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Jeff Kent is headed to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, while Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were once again left out in the cold by voters. The five-time All-Star second baseman was granted enshrinement on Sunday by committee vote, with Bonds and Clemens again falling short after 10 failed BBWAA elections and their first failed committee vote. For election, candidates needed 12 votes from this year’s 16-member Contemporary Era Committee.
The newest Hall of Fame member will be formally inducted on July 26 in Cooperstown, alongside whichever players make it through this winter’s BBWAA voting. Carlos Beltran is the only player above the needed 75% among the few votes that have so far been revealed.
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New rule means Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens can’t reach Cooperstown until at least 2031
This year’s committee had eight players up for a vote: Bonds, Clemens, Kent, Carlos Delgado, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela.
Kent got 14 votes, and Delgado was next with nine. Mattingly and Murphy each got six, while Bonds, Clemens, Sheffield and Valenzuela all got fewer than five. Due to a 2025 rule change, failing to get five or more votes in this cycle means Bonds, Clemens, Sheffield and Valenzuela will be ineligible for the next Contemporary Era ballot in 2028.
That means the earliest that Bonds and Clemens could make the Hall is 2031.
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This year’s voting body consisted of seven Hall of Fame players (Fergie Jenkins, Jim Kaat, Juan Marichal, Tony Pérez, Ozzie Smith, Alan Trammell and Robin Yount), two owners (Mark Attanasio of the Milwaukee Brewers and Arte Moreno of the Los Angeles Angels), four former general managers (Doug Melvin, Kim Ng, Tony Reagins and Terry Ryan) and three media members (Steve Hirdt, Tyler Kepner and Jayson Stark).
Jeff Kent is the all-time HR leader among second basemen
Kent played in MLB for 17 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers. He was a late bloomer, accruing all of his five All-Star nods, four Silver Sluggers and 2000 NL MVP award in his 30s.
He won that MVP while playing alongside Bonds with the Giants, slashing .334/.424/.596 with 33 homers and 125 RBI at the keystone position. By the time he retired, Kent was the all-time leader in homers among second basemen, with 354 of his 377 career homers at the position.
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He finished with a career slash line of .290/.356/.500 and 55.4 WAR. Going off the WAR-based JAWS metric used to measure Hall of Fame cases, Kent rates as the 22nd-best second baseman ever.
After retiring in 2008, Kent was first up for Hall of Fame election in 2014 and received 15.2% of the BBWAA vote. As often happens, his vote share steadily climbed over his 10 years of eligibility, but it peaked at just 46.5% on his final ballot in 2023.
This was his first go-around in the committee process, and it will be his last.
Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are the 2 most controversial Hall of Fame candidates ever
Both Bonds and Clemens are among the most accomplished players in the history of baseball and would be automatic first-ballot additions under normal circumstances, but every sports fan is well aware that their circumstances aren’t normal. Due to allegations of performance-enhancing drug use, the candidacies of Bonds and Clemens have hung over the Hall of Fame since their final MLB seasons in 2007.
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Bonds has admitted to unknowingly using the anabolic steroid tetrahydrogestrinone, while Clemens has persistently denied any steroid use, but significant evidence exists that both men knowingly took PEDs — so much so that their claims of innocence under oath before Congress led to perjury trials. Clemens was acquitted in his case, while Bonds was found guilty but had his conviction overturned on appeal.
Meanwhile, Kent was one of the public crusaders against steroid users among players. He once urged Bonds to “own up” to his steroid use and advocated for blood testing in addition to urine, with one of his lines even making it into the introduction of the Mitchell Report.
Significant allegations in Bonds’ and Clemens’ personal lives also became an issue as their candidacies dragged on. Bonds’ ex-wife accused him of physical abuse on several occasions during their marriage, and a former mistress accused him of verbal abuse and death threats.
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In 2008, the New York Daily News reported that Clemens had been engaged in an affair with country singer Mindy McCready since she was 15 years old. McCready confirmed she had a relationship but denied it began when she was 15, while Clemens apologized for unspecified “mistakes in my personal life” but denied the claim that he had an improper relationship with a 15-year-old girl. McCready committed suicide in 2013.
Despite the differences in their respective list of scandals, Bonds and Clemens always walked a similar path in the Hall of Fame voting. They first joined the BBWAA ballot in 2013, with Bonds receiving 36.2% of the vote and Clemens getting 37.6%.
Over the next nine years, they never finished more than 2% away from each other. They were an easy yes for any voter who thought their respective allegations shouldn’t override the Hall’s character clause. They were an easy no for voters who couldn’t get past the scandals. The Hall itself certainly didn’t want them to make it in, as it opted to cut the number of years a player can stay on the BBWAA ballot from 15 years to 10 just so it wouldn’t have to deal with their candidacies for so long.
That BBWAA candidacy ran out for the pair in 2022, with Bonds topping out at 66% and Clemens at 65.2%, dozens of votes short of the 75% needed to get in. That sent their candidacies to the committee process, in which they got fewer than four votes out of 16 the first time around.
This year’s committee wound up voting similarly.
TORONTO — When your tires are spinning like the Toronto Maple Leafs†are at present, youâ€re desperate to find any path that offers grip.
In truth, Torontoâ€s best chance to rise above the .500 record it possesses has already presented itself. Since Joseph Woll debuted Nov. 15, Torontoâ€s .916 team save percentage is tied for fifth in the NHL.
