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The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Marc Savard as an assistant coach. This news vindicates rumors about Savard’s connection with the team and reunites him with head coach Craig Berube, who Savard supported with the St. Louis Blues in 2019-20. The two will rekindle in Toronto, with Savard expected to assume his usual role as power-play coach.
Savard has become a popular coaching candidate despite just two years as an NHL assistant. But he proved plenty successful in both opportunities, leading the Blues to a 24.2% success rate on the power-play in 2019-20, good for third-best in the league. Savard stepped away from St. Louis after one season, moving to a head-coaching role with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires. Savard would spend two years in Windsor, leading the team to 44 wins in both seasons and a run to the OHL championship in 2022. He kept his tenure brief, though, taking his talent behind the Calgary Flames bench in the 2023-24 season, where he found significantly less success than in St. Louis. Savard led the Flames power-play to a a 17.9% success rate, the seventh worst in the league.
But for all of his coaching prowess, Savard is still remembered most fondly as a player. Originally selected in the fourth round of the 1995 NHL Draft, Savard won an OHL championship before making the jump to the AHL and then NHL in the three years following his draft – finding a way to emerge as a top scorer at every step. Savard would move through appearances with the Calgary Flames and Atlanta Thrashers, consistently showcasing plenty of promising scoring and plenty tenacity, though he wasn’t able to play every game of a season until 2005-06. He performed well when fully healthy, recording 28 goals and 97 points and vindicating it with 96 points in 82 more games the next year. The pair of high-scoring seasons, which overlapped Savard’s move to the Boston Bruins, established him as one of the league’s top wingers. He would carry that title through five years with the Bruins, though repeated injuries eventually caught up to Savard.
Savard famously retired in 2011, citing concussions-related symptoms. He totaled 807 career games across 13 seasons in the league and retired just ahead of Boston’s 2011 Stanley Cup win, which would have been the first of his career. He’ll now look to chase that title as a coach, taking over a power-play unit featuring Auston Matthews and William Nylander, among plenty of other star offensive talent.
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Four NHL players who could be traded soon
The NHL season is just about a quarter of the way through, and the playoff race is as tight as ever. As of Wednesday, just four points separate the last-place team (Buffalo) from the second wild-card team (Tampa Bay) in the Eastern Conference. On the Western side of things, there are six teams within three points of the last playoff spot. That does leave, however, a clear-cut bottom three teams in the league: the St. Louis Blues (17 points), the Nashville Predators (16 points) and the Calgary Flames (13 points). Although the trade deadline is still months away, several players are on the block and may be moved earlier to maximize their return. Let's take a look at four players who could be on the move soon. Rasmus Andersson, defense, Calgary Flames Andersson's name has been in the trade rumors since last season. A UFA this upcoming offseason, it's unlikely he re-signs with the Flames, who are in the process of retooling. One snag? Andersson has a six-team no-trade list, meaning he has veto power over some potential moves. However, the rugged left-handed blueliner is a hot commodity to any team looking to upgrade their top four; in particular, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in the hunt for a puck mover on the back end and could offer what Calgary wants. Jordan Kyrou, forward, St Louis Blues Kyrou is a three-time 30-goal scorer who would immediately upgrade any team's top six at the winger position. This season, however, hasn't gone too well for Kyrou or the Blues. With just 11 points in 19 games and the 30th overall record in the league, St. Louis may be looking to shake things up. While Kyrou does have a larger cap hit at $8.25 million per year, he still has five years left on his deal after this season, and his play would likely improve on a better team. If St. Louis wants a quick retool, trading Kyrou for a haul wouldn't be a bad idea. Steven Stamkos, forward, Nashville Predators The Tampa Bay Lightning legend left his long-time club in free agency, choosing to sign with the Nashville Predators during a big 2024 offseason for the franchise. His first season, though, didn't exactly go to plan. Nashville finished 30th in the standings in 2024-25, and Stamkos managed just 27 goals and 53 points in 82 games. With the Predators once again at the bottom of the standings, and Stamkos scoring just 4 goals in 20 games, several teams in need of depth down the middle could look to add the veteran. At $8 million per year (until 2028), Nashville may need to retain some salary, but a change of scenery could benefit both parties. Nazem Kadri, forward, Calgary Flames Like Stamkos, Kadri could be a reliable pickup for a team looking for depth at the center position. The 2022 Stanley Cup champion has been consistent for Calgary since signing with them in the 2022 offseason, scoring 210 points in 267 games for the Flames. Although Kadri hasn't put up the same points this season (12 in 21 games), part of that may stem from Calgary's poor record. If the Flames want to secure a top draft pick, selling players like Andersson or Kadri (signed until 2029) could gain them a big haul and help their lottery chances.
