After years of talking about it, Manchester United have finally done it. A director of football is finally in place at Old Trafford.

Whether it's director of football or football director is irrelevant; Ed Woodward doesn't much care what you call it. The point is that John Murtough, formerly of Fulham and Everton and a United employee for the past seven years, has got the nod.

According to the press release issued on Wednesday, Murtough, 47, "will have overall leadership and responsibility for operations and strategy across all football functions." In other words, he's in charge of the football -- everything from recruiting players for the first team to making sure the academy and the women's team are working as they should.

It's a big job, perhaps one of the biggest in world football given that he's partly responsible, alongside manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and executive vice-chairman Woodward, for returning United to the top of English and European football. It has been eight years since they won the Premier League title, and 13 since they lifted the Champions League trophy.

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Privately, the club have been keen to stress that Murtough has not just been thrown in at the deep end. He played a key role in revitalising a youth setup that was struggling when he arrived in 2014, and when United decided to launch a women's team from scratch in March 2018, they asked Murtough to sort it out. He was the one who met with the FA to put forward the case, and helped put together an entire squad at six months' notice.

The obvious question for fans is this: How does Murtough's promotion from head of football development to football director change the way the club buy and sell players? The simple answer is not a great deal. Murtough is not a self-styled transfer guru, but behind the scenes United have been clear that is not what they need anyway.

He was already heavily involved in the recruitment process and has been central to the changes that took place following the departure of Louis van Gaal as manager when it was agreed that, after a series of expensive mistakes, their way of doing transfer business was not fit for purpose.

Murtough was key in the appointment of Steve Brown as head of recruitment operations and was already attending recruitment meetings. He was, and still will, report to Woodward. It is a reflection of his new standing that alongside Solskjaer he is one of only two individuals on the football side reporting directly to Woodward.

Jose Mourinho point-blank refused to allow United to appoint a director of football during his time as manager, but once he had gone Woodward made it clear to Solskjaer, initially appointed as caretaker boss in December 2018, that it was something the club wanted to put in place.

It has taken nearly three years, but the noises from both the boardroom and the training ground are that Murtough is a good fit. Where an outside appointment may have come in looking to battle for influence, Solskjaer and Murtough know each other well. They were already in regular contact, but will now speak every day. Crucially, Solskjaer's title is still "manager" rather than "first-team coach" and he will retain his veto when it comes to buying players.

Speak to Murtough and the first thing that is apparent is his depth of knowledge on all things United. Ahead of a youth cup tie last season, he stood in the Old Trafford directors' box telling other members of staff about midfielder Charlie McCann, including everything from his style of play to how United were able to sign him from Coventry City. His journeys through the corridors at Old Trafford on matchday can take hours, simply because he knows everyone well enough to stop and say hello.

Having a deep understanding of almost every player regardless of their age or gender comes in handy when it's down to you to decide whether a youngster like Shola Shoretire is ready for a place in the first-team squad, or whether a new player should be signed for the same position to give him more time to develop. The hope is that Murtough, along with new technical director Darren Fletcher, will be able to join those dots. Fletcher has been brought in specifically to lend Murtough technical support having been a player at the highest level.

Cut through all the corporate jargon that always accompanies appointments like these and put simply, after seven years of quietly fixing problems in the background, Murtough is now on United's front line.

When they wanted to sign Romelu Lukaku in 2017, it was Woodward who made the initial call to Everton. If that scenario is replayed this summer, it is Murtough who would pick up the phone.

United believe the appointments of Murtough and Fletcher are more about fine-tuning what they already do rather than a full-scale shakeup. Ultimately, though, the aim of the game is still the same as it was this time last week: win trophies. Help United do that and the long-awaited director of football will have been worth waiting for.

Big Picture

The third instalment of one of white-ball cricket's most compelling rivalries resumes on Tuesday. England, laggards in T20Is for long despite having a World Cup crown, have torn down templates and laid down the marker in the Eoin Morgan era. India, winners of the inaugural edition, have only now realised the need to go back to the very formula that brought them success in South Africa all those years ago: youngsters.

While this isn't to say there is no place for experienced players, the presence of fresher legs, dynamic players coming in with rich IPL experience and without the fear of failure seems to have given this side a new perspective, a refreshing change from the recent past. It is something England, who many including Virat Kohli believe are favourites for the T20 World Cup in October-November, simply can't look past.

The story of England's tour, beyond their Chennai heroics, has been one of disappointment. Their rest and rotation policy has come in for sharp focus from the outside, even if they may be clear of their priorities from within. All said and done, they have a settled squad, and a combination that can tear down any opponent on a day.

Jos Buttler. Jason Roy. Dawid Malan. Morgan. Ben Stokes. Moeen Ali. Jonny Bairstow. These are all blockbuster cricketers, who will all be up against each other on this very ground in a month's time. For now though, there is a series at stake, the first step for which they can take on Tuesday should they win. So far, both games have been won by the side batting second. While there hasn't been heavy dew, conditions have slightly eased out for the side chasing, which makes the toss vital. Will it be three in three then for the chasing side?

