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NBA Trade, Free Agency Rumors Roundup: Chris Paul returns to LA or Phoenix? Bobby Portis staying in Milwaukee

Look around the rest of the NBC Sports NBA page and you can read all the big free agent stories of the day, like LeBron James and James Harden staying with their respective Los Angeles teams. Here is a roundup of other news worth noting, less than 24 hours from the start of free agency.

Chris Paul returns to LA or Phoenix?

The vibe for a while has been that Chris Paul would love to play another year in the NBA, his 21st season, and at age 40, but it has to be closer to his family in Los Angeles. Marc Stein summed it up well recently at The Stein Line:

"Chris Paul would be another Mavericks target at $5.7 million [the taxpayer mid-level exception], but there is a growing belief that Paul, after starting all 82 games last season in San Antonio as a 40-year-old newcomer to the Spurs, is determined to play closer to his home base in Los Angeles."

It's been no secret around the league that the Clippers have some interest in reuniting with CP3 as a backup guard, whether the sides are on the same page is another question. The Lakers have a lot of priorities that fall in line ahead of backup point guard, they are not a likely landing spot.

Phoenix is a team to watch if Tyus Jones leaves town in free agency, Stein added. The Suns are stacked with combo guards but not pure floor-general point guards.

Bobby Portis staying in Milwaukee

Bobby Portis isn't the best player on the Bucks, but he is their heart and soul. The fan favorite. If he had wanted to leave in free agency there would have been interest, but that was never likely.

Portis is not going anywhere.

Rapid fire round (bullet points):

• Portland buying out DeAndre Ayton. Portland has decided to take the financial hit and just buy out the final year of DeAndre Ayton's $35.6 million contract. That frees up more minutes for Donovan Clingan and first-round pick Yang Hansen of China.

Ayton is now an unrestricted free agent, and there will be interest in the big man, just for a lot less money than his last contract. Still, for teams that were thinking of Clint Capela as a fallback, Ayton looks like a much better option.

• Teams lining up for Santi Aldama. Among the big men expected to be on the move this summer is Santi Aldama of the Memphis Grizzlies. Here is what Zach Lowe said on his podcast:

"Santi Aldama has full mid-level deals, I think, waiting for him. At least that's the scuttlebutt I've heard, that he is sought after enough by a team like Detroit, for instance, with the full mid-level. There's a lot of teams with the full mid-level. He's an interesting kind of combination of skills, and I think they're going to have to pay to retain him. And when you have full mid-level deals, if you do in the open market, your incumbent team might have to pay a little bit more than that using your bird rights to do it, and then they'd have the salary cap room exception on top of that."

• Don't expect Austin Reaves to leave Lakers. The headline "Austin Reaves rejects Lakers max contract offer" is both accurate and wildly misleading. Reaves rejected the four-year, $89.2 million offer, which was the maximum the Lakers could offer this summer (140% of his current contract, way below market value), but did so only because the $22.3 million per year offer is well below what he will be offered next summer. Reaves is expected to earn over $ 30 million per season with his next contract, and teams will likely line up to pay it.

Reaves wants that deal to be with the Lakers, and the Lakers want it as well. However, Los Angeles just can't offer it until next offseason. Whether that deal happens or not depends on several variables and how the next season plays out, but it's clear that both sides want to make it work. There is no ill will, this is just business.

• Kelly Oubre picks up option with 76ers. Kelly Oubre will be back in Philadelphia next season after picking up his $8.4 million player option. This was both expected and welcomed by both sides.

• The Thunder lock up Ajay Mitchell with a new contract. Shams Charania of ESPN broke the news and explained this one.

• Orlando declines option on Mo Wagner. Franz Wagner is a cornerstone of what the Orlando Magic are building, but his brother, Mo Wagner, did not have his $11 million option picked up by the team for next season. The smart money is on the two sides working out a new, smaller contract going forward.

