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Karoline Leavitt says she won’t attend White House Correspondents’ Association dinner

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she is skipping the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner slated for April 26. 

Leavitt made the announcement during a podcast appearance with Sean Spicer, who served as President Donald Trump’s White House press secretary for the first six months of 2017. 

‘I will not be in attendance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and that’s breaking news for ‘The Sean Spicer Show,’’ Leavitt said. 

Leavitt said the WHCA ‘has truly become a monetized monopoly over the White House and the coverage of the president of the United States in America.’ 

‘This is a group of journalists who’ve been covering the White House for decades,’ she said on the podcast published Friday. ‘They started this organization because the presidents at the time were not doing enough press conferences. I don’t think we have that problem anymore under this president, so the priorities of the media have shifted, especially with this new digital age.’ 

Leavitt said the WHCA has been an ‘exclusive group of journalists who cover this White House, they have not really welcomed other people, new media, independent journalists, with open arms, and so we thought it was time to expand the coverage and determine who gets to be part of that 13-person press pool, who gets to ask the president of the United States questions in the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One.’ 

‘Since we have started this new process of determining the daily rotation, so many new voices and outlets who have never been part of this small and privileged group of journalists have been able to access those very unique and privileged spaces and cover this presidency and that’s very important,’ Leavitt added, revealing that the White House has received more than 15,000 applications for the new media seat in the press briefing room. 

In late February, the White House said it would decide which journalists would be a part of the 13-member pool covering Trump in limited spaces, such as the Oval Office or Air Force One, breaking from the century-old tradition of the WHCA independently selecting which news outlets go where the president does when the full press corp cannot be accommodated. 

Eugene Daniels, the president of WHCA’s board and a Politico correspondent, said the decision ‘tears at the independence of a free press in the United States,’ but the White House championed the move as modernizing the press pool to expand past solely legacy media. The Trump administration said the three traditional wire services – the Associated Press, Bloomberg and Reuters – would no longer have a permanent spot in the pool and would instead rotate a single spot in the 13-member group. 

The White House later barred the AP from the press pool for ignoring Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The ban was temporarily upheld in federal court, though U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden warned that case law did not favor the White House and scheduled another hearing for March 20. 

Trump did not attend the WHCA annual dinner during his first term. Last month, the association tapped comedian Amber Ruffin, a writer for the ‘Late Show with Seth Meyers,’ to headline this year’s dinner. Ruffin told CNN’s Jake Tapper that ‘no one wants’ Trump to show up, though the president ‘should’ go to the event traditionally attended by the president and the first lady. 

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DOGE’s plans to offload government buildings supported by former GSA official

Former General Services Administration (GSA) head Emily Murphy, who served all of President Donald Trump’s first term, told Fox News Digital that the GSA will ‘rightsize its portfolio’ by selling or leasing unused government buildings – saving money to help the government run more efficiently. 

‘I think that there’s an incredible opportunity right now for GSA to save the government substantial amounts of money by rightsizing its portfolio,’ Murphy told Fox News Digital about Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) working with GSA to identify ‘vacant or underutilized federal spaces’ as part of the Trump administration’s plan to cut wasteful spending.

‘Right now, GSA is losing money,’ Murphy said. ‘The federal buildings that they own have over $370 billion in deferred maintenance. That’s a liability that is just growing and growing and growing because the buildings haven’t been maintained. So getting rid of owned space that hasn’t been maintained and that isn’t occupied, first of all, takes that off the government’s books, gets rid of that liability. But it also creates opportunities in communities. Having a building that’s unoccupied isn’t good for a city. It isn’t good for the state. It isn’t good for anyone.’

Murphy said those empty buildings are often in ideal downtown, ‘heavy utilization areas’ that can be a real asset to building up the community and returning funds to the Treasury Department. 

‘GSA has to rightsize its lease portfolio. Otherwise, it’s going to be paying rent on buildings it’s not occupying, and it doesn’t have the funding necessary to do that,’ Murphy said.

The GSA’s cost-cutting efforts have already resulted in 794 lease terminations with a total of over $500 million of lease obligations being canceled, a source familiar with the GSA’s actions told Fox News Digital.

Murphy said terminating leases and selling unused office space will benefit the government twofold. First, it can shore up money to fund government agencies in the short term. Second, it will reduce long-term financial obligations. 

‘No taxpayer should want the government to be paying for space it doesn’t use,’ Murphy said. ‘It’s billions of dollars a year [that] go out in rent and real estate payments from the federal government. This is a substantial amount of money, and it’s a real chance for GSA to do a great job for the American people and reduce the long-term financial obligations of the government and, frankly, free up money for agencies in the short term as well.’

Murphy told Fox that GSA exists to ‘cut down on waste’ and during her tenure, they managed to return about $21.6 billion in savings. She embraced DOGE’s efforts to cut wasteful spending and increase government efficiency, telling Fox News Digital those issues should have bipartisan support. 

‘Prioritizing efficiency and minimizing waste in our government really should be a bipartisan issue. Government contracting, government real estate doesn’t have a Republican side or a Democratic side of the coin,’ Murphy said. ‘What DOGE is doing right now is just pushing forward and trying to make sure that taxpayers can have confidence that every dollar being spent is really in their best interest.

Murphy explained that GSA was created to manage the federal government’s portfolio of properties and procurement and welcomed the renewed focus on efficiency. 

‘GSA is essentially the government’s management arm. It handles the real property, the procurement, many of the shared services the government has, the vehicles in the government’s fleet. It runs a lot of the back office functions of the government. It was created about 75 years ago to specifically take on that challenge, so that agencies didn’t have to all be doing the same repetitive tasks again and again,’ Murphy said.

Stephen Ehikian was sworn in as acting administrator and deputy administrator of the GSA on Inauguration Day. 

‘Under the Trump-Vance administration, I will return the GSA to its core purpose of making government work smarter and faster,’ said Ehikian. ‘Moving forward, GSA will be laser-focused on driving an efficient government and enabling our sister agencies to provide better service to taxpayers at lower costs.’

