Santa Claus didn’t deliver any offense to the Seattle Seahawks or Chicago Bears.

The Seahawks defeated the Bears 6-3 in an offensive struggle in the final ‘Thursday Night Football’ game of the season. It doubled as the lowest-scoring game of the season.

Geno Smith passed for just 160 yards in the win, which kept the Seahawks’ (slim) playoff hopes alive.

Here are the winners and losers from the Week 17 game:

Winners

Seahawks’ defense

The Seahawks defense sacked Caleb Williams seven times and held the Bears’ listless offense to 179 total yards and three points.

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Four Seahawks players had six tackles. Seahawks CB Riq Woolen had the game-sealing interception.

Defensive lineman Leonard Williams was the best defensive player for Seattle. He had five tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss and four QB hits. 

Jason Myers

In a game with nothing but field goals, Myers made both his attempts, including one from 50 yards out at the end of the first half. Myers’ 50-yard field goal ended up being the difference in the game.

Zach Charbonnet

Charbonnet was a lone bright spot for the Seattle offense. The reserve running back produced 76 yards from scrimmage.

NFL on Amazon Prime, Netflix

The NFL had a successful regular season streaming live games. Fresh off having the most-streamed NFL games in U.S. history on Christmas Day, the NFL capped off another regular season of ‘Thursday Night Football’ on Amazon Prime.

Losers

Bears

The Bears have now lost 10-straight games. Their losing streak matches the New York Giants’ for the longest active losing streak in the NFL. Chicago hasn’t tasted a victory since Oct. 13.

Bears’ passing game

Williams, the Bears’ rookie QB, had only 93 passing yards midway through the fourth quarter. The Bears’ offense was booed by frustrated Chicago fans after Williams completed a 2-yard pass to WR DJ Moore on a third-and-24 play.

They were booed again when Williams threw an interception that ended the Bears’ comeback bid.

Williams finished with 122 passing yards and one interception. He and the Bears couldn’t get anything going all night.

The Bears have no offensive identity or cohesion. It’s plagued them the entire year.

Caleb Williams’ sack total

Williams is approaching David Carr’s dubious NFL record for most times sacked in an individual season.

Williams was sacked seven times Thursday night, bringing his total to an NFL season-high 67 sacks – the fourth most ever for a QB in a single season.

Carr owns the record, set when he was sacked 76 times in 2022.

Offense

If you like offense and touchdowns, this game wasn’t for you.

The 6-3 scoreboard was more representative of a Seattle Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox ballgame.

Neither team scored in the second half Thursday.

Chicago had 101 total yards of offense in the first two quarters. Most of the Bears’ yards came on a 67-yard field goal drive.

The Bears were only able to muster up 78 total yards in the second half.

The Seahawks weren’t much better. Seattle gained 87 yards after halftime and had just two first downs in the third quarter and only one in the fourth quarter. Yet, the Seahawks still managed to win.

There were 13 combined punts.

Bears fans

Thursday was the Bears’ final home game of the season. Chicago fans had to witness their beloved Bears drop their 10th-straight game. To make matters worse, spectators at Soldier Field watched the game in the rain.

The Bears are on the road in Green Bay for their regular season finale. They might end the year on an 11-game losing streak.

Kenneth Walker fantasy owners

The Seahawks placed Walker on injured reserve Thursday after he sustained an ankle injury in last week’s game.

The timing couldn’t have been worse for fantasy players with leagues in the semifinals or championship round.

The NBA Rookie of the Year field was expansive before Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain sustained a torn meniscus in his left knee.

With an injury that required surgery and sidelined McCain indefinitely, the race for the award is even more fluid.

Who will emerge as the top NBA Rookie of the Year candidate in the final four months of the season? No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks? No. 2 pick Alexandre Sarr of the Washington Wizards? No. 4 pick Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs? No. 9 pick Zach Edey of the Memphis Grizzlies? Or will No. 39 pick Jaylen Wells of the Grizzlies become the second second-round selection in the lottery era to win Rookie of the Year?

We saw Iowa basketball sensation Caitlin Clark become the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer among both women and men. We witnessed Olympic gymnast Simone Biles reclaim her crown at the Paris Games and we watched the Los Angeles Dodgers’ newest star, Shohei Ohtani, create a league of his own after amassing 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in one season. (More on that later.)

As we count down the final days of 2024, it’s time to reflect on the athletes that brought fans joy with their superhuman displays of athleticism and awe-inspiring performances.

Here’s five athletes that defined the year, in no particular order:

Caitlin Clark

What didn’t Clark do in 2024? All eyes were on the Iowa superstar as she chased down and surpassed Pete Maravich’s scoring record, becoming the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, male or female. Clark led the Hawkeyes to their second consecutive national championship game, and although the Hawkeyes lost to the South Carolina Gamecocks, her collegiate legacy was already cemented. She left Iowa with the most career points (3,951) and career 3-pointers (548), and it was no surprise that Clark was drafted by the Indiana Fever with the No. 1 overall pick. Clark went on to win Rookie of the Year, averaging 19.2 points, a league-high 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. She led the Fever to their best record (20-20) and first playoff appearance since 2016.