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
India WLLWW
England LWWWW

In the spotlight

Virat Kohli was emphatic when he said KL Rahul is one of India's first-choice openers in T20Is. Now with two failures behind him and a resting Rohit Sharma ready to come in, Rahul needs a score, even if there may not be an imminent threat to his place. However, it is undeniable that the competition at the top of the order is stifling, with Ishan Kishan becoming the latest entrant into the roulette. Rahul has been in two bubbles across the last five months. He didn't play the Australia Tests; wasn't chosen for the England Tests either. Would it have made better sense for the management to have rested him or even just allowed him some match-time for Karnataka at the Vijay Hazare Trophy? Answers we may not have for now, but either way, he'll need to find form quickly.

Moeen Ali had an excellent second Test before flying home to elicit the rest-rotation debate. He's now back after two weeks at home, but couldn't get a look in for the first two matches. Ali is no stranger to Indian conditions, having toured here twice earlier apart from having had a full IPL season with the Royal Challengers Bangalore. With the surface likely to offer more turn and India potentially having two left-hand batsmen - Kishan and Rishabh Pant - in the top five, Morgan could be tempted to bank on Ali's offspin in addition to the batting depth he offers.

Team news

Kohli said at the toss of the series opener that Rohit Sharma was rested for the first two games, so he might slot in on Tuesday, for Rahul.

India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma/KL Rahul, 2 Ishan Kishan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Shreyas Iyer, 6 Suryakumar Yadav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Shardul Thakur, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Mark Wood missed the second T20I with a bruised heel, but Morgan said the injury was "not a big worry". "Hopefully he'll be available for the game in two days' time, but if not, the fourth match," Morgan said on Sunday hoping for Wood's return. Given the surface - and red soil instead of black soil - Morgan expects spin to play a big part, which could pave way for Ali's inclusion at the expense of Tom Curran. If Wood is fit, they may have to leave out Chris Jordan as well.

England (probable): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark Wood/Chris Jordan

Pitch and conditions

The match will be played on a red-soil deck. While it may not be crumbly, there will definitely be more turn on offer. This is something Morgan alluded to while speaking of the changes they may be forced to make for Tuesday's fixture.

Stats and trivia

• Kohli's unbeaten 73 on Saturday was his 26th T20I fifty, the most in T20I history. Vice-captain Rohit Sharma is next best with 22, while Ireland's Paul Stirling and Australia's David Warner are joint-third with 18 half-centuries.
• Ben Stokes has struggled for batting rhythm so far. Since 2018, his death overs strike rate is pegged at 140, having been dismissed ten times. This is in sharp contrast to his death overs numbers when he has opened: 52 runs off 23 balls at a strike rate of 226. This isn't to suggest he should open, but it just proves perhaps batting higher up gives him the best chance of exploding at the death. For a minimum of 100 balls faced, Morgan has the best strike rate: 227.64 at the death. That's 494 runs in 217 balls with 14 dismissals.
• England have successfully defended a score of 180 or less only once since the T20 World Cup in 2016.

Quotes

"I had to shift the focus back to the basics of the game. Probably thinking of too many variables from the outside. The management spoke to me about things. Anushka [Sharma, his wife] is here so she also keeps speaking to me about things. I had a special chat with AB de Villiers before the game. He told me to just watch the ball. That's exactly what I did."
Virat Kohli after hitting a match-winning half-century in the second T20I

"The next game is on the red soil that looks like Ayers Rock, so it's probably going to turn. These are the challenges that we want to play against. Regardless of how we do in the series we want to learn as much as we can and get that experience under our belt for the World Cup."
Eoin Morgan is under no illusion on what England will come up against on Tuesday

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch teased it late Saturday night, but it didn't become official until Sunday: The Niners are keeping fullback Kyle Juszczyk in the fold.

With the goal to re-sign Juszczyk before the early negotiating window opens Monday, the Niners and their versatile fullback agreed to a five-year, $27 million deal that includes $10 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday evening.

Joe Linta, Juszczyk's agent, confirmed via Twitter that a five-year deal had been reached.

The agreement with Juszczyk comes less than 24 hours after Lynch sent a cryptic tweet Sunday night that said, "I'm thirsty. Niners fans, you want some 'Juice?'" Lynch's tweet was a clear reference to Juszczyk, who goes by the nickname "Juice" and has become a fan favorite in the Bay Area and in the Niners' locker room.

"He is, in my opinion, one of one," tight end George Kittle said at the end of the season. "I don't know that anyone does the things that he does on the football field. I also think he's incredibly underappreciated. But people that watch football, the people that understand football, they get how important Juice is."

Juszczyk also confirmed the five-year deal, thanking the organization on social media Sunday night.

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San Francisco has more than 20 players set to become unrestricted free agents and has prioritized about a half-dozen of them going into the new league year. Keeping Juszczyk allows the 49ers to continue working toward deals with their other top priorities, including left tackle Trent Williams and cornerbacks K'Waun Williams and Jason Verrett.

