SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Michael Misa scored 1:40 into overtime, and the San Jose Sharks topped the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 on Sunday for their second straight win.
Misa scored for the second straight game when he drove down the slot before beating Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. It was the fourth goal of the season for the No. 2 overall pick in last year's NHL draft.
Will Smith also scored for San Jose, and Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 27 shots. The Sharks had lost five in a row before Saturday's 5-4 victory over Edmonton.
Morgan Barron scored for Winnipeg, and Hellebuyck finished with 31 saves. The Jets lost for fourth time in five games.
Barron put Winnipeg in front when he beat Nedeljkovic from the left circle 2:44 into the first. It was Barron's first goal since Dec. 21 and No. 8 on the season.
Smith tied it at 1 with his 18th goal 1:47 into the third. Macklin Celebrini picked up his team-high 54th assist on the play.
Hellebuyck and the Jets lost their second straight in overtime after falling 5-4 at Anaheim on Friday night in the goalie’s first game since backstopping the United States to Olympic gold.
Up next
Both teams are at home on Tuesday night. The Jets face the Chicago Blackhawks, and the Sharks take on the Montreal Canadiens.
CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — Tayvon Gray scored in the ninth minute of stoppage time to help New York City FC beat the Philadelphia Union 2-1 on Sunday.
Hannes Wolf scored in the 36th minute to give NYCFC (1-0-1) a 1-0 lead.
Olwethu Makhanya was shown his second yellow card in the second minute of stoppage time and the Union played a man down the rest of the way.
Agustin Ojeda, from the left corner of the 18-yard box, flicked an arcing cross to the back post where Gray skipped a header back inside the front post to cap the scoring.
Wolf, who had a career-high 11 goals in 2025, scored his first of the season to give NYCFC a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute. On the counter-attack, Nicolás Fernández had his shot from the left corner of the 6-yard box parried by goalkeeper Andre Blake, but Wolf slammed home the first-touch putback.
The Union's Stas Korzeniowski drew a penalty, conceded by Thiago Martins, and Indiana Vassilev converted from the spot to make it 1-1 in the 89th.
Blake finished with eight saves for Philadelphia (0-2-0), which won the 2025 Supporter's Shield.
Matt Freese had three saves, which included a kick-stop of a shot by Agustín Anello in the 60th minute and a diving parry that denied Nathan Harriel in the 81st.
Ojeda cut back to evade Union defender Frankie Westfield, but his shot from the center of the area banged off the right post.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jordan Lawlar (10) attempts to grab a ball off a bounce on a base hit by the Cleveland Guardians at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale on March 1, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Record 6-4. Change on 2025: +1.5. 5-inning record: 2-7-1.
Another day, another come from behind victory. This one was at least slightly earlier. Arizona trailed 6-2 in the middle of the fifth, but put up a four-spot there to level the game. They then added three more the next time they were up to make the fourth time they have taken the lead in the sixth inning or later. This helped them come back from a shaky outing by Michael Soroka. He allowed two hits and a run in the first, before the wheels fell off with one out in the second. Five consecutive Guardians reached, on a homer, triple and three walks, before Soroka was lifted. His final line: three runs on four hits and three walks in just 1.2 innings, with one strikeout.
The rest of the pitching was pretty good, save a three-run fifth charged to Kohl Drake, who allowed three hits and two walks in his 1.2 innings, with one K. There were scoreless frames, of varying quality, from Ryan Thompson, Kevin Ginkel, Shawn Dubin, Drey Jameson and Spencer Giesting (the last ended the game on an ABS reversed strike three – ABS was 2-1 today). Jameson was the only one of those to face the minimum. The offense was on point, with 15 hits and five walks. Three of those were by Ryan Waldschmidt, who is hitting .316 with a .982 OPS. Kristian Robinson also had three hits, and Pavin Smith haters are in shambles, his two hits – off lefties, with exit velos > 107 mph – taking his average to .294, and a .941 OPS.
Ildemaro Vargas also had a pair of knocks (.412 BA) and Jordan Lawlar drew two walks. He has six of those, twice as many as any other Arizona hitter, and tied for the lead across all of spring training. All told, the Diamondbacks now have a collective .887 OPS in spring, behind only the Rockies (.893), who seem to be under the impression Scottsdale is a suburb of Denver. However, that is propelled by the late-inning comebacks noted, so it’s fair to imagine we are probably not facing the opposition’s best pitchers. After the sixth inning, Arizona is hitting .333/.421/.627 for an OPS of 1.048 – 148 points better than anyone else.
