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ATLANTA — Georgia star defensive lineman Jalen Carter said Thursday that he feels 100% again after a nagging ankle injury limited him for most of the first half of the season.

Carter, who figures to play a prominent role against Ohio State in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Saturday, missed two games this season and came off the bench rather than starting four other contests.

He said that the recovery from the ankle injury was slow but that his teammates were supportive throughout, sending him encouraging messages.

It wasn’t frustrating, he said, but it was “odd” because it was his first experience dealing with a significant injury.

“I just had to get a lot of treatment,” he said, “and had to really change my mindset and let’s get better.”

Carter returned to form during the second half of the season and reminded everyone why he’s in the running to be the highest-drafted non-quarterback in next year’s NFL draft.

During his past six games, he had 24 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.

ESPN’s Todd McShay projects Carter to be the No. 2 overall pick by the Seattle Seahawks.

Carter said that while he was injured, people brought up to him the idea of opting out this season and preparing for the draft, but he wasn’t interested.

“I was seeing that a lot,” he said, “but I didn’t let that get in my head. I didn’t want to opt out on the team. I wanted to finish with my guys. So, I didn’t let nobody, like, come in my head and say, ‘Oh, let’s do this, do that.'”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart said a healthy Carter has helped the defense as a whole.

“He’s a talented young man,” he said. “He’s a force to be reckoned with. It allowed us to play more players. He gave us a little more disruption in the middle — gave us some pass-rush interiorly that we needed. And he’s really brought an energy to the defense that was kind of needed.

“He was the most experienced player coming back, and now, having him back and healthy, has been big for us.”

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Spin-o-rama goal helps Celebrini to 50-point mark

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Spin-o-rama goal helps Celebrini to 50-point mark

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Macklin Celebrini reached his latest milestone in most impressive fashion.

Celebrini scored a spin-o-rama goal as part of a four-point night that made him the fastest San Jose player to reach 50 points in a season as the Sharks beat the Calgary Flames 6-3 on Tuesday.

“He’s incredible,” teammate Barclay Goodrow said. “It seems like every night he does something that just makes you say, ‘Wow.’ At this point, it’s not surprising, but it still is surprising. He proves each and every night why he’s one of the best players in the league.”

The numbers Celebrini is putting up are staggering, especially as a 19-year-old in only his second NHL season. He has 18 goals and 33 assists through San Jose’s first 34 games after recording two goals and two assists against the Flames.

He reached the 50-point mark three games faster than any other Sharks player. The only other teenagers to get there faster are two of the greatest in NHL history: Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby.

“He’s a special one, for sure,” San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “Every time you think he’s going to maybe slow down and maybe hit a speed bump, he doesn’t. He just keeps going. You can see he had legs early tonight. He’s obviously a very special individual.”

Celebrini assisted on two goals in the first period, including a pinpoint pass to John Klingberg that set up the first one, and played a strong game at both ends of the ice all night.

But it was his breathtaking move early in the third that was truly jaw dropping. Celebrini took a pass from Collin Graf, spun without breaking stride and put a shot on net that Dustin Wolf initially saved before the puck bounced off Celebrini’s hip and went in.

“It’s kind of just a reaction,” Celebrini said. “I mean, Graffer made a good play on the wall to kind of intercept it and then just found me in the middle. It was just kind of reactionary, but it was a little lucky. It goes off my hip.”

Celebrini capped the game with an empty-net goal that sealed San Jose’s 17th win. The young Sharks are currently in playoff position after finishing last in the league the past two seasons.

San Jose won only 20 games in Celebrini’s rookie season, and didn’t reach 17 until the 63rd game.

“It’s fun,” he said. “It’s enjoyable to be around the rink when you’re winning and you’re playing well as a group and you just kind of feed off it. It’s more fun when you are winning.”

Celebrini is the biggest reason for the turnaround.

His high level of play has earned him respect around the league and made a case for his inclusion on the Canadian Olympic team.

“Everyone sees it,” Goodrow said. “He’s one of the best. He has the ability to put a team on his back. He competes as hard as he can, each and every shift. He’s a leader. He does a lot for us.”

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Draisaitl hits 1,000 points against ex-Oiler Skinner

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Draisaitl hits 1,000 points against ex-Oiler Skinner

PITTSBURGH — Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl became the fourth-fastest active player in NHL history to reach 1,000 career points in the first period of a 6-4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.

Draisaitl had the secondary assist on a power-play goal by Zach Hyman at 11:38 of the first period. He sent a pass to Connor McDavid, who slid it in front to Hyman for a one-timer past Stuart Skinner.

“It was a lot of hard work and a lot of people that helped along the way,” Draisaitl said. “These accomplishments are always directed at the player, but there are so many people that play a big part in that.”

Skinner was Draisaitl’s teammate before Edmonton traded him to Pittsburgh for Tristan Jarry on Friday.

“Whenever anyone gets 1,000 points, you’re going to congratulate them, but I would’ve rather it not be on me,” Skinner said. “It’s a little bittersweet. I was his teammate for a long time and obviously he’s a great player and makes things happen every single night. Congratulations to him.”

After Hyman’s goal, the Oilers’ bench emptied and congratulated Draisaitl on the milestone in the corner.

Draisaitl recorded his 1,001st point 14 seconds later on a goal by McDavid. He finished the game with four assists and now has 416 goals and 587 assists in 824 games. Draisaitl and McDavid assisted on a goal for the 136th time in their career, passing Paul Coffey and Wayne Gretzky for fourth most by a pair of teammates in NHL history.

“He’s a special player,” McDavid said. “I can’t say enough good things. He does it every year on both sides of the rink. It’s not surprising for him to reach this accomplishment and reach it so quickly with so many great years ahead of him.”

Draisaitl, the No. 3 pick in 2014, became the 103rd player in NHL history, first German-born player and fifth in franchise history to reach 1,000 points.

Draisaitl, a four-time 50-goal scorer who helped Edmonton reach the Stanley Cup Final the previous two seasons, is the fifth fastest to reach the milestone among players born outside North America.

“Growing up in Germany, it seems like it was a long ways,” Draisaitl said. “It was surely just a dream. Just super grateful, super thankful and of course a little proud.”

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Ex-Bama coach Saban buys stake in NHL’s Preds

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Ex-Bama coach Saban buys stake in NHL's Preds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Former Alabama football coach and current ESPN college football analyst Nick Saban has purchased a minority stake in the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

Predators chairman and majority owner Bill Haslam announced Tuesday the purchase made by Dream Sports Ventures LLC, an entity controlled by Saban and business partner Joe Agresti.

“Although I am now retired as a coach, I still possess a competitive nature and a great passion for sports,” Saban said in a statement released by the Predators. “Being involved in a sports team in Nashville has always been a goal and the opportunity to partner in the Predators with a class act like Bill Haslam created the perfect scenario for us. The Preds are a great organization with a fantastic brand, and we are excited to be part of the future success of the franchise.”

Saban and Agresti are partners in the Dream Motor Group that features 10 car dealerships, including two in Nashville. They’re partners in several other business ventures as well.

Saban stepped down as Alabama’s coach after the 2023 season. He posted a 297-71-1 record in 28 years as a coach and won seven national titles — one at LSU and six at Alabama.

Haslam was governor of Tennessee from 2011-19. He became chairman of the Predators on July 1, 2024, and took over as majority owner of the franchise on July 3 of this year.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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