Midway through 2024-25, the Toronto Maple Leafs sit atop the Atlantic Division, four points clear of the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers. Not a jarring surprise, considering this group, led by last year's Rocket Richard Trophy winner Auston Matthews, was considered a competitive bunch even before management made some not insignificant moves in the offseason. In the East, only the Washington Capitals have a greater winning percentage. So, is it too ridiculous to consider Toronto a legit contender for the President's Trophy?

President's Trophy Winner, Toronto Maple Leafs +1200

The oddsmakers don't seem to believe so, setting the current line at Even for Toronto to wrap up the season leading the Atlantic. Not unattractive odds, but less fun than the number set for Craig Berube's bunch to finish with more points than any other team in the league. While it always requires a greater leap to side with one club versus the field, it's also, obviously, much more rewarding.

Ramping up their physical play and committing to their new coach's system, the Maple Leafs are tougher to compete against this season. The additions of defenders Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, forward Max Pacioretty -- who has 79 hits in 28 contests -- and goaltender Anthony Stolarz have all improved the makeup of this squad. John Tavares resembles his dominant self of years past, while Matthew Knies is developing into an excellent, well-rounded competitor in front of our eyes. Mitch Marner sits fourth with 56 points while, rather quietly, serving as one the game's best two-way forwards. The newish line of Max Domi, Nicholas Robertson, and Bobby McMann is providing valuable depth the lineup previously lacked.

The defensive corps -- including the new stifling duo of Tanev and Jake McCabe -- has helped the team maintain a 2.76 GA/GP. They've won with and without their superstar captain and best netminder in Stolarz. Matthews is back now. Stolarz is scheduled to return before January's end. Excuse the obvious, but this team is even more capable with one of the game's best netminders. And you can count on Toronto only bringing Stolarz back when he's fully fit and ready. There's no rush here.

So while the Golden Knights lead the league with a .731 point percentage, and the Jets, Wild, Avalanche, Capitals and others deserve their due for recent or season-long success, the Maple Leafs appear poised to battle with the best of them. And, fully healthy, can't be discounted as a contender to finish ahead of all others by mid-April.

Bonus bet: New York Rangers To Make The Playoffs (+240): There's no question it's been ugly on and off the ice in the Big Apple of late. But please remember this club, with similar personnel, won The President's Trophy just one year ago. Far too skilled to flounder week after week, they still sit just four points out of a Wild Card spot, with a game in hand. Conceding -- at least today -- that the Capitals, Hurricanes, and Devils appear favored to emerge from the Metropolitan, there leaves one last position up for grabs (riding the assumption four teams advance from each Eastern division). So who? The Penguins? Blue Jackets? Flyers? Or, again, the team that accrued more points than any other only a year ago.

New York management won't put up with stumbling through the rest of 2024-25, that's clear. Whether the fix is internal, or some key bodies are shipped in/out, this club won't settle with settling. Igor Shesterkin, the best-paid goaltender in the NHL, isn't expected to be out forever (although more clarity on that injury would be nice). Adam Fox remains one of the game's superior defenseman. Enduring disappointing campaigns, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck, and Chris Kreider (IR) aren't simply crummy all of a sudden.

Following Saturday's lively affair with the Capitals -- a 7-4 loss in which they never tossed in the towel -- the Rangers turned matters around and resoundingly beat the Blackhawks 6-2. It's something at least, and perhaps a start of a more positive stretch. Which is all they need to crawl back into the playoff conversation.

Latest odds as of publication. For latest odds movement, go to ESPN BET.

Featured game

Former Mexico coach Miguel Herrera was announced as the new manager of the Costa Rica men's national team on Tuesday.

The 56-year-old will return to the international stage with the Ticos for the first time since coaching Mexico from 2013-15.

"Following an exhaustive selection process that concluded with a final shortlist, the FCRF [Costa Rican Football Federation] Executive Committee, together with the new sports director Ignacio Hierro, made the decision to hire Herrera as the national team's manager," the federation said in a statement.

Herrera is expected to be presented in the coming days and could be on the sidelines for Costa Rica's friendly against the United States on July 22.

According to ESPN Mexico, three Mexican candidates were on the final shortlist, including former Liga MX manager Ignacio Ambriz.

Herrera's run with Mexico remains as his only previous experience at the international level. After being hired in 2013, and later qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, he then helped secure a Concacaf Gold Cup title in 2015. Shortly after earning the trophy, he was fired by the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) after an alleged altercation at an airport with a journalist.

At the club level, Herrera has a lengthier resume with stints at Atlante (2002-04, 2011), Monterrey (2004-07), Veracruz (2008), Tecos (2008-10), Club America (2012-13, 2017-20), Tigres (2021-22), and Club Tijuana (2015-17, 2023-24).