Day off for the D-backs tomorrow, before an interesting exhibition game at Salt River Fields on Tuesday, with the opposition being Team Mexico.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on March 01, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Brooklyn Nets 106-102. It shouldn’t have been this close, but a win is a win.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
James Harden
22 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 turnovers
Harden will be playing through a broken finger on his non-dominant hand for the foreseeable future. If these are the results, we can’t complain too much.
I don’t think this was Harden’s sharpest game. He turned it over five times and maybe held onto the ball longer than he should have. Still, he was the engine to the offense and helped get them across the finish line on an otherwise sloppy day.
Grade: B
Jarrett Allen
20 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
February is over. March is here. And Jarrett Allen is still balling.
These games are becoming too regular. Cleveland is 11-2 this season when Allen scores 20+ points. He shot 7-12 from the floor tonight.
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Evan Mobley
17 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block
Mobley’s starting to settle back into a groove. He was strong off the bounce in this game and has put together two quality performances in a row. His offensive rebound late in the game sealed the deal.
Grade: A–
Jaylon Tyson
9 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 3 turnovers
Tyson can be hard to grade sometimes. He struggled to generate offense when Harden was being trapped (3-7 shooting and 3 turnovers). But when the game called on him, he nailed a huge three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
Grade: C+
Dennis Schroder
12 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound
Schroder’s playing through a sprained ankle, but you wouldn’t be able to tell watching him. He’s still lightning quick, dashing into the paint, and he converted a ridiculous layup high off the glass in this one.
Ellis returned from a broken finger and didn’t miss a beat. He was disruptive as ever, deflecting passes and ruining Brooklyn’s possessions. Eight stocks is absurd stuff.
Every time Porter hits a three-pointer, I wonder why he doesn’t shoot them with more confidence. His hesitant trigger can make it difficult to keep him on the floor. Playing him at power forward makes it borderline impossible.
Grade: D
Thomas Bryant
4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Bryant wasn’t as impactful tonight. Still, he’s a steady presence off the bench.
William Schmidt turned down millions of dollars from Major League Baseball heading into the 2024 draft, but if he keeps pitching like he has of late, he’ll almost certainly recoup that money when he does decide to go pro.
Thanks to a career-best 7.1 shutout innings, Schmidt pitched LSU (11-1) to a tight 3-0 win over Dartmouth Sunday afternoon at The Box. Jaden Noot was credited with his first save of the season after Mavrick Rizy couldn’t quite get to the finish line in his relief appearance.
As has been the case all weekend long, the LSU bats were cold. Things got off to a promising start when Jake Brown launched his fifth home run of the season in the first inning, but the Tigers would only manage three more hits the rest of the way.
You really need to tip your cap to Dartmouth starter Eddie Albert, who aside from that one pitch to Brown was every bit as good as Schmidt. Albert’s final line was seven innings, two runs—one earned—with three hits and one walk eight strikeouts.
One run may has well have been 100 runs with the way Schmidt was pitching today: 7.1 innings, 4 hits, 9 strikeouts and, most importantly, no walks. Schmidt pitched four perfect innings before giving up a leadoff single in the fifth.
“William was outstanding today and he’s getting better as we go,” Jay Johnson said after the game. “I’m really proud of how he’s developing, how he’s competing; he’s throwing strikes and leading the team to wins three Sundays in a row. I don’t think any other team in the country can run out that kind of pitcher on a Sunday.”
If Schmidt was LSU’s best player today, then their second best player was, to quote Ed Orgeron, Mr. Ray Baker aka “The Sun.” Dartmouth outfielders lost a couple of fly balls in the fourth inning, and LSU used the miscues to score its second run. The run was set up by Steven Milam getting two bases off a ball that bounced out of Dartmouth centerfielder Nico Banez’s glove, and then he came home thanks to left fielder Chris Miller losing a ball. Though for whatever reason, Milam was credited with a double but Dardar’s play was considered a two-base error. Sure, why not.
