important role as the Knicks’ facilitator in getting Towns involved, thinks it works both ways. 

“It’s a little different,” Hart said Friday. “But we’re basketball players, we’ve got to be able to adapt to different situations. I think coaches have to adapt to their players and we have to adapt to coaches. I think there’s a good middle ground. Sometimes, we’re still trying to figure that out. 

“At the end of the day, he’s a good offensive player, he’s going to figure that out. We’ve got to make sure we focus on defense. I don’t want to hear too much about his touches, I want to hear about him blocking shots.” 

Guerschon Yabusele, whom The Post reported Wednesday the Knicks are in active talks to trade, seems to be hinting at a departure on X. 

“Whatever happens tomorrow, I’m extremely blessed to be in the position that I am today,” Yabusele wrote in a since-deleted post Thursday night. “Minor setback for major comeback that’s my favorite. Love y’all.” 

New York Knicks forward Guerschon Yabusele reacts after he hits a 3-point shot over LA Clippers forward John Collins. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

On Friday, he reposted a post from a French basketball account that said, “A trade and a good situation for the captain [of the French national team], that’s all we’re asking.” 

Yabusele, whom the Knicks signed in free agency this past offseason, has struggled and largely fallen out of Brown’s rotation. 

Towns (thoracic back spasms) is questionable for Saturday’s game against the 76ers in Philadelphia. 

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Mariners acquire RHP Cooper Criswell

As spring training draws ever nearer, the Mariners have again fortified the group of arms they’ll bring to camp (known around here as The Pitching Pile), acquiring RHP Cooper Criswell from the Mets for cash. Long-tenured sixth (or seventh or eighth) starter Jhonthan Díaz was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Criswell, 29, was originally drafted in the 13th round by the Angels in 2018 (obligatory Mariners tie-in: the Angels’ last pick of that draft was Isaiah Campbell from Arkansas, who would return to school and be drafted by the Mariners in the second round the following year). He then spent two years with the Rays and two years with the Red Sox. The Angels brought Criswell up as a starter, but he spent most of his first year with the Rays relieving. The Red Sox moved Criswell back into a starter role, slotting him into the fifth starter role.

Criswell is in an unusual situation: he’s out of options but pre-arbitration, meaning he makes the league minimum. Boston, facing a roster crunch this off-season but not wanting to lose the versatile Criswell, hatched a plan to try to sneak him through waivers: they signed him to a 2026 deal for slightly above league minimum, at $800K, meaning any team that tried to pick him up off waivers would have to pay above the minimum. That plan was foiled, however, first by the Mets, and then by the Mariners, who picked up Criswell when the Mets DFA’d him to make room for Freddy Peralta and Tobias Meyers.

It’s unclear how the Mariners plan to use Criswell, who isn’t exactly the minor-league castoff who usually shows up on the pitching pile. As a starter, Criswell fits the mold of a typical back-end starter. He has four solid pitches: a changeup, cutter, sinker, and a sweeper. He throws the first three pitches about equally, around 30% of the time each. Criswell has an extremely low arm slot, and his changeup has plus drop, as does the sinker; the two, along with the cutter, combine for a wealth of ground-ball outs rather than strikeouts. It’s a familiar profile: the groundball-getting contact manager back-end starter.

The real interest with Criswell is his sweeper, which he doesn’t throw often: only about 10% of the time. That’s curious, because on paper it looks like it should be his best pitch, with a hellacious 20” of glove-side break. FanGraphs’s Stuff+ model has the pitch well into “elite” territory. However, the few times he threw it last season, batters didn’t miss it. In a small sample size, hitters slugged a gaudy .875 on the pitch.

But why not knockout pitch if knockout pitch-shaped?

Criswell offers a host of possible avenues, but “wipeout sweeper reliever” sounds a bit more interesting than “depth starter contact manager.” We will see how the Mariners choose to deploy him this spring.

