I Dig Sports
TULSA, Okla. The second first-time winner in as many nights at the 39th annual Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink, Emerson Axsom grabbed the lead on lap four and never gave it back en route to victory during Wednesdays York Plumbing Qualifying Night.
The 55th driver to win a Chili Bowl preliminary A-Feature, Axsom, in his fifth preliminary A-Feature start, was asked how it felt to win, Ive been trying a long time and took myself out of a lot of races here, but I knew our stuff was good enough if I just did my job.
Landing car owner Keith Kunz his 37th career victory inside the SageNet Center during Chili Bowl competition, two attempts at the start saw Axsom chasing from the right of the front row as polesitter Daison Pursley paced the field.
The CB Industries No. 86 around the bottom, the KKM/Curb-Agajanian No. 68k around the top, Axsom shot off the cushion, exiting the second turn to take the lead.
Thankfully, it was a double-file restart because I fell back, quipped Axsom of the initial start. It worked out that we were able to run the top in for a couple of laps and then get the restart where I could get a shot because I knew Daison [Pursley] was going to be good on the bottom. Their stuff has a lot of grip anywhere he goes so I worked on momentum to where when he did jump up, I could counter his move and throw a slider.
Keeping pace through restarts with varying lines, Axsom held off Pursley by .343 seconds.
Pursley in second was followed by eighth-starting Corey Day. Fourth was Tim Buckwalter with Kale Drake moving ninth to fifth.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 68K-Emerson Axsom[2]; 2. 86-Daison Pursley[1]; 3. 41-Corey Day[8]; 4. 29-Tim Buckwalter[3]; 5. 97K-Kale Drake[9]; 6. 52-Blake Hahn[19]; 7. 19T-Mitchel Moles[4]; 8. 4Y-Jett Yantis[7]; 9. 3G-Kyle Cummins[13]; 10. 55A-Jake Swanson[11]; 11. 40X-Steven Snyder Jr[6]; 12. 3J-JJ Yeley[16]; 13. 27W-Colby Copeland[10]; 14. 3U-Rylan Gray[17]; 15. 7AU-Harry Stewart[21]; 16. 32C-Alex Bright[15]; 17. 1-Sammy Swindell[14]; 18. 91X-Danny Wood[20]; 19. 16C-David Camfield Jr[22]; 20. (DNF) 22X-Steven Shebester[23]; 21. (DNF) 25K-Taylor Reimer[12]; 22. (DNF) 4B-Chelby Hinton[18]; 23. (DNF) 8K-KJ Snow[5]; 24. (DNS) 4P-Kody Swanson
MOORESVILLE, N.C. Spire Motorsports has signed pavement late-model standout Tristan McKee to a driver development agreement prior to this weekends Protect Your Melon Buckle Up Speedfest at Cordele (Ga.) Motor Speedway.
The 14-year-old will test his mettle against some of the countrys most skilled racers at the three-eighths mile south-central Georgia oval in the JEGS/CRA All-Star Pro Late Model tour season opener.
McKee began turning heads two seasons ago when, at just 12-years-old, he won a 100-lap CARS Pro Late Model feature race at Dillon (S.C.) Motor Speedway to become the youngest winner in CARS Tour history.
Since then, the Williamsburg, Va., native has gone on to collect CARS Tours wins at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway and Caraway (N.C.) Speedway. McKee has also been identified as a rising star by Chevrolet and is mentored by Josh Wise through his driver development program Wise Optimization.
We are really excited to have Tristan on board with us at Spire, said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. Weve taken a lot of pride through the years in identifying young talent and bringing them to NASCAR, however this wasnt one of those cases. Josh Wise and Lorin Ranier from General Motors called and, based on my long history with both, it was one of those if its good enough for them, its good enough for me kind of things. Frankly, everyone around Tristan has nothing but good things to say about his speed, work ethic and versatility. He obviously comes from a great family so we cant take too much credit. Tristan will be making noise in this sport in the short and long term, so were excited to be on this journey with him.
I think its pretty cool, so Im really grateful for the opportunity that Jeff Dickerson and everyone at Spire Motorsports has given me, said McKee. I think 2025 is going to be a really good year. Were going to have plenty of races on the schedule, so Im just looking forward to the opportunity and I cant thank the people from Spire enough.
McKee will compete across multiple different series and disciplines in 45-plus events in 2025, including the zMAX CARS Late Model Stock Car and Pro Late Model tours, ARCA Menards Series and the Trans-Am CUBE3 Architecture TA2 Series where he is expected to race for the series title. The upstart teenager will also see action at select NASCAR Weekly Racing Series events and holds high hopes for the coming season.
Im definitely looking forward to running the whole Trans-Am schedule, said McKee. Ive never really raced road courses like that before, so Im going to be learning every time Im on the track. Im working as hard as I can for all those races, you know, thats a big deal. Im really excited about a few of the CARS Tour races, especially (North) Wilkesboro. All those big late model stock races at the end of the year are important. They are pretty long races and you have to be really good at the end, so were going to focus our attention on those, as well. Martinsville at the end of the year is a big one.
HARRISBURG, N.C. With not much more than a journalism degree and a passion for sprint car racing, I drove from my childhood home in Columbus, Ind., to Ridgewood, N.J., during the early days of 1983.
