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How Brad Stevens is approaching Celtics' pivotal offseason

How Brad Stevens is approaching Celtics' pivotal offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Less than one year after raising Banner 18 into the TD Garden rafters, the Boston Celtics enter an offseason filled with uncertainty.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has several issues to address after watching the New York Knicks upset his team in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Most are related to Boston’s complicated financial situation, as it’s already committed to $228 million in contracts next season and is nearly $20 million over the second apron.

Given those financial constraints, running it back with the championship core will be next to impossible. Stevens must now make a pivotal decision: shed costs and embrace a bumpy 2025-26 campaign, or maintain as much of the group as he can to remain a top title contender.

🔊 Celtics Talk: What did we learn from Brad Stevens’ debriefing following Celtics’ early playoff exit? | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

Addressing the media on Monday, Stevens opened his press conference with a brief statement on what lies ahead.

“I think that will all be driven by the same thing that’s always driven us,” he said. “And that is, ‘How do we get ourselves in the mix to compete for championships best?’”

Later in the session, Stevens spoke about the financial challenges he’ll face in the coming months.

“We’ve been talking about this for years,” Stevens said. “The CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) has been well-known for years, and so there are penalties associated with being at certain levels, and we know that. And you just weigh that, you weigh where we are, you weigh everything else, and you make those decisions.

“You have to have the clarity of a full season and the full playoffs and a couple good nights of sleep, and everybody gets in a room and put your heads together and figure out what’s next.”

The $228 million on the Celtics’ payroll doesn’t include big men Al Horford and Luke Kornet, who are about to hit the free-agent market. Jayson Tatum’s maximum-salary extension will kick in next season as he sits out much — if not all — of the campaign with a ruptured Achilles. Jaylen Brown will make $53.1 million in the second year of his max deal. Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are set to earn $32.4 million and $30.7 million, respectively. Derrick White’s salary will jump up to $28.1 million.

“The North Star is to have a championship contender,” Stevens continued. “You have to do what’s best to give yourself the best opportunity to do that, when you can do that. We just have to look at it all and decide how feasible that is on any given year, and then make sure we are making the decisions accordingly.

“But the reality is, like I said, we have a lot of good players. We’re in a unique situation. They’re all under contract, and obviously there are several basketball penalties that will come with that amount of salary. So we just have to weigh it all and make those decisions.”

The work will begin the day after the NBA Finals, when teams can start negotiations with their own free agents. Free agency officially begins on July 6.

Watch Stevens’ end-of-season press conference below, or on YouTube:

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Angels hope to build momentum with their first 3-game sweep of Dodgers since 2010

LOS ANGELES — If the Los Angeles Angels turn around their season, an improbable sweep of the Dodgers could be viewed as the turning point.

The last-place Angels beat the defending World Series champions 6-4, rebounding from a late-inning bullpen stumble when Travis d’Arnaud hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the eighth.

“It’s tremendous,” said d’Arnaud, who also hit an RBI single in the third. “Every game here has felt like a playoff atmosphere. Everybody was passing the baton, having good at-bats up and down the lineup.

“It was just a dogfight every single game, high stress, and we prevailed in all three games. It’s really special against last year’s world champions. It’s very good for our confidence moving forward, knowing we can beat anybody.”

The Angels (20-25) remain last in the AL West, six games behind first-place Seattle. Their first three-game sweep of the Dodgers (29-18) since 2010 gave them at least a glimmer of hope that they can rebound into contention. The Dodgers had not been swept in a series since last July in Philadelphia.

The Angels bludgeoned Dodgers pitching in the first two games, batting .307 (23 for 75) with 17 runs, four homers and eight doubles. Zach Neto’s solo homer and Taylor Ward’s two-run shot off Tony Gonsolin staked left-hander Yusei Kikuchi to a 3-0, first-inning lead.

Kikuchi pitched well enough to win, giving up one run and three hits, striking out seven and walking four in 5 2/3 innings before hurting his right ankle in a first-base collision with Tommy Edman.

Kikuchi departed with a 4-1 lead but had to settle for another no-decision after Shaun Anderson gave up a three-run homer to Will Smith that tied the score 4-4 in the seventh. Kikuchi is 0-4 despite a 3.50 ERA in 10 starts.

