The Detroit Tigers have signed prospect Colt Keith to a contract extension.

The contract extension, which became official Sunday morning, is for six years through the 2029 season with club options for the 2030, 2031 and 2032 seasons. The contract will be worth $82 million over nine years if all of the options are escalated and exercised.

The agreement all but guarantees Keith will be the Tigers’ opening day second baseman in 2024, thus making his MLB debut. The 22-year-old, without any major-league experience in his three-year professional career, has been added to the 40-man roster.

Keith, who received a $2 million signing bonus, will make $2.5 million in 2024, $3.5 million in 2025, $4 million in 2026, $4 million in 2027, $5 million in 2028 and $5 million in 2029.

The six-year deal, spanning the 2024-29 seasons, is worth $28.6425 million guaranteed.

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The three club options: $10 million for 2030 (with a $2,642,500 buyout), $13 million for 2031 (with a $1 million buyout) and $15 million for 2032 (with a $2 million buyout). He can earn an additional $18 million in potential escalators on the club options.

‘This is a very exciting day for the Detroit Tigers, Colt, his family and our fans,’ Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said in a statement. ‘Colt has done everything we’ve asked of him during his young career, improving all facets of his game and asserting himself as one of the sport’s most promising young players. This contract demonstrates our faith in Colt and this organization’s commitment to acquire, develop and retain young talent.’

The Tigers, under former general manager Al Avila, selected Keith at No. 132 overall in the fifth round of the 2020 draft out of Biloxi High School in Mississippi. He was a shortstop in high school but switched to second base and third base in the minor leagues.

Keith suffered a right shoulder injury, which didn’t require surgery, in June 2022 that ended his second season in the minor leagues, but upon returning to full health in October 2022, he raked in the Arizona Fall League to set the table for a breakthrough in his third season.

‘I couldn’t be more excited to reach this agreement, securing my place in this organization for years to come,’ Keith said in a statement. ‘Since being drafted in 2020, all the coaches and staff have been invaluable in helping me and my teammates grow on and off the field. There’s a reason I felt strongly about making a long-term commitment to be here, and being surrounding by incredibly talented teammates and coaches in a big part of that.

‘I’d also like to thank my family, fiancée, agent and friends for their tireless support throughout my life and career. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I know this is a big accomplishment, but ultimately my mission is to be the best player possible and help win a World Series championship for Tigers fans everywhere.’

Keith, who is represented by agent Matt Paul of Munger English Sports Management, has been compared to 17-year MLB veteran Joey Votto by former Tigers hitting coordinator and current Cincinnati Reds hitting coach Joel McKeithan.

‘I definitely see a lot of similarities in how they naturally move and their approach to at-bats and the skills they have,’ McKeithan told the Free Press about 12 months ago. ‘High-level approach, ability to control the zone, put the ball in play and drive it to all parts of the field.’

He ranks as the No. 22 prospect in baseball on MLB Pipeline’s top-100 list and the No. 28 prospect on Baseball America’s top-100 list. He posted a 75% contact rate and 83.2% in-zone contact rate last season, with an average exit velocity of 90.4 mph.

Keith is the second prospect to sign a long-term contract extension this offseason, following Jackson Chourio’s eight-year, $82 million contract with the Brewers that has the potential to be worth up to $142.5 million over 10 years.

‘We are always open to it,’ Harris said Dec. 4 at the winter meetings, when asked about potential contract extensions. ‘I’m never going to comment on it until it’s done for obvious reasons. But you want to be in a position where you have young players that are deserving of extensions. I think we are moving towards that, and that’s about as far as I can really go. … I mean, the Brewers did it because it made sense for them.’

Six weeks remain before the NHL trade deadline on March 8.

There have been several trades and plenty of other transactions this season, including contract extensions. The latest trade was between the Minnesota Wild and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

There also have been five coaching changes, with the New York Islanders firing Lane Lambert and hiring Patrick Roy in the latest move.

The salary cap remains tight this season, but it is expected to rise to $87.7 million next season.

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:

When is the 2024 NHL trade deadline?

The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on March 8.

What transactions took place before the March 8 trade deadline?

Jan. 28: New York Rangers’ Filip Chytil ruled out for season

The fears about Filip Chytil have been realized. The 24-year-old center, who was hurt in practice during a comeback attempt, has been ruled out for the rest of the 2023-24 season, the New York Rangers announced Sunday.