In a corresponding move, lefty Jhonathan Díaz, spot starter/stalwart of Tacoma’s rotation and winner of the Casey Lawrence Memorial Bacon-Saver Award, was designated for assignment. It’s not a glamorous role, but Díaz filled it capably for the Mariners for several years. We wish him well.

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Ex-Heat security guard sentenced to three years in prison after theft of game-used items

LeBron James' jersey from Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals was among the items stolen from the Heat facility. (Credit: Getty Images)
LeBron James' jersey from Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals was among the items stolen from the Heat facility. (Credit: Getty Images)

A former Miami Heat security officer has been sentenced to three years in federal prison and ordered to pay $1.9 million in restitution after pleading guilty to transporting and transferring stolen goods across state lines, the Associated Press reported Friday.

Marcos Tomas Perez, 62, pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Florida in August after being accused by federal officials of stealing more than 400 game-used jerseys from the Heat facilities.

Perez had previously worked as a police officer for the city of Miami for 25 years before his employment with the Heat from 2016 to 2021 and then as an NBA security employee from 2022 to 2025.

“This defendant was a former police officer who betrayed the public trust and exploited his access to our beloved hometown team for personal gain,” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason Reding Quiñones said in a statement, per the AP. “The Miami Heat represent excellence built through hard work and discipline in South Florida — and this conduct was the opposite.”

According to allegations from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Perez stole jerseys and other items from a secured equipment room and sold them to online brokers, including more than 100 stolen items over a period of three-plus years for which he garnered $1.9 million, often selling items below market value.

Perez, who was sentenced earlier this month, allegedly had access to the equipment room because he worked game-day security at the Kaseya Center. The equipment room had memorabilia set aside for a future Heat museum.

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A court filing related to the plea agreement alleged Perez would tell a co-worker he had to use the bathroom (or offer another excuse) and take the key, open the equipment room and leave the door propped open before returning the key. Later, he would return to steal items from the room.

According to the same document, Perez utilized a third-party liaison to broker the deals, splitting the profits. Then he used his corporate entity, South Florida Signature Authenticators Incorporated, to sell the items. Platforms identified in the document as venues for him advertising and negotiating deals include OfferUp, eBay and Instagram.

The most notable example cited by the U.S. Attorney’s Office was LeBron James’ jersey from Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals, which he sold for $100,000. That jersey would go on to fetch $3.7 million in an auction at Sotheby’s.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Perez’s home April 3, recovering nearly 300 additional stolen game-worn jerseys and memorabilia, which the Heat confirmed had been stolen from its facility, according to the statement.

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Luka Dončić discusses return to Dallas, says it will always ‘feel like home there’

Believe it or not, it still hasn’t been a year since Luka Dončić joined the Lakers.

He’s already played in LA for parts of two seasons and has signed a contract extension, securing the Lakers as his new home for years to come.

Still, Luka has a lot more memories in a Dallas Mavericks jersey, and that place will always be special to him.

After the Lakers’ loss to the Clippers, Luka spoke about heading back to Dallas this weekend as he prepares to play against the Mavericks.

“Obviously, always going to feel like home there,” Luka said. “Like I said, I needed that game [last year] to move on a little bit. But obviously, I’ll always appreciate those fans. They were really tight. I think we had a special bond. I really appreciate it all the time.”

Last season, when he returned to Dallas for the first time, Luka was very emotional. He was brought to tears seeing the tribute the team made for him and it was obvious how much the Mavericks meant to him.

Once the game began, though, Luka was his dominant self. He was on a mission and ended the game with 45 points, eight rebounds and six assists, as the Lakers beat the Mavericks 112-97.

Given the shock of the trade, time is the only thing that will ever make the Mavericks feel like just another opponent to Luka.

And maybe, no matter what, he’ll always feel a certain way about the first NBA team he ever played for. He was the franchise player in Dallas, and he had no intention of ever leaving, much less walking away after just seven seasons.

