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Looking back at Gregg Popovich's key moments with San Antonio Spurs

Looking back at Gregg Popovich's key moments with San Antonio Spurs originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Some of the key moments in the career of San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, who stepped down as coach Friday:

Dec. 10, 1996: The beginning

Saying the team needed a change in direction, general manager Gregg Popovich fired coach Bob Hill and named himself coach on the same day that star center David Robinson was returning to the lineup. The Spurs were 3-15 at the time.

June 25, 1997: Tim Duncan gets drafted

After winning the draft lottery, the Spurs get the chance to take Tim Duncan No. 1 overall in the 1997 draft. The team immediately becomes a contender, and Popovich and Duncan become joined at the hip for the better part of the next two decades.

June 25, 1999: Championship No. 1

Two years to the day after Duncan got drafted, the Spurs beat New York 78-77 to win the NBA Finals in five games.

June 15, 2003: Championship No. 2

Popovich wins coach of the year in a season where the Spurs sent David Robinson into retirement as a champion, beating New Jersey in six games for the franchise’s second title.

June 23, 2005: Championship No. 3

Tied going into the fourth quarter, the Spurs never trail in the final 12 minutes and Popovich wins his third title. San Antonio beats Detroit 81-74 in Game 7.

June 14, 2007: Championship No. 4

Popovich and the Spurs sweep LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning the four games by an average of 6.0 points.

March 16, 2009: Pop reaches 1,000

In a game at Oklahoma City, Popovich becomes the 24th coach in NBA history to reach the 1,000-game milestone. The only coaches with better records after 1,000 games were Phil Jackson and Pat Riley.

April 6, 2011: Pop passes Red

The Spurs beat Sacramento for Popovich’s 797th career win, one that allowed him to pass Boston’s Red Auerbach for the second-most wins with a single team.

June 15, 2014: Championship No. 5

Popovich becomes the fifth coach in NBA history with five championships, the Spurs beating Miami 104-87 to win that title in five games.

Feb. 4, 2017: The most wins with one team

The Spurs defeat Denver and Popovich gets career win No. 1,128, passing Utah’s Jerry Sloan for the most by a coach with one team.

Aug. 7, 2021: USA Basketball wins Olympic gold

Popovich leads the U.S. to its fourth consecutive gold medal in men’s basketball, with the Americans beating France 87-82 at the Tokyo Olympics. “Every championship is special, and the group you’re with is special, but I can be honest and say this is the most responsibility I’ve ever felt,” Popovich said.

March 11, 2022: The winningest coach ever

Popovich becomes the NBA’s all-time coaching win leader, with the Spurs beating Utah 104-102 for the 1,336th victory of his career — one more than Don Nelson’s previous mark.

Aug. 12, 2023: Pop enters the Hall

Popovich, after years of resisting because he wanted more of his former players to be enshrined before him, enters the Basketball Hall of Fame. “It’s unimaginable,” Popovich said.

Nov. 2, 2024: Popovich suffers stroke

Popovich had a stroke at the team’s arena in San Antonio a couple of hours before the game that night against Minnesota. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson took over as acting head coach that night and wound up coaching the team’s final 77 games of the season.

Feb. 27, 2025: Popovich updates his status

Popovich released a statement saying Johnson will finish the season. “Mitch Johnson and his staff have done a wonderful job and the resolve and professionalism the players have shown, sticking together during a challenging season, has been outstanding,” Popovich said in the statement distributed by the Spurs. “I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future.”

May 2, 2025: Popovich steps down as coach

Popovich stepped down as coach of the Spurs. “While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach. I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me,” he said. Later that day, the Spurs promoted Johnson to the head coach role.

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Looking back at Gregg Popovich's key moments with San Antonio Spurs

Looking back at Gregg Popovich's key moments with San Antonio Spurs originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Some of the key moments in the career of San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, who stepped down as coach Friday:

Dec. 10, 1996: The beginning

Saying the team needed a change in direction, general manager Gregg Popovich fired coach Bob Hill and named himself coach on the same day that star center David Robinson was returning to the lineup. The Spurs were 3-15 at the time.

June 25, 1997: Tim Duncan gets drafted

After winning the draft lottery, the Spurs get the chance to take Tim Duncan No. 1 overall in the 1997 draft. The team immediately becomes a contender, and Popovich and Duncan become joined at the hip for the better part of the next two decades.

