Latest news with #McDavid
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Greg Cote's Hot Button Top 10: Panthers-Oilers 2.0, Thunder-Pacers, well-timed hot Messi, dire Fins
GREG COTE'S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JUNE 1): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Our Sunday Hot Button Top 10 notes column -- back after one week off -- brings you what's on our minds, locally and nationally but from a Miami perspective and accentuating stuff that's big, weird, damnable, funny or otherwise worth needling as the sports week just past pivots to the week ahead. Happy new month, all! Welcome to the 105th edition of your HB10: 1. PANTHERS: Delicioso! It's Edmonton, McDavid in Stanley Cup rematch!: Maybe it was inevitable? It was the way Florida and Edmonton dominated their conference finals with 4-1 advances. Now its a Stanley Cup Final rematch as Panthers try for a repeat championship and Oilers try to avenge last year's Game 7 loss. Game 1 is Wednesday in Edmonton as -- for the fourth straight playoff series -- the other team has home-ice advantage, not the Cats. Will McDavid be 'McOverrated' again? Who'll win? Answers here in our Cup preview column. 2. NBA: It's an OKC-Indy Finals as Knicks fans denied (again): Oklahoma City Thunder own home-court advantage and open as big betting favorites at -700 over Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, with Game 1 Thursday in OKC. Thunder wait after bouncing Minnesota 4-1 as Indy dispatched the New York Knicks on Saturday to win 4-2. Our prediction: League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads a comfy Finals win over Tyrese Haliburton's Dad. 3. INTER MIAMI: Messi, Herons heat up in prep for Club World Cup: Inter Miami had been on a skid with only one win and two ties across eight matches before getting hot at just the right time. Team has now won consecutive MLS matches, 4-2 over Montreal and 5-1 over Columbus Saturday -- with Lionel Messi scoring twice in each game. Miami is now 8-3-5 and third in the MLS East. Herons are now off until the June 14 start of the FIFA Club World Cup with their opening match at Hard Rock stadium vs. Egyptian club Al Ahly. Meantime Messi and Luis Suarez have started Deportivo LSM, a soccer club in Uruguay that enters in fourth division. 4. SOCCER: Oui! Oui! PSG wins first-ever Champions League: French power Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday won its first UEFA Champions League crown in the event's 70-year history, routing Inter Milan, 5-0, in Munich. It was the biggest victory margin in the history of what many regard as the sport's biggest soccer tournament after the World Cup. Inter Milan had won thrice (in 1964, 1995 and 2010) and been runnerup in 2023 but was overwhelmed, no embarrassed on Saturday. Real Madrid holds a record 15 UCL trophies and had been defending champion. 5. TENNIS: Fritz fast-exit at French Open extends woes for U.S. men: No. 4-ranked Taylor Fritz's first-round exit at the French Open is the latest disappointment in the now more than 20-year downturn of U.S. men's tennis. No American man has won a major since Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick both did in 2003. Four U.S. women have won a major since Serena Williams' last in 2017 including No. 2 seed Cocoa Gauff, who remains alive at the midpoint in Paris along with fellow Americans Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys. The favorites are still alive as well: Aryna Sabalenka is women's No. 1 seed and betting favorite. On men's side, the money backs Carlos Alcaraz but top seed is Cheatin' Jannik Sinner. 6. DOLPHINS: First FPI model offers glum '25 outlook for Miami: Good news first? Fins should be better than Patriots and Jets in the division this coming NFL season. Bad news? Miami is ranked 19th overall with a negative -0.9 rating in ESPN's first 2025 Football Power Index model. Top-five are Eagles, Chiefs, Ravens, Lions and AFC East-nemesis Bills. Broken down, Dolphins are projected to win 8.2 (of 17) games and given a 37.6 percent shot at the playoffs and 1.1% to win Super Bowl. Ouch. And the pressure on coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier is further underlined as Fins' offseason work ramps up with mandatory minicamp June 10-12. 7. MLB: Meet 'The Team Put on Earth to Make Marlins Seem Less Awful': As the Dodgers and Yankees and Ohtani and Judge play at the top of baseball this weekend, a nod of sympathy please for the dregs. The Colorado Rockies enter Sunday with a 9-49 (.155) record, after the worst 50-game start (8-42) in MLB history. They are on pace to lose 137 games. The all-time mark is 134 by the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, whose players included Highball Wilson, Crazy Schmit and Cupid Childs. (Where'd all the great nicknames go?) Meantime the low-rent Miami Marlins -- rallying cry: 'Were better than the Rockies!' -- flounder along at 22-33 entering Sunday. 