Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin briefly took part in the team’s practice Saturday as he rehabs from a fractured left fibula.

Ovechkin, who is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record, worked out with the skills coach, according to Washington Post reporter Bailey Johnson. He then participated briefly in the morning skate while wearing a no-contact jersey, according to the Hockey News.

Ovechkin is in his second week on the ice at the Capitals’ practice facility since he broke his leg. He first skated in a track suit then graduated to full gear later in the week. He did more skating on Monday then graduated on Wednesday to shooting pucks, taking passes from Nicklas Backstrom, who’s on a long-term leave of absence. Saturday was his most intense work.

‘It’s another step,’ coach Spencer Carbery told reporters. ‘I wouldn’t start to put targets or setting projected dates of return … but him being in the morning skate where there’s other players around is the next step.’

The Capitals originally gave a timeline of four to six weeks after the Nov. 18 injury. That would put Ovechkin’s availability anywhere from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2, causing him miss 13 to 19 games.

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

When was Alex Ovechkin injured?

Ovechkin was hurt during a Nov. 18 victory against the Utah Hockey Club on an inadvertent leg-on-leg collision by Utah defenseman Jack McBain. The Capitals captain limped to the bench, took a quick twirl on the ice during a TV timeout then went to the dressing room and didn’t return. The fractured fibula diagnosis was announced on Nov. 21.

What’s the latest on Alex Ovechkin’s injury?

Generally, a player will ramp up skating, work with pucks, then return to practice, first in a non-contact jersey then with contact allowed, before being allowed to play.

Carbery said it’s ‘to be determined’ whether Ovechkin will join the Capitals on their two-game trip early next week.

When could Alex Ovechkin return?

The original timeline would have him available as early as Dec. 19 and as late as Jan. 2. The Capitals have a home game on Dec. 20 and a home game on Jan. 2. They don’t play from Dec. 24-27 because of the holiday break.

How many games has Alex Ovechkin missed?

He has missed 10 games. The Capitals have gone 7-2-1 in that stretch with other players stepping up. They led the Eastern Conference in points on Friday morning and were one point out of first in the league.

CAPITALS: Tom Wilson scores twice after taking puck to the face

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?

Ovechkin had 15 goals in 18 games before the injury, including two in the game in which he was hurt. That gives him 868 career goals, second all-time behind Gretzky.

He needs 27 more to break Gretzky’s NHL record of 894, which has stood since 1999. If Ovechkin falls short of breaking the record this season, he has another year left on his contract.

(Update: On Saturday, the Chiefs announced they had waived Matthew Wright with Harrison Butker expected to return Sunday against the Browns.)

Not exactly a straight shot. 

That was surely the case with the 31-yard, walk-off field goal from Matthew Wright that caromed off the upright as time expired on Sunday night at Arrowhead Stadium. It can also be said of the winding journey the emergency kicker took to land in the thick of the drama that resulted in a ninth consecutive AFC West crown for the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Wright, 28, has been the quintessential “kicker for hire” for a few years now, aiming to ultimately stick with a steady NFL job but in the meantime taking work when he can get it. 

The Chiefs, with Pro Bowl kicker Harrison Butker close to returning from injured reserve after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, are Wright’s fourth NFL team this calendar year. Since he was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019 as an undrafted free agent from Central Florida, he’s kicked for eight NFL teams. 

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

And this is Wright’s third stint with the Chiefs, one of the four teams he’s had multiple tours with over the years. 

When he got the call just before Thanksgiving, after Butker’s previous replacement, Spencer Shrader, was injured during practice, the Chiefs didn’t even bother having him kick in a workout before signing him. It was a short week, with the Chiefs prepping to face the Las Vegas Raiders. 

“When we got the call, they said, ‘Is he ready to go?’ “ Paul Sheehy, Wright’s agent, recalled of the conversation. 

“Yes. A hundred percent,” he replied. 

“Talk about throwing into the fire. He was in that Black Friday game.” 

There was certainly some trust at work. Dave Toub, the Chiefs’ special teams coordinator, said Wright’s familiarity with the team’s operation, including the practice flow, helped in making the quick transition. 

