The NHL season is more than two months old, and there have been 10 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. 12: Canucks’ J.T. Miller returning from personal leave

Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller said Thursday he was returning from his personal leave and would play that 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.’

While he was away, Miller 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.

DALLAS – It didn’t take long after Juan Soto made sports history this week by becoming the first player with a contract worth three-quarters of a billion dollars.

In the immediate aftermath of Soto’s agreement with the New York Mets on a $765 million deal, the buzz among the rest of baseball executives and agents in the hotel lobby at the winter meetings quickly turned to what comes next.

Specifically, could the first billion-dollar player be far behind?

“It’s coming,” one agent said.

Maybe within five years, some mused.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

Elly De La Cruz Reds contract timeline

If that timeline sounds familiar to sports fans in Cincinnati, maybe it’s because of the budding superstar in the middle of the Reds infield who belongs to that free agent class.

“He’s a freak. He could be the guy,” the agent said.

Elly De La Cruz: The first billion-dollar baby in sports history?

“He’s one of the names that came up when we were talking about it,” one American League executive said.

It might sound absurd to think any player in any sport would get paid that much in one contract of any length – but perhaps no more absurd than Soto getting $105 million more than John Henry’s group paid for the entire Boston Red Sox franchise and Fenway Park in what was then a record price for a team in 2002.

“I didn’t see that happening, period,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who won a World Series 10 months after his own team made Shohei Ohtani the first $700 million player last winter. “I was very surprised.”

When will an MLB player get a $1-billion contract

What about the idea of $1 billion – with a ‘B’ – for one player?

Heck, it took until 2012 for a franchise to prove that valuable, when the Dodgers sold for just more than $2 billion – and it wasn’t until just five years ago that Forbes determined every franchise was worth at least $1 billion.

According to Forbes, the Marlins are barely worth that even now.

“I guess I would be even more surprised,” Roberts said. “I didn’t think this one was plausible.”

But here’s the thing: It may have already happened. Sort of. 

One industry insider said a team actually made a $1 billion offer to a player, presumably Soto; however, that offer included substantial deferred salary (like Ohtani’s contract). Soto’s deal with the Mets includes no deferrals.

“The math does actually support it,” one former National League executive said.

MLB star contract factors

The exec said that when he and other execs in their big-market front office planned long-term extensions or targeted free agents, they started with the dollar value of wins above replacement (WAR) – which now is considered roughly $10 million per point of WAR (depending on a team’s internal formula).

“If we felt we needed to get 40 WAR to get the value of the contract, we didn’t care if we got all of it at the front half or (averaged) over the whole contract,” he said.

His new contract averages $51 million a year.

Whether that makes Soto worth the full weight of the 15-year investment, it at least suggests a way of wrapping one’s head around the enormity of the deal.

“I’m not on the hating side of it as much as a lot of other people,” the former exec said.

“And when was the first $250 million deal?” he said, referring to Alex Rodriguez’s free agent contract with the Texas Rangers 24 years ago.

“Is my house more expensive than two decades ago?” he said. “Is my car? So should player contracts.”

MLB franchise values and player contracts

And this, he said: Franchise values and industry revenues continue to rise – faster than average player salaries in that period.

So maybe the player who takes one of the most competitive, elite at-bats in the game is actually worth $765 million for 15 years?

If so, what’s that suggest about five years from now? For a five-tool shortstop like De La Cruz, who delivered 5.2 WAR at age 22?

“Now he has to give that at-bat we’re talking about,” the former exec said. “The tools are as good as it gets. But that’s not his at-bat now.”

De La Cruz already cut down on his strikeout rate since his four-month debut season of 2023 to earn an All-Star selection in 2024.

If he continues that arc, improves his fielding and makes better base-running decisions as he becomes more established in the next few seasons?

Elly De La Cruz agent, contract projection

He already has the agent to break somebody’s bank.

Scott Boras, the agent who landed Soto the contract of the century, also represents the Reds’ star. Boras already has suggested how unlikely it is that De La Cruz signs an extension with the Reds before becoming a free agent.

“Don’t even go there,” Boras said when asked the billion-dollar question.

“I would not want to put that on any player, any time, particularly when he has to perform for five years before it happens, my God.

“Good thought though.”

Could the Reds afford a billion-dollar Elly De La Cruz?

