The NHL's Sun Belt boom
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⛳️ TGL expansion: Detroit was awarded TGL's first-ever expansion team, with the Motor City Golf Club set to join Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's league in 2027.
🏀 All-Rookie team: Spurs ROY Stephon Castle headlined the NBA's All-Rookie first team, joined by Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies) and Zach Edey (Grizzlies).
🏀 Clark makes history: Caitlin Clark (27-11) had her 10th career game with 20 points and 10 assists, matching Courtney Vandersloot for the most in WNBA history. Vandersloot has played 430 games; Clark has played 42.
⚾️ Friend charged in PNC Park fall: A 21-year-old friend of the 20-year-old man who fell from the outfield stands in Pittsburgh last month has been charged with providing him alcohol at the game.
♟️ Carlsen vs. The World: Magnus Carlsen, the world's top-ranked chess player, faced 143,000 people in an online game that began in early April. 46 days later, it ended in a draw.
The NHL's Final Four includes three teams from the Sun Belt, which despite the name has thrived in the cold-weather sport for over a decade now.
By the numbers: Four of the last five Stanley Cup champions hail from the Sun Belt, with the Lightning (2x) joined by the Panthers and Golden Knights. And this year, the Panthers, Hurricanes and Stars have a chance to make it five of the last six.
This is the third straight year, and 10th in the last 11, that at least two Sun Belt teams made the conference finals. The high-water mark came in 2023, when all four semifinalists were southern teams.
Add it all up, and you've got 57% of conference finalists since 2015 (25 of 44) coming from a group that comprises less than one-third of the league.
Growing the game: The NHL added its first Sun Belt teams in 1967 when the Original Six era ended. But the league didn't really start venturing south until 1991, kickstarting a period of robust expansion that includes nine teams (*) currently playing in the Sun Belt.
1967: Los Angeles Kings* and California Seals (folded in 1978)
1972: Atlanta Flames (moved to Calgary in 1980)
1991: San Jose Sharks*
1992: Tampa Bay Lightning*
1993: Florida Panthers,* Anaheim Ducks* and Dallas Stars* (moved from Minnesota)
1996: Phoenix Coyotes (moved from Winnipeg, now in Utah)
1997: Carolina Hurricanes* (moved from Hartford)
1998: Nashville Predators*
1999: Atlanta Thrashers (moved to Winnipeg in 2011)
2017: Vegas Golden Knights*
The rise of the South: The success of Sun Belt hockey has coincided with a Stanley Cup drought in the birthplace of the sport. Aside from the Kings, Sharks and Lightning, none of the current Sun Belt teams existed in their current form the last time Canada won the Cup (June 1993).
Oklahoma City — The Thunder cruised past the Timberwolves, 114-88, in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals behind 31 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Historic start: OKC has a +176 point differential through seven home playoff games. That's the highest over any seven-game home span in NBA postseason history.
Raleigh, N.C. — Traveling directly from Toronto after their Game 7 win on Sunday, the Panthers looked plenty fresh as they skated to an impressive 5-2 victory over the Hurricanes.
The drought continues: Carolina has now lost 13 straight games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Their last win came in 2006 when star Sebastian Aho was eight years old.
Here we go again. For the second time in two months, the tush push is in danger.
From Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein:
The Eagles' signature QB sneak play survived debate over its future during April league meetings. But club and league officials did not feel comfortable enough with the play's future to protect it for the long haul.
Rather than vote down the ban, officials tabled a vote until this week's league meetings in Minneapolis. Expect that vote to take place today.
The Packers amended their proposed ban on Monday to include the elimination of pushing, pulling or lifting of a ball carrier to his feet, and any assistance of a runner "except by individually blocking opponents for him."
The proposal needs 24 of 32 votes to pass and would functionally eliminate the tush push in a broader scope.
By the numbers: The tush push accounted for just 0.28% of plays last season. It's mostly used by the Eagles and Bills, who ran the play more times over the past three years than the other 30 teams combined.
Manchester City's 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday brought them one step closer to qualifying for the Champions League — a crowded race that will be decided during Sunday's Premier League finale.
Five teams, three spots: Liverpool* (83 points) and Arsenal (71) have already clinched, but five teams separated by just three points are still in contention for the final three spots.
Manchester City (68): The 2023 Champions League winners are in the driver's seat. They visit Fulham on Sunday, whom they've beaten in 17 straight games.
Newcastle United (66): The Magpies host Everton with a chance to reach the Champions League for the second straight year, something they haven't done in two decades.
Chelsea (66): The Blues visit fellow contender Nottingham Forest in the biggest game of the weekend.
