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As we head to Thanksgiving — the NHL’s typical barometer for whether a team is well-positioned for a playoff berth or not — there have been plenty of surprises around the NHL. Behind the scenes, teams have been working the phones getting a gauge of the trade market, though we likely won’t see much movement until December, when teams can accrue more cap space. In the meantime, here are other rumblings I’ve been hearing at rinks around the NHL.


Kane decision coming soon?

The Patrick Kane watch is officially on. A decision could come within the next few days, and if there’s any delay, it’s only because Kane’s new team needs to clear cap space.

I believe Kane wanted to run it back with the New York Rangers — especially since his post-trade deadline play was so frustrating for him, hampered by his hip. But it sounds like GM Chris Drury told him the team wouldn’t be able to make it work with the cap (or the Rangers boss just wasn’t willing to take the risk again, especially with how well the team is jelling with new coach Peter Laviolette). I’ve reported before on interest from the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars. Kane reportedly met with the Toronto Maple Leafs this week; he’s been training in Toronto. Kane has a relationship with fellow American star Auston Matthews. Kane has previously talked about his desire to team up with Matthews at world competitions. Toronto would be a juicy fit, but the Leafs’ top priority is shoring up the blue line. Other teams have told me they believe the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning are in the mix. It’s hard for me to gauge how real the Carolina Hurricanes‘ interest is. The team I believe that has made the most aggressive pitch to Kane is the Florida Panthers. And here’s what that pitch has included:

For years, the Panthers have been looking for a consistent linemate for Aleksander Barkov. Few players can match Barkov’s on-ice intelligence; Kane can. If Kane is looking for a long-term deal — which he might considering how unsettling it was for him to uproot his family during the last deadline after playing in Chicago his entire career — the Panthers are set up to contend for the next few years. Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk are both locked in long term. Florida has become a destination for players, especially as they open a new practice facility on Dec. 1 in Ft. Lauderdale, where most of the players live.

The reason the Panthers are in the mix for Kane is because they’ve asserted themselves as a true contender. Many around the league figured Florida would have a drop off following its Cinderella Stanley Cup Final run — especially since the team began the season without its two best defensemen, Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, who both had summer shoulder surgeries. But the Panthers defensive metrics are strong. It took an adjustment period for the team to adapt to Paul Maurice’s system. It’s demanding, both mentally and physically. It requires awareness, sacrifice and grind. Maurice often uses the term: “Be hard men.” Even if the Panthers are the more talented team, the players know they need to work to get the win. The results have spoken for themselves.


Rumblings from Edmonton

Every season in the NHL, there’s one worst-kept secret. This season, it’s that Hall of Famer Ken Holland is in the final year of his contract as general manager of the Edmonton Oilers and the expectation is he moves on — either to retirement or a more advisory role. The Edmonton front office is already bracing for change, bringing in Jeff Jackson — Connor McDavid‘s agent — as CEO of hockey operations this summer.

In Holland’s nearly three-decade career as an executive, it’s not his style to fire a coach after 13 games. But the Oilers did not want to give up on the season, and since trades (especially for goalies) couldn’t materialize early, they decided to move on from Jay Woodcroft. The Oilers hired Kris Knoblaugh, who was a riser in the coaching ranks. But equally notable: Knoblaugh is McDavid’s former junior coach.

I’m told that McDavid is uncomfortable with the perception that he orchestrated this move, seeing that it’s his ex-agent making the call and his ex-junior coach who got hired. McDavid is the ultimate hockey player who doesn’t want to put self above team, and despises the thought of preferential treatment. But he does get preferential treatment, and he should. He scored 150 points last season. He’s the most talented player in the league and the Oilers are desperate to win a Cup with him. Leon Draisaitl‘s contract is up in 2025 and McDavid’s is up in 2026, and the Oilers need to do everything in their power to stay competitive in that span to convince both players to stay.


What’s going on with Zegras in Anaheim?

The rebuilding Anaheim Ducks have been one of the best stories of the young season — with six third-period comeback wins in their first 15 games, despite being underdogs in all but one. As of today, they’re improbably in playoff position. But the Ducks have done this all largely without production from one of their brightest stars: Trevor Zegras. Their leading scorer last season, who was on the cover of EA 2023, has just two points (one goal, one assist) in 12 games and is currently on injured reserve with a lower body injury. So what’s going on?