Simone Biles

Biles didn’t have to compete at the Paris Olympics this summer to cement herself as the GOAT. But after unexpectedly pulling out of several events at the Tokyo Games in 2021 after anxiety brought on “the twisties,” Biles returned to the Olympic stage in dominant form and brought home three gold medals (team, all-around, vault) and a silver (floor), bringing her total number of Olympic medals to 11. More importantly, Biles continued highlighting the importance of mental health, a discussion she helped destigmatize three years ago. Biles shared her journey in Paris in the Netflix docuseries ‘Simone Biles: Rising,’ offering fans a vulnerable and raw look into the mental and physical work she underwent. It was fun watching Biles have fun and her GOAT necklace was as epic as her year.

Shohei Ohtani

Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023 and it’s safe to say his first season with the Dodgers had a storybook ending. Ohtani became the first member of the 50-homer, 50-steal club on Sept. 19, when he hit his 49th, 50th and 51st home runs of the season in the Dodgers’ 20-4 victory over the Miami Marlins. He finished the season with a career-high .310 batting average, 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, a league-leading 134 runs and 59 stolen bases. Ohtani made his first postseason appearance and went on to win his first World Series championship as the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in five games. He picked up his third MVP award as a cherry on top. Ohtani’s whirlwind year may have left us in awe, but his pet dog Decoy doesn’t appear to be all that impressed.

Scottie Scheffler

Simply put, Scheffler aced 2024. The American golfer won seven PGA Tour titles this year, including a win at the 2024 Masters Tournament, marking his second victoryat Augusta National Golf Club in three years. His arrest by Louisville police at the 2024 PGA Championship dominated headlines, but he didn’t let it derail his year. Scheffler rebounded by picking up another piece of hardware in Paris — an Olympic gold medal. He was named the 2024 PGA Player of the Year for the third consecutive year, becoming the first golfer to do so since Tiger Woods (2005-07). On top of all that, Scheffler welcomed a son in May.

Jannik Sinner

The Italian tennis star started the year on a high note with his first major win at the 2024 Australian Open after being down two-sets-to-love to Daniil Medvedev. He picked up his second major at the 2024 U.S. Open, another hard court surface. Sinner is only the fourth player since 1988 to pull off the hard court double, joining Mats Wilander (1988); Roger Federer (2004, 2006, 2007); and Novak Djokovic (2011, 2015, 2023). It wasn’t clear how Sinner would perform in the U.S. Open after he parted ways with his fitness coach and physiotherapist ahead of the tournament after his involvement in a doping saga made headlines. (The ITA determined Sinner’s ingestion of the anabolic steroid Clostebol ‘was not intentional.’) Sinner closed the year with an ATP Finals win and the No. 1 world ranking.

Honorable Mentions

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman‘s walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series against the New York Yankees is arguably the best sports moment in 2024. Freeman went on to homer in Game 2, Game 3 and Game 4 of the World Series and was named the World Series MVP.
American swimmer Katie Ledeckywon two gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the women’s 1,500- and 800-meter freestyle races, along with a bronze in the 400-meter freestyle and silver in the women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay. With 14 total medals, Ledecky is the most decorated American woman at the Olympics in any sport and the most decorated woman in swimming of all time.
American track star Noah Lyles did exactly what he set out to do at the 2024 Paris Olympics: Win gold in the 100-meter dash. Although he fell short of completing the coveted sprint double after contracting COVID-19, Lyles still walked away with an Olympic bronze medal in the 200-meter race.
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum won an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal in the same year; just seven other players have accomplished the feat, including a few teammates — Michael Jordan (1992); Scottie Pippen (1992, 1996); LeBron James (2012); Kyrie Irving (2016); Jrue Holiday (2021, 2024); Khris Middleton (2021); and Derrick White (2024).

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Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is ‘trending in the right direction’ toward a return from a fractured left fibula, but coach Spencer Carbery wasn’t ready to commit to him playing in Saturday’s game.

‘We’ll have to wait and see how he responds to practice today,’ Carbery told reporters after Friday’s practice, ‘and we’ll know tomorrow morning.’

The Capitals are visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday in the start of a two-game trip.

Ovechkin, who’s chasing Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goal record, took part in a full practice Friday at the Capitals’ facility, skating on his regular line with Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas.

He hasn’t played since he was injured on Nov. 18.

Here’s what to know about Alex Ovechkin’s injury:

When will Alex Ovechkin return?

The Capitals are waiting until Saturday’s morning skate to decide whether he’ll return that night. They want to see how he feels after Friday’s full practice. The Capitals play Saturday at Toronto and Sunday at Detroit.

When was Alex Ovechkin injured?

Ovechkin was felled by an inadvertent leg-on-leg hit from Utah Hockey Club defenseman Jack McBain during a Nov. 18 game. He was unable to return and was diagnosed with a fractured leg three days later. The Capitals said he would be out four to six weeks, so a return this weekend would place him just past the middle of that timeline.

Where does Alex Ovechkin stand in his rehab?

He had been working his way back to the lineup since Dec. 2, first doing a light skate in a track suit, then adding intensity to his on-ice work and eventually joining the team in practice for non-contact drills. He accompanied the team on a two-game road trip before the break and was cleared for contact last week.

How many games has Alex Ovechkin missed?

Ovechkin has missed 16 games. The Capitals lost the first two games without him then went on a 8-0-1 run before losing the next two. Their record without Ovechkin is 10-5-1. They entered Friday’s games in second place in the Metropolitan Division and three points out of the league lead.

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?

He has 868 career goals, leaving him 27 goals shy of breaking Gretzky’s record of 894, which has stood since 1999.

Ovechkin had been the NHL’s hottest player at the time of his injury. He had 15 goals in 18 games and five in two games before he was hurt.

If he returns in Toronto, he would have 48 games left in the regular season. If he misses getting the record this season, he has another year left on his contract.