Good goaltending papers over a lot of problems, and if Woll keeps playing the way he has, the Leafs will have a chance most nights.
Still, there are five other guys on the ice — and many more on the roster as a whole — who need to pull their weight.
When thatâ€s not happening, two extremes come up: firing the coach and making a trade.
Coach Craig Berube may not be bulletproof — what bench boss truly is? — but unless things really go off the rails, itâ€s hard to see management reaching for that lever — at least not yet.
That leaves swinging a deal as one potential way to shake things up and get the team moving in right direction.
If you need a reminder about how uninspiring the trade scene has been, consider the fact the most notable in-season move weâ€ve seen is likely Vancouver acquiring Lukas Reichel from Chicago for a fourth-round pick. Put another way, the most action weâ€ve witnessed is a fourth for a dude whoâ€s already been healthy-scratched in his new home.
Still, with early-season trade boards beginning to populate the Internet and the NHL holiday roster freeze fewer than three weeks away, itâ€s not unreasonable to dream of some action.
Some Leafs backers have probably been sketching out swaps for a month now.
Although any deal that gets drawn on a napkin is probably a whopper, weâ€ve got to wet-blanket this conversation a bit and remember that a severe shakeup is very unlikely. Between trade protection for players, the challenge of making salaries fit and finding a dance partner who needs what youâ€re selling, itâ€s just a high bar to clear.
Still, we all know thatâ€s not going to stop people from wondering whatâ€s possible.
To help with that, we decided to slot meaningful Buds players into categories that capture what their relationship to trade talk should be. To be clear, this is viewing the team through the lens of a club thatâ€s trying to improve and climb up the standings. If the Leafs nosedive before the holiday freeze, we can adjust the conversation accordingly after Christmas.Â
We can keep this pretty short. If anyone other than Rielly was dealt from this group, it would represent as a big a transaction shock on the Toronto sports scene as weâ€ve seen since the Raptors got Kawhi Leonard for DeMar DeRozan in 2018.
Riellyâ€s name has lived on the outer edge of trade boards because his play has sometimes not lived up to his $7.5-million cap hit in the past couple years. This season, though, heâ€s tracking a 68-point year (just four shy of his career-best 72) and playing a team-high 22:17 per night. Itâ€s extremely difficult to see where the parts would line up on a Rielly trade that improves the Leafs.
Veteran D-men with serious or some trade protection: Chris Tanev, Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson
All of these players inked deals with Toronto in the past 18 months. Tanev has a full no-move clause, McCabe has a no-trade clause and OEL can block a move to half the league. McCabe averages the second-most ice time on the blueline (21:30) and Ekman-Larsson is right behind, at 20:46. The latter is also on pace for 68 points, which would smash his career high of 55.Â
Tanev, whoâ€s injured, was signed to be the type of shutdown D-man the team desperately needs in the playoffs.
None of these players are realistic candidates to be moved, even if the team had free rein to do so.
Young guys you did well to find: Matthew Knies, Easton Cowan
Two of the best things Toronto has done in the past five years is draft Knies near the end of the second round and Cowan near the conclusion of the first. Knies is the type of big-bodied scorer every club covets, while Cowan is showing — with each passing game — his motor already makes him a valuable middle-sixer whose offensive game can have some runway to develop.
The fact 31 other teams would line up to snag Knies tells you how valuable he is to the Leafs, and if Cowanâ€s on-ice contributions — and potential to improve — arenâ€t enough, heâ€s on a cost-capped, entry-level contract for two more years after this one.
Youâ€d have to be dangerously desperate to improve this season to trade these guys for immediate help.
Stolarz — whoâ€s been out for a month — finished fifth in Vezina voting last season and Woll has been Torontoâ€s most important player since he debuted on Nov. 15. These two will never be mistaken for Glenn Hall (502 straight consecutive games in the crease, kids), but theyâ€re at the centre of any hopes Toronto has to turn things around.
It certainly sounds like Stolarzâ€s return is anything but imminent, so the Leafs have probably never needed Woll more than they do right now.
The contract means heâ€s staying: Max Domi, Dakota Joshua
Itâ€s been a miserable season for Domi, one thatâ€s coming on the heels of a 33-point showing last year. With two more years to go at a cap hit of $3.75 million, Domi is not going anywhere. For what itâ€s worth, Domi still brings some intangibles the club benefits from at times, but his production has been headed the wrong way for a while.
Joshua has had trouble finding his spot with the Leafs after Toronto acquired him for a fourth-rounder in the summer from Vancouver. With two more years after this one at a $3.25-million annual hit, heâ€d be tough to move. The Buds just need him to play to his big-man identity and hope he finds his place.
New(ish) guys who have yet to really blend: Brandon Carlo, Scott Laughton, Nicolas Roy
Carlo now appears to be out long-term, so itâ€s probably best to just table that talk all together.
Toronto was linked Laughton for multiple seasons before he finally landed at last seasonâ€s trade deadline. Roy, meanwhile, came over in the summer as part of the transaction that landed Mitch Marner in Vegas on an eight-year deal one day before free agency officially opened.
It feels like Toronto has been perpetually in search of bottom-six centres like Laughton and Roy, but neither has been a dream fit. Laughton is in the final year of a small cap hit ($1.5 million) thanks to salary retention from the Flyers, while Roy has only one more season after this at $3 million.Â
You could see other teams having some interest based on both players†track record, but Toronto would almost certainly need a bottom-six pivot in return, and how many good ones have a similar cap hit to Laughtonâ€s?
