Just a week ago, on the back of fine form from FC Dallas, we pondered whether Southern California's duopoly of LAFC and the LA Galaxy could soon be threatened by the Texan trident of Dallas, Austin FC and the Houston Dynamo. The answer, following a double game week of action for many clubs in Major League Soccer, is a resounding yes.

And it's the Texas capital club that's leading the charge, after the Verde went to Los Angeles and picked up a win over the Black and Gold and followed it up with an unlucky draw in which Austin dominated nine-man Orlando City. Sure, Dallas endured a difficult week, losing to both the Vancouver Whitecaps (in British Columbia) and Minnesota United (at home), but Houston made up for a narrow loss to the Seattle Sounders with an impressive victory over the Galaxy in Carson, California.

With Week 12 in the books, Austin Lindberg and Danny Guerra look at the results, break down where all 28 teams stand after a wild weekend of action and bring you the latest edition of the MLS Power Rankings.

- MLS on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games, replays (U.S.)
- Soccer on ESPN+: FC Daily | Futbol Americas
- Don't have ESPN? Get instant access

1. LAFC

Previous ranking: 1

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 6 p.m. ET

Carlos Vela (still unsigned past July) looks to be finding his groove with his second goal in as many games. And grabbing a weather-delayed win on the road at Columbus will help boost an already high confidence ahead of a midweek U.S. Open Cup match against the rival LA Galaxy. -- Guerra

2. New York City FC

Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: Saturday at Minnesota United, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Neither D.C. nor Chicago present the sternest test for an MLS Cup champion, so six points from those two contests this week is no great cause for celebration for NYCFC. The Bronx Blues are on a seven-game unbeaten streak, which is impressive enough on its own, but then consider that Ronny Deila's side hasn't conceded a goal in 450 minutes of MLS play, and it's hard to escape the conclusion that this New York City team is better than the one that lifted silverware last season. -- Lindberg

3. Philadelphia Union

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: Saturday at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Philadelphia snapped a seven-game winless streak by picking up a 2-0 victory at Portland, but last week also included a scoreless draw at home to Inter Miami -- its fifth straight game sharing the spoils. The Union have looked like the cream of the Eastern Conference crop for much of 2022, but the chasing pack is suddenly looking far closer than Jim Curtin will be comfortable with. -- Lindberg

4. Austin FC

Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: Sunday at LA Galaxy, 4 p.m. ET

Always good to salvage a result at home in stoppage time against a quality squad, but early defensive mistakes put Austin in a hole against nine-man Orlando. Los Verdes still lead the league in team goals and assists but have just one win in their past four league matches -- albeit it was at LAFC. -- Guerra

5. Nashville SC

Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: Saturday at Colorado Rapids, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN+

In a match halted midway through the first half by a three-hour weather delay, it was good for Nashville to get goals from C.J. Sapong and Hany Mukhtar, but some ragged play in the back saw Nashville give up a late goal and allow rival Atlanta to nab a draw. -- Guerra

6. LA Galaxy

Previous ranking: 5

Next MLS match: Sunday vs. Austin FC, 4 p.m. ET

In their past two home games, the Galaxy have been outscored 6-1. The defense had been much improved this season, but that's offset by a lack of production from Douglas Costa, Samuel Grandsir, Efrain Alvarez and Kevin Cabral, leading to a dip in opportunities for Javier Hernandez in the box. -- Guerra

7. New York Red Bulls

Previous ranking: 4

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. D.C. United, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

A midweek 3-3 draw with Chicago extended the Red Bulls' unbeaten run to six games, but that was snapped by a 2-0 defeat in Miami. New York is averaging one goal per game in its past seven in MLS, yet it still boasts the eighth-most goals in the league, the sixth-most chances created and the fourth-most expected goals. How? -- Lindberg

8. Orlando City

Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. FC Dallas, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Orlando was fortunate to escape the Texas capital with a share of the spoils, considering it played down a man for a half-hour, down two players for 21 minutes, was out-chanced by a ratio of nearly 3 to 1, out-possessed by more than 2 to 1 and the tale of the xG (expected goals) hemmed close to that 2-to-1 figure. -- Lindberg

