If Auston Matthews were to receive any type of criticism for being named captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs; Edmonton’s Connor McDavid is sure to silence those naysayers.

It’s hardly a surprise that McDavid would go out of his way to shower praise on Matthews; the two are almost always linked when it comes to awards and although McDavid has seen a smidgen of a longer playoff run, a Stanley Cup has eluded both men. During an interview with Sportsnet where he spoke about Matthews and his connection to Toronto and had nothing but a glowing review.

‘He’s definitely got a little bit more style than maybe I do, and Toronto’s a stylish city,’ McDavid said. ‘I think he represents the city great and the team.’

Both men have been seen in the offseason working on their game during a skate in Germany, as well as at various points in the offseason in and around Toronto.

Both men have shared the ice before, as McDavid and Matthews both played for Team North America during the World Cup of Hockey in 2016; a team comprised of 23-and-under players from both Canada and the United States. Both countries put out their own national rosters as well for that tournament. North America would not make it out of the Group Stage though and Canada went on to win the whole thing,, captained by Sidney Crosby.

All of this buddying up together has led to some speculation that McDavid could be coming back home when his contract expires, and perhaps Matthews is trying to persuade the phenom to form arguably the greatest 1-2 punch we’ve seen in a very long time. It is sure to rub Oilers fans the wrong way and make Maple Leafs fan salivate at the thought, but as of now; it’s a story of how one generational talent shows respect and admiration for another.

Hockey is a beautiful game.

This article first appeared on Hockey Patrol and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Patrik Laine steps in at Montreal Canadiens’ practice after teammate takes a bad hit

Lombardi Late Add to Red Wings’ Prospect Team

TRAVERSE CITY- Popular Red Wings center prospect Amadeus Lombardi is a late add to Detroit’s roster for the two-game NHL Prospect Series against the Dallas Stars starting today. Game 1 is 6 p.m. today at the Centre ICE Arena. Game 2 is Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Lombardi, who played last season for the Grand Rapids Griffins, replaces Ondrej Becher, a Czech center who played for Prince George in the Western Hockey League last season. The Red Wings drafted Becher 80th three months ago.

Lombardi centers the No. 2 line today. Hunter Johannes is on his left side and Alexandre Doucet is on Lombardi’s right side. Lombardi, 21, posted five goals and 26 points in his first professional season. Danielson Will Play with MBN Nate Danielson (ninth, 2023) will center the top line. Jakub Rychlovsky (Czech League leading goal scorer) is on the left side and Norwegian Michael Brandsegg-Nygard at right wing. Emmitt Finnie (201st, 2023) will be the No.

3 center. Two-time NCAA champion Shai Buium (36th, 2021) is the only Red Wings’ draft pick on their defense. The other five D men are free agent invitees. Carter Gylander, the former Colgate, should start in goal. Sebastian Cossa, who will be the Griffins’ No. 1 goalie this season, isn’t on Detroit’s tournament roster. The prospect tournament is an annual event before Red Wings’ training camp in Traverse City.

Detroit’s full roster will be on the ice starting Thursday. Practices will be held daily through Sunday. Red Wings players, prospects and tryouts will be divided into teams that will practice and scrimmage. The annual Red and White Game is Sunday.

Chiefs WR not expected to play during 2024 regular season

Former teammate makes troubling claim about Giants’ Daniel Jones

New York Giants legend Tiki Barber examined Daniel Jones’ woeful performance in New York’s season-opening 28-6 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday and insisted during Thursday’s edition of the WFAN afternoon show that Jones is not yet a completely “broken” quarterback. Former tight end and current analyst Kyle Rudolph played alongside Jones with the Giants during the 2021 season and seemingly disagrees with Barber’s assessment.

“The Daniel Jones that I saw on Sunday in that game is not the Daniel Jones that I watched take them to the divisional round of the playoffs,” Rudolph said during an appearance on the “Up Adams Show with Kay Adams,” as shared by Matt Ehalt of the New York Post. “It’s not the guy I played with when I was there for a year. His confidence looks completely destroyed. How can you blame him? Every time he goes out there, he’s fighting for his life.”

Barber is among those who acknowledged this week that Jones appeared to be “lacking confidence” coming off the season-ending torn ACL he suffered on Nov. 5 of last year. Jones also missed a total of nine games from the start of the 2021 campaign through last fall due to neck injuries. Jones completed 22-of-42 passes for 186 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a score, in the blowout defeat against Minnesota. According to ESPN stats, he enters this weekend ranked 30th in the NFL among 32 qualified players with a 21.7 adjusted QBR.

“He’s got to get his confidence back,” Rudolph added about Jones. “I don’t know how they get it back, but that guy I watched on Sunday playing against [the Vikings] … that wasn’t the guy that I know and that I know he has the ability to be.” Rudolph said during the segment that he believes Jones is “super talented” and “incredibly gifted.” If Jones doesn’t begin proving Rudolph right beginning with this Sunday’s game at the 0-1 Washington Commanders, the 27-year-old could find himself facing a benching and the inevitable end of his Giants tenure. As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Giants as 1.5-point road underdogs against the Commanders.