New Angels pitcher Grayson Rodriguez reveals interesting health update after Orioles trade
Acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles, new Los Angeles Angels pitcher Grayson Rodriguez believes there is a big reason why he is ready to put his injury history behind him in Anaheim. Just three days after turning 26 years old, Rodriguez is now a member of the Angels after a one-for-one trade that sent outfielder Taylor Ward to Baltimore. He is also hoping that a new location means an end to injuries that have limited him to 43 starts over the past three seasons. That includes zero starts and innings in 2025 because of an elbow issue in spring training, followed by a right lateral strain in April. More elbow problems popped up for Rodriguez in July before he underwent debridement surgery on his elbow in August, officially ending his season. That surgery, however, is, Rodriguez believes, the key to his return to the mound in 2026 as well as his ability to stay on it. Angels' Grayson Rodriguez said bone spurs have been an issue for a long time In a Zoom meeting with Angels reporters on Wednesday, Rodriguez said the bone spurs that were removed had been a problem for years. "That was something that's kind of lingered with me for about three or four years now," Rodriguez said. "I've had them for a while and kind of just got to the point where I couldn't really pitch through it. Pretty sure that's kind of what was causing some of the lat injuries." If that's the case, it could unlock a pitcher who has logged a 4.11 ERA in 238.2 innings over those 43 starts. He has also registered 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings while issuing just 2.9 walks. Getting those kinds of numbers would be a big boost for an Angels rotation that finished 28th out of MLB's 30 teams last season in ERA at 4.91. It would also represent a missed opportunity for an Orioles team that has stated it is looking for another front-line starter. Rodriguez said on Wednesday he would be ready for spring training, giving hope to the Angels that they have found a pitcher who can be a long-term answer for them on the mound. Rodriguez is not scheduled to be a free agent until the 2030 season. If Rodriguez can stay healthy and produce in Anaheim, it would be a gut punch for an Orioles team that is looking to get back into the postseason conversation in 2026. However, time will tell if those bone spurs are truly the answer to Rodriguez staying healthy and on the field.
Packers Receive Disappointing Injury News Before Vikings Matchup
Jayden Reed’s anticipated return to the practice field for the Green Bay Packers will have to wait a little longer. Despite some growing hope earlier this week that the dynamic wide receiver could begin the next phase of his recovery, head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed Wednesday that Reed will not open his 21-day practice window yet. “He’s not practicing today,” LaFleur said ahead of Sunday’s critical matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. When pressed for a clearer timeline on the second-year standout, who remains on injured reserve with collarbone and foot injuries, LaFleur deferred to the medical staff. “I don’t know. As soon as medical clears him, he’ll be out there,” LaFleur said. “I know he’s excited to get back. As am I.” The optimism had spiked in recent days. On Monday, LaFleur indicated there was a chance Reed and/or rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd could start their practice windows this week. Reed himself fueled the excitement Tuesday by sharing a photo of himself dressed in full uniform on social media. Those plans, however, are now on hold. Reed’s surgically repaired foot seems to have healed satisfactorily, but the collarbone—fractured on a diving attempt during the first half of Green Bay’s Week 2 victory over the Washington Commanders—still needs additional time. For a wide receiver whose job involves regular physical contact and the risk of landing hard on the shoulder, the medical staff is requiring clear imaging evidence that the bone is strong enough before green-lighting a return. The cautious approach echoes the Packers’ handling of Aaron Rodgers’ similar collarbone injury in 2017, when the former quarterback sat out seven games while waiting for full healing. Nearly 10 weeks removed from the injury and having already missed eight contests, Reed could still require another one to two weeks before doctors are comfortable clearing him for football activities. That timeline keeps a potential return for the Thanksgiving night clash with the Detroit Lions or the following week against the Chicago Bears realistically in play. Before the injury, Reed had established himself as Green Bay’s top receiving weapon. He paced the team in receiving yards in both 2023 and 2024, and in the two games he played this season while managing the foot issue, he recorded three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown. The Green Bay Packers will continue their Week 12 preparations without their leading wideout on the practice field, with LaFleur and the organization prioritizing full recovery over a rushed comeback.
Scout shares take on why Vikings' J.J. McCarthy has struggled with accuracy this season
Second-year Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has mostly played like a work in progress when healthy and on the field this fall. For a piece published on Wednesday, ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano pointed out that McCarthy is "obviously missing too many throws" at this stage of his development. Graziano spoke with an unnamed "scout with another team" to learn more about McCarthy's struggles. Are Vikings panicking about J.J. McCarthy? "McCarthy's throwing at only one speed -- all fastballs -- and attributed that to trying to be the hero in a situation where he knows his team is counting on him to help it win," Graziano said about his chat with the scout. "The general sense I get from inside the Vikings' building and out is that he just needs time and reps." The Vikings made McCarthy a first-round draft pick in the spring of 2024, but he then spent his entire rookie season recovering from a full meniscus repair. More recently, what became a lingering ankle injury limited McCarthy to just five starts over Minnesota's first 10 games of the ongoing campaign. According to Pro Football Reference, McCarthy began Wednesday ranked last in the league among qualified players with a 52.9 percent completion percentage, a 26.6 adjusted QBR and a 61.7 passer rating for the season. Nevertheless, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said in Wednesday's article that the Vikings really have "no choice" but to stick with McCarthy over undrafted free agent Max Brosmer. Veteran Carson Wentz previously started when McCarthy was sidelined with the ankle issue, but Wentz has since had season-ending shoulder surgery. What Vikings like about J.J. McCarthy amid struggles "The accuracy is a concern," Fowler added about McCarthy. "There's no hiding from that. Balls are sailing, and that affects the entire offense. McCarthy needs to hit the layups. The Vikings will be working to help him find more consistency as a thrower. From a developmental standpoint, the team still believes in his work ethic and skill set." For what it's worth, McCarthy tossed a go-ahead touchdown pass versus the Chicago Bears with under a minute to play in this past Sunday's matchup between the clubs. He then could only watch as Chicago's Cairo Santos kicked a walk-off game-winning field goal. 4-6 Minnesota next plays at the rival Green Bay Packers (6-3-1) this coming Sunday. As of Wednesday morning, ESPN BET had the Vikings as 6.5-point underdogs for that game.
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