LSU’s third run also came by way of a Dartmouth error. Derek Curiel reached on an error and then came all the way home from first off of a Jake Brown eighth-inning double.
Schmidt got into the eighth inning for the first time in his career and his fast ball was still sitting 94 MPH. His day ended, however, when he plunked Dartmouth first basemen Milo Suarez and was lifted for Dax Dathe. Dathe, however, was yanked after just two pitches, the second of which hit Dartmouth shortstop Alejandro Puig. Johnson then went to Mavrick Rizy and Rizy got two massive strikeouts to end the threat.
Rizy was well on his way to earning his first career save, but couldn’t get that 27th out. Rizy issued a one-out walk to catcher AJ DeMastrie, threw a couple of wild pitches that allowed DeMastrie to reach third, and made matters worse with a four-pitch walk to Chris Miller that brought the tying run to the plate.
Johnson turned to Jaden Noot, who got a swinging K on a full count to end the game and give the Tigers its 11th win of the season.
William Schmidt came to LSU with all the potential in the world and he’s starting to realize it these past two outings. Between today against Dartmouth and last weekend’s start against UCF, Schmidt has thrown a combined 12.1 innings, allowed just seven hits and has an absurd 16 strikeouts against just one walk and zero runs allowed. The Tigers have a potential first round pick pitching on Sundays and he’s only getting better. Life for LSU Baseball fans is pretty sweet under Jay Johnson’s watch.
LSU will wrap up its four-day round-robin series with its second game against Northeastern tomorrow night (6:30 P.M.) and that game may be streamed online via SEC Network+. Hopefully LSU remembers to bring its bats tomorrow night.
The Chicago Blackhawks came into Sunday's match with the Utah Mammoth losers of three straight games going back to before the break.
On Saturday night, they suffered a tough loss at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche. This game was their opportunity to bounce back against another team that's been hot. Since the year flipped to 2026, the Mammoth have been one of the best teams in the NHL.
Depth scoring had been an issue for the Blackhawks, as Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi were the only ones scoring goals with much regularity.
Things started well for the Blackhawks as they played a good road period to open the game. They were awarded a power play with under a minute remaining, and they took advantage.
Tyler Bertuzzi forced a Utah turnover, and the puck found Teuvo Teravainen at the side of the net. He made it 1-0 with a nice move to find twine.
In the second period, the Blackhawks put a stranglehold on the scoreboard by scoring two goals two minutes apart. First, it was Nick Foligno, followed by Landon Slaggert. This 3-0 lead held through the second intermission.
Early in the third, while on the penalty kill, Teuvo Teravainen scored a short-handed goal to make it 4-0. His second goal of the game was his 8th career short-handed tally, and the first given up by the Mammoth this season.
4-0 stood as the final. Arvid Soderblom earned his first career shutout with the win, making 22 saves. He didn't face a high-volume of shots, but he did make big saves on a handful of high-danger chances. He earned this shutout and played a big role in the team snapping their losing streak.
The Blackhawks completed a game in which they played mostly well from beginning to end. Whether it was their much-needed depth scoring, defending well, or good goaltending, the Blackhawks had one of their best performances in a long time. It's a win to build on in every way.
Next up for the Blackhawks is the final game of their road trip. They close things out with a Tuesday night visit to Manitoba for a game against Jonathan Toews and the Winnipeg Jets.
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Edey initially underwent surgery in June to stabilize a stress reaction in his ankle and didn't make his season debut until Nov. 15, but he has dealt with lingering discomfort that has limited him to playing just 11 games.
"Based on the unanimous opinion of consulting expert physicians, Edey’s lateral ligaments remain stable post-surgery with ongoing discomfort and talar bone stress being driven by progressive laxity of the deltoid (medial) ligaments," the Grizzlies said in the statement. "The upcoming procedure will reinforce the medial ligament complex and accelerate bone healing."
The Grizzlies added that this surgery is meant to address the discomfort and talar bone stress in his ankle. He is expected to make a full recovery, and the team said a timeline will be provided following his surgery. But his 2025-26 season is likely done, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, part of the USA TODAY Network.
In his 11 games played this season, Edey averaged 13.6 points,11.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. He has not played in a game since Dec. 7.
