After a largely successful first season for Major League Baseball’s sweeping rule changes, the league announced several tweaks for 2024, focusing on further improving the pace of play.

In 2023, nine-inning games averaged 2 hours and 39 minutes, down nearly 25 minutes from 2022 and the shortest since 1985 (2:40).

Some of the changes for 2024, voted on by the Competition Committee, will include shortening the pitch clock with runners on base and decreasing the number of mound visits.

The Competition Committee is made up of six owners, four players and an umpire. The MLB Players Associated released a statement after the league’s announcement that players had voted against the rule changes.

‘Immediate additional changes are unnecessary and offer no meaningful benefit,’ MLBPA director Tony Clark said. ‘This season should be used to gather additional data and fully examine the health, safety and injury impacts of reduced recovery time; that is where our focus will be.’

HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.

Here’s what to know about the rule changes that baseball announced for 2024:

Pitch clock tweak

The time between pitches with runners on base is now 18 seconds, down from 20. With the bases empty, the pitch clock remains 15 seconds.

According to MLB, ‘pitchers began their deliveries with an average of 7.3 seconds remaining on the 20-second timer in 2023.’

Mound visits

The number of mound visits per team will be reduced from five to four.

MLB notes that teams only averaged 2.3 mound visits per game and that ‘98% of games would not have exceeded a limit of four mound visits’ last season.

Pitchers who warm up must face a batter

A pitcher who is sent to the mound to warm up between innings must now face at least one batter.

MLB says there were 24 occasions last season that a pitcher warmed up between innings and was replaced before throwing a pitch, ‘adding approximately three minutes of dead time per event.’

Wider runner’s lane

The runner’s lane towards first base will now include the space between the foul line and the infield grass. That adds 18 to 24 inches to the runner’s lane, which MLB explains ‘allows batters to take a more direct path to first base while retaining protection from interference.’

The league notes that some ballparks will be given ‘limited grace periods granted by MLB due to difficulty in modifying the field (e.g., synthetic turf field).’

Every week for the duration of the 2023 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide real-time updates to the league’s ever-evolving playoff picture − starting after Sunday afternoon’s late games and then moving forward for the remainder of the schedule (through Thursday’s game or Saturday’s, if applicable).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on the evening of Jan. 7.

Here’s where things stand at the moment:

NFL playoff picture heading into Week 16

AFC playoff picture

x – 1. Baltimore Ravens (11-3), AFC North leaders: The first AFC club to 11 wins, Baltimore is also the first in the conference to clinch a playoff berth after Sunday night’s victory at Jacksonville. But retaining the No. 1 seed won’t get any easier in the coming weeks – particularly a Christmas to be spent in the Bay Area. Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Dolphins, vs. Steelers

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

2. Miami Dolphins (10-4), AFC East leaders: They got back on track by grounding the Jets on Sunday. But now a team that doesn’t own a win over anyone with a winning record in 2023 hits the serious part of its season with three formidable opponents approaching. Still, win out, and the Fins clinch home field and the bye. Remaining schedule: vs. Cowboys, at Ravens, vs. Bills

3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-5), AFC West leaders: A 7-2 record in AFC games and wins over Miami and Jacksonville keep K.C. viable to play a sixth consecutive AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium. But the Chiefs probably need to run the table … and can after a fairly comfortable win at New England on Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, vs. Bengals, at Chargers

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6), AFC South leaders: They’ve lost three in a row and four of six … meaning they’re really trying to hang on for the division crown as opposed to achieving much else in terms of playoff positioning. Fortunately, the Jags currently hold the tiebreakers to hold off the Texans and Colts – they swept Indy – who have both pulled even at 8-6. Remaining schedule: at Buccaneers, vs. Panthers, at Titans

5. Cleveland Browns (9-5), wild card No. 1: They’ve won two in a row … barely. But Sunday’s escape from the Bears allows the Brownies to continue operating above the rest of the conference’s wild-card fray. They can actually sew up a spot this weekend with a win and some help. Remaining schedule: at Texans, vs. Jets, at Bengals

6. Cincinnati Bengals (8-6), wild card No. 2: QB2 Jake Browning’s impressive performances the past three weeks, including Saturday’s furious comeback against Minnesota, have them back in the projected postseason field – at least temporarily. A winless mark (0-4) against the division and 3-6 record in conference matchups could be tough to overcome in the tiebreaker department. Yet victories over the Colts and Bills could also become positively decisive. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, at Chiefs, vs. Browns

7. Indianapolis Colts (8-6), wild card No. 3: Beating Pittsburgh was as huge a win for them as it was a loss for the Steelers. Indy is currently behind Cincinnati due to its Week 14 loss to the Bengals. Be nice to get RB Jonathan Taylor back from thumb surgery soon. Remaining schedule: at Falcons, vs. Raiders, vs. Texans

8. Houston Texans (8-6), out of playoff field: Solid rebound from their Week 14 loss to the Jets, beating the Titans … in Nashville … in their throwback Houston Oilers uniforms … and without concussed rookie QB C.J. Stroud. The regular-season finale at Indianapolis could be huge. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, vs. Titans, at Colts

9. Buffalo Bills (8-6), out of playoff field: They’re officially on fire – on both sides of the ball following Sunday’s 31-10 rout of the Cowboys. Despite all the adversity, on and off the field, there’s a strong heartbeat here. And Buffalo started turning its recent wins into playoff progress Saturday, moving ahead of Denver and Pittsburgh in the overall AFC standings. The division crown is even a possibility if the Bills can sweep their final three games and hope Miami also loses to Dallas or Baltimore. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, vs. Patriots, at Dolphins