On an afternoon when Angels setup man Ryan Zeferjahn and closer Kenley Jansen were unavailable after pitching in each of the previous two games, Anderson assumed the role of both setup man and closer.

The 30-year-old right-hander, who has played for 10 different organizations since being drafted in 2016, retired the side in order in the eighth and ninth innings, closing the game with a strikeout of 2024 National League MVP Shohei Ohtani.

“He really saved us,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “When he came in (after the seventh inning), I told him this game was his. And he went out there and did a good job and ended up getting Ohtani for the last out of the game.
We needed him to do exactly what he did — give us that length — and he did it.”

Anderson (1-0) was credited with a blown save and a win for a bullpen that has a major league-worst 7.04 ERA.

“To come in here and sweep them, it kind of shows what the Angels have, you know?” Anderson said. “It’s kind of hard to see with our record, but these guys put in the work every day, the preparation, the postgame work, getting to the yard early and hitting. … These guys want to win, and you can totally see it when you walk into the clubhouse. To see us rally and win the last three games, it just shows what we can do here.”

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Pirates pitcher Jared Jones to be examined again after setback in recovery from strained elbow

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jared Jones will be re-examined after a setback in is recovery from a strained ligament in his right elbow.

Jones, 23, had been on a throwing program as he made his way back from an elbow strain he sustained in mid-March. The Pirates said the initial exam of Jones showed that his elbow was stable and the club opted to shut him down for six weeks. He began throwing by playing catch in late April, with the potential to return to the mound after the All-Star break.

Jones went 6-8 with a 4.14 ERA in 22 starts during his rookie season in 2024, though he did miss time with a lat injury.

The Pirates had anticipated Jones being in a fixture in the starting rotation next to 2024 NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes. Instead, there’s a chance Jones could miss all of 2025 and a significant portion of 2026 if Tommy John surgery is recommended.

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Royals at Giants prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for May 19

It's Monday, May 19, and the Royals (26-22) are in San Francisco to take on the Giants (28-19). Kris Bubic is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Robbie Ray for San Francisco.

The Royals are coming off a 2-1 win yesterday over the Cardinals that broke a four-game losing streak. Kansas City is 2-6 over the last eight games compared to San Francisco who is 4-1 in the past five games and coming off a three-game sweep this weekend versus the Athletics.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on 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.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Royals at Giants

  • Date: Monday, May 19, 2025
  • Time: 9:45 PM EST
  • Site: Oracle Park
  • City: San Francisco, CA
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, NBCSBA, MLBN

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 MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Royals at the Giants

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Royals (+104), Giants (-124)
  • Spread:  Giants -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Giants

  • Pitching matchup for May 19, 2025: Kris Bubic vs. Robbie Ray
    • Royals: Kris Bubic, (4-2, 1.66 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.1 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 9 Strikeouts
    • Giants: Robbie Ray, (6-0, 3.04 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Royals and the Giants

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection 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 Monday’s game between the Royals and the Giants:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Francisco Giants on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Kansas City Royals at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Giants

  • The Giants have won 7 of their last 9 games at home
  • The Under is 27-17-1 for the Royals' road games and the Giants' home games combined this season
  • The Royals have covered the Run Line in 5 straight road games

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 MLB 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)
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Hard-throwing Mets prospect Will Watson opening eyes in first full professional season

As the Mets' now-vaunted pitching development program continues to turn less-heralded free agent signings into impact arms while helping their recent draftees and international signings make the most of their talent, there is another young pitcher starting to open eyes.

Will Watson.

Watson, a hard-throwing 22-year-old right hander, is pitching for A-ball St. Lucie in what is his first full professional season. And he's excelling.

Through seven appearances (five starts, two relief outings) over 28.2 innings, Watson has posted a 2.77 ERA and 1.38 WHIP while striking out 32 batters and giving up just one home run.

In his most recent start, on May 14, Watson -- who is still getting fully stretched out as a starter -- spun 4.2 innings of shutout ball.

Watson was selected by the Mariners in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft after stints with California Lutheran and San Joaquin Delta College, but didn't sign. Instead, he attended USC the next season before entering the 2024 MLB Draft.

It was there that the Mets pounced in the seventh round, adding Watson to a stable of high-upside minor league arms.