Edey, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after a memorable run in that year's NCAA tournament, averaged 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds as a rookie for the Grizzlies in 2024-25. He also missed 12 games early in his rookie season due to a left ankle sprain.
The Grizzlies also announced that Brandon Clarke, who has been sidelined since Dec. 20 with a right calf strain, will need further rehab "before advancing to the next step" in his return to the court. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
JUPITER, Fla. — St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol signed a two-year contract extension through at least the 2028 season, the Cardinals announced Sunday.
The deal includes a club option for 2029, the club said.
“As I’ve gotten to know Oli, I’ve seen someone who cares about this organization and knows what has made the Cardinals special over time, and who understands that for us to get where we need to go, we must compete relentlessly to set new standards in everything that we do,” Cardinals president Chaim Bloom said in a statement. “He is invested in the progress of our young core and is unafraid to challenge himself and to help those around him grow.”
The 39-year-old Marmol has led the Cardinals for the past four seasons, taking them to the National League wild-card round in his first season as manager. But he has failed to return to the playoffs the last three years, and St. Louis was just 78-84 last season.
Yet the Cardinals have long considered the past couple of seasons as an opportunity to reset with Bloom taking over for longtime executive John Mozeliak and a roster in need of a refresh. So it makes sense to provide some stability with Marmol, the third-longest tenured manager in the NL behind the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts and the Diamondbacks’ Torey Lovullo.
Marmol has been with the Cardinals since 2007, when he was still in his playing days. He spent five seasons as a manager in the minors before joining the coaching staff in 2017, and he was elevated to the St. Louis manager on October 25, 2021.
Marmol is 324-323 in four seasons with the Cardinals.
The San Jose Sharks and Winnipeg Jets faced off for the second time this season on Sunday afternoon. The Sharks were on the second half of a back-to-back, as they defeated the Edmonton Oilers the previous night, while the Jets looked to bounce back from an overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks in their last outing.
The opening minutes were filled with end-to-end action, with both teams generating shots on the rush. Immediately after the first whistle, two and a half minutes into the game, Morgan Barron was able to break the deadlock and give the Jets an early lead. Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic was forced to make a couple of big saves in quick succession shortly after the goal. William Eklund had a partial breakaway chance just under eight minutes into the game, but Connor Hellebuyck was able to get his glove on the puck, sending it just wide of the net.
The Sharks got two power play opportunities near the middle of the opening period. The first came when Gustav Nyquist was called for slashing Tyler Toffoli. The Sharks were unable to take advantage of the extra man, but got another opportunity shortly after when Jonathan Toews was penalized for hooking Macklin Celebrini. Although the Sharks got some quality chances, once again, the Jets’ penalty kill stood strong.
Kiefer Sherwood took the first penalty of the night for the Sharks with less than a minute remaining in the opening frame, as he was called for goaltender interference following contact with Hellebuyck. The Jets weren’t able to capitalize on the man advantage before the period came to an end, and carried their power play and 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
One area where the Sharks certainly excelled in the first period was in the faceoff circle. They won 67% of draws in the first period. Alexander Wennberg led the team in faceoff wins in the opening frame, winning five draws while losing two.
The Sharks quickly killed off the penalty, but were shorthanded again five minutes into the period when Shakir Mukhamadullin visited the penalty box for tripping. Once again, the Sharks were able to kill it off with little issue. The second period overall was fairly uneventful, as it was a lot of back-and-forth with few quality scoring chances.
Will Smith tied things up 1:47 into the third period. After Collin Graf took a shot, the puck bounced right to the stick of Smith, who took inspiration from the upcoming baseball season as he bunted it past Hellebuyck and into the net for his 18th goal of the season.
The Jets got an opportunity to restore their lead halfway through the third when Philipp Kurashev took down Dylan DeMelo in the offensive zone, giving Winnipeg a late chance on the power play. The call was not popular amongst the crowd at the SAP Center, and quickly resulted in chants toward the official. The Sharks penalty kill remained perfect though.
The Sharks got a man advantage of their own moments after Kurashev's penalty expired. Winnipeg's captain Adam Lowry went to the box for interference on Vincent Desharnais. The penalty was again killed off.