GSA has produced the most savings across federal agencies, according to the official DOGE website. A webpage titled ‘Non-core property list (Coming Soon)’ on the GSA’s website outlines the agency’s ongoing effort to save on government buildings. 

‘We are identifying buildings and facilities that are not core to government operations, or non-core properties, for disposal. Selling ensures that taxpayer dollars are no longer spent on vacant or underutilized federal spaces. Disposing of these assets helps eliminate costly maintenance and allows us to reinvest in high-quality work environments that support agency missions,’ it says on GSA’s website. 

The Associated Press reported that dozens of federal office and building leases will be terminated by June 20, with hundreds more expected in the coming months. AP also reported last week that GSA published a list of more than 440 federal properties the government was planning to offload. The list was then revised to include only 320 buildings before the webpage was ultimately updated to its current ‘coming soon’ language. 

Musk has lamented about unused office buildings on his personal X account and DOGE’s official account. 

‘Still *way* too many leases on unused buildings,’ Musk posted on Feb. 25.

‘Agreed! Today, lease cancellations on vacant/underutilized buildings are up from ~257 to ~440, with annual rent savings increasing from ~$100M to ~$171M. Still plenty of available office space for the current workforce,’ DOGE replied to Musk the following day. 

‘Today, the Federal Government exceeded $100M in annual rent savings through cancellations of 250+ vacant/underutilized leases totaling 3M+ square feet.  With ~7,250 current leases, there is plenty of available office space for the current workforce,’ DOGE announced in a post on Feb. 25. 

‘Crazy that the government was just renting and paying for upkeep services of hundreds of empty buildings!’ Musk replied. 

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JASON CHAFFETZ: Democrats have a major problem and they can’t fake their way out of it

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Following an election in which voters overwhelmingly rejected the fake competence of Vice President Kamala Harris and the fake lucidity of President Joe Biden, Democrats have opted to double down on fake.

Choreographed dance videos, duplicate social media posts, contrived town hall protesters and a sudden newfound aversion to zero-emission vehicles all scream insincerity. There is nothing genuine about it. 

This week, a devastating split screen went viral, featuring the erstwhile faces of Senators Schumer, Warren, and Booker, who had each recorded videos of themselves trying to sound natural while reading word-for-word from the exact same script. The words, (of unknown authorship), were emblematic of the lack of authenticity plaguing the flailing party.

No one is buying what Democrats are selling; it’s all fake. The outrage over some of Trump’s most popular policies is a sham. The juxtaposition of impotent Democrats against the breakneck pace of the current Trump administration does them no favors.

Voters can see that while Trump and Vance are having fun, Democrats are having conniptions. The contrast is stark. As the president and vice president appear to enjoy their verbal jousting with media and protesters, the progressive left seem to be losing their minds, flailing with fake tears of exasperation.

Democrats can’t fake cool.  

The reality is, their leaders come across childish, insincere, and desperate, not to mention old, tired, grumpy, and totally out of touch. Who can relate to the likes of Schumer, Sanders, Durbin, and Warren? 

Meanwhile, their protestors have lost the plot, projecting an embrace of violence, lawlessness, and government corruption. The party offers no home for traditional liberal Democrats, working-class people, privacy advocates, anti-war leftists, or Israel-supporting Jews.

Their carefully curated and choreographed messaging bears no resemblance to the urgent demands of a year ago. Supposedly, Democrats were all about electric vehicles. Not anymore.

Remember how Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was administering billions of dollars to build a national network of electric charging stations? (Americans got nothing for this boondoggle.) Democrats even advocated legislation to eliminate gas-powered vehicles in favor of electric vehicles. AOC personally bought a Tesla.  

Now, the message has reversed. Alas, their fealty to electric cars was also fake. Teslas are now bad; protesting and destroying them is good. Chaos is fine when they do it. 

Democratic women at the Joint Session of Congress wore pink, in theory, to support women, but they can’t define what a woman is, nor could they possibly support excluding men from participating in women’s sports. Their fake support of women falls apart when they actually have to stand up for women.

When President Trump tried to speak of the golden age of America that night, the Democrats couldn’t muster the strength to applaud. They failed to stand for a young cancer fighter, a man fulfilling his dream of attending West Point, a female victim of deep fake bullying pushing back, or a 95-year-old mother whose son was back from being held in Russia. Who are the Democrats really fighting for with their ‘resistance’ movement?

In 2024, they defended censorship to deal with ‘misinformation’ on social media – now they care deeply about the free speech of Hamas supporters, a designated terrorist organization, on US soil. Videos circulate of Democrats who previously criticized waste, fraud, and abuse now fighting to keep the gravy train running. We can all see that they’ve done a 180 from opposing to defending waste. The duplicity is lost on no one.

Coming off of a presidential campaign in which they all pretended to love Kamala Harris, who couldn’t string together an authentic sentence, these latest antics ooze insincerity.  

Contrast that with a President Trump who cheerfully pops in on White House tours, has candid, almost daily exchanges with the press, works the McDonald’s drive-through window, and shares irreverent memes on social media. It’s not even a fair fight. Donald Trump is unapologetically himself.

Voters are finished with the Democrats’ choreographed and curated leadership model. Their consultants, some of whom are their family members, are getting rich, but their efforts to rebuild and refresh their party are going backwards.

The party’s whole premise was based on division and class warfare. It was not about the very principles that make our country great.  

Far be it from me to give the Democrats advice. As long as they keep doing what they’re doing, the republic is likely safe from their fake leadership.

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Trump watches strike on Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen in new White House pics as large-scale op continues

The White House released photos of President Donald Trump watching strikes on Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen on Saturday, as the large-scale U.S. operation against the terrorist group continues. 

‘President Trump is taking action against the Houthis to defend US shipping assets and deter terrorist threats,’ the White House wrote on X, sharing photos of Trump, as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. ‘For too long American economic & national threats have been under assault by the Houthis. Not under this presidency.’ 

Trump appeared to be dressed in golf attire and was wearing his signature red baseball cap with his name emblazoned on the back while watching video of the strikes on a television screen. 