And Watson is getting comfortable in the organization, describing 2025 as "just another year of baseball," adding: "It’s just being around the guys. It’s a lot of fun. There’s nothing better than playing ball every day."

Watson is also taking advantage of the Mets' aforementioned pitching development.

"I’ve found it very encouraging for sure," he told SNY. "I think myself and my fellow teammates – I don’t think there’s a spot they’d rather be. It’s been very promising. I’ve learned so much so far – so much. It’s been amazing. I’ve figured out so much about myself – internal and external – about pitching. It’s been great so far."

St. Lucie Mets pitcher Will Watson
St. Lucie Mets pitcher Will Watson / St. Lucie Mets

In the midst of being converted to a full-time starting role after spending the earlier part of his career bouncing back and forth between the rotation and bullpen (Watson was a reliever only for California Lutheran in 2022 and had a hybrid role for USC in 2024), the right-hander is undaunted by the new challenge the Mets are giving him.

"It’s been pretty easy, honestly, just because I’ve done it my entire life," Watson explained. "I’ve kind of done both my entire life, just from playing the field and relieving in games. Or starting in high school. I relieved my freshman year of college and then when I was at my junior college I would relieve and start there. So I’ve kind of done it all throughout the whole process. Wherever they need me, I’ll jump in."

As Watson has gotten acclimated to professional ball, his arsenal has seen an uptick in velocity -- from his fastball to his secondary offerings.

The fastball now sits in the mid-90s with regularity and will touch 97 mph. Meanwhile, Watson's secondary offerings -- including a changeup, slider, and cutter -- have also ticked up.

Watson attributes the increased velocity to work in the weight room, as well as adjusting his pitch shapes and making some grip changes.

As far as a pitcher whose style Watson is trying to emulate, he cited Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo, who has been a dominant force the last two seasons for Seattle.

"He’s been dealing, it’s been pretty cool to watch," Watson said. "He looks super calm up on the mound. Just knows exactly what he’s doing and exactly what he’s trying to do."

When it comes to Watson's pitch mix and how he likes to attack hitters, let's have him take us through it...

“I love using my fastball, just because it's something I’ve always been very comfortable with," he noted. "My changeup has always been super comfortable for me as well. Started to really develop it last year. I just throw it like my fastball – I think that’s why it’s so deceivable to hitters. And it spins a lot, so you can’t really see the spin.

St. Lucie Mets pitcher Will Watson
St. Lucie Mets pitcher Will Watson / St. Lucie Mets

"And then my slider lately has been working really well off that new cutter that I’ve been throwing. Still trying to find the right group for that and when to throw that, because it is still really new. But I do like to mix that in kind of in between the fastball and slider. Slider for sure to really both sides -- steal strikes to lefties, put-away for righties.

"Changeup – I like to throw that to righties, just to keep them off balance instead of looking out over the plate. Try to bring it in to them. Keep them off balance there. Fastball – just try to get ahead of counts. Weak contact is what I’m really looking for."

Asked whether there was any specific facet of his game he was intent on improving this season, Watson said his focus was more wide-ranging.

"A lot. That’s my goal every day," Watson explained. "I like to improve, I like to get better. Even if I have a good outing, I’m like 'what can I do to get better? What can I do to get better?' I think after every outing I go back and look at film with my coach to say 'what can we change here. What can we change here?'

"I think the biggest one that’s a continuous build is always the mental game. I don’t think there’s any time that you’re ever gonna be 100 percent on that. I think the mental game of just being true to yourself, and being who you are on a continuous basis. It’s hard to do in this game, because it really eats you up. So that’s something I’m always trying to build on."

When Watson isn't on the mound or working to get better, he relaxes by playing video games, reading, and drawing. In the offseason, he spends lots of time hunting and fishing.

And as he starts to inch closer to making his ultimate goal come true, Watson is keeping his eye on the prize.

It's possible he'll make it to High-A Brooklyn and even Double-A Binghamton by the time the 2025 season ends, but Watson hasn't yet thought about what it might be like to pitch for the Mets at Citi Field.

"I kind of thought about visiting the field and seeing what life would be like there. But I kind of want to hold off on that until that day comes" Watson said. "The first day that I’m called up, that’s the first day I’m at Citi Field. I just want that to be the reality.