• Duncan Robinson declines $19.9 million option. Duncan Robinson did the Miami Heat a favor, declining his $19.9 million early termination option, making himself a free agent. This was a win for the Heat because it moved them about $5 million below the luxury tax line. The Heat and Robinson will work together on what's next, whether that involves staying with the Heat or a sign-and-trade deal elsewhere.

• No trade market for Jordan Clarkson. The Utah Jazz already traded Collin Sexton to free up their backcourt, but they are also testing the market for Jordan Clarkson. And finding no interest, reports Andy Larson at the Salt Lake Tribune. Clarkson averaged 16.2 points a game last season, shot 36.2% from 3, and is on an expiring $14.3 million contract. There should be some interest around the league.

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Ian McLauchlan, Scotland and British & Irish Lions ‘Mighty Mouse’, dies at 83

  • ‘Mighty Mouse’ led his country 19 times, winning 43 caps

  • Part of successful Lions tours in 1971 and 1974

The former Scotland and British & Irish Lions prop Ian McLauchlan has died at the age of 83. The Ayrshire-born McLauchlan, who was known throughout the rugby world as Mighty Mouse, won 43 caps for Scotland between 1969 and 1979, captaining the side 19 times.

McLauchlan’s legacy was cemented on the victorious Lions tours of New Zealand and South Africa in 1971 and 1974, being one of only five players to feature in all eight Test matches.

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What we learned as Rafael Devers' first Giants home run powers win over Red Sox

What we learned as Rafael Devers' first Giants home run powers win over Red Sox originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – It took a few days but it finally happened. Rafael Devers notched his first home run with the Giants, a solo blast in the third inning that helped pace the Orange and Black to a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

It was the only hit Devers had but it was a pivotal blow on an afternoon where offense was scarce for both teams.

Heliot Ramos also went deep to even the series between the two teams.

Devers has been welcomed with open arms since the Father’s Day trade landed his powerful bat in the Bay. The slugger had put together some strong at-bats but hadn’t been able to really get into one until Saturday when he hit a two-run drive off Red Sox starter and former teammate Brayan Bello.

Devers’ homer came two batters after Andrew Knizner reached base on an error.

The Giants didn’t do much else offensively but made the scoring stand up with a solid day from their bullpen.

After starter Landen Roupp pitched six strong innings, manager Bob Melvin used three relievers to mop things up.

Randy Rodriguez and Tyler Rogers each threw a scoreless inning before closer Camilo Doval pitched in and out of a jam in the ninth.

Here are the takeaways from Saturday’s win:

Devers Drives It

Of course Devers’ first home with the Giants came against his former ballclub. It was straight out of a Hollywood movie script.

Six days after being acquired from Boston in a deal that included Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, Devers gave Giants fans what they had been eagerly waiting for since his arrival with an opposite-field home run.

It was Devers’ second extra-base hit and second RBI in five games with the Orange and Black. Predictably, he received a standing ovation from the Oracle Park crowd as he crossed home plate.

Roupp Rebounds Nicely

Nearly two weeks after his worst outing of his career Roupp bounced back with one of his best stats of the season.

The Giants’ right-hander pitched six scoreless innings and allowed only three hits – the fewest Roupp has given up in any of his 15 starts this season. He has six strikeouts and three walks before giving way to reliever Randy Rodriguez.

It was exactly the type of game that the Giants needed from Roupp after he gave up six runs and retired only five batters in an 11-5 loss to the Dodgers on June 8.

Dicey Day For Doval

The days of Torture are back whenever the Giants’ close takes the mound. Saturday was just the latest chapter in Doval’s roller-coaster season.

Doval gave up three consecutive hits to open the ninth, allowing the Red Sox to score a pair of runs and avoid being shut out.

