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Nashville Predators head coach Andrew Brunette is away from the team while addressing personal matters.
Assistant coach Todd Richards led the team's on-ice activities during Saturday's practice.
The Tennessean reported Richards would handle the head coaching responsibilities on Sunday should Brunette be unable to attend Nashville's home game against the Montreal Canadiens.
Brunette, 51, has guided the Predators to a 27-41-8 record this season.
A finalist for the 2024 Jack Adams Award, Brunette owns a 125-89-19 coaching record with the Florida Panthers (2021-22) and Predators.
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Former Dallas Stars forward has signed with a new team
Once a Dallas Stars regular, Devin Shore is starting a brand-new chapter of his career, far from the spotlight of the NHL He was once a reliable two-way forward in Dallas. Now, after a decade of grinding through the NHL and AHL, Devin Shore is heading to Europe. The 31-year-old forward has signed with HC Sparta Praha, one of the most historic hockey clubs in Czechia. For Shore, it's not just a new team, it's a chance to play real minutes, take on a bigger role, and hit reset on a career that's been filled with movement. Originally signed by the Dallas Stars out of the University of Maine, Shore made his NHL debut in 2015 and spent parts of three seasons in Texas before being traded to Anaheim in 2019. That deal brought Andrew Cogliano to the Stars and marked the beginning of Shore's journey through multiple teams. Why Devin Shore's move to Europe makes sense after his long NHL grind Since leaving Dallas, Shore has bounced between Anaheim, Columbus, Edmonton, Seattle, and Minnesota. He spent most of last season in the NHL with the Minnesota Wild, playing 55 games and adding 5 points, while also appearing in 15 AHL games where he chipped in 10 points. Despite holding his own in a depth role, Shore's ice time was limited, and his role never fully solidified. Choosing Prague gives him a clean slate. He'll now suit up for HC Sparta Praha, a team known for developing NHL-caliber talent and competing for Czech Extraliga titles. From a hockey standpoint, it's a smart fit, and from a lifestyle angle, Shore lands in one of Europe's most iconic cities. If he has, in fact, played his last NHL game, Shore finishes with 52 goals and 92 assists in 498 regular-season games, along with one assist in four playoff appearances. I think this move gives him something that's been missing for a while: a real opportunity to be more than a fourth-line fill-in.
The Lakers could have another undrafted gem on their hands
In a summer dominated by LeBron James and Luka Doncic headlines, the Los Angeles Lakers may have quietly struck gold once again in the UDFA market, this time with former Villanova standout Eric Dixon. After initially agreeing to a two-way contract following the 2024–25 NBA Draft, Dixon’s path to the professional ranks was temporarily delayed due to injury, forcing him to miss Summer League. The Lakers, however, remained invested in the 24-year-old forward, eventually signing him to an Exhibit 10 deal, a move that keeps him in the pipeline and positions him as a potential breakout candidate through the G League. Dixon brings one of the most decorated resumes in college basketball. The 6-foot-8, 255-pound forward led all Division I scorers last season, averaging 23.3 points per game while shooting an impressive 40.7% from beyond the arc on 7.2 attempts per contest, a remarkable transformation for a player once seen as a traditional low-post presence. He concluded his five-year career at Villanova as the school’s all-time leading scorer, finishing with 2,314 points and etching his name into Big East history. While concerns around his age and lateral quickness may have contributed to him being passed over in the draft, Dixon’s refined skill set and ability to stretch the floor make him a strong fit in today’s NBA. He delivered in big moments throughout the season, including a 38-point outburst against Maryland on Nov. 11, and consistently carried the offensive load for the Wildcats. With his Exhibit 10 deal, Dixon is expected to begin the season with the South Bay Lakers, where he’ll aim to prove he’s healthy and ready to make an immediate impact. If he performs as expected, a return to a two-way contract, and possibly NBA minutes, could be on the horizon. The Lakers have developed a reputation for identifying and nurturing overlooked talent, with Austin Reaves and Alex Caruso emerging as prime examples. Dixon, with his offensive versatility and physical readiness, could be next in line. In a loaded Western Conference, unearthing low-cost contributors is more important than ever. Dixon might just be the next hidden gem to emerge from the Lakers’ development pipeline.
