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Sources: Hornets aim to dispute Williams' physical
The Charlotte Hornets have been in contact with the NBA as they explore options to dispute the Los Angeles Lakers' failed physical assessment of center Mark Williams, sources told ESPN on Monday night.
The Hornets are considering their next steps and weighing avenues to challenge the Lakers' evaluation process or seek alternative resolutions with the league office, sources said.
Williams was traded last week for Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 pick swap and Los Angeles' 2031 first-round pick. But two days after the trade deadline passed, the deal was rescinded after Williams' failed exam.
Williams' physical showed multiple issues, sources said. The center has missed 60% of the Hornets' games over his three seasons in the league, most notably for separate back and foot injuries.
Because the deadline passed, the trade was not amended to account for whatever new medical information the Lakers might have discovered in their evaluation of Williams.
The players involved returned to their original teams but have yet to play; Knecht, Reddish and Williams were all ruled out Monday.
In a statement Saturday night, the Hornets said they are "excited" to welcome Williams back to the team.
Amid trade angst, fans ejected from Mavs' loss
DALLAS -- With emotions from the Luka Doncic trade still raw, multiple fans were ejected in the second half of the Dallas Mavericks' 129-128 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Monday at the American Airlines Center due to violations of the NBA's code of conduct, according to a team spokesperson.
Each instance prompted boos from the crowd. Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont, whose family purchased the majority share of the franchise from Mark Cuban last season, also was loudly booed when he returned to his courtside seat with 2:56 remaining in the third quarter.
Two of the fans held large poster board signs that read, "FIRE NICO" -- a reference to Dallas general manager Nico Harrison. One of those men was seen mouthing "fire Nico" on the arena video screens earlier in the game before the camera quickly panned out.
"In the first incident, the guest brought in a sign that broke the following rule included in the NBA Code of Conduct: Clothing, garments or signs displaying explicit language, profanity or derogatory characterization towards any person(s)," Mavericks vice president of corporate communications Erin Finegold said in a statement released to reporters.
Harrison has been subjected to harsh backlash since agreeing Feb. 2 to the shocking blockbuster deal that was built around sending five-time first-team All-NBA selection Doncic, 25, to the Los Angeles Lakers and bringing 10-time All-Star big man Anthony Davis, 31, to Dallas.
Approximately 1,000 people protested outside the American Airlines Center before Saturday's home win over the Houston Rockets. "Fire Nico" and "sell the team" were common themes for chants and T-shirts.
Harrison, who did not attend Saturday's game, was in the arena Monday night but did not sit in his usual seat in the lower bowl of the stands.
Arena security has been strictly enforcing NBA rules limiting the size of fans' signs since the trade.
Two men, including one who wore Doncic's Slovenian national team jersey, were ejected late in Monday's contest after a shouting match with Cuban, who was in his regular baseline seat by the Mavericks' bench.
"Shut the f--- up and sit the f--- down!" Cuban yelled, according to footage a fan showed to ESPN.
Cuban told ESPN that the fans, whose seats were approximately 20 rows behind him, were yelling, "Fire Nico!" while the Mavericks were shooting free throws and again during a critical possession late in regulation. Cuban said he did not curse until the fans pointed and shouted at him, although he did not know what they said.
"In the second incident, the fan wore a T-shirt that also broke the rule [cited] and was also intoxicated, disruptive and uncooperative, all listed in the NBA Fan Code of Conduct," Finegold said in the statement.
Other fans told ESPN that one of the ejected fans wore a T-shirt that depicted a woman's face with a clown nose. They could not clearly identify the woman.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd did not hold a postgame news conference, as required by league rules.
Dallas guard Klay Thompson said he could "understand [fans'] frustration because Luka was that great and he was homebred here." Thompson said he did not notice the fans being ejected but that their emotional reaction to the trade does not bother him.
"It's not our job to get deflated because people are upset," Thompson said. "Our job is to convince them that there's really great days ahead, not just for this year but for the next few years.