Another photo showed the president from the front with a black headset on. 

Trump wrote in a Saturday TRUTHSocial post that he had ‘ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen.’ 

‘Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom,’ Trump said. ‘No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.’ 

U.S. Central Command said Saturday it ‘initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation.’ 

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement that Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday.  

‘The Secretary informed Russia of U.S. military deterrence operations against the Iran-backed Houthis and emphasized that continued Houthi attacks on U.S. military and commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea will not be tolerated,’ Bruce wrote. ‘Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Lavrov also discussed next steps to follow up on recent meetings in Saudi Arabia and agreed to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia.’ 

The Houthi-run Health Ministry in Yemen said the strikes killed at least 31 people, according to the Associated Press. 

The Houthis have repeatedly targeted international shipping in the Red Sea and launched missiles and drones at Israel in what the terrorist group said were acts of solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been at war with Hamas, another Iranian ally. The attacks stopped when a fragile Israel-Hamas cease-fire took hold in Gaza in January. The Houthis then threatened to renew them after Israel cut off the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza this month following the Hamas rejection of a U.S. framework for continuing the cease-fire and hostage releases.

The U.S. and others have long accused Iran of providing military aid to the Houthis, and the U.S. Navy has seized Iranian-made missile parts and other weaponry it said were bound for the terrorist group, which controls Yemen’s capital of Sanaa and the country’s north. Gen. Hossein Salami, head of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, denied his country was involved in the Houthis’ attacks. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a post on X, urged the U.S. to halt the strikes and said Washington cannot dictate Iran’s foreign policy.

Trump said, ‘The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important Waterways of the World, grinding vast swaths of Global Commerce to a halt, and attacking the core principle of Freedom of Navigation upon which International Trade and Commerce depends.’ 

Trump charged that the Houthis ‘have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones.’ 

‘Joe Biden’s response was pathetically weak, so the unrestrained Houthis just kept going,’ he wrote on TRUTHSocial. 

Trump said it has been more than a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden. 

‘The last American Warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times. Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at U.S. aircraft, and targeted our Troops and Allies. These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk,’ Trump wrote. 

‘To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!’ Trump said. 

The president added, ‘To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten the American People, their President, who has received one of the largest mandates in Presidential History, or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won’t be nice about it!’ 

The Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two and killing four sailors, during their campaign targeting military and civilian ships between the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023 and January of this year, when the ceasefire in Gaza took effect, according to the AP. 

The U.S., Israel and Britain have previously hit Houthi-held areas in Yemen, but Saturday’s operation was conducted solely by the U.S. It was the first strike on the Houthis under the second Trump administration.

It comes two weeks after Trump sent a letter to Iranian leaders offering a path to restarting bilateral talks between the countries on Iran’s advancing nuclear program. Trump has said he will not allow it to become operational.

The Trump administration re-designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this month, after the Biden administration had lifted the group’s designation in 2021.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Key information for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas

As the NASCAR Cup Series cruises into Las Vegas, Christopher Bell has a chance to accomplish a feat that hasn’t been done in nearly 18 years.

Bell has won three consecutive races – at Atlanta, Circuit of the Americas and Phoenix – and if he takes the checkered flag Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he will become the first driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to win four Cup races in a row.

During Johnson’s dominant 2007 season, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion won four consecutive races from Oct. 21 through Nov. 11 – at Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix – and finished the year with 10 victories and his second series title.

While Bell has never won in Sin City, the 30-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver has finished second in two of the past three races in Las Vegas – though both runner-up finishes came in October playoff races. Bell, though, has triumphed on similar intermediate tracks like Homestead-Miami Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway, so a fourth consecutive win is more than a mere possibility.

Will Bell continue his early season dominance on Sunday? Here is all the information you need to get ready for the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

SCHEDULE: How to watch NASCAR Cup Series races in 2025

NEWSLETTER: Sign up to get sports news and features delivered daily

What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Las Vegas start?

The Pennzoil 400 starts at 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. local) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup race at Las Vegas on?

FS1 is broadcasting the Pennzoil 400 and has a pre-race show beginning at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. local).

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Las Vegas?

The Pennzoil 400 can be live streamed on Max and the FoxSports app. Viewers can also stream the race on Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Watch NASCAR at Las Vegas on Fubo (free trial)

How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Las Vegas?

The Pennzoil 400  is 267 laps around the 1.5-mile track for a total of 400.5 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 80 laps; Stage 2: 85 laps; Stage 3: 102 laps.

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cup races at Las Vegas?

Joey Logano passed Daniel Suarez with six laps remaining before holding off Christopher Bell by 0.662 seconds to win the Las Vegas playoff race on Oct. 20, 2024 and lock himself into the championship race. He would go on to capture his third career series title.

And one year ago, Kyle Larson dominated, leading 181 of 267 laps, including the final 27, before edging Tyler Reddick by 0.441 seconds on March 3, 2024.

What is the lineup for the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas?

(Car number in parentheses)

(71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet
(22) Joey Logano, Ford
(2) Austin Cindric, Ford
(8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
(43) Erik Jones, Toyota
(48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
(21) Josh Berry, Ford
(24) William Byron, Chevrolet
(38) Zane Smith, Ford
(5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
(17) Chris Buescher, Ford
(60) Ryan Preece, Ford
(20) Christopher Bell, Toyota
(45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota
(11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
(9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
(10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
(16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
(1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
(23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
(4) Noah Gragson, Ford
(3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
(99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
(19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota
(77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
(41) Cole Custer, Ford
(6) Brad Keselowski, Ford
(88) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet
(54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
(42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
(47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
(34) Todd Gilliland, Ford
(7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet
(35) Riley Herbst, Toyota
(51) Cody Ware, Ford
(12) Ryan Blaney, Ford

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

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Creighton vs. St. John’s: Big East Championship score and highlights

No. 1 seed St. John’s defeated No. 2 seed Creighton 82-66 in the Big East Tournament Championship on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York, marking the Red Storm’s first Big East title since 2000. 