Chris Economaki needed someone to manage the news desk at his weekly motorsports newspaper, National Speed Sport News, and this 22-year-old aspiring journalist had been awarded the opportunity.
Economaki was willing to take a chance on a raw rookie he would later describe as having a nose for news. It was the opening chapter in a 42-year-old story that ends today, Jan. 16, 2025.
Chapter 1 The First Decade
Here are some memorable moments from my first 10 years of working and learning alongside Economaki in NSSNs north Jersey offices:
Television was changing how fans viewed the sport and NSSN was changing along with it. Instead of telling fans who won, we told them how they won.
A massive special issue in 1984 celebrated NSSNs 50th year.
Spot color was utilized on a regular basis for the first time, which eventually evolved into four-color photographs.
We moved to spacious new offices staying in downtown Ridgewood and installed the latest technology in typesetting and production equipment.
As part of a Meadowlands Grand Prix promotion, this young writer enjoyed breakfast with legendary Yankees slugger Joe DiMaggio.
Bill France Jr. invited Economaki and I to lunch with he and his father at one of their favorite New York restaurants.
I covered events in Mexico, Canada and Germany, while also writing about racing from El Centro, Calif., to Barre, Vt., to New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
I rode around the Porsche test track in Weissach, Germany, with American racing legend Al Holbert behind the wheel of a Porsche 959 Supercar.
Chatted with Evel Knievel in the Ascot Park Speedway press box as the 1990 edition of the Turkey Night Grand Prix brought down the curtain on the popular L.A.-area race track.
Had a couple of doughnuts at the old Summit House on the top of Pikes Peak.
Ran second to Area Auto Racing News owner Lenny Sammons in a limited late model media race at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa.
Spent hours speeding through the woods in exotic places such as Escanaba, Mich., and Bemidji, Minn., while serving as Dave Laphams navigator in the SCCA Pro Rally Series.
We introduced NHRA drag racing to the pages of National Speed Sport News and had a fabulous conversation with Don Prudhomme while overlooking the sprawling pit area at New Jerseys Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.
If you are selling wine and cheese, youre in the wrong place, he told us. But if your business is beer or tobacco, you need to be in drag racing.
It brought tears to my eyes when ultimate NASCAR underdog J.D. McDuffie was killed at Watkins Glen Intl.
Mike Kerchner, Jerry Gappens, Ron Hedger, Walt and Ronnie Renner, Dave Argabright and Kim Novosat were colleagues who became friends. And Tommy Economaki, Chris wife, made sure I occasionally had a homecooked meal and insightful dinner conversation that didnt involve something going in circles.
By January 1993, this young writer had come a long way. Others saw the progress and I received the Frank Blunk Award for outstanding journalistic coverage of motorsports at every level. The award was voted on by my peers and was presented during the Eastern Motorsports Press Associations annual convention.
Chapter 2 Driver and Team PR
The first chapter of my NSSN story came to an end later that year. Beaten down by a grueling seven-day-a-week schedule, we relocated to the suburbs of Charlotte, N.C., and transitioned to the growing public relations side of the racing industry.
First, I worked for Tom Cotters agency representing Western Auto and then directly for Darrell Waltrip as his Hall of Fame driving career transitioned to the television booth.
Our crowning achievement during this era came in 1997 when D.W. celebrated his 25th anniversary of NASCAR Cup Series racing with a media barrage that stretched the entire season.
Chapter 3 Track PR
In May 2000, I joined the communications team at Charlotte Motor Speedway, reuniting with Gappens who took his marching orders from promoter extraordinaire H.A. Humpy Wheeler.
The Dirt Track at Charlotte was new and our publicity efforts helped establish that state-of-the-art facility. We were also the first to write about a stellar group of young Legend Car racers guys named Joey Logano, Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, David Ragan, Austin Dillon and Ty Dillon.
Our publicity efforts helped put more than 167,000 fans in Charlotte Motor Speedway during the early 2000s for the Coca-Cola 600. Thats an attendance number that may never be duplicated.
Chapter 4 Freelance Work
Freelance work became a viable option late in 2018. We continued to produce event programs for Charlotte Motor Speedway; was welcomed back into the National Speed Sport News family; became a writer and editor for NASCAR Pole Position Magazine; and managed the at-track media operations when NASCAR went dirt-track racing at Ohios Eldora Speedway in 2013.
Away from the track, I lost my biggest fan in 2011 when my father passed away. Then, I fought a battle against Stage 3B melanoma that started in 2014 with the final rounds of radiation coming nearly six months later. Its now been 10 years cancer free.
I had both hips replaced in 2018 and I lost my mom a few weeks before COVID shut down the world in early 2020.
Charlotte Motor Speedway stopped producing event programs following the pandemic, Eldora no longer hosts any type of NASCAR racing and SPEED SPORT, in website form, is a shell of the iconic publication it once was.
On the other hand, NASCAR Pole Position Magazine, which we copy edit and will continue to do as long as the publisher will have us, is back for another season.
Chapter 5 Another EMPA Trophy
Soon after receiving my Medicare card, I accepted an invitation to attend the 52nd edition of the Eastern Motorsports Press Assn convention. Rember that event from above?
This years gathering was in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and a few of the same faces were in the audience as when my work was first recognized 32 years ago.
On Saturday night, Jan. 11, I was called back to the EMPA stage where I received one of the two Jim Hunter Memorial Awards as the writer of the year voting ended in a tie.
