tottenham Alejo Veliz was sold months ago, but the striker has just arrived in Brazil. And it looks like this is the real end to one of the club’s strangest runs in recent years.

The Argentine landed in Salvador on Monday night and is now set to complete the final stages of his move to Bahia from City Football Group, who Agreed €9m (£7.6m) deal with Tottenham earlier this year.

In many ways, it is a move that closes the chapter on what never really took off in North London.

Tottenham signed Veliz from Rosario Central in 2023 after emerging as one of Argentina’s most promising young forwards. The expectation was that Spurs had secured a striker for the future.

Instead, a series of injuries, limited opportunities and debts prevented him from establishing himself.

Veliz made only a few appearances for Tottenham and scored only once. That goal came as a late consolation in a 4–1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. This proved to be his first and last goal for the club.

Three loans and no success

Tottenham spent much of the last two years finding the right environment for Veliz to develop.

The striker went on loan to Sevilla, then to Espanyol and finally back to Rosario Central. Despite those opportunities, he never reached the level Spurs expected when they invested in him.

His final loan was arguably his most successful. Rosario Central fought hard to keep him until the end of the campaign and Veliz wanted the same.

He finished the season with six goals in 24 matches as the Argentine team reached the semi-finals of the Argentine Championship.

This connection was evident during his farewell. Just a few days before the trip to Brazil, He scored in his last home match and walked off the field in tears.

Why did they choose Bahia?

Speaking after arriving in Salvador, Veliz admitted that the decision was emotional, especially because of what Rosario Central means to him. His comments were relayed globo esporte.

“I am very happy with this step in my career, arriving at this club. I am very emotional to leave Rosario Central because this is my home and my family. We made this decision because I want to extend my career elsewhere. It was the best decision we have taken as a family.”

The striker also revealed that he had spoken to former Argentina youth teammate Bahia forward Mateo Sanabria before agreeing to the move.

“First of all, he wrote to me and I talked to him before making a decision.”

Veliz said he had already been watching Bahia from afar and was impressed by the atmosphere created by the supporters.

“I saw the fans a lot. I even watched recent matches. It’s incredible. I hope I can give back some of what they do.”

For Tottenham, the story is now over. There’s a €9m (£7.6m) sale of the club, Bahia finally get the striker they’ve been chasing for years, and Veliz gets the fresh start he never got in north London.

Inter Milan manager Christian Chivu is ‘absolutely crazy’ liverpool Midfielder Curtis Jones, the Italian side are working hard to sign him.

gazzetta dello sport report Today on the 25-year-old and how he is the ‘most likely candidate’ for Inter at the moment.

inter milan keen

Inter are very keen to sign the ‘brilliant Englishman’, with Christian Chivu ‘absolutely crazy’ about the midfielder. He thinks that he is a ‘perfect’ player and there is no player like him in the team.

Inter Milan have been keen on the Liverpool midfielder for some time now. Everyone expected that a deal would be done in the January transfer window.

However, at the time it was felt that conditions were not ‘ripe’ as Liverpool had proved rigid in negotiations. Six months later, everything seems less complicated.

Curtis Jones now has a year left on his deal at Liverpool and Arne Slott is offering no guarantees of playing time next season.

Liverpool wants €30 million

As a result, he is ready to ‘enthusiastically embrace’ a new life in Italy and begin the Nerazzurri project. He is more interested in Inter than Galatasaray, who have also submitted an offer.

The biggest issue is Liverpool’s asking price. They quoted Galatasaray €30m in recent talks. Inter currently value Jones at around €20m. So, there is a big difference between the two, but it is not ‘insurmountable’.

The key to a quick solution may lie in the percentage of future sales offered. However, Inter need Liverpool to negotiate. The meeting of both the parties is fixed To begin negotiations next week.

The Reds are open to a deal, but do not intend to lower their standards too much, especially on an academy product. When it comes to the financial side of things it represents net profit. But there is a deal to be done and Inter certainly want to get it done.

The New York Knicks are four wins away from the NBA Finals. But standing in their way are Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

If you’re planning to watch Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night, below you can find everything you need to know, along with the schedule for the upcoming NBA playoff series.

When will the Knicks play next?

What channel is the Knicks game on tonight?

The entire Eastern Conference Finals between the Knicks and Cavaliers will air exclusively on ESPN and the ESPN app.

What time does the Knicks game start tonight?

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals begins at 8:00 PM ET.

Knicks vs Game 1 Betting Odds

The Knicks are -265 favorites in Game 1 of the East Finals. The Cavaliers are currently a +215 underdog.

NY Knicks Eastern Conference Finals Schedule 2026

Below you can find the upcoming schedule for the Eastern Conference Finals.

Can I watch Knicks games on Peacock or Amazon Prime?

No, Knicks games in the Eastern Conference Finals will not be available on Peacock or Amazon Prime. All seven games will be exclusive to ESPN and the ESPN app.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

The San Antonio Spurs are four wins away from the NBA Finals. But standing in their way are the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

If you’re planning to watch Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night, below you’ll find everything you need to know, as well as the upcoming schedule of their NBA playoff series.

san antonio spurs next game

What channel is the Spurs game on tonight?

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Spurs and Thunder will air exclusively on NBC and Peacock.

What time does the Spurs game start tonight?

Tip-off time for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals will be 8:30 PM ET.

Spurs vs Thunder Game 1 Betting Odds

Heading into Game 1 of the West Finals, the defending champion Thunder are -265 favorites. The Spurs have +215 odds on Monday night.

San Antonio Spurs Western Conference Finals full schedule

Below, you can take a complete look at the 2026 Western Conference Finals schedule.

The Best Spurs Playoff Watch Parties in San Antonio

There will be plenty of watch parties around San Antonio for the Spurs series against the Thunder. The Rock at La Cantera is the official destination of the team’s watch party. However, during road games, watch parties will take place inside the Frost Bank Center.

Plucker’s Wing Bar and McIntyre’s Southtown are other popular venues that host Spurs watch parties.

How to watch a Spurs game live stream on your phone

NBC has exclusive rights to the NBA Western Conference Finals. So if you plan to watch it on your phone, you’ll need a Peacock subscription.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the odds and won the NHL draft lottery. That stroke of luck has completely changed the narrative around the moribund franchise. Just a day earlier, all one could talk about was the team’s appointment of new general manager John Chayka, which was being widely criticized. Now, it’s all about that No. 1 pick in next month’s draft.

18-year-old phenom Gavin McKenna is the unanimous top selection, and will certainly look good alongside Auston Matthews on the top line. Of course, the future of Matthews’ Leafs is a different story altogether.

As far as the No. 1 pick goes, the debate now focuses on whether Toronto should retain him, or trade him for more assets.

Former Stanley Cup-winning general manager and longtime NHL veteran executive Brian Burke knows what he will do. And this is not a question for him.

I’m not sure they’ll take Gavin McKenna. Not because he’s not a great prospect. But you can get three assets for this guy, and one of them can play right away… I know what I’d do. I’ll start shopping for that pick – today!

Remember, Burke is the guy who built a Stanley Cup champion in Anaheim as team president and GM. Of course, to play devil’s advocate, he’s also the guy who traded two first-round picks (who became Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton) and a second-round pick to the Boston Bruins to acquire Phil Kessel for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2009.

Could the Maple Leafs trade the No. 1 pick?

There has actually been quite a bit of discussion about what the Leafs could do if they chose to take that option. We know the Vancouver Canucks were hoping to get McKenna, who lived in nearby Kelowna, BC, during her teens. Would trading the top pick with the Canucks, in exchange for their No. 3 pick and a few other top assets, get them to bite?

The Leafs are without their first-round picks in both 2027 and 2028. Wouldn’t it be a huge coup for new GM Chayka to replenish that cupboard with another high-end first-rounder from Vancouver next year, perhaps another elite prospect/young player, and walk away with the third overall pick this year?

The Toronto front office has plenty of options available to Chayka and his compatriot Mats Sundin. But maybe some of it will come back to the captain. Whether or not Matthews is fully prepared to remain a Maple Leaf will impact Chayka and Sundin’s decision about what to do with the No. 1 pick.

Tottenham Hotspur And Aston Villa Parma are in the picture to sign Mandela Keita in the summer.

The midfielder joined the Serie A team from Royal Antwerp in August 2024 for €13m plus €2m in bonuses, and played regularly in his first season.