The coach found success with Club America thanks to titles in the 2013 Clausura and 2018 Apertura. Herrera left Tijuana in May last year after being unable to qualify for the playoffs in his last three seasons with the Liga MX side.

Ange Postecoglou has said that even Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah would struggle in his Tottenham side.

Salah has been one of the most in-form players in Europe this season, scoring 21 goals in 27 games and helping Liverpool top the Premier League after 19 games.

However, he would be unlikely to repeat that level of play had he played for Tottenham this season, Postecoglou said a day before the two sides meet in the Carabao Cup semifinal first leg.

"Mo is a world-class player, but if you put him in our team now I'm not sure he'll have that same level of performance because of the situation we're in as a group," Postecoglou said.

"His attacking play, who do you need? You need a team that's kind of in good form, creating opportunities, playing on the front foot, having a really solid foundation of a defence that is cohesive. None of these things exist at the moment."

The Australian coach has come under fire at times this season amid lacklustre form that sees them with just two wins in their last 11 games in all competitions.

Mikel Arteta has suggested Arsenal's failure to adapt to the Carabao Cup ball was a factor in Tuesday's 2-0 semifinal, first leg defeat to Newcastle United.

Goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon put Eddie Howe's side in a commanding position ahead of the return match on Feb. 5. The Gunners wasted a catalogue of chances and ended with an expected goals figure of 3.12 -- the highest number by a Premier League team in any game without scoring this season.

Asked what he could do to avoid the missed chances becoming a psychological problem, Arteta referenced the change in ball as per the competition regulations with a Puma offering used instead of the regular Nike ball.

"Just try and show them, give them tips of what we can do better," Areta said. "I think we kicked a lot of the balls over the bar and it is tricky: this ball flies a lot. We discuss that as well so there are details we can do better. But at the end, that's gone. This is no way back, it is about the next game. That is our world."

Pushed on what the issue was with the ball, Arteta continued: "It is just different, very different to the Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that because it flies differently. When you touch it, the grip is very different as well and you have to adapt."

Arteta was part of Manchester City's coaching staff when Pep Guardiola complained about the ball after a fourth-round tie in October 2017. Guardiola claimed "to score with that ball is a miracle" of the Mitre ball after beating Wolves 4-1 in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw.

The EFL later produced a statement which read: "The Mitre ball used in this season's Carabao Cup is of exactly the same technical specification as the balls used in the Sky Bet EFL and Checkatrade Trophy, all of which are tested in accordance with the FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs and meet the FIFA Quality Pro standard.

"All balls used in the professional game are required to meet this standard."

Didier Deschamps will leave his role as France head coach at the end of his current contract culminating in the 2026 World Cup cycle, sources have told ESPN.

The 2018 World Cup winner will depart after the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico if Les Bleus qualify, or he will leave after the end of the qualification campaign if they fail to make it.

Zinedine Zidane, 52, the former Real Madrid manager, winner of three Champions Leagues in a row and a former Deschamps' teammate with the France team, is the heavy favourite to replace him.

Deschamps, 56, took over from Laurent Blanc 14 years ago on the French bench in the summer 2012 and brought unprecedented success to the national team. As well as winning the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 Nations League, he reached the 2016 Euros and 2022 World Cup finals and the 2024 Euros semifinal.

He is by far the most successful France head coach ever, with a 64.2% win percentage and reaching at least the semifinals in the last four big tournaments. He is also one of the longest-serving and most successful national team coaches in history.

He is only the third person to have won the World Cup both as player (in 1998) and manager, joining Germany's Franz Beckenbauer and Brazil's Mario Zagallo.

France will find out their group position for qualifying after finishing Nations League competition, which begins with a quarterfinal match against Croatia in March.

Deschamps is expected to make his announcement on Wednesday.

LONDON -- The signs are getting difficult to ignore for Arsenal. Whether it is the sight of a No. 14 beating defenders at will and scoring the opening goal, or Anthony Gordon actually invoking Thierry Henry's corner flag celebration when doubling Newcastle United's advantage, reminders of the value of an iconic centre-forward were everywhere on Tuesday evening.

On a less abstract level, Arsenal's finishing at Emirates Stadium was awful, their profligacy a major contributing factor to a 2-0 home defeat which leaves Newcastle firm favourites to progress from this two-legged Carabao Cup semifinal.

The fact they were shown how to do it by Alexander Isak, a player they have tracked for a long time and continue to monitor, only brought the point even closer to home. Isak obviously has a long way to go to match Henry's status in the game, but on current form, he might be the best forward in England and arguably beyond.

His 14th goal -- there's that number again -- from his past 15 games owed something to fortune given Jacob Murphy was trying to collect Sven Botman's flick-on but inadvertently found the Sweden international in the box, but Isak's finish high into the net was deadly.

More smart play from the 25-year-old, this time six minutes into the second half, proved decisive. decisive. Isak collected Murphy's pass in the box and got a shot away which David Raya could only parry into Gordon's path.