9. Real Salt Lake

Previous ranking: 10

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Houston Dynamo, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

With a key road win over one of the East's better sides in Montreal, Real Salt Lake is keeping pace with the West's best. Credit to an RSL side that went down within a minute of play to mount a comeback thanks to second-half goals from Justen Glad and Sergio Cordova. -- Guerra

10. FC Dallas

Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: Saturday at Orlando City, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Loons spoiled Ricardo Pepi's homecoming as FC Dallas suffered its second straight loss, but the Texas side shouldn't be too alarmed yet. USMNT duo Paul Arriola (four goals in four games) and Jesus Ferreira (league-best nine goals) have been excellent, and Alan Velasco should be back soon from COVID-19 protocols. -- Guerra

11. CF Montreal

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Heading into last week, Montreal was unbeaten in eight, the winner in six of those eight and emerging as a challenger in the East. Then it dropped a pair of 2-1 defeats at Nashville and at home to Real Salt Lake. Consider this a wake-up call for a team that has grown unhealthily dependent on Djordje Mihailovic, who has directly contributed to 11 goals (either scoring himself or registering an assist) in his past 11 games. -- Lindberg

12. Houston Dynamo

Previous ranking: 13

Next MLS match: Saturday at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Sebastian Ferreira had a stellar performance and Steve Clark was solid between the sticks again as the Dynamo pounced on a struggling Galaxy side. Ahead of the international break around the corner, Houston should be pleased to be among the playoff contenders. -- Guerra

13. Minnesota United

Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. New York City FC, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Minnesota United snapped a four-game skid at Dallas as Robin Lod scored to become the Loons' all-time leading scorer (22). Dayne St. Clair saw Dallas dominate possession and get 18 shots off, but the Canada keeper continued to make his case as one of the league's best. -- Guerra

14. Colorado Rapids

Previous ranking: 14

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Nashville SC, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Rapids are now undefeated in 23 straight home games after handling a still-struggling Sounders team. The Rapids were missing Auston Trusty (red card) and Gyasi Zardes (injury), but William Yarbrough was steady again in goal to stifle some late-game opportunities by Seattle. -- Guerra

15. Atlanta United FC

Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Columbus Crew, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

After winning three and drawing one in its first five matches of 2022, Atlanta has fallen back to earth, going 1W-3D-3L in league play since April 10. The good news for the Five Stripes faithful is that designated player Thiago Almada is beginning to demonstrate why Atlanta paid a league-record transfer fee for the 21-year-old midfielder, registering three goals and three assists in his past four appearances across all competitions. -- Lindberg

16. Portland Timbers

Previous ranking: 12

Next MLS match: Saturday at Inter Miami CF, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Portland could have used Sunday night's game against visiting Philadelphia to bounce back from a bad loss to San Jose, but the Timbers' night went sideways early on after a fifth-minute goal by Philly and an injury exit by Eryk Williamson 10 minutes later. -- Guerra

17. New England Revolution

Previous ranking: 18

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Revs have won three of their past six league games, a revival that's seen last year's record-setting Supporters' Shield winners reenter the race for a playoff spot. Just to illustrate how difficult the 2022 season has been so far for New England, its 3-2 win at Cincinnati was its first victory away from home all campaign. -- Lindberg

18. FC Cincinnati

Previous ranking: 17

Next MLS match: Saturday at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

If you're a Cincinnati fan, try not to read too much into this slight drop down the order or your team's first league defeat in a month. The 3-2 loss to New England was something of an anomaly: five goals scored in a game that expected fewer than two, and conceding three goals to a team that probably shouldn't have had one. -- Lindberg

19. Seattle Sounders

Previous ranking: 20

Next MLS match: Sunday vs. Charlotte FC, 9:30 p.m. ET

The Sounders could have clinched a third win in a week but looked disjointed in their Mile High 1-0 loss at Colorado. The lone goal could be chalked up to a bit of bad luck, and Raul Ruidiaz might have argued for a penalty in the second half. -- Guerra