He has played 2,917 minutes in 37 matches this season and his performances have attracted the attention of Tottenham and Aston Villa.

Back in February, Sport Witness Covered claims from Italy Spurs and Villans sent scouts to follow him.

Tottenham and Aston Villa are ahead

The Premier League pair will have to be wary of Atalanta in their pursuit of Mandela Keita after this season.

is according to parma todayAtalanta have joined their supporters who report seeing the player as an option to replace Ederson. Manchester United and Atletico Madrid are keen on the Brazilian, who is likely to leave after this season.

Therefore, La Dea is monitoring the Belgian and has also asked for information regarding his signing. However, no further progress has been made so far.

Meanwhile, Parma have no financial need to sell but are ready to study offers.

Parma Today reports that the Italian club ‘cannot refuse’ if they receive an ‘important offer’. There is no mention of any figures or caps, and so far, and Parma have not received any significant offers.

atlanta todayA website that dedicates its coverage to the Italian club also reports interest in the 23-year-old. A possible move depends on Ederson moving elsewhere in the next window.

Therefore, La Dea has not made any progress to sign Keita. Meanwhile, Tottenham and Aston Villa have no such constraints and are now frontrunners to sign him.

all atalantaSpurs and Unai Emery’s side are ‘ready to launch a multi-million dollar international bidding war’ for Keita, Parma reports today. Statistics have not been mentioned.

Contract, price and agent information

With the contract expiring in 2028, transfer market Mandela Keita is worth €18 million, the highest in his career. Most likely, Parma will request a higher fee than this to consider selling him.

World in Motion, an agency owned by agent Andy Evans, represents the Parma player.

The Atlanta Braves have been the best team in baseball, and this is nowhere near it. The club has started 25-11 with an 8 1/2 game lead in second place. There have been speculations year after year that the Braves were finally due for a breakout, although they have never lived up to those expectations thus far.

a miraculous championship moment

Atlanta had won the World Series just five years earlier. You wouldn’t think it given how the club has played over the past few years, but this team has performed wonders in 2021. The Braves won only 88 games in the regular season, but it was enough to win a middling National League East.

Ronald Acuña Jr. posted his best season since his 2018 Rookie of the Year campaign with a .283/.394/.596 slash line and 24 home runs. Freddie Freeman batted .300 with 31 longballs on the year. Even Austin Riley threw 33 balls out of the yard. he was the one steep Crew. The fact that they only won 88 games is ridiculous in itself.

Atlanta bested the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS (3-1) before defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers (4-2) to clinch a spot in the World Series against the Houston Astros. It was a ridiculously good Astros club. Houston won 95 games to claim the top spot in the American League West. One of the highlights of that club was their brilliant opening innings. Composed of Luis Garcia, Zack Greinke, Lance McCullers Jr., Jose Urquidi and Framber Valdez, watching the Braves defeat them in six games was a beautiful thing.

With leadoff homers from Jorge Soler (World Series MVP) and Eddie Rosario (NLCS MVP) in the postseason, the Braves battled their way to a World Series championship. they are The club proves that getting hot at the right time is what matters most in the race to the postseason.

That moment passes, each year since then is becoming less

Despite making the postseason three consecutive years after 2021, the Braves could not make it past the NLDS. Atlanta won over 100 games in 2022 and 2023 but disappointed in the postseason, losing to the Philadelphia Phillies both times. They won only 89 games in 2024 but still managed to make the playoffs. Atlanta was eventually joined in the NL wild card by the San Diego Padres.

But, in 2025, the Braves missed the postseason altogether. They finished fourth in the NL East with only 76 wins. It was a very poor season for an Atlanta team with high aspirations and expectations.

Much of this was due to injuries and absences from the planned roster. Jurickson Profar given 80-game suspension for PED use. Acuña was sidelined with hamstring and Achilles injuries. Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Showers and Hurston Waldrep all missed significant time, forcing Atlanta to piece together its starting rotation.

But, other than that, the offense struggled mightily. Despite four players having over 20 homers (Matt Olson, Acuna, Marcell Ozuna, and Michael Harris), they failed to actually win baseball games due to their poor starting rotation.

Heading into 2026, the problem for Atlanta was that they didn’t make a single decisive move this offseason to fix it. Their only real addition was to bring in former Padres closer Robert Suarez as Raisel Iglesias’ setup man. This solves most of the Braves’ bullpen problems, plus their numerous injuries haven’t been a major issue so far.

What’s more, starting left fielder Profar is now serving a full season suspension after once again testing positive for PEDs. Adding insult to injury (literally), shortstop Ha-seong Kim’s preseason injury dashed Atlanta’s 2026 offensive hopes.

Surpasses expectations and remains on top position

The Braves are on track to win 112 games. If they are able to accomplish this, it will be the most games won by Atlanta in franchise history. This is largely due to the all-round effort of the club.

Pitching finally looks as effective as the Bills

In MLB, the Braves’ pitching staff ranked second in opponent batting average (.216), third in ERA (3.25) and fourth in WHIP (1.16) and runs allowed (129). The only rotation in baseball that has been better is the Dodgers’. Chris Sale’s return to form has been a wonderful development for the club (2.14 ERA, 42.0 IP). Reynaldo Lopez has pitched well (though not incredibly) with a 3.28 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. But the real story is the success of Bryce Elder. The righty leads the club with a 1.88 ERA in his first seven starts.

Yes, it hurts to have Spencer Schwellenbach gone for most of the season. But Spencer Strider is back (though he had a rough start after giving up three runs in as many innings (3.1 IP). This has been the rotation, and it looks like it will continue to be lethal.

a crime that won’t go away

The craziest part? The rotation isn’t even the best part of Atlanta’s season. It is a crime. The Braves rank first in every major category except on-base percentage with a .275/.341/.468 slash line and .809 OPS. He is second in MLB in home runs with 54. It’s hard to argue with numbers like that.

That offense has been fueled by incredible performance after incredible performance. A resurgent Olson is batting .300 with 12 home runs and a 1.047 OPS. Drake Baldwin is showing zero signs of sophomore decline, batting .313/.392/.531 as the club’s primary backstop. Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II are finally breaking out, with Dominic Smith emerging as an offensive threat. Acuna is declining, it’s true, but that doesn’t matter how much every other player has contributed.

There are still questions about depth and whether injuries will plague this club as much as before. The real test will come in the second half of the season. Can this Braves club overcome the dog days of summer? Perhaps. It would be great to see this Atlanta team finally live up to – and even exceed – the expectations set for them. only time will tell.

Manchester United And liverpool Juventus’ signing Francisco Conceicao has been added to their agenda for the summer.

His performances for the Serie A team have drawn attention from both Manchester United and Liverpool.

After scoring 11 goals and 13 assists in 93 matches for the Dragons, Juve signed the winger from FC Porto in July 2025 for €32m.

Since moving to Italy, he has scored four goals and provided four assists in 38 appearances.

His Serie A statistics this season are as follows:

• Appearances: 27
• Start: 23
• Total minutes: 1,796
• Target: 3
• Assist: 4
• Expected target: 5.91
• Expected Support: 4.01
• Key passes per game: 1.1
• Shots on goal per game: 0.7
• Big chances made: 4
• Big chances missed: 8

On March 27, Khel Witness Covered claims from Italy Making the Reds’ first contact on the right wing. Arne Slot’s side are looking for a right winger to replace Mohamed Salah, who will leave Anfield after this season.

Manchester United and Liverpool in the mix

gazzetta dello sport Let’s just say he has attracted the attention of Liverpool and the Red Devils, even if his goal and assist numbers are not that impressive.

The Merseyside club see the Portugal international’s profile as similar to that of Mohamed Salah.

Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti has previously managed the Egyptian at AS Roma. On the tension between the Liverpool star and Francisco Conceição, he said: “The comparison is apt.”

“He’s a young boy, he’s still got a lot of experience to gain, he needs to convince himself that he can play a bit inside, and having a man behind him shouldn’t worry him. If he gets the ball outside and faces you, though, he goes unmarked.”

“He needs to improve the quality of his shot, because Salah is top notch, but Conceicao has such intensity and toughness in one-on-one situations that it becomes really difficult to keep up with him.”

Manchester United have now joined Liverpool in the race for the current Juve attacker. The Old Trafford club move up to third, 11 points ahead of sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion after a 2-1 win over Brentford.

Michael Carrick’s side are likely to return to the Champions League and hope to improve their attack. Gazzetta says the 23-year-old could be an option.