‘Following a thorough evaluation of Filip Chytil after his recent setback from an upper-body injury, it has been confirmed he will be out for the remainder of this season,’ the team statement read. ‘The organization’s top priority throughout this process has been Filip’s health and we will continue to fully support him in his recovery with an aim to return for the 2024-25 season.’ – Vincent Z. Mercogliano, lohud.com

Also: Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine has entered the NHL/NHL Players’ Association assistance program. He has been recovering from a broken clavicle.

Jan. 26: Colorado Avalanche sign veteran Zach Parise

The Colorado Avalanche signed Zach Parise to a contract for the rest of the season, giving the Stanley Cup contenders some added depth and experience. General manager Chris MacFarland announced the deal Friday night. It’s worth a pro-rated $825,000. Parise, 39, is joining his fourth organization for his 19th season in the NHL. He spent the past two seasons with the New York Islanders after lengthy stints with the Minnesota Wild and New Jersey Devils. — Associated Press

Jan. 26: Philadelphia Flyers’ Owen Tippett agrees to extension

Philadelphia Flyers forward Owen Tippett will be sticking around a long time. He has agreed to an eight-year, $49.6 million extension that has an annual average value of $6.2 million, the team announced. Tippett, 24, was the key return when the Flyers traded captain Claude Giroux to the Florida Panthers in 2022. He had 49 points last season and has 18 goals and 30 points in 46 games this season. He also scored an impressive spin-o-rama goal this month.

The Flyers also agreed to terms with forward Ryan Poehling on a two-year, $3.8 million contract extension, the Associated Press reported. He has 14 points in 44 games this season.

Also: New York Rangers forward Nick Bonino passed through waivers and was assigned to the American Hockey League. He hasn’t played there since 2011-12. … Rangers forward Filip Chytil was injured in practice Friday.

SUSPENSION: Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher gets five games for hit to head

Jan. 25: Defensemen get healthy, waiver news, plus a small trade

The Dallas Stars announced that No. 1 defenseman Miro Heiskanen (lower body) is returning Thursday after missing three weeks with a lower-body injury. The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated No. 1 defenseman Zach Werenski, who was out with an ankle injury. He was hurt on Dec. 27. Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington is scheduled on Thursday to make his first appearance since May 2022. He took personal leave at the start of last season to attend to his mental health.

In other news, the New York Rangers placed forward Nick Bonino on waivers, and the Flames had two of their players claimed off waivers, defenseman Nick DeSimone (New Jersey Devils) and forward Adam Ruzicka (Arizona Coyotes).

The Minnesota Wild acquired minor league defenseman Will Butcher from the Pittsburgh Penguins for minor league forward Maxim Cajkovic. Though Butcher has 275 games of NHL experience and Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon is out for the season, Butcher will stay in the American Hockey League.

Jan. 24: Chicago Blackhawks’ Petr Mrazek gets two-year extension

Maybe the Chicago Blackhawks won’t be major trade deadline sellers after all. Goaltender Petr Mrazek (two years, $8.5 million) is the third Blackhawks player to sign an extension recently, joining Nick Foligno (two years, $9 million) and Jason Dickinson (two years, $8.5 million). Mrazek, 31, has gone 12-17-1 this season with a 3.01 goals-against average and .907 save percentage. The Blackhawks, who are missing injured Connor Bedard and are tied for the bottom of the league in points, still have to make decisions on other pending unrestricted free agents, including two-time Stanley Cup winner Tyler Johnson.

REPORT: 5 from Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team to face sexual assault charges

Jan. 22: Edmonton Oilers sign forward Corey Perry

Corey Perry, who had his contract terminated by the Chicago Blackhawks in November for undisclosed ‘unacceptable’ behavior, was signed by the Edmonton Oilers for the remainder of the season. He’ll get a prorated $775,000 and can earn additional performance bonuses. Oilers general manager Ken Holland said he talked to Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson, deputy commissioner Bill Daly and others before signing the gritty forward.

Perry, 38, didn’t elaborate on what he did that led to his release, but said, ‘Over the last two months, I really had a chance to reflect and get the help and take full responsibility for what happened in Chicago and try to better myself.’

Perry won a Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007 and was league MVP in 2010-11. He went to the Final in three consecutive seasons with the Dallas Stars (2020), Montreal Canadiens (2021) and Tampa Bay Lightning (2022). He has 53 goals and 124 points in 196 career playoff games, plus has won Olympic gold medals with Canada.

‘He’s been a player who’s been on a lot of winning teams,’ Holland said.

