Which team will be this year's NBA champion?

The 2022 Finals features the league's top two defenses throughout the regular season, but the Golden State Warriors-Boston Celtics clash will focus on some of the most dangerous offensive threats in the game.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, their Splash Brothers partnership whole again after Thompson missed more than two seasons with ACL and Achilles' injuries, are making nearly eight 3-pointers per game during Golden State's run to the Finals, while Boston's dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each have a 40-plus point performance on their 2022 postseason résumé.

This series also presents a host of lineup decisions for coaches Steve Kerr and Ime Udoka. Will the Warriors go heavy on smallball, with Draymond Green at center? Who will be the primary defenders on superstars like Curry and Tatum?

Which side will prevail? Our experts are making their predictions for the Finals winner and which player will be named Finals MVP.

MORE: What to know for the Finals | Schedule and news

NBA FINALS: WARRIORS-CELTICS

Kendra Andrews: Warriors in 7 | MVP: Stephen Curry

Jerry Bembry: Celtics in 6 | MVP: Jayson Tatum

Tim Bontemps: Celtics in 6 | MVP: Tatum

Nick DePaula: Warriors in 6 | MVP: Curry

Nick Friedell: Celtics in 6 | MVP: Tatum

Kirk Goldsberry: Warriors in 7 | MVP: Curry

Israel Gutierrez: Celtics in 6 | MVP: Jaylen Brown

Baxter Holmes: Warriors in 7 | MVP: Curry

Tim Legler: Warriors in 7 | MVP: Curry

Andrew Lopez: Warriors in 6 | MVP: Curry

Tim MacMahon: Warriors in 7 | MVP: Curry

Bobby Marks: Warriors in 5 | MVP: Klay Thompson

Dave McMenamin: Warriors in 7 | MVP: Curry

Kevin Pelton: Warriors in 7 | MVP: Curry

Omar Raja: Warriors in 7 | MVP: Curry

Jorge Sedano: Warriors in 7 | MVP: Curry

Ramona Shelburne: Warriors in 7 | MVP: Thompson

André Snellings: Celtics in 7 | MVP: Tatum

Marc J. Spears: Warriors in 7 | MVP: Curry

Ohm Youngmisuk: Warriors in 6 | MVP: Curry

Finals winner: Warriors 15, Celtics 5

Finals MVP: Stephen Curry 13, Jayson Tatum 4, Klay Thompson 2, Jaylen Brown 1

Mike Rizzo says the Washington Nationals will not trade Juan Soto, insisting instead that the club intends to build around the superstar outfielder.

Rizzo, the Nationals' president of baseball operations and general manager, directly addressed Soto's long-term future in Washington during a radio interview Wednesday morning.

"We are not trading Juan Soto," Rizzo told The Sports Junkies on 106.7 The Fan. "We made it clear to his agent and to the player."

Soto, 23, is eligible to become a free agent after the 2024 season. The former National League batting champion told ESPN earlier this year that he declined a 13-year, $350 million contract offered by the Nationals before this past winter's lockout.

The Nationals have finished last in the NL East each of the past two seasons and once again find themselves in the basement of the division, entering Wednesday at 18-33, leading to widespread speculation that Soto could be traded in a megadeal to help accelerate a rebuild.

But Rizzo said Wednesday that he has told both Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, that the Nationals want to keep the All-Star outfielder as their centerpiece.

"We have every intention of building this team around Juan Soto, and we've spoken to his agent many, many times," Rizzo said. "We recently sat with him when he was in Washington, D.C., and made it clear to him that we're not interested in trading him.

"I guess the rest of the world doesn't believe it, but that's our position."

Soto is off to a slow start this season, batting .232 with nine home runs and just 16 RBIs in 51 games, but he still boasts a .379 on-base percentage thanks to his major-leagues-leading 42 walks. The left-handed slugger also led the majors in on-base percentage (.465) and walks (145) in 2021, one year after winning the NL batting crown with a .351 average in 2020.

Soto's future also could be affected by a potential ownership transition for the Nationals, who have been owned by the Lerner family since 2006. The family is exploring the possibility of selling the Nationals and hired a firm earlier this year to find potential investors to buy part or all of the franchise.

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic agreed their French Open quarter-final started too late after the four-hour match ended at 01:15 in Paris [00:15 BST].

Asked if it was too late to be playing, Nadal said: "It is without a doubt. I understand television pays a lot of money but we need to find a balance."

Djokovic added: "Broadcasters say it's going to be night match, day match. They give the money. They decide."