“He’s a veteran, too,” Toub said during his weekly press conference on Friday. “It wasn’t like he was a rookie off the street. He was a guy who has done it before in games. 

“None bigger than that one,” Toub added of Sunday night. “That was huge right there.” 

Wright knows that he can’t get too comfortable with his temp work. The Chiefs opened the 21-day practice window this week to determine Butker’s status. And Butker has progressed to the point that he is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game at Cleveland. 

Never mind that Wright was named the AFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday. The award is great for the resume, but not much of a factor for extending his stay with the Chiefs. 

“That was big for him,” Toub said. “It’s going to help him down the road. Eventually, Butker’s coming back. We can’t have three kickers. It might help him get a job down the road. He deserves it.” 

During his first stint with the Chiefs in 2022, Wright set the franchise record with a 59-yard field goal. Six days later, that mark was topped when Butker nailed a 62-yarder. And Wright moved on to kick four games in 2022 with the Steelers – the team that he also spent last offseason with. 

Of course, the lack of security in the NFL is hardly cornered by kickers. Yet unlike backup linebackers or fill-in running backs, when a kicker is signed for an emergency the odds of them becoming thrust into a make-or-break situation are tremendous in a league that is on a record pace for having the most games in a season decided by one possession or less. 

Staying ready leads to another level of pressure for emergency kickers. It’s typical to go from kicking alone during workouts on a high school field to a packed stadium with 75,000 screaming fans with the game on the line.  

It’s no wonder that as Wright lined up for the game-winning kick last weekend, he said he repeated a simple affirmation to himself: “Relax, relax, relax.” 

Said Sheehy: “The toughest part is you’re doing your own workouts most of the time without a full operation, without a live snap and hold, and certainly without a rush. So, you’re really just relying on your muscle memory and your prior experience, to be able to go through all of that and get that timing right. Because, as you know, if you’re off by just a millisecond, it throws the whole thing off. It takes a unique guy to be able to do that.”  

The Chiefs know. Not only have the Chiefs (12-1) tied an NFL record by winning 10 consecutive games decided by seven points or less, they are the first team in NFL history to win three games in a season with walk-off field goals by three different kickers, including Butker’s 51-yarder against Cincinnati in Week 2 and Shrader’s 31-yard kick at Carolina in Week 12.  

Shrader, incidentally, has kicked for three teams this season, after opening with Indianapolis; he was signed off the New York Jets practice squad. Cincinnati’s fill-in kicker on Monday night, Cade York, was with Washington in Week 1. 

There is no shortage of examples in the “kicker for hire” club. Yet Wright certainly has a unique twist. In October, he became the third kicker in as many weeks for the San Francisco 49ers, replacing the injured Anders Carlson, who subbed for the injured Jake Moody.  

Wright had a perfect game at Seattle, converting on all three field goal attempts and all three PAT kicks in a 49ers victory. But disaster struck near the end of the game when Wright sprinted across the field during a kickoff return and lowered his shoulder to knock Seahawks returner Dee Williams out of bounds after a 37-yard return. 

The collision — er, tackle — led to Wright being placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. He’s undoubtedly fully rehabbed now, making good on all four of his field goal attempts, including a 51-yarder in the fourth quarter, on Sunday night. 

His vibe is flowing, even if it’s just a temp job, having come through when the Chiefs needed him the most. 

“My wife’s super helpful,” Wright said, “just giving me confidence going forward.” 

Added Sheehy: “He’s been kind of the hired gun, which is good and bad. At some point a team’s got to recognize him for what he is, a really good kicker in this league, and not just look at him as, ‘Well, we know if our guy goes down, we can bring him in.’ ” 

If kicking doesn’t work out, Wright is equipped with a solid Plan B. He’s worked as an aerospace engineer for Lockheed Martin. 

Yet with kicking in his DNA, that job isn’t a straight shot, either.     