Juventus still have a €25.6m fee to amortise. Therefore, the Old Lady will not start any negotiations below the ‘current budget’ of €25.6m.

Gazzetta believes a fee of around €45-50m is needed to convince Juve and that fee could rise if he is to shine at the World Cup.

Contract, price and agent information

Francisco Conceição’s contract expires in 2030, and transfer market He is worth €30 million.

The agency Gestifute, headed by super-agent Jorge Mendes, is representing him. The agent has good relations with both Manchester United and Liverpool.

tottenham hotspur The season has already been shaped by injuries, and now their scouting radar is catching on, too.

The North London club continues to struggle with fitness problems. At one point, they had more than ten senior players unavailable, leading to frequent reshuffles and a thin squad. This has been one of the defining themes of his delicate campaign.

Against that backdrop, Tottenham are also planning their squad for next season, whether they stay top or not. As part of that, Sports Witness Source Understand they are among the English clubs who have carried out an unofficial check on Corinthians attacker Kayke.

No proposal has been made. There has been no formal approach. This is simply an initial phase of monitoring, which clubs routinely do before deciding how to proceed.

Who is this prospect?

21-year-old Kayke Ferrari has recently joined the Corinthians team. He has benefited from the injury to Memphis Depay and has gained the trust of manager Fernando Diniz.

The forward has played 13 matches in 2026, which is already more than his combined performances in the last two seasons. He has two goals and one assist at senior level.

It didn’t take long for Kayke’s rise through the Corinthians academy to attract attention. At U17 level, he scored 13 goals in 28 matches, a return that quickly saw him promoted to the U20s.

He continued that momentum, continuing to find the net and playing a role in the club’s Brazilian Youth Cup victory in 2024.

That form soon translated into first-team opportunities. His debut came at the beginning of the 2024 Paulista season, in a direct derby against São Paulo.

A direct, skilful winger, Kayke is known for his dribbling, improvisation and eye for goal – qualities that have helped him stand out despite limited senior minutes so far.

Fear of injury creates immediate anxiety

Nothing seems to come easy for Tottenham these days. And even Kayke Ferrari’s situation took a worrying turn in his latest outing.

The forward went down with a knee problem and had to be immediately substituted.

The response of the Corinthians bench speaks volumes. The players were clearly worried, some even turning their attention away from the match to monitor his condition. Initial treatment consisted of icing the side, but the pain appeared severe.

During the quick assessment, Kayke had tears in her eyes. At one point, he even made a rotating gesture with his hand, which suggested that the knee had rotated during the incident.

There has been no confirmed diagnosis yet. However, there were early concerns internally about a possible ACL injury. Further tests were scheduled to determine the severity.

what happens next

Tottenham’s interest is still in the early stages and this injury has made things even more complicated.

At the same time, interest has not been limited to England. Bolavip In Brazil, clubs in Spain and Italy are also said to be keeping an eye on him, although, again, nothing has progressed beyond scouting.

Still, the situation is a bit ironic. Spurs, already reeling from a season full of medical setbacks, had just begun to turn their attention to Kayke Ferrari – and now they have suffered a potentially serious injury themselves.

For now, everything is on hold. Tottenham will wait. Kayke will have to undergo testing.

Given what this season has been like in North London, some might joke that the club can’t catch a break – even if they’re only watching from afar.

The Montreal Canadiens walked onto the ice before the start of their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, with little opportunity to do so further.

Additional NHL Playoff Analysis

Canadiens vs. Lightning Playoff Primer – Head-to-Head at 5v5

Canadiens Vs. electrical special teams

Canadiens vs Lightning

Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Round One Playoff Series Schedule

• Game One, 5:45 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 19, Benchmark International Arena.
• Game Two, 7 p.m. ET, Tuesday, April 21, Benchmark International Arena.
• Game Three, 7 p.m. ET, Friday, April 24, Bell Center
• Game Four, 7 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 26, Bell Center.
• Game Five, Time TBD, Wednesday, April 29, Benchmark International Arena.
• Game Six, Time TBD, Friday, May 1, Bell Center
• Game Seven, Time TBD, Sunday, May 3, Benchmark International Arena.

You’ll notice that they have not yet revealed the exact start date for Games Five, Six and Seven (if necessary). There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to renting out arenas, and it seems like the logistics aren’t fully understood by the NHL yet.

Montreal Canadiens playoff lineup

The Montreal Canadiens lineup was very similar to the one that was introduced earlier in the week, although it should be noted that Caden Guhle ran with Lane Hutson, not Alexander Carrier.

Things could change, but as of now, it appears the Canadiens will enter the NHL playoffs with players like Brendan Gallagher, Joe Velano and Adam Engstrom, and David Rickenbacker watching the game from the press box as healthy scratches.

It’s also quite obvious that losing defenseman Noah Dobson will make matters more difficult for the Canadiens, but they are far from the only team dealing with life without one of their best blueliners.

Here are the trios and duos in training:

Caulfield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
texier-newhook-demidov
Anderson-Danault-Evans
bolduc-kapanen-dach

matheson-guhle
hutson-carrier
Struble-Xhekaj
reinbacher-angstrom

Note that Velano, Gallagher and Laine only completed one lap during… pic.twitter.com/BSu1DZt2JM

– Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) 17 April 2026

Tampa Bay Lightning playoff lineup

Former Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman will miss Sunday’s series opener, and is unlikely to attend a hockey game in the near future.

starting line combination
Gonçalves-Point-Kucherov
Hegel-Cirelli-Guentzel
Girgenson-Gourde-Paul
perry-bjorkstrand-sabourin-james

Moser-Radish
McDonagh-Cernak
D’Estous-Lillebourg
carlisle-crozier

Vasilevsky
johansson

– Lightning Insider (@Erik_Erlendsson) 17 April 2026

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

newcastle unitedOdysseas Vlachodimos is waiting for developments to decide on his future.

Last summer, the Premier League team let the goalkeeper join Sevilla on loan and he has enjoyed regular minutes.

The Newcastle United player’s performances have convinced the La Liga side to extend his stay.

Last month, Seville Sports director Antonio Cordon said The 31-year-old aims to continue beyond this season.

Earlier this month, Sport Witness Covered claims from Spain Eddie Howe’s side want €10 million, which is considered excessive for the Andalusian club.

What the Newcastle United man wants

Sports stadium Now Antonio Cordon again hints at Odysseus Vlachodimos’ desire to stay. For Sevilla, ‘the circumstances are not ideal’ as there is no purchase option or obligation as part of the loan deal.

Sevilla are happy with the Greece international and are prioritizing extending his stay. His agent has already traveled to Spain to hold talks with the La Liga side, but the stopper will not make a final decision on his future until the end of this season.

Estadio have information from sources close to the operation that the Magpies-owned player is ‘clear about his priorities’.

He wants to find out where the Spanish club will play next season. They will finish the season in 15th place, two points above the relegation zone.

If Sevilla remain in the top tier, he will ‘initiate more direct discussions’ with Newcastle United over a move forward.

The player is now ‘at the mercy’ of the Premier League side, who have to make a decision on his future.

Meanwhile, Sevilla are already considering other options in the market. On Thursday, Sports Witness broadcast news They are considering signing Liverpool youngster Armin Peixi.

Our view: Seville remains complicated

The Andalusian club’s financial situation is unlikely to improve until there is an ownership change.

If this does not happen, the chances of Odysseas Vlachodimos joining them permanently are very slim as Sevilla will not be able to meet Newcastle United’s request.

The only possibility is if the stopper remains adamant that he wants to extend his stay in Spain. If not, it remains a complicated operation for Sevilla despite staying in La Liga.

NHL playoff games continue the race for the Stanley Cup today, with key matchups shaping the first round of the postseason. Here is the complete Stanley Cup Playoff schedule, including start times, matchups and what to watch.

Update: April 17, 2026 – 9:39am ET

nhl playoff games today

• Total Games: 0
• Round: first round
• Featured matchups: N/A
• Elimination Game: N/A
• TV Coverage: N/A

today’s nhl playoff schedule

There are no NHL playoff games today, Friday, April 17.

Top NHL playoff matchups to watch

These games make the biggest impact based on momentum, star power and playoff implications.