Chapter 6 Parkinsons Disease
I have to apologize to those in attendance that night as I could not restrain my emotions. It was a special moment as I have Parkinsons disease and life is getting harder day by day; week by week; month by month. Its a progressive disease, and while doctors can manage the symptoms, theres no cure.
My days of roaming a pit area full of racers and race cars in search of news to share with NSSN readers are over. The pain simply becomes too much.
As you can glean from this column, my life has been an amazing story that now appears destined for a disappointing conclusion.
My health is still sufficient to navigate daily life, but its time to ease off the throttle.
I expect this to be my final SPEED SPORT effort, and I want to simply say thank you to those who have read my many words over all these years.
I hope you agree with Chris that I had a nose for news.
Truex Jr. To Attempt Daytona 500 With TRICON Garage
MOORESVILLE, N.C. Martin Truex Jr. may have retired from full-time racing after the season-ending NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway, but hell be back on the track when the series returns to Daytona Intl Speedway in mid-February.
TRICON Garage announced that Truex will attempt to make its NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 67th running of the Daytona 500 with 2017 Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. piloting the No. 56 Toyota Camry XSE.
TRICON will be receiving technical support from Joe Gibbs Racing and Cole Pearn will reunite with Truex Jr., returning to the NCS as a crew chief for the first time since 2019.
The duo amassed 24 Cup victories and a championship in their five seasons together and will look to secure a starting position in their sixth Daytona 500.
Bass Pro Shops will continue their longstanding relationship with Truex Jr. and will serve as the primary partner for the No. 56 in the Great American Race. The premier outdoor and conservation company founded by Johnny Morris has been a partner of the 44-year-old driver dating back to 2004.
Its going to be a really cool deal to be able to work with Cole and have the number 56 again, said Truex Jr. I really appreciate everyone at Bass Pro Shops, TRICON and Toyota helping put this together to go have some fun, and I cant think of a better time to go win the thing for Johnny Morris.
TRICON Garage and Toyota partnered beginning with the 2023 Truck Series season. Since the relationship debuted, success has been evident and immediate with nine victories, 50 top-five finishes and consecutive Championship 4 appearances. The consistent on-track performance and run of success make this partnership the logical next step for TRICON as the organization continues to grow and plan for the future.
This opportunity is a testament to the dedication of our entire organization and our partners at Toyota. Having raced against Martin for many years, I can confidently say theres no stronger competitor Id want behind the wheel for our first Cup Series entry at the sports most prestigious race, said David Gilliland, partner, TRICON Garage.
As an open entry, we know the road ahead will be challenging, but I have no doubt that Martin will put us in the best position to succeed. Ive had the privilege of sitting on the pole at Daytona, but my next goal is to celebrate in victory lane.
Which top NHL prospects could be traded before the deadline? A guide to contenders' plans
The NHL trade deadline is less than two months away on March 7, and the 4 Nations Face-Off (Feb. 12-20) probably will kick-start the festivities, with every NHL general manager expected to attend.
Teams have their midterm scouting meetings in January, when they set the course for the trade deadline, discuss which players they are willing to move and who they are most interested in acquiring. This is another opportunity for development staff to provide updates on organizational prospects and scouts to provide analysis on prospects in other organizations. Once the meetings are done and scouts are dispatched with players to monitor, the trade talks really pick up.
With that in mind, it's time to evaluate the prospect cupboard of each contender. Who is untouchable? Is it the right time to go all-in? In which prospects will teams be most interested? How close is each prospect to playing NHL games on a regular basis and what impact could they have?
All of these are questions that teams and their fans will be asking over the next two months. Not every playoff team is a true Stanley Cup contender, and not every team we'll discuss here is on the same level of contention. Four teams are positioned as contenders with a significant prospect surplus that can be leveraged to improve the current roster: the Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals.
Here's a detailed look at the prospect situation for 13 likely playoff-bound teams -- players whose names might be popping up in trade chatter in the coming weeks:
Note: Teams are listed in alphabetical order by conference.
Eastern Conference
Carolina Hurricanes
Team overview: The Canes are perennially listed as contenders and are one of the few prospect-rich contending teams. That's directly related to their continued draft success. Carolina is consistently viewed as a draft winner because it extracts tremendous value every year. It's well known that owner Tom Dundon is not keen on moving first-round picks or high-end prospects, making it difficult for Carolina to acquire stars. That tune probably would change if a superstar signed to a long-term deal were to become available.
Prospect pool: Alexander Nikishin is the best defenseman outside of the NHL, and has been an untouchable for quite some time. The projected top-four defender plays a well-rounded game, and should be an impact player for the Canes in the near future. Scott Morrow and Aleksi Heimosalmi are two defenders teams would be keen to acquire in trades with Carolina, as both are impact players in the AHL. Though it's unlikely Carolina moves Morrow, perhaps Heimosalmi is a player the Canes would use as a trade option to acquire a player who can help them in their current contention window, given Dominik Badinka in the pipeline.
Other NHL teams have shown interest in quite a few forward prospects, but Carolina has been unwilling to move them. Bradly Nadeau, Felix Unger Sorum and Nikita Artamonov are under 20, producing admirably at the AHL and KHL levels and are known to be untouchables. Jayden Perron, Noel Gunler, Ryan Suzuki and Justin Robidas are seeing an uptick in trade value with their performances this season, and will draw interest from potential trade partners. All of them are skilled players with middle-of-the-lineup NHL potential.