Cowboys star Micah Parsons on teammate’s injury: ‘I really don’t think it’s fair’

Micah Parsons fought back tears on Monday night, contemplating the road ahead for fellow Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown. An emerging star, Overshown tore the ACL, MCL and PCL in his right knee during the fourth quarter of the loss to the Bengals. 

After Overshown’s rookie year in 2023 was wiped out due to a torn ACL in his left knee, he rebounded to become an undeniable bright spot amid Dallas’ woes this season. 

Now it is feared that, given the severity of his injury and the timing of when it occurred, Overshown could miss the entire 2025 season. 

Said Parsons: “To understand what he’s going to have to go through … I really don’t think that’s fair.” 

A third-round pick from Texas, Overshown impressed with his versatility and big-play presence. In addition to posting 5 sacks, he registered 90 tackles, an interception returned for a touchdown, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. 

Parsons’ emotional expression during his postgame interview spoke volumes about the respect that Overshown earned in the Cowboys locker room. 

Go for it?  

Maybe Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell will meet his match during the showdown against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, at least when gambling on fourth down. 

Campbell, of course, is the NFL’s most aggressive coach in going for it on fourth down. And in the crucial victory against the Packers in Week 14, the Lions converted four of their five fourth-down tries – including one from Green Bay’s 21-yard line during crunch time, when they could have opted to take the lead with a field goal. Instead, they used a David Montgomery run to move the chains and allow them to chew up the clock before winning with a walk-off field goal. 

Now comes Buffalo, which is tied with Washington for the best fourth-down conversion rate this season (86.7%), making good on 13 of 15 attempts. Buffalo’s tally includes the gutsy call from Sean McDermott in Week 11, when Josh Allen bolted for a 26-yard touchdown run in the final two minutes. The result extinguished any hopes Kansas City harbored for a perfect season and snapped the Chiefs’ winning streak at 15, dating to last season. 

Some interesting patterns exist when taking a closer look at fourth-down decisions: 

— None of the five teams with the most fourth-down attempts – Cleveland (34), Chicago (28), Atlanta (26), Dallas (26), and the New York Giants (26) – has a winning record. 

— Of the five teams with the fewest fourth-down attempts – Minnesota (8), Green Bay (10), the Los Angeles Chargers (10), Kansas City (11) and Tampa Bay (11) – all would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. 

— None of the teams with the six-worst fourth-down conversion rates – Tennessee (33.3%), Dallas (34.6%), Arizona (36.5%), Carolina (40%), the New York Jets (40%) and Miami (40%) – are occupying a playoff slot. 

The Lions, by the way, rank sixth in success rate (68.2%) in converting 15-of-22 fourth downs, and have an NFL-longest 11-game winning streak. 

Quick slants 

— Joe Burrow can become just the second quarterback in NFL history (Steve Young, 1998) to throw for 300 yards and 3 TDs in five consecutive games if he hits the marks for the Bengals on Sunday at Tennessee. 

— Giants rookie receiver Malik Nabers scored three touchdowns in his first three NFL games, but since then he’s gone eight consecutive games without reaching the end zone. 

— Justin Herbert’s streak of passes without an interception has hit 335, a big reason why the L.A. Chargers head into Sunday’s game against the Bucs with the fewest turnovers (6) in the NFL. Herbert’s streak is fifth-longest in NFL history, 68 shy of topping the NFL record set by Aaron Rodgers (402) in 2018. 

— Jalen Hurts heads into the intrastate clash against the Steelers having not thrown for 200 yards in three consecutive games. It matches the second-longest sub-200 streak in Hurts’ career, after he went five straight games without 200 yards in 2021. The last time Hurts had three games in a row of this sort? It happened in 2022. And Hurts rolled out of that to lead the Eagles to Super Bowl 57. So, with Philly on a 9-game winning streak, maybe the recent sub-200s represent an omen. 

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

The NHL season is more than two months old, and there have been 11 trades, 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. Here are key dates to watch: the holiday roster freeze in December, the league’s break for the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and the trade deadline in early March.

