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Connor Stalions, the suspended Michigan staffer at the center of the NCAA’s sign-stealing probe, purchased tickets in his own name for more than 30 games over the past three years at 11 different Big Ten schools, sources at 11 different league schools told ESPN.

The scope of the University of Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing operation includes both video evidence of electronics prohibited by the NCAA to steal signs and a significant paper trail, sources told ESPN. Stalions forwarded the tickets he bought to at least three different people in different areas of the country, sources say, which hints at the breadth of the operation.

The NCAA is expected to receive video evidence this week of illegal technology used in scouting tied to tickets purchased by Stalions, according to sources. An opposing Big Ten school looked up in-stadium surveillance video from a game earlier this year, and sources said the person in the seat of the ticket purchased by Stalions held his smartphone up and appeared to film the home team’s sideline the entire game.

Sources confirmed to ESPN that Stalions purchased tickets on both sides of the stadium — across from each bench — for Ohio State’s game with Penn State on Saturday. Michigan plays both teams in upcoming weeks. According to sources, the tickets purchased by Stalions were not used Saturday. Stalions’ name emerged publicly in an ESPN story Friday. He was suspended with pay by Michigan.

None of the tickets that the 11 schools told ESPN about involved Michigan as an opponent, per sources. The games involved either one or both of the teams that the Wolverines were playing later that season, according to sources.

Stalions did not respond to ESPN’s request for comment. Michigan on Monday reiterated that it is unable to comment further due to the ongoing investigation.

“The Big Ten conference considers the integrity of competition to be of the utmost importance. Due to the ongoing nature of the NCAA investigation, the conference has no comment at this time,” the league said in a statement Monday.

Michigan is ranked No. 2 in the AP poll, looking for its third consecutive trip to the College Football Playoff. It is the current betting favorite to win the national title.

Sources indicated that Stalions forwarded tickets to at least three other individuals, with the ticket transfer showing up through ticket data tracking. Those tickets were used by individuals other than Stalions to get into the game, including the one in the video the NCAA is expected to receive.

Sources told ESPN last week of an “elaborate” scouting system, and that appears to be emerging less than a week after Yahoo Sports first reported that the NCAA was investigating Michigan’s scouting. Stalions often purchased the tickets with his own credit card, according to sources. The sources added that tickets at multiple venues were bought via the online retailers such as StubHub or SeatGeek.

The ticket purchases fall into a seat location pattern — somewhere around the 45-yard line and raised up enough for a clear view of the opposite sideline.

One source told ESPN that Stalions bought tickets to five different games at that school over the past three years. Another said it was four games over the past two years. A third source said it was nine games over the past three years. Some of the purchases were single tickets, others were for multiple people, and sometimes seats were bought on both sides of the stadium near midfield.

One source said Stalions bought some tickets across from the home sideline in order to scout the home team, which Michigan played that season. But the source added there have also been tickets purchased on the other side of the stadium facing the sideline of the opponent, including one purchase across from the visiting sideline in the weeks before Michigan played Ohio State.

In the back half of last season, for example, tickets were bought by Stalions on both sidelines for one league game in which Michigan had both opponents remaining on the schedule.

Officials around the Big Ten are upset, according to sources, as allegations of this type of coordinated and orchestrated capturing of signals looms as distinctly different allegations than the gamesmanship of attempting to decode signals from across the sideline (in-game stealing is not prohibited under NCAA rules).

The alleged evidence of the signals being captured on film means the Wolverines could now face more scrutiny for violating an additional NCAA rule.

The first NCAA rule in question is scouting in opposing stadiums, which has been in place since 1994. The second potential rule being broken, evidence of which had not been reported prior, could mean that Michigan violated Article 11 subsection H of the NCAA football rulebook: “Any attempt to record, either through audio or video means, any signals given by an opposing player, coach or other team personnel is prohibited.”

It’s uncertain who was funding the purchases. Stallions makes $55,000 per year, according to the University of Michigan’s website. But the operation included thousands of dollars in ticket sales and the cost of travel to the stadiums.

Even if the school doesn’t sell the ticket directly, it can electronically trace the tickets to the school’s home games, sources said, including the time the person entered. School officials around the Big Ten began to trace Stalions’ purchases on Friday, soon after ESPN named Stalions as a person of interest in the NCAA’s probe early Friday morning (sources said the NCAA has interest in his computer as part of the investigation).

The schools began discovering Stalions had bought the tickets himself, and it raised suspicions because either the home school or visitors were future Michigan opponents. Stalions is a former captain in the United States Marine Corps who boasted on LinkedIn of his knack for “identifying and exploiting critical vulnerabilities and centers of gravity in the opponent scouting process.” He’d been a volunteer at Michigan, according to LinkedIn, from 2015 to 2022 before being hired full time in May 2022.

Soon after ESPN identified him as a central part of the probe, he erased multiple social media accounts.

