On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Mark Scheifele will have a heavy heart when the Winnipeg Jets face the Dallas Stars in Game 6 on Saturday night.
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told reporters early Saturday that Scheifele’s father passed away overnight.
Via Elliotte Friedman:
“Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told reporters a few minutes ago that Mark Scheifele’s father, Brad, passed away during the night. Head coach Scott Arniel went to the team hotel to be with Scheifele. Very, very sad to hear — all the best to his family and their friends,” Friedman wrote on X.
As expected, Scheifele’s status for Game 6 is now uncertain after this unfathomable loss. He didn’t join the Jets for morning skate.
“As an organization, we’re doing everything we can to support him,” Cheveldayoff said, via The Athletic. “We wish and give his family our most sincere condolences. And we ask that everybody respect their privacy this time.”
Brad Scheifele was in attendance for several playoff games during this run for Winnipeg, which makes this even harder for Mark. The team hasn’t revealed the cause of death.
Teammate Adam Lowry said the Jets will be doing everything they can to support Mark Scheifele in this extremely difficult time:
“That’s such a big loss,” Lowry said after the morning skate. “That’s your mentor, that’s the person you looked up to growing up. That’s the person you want to be like. I think there’s just a lot of little things you’ve got to do to make sure Mark feels supported today and moving forward.”
Scheifele is one of Winnipeg’s most important players, and he’s been solid in this series, contributing two goals and two assists. Head coach Scott Arniel is expected to speak to reporters before puck drop, and Scheifele’s status for this must-win contest will likely become clearer.
We send Scheifele and his family all the best wishes in this tough time.
More must-reads:
- Senators take major step toward new stadium
- Perhaps Superman Paul Skenes has found his kryptonite
- The 'American League WAR leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Arbitrator ruling in favor of Flyers over grievance from veteran center, whose NHL career may be over
An arbitrator has ruled in favor of the Philadelphia Flyers in a grievance filed by veteran centerman Ryan Johansen, over the team’s termination of his contract prior to the 2024-25 season, shares TSN’s Darren Dreger. The Flyers acquired Johansen alongside a conditional 2025 first-round pick at the 2024 trade deadline, in exchange for sending defenseman Sean Walker to the Colorado Avalanche. Philadelphia placed Johansen on waivers immediately after the trade, with the intentions of assigning him to the AHL and potentially flipping him before the deadline. When no trade manifested, Johansen refused to report to the minor leagues, instead claiming that he was limited by a nagging hip injury. The NHL sided with Johansen and reversed his AHL assignment after a failed physical exam. Johansen spent the remainder of the 2023-24 season on injured reserve. There was a clear wedge between him and the Flyers’ top brass — one that only rooted deeper as the 2024 summer went on. By August, Philadelphia decided to place Johansen on unconditional waivers for the purposes of contract termination — citing the player’s delay in notifying them of the injury, and failure to pass physicals or report to his assignment. Johansen passed through waivers and became an unrestricted-free agent. He filed a grievance with the NHLPA soon after, claiming the Flyers had wrongly terminated his contract. Now, a full year later, it seems the NHL will side with Philadelphia in their handling of the situation. The implications of this decision aren’t immediately clear. Johansen had one year remaining on an eight-year, $64M contract originally signed with the Nashville Predators in 2017 — though Philadelphia was only due $4M in cap hit, after Nashville retained half of the contract when they traded Johansen to Colorado. The range of outcomes seems far-reaching — from Philadelphia being due that full $4M price tag, to a settlement with the player, to no cap implications on the team’s side at all. Details on the exact impact against the Flyers will likely be revealed in the coming days. The NHL’s last contract termination to reach headlines over a material breach came in 2015, when the Los Angeles Kings terminated forward Mike Richards’ contract with five years remaining. He was still due $22M on the deal. Richards also filed a grievance with the NHLPA, and would end up settling with the team for an undisclosed amount before becoming a free agent. He signed for one season with the Washington Capitals following the dispute, but would retire from hockey in 2016. It seems less likely that Johansen will return to the NHL. His play gradually dwindled throughout the 2020s — falling from 63 points in the 2021-22 season to just 23 points in 2023-24. He slowed down in all aspects, likely due to what was proved to be a very real and long-running hip injury. That slow-down pushed Johansen to Colorado’s fourth-line in his final few games with the team. With a decision in place on his grievance with the Flyers, he would realistically have time to sign a short contract, or tryout agreement, before the 2025-26 season. But those chances hinge on the 33-year-old’s recovery, and willingness to return, after a full season away from the league. If he does call his career to a close, the former fourth overall selection will finish with 578 points in 905 games in the NHL.