The 49ers initially signed Juszczyk to a four-year, $21 million deal in 2017, a contract that easily surpassed any previous deal for a fullback. In four seasons since, Juszczyk's 102 receptions for 1,080 yards and seven touchdowns dwarf the 43 catches, 399 yards and four scores of the next-closest fullback in each of those categories.

Juszczyk's versatility has become a focal point of Shanahan's offense, which emphasizes making things look similar in terms of personnel and alignment but adding wrinkles that throw off the defense. Juszczyk had embodied that by lining up in the slot (9.3% of his snaps), outside receiver (7.2%), inline tight end (11.5%) and in the backfield (72%).

Coach Kyle Shanahan's offense has deployed a fullback more than any team in the league since acquiring Juszczyk and has had far more success with him on the field.

With two running backs on the field, the 49ers have averaged 5.99 yards per play (second in the NFL), 4.49 yards per rush (fifth) and 8.65 yards per pass (third). With one or no running backs on the field, those numbers drop to 5.45 (20th), 4.26 (23rd) and 6.48 (19th).

Undefeated Gonzaga is the clear-cut favorite to win the NCAA tournament, but sportsbooks are more concerned about another No. 1 seed: Michigan.

Gonzaga is 2-1 to win the tournament at Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill, followed by Baylor at 5-1 and Illinois and Michigan, who are each 6-1.

In early December, the Wolverines were as high as 125-1 to win the national championship at William Hill, but they won their first 11 games and quickly garnered attention from bettors.

Multiple sportsbooks pointed to Michigan as their biggest liability in their odds to win the tournament, including William Hill, which reported taking a pair of $30,000 bets on the Wolverines to win it all in February from a customer in Illinois.

"We've got a huge liability on Michigan," Nick Bogdanovich, William Hill U.S. director of trading, said in a company release. "Michigan would be the worst result for us out of any team."

Gonzaga enters the tournament at 26-0 and is looking to become the first team to complete an undefeated season since the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers. The Zags have attracted 20% of the money wagered on William Hill's odds to win the NCAA tournament, by far the most of any team.

Michigan has drawn the second-most money at William Hill sportsbooks, followed by Baylor and Illinois.

There's also some bookmaker paranoia about upstart Georgetown, which saw its odds to win the national championship improve dramatically after winning the Big East tournament over the weekend. Georgetown went from 2,500-1 to 200-1 at William Hill last week.

"People were jumping on their big odds as they progressed in the Big East tournament," Adam Pullen, assistant director of trading for William Hill, told ESPN. "Georgetown is certainly playing well at the right time, so their odds were very attractive, and that liability quickly adds up."

Creighton, which lost to Georgetown 73-48 in Saturday's Big East tournament championship game, had attracted the largest reported national championship bet at sportsbook PointsBet, a $10,000 wager on the Bluejays at 20-1 odds.

At some point later in the year, the people of Limerick will elect a new mayor. Paul O'Connell has better things to be doing, but if the proud son of Young Munster put his name on the ballot then he'd do the same kind of demolition job on his rivals as his lineout forwards did on the head-wrecked Scots on Sunday.

We can analyse the stratospheric crisis that befell the Scots, we can examine in microscopic detail the throwing of George Turner, the lifting of Rory Sutherland and WP Nel, the footwork and timing and movement of the jumpers and the defensive work of the Irish in reply, but there's one thing we can't analyse because we couldn't see it.

It was the psychology of the set-piece and the work O'Connell, their guru of their lineout, did in helping his pack get into the minds of their opposite numbers. In the mind's eye, you can see him burning the midnight oil, finding weaknesses to exploit.

Ireland picked off balls in the air for sure, but every time Turner was standing on that touchline, he looked haunted as James Ryan and Iain Henderson and Tadhg Beirne looked back at him. Mentally, Ireland inflicted a terrible beating on Scotland in that area and it was O'Connell who would have orchestrated it.

Without lineout ball, rugby is almost impossible. It's hard to remember a greater deconstruction in the Six Nations. Maybe one exists back in time, but this was mortifying.

The fact that Scotland managed to get level at 24-24 with six minutes left to play was a little miracle. They had Stuart Hogg playing fly-half at that point and Scott Steele, the replacement scrum-half, at flanker because Gregor Townsend had run out of forwards.

With a 14-point lead, Ireland had stopped playing. They invited the Scots on to them and the Scots took advantage. The momentum was heading one way only.

It looked like being one of those games that defied logic. Scotland looked like a trivia question in waiting - which team won a Six Nations match despite losing 78% of their own lineout ball.

Only this was a game that they never had any semblance of control of. They were like a rodeo cowboy on a bucking bronco - hanging on in hope.

Those feelings of optimism towards the end - if they ever existed at all - were snuffed out pretty quickly. Ireland had one last shot at victory and it fell to Johnny Sexton. There's nobody else on earth they would have wanted it to fall to.

Sexton roars in Russell battle

Sexton versus Finn Russell was one of the sub plots to the day. Just before the hour, Russell had a chance to apply pressure on Ireland with a penalty to touch. He kicked it dead.