20. Charlotte FC

Previous ranking: 21

Next MLS match: Sunday at Seattle Sounders, 9:30 p.m. ET

Since being traded to Charlotte on May 3, Andre Shinyashiki has registered three goals in just 194 minutes of action across all competitions, including in Sunday's 2-1 win over Vancouver. He's already the second-leading goal scorer in club history, providing secondary scoring that will come as a relief to Karol Swiderski, who has shouldered the burden of Charlotte's attack throughout the expansion club's inaugural season. -- Lindberg

21. Inter Miami CF

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Portland Timbers, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Earning a point from a trip to Philadelphia and beating the Red Bulls is about as good of a week as any club can ask for. And consider that, prior to back-to-back defeats to Charlotte and New England, Miami reeled off three consecutive wins over Atlanta, Seattle and the Revolution, and there's the beginnings of a foundation emerging in South Florida. -- Lindberg

22. Columbus Crew

Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: Saturday at Atlanta United, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Going back to the middle of March, Columbus has taken just six points from a possible 27. Its lone win in that time came against D.C. United. That could help explain why 11-month-old Lower.com Field looked so sparsely populated in Saturday's 2-0 loss to LAFC. (OK, maybe the severe weather warnings played a bigger role than the Crew's awful run of form, but still.) -- Lindberg

23. Toronto FC

Previous ranking: 23

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Chicago Fire FC, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Finally! Toronto's five-game losing streak is over! Unfortunately, the 2-2 draw in D.C. extends the Reds' winless streak to six games. -- Lindberg

24. Chicago Fire

Previous ranking: 22

Next MLS match: Saturday at Toronto FC, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Wednesday's 3-3 draw at the Red Bulls was just the third time all season Chicago had scored more than one goal in MLS play, which is pretty inexplicable for a team whose attack consists of Xherdan Shaqiri, Kacper Pryszbylko, young DP Jairo Torres and now Chris Mueller. -- Lindberg

25. San Jose Earthquakes

Previous ranking: 27

Next MLS match: Saturday at LAFC, 6 p.m. ET

San Jose rallied for a draw against Kansas City and now has a five-game undefeated streak (including a win over Seattle in U.S. Open Cup play). Off the field, the Quakes hired MLS veteran John Wolyniec as technical director to continue their rebuild. -- Guerra

26. Vancouver Whitecaps

Previous ranking: 26

Next MLS match: Saturday at Sporting Kansas City, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Vancouver had to play an academy kid after all three senior keepers were ruled out. An admirable effort from 18-year-old Max Anchor (good keeper name) in a 2-1 loss at Charlotte, but the Caps could really benefit from overcoming the injury bug. -- Guerra

27. Sporting Kansas City

Previous ranking: 28

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN+

After that 7-2 loss to Portland two weeks back, Sporting KC had its second straight positive result in a 1-1 draw at San Jose. A makeshift lineup that saw Johnny Russell score to provide some hope for Peter Vermes' depleted side. -- Guerra

28. D.C. United

Previous ranking: 25

Next MLS match: Saturday at New York Red Bulls, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

In the first six games of 2022, D.C. earned six points. In the six games since D.C. fired coach Hernan Losada, it has taken eight points. That 1.33-points-per-game pace isn't enough to kick-start a playoff push, especially when trying to overcome a 1.0-PPG pace to start the season. -- Lindberg

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots teammates see a new and improved Mac Jones as the quarterback enters his second season with the team.

"He's in the best shape of his life," receiver Kendrick Bourne said Monday. "He looks really good. His stomach is gone.

"When you're a rookie, you just don't know it until you go through it for a year. So he's definitely a lot more in shape than he ever was, just dominating in conditioning. It's dope to see."

Jones, the 2021 first-round draft pick from Alabama who started every game in his rookie NFL season, told reporters that has been a big part of his offseason plan.

"I just cleaned up my diet," the 6-foot-3, 214-pound Jones said after Monday's practice. "I've learned more this offseason than I probably ever have about nutrition, sleep, wellness, all that stuff.

"At the same time, I need to be able to maintain my weight and be able to take hits. There's a fine balance for every player. I've definitely trimmed down on the body fat, and I'll get a chance to bulk up before the season starts and be able to absorb hits."