June 25, 1999: Championship No. 1

Two years to the day after Duncan got drafted, the Spurs beat New York 78-77 to win the NBA Finals in five games.

June 15, 2003: Championship No. 2

Popovich wins coach of the year in a season where the Spurs sent David Robinson into retirement as a champion, beating New Jersey in six games for the franchise’s second title.

June 23, 2005: Championship No. 3

Tied going into the fourth quarter, the Spurs never trail in the final 12 minutes and Popovich wins his third title. San Antonio beats Detroit 81-74 in Game 7.

June 14, 2007: Championship No. 4

Popovich and the Spurs sweep LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning the four games by an average of 6.0 points.

March 16, 2009: Pop reaches 1,000

In a game at Oklahoma City, Popovich becomes the 24th coach in NBA history to reach the 1,000-game milestone. The only coaches with better records after 1,000 games were Phil Jackson and Pat Riley.

April 6, 2011: Pop passes Red

The Spurs beat Sacramento for Popovich’s 797th career win, one that allowed him to pass Boston’s Red Auerbach for the second-most wins with a single team.

June 15, 2014: Championship No. 5

Popovich becomes the fifth coach in NBA history with five championships, the Spurs beating Miami 104-87 to win that title in five games.

Feb. 4, 2017: The most wins with one team

The Spurs defeat Denver and Popovich gets career win No. 1,128, passing Utah’s Jerry Sloan for the most by a coach with one team.

Aug. 7, 2021: USA Basketball wins Olympic gold

Popovich leads the U.S. to its fourth consecutive gold medal in men’s basketball, with the Americans beating France 87-82 at the Tokyo Olympics. “Every championship is special, and the group you’re with is special, but I can be honest and say this is the most responsibility I’ve ever felt,” Popovich said.

March 11, 2022: The winningest coach ever

Popovich becomes the NBA’s all-time coaching win leader, with the Spurs beating Utah 104-102 for the 1,336th victory of his career — one more than Don Nelson’s previous mark.

Aug. 12, 2023: Pop enters the Hall

Popovich, after years of resisting because he wanted more of his former players to be enshrined before him, enters the Basketball Hall of Fame. “It’s unimaginable,” Popovich said.

Nov. 2, 2024: Popovich suffers stroke

Popovich had a stroke at the team’s arena in San Antonio a couple of hours before the game that night against Minnesota. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson took over as acting head coach that night and wound up coaching the team’s final 77 games of the season.

Feb. 27, 2025: Popovich updates his status

Popovich released a statement saying Johnson will finish the season. “Mitch Johnson and his staff have done a wonderful job and the resolve and professionalism the players have shown, sticking together during a challenging season, has been outstanding,” Popovich said in the statement distributed by the Spurs. “I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future.”

May 2, 2025: Popovich steps down as coach

Popovich stepped down as coach of the Spurs. “While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach. I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me,” he said. Later that day, the Spurs promoted Johnson to the head coach role.

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Doncic is a Laker, but that’s not enough to win a ring. What’s next for Los Angeles this offseason?

The Lakers won this season.

It may not feel like it to LeBron James or J.J. Redick after the Timberwolves unceremoniously evicted the Lakers from the playoffs in five games. Minnesota was bigger, younger, more athletic, deeper and more physical.

"We lost to a better team," Redick said. "That's just the reality. We did."

That loss shattered the perception of how good these Lakers really were. It showed that Los Angeles, for all its star power now with Doncic and LeBron James, has serious work to do to reach contender status — and Redick wasn't all that subtle in saying what he wants to see from his stars (or, star) and the rest of his team.

"We have a ways to go as a roster," Redick said. "And certainly, there are individuals that were in phenomenal shape. There's certainly other ones that could have been in better shape. That's where my mind goes immediately, is we have to get in championship shape."

Even with all that, the Lakers were winners this season the second they traded for Doncic. He can be the present and will be the bridge to the post-LeBron future in Los Angeles.

What was also clear from the moment of that trade: The Lakers' current roster did not fit what works best around Doncic. It was incomplete. The fixes were not going to come until the offseason.