Too useful to trade? Simon Benoit, Steven Lorentz, Troy Stecher
None of these guys are going to put you over the top, but they embrace their support role and do it well on the cheap. How much potential is there for an upgrade? The recently acquired Stetcher figures to be an important guy now with Carlo on the shelf long-term.
Futures: Undesirable draft picks, Ben Danford
As it stands, Toronto does not have a first-round pick in 2026 or â€27 and is not slated to pick this coming June until the third round. How much further can you deplete your picks pile?
Also, with the likes of Fraser Minten already moved at last seasonâ€s deadline, defenceman Ben Danford — who stands a good chance to represent Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championship later this month — sort of stands alone in terms of being a Leafs prospect others would desire.Â
Again, with the farm system already harvested so heavily, how bad do you want to deal your one remaining shiny prospect? It would have to be for a player still firmly in his prime.
Players who might have more value to a team other than Toronto: Nick Robertson, Bobby McMann, Matias Maccelli
Finally, we land in the realm of realistic trade possibilities. Still, donâ€t go dreaming of the moon here.
Maccelli has just not been a fit, as evidenced by his healthy scratches. The saving grace is he is in the final year of his contract, is still only 25 and has a 57-point season on his resume. If thereâ€s a taker, itâ€s probably a bottom-feeder that knows it can give him lots of rope or a fringy playoff team like the Seattle Kraken who need all the offensive help they can get and might be willing to take a five-month gamble.
Now, just because itâ€s conceivable you could move Maccelli doesnâ€t mean the return would be any great shakes.
For whatever reason, Bobby McMann has never seemed to fully gain Berubeâ€s approval. Heâ€s a big body who can chip in goals and is on a deal that makes him a UFA in July. That could hold some interest to a team that wants to beef up or that believes thereâ€s still another gear to go for the 29-year-old.
Untapped potential is certainly the theme with Robertson, who might hold the most trade appeal of any player Toronto could feasibly dangle. The 24-year-old has obviously been in trade talks before and landed back with the Leafs on a one-year deal that sees him become an RFA at yearâ€s end.
To put a fine point on the type of trade Toronto may be able to make, would a team like San Jose — quite competitive this season, but still in a build — be interested in Robertonâ€s long-term goal-scoring potential in exchange for a known commodity like centre Alex Wennberg? Two years ago, the Rangers acquired Wennberg from Seattle at the deadline to buttress their centre depth and he inked a two-year deal with the Sharks in the summer of 2024 to be a steady hand on a young club.Â
Maybe a deal like that interests both parties? Still, the Sharks†unexpected rise this year — and potential reluctance to mess with their success — underscores the fact that, for a variety of reasons, itâ€s just really tough for teams to swing trades right now.
Even if Toronto can make one, itâ€s unlikely to be the sort that shakes the ground under Scotiabank Arena.
Martin Oâ€Neill continued his resuscitation of Celticâ€s season by overseeing a fourth consecutive Premiership victory, at Hibernian, on the day it emerged his caretaker stint is to last a while longer.
The hard-fought 2-1 win, secured with first-half goals from Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels, moved the resurgent champions within two points of the faltering Hearts with a game in hand.
It was widely expected the trip to Easter Road would represent Oâ€Neillâ€s farewell outing, with Celtic having planned to announce Wilfried Nancy as their new permanent manager on Monday. But the 73-year-old Northern Irishman revealed before kick-off that he had received a call on Saturday to say “the process is still ongoing†and that “thereâ€s a really decent chance†he would still be in charge for the visit of Dundee on Wednesday.
Hibs presented the champions with the opener after 27 minutes. Playing out from the back, the goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger – under no real pressure – opted to pass to Miguel Chaiwa despite the fact he had Reo Hatate breathing down his neck. The Japanese midfielder nicked possession, advanced into the box and rolled it into the path of his countryman Maeda, who slotted into the empty net from eight yards out.
Having looked comfortable until that point, Hibs suddenly found themselves two down within a minute when Yang Hyun-jun clipped in an inviting cross from the left and Engels stooped to power home a header from just outside the six-yard box.
Hibs came back into the match after the interval and they reduced the deficit in the 56th minute after being awarded a penalty. Jack Iredaleâ€s goalbound header from a Jordan Obita corner was deemed to have been blocked by the arm of Liam Scales after a video assistant referee check and Martin Boyle duly slotted his spot-kick to the left of Kasper Schmeichel, who remained rooted to the spot.
The hosts chased an equaliser thereafter but – aided by a big save from Schmeichel to deny Chris Cadden – Celtic held firm to make further ground on Hearts.
Hearts had their goalkeeper, Alexander Schwolow, to thank as they survived a late onslaught to claim a goalless draw against MotherwellonSaturday. The German made a string of quality saves to keep out Motherwell, who also had two goals ruled out for offside.
The Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow makes one of several saves against Motherwell. Photograph: Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock
Derek McInnes admitted he was disappointed with the way his Hearts side finished the game. “We spoke at half-time about more belief in our work and more belief to step into the game,†he said. “We had some good moments and stifled Motherwell. I donâ€t think they had any rhythm.
“I thought the game was there to be won, but then in the last 15 minutes we took a step back again. Weâ€ve got Alex to thank for our point – if anybody looked like they were going to win it, it was Motherwell. I thought we were good enough for our point, though not enough for three points.â€
Despite failing to win for the third game on the spin, McInnes believes there is a need for perspective. Hearts are now five points ahead at the top of the Premiership, though their nearest challengers Celtic have two games in hand.