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7), out of playoff field: Their three-game losing streak may permanently disqualify them – head-to-head losses to Houston and Indianapolis also quite problematic, which also sums up Pittsburgh’s issues under center. Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals, at Seahawks, at Ravens

11. Denver Broncos (7-7), out of playoff field: They got run out of the building Saturday night in Detroit, resembling an early season version of themselves devoid of playoff hope. A win would have vaulted the Broncos into the AFC’s third wild-card spot. Now? A 4-5 record in AFC games parks them behind Pittsburgh … and in danger of falling further. Remaining schedule: vs. Patriots, vs. Chargers, at Raiders

NFC playoff picture

y – 1. San Francisco 49ers (11-3), NFC West leaders: They became the first team to clinch a berth in Week 14 and, on Sunday, the first to wrap up a division in 2023. And, with wins in hand against the Eagles and Cowboys, the Niners continue to march toward home-field advantage … but will get a stern test from Baltimore in Week 16. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, at Commanders, vs. Rams

x – 2. Dallas Cowboys (10-4), NFC East leaders: A combination of losses by other teams secured a playoff spot for ‘America’s Team’ prior to kickoff Sunday … and then the Cowboys went out and played like they had nothing at stake in an embarrassing setback. But Seattle’s defeat of Philadelphia on Monday and a better division record (for now) puts Dallas back into first place. Remaining schedule: at Dolphins, vs. Lions, at Commanders

3. Detroit Lions (10-4), NFC North leaders: Big get-right Saturday, the Lions pummeling Denver 42-17 a few hours after Minnesota lost in Cincinnati. A win on Christmas Eve will secure the Lions’ first-ever NFC North title. Remaining schedule: at Vikings, at Cowboys, vs. Vikings

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7), NFC South leaders: A huge win at Green Bay coupled with an Atlanta loss – plus New Orleans’ defeat Thursday night – served the surging Bucs well. Remaining schedule: vs. Jaguars, vs. Saints, at Panthers

x – 5. Philadelphia Eagles (10-4), wild card No. 1: They clinched a spot courtesy of the Niners’ win. Then they gave first place back to the Cowboys by losing Monday. These teams will go deep into the tiebreakers if both win out, but Philly still controls the road to the division crown. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, vs. Cardinals, at Giants

6. Los Angeles Rams (8-7), wild card No. 2: Thursday night’s defeat of the Saints elevates LA to the sixth spot. Win out, and they’ll snatch a spot. Remaining schedule: at Giants, at 49ers

7. Minnesota Vikings (7-7), wild card No. 3: Their 6-3 record in conference games maintains this precarious perch. Remaining schedule: vs. Lions, vs. Packers, at Lions

8. Seattle Seahawks (7-7), out of playoff field: Big as Monday’s come-from-behind defeat of Philly is, it only gained the ‘Hawks one spot. Dropping both games to the Rams will be a lingering issue, but a 6-5 conference mark would trump the Saints. Remaining schedule: at Titans, vs. Steelers, at Cardinals

9. New Orleans Saints (7-8), out of playoff field: They lost control of their postseason path with Thursday night’s loss. Gotta have upcoming game at Tampa. Remaining schedule: at Buccaneers, vs. Falcons

10. Atlanta Falcons (6-8), out of playoff field: They’ve gone from fourth in the conference to here in a matter of two weeks, Sunday’s loss at Carolina a potential backbreaker. Only a slim Week 2 defeat of the Pack leaves them here. Remaining schedule: vs. Colts, at Bears, at Saints

11. Green Bay Packers (6-8), out of playoff field: After beating the Lions and Chiefs, they’ve lost to the Giants and Bucs. So much for benefiting from what was mathematically the league’s easiest five-game schedule down the stretch. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at Vikings, vs. Bears

x – clinched playoff berth

y – clinched division title

NFL playoff clinching scenarios entering Week 16

Baltimore clinches AFC North division title with:

BAL win + CLE loss or tie ORBAL tie + CLE loss

Cleveland clinches playoff berth with:

CLE win + CIN loss + DEN loss or tie + BUF loss + MIA win or tie + IND loss or tie ORCLE win + PIT loss or tie + BUF loss + MIA win or tie + DEN loss or tie ORCLE win + PIT loss or tie + BUF loss + MIA win or tie + JAX loss + IND win ORCLE win + PIT loss or tie + DEN loss or tie + JAX loss + IND win ORCLE win + PIT loss or tie + BUF loss + KC win + IND win + JAX loss ORCLE win + PIT loss or tie + DEN loss or tie + MIA win or tie + IND loss ORCLE win + PIT loss or tie + DEN loss or tie + MIA win or tie + JAX loss ORCLE win + CIN-PIT tie + BUF loss + IND win + JAX loss

Kansas City clinches playoff berth and AFC West division title with:

KC win ORKC tie + DEN loss

Miami clinches AFC East division title with:

MIA win + BUF loss or tie ORMIA tie + BUF loss

Miami clinches playoff berth with:

MIA win ORMIA tie + JAX loss ORMIA tie + IND loss + HOU loss ORMIA tie + IND loss or tie + CLE loss ORMIA tie + HOU loss or tie + CIN loss or tie ORMIA tie + CIN loss or tie + IND loss or tie

Detroit clinches NFC North division title with:

DET win or tie

Detroit clinches playoff berth with:

SEA loss or tie

San Francisco clinches NFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and homefield advantage with:

SF win + PHI loss + DAL loss + DET loss

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.