Now the offseason has arrived. Here are three things the Lakers need to focus on, and how building a team around Doncic and LeBron is different than the 2024 blueprint of the Mavericks' NBA Finals team.

Find a center

Anthony Edwards would drive around his Lakers defender — didn't matter who it was, they didn't have anyone who could stay in front of him (no team does) — and his eyes would get huge. There was no resistance between him and the rim, or, if someone was there, it was a rotating guard half the time, and Austin Reaves isn't stopping Ant with a full head of steam.

The Lakers must find a rim-protecting big man. Ideally, one who can be the kind of vertical threat on the roll that Doncic loves to play off of.

"We know this offseason, one of our primary goals is going to be to add size in our frontcourt at the center position…" Lakers GM Rob Pelinka said at his end-of-season press conference Thursday. "I think in terms of center traits, it would be great to have a center that was a vertical threat, lob threat, and someone that could protect the interior defensively."

The challenge is finding a player like that on the market at a price the Lakers can make work. The Lakers will have the taxpayer's mid-level exception ($5.7 million) or they have to make a trade.

One name to watch is Clint Capela, the 30-year-old big who has played the five seasons in Atlanta and is a free agent this summer. Capela is a rock-solid, professional NBA big — not exactly dynamic, but someone Redick could rely on night in and night out. Brook Lopez is also a free agent this summer, but at age 37, his game has taken a step back in recent seasons.

The best player potentially on the market is Indiana's Myles Turner, he would be a great fit, but he will be too expensive for the Lakers. With the contracts of Isaiah Hartenstein (three years, $87 million) and Alperen Sungun (five years, $185 million) setting the market, Turner is going to ask for $30 million or more a season. Indiana's front office has said publicly it wants to re-sign him.

One other name worth watching: Nic Claxton in Brooklyn. That would have to be a trade, but keep an eye on the possibility.

Lakers need perimeter defenders, shooting

Minnesota coach Chris Finch trusted his bench — Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo were closing games and making major contributions off the bench for the Timberwolves. Redick didn't make one substitution in the second half of Game 4, he trusted his bench that little.

The Lakers need more depth. Doncic, LeBron and Austin Reaves are set. The Lakers will land a new center and Jaxson Hayes can slide over to be a backup, where he is a good fit. Dalton Knecht will return and should take a step forward.

Then it gets challenging. Dorian Finney-Smith was a good two-way fit for the Lakers and has a connection with Doncic going back to Dallas, but he is expected to opt out of his $15.4 million contract (player option) and be seeking a raise, which the Lakers pretty much have to pay because they can't afford to lose him for nothing.

Other Lakers rotation players from this year — Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt — are locked in, but Pelinka will be looking for upgrades in shooting and athleticism. Those guys could end up in trade talks.

It's worth noting the Lakers don't just want shooters or pure 3&D guys. Los Angeles looked best against Minnesota when they were running sets, moving off the ball, and not just running Doncic isolations with other guys standing around. The Lakers need all-in players.

Extend/re-sign Luka Doncic, LeBron James

For all the talk about his conditioning and commitment to the game, money ultimately led to Dallas trading their star (and getting ownership to sign off on it). Doncic is extension eligible this summer, and Dallas was going to have to max him out with the richest contract in NBA history, five years, $345 million. Dallas balked at that number.

The Lakers can't pay him that much because he's no longer super-max eligible after the trade. While Doncic technically could play out next season then use his player option to become a free agent in 2026, no league source NBC has spoken with thinks he is considering that. Rather, it's the opposite, they think it's a lock he stays long term.

On Aug. 2, the Lakers can extend Doncic with a max four-year, $229 million contract. Doncic will pass on that and instead sign a three-year, $165 million extension, which ends right as he hits 10 years of service in the NBA, allowing him then, at age 29, to re-sign with the Lakers at a projected five-year max of $418 million.

There is no doubt Doncic will re-sign with the Lakers this summer. Ultimately, the same is true of LeBron, although he has not formally said if he is returning for a 23rd season.

"I don't know. I don't have an answer to that," James said after the Lakers were eliminated. "Something I'll sit down with my family, my wife and my support group and just kind of talk through it and see what happens. Just have a conversation with myself on how long I want to continue to play. I don't know the answer to that right now, to be honest. So, we'll see."

