The 2024-25 NBA Finals: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Philadelphia 76ers.

Given the way free agency is playing out and given the changing dynamics of the league where six different teams have won the title in the past six seasons, that’s as likely a Finals matchup as any.

Now, will it be Thunder-76ers for the title in 2025? That will play out over 82 regular-season games and two months of playoff basketball – and of course, trades and injuries alter the landscape.

But in the early days of free agency, the Thunder and Sixers have made moves that put them in great position for this season.

Thunder-Sixers Finals? The Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves are among the teams that will try to prevent that from happening.

Here are the winners and losers through the early days of free agency:

NBA free agency winners

Philadelphia 76ers

In win-now mode, the 76ers wanted a high-quality wing and a long-term deal for restricted free agent and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey. They got that and more in a free agency period they had targeted as the right time to make significant moves. The Sixers added All-Star forward Paul George, who had a fantastic 2023-24 season, and agreed to a long-time extension with the 23-year-old Maxey. With All-Star and 2022-23 MVP Joel Embiid, the Sixers have arguably the best guard-wing-center trio in the league. They brought back Kelly Oubre, added depth at center in Andre Drummond and depth at guard in Eric Gordon. Plus, they have five tradeable first-round picks if the right opportunity arises.

Oklahoma City Thunder

In 2021-22, the Thunder won 24 games. Last season, they won 57 games and are set up for the present and future with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. They traded for Alex Caruso and added Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency. Those two additions fit the Thunder’s philosophy of hard work and professionalism without sacrificing financial flexibility or disrupting the development of their three young stars. And the Thunder still have a treasure trove of draft capital. They are in position to be one of the best teams in the West through the end of this decade, at least. Adding a title is part of the mission.

Orlando Magic

The Magic are rising in the East. How high can they go? We’re about to find out. They landed one of the top free agents available, getting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to leave Denver. He gives the Magic championship experience (titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and Nuggets) and a two-way player who provides shooting the Magic need. He shot 40.6% on 3-pointers in 2023-24. The veteran is a remarkable story. The Pistons renounced his rights in 2017 and his career was in jeopardy. He has turned into a valuable player and Caldwell-Pope and his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, have negotiated $150 million in contracts in the past season years.

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New York Knicks

The Knicks added Mikal Bridges via trade and re-signed OG Anunoby to a roster that also includes Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and Mitchell Robinson. They are better equipped to compete with Boston for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, and the Knicks will have an improved defense. Will they have enough offensive creators?

Boston Celtics

Rarely is the status quo good enough. Unless you’re the Celtics who captured the 2024 title with 64 regular-season victories and a 16-3 playoff record. They reached extensions with Derrick White and Jayson Tatum (record-setting contract), and have their starting lineup of White, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday secured for at least the next two seasons. No title is guaranteed, but the Celtics are in prime position to be part of the conversation even with that massive payroll that will pay those five players nearly $200 million starting with the 2025-26 season. Tatum and NBA Finals MVP Brown will improve, too.

Victor Wembanyama

Wembanyama, the 2023-24 Rookie of the Year, will continue to develop, and in 2024-25, he’ll get the bonus of playing alongside future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul, who reached a one-year, $11 million deal to play for the Spurs. Wembanyama will learn from Paul, accelerating his progress. The Spurs may not be contenders next season, but they’re headed in the right direction, and it won’t be long before they’re near the top of the West. Or before Wembanyama moves into first-team All-NBA territory.

Eastern Conference

The East is getting better. Maybe not as good as the West 1-10, but definitely better. The Knicks, Magic, 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers (don’t forget they reached the conference finals) should be better, and the Celtics aren’t going anywhere. Even if they don’t match or surpass last season’s wins total, the confidence they have from winning the title more than makes up for a few more regular-season losses so they’re ready for a long playoff run. And can the Miami Heat return to conference prominence? Will there be a surprise team? Regardless, the East made strides, and the champ resides in the conference.

Worth mentioning: Dallas Mavericks (getting Klay Thompson), Cleveland Cavaliers (extending Donovan Mitchell), Dejounte Murray (traded from Atlanta to New Orleans)

NBA free agency losers

Golden State Warriors

The dynasty that won four titles in eight seasons featuring Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green is over. Thompson left the Warriors for the Dallas Mavericks. While this is best for the Warriors in the long turn and for Thompson in the short term, it’s still a downer for the Warriors. All things come to an end, and unhappy endings are part of the story.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers retained James Harden and still have Kawhi Leonard, but it’s hard to see how the Clippers improved from a 51-win team with the loss of Paul George to the 76ers. They’re moving into a new $2 billion arena, Intuit Dome, and Inglewood, and owner Steve Ballmer prefers to have a team that can compete for a title. Looking at the landscape of the West, the Clippers are not among the top five teams.