McInnes said: “Our points tally is good. Weâ€ve had one defeat in 14 games, weâ€re trying to get a bit of perspective. Everybody was getting a bit excited, and rightly so, at the start. Other than two or three games, every win has been hard-fought.
“A lot of people leaning into this game were probably anticipating Motherwell beating us. Itâ€s a point on the road. We came with a big support and a lot of expectation – itâ€s our fault the expectation has risen, and weâ€re all right with that.â€
Danny Röhlâ€s winning start to Premiership life as Rangers head coach come to a halt on Sunday as Falkirk secured their second point against them this season. The Bairns held Rangers to a goalless draw at Ibrox with Scott Bain making a brilliant one-handed stop from Djeidi Gassama midway through the second half.
The hosts struggled to put the former Celtic goalkeeper under serious pressure, though, and a four-match winning run in the league ended. The result leaves Rangers in fourth place and nine points adrift of Hearts, while Falkirk have now lost just once in eight matches.
Rangers†Bojan Miovski can find no way past Falkirkâ€s Scott Bain. Photograph: Kirk Oâ€Rourke/Rangers FC/Shutterstock
The first game in that run was a home draw with Rangers that cost Russell Martin his job amid supporter unrest and the home fans again showed their displeasure as boos met the full-time whistle. Their biggest cheer of the day came when the former Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield came off the bench for the visitors.
Dundee came from behind to end a run of four defeats and secure a 3-1 victory against St Mirren at Dens Park. St Mirren took the lead through Mikael Mandron, but the home side hit back twice before the break thanks to an Alex Gogic own goal and a cracker from Drey Wright before Joe Westley sealed the win late on with his sideâ€s third.
The result lifted Dundee to ninth and relieved some of the pressure on Steven Pressley. St Mirren slipped to 10th after a third defeat on the bounce.
Jim Goodwin fumed at Matthew MacDermidâ€s hugely controversial decision to award Kilmarnock a penalty after Dundee Unitedâ€s 1-1 draw at Rugby Park. Both struggling sides shared the spoils after Craig Sibbald levelled for United after the hosts opened the scoring on 34 minutes from the spot.
MacDermid judged that Krisztian Keresztes barged into the back of Marley Watkins, but contact was extremely minimal. Dave Richards saved Bruce Andersonâ€s initial effort but the Kilmarnock striker slammed home the equaliser and Goodwin wasnâ€t at all pleased with the decision.
The United manager said: “The big talking point is the penalty kick that gets awarded to Kilmarnock. I canâ€t, for the life of me, having watched it back now half a dozen times after the game, believe that weâ€ve been done with a decision like that.
“I donâ€t understand how the referee is not called to the monitor to reassess the decision. And I think if he sees it again, I would be confident that he would have overturned it and not given the penalty.â€
Later on Sunday, Danny Röhl will be hoping to build on his four-match winning run in the league when Rangers host Falkirk. After two defeats in the Europa League, Röhl picked up a first point against Braga on Thursday.
When the Montreal Canadiens put Samuel Blais on waivers at the start of the season, they knew there was a risk he would be claimed by a team and sure enough, the Toronto Maple Leafs picked him up. Now that many of their injured players were returning, the Ontarian club waived him as well, and since the Habs were the only team to put in a claim, they were able to assign him to the Laval Rocket, which they did.
Make no mistake, though, with the current injury situation in Montreal, it would be surprising if he werenâ€t called back up shortly, with one of the younger players sent back down to keep developing. Blais has already reached his full potential, whereas players like Jared Davidson would be more suited to a development role in the AHL.
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Davidson had a great season start in the AHL with nine goals and two assists for 11 points in 13 games, which was enough to earn him a call-up, but he was an healthy scratch for the last two games and in the one against the Utah Mammoth he only saw 5:23 of action, thatâ€s not enough to make his presence in the NHL worth it. The 23-year-old would be much better served in Laval under Pascal Vincentâ€s guidance.
If the Canadiens decide to keep 13 forwards up even though they are back home for a couple of games, Florian Xhekaj should stay up, especially with Brady Tkachuk and the Ottawa Senators coming up. Heâ€s done well in an admittedly small sample, picking up a point in four games and seven penalty minutes, on top of bringing a lot of fresh energy and physicality.
Meanwhile, in his first game in Laval, Blais scored two goals, including the game-tying one before scoring the game-winner in the shootout in the Rocketâ€s 5-4 win over Lehigh Valley.
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Should Hughes opt only to keep 12 forwards, though, Blais could be a good option for the Canadiens given the current injury situation and the fact that Xhekaj could still use more AHL seasoning. With a fully healthy lineup, heâ€s a 13th forward. Still, right now, Patrik Laine, Kirby Dach, and Alex Newhook are all out, meaning that nowâ€s the time Blais could get an opportunity to finally play his first official game with the Canadiens, after a detour through Toronto.
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Josh Norris — (Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Images)
The Buffalo Sabres have won four of their past five games, and theyâ€re finally out of the Atlantic Division basements. And by the sounds of it, the Sabres are going to get some more good news, as veteran center Josh Norris is nearing a return to action after missing every Sabres game since being injured in Buffaloâ€s first game of the season, missing the next 21 games.