Gunler, Suzuki and Robidas are in their early 20s and could play NHL minutes as soon as next season. All are players who have been developed well and would be valuable talent for a team that is looking for young players who skate well: Gunler a scorer; Suzuki a playmaker; Robidas a reliable two-way player. All of them bring a different skill set and could be the key component in a rental trade.
Wyshynski Awards at midseason: Best team, player, goal, feud and more
The 2024-25 NHL season has been a little difficult to get a read on. Some teams that were expected to be very good aren't very good. Some teams that were expected to be mediocre are anything but. As teams pass the midpoint of the campaign, there's still time for either of those fortunes to be reserved.
What we do know about this regular season so far: a lot of goals have been scored, and not just by Leon Draisaitl and Alex Ovechkin. Through 649 games, the NHL averaged 6.1 goals per game, making its fourth straight season above the six-goal pace. This scoring spike has added to unpredictability: The NHL reports that 44% of those games had comeback wins, tied for the second-highest rate in history.
So what the season has lacked in clarity of contenders it has made up for with goal horns and scoreboard volatility. Which is nice.
That established, here are 20 NHL awards and superlatives for the midpoint of the season:
Best team: Winnipeg Jets
This could have been the Capitals, who led the NHL standings after 44 games and weathered their best goal scorer missing 16 games. This could have been the Edmonton Oilers, who have in fact been the best team in the NHL since Oct. 31 and a 10-game Stanley Cup Final hangover to begin the season.
But it's the Jets for a few reasons. They had the best start in NHL history with 15 wins in their first 16 games. While they couldn't keep that sprint going, they've settled into a solid split, leading the Central Division by a good margin while being in the top three teams offensively and defensively.
Do we wish they were a little better at 5-on-5 and less reliant on the league's best power play? Sure. But Connor Hellebuyck papers over a lot of deficiencies when he's this dominant, looking very much like the first back-to-back Vezina Trophy winner since Martin Brodeur (2006-07 and 2007-08).
Most disappointing team: Nashville Predators
There have certainly been other disappointing teams in the NHL this season. But we knew the Chicago Blackhawks would be bad. We knew the Pittsburgh Penguins were a deeply flawed team holding onto a dream that was past its expiration date. If anyone has discerned the organizational plan for the Seattle Kraken in Year 4, please let us know.
But true disappointment is epically failing to meet expectations. Like the Boston Bruins teetering on the playoff bubble after having already fired a coach and two seasons removed from an NHL-record 135-point campaign. Like the New York Rangers, who went from Cup contention to core reconstruction in a matter of months. The Rangers earned an F in ESPN's midseason report cards. The other team that did that was the Predators.
It's not just that Nashville has been an utter disaster in the standings -- .407 points percentage, even with a slight uptick in quality recently -- it's how bad they've been where we all expected they'd be great. They added Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault to a team that was 10th in the NHL in goals per game last season (3.24) and somehow became one of the NHL's worst offensive teams (2.47). Players like Tommy Novak saw their production fall off a cliff. Nashville is last in the NHL in 5-on-5 goals after 43 games by a margin of 12 (!) tallies.
And yet they're just one canceled trip to see U2 at Sphere in Las Vegas from rallying for playoff spot, as we saw last season ...
Most valuable player: Leon Draisaitl
Kirill Kaprizov had this thing locked up before his injury, as he was the Minnesota Wild offense.
In his absence, the Hart Trophy favorite has to be Draisaitl. His current goal pace (31 in 43 games) would rank in the top 10 scoring seasons since 2005. Evolving Hockey has him leading the NHL in expected goals above replacement (25.9) while adding 4.3 wins to the Oilers in the standings. This is while skating with the likes of Vasily Podkolzin, Viktor Arvidsson and Kasperi Kapanen.
Shoutout to Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, whose torrid December positioned him to potentially become the first back-to-back Hart winner since Alex Ovechkin (2007-09); and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, whose team either looks like a Cup contender or lottery fodder depending on whether he's on the ice; and also Hellebuyck, who probably wishes goalies won league MVP at a higher rate than once in the past 21 seasons.
Leon Draisaitl lights the lamp for Oilers
Least valuable player: Jeff Skinner
On the other side of the coin in Edmonton is Skinner. The 32-year-old winger was a heralded value signing for the Oil after getting a buyout in Buffalo. Three years removed from a 35-goal season, fans were salivating at the idea of him potting pucks with Draisaitl and Connor McDavid.
Alas, he hasn't earned that time with them: Skinner has seven goals and eight assists in 40 games, skating 12:36 per game while having been a healthy scratch on occasion. He's been a defensive liability, and he's deep in the negative in goals scored above replacement. Probably not a great sign when your offensive free agent coup has one point more than Corey Perry halfway through the season.
Greatest on-ice achievement: Alex Ovechkin
The Washington Capitals captain decided not to prolong the inevitable, turning his chase of Wayne Gretzky's career goals record (894) into a full-on dash to the finish line this season.
Through Wednesday, Ovechkin has 873 career goals thanks to 20 goals in 27 games -- an unprecedented scoring clip for a 39-year-old player. Then again, Alex Ovechkin has been doing unprecedented things for Alex Ovechkin, too: His 17 goals in 20 games was by far the hottest goal-scoring start he has had at any age. This is his 20th straight 20-goal season, trailing only Gordie Howe (22 seasons) all time. If he continues his goal-scoring pace, Ovechkin could shatter the record by the end of March, and that's despite missing time to injury this season.