There’s at least one NBA MVP playing in every Christmas game Monday: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant.

The past four NBA champions are also featured: Denver, Golden State, Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra has not lost in eight Christmas Day games.

It’s the Knicks playing on Christmas for the 56th time and 48th time in New York City. “City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style.”

James is the all-time leading scorer in Christmas games with 460 points and can break a tie with Dwyane Wade for most Christmas victories. They have 10 though Wade has the better winning percentage – .769 to James’ .588. With his 119 assists on Christmas, James can also get closer to Oscar Robertson’s record of 145. With three steals, he can tie Russell Westbrook (29) for No. 1 on Christmas, and with three 3-pointers he can tie James Harden (31) for most Christmas 3s.

Let’s look at the matchups with times, TV info and predictions:

NBA Christmas Day games

Milwaukee Bucks at New York Knicks

Time: 12 p.m. ET

TV channel: ESPN

Where: Madison Square Garden

Why you should watch: Bucks stars Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard help form one of the best offenses, and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who scored a career-high 50 points against Phoenix on Dec. 15, is headed toward his first All-Star appearance.

Prediction: Knicks

Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets

Time: 2:30 p.m. ET

TV channel: ABC, ESPN

Where: Ball Arena

Why you should watch: It’s Curry and Jokic – two of the game’s best players who each have two regular-season MVPs and a Finals MVP. Both are shotmakers and playmakers extraordinaire – basketball wizardry at its finest.

Prediction: Nuggets

Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers

Time: 5 p.m. ET

TV channel: ABC, ESPN

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Why you should watch: It’s Lakers-Celtics, two of the league’s storied franchises – each with a league-best 17 NBA titles. LeBron James. Anthony Davis. This is just the fifth time the Lakers and Celtics have met on Christmas (2018, 1970, 1955, 1951).

Prediction: Celtics

Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat

Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV channel: ESPN

Where: Kaseya Center

Why you should watch: Joel Embiid is dominating and having a better season (league-best 34.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, a career-best 6.0 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.1 steals per game and 53.4% from the field) than he did in 2022-23 when he won his first MVP.

Prediction: Sixers

Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns

Time: 10:30 p.m. ET

TV channel: ESPN

Where: Footprint Center

Why you should watch: With better shooting around him, Mavs guard Luka Doncic is putting together his best all-around season and is right alongside Embiid as one of the top MVP candidates. Plus, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker could put on a show for Phoenix.

Prediction: Mavericks

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

Lionel Messi has a new running mate with Inter Miami. 

Luis Suárez, the Uruguayan striker who was Messi’s teammate at FC Barcelona for six years, has joined Inter Miami on a one-year deal, the club announced on Friday. He will reunite with Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, former Barcelona stars with Inter Miami. 

“Nothing more beautiful than playing with friends,” Inter Miami posted in a photo with four children in the team’s academy wearing Messi, Alba, Busquets and Suárez jerseys.

Suárez is a UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup and Conmebol Copa América winner and a five-time LaLiga champion.

“I’m very happy and excited to take on this new challenge with Inter Miami. I can’t wait to get started, and I’m ready to work to make the dream of winning more titles with this great Club a reality. I’m optimistic about what we can achieve together with our shared ambition,” Suárez said in a statement.

“I will give my all to bring joy to these great fans I’ve heard so much about while I wear Inter Miami colors, and look forward to reuniting with great friends and players. I’m also eager to meet my new teammates and coaches.”

Suárez was named the Best Player and Best Striker in the Brazilian league, producing 26 goals and 17 assists over 53 appearances, and leading Grêmio to win the Campeonato Gaúcho and Recopa Gaúcha earlier this year. 

Suárez played alongside Messi, Alba and Busquets in Barcelona from 2014-20, where he won one UEFA Champions League, one FIFA Club World Cup, four LaLiga titles, four Copa del Rey titles, one UEFA Super Cup and two Supercopa de España titles. He scored 195 goals with 113 assists in 283 matches.

“We are happy to welcome world class striker Luis Suarez to our club. Luis is a fierce competitor whose winning drive embodies what we want out of our players. We promised our fans we would pursue the world’s best players to build a squad that can compete at the highest echelons in the Americas. Coming off an award-winning season in Brazil, Luis will be a key addition to our roster. We will continue to be ambitious and always strive to pursue the Freedom to Dream,” said Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said in a statement.

“We are delighted to have a player of Luis’ quality and passion for the game join our Club. He joins a squad that is inspiring the next generation and we look forward to seeing him take to the field with both former teammates and young players from our Academy,” Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said in the statement. 

The NHL season has hit the holiday roster freeze, so transactions will be on hold for a bit.

Then it’s a little more than two months to the NHL trade deadline on March 8.

There have been several trades and plenty of other transactions this season. The latest was a trade between the Seattle Kraken and Colorado Avalanche.

General managers will be guided by another year of a tight salary cap, but it’s expected to rise next season to $87.7 million. Last summer, a lot of players signed low-cost, one-year deals, increasing the pool of potential unrestricted free agents who could be moved out for draft picks or prospects.

Follow along this season for news and analysis on deals, major transactions and other announcements that have happened in the months leading up the trade deadline:

Dec. 22: Colorado Avalanche’s Samuel Girard cleared to practice after stint in assistance program

The NHL and NHL Players’ Association said defenseman Samuel Girard has been cleared to resume practicing with the Colorado Avalanche after spending time in the player assistance program. Girard, 25, had announced last month through his agent that his severe anxiety and depression had gone untreated too long and had led to alcohol abuse. He now is in the aftercare phase but hasn’t been cleared to play in games.