Spanish fifth seed Nadal, going for a record-extending 14th men's singles title at Roland Garros, won 6-2 4-6 6-2 7-6 (7-4) against Serbia's Djokovic.

Despite the late finish to Nadal's win over Djokovic and temperatures dropping to about 10C, few fans decided to leave Court Philippe-Chatrier and many of those who stayed were wrapped up in blankets.

The clay-court Grand Slam introduced night sessions for the 2021 tournament, although they were not fully open to fans because of coronavirus restrictions in France.

The night matches are shown on Amazon Prime in France and have started at 20:45 local time.

Nadal's win over Djokovic was the second-latest finish in French Open history, falling 11 minutes short of the 2020 quarter-final between the Spaniard and Italy's Jannik Sinner.

"There are difference of opinions about the night sessions," said world number one Djokovic.

"I think they are starting too late. But again, TV decides. That's the world we are living in."

Women's matches 'not as attractive' for TV audience

Former Wimbledon and Australian Open champion Amelie Mauresmo is in her first year as the tournament director of the French Open.

"As far as I'm concerned, night sessions in the stadium are definitely appropriate, because it was always full to the brim every night," she said.

"There was a real enthusiasm. People could actually work during the day and yet watch the match during the evening.

"I'm learning a lot of things regarding the scheduling of the tournament. We will actually have a feedback session on this at the end, but it's just 10 night matches overall."

The late sessions, which have separate ticket sales from the day time, have also drawn criticism for the lack of women's matches.

Only one of the 10 night sessions this year has been a women's match, when France's Alize Cornet beat Latvian 13th seed Jelena Ostapenko in three sets on Thursday.

Mauresmo said it was "more difficult" to put women's matches on late.

"In this era we are in right now - and as a woman, a former woman's player, I don't feel bad or unfair saying this - you have more attraction and appeal, in general, for the men's matches," said the former world number one.

'I am pouring everything I have to play this tournament'

Afterwards, 21-time major champion Nadal thanked the near-15,000 crowd for showing their "love".

He will play third seed Alexander Zverev, who beat Carlos Alcaraz in Tuesday's day session, in the semi-finals on Friday.

"It has been a very emotional night for me," said Nadal. "I'm still playing for nights like this."

Nadal had feared his career was over because of a chronic foot problem which restricted him to only one tournament in the final seven months of 2021.

The problem flared up again during the Italian Open and he said the crowd at Roland Garros "have been amazing since the beginning of the tournament" because they probably "know that I'm not going to be here a lot more times".

He added: "I said in Rome that I am going to have my doctor here with me. Having the doctor here, you can do things that help. It's not the moment to talk about that. We will talk about that when my tournament finishes.

"I am pouring everything that I have to try to play this tournament with the best conditions possible. Honestly, I don't know what can happen after it, but here I think I'm going to be fine.

"I have what I have in the foot. If we are not able to find an improvement or small solution to that then it's becoming super difficult for me. I am just enjoying every day that I have the chance to be here without thinking much about what can happen in the future.

"Of course, I will keep fighting to find a solution but, for the moment, we haven't."

Daria Kasatkina reached her first Grand Slam semi-final with a 6-4 7-6 (7-5) win over Veronika Kudermetova in the French Open quarter-finals.

Both players traded breaks of serve in an edgy second set but 20th seed Kasatkina overcame her nerves to win on her fifth match point with a drop shot.

Kasatkina will face either Iga Swiatek or Jessica Pegula in the last four.

"You could see the match was really nervous and tight, especially the tie-break, but I am happy at the end I won," Kasatkina, the 2014 junior champion, said in her on-court interview.

"It's a very important win for me and I'm happy to be in the semi-final for the first time."

Kasatkina, playing in her third Grand Slam quarter-final but first since 2018, has made the last four without dropping a set.

Kudermetova was in her first Grand Slam quarter-final and made 50 unforced errors as she struggled to adapt to the occasion.

The 25-year-old needed a medical timeout at 5-6 in the second set but battled hard to save four match points in the tie-break.

By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor

Egypt’s Nour El Tayeb has risen 14 places to return to the top 20 of the PSA Women’s World Rankings following her superb run to the semi finals of the CIB PSA World Championships last week in Cairo.

El Tayeb, a former World No.3, ended a 14-month spell away from the action following the birth of her daughter when she returned to the PSA World Tour at the CIB Squash Open Black Ball in December of last year, and the 29-year-old has gone from strength to strength in the intervening five months.

