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NHL season preview: Power rankings, best- and worst-case scenarios and bold predictions
The 2021-22 NHL season is being called a return to normalcy. Last season was an unprecedented one for the NHL due to the COVID-19 pandemic: Four geographically realigned divisions, including one solely comprising Canadian teams; teams playing only opponents within those divisions; and a new playoff format that eschewed wild-card teams. But it ended just […]
Continue readingHall of Fame QB Brett Favre’s charity donated to University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Foundation while he pushed for state funds
Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre’s charity, Favre 4 Hope, donated more than $130,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Foundation from 2018 to 2020, according to tax records obtained by ESPN on Wednesday. During this same period, Favre was trying to raise money for a new volleyball stadium at the university, where he played […]
Continue readingSeattle Kraken expansion draft protected lists, available players
The Seattle Kraken are joining the NHL for the 2021-22 season and will play in the Pacific Division. The front office and coaching staff have taken shape, and Climate Pledge Arena is on track to be ready, but the team needs players. The Kraken will select one player each from 30 NHL teams, as the […]
Continue readingInside Dallas Stars rookie Jason Robertson’s journey to his 2021 breakout
The Stars’ 2017 second-round pick, coming off his first professional season in the AHL, was called up as a “black ace” throughout the 2020 playoffs. It’s a typical assignment for a rising star, in a very atypical year. “It was kind of a weird scenario,” Robertson said. “I wasn’t familiar or wasn’t really close to […]
Continue readingFantasy hockey rankings Week 13 update: Is it time to drop Logan Couture or Tyler Toffoli?
Default head-to-head leagues are into the second week of the playoffs, with the championship all that remains after this week. Points and rotisserie leagues don’t have to sweat the nuances of that schedule, but the pressure created by minimal games really puts a strain on the value. While season-long success can still inform decision-making, the […]
Continue readingVancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning says players affected by COVID-19 feeling better
An outbreak has ripped through the team over the past week and a half with 25 people — 21 players and four members of the coaching staff — testing positive, and one additional player being deemed a close contact. General manager Jim Benning said Friday many of the players are feeling better. “I think our […]
Continue readingNHL free agency 2020 preview: Team needs, trade targets, cap space, key dates
The word that typically defines free agency in the NHL is “uncertainty.” Players with expiring contracts enter a marketplace unsure of what their next deals will look like or where they’ll next call home. But in the 2020 free-agent frenzy, that uncertainty has reached previously unseen levels for players and teams. There’s a flat salary […]
Continue reading2020 NHL playoffs preview: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Vancouver Canucks matchup, series pick
The Golden Knights and Canucks played only twice in the regular season, splitting the contests both staged in December. That seems like decades ago in pandemic time, so this series will surely surprise us. Note: Advanced stats are from Hockey Reference, Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey. More: Check out the full NHL postseason schedule […]
Continue reading2020 NHL playoffs preview: First-round matchups, bracket, series picks
The 2020 NHL playoffs officially begin on Tuesday, as the 24-team tournament — with five-game qualification round series and round-robin seeding matchups — has moved on to a more recognizable, 16-team version. This round includes several matchups where revenge will be on the mind of one team (or both, for separate reasons), and based on […]
Continue readingAdam ‘Pacman’ Jones sets ablaze Joe Haden Steelers jerseys received in mail
Jones pulled one of the jerseys out of the box, poured lighter fluid on it and lit it on fire in his driveway. He continued to burn jerseys from the box, documenting the process in a series of Instagram videos posted Wednesday. “I opened up my mailbox today, and I had these jerseys in my […]
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