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The Seattle Kraken have called a news conference for Tuesday, which is when they are expected to name Dan Bylsma the second coach in franchise history, a source with knowledge of the decision told ESPN on Monday, confirming a report.

Bylsma has spent the past two seasons as the head coach of the Kraken’s AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Promoting Bylsma to head coach comes a little more than a month after the franchise fired Dave Hakstol after three seasons.

Hakstol led the Kraken to within a game of the Western Conference finals and was a Jack Adams Award finalist in 2022-23 only to be dismissed after the team finished this season 17 points out of the final wild-card spot. The Kraken also fired assistant coach Paul McFarland, who had overseen the team’s forwards and power-play unit.

Now Bylsma will be charged with trying to get the NHL’s 32nd team back into the playoffs for what will be the second time in its four-year history.

The Kraken were one of seven NHL teams in need of a new coach. Earlier in the day, the Winnipeg Jets announced they hired Scott Arniel. The Buffalo Sabres (Lindy Ruff), the Ottawa Senators (Travis Green), the Toronto Maple Leafs (Craig Berube) and the New Jersey Devils (Sheldon Keefe) have already made coaching hires, which leaves the San Jose Sharks as the remaining opening.

Bylsma first broke in to the NHL as a head coach in 2009 when he was hired by the Pittsburgh Penguins after previously serving as the head coach of their AHL franchise. Bylsma won the Stanley Cup in his first season and led the team to six consecutive playoff appearances. The Penguins made it to the conference finals once after winning the Cup in Bylsma’s first season and reached the second round before parting ways after the 2013-14 campaign.

He was out of the NHL for one full season before the Buffalo Sabres hired him to be their head coach in 2015-16. At the time, the Sabres had missed the playoffs for four straight seasons and brought Bylsma on board with the belief he could get them back to the postseason. He was fired after two seasons and the club’s postseason-less streak has since been extended to 13 seasons.

Bylsma was a Detroit Red Wings assistant for three seasons before he was hired by the Kraken to serve as an AHL assistant coach in 2021-22, the year the club shared an AHL affiliate with the Florida Panthers.

He was then made head coach of the Firebirds prior to the start of the 2022-23 season, with the team finding success while he has been on the bench. The Firebirds reached the Calder Cup final in their first season but lost to the Hershey Bears. They advanced to the Western Conference finals this season and open the seven-game series Wednesday against the Milwaukee Admirals.

SportsNet first reported news of the Kraken’s decision Monday.

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Michigan star TE Loveland ruled out vs. Trojans

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Michigan star TE Loveland ruled out vs. Trojans

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan star tight end Colston Loveland has been ruled out of Saturday’s game against No. 11 USC with an undisclosed injury.

Loveland suffered an apparent shoulder injury in last weekend’s win over Arkansas State. Michigan coach Sherrone Moore hasn’t specified the nature of the injury.

A preseason All-American, Loveland leads the Wolverines with 19 catches for 187 yards; no other Michigan pass catcher has more than nine receptions.

The No. 18 Wolverines also changed starting quarterbacks this week, moving from Davis Warren to Alex Orji. Warren had thrown six interceptions in three games, including three last weekend. He threw two picks in a 31-12 loss to Texas on Sept. 7.

Orji has only seven career passing attempts but has rushed for 58 yards in a relief role this season.

Moore said this week that he wants to see Orji “take the reins” of the Michigan offense with his opportunity.

“Excited for him,” Moore said. “I know he’s chomping at the bit.”

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Sources: Nats demote All-Star after all-nighter

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Sources: Nats demote All-Star after all-nighter

The Washington Nationals demoted All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams to the minor leagues after he stayed out all night at a Chicago-area casino, leaving only hours before a Friday day game against the Chicago Cubs, sources told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.

The 23-year-old Abrams led off for the Nationals and went 0 for 3 with a walk and strikeout in Friday’s game, which started at 1 p.m. CT. He was informed of the demotion Friday night, sources said. He will be sent to West Palm Beach, home of the Nationals’ minor league complex.

Because Abrams has been with Washington for the entirety of the season, the demotion will not affect his service time. Players earn a full year of service with 172 days on the major league roster, and Abrams already has exceeded that threshold.

Abrams could, however, file a grievance through the Major League Baseball Players Association to fight for lost pay if he believes the demotion unjust. He would lose around $30,000 of his $752,000 salary for missing the season’s final week. Abrams will be arbitration-eligible this winter, entering the system for the first of four times as a Super 2.

Acquired as one of the centerpieces of the Juan Soto trade two years ago, Abrams parlayed a breakout first-half into an All-Star selection, hitting .268/.343/.489 with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases over the Nationals’ first 89 games. He struggled significantly in the second half, slashing .203/.260/.326, and Abrams’ defense has been a weakness throughout the season.

Still, the Nationals did not intend to send him to the minor leagues until they learned of his time spent at the casino, which was first reported Friday by CHGO.

“I just want it to be known it wasn’t performance-based,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told reporters Saturday. “It’s an internal issue. I’m not going to give specifics.”

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Clemson DE Woods (leg) sidelined vs. NC State

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Clemson DE Woods (leg) sidelined vs. NC State

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson defensive end Peter Woods will not play for the 21st-ranked Tigers against NC State on Saturday because of a leg injury.

The team announced Woods’ status about 90 minutes before kickoff. Woods, 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, got hurt two weeks ago on a chop block below the knee in a 66-20 victory over App State. Woods came back in briefly after getting checked then missed the second half.

The Tigers were off last weekend.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has said Woods’ playing status was day-to-day. Swinney said Woods had not missed a practice. But Woods came out to the field for warmups in sneakers and sweatpants while other defensive linemen went through drills.

Woods leads the Tigers with 2½ tackles for loss.

Third-year sophomore Jahiem Lawson is listed as Woods’ backup on the depth chart.

NC State will be without starting quarterback Grayson McCall, who was hurt last week in a win over Louisiana Tech. Freshman CJ Bailey started for the Wolfpack.

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