Former crew chief frustrated by the 'ridiculous' racing at Watkins Glen
It is no secret that NASCAR's current road-course package has not been very good. Aside from the mile-and-a-half tracks that were once the least competitive and exciting in the series, those races are the rare bright spot for the Next Gen Car since its inception in 2022. Shane van Gisbergen drove away to an 11.1-second win over Christopher Bell in Sunday's race at Watkins Glen and set multiple records in the process. While the racing was not particularly exciting, that was not what left former crew chief and current analyst Steve Letarte frustrated the most following the weekend. A recurring issue in each race over the weekend was drivers utilizing the runoff areas around the track and not staying on the traditional racing surface, which ultimately led to some crashes in Saturday's Xfinity race. "So, I hate track limits that have to be officiated," Letarte said on "Inside the Race." "Because I like tracks that you should just stay on the track. I didn't think it mattered. Now, I am team get-them-back-on-the-race-track-at-Watkins-Glen. I don't love the Watkins Glen that I see. ... I think Turn 1 is not as great of a corner with no exit respect or responsibility. You just blow the exit. I think the carousel is a much easier corner, being able to just go driver's left. "I also think Turn 6 is going — let me add, that I think the (Connor) Zilisch, SVG wreck between the last two corners (in the Xfinity Series race) happened because they left the track, and the Austin Hill wreck with Michael McDowell happened off the race track. Now, both could have been avoided, we can talk about who's at fault. What I'm saying is, I've never driven a lap at Watkins Glen. I can analyze what happens between the white lines." This comes one year after rumble strips were placed in Turn 1 to keep drivers from using the runoff area, and that clearly has not worked. As the field has got closer together, using up all the track has become a common way for drivers to establish momentum, especially as they prepare for the right-hander going into The Esses at Watkins Glen. The bottom line is NASCAR's road-racing product needs to get better and Letarte wants to see race cars "stay on the race track because I think it will be a better race." Van Gisbergen's historic dominance certainly does not help, but the overall road course product is not great. Whether NASCAR makes some changes to the runoff areas and enforces track limits remains to be seen, but that still may not be the biggest issue if the racing does not improve.
2 Steelers first-stringers in danger of losing starting jobs ahead of 2025 NFL season
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a different look and a different feel coming into the 2025 season after bringing in Aaron Rodgers as their new starting quarterback. Poor QB play has haunted Mike Tomlin and company throughout the last few years ever since Ben Roethlisberger left his prime, and they are hoping that Rodgers helps fix that issue. While the future Hall-of-Famer is firmly cemented as the team’s starting quarterback, there are some other positions on the roster that are still up for grabs as the preseason rages on and Tomlin finalizes what his lineup for Week 1. The Steelers also brought in DK Metcalf in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, giving Rodgers a true No. 1 option to throw the ball to. They also offloaded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in a separate trade, leaving that second wide receiver spot there for the taking. The Steelers also lost Najee Harris this offseason, making Jaylen Warren the presumed featured back. However, that spot could be in jeopardy as well if the returning running back isn’t careful. Earlier in training camp, the Steelers released their first unofficial depth chart of the season. Here are two players who showed up as starters in that release that could get caught for those spots in the coming weeks. RB Jaylen Warren Jaylen Warren has been splitting carries and touches with Najee Harris over the last couple of years, but with Harris gone he seemed destined to be the featured back for Tomlin and company. Not so fast. Insert former Iowa superstar Kaleb Johnson, who the Steelers drafted in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. That was maybe a bit later than many expected Johnson to be selected after his spectacular 2024 season with the Hawkeyes, but that also means there is a chance that the Steelers got a steal. It won’t be easy to take the job from Warren, who does a lot of things well and can positively impact the offense both in the running game and as a receiver. In his three seasons in Pittsburgh, Warren has amassed 2,568 yards and six touchdowns. He has great burst but also solid power in between the tackles and runs very low to the ground, making it difficult to bring him down. However, Warren’s size makes it somewhat difficult to envision him being a true workhorse back, which could open the door for Johnson to become a bellcow on early downs. At 6-foot-1, 224 pounds, the rookie is a much bigger back who is built to withstand the rigors of getting a lot of touches every week. That was on full display at Iowa last season, when Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, leading the Big Ten in both categories despite playing in an offense that offered no threat through the air. If it weren’t for the spectacular season of Ashton Jeanty at Boise State, Johnson could have garnered more recognition for awards at the end of the season. Johnson looked a step slow in his preseason debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he still has the ability to become the main back on early downs for Tomlin and company before too long. WR Calvin Austin III This comes with a bit of a caveat that the Steelers list just two starting wide receivers on their depth chart along with two tight ends, which leaves room for a third wideout that could be a potential “starter” in Arthur Smith’s offense. Austin is listed as the second starter alongside DK Metcalf, but Smith could opt to go with veteran Robert Woods in certain situations and make Austin more of a third slot wide receiver. The primary reason for this is that Woods has built a reputation as one of the best run blockers in football at his position. Smith loves to run the football, and the Steelers project to have one of the highest run rates in the league this coming season. Woods doesn’t have the same juice as a receiver that he once did, but he could see the field more one early downs and in neutral situations while Smith looks to get the most he can out of his run game. Austin is also dealing with an injury during the preseason that has held him out of practice, which could hurt him in getting to 100% by the time the regular season starts. Still, Austin will be a big part of the offense when he does get healthy. He is one of the most explosive players on the team and gives the Steelers a big-play threat that can take the top off the defense at any time. Now that Pittsburgh should have its best quarterback play during Austin’s career, he could have a lot more big plays coming his way in the near future.