Also: In a corresponding move, the Oilers placed forward Adam Erne on waivers. … The NHL announced All-Star Game replacements for injured Connor Bedard and Jack Eichel.

Jan. 20: New York Islanders name Patrick Roy coach after firing Lane Lambert

The news was stunning, although Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello is famous for keeping moves under wraps and also for making coaching changes. The Islanders had fallen out of a playoff position with a four-game losing streak in Lane Lambert’s second season with the team.

Patrick Roy last coached in the NHL in 2015-16 and resigned from the Colorado Avalanche that August. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2013-14 in his first season in Colorado and won junior hockey’s Memorial Cup as coach/GM of the Quebec Remparts in 2022-23. He stepped down after that.

Roy, 58, won four Stanley Cup titles as a Hall of Fame goalie and is third in NHL wins after Marc-Andre Fleury recently passed him. Roy is known for his fiery competitiveness. He was fined $10,000 after his NHL coaching debut for shoving the glass partition between the two benches during a game against the Anaheim Ducks, though he was more composed after that.

Also: Florida Panthers forward William Lockwood was suspended for three games for goaltender interference against Marc-Andre Fleury during Friday’s game. Fleury ended up leaving the game. Lockwood will forfeit $12,109.38 in pay.

Jan. 19: Ottawa Senators sign Shane Pinto to one-year deal

Shane Pinto, who was suspended for 41 games early this season for violating the NHL’s sports wagering rules, signed a one-year deal worth $775,000. The Senators restricted free agent had been unsigned at the time of the suspension and will be eligible to return on Sunday. The league never said what he did to earn the suspension but said its ‘investigation found no evidence that Pinto made any wagers on NHL games.’ Pinto, 23, had a career-best 20 goals, 15 assists and 35 points last season.

Also: The Carolina Hurricanes, missing goalies Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, claimed goalie Spencer Martin off waivers from the Columbus Blue Jackets. … The Washington Capitals signed Aliaksei Protas to a five-year, $16.875 million contract extension that keeps the 6-6 forward under contract with Washington through the 2028-29 season. Protas, 23, has 18 points in 42 games this season. … The Vancouver Canucks gave a three-year contract extension to president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford.

Jan. 18: Minnesota Wild’s Jared Spurgeon to have season-ending surgery

The Minnesota Wild have shut down captain Jared Spurgeon for the season. The defenseman is scheduled to have hip surgery on Feb. 6 and then have back surgery four weeks later. He had missed the first month of the season, plus seven games in December, with injuries and hasn’t played since Jan. 2. He’s expected to be fully recovered by the beginning of next season.

Jan. 16: Chicago Blackhawks’ Jason Dickinson gets two-year extension

The deal is worth $8.5 million over two years. He joins Nick Foligno (two years, $9 million) as Blackhawks signing recent extensions. Dickinson is second on the team with 14 goals and third with 21 points.

Jan. 15: Colorado Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin enters assistance program

Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin has entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. The league and union announced Monday that Nichushkin will return once he’s cleared by program administrators. No other information was provided.

Nichushkin, 28, becomes the second Avalanche player to enter the Player Assistance Program this season. Defenseman Samuel Girard announced in November that anxiety and depression led to alcohol abuse and to him seeking treatment from the program. Girard returned in mid-December.

Nichushkin was away from the team in the playoffs last season for what the team explained at the time were personal reasons. He missed the final five postseason games of a first-round loss to Seattle.

His absence started after officers responded to a crisis call at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle the afternoon before Game 3 on April 22. A 28-year-old woman was in an ambulance when officers arrived, and medics were told to speak with an Avalanche team physician to gather more details.

The report, obtained at the time from the Seattle Police Department by The Associated Press, said the Avalanche physician told officers that team employees found the woman when they were checking in on Nichushkin. The physician told officers the woman appeared to be heavily intoxicated – too intoxicated to have left the hotel “in a ride share or cab service,” and requested EMS assistance. – Associated Press

Jan. 12: Chicago Blackhawks sign Nick Foligno to two-year extension

Gritty forward Nick Foligno, 36, landed a two-year, $9 million extension from the Chicago Blackhawks. He had been acquired with Taylor Hall from the Boston Bruins last summer to surround No. 1 pick Connor Bedard with veteran leadership and was making $4 million this season. He ranked fourth on the Blackhawks with 17 points, including five power-play goals, and second with 39 penalty minutes.