"I mean, people are going to say stuff, and that's understandable. I was a fan, still a fan. If I didn't agree with a trade, I'd probably voice my opinion too. That's the beauty of sports. You go there to yell and be rambunctious sometimes."
Mavericks star Kyrie Irving said he felt that Dallas fans have "graduated from hate to anger to the cycle of emotions ... and then the passion."
"You just got to give everybody grace," Irving said. "To see the emotions come out like that over basketball, that just shows you that basketball is not just a game to certain people. It's a spiritual experience. It's a connector piece, and they watch their favorite players and they want to see them forever. So, I run the side of just understanding where people are coming from."
Luka wins in L.A. debut as nerves give way to 'fun'
LOS ANGELES -- Before the Los Angeles Lakers tipped off Monday night and Luka Doncic made his debut for the franchise that traded for him then waited -- along with a fervent fan base -- more than a week for the 25-year-old basketball prodigy to appear in the lineup, LeBron James had a message to deliver.
"Luka, be your f---ing self," James said during the pregame huddle, picked up by the ESPN telecast. "Don't fit in, fit the f--- out. Be yourself."
When asked about the moment, having booked a 132-113 win over the Utah Jazz his first time wearing the purple and gold uniform for game action, Doncic was sincere.
"For him to say something like that just feels amazing," Doncic said after scoring 14 points in 24 minutes, playing for the first time since Christmas Day when he was with the Dallas Mavericks. "It gives me confidence. And after that speech, it was chills. I was just happy to be a part of it."
He wasn't the only one smiling.
There was a euphoric atmosphere at Crypto.com Arena, with the sold-out crowd finding 18,997 gold No. 77 T-shirts lining their seats and Doncic's preferred Serbian music pumping out of the sound system while he launched deep pregame 3s and fans held up their phones to record his every move. Doncic's former Mavs running mate Dirk Nowitzki, whose last season in the league coincided with Doncic's first, made the trip to support him, sitting in the stands with Doncic's father, Saša.
"He came out ... and obviously the place went crazy," Austin Reaves said. "It was awesome. I thought the energy from that point forward was great. His introduction in the starting lineup was one of the loudest I've heard since I've been here."
James propped up his new teammate there, too, texting the 6-foot-6 guard earlier in the day to say he would do whatever Doncic wanted. And so, when Lakers public address announcer Lawrence Tanter rattled off L.A.'s starters, he saved Doncic for last, a gesture usually reserved for James.
"He let me have my moment, so I really appreciate it," Doncic said. "I mean, today, he lent me this one. But from now on, he'll be the last."
It didn't take long for Doncic to impact the game, finding center Jaxson Hayes for an alley-oop dunk just 50 seconds in, playing for the first time in nearly seven weeks because of a strained left calf muscle.
"I was a little bit nervous before," Doncic said. "I don't remember the last time I was nervous before the game. But once I stepped on the court, it was fun. And just being out there again felt amazing."
While his shot was rusty -- he went 5-for-14, including 1-for-7 from 3 -- and he was on a minutes restriction, there was an instant chemistry between Doncic and his new teammates.
L.A. punctuated a dominant first half with a half-court outlet pass from Doncic to James that set up an easy layup and put the Lakers up by 22 points.
"I thought our three main guys did a nice job of playing off of each other," Lakers coach JJ Redick said, referencing James, Doncic and Reaves. "Sometimes you can have agendas in a game. I felt like this for our group was a no agenda game beyond winning a basketball game and playing the right way."
Reaves scored 22 points with 9 rebounds and 4 assists. James led all scorers with 24 points, adding 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 7 turnovers. He exited the game early in the fourth quarter after a collision in the lane and did not speak after the game, other than to tell a few reporters he would see them in Salt Lake City for the Lakers' next game Wednesday.
Redick said "the plan" would be for both Doncic and James to play in that game, L.A.'s last before the All-Star break.