Jones' improved physical makeup isn't the only notable change with the Patriots' offense, as longtime coordinator Josh McDaniels has departed to become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Monday marked the first time reporters were granted access to watch the Patriots practice this offseason, and head coach Bill Belichick's involvement with the offense was notable. In the final 11-on-11 drill, Belichick was reading off a card to Jones, who then relayed information to his teammates.

Former New York Giants head coach Joe Judge is working with the quarterbacks, while former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia is with the offensive line. Both coaches also took leadership roles with the offense at times Monday.

Belichick hasn't named a coordinator or playcaller at this point.

"It's not my decision to make and we have plenty of time for all that. So right now, it's about the guys and I getting on the same page," Jones said. "It always goes back to the players, and we're excited to grow together and learn from whoever is coaching us."

Of Belichick spending more time with the offense Monday, Jones said: "Obviously he's a great defensive mind, but he also has great offensive knowledge."

Belichick's presence with the offense was also noted by Bourne, the six-year NFL veteran in his second season with the Patriots.

"He's been more present, helping us out," he said. "It's new, so he wants it to go a certain way. He's a defensive guy, so it's almost just embracing and taking advantage of the time we're going to get with him."

Last season, when Jones finished 352-of-521 for 3,801 yards, with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, he was often seen on the sideline with McDaniels, who was also the team's quarterbacks coach. The two formed an instant connection.

Jones said he's happy for McDaniels to land a head-coaching job and also "excited to open up the next chapter" with Judge.

"He's done a great job coaching us," he said. "He's seen a lot of football, been around football for a long time, whether that be as a head coach, special teams, playing the position himself [in college].

"So he has knowledge that is very beneficial to me as a quarterback, and obviously, I'm going to learn with him. That's the goal, to kind of teach each other, and take what he knows, and then take the experiences that I have, and combine them and work together as a great team."

Meanwhile, Jones is excited about the Patriots' receivers, with trade acquisition DeVante Parker joining last year's core that includes Bourne, Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor and tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith.

"I'm really happy with the group we have," Jones said. "DeVante's done a great job coming in, working in a new system. It's a good group and we just have to keep elevating each other and push each other and compete."

NEW YORK -- As a big leaguer, Joe Pignatano had a career that was more noteworthy than notable: He played in the last game at Ebbets Field, he homered off three future Hall of Famers and he hit into a triple play with his final swing in the majors.

It was out in the bullpen at Shea Stadium, where he tended relief pitchers and tomatoes for the 1969 Miracle Mets, where Pignatano's legacy really grew.

"He was fairly committed to taking care of his tomatoes," former Mets pitcher Jim McAndrew told The Associated Press.

"It was Joe's thing," he said. "A lot of love and effort and TLC."

Pignatano, who reached the majors as a catcher with his hometown Brooklyn Dodgers and became a longtime coach, died Monday at 92.

The New York Mets said Pignatano died in Naples, Florida, at a nursing home. He had been suffering from dementia.

Pignatano had been the last living coach from the 1969 Mets, who made a remarkable run under manager Gil Hodges to reach the World Series and then startled Baltimore and the baseball world for their first championship.

He remained as their bullpen coach through 1981.

"To me, he was Uncle Joe. He loved the city and loved talking about his days with the Dodgers and with Gil. He was a baseball lifer," former Mets star Lee Mazzilli said.

Pignatano made his major league debut with Brooklyn in 1957. On Sept. 24, he took over for future Hall of Famer Roy Campanella and caught the final five innings in a 2-0 win over Pittsburgh. It was the Dodgers' last home game before bolting Brooklyn for the West Coast.

In 1959, Pignatano got his biggest hit. In the second game in a best-of-three playoff against Milwaukee for the NL pennant, his two-out single in the bottom of the 12th at the Coliseum set up the winning run scored by Hodges as Los Angeles earned a World Series spot.

The Dodgers went on to win the championship, and Pignatano had a brief appearance behind the plate in the six-game win over the Chicago White Sox.