Just when things looked like they were going to go the wrong way, Doval gathered himself and recorded three consecutive groundouts to earn his 12th save of the season.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Canadiens: A Potential Right-Shot Defenseman Target

According to Frank Seravalli, the Calgary Flames and right-shot defenseman Rasmus Andersson have begun discussing a contract extension, and the parties are far apart in terms of money. The 28-year-old right-shot defenseman is about to enter the final year of his six-year pact with a team-friendly $4.55 cap hit.

The veteran was a second-round pick at the 2015 draft and has been a mainstay on the Flames’ blueline for the last seven years. From a primarily defensive defenseman, he has evolved into a two-way rearguard with an offensive upside. In 2021-22, he recorded a career-high 50 points in 82 games. The following season, he maintained his production with 49 points in 79 games, but his last two campaigns have been less productive with 39 and 31 points, respectively. This past season, he also posted a career-low minus-38.

Are The Canadiens In On Noah Dobson?
The Canadiens Have An Important Date On Saturday
Canadiens: McDavid’s Situation Is Stark Reminder Of Price’s

A real Swiss-knife on the blueline, the 6-foot-1 and 201-pound defenseman does it all for the Flames, averaging nearly 24 minutes of ice-time per game. He plays on the top pairing, the power play (spending an average of two minutes per game on the ice with the man-advantage), and the penalty kill.

Given the decline in production, it’s not surprising that the two sides are far apart from a monetary standpoint. Part of the decline could be down to his playing with a broken fibula in the last 12 games of the season. A stretch in which he put up four points while the Alberta outfit was desperately trying to qualify for the playoffs. They finished with the same amount of points as the St. Louis Blues, but the Missouri side had the tie-breaker and got to face the Winnipeg Jets in the first round.

With David Savard’s retirement, the Montreal Canadiens could benefit from an experienced blueliner on the right side of defense, and acquiring Andersson could be a worthy avenue to explore for GM Kent Hughes.

The Habs have made significant progress this past season, qualifying for the playoffs, and it might just be time to add some impactful veterans to help the Tricolore’s young core. Hughes has already made three trades with the Flames since his appointment in 2022. He sent Tyler Toffoli their way in February 2022, acquiring Tyler Pitlick, Emil Heineman, a conditional first-round pick in 2022 (which became the 26th overall pick and was used to pick Filip Mesar), and a fifth-round pick at the 2025 draft. He also sent Michael McNiven their way for future considerations. Finally, in August 2022, he acquired Sean Monahan and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 draft, which will be the 16th overall, for future considerations.

However, those deals were made when Brad Treliving was at the helm of the Alberta side; he has since moved on to the Toronto Maple Leafs and been replaced by Craig Conroy, a former Canadiens’ draft pick in 1990 and a Flames alumnus. Since taking over, Conroy has pulled the trigger on a dozen deals, none of which were with the Canadiens. Last Summer, he traded Andrew Mangiapane away as he was about to enter the last year of his contract. The GM wanted more draft capital and cap flexibility. In March 2024, he also traded defenseman Noah Hanifin to the Vegas Golden Knights in a deal. The left-shot defenseman who was about to command a raise, which he got days later, signed a new pact with the Knights.

In other words, if the financial gap between the two sides cannot be bridged, Conroy has been known to trade assets rather than let them hit the market. The Flames’ pick cupboard is not bare; they have seven selections in each of the subsequent three drafts, but it’s not exactly overflowing either. The Canadiens currently have 12 picks at the upcoming draft, nine in 2026 and seven in 2027. Montreal has two first-round picks and two second-round picks in next week's draft, which could be in play to fill one of their needs.

If Calgary moves Andersson, it won’t be for cheap; it took a first-round pick, a third-round one, and right-shot defenseman Daniil Miromanov for Vegas to acquire Hanifin back at the 2024 trade deadline.

If Conroy is still interested in future assets and prospects, there’s no doubt Hughes has got plenty to work with and could put together a very enticing package, but Montreal likely won’t be alone in the running. Right-shot defensemen are hard to come by on the market, and there will be plenty of other bidders.