Aston Villa (66): The Lions visit Old Trafford, where Manchester United will try to play spoiler in Villa's attempt to reach the Champions League for the first time since 1983.
Nottingham Forest (65): Forest's drought is even longer than Aston Villa's, seeking their first appearance since 1981.
What's at stake: The Champions League is the pinnacle of European soccer, and qualifying is a prestigious honor clubs don't take lightly. It's also a highly lucrative endeavor, with this year's tournament featuring a $3.4 billion prize pool that includes roughly $20 million just for showing up and millions more in broadcast rights and gate revenue.
*A chance for history: Liverpool's Mo Salah has 46 goal contributions this season (28 goals, 18 assists), one shy of matching the Premier League record jointly held by Alan Shearer (1994-95) and Andrew Cole (1993-94). And while they had 42 games, Salah has just 38.
🏀 Pacers at Knicks (8pm ET, TNT) | East Finals, Game 1
The Knicks' previous three trips to the conference finals came against their bitter rival Pacers (1994, 1999, 2000). This is also a rematch of last year's East semifinals (Pacers in 7), and literally the culmination of a WWE storyline. Get all the popcorn ready.
🏒 Oilers at Stars (8pm, ESPN) | West Finals, Game 1
Speaking of rematches, Edmonton and Dallas also met in this round last year, with the Oilers eliminating the Stars in six games. Can red-hot Mikko Rantanen (NHL-leading 19 points this postseason) help them flip the script?
⚽️ Manchester United vs. Tottenham (3pm, CBSSN) | Europa League Final
Two teams who vastly underwhelmed in the Premier League (16th and 17th place with a game left) still have something big to play for, with today's winner qualifying for the Champions League.
Plus:
⚾️ MLB: Rangers at Yankees (7:05pm, Prime) … Jacob deGrom (4-1, 2.29 ERA) takes the bump for Texas.
🏀 WNBA: Three games (8-10pm, League Pass) … Final day of free WNBA League Pass preview.
⚽️ U.S. Open Cup: Philadelphia Union vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds (7:30pm, Paramount+) … Pittsburgh is the only non-MLS team that made it to the Round of 16.
Today's full slate.
The 2025 Western Conference Finals are the first since 1996 not to feature a team from Texas or California.
Question: Which two teams played in 1996?
Hint: One has since relocated.
Answer at the bottom.
Which players are on the rise after the combine? The latest projections for every pick.
Trivia answer: SuperSonics over Jazz in seven games
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Florida coach Paul Maurice has Panthers back in Cup final, fueled by his mix of laughs and hard work
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida coach Paul Maurice keeps the day-to-day routine simple. Show up for work early and have copious amounts of coffee. Trust assistant coaches to do their jobs. Sit in on meetings when needed. Hammer home a consistent message with players. Swear a little bit sometimes, swear profusely at other times. Hey, it works. In the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive season with the Panthers, Maurice's style — laugh-out-loud funny at times, incredibly smart and serious at others — continues to deliver results for Florida. He was 41-51 in his playoff career before coming to Florida; he's 41-21 in his playoff career with Florida. A coaching lifer, he already was well-respected within the game before the Panthers brought him aboard, but he never had anything close to a run like this until now. 'I'm not being disrespectful to the other teams I've coached,' Maurice said. 'The team here, this is the best team I've ever coached. It's not really that close.' Winners of the Stanley Cup last season, the Panthers will try for back-to-back titles starting Wednesday night when they visit Edmonton for Game 1 of a rematch. Florida beat the Oilers last year in seven games for Maurice's first Cup in a 30-year career. 'Oh, I'll never get tired of hearing that,' Maurice said. It's a hilarious game of tug-of-war that Maurice and the Panthers players are engaged in these days. Players don't want to be showered in praise for making a third consecutive Cup final; the coach insists that it's all about them and that he just pushes a few buttons here and there. The truth is that there's more than enough credit to go around. 'He keeps things light, but he expects us to work our hardest and he's very prepared and — I know I've said this before — he can get you up for a Tuesday night game against Columbus or whatever in the middle of the year and it feels like a playoff game,' forward Matthew Tkachuk said. 'His speeches and his ability to get us to run through a wall each and every game is a big gift.' The speeches aren't filibusters, however. Maurice thinks it's critically important to have the ability to go into the locker room, say exactly what needs to be said and depart without saying anything more or anything less. He's not afraid to tell his players that they're playing poorly. He's not afraid to tell his players that he loves them, either. He's also not afraid to make himself the butt of the joke. Florida was a 122-point, President's Trophy-winning team the season before Maurice arrived. The Panthers managed 92 points in Year 1 of his era. 'Coaching,' he quipped. The 30-point drop was in large part to the adjustment made by a stylistic change, and that change led them to the Cup final, but Maurice never misses a chance to make fun of how he turned a 122-point club into a 92-point club overnight. Panthers defenseman Seth Jones came to Florida around the trade deadline this season. He had a lot of learning to do — new systems, new expectations, new teammates, all of that. He also had to learn how to get coached differently, which he quickly realized wasn't a bad thing. 