8. SOFTBALL: New women's pro league has ex-Marlins exec at helm: The women's pro sports boom has a new facet led by Kim Ng, Miami Marlins groundbreaking executive from 2020-23 and now new commissioner of Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), whose inaugural season opens June 7 with MLB a partner and 'strategic investor.' That will include joint sales, marketing and promotion/broadcasts on MLB Network and Ng in Miami became first female general manager of a major American men's pro team. AUSL's first season will see four teams barnstorming across 10 U.S. cities, South Florida unfortunately not among them. 9. HORSES: Belmont Stakes nears with two after for 'Double Crown': The 157th running of the Belmont Stakes is this coming Saturday at Saratoga in New York. Can someone win the 'Double Crown?' Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty was an 8-5 favorite at last check, with Preakness champ Journalism a nose behind at 9-5. 10. WNBA: Enough with hand-wringing over Caitlin injury!: Headlines seen since Indiana's Caitlin Clark suffered a quad strain that will sideline her a couple of weeks: 'Can WNBA momentum survive Clark absence?' and 'Will Fever avoid spiraling without Caitlin?' People, please! She's expected t miss four games, five tops. She last missed a game in 2017 as a high-school sophomore. If team and league quake due to her brief absence, the league's Renaissance stands on balsa-wood stilts. UPDATE THE LIST: PEDIGREES OF HOOPS 'N HOCKEY FINALISTS: The championships series are set: Edmonton Oilers vs. Florida Panthers in Stanley Cup Final and Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in NBA Finals. How each franchise has fared at winning it all, ranked in order of championships won: Team Seasons Playoffs Finals (Championships) Edmonton Oilers 45th 27 8th 5 (1984-85, 1987-88, 1990) Florida Panthers 31st 11 4th 1 (2024) Indiana Pacers 49th 29 2nd 0 Oklahoma City 17th 12 2nd 0 Note: Pacers played nine seasons in ABA prior to merger, reached five Finals and won three championships. Oklahoma City entered NBA in 2008 when the Seattle SuperSonics relocated. Other select most recent stuff from me: Stanley Cup preview: On Connor 'McOverrated,' dream Cup rematch, Panthers as face of changed NHL // Florida Panthers oust Carolina in five, reach 3rd straight Stanley Cup Final // Major news on future of Dan Le Batard Show, Meadowlark Media, DraftKings // Game 7 magic as Panthers rout Toronto 6-2, reach 3rd straight East finals // Previous HB10 // Poll: Pete Rse and Shoeless Joe // Panthers' 4-1 ouster of Tampa declares intent, and ability, to repeat as champs // Giannis? Durant? Embarrassed Heat need major help after 55-point loss and playoff sweep // NFL Draft Live! Pick-by-pick analysis, Cote vs. Kiper mock results // Our 34th annual Official Herald NFL Mock Draft // Miami Dolphins should be fed up with Tyreek Hill, but team is too desperate to trade him // LeBron vs. Michael, now Ovechkin-Gretzky. Our obsession with ranking greatness // NCAAs crescendo with exciting Final Fours, but college basketball is broken. Let's fix it // To owner Bruce Sherman of low-hope Marlins: Spend more on payroll, or sell team // Dolphins' 18-month decline, quiet offseason heap pressure on Tua, coach, GM in '25 // A tribute to Miami sports legend Jimmy Johnson as he retires from Fox TV // Must-win MLS season for Messi, Inter Miami a tough climb, as opening 2-2 home draw shows // 15 years later, Dolphins Cancer Challenge is the life-saving legacy of Jim Mandich // Unprofessional Jimmy Butler quit on Heat, ruined his legacy in Miami // Our Top 10 biggest Miami/South Florida sports stories of 2024 // And my latest podcast:
New York Post
4 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Stanley Cup Final picks, odds: Best prop bets for Panthers vs. Oilers
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. The 2024-25 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers gets underway Wednesday night at Rogers Place in Alberta. By now, you know the storylines. It's a rematch of last year's classic seven-game series and Connor McDavid's second opportunity to win his first Stanley Cup. It's also the third consecutive trip to the Final for the Panthers. The Stanley Cup Final is always dripping with drama, but this year's showpiece has everything you want in a matchup. To get ready, we've combed through the entire betting menu for the Stanley Cup Final and honed in on our favorite props for what should be a thriller between the Oilers and Panthers. Best bet to lead the series in points: Anton Lundell, Panthers (100/1, FanDuel) Look, it'd be easy to make the case for McDavid (+170) or Leon Draisaitl (+220), but their prices are too short to get excited about, especially since Florida can make life difficult for the Oilers' dynamic duo. If you want to go with one of McDavid or Draisaitl, don't let me stop you. But I will make the case for a long shot, too. Anton Lundell comes into the Stanley Cup Final with 12 points in 17 games. That's a healthy total, but it puts him eighth on the