I don’t think the 22-year-old’s start is quite as alarming as the stats suggest. For starters, I believe he’s been dealing with this injury for a few weeks — about half of his games — which offers some explanation. Much was made about Zegras’ benching in the game against Columbus on Oct. 25, but he also played very well in the two games preceding it. The coaching staff has been harping on certain details, such as puck battles, and Zegras has been focusing on that. He’s been playing much stronger defensively than in season’s past. As for the offense? Zegras has a 3.3 shooting percentage, which is pretty unlucky, but he’s creating chances. Sounds like if he returns healthy and continues on the path he’s on, he’s confident the production will follow.


Bedard shines in Florida

Connor Bedard‘s Florida road trip — two multiple goal games, including a four-point night against the Tampa Bay Lightning — felt like a turning point for the 18-year-old. It signaled the first time we’ve seen the rookie truly take over a game, and it won’t be the last. For coach Luke Richardson, it signaled the next evolution of Bedard’s game — aggressiveness to get the puck.

The coaching staff has told Bedard: “Don’t wait for the four other guys to work to get you the puck. Go in there and forecheck and steal pucks.” In both games, Bedard moved his feet more defensively, putting his head down and backchecking hard. And the coaching staff thinks Bedard’s efforts are setting the tone for his teammates.

“He’s used to playing two-minute shifts in junior and conserving energy,” Richardson told me. “He doesn’t need to do that here anymore. Use your energy and conservation to get the puck back yourself and make something happen.” For the record, Bedard’s average shift length entering Thursday was exactly one minute — which ranks fourth in the league amongst forwards, only trailing the Minnesota Wild trio of Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello.


Some advice for Poitras

While 19-year-old Matt Poitras has been a darling in Boston since training camp, coach Jim Montgomery knows what’s inevitable. “He’s going to hit the rookie wall,” Montgomery told me earlier this month. “Every rookie does.”

So the team is making sure the young center has the resources to mitigate that. The Bruins are lucky they have so many alumni who are still in Boston and still engaged with the team. Montgomery has talked to the recently retired Patrice Bergeron about mentoring Poitras and talking to him about certain aspects like faceoffs. “Patrice said, ‘Monty, I don’t want to watch all of your games,'” Montgomery laughed. “And I said, ‘That’s fine. I just want you to impart your knowledge.’ So I hope Matt does reach out.”

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Rising son: Gators task Spurrier Jr. to help QB

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Rising son: Gators task Spurrier Jr. to help QB

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators are turning to Steve Spurrier to help fix the team’s floundering offense.

Steve Spurrier Jr., anyway.

Interim coach Billy Gonzales said Wednesday the younger Spurrier, who was hired as an offensive analyst earlier this year, will be more involved with quarterback DJ Lagway when the Gators (3-4, 2-2 SEC) play No. 5 Georgia (6-1, 4-1) in Jacksonville on Nov. 1.

Gonzales will have tight ends coach/offensive coordinator Russ Callaway organize the offense alongside quarterbacks coach Ryan O’Hara in the booth. O’Hara will be on the headset calling plays to Lagway.

Spurrier, meanwhile, will be on the sideline working directly with the sophomore quarterback.

“What we’re trying to do right now is tweak a couple things so we can put our players in a better situation to go out and make plays and perform at a higher level,” said Gonzales, named the interim after Billy Napier was fired Sunday. “We all understand that’s what we need to do. So that’s the No. 1 goal for us as a coaching staff right now.”

Napier was dismissed, in large part, because he failed to get Florida’s offense on track in his four seasons. The Gators totaled a combined 50 points in losses to South Florida, LSU, Miami and Texas A&M this fall, and they rank 15th in the league in scoring.

Facing the Bulldogs without Napier could show how much of a hindrance he was to an offense that believes it has enough talent to compete in the SEC. Gonzales has made it clear he wants to open things up more and get the ball down the field to receivers.

Spurrier is a part of the plan. The 54-year-old son of a Hall of Fame player and coach who is a living legend in Gainesville, Spurrier spent the past two years at Tulsa. He also worked at Mississippi State (2020-22), Washington State (2018-19), Western Kentucky (2017) and Oklahoma (2016). Before that, he spent a decade working under his famous father at South Carolina (2005-15).

“Whenever you’re around one of the greatest offensive minds in history, it’s obviously going to rub off on you as well,” Gonzales said. “He’s been involved, but now he’s going to have more of a role because he’s going to be down there on the field with the quarterback looking in his eyes and getting a chance to talk to him and review the film that’s being relayed.