Not quite as good if you’re the Reds.

When asked how much he’d thought about De La Cruz’s free agency timeline in the context of Soto, Reds president Nick Krall paused a beat before answering.

“I’m excited that he’s on our team this year, and go from there,” he said.

Krall wouldn’t speculate on De La Cruz’s potential payday as a free agent in five years.

“He’s a great player. A superstar player,” Krall said. “And a free agent at 27.”

When it comes to somebody – anybody – getting $1 billion contract, Krall is long past being stunned by the mega-deals paid by the mega-market teams.

“Nothing would surprise me,” Krall said. “There are a lot of great players in the game. And it’s what happens.”

From a Reds perspective, a $1 billion deal for De La Cruz might provide at least some solace for what it likely would say about what the 6-foot-5 bundle of power and speed did for the Reds in the five seasons leading up to it.

MLB salary disparity for big and small market teams

Even if it underscores the growing disparity between baseball’s haves and have-nots.

“We all know our challenges,” Krall said. “You’re just doing the best you can to go through player pipelines and not be worried about outside stuff. You can’t control it, and I can’t worry about stuff I can’t control. We’re trying to do the best we can with the Reds.”

Said Boras: “Part of a sports league is disparity. There’s always a Goliath, and there’s always a David in every sports league. I don’t care what league it is. I don’t care whether you have salary caps or not. It’s always been that way. 

“But the one thing that’s common,” he added, “is that every ownership that was bought for $100 (million) to $200 million is now worth $2 (billion) to $3 billion.”

That’s the inescapable truth that nobody at either end of the economic spectrum in the game can deny after watching Soto’s negotiations unfold with as many as five teams still alive in the bidding into the final few days.

“It’s good for the game, good for the players,” said Seattle Mariners president Jerry DiPoto, who pitched for three big-league teams in the 1990s and whose biggest contract as a player was a two-year, $4.7 million deal.

“Obviously, it means that the game is thriving when players can achieve salaries like that.”

Especially when the guys on the management side of the game see it that way.

All of which almost certainly points to not only the possibility but also the plausibility of a billion-dollar player by the time today’s youngest stars, such as De La Cruz, reach free agency.

“You said it, not me,” DiPoto said.

Bill Belichick is becoming a college football coach for the first time. It’s really happening.

North Carolina officially pulled off the stunning move on Wednesday night when it announced Belichick’s hiring to replace Mack Brown as the next Tar Heels’ next football coach. This means the coach with a record six Super Bowls, who sits just 14 wins away from breaking Don Shula’s NFL record for all-time wins, will be roaming the sidelines in the ACC next fall, trying to guide North Carolina through a new era of college football that increasingly operates like the professional level Belichick is coming from.

North Carolina formally introduced Belichick at a Thursday afternoon news conference in which he explained that he always wanted to be a college football coach and called returning to the Tar Heels as a ‘dream come true.’

‘We know that college athletics is changing, and those changes require new and innovative thinking. Bill Belichick is a football legend, and hiring him to lead our program represents a new approach that will ensure Carolina football can evolve, compete and win – today and in the future,’ UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement.

The football world is still buzzing over this decision and the reaction has been polarizing, with NFL and college football analysts weighing in on how and if Belichick, 72, can successfully transition from the professional ranks to college. Here are highlights from everything that happened between Belichick and North Carolina leading up to and during Thursday’s press conference:

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Bill Belichick press conference is over

After 45 minutes, Bill Belichick is done answering questions from reporters. Given his track record with press conferences in the NFL, it could be his longest session with reporters for awhile. But he offered plenty of highlights to sift through on Thursday now that he’s getting started at UNC.

Bill Belichick denies he had 400-page plan for UNC

Belichick was asked about a report on social media that he presented North Carolina officials with a 400-page ‘organizational bible’ as part of the job interview process. ‘Don’t believe everything you read in the papers,’ Belichick said. Instead, he noted how the rule changes in college football in recent years got him more invested in college football than he expected.

‘College came to me this year. I didn’t go seek it out,’ Belichick said. ‘Probably a dozen coaches asked to talk with me about certain things, like a salary cap, headsets, two-minute warning, sideline tablets.’