Hughes has accustomed us to plenty of action around the drafts, acquiring Kirby Dach at his first one, Alex Newhook on the eve of his second one, and flipping picks to move up in the first round at the 2024 one. What does he have in store for us this time around? Time will tell…

Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

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This Is What The Perfect Chicago Blackhawks Off-Season Would Look Like

The Chicago Blackhawks have a few directions they can go in over the summer. They could be realistic and understand that 2025-26 is another important development year for their young pros. They could also think pushing for a playoff spot in a deep Western Conference is the way to go. 

Having the perfect off-season would be Kyle Davidson continuing to look at the bigger picture, which he has been great at since taking over as the full-time General Manager. 

It starts with the buyout period. Although TJ Brodie is one of the nicest men you’d ever come across in the NHL, he was the 10th-best defenseman in the organization last season. In 2025-26, he’d be even lower than that. Having him on the roster doesn’t make any sense from a hockey standpoint. 

The Blackhawks must start the off-season by buying him out. It won’t clear much cap space, but there will be more room for young players to get a chance. He will also have an opportunity to go find work somewhere that won’t healthy-scratch him most of the time. 

After that move, the focus will solely turn to the 2025 NHL Draft. The Blackhawks will make the 3rd and 25th overall picks. First-round selections get way more attention and hype than the rest of the draft, and rightfully so. However, Stanley Cups can be won in the later rounds. 

Chicago needs to select a forward with the third overall pick. It is also likely a target throughout. Michael Misa will likely be off the board, so that leaves one of Porter Martone, James Hagens, Caleb Desnoyers, or Anton Frondell for Chicago to consider. If they keep the pick, they will be drafting a difference maker who can turn into a star. As long as they land one of those four, their perfect off-season quest doesn’t depend on one specific selection. 

After the draft is over, the focus will turn to free agency. Unless the Blackhawks are landing one of Mitch Marner or Nikolaj Ehlers, they probably aren’t going to make many impactful signings that move the needle in 2025-26.

It may not even keep it from being a perfect off-season if they made a move like that. Adding a star-level player like that with lucrative money does not fit the team’s current window. If anything, they are one year away from that being a good idea. 

Throughout all of this, making trades is Kyle Davidson’s best way of adding talent to the roster. On Saturday, Andre Burakovsky was acquired from the Seattle Kraken for Joe Veleno. That’s a middle-six forward coming to town to stabilize the forward group. 

It isn’t about competing for the playoffs. It is about getting the young players into good habits and getting them to produce at a high level. Where they fall in the standings as a result doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. 

Not long after the season ended, the Hawks searched for a new head coach. They landed on Jeff Blashill, who has experience coaching at all levels across hockey. 

By the end of next season, he could be seen as the marquee addition to the team. As long as the young players, including the players they select in the first round of the draft, have what they need to develop for the long term, the offseason will be considered a win. 

To summarize, buying out TJ Brodie, making a strong selection at forward with the third overall pick, not getting themselves into a bad contract in free-agency, and a strong trade or two would make this a perfect off-season for Chicago. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Blackhawks Trade Veleno To Kraken For Burakovsky

The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for Joe Veleno on Saturday.

The trade clears cap space and a winger logjam for the Kraken while giving the Blackhawks a two-time Stanley Cup champion who's still only 30 years old.

Burakovsky has two years left on his five-year contract with a $5.5-million cap hit and a 10-team no-trade list, according to PuckPedia. The left winger had 10 goals and 27 assists for 37 points for the Kraken this past season. Before that, he had 16 points in 49 games in 2023-24 and 39 points in 49 games in 2022-23.

Burakovsky's career-high 22 goals and 61 points came with the Colorado Avalanche in 2021-22, when he added eight points in 12 playoff games en route to his team's Stanley Cup win.

In 2017-18, Burakovsky won his first Stanley Cup championship with the Washington Capitals, the team that selected him 23rd overall in the 2013 NHL draft.