• [Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars] – Minnesota-Dallas is the top NHL playoff matchup, as both teams are among the best in the league. This Central Division rivalry should be re-ignited in the first round.
• [Boston Bruins vs Buffalo Sabres] – Buffalo is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011, while Boston looks to make some noise after missing out last year.

player to watch

Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers

Connor McDavid heads to the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs after losing the last two finals to the Florida Panthers. McDavid will lead Edmonton with his elite attack.

Nathan MacKinnon – Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon wants to get Colorado into playoff hockey in June. MacKinnon would lead the Avalanche during the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Quinn Hughes – Minnesota Wild

Quinn Hughes could be the final puzzle for Minnesota. Hughes will help lead the Wild with his stellar offense and defense.

What’s at stake tomorrow?

• Carolina and Ottawa look to get off to a great start to the playoffs with wins
• Minnesota and Dallas continued their rivalry in the first round.
• Philadelphia and Pittsburgh renew Pennsylvania rivalry

This page is updated daily with today’s latest NHL games, start times and matchups.

READ MORE: Full NHL playoff pictures today – updated standings and Stanley Cup bracket

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work can also…more about Austin Konensky

Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, stories and content you may have missed on Thursday.

montreal canadiens news

We now know when the Habs and Lightning will play Game One of their first-round series. Well, we know what day it will be on Sunday, but the league has not released the actual start time yet. Oh, and we haven’t yet been advised when games two, three, four, five, six or seven will take place. Classic NHL! [NHL Playoff Schedule: Canadiens Vs. Lightning Begins Sunday]

ICYMI: There is no doubt, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been the better team at 5v5 this season. However, when the numbers between Montreal and the Lightning are evaluated against each other in their four games, the discrepancy is less noticeable, with the Canadiens managing to control more shots than the Bolts. [Playoff Preview: Canadiens Vs. Lightning Head-To-Head]

Check out this awesome playoff pump-up video made by Danielle Lapierre! There was a time when editing at this level was reserved for a few expensive videos per year, but now we’re seeing fan-driven content that trumps the content produced by teams, which is nothing short of excellent. Keep up the good work, Danielle!

I’m not saying Lane Hutson should win the Norris Trophy, but it’s a little ridiculous that he’s not ranked among the top candidates by the NHL voters. Most data-based analysis shows that Hutson should be considered one of the front-runners when it comes to selecting the best defenseman in the league.

With the regular season ending tomorrow night, who is your vote for the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman? 🗳️ #NHLAAwards

Read more ➡️ https://t.co/0NxHNBlLNm pic.twitter.com/qdbkUkyDY7

– NHL Media (@NHLMedia) 15 April 2026

Even though it seems clear that the Canadiens do not intend to use Patrik Laine any time soon, head coach Martin Saint-Louis is keeping a close eye on the situation, which may not be easy for the Finnish forward.

What do Martin St. Louis and Patrik Laine say to each other before training starts? 🤔🧐@DLCoulisses #GoHabsGo #line #NHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/sLSNVkZeZs

– Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) 16 April 2026

As for players looking to make their mark, rookie David Rickenbacker spent a lot of time with skills coach Adam Nicholls on Thursday.

David Rickenbacker worked alone with Adam Nichols for several minutes after practice.

The Austrian defender wanted to improve his handling and protection of the puck near his net.@DLCoulisses #GoHabsGo #reinbacher #NHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/6ux0E1z3N5

– Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) 16 April 2026

Shockingly or not, Hutson and Ivan Demidov were among the first players to jump onto the ice during practice.

Even in the playoffs, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov’s habits don’t change: They’re the first two players on the ice this morning in Brossard.@DLCoulisses #GoHabsGo #hutsan #Demidov #NHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/laqm9hAMWQ

– Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) 16 April 2026

Sportsknot Network

Anders Lee spent 14 of his NHL seasons wearing a New York Islanders sweater. This may be about to change soon. Lee spoke about his future on Islanders breakup day on Wednesday and why his exit interview with GM Matthew Darche was important. [New York Islanders]

It’s official, folks, the Ottawa Senators will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs. This places the Senators in the metropolitan portion of the bracket for the first two rounds, along with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers. [Ottawa Senators]

The Detroit Red Wings need to make a move during the 2026 NHL offseason. After a late-season collapse, the Red Wings fell from leading the Eastern Conference to falling out of playoff contention. However, could Detroit consider making a blockbuster trade during the 2026 NHL offseason? [Detroit Red Wings]

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

The Vegas Golden Knights return to the ice tonight to face the Winnipeg Jets in the second to last game of the regular season. With the postseason approaching, we’re really starting to get down to the wire.

The Golden Knights will close out the regular season with a two-game homestand starting tonight against the Jets before hosting the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday.

Here’s the latest from practice.

Reilly Smith in, Saad out

According to Danny Webster, the Golden Knights will start with Reilly Smith instead of Brandon Saad. The two have been bouncing back and forth between lineups.

“Smith will go tonight and Saad will be out,” head coach John Tortorella said. “I’ll have to figure it out, I like where the other lines are. I’m going to change them tonight and we’ll see how it all works out.”

Smith has 13 goals and 22 points in 67 games, while Saad has three goals and nine points in 49 games.

Hart got the nod in the net

Carter Hart got the nod in net tonight against the Jets and considering his play, it’s no surprise. He is 4-0-0 with a 1.93 average and .918 save percentage in his last four games.

Why won’t he start? He is 9-5-0 in 14 games in the playoffs, including a goals-against average of 2.23 and a save percentage of .926 in his career playoffs.

“Carter is on track to be in really good shape as we get to the playoffs.” Tortorella said.

As the regular season winds down, we’ll see if the Golden Knights lean toward Hart or if they give Adin Hill a chance to steal the crease back.

High Stakes vs Jets

Unlike last season, the Golden Knights still have a lot at stake. Vegas has won four of the last seven Pacific Division titles, but has yet to reach the postseason.

The Golden Knights currently lead the division with 91 points, with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks close behind with 90 points each.

A win against the Jets would give Vegas 93 points. A win would clinch the division and potentially set up a first-round matchup against the top wild-card team, which is trending toward the Utah Mammoth.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM PST tonight.

Cooper Krigbaum is a beat reporter covering the Vegas Golden Knights for Vegas Hockey Now on SportsNut. He also told about Cooper Krigbaum

The Boston Red Sox came into the season with aspirations of winning the AL East, and some in baseball saw them as World Series contenders. Hours after the series loss to the San Diego Padres at Fenway Park, fans were criticizing the team and chanting “sell the team”, with at least one fan-favorite echoing the frustration to some extent.

Speaking to reports after Sunday’s loss to the Padres, outfielder Roman Anthony criticized the team’s energy and made it clear that the way everyone is playing is unacceptable.

“We need to find a way to bring more energy and be better. This is unacceptable. This is unacceptable to the fans. This is unacceptable to the standard we set for ourselves.”

Roman Anthony of the Boston Red Sox after Sunday’s loss to the San Diego Padres

RELATED: MLB Power Rankings Week 1, see where the BOS Red Sox stand

What went wrong for the Red Sox?

Things looked promising on opening day. Boston opened the season with a 3–0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Anthony went 3-for-4, Trevor Story had an RBI single, Jaren Duran went 2-for-5 at the plate with an RBI, Marcelo Meyer went 2-for-2 off the bench with two runs scored, and Sedan Rafaela went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Since then it has been largely downhill.

In eight games played from March 28 to April 5, the Red Sox lineup has collectively posted a .211/.286/.374 triple-slash line. According to FanGraphs, during that span Boston ranked 25th in runs scored (27), 25th in walk rate (8.5 percent) and 18th in OPS (.659), along with the second-highest strikeout rate in baseball (29.2 percent).

Anthony has been part of the problem after his stint with Team USA. He got off to a strong start on Opening Day, but has since posted a .167/.242/.333 triple-slash line with a 36.4 percent strikeout rate in 33 plate appearances. Meanwhile, Meyer (.136/.200/.364), Story (.108/.108/.216), and Duran (.160 batting average) have also been disappointing since their season-opening win.

Pitching has also been a problem for Boston. Top free-agent signee Ranger Suarez has given up 13 hits and eight earned runs in 8.1 innings in his first two starts, Brian Bello (eight hits and five earned runs) was rough in his first start of the season, and Conley Early’s command was an issue Saturday.

As Fenway Sports Group continues to ask fans to pay more at the ballpark, the product on the field is deteriorating. Given everything that’s happened so far, it’s no surprise that fans chanted “Sell the team” at Fenway Park on Sunday, and we’ll hear more of that in Boston down the road.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

As the opening weekend approaches for the 2026 season, many teams have tested their mettle so far and have made an encouraging start to the year.