Bill Belichick won’t make predictions

Bill Belichick has been asked several different questions about what expectations should be for him at North Carolina. The latest version elicited the most descriptive response, with Belichick harkening back to the Tar Heels’ defenses in the early 1980s that produced Lawrence Taylor when he was an assistant coach with the New York Giants under Bill Parcells. It almost sounded like he wanted to replicate that.

“I believe we’re going to run a good program and have a good team. We’ll see where that all goes,’ Belichick said. ‘I’m not making any predictions. I’m just saying I’m coming in to do the best I can.”

Bill Belichick lays out UNC recruiting vision

Belichick said, ‘I feel like doing it a long time,’ when asked about any sort of plan for how long he wants to continue coaching. He then started to lay out a recruiting vision that he emphasized also ‘belongs to (General Manager Michael Lombardi) and his recruiting staff.’ Belichick noted there would be a scouting department involved, with a traditional GM-coach hierarchy that will be similar but ‘not identical’ to the NFL. There’s been on emphasis on Belichick’s ‘pro program.’

Belichick said part of his interest in college football stems from this year off he took from coaching. He visited often with Washington, where his son is currently the defensive coordinator. Belichick said he wants to recruit well in-state and the surrounding areas, but he views North Carolina as a national university. ‘We’ll recruit any kid to come here. … I think we’ll be able to recruit nationally.’

Bill Belichick: ‘I didn’t come here to leave’

Belichick was emphatic when asked by a reporter if he might go back to the NFL in a year or two should he enjoy success quickly at North Carolina. Belichick, who had otherwise been expansive answering questions, transformed into the version fans grew accustomed to during New England Patriots news conferences.

‘I didn’t come here to leave,’ Belichick said, and the Tar Heel fans in the room applauded and cheered.

Bill Belichick asked why he’s still coaching

Belichick explained why, at 72 years old, he wants to keep coaching, and coaching at a level he’s never worked before, with a joke.

‘It beats working,’ Belichick cracked.

‘I love what I do. I love coaching,’ he added, noting how much he enjoys being around a team.

Bill Belichick: ‘This is a dream come true.’

Bill Belichick has officially been introduced as the new North Carolina football coach by university chancellor Lee H. Roberts and athletic director Bubba Cunningham. Roberts presented Belichick with a custom sweatshirt with cut-off sleeves, then Cunningham put on a blazer with the sleeves cut off.

Belichick responded in kind to them, pulling out a North Carolina sweater his father wore when he was an assistant coach for the Tar Heels. Belichick noted he ‘always wanted to coach in college football and it just never really worked out. I had some good years in the NFL, so that was OK. But this is really kind of a dream come true.’

Perhaps it was destined for him to return to Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Belichick said he was always told, ‘Billy’s first words were ‘Beat Duke.’ … So, full circle.’

Bill Belichick has arrived for UNC press conference

We’ll hear from Bill Belichick shortly at his introductory press conference, but he is on campus at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Check back here for the best quotes and highlights as Belichick breaks down his decision to become North Carolina’s football coach.

Bill Belichick’s son: ‘That’s what he should be doing.’

Brian Belichick, who’s currently the safeties coach for the New England Patriots, spoke to reporters at a regularly scheduled media availability Thursday. After he got a laugh attempting to discuss the Patriots’ upcoming game against the Arizona Cardinals, Belichick’s younger son offered a hint into the Belichick family’s reaction to Bill Belichick’s decision to become North Carolina’s football coach.

‘I’m really happy for my dad. I think a lot of people were excited, including him, and it’s going to be fun to watch,’ Brian Belichick said. ‘He loves coaching football. That’s what he should be doing.’

Deion Sanders weighs in on Bill Belichick hiring at UNC

Bill Belichick might be the most unorthodox college football coaching hire since Deion Sanders went from high school to Jackson State to Colorado. So Belichick’s hiring at North Carolina got the social media version of a thumbs up on Thursday from Coach Prime, whose template produced a 9-3 season in year two with the Buffaloes this season.

UNC Board of Trustees approves Bill Belichick contract

The partnership between Bill Belichick and North Carolina football cleared one more hurdle Thursday morning when the university’s Board of Trustees approved Belichick’s contract at an emergency meeting attended by multiple reporters in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It was considered a formality after Wednesday’s announcement, but approval was nonetheless needed to move forward.