This story has been updated with new information.

The NHL is back from its holiday break on Friday and trades can resume at 12:01 a.m. local time on Saturday.

So far, there have been 14 trades, four coaching changes, plus extensions signed by Igor Shesterkin, Jake Oettinger, Alexis Lafreniere, Linus Ullmark and others. Other top players also remain eligible for extensions, including Mikko Rantanen, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and Brock Boeser.

There will be more trades as teams build toward a Stanley Cup run or make moves for their long-term future. The trade deadline is on March 7.

Follow along here this season for signings, trades, transactions and other news from the NHL:

Dec. 27: Avalanche give extension to Mackenzie Blackwood

The Colorado Avalanche gave goalie Mackenzie Blackwood a five-year extension 18 days after acquiring him in a trade. Terms weren’t disclosed, but reports said it was worth $5.25 million a year, up from the current cap hit of $2.35 million in his contract that expires this summer.

The Avalanche goaltending struggled at the beginning of the season, and Colorado traded Justus Annunen to the Nashville Predators for Scott Wedgewood on Nov. 30. The Avalanche shipped out Alexandar Georgiev to the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 9 for Blackwood.

Blackwood has gone 3-1 with a 2.03 goals-against average and .931 save percentage since arriving.

Dec. 26: Red Wings fire coach Derek Lalonde, hire Todd McLellan

The Detroit Red Wings fired coach Derek Lalonde on Thursday after two-plus seasons and brought in veteran Todd McLellan to try to turn around the season.

McLellan, 57, who won a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings as an assistant coach in 2008, was signed to a multi-year contract as the franchise’s 29th head coach. He has a 598-412-134 regular-season record over 16 seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks, making the playoffs nine times. He was with the Red Wings from 2005-08 and left after the championship season to join the Sharks.

Associate coach Bob Boughner also was fired, and Trent Yawney was hired as an assistant coach. The Red Wings had lost nine of their last 12 games to follow to seventh place in the Atlantic Division

Dec. 19: Bruins waive forward Tyler Johnson

The Boston Bruins placed forward Tyler Johnson on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating the one-year contract he signed in November. That would make him free to pursue opportunities with other teams. Johnson had two points in nine games this season and the move follows the Bruins claiming Oliver Wahlstrom off waivers.

Dec. 18: Rangers trade Kaapo Kakko to Kraken

The New York Rangers get back defenseman Will Borgen and 2025 third- and sixth-round picks in exchange for Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick of 2019. The trade happened less than a day after Kakko complained about being a healthy scratch. ‘It’s just easy to take the young guy and put him out,’ he said Tuesday. ‘That’s how I feel.’

Kakko, 23, has never matched the expectation of being that high a pick, getting 40 points in his top season in 2022-23. He has 14 points this season and was named by Finland to the 4 Nations Face-Off.

The trade is the second recent shake-up move by the sliding Rangers, who dealt captain Jacob Trouba, a defenseman, to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6. Borgen, who was taken by the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, had 20 or more points and averaged nearly 200 hits the past two seasons but has just two points and a minus-13 rating this season.

In other trades Wednesday:

The Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators swapped defensemen with Justin Barron, 23, heading to Nashville in exchange for Alexandre Carrier, 28. Carrier signed a three-year deal this offseason and the Predators save $2.6 million in cap space with the trade.
The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired defenseman P.O. Joseph from the St. Louis Blues for future considerations. Joseph will help the Penguins with defenseman Marcus Pettersson out with an injury. Joseph played his first four NHL seasons with Pittsburgh.

Dec. 18: Justin Schultz retires after 12 NHL seasons

Defenseman Justin Schultz, 34, who won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles with the Pittsburgh Penguins, announced his retirement after 12 seasons with four NHL teams. Originally drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in 2008, he couldn’t reach terms with that team and joined the Edmonton Oilers as a free agent in 2012, making the all-rookie team. Schultz was traded to the Penguins in 2016 and won championships that season and the following season. He played two seasons each with the Washington Capitals and Seattle Kraken, finishing his NHL career with 71 goals and 324 points in 745 games. Schultz signed to play in Switzerland this season but stepped down after eight games.

Dec. 14: Blues acquire Ducks’ Cam Fowler in trade

The St. Louis Blues give up minor league defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka and a 2027 second-round pick to land defenseman Cam Fowler, 33, who spent his entire NHL career with the Anaheim Ducks. St. Louis also gets a 2027 fourth-round pick and the Ducks retain about 38.5% of Fowler’s remaining salary.

The Blues, who will be without Torey Krug (ankle) this season, get a veteran defenseman who averages more than 21 minutes a game in ice time. Fowler was moved eight days after the Ducks acquired defenseman Jacob Trouba in a trade.

“This was a difficult trade to make considering what Cam has meant to this organization,” general manager Pat Verbeek said. “He has been a valuable and respected member of our team for 15 seasons, representing the Ducks with ultimate class. … After meeting with Cam several times over the last few months, it became clear to both of us it may be time for a change.”

Also: The Boston Bruins claimed forward Oliver Wahlstrom off waivers from the New York Islanders. The Maine native had played for Boston College in 2018-19.

Dec. 13: Islanders waive Oliver Wahlstrom, Pierre Engvall

The New York Islanders have placed forwards Oliver Wahlstrom and Pierre Engvall on waivers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. The move happened after injured forwards Mat Barzal and Anthony Duclair returned to practice. Engvall, who signed a seven-year contract in 2023, passed through waivers earlier this season and played six games in the American Hockey League. He has six points in 20 games. Wahlstrom, a 2018 first-round pick, has four points in 27 games.