Denver Nuggets

A year ago, the Nuggets were in celebration mode, having won the franchise’s first title. The hangover comes fast and lasts. Denver lost Bruce Brown after the championship season and lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope after a 57-win season this year. It’s understood the Nuggets wanted to maintain financial flexibility but two key players from a championship team are gone, and they haven’t found equal replacements yet while other teams in the West got better. Championship windows open slowly and close quickly.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns were 49-33 and in fifth place in the West and were swept by Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs. Two (Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal) of their three main players (Devin Booker is the other) are in their 30s, and it’s hard to see what the Suns did that made them better, hard to see a path to getting better and hard to see the Suns as any better than the fifth-best team.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks don’t have the ability to make significant roster moves without a major trade. They have $151.4 million in salary committed to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez for 2024-25. Looking around the East, the Bucks see teams improving and possibly passing them in the standings. It’s Boston, Philly, New York in that order with Cleveland and Orlando rising. Just like Denver, are the Bucks watching the championship window close?

Incomplete

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers and LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $104 million deal. That’s a good start, but the Lakers still need roster improvements. D’Angelo Russell exercised his player option for 2024-25, so right now, the Lakers have essentially the same team as they did last year (except for drafting Dalton Knecht and Bronny James) and have not made the roster changes that elevate them in the West after losing to Denver in the first round in April. At least not yet. Let’s give the Lakers a minute in free agency and through July to see what they can do in the trade market.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

British sprinter Mark Cavendish broke the record for the most Tour de France stage wins in history with his sprint finish victory during Stage 5 of what is set to be his last ride in the prestigious race. 

Cavendish, 39, has now won a record-setting 35 Tour de France stages, cementing his status as the best sprinter in the history of the competition’s 111 editions. He previously jointly held the record of 34 stage victories with Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx. 

After his record-breaking triumph in Saint Vulbas on Wednesday, Cavendish said his and his team’s goal for the 2024 Tour de France was to win at least one stage, even though doing so would be “a big gamble.”

“You have to go all in and we’ve done it,” Cavendish said. “We worked exactly what we wanted to do.” 

Cavendish won the first of his Tour stages in 2008 but has struggled since 2021 to add to his impressive tally — until today. 

This victory served as the ultimate last-chance comeback for Cavendish following a slew of disappointing circumstances surrounding the Tour. The Brit was set to retire at the end of last season but returned for a final Tour de France after he crashed out of last year’s race during its eighth stage. This year, Cavendish got off to a rocky start as he appeared to struggle with heat-related issues in the early stages of the race. 

The top 10 contenders for the yellow jersey remain unchanged after Stage 5 with Slovenian Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates still occupying the top spot after his dominant Stage 4 win on Tuesday. 

Biniam Girmay, who made history as the first Eritrean and Black rider to win a Tour de France stage on Monday, has moved up to the top spot in the contest for the green jersey (points classification) as he successfully rocked up sprinting points along today’s flat 110-mile route.

Here’s a full look at the 2024 Tour de France standings after five days of riding.

Tour de France Stage 5 results

TOUR DE FRANCE: Recap, results and standings after Stage 4

Tour de France general classification standings after Stage 5

Tour de France jersey standings after Stage 5

Yellow (general classification): Tadej Pogacar
Green (points classification): Biniam Girmay
Polka dot (mountains classification): Jonas Abrahamsen
White (young rider classification): Remco Evenepoel
Yellow numbers (teams classification): UAE Team Emirates
Golden numbers (combativity award): Clément Russo

Tour de France Stage 6: How to watch, schedule, distance

Date: Thursday, July 4, 2024

Location: Mâcon to Dijon (France)

Distance: 101.6 miles (163.5 kilometers)

Type: Flat stage

Streaming: Peacock, FuboTV

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After years of a mostly flat salary cap due to the COVID pandemic, it’s going up from $83.5 million to $88 million. The number of free agents was also larger because many players had signed one-year deals last summer in hopes of landing a bigger contract this offseason.