St. John’s guard RJ Luis Jr. showed exactly why he was named Big East Player of the Year. Despite being held to only two first-half points, Luis finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block, marking his 10th double-double of the season. Luis went 11-of-18 from the field, a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and 3-of-3 from the free throw line. He was named the Big East Tournament’s most outstanding player.

‘I’m just so blessed to be here. This is an amazing opportunity to play this level of basketball,’ Luis said. ‘We are just a bunch of fighters. We are a bunch of dogs. We are very hungry. We hate losing. We want to win. The goal this year is to win big and that’s what we’re doing.’

With the win, Rick Pitino cements his status as the first coach in NCAA history to win the conference tournament at five different schools (Boston, Kentucky, Louisville, Iona and St. John’s). 

Creighton led by as many as eight points in the first half, but 14 team turnovers led to the Bluejays’ demise. St. John’s scored 21 points off Creighton’s turnovers and outscored the Bluejays 48-32 in the paint and 14-3 off fast break points. 

Ryan Kalkbrenner led Creighton with 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Jamiya Neal and Steven Ashworth both added 13 points. Here’s a recap of the Big East championship game:

St. John’s makes 14 straight field goals; up 72-57 over Creighton

St. John’s has bust the Big East Championship game vs. Creighton wide open. The Red Storm made 14-straight field goals to take a 72-57 lead with 4:14 remaining in the game, marking their largest of the night. St. John’s guard RJ Luis Jr. is up to a game-high 23 points — 21 of those points came in the second half. 

Bad call? St. John’s guard RJ Luis Jr. called for questionable tech

Luis knocked down a three to extend St. John’s lead to 52-48, but he was called for a technical foul for his celebration. After knocking down the shot, Luis flashed three fingers in celebration and officials gave him a tech. St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino argued with the officials, clarifying that Luis was displaying three fingers for the three, not using his hands to symbolize a weapon. Creighton’s Steven Ashworth knocked down both free throws to come within two of St. John’s, 52-50. 

St. John’s responded with a 6-0 run to take their largest lead of the night with 7:28 remaining in the game, 58-50.

St. John’s takes first lead; up 43-41 over Creighton

St. John’s has its first lead of the game. Red Storm’s Vince Iwuchukwu hit a jumper to give St. John’s a 43-41 lead with 11:55 remaining in the second half. St. John’s guard RJ Luis Jr., the Big East player of the year, is starting to heat up. After being held to only two points in the first half, Luis exploded for nine points to open the second half. He’s shooting 5-of-12 from the field and 1-of-1 from three. 

Creighton’s Steven Ashworth answered back with a 3-pointer to snatch the lead back and put the Bluejays up, 44-43. The Red Storm’s Deivon Smith responded with a jumper and teammate Kadary Richmond followed up with a layup to give St. John’s its largest lead of the night with 10:26 remaining in the contest, 47-44.

Halftime: Creighton 28, St. John’s 25

The Big East Championship game has been a low scoring affair so far as Creighton leads St. John’s 26-23 at halftime. The Bluejays jumped to a 10-2 lead, but their scoring slowed down as the half went on. Creighton shot 40% from the field and 4-of-13 from three. Jamiya Neal has a team-high nine points and five rebounds. Ryan Kalkbrenner, the four-time Big East’s Defensive Player of the Year, has four points, five rebounds and two blocks. 

Zuby Ejiofor, the Big East’s Most Improved Player, leads St. John’s with seven points, three assists and two rebounds. RJ Luis Jr. has been held to two points in the first half, shooting 1-of-5 from the field. The Red Storm is collectively shooting 33.3% from the field and 3-of-8 from three. 

St. John’s goes on 12-5 run

St. John’s trailed by as many as eight points in the first half, but the Red Storm responded and went on a 12-5 run to cut into Creighton’s lead 22-21 with 3:27 remaining in the first half. St. John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor knocked down a three-point shot to bring the Red Storm within on point of the Bluejays. Ejiofor has a team-high seven points. St. John’s run has been spurred by Creighton’s five turnovers, which the Red Storm converted into six points. 

Creighton’s Fedor Zugic goes down with apparent injury

Creighton’s Fedor Zugic went down with 11:54 remaining in the first half after giving up a turnover. Zugic was called for a travel after he took an extra step with the shot clock winding down. To make matters worse, Zugic appeared to tweak his ankle on the travel after St. John’s guard Aaron Scott inadvertently clipped Zugic’s ankle as he planted his foot. Zugic immediately grabbed his right ankle in pain, before being subbed out of the game. Creighton leads 17-11.

Creighton jumps to early lead over St. John’s

The Creighton Bluejays have jumped to a 10-2 lead over the St. John’s Red Storm in the Big East Championship game with 15:53 remaining in the first half. Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner got the Bluejays on the board with an emphatic dunk. Kalkbrenner leads all scorers with four points. Creighton also knocked down a pair of threes, one by Jackson McAndrew and one by Jamiya Neal.

When is the Big East Tournament Final between St. John’s and Creighton?

The Big East Tournament Championship game between the Creighton Bluejays and the St. John’s Red Storm is scheduled for Saturday, March 15, and tips off at 6:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

How to watch Creighton and St. John’s in the Big East Championship

The Big East Championship game between the St. John’s Red Storm and the Creighton Bluejays will be televised nationally on Fox, with streaming available on Fubo, which offers a free trial for new subscribers.

Watch the Big East Championship with a Fubo subscription

Creighton vs. St. John’s: Big East Championship odds

The St. John’s Red Storm are favorites to defeat the Creighton Bluejays, according to BetMGM.

Odds as of Saturday, March 15

Spread: St. John’s (-6.5)
Moneyline: St. John’s (-295); Creighton (-230)
Over/under: 141.5

Big East Championship predictions: St. John’s vs. Creighton

Sportsbook Wire: St. John’s 73, Creighton 65

Kevin Erickson writes, ‘The second-seeded Bluejays ousted the 2-time defending champion UConn Huskies in the semifinals Friday, winning 71-62 as 4-point underdogs, with the Under (138.5) cashing. It was a nice bounce-back game after Creighton was nearly shown the door by lowly DePaul in a narrow 85-81 OT win in the quarterfinals Thursday.