Also: The Minnesota Wild claimed defenseman Travis Dermott off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers. The Wild placed defenseman Jake Middleton on long-term injured reserve after he was hit in the hand by a shot on Thursday night. … The Vegas Golden Knights signed forward Keegan Kolesar to a three-year, $7.5 million contract extension.

Dec. 12: Canucks’ J.T. Miller returns from personal leave

Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller said he was returning from his personal leave and played Thursday night against the Florida Panthers. The Canucks announced his leave of absence on Nov. 19. The team went 5-3-2 while he was away.

Miller, who has 16 points in 17 games this season and topped 100 last season, said he wouldn’t answer questions about why he was away from the team.

‘I’m excited to play,’ he said. ‘I want to play and obviously a fun game against the defending champions. Just happy to be around the guys and looking forward to tonight.’

Miller skated a little more than 14 minutes, had two assists and won 60% of his faceoffs.

While he was away, he was named to Team USA for February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

Also: Anaheim Ducks forward Travis Zegras had surgery for torn meniscus in his right knee and is expected to miss six weeks. … The Utah Hockey Club claimed defenseman Dakota Mermis off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Dec. 10: Kevin Shattenkirk announces retirement

Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk announced his retirement on Tuesday after 14 NHL seasons with seven teams. He won a Stanley Cup in 2020 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Drafted 14th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2007, he also played for the St. Louis Blues (five 40-point seasons), Washington Capitals, New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks before joining the Boston Bruins in 2023-24 for what would be his final season.

Shattenkirk, 35, finishes with 103 goals, 381 assists and 484 points in 952 career games, plus 48 points in 91 playoff games. He scored in overtime during Game 4 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.

Dec. 9: Avalanche land Mackenzie Blackwood in goalie trade with Sharks

The Colorado Avalanche’s season-opening goaltending tandem of Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen is out after a subpar start. Now they’re running with Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood after separate trades with the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators, respectively.

The Blackwood trade is the latest one and includes forward Givani Smith and a draft pick going to Colorado, while forward Nikolai Kovalenko and two picks go to San Jose. Blackwood has a .904 save percentage to Georgiev’s .874, and he made 49 saves in his last game. Georgiev was pulled in his second-to-last start.

GOALIE SWAP: Full details of Avalanche-Sharks trade

Dec. 6: Rangers trade Jacob Trouba, extend Igor Shesterkin

The sliding New York Rangers dominated the news Friday by trading captain Jacob Trouba and giving Igor Shesterkin an eight-year extension that makes him the highest-paid NHL goalie.

The Rangers officially announced the extension on Saturday.

The Trouba trade happened first Friday with the Rangers getting back defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick. But the biggest part is the Anaheim Ducks took on Trouba’s $8 million cap hit, giving the Rangers flexibility. Trouba, who has struggled this season and didn’t waive his no-trade clause this summer, adds a veteran presence to the young Ducks. He and new teammate Radko Gudas are two of the hardest hitters in the league.

Shesterkin will average $11.5 million in his new deal, according to reports, moving him past Carey Price ($10.5 million) as the top-paid goaltender. The Rangers rely heavily on Shesterkin, who faces a lot of high-danger shots.

Also: The Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens pulled off a minor trade. Forward Jacob Perreault, son of former NHL player Yanic Perreault, heads to Edmonton for defenseman Noel Hoefenmayer. … The Carolina Hurricanes placed forward Brendan Lemieux on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract. He requested the move so he can pursue another opportunity, general manager Eric Tulsky told the team’s website.

Dec. 5: Blackhawks fire coach Luke Richardson

The last-place Chicago Blackhawks fired coach Luke Richardson. Anders Sorensen, coach of the Blackhawks’ Rockford IceHogs team in the American Hockey League, was named interim head coach.

The move happened with generational player Connor Bedard going through a sophomore slump and unhappy with his production. He recently ended a 12-game goal drought and didn’t make the Canadian roster for this season’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

‘As we have begun to take steps forward in our rebuilding process, we felt that the results did not match our expectations for a higher level of execution this season and ultimately came to the decision that a change was necessary,’ general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement about the coaching move.

Richardson leaves Chicago with a 57-118-15 record.

Dec. 4: Stars’ Tyler Seguin to have hip surgery, miss 4-6 months

The Dallas Stars announced that forward Tyler Seguin will have surgery on his left hip on Thursday and is expected to miss four to six months. That timeline would have him out of the lineup until near the end of the regular season or into the playoffs. Seguin, 32, had been having a strong season, ranking third on the team with 20 points in 19 games.

4 NATIONS FACE-OFF: Rosters announced

Nov. 30: Wild acquire defenseman David Jiricek from Blue Jackets

The Minnesota Wild acquired former first-round pick David Jiricek, 21, from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a package that includes 22-year-old defenseman Daemon Hunt and a package of draft picks including a top-five protected 2025 first-round pick. Jiricek, a 2022 sixth-overall pick who had been sent to American Hockey League, will report to the Wild’s AHL team. The other picks heading to Columbus: 2026 third- and fourth-rounders and a 2027 second-rounder. The Wild get a 2025 fifth-round pick.