That act was pretty typical of his performance. Warren Gatland, the Lions coach, was at Murrayfield and all the doubts he has about Russell's ability to manage tough games were confirmed.

Where Russell missed touch, Sexton landed the pressure kick. He stepped up with time running out and with his team in something of a meltdown and smacked over the winning penalty.

That's leadership, that's nerve, that's something that, you fancy, puts Sexton a mile and half ahead of Russell when it comes to Gatland's Test 10 against the Springboks. Russell's place in the squad, not to mind the Test team, is no certainty.

Ireland deserved their win, their 18th in 22 matches against Scotland in the Six Nations. They started with an intensity and had scored inside eight minutes. A lineout steal was the thing that gave the visitors their momentum.

Only a sensational turnover by Hamish Watson near his own posts stopped Ireland scoring again. That would have brought it to 15-3 after less than a quarter of the match. Scotland were being resoundingly thumped.

They had another lineout ball stolen in the 19th minute, another went in the 24th, another in the 31st. That one was the catalyst for a Sexton penalty, which he boomed over.

Eight points gifted to Ireland because of a malfunctioning lineout on the back of all those points Wales helped themselves to a month ago on the back of terrible Scottish discipline. One step forward, two steps back.

The fact that Scotland only trailed 14-10 at the break was fortuitous. They'd no lineout, no ball, no game. They had 39% possession and 34% territory. They'd been turned over 11 times already.

When Beirne scored and Sexton made it 21-10 with a try and a conversion, it looked like a hammering was on the cards. A sixth home lineout went south soon after. Sexton's boot stretched the lead to 14 points.

A kick expected through bitter experience arrived

The hopes of Scotland's Lions were being torched minute by minute and with it came the grim thought that the win over England was not a bright new dawn but a one-off victory over a team that was lamentably undercooked and incapable of putting Scotland under the kind of pressure that too often sees them fold.

Then, of course, the comeback. How typically Scottish. How outrageously predictable.

Huw Jones finished brilliantly, the beleaguered Russell departed with a head knock and Hogg moved up to 10. Steele, roughly the size of the leg of a chair, became a flanker and Dave Cherry finally replaced Turner. Watson, a colossus who deserves better than the yo-yo existence of this team and certainly warrants the status of a Lion, scored, Hogg converted and suddenly it was 24-24.

Years of bitter experience told you that there was a kick to the gut coming and years of bitter experience told you that it was Sexton who was going to provide it. He saved his team from themselves, saved them from that awful spell when they lost their way, fell off tackles and put the victory in jeopardy.

That swing of Sexton's boot restored order and justice. Ireland were the better team. This wasn't in the same parish as Saturday's classic at Twickenham between England and France, but there was a fascination to it all the same.

Ireland got their reward. As ever, when the Irish are in desperate need of a victory, the Scots obliged.

Townsend has Italy next and France sometime after that. They'll win the former and will lose the latter. They'll finish on two wins, a team that flattered to deceive at Twickenham.

There's huge talent in the Scottish ranks, there are players of obvious class, but when it comes to the bearpit battles of Six Nations rugby, this team has a long way to go before they can be considered contenders. You have to wonder if they'll ever get there.

Death, taxes, and discounting the New York Islanders until they go on a run that forces you to pay attention.

It's been a yearly tradition for the Isles in the Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz era. But as a rival player told me recently: "The Islanders have the strongest team identity in the league."

One of the ways that manifests itself: the team's veterans know how to take the outside noise (or lack thereof) in stride.

"Maybe when I was younger in this league, it would be something that would bother me," forward Matt Martin said. "But we don't need to focus on the negativity. Like there was a lot of it at the beginning of the year. 'They retooled.' 'Last year was a miracle run.' Blah, blah, blah. We also don't really need to focus on positivity, as we're getting more attention now and our winning streak grows. We just want to go about our business, and if that's flying under the radar, that's flying under the radar."

Martin acknowledged it: we're at the part of the cycle where the Islanders are getting some credit. And rightfully so. After putting together a nine-game winning streak -- currently longest in the league -- New York catapulted to the top of the East Division, which was pegged as the most competitive re-aligned division ahead of the season. (It helps that New York has gone a perfect 4-0 against the Boston Bruins). The Isles have a plus-16 goal differential in that stretch, limiting opponents to just 1.67 goals per game. They are also the only team not to lose in regulation at home this season; this is all the more impressive since the Coliseum had its first game with fans, including 1,000 frontline workers, last Thursday. Entering the weekend, New York's 1.79 goals per game differential at home marked the team's highest since 1983-84 -- the last of the five straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final.

As the Isles bulldoze toward matching the 15-0-2 streak they put together early last season, it's not premature to wonder if this could be their year.

For Martin, a 12-year veteran on his second stint with the team, losing in last year's Eastern Conference Final -- the team's first appearance there in 27 years -- was a key moment in the process.

