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Both the NBA and NHL released statements on Friday indicating increased security at games. MORE: Scenes of terror in the Stade de France | French soccer player loses cousin “The safety of our fans, stadium personnel, and teams at all NFL games is our priority, and security at our games is robust. Our procedures have been certified and designated by the Department of Homeland Security since 2008 as effective anti-terrorism technology....

The Avalanche entered the 2021-22 season as the favorite to win the Stanley Cup, and sure enough, months later, it was Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Co. who were lifting Lord Stanley at the season’s end. It was the second time in the past three years that the preseason favorite went on to win the Stanley Cup, with the Lightning doing the same in 2020. For this season, the defending champs are once again favored to be crowned the NHL champion....

There’s going to need to be some patience required before we’re able to appropriately evaluate how all 30 teams did for themselves over the course of the weekend, but there are still a couple of particular decisions made by a few specific teams that were provided something of a window into the different thought process’ on a grander scale. MORE: Winners/Losers from Day 1 | Scenes from Philly | Must-see photos...

For the first time ever, 32 general managers will take to the virtual podium and call the names of the next 223 NHL prospects thanks to the introduction of the Seattle Kraken. (Note: There are officially 224 slots the Coyotes had to forfeit their first-round pick.) In one of the most uncertain hockey seasons to date, the draft has numerous question marks surrounding it. Perhaps even more than usual given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the hockey world....

Both Minnesota and Detroit enter Wednesday’s contest with 32 points in the standings. The Wild sit in third in the Central, while the Red Wings are holding onto the fourth spot in the Atlantic. Kirill Kaprizov is again leading the Wild in points, as the Russian star has recorded 35 points in 28 games. He sits just outside the top 10 in the league in scoring. For the Red Wings, captain Dylan Larkin is pacing the way for the team with 27 points in as many games....

He’s finally biting the bullet for it. The Nashville Predators drove a semi truck over the Western Conference favorites, handing the Blackhawks a 4-1 loss Thursday night to complete a four-game sweep of Chicago in the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal. It’s the second straight year Chicago’s been bounced in the first round and the fourth time in the last seven years. MORE: Sabres clean house by firing GM Tim Murray, coach Dan Bylsma...

The Penguins advanced to the Eastern Conference finals by beating the top-seeded Capitals in Game 7 on Wednesday in Washington. The Ducks advanced to the West finals with a Game 7 victory over the Oilers later that night. MORE: NHL playoff format is dumb, and here’s why The winners of the conference finals will advance to the Stanley Cup Final. The Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2016. When do the NHL Eastern Conference finals begin?...

So let’s dive into some of that dominance. The 2017-18 regular season was not Holtby’s best in the NHL – statistically, it was actually his worst. Holtby’s .905 save-percentage was the lowest of his eight-year career, down 15 points from when Holtby won the Vezina in 2016, and 18 points from the .925 mark he posted a year ago when he finished second in the Vezina voting. Things got so bad for Holtby he conceded the crease to backup Philipp Grubauer, who was between the pipes for Game 1 one of the first round when the Capitals opene up at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets....

It was hoarse from days and nights of celebrating the Washington Capitals’ Stanley Cup triumph and fans now had gathered on the National Mall after the championship parade. Oshie had enough left to start a chant among the tens of thousands of fans: “Back-to-back! Back-to-back!” With a full voice and the shortest summer of his career behind him, Oshie hasn’t changed his tune that the Capitals can repeat. “If we continue with our style of play and everyone chips in like we did, I think we have a really good chance,” Oshie said....

On Wednesday, they traded goaltender Jack Campbell and forward Kyle Clifford to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forward Trevor Moore, Columbus’ third-round draft pick in 2020 (previously acquired from Ottawa on July 1, 2019) and a conditional third-round draft pick in 2021. But if the Kings are wise, they are just getting a head start on a full firesale. Next items to check off the list: Alec Martinez and Tyler Toffoli....

The Sabres were the first to release theirs, revealing on Wednesday that they are abandoning the powder blue-inspired jersey from their first Winter Classic appearance in 2008 to create “a unique look that recalls the Sabres’ 48 years of history,” according to a team press release. As with Buffalo, the Rangers stayed true to their beginnings. New York released its jerseys on Friday and what fans will notice most is the patch above the left side of the chest....

Here’s a look at some other Kenyan runners killed in or involved in car crashes: FRANCIS KIPLAGAT Distance runner Francis Kiplagat was one of six people to die in a road accident in February on the highway between Nairobi and the Rift Valley region, where most of the country’s top athletes live and train. Kiplagat, who was 28, was traveling back to the high-altitude city of Eldoret in a small bus after going to Nairobi to get a travel visa he needed for a competition....

Several reporters confirmed that Browns running backs Chubb and Demetric Felton are the latest in the league to test positive for COVID-19. The diagnosis excludes them from practice for the remainder of the week and their availability is in question as they prepare to travel to Foxborough, Mass. Both players are vaccinated, according to several sources, so they haven’t been ruled out for their upcoming matchup. Adhering to the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols, both players need two negative tests 24 hours apart to play on Sunday....

“The second I got a phone call, and Chip Kelly told me I was traded. That was the first time,” Foles said of the moment he realized a deal was in place. MORE: Chip ready to flip? Kelly too smart to sit on Sam Bradford That’s a stark contrast from how Sam Bradford found out. The Ram-turned-Eagle told Philadelphia media he knew about a trade three or four weeks prior....

I’m here to remind everyone that the best laid plans for Wentz to reclaim the starting role at some point this season can change if Foles plays well enough. Doug Pederson’s cranky attitude when asked about the subject is just a reminder that NFL coaches hate QB controversies. The coach says Wentz is “close” to being game-ready, but the 25-year-old has not yet been fully cleared by team doctors. Philadelphia players, however, say Wentz has looked great in practice when splitting first-team reps with the 29-year-old Foles....

On Wednesday, Saban claimed he was totally unaware of Tuesday’s election. MORE: Sports figures who support Donald Trump “It was so important to me that I didn’t even know it was happening,” Saban said at a news conference. “We’re focused on other things here.” The only explanation for this has to be that Saban had absolutely zero contact with another human being or electronic device (other than maybe an old-school projector to watch game film) the entire day....

The veteran Griffen is expected to help Detroit’s defense, which has struggled to establish a pass rush and ranks near the bottom of the NFL with only eight total sacks. Detroit’s offense is a middle-of-the-pack to bottom-half unit that can use all the playmakers it can get. That’s why the rumors of the Lions shopping wide receiver Marvin Jones around for a trade are likely untrue, according to MLive’s Kyle Meinke....

There will be plenty of rookies looking to make an early impression but, while the merits of each first-round selection have been discussed at length, there are always some less heralded first-year players who cause a stir in every NFL season. Third-round pick Alvin Kamara lit up the league last season with the New Orleans Saints, and here we look at some candidates to do the same from the 2018 class....

Before we get into the Week 13 forecasts, here’s a reminder that if you have any questions about sports weather or how weather could impact play (and, potentially, your fantasy, DFS, and gambling decisions), don’t hesitate to reach out to RotoGrinders’ meteorologist Kevin Roth on Twitter (@KevinRothWx) or check out the hourly NFL weather forecasts on RotoGrinders. To take your game to the next level, subscribe to RotoGrinders’ exclusive WeatherEdge tool and see how different weather conditions have impacted historical scoring....