L.A. didn't let the fanfare of the night or the task of integrating Doncic into the lineup slow down its momentum, leading by as many as 34 points and winning for the 12th time in the past 14 games to leapfrog the Houston Rockets for No. 4 in the Western Conference standings.
"Since I came here, I just wanted to play with them," said Doncic, who watched from the sidelines as the Lakers beat the Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers while he finished rehabbing his calf strain. "Every game I saw, they played amazing, very connected, and for me, it was just I want to be there with them."
Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka embraced Doncic after the game as he made his way from the tunnel to the locker room. Pelinka's triumph of a trade with the Mavs got Doncic to L.A. in the first place.
"It's a new team. New everything," Doncic said. "But the way they helped me, teammates, Rob, [Lakers chief executive officer and governor Jeanie [Buss], it was just a lot of support for me. You could see when I came to the arena, I saw all the Luka jerseys. It was just a surreal feeling."
Sources: Yanks add Matzek with minor league deal
The New York Yankees and veteran reliever Tyler Matzek have agreed on a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, sources told ESPN Monday night, adding another experienced left-hander to the bullpen mix on the eve of camp after the team officially re-signed Tim Hill over the weekend.
A top-shelf reliever over three seasons for the Atlanta Braves, including during their 2021 World Series run, injuries have limited the 34-year-old Matzek to 11 appearances over the past two years.
The former first-round pick missed the entire 2023 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in October 2022. He returned to post a 9.90 ERA in 10 innings over 11 games through May 4 last year before he was placed on the injured list and didn't appear in another game.
Atlanta traded Matzek to the San Francisco Giants in July to offset salary in a deal for outfielder Jorge Soler. He was released a month later and re-signed by the Braves on a minor league deal, pitching in four games for the organization's Triple-A affiliate before he reached free agency.
Between 2020 and 2022, after overcoming a case of the yips with the Colorado Rockies that pushed him to independent league baseball for two seasons, Matzek recorded a 2.92 ERA in 132 games as a key contributor in the Braves' bullpen.
While Hill, who signed a one-year, $2.85 million contract after a strong 2024 season, is a ground ball specialist from the left side, Matzek missed bats at a high rate when healthy, recording a 27.4% strikeout rate from 2020 through 2022 with a fastball in the mid-90s.
Hill remains the only left-handed reliever on the Yankees' 40-man roster. Brandon Leibrandt and Jayvien Sandridge are the other lefties slated to report to spring training as non-roster invitees.
British number two Cameron Norrie beat American Zachary Svajda in straight sets to reach the Delray Beach Open second round.
Norrie, the 2022 winner, needed 90 minutes to seal a 7-5 6-4 win over the world number 169.
The players traded breaks of serve in a tight first set played in hot and humid conditions in Florida.
A powerful forehand down the line gave Norrie a crucial second break, with the 29-year-old comfortably holding serve to take the set.
With an equally tight second set level at 4-4, Norrie could not convert five break points in a mammoth eighth game before finally taking the sixth.
He then took the second of two match points on his serve to set up a second-round meeting with French second seed Arthur Rinderknech or Canada's Gabriel Diallo.
Late Models Return to Volusia to Close Out DIRTcar Nationals
BARBERVILLE, Fla. With two weeks of Sprint Car and DIRTcar UMP Modified action in the books, The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet will thunder back into Volusia Speedway Park to put a bow on the 54th annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.
The week will open with three nights of DIRTcar Late Model competition Monday-Wednesday, Feb. 10-12, before the World of Outlaws Late Models take over for the final three nights of the event, Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 13-15. Thursday and Fridays programs will both wrap up with 35-lap, $12,000-to-win Features, while the weekend culminates with a 50-lap, $20,000-to-win main event and the crowning of a Big Gator champion on Saturday night.
Drivers will collect points from all DIRTcar and World of Outlaws Features for the DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator championship, awarded at the end of the week. Wednesdays DIRTcar Late Model event will see the field split into three Features for the night.
The Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds will join the Outlaws on all three nights to make for a high-horsepower doubleheader at the Worlds Fastest Half Mile.
Here are the top storylines entering the weekend:
FIRST PITCH HOMER
Out of all the new driver-crew chief combinations in the pits this season, none have gelled quicker than Ryan Gustin and Cody Mallory.
Less than three weeks after Mallory officially joined the Todd Cooney Racing squad, he guided Gustin to his first World of Outlaws win at Volusia on the first night of the new season at DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals.
The Reaper may have been unable to replicate that performance on Saturday with an 18th-place finish, but he still finds himself fourth in the standings entering DIRTcar Nationals, eight points behind leader Cody Overton. And since a competitors three best finishes between Sunshine Nationals and DIRTcar Nationals are the only ones that count toward the season-long points, some strong runs this week could allow Gustin to discard his Saturday finish and further improve his position in the championship chase.
SOPHOMORE STAR
Following a 13th-place points finish in his rookie season with the Outlaws, Cody Overton expected to make major improvements in his second year on tour. What he didnt expect, though, was to be leading the points after two races.
The Thomson, Ga. driver had his picture taken on the podium for the first time after finishing third on Friday before barely missing the top 10 on Saturday in 11th, enough to claim the top spot among all signed World of Outlaws drivers.
However, it wasnt the first time Volusia was kind to Overton, as he won a Crate Late Model Feature during Sunshine Nationals in 2020, his first of five top 10s in the event prior to making the jump to the Super Late Model division.
Overton has kept his hot streak going in the weeks since, as he piloted the Big Frog Motorsports Crate Late Model to Victory Lane at All-Tech Raceway on Feb. 1 before scoring his first Super Late Model win in three years at Screven Motor Speedway last weekend against many of the same drivers hell face again this week at Volusia.
BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME?
If there was anyone at Sunshine Nationals who had race-winning speed on both nights but walked away with little to show for it, it would be Nick Hoffman.
The Tye Twarog Motorsports gasser picked up a Heat Race win on Friday and drew the pole for the main event, setting up a fierce battle with Gustin for the top spot. But just past halfway, Hoffman got loose on Gustins inside entering Turn 1 and his car snapped around. After going to the tail of the field for the restart, Hoffman made his way back up to ninth by the checkers.
When Saturday rolled around, Hoffmans speed early in the night was still there as he claimed the Simpson Quick Time Award in Qualifying and led every lap of his Heat Race. Misfortune struck once again in the Feature though, as Hoffmans right-rear tire gave out while running fourth, forcing him to come from the back for the second night in a row. Hoffman climbed up to 10th at the end of 50 laps, leaving him fifth in the standings with two nights in the books.
The Thrill From Mooresville may not have strapped a helmet on since the Sunshine Nationals finale, but hes stayed plenty busy in the Volusia pits assisting his Elite Chassis customers during nine nights of DIRTcar UMP Modified competition. Theres a reason so many competitors turn to Hoffman for advice at the Worlds Fastest Half Mile, as his incredible resume at the track includes seven-straight Big Gator championships between 2016 and 2022, two Reutimann Memorials and more than a dozen other Feature wins.
The most recent of those came last year when Hoffman picked up his first World of Outlaws trophy from Volusia, and hell look to further expand his Gator collection this week.
BOUNCING BACK
When Brian Shirleys engine expired while he was running fifth with four laps to go in the Saturday Feature at Sunshine Nationals, he was hopeful that would be the end of his bad luck during Speedweeks. As it turned out, it was only the beginning.
While leading his Heat Race in a Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series event at Needmore Speedway, Shirleys powerplant once again began to smoke. Once he brought the car to a stop, the smoke turned to fire and the No. 3S became completely engulfed in flames. Thankfully, Shirley emerged from the car uninjured.