The details of the deal beyond the $50 million over five seasons North Carolina will reportedly pay Belichick are especially intriguing after the two sides spent the past couple days negotiating over NIL money and staffing.

Bill Belichick press conference announced

North Carolina announced that it will hold an introductory news conference for Belichick on Thursday at 2 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast live on the ACC Network.

Belichick spoke in general terms about running a college football program during an appearance on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ on Monday, but he has otherwise not talked extensively about his interest and plans for the North Carolina job.

‘I grew up around college football with my Dad and treasured those times,’ Belichick said in a statement Wednesday. ‘I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill.’

Michael Lombardi joining Bill Belichick as UNC GM

A familiar face will be reuniting with Belichick with North Carolina football. Michael Lombardi, a former NFL general manager who worked with Belichick in New England, announced he is leaving his job as a media analyst at VSiN to become North Carolina’s general manager.

Bill Belichick contract

Financial details were not revealed by the school, but UNC said in its press release Wednesday night that Belichick had agreed to a five-year deal ‘pending approval by the University’s Board of Trustees and Board of Governors.’

How many Super Bowls does Bill Belichick have?

Bill Belichick won an NFL-record six Super Bowls over 24 seasons as the New England Patriots coach, including two different stretches during which he won the Super Bowl three times in four years. Belichick made nine Super Bowl appearances overall with the Patriots.

Super Bowl 36 (Feb. 3, 2002): Beat St. Louis Rams, 20-17
Super Bowl 38 (Feb. 1, 2004): Beat Carolina Panthers, 32-29
Super Bowl 39 (Feb. 6, 2005): Beat Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21
Super Bowl 42 (Feb. 3, 2008): Lost to New York Giants, 17-14
Super Bowl 46 (Feb. 5, 2012): Lost to New York Giants, 21-17
Super Bowl 49 (Feb. 1, 2015): Beat Seattle Seahawks, 28-24
Super Bowl 51 (Feb. 5, 2017): Beat Atlanta Falcons, 34-28
Super Bowl 52 (Feb. 4, 2018): Lost to Philadelphia Eagles, 41-33
Super Bowl 53 (Feb. 3, 2019): Beat Los Angeles Rams, 13-3

Bill Belichick coaching record

Belichick began his head coaching career with the Cleveland Browns in 1991 after rising up the ranks as the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants under former coach Bill Parcells. Belichick was fired by the Browns in 1995 and rejoined Parcells as an assistant coach with the New England Patriots and New York Jets. He was briefly named the Jets’ head coach ahead of the 2000 season but resigned from the job at what was supposed to be his introductory news conference and soon became the Patriots’ head coach through the 2023 season.

Here’s a look at Belichick’s record as an NFL coach:

29 seasons (24 with Patriots, 5 with Browns)
333-178 career record (including playoffs)
9 Super Bowl appearances (all with Patriots)
6 Super Bowl championships
19 playoff appearances

Bill Belichick age

Bill Belichick is 72 years old. He will turn 73 on April 16 and will be the oldest Football Bowl Subdivision head coach in the country when the 2025 college football season begins. Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz is the second-oldest coach in the country at 69 years old.

Where did Bill Belichick go to college?

Belichick graduated in 1973 from Wesleyan College in Middletown, Connecticut, where he played tight end and offensive line for the football team. He also lettered in squash and lacrosse as a college athlete. He was part of the inaugural class inducted into the Wesleyan College athletics hall of fame.

The college football coaching carousel continues to heat up, and another familiar name is headed home.

West Virginia is hiring Jacksonville State coach Rich Rodriguez as its next coach, the school announced Thursday. Rodriguez returns to the Mountaineers 17 years after his departure to take the Michigan job. Since then, he’s also been the coach at Arizona and Jacksonville State.

Rodriguez, 61, posted a 60-26 record in his seven years with West Virginia, which included three consecutive 10-win seasons and four Big East championships between 2001 and 2007. The Mountaineers went 32-5 during a stretch from 2005-07, including a loss to Pittsburgh in his final game that cost West Virginia a chance to play in the Bowl Championship Series title game. He has a career record 189-129-2 that includes stops at Salem and Glenville State.

Rodriguez will succeed Neal Brown, who was fired on Dec. 1 after compiling a 37-35 record in six seasons with West Virginia. The Mountaineers are 6-6 this season and will play Memphis in the Frisco Bowl later this month with Chad Scott serving as interim coach.