"Getting that close and losing hurt that much more," Martin said. "The wave of emotion that came after that run ended ... we have a better understanding now of what it takes, and a better understanding of really how bad we do want it, and how much of an amazing journey it is, not just to win, but the memories you make throughout that whole process, and how much fun it is to go the distance with a group of guys."

After knocking off the Panthers, Capitals and Flyers, New York lost to the eventual champion Lightning in six games.

"Tampa was battle-tested; they went through those same kinds of emotions, when they set all of the records for the regular season in the post-Cup era, then got knocked out by Columbus in four straight games [in 2019]," Martin said. "I think they found their way, obviously made some changes throughout the lineup, but all their top guys got that experience. Tampa has been a top team in this league for multiple years now, and they were finally able to break through after getting that experience. Hopefully that's what we can take away."

Martin made another salient point earlier: there were a lot who doubted the Isles could replicate the success this season. After being strapped against the salary cap, Lamoriello was forced to make tough decisions, like trading one of the team's best young defensemen, Devon Toews, to Colorado.

What outsiders discounted: the Isles' strong drafting over the last few seasons. Defensemen Noah Dobson (the No. 12 pick in 2018) and winger Oliver Wahlstrom (No. 11 in 2018) have stepped into the lineup seamlessly in regular roles. And it appears Kieffer Bellows (No. 19 in 2016) is getting his second chance at a first impression, having spent a bulk of the season on the taxi squad.

But Bellows is getting his second opportunity as the Isles face their first bout of real adversity. Captain Anders Lee, who was having a terrific season scoring 12 goals in his first 27 games, is sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. He's been placed on long-term injured reserve, meaning he won't play the rest of the regular season.

"He's the heartbeat of our team, he's one of the best net-front presences in the league," Martin said. "But forget what he does off the ice, it's his composure, he's our leader, the guy we all look to as our rock. It will be an opportunity for other guys to step up and chip in, but we also have a really mature team, and hopefully that helps fill the void."

Martin says the Islanders are used to being counted out. Lee's absence will inevitably ignite another wave of doubters: Will the Islanders be able to muster up enough offense without their captain?

"We have a next-man-up mentality, there's some guys who haven't played yet just waiting for an opportunity," Martin said. "We know if we play within our structure, and we play to our ability, we're going to win on most nights."

In two games played in Lee's absence, Bellows has scored three goals and the Islanders won both games.

Again, it goes back to the Isles' strong team identity, which has been reinforced ever since Trotz and Lamoriello took over ahead of the 2018-19 season. Trotz's arrival instantly shifted the culture in New York.

"He's very detailed, and he's going to hold you accountable -- those are the two biggest things he's changed within our organization," Martin said. "But he also has good composure. In my first stint with the Islanders, before I went to Toronto, we used to get really emotional on the bench, we used to yell and scream at the refs, slam doors, get frustrated. He doesn't really have any time for that, because he doesn't think that's going to help you win games. We're much more composed as a group under Trotzy and Lou."

While we often associate the Islanders with their signature stingy defense (a Trotz hallmark) they don't get enough credit for how dangerous they can be offensively. Their depth is enviable; the Islanders have 12 forwards who have played in at least 10 games and are averaging 10 minutes per game at 5-on-5. According to Natural Stat Trick, New York also ranks second in high-danger goals for percentage at 5-on-5 (63.49%), an area in which they ranked 15th last season.

Martin, who chose to re-sign this offseason in part because he has a defined role on the team's energy line with Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck, is having his most productive offensive season as a pro. Martin is actually averaging more goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 than Alex Ovechkin. But the real star of the offense has been Mathew Barzal, the team's most skilled forward who has sharpened his shot and improved his back-checking for a more complete game.

The 23-year-old Barzal leads the team in points (24) as well as highlight-reel plays:

MAT BARZAL ARE YOU KIDDING WITH THIS GOAL

SORCERY pic.twitter.com/YdQ3QKc2IH

— W W W W W W W W (@IslesMSGN) March 6, 2021

"He takes huge strides in his game every year," Martin said. "He has the ability, with his skating and talent level, to be one of the best players in this game. He wants to be that. You can see that in his work ethic. But he's still so young, he's coming into his prime. Every game, you're seeing him be more and more dangerous with the puck -- which is crazy to say, because he's been dangerous his whole career -- but he's scored more goals coming down the wing, snapping wristers through people's legs, and I think he's trying to shoot the puck more, instead of being more of a distributor. You see the strides he's taken, but also how badly he wants to be one of the best."

Which is exactly where the Islanders are themselves.

Jump ahead:
Three stars of the week
What we liked this week
What we didn't like
Best games on tap
Social post of the week

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Emptying the notebook

1. Artemi Panarin returned to the New York Rangers' lineup this weekend after a two-plus week personal leave. Panarin's absence immediately followed a newspaper report out of Russia in which his former KHL coach alleged the winger physically assaulted a woman in Latvia in 2011. The Rangers were quick to jump to Panarin's defense, calling the allegations false, claiming they were political retribution for Panarin's outspoken support of Russian president Vladimir Putin's opposition leader, Alexei Navalny.