Panthers this postseason and five points behind Aleksander Barkov for the lead. However, I think Lundell has more scoring upside than usual in this series. Edmonton's Connor McDavid leads the playoffs in points. AP Paul Maurice is going to do everything he can to get Barkov out against McDavid, which will make it quite difficult for Florida's No. 1 center to continue his scoring pace. Similarly, I think we'll see a lot of Sam Bennett's line, which features Matthew Tkachuk, squaring up against Draisaitl. That should leave a pretty favorable matchup for Lundell's line, which has been dynamite all postseason. Lundell, Brad Marchand, and Eetu Luostarinen have combined for 39 points in the first three rounds. Betting on the NHL? Best bet to lead the series in goals: Connor McDavid (+500, FanDuel) If you want to make one McDavid-related bet before the Final, I'd make it this one. Draisaitl is the favorite to lead the series in goals at +300, but he's only got one more goal than McDavid in the playoffs so far. Plus, it's McDavid who leads the playoffs in shots with 59, eight more than the next player. Florida's Sam Bennett has 10 goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Best bet to win the Conn Smythe for the Oilers: Leon Draisaitl (+800, bet365) McDavid is sitting at -110 odds to win the Conn Smythe, which suggests he will take home the award for the second year in a row if Edmonton wins this series. That certainly could happen, but it seems premature to connect an Oilers win to McDavid being named Playoff MVP. Not when Draisaitl is just one point behind No. 97 in the scoring race. Let's put it this way: Draisaitl is +220 to lead this series in scoring and +300 to score the most goals. If he does either of those things, and the Oilers win, it will be tough not to give him the Conn Smythe. Best bet to win the Conn Smythe for the Panthers: Sam Bennett (33/1, FanDuel) Sergei Bobrovsky has the shortest odds of any Panther and the Russian netminder has been superb this spring, but he'll have his work cut out for him against the Oilers. Instead, we'll zero in on Bennett, who leads the Panthers in goals (10) and shots (51) this postseason. Florida's No. 2 center has a penchant for scoring massive goals, and his physical style of play could help tilt the scales in the favor of the defending champs. Why Trust New York Post Betting Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Connor McDavid tries to follow Wayne Gretzky's path with Oilers in tough Final
Connor McDavid tries to follow Wayne Gretzky's path with Oilers in tough Final (Image Source: Getty Images) Connor McDavid is getting ready for the 2025 Stanley Cup Final with the Edmonton Oilers. The team will face the Florida Panthers again, just like in 2024. Last year, the Oilers lost the game. Now, McDavid gets a second chance. This is his second Final in a row. Many fans are saying he might follow the path of NHL greats Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby. McDavid's second chance mirrors Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby's paths In 2024, Connor McDavid and the Oilers lost to the Panthers in the Final. It was a hard series. But now, in 2025, they will play the same team again. This gives McDavid a rare chance- a rematch for the Cup. Wayne Gretzky went through the same thing. In 1983, Gretzky and the Oilers lost to the New York Islanders. But in 1984, they came back stronger. They beat the Islanders 4–1 and won the Cup. Gretzky scored 35 points in that playoff run. That was his first Stanley Cup win and the start of a great era for Edmonton. Sidney Crosby also had a similar story. In 2008, Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Detroit Red Wings in the Final. Then, in 2009, they played them again. This time, Crosby's team won in Game 7. He was only 21 years old. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cinnamon: The Greatest Enemy Of Blood Sugar (See How To Use It) bloghealthnet Learn More Undo He became the youngest captain to win the Stanley Cup since 1895. Now, Connor McDavid is in the same spot. He lost once, and now he gets another shot. Fans are watching closely to see if he can do what Gretzky and Crosby did. Also Read: 'What The Hell?': Oilers' Fans Lose It As Connor McDavid Breaks Superstition By Touching The Campbell Trophy McDavid's playoff numbers and leadership raise hope for redemption Connor McDavid has played well in this year's playoffs. According to official NHL stats, he is only the fourth player in history to get 20 or more points in four straight postseasons. He has been a big reason the Oilers made it this far again. In a recent media interaction posted on McDavid said, 'We've worked hard all year to be back here. We know what we're facing.' The Oilers have looked stronger this season. They won games with solid defense and fast offense. Fans and experts believe McDavid has what it takes to win. If he does, he'll join a special group of stars — just like Wayne Gretzky in 1984 and Sidney Crosby in 2009.
Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
McDavid seen as ‘everything' to Oilers as Edmonton prepares for Cup Final rematch
For the second straight year, the Edmonton Oilers are four wins away from capturing the Stanley Cup. This time, they return with unfinished business against the Florida Panthers, who edged them in a dramatic seven-game series last season. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The rematch is set, with Game 1 at Rogers Place, and the stakes are as high as ever for a team built to win now. Leading the charge once again is Connor McDavid, whose playoff dominance has pushed Edmonton back into the Final. The 28-year-old leads all scorers with 26 postseason points and has powered the Oilers through big moments, including his crucial Game 5 performance against the Dallas Stars to secure the Western Conference title. McDavid long-term contract top priority after playoffs Connor McDavid Sets Up Corey Perry For The Oilers' Fifth Straight Icebreaker While the Stanley Cup Final takes center stage, a critical timeline approaches. McDavid's eight-year deal ends after the 2025-26 season. On July 1, he becomes eligible to sign a new contract with the Oilers. For Jackson and the front office, securing McDavid's future is the clear next step once this playoff run ends. Jackson, who was McDavid's agent for over a decade before taking on his current role, understands the importance of building long-term success around the captain. But he insists it's about more than relationships. It's about the vision. The Oilers believe they can be a perennial contender, and convincing McDavid of that is the ultimate pitch. Team stability and leadership support franchise goals Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers (Credit: Getty Image) Much of Edmonton's resurgence can be traced back to the moves made over the past year. The front office reshaped its structure, including bringing in former Chicago GM Stan Bowman, who was reinstated by the NHL in 2024. His experience has added depth and calm to an already focused organization. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Read more: As the Stanley Cup Final begins, the Oilers stand not only as contenders but as a team rooted in belief. With Connor McDavid at the center of everything, Edmonton isn't just playing for a trophy. They're playing for a future they hope will include their captain for many more seasons to come.
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Panthers and Oilers are now more alike as their Stanley Cup Final rematch arrives
'These are the two nastiest teams left,' 2003 Cup winner Mike Rupp said. 'They don't seem to get rattled, they play with a lot of intensity — sometimes they cross the line. They just defend well. There's a lot of things that they're different than one another about, but at the core of it, they're pretty similar to each other.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Comparing the two Advertisement Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl haven't gone anywhere, but they've also been through the heartbreak of forcing Game 7 against the Panthers and falling short of the goal they've been hunting over the past decade together. With former Bruin Trent Frederic, Jeff Skinner, John Klingberg, and Jake Walman, the Oilers are bigger and more seasoned for this. 'They're meaner,' said retired defenseman Jason Demers, who like Rupp is now an NHL Network analyst. 'They have a little bite to their game — a lot more bite than last year where they were a little bit more speedy.' Florida can be speedy, opportunistic and dangerous — and has been over the past few postseasons — winning 10 of 11 series since coach Paul Maurice took over and winger Matthew Tkachuk arrived after a trade from Calgary. Advertisement The Panthers are in the final for a third consecutive year, losing to Vegas in 2023 only after Tkachuk, defenseman Aaron Ekblad and others were banged up to the point that they had nothing left in the tank. They were the underdog back then. With one successful Cup run complete and with Seth Jones and former Bruins captain Brad Marchand added to the core led by Tkachuk and captain Aleksander Barkov, they now look unstoppable. Related : 'They're a heck of a team,' McDavid said after beating Dallas to win the Western Conference Final. 'Obviously, it's their third finals. They're a special group. We're a special group. It's going to be fun.' Rough and tumble It also could be physical. The Oilers lost hard-nosed winger Zach Hyman to a long-term injury late in the series against the Stars, but they are more prepared now to play the rough-and-tumble style Florida has won with. The fact that it's a rematch in the final — the NHL's first since Pittsburgh beat Detroit in the second of their back-to-backs in 2009 — only spices things up. There have only been four rematches in the Final since 1968. 'I don't think there'll be any weeding out or wading into that series,' Demers said. 'I think it's going to be gun shot, explosions right off the bat.' Going down two games to none last year led to McDavid's profanity-laced outburst in the locker room, a moment caught on cameras that wasn't quite enough to turn around the series. The memory of going down 3-0, clawing back to cross the continent again for a Game 7 and not winning is still fresh in his mind. Advertisement The Oilers have been through that trip to the final and feel the pain now, something the Panthers endured before winning. Now it's time to see if they learn the same lesson and change the result. 'Edmonton now, I think they needed to experience last year to get to where they're at now and they're kind of unflappable,' Rupp said. 'I think that's a weapon for them.'