Our favorite Ovechkin stat, courtesy of Mike Callow of ESPN Radio in D.C.: The Capitals star scored 848 goals in between playoff victories by Washington's NFL team (from 2006 to 2025). OK, that might speak more to the struggles of Washington football than Ovechkin's generational scoring prowess, but still impressive.
Best trend: The rarity of shootouts
Shootouts remain a pox on the NHL, an inferior mechanism for determining the victor from the previous 65 minutes of team effort in which not a single pass is attempted nor is there a defending skater on the ice. But that's a discussion for another day.
The good news is that shootouts were a rarity in the first half of the season. According to the NHL, 76.5% of games that went beyond regulation were ended in the 3-on-3 overtime, the highest rate of OT goals in NHL history. Let's keep that energy going!
Worst trend: Deferred money
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe, Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis and Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano signed contract extensions that featured a significant amount of money being deferred until after their playing days are done. That allowed teams to massage their salary cap numbers. All of this is allowed under the CBA and has been done before, as when Arizona re-signed Shane Doan in 2016.
But let's be real: The NHL generally frowns upon creative accounting that allows teams to wiggle under the salary cap in the name of competitive balance. From someone who watched the draconian response by the NHL to marathon contract extensions with declining salary at the end: Enjoy this while you can, GMs.
Most inspirational story: Columbus Blue Jackets
The tragic death of Johnny Gaudreau is still being felt around the hockey world. His memory continues to be honored, like when the USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints -- where he played and was a minority owner -- recently retired his jersey. But perhaps the greatest tribute to his spirit as a player has been the resiliency of his Columbus teammates.
The Blue Jackets entered the season with a new GM, a new coach and the heaviest of hearts. They finished the first half of the season as a legitimate playoff contender in the Eastern Conference, buoyed by a Norris Trophy-worthy performance by Zach Werenski and a point-per-game season from Gaudreau's close friend Sean Monahan.
Memories of Johnny Hockey are found around Nationwide Arena, from his picture on the outside of the barn to his stall preserved in the locker room. His teammates continue to process their grief, using some of it to inspire this successful season. As GM Don Waddell told NHL.com, the team had lots of meetings to discuss how to do that.
"We've got to take the words that [Gaudreau's widow] Meredith used at the funeral: 'Johnny would want you guys to go play hockey. I want you to go play hockey. Go play hockey.' And we kept echoing those things over and over. 'This is what the Gaudreaus would want us to do,'" he said.
The Flames honor Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau by having their family perform the pregame faceoff with the Blue Jackets.
Most important rookie: Dustin Wolf
Center Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks and defenseman Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens have moved into their own tier in the Calder Trophy race for the class of 2024-25.
Celebrini's 0.91 points per game in 34 games would rank him in the top 10 for rookies since 2005, and he market-corrected Matvai Michkov as the charismatic highlight-reel rookie. Hutson is currently leading all rookie scorers in points, is getting better every game and is within range of what Cale Makar (0.88 points per game) and Quinn Hughes (0.78) accomplished in points per game as freshmen.
The Calder is given for the best rookie performance, and I think Celebrini and Hutson are putting on a show. It's not necessarily given for the most important rookie performance; although if it did, there would be a clear winner: Dustin Wolf of the Calgary Flames.
Wolf was 15-6-2 in his first 23 games, with a .916 save percentage and a 2.50 goals-against average, including two shutouts. (With three assists, no less!) He's just outside the top 10 in goals saved above expected, via Stathletes. The Flames would be calculating their draft lottery odds right now without him. As is, they're right in the wild-card mix.
Most forsaken player: Connor Bedard
The last thing you want to see from your franchise player in his second NHL season is the kind of vacant stare that Bedard has when discussing the trajectory of the Blackhawks, which at this point is akin to a malfunctioning bottle rocket. Even in those moments when he should be able to celebrate personal achievement -- like reaching 100 career points faster than any other teenaged player in NHL history -- his thoughts circle back to how bad the Blackhawks have been.
Chicago stripped the roster down to the foundation so it could acquire a player like Bedard in the draft, and yet the landscape remains barren. Celebrini joined a team with William Eklund, Will Smith and now Yaroslav Askarov in the mix. Bedard doesn't have nearly that.
Where's the Evgeni Malkin to his Sidney Crosby? The Nicklas Backstrom to his Ovechkin? The answer is "in future drafts," which probably isn't what Bedard wants to hear.
Goal of the (half) year: Nazem Kadri
The 1992 romantic comedy "The Cutting Edge" -- written by "Andor" show runner Tony Gilroy! -- asks what would happen if a hockey player became an Olympic figure skater.
Well, this Kadri goal from December is what it might look like if a figure skater became a hockey player: the Calgary Flames center leaping over a sprawled-out J.J. Moser, keeping his balance when hitting the ice, doing a 360-degree turn, dragging the puck back and then somehow beating Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Maybe not the highest technical score from the judges, but Kadri aced the presentation score.
Nazem Kadri shows incredible balance and athleticism en route to this wonderful goal for Calgary.
Save of the (half) year: Jacob Markstrom
It's not often you get two save-of-the-year candidates in the same game, but that was the kind of night Markstrom had against the Seattle Kraken on Jan. 6.