Jacksonville State hired Rodriguez on Nov. 30, 2021. In three seasons with the Gamecocks, Rodriguez has a 27-10, including the program’s first-ever bowl win last season and a Conference USA championship this season. Rodriguez helped the program transition from FCS football to FBS during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

The Gamecocks won at least nine games every year under Rodriguez and can reach double figures for the first time as an FBS program with a win over Ohio in the Cure Bowl in Orlando on Dec. 20.

Rodriguez succeeded Lloyd Carr at Michigan and posted a 15-22 record from 2008-10. He was fired in Ann Arbor on Jan. 5, 2011, eventually taking over at Arizona in the 2012 college football season. The Wildcats went 43-35 under Rodriguez from 2012-17, which included a 10-4 mark and a Fiesta Bowl appearance in 2014.

However, he was fired at Arizona on Jan. 2, 2018, following a 7-6 season and allegations of sexual harassment off the field.

Like Rodriguez, Central Florida hired a former coach, Scott Frost. Frost coached the Knights from 2016-17 before taking a job with his alma mater Nebraska. He was fired by the Cornhuskers in 2022 and was re-hired by UCF earlier this week.

Rich Rodriguez head coaching record

Here’s a look at Rodriguez’s coaching record with West Virginia, Michigan, Arizona and Jacksonville State:

Conference records in parentheses

2001 (West Virginia): 3-8 (1-6 Big East)
2002 (West Virginia): 9-4 (6-1 Big East)
2003 (West Virginia): 8-5 (6-1 Big East)
2004 (West Virginia): 8-4 (4-2 Big East)
2005 (West Virginia): 11-1 (7-0 Big East)
2006 (West Virginia): 11-2 (5-2 Big East)
2007 (West Virginia): 10-2 (5-2 Big East)
2008 (Michigan): 3-9 (2-6 Big Ten)
2009 (Michigan): 5-7 (1-7 Big Ten)
2010 (Michigan): 7-6 (3-5 Big Ten)
2012 (Arizona): 8-5 (4-5 Pac-12)
2013 (Arizona): 8-5 (4-5 Pac-12)
2014 (Arizona): 10-4 (7-2 Pac-12)
2015 (Arizona): 7-6 (3-6 Pac-12)
2016 (Arizona): 3-9 (1-8 Pac-12)
2017 (Arizona): 7-6 (5-4 Pac-12)
2022 (Jacksonville State): 9-2 (5-0 ASUN)
2023 (Jacksonville State): 9-4 (6-2 Conference USA)
2024 (Jacksonville State): 9-4 (7-1 Conference USA)
Career record: 189-129-2

The driver accused of killing NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother faces more severe charges under a new indictment.

Sean M. Higgins, 44, is accused of aggravated manslaughter and other crimes under charges brought by a Salem County grand jury on Dec. 10. The Pilesgrove, New Jersey, man has been jailed on two counts of vehicular homicide since his arrest after an Aug. 29 crash that killed Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew.

Authorities allege that the vehicle driven by Higgins struck the brothers as they were bicycling on the narrow shoulder of a rural road in Oldmans Township.

Johnny Gaudreau, a 31-year-old member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and his 29-year-old brother, Matthew Gaudreau, were declared dead at the scene, just a few miles from their Salem County homes.

Higgins was driving while intoxicated and had passed a vehicle on the right at high speed when he hit the bicyclists, according to the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office.

Higgins “explicitly stated to the effect that his consumption of alcoholic beverages contributed to his impatience and reckless driving, which resulted in the motor vehicle accident,” said a criminal complaint.

Aggravated manslaughter, a first-degree offense, occurs when a person ‘recklessly causes death under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life,’ according to New Jersey’s criminal code.

If convicted, Higgins could be sentenced to a term of 10 to 30 years for each manslaughter count.

The indictment continues to charge Higgins with two counts of reckless vehicular homicide, each of which expose him to a 10-year term.

The indictment also accuses Higgins of tampering with physical evidence and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, the prosecutor’s office said.

Higgins also faces traffic charges, including driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.

The charges against Higgins are only accusations. He has not been convicted in the case.

An attorney for Higgins, Richard Klineburger III, could not be reached for comment.