Everyone will be watching how Luka reacts on Saturday as LA takes on Dallas. The Mavs fans will most likely give him a standing ovation, and now that the former general manager, Nico Harrison, is gone, there should be nothing but love for Luka and no other distractions in the arena.

Hopefully, another contest against his former team can further cement closure for Luka as he continues his career with the purple and gold.

Regardless of his emotions, just like last year, expect Luka to be ready to torch Dallas and use this trade as added motivation to be the best version of himself in this contest.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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NHL Insiders Links Two Central Division Teams To Canucks Winger Evander Kane

Two teams have repeatedly emerged as favourites to land Vancouver Canucks winger Evander Kane in a trade this year. According to Kevin Weekes, there are two teams from the Central Division to keep an eye on. On Friday, Weekes wrote via "X", "Per multiple sources, I’m told the @DallasStars and @Avalanche are among the likely destinations for @Canucks F Kane via potential trade."

Both the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars are preparing for long playoff runs. While Colorado currently is the best team in the NHL with 77 points in 48 games, Dallas ranks sixth with 65 points in 51 games. As of writing, the Stars would take on the Minnesota Wild in the first round, while the Avalanche would face the second Wild Card team. 

While Kane's season with Vancouver has not gone as planned, he still has tools that contenders would like to add to their roster. He went to the Stanley Cup Final each of the last two years and has 84 hits in 49 games. Kane is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and will be looking to show teams that he can be an impactful player moving forward. 

Jan 21, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Evander Kane (91) shoots against the Washington Capitals in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Jan 21, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Evander Kane (91) shoots against the Washington Capitals in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

On top of the trade deadline, which is scheduled for March 6, there is a trade freeze that kicks in on February 4. This freeze will last until the end of the 2026 Winter Olympics, with teams able to start making moves on February 22. The Canucks have already made two significant moves this year, as they traded both Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

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Wizards and Whatnot: Names to watch at the trade deadline

Welcome to the second installment of “Wizards and Whatnot,” where I take you through the happenings around the NBA and check in on the Wizards when necessary. We’re officially in the midseason pre-All Star lull, where games and results start to blend together, so I’m here to guide you through what’s going on.

Who want me?

The trade deadline is looming, and the names being floated on the trade market would make casual NBA fans who get their fix on Instagram Reels squeal. We real game watchers, though… we know some of these names carry more weight than the players themselves do.

The Memphis Grizzlies are open for business, and expect the return they get back for Ja Morant to be pitiful. The one-time “face of the league” candidate is so averse to playing in NBA basketball games and so disinterested when he finally suits up that his value has crashed to an all-time low and the Grizzlies just sound happy to move on.

Anthony Davis is out for at least six weeks, meaning there is a real shot he has played his last game as a Dallas Maverick. Every time I look at the Mavs roster I have no choice but to cross my arms, hit a scowl, lightly shake my head and softly scoff. The strategy of stockpiling pretty good frontcourt players and punting on both guard spots has burned the Mavs, and they’re probably going to pitifully flip Davis (and, by the transitive property, LUKA DONCIC) for a collection of spare parts and a draft pick.

I predict LaMelo Ball and Zach Lavine, the co-chairmen of the “no impact on the outcome of the game” committee, will stay put, Lavine because I can’t fathom another team is willing to pay $50 million for his services and Ball because those jerseys just keep flying off the shelves with the 16-and-under demographic

Paid vaTraetion

The Wizards made the first big splash of trade season by dealing for Trae Young, who has yet to suit up in a Wizards jersey. Young is due to be re-evaluated following the All-Star break in a little under a month, though I’m not totally convinced he will make his Wizards debut until the start of the 2026-27 season.

The 10-33 Wizards are embroiled in a fresh 8-game free-fall, so there is really no rush to get Young back on the court.

The mother of all pretenders

I grew up in Los Angeles as a major Clippers fan. All of my friends were, of course, arrogant Lakers fans, so this part of the column is going to feel really great to write.