The Sharks earned another late power play opportunity when Kyle Connor took down John Klingberg in the corner behind the Sharks' net with just over four minutes remaining in regulation. The Sharks generated quite a few chances, but couldn't beat Hellebuyck.
Neither team was able to break the tie in regulation, and the game moved on to overtime.
A minute and 40 seconds into overtime, Michael Misa was able to beat Hellebuyck and earned the win for the Sharks.
The Sharks' homestand will continue on Tuesday, when they host the Montreal Canadiens.
NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden scored 22 points in his return to the lineup with a broken thumb and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a two-game skid with a 106-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
Harden missed two games after fracturing his thumb earlier in the week. He bounced back and shot 5 for 9 from the field, 4 for 7 from 3-point distance and 8 for 12 from the line, with nine rebounds and eight assists. He was injured Tuesday night in a 109-94 home victory over New York. X-rays Wednesday showed a non-displaced fracture of the distal phalanx. The 17-year veteran was traded by the Los Angeles Clippers to Cleveland on Feb. 4.
Jarrett Allen scored 20 points and Evan Mobley added 16 points and 13 rebounds as the Cavaliers improved to 12-1 in their last 13 games against the Nets. Sam Merrill finished with 15 points and Dennis Schroder had 10.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 26 points on 10-for-17 shooting, and Danny Wolf added 23 points and nine rebounds for Brooklyn, which lost its eighth straight game and for the 11th time in 13 games. Nolan Traore contributed 17 points and Grant Nelson 11 as the Nets slipped to 15-45 overall.
The Nets led 56-42 at halftime, helped by 50% (21 for 42) shooting from the field.
The Cavaliers rallied in the second half and led by eight points with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before Brooklyn rallied.
Brooklyn closed within three points (102-99) on a basket by Traore with 28.6 seconds left and within a point (102-101) following two free throws by Wolf with 9.2 seconds showing. Schroder made a pair of free throws and Wolf hit 1 of 2, giving the Cavs a two-point lead with 5.9 seconds left. Schroder and Mobley added free throws in the final seconds to seal the win.
Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell was sidelined for a third straight game due to a groin injury. Dean Wade also sat out due to a sprained ankle.
Ben Hess throws a pitch during the Yankees' March 1 spring game against the Phillies.
Observations from Yankees spring training Sunday:
Hess, sir!
Ben Hess, one of the top Yankees pitching prospects, tossed two scoreless innings of relief, including setting down Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm.
Ben Hess throws a pitch during the Yankees’ March 1 spring game against the Phillies. Getty Images
Crash test
Ben Rice gave Aaron Boone a scare when he went crashing into the short wall by the rolled-up tarp down the first base line trying to run down a pop-up.
Fortunately for the Yankees, Rice was no worse for wear.
Caught my eye
Anywhere the Yankees put George Lombard Jr. on the infield, he has delivered a highlight-reel play over the first 10 games this spring.
After doing so at shortstop and third base last week, the prospect played second base Sunday and made a strong play on a chopper past the mound, throwing on the run to first, where Rice provided a scoop for the out.
Monday’s schedule
The Yankees will have their first off-day of camp before returning to action Tuesday against Panama at Steinbrenner Field, with Max Fried and Giancarlo Stanton set to make their spring debuts.
MESA, Arizona — The Cubs’ 5-1 loss to the White Sox on another very hot afternoon was painfully reminiscent of some Shōta Imanaga starts last year.
Imanaga threw 47 pitches in 2.2 innings. Three of those pitches left the yard, solo homers by Edgar Quero, Austin Hays and Braden M0ntgomery, two of whom will likely be starting players for the White Sox this year and the third, one of their top prospects.
But should we really be concerned about three homers in a Spring Training game in a hitters’ environment where the temperature reached into the 90s? Let’s look at each of the homers.
That was … I dunno, chopped out of the ballpark? That has to be three inches above the strike zone. I don’t think that ball is a home run at Wrigley Field with the wind blowing in. On a hot day in Mesa? Sure.
Bregman, like Quero, got a high fastball and did not miss it:
Lenyn Sosa also homered for the White Sox, off minor leaguer Zane Mills. The fifth Sox run came off Hunter Harvey in the fourth, and after that scoring was done for the afternoon. Caleb Thielbar, Luke Little and Corbin Martin threw scoreless innings, and Grant Kipp, who might be at Triple-A Iowa this year, put six Sox minor leaguers down in order in the eighth and ninth.
