The Florida Panthers locked up a key part of their blue line Thursday, signing Niko Mikkola to an eight-year extension, the team announced.
The contract contains an average annual value of $5 million, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.
Mikkola, 29, has been a rock on the back end for the Panthers since joining the club on a three-year, $7.5-million contract in 2023.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out a postseason-high nine while pitching into the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers broke it open with a four-run sixth to beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-4 on Wednesday night and advance to the National League Division Series.
The defending World Series champion Dodgers advanced to their 20th NLDS appearance — 13th in a row — in franchise history and will face the Phillies starting Saturday in Philadelphia. The teams last met in the postseason in 2009, when the Phillies beat the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series for the second straight year.
Manny Machado hit a two-run homer, Mason Miller dominated again and the San Diego Padres beat the Chicago Cubs 3-0 on Wednesday, sending their NL wild-card series to a decisive third game.
Jackson Merrill hit an early sacrifice fly as San Diego avoided elimination after losing 3-1 on Tuesday. Dylan Cease struck out five in 3 2/3 innings before handing the ball to his team's hard-throwing bullpen.
The Colorado Rockies announced Wednesday that general manager Bill Schmidt stepped down after one of the worst seasons in baseball history.
A search is underway for his replacement.
Schmidt has been with the organization since 1999, including the last four seasons as general manager. The Rockies turned in their third straight 100-loss season as they missed the postseason for a seventh year in a row.
Guard Quentin Grimes is signing a one-year, $8.7-million qualifying offer to remain with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent told ESPN's Shams Charania.
Grimes was a restricted free agent and had until Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. ET to sign his qualifying offer.
The 25-year-old can now veto any trades involving him this upcoming season and is slated to hit the open market next summer as an unrestricted free agent.
Grimes and the 76ers had a lengthy contract negotiation process with the two sides reportedly "very far apart" on a new deal as of last week. The former first-round pick was in attendance for the club's media day, but he didn't travel to Abu Dhabi for their preseason games against the New York Knicks.
The New Jersey Devils and restricted free-agent defenseman Luke Hughes ended their contract stalemate Wednesday, agreeing to a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $9 million, the team announced.
Hughes was a Calder Trophy finalist in 2023-24 when he tallied 47 points in 82 games. He managed 44 points in 71 games a year ago, finishing second on the team in average time on ice (21:09).
While he has shown flashes of offensive brilliance, Hughes' defensive game is still a work in progress. But he possesses the tools to improve as a gifted skater with a 6-foot-2 frame.
The Edmonton Oilers acquired goaltender Connor Ingram from the Utah Mammoth for future considerations, the teams announced Wednesday.
Ingram recently passed through waivers unclaimed and will report to AHL Bakersfield to start his tenure with the Oilers. He's under contract this season and scheduled for unrestricted free agency in 2026.
The Mammoth are retaining $800,000 of his $1.95-million cap hit.
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was medically cleared by team doctors and was set to fully participate in practice on Wednesday after missing two games with an injured left knee.
"He's definitely chomping at the bit to get going," coach Dan Quinn said.
Another bit of good news for the injury-hit Commanders arrived on Wednesday: Starting right guard Sam Cosmi began his 21-day practice window after starting the season on the physically unable to perform list.
Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández hit two home runs apiece, Blake Snell struck out nine over seven strong innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 10-5 in their NL Wild Card Series opener Tuesday night.
Tommy Edman also went deep for the Dodgers, who tied a franchise postseason record with five homers and pounded out 15 hits as they opened their bid to become the first back-to-back World Series winners in 25 years.
Ohtani, who had a career-high 55 homers in the regular season, homered leading off the first. His 117.7 mph drive off a 100.4 mph fastball from Reds ace Hunter Greene was the fastest pitch Ohtani has homered on in his major league career.
The Fever, with about half their roster in street clothes, weren't supposed to be this kind of challenge for the Aces.
And then when Kelsey Mitchell left Game 5 on Tuesday night because of severe leg cramping, victory seemed assured for Las Vegas — only to have Indiana keep fighting back.
But the Aces, pushed to the brink for the second postseason series in a row, survived 107-98 in overtime to advance to the WNBA Finals for the third time in four years. A'ja Wilson, with 35 points, and Jackie Young, with 32, became the first teammates to score more than 30 points in a playoff game.