Good luck finding anyone around the league who thinks LeBron will retire this summer. Not after an All-NBA season. Not before a record 23rd season. Not before a year where the All-Star Game comes to Southern California. And not leaving a team with the potential to be a contender.

LeBron has a $52.4 million player option for next season (the second year of the two-year contract he signed last summer). The expectation is that he will opt out and ultimately re-sign with the Lakers, but this year don't expect an offer of a discount to sign the right player.

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Hoglund makes ‘good impression' by filleting Marlins in Athletics debut

Hoglund makes ‘good impression' by filleting Marlins in Athletics debut originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Athletics’ No. 14 overall prospect, right-handed pitcher Gunnar Hoglund, tossed a six-inning gem in his MLB debut to help his team win its third straight game, 6-0 over the Miami Marlins, on Friday at loanDepot park. 

The 25-year-old was called up on Thursday to address the Green and Gold’s recent rotational struggles.

“I don’t even know where to start,” Hoglund said on “A’s Cast” with NBC Sports California’s Dallas Braden and Jenny Cavnar after allowing just one run in the win. “I’m just so thankful it went the way it did. I didn’t have much sleep after I got the call. I woke up today just trying to treat it like another game, but it’s not another game – it’s your first one.

“You want to make a good impression, and I’m just glad I had everything working today.”

Hoglund sure did make a good first impression in his home state of Florida.

He needed just 81 pitches to finish with seven strikeouts while allowing six hits in front of his thrilled family and friends in attendance.

“Outstanding performance by the young man,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay told reporters postgame. “You know, he, from Pitch 1, seemed to be really focused. You couldn’t really tell if there were any nerves or not. He came right out and attacked. That was a great night for the young man. 

“I think any time you get a guy that can go six innings in a game and have a quality start the first time out, that’s pretty impressive.”

Hoglund trusted his four-seam fastball, which he threw 34 times, and supplemented with a mix of his sinker, changeup and slider.

He shook Marlins designated hitter Agustín Ramírez with an 87-mph changeup in the first inning to earn his first career MLB strikeout.

The Athletics cruised top-to-bottom in Miami as their offense provided six runs in the first five innings to support Hoglund. Jacob Wilson, JJ Bleday, Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers all had one RBI, and the bullpen – Hogan Harris and Noah Murdock – finished Hoglund’s stellar debut unscathed.

Hoglund entered having carried a 2.43 ERA with 30 strikeouts through over six starts for Triple-A Las Vegas. His Athletics career starting quite ideally is no surprise.

And don’t look now, but the Green and Gold carry an 18-15 record and trail the Seattle Mariners (18-12) by 1.5 games for first in the narrow AL West. The Athletics were 16-17 after 33 games in 2024 and ultimately finished fourth.

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Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury Named A Finalist For Bill Masterton Trophy

Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images.

ST. PAUL, Minn - On the morning after his last ever game in the NHL, Marc-Andre Fleury was named a finalist for the 2025 Bill Masterton trophy. 

The trophy is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Fleury, 40, went 14-9-1 this season with a 2.93 goals-against average, .899 save percentage and one shutout in 26 games with the Wild.

He now finishes his 21 NHL seasons with a 575-339-97 record in 1,051 games with a 2.60 GAA, .912 save percentage and 76 shutouts.

The Hall of Fame goaltender joins Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Sean Monahan as the three finalists for the 2024-25 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' Minnesota Wild page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.

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Canadiens: Martin St-Louis Named Finalist For Jack Adams Trophy

Apr 30, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis (L) shakes hands with Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery (R) in the handshake line after game five of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena. Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The NHL announced many award nominations on Friday, including the three Jack Adams nominees. The trophy is awarded each year to the best coach as voted by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association members.

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This year, the three finalists are Scott Arniel of the Winnipeg Jets, Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals, and Montreal Canadiens’ bench boss Martin St-Louis. The other two nominees were at the helm of the best team in their respective conferences, while the Habs barely squeezed into the playoffs. St-Louis’ presence amongst the finalists shows how surprised the hockey world was to see this young Canadiens’ team make the Spring dance and how big of an accomplishment it was.