The combination led to a spending spree with the Tampa Bay Lightning signing Jake Guentzel, the Nashville Predators signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei, plus the Seattle Kraken signing a pair of Stanley Cup winners and the New Jersey Devils signing defensemen.

The Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights came out on the short end but have since added players.

The Detroit Red Wings signed a major free agent on Wednesday.

Here’s what happened during the early days of NHL free agency:

NHL FREE AGENCY: Top 25 free agents

NHL LIFTS BAN: League reinstates three banned over Blackhawks scandal

Day 3

Vladimir Tarasenko signs with Red Wings

He’ll average $4.75 million in the two-year deal. Tarasenko just won his second Stanley Cup with the Panthers. He also won with the 2019 Blues. A prolific scorer earlier in his career, he totaled 23 goals between the Senators and Panthers last season. He played on the Panthers’ effective third line in the playoffs.

The Red Wings boost their offense with the move after earlier re-signing Patrick Kane and signing defenseman Erik Gustafsson. To make the cap hit work, Detroit traded Robby Fabbri ($4 million) to the Ducks. They lost David Perron, Daniel Sprong and Shayne Gostisbehere to free agency.

Tarasenko is the fifth player to leave the Panthers in free agency, joining Brandon Montour, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Ryan Lomberg and Kevin Stenlund.

Panthers re-sign Anton Lundell

He gets six years for a reported $30 million. Lundell, 22, is coming off his entry-level contract and has established himself as a two-way No. 3 center. He had 17 points during the Panthers’ Stanley Cup run.

Nate Schmidt signs with Panthers

He gets a one-year deal after being bought out by the Jets. The signing reunites him with coach Paul Maurice and gives the Panthers a veteran defenseman after they lost Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson to free agency.

William Carrier signs with Hurricanes

The Hurricanes officially announced his six-year, $12 million contract. An expansion draft pick of the Vegas Golden Knights, he won a Stanley Cup there in 2023 and is known for his forechecking and physical play (1,116 hits in 372 games with Vegas). He’ll help the Hurricanes’ bottom six after they lost some players in free agency.

Other deals

The Flyers signed forward Bobby Brink to a two-year, $3 million contract. He spent most of last season with the Flyers scored 23 points in 57 games. … The Kraken signed defenseman Josh Mahura to a one-year, $775,000 contract. He became a free agent when the Panthers didn’t give him a qualifying offer.

NHL HISTORY: Kraken hire league’s first female full-time assistant coach

Day 2 recap

Tomas Tatar signs with Devils

He gets one year, $1.8 million. He’s a familiar name for the Devils, having played for them from 2021-23 and scoring 35 goals and 78 points over two seasons. He had a plus 41 rating with New Jersey in 2022-23. He split last season between the Avalanche and Kraken.

Victor Olofsson signs with Golden Knights

He gets a one-year, $1.075 million deal. Vegas lost a lot of offense with Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson leaving in free agency. Olofsson struggled last season in Buffalo with 15 points but he did score 28 goals the season before.

Blues extend Pavel Buchnevich

He’ll average $8 million in the six-year extension, a bump from his current $5.8 million cap hit. In the last three years, he ranks third on the team in points (206), second in goals (83), and second in assists (123). 

Lightning extend Victor Hedman

The Lightning announced they had signed their No. 1 defenseman to a four-year, $32 million contract extension that kicks in after next season. Tampa Bay often spends the opening days of free agency extending key players, though they didn’t do that last summer with captain Steven Stamkos. He ended up heading to free agency and signing a four-year, $32 million contract with the Predators on Monday.

Other deals

The Maple Leafs announced the signing of goalie Anthony Stolarz (two years, $5 million) and the re-signing of goalie Matt Murray (one year, $875,000). Stolarz had a .925 save percentage last season backing up Sergei Bobrovsky in Florida. The expected goaltending order is Joseph Woll, Stolarz and Murray. … The Penguins signed defenseman Sebastian Aho (two years, $1.55 million), who had spent his whole career with the Islanders. … The Kraken traded defenseman Brian Dumoulin to the Ducks for a 2026 fourth-round pick. Dumoulin, who had a career-best six goals last season, became available after the Kraken signed Brandon Montour. He has a year left on his contract.

Day 1 recap

Oilers re-sign third line

The team announced that Mattias Janmark got a three-year, $4.35 million contract and Adam Henrique got $6 million over two years. That and the earlier Connor Brown signing (one year, $1 million) means Edmonton has kept together its highly effective third line and short-handed threat for an inexpensive price.