"I haven’t really allowed myself to be like 'oh, I want to be at Citi Field' yet. Because I know inside I have so much work to do. But every day it’s the goal to get there. That’s my goal every day. I want to help this team win in any way that I can."

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Tigers at Cardinals Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 19

It's Monday, May 19, and the Tigers (31-16) are in St. Louis to take on the Cardinals (26-21). Keider Montero is slated to take the mound for Detroit against Sonny Gray for St. Louis.

The Cardinals are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Royals yesterday making St. Louis 12-2 over the last 14 games. The Tigers won 3-2 yesterday over the Blue Jays to extend their record to 5-1 over the past six games and 10-3 in the previous 13.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on 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.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Tigers at Cardinals

  • Date: Monday, May 19, 2025
  • Time: 7:45 PM EST
  • Site: Busch Stadium
  • City: St. Louis, MO
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, FDSNMW

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 MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Tigers at the Cardinals

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Tigers (+134), Cardinals (-158)
  • Spread:  Cardinals -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Cardinals

  • Pitching matchup for May 19, 2025: Keider Montero vs. Sonny Gray
    • Tigers: Keider Montero, (1-1, 4.68 ERA)
      Last outing: 3.1 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 3 Strikeouts
    • Cardinals: Sonny Gray, (4-1, 4.50 ERA)
      Last outing: 3.2 Innings Pitched, 7 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 4 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the Cardinals

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection 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 Monday’s game between the Tigers and the Cardinals:

  • 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 Detroit Tigers at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Tigers at Cardinals

  • The Tigers have won 12 of their last 20 road games
  • The Under is 7-3 in the Cardinals' last 10 games
  • The Cardinals have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.40 units

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 MLB 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)
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An interesting part of Tocchet's track record impressed the Flyers the most

An interesting part of Tocchet's track record impressed the Flyers the most originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Rick Tocchet’s most accomplished season as a head coach was pretty recent.

On this day a year ago, his Canucks were preparing for a second-round Game 7 against the eventual Western Conference champion Oilers. Vancouver had won 50 games in the regular season, racking up 109 points and making the playoffs for just the second time in nine years. Tocchet, in his first full season with the Canucks, won the Jack Adams Award.

But that 2023-24 season wasn’t what opened Danny Briere’s eyes when the Flyers’ general manager was deciding to hire Tocchet as his new head coach.

Instead, it was Tocchet’s work with a small-market franchise that made the biggest impression on Briere.

“It’s funny, most people would probably focus on the job that he did when he won the Jack Adams,” the GM said last Friday at Tocchet’s introductory press conference. “That was quite the turnaround in a short amount of time, what he did there, it was a really impressive year. For me, when I look at the track record, one of the most impressive parts that stood out — and it’s from watching at the time — was his stint with the Coyotes.”

Tocchet had just a .490 points percentage over four seasons in Arizona from 2017-18 to 2020-21. The Coyotes went 125-131-34 in that span. However, Arizona was considered one of the NHL’s most challenging markets. And Tocchet did some low-key good things there.

The Coyotes prevented goals and had a top-three penalty kill. Tocchet led them to 39 wins in 2018-19, a total that remains the franchise’s most since 2011-12. The next season, Arizona made the expanded playoff field and won a qualifying-round series over the Predators in the Western Conference bubble.

“I’m not trying to take it on the players, but he had a pretty depleted lineup at the time,” Briere said. “I remember the experts were saying that the Coyotes would be last in the NHL and get the first overall pick. And he made them competitive. They did make the playoffs the one year and they were in the running, playing good games. That body of work for me was probably the most impressive part of his coaching.”

Through Tocchet’s tenure, Arizona picked up at least a point in five of six games against the Flyers (3-1-2). In those matchups, the Coyotes’ power play went 6 for 20 (30 percent) and their penalty kill scored three shorthanded goals.

“They were always a difficult team to play against with limited resources,” Flyers president of hockey operations Keith Jones said. “So I’m really excited to see what he can do here. I think that was one of the things that really was exciting to him. Thankfully, we have the infrastructure to attract a top coach. We have ownership that spends to the limit, to the maximum; I don’t even know if there’s a limit to make sure that things are great.