Also: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman upheld the six-game suspension to Detroit Red Wings forward David Perron for cross-checking Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub in the head. Perron, who had been reacting to an injury to captain Dylan Larkin, has served the six games and was set to return in Friday’s game.

Dec. 19: Banged-up Detroit Red Wings sign goalie Michael Hutchinson to NHL contract

Tuesday was a good day for Michael Hutchinson: He got himself an NHL contract, five days before Christmas.

The one-year, two-way contract (worth $775,000 at the NHL level) came about because the Detroit Red Wings need Hutchinson’s services at least through the end of the week; neither Ville Husso nor Alex Lyon is available, leaving James Reimer the lone goalie standing. Husso is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Coach Derek Lalonde described it as, ‘Ville will be unavailable to us for a while here.’ He added: ‘Alex, I do not see him available to us till probably after Christmas.’

Husso was injured in the first period of Monday’s 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Lyon suffered an upper-body injury Saturday night in Philadelphia. The Red Wings play three games before the three-day holiday break.

– Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Dec. 18: Ottawa Senators fire D.J. Smith, name Jacques Martin interim coach

Jacques Martin was hired earlier this season by the Ottawa Senators as a consultant for coach D.J. Smith. Now, he will run the team on an interim basis after Smith was fired on Monday.

Martin, 71, is the Senators’ all-time leader in coaching wins during the regular season (341) and playoffs (31). Daniel Alfredsson, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, was named an assistant coach, replacing Davis Payne.

Smith, who had never finished better than sixth in the division, was fired amid a four-game losing streak that included blown leads in the last two. The Senators sit in last place in the Eastern Conference.

‘I think we’re all looking for more consistency, more detail to our game, more structure,’ president of hockey operations Steve Staios told reporters.

Also: Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. … The Boston Bruins loaned forward Matthew Poitras to the Canadian national team for the world junior championships.

Dec. 16: Carolina Hurricanes place goalie Antti Raanta on waivers

The Carolina Hurricanes have placed veteran goalie Antti Raanta on waivers a day after he gave up six goals in a loss to the Nashville Predators. He cleared waivers and was sent to Chicago of the American Hockey League on Sunday. Carolina recalled ECHL goalie Yaniv Perets, who won an NCAA title with Quinnipiac last season. Raanta, 34, who gave up eight goals in a loss last month to the Tampa Bay Lightning, has seen his numbers drop to a 3.61 goals-against average and .854 save percentage from last season’s 2.23, .910 and is second to last in MoneyPuck’s goals saved against expected. Pyotr Kochetkov has been the better goalie since No. 1 goalie Frederik Andersen was sidelined with a blood-clotting issue. Andersen remains out indefinitely.

Dec. 15: Seattle Kraken acquire forward Tomas Tatar from Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche receive a fifth-round pick in the trade. The Kraken rank near the bottom of the league in scoring, and they’re hoping for the Tomas Tatar of previous seasons, not this season. He’s a seven-time 20-goal scorer who has just one goal this season after not getting a free agent contract until September. But he’s a veteran of 810 games with 212 career goals, including 50 on the power play. He’ll help Seattle deal with injuries among its forwards. The team placed Jaden Schwartz on long-term injured reserve.

In a depth trade Friday, the San Jose Sharks acquired center Jack Studnicka from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for defenseman Nick Cicek and a sixth-round pick.

Dec. 15: Columbus Blue Jackets’ Patrik Laine suffers fractured clavicle

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine, who has had problems recently staying healthy, will be out six weeks after suffering a fracture clavicle during a win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team announced Friday. He left the ice holding his shoulder in the second period after he was tripped by Toronto’s William Lagesson and slid into the boards. Laine had scored his sixth goal of the season during the first period. He was in his second game back after missing three games with an illness. He missed nine games early this season with a concussion and also was a healthy scratch once. Last season, Laine was limited to 55 games by injury or illness and played only 56 the season before.

Dec. 12: St. Louis Blues fire coach Craig Berube, name Drew Bannister as interim

General manager Doug Armstrong said he started having sleepless nights after a Dec. 8 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. After the short-handed Detroit Red Wings rallied to hand St. Louis its fourth consecutive loss, Armstrong fired Craig Berube and named Drew Bannister, head of their American Hockey League affiliate, the interim coach. ‘Your mind is starting to work when you’re everybody’s homecoming game,’ Armstrong told reporters on Wednesday, a day after making the move.

Coaching changes have turned around the fortunes of the Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild this season, and Berube took a last-place Blues team to the 2019 Stanley Cup title after his midseason hire. Bannister isn’t necessarily the coach for the rest of the season, though. Armstrong said he is looking for a full-time coach but didn’t have a timetable on when he’ll make a hire.

The Blues rank near the bottom of the league in power play and goals per game. They traded Robert Bortuzzo and waived Jakub Vrana, who’s headed to the AHL with Mackenzie MacEachern being recalled. Armstrong said he and the players share in the blame for the team’s performance. ‘Nobody should feel safe in our group,’ he said.

Dec. 8: New York Islanders acquire St. Louis Blues’ Robert Bortuzzo

The New York Islanders acquired defenseman Robert Bortuzzo from the St. Louis Blues on Friday in exchange for a seventh-round pick. The trade was announced after the team said Ryan Pulock (lower body) was going on the injured list, joining fellow defensemen Adam Pelech and Sebastian Aho. Bortuzzo, 34, won a Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019 but has been limited to four games this season and often was a healthy scratch. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Dec. 7: Nashville Predators’ Tyson Barrie discusses trade request

Nashville Predators defenseman Tyson Barrie knew he was about to be uncomfortable with the questions that were going to come his way Thursday, ones about him requesting a trade after being a healthy scratch last weekend. About the Predators granting him permission to talk with other teams.