This gloved rejection of a sure-thing Eeli Tolvanen goal was good:
ANOTHER SAVE OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE FROM JACOB MARKSTROM!! pic.twitter.com/09yIKJrb9j
NHL (@NHL) January 7, 2025
This chaotic hand-eye coordination clinic -- watch Markstrom stare at the puck before swatting it away -- was absolute mastery.
JACOB MARKSTROM FOR A THIRD TIME.
We have no words. pic.twitter.com/RjatOwP4GH
NHL (@NHL) January 7, 2025
He even had a third save in the game that would have been the best of the night for most goalies. But not for this goalie on this night.
Coach of the (half) year: Spencer Carbery
In his first 125 games as a head coach, Carbery has a .608 points percentage. He coached the Capitals to an unlikely playoff spot last season, and has had them at or near the top of the NHL this season. While last season was impressive, this season established him as a coaching star. He has kept the ship steady despite not having Ovechkin for 16 games due to injury, gotten the most out of young players and integrated veteran additions to the lineup seamlessly.
Capitals GM Chris Patrick told me recently that Carbery's open-mindedness as a head coach has impressed him. Take Pierre-Luc Dubois, who is resurrecting his career with the Caps. Other coaches might have been reticent to take on a guy who's on his third team in three years. Carbery didn't flinch, recognized the talent and was motivated to get him back on track.
Almost everything Carbery is doing has worked, and it might add up to a Jack Adams Award by season's end -- if not more for Washington.
Best glow-up: Colorado Avalanche goaltending
The Avalanche began the season with a specious goaltending trio: Alexandar Georgiev, Justus Annunen and Kaapo Kahkonen, the latter of whom they claimed off waivers after the other two were both lit up on opening night. Rather than watch his talented team dragged down by mediocre goaltending, general manager Chris MacFarland got aggressive and nuked the crease.
Annunen was traded to the Nashville Predators for veteran Scott Wedgewood, who had a rough start in his first season with the franchise. Then came the biggest swing: Shipping out Georgiev, in his third year as the team's primary starter, in a package to the San Jose Sharks for goalie Mackenzie Blackwood.
So far, MacFarland looks like a genius: Blackwood has played so well for the Avalanche (9-2-1, .938 save percentage, 1.89 goals-against average) that they already awarded the 28-year-old with a five-year contract extension worth $5.25 million per season.
Most shocking move: The Jim Montgomery migration
The Boston Bruins firing Jim Montgomery was something I called before the season, considering he was in the last year of his contract and the team had diminishing returns. That it happened 20 games into the season was a surprise, but what occurred after that was the real stunner.
The St. Louis Blues fired head coach Drew Bannister -- last season's interim coach who was elevated to the big job in the offseason -- after 22 games to quickly scoop up Montgomery, who had previously been an assistant coach with the team.
"I was willing to go through the peaks and the valleys with Drew," Blues GM Doug Armstrong said, "until Monty became available."
Most ruthless front office: New York Rangers
For all the obituaries written about the Rangers this season, they remain within spitting distance of the last wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, among a nine-team pileup of middling contenders.
But it's clear the team has issues, just as it's clear that ownership and management will seek to address those issues by any means necessary. Like using the pressure of waivers to force trades for Barclay Goodrow in the summer and captain Jacob Trouba during the season -- after trying and failing to trade the latter during the offseason, undercutting his captaincy. Like listing beloved 13-year veteran Chris Kreider's name in an email to other general managers about being "open for business" for trades.
Whether or not the Rangers rally for a playoff spot, there are very few players on the roster whose safety is guaranteed from future moves.
Best feud: J.T. Miller vs. Elias Pettersson
This season hasn't lacked for locker room drama. Boston Bruins stars Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak recently had to shut down a Boston radio report about a rift between them, with Marchand dumping a dozen photos on Instagram to show how tight they are, which is very "celebrity tabloid scandal" of him.
But that alleged Boston tension was sunshine and unicorns compared with what's playing out across the continent.
Canucks star forwards Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller have had heat for years, according to former Vancouver coach Bruce Boudreau, who told TSN that it predated his time with the team and had something to do with quality of linemates.
This season, it manifested in a brief outburst at practice in which Miller allegedly called Pettersson a baby. Captain Quinn Hughes has acknowledged an issue between the two. Miller and Pettersson denied they're feuding, with Miller saying, "You guys are just wasting your time. I don't care." But all of this has led to a cottage industry of trade speculation, with weekly reports about the Canucks fielding offers for both players to alleviate the tension in the room.
Complicating matters: Miller has a full no-movement clause, while Pettersson doesn't have trade protection on a contract that runs through 2031-32. Also complicating matters: general manager Patrik Allvin having recently put Pettersson on blast. "He needs to mature and understand that there are certain expectations and it does not get easier. And you need to face the music when things don't go well," Allvin told reporters.
It's going to take more than an Instagram photo dump to squash this.
Best comeback: Patrik Laine
For the first time in a long time, Patrik Lane is healthy. Not necessarily on the ice, where a knee injury and an illness have limited him to 15 games this season, but off the ice. Laine went through the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program last summer before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens, prioritizing his health and well-being. In August, he and fiancée Jordan Leigh launched From Us to You, a mental health initiative inspired by the many people who shared their stories with Laine.