“You guys have been around our practice facility and see all the tools that are at Rick’s disposal and our players’ disposal, that are there to try to make us great one day. We’re going to use everything we have and I think those things helped attract Rick and eventually had him choose us.”

More: Tocchet deserves a shot before the former Flyer narrative is thrown around

The Flyers were intrigued by Tocchet’s ability to connect with players, his blend of demanding but also lenient. Tocchet knows the coach-player relationship is different from when he laced up the game skates.

“Coaches told you, ‘Hey, do this,’ and you just did it, right?” Tocchet said. “You were scared to ask why. Now, this generation, they want to know why, they’re smart guys. They want to know why. ‘Hey, we’re doing this forecheck because of this.’ They want to know, ‘Why are we doing it this way?’

“It’s my job to make them buy into it obviously, but you have to accept that as a coach. And I enjoy that. I’m a partner with the players; it’s not a dictatorship.”

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Soccer still has the power to leave us in tears. I should know

Whether fans were celebrating, saying goodbye to an old home or remembering those no longer with us, the game’s power was on show this weekend

What was striking on Saturday, after Crystal Palace had beaten Manchester City to win the FA Cup, was how many people were in tears. The camera roamed the stands, capturing the images of Palace fans in disbelief after winning their first ever major trophy. Some were hugging those next to them, some waved their arms incoherently and others just stared, overcome. But a significant proportion were sobbing. Soccer can often seem an angry game, with crowds fuelled by rage; this was something very different, very hard to explain.

Palace’s pre-match tifo had shown an image of a father hugging his two sons in the stand at Old Trafford after Darren Ambrose had scored a 35-yard drive there for Palace in a League Cup quarter-final in 2011-12. It turned out the two lads were among the Palace fans at Wembley and that their father had passed away in the intervening 13 years. They were, needless to say, also in tears.

Continue reading...
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3 Secrets For Oilers To Overcome The Stars

Kasperi Kapanen (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)

EDMONTON – Let’s get down to business.

The Edmonton Oilers steamrolled through their first two opponents, the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights. However, things won’t be that easy against the Dallas Stars.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

Mikko Rantanen is on a mission to prove that the Colorado Avalanche were foolish in moving on from him. Everyone praises the depth of the Stars, and it’s hard not to be excited about your star defender coming back (Miro Heiskanen).

Some patterns emerge from the numbers. This is a very winnable series for the Oilers, especially if they continue to get secondary scoring, exploit Jake Oettinger’s weakness, and neutralize the Stars’ most significant threat.

Here are the three key things the Oilers must do to come out of the other side victorious against the Stars.

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Oilers Depth Continued Production

The biggest knock on the Oilers in previous years was their inability to succeed without Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl pushing the bus. In the 2025 playoffs, that’s simply not the case.

According to Natural Stat Trick, the Oilers outscore their opponents 16-9 when their top two forwards aren’t on the ice. That is incredibly impressive.

Connor Brown, Adam Henrique, Mattias Janmark, and Corey Perry have all scored two or more goals. Their continued offensive spark will be needed for the Oilers to move on to the final round.

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Exploit Jake Oettinger’s Weakness

Oettinger has been excellent for the Stars. However, like every other player, he has weaknesses.

The two locations that Oettinger has allowed the most goals from are the mid-range blocker side and right in front of the crease. According to NHL Edge data, the Oilers are above average in shots from mid-range blocker side.

They can pick their spots with Oettinger by utilizing that weakness and continuing their trend of crashing the net and generating scoring chances from in tight.

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Neutralize Mikko Rantanen

For all of the flak that the Oilers have gotten about their depth needing to step up, that isn’t the narrative for the Stars. But when you look at the numbers, it should be.

The Stars are outscored 9-18 when Rantanen isn’t on the ice (NatStatTrick) and have an advantage of 11-4 when he is.

They didn’t get to their current position through luck. However, having the NHL playoff leading scorer steamroll through the competition has given the Stars the edge. They have also gotten timely scoring from their depth.

If Brown, Perry, and Henrique can keep rolling, the Oilers can crash the net with possession, and Draisaitl can work the same magic on Rantanen that he did on Jack Eichel; the Oilers will move on to their second Stanley Cup Final in two years.

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NHL Nugget: Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck's Birthday Backcheck

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who turns 32 on May 19.