‘I’m trying not to really air it out in the media,’ Barrie said.

As much as he might have wanted to, Barrie didn’t exactly bury any hatchets, either.

‘Well, if we’re getting into it, I’m in the stands so it doesn’t really feel like a great fit,’ he said. ‘My goal is to be playing hockey. Whether that’s here or elsewhere is up for the powers that be to decide.’ – Paul Skrbina, The Tennessean

Dec. 6: Detroit Red Wings announce when Patrick Kane is expected to make debut

Star Patrick Kane is scheduled to make his Detroit Red Wings debut on Thursday at home against the San Jose Sharks, coach Derek Lalonde told reporters. Kane was signed last week to a one-year, $2.75 million contract after offseason hip resurfacing surgery. Lalonde plans to play him with former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Alex DeBrincat and will try the pair with different centers. Kane’s minutes will be monitored. ‘There’s a lot of unknowns still there so we’ll all be patient with it and kind of let it play out a little bit,’ Lalonde said.

Also: The Buffalo Sabres acquired winger Eric Robinson from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2025. The fourth-liner has 82 points in 266 career games, including one goal in seven games this season. The Blue Jackets later placed defenseman Adam Boqvist, goalie Elvis Merzlikins and forward Cole Sillinger on the injured list. Boqvist (shoulder) is expected to miss four weeks. … The Toronto Maple Leafs announced defenseman John Klingberg will have season-ending hip surgery. He signed a one-year, $4.15 million deal in the offseason but hasn’t played since Nov. 11. The Maple Leafs, also missing defensemen Mark Giordano and Timothy Liljegren, are looking for a replacement through a trade. ‘It’s no secret we’ve investigated what the market is, what those costs could be,’ general manager Brad Trevling told reporters. … Jacques Martin, who has been a head coach for nearly 1,300 NHL games (692 with Ottawa), was named an advisor to the Senators’ coaching staff.

Dec. 4: Winnipeg Jets sign Nino Niederreiter to three-year extension

He’ll average $4 million in the contract that kicks in next season. He is the third player signed long-term since the Jets moved out Pierre-Luc Dubois and Blake Wheeler during the summer, following Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck. Niederreiter, 31, is tied for fourth on the Jets with six goals and is sixth with 14 points.

Dec. 1: Simon Nemec called up amid New Jersey Devils’ issues on defense

Simon Nemec, the No. 2 pick of the 2022 NHL draft, made his NHL debut after being called up amid the team’s major absences on defense. He played 22:38, had two assists and three shots, and was a minus 2 in the 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks. Before the game, the Devils announced that top defenseman Dougie Hamilton is out indefinitely after having surgery on his left pectoral muscle. Also, defenseman Brendan Smith was suspended for two games for slashing Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny. He will forfeit $11,458.34 in pay and Konecny was fined $5,000 for his cross-check on Smith. The Devils also announced that forward Tomas Nosek had surgery on his right foot.

Also: The Montreal Canadiens and goalie Sam Montembeault agreed to a three-year, $9.45 million extension. The Quebec native had been claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers in 2021

Nov. 30: Vancouver Canucks acquire defenseman Nikita Zadorov

The Vancouver Canucks got stronger on defense by adding rugged 6-foot-6, 248-pound defenseman Nikita Zadorov from the Calgary Flames. The Canucks gave up the fifth-round pick they acquired a day earlier in the Anthony Beauvillier trade, plus a 2026 third-round pick. Calgary’s return doesn’t seem high for a player who led the Flames in hits and is going to a division rival, but Zadorov had requested a trade and is a pending unrestricted free agent. The Flames, who have pushed closer to a playoff position after a tough start, also have forward Elias Lindholm and defensemen Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev in the final years of their contracts.

Nov. 28: Chicago Blackhawks waive Corey Perry, trade for Anthony Beauvillier

The Chicago Blackhawks placed Corey Perry on unconditional waivers on Tuesday in order to terminate his contract. The team said it determined that Perry ‘engaged in conduct that is unacceptable, and in violation of both the terms of his Standard Player’s Contract and the Blackhawks’ internal policies intended to promote professional and safe work environments.’ The Beauvillier trade happened later. The Vancouver Canucks, who acquired Beauvillier last season in the Bo Horvat trade, will receive a fifth-round draft pick. More important for Vancouver, the Blackhawks take on his entire $4.15 million cap hit, giving them flexibility before the trade deadline. Beauvillier, a winger like Perry, has two goals and six assists in 22 games this season.

Perry issued an apology Thursday for his ‘inappropriate and wrong’ behavior.

BLACKHAWKS: More details on why Chicago is cutting ties with Corey Perry

Nov. 28: Detroit Red Wings sign Patrick Kane

The one-year, $2.75 million deal will reunite Patrick Kane with Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat, his former linemate on the Chicago Blackhawks. DeBrincat had two 40-goal seasons while in Chicago. The question is how Kane will perform after hip resurfacing surgery during the offseason.  Though recent videos showed Kane going through intense workouts, Capitals star Nicklas Backstrom is taking a leave of absence to determine his future after having the same surgery during the 2022 offseason. Considering Kane wanted to play for a contender, that says something about his faith in the Red Wings’ direction after they try to end a seven-year playoff drought. Daniel Sprong is giving up his No. 88 for Kane and will wear No. 17 instead.