"I think [he's the best striker in Europe]," Gordon told ITV Sport. "I think everyone is in agreement with that. He's on fire. Even for my goal. I'm just gambling back post."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta also agrees.

"He was involved in both goals as well," he says. "Unfortunately, the two times he had the ball in the box and that's what happens when you have real quality up front and they can make the difference, and they're very clinical."

The clamour for Arsenal to gamble in the transfer market on Isak or a forward of his ilk will only grow now, especially as the catalogue of missed chances will linger in the memory.

Just before the half-hour mark -- and after Jurriën Timber has headed over from inside the six-yard box -- Gabriel Martinelli raced through on goal from Leandro Trossard's through-ball. The Brazilian's effort struck the post.

Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhães had shots blocked either side of Isak's opener. Perhaps the most astounding miss came at 2-0 when Trossard's right-wing cross was deflected into Havertz's path. Somehow, almost in slow motion, Havertz failed to connect cleanly with the looping ball, shouldering the ball agonisingly wide of Martin Dúbravka's left-hand post.

Newcastle withdrew Isak for the final 25 minutes due to a tight hamstring, shutting the game down through a series of changes that left them playing something approximating a 5-5-0 formation as Arsenal gradually ran out of ideas.

Nevertheless, the Gunners ended the game with an expected goals (xG) total of 3.12. That is the highest figure by a Premier League team in any game this season without scoring.

Scratching the surface only underlines Arsenal's wastefulness. For all their opportunities, from 23 shots, they managed just three on target and only one of those came from open play.

"If you look at what both teams produced and the dominance it is not the result that reflects the story of the game but the reality is they were super efficient with the chances they had and we weren't," said Arteta.

"At this level, in these kind of scenarios you need that to impose yourself and win again."

Pushed on whether the missed chances -- a familiar issue this season -- could become a psychological problem and how his coaching staff could address that, Arteta chose instead to focus on the Puma ball, a departure from the usual Nike offering used in the Premier League.

"Nothing, just try and show them, give them tips of what we can do better," he said.

"I think we kicked a lot of the balls over the bar and it is tricky: this ball flies a lot. We discuss that as well so there are details we can do better. But at the end, that's gone. This is no way back, it is about the next game. That is our world."

The ball did not seem an issue for Isak. He has now scored 50 goals for Newcastle in all competitions and since his debut in August 2022, only Erling Haaland (105) and Mohamed Salah (73) have scored more goals in all competitions among Premier League players.

Newcastle fans will delight in disproving the theory Isak must leave the club to win the trophies.

Speculation of a price tag as high as 150 million will likely dissuade any suitors this month, but the prospect of a Carabao Cup Final -- the second leg at St James' Park takes place two days after the transfer window closes -- is another pull for Isak to stay put.

Since 1987-88, nine teams have now held a two-goal advantage after a semifinal first leg away win, with all eight previous occasions seeing the side progress to the final.

Reflecting on that half-century milestone, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said: "It is a brilliant return and I think every team needs a good striker."

Shortly after Isak was substituted, Arteta cast a lingering look at the Newcastle dugout. He may well have been thinking the same thing.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- If Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has learned anything from his playoff struggles, it's to remember to keep his emotions in check when the stakes of the games increase.

"I'd just be too excited," Jackson said after Tuesday's practice. "That's all. Too antsy. I'm seeing things before it happened, like, 'Oh, I got to calm myself down.' But just being more experienced, I've found a way to balance it out."

As the Ravens play host to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a wild-card game Saturday, Jackson will look to overcome his postseason disappointment. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player is 2-4 in the playoffs and has never reached the Super Bowl in his previous six seasons.

The issue with Jackson has been turnovers. In six playoff starts, he has thrown six interceptions and has lost three fumbles.

"You got to try to be mistake-free," Jackson said. "The game's won with the turnover battle and keeping the ball in your control, moving the ball down the field, getting first downs, putting points on the ball. Obviously, that's how you win those games."

Jackson doesn't think about the playoff losses from earlier in his career because he feels he was too young. There's only one postseason defeat that repeatedly comes to mind -- last season's 17-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.

"That's probably the only playoff game I do think about," Jackson said. "It was right there. But my mind, I'm focused now, though. It is what it is at this point."

What does he think about from that AFC Championship Game?

"We lost it," he said.

HENDERSON, Nev. -- The Las Vegas Raiders fired Antonio Pierce after his first full season as head coach, the team announced Tuesday.

The Raiders are retaining general manager Tom Telesco, who was hired for the role last season, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Raiders limited owner Tom Brady is expected to be part of a collaborative committee to interview head coaching candidates and support team owner Mark Davis, league sources told Schefter.