The Oilers also re-signed Corey Perry and added Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner in free agency.

Ilya Samsonov signs with Golden Knights

He gets one year, $1.8 million in a prove-it deal. General manager Kelly McCrimmon said Samsonov will back up Adin Hill. He added that he’s trying to work out a deal with recently acquired goalie Akira Schmid, who didn’t get a qualifying offer.

More signings

Lightning sign former Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons (three years, $2.55 million).

Sabres sign former Predators forward Jason Zucker (one year, $5 million).

Jeff Skinner signs with Oilers

He gets a one-year, $3 million deal after being bought out by the Sabres. He’s totaled 92 goals over the last three years, so he’ll give the Oilers scoring depth.

Shayne Gostisbehere signs with Hurricanes

The defenseman gets a three-year, $9.6 million contract. The Hurricanes know what they’re getting with Gostisbehere because he finished up the 2022-23 season in Carolina. He’s strong on offense and shaky on defense. The loss of Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce seems to outweigh the addition of Gostisbehere and Matt Walker.

Erik Gustafsson signs with Red Wings

He gets $4 million over two years. He’ll provide some of the offense that is being lost with Shayne Gostisbehere going to free agency.

Flames signings

The biggest move was signing Yegor Sharangovich to a five-year, $28.75 million extension. But they also signed free agents Anthony Mantha (one year, $3.5 million), Ryan Lomberg (two years, $4 million) and Jake Bean (two years, $3.5 million)

Oliver Ekman-Larsson signs with Maple Leafs

The defenseman, 32, will get $14 million over four years, a nice rebound after he was bought by the Vancouver Canucks last summer. He just won a Stanley Cup with the Panthers, moving up to their top power-play unit.

The Panthers have lost defensemen Brandon Montour and Ekman-Larsson for their championship team but retained Dmitry Kulikov with a reported four-year, $5.6 million deal.

Sharks signings

The Sharks confirm the earlier reported four-year, $24 deal for Tyler Toffoli. They also announce the signing of forward Alex Wennberg (two years, $10 million). The Sharks, who drafted Macklin Celebrini No. 1 overall, have been busy adding veterans in the offseason.

Stefan Noesen signs with Devils

The forward gets a three-year contract worth $8.25 million. Another departure for the Hurricanes and a trip home for Noesen. He played three seasons in New Jersey earlier in his career.

Kings signings

Winger Warren Foegele, a 20-goal scorer in Edmonton, gets $10.5 million over three years. He had a good stretch during the Stanley Cup Final. Defensive defenseman Joel Edmundson gets $15.4 million over four years. Goalie Pheonix Copley and forward Trevor Lewis come back on one-year deals.

Sean Walker signs with Hurricanes

The defenseman gets a five-year, $18 million contract. Carolina needed a dependable defenseman after losing Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei to free agency. Walker has made great strides in the past year.

Predators confirm Steven Stamkos, other signings

The former Lightning captain will get $32 million over four years. Jonathan Marchessault gets a five-year, $27.5 million deal. Brady Skjei gets $49 million over seven years. The Predators also said, as previously reported, that goalie Juuse Saros will get an eight-year extension. It’s worth $61.92 million. Goalie Scott Wedgewood will get $3 million over two years. The team also said defenseman Alexandre Carrier is staying with a three-year, $11.25 million deal.

The Predators are a much better offensive and defensive team and a lot deeper than they were on June 30.

Yakov Trenin signs with Wild

He gets a four-year, $14 million contract. The center is a physical player and will fill the role of Brandon Duhaime, who was traded last season.

Hurricanes re-sign Jordan Martinook

He gets $9.15 million over three years. With all the departures on Monday, they hang onto to a character player.

Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky gets extension

The 20-year-old will average $7.6 million in the eight-year extension that kicks in after next season. The 2022 No. 1 overall pick jumped from 10 points in his rookie season to 50 points last season. The extension seems like a lot, but if he continues that progression, it will be a good strategy.

Penguins signings

Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk gets a one-year, $2.75 million deal. Forward Anthony Beauvillier gets a one-year, $1.25 million deal. The Penguins earlier traded forward Reilly Smith to the Rangers.

Oilers bring back Corey Perry

The veteran gets a one-year, $1.4 million contract including incentives. He won a Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007 and has been to the Stanley Cup Final (on the losing side) four times in the last five seasons.

Who’s still out there?

Vladimir Tarasenko, Adam Henrique, Mattias Janmark, Shayne Gostisbehere, Jeff Skinner.