USC Trojans, Lincoln Riley Dealt Another Harsh Ranking Ahead of Season
The common theme for this USC Trojans team has been exclusion, whether it's a Big Ten or top-25 ranking. In a recent ranking of all 136 programs in the FBS, USC was ranked as the No. 29 team in the country. USC Trojans Ranked No. 29 In FBS Rankings USC was placed No. 29 in CBS Sports' ranking, falling right behind SEC's Missouri Tigers. While the Trojans poor 2024 performance could have been ranked even lower, USC's progress in the offseason needs to be accounted for. Here are the teams ranked above the Trojans: 1. Texas Longhorns 2. Penn State Nittany Lions 3. Ohio State Buckeyes 4. Clemson Tigers 5. Georgia Bulldogs 6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 7. Oregon Ducks 8. Alabama Crimson Tide 9. LSU Tigers 10. Miami Hurricanes 11. Arizona State Sun Devils 12. Florida Gators 13. Illinois Fighting Illini 14. Kansas State Wildcats 15. Michigan Wolverines 16. South Carolina Gamecocks 17. SMU Mustangs 18. Texas A M Aggies 19. Iowa State Cyclones 20. Tennessee Volunteers 21. Texas Tech Red Raiders 22. Ole Miss Rebels 23. Indiana Hoosiers 24. Oklahoma Sooners 25. Utah Utes 26. Baylor Bears 27. Louisville Cardinals 28. Missouri Tigers 29. USC Trojans While majority of the teams listed have proven talent and forged a playoff-caliber season, some could argue teams like Utah should not be ranked as high. The Utes finished their 2024 campaign 6-7 with a seven-game lose streak. USC might not have much to argue with their one extra win, however, their scores and opponents speak heavily on the competition difference both programs. The Trojans finished 2024 7-6 and 4-5 in their first Big Ten conference season. No, it's not their best record or most desired results, but the statistics on paper show that USC has the potential to compete, but not enough was done. USC went 1-5 in one-score games, five fourth-quarter mishaps that could have been resolved into wins. A flip from the losses to wins could prove their dominance in the Big Ten and be the USC Trojans they used to be in the past years. The Trojans secured wins over two SEC opponents to start and end the year, USC defeated LSU in a comeback win in the Model Kickoff Classic in Las Vegas for their season opener, and returned to Las Vegas and defeated Texas A M in the Las Vegas Bowl to close out their season. The Trojans Must Capitalize in One-Score Situations College Football analysts have noticed the dire need to capitalize in one-score situations, especially after dropping multiple last season. Joel Klatt believes if the Trojans can find a solution, they could very-well be a first time College Football Playoff competitor. “They’ve got tough games against Oregon on the road. Don’t think that they’re going to win that one. So now you’re just talking about like, can you steal a victory here or there,” Klatt said on an episode of the Joel Klatt Show. “At Notre Dame is going to be difficult. But again, those close losses could turn into close wins this year, and if they do, they could be a team making their very first playoff appearance.” USC's schedule is deemed as favorable, but will face some of their toughest opponents on the road including Notre Dame, Oregon, and a rising favorite in Illinois. After this year's Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas and the start of fall camp, the Trojans and coaching staff have only nodded to their positive progress to their roster. Roster Improvements are Paving a Path for Success Coach Lincoln Riley pointed out quarterback Jayden Maiava's impressive progress that has proved his leadership and readiness to take on the starting quarterback position. “I think he would say he feels like it’s his team,” Riley told the Media after a fall camp practice. “I think he knows the guys better, he knows what he’s doing as a player better....We challenged him as coaches pretty heavily...He's responded." Coinciding with the offensive progress, positive reinforcement has also arrived on defense. The addition of linebackers coach Rob Ryan and defensive analyst Adrian Klemm only bolster the Trojans coaching staff alongside defensive D'Anton Lynn in his second year leading USC' Linebacker Eric Gentry, the leader and veteran of his position group, suffered multiple concusions all last season and saw few snaps. Defensive back Maliki Crawford missed all of last season and defensive end Anthony Lucas was ruled out all season. While USC may not have not displayed top-25 ranked talent last season, college football fans should not count them out this season, especially with their rapid progress made in the offseason.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