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But letâ€s be real here – given Norris†unfortunate history of injuries, you canâ€t rely on Norris until such time as he proves he can stay healthy for long stretches of time. And even then, considering that Norris has only played as many as 66 games just one time in his NHL career, there are going to be skeptics he can do that. (And he wonâ€t do that this season.)
“Itâ€s never easy being out, and thereâ€s only so much you can control,†Norris told media Tuesday. “You just come to the rink every day and do the things you can do, and stay on top of things that come up and just be a pro. Unfortunately, Iâ€ve been on the wrong side of it for a little bit now, so thatâ€s really frustrating personally.â€
If itâ€s frustrating being Norris right now, imagine how tough it is for Sabres fans right now. Theyâ€ve been hopeful the moves Sabres GM Kevyn Adams were going to pan out, but the final judgement has yet to be made on the Norris trade that sent Dylan Cozens to the Ottawa Senators. Cozens is thriving as a Senator, with eight goals and 16 points in 22 games.
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Norris is always going to be measured against Cozens, and at the moment, and while things can change, as it stands right now, youâ€d have to say that Ottawa is the winner of that trade.
That said, if Buffalo does get Norris back this coming weekend, the Sabres are clearly going to be a better team. Buffaloâ€s strength down the middle wasnâ€t great even with Norris in the lineup, but without him, the Sabres†lack of depth at center was exposed. And there was no way Adams was going to be able to acquire a proven pivot of a high-end caliber.
Sabres Win Again, But Buffalo Fans Need To See Many More Wins Before Getting Excited
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We should remember that Norris has played exactly four games with the Sabres. With expectations that are managed for him, he can be an effective player for Buffalo. But the durability question is always going to linger for Norris, and the Sabres desperately need him to be a difference-maker and needle-mover – and above all else, to stay in the lineup.
If he can do that, all this waiting around for Norris will be worth it.
On Thursday night, the Chicago Blackhawks had a tough loss to the Seattle Kraken. They allowed a two-goal lead to slip away in regulation and came away with nothing.
They were allowed to let it go quickly, with the second half of a back-to-back against the Buffalo Sabres. This was Chicago’s first back-to-back of the season as they traveled upstate to New York to take on the team with the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
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Buffalo, despite their spot in the standings, has a ton of talent. It was on full display in this game as they ran the Hawks out of town with a 9-3 demolition.
Tyler Bertuzzi, who was playing in his 100th game as a Blackhawk, scored twice, and Alex Vlasic scored the third goal for Chicago. Connor Bedard assisted on both of Bertuzzi’s goals, giving him 31 points on the season, which is tied with Macklin Celebrini for third in league scoring.
Bedard and Bertuzzi, and their linemate Ryan Greene (who had an assist as well) all played well in this bad loss. Outside of them, it was a mostly lousy game for Chicago, as indicated by the 9-3 final score in favor of Buffalo.
Arvid Soderblom was in the net for the Blackhawks, and he stayed in for all nine goals against. He has been a fantastic backup so far this season, but this wasn’t his night. With that said, most of Buffalo’s goals were not Soderblom’s total fault. The team did not play well in front of him.
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Jeff Blashill chose to avoid pulling Soderblom, but Spencer Knight is now going to be completely fresh for the next game, which will take place on Sunday night.
Some nights just don’t go well in the NHL. Every team has five or six really bad games. This is one for the Blackhawks. Chicago lost every period 3-1, was outplayed in every area of the ice, and couldn’t keep the Sabres from answering every time they scored.
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This is the type of loss that you learn from, throw in the garbage, and move on quickly. The thing is, Chicago will be going from the bottom team in the East to the top team in the West. The Colorado Avalanche are going to be at the United Center for Sunday night hockey. This is, up to this point, the biggest test of the season for this young Blackhawks team coming off two straight regulation losses.
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DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche met another opponent riding a lengthy winning streak—and sent them home without one.
Ross Colton and Victor Olofsson scored 79 seconds apart in the second period to give the Avalanche a lead they never relinquished in a 4–1 win over the New York Islanders on Sunday at Ball Arena despite the game getting rough and physical in stretches Martin NeÄas and Brock Nelson added insurance markers, and Scott Wedgewood turned aside 28 of 29 shots in another sharp performance.
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Emil Heineman scored the first goal of the game off a deflection for the Islanders, but thatâ€s all they could muster. Ilya Sorokin made some fantastic saves in net, but he took the loss in a 24-save performance.
The Avalanche found themselves in an early deficit as the Islanders struck just 2:05 into the game. Heineman redirected a shot past Wedgewood with his right skate—a play that initially appeared to involve a kicking motion, but after review, the officials confirmed it as a good goal.
Tensions rose minutes later when Jack Drury returned to the bench visibly frustrated after absorbing a slash to the hands that went uncalled. New Yorkâ€s good fortune didnâ€t last, though. At 4:56, Scott Mayfield caught Nelson in the face with a high stick, sending him to the ice and giving Colorado its first power play of the night. Despite generating a couple of quality looks, the Avalanche couldnâ€t capitalize.
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Midway through the period, Gavin Brindley nearly found space to test Sorokin, but Matthew Barzal disrupted the attempt with a well-timed poke check, collected the loose puck, and raced down the ice for a dangerous chance that Wedgewood turned aside with a sharp stop.
For much of the opening frame, the Avalanche found themselves chasing the puck, allowing the Islanders to dictate stretches of the pace. After 20 minutes, New York carried a 1–0 lead into the intermission. Shots were even at seven apiece.
