標籤: nuclear

Okay, I’ll be the one to address the elephant in the New Jersey Devils room.

There is still an obvious problem with Dougie Hamilton. Did you know, the $9 million rescuer who has refused to speak publicly since January?

Yes, same. unfamiliar? More via the Devils Rink Report in the link below.

Additionally, the Devils traded options to bring in center forward Quinn Hughes to fill a void in terms of nuclear tackles.

Elsewhere, the Blueshirts have their eye on the Twins, a free-agent target for the Devils, and Philly’s rookie is earning it.

Devil’s Trade Rumors and News

New Jersey Hockey Now: In the nuclear option that Sunny Mehta chose to trade Nico Hischier for Quinn Hughes, here are three centers who could fill the void left at center via the Devils trade.

📺 devil’s rink report: As we approach the 2026 NHL Draft and free agency, the elephant in the room has not yet been addressed. The Devils still have a Dougie Hamilton problem. I break it down in the latest clip via Devils Rink Report.

Last week, we went live with immediate reaction after the draft lottery. The full episode can be found here 👇🏼

Please like and subscribe our Youtube channel And turn on those notifications when we go live every Friday!

For podcast listeners, we have officially launched on multiple platforms. Listen to Devil’s Rink Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

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Athletic ($): From the folks at The Athletic, experts believe the Devils should sign a free agent.

NHL Trade Talk, News and National Hockey Now

Forever Blueshirts: With the New York Rangers’ final pick of the first round, it looks like they are targeting one of the WHL’s two standout twins.

Philly hockey now: One reason the Philadelphia Flyers made a late run and reached the playoffs and then the second round is that they got some unexpected boost. Here’s how the Flyers rookies earned their ice time.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

The Los Angeles Clippers not only beat the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night; He embarrassed them. But while Kawhi Leonard was busy putting on a historic masterpiece, the real fireworks began after the final buzzer sounded at the Intuit Dome.

In a game in which Leonard went completely nuclear, the Clippers won 153–128, which was marred by a post-game brawl. Tensions eventually flared up when a heated exchange broke out between Naz Reed, Jaden McDaniels and Benedict Mathurin, requiring teammates and security to separate the groups. The frustration on the part of the Minnesota Timberwolves was understandable, considering they were on the wrong end of one of the most efficient scoring performances in NBA history.

Naz Reed, Jaden McDaniels and Benedict Mathurin get into an altercation after the game 👀

pic.twitter.com/EAf5Y3T93J https://t.co/rwzwGhRYRu

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 12 March 2026

Kawhi Leonard was the catalyst for all that frustration. “The Claw” finished with 45 points, five rebounds and five assists, but efficiency was the terrible part. Leonard shot a whopping 15 of 20 from the field, including 6 of 9 from beyond the arc. He also missed 9 of 10 free throws, essentially scoring at will against a Minnesota defense that currently ranks among the league’s elite.

While Anthony Edwards tried to keep pace with 36 points, the Timberwolves had no answer for a Clippers team that shot 63 percent as a unit. Julius Randle contributed 18 points in the loss, but the lack of defensive resistance clearly took its toll on the visiting team. The postgame melee between Mathurin and the Timberwolves’ frontcourt duo looked like a direct byproduct of a 25-point blowout.

For the Clippers, this win did more than just provide highlights; It takes them above the .500 mark for the first time since their disappointing 5-20 start. If Leonard continues to play at this “cyborg” level of efficiency, the rest of the Western Conference players are going to have a lot more to worry about.

The game became increasingly intense in the first half, as the Toronto Raptors hosted the San Antonio Spurs at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday.

After a stoppage in the second quarter, the Raptors raced to the other end to try to get a quick bucket. The ball went to Brandon Ingram, who attempted a three-pointer from the top of the key. Stephen Cassel, who was late coming back on defense, challenged Ingram’s shot.

While it appeared Cassel struck Ingram’s arm, no foul was called.

This enraged Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic, as shown in video shared by Raptors reporter Omar Osman. Rajakovic was whistled technical glitch.

Darko Rajkovic is absolutely furious over a non-call, and he faces a technical foul. https://t.co/o09eWDLgIw pic.twitter.com/C2u7ITlBD2

– Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) 26 February 2026

Rajakovic, 47, was absolutely furious at the referee, but he was probably also lighting a fire under his players.

It seemed to work, as the Raptors took a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.

Rajakovic has quickly won over fans with his intense approach on the court. But besides that, he can be quite goofy, as proven by his habit of running into the locker room screaming.

Rajakovic’s energetic aura has been praised by his players, including Ingram.

“He brings energy every day. He’s the leader of our team. He makes sure we bring it in practice, in games, in shootouts. He makes sure we have it every time we step on the basketball floor,” Ingram said in a report by John Chidley-Hill of The Canadian Press in November.

The Raptors are looking to bounce back from Tuesday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

When the Los Angeles Clippers traded James Harden and Ivica Zubac, they made it clear that they were rebuilding rather than completely rebuilding. Steve Ballmer invested nearly $2 billion in Intuit Dome, so he might not want to hit the reset button. Instead, the organization has added youth to the NBA’s oldest team. Newcomer Benedict Mathurin thrilled the crowd in LA’s first home game since the aforementioned trades, making history in a 115–114 win against the Denver Nuggets.

The former Indiana Pacers wing, who was included in the Zubac deal, scored a game-high 38 points in 34 minutes off the bench, while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and recording five rebounds, four assists and three steals. According to ClutchPoints reporter Tomer Azarli, he set a new scoring record for a Clippers player debuting on his home field and also matched a career high. That was not all.

Appropriately, Mathurin passed Jamal Crawford for most points by a reserve in his LA debut. This squad has a new offensive spark plug, and he is only 23 years old. After making an impressive debut against the Houston Rockets last Wednesday, the young Canadian won over Clippers fans by outclassing several competitors, including Nikola Jokic, Kawhi Leonard and Jamal Murray.

Benedict Mathurin will be a restricted free agent this summer, but it stands to reason Los Angeles will want to lock him up for the foreseeable future. Tyronn Lue’s team is now just one game below .500, and Darius Garland still isn’t in tune. Although it’s not what City had envisioned, there is certainly excitement in the air after this hard-fought victory.