Red Wings add goaltenders

Cam Talbot (two years, $5 million) joins Ville Husso and Alex Lyon in Detroit. Jack Campbell, who was bought by the Oilers after spending most of last season in the American Hockey League, gets a one-year, $775,000 deal.

Flyers sign Matvei Michkov to entry-level deal

Michkov was one of the more dynamic forwards behind Connor Bedard in the 2023 draft but dropped to seventh because it wasn’t certain when he would come over from Russia. The Flyers’ gamble pays off. General manager Daniel Briere said Michkov will be given every opportunity to make the team next season.

The Flyers also re-signed forward Garnet Hathaway (two years, $4.8 million) and defenseman Erik Johnson (one year, $1 million).

Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon sign with Devils

Pesce gets $33 million over six years and Dillon gets $12 million over three years. Good pickups on defense by the Devils, especially after they struggled when losing Dougie Hamilton to injury last season. Two veterans joining a team that used rookies Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec a lot in 2023-24.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, have lost key defensemen Pesce and Brady Skjei to free agency.

Trade: Rangers acquire Reilly Smith

The Penguins get a conditional 2025 fifth-round pick and a second-round pick in 2027. Smith, 33, is in the final year of his contract. He had an off season in Pittsburgh after a trade but was a key member of the Golden Knights and won a Stanley Cup there. The Rangers also signed forward Sam Carrick to a three-year deal.

Matt Roy signs with Capitals

The former Kings defenseman gets a six-year, $34.5 million contract. He killed penalties on the league’s No. 2-ranked unit, led the Kings in blocked shots and was second in hits. The Capitals earlier added offensive-minded defenseman Jakob Chychrun via trade. Washington also announces the signings of center Taylor Raddysh to a one-year, $1 million contract and rugged forward Brandon Duhaime to a two-year, $3.7 million deal.

Anthony Duclair signs with Islanders

Four years, no term disclosed. He adds speed on the wing. The Islanders also re-sign defenseman Mike Reilly for a year.

Dallas Stars moves

They announced the re-signing of forwards Matt Duchene (one year, $3 million) and Sam Steel (one year, $1.2 million) and defenseman Nils Lundqvist (one-year, $1.25 million) and the signing of defensemen Ilya Lyubushkin (three years, $9.75 million), Matt Dumba (two years, $7.5 million) and Brendan Smith (one year, $1 million). Duchene, who scored a double-overtime series clincher in the playoffs, had 25 goals last season in Dallas after being bought out by the Predators.

Goalie Casey DeSmith (three years, $3 million) will back up Jake Oettinger. Last year’s backup, Scott Wedgewood, signed with Nashville.

Utah signs Ian Cole, Kevin Stenlund

Cole gets one year. Terms weren’t disclosed. Utah’s remake of its defense continues. They traded for Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino at the draft. Stenlund, a penalty killer and fourth-liner with the Panthers, gets two years.

Reports: Blackhawks are busy

The Blackhawks confirmed the three-year, $17.2 million contract for Teravainen. Bertuzzi gets $22 million over four years and Brossoit $6.6 million over two years. Martinez ($4 million), Maroon ($1.3 million) and forward Craig Smith ($1 million) get one-year deal.

Chandler Stephenson signs with Kraken

The versatile two-time Stanley Cup winner joins a team that’s trying to get back to the playoffs. He’s the second Cup winner joining the Kraken on Monday after they earlier signed Brandon Montour. Stephenson averages $6.25 million in the seven-year deal, the team said.

Viktor Arvidsson signs with Oilers

He’ll get $8 million over two years. He has had injury issues but will provide secondary scoring (five 20-goal seasons, including two over 30).

David Perron, Michael Amadio sign with Senators

Perron 36, gets $8 million over two years. He’s a consistent 20-goal scorer who will help the Senators’ middle six and their power play. Amadio gets $7.8 million over three years. He previously played in Ottawa and had 27 points in 73 with Vegas last season.

Jonathan Drouin returning to Avalanche

He had his best NHL season in 2023-24 playing on the team led by former junior hockey linemate Nathan MacKinnon. It’s a one-year, $2.5 million deal, according to TSN. The Avalanche also re-signed depth forward Joel Kiviranta for one year.

Brandon Montour signs with Kraken

The defenseman will average $7.14 million in the seven-year deal, the team said. Right-shot Montour, who had 73 points in 2022-23, adds offense to a team that includes Vince Dunn. Even though Gustav Forsling had emerged as the No. 1 defenseman in Florida, it’s a big loss for the Panthers.