“The impact Nick has already had on our team in such a short time is a testament to his work ethic and dedication to helping the players around him succeed,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said. 

Foligno is out with a fractured finger after fighting New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith, whose hit had given Bedard a broken jaw.

Jan. 10: Anaheim Ducks claim Gustav Lindstrom off waivers

The Anaheim Ducks were in need of a defenseman after trading Jamie Drysdale to the Philadelphia Flyers earlier in the week. Gustav Lindstrom, 25, claimed from the Montreal Canadiens, is a right shot like Drysdale, 21, though he doesn’t have his offensive upside. Lindstrom has 29 points in 142 career games, compared to 45 in 123 for Drysdale. Lindstrom’s best season is three goals with Montreal this season and 13 points in 2021-22 with the Detroit Red Wings.

Jan. 8: Toronto Maple Leafs sign William Nylander to eight-year, $92 million extension

His $11.5 million cap hit, which kicks in next season, will place him second on the team behind Auston Matthews (league-record $13.25 million) and ahead of John Tavares ($11 million) and Mitch Marner ($10,903,000). Those four will take up 53% of the projected $87.7 million salary cap. Marner and Tavares will be unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2025.

According to The Athletic, the contract includes $69 million in signing bonuses and has a full no-movement clause in all eight years.

Jan. 8: Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers make trade

Cutter Gauthier, 19, voted the top forward at the world junior championships for gold-medal-winning USA, is heading to Anaheim for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick. Both were top-six draft picks. Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said the Boston College forward wasn’t interested in signing with Philadelphia, and he called Drysdale, 21, a ‘pretty special’ and ‘exciting’ player. Drysdale is the first year of a three-year contract but missed all but eight games last season and has played only 10 games this season because of injuries. He had 32 points in his lone full season.

Jan. 6: Chicago Blackhawks place Connor Bedard, Nick Foligno on injured list, add two forwards

The Chicago Blackhawks placed star rookie Connor Bedard and forward Nick Foligno on the injured list Saturday. Bedard suffered a fractured jaw on a hit from New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith and Foligno broke his finger in a subsequent fight with Smith. The Blackhawks now have nine players on the injured list.

With the Blackhawks in need of healthy players, they acquired forward Rem Pitlick from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2026 seventh-round pick. He has spent this season in the American Hockey League. They also claimed forward Zach Sanford off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes. He has two points in 11 games this season.

Also: Devils All-Star forward Jack Hughes, who left Friday’s game early, sat out Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury. … Los Angeles Kings goalie Pheonix Copley had season-ending ACL surgery.

Jan. 4: Calgary Flames’ Oliver Kylington takes step toward return from season off

The Calgary Flames sent defenseman Oliver Kylington to a conditioning assignment with the Calgary Wranglers, a key step in his return from taking more than a season off for personal reasons. ‘I feel I’m in a good place with my mental health and ready to take another step forward,’ Kylington said in a statement. ‘Returning to Calgary has been the right decision.’ Kylington, 26, set career highs in 2021-22 with nine goals, 22 assists and 31 points, but returned to Sweden last season. He began skating in Calgary last month. ‘We are so happy that he has made positive progression with his mental well-being, and we will continue to support Oliver through this process,’ general manager Craig Conroy said.

Also: The San Jose Sharks announced that defenseman Matt Benning had hip surgery. He’s expected to miss the rest of the season but be fine for training camp. … Montreal Canadiens forward Christian Dvorak will have season-ending surgery for a torn pectoral muscle. … Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Nieto (knee surgery) will be out six to eight weeks.

Jan. 1: Toronto Maple Leafs send down goalie Ilya Samsonov

The Toronto Maple Leafs loaned veteran goaltender Ilya Samsonov to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League after he cleared waivers. They called up Dennis Hildeby. Samsonov, 26, has struggled in his second season with the Maple Leafs, recording a 3.94 goals-against average and .862 save percentage. He has given up 17 goals in his last three games and was pulled in one of them. Samsonov filed for salary arbitration last summer and was awarded a $3.55 million contract. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Also: The Buffalo Sabres assigned Eric Comrie to Rochester (New York) of the AHL after he cleared waivers. The Sabres had been carrying three goalies this season. Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen remain with the Sabres. Comrie is 1-5-0 this season.

