The Buffalo Sabres tied a franchise record with their 10th consecutive victory by defeating the Dallas Stars 4-1 on Wednesday.
The win pushed the Sabres into the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
Tage Thompson led the way offensively with three points. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was stellar between the pipes, stopping 28 of 29 shots.
Aaron Rodgers isn't talking like someone who's on the verge of retirement.
Maybe because there's a chance he's not.
The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, who recently turned 42, didn't shut the door completely on returning in 2026 when asked about it on Wednesday.
The four-time MVP, who stressed he didn't "really want to get too deep in" what lies beyond Sunday night's showdown with Baltimorefor the AFC North title, believes there will be opportunities available if he opts to give a 22nd season a shot.
San Antonio center Victor Wembanyama left Wednesday night's rematch with the New York Knicks in the fourth quarter after suffering an apparent left leg injury.
There was no immediate word on the extent of Wembanyama's injury.
Wembanyama leaped to gather an offensive rebound over Knicks enter Karl-Anthony Towns with 10:32 left in the game and lost possession when he landed. Replays showed there was no contact, but Wembanyama's left foot slid forward and his knee appeared to hyperextend.
Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs is joining the Green Bay Packers, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Green Bay reportedly claimed Diggs off waivers after the Dallas Cowboys released him Tuesday. Drafted by the Cowboys in the second round in 2020, the 27-year-old spent the past six seasons in Dallas.
The split between Diggs and the Cowboys caught many around the league off guard. The talented defensive back developed into one of Dallas' most reliable playmakers in the secondary during the early portion of his tenure. Diggs earned his first Pro Bowl nod and was named an All-Pro after leading the league with 11 interceptions in 2021.
The Los Angeles Clippers don't intend to be sellers ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, sources told The Athletic's Sam Amick.
Despite the Clippers starting the season with a disappointing 6-21 record, a current five-game winning streak has buoyed the organization's hopes, Amick adds. Los Angeles sits 2.5 games back of the Western Conference's final play-in spot ahead of Thursday's visit from the Utah Jazz.
Reports have linked Kawhi Leonard and James Harden as potential trade pieces if Los Angeles decides to make significant moves. However, Harden's Bird rights allow him to veto a trade this season, and the MVP has a $42.3-million player option for next campaign. Meanwhile, Leonard has one season left on a three-year, $149.5-million deal and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
The San Francisco Giants agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander Tyler Mahle, a source told ESPN's Jorge Castillo.
The deal's financials are unknown.
Mahle posted a 2.18 ERA and 3.37 FIP in 16 starts for the Texas Rangers last season, missing three months of the campaign with shoulder soreness.
The 31-year-old spent the past two seasons with the Rangers after pitching for the Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins during the first eight years of his big-league career. Mahle's best campaign came in 2021, when he recorded a 3.75 ERA and 210 strikeouts across 33 starts for the Reds.
Mahle would join a potential Giants rotation featuring ace Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Adrian Houser, and Landen Roupp in San Francisco.
Rookie quarterback Riley Leonard will start the Indianapolis Colts' last game of the season Sunday against the Houston Texans, head coach Shane Steichen announced Wednesday, according to Stephen Holder of ESPN.
Anthony Richardson won't be activated off injured reserve, thus leaving Seth Henigan to likely serve as Leonard's backup, Steichen said, per Joel A. Erickson of IndyStar.
Philip Rivers will still remain with the team for this week to mentor Leonard.
Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen wants to put trade talks involving All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte to rest so he can focus on other offseason moves.
"We're very likely to put an end to this shortly," Hazen said Tuesday, according to MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.
While Hazen admitted he didn't have an exact timeline, he said a deal involving the infielder didn't appear to be materializing, despite the D-Backs continuing to engage with interested teams.
Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points and the Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to a season-best five games Tuesday night with a 131-90 victory over the Sacramento Kings.
James Harden had 21 points while John Collins and rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser each added 16 for the Clippers, who have found a successful formula after not winning more than two consecutive games before their current run of success began.
Leonard's productive night came after he scored a career-best 55 points in a victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. He has averaged 37.8 points over the past five games.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews will miss Tuesday's game against the New Jersey Devils and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Matthews picked up the injury Sunday on a blocked shot against the Detroit Red Wings.
The former Hart Trophy winner has been quiet this season by his standards, posting 15 goals and 12 assists in 33 appearances. He scored once in five games before getting hurt against the Red Wings.
Anthony Rendon's time with the Los Angeles Angels is over after the two sides agreed to a contract buyout, a source told The Athletic's Sam Blum.
Rendon's deal will reportedly be restructured to defer his remaining salary over the next three-to-five years, but it's not known how the payout will be distributed, adds Blum.
The 35-year-old two-time Silver Slugger was set to earn $38.6 million next season.