Bruins sign Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov

The Bruins were thought to have pursued Lindholm before the trade deadline. He gives the Bruins a top two-way center that they had been missing since Patrice Bergeron retired. Zadorov, like Lindholm a Canucks trade acquisition, is a rugged defenseman who showed goal-scoring ability in the playoffs.

Zadorov gets a six-year, $30 million deal, tweeted his agent, Dan Milstein. Lindholm’s deal is seven years, $54.25 million, per Sportsnet. The team later confirmed the $7.75 million cap hit.

Sean Monahan signs with Blue Jackets

He’ll average $5.5 million in the five-year deal, the team said. Monahan had played with the Blue Jackets’ Johnny Gaudreau in Calgary. Columbus had been seeking the right linemates for Gaudreau since he arrived.

Jake DeBrusk signs with Canucks

He’ll average $5.5 million in the seven-year deal. Nice long-term security for a player who always seemed to be involved in trade rumors. The Canucks also said they signed forwards Danton Heinen (two years, $4.5 million) and Kiefer Sherwood (two years, $3 million) and defenseman Derek Forbort (one year, $1.5 million).

Hurricanes’ Jaccob Slavin gets eight-year extension

He’ll make $51.69 million in the deal, the team said.. Good move by the Hurricanes to lock him up early after having so many unrestricted free agent defensemen this season. The 30-year-old is among the league’s top defensemen and is signed through 2032-33.

Reports: Predators load up with Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault

Aggressive moves by general manager Barry Trotz. Stamkos and Marchessault are 40-goal scorers and Stanley Cup winners. Defenseman Brady Skjei joins Norris Trophy finalist Roman Josi on the blue lines.

‘It’s still too early to process,’ Stamkos tweeted. ‘Just wanted everyone to know how thankful we are for 16 years as a bolt. My family and I are excited for the next chapter.’

Trade: Capitals acquire Jakob Chychrun

The Senators get defenseman Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick. Chychrun is 26 and in the final year of his deal. The defenseman provides offense and will help the Capitals’ power play. Jake Sanderson had moved into the No. 1 role in Ottawa and right-shot Jensen is a good complementary piece.

Free agency official open

It’s noon. Let the signings begin.

Reports: Tyler Toffoli to the Sharks

Multiple reports say Toffoli will sign a four-year, $24 million deal with the Sharks. San Jose had been shedding veterans but now can build around top picks Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. Toffoli is a proven scorer and topped 30 goals the past two seasons.

Hurricanes call news conference for Jaccob Slavin

The Carolina defenseman and two-time Lady Byng Trophy winner is eligible for an extension. News conference is at noon, when he’d able to sign.

Joseph Woll re-signs with Maple Leafs

He’ll average $3.66 million in the three-year deal. Woll has established himself as a potential No. 1 goalie in Toronto but has had problems staying healthy. He was impressive (2-0, 0.86 goals-against average, .964 save percentage) forcing a Game 7 in the first round against the Boston Bruins but missed the decisive game with an injury.

Chris Tanev signs with Maple Leafs

He’ll average $4.5 million in the six-year contract, the team said. He’ll improve the Maple Leafs defense, especially with his shot blocking and physical play. He finished third in the league in blocked shots in the regular season and first in the playoffs for the Dallas Stars, who traded his rights to Toronto during the draft weekend.

Connor Brown re-signs with Oilers

He’ll get a one-year, $1 million contract. Brown had a slow start to the season because of 2022 knee surgery but was an integral playoff performer on the Oilers’ third line, including two short-handed points as Edmonton forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-0 in the Stanley Cup Final.

Sam Reinhart re-signs with Panthers

He’ll get eight years, the team said, and the reported $8.625 million average is extremely team friendly, considering what he did last season. Reinhart had 57 goals in the regular season and 10 in the playoffs, including the Stanley Cup clincher. Both he and Guentzel could take less because Florida has no state income tax.

Jake Guentzel signs with Lightning

The Lightning traded for the top free agent’s rights and reached terms on a seven-year, $63 million contract. They let Steven Stamkos go to free agency and Guentzel is a proven scorer, especially in the playoffs, and is five years younger than Stamkos. He’ll fit in on the top power play unit and Tampa Bay’s highly productive top lines.

When does NHL free agency open?

The official kickoff is at noon ET on Monday, July 1.