"We appreciate Antonio's leadership, first as an interim head coach and this past season as the head coach. Antonio grew up a Raiders fan and his Silver and Black roots run deep. We are grateful for his ability to reignite what it means to be a Raider throughout the entire organization. We wish nothing but the best for Antonio and his family in the future," the team said in a statement.

Pierce, who was hired last season as the team's coach after serving as the interim coach in 2023, led the Raiders to a 4-13 record this season.

He said at his media availability Monday that he was operating as if he would remain as the team's coach but acknowledged he had not yet met with Davis.

The Raiders lost 34-20 to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday to finish a season that included a 10-game losing streak, the team's longest since 2014 when they opened 0-10. The Raiders will now look to hire their fifth head coach since relocating to Las Vegas from Oakland in 2020 and their ninth since Davis took over as owner upon the death of his father, Al Davis, in 2011.

Las Vegas finished last in its division and clinched the No. 6 draft pick on Sunday. The remaining AFC West teams -- the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos and Chargers -- each advanced to the playoffs.

Pierce, 46, was initially promoted from linebackers coach to interim head coach when Davis fired Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler after less than two full seasons on Halloween night in 2023.

The Raiders went 5-4 under Pierce to finish out 2023, including 4-2 in the AFC West, with a 63-21 blowout of the Chargers to finish 8-9 overall.

After an offseason during which the Raiders were either unable or unwilling to trade up for a quarterback in the draft -- Pierce had his eyes on Jayden Daniels, but he was selected at No. 2 and six QBs were drafted before the Raiders' selection at No. 13 -- Las Vegas settled on free agent veteran Gardner Minshew, giving him a two-year, $25 million contract with $15 million guaranteed.

The Raiders also had an agreement with former Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury to come aboard as offensive coordinator, before he pulled out and went to the Washington Commanders, who drafted Daniels.

Pierce settled on former Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, and Minshew won a tight training camp battle with second-year quarterback Aidan O'Connell.

But the Raiders' offense, under Getsy and Minshew, did not get off to the fast start Pierce envisioned, and Minshew was benched in favor of O'Connell after five games. Getsy was fired after nine games and replaced by passing game coordinator Scott Turner, and O'Connell and Minshew both continued dealing with injuries the rest of the season.

Before being promoted, Pierce, a nine-year veteran who was named to a Pro Bowl and won a Super Bowl as a linebacker with the New York Giants, had never been a head coach above the high school level and was never a coordinator in the NFL.

The Dallas Cowboys have denied permission to the Chicago Bears to interview coach Mike McCarthy, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

Multiple sources said Monday that the Bears had sought permission to speak with McCarthy regarding their head coaching vacancy.

However, the Bears will interview Pete Carroll, 73, for the job Thursday, sources told ESPN's Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler. Carroll has expressed interest in the job and would like to return to the sideline in 2025, sources told Schefter last month.

The Bears also requested to interview Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Schefter reported. They also are expected to interview former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, Bears interim coach Thomas Brown, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, among others.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles, who will lead the team's coaching search, said during his season-ending news conference Tuesday that all options are on the table, including considering trading for a coach.

"We're looking for clear vision, a developmental mindset, really good game management, and obviously a plan to develop a quarterback is going to be a key part of that as well," Poles said. "There's going to be some names that you don't expect that are going to surprise you because we're digging deeper than we ever have before."

McCarthy's contract expires Wednesday, but the Cowboys hold exclusive negotiating rights through Jan. 14. After that, McCarthy would become a coaching free agent.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones continued to praise McCarthy after Sunday's season-ending loss to the Washington Commanders but was noncommittal regarding the coach's future in Dallas.

McCarthy said he "absolutely" wants to return to Dallas, where he has posted a 49-35 regular-season record but is just 1-3 in the playoffs. The Cowboys finished 7-10 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020, McCarthy's first season.

Jones was asked then whether he would allow a team to speak to McCarthy if it sought permission, and he said he just did something similar with running back Ezekiel Elliott, releasing him in the final week of the season for the chance to join a playoff team.

"I wouldn't want anybody coaching who didn't want to be here," Jones said.

Jones and McCarthy are set to meet this week on the direction of the franchise.

"I have a lot invested here. And the Cowboys have a lot invested in me," McCarthy said Sunday. "And then there's a personal side to all these decisions. They all point the right direction. I think anytime you invest your time, energy, your belief, the connection you have, the relationships that are in place here, the understanding of what the organization can do and is willing to do, those are all positive attributes that you take into account. But, you know, absolutely, I'm a builder. I believe in building programs. I believe in developing young players. So, at the end of day, it is about winning, and you have to have those components in place to get this thing where it needs to be. I think we have a very good foundation here."

McCarthy's 174 wins are 13th in NFL history. He coached the Green Bay Packers from 2006 to 2018, winning six NFC North titles and Super Bowl XLV.

ESPN's Todd Archer and Courtney Cronin contributed to this report.