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

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 being 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: Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov in concussion protocol

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Pytor Kochetkov is in concussion protocol after being injured on a fluke play in Saturday’s game, coach Rod Brind’Amour told reporters. Kochetkov, who’s out indefinitely, was reaching out to make a poke check in overtime when he was accidentally knocked over by teammate Sean Walker, who was defending against the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski. Kochetkov replaced by Spencer Martin, who lost in a shootout.

Kochetkov’s injury means the Hurricanes are missing their top two goaltenders. Frederik Andersen had knee surgery and will be out eight to 12 weeks. Martin and Yaniv Perets are the goalie tandem for now as the team faces a tough stretch against the Dallas Stars, New York Rangers and back-to-back games against the Florida Panthers. But the Hurricanes will get back forward Seth Jarvis, who missed seven games with an upper-body injury.

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. 23: Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov misses game with lower-body injury

Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov, who’s tied for the league lead in points, sat out Saturday’s game against the Calgary Flames because of a lower-body injury. Kaprizov went to the ice after a knee-on-knee hit from the Edmonton Oilers’ Drake Caggiula in Thursday’s game but the Wild star finished the game. The Athletic reported he had an MRI on Sunday, which found no serious injury, and he was at practice on Monday. Kaprizov entered Saturday’s games tied with Nathan MacKinnon with 34 points and has played in one less game than the Colorado Avalanche star.

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: Forward Alex Nylander is joining All-Star older brother William on the Toronto Maple Leafs after signing a one-year, $775,000 NHL contract and getting recalled. He had been on an American Hockey League contract. The Maple Leafs placed forward Matthew Knies on the injured list after he absorbed a big hit from Vegas’ Zach Whitecloud this week. … 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. 18: Sabres send down goalie; Sharks call one up

The Buffalo Sabres sent 22-year-old goalie Devon Levi to the American Hockey League to get him some playing time amid his recent struggles. The team will use Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and recently reacquired James Reimer as their tandem. Levi has given up 17 goals in his last four starts.

Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks called up highly touted goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov, 22, after he went 6-3 with a 1.92 goals-against average in the AHL. He was acquired from the Nashville Predators in an offseason trade. Sharks goalie Vitek Vanecek had left Saturday’s game with an injury.

Also: The NHL announced that last month’s Carolina Hurricanes-Tampa Bay Lightning game, whichas was postponed by Hurricane Milton, has been rescheduled for Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. ET. … Philadelphia Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

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

In a busy day for goalie transactions, 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.

In other moves, the Minnesota Wild called up Jesper Wallstedt, their goalie of future, who will join Game 1 winner Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury. The Nashville Predators sent down Matt Murray, who backed up Scott Wedgewood on Thursday with injured No. 1 goalie Juuse Saros unable to play.

Oct. 10: Hurricanes-Lightning game postponed because of Milton

Saturday’s game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning has been postponed as the Tampa Bay area recovers from Hurricane Milton. The league said a makeup date would be announced as soon as it can be confirmed.

The Lightning are playing their season opener in Carolina on Friday. Saturday’s game was to be the start of a three-game homestand (also Tuesday and Thursday).

Amalie Arena got through the storm fine, though Tropicana Field, home of MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida, suffered major damage to its roof.

Oct. 10: Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner has surgery

Jenner had shoulder surgery to repair an injury he suffered during training camp and could miss up to six months.

‘Our hope is he can return before the end of the season,’ said Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Waddell. ‘His loss will be felt by our club, but we have a strong leadership group in place and players will be given an opportunity to take on greater roles on and off the ice.’

Boone, who finished second on the Blue Jackets last season with 22 goals and is the franchise leader in games played, has been the team’s captain since 2021-22.

Oct. 9: Linus Ullmark, Joey Daccord get contract extensions

Ullmark, who won the Vezina Trophy with the Bruins in 2022-03, was traded to the Ottawa Senators this offseason so Boston had the room to re-sign Swayman. Ullmark will get four years, $33 million from the Senators and have the same $8.25 million cap as Swayman.