The NHL monitored the situation, but there were no corroborating witnesses or evidence, nor was there a police report, and no victim came forward. The KHL told me it was never made aware of the incident. Two of Panarin's 2011 teammates told me the same, with one, Jon Mirasty, coming out explicitly and saying "seems like a hoax to me."

All of it bottles up to be a really strange story. We haven't heard from Panarin himself, and I'm not sure we will. There's still a disconnect for a lot of fans on why the 29-year-old had to take this time apart from the team. Did he really believe his family in Russia was in danger? Was he truly that shaken up? Or is it something else?

I was told, by a source close to Panarin, to not discount injury as one of the reasons he stepped away. Panarin has been dealing with a nagging back injury over the past few seasons, which flared up again this season. He missed two games (both Rangers losses) before returning to the lineup in late February. Perhaps he felt some pressure to return too soon, considering the pressure and microscope the Rangers are under this season. His coach, David Quinn, and GM, Jeff Gorton, aren't on the strongest ground. Panarin is unquestionably the team's best player, but it seems he's managing a lot on his plate off the ice this season, too.

2. Patrik Laine's usage is once again a hot topic in Columbus. The Finnish winger was benched for the final 6:53, and all of overtime, in Thursday's loss to the Panthers, a game in which the Blue Jackets blew a 4-1 lead.

"I thought I was playing good, but I guess I thought wrong," said Laine, who broke his seven-game pointless drought with a power-play goal and assist.

I've heard a few people in the league speculate about John Tortorella's future. The coach's contract is up after this season, and although he received a vote of confidence from GM Jarmo Kekalainen, and has led the Blue Jackets to decent success, Tortorella's recent track record isn't great with managing high-level talent. Is his style too grating on Gen Z? (Laine, a 1998 birth date, ushers in this new generation).

I had a really interesting conversation with Columbus captain Nick Foligno about Laine a few weeks ago, which I thought would be good to share here. Laine is known to be blunt, and sometimes doesn't have the best on-ice body language. Both of those traits, Foligno believes, are often misunderstood.

"I find his personality so refreshing," Foligno said. "He cares a lot. I think he gets a bad rep sometimes. He almost cares too much. He's so hard on himself, I think sometimes he causes himself to shut down because it's like, 'I expect more of myself.' He gets a bad rap sometimes, and I think sometimes he paralyzes himself. He's a special player."

Keep an eye on how things play out in Columbus. Seeing that Laine is also an unrestricted free agent this summer, there's a good chance that either him or Tortorella (or even both) won't be back.

3. Yes, the Sabres are a dumpster fire. They have no regulation wins in their past 10 games, and are sitting on an ugly minus-30 goal differential. They've been shut out five times this season -- and have only six wins total. Jack Eichel is out for the foreseeable future. The Taylor Hall one-year, prove-it signing was a bust. Jeff Skinner's long-term contract is looking like a serious problem. And they have a rookie GM, Kevyn Adams, calling the shots. Does he have the confidence right now to pull off some franchise-altering moves?

There's no clear path forward for Buffalo. Terry and Kim Pegula are viewed as model franchise owners in the NFL -- and their Bills are one of the league's top contenders -- but in the NHL, their reputation is much different. Perhaps the worst part is this: What the Sabres really need is a full rebuild, which often begins with the draft. But Buffalo made massive cuts to its scouting department during the pandemic and hasn't hired a lot of the positions back. The Sabres haven't had a scouting presence in Russia for the past several years. They don't have a scout in Finland. They also don't have a scout assigned to the WHL or OHL this season (though there's time, as neither of those junior leagues have started their seasons yet). None of this is ideal.

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Three stars of the week

Leon Draisaitl, C/LW, Edmonton Oilers

Have yourself a week, Leon. The reigning league MVP had six goals (!) and three assists in four games, recording his fourth career hat trick. Whether he's playing on a line with Connor McDavid or not, it's time to accept the Oilers have two legitimate superstars on their team. And they are the two biggest reasons Edmonton is finding success this season.

Nikolaj Ehlers, RW, Winnipeg Jets

The Jets picked up five of six possible points this week against the division-leading Maple Leafs. Ehlers put up six points across those three games, scoring three goals and three assists. That includes this nifty assist.

This pass by Nik Ehlers pic.twitter.com/ViDCHq1zMT

— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) March 10, 2021

Ehlers is one of the most underappreciated players in the league this season.

Adrian Kempe, LW, Los Angeles Kings

We had to do a double-take upon seeing this stat: a player on the Los Angeles Kings had never scored a hat trick against the local rival Anaheim Ducks. Kempe became the first this week (although it came in an overtime loss) and nearly had another two nights later. In total: Kempe's five goals against Ducks goaltender John Gibson over two games is quite good.

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What we liked this week

1. Nine of the top 15 goal scorers in the NHL right now are American -- led, of course, by Auston Matthews. It's golden time for hockey in the U.S., heading into next year's Beijing Olympics, which should once again feature NHL players.