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing a felony charge of strangulation and a misdemeanor charge of assault from an alleged incident on Dec. 2.
A motion hearing took place at 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday at the Dedham (Massachusetts) District Court. WCVB-TV reports that a judge is deciding whether to impound the court documents ahead of Diggs' arraignment Jan. 23, which is the Friday before the AFC Championship Game.
Macklin Celebrini became the third player with 60 points this season with a goal and two assists in the San Jose Sharks' 5-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night.
Mario Ferraro, Igor Chernyshov, William Eklund and Zach Ostapchuk also scored for the Sharks, who earned their second win since the holiday break despite getting outshot 43-13. Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves.
Troy Terry scored two goals, Cutter Gauthier got his 19th goal and Pavel Mintyukov also scored for the Ducks, who have lost three straight and seven of nine while falling out of first place in the Pacific Division. Lukas Dostal allowed four goals on nine shots before Petr Mrazek replaced him during the second period.
Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic will miss at least four weeks after being diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee, the team announced Tuesday.
He's slated to miss at least 16 games under that timeline and will be re-evaluated after four weeks.
Jokic sustained the injury in the second quarter of Monday's game against the Miami Heat when teammate Spencer Jonesinadvertently stepped on his foot.
Luka Doncic scored 34 points, LeBron James had 24, and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped their three-game losing streak with a 125-101 win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.
Nick Smith Jr. had 21 off the bench for the Lakers, who had dropped four of six and all by at least 13 points, including a 23-point demolition at the hands of Houston on Christmas Day in their previous game.
DeMar DeRozan had 22 for the Kings, who have won consecutive games just once this season. Maxime Raynaud finished with 16, as Sacramento had six players in double figures.
Kawhi Leonard scored a career-high 55 points, James Harden added 28 and the Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to a season-high four games with a 112-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night.
Leonard went 17 of 26 from the floor, including 5 for 10 from 3-point range, and made 16 of 17 free throws, with his only blemish of the game a missed free throw in the third quarter that ended his run of 64 straight from the line, all this month. He scored 26 of his points in the third quarter.
The Blue Jackets placed All-Star defenseman Zach Werenski on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 20 on Sunday.
Werenski, second in the league among defensemen in goals (14) and points (40), is considered day-to-day by Columbus after suffering a lower-body injury late during the Dec. 20 game at the Anaheim Ducks. He is also second among all players in ice time, averaging 26:48 per game.
Forward Mathieu Olivier was activated off injured reserve after missing 13 games with an upper body injury that happened at Washington on Nov. 24. He has three goals and nine points in 23 games this season.
The Chicago Blackhawks activated captain and center Nick Foligno before Sunday night's game against Pittsburgh and placed center Frank Nazar on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 20.
Foligno has missed 19 games with a left hand injury, suffered when he was struck by a shot in a 3-2 home win over Toronto on Nov. 15. Nazar was hit in the facewith a shot by Senators defenseman Jordan Spence in a 6-4 loss at Ottawa on Dec. 20 and is expected to miss another three weeks.
The 38-year-old Foligno has no goals and six assists in 15 games this season, his 19th in the NHL. He leads the Blackhawks with a 51.8 faceoff win percentage.
Brock Purdy threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings with 2:15 left, and the San Francisco 49ers forced an incomplete pass on the final play from the 2 to beat the Chicago Bears 42-38 on Sunday night and set up a Week 18 showdown for the top seed in the NFC.
Caleb Williams drove the Bears (11-5) down the field in the closing seconds and had one last shot for the win. But Bryce Huff forced him out of the pocket and his throw short-hopped Jahdae Walker in the end zone to seal a sixth straight victory for the 49ers (12-4).
That gave the 49ers a chance to win the NFC West and get a bye by beating Seattle (13-3) in the season finale on Saturday night. A win would give San Francisco home-field advantage and a chance to stay home all postseason, with the Super Bowl set to be played at Levi's Stadium on Feb. 8.
The Baltimore Orioles and right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin have agreed to a new one-year, $10-million deal, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
The deal includes a mutual option for 2027, Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner adds.
Eflin, 31, spent the previous season and a half with the O's after being acquired from the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays prior to the 2024 trade deadline.
The Toronto Raptors brought some much-needed size to their frontcourt rotation, signing center Mo Bamba to a one-year deal, his agent told ESPN's Shams Charania.
His contract is non-guaranteed, a source told Sportsnet's Blake Murphy.
Bamba, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, has spent the entire 2025-26 campaign with the G League's Salt Lake City Stars.
The 7-footer averaged 16.5 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks across 14 appearances for Salt Lake City this season. He tallied 17 points, 12 boards, five assists, and three blocks in the Stars' recent victory over the Raptors 905 in the championship game of the G League Winter Showcase.