Nov. 30: Predators, Avalanche swap goaltenders

The Colorado Avalanche acquired backup goalie Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators for backup goalie Justus Annunen and a sixth-round pick. The Avalanche, who have the league’s third-worst team goals-against average, were expected to make some sort of goaltending move but not necessarily this one. Annunen, 24, has slightly better stats this season, but he’s a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Wedgewood, 32, who was signed in the offseason and played five games for the Predators, has another year left on his contract.

Also: The NHL fined Boston’s Nikita Zadorov and Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin $5,000 each for an exchange in Friday’s game. Zadorov poked Malkin with his stick from the bench, and the Penguins star responded with a slash toward the bench, hitting Mason Lohrei.

Nov. 25: Penguins acquire Philip Tomasino from Predators

Philip Tomasino (one point in 11 games) is the final year of his contract so the struggling Nashville Predators get something in return, a 2027 fourth-round pick. The equally struggling Pittsburgh Penguins get another person for their bottom six. The former first-round pick’s best season was 32 points as a rookie in 2021-22.

Nov. 24: Blues fire coach Drew Bannister, hire Jim Montgomery

In a surprising move, the St. Louis Blues on Sunday fired Drew Bannister after less than a year as coach, replacing him with former Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery.

The announcement from Blues president and general manager Doug Armstrong comes with the team losing 13 of its first 22 games this year. Bannister had taken over for Stanley Cup-winning coach Craig Berube last season and had his interim tag removed at the end of the season.

Montgomery, a former assistant to Berube, has an overall regular-season record of 180-84-33 as a head coach with Boston and Dallas. He was just let go by the Bruins last week after they lost 12 of their first 20 games. – Steve Gardner

Nov. 22: Golden Knights sign Brett Howden to five-year extension

Forward Brett Howden will average $2.5 million in the five-year contract extension. He plays in the Vegas Golden Knights’ bottom six and has eight goals this season.

After the Golden Knights lost free agents Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson and others from their 2023 Stanley Cup title team this summer, they’ve been working to get extensions done early. Defensemen Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb signed recently. Goalie Adin Hill and Keegan Kolesar also are pending unrestricted free agents from that championship team.

Also: Seattle Kraken captain Jordan Eberle had surgery on his pelvis and will be out at last three months.

Nov. 21: Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen to have knee surgery

This marks the fourth season in a row that Andersen has missed extended time. He was limited to 16 games last season with a blood-clotting issue and missed more than two months of 2022-23 with a lower-body injury. An injury kept him out of the 2022 playoffs.

Pyotr Kochetkov is the Hurricanes’ No. 1 goalie in Andersen’s absence. Andersen, 35, is in the final year of his contract.

Nov. 19: Canucks’ J.T. Miller out indefinitely for personal reasons

‘Right now, our sole focus is making sure that J.T. knows the entire organization is here to support him,’ general manager Patrik Allvin said. ‘Out of respect to J.T., we will have no further comment at this time.’

Miller ranks second on the Canucks and is their top-scoring forward with 16 points in 17 games. He scored 103 points last season.

Nov. 19: Boston Bruins fire coach Jim Montgomery

The Boston Bruins made Jim Montgomery the first coaching casualty of the 2024-25 NHL season, firing him less than two seasons after he was named coach of the year.

Associate coach Joe Sacco, a former Colorado Avalanche head coach, will take over behind the bench as the interim head coach.

The move came after a blowout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday. Montgomery, who was in the final year of his contract, was let go with the team sitting at 8-9-3 and sporting poor underlying numbers.

BRUINS: More details on coaching change

Nov. 19: Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin out with leg injury

Alex Ovechkin’s chase of Wayne Gretzky’s goal record is temporarily on hold after the Washington Capitals star left Monday night’s game with an injury.

The team announced Tuesday that Ovechkin is week-to-week with an injury to his lower leg after he absorbed a leg-on-leg hit from Utah Hockey Club forward Jack McBain during the third period.

Ovechkin had been on a torrid scoring pace this season. Before Monday’s injury, he had scored twice in the 6-2 win over Utah, giving him five goals in the last two games and a league-leading 15 goals in 18 games.

Also: The Edmonton Oilers claimed forward Kasperi Kapanen off waivers from the St. Louis Blues. He provides speed and depth to a team that hasn’t received much scoring from the wings this season.

Nov. 18: Islanders’ Mike Reilly to have procedure on heart

General manager Lou Lamoriello told reporters that the pre-existing heart condition was discovered during routine testing for a concussion that had sidelined the defenseman since Nov. 1.

‘It’s probably a blessing in disguise of what transpired,’ Lamoriello said. ‘They detected this, something that you’re sometimes born with, but never knew.’

He said Reilly has been cleared from the concussion.

Nov. 15: Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin returns from suspension

Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin returned Friday night from his six-month suspension. He was suspended during the playoffs last May under Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. He also was in the program for about two months earlier in the 2023-24 season and missed part of the 2023 playoffs for personal reasons. Nichushkin is a key offensive contributor with 28 goals in 54 games last season. Injured forwards Jonathan Drouin and Miles Wood also returned Friday.

Also: The Vegas Golden Knights signed defenseman Brayden McNabb, the franchise leader in games played, to a three-year contract extension that averages $3.65 million a year.

OILERS: Connor McDavid is fourth fastest to reach 1,000 points

Nov. 13: Sabres claim goalie James Reimer off waivers

The Buffalo Sabres claimed goaltender James Reimer off waivers, bringing him back to where he signed a free agent contract in the summer. Reimer was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks off waivers earlier this season when the Sabres tried to send him to the American Hockey League. The Ducks put him on waivers after the return of injured goalie John Gibson. Reimer, on a one-year, $1 million contract, played two games in Anaheim with a 4.50 goals-against average. No. 1 Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was hurt in Monday’s loss but hasn’t been ruled out for Thursday’s game.