Making her first appearance at the World Championships since the 2019-20 edition, El Tayeb notably beat World No.8 Salma Hany and World No.3 Hania El Hammamy en route to the last four, where she eventually came unstuck against eventual winner and World No.2 Nour El Sherbini.

Her performances at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation have seen El Tayeb rise to No.14.

On the same day, her husband Ali Farag returns to the top of the men’s world rankings, dislodging New Zealand’s Paul Coll after winning the men’s World Championship in Cairo.

Runner-up Nouran Gohar holds on to the world No.1 spot for a third successive month ahead of El Sherbini and El Hammamy, as well as USA’s Amanda Sobhy at No.4 and New Zealand’s Joelle King, who completes the top five.

Sarah-Jane Perry stays at No.6, but there is a move up the rankings for Rowan Elaraby, who moves up one spot to a career-high ranking of No.7, switching places with Hany. Georgina Kennedy (No.9) and Olivia Fiechter (No.10) complete the top 10.

Belgium’s Nele Gilis remains at No.11, while Nada Abbas moves up four places to a career-high ranking of No.12. Camille Serme drops to No.13, with El Tayeb and Tinne Gilis rounding out the top 15.

Next comes Joshna Chinappa, who falls two spots to No.16, ahead of Tesni Evans, who drops two places to No.17. Farida Mohamed and Sivasangari Subramaniam record career-high rankings of No.18 and No.19, respectively, while Hollie Naughton falls three places to No.20.

Malta’s Colette Sultana is the biggest riser on the women’s tour, moving up 149 places to No.276 after reaching the last 16 of the Qscan Sandgate Open.

PSA Women’s World Rankings Top 20 – June 2022.

Picture and graphic courtesy of PSA World Tour

By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor

Egypt’s Ali Farag has overtaken New Zealand’s Paul Coll to reclaim the No.1 spot in the PSA Men’s World Rankings following the capture of his third PSA World Championship title last weekend.

Farag, 30, lost top spot to Coll in the March rankings but enjoyed a successful May which saw him first down Peru’s Diego Elias to win the prestigious J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions inside New York’s famous Grand Central Terminal.

He followed that up with a 3-2 victory over World No.3 Mohamed ElShorbagy in the CIB PSA World Championship final in Cairo to become only the seventh man to lift the sport’s biggest prize on three occasions.

Coll, who lost out to ElShorbagy in the semi-finals at the Egyptian National Museum of Civilization, drops to No.2.

ElShorbagy stays at No.3, while Mostafa Asal (4) and Diego Elias (5) round out the rest of the top five.

Tarek Momen remains at No.6 ahead of Joel Makin (7), Mazen Hesham (8), Marwan ElShorbagy (9) and Fares Dessouky, who stays at No.10.

Youssef Ibrahim moves up to a joint career-high ranking at No.11, while Karim Abdel Gawad and Gregoire Marche sit at 12 and 13, respectively. India’s Saurav Ghosal rises three spots to No.14, while Miguel Rodriguez drops a place to 15.

Nicolas Mueller (16), Youssef Soliman (17), Mohamed Abouelghar (18), Raphael Kandra (19) and Victor Crouin complete the top 20, with the latter moving up three spots to break back into the top 20 for the first time since January, 2022.

England’s Charlie Taylor is the biggest riser on the men’s tour after a last 16 finish at the NTA Squash Classic saw him move up 197 places to a career-high ranking of No.605.

PSA Men’s World Rankings Top 20 – June 2022.

Picture and graphic courtesy of PSA World Tour 

Harlequins forward Fi Fletcher has announced her retirement at the age of 30.

She joined Quins in 2016 and her total of 88 appearances is the second highest in the women's team's history.

Fletcher's versatility has seen her fill a number of roles in the second and back row as an ever-present in the team.

Harlequins finished fourth in the Premier 15s this season.

"I've seen huge progressions in women's rugby but the exciting thing is there's still huge room for growth," she told the club's website.

"I know Quins will want to be at the forefront of positive changes and I'm looking forward to supporting these from the sidelines.

"I step away content in what I've achieved and excited to have a body that feels less broken on a Sunday morning."

South Africa scrum-half Faf de Klerk will join Japanese side Yokohama Canon Eagles after leaving Sale Sharks at the end of the season.

De Klerk reinvigorated his Springboks career during his time with Sale.

He went on to win the Rugby World Cup with South Africa after beating England in the final in Japan in 2019.