2. The Penguins are on a five-game winning streak, lead the NHL with 14 comeback wins, and don't look now, but Cody Ceci might not have been as terrible of a free agent signing as Pittsburgh fans dreaded. Ceci has gone from healthy scratch to one of Pittsburgh's most important top-four blueliners. According to Natural Stat Trick, he has an expected goals-for percentage at even strength of 52.79, tilts the ice at even strength (15 goals for, 10 against) and leads the team in blocked shots.

3. A save of the year candidate as Joonas Korpisalo robbed Aleksander Barkov:

Another look at Korpisalo's Grade A save. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/D9xnJBJ8zG

— Alison (@AlisonL) March 10, 2021

4. Kirill Kaprizov's arrival is the story of the Minnesota Wild's season, and the Russian winger scored his first NHL hat trick this week. However, there's another rookie that's making a big impact on that roster: Kaapo Kahkonen. The Wild have been excited for Kahkonen, the reigning AHL goaltender of the year, to take the next step. But they didn't expect he'd look this dominant so soon, which is why they signed Cam Talbot in free agency. Kahkonen has taken full control of the net, and has been the best goaltender in the league for about the past month, going 8-0-0 over his past eight starts, with a .940 save percentage and 1.62 goals-against average.

5. It felt great seeing Jonathan Toews making his first "public" appearance since it was announced he's sitting out to start the season as he deals with a mysterious health problem. Toews appeared in a video message congratulating Patrick Kane for reaching 1,000 games.

Here's what Kane had to say after the game: "He's always been one of the first ones to congratulate me or check in throughout the season. We wish he was here. Sometimes things are a little bit more important than hockey, and you've got to be feeling right."

Wouldn't be a celebration without a message from the Captain. @JonathanToews shares a special message for Kaner ahead of his milestone night. #1Kane pic.twitter.com/fgU29hDywc

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 10, 2021

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What we didn't like this week

1. According to reporters in Calgary, it was just 34 minutes into Darryl Sutter's first practice running the Flames again that he had the team bag skating. Nature is healing, we suppose?

I've been vocal about my frustration with the NHL's retread problem, but this tweet, from my friend and TSN Montreal radio host, Conor McKenna, made me laugh.

The last NHL game ever aired on ESPN was Tampa-Calgary game 7 of the Stanley Cup final in 2004. I'm looking forward to millions of American viewers next year being impressed that Darryl Sutter still coaches the Flames.

— Conor McKenna (@mckennaconor) March 10, 2021

2. The NHL is looking at changes to the draft lottery. Here's what the proposal looks like, pending approval from the Board of Governors:

• Teams would be limited to no more than two lottery wins in a five-year period

• Teams would be allowed to jump only 10 spots with a lottery win

• A reduction in the number of picks decided by the lottery, from three to two

These amendments -- which, if approved, would take effect in 2022 -- feel triggered by three things:

• Everyone fed up by the Oilers' uncanny lottery luck lately

• The Red Wings' peril last year in ending up with the No. 4 pick, despite being by far the worst team in the league

• "Good" teams like the Rangers in 2020 catapulting everyone to win the lottery

The issue I see is this: the draft lottery is in place, inherently, to prevent tanking. I actually don't think any of these tweaks discourage tanking. If anything, it incentivizes tanking.

3. The Devils recently welcomed fans back in limited capacity, and maybe that can help them get things going at the Prudential Center. New Jersey is now on an 11-game home losing streak, which, according to ESPN Stats & Info's Vincent Masi, ties for the second longest home losing streak of all time. (The 2003-04 Penguins hold the undesirable record of 14).

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Top games on tap this week

Note: All times Eastern.

Monday, March 15: Edmonton Oilers at Calgary Flames 9 p.m. (ESPN+)

The Battle of Alberta will always be must-see television for me, and here's newly installed Sutter's first chance to experience it again. For Edmonton, we might be seeing the best McDavid has played in his entire career. And that's saying something.

Tuesday, March 16: New York Islanders at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m.

The Isles might be red hot right now, but the team breathing down their neck in the East Division is the Caps, winners of four straight and 8-1-1 in their past 10. The rivalry between these two teams has intensified over the past two seasons, thanks to the Barry Trotz factor.

Saturday, March 20: Minnesota Wild at Colorado Avalanche, 3 p.m.

I love matinee hockey, and yes, Saturday will be a big college basketball day, but we also have five NHL games starting before 4 p.m. ET (including some staggered starts!). This game pits a Stanley Cup contender with a middling start (Colorado) against the team that has blown away all expectations this year (Minnesota). Should be fun.

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Social media post of the week

Big week for our company, with the news that Disney/ESPN secured NHL broadcast rights for the next seven seasons beginning with 2021-22.

Aaawwwwwww Sugar Crackers! Your Boy's about to get into Hockey. Yes! HOCKEY!!! Check me out! pic.twitter.com/8Sr4ERzTjS

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) March 11, 2021

Lionel Messi is set to equal Xavi Hernandez's record as Barcelona's highest all-time appearance maker in Monday's La Liga match at home to Huesca, completing a triple crown of the most prestigious records with the Catalan club.