Who are some of the bigger names?

Longtime Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is an unrestricted free agent. So are 57-goal scorer Sam Reinhart (who re-signed Monday), Brandon Montour, Vladimir Tarasenko, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and others from the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. A bunch of players from the runner-up Edmonton Oilers, plus 2023 playoff MVP Jonathan Marchessault of the Vegas Golden Knights are also free agents.

Max Domi re-signs with Maple Leafs

Pending free agent forward Max Domi received a four-year, $15 million contract Sunday to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had been on one-year deals his last contracts, but the gritty forward spent time on Auston Matthews’ line this past season and earned a longer term this time.

Patrick Kane re-signs with Red Wings

Patrick Kane, who signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings last season after hip-resurfacing surgery, got another one-year deal on Sunday. It’s worth $4 million, with another $2.5 million in potential bonuses, according to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. He showed he has recovered well from the surgery, averaging nearly a point a game. He is a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Who was bought out?

The contract buyout list is the Buffalo Sabres’ Jeff Skinner, Edmonton Oilers’ Jack Campbell, Winnipeg Jets’ Nate Schmidt, Columbus Blue Jackets’ Adam Boqvist, Dallas Stars’ Ryan Suter and Philadelphia Flyers’ Cam Atkinson. All become free agents. Suter was bought out for the second time in his career.

Joey Chestnut will try to pull off the extraordinary on the Fourth of July more than 2,000 miles from the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest from which he was been banned.

He will be competing against soldiers at the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, Texas. But when he’s devouring hot dogs and buns, the 16-time Nathan’s champ also will have the competitors of Coney Island on his mind.

The contest in El Paso is set to last five minutes. The Nathan’s contest in Brooklyn, New York, will last 10 minutes. Chestnut said his hope is to consume more hot dogs and buns in five minutes than the winner at Nathan’s contest manages this year in 10.

“I think 56 is doable,’’ said Chestnut, who in 2021 set the Nathan’s record with 76 hot dogs and buns. “I’d be very happy to do that.’’

There will be no live ESPN telecast like at the Nathan’s contest, but there will be a livestream, with the masticating set to start at 5 p.m. ET. There also will be charter airplanes pulling banners in Los Angeles and Miami encouraging people to “Watch Joey Eat.”

“I wish them luck on that,” said George Shea of Major League Eating (MLE), which runs the Nathan’s contest. ‘And I guess it’s possible that Joey’s such an amazing eater that he could do that (eat more hot dogs than the Nathan’s winner in half the time) and that may be a way to snub us on Coney Island. But it’s just not going to the Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.’

Nothing seems quite the same with the Nathan’s contest, especially Chestnut’s relationship with Shea, the event’s longtime emcee, and MLE. It was MLE that announced June 11 Chestnut could not compete at Nathan’s because he’d signed an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods, a brand that sells meat substitutes. Competitive eaters at the Nathan’s contest cannot endorse hot dogs other than Nathan’s, which sponsors the contest on the Fourth.

On Tuesday, Shea said MLE had offered to ‘set aside the exclusivity issue” and let Chestnut compete this year. But he would be allowed to do so with the plan of signing a multiyear deal with Nathan’s before the 2025 contest and end his partnership with Impossible Foods.

Chestnut’s representatives declined, Shea said. Chestnut’s representatives did not provide a comment in response to USA TODAY Sports’ request submitted by email.

“I think it’s fair to say that Impossible or any other brand that chooses Joey is doing so because of his recognition as a hot dog eater,” Shea said. ‘In fact, what they’re promoting and selling is a hot dog. So I don’t thnk it is fair to suggest it’s not a conflict.”

Regardless, Chestnut will be enveloped in patriotism Thursday at Fort Bliss, where he will have to eat more hot dogs than the combined total of four soldiers to win.

“I’m thinking, might as well make it five (soldiers) so I won’t get lazy,’’ Chestnut told USA TODAY Sports. “Sometimes if it looks like I’m in the lead, I slow down. I really want to push hard for all five minutes.

“If I’m going to eat on the Fourth of July, I’m going to eat hard.’’

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Joey Chestnut copes with ban

Three weeks after he learned he’d been banned by Nathan’s, Chestnut said he’s still coping. It’ll be the first time in 20 years he will not compete on the Fourth on Coney Island.

“There’s definitely a lot of pain,’’ he said. “There’s a bit of grief.’’