Also: The Buffalo Sabres loaned rookie goalie Devon Levi to Rochester (New York) of the American Hockey League. He had been in a three-goalie system with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Eric Comrie and his numbers were down from the strong start he had last season after leaving Northeastern University. The move allows Levi to see more action than he would in the NHL. “We’re super excited about Devon, believe in him,’ general manager Kevyn Adams told reporters on Wednesday. ‘This is an opportunity for him to get in a rhythm, get sharpened up.”

Nov. 27: Minnesota Wild fire coach Dean Evason, hire John Hynes

John Hynes is back in the NHL after being hired to replace fired Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason on Monday. The Wild made the switch after a 5-10-4 start in which the team struggled defensively and especially on the penalty kill. Hynes, who knows Wild general manager Bill Guerin from their days in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, was a midseason replacement previously with the Nashville Predators. He was fired last summer after missing the playoffs. He also coached the New Jersey Devils and has a 284-255-63 NHL record, making the playoffs four times.

Nov. 25: Chicago Blackhawks’ Corey Perry to be away from team for foreseeable future

Corey Perry will be away from the Chicago Blackhawks for the foreseeable future, general manager Kyle Davidson said Saturday. Perry, 38, hasn’t played since a 3-2 loss to Buffalo last Sunday. He was a healthy scratch for the last two games.

“It’s been a team decision so far to hold him out, and that’s about all I’m able to provide,” Davidson said.

In a statement provided to Hockey Night in Canada, Pat Morris, Perry’s agent, said the forward stepped away from the team to attend to personal matters.

Perry was acquired from Tampa Bay in a June trade, then agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract. He has four goals and five assists in 16 games. His absence comes as the Blackhawks deal with a series of injuries among their forwards. Taylor Hall, another offseason acquisition, is scheduled for right knee surgery on Monday in Minnesota. – Associated Press

Also: The New York Islanders claimed veteran defenseman Mike Reilly off waivers from the Florida Panthers and placed defenseman Adam Pelech (upper body) on long term injured reserve.

Nov. 24: Colorado Avalanche’s Samuel Girard enters mental health treatment

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard is entering the NHL/NHL Players’ Association Player Assistance Program. He announced through his agent that his severe anxiety and depression had gone untreated too long and had led to alcohol abuse.

‘Taking care of your mental health is of the utmost importance, and I encourage everyone to speak up and seek help should you feel like you need it,’ he said in a statement.

Girard, 25, has played all but five games of his seven-year NHL career with the Avalanche and had a career-best 37 points last season. He had one goal and three assists through 15 games this season and had missed the past two games for personal reasons.

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said the team supports Girard going to get help.

“You’ve got to take care of yourself first before you’re able to come and help a team,’ he said.

Nov. 24: Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness returns from leave of absence

Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness returned behind the bench Friday for the first time since he took a leave of absence on Oct. 23 after his wife Judy had a seizure. He said she’s doing as well as expected with her new medication and will stay with their children when he’s on the road. Associate coach Scott Arniel went 9-2-2 in Bowness’ absence. The Jets beat the Florida Panthers 3-0 with Bowness behind the bench.

Also: Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson played his 10th NHL game on Friday, meaning he’s staying in the league and not being returned to his junior hockey team. Benson scored his first NHL goal on Wednesday with a spectacular move. … The Washington Capitals said forward T.J. Oshie won’t travel with the team after a hard collision in Friday’s 5-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

Nov. 23: Chicago Blackhawks’ Taylor Hall to have ACL surgery

Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall, the former No. 1 overall pick who was acquired to mentor and play alongside rookie Connor Bedard, will have ACL surgery and is expected to miss the remainder of the season.

‘It came from an accumulation of a bunch of little injuries from the game and even in practice the other day,’ coach Luke Richardson told reporters. ‘It became unstable and we need to fix it.’

SABRES: Rookie Zach Benson scores first NHL goal in spectacular fashion

Hall had been limited to 10 games (four points) this season because of injuries.

“It’s heartbreaking — someone that loved to play so much and every game is so impactful, such a good hockey player and such a good person,’ Bedard said.

The Blackhawks also placed forward Andreas Athanasiou (groin muscle) on the injured list and called up Joey Anderson and Cole Guttman.

Nov. 17: Florida Panthers activate Brandon Montour, Aaron Ekblad

The defending Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers got off to a 10-5-1 record even with key absences. Now, they’re getting defensemen Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad back, activating them from the injured list after they recovered from offseason surgery for playoff injuries.

Montour set a franchise record for points by a defenseman (73) and was their top-scoring blueliner in the playoffs. Ekblad, like Montour a right-hand shot, was taken No. 1 overall in the 2014 draft. Defenseman Josh Mahura went on the injured list to make the salary cap situation work.

Nov. 12: Edmonton Oilers fire coach Jay Woodcroft

The Edmonton Oilers fired coach Jay Woodcroft on Sunday after a 3-9-1 start and replaced him with Kris Knoblauch, the Hartford Wolf Pack coach and Connor McDavid’s former junior hockey coach. That’s the third recent move with a connection to three-time MVP McDavid. His agent, Jeff Jackson, was hired earlier as CEO of hockey operations and the team also signed his former junior hockey linemate Connor Brown.

McDavid said Monday he was surprised by the move and said Woodcroft ‘never lost the room.’