"Now it is a reality and I can't wait to get stuck in with my teammates and coaches and hopefully make a big impact," he said in a statement released by the team.

"The Japanese culture is amazing and I look forward to enjoying every moment with my partner, teammates and all the rugby fans of Japan."

De Klerk joins a Yokohama side who finished sixth in Japan Rugby League One and also have Springbok Jesse Kriel in their ranks.

Fellow South Africans Pieter-Steph du Toit, Willie le Roux, Lukhanyo Am and Malcolm Marx all played in the league this season, which concluded on Sunday.

The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs are down to their final four teams, as the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning battle it out in the East, while the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers match up in the West -- and if Game 1 of that series is any indication, we're in for a wild series.

Of course, the first two rounds have been fantastic as well. Some of the game's biggest stars have shined brightest, some pending free agents have made themselves some money, and new postseason heroes have been revealed.

As the penultimate round of the tournament gets rolling, we're answering the biggest lingering questions out there -- and looking ahead to the Stanley Cup Final and the offseason beyond.

Jump to:
The top trends of 2022
"Kick or no kick" chatter
Players who have leveled up
Which free agents have impressed?
Latest coaching intel
Buzz: PIT | TOR | BOS

Why are the Lightning so good in the playoffs? Are they just destined to win three straight Cups?

If you sweep the Presidents' Trophy winner -- and do it without one of your best players (Brayden Point) -- then yeah, you're destined for something special. A huge part of the Lightning's success has stemmed from their past failures. In 2019, they were the top regular-season team that got swept out of the playoffs by the team they'd least expected (Columbus Blue Jackets). And they figured out a way to not let that happen again.

Tampa Bay is as well-constructed as it is well-coached. Production comes from everywhere, but the roster is dotted with big-time players who know how to make big-time plays in big-time games. The biggest being their goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy, who can get into a scary-stingy groove this time of year.

Now that the Lightning have won, and won again, they don't carry the burdens that teams yearning for that first Cup as a core struggle with. The Lightning have had their battles -- some of them internal. It hasn't been uncommon in Tampa for players to call out each other, or even the coaching staff. But all of that leads to a level of trust and confidence that they can get through any opponent. The Lightning's will to win is tangible. You see it when their best players sacrifice their bodies blocking shots, heading back to the bench, always finding a way to come back out to battle for each other.

Is Igor Shesterkin back to being the guy who can carry the Rangers on a nightly basis?

Short answer: Yes. Toward the end of the regular season, when I was working a Rangers-Lightning game, Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper agreed that Shesterkin was the best goalie this season. But then he pointed to a mural in the hallway of Vasilevskiy celebrating the Stanley Cup with teammates. "But until he does that," Cooper said, "my guy is the best."

Though it was an inauspicious start for Shesterkin in the postseason, the likely Vezina winner has rebounded in a big way, posting a .949 save percentage against Carolina in the past round. The Rangers often gave up too many high-quality chances in front of him, but Shesterkin steadied the ship.

One important thing to remember about Shesterkin is that despite being 26 and having a decent amount of pro and high-level experience, he was not the predominant starter on any of his KHL teams or with the Russia national team. He often has had to share the net. So perhaps the playoffs required a mental adjustment.

One thing I've appreciated about the Rangers is coach Gerard Gallant's candor. After winning the Carolina series, Gallant admitted that while he brushed aside the question of "experience" for his team in the first round against Pittsburgh, privately he actually was worried about it. That's no longer a problem.

Gallant also admitted that he pulled Shesterkin in two straight games against the Penguins because he wanted to keep him confident and preserve him mentally. That decision has paid off, as Shesterkin looks as confident and competent as ever entering what should be a thrilling showdown with Vasilevskiy.

Any on-ice trends you've seen in this postseason?

Though we've seen a handful of standout goaltending performances, this postseason feels all about the offense. And you're about to see a lot more of it in the Western Conference finals between the Colorado Avalanche and the Edmonton Oilers -- Game 1 was obviously on trend there.

The Battle of Alberta definitely helped skew the numbers. It had been 34 years since there was a series with 45 goals scored that lasted only five games.

Another trend is that no team is out of it until it's really out of it, which seems to be the Rangers' mantra, as they've gone 5-0 in elimination games this spring. Nearly 40% of games played so far (28 of 73) have featured a team coming back from a deficit to win.

What about the officiating?