Dec. 28: New Jersey Devils send down goalie Akira Schmid

The New Jersey Devils, who have lacked consistent goaltending this season, sent Akira Schmid to Utica (New York) of the American Hockey League. Schmid, 23, helped the Devils win their first-round series last season, but is 5-7-1 with a 3.26 goals-against average and .893 save percentage. Coach Lindy Ruff wants him to play more games and ‘get into a rhythm.’

‘Our goalies can give us more saves at times,’ Ruff said. ‘But we haven’t been as good a team in front of our goalies, either, so it’s kind of a two-way street.’

Nico Daws, who has returned from hip surgery, will back up Vitek Vanecek.

Dec. 28: Washington Capitals sign defenseman Ethan Bear

Ethan Bear will average $2.0625 million for the two-year deal. He is coming off shoulder surgery and had been working out with the Capitals. Bear, 26, has 16 goals and 47 assists in 251 career games with the Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers. He kills penalties and blocks shots. The Capitals could be getting additional help, too, because offseason signee Max Pacioretty (Achilles surgery) has resumed skating.

Dec. 27: Carolina Hurricanes recall veteran goalie Antti Raanta

The Carolina Hurricanes recalled veteran goalie Antti Raanta from a two-game stint in the American Hockey League. Raanta, 34, went 1-0-1 with a 2.90 goals-against average and a .890 save percentage with the Chicago Wolves during his first AHL appearance since the 2019-20 season. Raanta was sent down after seeing his numbers drop to a 3.61 goals-against average and a .854 save percentage from last season’s 2.23 and .910. He is fourth to last in MoneyPuck’s goals saved against expected. Pyotr Kochetkov is expected to get the start Wednesday in Nashville. Carolina reassigned goaltender Yaniv Perets to the Norfolk (Virginia) Admirals of the ECHL.

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.

BRADENTON, Fla. ― Nelly Korda had no idea her homecoming would involve a ride on a rollercoaster.

For the victory, Korda’s ninth LPGA Tour triumph and first since capturing the Pelican Women’s Championship in November 2022, she earned a first-place prize of $262,500 and 500 points in the Race to the CME Globe. She finished Sunday’s round at 2-over-par 73, and minus-11 for the tournament, identical to Ko, the winner of last week’s opening event of the LPGA Tour season.

“Gosh, I thought that the tournament was over going into 17,” Korda said. “I just kind of gave myself a chance. I knew that if I rolled that eagle in, I had to birdie the last hole. Yeah, I seem to always make it very dramatic and interesting, so there is no better feeling than to do it in front of a home crowd. What a day.

“It was such a grind out there, so back and forth. I felt like I never really got anything going. But, I mean, I just can’t even believe it right now.”

For her efforts, the 26-year-old Ko took home a second-place prize of $163,689. Her win in last week’s Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions left her one point shy of reaching the 27 required to enter the LPGA Hall of Fame and Korda’s comeback denied her of that point, which would have made Ko the youngest player under the current criteria to gain enshrinement at 26 years, 9 months and 4 days.

Behind Korda and Ko at minus-8 was Megan Khang, who earned $118,745. Lucy Li and Ayaka Furue finished tied for fourth, each earning $82,897. Auston Kim and Xiyu Lin tied for sixth place at minus-6. They both took home $55,564.

A homecoming that followed the script for the first three days of the tournament flipped horribly for Korda. Her four-shot lead entering the day evaporated as the world’s No. 4 player submitted two bogeys and one double bogey on the back nine. The fade allowed Ko to take advantage.

Ko carded two birdies and an eagle on her back nine to vault ahead of Korda with two holes to play.

At minus-8 for the tournament, Korda needed to pick up three strokes over those final two holes, and the 25-year-old did just that. She eagled the No. 17 hole, moving one shot back of Ko, then needing a birdie on the par-4 18, Korda did, pulling even with Ko and forcing the sudden-death playoff. Korda carded a 65, 67 and 68 her first three days of the tourney before Sunday’s 2-over-73.

“Yeah, going into last week, who would have known that I would come first the first week and then to be in a playoff to be able to again,” said Ko, who went winless in 2023. “You know, I played really well this week. I think my second day was probably the most iffy. Other than that, just kind of shows that you can never give up until the very end. When I made the bogey on 16, I thought I was way back, then I saw the leaderboard and I was, like, tied with the lead. To be able to eagle the 17th to set myself up for an opportunity to be in the lead, I think that was probably the highlight of the week.”