Also: Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm will be out ‘weeks’ with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot, coach Jim Montgomery said.

Nov. 12: Capitals reacquire Lars Eller in trade with Penguins

Center Lars Eller, 35, is a familiar face for the Washington Capitals after playing in Washington from 2016-23 and winning a Stanley Cup there in 2018. He kills penalties and is strong in the faceoff circle. The Pittsburgh Penguins’ side of the trade might be more interesting. They get a 2027 third-round pick and a 2025 fifth-rounder, and this also could be an indication that the Penguins are shaking up the roster after a disappointing start. Eller’s trade will allow the team to give more ice time to younger players. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent.

Also: The Winnipeg Jets claimed goalie Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers from the Colorado Avalanche and loaned him to their American Hockey League affiliate. They had lost him on waivers to the Avalanche last month.

Nov. 11: Flames’ Anthony Mantha to have season-ending surgery

Also: The Colorado Avalanche placed goalie Kaapo Kahkonen on waivers. They had claimed him off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets last month.

Nov. 9: Penguins recall veteran goalie Tristan Jarry from minors

The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled two-time All-Star goalie Tristan Jarry from his conditioning stint in the American Hockey League. Jarry was loaned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Oct. 26 after recording a 5.37 goals-against average and .836 save percentage. His AHL numbers were 2.16, .926.

Also: The Philadelphia Flyers made rookie Matvei Michkov a healthy scratch for a second consecutive game.

Nov. 8: Kraken acquire Daniel Sprong from Canucks

The Seattle Kraken landed Daniel Sprong, one of their former players, in exchange for future considerations. The Kraken have struggled to score this season and Sprong had 21 goals for them two seasons ago. The forward has scored double-digit goals five times. He had one goal with Vancouver this season.

Nov. 7: Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov to be healthy scratch

Coach John Tortorella called the move ‘part of the process.’

‘With young guys, they can watch games, too, as far as development,’ he told reporters. ‘It’s trying to help them.’

Michkov, 19, has 10 points in 13 games and a minus-8 rating and was NHL rookie of the month in October. He had just one point in his last five games and his ice time dropped in the last four.

Nov. 4: Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini ready to return from injury

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, is ready to return to action after aggravating an injury in the season opener, according to NHL.com.

He took part in practice Monday on the top line with Tyler Toffoli and Mikael Granlund and is looking to play his second game season Tuesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Celebrini said he reinjured his hip on his first shift of the opener but played the full game and had a goal and assist. He has missed 12 games. The Sharks opened the season 0-7-2 but are 3-1 in their last four games.

Also: St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg will be out four to six weeks with a lower-body injury. He needed help getting off the ice Saturday after he was checked by the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner. … The Boston Bruins signed forward Tyler Johnson to a one-year, $775,000 contract. He won two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning and spent the last three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Nov. 2: Islanders’ Mathew Barzal, Adam Pelech go on injured list

New York Islanders No. 1 center Mathew Barzal was placed on long-term injured reserve with an unspecified upper-body injury. He’ll be out four to six weeks. He had 80 points in 80 games last season but had been limited to five points in 10 games this season as the Islanders have struggled to score.

Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech also will be out four to six weeks after being hit in the face by a puck. He went on the injured list.

Oct. 30: Sharks acquire Timothy Liljegren from Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs get defenseman Matt Benning, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-rounder. Liljegren, 25, had been limited to one game in Toronto this season, and the Maple Leafs recently committed to blue-liner Jake McCabe with a five-year extension. But Liljegren should fit in well in San Jose, which is building around younger players. Benning, 30, and Liljegren are signed through 2025-26.

This is the second day with an NHL trade after none previously since the season opened in North America.

Oct. 29: Utah acquires defenseman Olli Maatta from Red Wings

The Utah Hockey Club gives up a third-round pick as it addresses a desperate need for a veteran defenseman. Sean Durzi and John Marino are out long-term after surgery. Utah has been leaking goals during a four-game losing streak, including blowing a 4-1 lead late in the third period against the previously winless San Jose Sharks. Maatta is solid defensively and has nearly 700 games of NHL experience.

Oct. 28: Maple Leafs sign Jake McCabe to five-year extension

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed defenseman Jake McCabe to a five-year extension with an annual average value of $4.51 million. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports there is some deferred money in the deal. McCabe, 31, had been acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in a February 2023 trade and ranks fourth on the team in average ice time this season. He has three assists in nine games and a team-best plus-6 rating.

Also: The New York Rangers recalled rugged forward Matt Rempe from the American Hockey League after he played two games there. The Rangers play the Washington Capitals on Tuesday in what has become a feisty rivalry.

Oct. 26: Penguins send goalie Tristan Jarry to minors

The Pittsburgh Penguins sent two-time All-Star goaltender Tristan Jarry to their American Hockey League affiliate on a conditioning loan after his early season struggles. He had been sent home from the Penguins’ road trip to work on his game after recording a 5.47 goals-against average and .836 save percentage in three games. He was pulled from his last start on Oct. 16 and gave up six goals in the opener.

Jarry is in the second season of a five-year contract that carries a $5.375 million cap hit. Rookie Joel Blomqvist has had the most starts in the Penguins net this season and Alex Nedeljkovic recently returned from an injury.