With Burakovsky, the Blackhawks get another potential top-six winger to improve their scoring and competitiveness in their rebuilding years. Burakovsky saw his ice time decrease with the Kraken, going from 16:33 per game in 2022-23 to 14:25 this past season, but that could improve in Chicago.

Andre Burakovsky (David Banks-Imagn Images)

After the Kraken acquired left winger Mason Marchment earlier this week, they had five wingers earning at least $4.5 million. Trading Burakovsky for Veleno, a center, tweaks the depth at each position.

“Andre was a valuable player for our organization during the three years he was here, and we wish him and his family the best of luck in Chicago," new Kraken GM Jason Botterill told NHL.com. "In return, we've acquired a young player with experience while also increasing our salary cap flexibility moving forward."

Veleno, 25, has 81 points in 306 career games, including a career-high 28 points in 80 games with the Detroit Red Wings in 2023-24. In 2024-25, he had eight goals and 17 points in 74 games between the Wings and Blackhawks, which acquired him at the NHL trade deadline. He has one year left on his contract with a $2.275-million cap hit. He would be an RFA with arbitration rights if he doesn't sign a contract extension beforehand.

As for this off-season, the Kraken have three pending RFAs: right winger Kaapo Kakko, left winger Tye Kartye and defenseman Ryker Evans. Michael Eyssimont is also a pending UFA. And in the summer of 2026, captain Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz, Marchment, Eeli Tolvanen and Jamie Oleksiak are pending UFAs. Trading Burakovsky also helps with salary cap flexibility at that point.

More to come.

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Mets vs. Phillies: How to watch on June 21, 2025

The Mets (45-31) play the Philadelphia Phillies(46-30) Saturday at 7:15 p.m. on FOX.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

Mets Notes

  • With Friday's 10-2 series-opening loss, the Mets are on a season-long seven-game losing streak. New York suffered consecutive three-game sweeps in this past week's sets against the Tampa Bay Rays and at the Atlanta Braves. Previously, the Mets' longest skid of the season was three games between May 18-20 -- losses at the Yankees (one) and Boston Red Sox (two).
  • The Phillies have a one-game lead over the Mets in the National League East Division and are 8-2 in their past 10 games. New York, meanwhile, is 3-7 in its past 10 games. The Mets' last win was a 4-3 victory against the Washington Nationals, which completed a series sweep and extended New York's six-game streak. Earlier this season, the Mets swept the Phillies in a three-game set April 21-23.
  • Right-handers Griffin Canning (6-3, 3.80 ERA) and Mick Abel (2-0, 2.21 ERA) are the probable pitchers for the series' second game. Canning looks to get back on track after allowing a season-high six runs and five walks in this past Sunday's 9-0 loss to the Rays.
PHILLIES
METS
Trea Turner, SSFrancisco Lindor, SS
Kyle Schwarber, DHBrandon Nimmo, LF
Alec Bohm, 3BJuan Soto, RF
Nick Castellanos, RFPete Alonso, 1B
Max Kepler, LFJeff McNeil, CF
J.T. Realmuto, CJared Young, DH
Bryson Stott, 2BFrancisco Alvarez, C
Otto Kemp, 1BBrett Baty, 3B
Brandon Marsh, CFRonny Mauricio, 2B

How can I watch Mets vs. Phillies online?

To watch Mets games online via FOX, you will need a subscription to a TV service provider or the FOX Sports app. This will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone browser, or via the FOX Sports app.

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Islanders Bringing Back Blue & White Prospect Scrimmage To Close Out Development Camp

The New York Islanders announced on Friday that they would be holding a three-day development camp starting on Monday, June 30. On Saturday, they shared that they were bringing back the Blue & White scrimmage.

The event will be held July 2. 

To attend, you must pay $15, with the proceeds giong to the Islanders Children's Foundation.