But not all of those teams had top debuting prospects. Five of MLB’s 30 teams had young players performing well in 2026. Here’s a look at each one’s start to the year:

Munetaka Murakami, Chicago White Sox

Although the White Sox lost to the Milwaukee Brewers this weekend, it wasn’t for a lack of effort from Murakami.

The former two-time KBO Central League MVP showed Chicago why they signed him this offseason, hitting a home run in each of his first three games with the club.

More encouraging, however, is that Murakami is taking his walks. He has walked four times in 13 plate appearances, giving him a .538 OBP to start the year.

There was concern about his high strikeout numbers in the KBO, and that’s still warranted considering his four strikeouts. But it’s safe to say that he has managed to overcome those concerns so far.

Chase Delauter, Cleveland Guardians

Adding another slugger to this group (with a historic four home runs in his first three games), Deloutre spent the opening weekend destroyed Pitching staff of the Seattle Mariners.

Although his series ultimately ended, it still marks an impressive debut that has only been done once more (Trevor Story, 2016).

Through four games, DeLauter has a ridiculous .353/.353/1.059 slash line with an OPS of 1.412. That level of production probably won’t continue (and has already dropped off a bit in game four against Seattle), but Cleveland will need him to produce to take the AL Central crown once again.

Kevin McGonigal, Detroit Tigers

McGonigal’s lack of slugs so far has separated him from the first two (though not without effort).

After troubling the San Diego Padres’ pitching staff with a magical four-hit hit on Opening Day, McGonigle tried to do the same the next evening. In his first at-bat against starter Michael King, he lofted a fly ball to center that was sure to go out…until it didn’t.

Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill managed Now! It was blocked, denying McGonigal his first MLB home run.

But McGonigal will have the last laugh. He later had a 10 pitch at-bat against Wendy Peralta that ended with the decisive two-run single. The Tigers would not relinquish the lead after that.

McGonigal began the year ranked second in batting average (.417) and slugging percentage (.583) and third in on-base percentage (.462) among Detroit hitters.

There were concerns about the Tigers’ production ability this off-season. They are largely satisfied with the performance of the star newbie in this series.

Owen Casey, Miami Marlins

The only player to have already made his MLB debut, Casey made his Marlins debut this year after being the headliner in the Edward Cabrera trade with the Chicago Cubs.

He promptly rewarded Miami.

In three games, he has gone 5 for 10 with two doubles and a walk-off home run against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday night.

The Marlins are trying to be competitive this year after (surprisingly) missing the playoffs in 2025. With star left fielder Kyle Stowers injured at the beginning of the year, Casey will be confident in his performance.

JJ Weatherholt, St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis’ starting second baseman, Weatherholt made his MLB debut on Opening Day. He had a stellar .308/.333/.538 slash line throughout the weekend and a solid .917 fielding percentage in the infield.

As if his first home run wasn’t enough, he hit it alone on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

After trading away most of their stars this offseason, the Cards are focused on rebuilding. The dominant belief is that they will not be competitive this year. But it will be fun for St. Louis fans to see the young star perform.

The Los Angeles Lakers continued their late-season streak by defeating the Indiana Pacers 137-130 on Wednesday night behind another stellar performance from Luka Doncic. The Slovenian star finished with 43 points, seven assists and six rebounds, his league-leading 14th 40-point game of the season.

Setting the pace early, Doncic scored 21 points in the first quarter, his eighth instance of a 20-point span this season, approaching Stephen Curry’s 2015–16 record of 11. He reached 11 consecutive 30-point games, equaling the longest streak in the last 20 years.

The 27-year-old has been historically productive during this period, averaging 40.7 points on the Lakers’ six-game road trip, the first player to average 40 over that span since Michael Jordan in 1986-87. He currently leads the NBA in scoring with 33.6 points per game.

Doncic shot 15 of 30 from the field and 9 of 10 from the free-throw line, including five 40-point games in his last 11 outings.

Los Angeles (47-26) took control of the game early and went on a 10-0 run to lead 45-28 after one quarter. They led by 29 points and entered the fourth quarter ahead 105–85 before Indiana (16–57) made a late push to cut the margin to six in the final minute.

LeBron James contributed 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, while Austin Reaves finished with 25 points and eight assists. Jackson Hayes recorded his first double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Playing without Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart, the Lakers finished the road trip 5-1 and have now won 13 of their last 15 games. They sit in third place in the Western Conference with nine games remaining and next host the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night.

The Montreal Canadiens (37-20-10) will face the Detroit Red Wings (37-23-8) on Thursday night, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

This will be the third and final meeting between these Atlantic Division teams in the regular season, with both teams having split the previous two games. The Canadiens dominated the Red Wings 5–1 in early October, while Detroit bounced back with a 4–0 shutout win in January.

More importantly, this will be a game that will have significant playoff implications, as Detroit and Montreal are separated by just two points in the Eastern Conference playoff race, although it should be noted that the Habs have a game in hand.

As things stand, Montreal’s playoff chances are around 85%, while Detroit’s are just under 69%. In other words, no team is comfortable enough to tolerate poor performance.

Given that Thursday’s game is so important, the Canadiens have decided to give rookie netminder Jacob Dobbs another kick. He had an excellent performance in Montreal’s 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, stopping 26 of 28 shots to secure the win.

If Dobbs wins, he will officially tie Canadiens legend Patrick Roy with 23 wins in his rookie season, quite a feat when we consider he had to share his net with two other netminders. For the record, Roy needed 47 games to reach 23 wins, while this would be Dobbs’ 34th appearance of the season.

Beyond the netminder, head coach Martin Saint-Louis will have to make some modifications to his forward lines, as Josh Anderson is currently listed as day-to-day (upper-body-injury) and will be forced to miss the game against the Red Wings.

It remains to be seen who will replace Andersen in the lineup, however, as injured forward Patrik Laine is not expected to play. In all likelihood, Joe Veleno, who hasn’t played since early February, will be facing the same team that drafted him in 2018.

The Red Wings are also dealing with injury issues, as Dylan Larkin, Michael Rasmussen, Andrew Copp and Michael Brandsegg-Nygaard are currently unavailable, with the latter getting closer to a return to action, and could be a late addition to Detroit’s roster on Thursday.

Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup

Cole Coffield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkowski

Alex Newhook – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov

Zach Bolduc – Jake Evans – Alex Texier

Joe Veleno* – Philip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson

Caden Guhle – Alex Carrier

Jaden Struble- Lane Hutson

jacob dobbs

Detroit Red Wings Projected Lineup

Alex DeBrincat – JT Compher – Patrick Kane

Emmitt Finney – Frame Casper – Lucas Raymond

James Van Riemsdyk – Sheldon Dries – David Perron

John Leonard – Mason Appleton – Dominic Shine

Simon Edvinsson – Moritz Seider

Ben Chiarot – Justin Faulk

Albert Johansson – Jacob Bernard-Docker

john gibson

How to watch Hubs Vs. red feather

Montreal Canadiens vs. Detroit Red Wings, Thursday, March 19, 2026, will be broadcast on RDS and TSN2. A quick recap with highlights will be available on Sportsnote immediately after the final

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

We’re only two races into the 2026 Formula 1 season, and Ferrari has the best race starts on the grid, a driver lineup that most teams would sell internal organs for and a car that’s capable of beating Mercedes on a good day. Scuderia Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur also spent part of his post-race media session in Shanghai drawing a line in the sand over the start procedure controversy. And for once, the Ferrari team principals are completely right to do so.

Backstory matters here. A year ago, Vasseur came to the FIA ​​and said the 2026 start process would be a problem.

“A year ago, I went to the FIA,” Vasseur said in China. “I raised my hand early in the process and said, ‘Guys, this is going to be hard.’ The answer was clear that we had to design the car fitting with the regulation, not replace the regulation fitting with the car.”

Ferrari did exactly that. He created a smaller turbo that spun more efficiently, built a power unit to meet the new regulations, and showed off in Melbourne, with Charles Leclerc going from fourth to first at Turn One. Lewis Hamilton did basically the same thing from the second row in China. Rivals noticed, were outraged, and immediately began lobbying for changes, with George Russell even calling Ferrari “selfish” for preventing further changes in the process.

“We designed the car fitting with the regulation, the five-second change, the blue light story, didn’t help us at all,” Vasseur said, “but I think at one level enough was enough.”