‘Creighton has won 4 in a row, going 3-1 against the spread (ATS) during that span. The Over has cashed in 3 straight, although the Under hit against UConn in their last matchup.’

ClutchPoints: Creighton +6.5

Matthew Zemek writes, ‘We lean Creighton, but the real key is that if you like the Jays, make a pregame bet. If you like St John’s, wait until halftime. The game might be very close, or SJU might be a few points behind. You could get St John’s at a smaller line and a better price, either on the spread or moneyline. You could also consider Creighton’s first-half moneyline and set up St John’s moneyline at halftime or early in the second half.’

Big East Tournament Bracket, Results

All times ET

Thursday, March 13 — Quarterfinals

St. John’s 78, Butler 57
Marquette 89, Xavier 87
Creighton 85, DePaul 81 (2OT)
Connecticut 73, Villanova 56

Friday, March 14 — Semifinals

St. John’s 79, Marquette 63
Creighton 71, Connecticut 62

Saturday, March 15 — Championship

Creighton vs. St. John’s | 6:30 p.m.

Big 12 bubble teams heading into Selection Sunday

Myerberg writes, ‘Xavier spent most of this season on the bubble but has moved into solid tournament position with a current seven-game winning streak, even if these wins have come against the bottom of the Big East. An opportunity awaits against Marquette in the quarterfinals. A win there should make the Musketeers feel better about their chances. Villanova is not currently a realistic bubble team due to a 2-7 mark in Quad 1 games and some absolutely dreadful losses, including Columbia and St. Joseph’s in non-conference play. The Wildcats will likely need to win the conference tournament to get into the bracket on Selection Sunday.’

How to watch Selection Sunday: Time, date, TV and streaming

The March Madness bracket reveal will start at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 16. It will be broadcast by CBS.

Date: Sunday, March 16
Time: 6 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Stream: Paramount+, Sling TV, DirecTV Stream and Fubo, which offers a free trial subscription for new users

Watch Selection Sunday with Fubo

Bracketology: NCAA Tournament field projection

March Madness bracket bubble teams:

USA TODAY’S Eddie Timanus, Erick Smith and Paul Myerberg have the following predictions ahead of Selection Sunday:

Last four in

Ohio State, Oklahoma, Xavier, Indiana.

First four out

Boise State, Texas, Colorado State, North Carolina.

NCAA Tournament bids conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: SEC (13), Big Ten (10), Big 12 (8), Big East (5), Mountain West (3), ACC (3), West Coast (2).

Selection Sunday: When does men’s March Madness bracket come out?

The full 68-team bracket will be announced on Sunday, March 16, with the selection show beginning at 6 p.m. ET. It will air on CBS with streaming available on Paramount+ and Fubo.

When does the women’s March Madness bracket come out?

The complete women’s March Madness bracket featuring 68 teams will be revealed on Sunday, March 16, with a Selection Sunday broadcast set for 8 p.m. ET. The reveal will broadcast on ESPN.

When does March Madness begin?

The men’s and women’s tournaments will begin with the First Four matchups next week. The men’s side will be played on March 18 and 19 at the University of Dayton.

The women’s First Four will begin a day later, with all four games taking place between March 19 and 20.

March Madness schedule: Bracket dates

Men’s tournament

First Four: March 18 – 19
Round of 64: March 20 – 21
Round of 32: March 22 – 23
Sweet 16: March 27 – 28
Elite Eight: March 29 – 30
Final Four: April 5
NCAA Championship: April 7

Women’s tournament

First Four: March 19 – 20
Round of 64: March 21 – 22
Round of 32: March 23 – 24
Sweet 16: March 28 – 29
Elite Eight: March 30 – 31
Final Four: April 4
NCAA Championship: April 6

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Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers win exhibition game in front of Tokyo crowd

The Los Angeles Dodgers returned to Japan, where they will play their season opener next week — but that hasn’t stopped the buzz and excitement from starting early.

The defending MLB champions played the Yomiuri Giants early Saturday morning in Tokyo in an exhibition game. The game had the atmosphere of a playoff game, with fans filling up the Tokyo Dome. The game’s attendance was 42,064, according to Dodger Blue.

The Chicago Cubs also played the Hanshin Tigers and had an announced attendance of 41,978.

The trip is an opportunity for the Dodgers and MLB to showcase some of its international talents such as Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. Here are some of the sights and sounds from the Dodgers’ latest exhibition game.

Shohei Ohtani hits home run in Tokyo

The Dodgers had already taken a 2-0 lead against the Giants when Ohtani sent the ball into right field with a two-run home run in the top of the third inning.

Michael Conforto contributes early in Dodgers’ win

Before Ohtani’s home run, Michael Conforto got things started for the Dodgers with a home run on the first pitch of the third inning. Conforto is currently in his first season with Los Angeles after spending the first seven seasons of his career with the New York Mets. He spent the past two seasons with the San Francisco Giants.

Teoscar Hernandez piles it on with a home run

Teoscar Hernandez added to the scoring attack in the third inning with a blast to left field. Hernandez’s blast gave the Dodgers a 5-0 lead.

Final: Dodgers 5, Yomiuri Giants 1

The Dodgers finished the game with all three of their home runs coming in the third inning and key contributions from its pitching staff.

The pitchers produced 11 strikeouts against the Giants.

Dodgers’ popularity is unmatched in Tokyo

The Dodger players were treated like rockstars in Tokyo as they attracted crowds during games and workouts. MLB announced 10,507 paying fans were in attendance for the Dodgers’ workout at the Tokyo Dome, according to multiple reports.

When is Dodgers’ 2025 MLB season opener?

The Dodgers and the Cubs will open the MLB season in Tokyo with games on March 18 and 19. Both games are scheduled for 6:10 a.m. ET.