The development camp will consist of three on-ice days, excluding July 1, the first day of NHL Free Agency.

Most other NHL teams seem to be skating on July 1, so just something interesting to note. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

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Cal Raleigh breaks Johnny Bench's record for homers by a catcher before All-Star break

CHICAGO — Cal Raleigh broke Hall of Famer Johnny Bench’s 1970 record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his major league-leading 28th and 29th in the Seattle Mariners’ 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Raleigh put Seattle ahead and moved past Bench in the seventh inning with No. 29, a drive to the back of the left-field bleachers off Caleb Thielbar.

“Any time you’re mentioned in even the same sentence with one of the best, if not the best ever do it is a special thing,” Raleigh said. “I’m just very grateful. He’s one heck of a player or was one heck of a player. And like I said, just very, very happy about it.”

Raleigh needed only 73 games to break the record that Bench set in 87 games. The Seattle star shattered the mark with 22 games to spare before the All-Star game. Barry Bonds holds the overall record with 39 for San Francisco in 2001.

Raleigh sent his first homer just over the basket in the first off Matthew Boyd.

The 28-year-old slugger had three hits in his sixth multi-homer game of the season. He drove in three runs to push his season total to 63.

Bench was a 14-time All-Star in his 17-season career with the Cincinnati Reds. In 1970, at age 22, he became the youngest player to win the National League MVP award. He led the NL with 45 homers and drove in 148 runs.

Seattle's Mitch Garver, a catcher by position, hit two homers and drove in five runs as a designated hitter. The duo stole the thunder from the NL-Central leading Chicago on a day when Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the first time in over 20 years.

Raleigh and Garver are the first pair of primary catchers for a team to each homer twice since Joe Ferguson and Steve Yeager did it for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1979 home victory over Houston.

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Kevin Durant takes issue with DeMarcus Cousins saying there were fights in Suns' locker room

Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins were teammates on the 2018-19 Golden State Warriors, a team that reached the NBA Finals before physically falling apart in that series (including Durant's torn Achilles).

Those former teammates were respectfully disagreeing on social media in recent days when Cousins said that he was told there were fights in the Suns locker room last season. It started with Durant refuting that claim.

Cousins shot back that he got this info from one of the Suns players, but KD was not backing down from his point it didn't happen.

While it was no secret around the league that things were not great in the Suns' locker room last season, the prevailing sentiment was that it was more apathy than hostility. Things just didn't click, and that showed on the court. There is tension in every locker room over the course of a marathon NBA season, but did that rise to the level of a physical fight in Phoenix?

Durant was in the locker room and said no, we'll go with the first-hand account in this case.

Things will be very different in the Suns' locker room next season, whatever it looks like.

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Giants release statement on allegations of abuse against pitcher Sean Hjelle

Giants release statement on allegations of abuse against pitcher Sean Hjelle originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – The Giants acknowledged Saturday that Major League Baseball is investigating claims of abuse by the wife of right-handed pitcher Sean Hjelle recently on social media.

Hjelle was unavailable to comment on the post, but the Giants released a statement indicating the alleged abuse is being looked into.

“We are aware of these serious allegations,” the Giants said in the statement. “We have been in contact with MLB. These type of allegations fall under their jurisdiction and we won’t be commenting further.”

Caroline Hjelle’s post on TikTok on Friday included an on-screen caption that read: “When my MLB husband abandons us on Mothers Day a week after this once I finally found out about his affairs and stopped putting up with his abuse so I’ve been raising two boys alone.”

Manager Bob Melvin was asked about Hjelle’s situation before Saturday’s game against the Boston Red Sox at Oracle Park.

“Obviously, we’re aware of it,” Melvin said. “He told me about it last night. We talked to MLB. At this point, it’s in their jurisdiction right now so I really can’t comment on it further.”

The Giants selected the 28-year-old Hjelle in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft, and he has appeared in 87 games over four big-league seasons.