Everyone is going to find complaints about officiating. It's the NHL. It's the playoffs. One thing that's been apparent: The refs haven't been putting the whistle away. That's been a trend recently. In eight of the past 10 seasons, there have been more power-play opportunities per game in the playoffs than in the regular season. We're seeing plenty of penalties called, and in big games. Consider there were four penalties called (two for each team) in Game 7 between the Hurricanes and Rangers on Monday ... just in the first period.

One thing that hasn't been over-disciplined: high hits that aren't directly targeting the head. The most frequent hitter in these situations has been Jacob Trouba. The Rangers defenseman levied hits against Sidney Crosby, which sidelined the Penguins captain for Game 6 of the first round, and Seth Jarvis, which knocked the Canes rookie out of Game 7 in the second round.

Both Crosby and Jarvis sustained upper-body injuries, and sources tell ESPN both players entered concussion protocol. One trend picked up by ScoutingtheRefs, a website that tracks officials, is that Wes McCauley was the referee for both of those games, as well as for Trouba's big hit on Max Domi in Game 4. McCauley, considered one of the best referees in the NHL, did not call penalties on any of those plays. It's also worth noting that Trouba did not receive supplemental discipline for the hits.

Any other hot topics?

Well, there's the "kick or no kick" controversy in the deciding game of the Battle of Alberta. In the days following Blake Coleman's disallowed goal, that's all anyone wanted to talk about -- or, really, opine about -- at the rink.

Most players and coaches I talked to believe the goal should have counted, especially since Coleman never lifted his skate off the ice in a "distinct kicking motion." I have heard a few people who thought it was the right call (and yes, people outside of Edmonton). That just shows how subjective it was, and perhaps something we need to revisit this offseason. It really reminds me of the "catch or no catch" conundrum from my time as an NFL beat writer. And for the record, the ultimate call on the goal was made by the NHL's centralized situation room, not the on-ice officials.

One thing multiple coaches have commented to our broadcasting crew about is goaltender interference. They don't like the way the rules are set, where the onus falls on the coaching staff to call a challenge, especially on something that is as subjective as goaltender interference. Most coaches don't mind being penalized for calling a challenge for offsides that is unsuccessful. That's clear-cut. But to go on a penalty kill because of a difference of opinion on what is a murky topic anyway? That seems wrong.

How do you describe what we've seen from Connor McDavid so far?

Brilliance. Dominance. Unreal.

McDavid is the purest talent in the game today, full stop. The greatest players all do something that nobody else can replicate. It's their signature aspect of dominance. McDavid's is making top skill plays at top speeds. We've never seen anything like it.

And of course, the production has followed. I sometimes feel bad for Leon Draisaitl, who dazzles in McDavid's shadow. They truly are one of the best duos in league history. Draisaitl and McDavid combined for 52 points through the first two playoff rounds. What they're both doing is historic. They became the fifth and sixth players in league history to record at least 26 points in 12 playoff games, following Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier and Rick Middleton.

Aside from McDavid, who are some other players who have "wowed" you?

When Seth Jarvis arrived at Hurricanes training camp this season, the team didn't expect him to compete for a roster spot. But the then-teenager was so impressive, the team faced a conundrum. He was too good for juniors, where he would dominate the competition and therefore not gain much from a development perspective. But he also wasn't AHL-eligible. So he started in the NHL, and has proved, especially in these playoffs, that he belongs. He's fearless, plays an aggressive game that suits the Canes' style and also has a scoring touch. He leads all rookies with three goals and eight points; no other rookie has more than one goal this postseason.

In terms of goalies, the Stars' Jake Oettinger was the first-round star (more on him in a bit). Meanwhile Jordan Binnington of the Blues wrote another chapter in his incredible story of resilience and triumph. Binnington's career has been a roller coaster to this point, which uniquely prepared him to step in midway through the first round and close out the series against the Wild. He played extremely well until he was knocked out of the Colorado series with a knee injury. Binnington has confidence in himself, no matter the circumstance. When I sat down with him a few weeks before the playoffs, I asked if he ever feared losing his starting job. "No, never," he said without hesitation, even though, at the time, he had lost his starting job to Ville Husso.

Looking at the teams still alive, there were times in the first round against Pittsburgh, and early in the Carolina series, when people began questioning the Rangers' Mika Zibanejad, who at times seemed a bit too quiet. Each time, Zibanejad answered those questions, playing an assured game while also scoring in the clutch. But the player who has stood out most to me on the Rangers, especially watching him at ice level, is Ryan Lindgren. He's clearly battling through a lower-body injury -- and seems to be having issues most nights, often having to leave the bench -- but is ultracompetitive every shift. You can literally see the determination on his face.

