Bettman: No expansion or playoff changes coming

Published

2 years ago

March 17, 2023

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Mar 15, 2023

MANALAPAN, Fla. — NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is confident as ever that the league is in a good place, with no plans to see it expand further in the immediate future.

“We’re not in an expansion mode right now,” said Bettman on Wednesday, after wrapping up the league’s annual GM meetings. “There continues to be a number of people, entities and cities expressing interest in having an NHL franchise where they don’t have one, places like Atlanta, like Houston, like Quebec City. But it’s not really something, at least right now, that’s anywhere close to the front burner for us.”

Rumors have swirled about the NHL exploring new cities that might support a team. Atlanta in particular is a popular projection, partly based on its history with the league. The Atlanta Flames were there from 1972 to 1980 before moving to Calgary, and the Thrashers lasted from 1999 to 2011, when the team relocated to Winnipeg.

Bettman said the league hasn’t studied whether Atlanta could sustain another club but, “to the extent that we’re getting expressions of interest from the general Atlanta region, it’s in locations for arenas that are different than where they’ve been.”

According to Bettman, the NHL’s playoff format is also staying the same. The league transitioned in 2013-14 from a classic 1-8 system to its current wild-card layout — where two teams from the same division play in the first round — and while Bettman acknowledged the method has its critics, he isn’t one of them.

“We think, and I think it is [agreed upon by] the general managers, that what we’ve got works really well,” Bettman said. “If you’ve been tracking it for the last month, there isn’t much difference [in who plays whom] between either format. This is working well, and we aren’t looking to make any changes.”

The league is also on track for the same previously predicted $1 million boost to the salary cap next season. Bettman said that’ll be the case unless the NHL Players’ Association — under new leadership with Marty Walsh stepping in this week — wants to discuss what a further increased cap would mean for their outstanding escrow.

When the most recent CBA was negotiated in 2020, the players owed owners more than $1 billion because of the clubs’ COVID-19 losses; Bettman said Wednesday there is approximately $100 million of escrow outstanding, and once it’s paid off, the cap could go up by around $4 million.

“One thing to keep in mind,” Bettman said, “is if we’re going to raise the cap and the escrow hasn’t been paid off, then we’re going to have to look at raising the escrow rates, which under the CBA extension in 2020 is locked into the last three years of the CBA term at 6%. So, if you’re going to raise the cap prematurely, then we’re going to have to look at the escrow percentage as well. The two are inextricably tied together.”

In other league updates, Bettman confirmed the Ottawa Senators‘ sale remains a “work in progress” with the first round of bidding complete. The second phase of the process — which could take just “a matter of weeks” — will include “winnowing down” the interested parties.

With the news on Tuesday that Diamond Sports Group — which owns regional broadcast networks for 12 NHL teams — filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Bettman said the league has been assured all its regular-season games will be carried out as planned and that there are “a series of options” at the NHL’s disposal as backup to ensure coverage continues through the final stretch to the playoffs.

Sports

3 tossed from Giants-Rockies after Devers homer

Published

1 hour ago

September 3, 2025

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3 tossed from Giants-Rockies after Devers homer

Associated Press

Sep 2, 2025, 09:18 PM ET

DENVER — Rafael Devers‘ 30th home run of the season was a weird one.

Colorado Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland along with San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman and shortstop Willy Adames were ejected from Tuesday night’s game following a benches-clearing incident that started after Devers hit a two-run homer in the first inning.

Devers hammered a sweeper over the right-field wall, and Freeland took exception to Devers’ celebration, shouting at him as he neared first base.

That caused several players to charge toward the infield, where Chapman appeared to make contact with Freeland. Adames also was in the middle of the scrum.

The umpires restored order before sorting out the situation and announcing the ejections. It did not appear that any punches were thrown.

Devers waited at first base while the umpires were meeting and then trotted around the bases several minutes after he actually hit the homer.

The Giants had to shuffle their defensive infield after the two ejections, moving Devers to third base for the first time since he was traded to the club from the Boston Red Sox in June. Christian Koss moved from second base to shortstop, Casey Schmitt entered the game at second base and Dominic Smith entered at first.

Antonio Senzatela came in the game to pitch for the Rockies.

Devers’ 30th homer also ended a skid for the Giants — sort of. He is the first San Francisco player to hit 30 homers in a season while wearing a Giants uniform since Barry Bonds in 2004, but he hit his first 15 long balls with the Red Sox.

Sports

Ohtani belts 100th HR with Dodgers in record time

Published

1 hour ago

September 3, 2025

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Ohtani belts 100th HR with Dodgers in record time

ESPN News Services

Sep 2, 2025, 10:22 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — Shohei Ohtani hit his 100th home run with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the Pittsburgh Pirates spoiled the milestone with a 9-7 win Tuesday night.

Ohtani’s solo shot off prospect Bubba Chandler (2-0) was the second-hardest hit homer in MLB this season at 120 mph. It was home run No. 46 for Ohtani this season and the hardest-hit ball of his MLB career, according to ESPN Research.

Playing his 294th game with the Dodgers, he became the fastest to reach 100 home runs in team history, ahead of Gary Sheffield (399). It took him 444 games to hit 100 home runs with the Angels.

After the home run, Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-out RBI single and Andy Pages led off the next inning with his 24th homer, tying it 4-4.

Henry Davis put the Pirates back ahead on an RBI single off Edgardo Henriquez (0-1) in the sixth. Jared Triolo added a two-out, two-run double.

Chandler gave up three runs and six hits in four innings of relief. The 22-year-old has two wins and a save in his first three major league appearances.

Dennis Santana walked Miguel Rojas and gave up Ohtani’s second double to start the ninth before retiring the next three batters for his 12th save.

Clayton Kershaw yielded four runs, four hits and a pair of walks in the first inning. He recovered to last five innings, denying the Pirates of another hit while giving up two walks over the final four.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sports

Red Sox’s Anthony exits with oblique tightness

Published

1 hour ago

September 3, 2025

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Red Sox's Anthony exits with oblique tightness

Sep 2, 2025, 08:28 PM ET

Star Boston Red Sox rookie Roman Anthony left Tuesday night’s 11-7 win against the Cleveland Guardians because of left oblique tightness and will undergo an MRI on Wednesday, according to manager Alex Cora.

Anthony could be seen grabbing at his lower back on a swinging third strike in the bottom of the fourth inning. He did not take the field in the top of the fifth, with Nate Eaton replacing him in right field at Fenway Park.

Anthony’s absence would be significant for a Red Sox team that entered Tuesday night just 2½ games behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East. Anthony has been a catalyst to Boston’s resurgence since his June callup, with the 21-year-old hitting .291 with an .861 OPS, eight home runs and 31 RBIs entering Tuesday.

Anthony entered the season as baseball’s No. 1 prospect. He has since signed an eight-year, $130 million extension with the team.

Teammate Marcelo Mayer, who entered the season as baseball’s No. 6 prospect, joined the big league club before Anthony in May but has since had season-ending wrist surgery. Kristian Campbell, the third of Boston’s touted prospects, opened the season as the club’s starting second baseman but was sent down to Triple-A Worcester in June after some early struggles.