The two weeks since the incident have brought even more attrition, as Shirley has battled through more engine problems, tire failures, crashes and more. Multiple trips have been made up Interstate 95 to Longhorn Chassis and Durham Racing Engines in North Carolina to keep Shirleys trailer stocked. With a return to World of Outlaws competition on the horizon, Shirley would love nothing more than an uneventful DIRTcar Nationals to get his season back on track.
GATOR HUNTERS
While plenty of teams are rolling into DIRTcar Nationals looking for a turnaround, several others are ready to let the good times keep rolling in the Sunshine State.
Eleven years removed from his World of Outlaws debut at I-30 Speedway in 2014, Garrett Alberson finally won with the Series for the first time three weeks ago. It was his second win of the season after getting his first in New Mexico at the Wild West Shootout, placing him alongside Bobby Pierce, Ricky Thornton Jr., Devin Moran and Jonathan Davenport as the only drivers with multiple Super Late Model wins in 2025.
All five drivers are expected to be in attendance this week aiming to add to their totals. Pierce leads the way with four wins so far this year, but he failed to crack the top five in two attempts at Volusia. The record books show that those runs were the exception rather than the norm, as the 2023 Series champion is a four-time Feature winner at Volusia between World of Outlaws and DIRTcar competition.
For Moran, Sunshine Nationals was a tale of two nights, as he missed the Feature on Friday before finishing fourth on Saturday. The Mailman has won five times with the Outlaws at Volusia since 2021, more than any other driver in that span.
Thorntons first trip to Volusia last month was nothing short of a nightmare, as he was a DNQ on Friday and finished 19th on Saturday. However, his Koehler Motorsports teammate Jimmy Owens led the first 41 laps of Saturdays Sunshine Nationals Feature.
Davenport will return to Volusia this week after doing everything but win a race at Sunshine Nationals. Not only did he pick up a pair of runner-ups in his first trip to the event, he was the only member of the field to finish in the top five on both nights. Superman finally found the top step of the podium at Ocala Speedway twice last week after four second-place finishes on the year, and hes looking to carry that momentum into DIRTcar Nationals as he chases his first Volusia win since 2018.
Christian Rose To Step Back From Full-Time Racing
SALISBURY, N.C. Christian Rose, who was originally scheduled to compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Niece Motorsports this season, will step back from full-time competition ahead of the season opening race at Daytona (Fla.) Intl Speedway.
According to a team release, unforeseen sponsorship changes has forced Rose to relinquish driving duties of the No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST effective immediately.
Rose, however, will remain associated with Niece Motorsports as he continues his pursuit of competing.
Bayley Currey will serve as the interim driver of the No. 44 Chevrolet beginning at Daytona. Current team partner, Masked Owl Technologies, has stepped up to serve as Curreys primary partner for the season-opening race.
Unfortunately, with the high costs associated with running a race team, we had to make this difficult business decision to keep everyones best interests in mind, said Cody Efaw, General Manager of Niece Motorsports.
We would love to see Christian compete for us once funding is secured on his end, and greatly appreciate our existing partners at Masked Owl Technologies for stepping up their commitment to Bayley and our company as a whole.
Jesse Iwuji Motorsports Joins Forces with DGM Racing
LAKE WALES, Fla. DGM Racing has formed a strategic alliance with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
U.S. Naval Officer and NASCAR driver Jesse Iwuji formed Jesse Iwuji Motorsports alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and entrepreneur Matt Casto in 2021. Powered by Chevrolet, Jesse Iwuji Motorsports will make its return to full-time racing for the first time since the 2022 Xfinity Series season.
Together, DGM Racing and Jesse Iwuji Motorsports will leverage shared resources to maximize their on-track performance and off-track impact.
This year will be an exciting year aligning our group, resources, and assets to put together the best on and off-track product we can with DGM x JIM, said Jesse Iwuji, co-owner of Jesse Iwuji Motorsports. In 2025, we have formed a strong alliance with DGM, who has a long-standing, proven track record of results.