'It's different than what I've had,' Jones said of Maurice's style. 'I think he knows how to really take the temperature of the group and the situation of the group. And he can have a meeting where he's very intense, calling guys out or calling the team out. But he's also very good at throwing a joke in there, throwing a funny clip in there when we're doing video. He's very smart. I think he understands what the team needs at any given time. I don't think he gets too high or too low based on certain situations.' That, the Panthers have learned, is critical. Consider how the title series went last season. The Panthers won the first three games and were on the brink of the Cup. Then they lost Game 4. And Game 5. And Game 6. The brink of the Cup became the brink of a collapse, real fast. Maurice started talking to his players about freedom and playing with that feeling. Game 7 was flawless. The Panthers won, and at the parade about a week later, Maurice ended his rain-soaked, highly profane remarks by throwing his arms into the air and yelling 'Freedom!' at the top of his lungs to his team. 'He gets the buy-in from the players and he treats all of us the same, which I think is really important as a coach and not to treat guys differently,' Tkachuk said. 'He expects us all to work hard and treat each other with respect and everything, but he treats us all the exact same. He's been a great coach and we're super lucky to have him here.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
Yahoo
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Florida coach Paul Maurice has Panthers back in Cup final, fueled by his mix of laughs and hard work
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida coach Paul Maurice keeps the day-to-day routine simple. Show up for work early and have copious amounts of coffee. Trust assistant coaches to do their jobs. Sit in on meetings when needed. Hammer home a consistent message with players. Swear a little bit sometimes, swear profusely at other times. Hey, it works. In the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive season with the Panthers, Maurice's style — laugh-out-loud funny at times, incredibly smart and serious at others — continues to deliver results for Florida. He was 41-51 in his playoff career before coming to Florida; he's 41-21 in his playoff career with Florida. A coaching lifer, he already was well-respected within the game before the Panthers brought him aboard, but he never had anything close to a run like this until now. 'I'm not being disrespectful to the other teams I've coached," Maurice said. 'The team here, this is the best team I've ever coached. It's not really that close.' Winners of the Stanley Cup last season, the Panthers will try for back-to-back titles starting Wednesday night when they visit Edmonton for Game 1 of a rematch. Florida beat the Oilers last year in seven games for Maurice's first Cup in a 30-year career. 'Oh, I'll never get tired of hearing that,' Maurice said. It's a hilarious game of tug-of-war that Maurice and the Panthers players are engaged in these days. Players don't want to be showered in praise for making a third consecutive Cup final; the coach insists that it's all about them and that he just pushes a few buttons here and there. The truth is that there's more than enough credit to go around. 'He keeps things light, but he expects us to work our hardest and he's very prepared and — I know I've said this before — he can get you up for a Tuesday night game against Columbus or whatever in the middle of the year and it feels like a playoff game," forward Matthew Tkachuk said. 'His speeches and his ability to get us to run through a wall each and every game is a big gift.' The speeches aren't filibusters, however. Maurice thinks it's critically important to have the ability to go into the locker room, say exactly what needs to be said and depart without saying anything more or anything less. He's not afraid to tell his players that they're playing poorly. He's not afraid to tell his players that he loves them, either. He's also not afraid to make himself the butt of the joke. Florida was a 122-point, President's Trophy-winning team the season before Maurice arrived. The Panthers managed 92 points in Year 1 of his era. 'Coaching,' he quipped. The 30-point drop was in large part to the adjustment made by a stylistic change, and that change led them to the Cup final, but Maurice never misses a chance to make fun of how he turned a 122-point club into a 92-point club overnight. Panthers defenseman Seth Jones came to Florida around the trade deadline this season. He had a lot of learning to do — new systems, new expectations, new teammates, all of that. He also had to learn how to get coached differently, which he quickly realized wasn't a bad thing. 'It's different than what I've had," Jones said of Maurice's style. 'I think he knows how to really take the temperature of the group and the situation of the group. And he can have a meeting where he's very intense, calling guys out or calling the team out. But he's also very good at throwing a joke in there, throwing a funny clip in there when we're doing video. He's very smart. I think he understands what the team needs at any given time. I don't think he gets too high or too low based on certain situations.' That, the Panthers have learned, is critical. Consider how the title series went last season. The Panthers won the first three games and were on the brink of the Cup. Then they lost Game 4. And Game 5. And Game 6. The brink of the Cup became the brink of a collapse, real fast. Maurice started talking to his players about freedom and playing with that feeling. Game 7 was flawless. The Panthers won, and at the parade about a week later, Maurice ended his rain-soaked, highly profane remarks by throwing his arms into the air and yelling 'Freedom!' at the top of his lungs to his team. 