Also: The New York Islanders signed rugged forward Matt Martin for the rest of the season. He had been to camp on a tryout agreement after spending 13 of his 15 seasons with the Islanders.

Oct. 25: Rangers’ Alexis Lafreniere gets seven-year extension

The New York Rangers and Alexis Lafreniere have agreed to a seven-year extension as he builds on last season’s breakthrough. The 2020 No. 1 overall pick will average $7.45 million in the deal, according to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network. That’s up from this year’s $2.325 million cap hit. Lafreniere, 23, broke through with 28 goals and 57 points last season and added eight goals and 14 points in the playoffs. He is averaging a point a game this season through seven games and scored his fourth goal of the season on Thursday. He is signed through 2031-32.

Oct. 24: Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore signs for seven years

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore will average $7.425 million in the extension, which kicks in next season and runs through 2031-32. Getting him signed now is important after the Golden Knights lost Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson and others from their 2023 Stanley Cup team to free agency during the summer.

Theodore, 29, is the franchise’s top-scoring defenseman with 296 points and has opened this season with seven points in six games. Vegas’ top three defensemen (also Alex Pietrangelo and Noah Hanifin) are signed through at least 2026-27.

Oct. 23: Utah’s Sean Durzi, John Marino out long-term after surgery

The Utah Hockey Club, who beefed up their defense in the offseason, will be without two key blueliners long-term after they had surgery.

Sean Durzi, who was injured in an Oct. 15 game, will miss four to six months after shoulder surgery. John Marino, who has yet to play this season, is out three to four months after back surgery.

Utah added defensemen Mikhail Sergachev, Marino and Ian Cole in the offseason. Durzi, acquired last season when the team was in Arizona, signed a four-year, $24 million contract during the summer.

In other injury news, St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas has a fractured ankle and will be evaluated in six weeks.

Oct. 22: Panthers give coach Paul Maurice contract extension

Maurice, who joined the Panthers in 2022-23, went to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season and won it last year. His 29 playoff wins are a franchise record.

He has 98 regular-season wins with Florida and his 873 career wins rank fourth all time in NHL history.

Also: The Blues signed forward Jake Neighbours to a two-year, $7.5 million contract extension.

Oct. 17: Stars’ Jake Oettinger signs eight-year contract extension

The Dallas Stars signed goalie Jake Oettinger to an eight-year, $66 million contract extension that kicks in next season. The $8.25 million cap hit matches the deals recently signed by the Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman and Senators’ Linus Ullmark.

Oettinger has led the Stars to the Western Conference final the past two seasons.

Oct. 12: Aleksander Barkov, Macklin Celebrini are injured

The NHL season is young, but two prominent players are already out with injuries.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov will miss two to three weeks after crashing leg first into the boards while trying to prevent an empty net goal on Thursday. His stick had broken but he couldn’t stop Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle from scoring. The time frame should allow Barkov to participate in the two Global Series games against the Dallas Stars in Tampere, Finland, on Nov. 1-2. Barkov is the first Finnish NHL captain to win the Stanley Cup. He won the Selke Trophy last season for the second time as top defensive forward.

Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks placed No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Coach Ryan Warsofsky said Celebrini is week-to-week. He had been dealing with an injury in training camp but played in this week’s season opener, scoring a goal and an assist.

Oct. 11: Avalanche claim goalie Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers

The Colorado Avalanche claimed Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets. Colorado lost 8-4 in the opener, with Alexandar Georgiev giving up five goals and backup Justus Annunen giving up two goals on four shots. The Avalanche are Kahkonen’s fourth team in a year. He split time last season between the San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils.

The Philadelphia Eagles may have to roll without Jalen Hurts in Week 17.

In a Friday news conference, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said the starting quarterback was still in concussion protocol.

‘It’s going to be tough for [Hurts] to make it this week,’ Sirianni said, per ESPN’s Tim McManus.

Hurts suffered the concussion in the first quarter of the Eagles’ Week 16 loss to the Washington Commanders and was unable to return to the game. Philadelphia’s backup quarterback, Kenny Pickett, played the remainder of the divisional clash and is in line to start in Week 17 against the Dallas Cowboys should Hurts remain in the concussion protocol.

The Eagles also signed quarterback Ian Book to their practice squad on Thursday in the wake of the news that Pickett was also banged up with a rib injury. Pickett was a full participant in practice on Thursday, though, so he should be good to go for Sunday’s game.

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Second-year quarterback Tanner McKee is also on Philadelphia’s roster.

If body language is to be believed, Jerry Jones had some serious love for Mike McCarthy in the aftermath of the prime-time upset delivered by the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday night. Rather than merely shake his hand or give him a pat on the back following the victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jones embraced McCarthy in the festive locker room with a demonstrative bear hug that spoke volumes.

The props for McCarthy are well-deserved. The Cowboys found out before kickoff that they were officially eliminated from the NFL playoff picture, yet they played with so much passion against a team needing a win to hang onto first place in the NFC South. And with Dak Prescott’s season ended in early November by a torn hamstring, no one is accusing Dallas of laying down like dogs. They’ve won four of five games, forcing a recalibration of McCarthy’s “lame duck” status as he coaches on the final year of a five-year contract. His approval rating, so to speak, is trending.

As for Jones, given the repeated sour-faced TV glimpses we’ve seen of the team owner in his private suite at AT&T Stadium during one embarrassing home loss after another over the past year – remember how the Detroit Lions broke out the bag of trick plays in commemorating Jerry’s birthday with a blowout, or the debacle in the NFC wild-card tilt in January when the Green Bay Packers scored touchdowns on five consecutive possessions to mark arguably the worst playoff loss in Cowboys history – it was about time he could project a vastly different postgame image. It’s been a while.