The Lightning were aggressive at the trade deadline, and that seems to have paid off big-time. Nick Paul, especially, fits the Tampa Bay mold so well. Corey Perry, at age 37, is still the guy to score those greasy goals when the Lightning need him.

And Nathan MacKinnon -- I can't help but think of the Colorado forward's dejection during his elimination news conference last year, when he lamented that he would be entering his ninth year in the league and "hasn't won s---." MacKinnon has channeled that frustration into a gutsy, highly productive postseason so far. And teammate Cale Makar seems to dazzle every night too. So many times we've seen Makar do something so hard and make it look so easy.

Which pending free agents have made themselves some money this postseason?

Oettinger became a household name in one night. That's what a 64-save Game 7 performance will do for you. The Stars have been trying to find their goaltending solution over the past several offseasons and they began this season with three NHL goalies, which meant they really had zero. This summer they won't face that question. They can pay the 23-year-old Oettinger, who is coming off a three-year deal that paid him less than $1 million annually, and feel confident he's the long-term answer in net.

Dallas has transitioned quickly to a new core, consisting of Oettinger, Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen and Roope Hintz. If the Stars can figure out how to shed some of their bloated veteran contracts, they should be competitive for the foreseeable future.

Evander Kane is going to have an interesting free agency. Given all of his baggage this season, Kane easily could have been looking at another one-year, prove-it deal for the veterans minimum. But we know the NHL is a performance-based league. The fact that Kane has 12 goals in 11 games so far for the Oilers in the playoffs, and hasn't been a distraction off the ice, likely means there will be a general manager willing to pay him closer to the level dictated by his play this summer, and should get him an extra year or two of assurance tacked onto the contract.

No team hit on its pre-trade deadline moves quite like the Rangers. Andrew Copp, Tyler Motte, Frank Vatrano and Justin Braun have all been so important to New York, that coach Gerard Gallant told me, "I'm not sure how we won in our first 50 games without them." Out of the group, I think Copp earns the biggest contract this summer, and has a good chance to stay in New York.

What are your picks for the two conference finals?

The Avalanche-Oilers series is going to be a doozy offensively, and we know it has the star juice. MacKinnon and McDavid will steal the headlines, but it's going to come down to the supporting cast for both teams. The Avs, I believe, are deeper. And while both teams have journeyman goaltenders leading the way, I trust Darcy Kuemper more than Mike Smith at this point.

The Lightning and Rangers have plenty of history, especially with so many players over the years swapping New York for Tampa Bay. The Rangers have a very important former Lightning player on their roster: glue guy Barclay Goodrow, who made a miraculous recovery from a broken bone in his foot or ankle to be available in Game 6 of the second round. The Rangers' kids have shown up, but the Lightning's experience will win out.

And what about the Stanley Cup Final?

It's never wise to take a premature victory lap, but alas, here we go. Ahead of the season I picked Colorado over Tampa Bay in the Final, and I'm thinking my prediction still looks quite sound.

The trend we've seen with recent Cup winners is that they have been great regular-season teams for a while, but had to go through some playoff heartbreak before getting over the hump. That was Washington. That was St. Louis. That was Tampa Bay before the Lightning won back-to-back titles. While I'm not counting out the Lightning to win a third straight -- which would qualify as a dynastic run, especially in the salary cap era, and especially since two of the seasons were impacted by the pandemic, making it arguably even harder given the uncertainty and adversity -- it feels like Colorado's time.

After consecutive second-round exits, the Avalanche have learned their playoff lessons. They're due. MacKinnon and Makar are going to will them there.

What's going on with the coaching market?

Every year, there's a particular name that all teams go gaga over. This year, it's Barry Trotz, who surprisingly was let go by the Islanders. For the record, I am told there's nothing nefarious to the Trotz-Lou Lamoriello divorce. It was just a clash of philosophies ... and egos.

Trotz would be the top name on most teams' lists, and you'll see his name floated for interviews and as a candidate for several vacancies. However, several people in the league have suggested to me they wouldn't be surprised if there's a side deal already in place for Trotz to coach in Vegas. That's just the way the Golden Knights do business.

I think that would be a smart move by the Golden Knights, who need some serious repair work in their locker room morale. A big issue at the end of last season was a distrust between Robin Lehner and the coaching staff, and I know Lehner didn't feel comfortable with the way he was treated. The Golden Knights have made a huge investment in Lehner, who's making $5 million per year through the 2024-25 season. Lehner had one of his best seasons when Trotz coached him in Long Island. Trotz is the type of coach who can empower and bring out the best in his players, a lot of it via empathy.