As for Khang, her four birdies and eagle on Saturday shot her from a tie for 12th into a tie for second at the start of Sunday’s play. And consecutive birdies on holes 6 and 7  brought her even with Korda, who finished her front nine at 1-over, the result of a bogey on the par-4 No. 5 hole.

The LPGA Tour will take a break before resuming action in mid-February with the Honda LPGA Thailand. The following week, it travels to Singapore for the HSBC Women’s World Championship. After that, the Blue Bay LPGA returns to the People’s Republic of China for the first time in six years due to travel restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Former NHL player Alex Formenton has turned himself in to authorities in Ontario in connection with an alleged sexual assault in 2018 that involved five members of that year’s Canadian world junior hockey team, the Globe and Mail reported Sunday.

The five players were ordered last week to report to London, Ontario, where charges were expected to be filed.

Formenton took a leave of absence from his current team in Switzerland last week and arrived at police headquarters on Sunday. His lawyers confirmed Formenton has been charged in the case, but said he ‘will vigorously defend his innocence and asks that people not rush to judgment without hearing all of the evidence.’

Formenton, 24, played four years with the Ottawa Senators before leaving when his contract expired at the end of the 2021-22 season.

The other four players involved have not been named by authorities.

The London Police Service said on its website that it expects to hold a news conference on Feb. 5 to provide additional details on the case.

Things were looking bleak when the San Francisco 49ers trailed 24-7 at halftime. Then the 49ers had a California gold rush in the second half.

The 49ers scored 27 unanswered points between the third and fourth quarters as they rallied back to defeat the Detroit Lions, 34-31, to advance to the Super Bowl 58.

In what was a tale of two halves for the 49ers. And at the same time a massive playoff meltdown by the Lions.

“We were just pissed off. Guys were extremely pissed. That first half, it wasn’t just that we were down 17 (points), it was the way we were down. They were kind of having their way in the run game, we weren’t getting much in our run game either and we didn’t want to go out like that,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “That would’ve been a real rough way to end it if we couldn’t play better.”

The 49ers’ 17-point comeback win matched the largest comeback victory in NFC championship game history. Coincidentally, it tied the 2012 49ers, who came back from down 17 to defeat the Atlanta Falcons. The 49ers were previously 0-5 when trailing by at least 14 points at any point in a game since 2022, according to NFL Research.

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

“That’s why football is four quarters. We knew we had the guys that if we were gonna do it, we got the guys that can make it happen,” 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey said. “Just so proud to be a part of this group. Showed a lot of resilience, this week and last week.”

Niners quarterback Brock Purdy told reporters postgame that Shanahan and All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner spoke to the team at halftime, which set everything in motion.

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s circus 51-yard catch sparked a furious rally. Three plays after Aiyuk’s catch, the 49ers pulled within one score.

Detroit fumbled the football on its very next possession.

Then the gold rush was in full force.  

The 49ers scored off the turnover, which was part of their scoring onslaught that featured 17 points in an eight-minute span. A Lions punt followed by a turnover on downs, led to 10 more 49ers points for a total of 27 unanswered points in the second half.

“Guys care about each other in this locker room and what we have been through. We got a core group of guys who have been here the past couple years and the standard and culture that they’ve built,” Purdy said. “It showed tonight in a huge moment. If you’re down 17, you got to care about each other, care about each other to get a comeback going. I think we showed that tonight. I’m really proud of this group.”

Shanahan is now 2-2 in conference title games. The 49ers’ victory now sets up a date with the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 58, which will be a rematch of the Super Bowl four years ago.

“They’re a hell of a team. Got a hell of a coach, hell of a quarterback, hell of a defense,” Shanahan said of the Chiefs. “We already have a pretty good idea how it’s going to look. They’ve been doing it a while. Since we met them in ’19, seems like they’ve been there every year since. We have been trying really hard to get back to this moment. We have been close a number of times. This time we got it done.”

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

Sunday afternoon, however, was about Kelce the football player. It was a reminder that behind the celebrity headlines and podcast quips, he remains one of the most dominant tight ends of his era.

After a lackluster regular season by his lofty standards, Kelce went off in the Chiefs’ 17-10 win over Baltimore on Sunday, finishing with 11 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. Yes, his postgame kiss on the field with girlfriend Taylor Swift might have generated buzz on social media. But before that, it was all about the catches he made in clutch situations, including a twisting touchdown grab that put the Chiefs on the board − and the fact that he also broke one of Jerry Rice’s postseason records along the way.