When he has played, Laine has been productive: 10 goals in those 15 games, with nine of them coming on the power play. He remains one of the NHL's most unfiltered star players ... although sometimes that can mean giving bulletin board material to opponents, as he did prior to his first game back in Columbus.
Patrik Laine finds the back of the net as the Canadiens beat the Red Wings 4-3.
Best in (Utah Hockey) Club: Logan Cooley
The Utah Hockey Club started strong, fell off, dealt with some unfortunate injuries and is now hanging tough in a wild-card race.
There have been some highlights in the former Coyotes' first season in Salt Lake City, from the unexpected heroics of goalie Karel Vejmelka to the expected dominance of star forward (and Team USA snub) Clayton Keller.
But people aren't talking enough about Logan Cooley, the 20-year-old dynamo. He has 37 points in 43 games, including 12 goals. He's second behind Keller in goals and wins above replacement according to Evolving Hockey. Given their roster and resources, it won't be long until Utah is a force in the West. Cooley's season is a taste of what's to come.
Most likely to continue an NHL record playoff drought: Buffalo Sabres
Unless something dramatic happens in the second half, the Sabres will miss the playoffs for a 14th consecutive season, extending their NHL record. They haven't made the playoffs since 2010-11. Not to put too fine a point on this, but that was the rookie season for Sergei Bobrovsky, Taylor Hall and Ryan McDonagh.
Through 43 games, Stathletes gave the Sabres a 0.4% chance of making the playoffs despite Buffalo bringing back coach Lindy Ruff and looking like a team that could break out in the East. What a perpetual bummer this is.
What's next?
Finally, let's look ahead three of the biggest storylines for the season's second half:
This first-of-its-kind event replaces the All-Star Game and pits star players from the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland against each other in an exhibition tournament that's meant to serve as an appetizer for both the 2026 Olympics and future World Cups of Hockey.
The expectation is that an in-season tournament combined with national pride will result in a hugely competitive event with pride on the line. But in talking to players, everything from injuries to the length of the season break -- Feb. 9-21 -- is on their minds. Do you really want to be the team that wins six of seven games, only to have the season pause for a two-week exhibition tournament? All that said: USA vs. Canada is going to rule.
2. The East wild-card chaos
The top three teams in the Metro Division appear set. Same goes for the top two teams in the Atlantic, and the Tampa Bay Lightning appear in good shape for that third spot ahead of the Boston Bruins. As of Wednesday, that means nine teams within seven points of the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference.
They include last season's playoff qualifiers seeking to find their footing again (Boston, the Rangers and Islanders), teams trying break through (Ottawa, Detroit, Montreal) or recapture previous glory (Pittsburgh, Philadelphia). And then there are the Blue Jackets, a team that might have the rest of the NHL pulling for them if they remain near the bubble, given the circumstances. What a race.
3. The trade deadline
The March 7 deadline might be the biggest boom-or-bust moment in a while. If teams such as the Rangers, Bruins, Predators and Canucks decide to move significant players, it could upend the power balance in the Stanley Cup race.
But even if the fireworks are a little more muted, the top contenders are still going to add what they hope are final championship puzzle pieces. Or it could just be 20 defensive defensemen on expiring contracts getting moved for fifth-round picks. Such is the trade deadline.
Police investigating online abuse of Havertz's wife
Police are investigating online abuse received by the wife of Arsenal forward Kai Havertz.
Sophia Havertz shared on social media direct messages that were sent to her after Arsenal were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United on Sunday.
"Officers have received a report of malicious communications towards a Hertfordshire resident on Sunday 12 January. Enquiries are underway," a Hertfordshire Constabulary spokesperson told the Press Association on Wednesday.
Arsenal lost on penalties to United, with Germany striker Havertz missing a chance from close range to win the game at the Emirates Stadium and then failing to score in the shootout.
His wife shared two posts on her Instagram story on Monday, including one where someone threatens to "slaughter" her unborn baby.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta called for action to be taken.
"It's incredible, honestly," Arteta said. We really have to do something about it, because accepting that and hiding this has terrible consequences," he said. "It's something we have to eradicate from the game because it's so cynical and dependent to a result of an action. There is no other industry like this."
Havertz was in action again for Arsenal on Wednesday as they beat rivals Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in the Premier League.
When the 25-year-old's name was read out by the stadium announcer when revealing the teams, there was a large cheer from the home fans.
"There's a social media perception, then when you come to the stadium and actually hear the real fans and what they think, it's two different things," Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice said.
"The cheer he got tonight was ridiculous, it was the loudest cheer of the night when his name called out you could tell that meant a lot to him."
Arsenal defender Emily Fox has praised the "steadying force" of interim manager Renee Slegers after reigniting confidence in the side following Jonas Eidevall's departure.
Slegers took charge on an interim basis following Eidevall's exit in October.
Arsenal had two consecutive losses, 5-2 to Bayern Munich and 2-1 to Chelsea, in the run-up to his departure. Sources told ESPN he had also lost the dressing room.
The United States international praised Slegers for "a smooth transition" and giving the side confidence after a slow start to the season, where Arsenal had only picked up one win from their first four Women's Super League (WSL) games.
"Renee's amazing," Fox told ESPN. I think definitely when she stepped in, it was a very hard time, but I think luckily we had a really great structure, and with her, I always say she's very even-keeled, confident, direct. And so with that, we regrouped I think she has a really good job of making things clear and giving people confidence."