Most teams are waiting for the dominoes to fall on Trotz, but it's early in the coaching cycle. Typically first interviews and meetings get done at the scouting combine in Buffalo, which is going on right now.

Two coaches who everyone believes will be behind a bench next season: Rick Tocchet and John Tortorella. For Tortorella especially, the fit needs to make sense, as I believe his preference is to stay on the East Coast. Tocchet was close to taking over Dallas midseason when management considered a change from Rick Bowness. I was told Tocchet and the Stars were in advanced talks but could not agree on contract terms.

Any other names to keep an eye on?

Quite a few. Now that the Blues are eliminated, I wouldn't be surprised if assistant coach Jim Montgomery gets a few calls. Montgomery, whose time in Dallas ended because of "unprofessional conduct," has gone to rehab and is in a much different place than he was 2½ years ago. I'm not sure if he'll get a head-coaching job this round, but I do think there will be interest.

Calgary's elimination also opens the door for Kirk Mueller to get some looks. Mike Vellucci, a well-respected assistant in Pittsburgh, has already proved he can win as a head coach in the OHL and is starting to generate buzz. An up-and-coming name that's been out there for a while is Spencer Carbery, who spent last year as an assistant in Toronto. And I wouldn't discount this being the summer that general managers and owners are more willing to look outside the box, and bring in women or minority candidates who wouldn't previously have been considered. Call it the Jim Rutherford effect.

Has Todd Woodcroft or Andrew Brunette earned a permanent head-coaching gig?

Taking Connor McDavid to his first conference finals in seven years? That alone earns Woodcroft a new contract. I believe Woodcroft might have already sealed the job before that with how he restructured the Oilers' defense -- to actually have structure -- and maximized the talent around McDavid and Draisaitl. The fact the Oilers have done it all with subpar goaltending, which is usually a dagger for coaches, proves Woodcroft is the right person for Edmonton.

As for Brunette? I'd like to see him get the permanent head-coaching job in Florida. No doubt a second-round exit for a Presidents' Trophy-winning team is disappointing -- especially when Florida's offense, the most prolific since the 1990s Penguins, inexplicably dried up at the wrong time. But Brunette took over under challenging circumstances -- the sudden departure of future Hall of Famer Joel Quenneville, while the team was off to a 7-0 start -- and managed to maintain the trajectory and elevate the team to new heights.

I got the sense players respected Brunette and responded well to his coaching style. That said, I don't know if anyone -- Brunette included -- knows how this is going to play out. Perhaps ownership looks to take a big swing for an experienced coach, or even petitions the league to allow Quenneville to return. This past season was the time for Florida to go all-in, with extensions to Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe about to kick in. So this summer will be one for big decisions, all around.

Let's talk about some of the teams that have been eliminated. What's going to happen with the Penguins this summer?

To me, the Penguins are the biggest story simmering in the NHL right now. Pittsburgh had been trying all spring to fend off the storyline of this being its core's "last dance." But the truth is, I believe it was.

Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin hit free agency on July 13, and initial talks between both players' camps and Penguins management have felt fractured. They are not aligned on money, nor term, and there's a decent chance both players walk away this summer. There's going to be a ripple effect for Sidney Crosby, who is under contract for three more years. According to sources, Crosby isn't pleased if his friends are being disrespected, and who knows how that could affect the end of his tenure in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins did make an important move, re-signing Bryan Rust on very amenable terms for both sides: six years, with an average annual value of $5.125 million. Rust could have received a higher cap hit on the open market, but he clearly wanted to stay in Pittsburgh, and the Penguins are happy to keep around a hardworking player who overachieved on his previous contract. Rust has been a great linemate for Crosby and Jake Guentzel.

With the potential cap savings from Letang and Malkin, the Penguins might be able to retool on the fly. Mike Sullivan is one of the best coaches in the game, and has perfected a next-man-up mentality with that group (which, I should mention, has weathered unrelenting injury woes over the past few seasons). But the Penguins will look different next season.

And the Leafs?

There was some surprise in the hockey world that the Leafs opted for leadership stability after yet another first-round playoff loss. They are now 0-9 in elimination games over the past five years and haven't won a playoff series since 2004. However there's no shame in the way they lost this year, in Game 7 of a hard-fought series with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. And that is why it was announced both GM Kyle Dubas and coach Sheldon Keefe are returning. But make no mistake, there is little room for error next season.