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Five NFL teams with big holes to fill after free agency moves

NFL free agency provides teams with the platform to take care of their most pressing needs. But it can also create or exacerbate roster problems, with several franchises learning that harsh lesson this week.

While many organizations clung to dreams of leveraging massive cap space to bring aboard proven playmakers, this year’s market thinned out considerably before the bidding ever officially opened, as several of the top players opted to re-sign with their current teams. Between that shortage of high-end talent and a handful of teams facing key defections, several franchises are facing uneasy questions at certain spots.

Here are five teams that have big holes to address after the initial run of free agency:

New England Patriots: Wide receiver

Armed with more than $125 million in cap space – more than any other team – the Patriots were certainly active in the early run of free agency. Defensive tackle Milton Williams was the splashiest signing with a four-year, $104 million deal that goes down as the richest in franchise history.

Yet despite New England totaling more than $141.4 million in total guaranteed money doled out in the organization’s early spending spree, two glaring areas of need – wide receiver and left tackle – look less settled than ever. On both fronts, the Patriots were frozen out of the top potential options before free agency began, as Tee Higgins was franchise-tagged by the Cincinnati Bengals and Ronnie Stanley re-upped with the Baltimore Ravens. From there, the choices narrowed considerably, as Chris Godwin took less money to remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to multiple fronts.

New England should be able to look to the draft to fill the void at blindside protector, with LSU’s Will Campbell potentially being a consideration with the No. 4 pick. But a wide receiver class that lacks last year’s high-end options of Malik Nabers, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze could leave the Patriots without a natural answer for a No. 1 target. That could be a significant impediment to Drake Maye’s development after the No. 3 overall pick showed immense promise as a rookie but too often was left to overcompensate for subpar protection from his front and a lack of separation from his receiving corps.

And while a second-tier veteran pass catcher or another rookie could aid Maye in some form, neither will likely change the complexion of a group that didn’t have a single player average more than 43 yards per game last season.

New coach Mike Vrabel didn’t sound the alarm on the lack of movement at either spot, saying ‘there’s a lot of time.’

Patriots fans, however, might be feeling a much more heightened sense of urgency.

Washington Commanders: Edge rusher

With 25 players added or re-signed through Friday, the Commanders were arguably busier than any other team this week. Yet their mark wasn’t made merely in volume of moves. In trading for left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr., Washington took bold action to import marquee veterans at some of the roster’s least stable positions.

Still unresolved: A pass rush that could threaten to drag down the defense.

Dan Quinn managed to piece together a group that ranked seventh in ESPN’s pass-rush win rate group last season despite having not made a serious investment on the edge. Now, however, Dante Fowler Jr. has gone back to the Dallas Cowboys after leading the team with 10 1/2 sacks last season.

Could another trade be the answer? Washington would be a natural fit for the Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson given the team’s abundant cap space and willingness to spend big on veterans throughout its roster thanks to Jayden Daniels’ rookie deal. But the previous deals have sapped the team’s draft assets considerably – the team has just three choices through the first five rounds – and general manager Adam Peters might be reticent to part with his top selection and undermine any draft-and-develop method to establish homegrown talent.

If Washington won’t budge in any talks for Hendrickson, the fallback plan could be eyeing an edge threat with the No. 29 pick. Marshall’s Mike Green and Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku would make ample sense if either is available.

Los Angeles Chargers: Defensive tackle

In the franchise’s second offseason under Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers continue to lean into their distinct identity. Between the arrival of hard-charging running back Najee Harris and massive offensive guard Mekhi Becton, Los Angeles should continue to grind defenses down with its ground game.

But the outlook on the other side of the ball is a different story. With Poona Ford defecting to the Los Angeles Rams, the Chargers are now relying on a patchwork group to command the line of scrimmage. Da’Shawn Hand and Naquan Jones were brought on to provide depth after the team also returned Teair Tart, but a defense that ranked 27th last season with 4.7 yards allowed per carry looks even more vulnerable now.

If Los Angeles is intent on adding an immediate difference-maker up front, it might need to do so through the draft. Michigan’s Kenneth Grant and Oregon’s Derrick Harmon could add plenty of heft as first-round targets, while Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams and Texas’ Alfred Collins could be in play on Day 2.

San Francisco 49ers: Defensive line

Welcome back, Robert Saleh. The 49ers defensive coordinator landed back with the same team that helped him launch into the head-coaching world four years ago – only now the team’s once-fearsome front is a shell of its previous form.

With San Francisco cutting defensive end Leonard Floyd and defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins, Nick Bosa is the lone fixture remaining on the unit. Worse yet, there aren’t many in-house options whom Saleh should feel comfortable with taking on starting roles.

The free-agent possibilities have rapidly dried up, particularly at defensive tackle. And in an offseason defined by a salary-cap reset necessitated by quarterback Brock Purdy’s expected extension, it seems unlikely that anything more than a stopgap solution will be forthcoming.

Even as holes rapidly pop up throughout the roster – the outgoing veterans have combined to sign for more than $320 million – defensive line almost demands to be addressed at some point on the first two days. Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham and Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart could be candidates for the No. 11 overall selection, though San Francisco could take advantage of deep groups at both positions.

Green Bay Packers: Wide receiver

Last August, Packers coach Matt LaFleur pushed back against criticisms of the composition of his receiving corps, saying ‘I want to vomit every time I hear ‘No. 1 receiver,’ to be honest with you.’ If Green Bay doesn’t add a top-flight pass catcher, however, LaFleur might be queasy for a different reason.

While the quartet of Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks has shown plenty of collective promise, none emerged as a go-to target for Jordan Love when things got difficult. Beating man coverage was a persistent problem, with only Wicks – who struggled mightily with drops – posting an open score of more than 70 in ESPN’s metric.

But Green Bay’s issue is not one that can be easily solved, especially in an exorbitant free-agent and trade market at the position. With the Packers prioritizing their heaviest spending elsewhere – offensive guard Aaron Banks landed a four-year, $77 million contract, while cornerback Nate Hobbs secured a four-year, $48 million deal – general manager Brian Gutekunst might be left to ponder whether a fix is available in either the second wave of free agency or, more likely, the draft. Texas’ Matthew Golden would fit the bill of a first-round receiver who can regularly create separation, while Iowa State’s Jaylin Noel and Mississippi’s Tre Harris could be help round out the group.