Asked if the case was closed, he didn’t hesitate: “For me, yes.”

Good. This should be stopped. Ferrari identified a problem, raised it through the proper channels, asked for it to be dealt with, and then went and dealt with it better than anyone else in the paddock. Penalizing competence because your competitors didn’t do their homework is not supposed to be the way sporting rules work, and the FIA ​​would now embarrass itself by bowing to that pressure.

Vasseur and the Ferrari project selective outrage

But the thing is, being right about this particular battle doesn’t mean that Ferrari’s relationship with regulation drama has suddenly become healthy. It’s not like that.

The Scuderia has spent the better part of two decades treating the rule book as both a weapon and a crutch, depending on which way the wind is blowing. When the rules are in their favor it’s a matter of integrity of the game. When the rules don’t do it, it’s a political conspiracy. The fact that Vasseur has a legitimate complaint right now doesn’t erase the pattern and it’s hard to miss the pattern when you’re watching it play out in real time.

Mercedes is still ahead. Ferrari is still lagging behind in straight-line performance which matters most at the start. Vasseur candidly acknowledged the deficit, saying the team was “eight tenths off in Melbourne, six tenths off on Friday in China, four tenths off on Saturday” and needed to work on the chassis, tires and engine to close that gap – not just on one parameter. It’s honest self-assessment, and it’s the kind of conversation that shows Vasseur understands where the real work lies.

Ferrari and this cultural malaise

The problem is that in the broader culture of Ferrari there is a gravitational pull toward lateral performance. Hamilton and Leclerc are two of the best drivers alive, there’s real speed in the car, and Japan is coming in 10 days with a circuit that could highlight Mercedes’ straight-line advantage in a way it didn’t in Shanghai. There are legitimate reasons for optimism in Maranello. None of this has anything to do with the politics of the initiation process.

Ferrari’s best path to the championship – their first since 2008 – runs directly through improving Mercedes over the course of the season, not by blocking rule changes that help rivals catch up. Vasseur knows this.

“Racing hasn’t changed,” he said. “All components of the demonstration are still on the table.”

This is the correct framing. Beginners are a weapon right now and there is nothing wrong with using them. Turning them into a season-long narrative, however, is a distraction Ferrari can’t really afford.

Win the argument at the start line. Win the season in the wind tunnel. They are not the same thing.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

No Jalen Brunson, no problem. Even without their key player, the New York Knicks recorded an easy 136-110 win over the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Brunson missed the game with an ankle injury and a neck strain. He had not missed a competition since January.

A big factor in the Knicks’ victory was Jose Alvarado, who replaced Brunson in the starting lineup. He scored 16 points on 5 of 10 shooting, including four three-pointers, two rebounds, 10 assists and two steals.

Before tip-off, Alvarado was introduced as being from Christ the King High School. Players are usually introduced to their alma mater in college. When SNY asked about this, they told a slight change felt appropriate.

“I just wanted to show love for the school in the city where I went. Thanks to my college, I’m definitely grateful for my college. But the debut at The Garden was meant to represent the city where I grew up,” explained Alvarado, who was born and raised in Brooklyn.

During lineup introductions, Jose Alvarado was asked about his introduction to Christ the King High School:

“I just wanted to show love for the school in the town where I went to. The debut at The Garden was meant to represent the town where I grew up.” pic.twitter.com/PI1iaD996y

– Knicks Video (@sny_knicks) 18 March 2026

The 27-year-old guard played four years at Georgia Tech, earning two All-ACC team honors and winning the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award in 2021.

Alvarado has been a solid midseason pick-up for the Knicks, providing instant energy, defensive intensity and shooting off the bench. In 18 games, he has averaged 6.2 points, 4.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 17.0 minutes.

He’s a perfect fit for the Knicks’ culture, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he earns a bigger role in the playoffs.

The New Orleans Pelicans face the Houston Rockets on Friday. Meanwhile, Zion Williamson is Despite this, they are securing their future with the franchise. early trade rumors And injuries.

Before tip-off, Williamson A rapid increase was seen In his contract, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. As a result of playing in 51 games, Williamson’s guaranteed salary will increase from $16.9 million to $25.3 million.

Additionally, his salary before the start of the season was $42.2 million for next season, with no money for security.

This year, Williamson is averaging 21.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are 22-45 and have won seven of their last ten games.

Williamson has been with the Pelicans since being selected as the No. 1 pick out of Duke in 2019. Since then, he became an NBA All-Star twice in 2021 and 2023. In 2020, he made the All-Rookie team.

However, Williamson’s NBA career has largely been covered in bruises, criticism of their weightAs well as off-court issues such as 2025 sexual harassment allegation.

At the beginning of the season, it was reported that Williamson would be one of the players to be traded. However, the Pelicans are clearly doing everything possible to ensure that Williamson remains in the Big Easy for the long term.

On Monday, the Pelicans return home for four games. First up, they will take on the Dallas Mavericks. Then, they will play back-to-back games against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday and Thursday. On Saturday, March 21, the Pelicans will conclude the week by playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Los Angeles Clippers were left for dead in November. After a disappointing 5–20 start to the season, most pundits were examining mock drafts rather than playoff standings. But after Wednesday night’s 153-128 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, this team did something no one in NBA history has done.

According to NBA insider Brett Siegel, with the win, the Clippers became the first team in league history to go above the .500 mark after falling at least 15 games below .500 in the same season. Sitting at 35-34, Los Angeles has completed a comeback that seemed statistically impossible four months ago.

The Intuit Dome was rocking as Kawhi Leonard turned in one of the most accomplished pieces of his historic career. Leonard torched the Timberwolves for 45 points on a ridiculous 17-of-21 shooting from the field. They didn’t just beat Minnesota; He destroyed them, scoring at will from mid-range and the perimeter.

However, it was not just a one-man show. Benedict Mathurin operated the offense like a surgeon, scoring 22 points and 3 assists. The Clippers’ offense looked like a well-oiled machine, shooting a whopping 63 percent from the floor as a team. Los Angeles dominated every aspect of the game, outshooting Minnesota 60–44 in the paint and turning 10 Timberwolves turnovers into 14 points.

The Timberwolves, led by Anthony Edwards’ 36 points, could not keep up with the Clippers’ historic heater. Minnesota struggled to find stops as the Clippers dropped more than 40 points in three of four quarters.

From a 15-game losing streak to a winning record, the Clippers have officially flipped the script for the 2025-26 season. If they keep playing like this, “phenomenal” could be the beginning of their story.

The Montreal Canadiens (33-18-10) are set to face the Los Angeles Kings (25-22-4), with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

The Habs are less than 24 hours removed from a disappointing loss against the Anaheim Ducks, in which the team overcame a third period deficit to establish a very fragile one-goal lead. But as has been the case on many occasions this year, the Canadiens struggled to hold off their opponents, ultimately losing to the Ducks 6–5 in a shootout.

All things considered, it was a better effort than their previous game in California, a 6–2 loss to the San Jose Sharks. And the Canadiens managed to pick up a point in Anaheim thanks to great efforts from young stars like Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkowski.

With a shootout point in the bank, the Habs keep their playoff chances above 80%, but it must be said that they aren’t generating a lot of confidence from their recent play, which has seen a very low level of consistency, especially from a defensive standpoint.

Simply put, the Canadiens can score a lot of goals, but they have a very hard time defending, and this issue goes beyond the huge save percentages produced by their netminders.

Lineup changes, starting goalkeeper

Neither the Canadiens nor the Kings practiced Saturday. Any changes to the lineup will be revealed when they take to the ice for pre-game warm-ups.

However, the Habs are expected to start Jacob Dobbs, their strongest option among available goaltenders. Again, Montreal’s defensive situation makes life very difficult on the netminders, but it must be said that Dobbs gives the Habs the best chance to win on any given night.

As far as the skaters are concerned, we saw some very encouraging play from the front line on Friday night. The Slafkovsky experiment on the second line was mercifully ended, yielding immediate and fairly aggressive results from the top trio.

All three players scored at least two points, with Caufield scoring two goals.

With all due respect to Canadiens head coach Martin Saint-Louis, this was a decision taken a long time ago.

Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup

Cole Coffield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkowski

Alex Newhook – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov

Zach Bolduc – Jake Evans – Kirby Dach

Josh Anderson – Philip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Mike Matheson – Caden Guhle

Lane Hutson – Noah Dobson

Jaden Struble – Alex Carrier

jacob dobbs

Los Angeles Kings Projected Lineup

Artemi Panarin – Anze Kopitar – Adrian Kempe

Trevor Moore – Alex Turcotte – Alex Laferriere

Jared Wright – Kenny Connors – Matthew Joseph

Jeff Malott – Samuel Helenius – Taylor Ward

Mickey Anderson – Drew Doughty

Joel Edmondson – Brandt Clark

Brian Dumoulin – Cody Ceci

Darcy Kuemper

How to watch Hubs Vs. King

Montreal Canadiens vs. Los Angeles Kings, Saturday, March 7, 2026, will be broadcast on Sportsnet East, Citi TV and TVA Sports. A quick recap with highlights will be available on SportsNote once the final whistle blows.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

The Los Angeles Lakers are dealing with complications after a three-game losing streak a week ago left some fans nervous about the state of the team. However, since then the Lakers have won three straight games, including a 110-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.

It was a masterclass on the defensive end that paved the way for the Lakers to victory. They outscored the Pelicans 34–23 in the final frame, and had a stretch where they were getting their hands on the Pelicans’ ballhandler on every drive. This showed that a team can have an advantage on the defensive end when they have active hands and when they are locked in as a unit.

In fact, the win impressed Lakers head coach JJ Redick to such an extent that he compared to That’s the kind of wins they were getting earlier in the season as they started the 2025-26 campaign with a 15-4 record.

Redick said in his postgame presser, via Benjamin Royer of the Orange County Register, “To be honest, this isn’t a win we’ve had since probably November, where we’re down. We had a lot of early wins when we started 15-4, we had a lot of double-digit deficits in the second half and we stuck with it and kept playing. It was a good win for us to be able to do that again.”

JJ Redick on the Lakers’ 110-101 win over the Pelicans, comparing it to the team’s 15-4 win earlier in the season:

“Frankly, this is not a win that we have probably had since November.” pic.twitter.com/PaH8UG6NHO

– Benjamin Royer (@thebenroyer) 4 March 2026

Lakers match Pelicans’ physicality

Redick also credited Marcus Smart and Jackson Hayes for stepping up and helping the Lakers assert themselves defensively in the second half, leading to a comfortable win in the end.

Redick said, “The big emphasis for us in the pregame and on film was just our physicality. You have to match Zion’s physicality. Match Saddiq Bey’s physicality. I thought Smart was unbelievable tonight. When we got back into the game defensively in the second half, he and Jackson helped us win the game. They changed the game.”

There has been a goalie controversy in the Montreal Canadiens crease for most of the season. It seems that some fans have lost faith in Samuel Montembeault, and there are certain arguments that support a change.

Jacob Dobbes outmatched him to the extent that the former Team Canada member was sent down to the AHL for a conditioning stint in the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament, leading to highly anticipated prospect Jacob Fowler being called up for a total of ten games. Later, on December 27 to be exact, the Quebec-native was recalled, and as a result, Fowler was returned to the Laval Rocket.

Since returning with the Canadiens, Montembeault has continued to divide opinions as he has compiled a 5–2–2 record in nine games played. Additionally, Dobbes has not lost once in regular time in his eight contests with the Habs since his goaltending counterpart returned to Montreal.

But is the difference in their performances really as big as the win column suggests?

Let’s take a look at the facts.

Who deserves credit for recent success?

Since December 27, the Montreal Canadiens have been one of the best teams in the league in points scored (6th in points) from 22 games played (6th in points), as well as goals scored (4th in GF/60).

What’s flying under the radar a bit is the fact that they’ve lagged far behind in terms of generating expected goals (22nd in xGF%). His defense has been particularly suspect (28th in xGA/60), a worrying situation for everyone involved.

Therefore, their goaltenders are often forced to bail them out, ranking 7th in GSAX/60.

And, surprisingly, Montembelt did it even more than Dobbes.

As seen in the table, since December 27 Montembeault has saved 0.9 goals above expectation per 60 minutes, thus bringing the most positive value out of the three Canadian goaltenders. Dobbes has also performed well, saving 0.64 goals per hour above expectation. Both goalkeepers have similar high-danger save percentage and low-danger save percentage, and rank slightly above average in those statistics.

In terms of consistency, Dobbes has had the upper hand, as he has made five quality starts in his eight matches, while Montebault has saved more goals than expected in four of his eight matches. Both goalkeepers have made two steals for their teams, meaning they have saved more goals than the goal difference between the teams involved in the match.

Thus, statistically it seems that as of late, both Dobbes and Montebault have not only been very important to their team’s success but are also having very similar performances.

So, why has Dobbes won seven of his eight matches and Montebault has won “only” five of them?

context is important

When we look at the Canadiens’ underlying numbers with different goaltenders since December 27, we notice a few things.

First, Jacob Fowler struggled at times when he was in net, but the Canadiens also had difficulty providing run support. In those 5 games Fowler started he scored over 1.5 fewer goals per hour than expected, while controlling 61.8% of the expected goals. Poor finishing and below average goaltending resulted in the Canadiens only getting 3 points from those 5 games.

Secondly, the Canadiens have handled expected goals very evenly regardless of whether Montembeault or Dobbes has been in net. However, Dobbes has enjoyed a goal share of 62.5%, while Montembelt is getting a goal share of 54.2% – quite good in itself – despite saving more goals than expected than Dobbes.

This could be explained by the fact that the Canadiens were better able to finish their chances on net with Dobbes than they were with Montembeault. The Canadiens have scored more goals than expected anyway, but with Dobbs, the Canadiens have scored goals Ten Many times more than expected compared to Montembeault.

This is a distinction that cannot be attributed to any goaltender, and it is also something that should be expected to be achieved again in the coming games.

Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks

While some rumors have linked Stanley Cup-winning veteran goaltenders such as Sergei Bobrovsky and Jordan Binnington to the Canadiens, the way the Canadiens goaltenders have been performing recently, it does not seem necessary.

Goaltending is something that is consistently inconsistent, and judging by their performance this year, both Binnington and Bobrovsky will be taking as much of a gamble as the current goaltender.

But the question still stands: who should be the one to start?

Thinking about this season’s performance, the answer is Dobbs. But as Montembeault seems to be quietly getting there, and given the very good results of the past, it seems more likely that he will still get his fair share of starts, and the 1A-1B situation will continue.

The Montreal Canadiens just have to hope that the goaltending remains good enough, and while they’re at it, they focus on finding ways to fix their special teams and defensive problems when the trade deadline approaches.

All Montreal Canadiens stats are 5v5, via Natural Stat Trick, unless otherwise noted.

Where is NASCAR racing this weekend? We head into the fourth points race of the season and the second weekend of stock car racing in March. NASCAR’s schedule takes us to Phoenix Raceway this weekend, with the top two series set to hit the track Friday through Sunday for practice, qualifying and two races.

Here is this weekend’s NASCAR schedule for the Cup Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Worth noting that there are no Truck Series races this weekend. Note, all times listed are Eastern.

RELATED: NASCAR Power Rankings Today, 10 Best NASCAR Drivers Before Phoenix

NASCAR Weekend Schedule: Phoenix Raceway

Friday, March 6

• 7:00 PM ET – O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Practice – The CW App
• 8:05 PM ET – O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Qualifying – The CW App

RELATED: NASCAR explains situation ahead of Phoenix

Saturday, March 7

• 12:00 PM ET – Cup Series Practice – Amazon Prime Video
• 1:10 PM ET – Cup Series Qualifying – Amazon Prime Video
• 7:30 PM ET – GOVX 200 (OARS Race) – The CW Network

READ MORE: NASCAR race winners, losers at COTA

Sunday, March 8

• 3:30 PM ET – Straight Talk Wireless 500 (Cup Series race) – Fox Sports 1

NASCAR Cup Series schedule this weekend

Here is the complete NASCAR weekend schedule for the Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway.

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Schedule This Weekend

Here is the complete NASCAR O’Reilly Series schedule for Phoenix this weekend.

RExcited: NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series results from COTA

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Four years ago, the Cleveland Browns “won” the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes by agreeing to a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract with the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback. But before they could get him to sign on the dotted line, the Browns had to send three first-round picks, a third-round pick, and two fourth-round picks.

Those draft picks join DT Jordan Davis, RB Jahmir Gibbs, WR Brian Thomas, WR Jalin Hyatt, RB Damien Pierce and TE Cade Stover. It has been considered the worst trade in NFL history, which is tragic for the Browns franchise, who were already quite desperate to make such a bold move for someone they thought would be their franchise quarterback for years to come.