Our efforts as a team remain the same: to bring our resources together to consistently compete, generate opportunities to help our brand partners and drivers grow, and inspire others to stay strong enough long enough while chasing their dreams.
With this alliance, both teams aim to enhance their capabilities collectively and continue growing within the sport.
Our team is really looking forward to working with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports for many years to come, shared Mario Gosselin, owner of DGM Racing. Jesse and his team share our passion for racing and competition. Our combined resources and shared desire to achieve beyond our limits create the perfect recipe for success.
Im confident that our partnership will continue to open doors that take our team to the next level.
More details regarding the alliance, upcoming race plans and partner announcements will follow. DGM Racing and Jesse Iwuji Motorsports will field two Chevrolets full time and a third part-time entry during the Xfinity Series season, kicking off the alliance in the season-opening race at Daytona Intl Speedway.
DGM Racing has already announced it will field three entries in Daytona with Ryan Ellis in the No. 71, Josh Bilicki in the No. 91 and C.J. McLaughlin in the No. 92 Chevy Camaros.
DGM Racing has already named Bilicki as the anchor driver of the teams No. 91 Chevrolet and welcomed Ellis to the team full time for this year.
Missing Rings: Active Drivers with Longest Daytona 500 Drought
The 67th Daytona 500 opens the NASCAR Cup Series season Sunday at Daytona (Fla.) Intl Speedway.
As NASCARs biggest race, every driver dreams of hoisting the Harley J. Earl Trophy in victory lane.
However, for some, that dream never becomes reality. Some NASCAR greats such as NASCAR Hall of Famers Tony Stewart, Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace and Terry Labonte never experienced the thrill of victory in the Great American Race.
On Sunday, some of NASCARs most notable names are still in search of a Daytona 500 victory.
Heres a list of active drivers who have not won the Daytona 500 despite having made five starts or more in the season-opening classic at the 2.5-mile superspeedway:
Martin Truex Jr. (20 starts)
While Martin Truex Jr. retired from full-time Cup Series racing last year, the former champion will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 driving a TRICON Garage Toyota.
Truex has been on the cusp of victory in the 500-mile event before, most notably in 2016 as he lost to Denny Hamlin in a photo finish.
Without a full-time points schedule to chase this year, perhaps this is the year it all comes together for Truex in his 21st attempt.
Kyle Busch (19 starts)
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch has yet to reach the pinnacle in stock car racing at Daytona.
In 19 previous Daytona 500 starts, Busch has a best finish of second (2019). The Richard Childress Racing driver has one previous points-paying win at the 2.5-mile oval (July, 2008) and an average finish of 18.1 across both the 500 and 400-mile races.
Entering his 20th start, Busch will look to emulate Dale Earnhardt, who it took 20 attempts to win the Daytona 500.
Brad Keselowski (15 starts)
RFK Racings Brad Keselowski has won every crown jewel NASCAR has to offer (Coca-Cola 600, Southern 500 and Brickyard 400) aside from the Daytona 500.
The 2012 Cup Series champion has a best finish of third (2014) and boasts one points-paying victory at Daytona (July, 2016).
Keselowskis chances have arguably been at its peak since joining RFK as hes led 112 laps in the last three Daytona 500s.
Kyle Larson (11 starts)
Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson has yet to score a victory on a superspeedway race track since joining the Cup Series full time in 2014.
The 2022 Daytona 500 polesitter has an average finish of 22nd in his career at Daytona and hasnt earned a top-10 finish in the 500-mile race since 2021.
He has a best finish of seventh in the 500 (2016, 2019).
Ryan Blaney (10 starts)
Team Penskes Ryan Blaney has 10 previous starts in the Daytona 500, with a best finish of second (twice, 2017 & 2020).
The 2023 Cup Series champion earned a win in the 400-mile July race at Daytona in 2021 and has an average finish of 17.2 in the Great American Race.