Sam Girard attempted to clear the puck from the front of the Avalanche net, but his pass was intercepted, giving the Islanders multiple chances to crash the crease. Fortunately for Colorado, Wedgewood bailed them out with a pair of big stops, including a sharp save on Bo Horvat.
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Moments later, Cale Makar connected with Colton off the rush. Colton tore down the left wing with Adam Pelech in pursuit and snapped a wrister past Ilya Sorokin to tie the game at 1-1. Just 1:29 after that, Olofsson redirected a point shot from Sam Malinski through Sorokin, quickly flipping the script and giving Colorado a 2-1 lead.
Parker Kelly was whistled for interference a little over eight minutes into the frame after bumping Alexander Romanov—this despite Romanov having knocked Kelly down without the puck seconds earlier. Kelly slammed his stick against the glass in frustration, and both Makar and Devon Toews had words for the officials. The outburst didnâ€t change anything, but the Avs penalty kill took care of business.
Soon after, the Islanders put Colorado on the power play when Ryan Pulock caught Kelly with a high stick. The Avalanche power play couldnâ€t capitalize again, but they maintained their 2-1 advantage.
With just under three minutes remaining, New York held an 18–15 edge in shots. Tensions rose shortly after the whistle when Mayfield punched NeÄas in the mouth—no penalty on the play, but the Avs†bench certainly took note.
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In the closing stages of the second, Makar saved a goal when he hooked Matthew Schaefer from behind when he had a clear shot at a wide-open net.
Colorado kicked off the final period with 1:07 to kill on Makarâ€s penalty. Horvat snapped a shot from the left circle and Wedgewood came up with a scintillating glove save. The Avs killed the penalty, but Kyle Palmieri still found a way to get his hands on the puck and penetrated the Avs defensive zone, but Wedgewood again came up with a solid save.
As expected, the third period was intense. Mayfield attempted to bully the smaller Brindley, but Brindley responded by cross-checking him in the face, which the officials ruled a high-sticking penalty. Then, Brent Burns threw Heineman down to the ice like a sack of potatoes, which caused Anders Lee to go down as a result. Lee wasnâ€t done as he dropped the gloves with Josh Manson, only to get taken down with a sharp right uppercut just seconds in. Both men were given five-minute majors and Calum Ritchie was also slapped with a two-minute roughing penalty.
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With 8:30 left in regulation, both teams had 23 shots on net. And although the Avalanche held a slim lead, it felt like anything could change at any moment, whether at the hands of a Colorado goal, or an equalizing shot from the Islanders.
After a series of back-and-forth action, Makar got his hands on the puck and rushed into the Islanders zone and fired a quick shot at Sorokin, but it was turned aside.
The Avalanche had to dig deep in the closing minutes, but ultimately they poured it on against the Islanders. NeÄas was whistled for delay of game after sending the puck over the glass, and with roughly 1:40 remaining, New York pulled Ilya Sorokin for the extra attacker, creating a 6-on-4 advantage. Horvat teed up a one-timer from the right circle, but Wedgewood stood tall yet again with another clutch save.
Miraculously, Colorado survived the extended kill, and from there they slammed the door. NeÄas redeemed himself with an empty-netter, responding to getting punch with a telling blow of his own, and Burns fed Nelson for a second empty-net goal to seal a 4–1 Avalanche victory.
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With that, The Streakecutioners struck again, toppling yet another team riding a lengthy heater. The Islanders entered on a four-game winning streak, but despite a determined push, they couldnâ€t overcome Colorado.
Over their last nine games, the Avalanche have carved through a gauntlet of surging opponents. New Jersey entered with an eight-game winning streak, Tampa Bay had won five straight, and Anaheim arrived riding a seven-game heater. Now, the Islanders have joined the list of teams whose momentum Colorado has abruptly halted. Now, the Avs are sitting on a six-game winning streak.
The Avalanche (13-1-5) take on the visiting New York Rangers (10-8-2) on Thursday at Ball Arena. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time.
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GM Rameshbabu Praggnanand split the point after 30 moves against GM Daniil Dubov Indian Grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa and P Harikrishna kept their campaigns alive at the FIDE World Cup 2025 after all three were forced into tiebreaks following drawn results in their fourth-round classical games on Wednesday. Arjun, playing with white pieces, settled for a draw against Hungaryâ€s GM Peter Leko after 36 moves. Praggnanandhaa split the point against GM Daniil Dubov in 30 moves, while Harikrishna held his ground against Swedenâ€s GM Nils Grandelius in a tense 38-move encounter. Among the five Indians in the fourth round, Arjun and Praggnanandhaa were the key focus on the top boards. Arjun opted for the Nimzo-Indian Defence and appeared well-prepared in the opening phase, gaining time on the clock after 16 moves. The Indian looked for chances to press in the middlegame but eventually agreed to a draw after a balanced exchange-heavy position. Leko later praised Arjunâ€s approach but felt the game was always under control. “I am getting more and more in my preparations and I wasnâ€t really afraid (of Arjunâ€s opening line). I knew that this b5 that I played is quite solid and there cannot be any miracle in this position. But over the board when Arjun is blitzing all his moves, I know that there is always some pressure. But it was more or less equal all the time,†Leko said after the game.
Arjun, playing with white pieces, settled for a draw against Hungaryâ€s GM Peter Leko after 36 moves.
