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The Vegas Golden Knights got a blockbuster trade in under the wire Friday, acquiring forward Tomas Hertl, a 2025 third-round pick and 2027 third-round choice from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2025 first-round pick and forward David Edstrom (Vegas’ first-round draft choice in 2023). The Sharks will also retain 17% of Hertl’s salary.

Hertl has six seasons remaining on an eight-year, $65.1 million contract he signed in March 2022. The Sharks holding back 17% of Hertl’s salary leaves his cap hit at $6.75 million for Vegas to carry. The 30-year-old also had a full no-move clause he would have had to waive to join the Golden Knights. But Hertl won’t be stepping right into their lineup. The veteran has been sidelined since having surgery Feb. 12 to clean out loose cartilage in his left knee. Expectations are that he will be ready to return in time for the playoffs.

Moving from San Jose to Vegas takes Hertl from one of the NHL’s worst teams this season to a legitimate contender. And while the Sharks have struggled throughout the season — and sit 31st overall — Hertl has played well, collecting 15 goals and 34 points in 48 games. He’s an impressive two-way skater who projects to be a top-six center for the Golden Knights now, contributing at 5-on-5 and special teams, winning puck battles, and wielding playmaking abilities to complement Vegas’ arsenal of established players that guided the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup win last spring.

The Hertl trade was Vegas’ second big swing ahead of Friday’s 3 p.m. deadline. The Golden Knights acquired defenseman Noah Hanifin earlier in the week from Calgary to bolster their blueline as well. In an interesting twist, the trade for Hertl also impacted the conditions on Hanifin — instead of the Flames receiving a top-10-protected 2025 first-round pick (which Vegas just swapped to San Jose) for the defenseman, they will now get an unconditional first-round choice in 2026.

The Golden Knights also added forward Anthony Mantha to beef up their offensive depth.

In San Jose’s case, shipping Hertl to Vegas does clear some cap room. But per CapFriendly data, retaining salary on the six years Hertl has left means the Sharks have now used their league-allotted three slots for trade-related salary retention in 2024-25 and two slots in each of 2025-26 and 2026-27. That will impact how San Jose — well into a rebuild that could last for years — can broker transactions over the next few seasons.

On Vegas’ end, it had no projected salary cap space before grabbing Hertl and will have to figure out how to fit his hit into the team’s long-term plans. Since Hertl is injured now and there is no salary cap compliance mandated in the postseason, the Knights can avoid ironing out that situation until before next season.

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Jones, ex-Huskers star and NFL RB, dies at 54

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Jones, ex-Huskers star and NFL RB, dies at 54

OMAHA, Neb. — Calvin Jones, who rushed for more than 3,000 yards in three seasons at Nebraska and was with the Green Bay Packers when they won the Super Bowl after the 1996 season, has died. He was 54.

Police said Jones’ body was found in the basement of a house in north Omaha on Wednesday night. Police have not confirmed a cause of death pending an autopsy.

A friend of Jones, Jo Dusatko, told the Omaha World-Herald that carbon monoxide poisoning was suspected. She said the furnace in the home was not working and that Jones was using a generator in the basement.

Jones was a high school All-American at Central High School before he went to Nebraska, where he rushed for 3,166 yards and 40 touchdowns and was an All-Big Eight pick in 1992-93.

Jones and Derek Brown formed the tandem called the “We-Backs,” a nod to the Cornhuskers’ I-back position, with Jones the backup to Brown in 1991. Jones’ breakout that season came when he ran 27 times for a Big Eight freshman-record 294 yards and a school-record six touchdowns in a 59-23 victory over Kansas. His rushing total against the Jayhawks ranks No. 2 on the Nebraska single-game rushing chart.

Jones declared for the NFL draft in 1994 and was a third-round selection of the Raiders. He appeared in 15 games over two seasons with the Raiders and had a total of 27 carries for 112 yards and two catches for 6 yards. He appeared in one game for the Packers in 1996 but had no carries.