Ex-Steelers Disappointment Quickly Quits On New England Patriots

Michael Jordan once told Wizards teammates he’d show them how to score 20 points in…

NBA icon Michael Jordan came out of retirement for a second time in 2001 to play for the Washington Wizards. He felt he could help the franchise more as a player than as the team’s top decision-maker, a role he kept even after returning as a player. Although Jordan wasn’t efficient in 2001-02, he still had some vintage moments on the court and carried himself with the confidence he had during his legendary run with the Chicago Bulls.

According to Popeye Jones, who was on the Wizards in 2001-02, Jordan told his teammates he’d show them how to score 20 points in a quarter and then sit for the rest of the game. Although it was only a preseason game and Jordan fell two points shy of 20 for the quarter, it was unique for Jones and his teammates to witness. “We were playing in one of the first preseason games. We were playing Miami, and we were in the tunnel getting ready to walk out,” Jones told NBA scribe Landon Buford.

“It was a preseason game, and he said, ‘I’m going to show you guys how to get 20 points in a quarter and sit down,’ and at the end of one, he had 18. Then he went ahead and sat down. That was unique.” The Wizards went 37-45 in 2001-02. Many pundits believe they would have made the playoffs if Jordan hadn’t hurt his knee, but it was certainly fun to see Jordan turn back the clock a few times. Jordan appeared in 60 games for the Wizards in 2001-02. He averaged 22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 41.

6% from the field and 79.0% from the free-throw line. Jordan’s best game of the season came on December 29 against the Charlotte Hornets. He scored 51 points in 38 minutes and shot an efficient 55.3% from the floor. It was a vintage performance from Jordan, who was 38-years-old and used his mastery of the mid-range to dominate Charlotte. It had to be tough for Jordan to miss the playoffs in his two years with the Wizards. Jordan made the postseason every year with the Bulls and won six championships. Jordan’s tenure with the Bulls was so epic that it may not be matched by any player in NBA history. Jordan established himself as arguably the best player in NBA history with the Bulls.

Along with winning six rings, six Finals MVPs and five regular-season MVPs, Jordan won 10 scoring titles, made 14 All-Star teams and won one Defensive Player of the Year Award with Chicago. In 930 games with the Bulls, Jordan averaged 31.5 points. He’s the NBA’s all-time leader in points per game (30.1) and second in player efficiency rating (27.9). Jordan is also one of three players to win MVP and DPOY in the same season. Jordan’s time with the Wizards may not have been successful, but he still had the confidence to make bold proclamations to his teammates. Jordan is first in NBA history in points per game, fourth in steals, fifth in field goals and second in player efficiency rating. He holds the NBA record for most points (63) scored in a playoff game. Jordan has career averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks with the Bulls and Wizards.

Rikishi breaks silence on Jacob Fatu’s rumored backstage clash with Triple

H

Here’s how much UTSA is getting to play Texas football as part of a five-game guaranteed…

UTEP athletic director Lisa Campos was always asked the same question when she first took the job in San Antonio in 2017. “Why haven’t we played UT?” Campos told the San Antonio Express-News in 2021. “That’s something I have heard, very clear.” In 2021, Campos found $8.52 million reasons to have the Roadrunners play the Longhorns a bunch of times.

That’s how much the flagship school in the UT System will pay its sister member down Interstate 35 for a five-game series that stretches out through 2030. The first matchup came in 2022 with the Longhorns winning 41-20. They’ll meet again Saturday, and future games are scheduled for 2026, 2028 and 2030. Texas started with a $1 million guaranteed payout and it escalates over time, maxing out to $8.52 million over the life of the deal.

“First of all, it’s good for the state,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Wednesday on the SEC coaches’ teleconference. “I think it’s great that we do play teams in our own state. I think it’s great for their brand. I think it’s good for our brand. I think it creates a really good environment at DKR.” Regardless of whether the SEC settles on an eight- or nine-game conference format, Texas still has to plug schedule holes. The Longhorns are content to fill those games with members of the UT System. In addition to playing UTSA, Texas has committed to playing UTEP in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031. The only games currently

scheduled out beyond that is a home-and-home series against Arizona State in 2032-33. Why not Texas Tech, Baylor or SMU? UT athletic director Chris Del Conte has said numerous times he’s open to conversations about playing those teams as long as they’ll come to Royal-Memorial Stadium. UTSA was more than happy to play Texas. Coach Jeff Traylor had an veteran team that was itching to prove itself to the big school. The Roadrunners had a terrific accounting of themselves before ultimately running out of gas.

This year, it’s dramatically different. UTSA is in rebuild mode after going 9-4 last season and losing multiple transfers. One of those, defensive end Trey Moore, now plays for the Longhorns. The Longhorns were a different team in 2022 as well. That team would go on to finish 8-5 in quarterback Quinn Ewers’ first year as a starter. Now, Ewers is a Heisman favorite leading a stacked team that is currently ranked second in the AP Top 25 poll. “They’re a dangerous football team,” Sarkisian said. “They’ve won a bunch of games. They know how to win.

They believe in their style and the way they play the game. “So these are always challenging games, right? Because of the psyche of a player,” Sarkisian said. “If you start to prepare based on the helmet or the uniform the other team wears, that’s how you get beat. You’ve got to prepare to our standard within our organization, not to what you think of the opponent one way or the other.”