Messi will join former club captain Xavi on 767 matches in all competitions should he take the field against Huesca at the Camp Nou and then move clear as Barca's record appearance maker when his side visit Real Sociedad next Sunday.

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The appearance record is one of the few milestones Messi had yet to achieve in his illustrious career with Barca, who he joined aged 13 in 2000 before making his debut in 2004.

He surpassed Cesar as their all-time top scorer in 2012 and to date has 659 goals for the club, while he overtook Andres Iniesta as Barca's most decorated player in August 2018 and has gone on to lift 34 trophies with them.

Messi also holds Barca's records for most assists (289), most hat tricks (48) and most goals in a single-season, a jaw-dropping 73 in the 2011-12 campaign.

Outside of club records, he became La Liga's all-time top scorer in 2014 and has won the Ballon d'Or award a record six times.

"The fact he is about to equal Xavi's number of games is incredible," Barca coach Ronald Koeman ahead of Monday's game.

"But you also have to look at all the goals he has scored and the trophies he has lifted. Everything he has done is remarkable."

The only downside for Messi is that he will be unable to savour the milestone in front of Barca's supporters due to continued COVID-19 restrictions.

This could be Messi's last season in La Liga. He wanted to leave Barcelona last summer and has said he will decide on his future in June, when his contract with the club expires.

Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City are the favourites to sign him if he does leave, although the Premier League club recently denied reports they have already offered him a contract.

The Argentina international has been free to speak with other clubs since Jan. 1, when he moved into the final six months of his terms.

Brazil and Flamengo forward Gabriel "Gabigol" Barbosa has apologised after being found at an illegal gambling hall in Sao Paulo during a police raid.

Officers were called in the early hours of Sunday after reports of a party being held at a property in the south of Brazil's capital.

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Gambling is illegal in the country and the gathering also violated lockdown restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Barbosa, 24, spoke to officers on the premises and was taken to the police station before being allowed to leave.

"There was a lack of sensitivity on my part," Barbosa told Globoesporte shortly after being released. "I apologise to Flamengo fans, to all the children in Brazil who like me, to the people of Sao Paulo because I was wrong.

"I don't have a habit of playing. The only thing I play is video games. I'm not a person to appear in stories like this, nor was I ever a guy to break the lockdown. I've been at home all this time. It was my last day of holiday.

"I met with friends and we had something to eat. I should have known that it was not the ideal place for me to be in. I was always wearing a mask, I had gel sanitiser. But I made a mistake, I apologise. I'm very young and I know I'm going to make mistakes. I have to learn."

Barbosa denied reports that he hid underneath a table to avoid being arrested when the police arrived and said he cooperated with the officers.

"When I saw that there were a few more people than there should be, I decided to leave," he added. "I was about to enter the elevator to leave when the police arrived and asked everyone to lay on the floor. It was a big scare.

"I did what they told me. They took me to a room and spoke to me, I told them that I would help with whatever was necessary.

"Had I been hiding, I wouldn't have left as I did, with my head held high. I got in the police car as they asked and went to the police station to give my account of events."

More than 275,000 people have died in Brazil from the COVID-19 pandemic and Sao Paulo was among the cities in the country that tightened restrictions last week after seeing an increase in cases.

Barbosa, who joined Flamengo in January 2020 from Inter Milan, scored 14 goals to help the Rio de Janeiro-based club defend the league title last month. He resumes training with Flamengo on Monday.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Guard Kevin Zeitler signed a three-year, $22 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The deal includes $16 million in guarantees, the source added.

Zeitler, 31, was signed hours before the start of the NFL's legal tampering period for free agents because he was cut last week by the New York Giants.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said one of the major priorities this offseason was to improve the pass protection for quarterback Lamar Jackson, and he backed that up with Baltimore's first free-agent signing. Last season, Baltimore allowed Jackson to get pressured on 22.7% of his passes (17th in the NFL).

The addition of Zeitler helps fills the void at right guard left when Marshal Yanda retired last year. Baltimore never replaced the eight-time Pro Bowl lineman in free agency a year ago and started three players (Tyre Phillips, Patrick Mekari and Ben Powers) at right guard in 2020.

What is the thing most likely to keep a big league executive awake at night?

The answer might vary, but high up on the list for all of baseball's decision-makers would surely be innings. Just plain, simple innings. As in, who is going to pitch them and for how long? That issue, by itself and before we even get into how well the innings are pitched, is the gnawing problem for all those who are charting a course for the coming season.

Never has that riddle been harder to grok than it is right now, less than a month before the 2021 regular season begins. The innings problem was already a priority to-do item for execs around the game before last season and has been for eons. It's also a 21st-century kind of dilemma and, ironically, one for which baseball's honchos have only themselves to blame. With teams leveraging advanced data more and more each year, and deploying small legions of analysts digging for every marginal edge, all run-prevention innovations seem to lead back to a common need: more pitchers.

That means building bullpens is more important -- and complicated -- than ever before. How many relievers will teams need and where will all those extra arms come from?