This year’s Lakers are a mess. They’re 26-17 but sport a negative net rating, meaning end-of-game execution (or luck) is the only thing buoying their record above .500. Their three best players are Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and 41-year-old LeBron James, three individuals who would prefer not to play defense. 

DeAndre Ayton and Rui Hachimura, who both famously are not particularly interested in getting better at the sport of basketball, round out the starting five. The Lakers have the 25th-ranked defense in the NBA, the worst of any team even in contention for the play-in tournament.

This team is staring down a dismantling in the first round of the playoffs, and I honestly doubt that they are going to make a major in-season splash. My group chat of my high school friends remains abuzz with delusions of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the purple and gold, but they’re going to have to be content with a player like Josh Okogie instead.

That being said, they traded for Luka Doncic last year, so what do I know?

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Canadiens Have Clear Star Trade Target To Consider

One of the Montreal Canadiens' top objectives at the 2026 NHL trade deadline should be to add another top-six forward. Adding a second-line center, in particular, would be significant for a Canadiens club looking to prove that they can be true contenders. 

When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly is standing out as a prime potential option for the Canadiens to consider.

O'Reilly is showing this season that he is still capable of being a major difference-maker. In 50 games so far this season with the Predators, he has recorded 18 goals, 32 assists, 50 points, and a plus-8 rating. With numbers like these, the 34-year-old would be a huge pickup for the Canadiens if acquired. 

O'Reilly is only getting better as the season carries on, too. The star center is currently on a six-game point streak, where he has recorded five goals and 13 points over that span. This includes him putting together back-to-back three-point games against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 20 and the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 22. 

Yet, besides being red-hot right now, O'Reilly could also be an appealing target for the Canadiens because he plays a strong two-way game and is well-known for his leadership. With this, he would have the potential to benefit the Canadiens in multiple ways.

O'Reilly would also be more than a rental for the Canadiens. This is because he is signed until the end of the 2026-27 season, where he has a bargain $4.5 million cap hit. 

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LIVE Discussion: Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 PM ET

There isn’t much good news to report after a 54-point loss to the Knicks, but we’ll offer one: the Nets have an opportunity to make up for it against the Celtics. Best part about an 82-game season as most players and coaches will tell you.

🏀 Celtics (27-16) @ Nets (12-30)

⏰ WHEN: 7:30 PM ET

📍 WHERE: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY

📺 WATCH: YES Network / WFAN on radio

☘️ PREVIEW

Back when KD asked out of Brooklyn in 2022, one of the biggest names connected to the Nets was Jaylen Brown. Shams reported the Celtics offered Brown, Derrick White, and a first-rounder. Of course, the Nets moved KD to Phoenix in a masterclass that subsequently led to even more picks in the Mikal Bridges trade. Does that outweigh having a Finals MVP and leading MVP candidate tho? Does it matter? Tonight it does. This is what the Nets are dealing with, in Jordan Greene’s words:

“Through the season, Brown is averaging 29.8 points on 48.8 % from the field. In the last three games, Brown is averaging 34.3 and nine. Not to mention his leadership. After long being looked at as a second option, Brown is proving that he has the skillset and mindset to lead a team of his own. Other members of the Celtics have been making big leaps as well. Derrick White is still one of the best two-way players in the game, Payton Pritchard has emerged as a starting point guard, and Luka Garza, the former Iowa superstar, is contributing well as a stretch five. He’s currently shooting 47.1 % from the 3-point line. If he had enough shot attempts, he’d qualify as the NBA’s second best from beyond the arc. Who knew? Apparently Brad Stevens.”

⚠️ INJURY REPORT

Haywood Highsmith — OUT (Right Knee Surgery, Injury Recovery)

Tyson Etienne — OUT (G League Two-Way Assignment)

Chaney Johnson — OUT (G League Two-Way Assignment)

E.J. Liddell — OUT (G League Two-Way Assignment)

Ben Saraf — OUT (G League Assignment)

💬 Discussion

Share thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

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NHL Rumors: Should Blackhawks Extend Veteran Winger?