The Oilers were a trendy pick to go far in the playoffs, but have disappointed this season. Last season’s No. 1-ranked offense is 26th this season, with McDavid possibly slowed by an injury that cost him two games. Their goaltending issues have been worse. Jack Campbell was sent to the American Hockey League in the second year of his five-year contract. Stuart Skinner, a rookie of the year finalist last season, ranks last in the league in goals saved above expected, according to MoneyPuck.

Knoblauch – and newly hired Oilers legend Paul Coffey coaching the defense – will be tasked with getting the Oilers back to a playoff spot. There’s precedent: Woodcroft went 26-9-3 down the stretch in 2021-22 as a midseason replacement and led the team to the Western Conference final. 

Also: The Colorado Avalanche announced that goalie Pavel Francouz (lower body) will miss the rest of the season. He has yet to play in 2023-24 and will return to the Czech Republic to be with his family. The team also signed forward Joel Kiviranta to a one-year deal.

Nov. 10: Pittsburgh Penguins to retire Jaromir Jagr’s number

Jaromir Jagr, drafted fifth overall in 1990, won Stanley Cup titles in his first two seasons and ranks fourth in franchise history with 1,079 points in 806 games. He played 11 seasons with Pittsburgh before being traded to the Washington Capitals. He ranks second all-time in NHL history in points and fourth in goals. His No. 68 will be retired on Feb. 18.

Nov. 8: Minnesota Wild trade Calen Addison to San Jose Sharks, acquire Zach Bogosian from Tampa Bay Lightning

Addison was sent to the San Jose Sharks for forward Adam Raska and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick. The defenseman is a power play specialist, but he is unreliable in his own zone. That led to him being a healthy scratch often down the stretch last season. With the Wild getting Jared Spurgeon back soon from injury (he was activated from long-term injured reserve on Friday), the power play opportunities will dwindle. Addison will be more valuable to the Sharks, who dealt Erik Karlsson last summer. He will be a restricted free agent at season’s end.

Bogosian lacks Addison’s offense, but the veteran takes care of his end of the ice. He’s a right-handed shot, like Addison.

“He’s a big guy,’ Minnesota general manager Bill Guerin told reporters. ‘He still skates well. He brings heaviness. He brings some grit and we need that.”

The trade buys the Lightning a little bit of salary cap breathing room. Bogosian, in the final season of a three-year contract, has a $850,000 cap hit.

Nov. 7: Edmonton Oilers place goalie Jack Campbell on waivers

Campbell, who signed a five-year, $25 million free agent deal in 2022, hasn’t played well since arriving. Stuart Skinner surpassed him last season and was a rookie of the year finalist. This season, Campbell was chased in the season opener and has gone 1-4 with a 4.50 goals-against average and .873 save percentage. He cleared waivers and will work on his game in the American Hockey League as the struggling Oilers try to get into a playoff spot. Edmonton recalled Calvin Pickard from Bakersfield (California) to back up Skinner.

Oct. 13: Colorado Avalanche sign defenseman Devon Toews to seven-year extension

He’ll average $7.25 million in the deal, which begins next season. Heading into the season, Toews led the league with a +120 plus-minus rating since he was acquired from the New York Islanders in 2020. He’s right behind defenseman Cale Makar in average ice time during that time.

Oct. 10: Carolina Hurricanes acquire forward Callahan Burke from the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Caleb Jones

The Hurricanes loaded up on defense this offseason and Jones was the odd man out. Both players will play for the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles.

This NFL season has seen no shortage of heroic performances from quarterbacks – from both the usual suspects as well as signal-callers who once seemed unlikely to seize the spotlight.

The likes of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert and other established stars have already announced themselves as ones to watch on a weekly basis. But 2023 has also featured its share of surprising star turns.

So with the calendar year closing out and the regular season drawing closer to an end, we decided to ask our panel of NFL reporters and columnists:

What has been the most heroic QB performance this season?

Their answers:

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Joe Flacco’s resurgence with the Cleveland Browns

A month ago, the answer would have been Joshua Dobbs, who helped save the Minnesota Vikings’ season after Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending knee injury. But now it’s Flacco. His case and the plight of Dobbs, who has been benched, illustrate just how dramatically circumstances can turn over the course of 30 days in the NFL. Nobody in the NFL wanted Flacco – even in this year of the backup QB – until the Browns tapped him to be their fourth starting quarterback this season. Didn’t the New York Jets need an emergency starter, too? Now the playoffs loom and the Browns (9-5) will have an undeniable road warrior and Super Bowl MVP to roll with and have a better than average chance of winning on the road in the playoffs. In other words, the heroic performance could go on for a few more weeks. As it stands now, the Browns are 2-1 in Flacco’s starts and head into this weekend’s clash at Houston on the heels of the lanky QB’s huge, 200-plus yards fourth quarter in the comeback against the Bears.

– Jarrett Bell

Jake Browning stepping up as starter

I was among many – I assume – who thought the Cincinnati Bengals were dead in the water after QB Joe Burrow was lost for the season. I was in their locker room the night his wrist came unglued in Baltimore and saw a dour, defeated bunch. QB2 Jake Browning’s performance at MT&T Bank Stadium and in the following game against the Steelers, a 16-10 loss in Cincinnati, did little to suggest the reigning AFC North champs were headed anywhere but the gutter. But Browning, pretty much a career practice squader before this season who’d never taken a regular-season snap, has since made an old Army guy reminisce about the M2 Browning machine gun after resilient, devastating performances (to the opposition) while blowing massive holes into playoff-caliber teams like the Jaguars, Colts and Vikings the past three weeks, two of those victories occurring in overtime. He’s thrown for nearly 1,000 yards during that three-game stretch, completing 77% of his passes (112.6 QB rating) and even rushing for two scores. Browning will never be Burrow, but he’s probably gonna get a long look from a long list of teams this offseason. And while the Bengals are hardly a sure thing to return to postseason, they’re also most certainly out of the gutter.