So what happens between now and then? Change has to happen. A third of the team is on expiring contracts. Jason Spezza, a beloved veteran who made an indelible impact in the locker room, announced his retirement and will join the front office in an advisory role. Ilya Mikheyev, who scored 21 goals in 53 games, probably priced his way out of Toronto. The Leafs have already inked Mark Giordano to an affordable extension, but the most important UFA is Jack Campbell. The Leafs need to decide if they want to keep the 27-year-old goaltender, but the bigger question is, for how much?

Ideally the Leafs want to fill some roster holes with young players within the organization, which is helpful salarywise and smart for long-term development. That also could clear the way to bring in free agents, but since the team is up against the salary cap, there's still maneuvering to be done. Does Toronto explore a trade market for William Nylander? Do the Leafs clear $3.5 million by parting with the uber-versatile Alexander Kerfoot? Can they find any solution for their Petr Mrazek conundrum?

Nobody is quite sure what Toronto will do, but the team can't run it back with the exact same roster, that's for sure.

What about the Bruins?

Boston had one of the more perplexing season-end availabilities that I've watched this year. It's hard to fault the Bruins on their first-round, seven-game exit to the Canes. Boston played hard, but Carolina was just a little better in the end. Cam Neely seemed to suggest Bruce Cassidy's job status wasn't certain, which shocked a lot of people in hockey, who view Cassidy as one of the best coaches in the game.

"I think we have to look at making some changes as far as how we play and the way we do some of the things," Neely said at his season-end session with reporters. "I think Bruce is a fantastic coach. He's brought a lot of success to this organization. I like him as a coach. We'll see where it goes. But I do think we need to make some changes."

Some of those changes will be dictated by necessity. Captain Patrice Bergeron has yet to decide his future and very well could retire. If Bergeron retires -- and even if he doesn't -- the Bruins need to address center depth organizationally. Boston has sacrificed draft picks for short-term success recently, as the Bruins don't have a first-rounder in 2022 or a second-rounder in 2023 or 2024.

Brad Marchand underwent surgeries to both hips that will sideline him for the first two months of the regular season. Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk underwent shoulder surgery that could also keep him out for the start of 2022-23. While I was told the Bruins had a very positive exit meeting with Jake DeBrusk, the winger is still going to take some time to decide whether he wants to stay in Boston or maintain his request to be traded.

The Bruins have been retooling on the fly, with slow departures of their Cup-winning core (Zdeno Chara, David Krejci, Torey Krug, Tuukka Rask), but even more changes appear on the horizon.

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – Nelly Korda took several large gulps from her bottle of water, drew a deep breath, and then placed both her hands atop the podium as if to ask, “OK, what have you got for me?”

Tuesday, Korda answered questions from the media for the first time since undergoing surgery to have a blood clot removed from her right arm. She’s set to make her competitive return at the U.S. Women’s Open, her first LPGA Tour start since February.

“I'm honestly just grateful to be out here. I'm going to take it one step at a time. I'm not expecting too much,” Korda said.

The 23-year-old seemed nervous at first as she began detailing what happened when she was diagnosed with the blood clot in March. She said she was simply “feeling funny” and that her arm didn’t feel right. After speaking with her family doctor, she went to an emergency room. In April, she underwent surgery near her home in Sarasota, Florida, and then traveled to Carlsbad, California, for rehabilitation.

“I've been kind of struggling with my shoulder a little here and there for actually the past year, so I was saying, kill two birds with one stone,” Korda said about her rehab. “I kind of just made sure that I was ready and 100% going into my comeback, and I didn't really want to rush it or anything.”

Korda was wearing a compression sleeve on her right arm, which she says she will continue to do as long as she feels it's necessary.

The U.S. Women’s Open wasn’t a particular target for Korda’s return, but once she felt up to speed and got the OK from her doctor to compete, the major championship became her point of return. This major is also just two weeks prior to Korda’s title defense at the Meijer LPGA Classic, which is followed by her title defense at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. But Korda says those aren’t on her radar just yet.

“To tee up and to hit my first shot on Thursday. That is as far as I'm looking right now,” she said.

The specific dates and details surrounding Korda’s ordeal over the last few months weren’t something she wanted to dive into, and the cause of the clot was something she wanted to keep private. What she did share made her emotional as she opened about her time away from the tour.

“I think when it's kind of taken away from you, you kind of sit back and you realize how amazing of a sport it is and then how you can travel the world and how you can just do what you love,” Korda said. “I definitely missed it.”