The Chicago Blackhawks have multiple players who are pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs). Among them is forward Ilya Mikheyev, as the 31-year-old is in the final season of his four-year, $19 million contract.

Mikheyev was traded to the Blackhawks during this past off-season in a cap dump move for the Vancouver Canucks. The change of scenery did him good, as he posted 20 goals and a career-high 34 points in 80 games during his first year with the Blackhawks in 2024-25. 

Now, in his second season with the Blackhawks, Mikheyev has recorded nine goals and 17 points in his first 45 games. While his pace of production is lower so far than it was last season, he has still been giving the Blackhawks some secondary scoring. He is also being used on the Blackhawks' penalty kill again. 

With Mikheyev being a pending UFA, he is eligible to sign a contract extension with the Blackhawks. When noting that he is a solid part of their top nine and a key penalty killer, should the Blackhawks try to keep him around beyond this season? It is fair to wonder if they could.

For a Mikheyev contract extension to make sense with the Blackhawks, he would likely make less than his current $4.75 million AAV. Furthermore, with the Blackhawks having several young players in their system and Mikheyev being older than 30, a short-term extension would make more sense for them. 

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what the Blackhawks decide to do with Mikheyev from here.

Share your thoughts in the comments what you think the Blackhawks should do with Mikheyev. 

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Mets trade RHP Cooper Criswell to Mariners for cash considerations

The Mets have traded right-hander Cooper Criswell to the Mariners for cash considerations, Seattle announced Friday.

Criswell, who was designated for assignment by the Mets earlier this week, was claimed off waivers from the Red Sox in December.

He joined the Red Sox in 2024, logging a 4.08 ERA with 73 strikeouts across 26 appearances (99.1 innings) as both a rotation and long-relief option. 

Last season was far less kind to Criswell, however. The 29-year-old spent ample time in Triple-A Worcester, appearing in just seven MLB games before suffering a season-ending elbow injury in August.

Since making his big league debut in 2021, Criswell owns a 4.48 ERA and 1.44 WHIP with 113 punchouts over 45 appearances (145.1 innings). He didn't have any minor league options remaining.

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Max Scherzer willing to wait until after Opening Day for right MLB fit

Max Scherzer #31 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Max Scherzer of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Max Scherzer is ready to wait. 

The future Hall of Famer told The Athletic Thursday that he’s “healthy and ready to sign at any moment if certain teams call.”

That last part is key. 

Scherzer, the outlet reported, is willing to let Opening Day pass for a starting spot to open up on one of those unnamed preferred teams. 

Scherzer, who turns 42 in July, spent last season with the American League champion Blue Jays, posting a 5.19 ERA over 17 starts. 

Max Scherzer of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images

In the postseason, Scherzer was much better, registering a 3.77 ERA in three outings.

Scherzer got the ball for Game 7 of the World Series against the Dodgers and looked about as good as he had all season, tossing 4 ⅓ innings while allowing just one run. 

In Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, Scherzer got the win after going 5 ⅔ innings, holding the Mariners to two runs in an 8-2 Blue Jays victory. 

After the World Series, Scherzer made it clear that 2025 wasn’t it for him. 

“The only thing I can say is,” Scherzer told reporters after the Blue Jays’ Game 7 loss. “It’s going to take some time to give a full answer to that, but there is no way that was my last pitch.”

After various injuries hampered his 2024 season, Scherzer signed a one-year, $15.5 million deal to come to Toronto in February last year.

Max Scherzer pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning in game seven of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Center on November 01, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. Getty Images

Scherzer is one of many big-name free agent starting pitchers, including Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen and Justin Verlander, left on the market with spring training fast approaching.

After Clayton Kershaw’s retirement, Scherzer, the three-time Cy Young winner, now ranks No. 2 among active pitchers with 221 career wins, behind only Verlander’s 266 wins.