Toronto's interior defense and rebounding have taken a hit with Jakob Poeltl sidelined. The Raptors ranked 20th in blocks (4.4 per contest) and 24th in boards (42.2) entering Sunday's contest against the Golden State Warriors.
Bamba's best NBA campaign came in 2021-22 with the Orlando Magic, averaging 10.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks over 71 appearances.
Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark is taking a leave of absence for personal reasons, the team announced Sunday.
The Senators didn't provide a timetable for his return.
"Linus has the full support of our organization during this time," Senators president of hockey operations Steve Staios said in a statement. "Out of respect to Linus, we will not be making any further comments."
The New England Patriots clinched the AFC East with the Buffalo Bills suffering a 13-12 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Buffalo stormed back and scored with under 20 seconds left, but failed on the go-ahead two-point conversion.
The Patriots destroyed the New York Jets earlier in the day, helping them secure their first division crown since 2019. Buffalo had won the AFC East for five consecutive seasons and will now get a wild-card spot in the playoffs.
Nearly a decade after retiring, Alex Rodriguez remains one of baseball's most polarizing figures, particularly regarding his Hall of Fame candidacy.
Yet the former superstar shortstop now says he's made peace with the prospect of never having a plaque in Cooperstown.
"I have a life today that I didn't have for the first 40 years," Rodriguez recently told Jason Jones of The Athletic. "If I went to the Hall of Fame, in a weird way, I would be hollow inside. I would still be in a lot of pain.
Toronto Raptors wing RJ Barrett will return to action Sunday against the Golden State Warriors after missing the last 15 contests due to a right knee sprain.
The Raptors will have Barrett on a minutes restriction during the game, according to Sportsnet's Michael Grange.
Barrett hasn't played since suffering the injury during Toronto's win over the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 23. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his knee earlier in December to help his recovery.
The 25-year-old was off to a hot start before the issue, averaging 19.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting a career-best 50.6% from the field in 17 games this season.
The Raptors have sorely missed Barrett, going 6-9 in his absence after a 12-5 start to the campaign. Darko Rajakovic's club enters Sunday's tilt having dropped three of its last five matchups, including a 21-point loss to the league-worst Washington Wizards on Friday.
Matthew Tkachuk is back on the ice with the Florida Panthers, appearing at practice on Sunday for the first time this season and more than four months after he had surgery to repair a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle.
Tkachuk has not played since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, when the Panthers clinched their second consecutive title by again topping the Edmonton Oilers. He went through the summer trying to rehab — but eventually decided that he needed the surgery.
He was wearing a yellow non-contact jersey, an indication that he's not yet ready for game action. Florida plays host to Washington on Monday and Montreal on Tuesday, then will be the home team for the NHL Winter Classic at the Miami Marlins' ballpark against the New York Rangers on Friday.
lolToronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews was full of praise for the team's improved offensive firepower following Saturday's 7-5 win over the Ottawa Senators.
Matthews was firing on all cylinders with a goal and two assists, and the three-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner's line with Max Domi and Bobby McMann combined for five points at even strength.
But it was the Maple Leafs' much-maligned power play that was the biggest difference Saturday, as William Nylander and Matthew Knies both scored with the man advantage in the first period.
Blake Coleman scored his 11th goal of the season with 7:29 to play and the Calgary Flames edged the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Saturday night.
Yegor Sharangovich and Ryan Lomberg also scored for Calgary, while Dustin Wolf made 29 saves in his 100th NHL game.
Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid scored for Edmonton. McDavid's goal extended his scoring streak to 12 games (13 goals, 19 assists), which has carried him into top spot in league scoring. Connor Ingram also had 29 saves in suffering his first loss.
Derrick Henry had a career-high 36 carries for 216 yards and four touchdowns to help the Baltimore Ravens take down the Green Bay Packers 41-24 on Saturday at Lambeau Field.
With the victory, the Ravens stay alive in the AFC North. However, a Pittsburgh Steelers win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday would give Pittsburgh the division title.
The Chicago Bears also officially clinched the NFC North crown with Green Bay's latest defeat.
Hutson was down for several minutes and moving his extremities before medics helped him off the ice.
Hutson was later discharged from the hospital and rejoined his teammates at the rink, Team USA head coach Bob Motzko told NHL Network's Jon Morosi. His status for the remainder of the tournament will be evaluated Sunday.
Henry, who entered the matchup with 12,676 career rushing yards, topped Dorsett's 12,739 yards on Baltimore's second offensive possession.
Canada narrowly beat Latvia 2-1 in overtime at the 2026 World Junior Championship on Saturday.
Montreal Canadiens prospect Michael Hage fired the winning goal on the power play.
The Tampa Bay Lightning signed defenseman J.J. Moser to an eight-year contract extension with a $6.75-million average annual value, the team announced Saturday.