Bregman also doubled and walked in what’s likely his final game for the Cubs for a couple of weeks, as he heads to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Pete Crow-Armstrong, also headed for Team USA, singled twice in three at-bats.
It was another very hot day in Mesa (Bluesky link):
Attendance watch: A full house of 15,270 attended Sunday’s game. That makes the season total for six dates 71,309, or 11,885 per date.
After the game the Cubs announced they had claimed Ben Cowles on waivers from the Blue Jays. I don’t know exactly what’s going on with Cowles; the Cubs keep waiving him and re-claiming him. To make room on the 40-man roster for Cowles, Shelby Miller was placed on the 60-day injured list.
Monday, the Cubs head to the west Valley to play the Reds at Goodyear. Jameson Taillon will start for the Cubs, and then he, too, heads to the WBC to play for Team Canada. Brady Singer will go for Cincinnati. Game time Monday is 2:05 p.m. CT and TV coverage will again be via Marquee Sports Network, and also on Reds TV. No radio on Monday.
The clock is ticking, and the Colorado Avalanche still have a hole to fill down the middle.
With the NHL trade deadline less than a week away, Colorado remains in the market for a third-line center — and the latest buzz doesn’t center around Nicolas Roy. Instead, a familiar name is resurfacing. Scott Laughton, long linked to the Avalanche over the past couple of seasons, is once again generating momentum.
The 31-year-old forward once believed he would spend his entire career with the Philadelphia Flyers, the organization that selected him 20th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Laughton spent parts of 12 seasons in Philadelphia before being dealt at last year’s deadline to the Toronto Maple Leafs — a move that proved how quickly stability can disappear in this league.
Now, as speculation swirls again, Laughton understands the reality of the business.
Ahead of Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators, he was asked how difficult it is to stay focused when trade chatter lingers in the background.
"I haven't changed much, you know?" Laughton said. "I take pride in trying to be consistent in every facet of coming in to the rink and being positive.
"It's out of our control. It's in no one's control except the staff. We have to go out and do a job and play for each other and hold each other accountable and make it difficult on teams and get a lead and make it hard for them to come back in games."
Why Laughton Makes Sense
What makes Laughton particularly appealing on the market isn’t just positional need — it’s the details of his game. He brings a veteran presence to the room, sets a professional tone on and off the ice, and consistently delivers in the faceoff circle. His 56.7 percent win rate ranks among the NHL’s top 20, giving any contender an immediate boost in puck possession, especially in critical defensive-zone draws.
There’s also financial flexibility at play. With a manageable $3 million cap hit, and the possibility that Toronto could retain a portion of the salary, Laughton becomes an even more attractive option for cap-strapped teams looking to add experience and reliability without disrupting their books.
Other Options And Cap Realities
If Laughton emerges as the primary target, it could effectively cool any reunion chatter involving former Avalanche center Nazem Kadri, now with the Calgary Flames. League sources suggest Calgary has little interest in retaining any portion of Kadri’s $7 million cap hit — a significant hurdle for a Colorado front office that values financial maneuverability.
Nazem Kadri looks on during Saturday's matchup against the Los Angeles Kings. Credit: Griffin Hooper.
General manager Chris MacFarland has built a reputation around disciplined cap management and calculated moves. Absorbing a full $7 million commitment for a depth role would run counter to that philosophy.
Another name to monitor is Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers. However, similar questions arise there as well. Trocheck carries a $5.625 million cap hit, and any serious discussion would likely hinge on salary retention.
Trocheck taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Credit: Wendell Cruz
The Makar Factor
No matter who Colorado ultimately acquires — if anyone — the move will almost certainly be made with the bigger picture in mind.
A contract extension for star defenseman Cale Makar looms large. The two-time Norris Trophy winner’s six-year, $54 million extension expires at the end of next season, and with the salary cap projected to climb to approximately $113.5 million by the time his next deal kicks in, Makar could realistically command an average annual value in the $17–18 million range.
Cale Makar scores twice last night en route to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Credit: Ron Chenoy
That reality makes it far more likely the Avalanche pursue a rental option rather than taking on long-term money that could complicate future flexibility.