Slegers remains in charge on an interim basis, but fans have called for her to be appointed permanently since the club's hunt for a replacement began last year. An update is expected ahead of Arsenal's WSL clash with Crystal Palace on Sunday.
"It was a very smooth transition in that sense and she hasn't stopped," Fox added.
"I definitely think with having the mid-season, two week break, being able to finally have a time for her to just sit down and get things together, we already are doing more things that I think Renee has been wanting to do to lead up for the January games, which is exciting.
"I think when it first happened last year, it was kind of a week-to-week like, what's going to happen? But I think now that it's been a few months with Renee, we have that consistency and I think just trusting the club and the higher ups that they're doing everything that they can to find the right coach and give us information as soon as possible.
"I think Renee is just a steadying force and with the teammates that we have and the girls that we have, I think we're all just very confident and know how important she is for us."
Arsenal have two potentially title-deciding games coming up against league leaders Chelsea -- who are six points clear at the top of the table -- before they face second-place Manchester City.
"There is a lot in the line, but I think every time we play them, that's how it feels," Fox said.
"I definitely think with Chelsea and Man City, in terms of the atmosphere, the fans, there is always a little bit something more when we play those games. [It] definitely feels more like a rivalry when we play them. Whether it is a final or just in the league, I think anytime we play them [Chelsea] or Man City, we always see it as a game-deciding."
The right-back said she needs to be in control defensively to subdue Chelsea's attacking threats.
Chelsea have scored 31 goals league goals this season, conceding only six. Arsenal have netted 20 but have only leaked goals five times. Two of those were against Chelsea in the reverse fixture, with two others coming in the opening 2-2 draw with Man City.
"Without a doubt, defensively, I need to be on top of it, whether it's with my one vs. ones, or with set pieces, corners crosses and second balls in the box.
"So I think really just being on top of it. I feel like with Chelsea they can finish off of anything and kind of create something out of nothing. And so with that, just defensively being locked in all the time."
Blair Tickner rejoins Derbyshire for 2025 season
The New Zealand fast bowler played seven matches for the county last summer across the Vitality County Championship and Vitality Blast, before returning home early after his wife Sarah was diagnosed with leukemia.
Now with Sarah on the road to recovery, Tickner returns to Derby for the duration of the season, subject to international commitments. He has represented the Black Caps on 34 occasions, and made his Test debut against England in 2023.
Tickner, 31, is currently enjoying a fine domestic summer in New Zealand and is among the leading wicket-takers in the country with 13 dismissals in the Plunket Shield (first-class), 11 in the Ford Trophy (List A) and nine in the Super Smash (T20) so far.
Derbyshire's head of cricket, Mickey Arthur, said: "We never got to see the best of Blair in his first spell with us, there was a lot going on off the field, but he was the consummate professional and we were always eager to bring him back for 2025.
"His record deserved to be better last season, we dropped chances off his bowling and if we take those, his average comes right down. I'm confident we will be better in that regard in 2025, and Blair should reap the rewards, because he's a very good bowler.
"With the likes of Zak Chappell, Harry Moore, Pat Brown and Blair all vying to take the new ball, I'm very excited about our attack in 2025."
Tickner added: "Despite everything, I loved my first spell with Derbyshire and I've kept in touch with the players and coaches, the club have supported me massively and I'm looking forward to getting back to England and showing what I can do.
"I think everyone would agree that I have unfinished business with Derbyshire, I couldn't show my quality first time around and I'm coming back hungry to do just that and win games for the county."
Agar back at Northants
Northants chief executive, Ray Payne, said: "Ashton is a brilliant individual who played a very important role in our good form at the backend of the T20 Blast last year. He is highly skilled, very experienced and has had success at the very highest level of the game.
"We're all very excited to him again in a Steelbacks shirt in 2025."
Stephen Fleming steps down as Southern Brave head coach
Birrell will become the first county head coach also taking charge of a men's Hundred team, though several have served as assistant coaches. He will be replaced as Hampshire coach during the Metro Bank Cup, the 50-over competition which runs parallel to the Hundred, but remains in charge for the County Championship and the T20 Blast.
He has coached Chennai since 2009, and has also taken charge of their affiliated franchises in Major League Cricket (Texas Super Kings) and the SA20 (Joburg Super Kings), where he is currently. Fleming said in a statement that stepping down from his role with the Brave would allow him to spend more time at home.
"I absolutely loved my time at Southern Brave, working in the Hundred and working with a great group of people at Utilita Bowl," Fleming said. "We got close to winning a couple of times so it's difficult to step down but for family reasons I need to be able to dedicate more time to being at home this season. I wish everyone at Southern Brave the best for 2025."
Giles White, who is director of cricket at the Brave and Hampshire, said: "Stephen created an excellent environment for the players and it has been an enjoyable and successful stint with us In his place we are delighted to welcome Adi Birrell and look forward to seeing him build on the team's success in 2025."
The Brave are the fifth Hundred team to recruit a new coach this winter. Justin Langer has replaced Trevor Bayliss at London Spirit's men, while Ali Maiden (Birmingham Phoenix), Michael Klinger (Manchester Originals) and Lisa Keightley (Northern Superchargers) have taken over from Ben Sawyer, Stephen Parry and Dani Hazell respectively in the women's competition.
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