But in a statement released to other media outlets, Klineburger said it would be ‘unfair’ to Higgins and the public to speak on the case ‘until a full evaluation and review has been completed.’

‘We will provide additional information and statements in the future, as appropriate,’ he said.

Higgins is scheduled to appear at an arraignment hearing Jan. 7 before Superior Court Judge Michael Silvanio in Salem.

(This story was updated to add information.)

Jim Walsh is a senior reporter for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@cpsj.com.

Juan Soto was officially introduced by the New York Mets on Thursday in a press conference at Citi Field after agreeing to a 15-year, $765 million contract – the biggest deal in sports history.

“When you sit down and look at all the options, it gets to a point where it’s not about the money anymore,’ Soto said Thursday. “You try to find the best spot for you and your family, and to grow a family.’

Soto, 26, debuted as a 19-year-old with the Washington Nationals in 2018 and has since been one of the best hitters in baseball. He’s finished in the top 10 of MVP voting five times in the past six seasons and set a career high with 41 home runs in 2024, helping the New York Yankees reach the World Series after an offseason trade from the San Diego Padres.

‘Trying to win a World Series here – not only one time, but a couple more times – is going to be special,’ Soto said.

Soto helped the Nationals win a championship in 2019, celebrating his 21st birthday during the World Series, and has 11 home runs with 30 RBI in 43 career postseason games.

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“The Mets are a great organization, and what they have done in the past couple of years – showing all the ability to keep winning, to keep growing a team, to try to grow a dynasty – is one of the most important things,” Soto said.

The Mets made a surprise run to the NLCS this season, losing to the eventual-champion Los Angeles Dodgers in six games after narrowly making the playoffs, upsetting the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies in the first two rounds.

‘I think it just hit home with me when I met him,’ Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of the opportunity to pencil Soto into his lineup behind MVP runner-up Francisco Lindor. ‘It is an honor and a privilege.’

Cohen stressed his ultimate goal of turning the Mets into a destination and one of the elite franchises in baseball.

‘It’s obviously a huge move. It just puts an accent on what we’re trying to do,” Cohen said. “It accelerates our goal of winning championships. But more important, I think – I kind of said it in the locker room after one of our playoff victories – my goal was to change how the Mets were viewed. And I think we’re really on the path of changing that. We’re never gonna stop. We’re always in a constant state of improvement. But that’s my goal.”

Said Soto: ‘The vibes for the future and on the field helped lead to my decision.’

Juan Soto on Yankees

Asked at his introductory press conference if he had spoken to any of his former Yankees teammates since agreeing to a deal with the Mets, Soto said ‘I haven’t spoken to any of those guys’ since the World Series.

Soto spent 2024 with the Yankees after an offseason trade from the Padres and helped the team reach the World Series for the first time since 2009. The Yankees’ best contract offer was 16 years and $760 million to Soto.

Steve Cohen on Juan Soto

“I want to thank Juan and Scott (Boras) for believing in what we’re building here,’ owner Steve Cohen said Thursday. ‘It wasn’t an easy process … there were so many emotions to get to where we got to.’

Juan Soto contract details

Number of years: 15
Signing bonus:  $75 million
Total value of contract: $765 million. That’s $65 million more than the 10-year, $700 million contract Shohei Ohtani signed last offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Deferred money: $0
Average annual value: $51 million. Also a record, since a sizable portion of Ohtani’s contract is deferred until after his playing days are over.
Opt-out clauses: Soto has the right to opt out of his contract after the 2029 season. The Mets also have the right to void Soto’s buyout if they increase his salary from $51 million to $55 million beginning in 2030 for 10 years.
Potential total value of contract: $805 million, if the Mets exercise their option.

– Steve Gardner

Steve Cohen didn’t think Mets would sign Soto

Mets owner Steve Cohen told ESPN that he wasn’t feeling great about the team signing Soto – until agent Scott Boras called him on Sunday night.

‘Usually I’m pretty good at reading the signals. This one I totally missed,’ Cohen told ESPN. ‘Scott called me, and I realized, ‘Holy (expletive). This could happen.’ I didn’t expect it. I had no expectations it was going to happen. I was blown away.’

Juan Soto jersey number

Juan Soto will wear No. 22 with the New York Mets, his same number with the Nationals, Padres and Yankees.

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