As the deadline approaches, Colorado’s front office remains active — and The Hockey News will keep you updated as the situation unfolds.
BROOKLYN, NY - MARCH 1: James Harden #1 and Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 1, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It wasn’t pretty by any stretch, but the Cleveland Cavaliers did enough to end their brief two-game losing streak. They defeated the Brooklyn Nets 106-102 thanks to strong performances from James Harden and Jarrett Allen.
Cleveland got off to a good start. They exerted their sizeable talent advantage early on as they opened up an 11-point advantage midway through the first quarter. It seemed like they were going to run away with this, but they couldn’t maintain the focus to do so.
Turnovers allowed the Nets to get back into the game. Cleveland coughed it up 11 times in the first half, slowing any momentum their offense had gathered. Brooklyn wasn’t able to capitalize as they only registered seven points off turnovers in the first half. The turnovers did allow them to slow down Cleveland’s offense.
The Cavs were held to just 46 points in the first half, allowing the Nets to take a six-point advantage into the break.
Cleveland’s offense came back to life in the third quarter, thanks to 12 points and two assists from Harden in that frame. The defense tightened up as well, as they outscored Brooklyn 28-23 in that frame to head into the fourth quarter down just one.
This continued into the fourth quarter as the Cavs methodically wore the Nets down and had some timely shooting from Sam Merrill.
Evan Mobley had a strong start to the fourth with a hybrid bench lineup that helped the Cavs maintain their momentum and retake the lead. Cleveland gradually extended their lead to nine once the majority of its starters reentered the game.
However, that didn’t last. Cleveland once again struggled to close the game. They were up seven with a minute and a half left, but let the Nets cut the deficit to one thanks to more missed free throws and an eight-second violation. It was a fitting end for what was a sloppy game.
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Harden performed well in his first game back in the lineup after breaking his thumb in last Tuesday’s win over the New York Knicks. He appeared able to make his normal passes and didn’t seem like he had trouble dribbling, which is something head coach Kenny Atkinson said he was struggling to do as recently as Friday.
Harden led Cleveland in scoring and assists as he poured in 22 points on 5-9 shooting to go along with eight assists and nine boards.
Harden wasn’t the only Cavalier to return to the lineup after breaking a finger. Keon Ellis also played his first game since doing so in Wednesday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, and looked like his usual self, earning his way into the closing lineup. He was active defensively, coming up with five blocks and three steals while contributing four points in the victory.
Brooklyn did their best to keep Allen out of the paint. They swarmed him every time he got the ball, which led to a somewhat inefficient scoring night by his standards as he went 7-12 from the field. However, an inefficient scoring night from Allen is still more efficient than most of the league.
The Cavs are at their best when Allen is heavily involved in the offense. That was the case once again as he provided 20 points and six rebounds in the victory.
Mobley’s stat sheet doesn’t jump off the page, but the Cavs played their best basketball when he was on the floor. Cleveland outscored Brooklyn by 24 when he was playing, as he finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds, including four big offensive rebounds, in the victory. This was his second strong game in a row after struggling to find his place in his first few games back from injury.
Merrill hit several timely threes as he went 4-6 from beyond the arc en route to 15 points.
The Nets were led by 26 points from Michael Porter Jr. on 10-17 shooting. Danny Wolf provided 23 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
It was an ugly game, but the Cavs did enough to win. That’s what matters, given the injuries they’ve had to play through and the fact that this was their seventh game in 11 days.
The Cavaliers will look to avenge Friday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons as they welcome them to town on Tuesday. Tip-off is at 7 PM.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 31: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics high five after the game during the 2025-26 Emirates Cup on October 31, 2025 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After one of the most efficient offensive performances in NBA history on Friday against Brooklyn, Boston is in a groove with five wins in its last six. The Sixers arrive without their anchor, Joel Embiid, while whispers of Jayson Tatum’s return will have to wait. The spotlight points back at Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey, and with a 2-1 series lead in Philadelphia’s favor, here are three questions that could decide if Boston evens things out on their home floor.
Can Boston carry Friday’s efficiency into a tighter matchup?
Friday bordered on absurd. Boston shot 66.7% from the field and 64.7% from three, finishing with the highest effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage in a single game in NBA history. They made 22 threes on 34 attempts and assisted on 38 baskets. It was a precise, collective takedown, and now comes the follow-up.