Praggnanandhaa, meanwhile, handled the black pieces against Dubov sharply, but neither side found a breakthrough. The game ended peacefully after 30 moves, taking the match into the tiebreak stage. In another key tie, Harikrishna found himself in a difficult position despite playing white against Grandelius but held firm in a bishop-and-pawn endgame to salvage a draw and force the match into a decider. Elsewhere, GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara became the first player to reach the round of 16 after a quick 20-move draw with GM Alexey Sarana, having won the first game on Tuesday. He now awaits the winner of the Harikrishna–Grandelius match.
Poll
Which Indian Grandmaster do you think has the best chance of making it to round 5 of the FIDE World Cup 2025?
World junior champion Pranav Vâ€s campaign ended after he lost his second game to Uzbekistanâ€s GM Nodirbek Yakubboev in 38 moves. The tiebreaks for the remaining matches will be played on Thursday.
DENVER — March 5, 2022.
That was the last time Gabriel Landeskog had lit the lamp in a regular season game, but alas, the wait is finally over.
Landeskog scored his first goal of the season and the go-ahead tally on Tuesday night, as the Colorado Avalanche ended the Anaheim Ducks†seven-game winning streak with a 4-1 victory at Ball Arena.
The longtime Avalanche captain had found the back of the net twice earlier this season, but both goals were wiped out by offsides challenges, one in a heavily disputed call against the Utah Mammoth on October 21, and another against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. The latter was the correct call, but no less frustrating, with Landeskogâ€s expression saying it all.
Landeskog cleaned up the garbage 11:37 into the second period, capitalizing on a rebound from Valeri Nichushkinâ€s shot to beat Lukáš Dostál, who was otherwise spectacular for the Ducks in defeat. The sequence began when Sam Malinskiâ€s stick shattered on the initial attempt, sending the puck fluttering forward. Nichushkin gathered it and fired toward the net, and after Dostál made the first save, Landeskog drove it home.
When asked if he paused to make sure the goal counted, Landeskog joked: “Yeah, I did. I thought maybe I caught the goalie stick and (committed goaltender interference), you never know. Yeah, no. Got back to the bench and obviously thereâ€s nothing to argue there, so it felt good.â€
Another Massive Win
This is the third instance this season in which Colorado has brought an opponentâ€s extended winning streak to an end. The Avalanche halted an eight-game run by the New Jersey Devils, a five-game streak by the Tampa Bay Lightning, and most recently, a seven-game surge by the Anaheim Ducks heading into this matchup.
We, at The Hockey News asked Landeskog how it feels to have this kind of momentum so early in the season, leading the NHL and taking down the leagueâ€s top competition.
“Thatâ€s kind of what we expect out of ourselves,†Landeskog said. “We feel like weâ€re able to collect points, win hockey games, and beat good teams at the same time, all while trying to perfect our game.
“I donâ€t think our game is perfect by any means, but at this point in the season, I think weâ€re doing a good job of making adjustments on the fly and trying to really hone in on the details that will make us successful. Obviously, the power play has been better as of late, and thatâ€s been big for us. I think we just showed our depth tonight, and thatâ€s what we need to do moving forward.â€
Power Play Improving
Landeskog makes a compelling point regarding the power play. Earlier in the season, the Avalanche ranked among the leagueâ€s poorest in that category. Now, however, they sit in a three-way tie for 11th, alongside the New Jersey Devils and reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, having converted on 17.5% of their opportunities. Martin NeÄas†third-period goal, which gave the Avs a 3-1 lead over the Ducks, came on the man advantage.
The Adjustments
Lately, the Avalanche have excelled at staying with plays—meaning that even when a pass isnâ€t perfect or doesnâ€t land exactly where intended, the team still finds a way to get pucks in the back of the net. Even when unexpected events occur, Colorado is quick to capitalize on any opportunity that presents itself.
A prime example came in the Avalancheâ€s 5-4 overtime victory against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday, when Nathan MacKinnon scored just before the nine-minute mark of the opening period. Victor Olofsson delivered a pass that wasnâ€t particularly precise, yet MacKinnon remained composed, took his time, and still managed to snap the puck into the net. How often do we see a misdirected or slightly off pass completely disrupt a teamâ€s rhythm?
Much like Landeskogâ€s goal in this game, Malinskiâ€s stick shattered. Yet everyone remained disciplined; no one panicked, the team stuck to the game plan, Nichushkin directed the puck on net, and Landeskog was ready when it mattered most.
Firing On All Cylinders
That, however, has been the message the Avalanche have conveyed all season: everyone has a role, everyone supports one another, and that is how championship teams are built. With a record of 11-1-5, Colorado stands as the NHLâ€s top team. While Landeskog acknowledged that their play is not yet perfect, being the best team in the league at this stage is an achievement worth celebrating.
“For us, itâ€s just a standard that we want to uphold really and continue to play well and continue to hone in on the details and improve our game the best we can as we move deeper into the season, so I think for us, itâ€s a standard thing,†Landeskog continued. “Thatâ€s what it is. You enjoy the wins, you learn from the wins, and you learn from the losses. Thatâ€s really the way it is. This one tonight, I guess a good team is no different. Weâ€ll look at the video and get some rest and get back on it Thursday.â€
Next Game
The Avalanche square off against Bowen Byram and the Buffalo Sabers for the second time this season on Thursday at Ball Arena. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
VANCOUVER — When Vancouver Canucks coach Adam Foote tried without much success on Friday to explain why Thatcher Demko could miss back-to-back games on the weekend, the goalie’s issue sounded like more than “maintenance†but less than injury.