In 2022, it became evident how important the contest is to Chestnut. He competed less than three weeks after his mother died. And he arrived at the contest on crutches because he had a broken leg.

“I was like, all right, I don’t really want to tell people it’s a broken leg because then they’ll realize how crazy I am and how much I love this contest,’’ he said. “And I really didn’t want to tell people that my mom passed away because they’d be like, what, you should be grieving.

“This situation is really bad, but it’s not nearly as bad as that one. I was able to get through that one and I was able to get through the year I lost (in 2015 to Matt Stonie) and come back stronger. I’m going to get through this and we’re going to see where it takes me.’’

Of Chestnut, Shea said, ‘He’s a great person and I consider him a friend. I would never want him to feel emotional distress ever. But I do believe in this cse, the emotional stress was prompted by his choices.”

One welcome distraction, Chestnut said, is his scheduled showdown with Takeru Kobayashi on Labor Day to be broadcast by Netflix. They last competed in 2006, a year before Kobayashi left Nathan’s because of contractual issues with MLE. Chestnut expects intense competition from his former rival.

“He’s not friendly toward me, which motivates me even harder,’’ Chestnut said. “We know we’re trying to push each other to uncomfortable limits.’’

Joey Chestnut open to Nathan’s return

Chestnut said he’s holding out hope of a return to the Nathan’s contest. But he said he had no regrets about his signing with Impossible Foods and how it transpired. His representatives and Impossible Foods would not disclose details of the deal.

“Maybe time and public opinion will make them more reasonable,’’ he said of MLE, which runs the Nathan’s competition.

On X, New York mayor Eric Adams wrote, “Stop being such weenies! It would be ‘impossible’ to have this year’s Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest without Joey Chestnut. Let’s find a way to squash this beef and bring back the champ for another 4th of July at Coney Island!’’

Said Shea, “He’s right. The issue here is we got into a contract dispute. You can get into who’s right and who’s wrong. Ultimately the fans just want to see Joey.”

But MLE’s offer to let Chestnut compete if he agrees to sign with Nathan’s and leaves Impossible Foods has gone over as well as a plant-based hot dog at the annual Fourth of July contest. But the impasse remained civil.

“I’m not burning bridges,’’ Chestnut said. “They’ve made this bed and now we’ve got to sleep in it and figure out a way if there is a way (to reconcile).

“But I think publicly I’ve been pretty respectful.’’

Joey Chestnut, meat lover

Chestnut balks at the notion he’ll be eating plant-based hot dogs in Fort Bliss or during his competition against Kobayashi. All beef, he assured, in dispelling the misnomer he’s gone from carnivore to vegan because of his contract with Impossible Foods.

Informal talks between Chestnut and the company were underway by early this year, said Peter McGuinness, the company’s CEO. Chestnut’s representatives declined to provide the terms of the contract. The company declined, too, but it did announce it will be chartering the planes in Los Angeles and Miami pulling those ‘Watch Joey Eat” banners.

“He really represents our target audience,’’ McGuinness said. “We’re a plant-based meat company. We’re not a vegan company. We make food designed to appeal to meat eaters and Flexitarians, people who eat animal meat and who also eat plant-based.’’

Chestnut attests he fits the profile.

“And if I eat 14 pounds of bologna on Saturday, you can bet on Monday I’m going to be eating a plant-based diet and high fiber,’’ he said. “That’s part of my recovery. I’m very happy to be working with them, but I still love meat.’’

For the record, Chestnut said he’ll be eating all-beef hot dogs against Kobayashi on Labor Day. And, if he returns to Coney Island one day, it’ll be more beef.

“If he ends up going back to Nathan’s, we’ll support him,’’ McGuinness said. “I just don’t see it as this controversial competitive at-war type of thing.

“And I don’t think they should either, frankly.’’

What to expect on the Fourth

Chestnut said he’s heard supporters say of the Nathan’s contest, ‘We’re not watching without Joey (competing).”

But Shea said he expects bigger crowds and higher TV ratings because of the ‘intense” controversy over Chestnut. He also said he thinks a more competitive contest might appeal to fans at an event that attracts more than 40,000 people every year, according to Allison O’Donnell, a publicist for the contest.

While Chestnut usually dominates the field, Shea said this year he’s expecting a tight competition among four top eaters on the men’s side.

And Chestnut’s future on Coney Island?

“He’s always welcome back,” Shea said. ‘If he and his team want to resolve it, I’m certain we can.’’

Follow Josh Peter on social media @joshlpeter11