Meanwhile, Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord received a five-year, $25 million extension. He filled in for Philipp Grubauer after that goalie’s injury last season and got the NHL’s first shutout in the Winter Classic. Both contracts will take effect next season.

The referee in Saturday’s Celebration Bowl had a bit of bad news he had to pass along to the Jackson State faithful gathered inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Before getting to that, though, he had another message he wanted to get off his chest.

Right before announcing a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty against Jackson State that wiped out a touchdown in its game against South Carolina State, referee Rory Bernard took the unusual-but-commendable step of paying homage to military veterans while addressing the crowd.

“I’d like to salute our military veterans,” Bernard said, followed by an actual salute that drew some cheers from the audience.

After dropping his arm back down to his side, he revealed the penalty, which negated an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown by Jackson State’s Travis Terrell Jr. that would have given the Tigers a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter in the annual matchup between the champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Beyond an unbridled passion for the nation’s armed forces, Bernard’s unconventional gesture could perhaps be explained as a matter of timing.

The Celebration Bowl is the first event on a relatively crowded college football Saturday that also includes the Army-Navy Game and the Salute to Veterans Bowl between South Alabama and Western Michigan in Montgomery, Alabama.

Swift was asked if the song ‘Paper Rings’ on her ‘Lover’ album was about Purdy, whose team lost to Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl with the superstar musician in the stands.

‘I don’t mind Brock Purdy.” Swift said in video shared by a parent. “He put me through a lot last February but it all went better.’

Purdy and the 49ers took a lead late in the fourth quarter, but Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes rallied his team to tie the game before the end of regulation and win in overtime for Kansas City’s third Super Bowl title in five seasons.

“I like Travis now,’ the girl said.

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Swift responded: “Me too. That’s an absolute yes on that one.”

Before the Super Bowl, Purdy joked that he was prepared to potentially disappoint Swift by winning the game.

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The St. Louis Blues acquired veteran defenseman Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.

The Blues also secured a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft in exchange for a second-round selection in that draft and defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka.

The Ducks will retain 38.5% of Fowler’s remaining contract. His pact carries an average annual value of $6.5 million that expires following the 2025-26 season.

Fowler, 33, is the longest-tenured active member of the Ducks after being selected by the team with the 12th overall pick of the 2010 NHL Draft. He has spent parts of the past five seasons as an assistant captain.

‘This was a difficult trade to make considering what Cam has meant to this organization,’ Ducks 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.

‘His character and contributions on and off the ice have and will continue to leave a positive impact on our fans and community. 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. As usual, Cam handled the process with professionalism and remained committed to the Ducks. Cam and his family deserve nothing but the best going forward, and we wish them the best of luck.’

Fowler has four assists in 17 games this season and 457 points (96 goals, 361 assists) in 991 career games with Anaheim.

Biakabutuka, 22, signed a three-year entry-level contract with St. Louis in July 2023. He has played in five career games with Springfield and Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League.

Also on Saturday, St. Louis assigned defenseman Matthew Kessel to Springfield.

Kessel, 24, has three assists in 26 games this season for the Blues.

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Could New York Giants star Malik Nabers catch passes from Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders next season?

The chances aren’t that far off.

Sanders is expected to be in contention of being the top quarterback selected in the draft, with quarterback-needy teams like the Las Vegas Raiders and the Giants likely to have two of the top picks of the draft. There’s a strong chance one of those teams selects Sanders, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.

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Nabers, the No. 6 overall pick in 2024, leads the Giants in receptions (80) and receiving yards (819) this season, despite the franchise boasting one of the worst offenses in the NFL this season. He has also caught passes from three different quarterbacks in Daniel Jones, Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock as the team searches for consistency at signal caller.

Sanders, who finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting this season, had a fantastic final season of college in 2024, completing 337 of 454 passes (74.2%) for 3,926 yards with 35 touchdowns to eight interceptions. He showcased his ability to make high-level throws, making him one of the top prospects in 2025.

While there’s still plenty to figure out in terms of draft order and which players each team prefers, a Sanders and Nabers duo would likely be a welcomed one next season for the Giants’ struggling offense.