After stints with the Kansas City Athletics and San Francisco Giants, he joined the 1962 expansion Mets in midseason. The Mets were awful, setting a modern major league record for losses in going 40-120, and they wrapped up their season in inglorious fashion.

In their final game of the season, at Wrigley Field against the Cubs, they trailed 5-1 when Sammy Drake led off the eighth inning with a single and took second on a single by Richie Ashburn.

Pignatano was up next and sent a liner toward right field - "that ball was labeled base hit from the moment it left the bat" is how it was described on Mets radio.

Instead, Chicago second baseman Ken Hubbs went back and caught the ball and threw to first baseman Ernie Banks, who relayed to shortstop Andre Rodgers for a triple play.

It was Pignatano's last at-bat in the majors.

A career .234 hitter, he played 307 games and hit 16 home runs. Among the pitchers he tagged for homers were Robin Roberts, Warren Spahn and Jim Kaat, all of them Hall of Famers.

In 1965, Hodges was managing the Washington Senators when he asked Pignatano to join his coaching staff. In 1968, Pignatano went with Hodges to the Mets.

During the 1969 season, Pignatano discovered a stray tomato plant growing in the right field bullpen at Shea and kept it healthy. As the Mets continued to win, the plant became something of a good-luck charm and Pignatano's garden took root.

"It was his home away from home," McAndrew recalled Monday. "He had five or six hours a day down there with his tomatoes. He really took care of them. When we were on the road, the grounds crew helped out. They had the water."

Over the years, the ripe, red tomatoes grew and so did the stories about Pignatano's green thumb. He was always glad to talk about his garden.

But letting others enjoy his harvest? Nope, McAndrew said he never got to taste a single juicy tomato.

"He didn't share them. They were just for him," McAndrew said with a laugh. "He was going to reap the fruits of his bounty."

MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers placed right-hander Freddy Peralta on the 15-day injured list with a right lat strain Monday and put closer Josh Hader on the family medical emergency list.

Milwaukee filled their places on the roster by recalling right-handers Trevor Kelley and Miguel Sanchez from Triple-A Nashville. The moves come as the Brewers began a season-high 11-game, 10-day road trip Sunday at San Diego.

Peralta left the Brewers' 8-2 loss to the Washington Nationals on Sunday in the fourth inning with tightness in the upper area of his shoulder. Manager Craig Counsell said after Sunday's game that Peralta would go on the injured list and undergo an MRI on Monday.

"I was feeling it a little bit earlier, but that inning it got worse," Peralta said after the game. "That's why I made the decision to let them know and why I came out of the game."

Peralta, who turns 26 on June 4, is 3-2 with a 4.42 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 38⅔ innings this season. He made the All-Star team last year and went 10-5 with a 2.81 ERA and 195 strikeouts in 144⅓ innings.

Hader, 28, who is off to a spectacular start, has allowed five walks, two hits and no runs in 15 appearances. He has struck out 21 batters in 13⅔ innings. Opponents are batting .045 against him.

The three-time All-Star has converted 29 consecutive save opportunities, the longest active streak in the majors. His last blown save came July 7 against the New York Mets.

ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals placed star catcher Yadier Molina on the bereavement list Monday.

The Cardinals also announced that right-hander Alex Reyes is going to have shoulder surgery later this month.

The 27-year-old Reyes met with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Monday. He wanted a second opinion about his ailing shoulder that has kept him on the injured list all season.

The move with the veteran catcher comes one day after Molina made his first career pitching appearance, working the ninth inning of an 18-4 victory at Pittsburgh. He allowed a pair of homers and four runs while finishing the Cardinals' three-game sweep.

The 39-year-old Molina is batting .239 with two homers and eight RBIs in 26 games in what likely will be his final big league season.

Rookie catcher Ivan Herrera was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. The 21-year-old Herrera, one of the organization's top prospects, is looking to make his big league debut.

Reyes was shut down this month after he experienced renewed shoulder soreness.

Reyes has battled injuries for several years. Tommy John surgery in 2017 cost Reyes the most time on the injured list, but his shoulder also has been a consistent source of concern for the last few years.

From 2016 to 2020, Reyes pitched just 72⅔ innings. He was made a full-time reliever last year, and he posted a 2.48 ERA in 72⅓ innings.