Philadelphia defends more effectively than Brooklyn, and they’ve been a bit of a thorn in Boston’s side this season. In the three prior meetings, the Sixers held the Celtics to 30.2% from three while hitting 38.7% of their own. Those games were decided by a possession or two, with Philly holding a +2 point differential across the series.
That was a different Boston team, though. Since the November 11th loss to the Sixers, the Celtics have climbed from 12th in net rating to second, and now carry the NBA’s second best offense and seventh-ranked defense. The architecture of this team has changed. They’ve built enough of a defensive infrastructure to stay in control without needing an explosive shooting night.
The wildcard tonight is Scheierman, listed as questionable after fracturing his thumb. He’s carved out a starting role, establishing himself as a useful connective piece, averaging over 25 minutes per night in the last 10 games. His presence or absence changes the rotation. If he can’t go, Mazzulla will need to redistribute minutes among his backup wings. It’s possible Ron Harper Jr. gets another opportunity, along with elevated minutes for Walsh and Gonzalez.
It’s worth noting how different this roster looks from the last time these teams met. Minott and Simons are gone. Vucevic slid above Garza into the backup center role. Walsh, Gonzalez, and Scheierman weren’t even solidified rotation players yet in those matchups — now they’re core contributors. The Celtics have cycled through roles and rotations all year and kept winning. If Scheierman is sidelined or limited, it’s just the latest version of that.
Boston doesn’t have to replicate Friday’s win over Brooklyn. They just need to execute and be good enough defensively that the offense doesn’t have to be historic to win.
Without Embiid, do the Sixers have enough?
Embiid’s absence removes the Sixers’ most reliable half-court solution, and they haven’t been the same team when he sits. With Embiid on the floor, Philadelphia carries a 121.3 offensive rating. Without him, it plummets to 113.9. That’s a significant drop, especially when facing a team that’s found a great defensive balance like Boston.
With the big man out and Paul George still serving his suspension, the offense falls solely on Maxey’s shoulders. That’s not unfamiliar territory for him — he’s been Philadelphia’s leading scorer all season. He’ll push tempo and hunt early advantages, testing Boston’s point-of-attack defense. The question is how much the supporting cast can take off his plate.
Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre are the most proven supporting options, but VJ Edgecombe is the name to watch. He torched Boston in the season opener, and his explosive downhill style could cause problems if he gets comfortable. If he and Grimes get going, Philly could have enough juice on the perimeter to stick around. If not, Maxey will likely have too much on his shoulders to keep pace.
With Derrick White as the defensive anchor, and Gonzalez and Walsh behind him, Mazzulla has length and versatility to cycle through matchups against the Sixers ball-handlers without sacrificing much on the other end. The Sixers will have to work hard to generate good looks, and without Embiid to bail them out when a possession breaks down, Boston could run away with it if their offense breaks the trend against Philly.
Can Jaylen Brown Outduel Tyrese Maxey?
Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey are both averaging 29.1 points per game, tied for fourth in the league. Both are carrying their offenses without their co-star, and have been the driving force behind their team’s success.
In the three meetings this season, Maxey has averaged 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists against Boston. Brown sits at 27, 5, and 5. Maxey has gotten the better of it, and his team has the narrow edge to show for it. Tonight is another opportunity for Brown to leave his mark with a primetime national TV showdown.
Brown’s February wasn’t quite as masterful as his elite December and January stretch, but he’s still stacking consistently strong games. Friday was another example — 28 points on 12 shots, four threes, nine assists, while never forcing the issue. He’s operating within the offense and still being its engine, creating a version of himself that helps elevate Boston’s supporting cast, while stile leaving room to take over.
Maxey presents a different kind of challenge. He’s smaller but relentless, and gets to his top gear quicker than almost any guard in the league. He can fill it up fast, and tilts momentum in just a short stretch of possessions. Boston will likely turn to White as the primary defender, but Maxey has historically found ways to put pressure on the Celtics defense.
This is a game that could turn on which primary option controls the flow, but Boston’s supporting cast is stronger, and if Brown and Maxey’s clash ends roughly equal, the Celtics should come out on top.