Rice, who is widely considered to be the greatest wide receiver of all-time, caught 151 passes in 29 playoff games over the course of his career. Kelce passed that mark in the first half of what was just his 21st postseason appearance.

‘Shoutout to Jerry Rice, baby,’ Kelce said in a brief interview on CBS after the game. ‘The Chiefs are still the Chiefs.’

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

He followed it up by quoting the Beastie Boys: ‘You’ve got to fight… for your right… to party!’

Kelce was not otherwise made available to speak with reporters after the game.

It feels weird, and maybe even a little unfair, to call Sunday a vintage performance for the four-time all-Pro tight end, who has now helped fuel the Chiefs to their fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years. But in many ways, that’s what it was − from the sprawling fourth-down catch to prolong a drive, to the relentless jawing at Ravens defenders, to the touchdown catch in which he contorted his body to nab a pass that was thrown low and away from him to keep the defender out of the play.

In a game where early momentum proved critical, Kelce led all receivers with nine catches in the first half, including that 19-yarder for the score. He receded into the background in the second half, as the Chiefs’ defense continued to flummox Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and ultimately put the game away.

‘He’s a special player, man,’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. ‘I always say it, but when the lights get brighter, he plays better. That’s the true mark of a champion, and that’s what he is.’

Sunday’s game wasn’t quite Kelce’s best of the season − that would be his 12-catch, 179-yard performance against the Los Angeles Chargers − but it was close. And it wasn’t his most dominant playoff performance, but it was comparable. He already holds the postseason record for most catches by a tight end in a single game, with 14.

‘(Kelce) a future Hall of Famer,’ Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce said. ‘He knows where to be, and they were just on point.’

For a Chiefs team that lost four of six games in one stretch during the regular season, and entered the playoffs as a No. 3 seed rather than its customary No. 1, Sunday’s game marked a return to normalcy. The same could be said for Kelce.

Since the Chiefs won last year’s Super Bowl, Kelce has gone from football famous to regular old famous. He hosted an episode of NBC’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ in March and has seen the audience numbers for his podcast, ‘New Heights,’ skyrocket. Rumors of his relationship with Swift began to bubble up in the fall. And according to The Wall Street Journal, he’s dominated television commercials during NFL games like no other player − appearing in 375 ads as of Dec. 11. That’s 34 more than the Chiefs’ other undisputed star, quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Yet as his profile began to rise, Kelce’s performance on the field didn’t follow. He finished the regular season with 93 catches for 984 yards, his fewest since 2015. And he caught just five touchdown passes − a great season by many tight ends’ standards, but not his own.

Kelce, however, has always balked at the idea that his on-field performances have been affected by all the hype away from it.

‘You hear the media throughout the year, if we’re not having success, maybe throw it out there that I wasn’t focused or the team isn’t focused on certain things,’ Kelce told reporters this week. ‘If you’re in this building, you know exactly what’s going on.’

It’s no coincidence that the Chiefs’ offensive resurgence in the playoffs has coincided with Kelce’s. He finished with seven catches for 71 yards in a win over the Miami Dolphins in the wild card round, then accounted for two of the Chiefs’ three touchdowns in a 27-24 win against the Buffalo Bills the following week.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said he’s noticed a change in Kelce’s demeanor during the postseason, and he believes Kelce benefitted from resting in the team’s regular-season finale.

“Listen, Travis is always fired up. He’s always fired up,’ Reid said. ‘But with the playoffs, he’s even more so. I never worry about him being ready to go. He’s always right there and just brings that emotion to the guys.’

That emotion was evident on the field after the game, as a reporter captured video of him walking with his arm around Swift, soaking in the moment. He found his brother, Jason, the all-Pro Philadelphia Eagles center with whom Travis hosts the podcast.

‘Finish this mother (expletive),’ Jason Kelce told him.

‘How about it,’ Travis Kelce replied. ‘…. I love this (expletive), man.’

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @Tom_Schad.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Felipe Nasr held off Tom Blomqvist over a heated final half hour to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona, giving the No. 7 Porsche team owner Roger Penske his first overall win in the event since 1969.

Indeed, there were four classes participating in this year’s Rolex 24, not one, and with them came four sets of winners, four sets of runners-up, four sets of Rolex watches and four storylines full of their own drama.

So let’s take a look at Nasr and Porsche, as well as the champions in the LMP2, GTD Pro and GTD classes as the 62nd running of the twice-round-the-clock international racing opener came to an end Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.