“It’s going to put us in a great situation to help DJ and the quarterbacks perform on the football field.”

Lagway has thrown for 1,513 yards, with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions, this season while playing behind a shaky offensive line. He has looked better of late as he moves closer to fully recovering from a derailed offseason that included core-muscle surgery, nagging shoulder pain and a strained calf muscle.

“It’s been a long journey, and I’m thankful for the good and the bad,” Lagway said. “God doesn’t make any mistakes. I’m just excited to see where my journey continues and how I can continue to get better.”

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Norvell vows to ‘get it right’ after 3-4 start

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Norvell vows to 'get it right' after 3-4 start

Florida State coach Mike Norvell vowed Wednesday that he and his team “are going to get it right,” as questions swirled about his long-term future following a 3-4 start to the season.

In his first comments since athletic director Michael Alford issued a statement Monday that said there would be a full program evaluation when the season ends, Norvell said he knows the results have not been good enough.

The low point came last week in a 20-13 loss to Stanford, the ninth straight ACC loss for Florida State. After opening the season with a win over Alabama, the Seminoles are now in danger of their season snowballing for a second straight year. Florida State went 2-10 in 2024, a year after winning the ACC championship.

“I know and understand the expectations. There’s no higher expectation than what I have,” Norvell said. “I know it’s not been good enough.”

Florida State is on an open date this week, trying to correct the mistakes that have plagued them in four straight losses — all by one possession. Norvell said different issues have cropped up in each game that have cost them — from penalties, to blown assignments on defense, to turnovers, to an inability to sustain drives and score.

“The team, the staff we’re working extremely hard to get it right. We are going to get it right,” Norvell said.

He added that the statement Alford issued did not come as a surprise, because he is in constant contact with him, university president Richard McCullough and other decision makers on campus.

“I know we have to win games,” Norvell said. “I take great ownership in our results. It’s not been good enough. I hate it for Michael. I hate it for our players. I hate it for the program. I hate it for everybody. That’s on me and this staff and this football team to get that right.

“We’re going to get it fixed, and we’re going to get better.”

Norvell revamped his roster and coaching staff after what he called a disastrous 2024 season, hiring Gus Malzahn as his offensive coordinator and Tony White as his defensive coordinator and going into the transfer portal to add starters across the board. But the recent results harken back to the problems Florida State had a year ago, only adding to the frustration among Seminoles supporters.

Asked how his team could go from dominating Alabama in a 31-17 victory in the opener to losing on the road to Stanford, Norvell said, “It’s college football. There’s great parity. Every team, if you give (them) opportunities, they’re all capable. It’s a weekly focus. Is your best going to show up? If you’re not able to execute to your best, if you’re not able to respond, if you have a bad play or a bad moment, anybody can give you challenges. I believe in this team. I believe in the talent that we have, the way that we will finish. I know what we’re capable of.”

Norvell was also asked whether finishing the season strong will be enough for him to return for a seventh season at Florida State.

“I have a lot of confidence in the long term of what this will be. Until somebody tells me different, I have the absolute belief in the long term,” Norvell said.

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Toronto’s NHL, NBA teams adjust times for Jays

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Toronto's NHL, NBA teams adjust times for Jays

TORONTO — The Maple Leafs and Raptors are changing the times of their games this weekend and next week to avoid overlap with the Blue Jays‘ World Series games.

“Toronto sports fans are undeniably some of the most passionate fans in the world, and we are proud to have the city’s teams come together and give these fans an opportunity to experience a significant moment in our city’s and nation’s history,” said Keith Pelley, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Maple Leafs and Raptors.

Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto will host Games 1 and 2 of the World Series on Friday and Saturday. Each game in the best-of-seven series is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

The Raptors’ home opener against Milwaukee on Friday was moved from 7:30 p.m. to 6:30, and the Maple Leafs’ game against Buffalo on Saturday was moved from 7 p.m. to 5.

The Leafs have also adjusted the start time of next Tuesday’s game against Calgary to 6 p.m. The Raptors will host Houston at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 29. Games 3-5 of the World Series are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Oct. 19.

“Each of these game time changes are quite complicated and represent the co-operation of many stakeholders, including the respective leagues, coaches and players of the Leafs, Raptors and opposing teams and broadcasters,” Pelley said. “We are grateful to them all for their assistance as we work to make this a very special moment for Toronto fans as we come together to support the Blue Jays.”

The Maple Leafs and Raptors will also show the World Series games on the Scotiabank Arena videoboard following their games.

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