Hellebuyck is a Vezina Trophy winner, a U.S.-born record holder and a franchise goaltender who's under contract with the Jets through 2031. Although he and the Jetslost in Round 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, they won the Presidents' Trophy, and Hellebuyck earned the William M. Jennings Trophy for playing at least 25 games on the team that allowed the fewest goals.

Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media.  And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.      

Promo image credit: Terrence Lee-Imagn Images

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Sharks Should Target RFA Forward Marat Khusnutdinov This Offseason

© Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The San Jose Sharks will be looking to improve their team and get back into the playoffs sooner rather than later after a rough 2024-25 campaign. While they probably won't be pushing for a playoff spot next season, they can continue to find future stars to add to their roster that will help them down the line. 

One player they should look at bringing in is pending restricted free agent (RFA) Marat Khusnutdinov, who is up for a new contract for the upcoming season. He was traded from the Minnesota Wild to the Boston Bruins midseason, and while he seems to have found a solid fit in Boston, the Sharks should try and bring him in.

Khusnutdinov, who is 22 years old, scored five goals and added seven assists for 12 points through 75 games this season. Throughout his career, he scored six goals and added 10 assists for 16 points through 91 games, which comes out to a 0.18 points-per-game average.

His defensive game is quite strong, but his finishing ability hasn't quite been elite at the NHL level. In an increased role with the Sharks, he could build confidence and find a way to break out offensively. 

Realistically, Khusnutdinov is looking at a 2-3 year contract extension worth around $1 million annually, which is very affordable. If he and the Bruins can't agree on a new deal, maybe the Sharks could offer to make a trade with them instead of sending an offer sheet, and the asking price may not be too much. If the Bruins are willing to move him for a mid-round pick, the Sharks should be all over him this summer.

Trending: Yegor Afanasyev Expected To Sign With Sharks For 2025-26 SeasonTrending: Yegor Afanasyev Expected To Sign With Sharks For 2025-26 SeasonAs the postseason moves along, it seems as though the San Jose Sharks are focusing on getting some of their own things done this offseason as they look to improve on what was a rough 2024-25 campaign. In a recent report, it seems as though they will be signing Yegor Afanasyev for the 2025-26 season. Sharks & Shakir Mukhamadullin Reportedly Close To Contract Extension AgreementSharks & Shakir Mukhamadullin Reportedly Close To Contract Extension AgreementWith the 2024-25 season gone and the San Jose Sharks having shifted their focus onto the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and the 2025-26 campaign, it sounds like they are closing in on a new contract with one of their pending free-agent defenders. Sharks Prospect Carson Wetsch Flipped In Blockbuster WHL TradeSharks Prospect Carson Wetsch Flipped In Blockbuster WHL TradeThe 2025 WHL Prospects Draft has now come and gone, and while there weren't many surprises or much news to report from those couple of days, there was one massive trade that caught some attention. Should The Sharks Trade Their Second Overall Pick?Should The Sharks Trade Their Second Overall Pick?With reports swirling that the San Jose Sharks are open to trading their second overall pick, the question turns to: should they trade it?
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‘We are a passionately multiracial team’: Zimbabwe return to England transformed

Visitors have endured political chaos and miserable results over 22 years but cricket is finally a national game

Twenty-two years is a long time, even in a sport that measures its games in days and its history in centuries. The last time England played a Test match against Zimbabwe, in 2003, Rob Key was in the middle order instead of the managing director’s job, Jimmy Anderson was a 20-year-old tearaway playing in his very first series, and the England and Wales Cricket Board was just about to launch the world’s very first professional Twenty20 tournament. Zimbabwean cricket has changed, too. Back then the team was in the earliest stages of a transformation that was meant to turn cricket from a minority game, played by the small white population, into a sport that better represented the whole country.

They have been hard years, riven by player strikes, political interference, maladministration and a miserable drop-off in results. The team temporarily withdrew from Test cricket, suspended their domestic competition and were repeatedly censured by the International Cricket Council. They lost so many players through emigration to England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, that even now you could build a hell of a good Zimbabwean squad out of people who are making a living overseas. And yet, at the end of it all, the process was, by one important measure, a success. The squad that came on tour in 2003 was majority white, the team that has come this year is majority black.

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