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Win city: Vegas gets CFP championship in 2027

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Win city: Vegas gets CFP championship in 2027

Las Vegas will host the College Football Playoff national championship game at Allegiant Stadium on Jan. 25, 2027, the CFP announced Friday.

“Las Vegas has shown the world they have amazing venues and boundless energy to host an event like the College Football Playoff National Championship in spectacular fashion,” CFP executive director Rich Clark said in a statement. “I can’t think of a better stage to crown the best team in college football in 2027.”

Las Vegas will become the third city in the Pacific time zone to host the CFP title game, joining the Bay Area (2019) and Los Angeles (2023). Miami will host the next national championship game on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium, a contest that will feature the winners of the Fiesta and Peach bowls, which will host the semifinals.

Sites have not been announced beyond 2027 in Las Vegas.

“Pairing the energy of Las Vegas with the College Football Playoff National Championship will make for a truly extraordinary event, both on and off the field,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “We appreciate the opportunity the CFP has provided us to welcome college football’s greatest athletes and biggest fans for an unmatched national championship experience in the city built for celebration.”

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Ohio St. RB Judkins leaving early for NFL draft

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Ohio St. RB Judkins leaving early for NFL draft

Ohio State star running back Quinshon Judkins is leaving school early and will declare for the NFL draft, he told ESPN.

His addition to the 2025 draft highlights another high-end tailback, as Judkins is projected to be a Top 50 pick, according to NFL scouts, and ranks as the No. 5 overall running back in the upcoming draft in Mel Kiper Jr.’s position rankings.

Judkins was at Ohio State for just one season and left as a national champion, and his decision comes off a dazzling three-touchdown performance in Ohio State’s victory over Notre Dame on Monday night. Judkins ran for 100 yards on 11 carries and scored two rushing touchdowns. He caught two passes for 21 yards and a touchdown.

“My time here at Ohio State was like no other,” Judkins told ESPN in a phone interview. “It was like no other place I’ve ever been. I enjoyed my time here so much. I’m ready to take the next step in my journey and prove I’m best running back in the draft class.”

On the season in Columbus, he ran for 1,060 yards, caught 22 passes for 161 yards and scored 16 touchdowns for the Buckeyes. Judkins split carries at Ohio State with senior tailback TreVeyon Henderson, who is Kiper’s No. 9 tailback prospect. Judkins said his time at Ohio State helped prepare him for this step, as he saw value being around so many NFL players and bonding together to win.

“My coaches helped so much take my game to next level and develop me into a better player,” he said. “It was a super beneficial mentality to have being a pro, it helped me so much in that aspect.

“Playing around the best players in the country. You get to compete against the best players. It helped me sharpen my tools.”

He came to Ohio State last year after two seasons at Ole Miss. In Oxford, he was a first-team All-SEC tailback in 2023 and set Ole Miss school records with 1,567 rushing yards and 16 rushing TDs in 2022.

Coming off three productive seasons, Judkins showcased his versatility. He finished his three-year career at OSU/Ole Miss with 4,227 yards from scrimmage and 50 touchdowns.

He’s also a threat out of the backfield in the pass game, as he has 59 catches in his career for 442 yards and five touchdowns.

Judkins’ most productive season in his career came in his true freshman season. He led the SEC in rushing attempts (274) and went on to average a career-high 5.7 yards per carry. In total, he had 1,699 yards from scrimmage. He also led the SEC in touchdowns with 17 in 2022.

“Whoever picks me is going to get a super passionate player,” he said. “A guy who makes plays on the field and can catch the ball, run the ball and pass protect. I can do so many things that have a huge impact on the game. Not only just that, but also a younger guy who can come in and have great leadership. My time at Ohio State, I’ve learned so much about that and being a great teammate as well.”

He stressed there was no better way to finish his career than with a championship.

“It’s an amazing feeling just leaving as a champions,” he said. “This is what me and my brothers and coaches set out to do to achieve that goal, and there’s no better feeling. It’s a feeling that’s also unreal to speak about, it’s something that will live forever and a memory me and my brothers will have forever.”

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