Carlos Alcaraz Sends Huge Warning to the Rest of the Tour Regarding his Rivalry with Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are set to compete in their first event after the Wimbledon final last month, where Sinner dethroned the two time-defending champion Alcaraz. While Sinner outplayed Alcaraz on his best surface, it’s now time to see if the Spaniard can outplay him on the Italian’s beloved hard court. After both withdrew from the Masters 1000 tournament in Toronto, they will commence their North American hard-court swing with the Cincinnati Open. Sinner enters the tournament as the defending champion, while Alcaraz enters as the second seed with just 10 points to defend. Alcaraz has reached the final of the Cincinnati Open once back in 2023, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in straight sets. Clocking 3 hours and 49 minutes, this marked the longest best-of-three-sets match at an ATP Tour final and the longest match in the tournament’s history. Speaking at the press conference ahead of his Cincinnati campaign, Alcaraz touched upon his rivalry with Sinner. Both of us have achieved very important things in a very short time, and I am very happy to see the rivalry we are building. I think we have years ahead to continue doing so. Let’s allow people to talk about us; I don’t think too much about it, we’ll see how far we go. Alcaraz has an 8-5 head-to-head record over Sinner, with a 5-2 record over the Italian ace on hard court. Their rivalry has opened a new chapter in the post-Big 3 era in tennis, and redefined the sport. The youngsters dominated the ATP tour, with the duopoly claiming the last seven Grand Slam titles. Moreover, Sinner is only 23 and Alcaraz, 22. Beyond their fierce on-court battles, they’re also known for their respectful and friendly attitude towards each other off the court. Carlos Alcaraz on losing the Wimbledon final Furthermore, at the press conference, Carlos Alcaraz was also asked about how he felt losing a Grand Slam final for the first time. Prior to the Wimbledon final, he had won all five of the Grand Slam finals he had been a part of. At Wimbledon this year, Alcaraz was aiming for a unique feat. He was looking to complete an elusive three peat and a second Channel Slam. However, things turned out differently this time. Losing a Grand Slam final was a new situation for me, but one must be prepared for that. Obviously, I didn’t want it to happen ever, but I left the court proud and happy, smiling at the thought that at some point it had to happen because it has happened to all the tennis players in history. It took me a few hours to overcome the defeat, knowing that I have many things to improve. I could only feel grateful for having lived a Wimbledon final; I left proud of what I did. Despite losing the match Alcaraz was happy and cheerfully congratulated Jannik Sinner on the victory. It was a shift from what was seen at the Paris Olympics final last year, where Alcaraz become very emotional and cried upon losing the final. This year the Spaniard has shown much maturity on how he looks at defeat. In Cincinnati, Sinner will face either Daniel Elahi Galan or Vit Kopriva in his opening round, while Alcaraz will face Mattia Bellucci or Damir Dzumhur in his opening round. Further ahead, Sinner will also be looking to defend his US Open title, becoming the second person this century after Roger Federer to do so. Federer won five consecutive US Open titles from 2004 to 2008.
Five NBA coaches starting 2025-26 season on hot seat
When an NBA team is struggling, it can change the players or the coach. With free agency all but done, rosters are set — so it's the men on the sidelines who are most vulnerable. Here are five NBA coaches who will start the season on the hot seat. 1. Willie Green, New Orleans Pelicans Green is in a precarious position entering his fifth season with the Pelicans. His team took on future salary to add Jordan Poole from the Washington Wizards in June, a win-now move, but also added two lottery picks in Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. They traded next year's first-round pick to get Queen, so they expect to make the playoffs. Still, the team's success depends on the health of Zion Williamson, who has missed a combined 199 games over the last four seasons. Green's short leash is partly because his new bosses, Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver, didn't hire him. With Queen already injured, Green will be an easy scapegoat if the Pelicans struggle to start the season. 2. Nick Nurse, Philadelphia 76ers Nurse is in his third season with the 76ers, where he had a first-round loss in 2024 and a miserable 24-58 record last season. Now the Sixers are hoping for better health for the entire roster, from big man Joel Embiid to last summer's big free-agent signing, Paul George, as well as a return for second-year guard Jared McCain. But there's no reason to expect Embiid and George to improve their health when they're a year older and have had more surgeries. With Embiid, George and Tyrese Maxey all on long-term maximum contracts, Philly doesn't have a lot of simple fixes — except on the sidelines. 3. J.J. Redick, Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers were a very different team when they hired J.J. Redick to be their head coach, fresh off his gig hosting a podcast with their franchise player, LeBron James. Now, James has only one year left on his contract, while Luka Doncic signed a maximum extension. Redick led the Lakers to the third-best record in the Western Conference, but made questionable moves in the playoffs, like using only five players in the second half of a loss. His job security depends on whether Doncic likes playing for him. If not, the team that fired Frank Vogel two years after he won a title and axed Darvin Ham after two seasons won't hesitate to cut ties with Redick. 4. David Adelman, Denver Nuggets Adelman performed remarkably after taking over the Nuggets with three games to go in the regular season. He led Denver to a seven-game victory in the first round before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round. The Nuggets gave him the permanent job in May. The shadow looming over Denver is that three-time MVP Nikola Jokic declined an extension this summer. If the Nuggets think keeping Adelman will help them re-sign Jokic next summer, he's in good shape. If not, Michael Malone can tell Adelman that Denver won't think twice about making a change. 5. Doc Rivers, Milwaukee Bucks The Bucks were forced to retool after Damian Lillard's Achilles tear, losing Brook Lopez and adding center Myles Turner. There's uncertainty about how the new team will do, or whether superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to stay with the Bucks. With two first-round series losses as Bucks coach so far, Rivers could be done in Milwaukee, especially if his best player wants out, too.
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