A little over two weeks ago, St-Louis was interviewed by RDS’ Pierre Houde on the Bell Centre ice after the last game of the season, and you could tell how proud of his group the rookie coach was. Houde asked him how he experienced his own progression as a coach, and he replied:

Of course, we have a fantastic group when you think about Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes, who had the courage to appoint a former player with no experience behind the bench. I was confident that the experience I had in hockey would serve me well to help a young group. As for my life, I left home a bit earlier than my wife thought, so I owe her a lot. She has always allowed me to chase my dreams and passion, and never asked me to retire early as a player. I played until I was 40, I’m very lucky on that front. And of course, as a staff, we’ve evolved and learn a lot every year. Even in the last week, we’ve learned a lot; it’s not easy to coach a young team stressed about reaching a goal they can almost touch.
- Martin St-Louis on his progression as a coach.

Since being brought on by the Hughes/Gorton duo, St-Louis has coached 283 regular-season games, leading his team to a 115-131-37 record. The team has kept improving since he replaced Dominique Ducharme during the 2021-22 season, and the organization decided to undergo a complete rebuild. Montreal finished the year with 91 points in the standings, 15 points ahead of their 76-point effort in 2023-24 and 23 points ahead of their 2022-23 total.

When the Canadiens were struggling mightily in November, some suggested that St-Louis had lost the room and should be fired, but they had no idea what would come. From December 3, the Habs went 32-18-8 and were one of the best teams in the NHL. Fueled by Patrik Laine’s return to action, Jakub Dobes’ arrival, and Nick Suzuki’s plea to the GM not to trade anyone, the Canadiens made their way to the playoffs, leaving it till the very last day to clinch.

Never one to hog the spotlight, when the coach was asked about what it meant to be nominated, he explained:

As a coach, you’re only as good as your staff, your support staff, my assistant coaches, and, you know, the buy-in from the players. To me, that’s where it all starts. It’s a team award. We don’t get recognized with this award unless everybody’s pulling in the same direction. So I’m very proud of the team that, as an organization, got nominated for that.
- St-Louis on being nominated for the Jack Adams Trophy.

He also said he was flattered by the nomination, but added he felt he did a lot of coaching in his last 10 years as a player, suggesting the media should ask former teammates about that.

As for Arniel and Carbery, the former led the Jets to their first Presidents’ Trophy thanks to a 56-22-4 record with 116 points, team records in both wins and points. Only three coaches have earned more victories in their first year with an organization. As for the latter, in his second season at the Capitals’ helm, he guided the team to a 20-point improvement with a 51-22-9 record with 111 points and the second place overall in the league.

Win or lose, the nomination is an accomplishment in its own right for St-Louis, who went from being a minor hockey coach to an NHL one in a flash and showed he was more than up to the task. Like during his playing career, he proved the naysayers wrong, and it certainly feels like he’s not done.

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Memphis Grizzlies remove interim tag, make Tuomas Iisalo head coach

Tuomas Iisalo was thrown into an impossible situation. He'd been brought to America by the Grizzlies just a year ago from Paris Basketball — where he had won EuroCup with a high-powered offense — to help ramp up the Memphis offense. Then, when Taylor Jenkins was fired as the Grizzlies' head coach late in the season, Iisalo was thrown into the fire and handed the title of interim head coach. Memphis went 4-5 to end the season under him, came out of the Play-In Tournament only to run into a juggernaut Oklahoma City team that swept Memphis out of the playoffs.

Now, Iisalo has been given the job full time, the Grizzlies announced.

"I have full confidence in Tuomas serving as head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies going forward," Grizzlies President and General Manager Zachary Kleiman said in a statement. "Tuomas' teams at every level have been disciplined, tenacious and connected on both ends of the floor, consistently exceeding expectations. We look forward to the same in Memphis."

Iisalo played professionally in Finland and is the first Finnish head coach in the NBA.

Grizzlies players spoke highly of Iisalo and he seemed to have their support to take over as head coach, in particular Ja Morant. Iisalo ran more Morant pick-and-rolls, and rookie Zach Edey seemed to grow and thrive in this system. Being hired now gives Iisalo a full offseason and training camp to instill his offense.

What the roster Iisalo will coach next season remains a question mark, Memphis cannot just run this group back again and expect different results with a different coach. However, it may be difficult to make radical changes. Whatever happens, Iisalo will get his chance.

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Popovich steps down as Spurs coach after 29 years

Gregg Popovich
Gregg Popovich became Spurs head coach in 1996 [Getty Images]

Gregg Popovich has stepped down from his position as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs after 29 seasons with the team.