Reyes converted his first 22 save opportunities in 2021 before soreness and wildness in the strike zone resulted in him eventually losing his closer job to Giovanny Gallegos. Reyes surrendered Chris Taylor's game-ending homer in the NL Wild Card Game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Reyes, who turns 28 in August, has a $2.85 million salary this season in the second of three arbitration-eligible years.

Also Monday, the Cardinals placed left-hander Steven Matz on the 15-day injured list because of shoulder impingement and outfielder Dylan Carlson on the 10-day injured list because of a left hamstring strain.

Matz lasted only four pitches Sunday in his start against the Pirates before being pulled with stiffness in his left shoulder. It has been an up-and-down season for Matz, a free-agent addition this offseason from the Toronto Blue Jays. He entered Sunday with a 3-3 mark and a 6.03 ERA.

Carlson, who is hitting .247 with two home runs and 11 RBIs in 39 games this season, was placed on the IL retroactive to Saturday.

The Cardinals also optioned Angel Rondon (1-0) to Triple-A Memphis on Monday. Rondon allowed just one hit in five innings in relief of Matz on Sunday for his first win in the majors, striking out four and walking three.

In addition, the Cardinals recalled left-hander Matthew Liberatore and outfielder Lars Nootbaar from Memphis. Liberatore, one of the Cardinals' top prospects, made his major league debut Saturday against the Pirates. He allowed four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 4⅔ innings during that start.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ron Hextall says he wants to find a way to have Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang stay with the club for the rest of their careers.

"In a perfect world, [Malkin] retires a Penguin," Hextall said Monday. "And I think Tanger's the same."

In a perfect world, anyway.

The NHL in the salary-cap era is hardly that.

Perhaps that's why, when Hextall was asked what was missing this season from a group that let a 3-1 lead slip away in a first-round loss to the New York Rangers, he said jokingly that "a little more cap space would be great."

He's not getting it.

The Penguins have habitually spent up to the cap limit during the hugely successful era led by Malkin, Letang and longtime captain Sidney Crosby. That "spend to win now" approach is not going to change with Fenway Sports Group now signing the checks after buying the club from Ron Burkle and Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux last fall.

The question, however, is how much money the Penguins are willing to offer a pair of 35-year-old franchise icons who are less than two months away from entering free agency for the first time.

Letang hardly appears to have lost a step. The defenseman is coming off a season in which he collected a career-high 68 points while playing a bit more responsibly in his own end. He averaged a staggering 25 minutes, 47 seconds of ice time and said last week he'd like to play at least five more seasons.

Letang also is finishing a contract that paid him $7.25 million a season. Considering his fitness level and his production, it's reasonable to think he'd command a bit of a raise on the open market, though Letang said last week his preference would be to find a way to stay in Pittsburgh.

Malkin feels likewise, but his situation is thornier. He said "good players sign good contracts" last week, and while he scored 20 goals this season despite missing nearly half of the year while recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee, he was not particularly effective in 5-on-5 situations while commanding $9.5 million. He also turns 36 in July and has missed at least 10 games because of injuries nine times in his past 10 seasons.

Hextall stressed he would not provide details on the nature of the team's talks with Malkin and Letang but hinted he's not concerned about their age.

"They're both great athletes," he said. "They both have been here a long time. They're both performing at a high level right now. We'd certainly like to have them in the mix come September."

Malkin and Letang's respective statuses are the two biggest pieces of a very unwieldy puzzle Hextall has to piece together over the summer. Forwards Evan Rodrigues, Brian Boyle, Rickard Rakell and backup goaltender Casey DeSmith are set to become free agents, while forwards Danton Heinen and the enigmatic Kasperi Kapanen are restricted free agents.

Hextall did lock down one piece of the puzzle, signing forward Bryan Rust to a six-year deal over the weekend that will keep the versatile two-time Stanley Cup winner in the fold through 2028. Rust, who had 24 goals and 34 assists this season, underwent what Hextall called a minor procedure on one of his knees recently but should be ready well ahead of training camp.