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Bracketology 2025: These are the most polarizing March Madness teams

The NCAA Tournament selection committee uses a combination of predictive and results-based metrics to determine at-large bids and seeding.
Predictive metrics such as NET, KenPom, BPI, and Torvik rankings focus on a team’s efficiency and strength of schedule.
Results-based metrics like KPI, SOR, and Wins Above Bubble consider a team’s actual wins and losses.
Teams like Gonzaga, Memphis, VCU, and Oregon present intriguing cases due to the variance in their predictive and results-based metrics used for March Madness.

There’s always going to be somebody unhappy with the March Madness selection process. It’s the nature of the beast with 364 Division-I men’s basketball programs playing only up to 31 regular-season games with just 68 NCAA Tournament berths available. Perceived snubs are inevitable and seeding that makes people shrug is almost as likely, no matter how many advanced metrics the NCAA employs to decipher between teams.

But the seven metrics listed this year on team sheets for the NCAA Tournament selection committee are more than ever before, with each ranking or rating separated into two distinct categories ‒ predictive metrics and results-based metrics. The NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET), KenPom, ESPN’s BPI and the Torvik rankings are considered predictive rankings that measure how good a team is based on its offensive and defensive efficiency, adjusted for opponent strength and location. The KPI, ESPN’s Strength of Record (SOR) and Wins Above Bubble (WAB) are results-based rankings that judge how hard it was for a team to attain its resume.

For many teams, the two types of ratings largely converge by the end of the season. For others, however, there can be a wide swath of outcomes based on how a game was played and whether it was won or lost. These are the schools from major and mid-major conferences that could inspire the most robust conversation and debate among committee members, either over their selection into the 2025 NCAA Tournament and/or their potential seeding in the field, due to the differences between their ranking in predictive metrics and results-based metrics.

Here’s a look at the most polarizing teams ahead of Selection Sunday based on the metrics used for the men’s NCAA Tournament:

March Madness 2025: NCAA Tournament metrics’ most polarizing teams

All rankings as of Saturday, March 15

Gonzaga (25-8)

NET: 8
KenPom: 9
BPI: 10
Torvik: 11
KPI: 28
SOR: 39
WAB: 35

The West Coast Conference tournament champions have predictive metrics on their side because they’re among the top 10 in offensive efficiency and top 30 in defensive efficiency this season, according to KenPom. Gonzaga’s win over Saint Mary’s Tuesday in the WCC was also its second quad one win this month. But the Bulldogs only have two other quad one wins the rest of the season.

Memphis (27-5)

NET: 48
KenPom: 51
BPI: 43
Torvik: 60
KPI: 14
SOR: 16
WAB: 25

The Tigers will be hard for the selection committee to seed because their results-based metrics far outpace their predictive metrics thanks to an impressive run against one of the nation’s toughest nonconference schedules early in the season and a lot of closer-than-expected wins in the depleted American Athletic Conference.

VCU (26-6)

NET: 31
KenPom: 30
BPI: 33
Torvik: 28
KPI: 38
SOR: 48
WAB: 54

VCU will be a fascinating test case for the selection committee if it doesn’t grab the Atlantic-10 Conference’s automatic berth. The Rams have lost just twice in 2025 and racked 11 double-digit wins that boosted their efficiency (and pushed their predictive metrics into the top-30). But VCU also has just one quad one win the entire season and didn’t schedule aggressively in nonconference play.

Oregon (24-9)

NET: 29
KenPom: 31
BPI: 36
Torvik: 38
KPI: 10
SOR: 20
WAB: 13

Oregon is another team safely in the NCAA Tournament field, but its potential seeding varies because of the difference in its predictive and results-based metrics. Nonconference wins over Alabama and Texas A&M have aged well and the Ducks have countered a five-game losing skid with a seven-game winning streak entering the Big Ten tournament.

Ole Miss (22-11)

NET: 28
KenPom: 25
BPI: 32
Torvik: 29
KPI: 18
SOR: 22
WAB: 12

The metrics for Ole Miss reflect the depth of the SEC, with its results-based rankings still inside the top-20 despite four losses in its last six games to close the regular season.

Wake Forest (21-11)

NET: 68
KenPom: 72
BPI: 62
Torvik: 71
KPI: 59
SOR: 44
WAB: 51

Wake Forest is squarely on the bubble for this year’s NCAA Tournament field, largely because an inefficient offense is a drag on the Demon Deacons’ predictive metrics. Late-season losses to Florida State, North Carolina State and Virginia haven’t helped during another down year for the ACC.

Ohio State (17-15)

NET: 41
KenPom: 37
BPI: 37
Torvik: 41
KPI: 53
SOR: 57
WAB: 55

Ohio State could wind up on the outside looking in of the NCAA Tournament because its shaky results-based metrics might overshadow efficiency numbers that are more line with a team in the field. The Buckeyes have played a lot of quad one games (17) but went 2-7 against the Big Ten’s best eight teams, according to the NET.

Drake (30-3)

NET: 56
KenPom: 58
BPI: 73
Torvik: 58
KPI: 33
SOR: 32
WAB: 41

UC San Diego (29-4)

NET: 35
KenPom: 39
BPI: 58
Torvik: 46
KPI: 49
SOR: 47
WAB: 47

It’d likely make life easier on the selection committee if UC San Diego capped off its great regular season with the Big West Conference’s automatic berth because the Tritons could present a fascinating at-large profile. Their predictive metrics vary, with KenPom and the NET viewing them more favorably than Torvik and especially BPI. That’s unusual. Their results-based metrics aren’t as strong, but a nonconference win over Utah State and a 15-game win streak has UC San Diego potentially positioned for the school’s first NCAA Tournament berth in men’s basketball.

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Ovechkin scores again, needs eight goals to top Gretzky record

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin continues to stay on pace to pass Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goal record before season’s end.