Demko was too sore to play and needed a couple of days off. Fine. Not to worry, he would likely be back for Tuesdayâ€s game against the Winnipeg Jets.
And Demko was back. He allowed three goals on eight shots in the first period and was not seen again. Kevin Lankinen played the final two periods for Vancouver, just like he played most of last season, as the Canucks lost 5-3 to end a 1-2-1 homestand.
The limping team now has to travel all the way to the Atlantic to play both Florida teams and the Carolina Hurricanes.
But it could have been worse on Tuesday.
Canucks captain and superstar Quinn Hughes also left the game in the second period with an apparent arm or shoulder injury but returned a few minutes later.
None of the Jets†first three goals were Demkoâ€s fault. Two of them bounced in off Winnipeg skates and another off a Vancouver stick.
The team announced at the start of the second period that Demko would not return, and Foote did not have much to add post-game except confirm the injury is “lower body.â€
The coach said Demko was ready to start after sitting out weekend games against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche.
“I mean, yeah, you canâ€t control injuries,†Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk said. “There’s different stuff that happens to guys, you know, (and) since I’ve been here, there’s been a lot. You know what? Kevin came in cold, did a great job, gave us a chance. Obviously, you hope (Demko is) okay, and you hope he’s back as fast as possible. That’s just how you take it on the bench.
“I was even talking to him a little bit when he came over (during the first period); I knew something wasn’t right.â€
The best of Demkoâ€s five saves also looked like the most demanding — a post-to-post stretch to get his left pad in front of Cole Perfettiâ€s backdoor shot about six minutes in when it was already 1-0 for Winnipeg.
Lankinen has struggled at the start of this season to replicate the form (and .902 save percentage) from last year that earned him a five-year, $22.5-million contract extension. But he had one of his best games so far in relief of Demko.
He stopped 20 of 21 shots and wasnâ€t beaten until the Vancouverâ€s dreadful penalty killing allowed Gabe Vilardi time and space between the hash marks to collect Kyle Connorâ€s pass, measure a backhand and flip the puck past the goalieâ€s stick-side to make it 4-2 for Winnipeg 48 seconds into the third period.
So, thatâ€s a goaltending positive for Vancouver.
But Lankinen may have to do this for a couple or many games in a row.
Foote said Demko would be re-evaluated Wednesday, which is the Canucks†travel day. Their three-game cross-continental jaunt opens Friday in North Carolina.
“We’re all human beings, and I don’t think anybody understands a goalie as well as another goalie,†Lankinen said of the emotional aspect of Demkoâ€s injury. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to him, so I don’t know. . . I’m not quite sure what’s going on, but I hope for the best.
“I’m ready to play every single game. That’s what I love to do. That’s what I always wanted to do.â€
Lankinen re-iterated it is the backup goalieâ€s responsibility to always be ready, and make sure heâ€s prepared to seize the opportunity to start if it arises. After playing four straight games, the 30-year-old from Finland feels the starterâ€s workload is helping him.
“I think so, yeah,†he said. “And probably most of the goalies would agree on that. The game slows down a little bit, and you make better reads when you’re in the game, and the preparation gets a little easier because you’re in the rhythm and you’re feeling it. So who knows what’s going to happen the next few days here. But Iâ€ve got to learn from this and get better.â€
You must remember, for context, that Demko carries more baggage than a Samsonite freighter when it comes to injuries.
Demkoâ€s rare and confounding popliteus muscle tear in his knee clouded his career before last season and delayed his entry to the Canucks†lineup until December. He was injured twice more before the season was over, and Demko explained later that his lack of adequate pre-season preparation left him physically vulnerable and unable to withstand the rigors of the every-second-day NHL schedule.
This past summer, with the chance to fully train and get back to peak condition, Demko changed his routine and broadened his personal “team†to make preparation more preventative, guarding against future injuries.
Because without Demko, even with a backup-plus in Lankinen, the Canucks have little chance to be successful.
In order, the most important basic prerequisites for a bounce-back season in Vancouver and a return to the Stanley Cup playoffs were:
1. Demko staying healthy.
2. Elias Pettersson playing like an elite centre.
There are many other factors but none come close to the essentialness of these first two.
Until the Canucks†last road trip, Demko was not only the teamâ€s most valuable player through 11 games, statistically he was about the best goalie in the NHL in October.
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Whether he misses another game, another month or the rest of the season, he is part of the injury crisis that has undermined the Canucks†opening quarter of the season.
Theyâ€ve had as many as nine players out. And with Demko unavailable, they are currently without seven.
If only their health matched their heart. The 8-9-1 Canucks continue to compete with desperation, trying to survive this spell well enough to be in the playoff fight when they get healthy.
Even against the Jets, Brock Boeserâ€s rebound goal as the Canucks skated six-against-five brought Vancouver within one, down 4-3, with 90 seconds remaining. Alex Iafalloâ€s empty-netter clinched it for Winnipeg.
After playing 51 games last season as Demkoâ€s stand-in, Lankinen certainly sounds up to the challenge now.
“I feel great,†he said. “The more I play, the better I feel. That’s always what you want to do as a goalie — you want to be the guy, you want to carry the load and help the team win. And I’ve been feeling really good, and hopefully we’ll get some more results here soon.
“Iâ€m just living day by day, you know? Just one day at a time and not worrying too much about the future.â€
If only Canuck fans could feel so unencumbered.