And what a contrast to all the hot-seat messages that have dogged the embattled coach for many months. It wasn’t too long ago when Jones, during his popular weekly radio hit, questioned the design of some of McCarthy’s schemes. Not a week goes by without someone probing Jones about McCarthy’s job security. The last time I asked about his coach’s status, in late March, Jones had no qualms about turning up the pressure on McCarthy, 61, by not giving him an extension.

As Jones put it to USA TODAY Sports back then, “Most of America gets up and they don’t have anything guaranteed down the road.”

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Although Jones wouldn’t address McCarthy’s future on Sunday night, and his son Stephen, the team’s chief operating officer, wouldn’t declare anything during his radio hit on Monday, the coach has surely made a point in keeping the team competitive. Despite losing Prescott and suffering other key injury hits, the Cowboys (7-8) still have a shot at a winning season. McCarthy also has endorsements from Prescott and star linebacker Micah Parsons.

Of course, the Cowboys, who brought McCarthy aboard in 2020 with the idea that he could take them further than predecessor Jason Garrett could, haven’t advanced to the NFC title game in 29 years now. But perhaps they’d stand a better chance of ending the drought with continuity. If they part with McCarthy, it would be starting over yet again with an eighth coach in 32 years since the split with Jimmy Johnson (two Super Bowl wins).

“All I can say is what a good job, how good of a job he’s doing,” Jerry Jones told reporters on Sunday night. “Don’t have thoughts that I would share as to anything about what we do…after we’re through playing this year.”

After last season, Jones didn’t reveal that McCarthy would return – albeit without an extension – until he underwent three days of hard contemplation. In mid-January, similar drama could play out.

Yet there will be a significant twist: McCarthy might opt to bolt and become a coaching free agent.

It would one thing for Jones to determine that he wouldn’t do any better than McCarthy by bringing in a new unproven coach.

But what if McCarthy, with his contract up, decides that he’s had enough of the intense scrutiny that comes with coaching arguably the most high-profile team in the NFL?

With his experience, a resume that includes a Super Bowl victory with the Packers and three straight 12-win campaigns with the Cowboys, and a track record for bringing out the best in quarterbacks, McCarthy could be a hot item on the open market.

Sure, Bill Belichick was supposed to be a hot candidate in the last cycle, and only one of the seven teams besides the New England Patriots with an opening, the Atlanta Falcons, bothered to even interview a coach with six Super Bowl victories on his resume (eight, if including his coordinator duty). But McCarthy might be different, given his expertise as an offensive strategist and without needing the GM-type clout that Belichick commanded.

He’s also made a key move that shows how much he means business in preparing for that possibility. McCarthy hired a new agent in Don Yee, who last year brokered Jim Harbaugh’s return to the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers and in 2023 facilitated Sean Payton’s return from a one-year layoff to a moonshot catch with the Denver Broncos. Yee also has represented Tom Brady for many years and incidentally was the person that Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis said he used to put on TB12’s post-retirement radar the possibility to first get involved in the ownership ranks of his franchise.

To this point, the Cowboys haven’t engaged with Yee beyond a brief encounter with the Los Angeles-based agent and Stephen Jones before the team broke the California portion of its training camp. In other words, there were no substantial talks about a McCarthy extension.

While Jerry Jones still holds so many of the cards relative to McCarthy’s future with the Cowboys, the team owner doesn’t hold all of the cards.

In a few weeks, there could be competition for a rare coaching free agent. The Chicago Bears, building around No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, would be an interesting team to watch. The New Orleans Saints, where McCarthy landed his first coordinator job in 2000, might also be intriguing. The New York Jets will go back to the drawing board, with or without McCarthy’s former quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.

And by mid-January, history suggests there will be a few more head coach openings in a league that typically averages at least six per hiring cycle.

Ben Johnson, the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, will be a hot name again. And you’d think that Johnson’s counterpart running Detroit’s defense, Aaron Glenn, will attract interest. Yet McCarthy, if he’s a free agent, might vault to the top of a lot of lists.

Dallas? Something that McCarthy said last spring about his status, during the NFL meetings, resonates. He said he was less concerned about his future than that of his staff of assistant coaches, also on the final year of their contracts. And their families. If McCarthy has a choice of staying put, perhaps that’s a factor, too, in addition to his connection with Prescott and a locker room that he seemingly has built a bond with.

And maybe, too, he’s gotten a bit used to the circus that comes with the Cowboys. Although McCarthy undoubtedly realizes the resources that Jones can tap while running the NFL’s most valuable franchise (the Cowboys recently became the first to top $10 billion, according to Forbes), it’s still rather puzzling that despite the team owner trumpeting that he was “all in” for chasing a championship this season, the Cowboys were so passive last offseason.

The massive, top-of-market deals for CeeDee Lamb and Prescott didn’t get completed until the latter part of training camp and start of the regular season, respectively. And the Cowboys were largely a non-factor in free agency, both in bringing in new players and in retaining talent.

It’s no wonder that one of the narratives that has hung over the team this season involves the conspiracy theory that the Cowboys were set up McCarthy to fail in his final season.

Hey, it’s always something with the Cowboys.

And maybe it’s not over yet for McCarthy — at least not without another round of Dallas drama.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell on X @JarrettBell.