'He gets the buy-in from the players and he treats all of us the same, which I think is really important as a coach and not to treat guys differently,' Tkachuk said. 'He expects us all to work hard and treat each other with respect and everything, but he treats us all the exact same. He's been a great coach and we're super lucky to have him here.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Florida coach Paul Maurice has Panthers back in Cup final, fueled by his mix of laughs and hard work
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida coach Paul Maurice keeps the day-to-day routine simple. Show up for work early and have copious amounts of coffee. Trust assistant coaches to do their jobs. Sit in on meetings when needed. Hammer home a consistent message with players. Swear a little bit sometimes, swear profusely at other times. Hey, it works. In the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive season with the Panthers, Maurice's style — laugh-out-loud funny at times, incredibly smart and serious at others — continues to deliver results for Florida. He was 41-51 in his playoff career before coming to Florida; he's 41-21 in his playoff career with Florida. A coaching lifer, he already was well-respected within the game before the Panthers brought him aboard, but he never had anything close to a run like this until now. 'I'm not being disrespectful to the other teams I've coached," Maurice said. 'The team here, this is the best team I've ever coached. It's not really that close.' Winners of the Stanley Cup last season, the Panthers will try for back-to-back titles starting Wednesday night when they visit Edmonton for Game 1 of a rematch. Florida beat the Oilers last year in seven games for Maurice's first Cup in a 30-year career. 'Oh, I'll never get tired of hearing that,' Maurice said. It's a hilarious game of tug-of-war that Maurice and the Panthers players are engaged in these days. Players don't want to be showered in praise for making a third consecutive Cup final; the coach insists that it's all about them and that he just pushes a few buttons here and there. The truth is that there's more than enough credit to go around. 'He keeps things light, but he expects us to work our hardest and he's very prepared and — I know I've said this before — he can get you up for a Tuesday night game against Columbus or whatever in the middle of the year and it feels like a playoff game," forward Matthew Tkachuk said. 'His speeches and his ability to get us to run through a wall each and every game is a big gift.' The speeches aren't filibusters, however. Maurice thinks it's critically important to have the ability to go into the locker room, say exactly what needs to be said and depart without saying anything more or anything less. He's not afraid to tell his players that they're playing poorly. He's not afraid to tell his players that he loves them, either. He's also not afraid to make himself the butt of the joke. Florida was a 122-point, President's Trophy-winning team the season before Maurice arrived. The Panthers managed 92 points in Year 1 of his era. 'Coaching,' he quipped. The 30-point drop was in large part to the adjustment made by a stylistic change, and that change led them to the Cup final, but Maurice never misses a chance to make fun of how he turned a 122-point club into a 92-point club overnight. Panthers defenseman Seth Jones came to Florida around the trade deadline this season. He had a lot of learning to do — new systems, new expectations, new teammates, all of that. He also had to learn how to get coached differently, which he quickly realized wasn't a bad thing. 'It's different than what I've had," Jones said of Maurice's style. 'I think he knows how to really take the temperature of the group and the situation of the group. And he can have a meeting where he's very intense, calling guys out or calling the team out. But he's also very good at throwing a joke in there, throwing a funny clip in there when we're doing video. He's very smart. I think he understands what the team needs at any given time. I don't think he gets too high or too low based on certain situations.' That, the Panthers have learned, is critical. Consider how the title series went last season. The Panthers won the first three games and were on the brink of the Cup. Then they lost Game 4. And Game 5. And Game 6. The brink of the Cup became the brink of a collapse, real fast. Maurice started talking to his players about freedom and playing with that feeling. Game 7 was flawless. The Panthers won, and at the parade about a week later, Maurice ended his rain-soaked, highly profane remarks by throwing his arms into the air and yelling 'Freedom!' at the top of his lungs to his team. 'He gets the buy-in from the players and he treats all of us the same, which I think is really important as a coach and not to treat guys differently,' Tkachuk said. 'He expects us all to work hard and treat each other with respect and everything, but he treats us all the exact same. He's been a great coach and we're super lucky to have him here.' ___