On Friday the Spurs announced that Popovich, 76, will transition into the role of president of basketball operations at the organisation.

Over 29 seasons Popovich oversaw 1,422 regular-season victories - the most by a head coach in NBA history - and led the Spurs to five NBA championships, most recently in 2014.

"While my love and passion for the game remain, I've decided it's time to step away as head coach," said Popovich.

"I'm forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and I am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organisation, community and city that are so meaningful to me."

Popovich has not been on the sidelines since suffering a mild stroke in November before a home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In his absence the Spurs failed to reach the 2025 NBA play-offs - they have not played in the post-season since 2019 - after finishing the regular season with a 34-48 record.

Mitch Johnson, who served as acting head coach after Popovich took a leave of absence following his stroke, will take over as head coach.

Popovich arrived in San Antonio in 1988 as an assistant coach, and after a two-year spell with the Golden State Warriors, returned to the Spurs as head coach in 1996.

He was the longest-serving active coach in any major US sport.

The longest-serving NBA coach is now Erik Spoelstra, 54, who has led the Miami Heat since the 2008-09 season.

Popovich led the US men's basketball team to gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 2023.

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Why NHL's Three Lady Byng Trophy Finalists Each Deserve To Win

Jack Eichel (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)

The NHL announced the three finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy on Friday.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar and Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point are this season's finalists for the award, which goes to the player "adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability."

Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association vote on the award at the end of the regular season.

Each finalist ranked among the NHL's top four scorers who recorded fewer than 10 penalty minutes during the regular season. Eichel ranked first with 94 points, while Point's 82 points and Kopitar's 67 points ranked third and fourth, respectively. Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki had 89 points and eight penalty minutes.

Eichel had four minor penalties while setting a career high in assists (66) and points (94). Since 2000-01, only three players – Jack Hughes, Barkov and Point – recorded more points without hitting double digits in penalty minutes in a season. 

This is the first time the 28-year-old is a finalist for an NHL award, and he could be the second player in Golden Knights history to win the Lady Byng Trophy, after William Karlsson did so in 2017-18.

Kopitar won the Lady Byng twice, in 2015-16 and 2022-23. Only Pavel Datsyuk and Martin St-Louis won the trophy more times in this century.

The 37-year-old averaged 18:57 of ice time while recording just four penalty minutes on the Kings. Those are the fewest penalty minutes for any player who played at least 55 games this season, and Kopitar played 81, getting 21 goals and 46 assists for 67 points.

Point only took two penalties this season: a major for fighting Toronto Maple Leafs left winger Bobby McMann on April 9 and a tripping penalty against the Leafs on Nov. 30.

This season is just the second time Point has had fewer than 10 penalty minutes, with the other coming in 2022-23. He had 95 points in 82 games that season and finished third in Lady Byng voting.

Of the top 50 scorers this season, Point had the fewest penalty minutes.

The NHL also announced the finalists for the Masterton Trophy, Selke Trophy and Jack Adams Award on Friday.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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Walker Buehler placed on injured list with shoulder issue

Walker Buehler placed on injured list with shoulder issue originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Just when the Boston Red Sox rotation appeared to be at full strength, it lost another starter due to injury.

On Friday, the Red Sox placed right-hander Walker Buehler on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation. Brayan Bello will start in Buehler’s place for Friday’s series opener against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park.

There is optimism within the organization that Buehler’s injury won’t sideline him for long. Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters Friday that the ailment isn’t believed to be serious.

“Shoulder inflammation. He’s gonna go on the IL,” Cora said. “We don’t think it’s that serious. Miss two starts and hopefully be back as soon as the days (on the IL) are over.”

The hope is that Buehler can avoid a rehab stint and return to the big-league club as soon as his time on the IL is up.

“We’ll talk about it, but I’m not too worried about it,” Cora added. “(Head Athletic Trainer) Brandon (Henry) is not either, so hopefully, like I said, it’s something he misses two starts and is right back with us.”

Buehler’s injury comes shortly after Bello and Lucas Giolito’s returns from the IL. Bello missed time with a shoulder strain, and Giolito had a hamstring injury after missing all of 2024 with a torn UCL.