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Ex-Penguins Forward Expected To Hit Free-Agent Market

With the Pittsburgh Penguins being out of the playoff race by the 2025 NHL trade deadline, they traded away some of their players. One of them was forward Cody Glass, as they dealt him and Jonathan Gruden to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Chase Stillman, Max Graham's signing rights, and a 2027 third-round pick.

Glass had some regular-season success with the Devils after being traded by the Penguins, as he recorded two goals and seven points in 14 games. This was after he had four goals, 11 assists, and a minus-9 rating in 51 contests with the Penguins. However, he had a quiet post-season with New Jersey, recording zero points and a minus-2 rating in five games.

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Devils are not expected to send Glass a qualifying offer this off-season. Due to this, the former Penguins forward is expected to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Given how Glass' tenure with the Penguins went, it seems unlikely that they would target him if he becomes a UFA at the start of next month. However, he would likely generate some interest around the league elsewhere, as he is a former first-round pick who is a decent bottom-six forward when playing at his best. 

Former Penguins Coach Hired By Big RivalFormer Penguins Coach Hired By Big RivalFormer Pittsburgh Penguins coach Todd Reirden has landed a new job, as he has been hired as an assistant coach by the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Photo Credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Are The Canadiens In On Noah Dobson?

Like many teams in the offseason, the Montreal Canadiens are hoping to fill in the holes in their lineup and address some of their needs before the upcoming season. The Habs have two glaring needs: a real top-six player and a right-shot defenseman. In the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman reported that Noah Dobson could be in play.

The Sportsnet insider reports the New York Islanders are quietly testing the market right now to see what they could bring in. For him, the Isles are trying to gauge the market to make an informed decision on a player they know will be a player of significant value.

Canadiens: McDavid’s Situation Is Stark Reminder Of Price’s
The Canadiens Have An Important Date On Saturday
Canadiens: A Big Name Interested In Montreal

We spoke about Dobson potentially being a target for the Canadiens back in May, and while he would fit the profile of players the Habs could be after, the price won’t be low. As Friedman explained on the podcast, if they do trade the 25-year-old right-shot defenseman, it would have to be for a return that would impress people. The Islanders want to contend for the playoffs next season, and they won’t do that by trading Dobson for future assets.

Would the Canadiens be ready to fork out the kind of return that Mathieu Darche and co would consider appropriate? Would they be prepared to use a roster player of roughly the same value and potential? Offering Kirby Dach or Alex Newhook won’t cut it, to be frank, nor will one year of unidimensional sniper Patrik Laine. You’ve got to give to get, and I struggle to see Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton entertain the mere thought of offering someone like Juraj Slafkovsky in a trade to fix the hole on the right side of defense.

Fixing one need by creating another, just as important, would make very little sense, and that’s not the way Hughes operates. Slafkovsky has yet to reach his full potential, but he has shown flashes of what he could become if he maintains a consistent effort level and plays the right way from October until the end of the playoffs. I don’t think that’s a gamble Hughes would be willing to make.

While they are not signed long-term, I cannot fathom the possibility of Montreal even entertaining the idea of sacrificing Ivan Demidov or Lane Hutson, the two youngsters have got core pieces written all over them.

Shopping for a right-shot defenseman is no easy task, but it gets even harder when you are considering who would want to buy what you are selling. Montreal has a lot of draft capital and interesting prospects, which could be attractive to a rebuilding team, but not to a team that’s looking to compete here and now, which the Islanders seem to be.

Photo credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

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Pacers vs. Thunder Game 7 Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for June 22

On Sunday, June 22, the Indiana Pacers (50-32) and Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14) are all set to square off from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City for Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Indiana evened up the series with a 108-91 win to give us the best two words in sports: Game 7. The 17-point win over OKC reached leads of 26 and more in the third and fourth quarters as the Pacers controlled the entirety of the game outside the first few minutes.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the game in scoring with 21 points, while Obi Toppin totaled 20 for Indiana. No starter played more than 32 minutes for either team, so we should see both squads rested in Game 7.