Felipe Nasr, Tom Blomqvist battle to the checkered flag in the GTP Class

Podium: 1. No. 7 Porsche (Felipe Nasr, Matt Campbell, Josef Newgarden, Dane Cameron); 2. No. 31 Cadillac (Tom Blomqvist, Jack Aitken, Pipo Derani); 3. No. 40 Acura (Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz, Colton Herta, Jenson Button)

The battle waged between Nasr and Blomqvist over the final stretch will likely live on in Rolex 24 lore for quite some time.

Blomqvist seemed positioned to put the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing entry in Victory Lane and give himself a third consecutive overall win in the process. But a caution flag flew when the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus caught fire at the end of pit road on an out lap, bringing out a final full-course caution.

Having pitted three laps later on the last stint, Nasr turned in a shorter stop and reclaimed the lead and somehow held Blomqvist at bay over a chaotic final 30 minutes.

“Man, 24 hours of racing to be going that way, it does give you a lot of emotions in the end,” Nasr admitted. “I just knew it was not over yet. I just kept the focus until the finish line.

“I just have to say, great call from Porsche Penske Motorsports to give me the opportunity to be in the lead again in the final part of the race and it was down to me to hit the numbers and keep the 31 behind.”

Blomqvist added that passing was extremely difficult and that Nasr never made the mistake to give him the necessary window to pass.

“Unfortunately, that yellow ended our chances, really,” Blomqvist said. “At the end of the race we had pace but it was difficult to pass. The Porsche was strong on the straight, we were really good on the infield.

“Huge hats off to them, they were fantastic.”

The No. 01 Cadillac, which had similar speed as the 31 and was near the front throughout most of the first half of the race, suffered mechanical failure and finished 368 laps down.

Era Motorsport hangs on for LMP2 win

Podium: 1. No. 18 Era Motorsport ORECA (Christian Rasmussen, Ryan Dalziel, Dwight Merriman, Connor Zilisch); 2. No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA (George Kurtz, Colin Braun, Toby Sowery, Malthe Jakobsen); 3. No. 74 Riley ORECA (Gar Robinson, Felipe Fraga, Josh Burdon, Felipe Massa)

Christian Rasmussen pulled away again after the late yellow flag put what seemed like a formality back into question, and finished off a dominant morning run for the No. 18 Era Motorsport Oreca.

After being grouped back up, Rasmussen was able to put 6.8 seconds of space between himself and the second-place finisher, the No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing ORECA driven by Malthe Jakobsen. The third-place finisher in class, the No. 74 Riley, was 17.9 seconds back.

Rasmussen was joined by drivers Dwight Merriman, Ryan Dalziel and Connor Zilisch, who at 17-years-old, picked up a class win in his first endurance race start.

‘It was just a pleasure honestly, coming here and racing with Era Motorsports,’ Zilisch, recently signed a contract with Trackhouse Racing, said. ‘I didn’t really feel like I had much pressure on me. I feel like I performed well and did my job.’

Risi Competizione Ferrari finishes on lead lap by itself in GTD Pro

Podium: 1. No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari (Daniel Serra, Davide Rigon, Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado); 2. No. 77 AO Racing Porsche (Laurin Heinrich, Seb Priaulx, Michael Christensen); 3. No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW (Bryan Sellers, Madison Snow, Neil Verhagen, Sheldon van der Linde)

While the caution flag added some drama in the other three classes, by the time the last couple of hours arrived, it was little more than a Sunday cruise for Daniel Serra as the No. 62 Ferrari lapped the field.

The No. 77 Porsche was the only car even one lap down with the Paul Miller Racing BMW finishing third, two laps back. That car had been a contender for the win but a brake problem a couple hours before the finish proved to be the team’s undoing.

Daniel Morad drives Winward Racing Mercedes to GTP Class win

Podium: 1. No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes (Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, Indy Dontje, Daniel Morad); 2. No. 21 Af Corse Ferrari (Simon Mann, Francois Heriau, Miguel Molina, Kei Cozzolino); 3. No. 34 Conquest Racing Ferrari (Manny Franco, Albert Costa Balboa, Alessandro Balzan, Cedric Sbirrazzuoli)

Daniel Morad was able to hold off all comers after the late caution erased a big advantage, completing a massive rally for the No. 57 Mercedes AMG.

The team qualified 53rd out of the 59 entries but the drivers of the team went to work from the start, reaching podium position within the first couple of hours and staying there as several other competitors fell by the wayside as the hours drew on.