The Red Sox signed Buehler to a one-year contract in the offseason. The 30-year-old was coming off a down season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in his return from his second Tommy John surgery, though he bounced back to give the World Series champions big innings throughout their postseason run.

Buehler is 4-1 with a 4.28 ERA and 29 strikeouts through six starts with Boston this season.

With Buehler on the IL, the Red Sox called up rookie right-hander Hunter Dobbins. He’ll take the mound for Saturday’s game against Minnesota.

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Juuso Parssinen Signs Two-Year Contract Extension With Rangers

Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have agreed on a two-year contract extension with forward Juuso Parssinen. 

The contract extension is reportedly expected to carry an average annual value of $1.25 million. 

The Rangers Have High Hopes For Juuso Parssinen That Go Far Beyond This SeasonThe Rangers Have High Hopes For Juuso Parssinen That Go Far Beyond This SeasonThe Rangers may have acquired a hidden gem and nobody knows about him yet. His name is Juuso Parssinen. 

The Rangers acquired Parssinen at a time around the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline in a deal that sent Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey to the Colorado Avalanche. 

Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury was interested in acquiring Parssinen for months due to the fact that he really believed in his potential and upside. 

However, Parssinen wasn’t an every day player for the Blueshirts as he was scratched out of the lineup on multiple occasions. 

In 11 games with the Rangers this season, the 24-year-old recorded two goals, three assists, and five points while averaging 9:46 minutes.

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Gregg Popovich Retires With $200 Million+ in Career Earnings

Longtime San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will transition from head coach to the team’s president of basketball operations, the team announced Friday. Mitch Johnson, who took over as coach after Popovich suffered a stroke in November, will be the permanent replacement.

The move ends the sideline career of 76-year-old Popovich, who was by far the longest-tenured coach in all major U.S. sports leagues. He earned just over $200 million during his nearly three decades as coach of the Spurs, per Sportico estimates.

His current five-year contract, signed in the summer of 2023, paid roughly $17 million per season on average and ranked second among the highest-paid NBA coaches, just behind Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors, and was fourth among coaches in all sports in North America.

Popovich was the Spurs general manager until he fired Bob Hill as coach in December 1996 and named himself the replacement. It launched a career with an NBA-record 1,422 wins, including 35 during the 2024-25 season after Johnson took over. He led the Spurs to 22 consecutive playoff seasons from 1998 to 2019 and is one of just five coaches with five titles. He won Coach of the Year three times, tied with Don Nelson and Pat Riley for the most in league history.

There is always a lot of turnover on NBA sidelines, but the past five weeks saw three of the five longest-tenured coaches end their reign. In March, the Memphis Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins, and last month, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was fired, less than two years after he led the franchise to its first NBA title.

There are now only two NBA coaches hired by their current teams before 2020: the Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra (2008) and Kerr (2014).

Popovich and the entire NBA coaching industry benefited from a 2023 market escalator when the Detroit Pistons hired Monty Williams with a six-year, $78.5 million contract. Before Williams, Popovich was the only NBA coach who earned $10 million a year. In the 13 months after the Williams hire, seven more coaches signed eight-figure deals, and Popovich signed his most recent deal at a $4 million annual bump.

“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” Popovich said in a statement. “I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me.”

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Golden Knights' Jack Eichel Named Lady Byng Finalist

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) is named Second Star of the Game after the Golden Knights defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-2 in an overtime period of game five of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel has been named a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy.

The winner of the award, which is given annually to the player voted best to combine sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association, will be announced at a later date.

The 28-year-old enjoyed a career season, scoring 28 goals and 94 points in 77 games, including a +/- rating of +32. His stellar play at both ends of the ice will likely earn him a top-10 Hart Trophy finish. 

The nomination marks the first time Eichel has finished as a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy and the second Golden Knight to do so after William Karlsson won the award in the 2017-18 season. 

Despite averaging 20:32 of ice time and killing penalties, Eichel took just eight penalty minutes. He took four minor penalties all season, which was tied for the fewest among players who finished top 20 in the NHL in points.

Competing with Eichel for the Lady Byng Trophy honors are Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point and Los Angeles Kings' veteran center Anze Kopitar. Kopitar is a three-time finalist and previously won the award twice. Point is now a two-time finalist, finishing third when he was first nominated. 

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