Ovechkin, 39, entered this season needing 42 goals to break Gretzky’s record of 894 career goals, which has stood since 1999. The Washington captain, who scored on Saturday, has 34 goals this season and needs eight more with 15 games left to become the NHL’s all-time leader.

Ovechkin scored 15 times in his first 18 games before suffering a fractured left fibula during a Nov. 18 game against the Utah Hockey Club. He has scored 19 times in 33 games since he returned on Dec. 28.

This season, he moved into second place with 20 consecutive 20-goal seasons and set a record for number of goalies scored against in his career. He tied records for game-winning goals and most franchises against which he has a hat trick. And he became the first player to score 200 goals in three different decades.

If he doesn’t reach Gretzky’s goal record this season, he has one more season left on his contract.

Here’s where Ovechkin stands in his chase of Gretzky’s goal record (stats through March 15):

OVECHKIN VS. GRETZKY: Comparing the two greats

OVECHKIN’S REMAINING GAMES: How he has fared vs. teams

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?

Ovechkin has 887 career goals.

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin need to pass Wayne Gretzky?

Ovechkin needs eight goals to break Gretzky’s record.

Can Alex Ovechkin break Wayne Gretzky’s record this season?

Ovechkin has 34 goals and 21 assists in 51 games. Factoring in the 16 games he missed, that is a 44-goal pace, giving him a chance to reach the 42 goals he needs to break the record this season. As of Saturday, Ovechkin has played in 10 fewer career games than Gretzky.

What did Alex Ovechkin do in his last game?

Ovechkin had one goal, one assist and four shots in a 5-1 win against the San Jose Sharks. He scored in the third period with a defection goal against Georgi Romanov, the record 182nd different goalie that Ovechkin has scored on during his career.

When is Alex Ovechkin’s next game?

The Capitals play Tuesday, March 18 at home against Detroit. Ovechkin has 25 goals in career 37 games against the Red Wings, including one goal in two games this season.

Alex Ovechkin goals in 2024-25

Oct. 19: 1 vs. New Jersey
Oct. 23: 1 vs. Philadelphia
Oct. 29: 2 vs. N.Y. Rangers
Oct. 31: 1 vs. Montreal
Nov. 2: 1 vs. Columbus
Nov. 3: 1 vs. Carolina
Nov. 6: 1 vs. Nashville
Nov. 9: 2 vs. St. Louis
Nov. 17: 3 vs. Vegas
Nov. 18: 2 vs. Utah
Dec. 28: 1 vs. Toronto
Dec. 29: 1 vs. Detroit
Jan. 2: 1 vs. Minnesota
Jan. 4: 1 vs. N.Y. Rangers
Jan. 11: 1 vs. Nashville
Jan. 16: 1 vs. Ottawa
Jan. 23: 1 vs. Seattle
Jan. 30: 1 vs. Ottawa
Feb 1: 1 vs. Winnipeg
Feb. 4: 1 vs. Florida
Feb. 6: 1 vs. Philadelphia
Feb. 23: 3 vs. Edmonton
Feb. 25: 1 vs. Calgary
March 1: 1 vs. Tampa Bay
March 5: 1 vs. N.Y. Rangers
March 9: 1 vs. Seattle
March 15: 1 vs. San Jose

Alex Ovechkin career goals breakdown

Even strength: 561, third overall

Power play: 321, a record

Short-handed: 5

Empty net: 65, a record

Game winners: 135, tied for first with Jaromir Jagr

Overtime goals: 27, a record

Multi-goal games: 178, second overall

Goalies scored against: 182, a record

Hat tricks: 32, tied for fifth overall. Ovechkin has hat tricks against 20 franchises, tying Brett Hull’s record.

20-goal seasons: 20, tied for second

30-goal seasons: 19, a record

40-goal seasons: 13, a record

Alex Ovechkin empty-net goals

Ovechkin has a record 65 empty-net goals, but Gretzky is up there, too, with 56. Ovechkin passed Gretzky in that category last season.

Alex Ovechkin goals per season

Season: Goals, career total

2005-06: 52, 52
2006-07: 46, 98
2007-08: 65*, 163
2008-09: 56*, 219
2009-10: 50, 269
2010-11: 32, 301
2011-12: 38, 339
2012-13: 32*, 371
2013-14: 51*, 422
2014-15: 53*, 475
2015-16: 50*, 525
2016-17: 33, 558
2017-18: 49*, 607
2018-19: 51*, 658
2019-20: 48*, 706
2020-21: 24, 730
2021-22: 50, 780
2022-23: 42, 822
2023-24: 31, 853
2024-25: 34, 887

*-led league in goals that season

NHL all time goal leaders

The top 21 NHL all-time goal scorers all have 600 or more goals. All of the players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, except Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Jagr, who are still playing.

1. Wayne Gretzky, 894 goals in 1,487 games

2. Alex Ovechkin, 887 goals in 1,477 games

3. Gordie Howe, 801 goals in 1,767 games

4. Jaromir Jagr, 766 goals in 1,733 games

5. Brett Hull, 741 goals in 1,269 games

6. Marcel Dionne, 731 in 1,348 games

7. Phil Esposito, 717 goals in 1,282 games

8. Mike Gartner, 708 goals in 1,432 games

9. Mark Messier, 694 goals in 1,756 games

10. Steve Yzerman, 692 goals in 1,514 games

11. Mario Lemieux, 690 goals in 915 games

12. Teemu Selanne, 684 goals in 1,451 games

13. Luc Robitaille, 668 goals in 1,431 games

14. Brendan Shanahan, 656 goals in 1,524 games

15. Dave Andreychuk, 640 goals in 1,639 games

16. Jarome Iginla, 625 goals in 1,554 games

17. Joe Sakic, 625 goals in 1,378 games

18. Sidney Crosby, 615 goals in 1,339 games

19. Bobby Hull, 610 goals in 1,063 games

20. Dino Ciccarelli, 608 goals in 1,232 games

21. Jari Kurri, 601 goals in 1,251 games

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