– Nate Davis

Josh Allen’s dazzling display in losing effort

His team didn’t win even win the game, but the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen had an equally gritty and star-like performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in a Week 12 overtime loss.

Allen was 29-for-51 with 339 passing yards and two touchdowns with his arm and added 81 yards on nine rushes with another two scores. The Bills were 13-for-22 (59%) on third down. All game, Allen extended, spun and bruised his way for extra yards and big plays.

Was he perfect? Absolutely not. He threw an interception. He missed a potential game-winning throw in overtime to Gabe Davis, which could have also been the receiver’s fault for running the wrong route after beating his defender off the line of scrimmage. But he meshed his desire to play hero ball with enough positive plays to give his team more than a puncher’s chance against a Philadelphia squad whose cracks that have been exploited in three straight losses became apparent throughout that contest.

Allen sat in his locker despondent afterward on the wrong side of a 37-34 outcome. But there was still an air of hope in a season that had not gone to plan at all for Buffalo, and it was because of what their quarterback did that day. Since then, the Bills have won two in a row – at Kansas City and last Sunday against Dallas – coming off their bye.

– Chris Bumbaca

C.J. Stroud’s sterling rookie season

The presumptive NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year has been nothing short of impressive this year. Stroud has undoubtedly performed like the best rookie quarterback since Justin Herbert. His poise, maturity, and ability to process against good defenses has been a pleasant surprise. Stroud already broke the NFL’s single-game rookie record for passing yards and his 98.7 passer rating ranks fourth in the NFL for quarterbacks with at least 13 starts.

The Texans roster is void of stars and household names. They weren’t considered a playoff contender coming into the season. But Stroud has help lead the upstart Texans into playoff contention as they are threatening to make the postseason for the first time since 2019. To me that’s heroic, especially for a first-year QB.

– Tyler Dragon

Joshua Dobbs’ amazing fill-in performance five days after being traded

Don’t let what followed diminish an incredible performance. Yes, other quarterbacks listed here won with more panache and style points, and all have proven to have more staying power. But what Dobbs did for the Minnesota Vikings in their time of need this November was a singular outing.

There was no reasonable expectation that Dobbs could meaningfully contribute to the Vikings on the field just five days after he was dealt to the team by the Arizona Cardinals at the NFL trade deadline. But when rookie Jaren Hall –who first got the call as Kirk Cousins’ replacement after the veteran tore his Achilles – suffered a first-quarter concussion against the Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota was out of options, as primary backup Nick Mullens was on injured reserve.

By now, Dobbs’ performance is the stuff of legend: Despite not knowing many of his teammates’ names, he tallied three touchdowns and tossed the go-ahead score in the final minute to power a 31-28 win. Dobbs would go on to deliver another stellar start before things began to unravel, leading to his benching in the fourth quarter of a 3-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Yet while Dobbs has receded into the background, his importance to the Vikings’ season – at a time when the offense was still trying to stay afloat without Justin Jefferson – can’t be overstated as they try to cling to a wild-card berth.

– Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — New Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani sported a No. 17 Rams jersey at SoFi Stadium on Thursday night. The $700 million man will wear 17 going forward with the Dodgers and he received a custom No. 17 jersey from the Rams before the game. But Thursday night was all about a different No. 17 — Los Angeles Rams breakout rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua.

“He’s playing at a very high level right now. The game has slowed down for him,” Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp said of Nacua. “His demeanor, being able to just slow it down and do the things that he wants to. He’s been getting open and making big plays from the start.”

Nacua amassed nine catches for a game-high 164 receiving yards and a touchdown in Los Angeles’ 30-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints. In the middle of Nacua’s stellar game, he found time to look up at the jumbotron inside the stadium while Ohtani was on the screen.

“It was perfect timing,” Nacua, a fifth-round pick, said. “I looked up at the big screen and they were showing him on the camera. It put a big smile on my face. Him rocking No. 17.”

Ohtani, a two-time MVP, was named the American League’s Rookie of the Year in 2018. The Rams’ No. 17 is emerging as a serious candidate for this year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He leads the 2023 rookie draft class in most receiving categories, including receptions and receiving yards.

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Nacua already surpassed the Rams’ single-season record for rookie receiving yards. Now Nacua (96 catches) is closing in on Jaylen Waddle’s NFL rookie receptions record of 104 set in 2021. And Nacua (1,327 receiving yards through 15 games) is threatening to eclipse Bill Groman’s rookie single-season record of 1,473 receiving yards that was achieved in 1960.

If Nacua breaks both marks and if the 8-7 Rams earn a playoff berth, it’s going to be hard not to vote the wideout NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Houston Texans star first-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, who is in concussion protocol, might have been the favorite entering the holiday season. But Nacua’s prolific campaign and performance Thursday night suggest he should be in consideration — and he might even be the front-runner.

“He’s outstanding. I couldn’t be more grateful for the contributions,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “You talk about that balance. You can’t have the balance if you don’t have receivers that are willing to dig out support and do some of the things that he does. You see around the league, (C.J.) Stroud’s had a great year, but this guy — he would get my vote. He’s really special.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X: @TheTylerDragon.