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Four wins in their first six games while also holding the distinction of being the NHL’s youngest team. That is what it means to be the Buffalo Sabres at the moment.

A number of items have brought the Sabres to this point in the opening weeks of the season. One of them is the trust coach Don Granato continues to show with his young players. Rookie forward JJ Peterka and rookie defenseman Owen Power are examples.

Peterka has used his brief time with the Sabres to show he could potentially be counted upon as a secondary scoring option. His four points are tied for fourth among rookies, and he is doing it while averaging more than 12 minutes per game.

“I think getting the trust from the coaches is something that comes through work ethic,” Peterka said. “If you bring that every day into practices and into games, you can earn [trust]. But you also have to prove yourself if he puts you out there.”

Then there’s Power, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft and projects to become a two-way defenseman with size who can be used in every situation. Power leads all rookies with 22 minutes, 44 seconds in average ice time and is one of only three rookies to average more than 20 minutes this season.

“It gives me the confidence to go out and play and not really worry about anything,” Power said of the trust that Granato has shown. “Playing those minutes has really helped me a lot and has made the adjustment a little easier.”

Peterka and Power are part of an impressive rookie class that has found ways to make an immediate impact. So where do Peterka and Power rank among their peers?

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Wright’s No. 5 to be retired by Mets on July 19

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Wright's No. 5 to be retired by Mets on July 19

NEW YORK — David Wright’s No. 5 will be retired by the New York Mets before a July 19 game against Cincinnati, the team said Monday.

Wright’s number will be the 10th retired by the Mets, the sixth since Steve Cohen bought the team ahead of the 2021 season. Wright also will enter the team’s Hall of Fame, joining Tom Seaver as the only Mets players to receive both honors on the same day.

A seven-time All-Star, Wight hit .296 with 242 homers, 970 RBIs and 196 stolen bases from 2004 to 2018, his career cut short by neck, back and shoulder injuries that required surgery.

Wright, who turns 42 on Dec. 20, became the Mets’ fourth captain in 2013 after Keith Hernandez (1987-89), Gary Carter (1988-89) and John Franco (2001-04).

“David Wright personified class on and off the field,” Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. “David is the definition of a Met.”

New York previously retired No. 14 (Gil Hodges, 1973), No. 16 (Dwight Gooden, 2024), No. 17 (Hernandez, 2022), No. 18 (Darryl Strawberry, 2024), No. 24 (Willie Mays, 2022), No. 31 (Mike Piazza, 2016), No. 36 (Jerry Koosman, 2021), No. 37 (Casey Stengel, 1965) and No. 41 (Seaver, 1988). In addition, Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 was retired throughout Major League Baseball in 1997.

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Rays support stadium repair plan for ’26 season

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Rays support stadium repair plan for '26 season

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After some uncertainty, the Tampa Bay Rays now support a $55.7 million city plan to repair hurricane-shredded Tropicana Field in time for the 2026 season opener, while the team prepares to play this year at the New York Yankees‘ spring training home in nearby Tampa.

Matt Silverman, the Rays’ co-president, said in an email to the St. Petersburg chief administrator that the team wants to “clear up” any questions about its support for the reconstruction. The city must pay for the work under its current contract with the Rays.

“While we had been open to considering a scenario in which the city bought out of its obligation to rebuild the ballpark, the Rays support and expect the city to rebuild Tropicana Field in accordance with the terms of the current use agreement,” Silverman wrote.

Hurricane Milton tore the Trop’s fabric roof to pieces when it came ashore Oct. 9, causing water and other damage to interior parts of the now-exposed ballpark. Work has been ongoing to ensure no further damage is caused by weather but there had been questions about the full repair in part because it would eventually be torn down to make way for a new, $1.3 billion ballpark under current plans to keep the Rays in St. Petersburg another 30 years.

Time is of the essence, Silverman said in his Dec. 30 email to the city, which released it Monday. Even a partial 2026 season at Tropicana Field “would present massive logistical and revenue challenges for the team,” he wrote.

“It is therefore critical that the rebuild start in earnest as soon as possible” with a realistic construction schedule to be ready by Opening Day 2026, he added.

The city had no immediate comment on the email. Its own architect presented the repair proposal initially Dec. 12 but it has not yet been fully approved. Members of the city council have balked at the cost, especially with residents and businesses still recovering from Milton and Hurricane Helene before that.

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch has said that insurance and Federal Emergency Management Agency funds should cover the bulk of the cost. Silverman said Major League Baseball has told the team it will hire its own adviser to monitor the repair work and timeline.

The planned new downtown Rays ballpark is part of a $6.5 billion project that will include affordable housing, a Black history museum, retail and office space, restaurants and bars. The project is known as the Historic Gas Plant District, which was once a thriving Black community displaced by the construction of the ballpark and an interstate highway.

The Rays are preparing to play 2025 home games at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ 11,000-seat spring training location in Tampa. Once Tropicana Field is repaired, Silverman acknowledged the Rays are obligated to play there three more seasons under the contract with St. Petersburg.

“We look forward to a grand reopening,” Silverman said.

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Clemson fires DC Goodwin after struggles vs. run

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Clemson fires DC Goodwin after struggles vs. run

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has fired defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin, he announced Monday.

The Tigers’ defense — particularly against the run — took a significant step back in the third season under Goodwin. Clemson allowed an average of 160.6 rushing yards per game — its worst performance since 2011. That includes 292 yards rushing allowed in a 38-24 loss to Texas in a College Football Playoff first-round game last month.

Goodwin was promoted from within in 2022 to replace Brent Venables, who left to become head coach at Oklahoma. In 2021, the last season under Venables, Clemson ranked No. 7 in the country in rush defense (96.3 yards per game) and No. 8 in total defense (310.2 yards per game).

Swinney said he met with Goodwin on Sunday night to inform him of the decision.

“Wes has been a part of our program for 13 of the past 16 years, and he played an instrumental part in all of our success,” Swinney said in a statement. “I love Wes and his family and wish him all the best as he continues his journey. I know he has a bright future ahead.”

Swinney said he hopes to have a new defensive coordinator in place by the end of the month “or sooner.”

“Our staff has been hard at work on our roster, and we look forward to solidifying our defensive coordinator position to help lead this extremely talented group as we pursue our goals for 2025,” Swinney said.

Clemson returns the bulk of its playoff team — including defensive starters T.J. Parker, Peter Woods, Wade Woodaz and Avieon Terrell. The offense looks ready to make another major leap with Cade Klubnik and receivers Bryant Wesco, Antonio Williams and T.J. Moore all returning — making it an absolute priority to get the defense fixed.

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