Michigan, which was already involved in an NCAA investigation for alleged illegal recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period, has pledged full cooperation with the latest investigation. There’s no precedent to indicate what any potential punishment would be for Michigan or coach Jim Harbaugh, as NCAA enforcement has never seen a case of this scope in signal stealing.

The allegations against Michigan could be greater than what got the New England Patriots in trouble during the Spygate scandal that unfolded during the 2007 season. The crux of those allegations revolved around in-game taping of opponents’ signals during Patriots games.

The potential of these allegations being added to the NCAA case could increase Harbaugh’s exposure to punishment by the NCAA’s head coach responsibility rules, which essentially state the head coach is responsible for everything that happens in his program, whether they are aware of it or not.

Harbaugh said after Michigan’s 49-0 win over Michigan State: “There’s been stuff. There’s been attempts to diminish the team in a lot of ways, starting with the easy schedule. They just play.”

Last week, he denied “illegally stealing signals” in a statement.

“I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment,” he said on Thursday. “I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action.

Michigan has a bye this week before playing Purdue at home on Nov. 4.

ESPN’s Dan Murphy contributed to this report.

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Johnson, 2-time Cup winner with Lightning, retires

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Johnson, 2-time Cup winner with Lightning, retires

Tyler Johnson has announced his retirement after playing 13 NHL seasons and winning the Stanley Cup twice with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Johnson called it a career in a lengthy message posted on social media Monday. Johnson had battled injuries in recent years and is set to turn 35 on July 29.

“As a short kid from a small town, I saw my chances of playing in the NHL as very slim,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “But my family — my parents, Ken and Debbie, and my grandparents — believed in me when doubt clouded my mind. Their unwavering faith turned that dream into reality.”

Listed at 5-foot-8 and 191 pounds, Johnson won at just about ever level, capturing the Western Hockey League and Memorial Cup championships in 2008 with his hometown Spokane Chiefs and the Calder Cup championship with Norfolk of the American Hockey League in 2012.

The NHL brought more success, as he skated in 863 regular-season and playoff games since debuting in the league in 2013, putting up 498 points. Johnson was part of the Lightning’s core when they reached the final in 2015 and helped them hoist the Cup back to back in 2020 and ’21.

Johnson finished with Chicago, playing three seasons with the Blackhawks, and Boston, signing with the Bruins early last season following his training camp tryout.

“After a lifetime devoted to hockey, I’m ready for what’s next,” Johnson said. “This moment is bittersweet, but I leave the game with no regrets.”

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‘Gritty’ McBain secures 5-year deal from Mammoth

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'Gritty' McBain secures 5-year deal from Mammoth

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Mammoth re-signed center Jack McBain to a five-year contract worth $21.25 million on Monday.

McBain will count $4.25 million against the salary cap through the 2029-30 NHL season, which was announced a little more than 24 hours since the team elected salary arbitration with the restricted free agent forward.

“He is a big, strong, physical player who competes hard on a nightly basis and brings a gritty toughness to our group,” general manager Bill Armstrong said. “Jack is an important part of the championship-caliber team we are building, and we look forward to having him back on our roster for the foreseeable future.”

McBain, 25, is coming off setting a career high with 27 points and playing all 82 games. He was one of six players to skate in every game of the organization’s first season in Salt Lake City.

“Jack’s versatility as a player, his care for his teammates and his demonstrated willingness to do whatever it takes to win, are all critical elements to our future team success,” president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong said.

McBain has 82 points in 241 games with the franchise, which moved to Utah from Arizona. Since debuting in April 2022, he ranks third in the league with 832 hits.

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‘Workhorse’ York nets five-year deal from Flyers

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'Workhorse' York nets five-year deal from Flyers

Cam York and the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to terms Monday on a five-year contract worth $25.75 million, with re-signing the restricted free agent defenseman completing perhaps the team’s last important piece of offseason business.

York, 25, will count $5.15 million against the salary cap through the 2029-30 NHL season. That price could turn out to be a bargain with the upper limit rising from $88 million this past season to $113.5 million by 2027-28.

“Cam has been a workhorse for our team over the last few seasons,” general manager Danny Briere said. “We’re excited by his development and look forward to his continued growth and emergence as a young leader within our group.”

The Flyers are trying to shift from rebuilding to contending, and York was the final player on the roster without a contract. They acquired Trevor Zegras in a trade from Anaheim last month and signed fellow center Christian Dvorak and backup goaltender Dan Vladar on the first day of free agency.

York, the 14th pick in the 2019 draft, has skated nearly 21 minutes a game so far in his pro career, all with Philadelphia. He has 77 points in 235 games for the Flyers, who have not made the playoffs since 2020.

“I believe in this team, and I love the direction we are heading,” York said. “I couldn’t be more excited to continue this journey and build something special together.”

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