With Fords success at superspeedway tracks of late, Blaney may be in line to finally break through.
Chase Elliott (9 starts)
NASCARs most popular driver eyes his 10th Daytona 500 start to be a winning one. Chase Elliotts best finish in the Great American Race was a second-place effort behind Michael McDowell in 2021.
Elliott earned the pole two years in a row (2016, 2017) and has an average finish of 18.3.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver is arguably the man with the most momentum on his side as he won the Clash at North Carolinas Bowman Gray Stadium two weeks ago.
Perhaps history will repeat itself this year as Elliotts father, Bill Elliott, won the exhibition Clash event in 1987 (at Daytona) and followed it up with a victory in the Daytona 500.
Other Notable Drivers
- A.J. Allmendinger (11 starts, best finish of third in 2009 & 2017)
- Chris Buescher (nine starts, best finish of third in 2020)
- Alex Bowman (eight starts, best finish of second in 2024)
- Erik Jones (eight starts, best finish of third in 2019)
- Ty Dillon (eight starts, best finish of sixth in 2019)
- Bubba Wallace (seven starts, best finish of second in 2018 & 2022)
- Daniel Suárez (seven starts, best finish of seventh in 2023)
- Tyler Reddick (six starts, best finish of 27th in 2019 & 2021)
- Ross Chastain (six starts, best finish of seventh in 2021)
- Christopher Bell (five starts, best finish of third in 2023 & 2024)
- Ryan Preece (five starts, best finish of sixth in 2021)
Crosby 'good to go' for Canada's 4 Nations opener
Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby will play for Canada in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.
The team's captain, whose availability for the tournament was in jeopardy due to a left arm injury he suffered last week, traveled to Montreal on Sunday with hopes of being available for Canada's first game against Sweden on Wednesday. Crosby skated in Canada's first practice on Monday and afterwards confirmed he will be "good to go" for the opener.
"It's been busy," Crosby told reporters of this stretch since the injury. "Just trying to see where I was at and get treatment and talk to everybody. It was a busy week but I'm happy to be here and excited to get going."
Crosby had sat out of Pittsburgh's final two games leading into the 4 Nations break but was skating on his own. He consulted with Penguins' doctors before heading out for Montreal and met with Canada's physicians when he arrived. Crosby received clearance to get out for practice and once there he didn't take a back seat -- the veteran immediately slotted onto Canada's top line with Mark Stone and Nathan MacKinnon, and Crosby was put on the team's top power play unit with MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Sam Reinhart, and Cale Makar.
That's a lethal combination featuring five of the NHL's most potent offensive superstars. Crosby's thrilled to see it become a reality.
"It's exciting," he said of linking up with Canada's other star players. "A ton of talent, a ton of skill. [You have] to think and move quickly, be instinctive and also react to some of the plays they make. I think that's fun."
Having Crosby in the lineup not only increases Canada's firepower but also adds critical leadership and championship pedigree. Crosby has represented Canada internationally -- unlike several of his teammates -- and boasts two Olympic gold medals (from 2010 and 2014) and a gold medal from the 2016 World Cup.
NHL players were not allowed to participate at the Olympics during the last two winter games so many of the tournament's younger cohorts have never appeared in a true best-on-best event like this one. Crosby's experience there only makes his presence more vital for Canada.
"He's the guy [that] guys are looking towards," Reinhart said. "Especially in an experience like this where it's new for so many ... [Crosby] sets the tone in every way."
It's little surprise then that Canada's coach Jon Cooper made sure Crosby -- recently hurt or not -- was the center of attention at practice with ample responsibility. Where Crosby goes, so does Canada.
"The guy carries so much weight," Cooper said. "There's so much humility that just bleeds through him and that's why people follow him. It's just remarkable the passion he has for [playing for his country] and it's probably a reason why he has a whole lot of wins and not a lot of losses when he plays in these events."
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