Still, Watson has been nothing. He has yet to start more than seven games in a season with the Browns, and has started only 19 games in three seasons in Cleveland. He has completed only 61.2% of his passes for 3,365 passing yards, 19 TDs, 12 interceptions, while leading the Browns to a 9-10 record in the process.

Now 30, Watson is in the final year of his contract, but has a cap hit of $80.7 million. Given how poorly he has played as a member of the Browns, while also considering his tremendous cap hit, some have wondered if the new coaching staff would have no interest in keeping Watson as part of the new-look QB room.

Still, according to first-year head coach Todd Monken, it couldn’t be further from the case. Rather, he seems excited for the opportunity to work with Watson, and possibly even help the QB regain his signature look from his days in a Texans uniform.

If there’s any glimmer of hope that the Browns can still get some positive production from Watson, it’s up to Monken to figure it out. If not, Watson will be a free agent at the end of the 2026 season, and then the Browns can finally move on from their biggest mistake ever. Or, maybe Watson proves everyone wrong and returns to Houston as an MVP candidate.

RELATED: Cleveland Browns hire 75-year-old former NFL head coach

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

Bournemouth’s Luis Sinisterra faces even more uncertainty over his future, with reports coming from Brazil indicating that Cruzeiro does not intend to invoke a buyout clause in his loan deal.

According to a Brazilian journalist Thiago FernandesCruzeiro have no plans to sign the winger permanently.

The Colombian has not met the appearance-related targets that would trigger a mandatory buyout, and the Brazilian club are unwilling to pay €3.5m (£3m) for a full transfer.

Meanwhile, a recent detailed report globo esporte This explains why the deal is stalled.

Why did the injury record derail Cruzeiro’s plans?

Sinisterra joined Cruzeiro on loan from AFC Bournemouth last August, with the Brazilian side paying around €2.9m (£2.5m) for the temporary transfer. The idea was clear. He will regain rhythm, build fitness and strive to return to the Colombia national team before the 2026 World Cup. However, the gamble has not yet paid off.

In six months at Cruzeiro, Sinisterra suffered four different injuries and played only three matches. His latest setback came against Mirasol, when he was diagnosed with right thigh inflammation and was ruled out again.

The pattern is familiar. At Bournemouth, after transferring from Leeds United, he also struggled with muscle problems. Brazilian reports remind that he suffered three muscle injuries in England and missed more than 30 matches.

Cruzeiro implemented a Personal Strength and Balance Program From day one. Yet, the issues returned. He suffered a right thigh strain in September, then a left thigh muscle injury in October. Later in the season he managed seven matches, including two starts. another muscle problem Make it smaller.

In January, he even gave up part of his holiday to continue treatment and started pre-season early. He returned slowly, playing 30 minutes in the derby against America-MG and 54 minutes against Mirasol. breaking again.

What does this mean for Bournemouth

The loan runs until the middle of the year. Since mandatory purchase targets have not been met, Cruzeiro is not expected to proceed with the €3.5m (£3m) deal. From Bournemouth’s point of view, this creates a new decision point this summer.

Sinisterra is 26 years old and still under contract on the south coast. However, recurring muscle injuries continue to affect his market value and limit consistency. Without consistent minutes, it becomes difficult to structure a permanent exit.

Unless there is a drastic change in the coming months, the current direction points towards a return to Bournemouth and another reassessment of his future.

NFL 赛季的第 14 周即将到来。 通常，这是梦幻足球季后赛的第一周。 然而，由于联盟在每支球队的赛程中增加了第 17 场比赛，因此梦幻常规赛现在有 14 周。 因此，幻想所有者在季后赛到来之前还有最后一次改进的机会。

每年在 Fantasy Football 中，除了前 6 到 8 名之外，紧端位置大多是贫瘠的。 今年也不例外。 如果有的话，它比平时更糟。 尽管如此，我们必须深入研究细节，并准确地弄清楚哪些紧张的目标值得本周开始，哪些你应该传递。

这将我们带到了第 14 周开始的“坐在他们的梦幻足球”最后名单上。

第 12 周梦幻足球开始“坐下”：四分卫 | 跑卫 | 宽接收器

第 12 周 Start ‘Em：紧端

大卫 Njoku，克利夫兰布朗队

Deshaun Watson 的回归并没有按上周克利夫兰布朗队的进攻计划进行。 但可以预料的是，他在面对被低估的休斯顿德州人队中学时会有点生疏。 但经过整整一周的一线队训练和现场比赛，他本周的表现会更好一些。

布朗队对阵辛辛那提猛虎队，他们的防守非常出色。 但他们在本赛季的比赛中一直处于中游状态。 与此同时，Njoku 本周看起来接近完全健康。 他从缺席一场比赛中复出，目前能否在周日上场有疑问。 但根据布朗训练的报道，他在周三看起来非常棒，预计会适应。 考虑到梦幻足球中边锋位置的深度，Njoku 值得在一场布朗队很可能追分的比赛中上场。

杰拉尔德·埃弗雷特，洛杉矶闪电队

充电器紧端杰拉尔德埃弗雷特是本周梦幻足球的另一个前 10 名选择。 是的，部分原因当然是因为缺乏深度。 毕竟，今年这个位置上只有几个必须首发的球员。 但这里有充分的理由保持乐观。

在埃弗雷特开始和结束的比赛中（本赛季他两次因伤离场），他平均每场比赛的进球数刚刚超过 6 个。 贾斯汀赫伯特每场比赛打进 6 个球的任何人都值得一看。 DeAndre Carter 上周终于失宠了。 即使迈克威廉姆斯本周回归，这也可能会减少约书亚帕尔默的抢断次数，而不是埃弗雷特。

另外，本赛季海豚队被紧张的结局所伤。 迈阿密已经让第三多的梦幻足球得分进入了这个位置，让埃弗雷特直接出现在流媒体地图上。

Greg Dulcich，丹佛野马队

野马队的近端锋 Greg Dulcich 本赛季不知从何而来。 自从第 6 周进入首发阵容以来，他场均有 5.5 个进球。 正如我在上面指出的那样，我们在某种程度上抓住了幻想足球紧要​​关头的救命稻草。 但本周有几个理由喜欢 Dulcich。

丹佛队将对阵酋长队，这是他们多年未曾击败过的球队。 尽管野马队的防守一直很好，但你知道他们在这场比赛的大部分时间里都会落后。 与上面的 Njoku 类似，Dulcich 的每个目标空中码数在他所在位置的联盟领先者中排名。 所以当罗素威尔逊朝他的方向看时，通常是在低位。

堪萨斯城令人惊讶地拥有联盟中最好的快攻防守之一。 Courtland Sutton 没有练习，很可能本周无法上场。 由于 Jerry Jeudy 仍未达到 100%，如果 Dulcich 获得超过 20% 的目标份额，我不会感到惊讶。 这使他直接进入 TE1 领域。

第 12 周 Sit ‘Em：紧端

道森诺克斯，布法罗比尔

很多梦幻足球队的老板都对道森诺克斯进入本赛季充满信心。 你为什么不呢，他在去年的进攻中是一个红区威胁。 但是随着赛季的结束，很明显他在目标的啄食顺序上远远落后。

诺克斯在上周战胜爱国者队的比赛中只在一个目标上投了一个甜甜圈。 前一周，他在 17 码外接住了两个目标 Lions。 两周内的三个目标并不能激发信心。 那是针对紧端的第 4 和第 10 最佳幻想对决。

本周，他将与喷气机队的线卫对位，后者在防守端锋方面做得非常出色。 在其他地方流式传输。

凯德奥顿，坦帕湾海盗

Bucs 紧端 Cade Otton 本赛季在最薄的位置上提供了梦幻般的价值。 但本周他是一个硬通行证。 坦帕面对 49 人队的防守，刚刚关闭了 Tua Tagovailoa 和海豚队的进攻。 你认为他们会对 Bucs 的进攻线做什么？

如果你在一个完整的 PPR 联赛中，有理由相信他有一点流媒体价值。 汤姆布拉迪不太可能有太多时间在前场找到迈克埃文斯或克里斯戈德温。 我可以看到奥顿接到五六次传球，但传球距离可能不超过 30 码。 除非他找到端区，否则你可以在弃权线上做得更好。