Moser, 25, has three goals and 12 points and is a plus-24 through 34 games. He's averaging a career-high 21:43.
The Swiss blue-liner was set to become a restricted free agent in July. He counts for $3.375-million against the salary cap this year.
The Houston Texans beat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-16 on Saturday to officially clinch a playoff spot.
With the Texans' victory, the Denver Broncos also claimed their first AFC West title since 2015.
The Indianapolis Colts are officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson won't play Saturday night against the Green Bay Packers due to the back injury that knocked him out of a loss to the New England Patriots last weekend.
The Ravens listed Jackson among their inactive players for Saturday's must-win game. The two-time MVP hadn't practicedall week and was listed as doubtful on the Ravens' Thursday injury report.
That means neither team will have its starting quarterback available. The Packers (9-5-1) announced Friday that they wouldn't have Jordan Love, who has been in concussion protocolsince absorbing a helmet-to-helmet hit in the second quarter of a 22-16 overtime loss at Chicago last weekend.
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz remains sidelined with no clear timeline for a return.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said Saturday there's "not really" any clarity regarding Stolarz's return to the ice, adding that the netminder's absence remains "indefinite as of right now," according to TSN's Tony Ambrogio.
Stolarz hasn't played since Nov. 11 against the Boston Bruins. He left that game after the first period due to an upper-body injury.
Bleday's deal will pay him a base salary of $1.4 million and also includes incentives, sources told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
To make room for Bleday on the 40-man roster, Cincinnati designated right-hander Keegan Thompson for assignment.
Bleday was designated for assignment and then non-tendered by the Athletics in November following a difficult 2025 season. The 28-year-old took a big step back offensively, hitting .212/.294/.404 with 14 homers and 39 RBIs over 98 games with the A's, and was twice optioned to Triple-A.
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to return from a right calf strain Saturday against the Chicago Bulls, sources told Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
In order to play in Chicago, though, he'll need to clear a pregame routine that will be overseen by the team's training staff, Nehm adds.
The Bucks officially listed their superstar forward as questionable for Saturday's contest.
One sack away from breaking the NFL's single-season record, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett said it would be "special" to set the new benchmark with a takedown of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Garrett enters Sunday's home matchup against the Steelers with 22 sacks on the campaign. He's just a half-sack away from tying the single-season record that's currently shared by Michael Strahan (2001) and T.J. Watt (2021).
Garrett's next full sack would see him make history.
Will Zellers scored twice and added an assist as the United States beat Germany 6-3 in both teams' opening game of the World Junior Championships on Friday.
Zellers scored twice in the second period, picking up assists from Anthony Spellacy on both goals.
Jaylen Brown scored 30 points and the Boston Celtics made 20 3-pointers in a 140-122 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.
The All-NBA forward, who is averaging 29.4 points, shot 13 of 20 from the field and made two 3-pointers. Payton Pritchard added 29 points, making three 3s, and grabbed nine rebounds.
The Celtics were 20 of 39 from beyond the arc compared to the Pacers' 18 of 44. Reserve Sam Hauser was 7 for 8 behind the arc and scored 23 points, while Derrick White added 21 points with three 3s.
James Harden had 34 points, Brook Lopez scored 31 points, including a career-high nine 3-pointers, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 119-103 on Friday night for their third straight win.
Kawhi Leonard pitched in 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists, including 18 points in the fourth quarter.
Deni Avdija led Portland with 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
The Clippers outscored the Blazers 63-41 in the second half, including a 19-1 run in the third quarter to take control.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 calf strain in his left leg and will be re-evaluated in four weeks, the team announced.
Reaves exited the first half of Los Angeles' Christmas Day loss to the Houston Rockets and didn't return. The 27-year-old finished the game with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting. He underwent an MRI on Friday to gather the severity of the ailment.
"Austin clearly felt something," Lakers head coach JJ Redick said after the game, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "We did our normal halftime, and then as we were walking out of the locker room, (Lakers director of player performance and health) Dr. (LeRoy) Sims told me he was out."
Canada edged Czechia 7-5 in a thrilling conclusion to the first day of the 2026 World Junior Championship on Friday.
Philadelphia Flyers prospect Porter Martone iced the game with an empty-netter after the Czechs drew within one late in the final frame.
Dallas Mavericks superstar Anthony Davis is expected to miss a few games after sustaining a minor groin strain during his team's Christmas Day loss to the Golden State Warriors, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania.
The Mavericks will evaluate Davis daily and take a cautious approach in determining his return, Charania reports.
Davis suffered the strain early in the second quarter when he pulled up lame while running down the court. He quickly went to the bench for an examination before heading to the locker room for the remainder of the evening. Davis scored three points with three rebounds and three blocks in 11 minutes of action Thursday.