By then Hextall will have clarity on his team's immediate future. He indicates he has it on its immediate past, praising the Penguins for their resiliency during an eventful season that included extended absences by Crosby and Malkin and a COVID-19 outbreak. Pittsburgh managed to extend its playoff streak to 16 straight years, the longest active streak in major North American professional sports.

Yet the Penguins also haven't made it out of the first round since 2018. That's not the standard for a team that plays in an arena with five Stanley Cup banners hanging from the rafters.

Six months into FSG's tenure, there appears to be no hurry to make drastic changes, including in the front office. Hextall, who took over in February 2021 after Jim Rutherford's abrupt resignation, appears as if he will get a chance to guide the team through at least the early stages of the twilight of Crosby's Hall of Fame career.

"Everything is good," Hextall said. "[Fenway Sports Group is] totally committed to winning. ... We've got some things that we're looking at in terms of adding to staff and stuff. We're moving along."

Calgary Flames forward Milan Lucic insists he tried to prevent a collision with Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith in Game 3 of their second-round series on Sunday.

It was midway through the third period of that game when Smith was playing the puck behind Edmonton's net, and Lucic barreled in to send them both flying against the end boards.

Lucic was assessed a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct for the incident. Smith was forced by NHL concussion spotters to briefly leave the game and be assessed. It was 4-0 Edmonton at the time in a series that was tied 1-1.

Oilers backup Mikko Koskinen stepped in for 4:19 and didn't face a shot before Smith returned to close out a 4-1 Edmonton victory.

When Lucic addressed what happened for the first time on Monday, he denied any malicious intent towards Smith.

"I definitely wasn't trying to hit him," Lucic said. "I was braking. ... If I actually did charge, we both wouldn't be playing [in Game 4]."

That was in line with what Flames coach Darryl Sutter said after Game 3 in response to Lucic's ejection.

"They called it charging, correct?" he said. "Could you imagine if [Lucic] did charge? What would happen there? He actually tried to slow down a bit, I think. It is what it is. It's the score [being 4-0] and who it was."

Lucic will not face any supplemental discipline from the NHL for what happened, and he declined to comment further on the incident.

"I don't think I really want to get into what I was thinking," he said, "or what I was trying to do or if [Smith] sold it or if he didn't, a little bit."

In the moment, Smith said he wasn't sure what to make of the hit.

"I don't really know what happened," Smith said. "I was out playing the puck and all of a sudden I'm getting buried into the boards. When you're getting run through the end wall and not expecting it, it's not an ideal situation."

The hit itself was one thing. The bigger issue for Smith was being made to leave the game when he didn't feel it was necessary. Smith acknowledged his helmet flew off but said his head didn't hit anything.

"It's not an ideal situation to [exit] in the third period with 11 minutes left, but I get the reason for it," he said. "I think the player should have some say in that, but obviously it is what it is."

Smith will be Edmonton's projected starter again when it hosts Calgary in Game 4 on Tuesday.

So much to unpack after the PGA Championship. GolfChannel.com senior writers Ryan Lavner and Rex Hoggard were on site at Southern Hills and dissect the biggest stories of the week in this Golf Central Podcast presented by Callaway Golf.

The two go inside Justin Thomas' major rally and Mito Pereira's epic collapse. They also dive into Tiger Woods' painful, shortened stay in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and another missed opportunity for Rory McIlroy.

Listen below: 

As if Bubba Watson's Round 2 7-under 63 wasn't already impressive, the two-time Masters winner revealed that he accomplished the feat with a torn meniscus.

Watson had an inconsistent but, at times, impressive performance at the PGA Championship last weekend, ultimately finishing T-30 at the second major of the year. On Monday, Watson shared on social media that knee issues contributed to his inconsistent 72-63-73-75 scorecard.

Originally slated to play the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, this week, Watson posted saying, "I’m disappointed to have to pull out of [the Charles Schwab Challenge]. Recent knee issues turned out to be a torn meniscus, so I’ll be out for 4-6weeks. Hope to be back soon!"

The 4-6 week recovery time frame has Watson likely missing the third major of the year, the U.S. Open, which is slated for June 16-19 at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.