Six different Pacers scored double-figures in Game 6, including TJ McConnell who added 12 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds to his Finals resume. For OKC, only Jalen Williams (16) and SGA (21) scored more than 11 points for the Thunder. The Pacers forced SGA in a career-high 8 turnovers in Game 6 and the Thunder shot 8-of-30 from three (26.7%), so it'll be interesting to see how that carries over into a home Game 7 with mounting pressure.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

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Game details & how to watch Pacers vs. Thunder live

  • Date: Sunday, June 22, 2025
  • Time: 8:00PM EST
  • Site: Paycom Center
  • City: Oklahoma City, OK
  • Network/Streaming: ESPN / ABC

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Pacers vs. Thunder

The latest odds as of Saturday:

  • Odds: Pacers (+235), Thunder (-285)
  • Spread:  Thunder -7.5
  • Over/Under: 214.5 points

That gives the Pacers an implied team point total of 103.5, and the Thunder 110.5.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Sunday’s Pacers vs. Thunder game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell (@Vmoneysports) likes an Under on Hartenstein, plus two MVP bets:

"One Under, among many, that I like for Game 7 is a fade on Isaiah Hartenstein. Hartenstein's PRA prop is at 13.5 (+100) or 14.5 (-115), depending where you are playing and I think it's a hair too high.

Hartenstein hit 14 PRA in garbage time of Game 6 and was benched at the half in favor of Alex Caruso, which didn't last long. Hartenstein hasn't fit the tempo of this series and his offensive scoring ability may be a liability as four or fewer points in four of six games isn't encouraging. Go Under on the big fella.

If you want value on either the Thunder ML or Pacers ML, then you should look at betting on the MVP market. For OKC, most will say Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-205) has the award locked up if the Thunder win, but I put my money on Jalen Williams at +2700 and +600 during Games 5 and 6, and I still like the position and current value at +1000 to +1100.

For the Pacers, the pick is Pascal Siakam at +370. I played Siakam at +900 after Game 4 and think he is a shoo-in for the MVP if Indiana wins Game 7. Tyrese Haliburton's odds have dropped to +1100, but it's obvious that his calf injury has kept him limited during the series, while that has not been the case for Siakam."

Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) likes Tyrese Haliburton to go for 15-plus points:

"Tyrese Haliburton finished with 14 points, 5 assists and 2 steals in 23 minutes while nursing a calf injury to energize the Pacers to the Game 6 win. It's obvious that Haliburton is giving it his all and he would die on the court for this team. If he gets 30 minutes or so in Game 7, it's hard for me not to see Hali going for 15-plus points. "

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Pacers & Thunder game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Indiana Pacers at +7.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 214.5.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Pacers vs. Thunder on Sunday

  • If Oklahoma City closes as a favorite of -7.5 or higher, the Thunder will be the largest Game 7 favorites since the 1966 Boston Celtics (-8 vs Lakers).
  • The three largest Game 7 favorites in history, -6.5, -8 and -9 — all failed to cover winning by four or fewer points to go 0-3 ATS, but 3-0 on the ML.
  • The last four NBA Finals Game 7's went Under the total dating back to 2005.
  • No team in a Game 7 of the NBA Finals has scored 100 or more points in the past 25 years.
  • The Thunder are 1-0 in Game 7's this postseason, beating the Nuggets in OKC, 125-93.
  • The Pacers are 1-0 in. Game 7's this postseason, beating the Knicks in Indiana, 125-108.
  • Pascal Siakam is 5-1 to the Over on his assists prop
  • TJ McConnell is 6-0 to the Over on his points, assists and points + assists props
  • Lu Dort is 3-0 to the Over 0.5 assists at home in the Finals
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 31, 34, and 38 points at home in the Finals

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)