The only thing plummeting further than the mercury during the month of January has been the plus-minus of Detroit Red Wings defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere.
Now, to be fair, plus-minus isn’t an exact science. A player can get a minus on a play in which they do nothing wrong, while a teammate is committing an egregious error.
Certainly, Gostisbehere had plenty of company in the minus column during Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to the Dallas Stars. He was among 11 Detroit players registering a minus number on the night.
That's a 9-game point streak for the Captain, @Dylanlarkin39!#LGRW pic.twitter.com/1amHCuYFpy
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) January 24, 2024
At the same time, Gostisbehere’s trend of late can’t be ignored. In 15 games since Dec. 22, he’s gone minus-15. The Red Wings as a team are 9-5-1 over that 15-game span.
For the season, he’s a team-worst minus-20. Of the 32 points collected this season by Gostisbehere, 20 have come on the power play. He does lead the team in that category, as well as with 25 assists. However, he’s tied for 11th on the Red Wings with 12 even-strength points.
Detroit coach Derek Lalonde wasn’t tipping his hand as to his starting goalie for Thursday’s home date with the Philadelphia Flyers. However, considering the way things were playing out on Tuesday, you’d have to think it will be James Reimer getting the nod.
Reimer took over for Alex Lyon to start the third period with Detroit trailing 5-2. Reimer would stop all six shots he faced, while the Red Wings scored twice.
“A little breather for Alex,” Lalonde said as to the reason for the switch. “We’ve asked a ton of him, a lot of him. Unfortunately, we left him out to dry in the second.
“And yes, I thought it would give a little spark to the group to give Reimer some looks. That checked off 2-3 boxes for us and obviously it worked. We had a chance at the end.”
Tuesday was the anniversary of Detroit’s most lopsided victory. On Jan. 23, 1944, the Red Wings blanked the New York Rangers 15-0.
On this day in 1944, the @DetroitRedWings trounced the Rangers 15-0 #Hockey365 #LGRW pic.twitter.com/qgPDT5Kx4A
— Mike Commito (@mikecommito) January 23, 2024
That’s also the largest shutout victory in NHL history . . . Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat was ending an 11-game goalless drought with a first-period power-play goal on Thursday . . . Captain Dylan Larkin recorded a power play goal and an assist for his team-leading 11th multi-point game of the season . . . Larkin extended his point streak to nine games (6-6-12) . . . The Red Wings recalled defenseman Brogan Rafferty from the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins.
More must-reads:
As trade whispers grow louder, new info reveals that any deal involving Jason Robertson would likely bring back a top-pairing defenseman and premium draft assets to the Dallas Stars. The Dallas Stars are facing one of the biggest questions of the offseason as speculation about Jason Robertson's future continues to swirl. With his contract situation looming and teams calling about his availability, new reports suggest that potential trade packages could bring in elite blue-line help, something Dallas badly needs. According to a recent piece by The Hockey News, the Stars would only consider moving Robertson if they can land cornerstone defensemen and multiple premium assets. You can see their full discussion about possible returns in their breakdown right here. Dallas Stars could demand top defensemen like Rasmus Andersson or Moritz Seider in Jason Robertson trade talks One scenario gaining traction involves the Calgary Flames sending Rasmus Andersson, a reliable right-shot defenseman, alongside a first-round pick and a high-end prospect. This would give Dallas a proven top-four defender while freeing cap space for other priorities. Another proposed package centers around the Detroit Red Wings. Multiple insiders believe Moritz Seider, along with a conditional first-round pick and one of Detroit's top forward prospects, could headline a deal. This move would instantly bolster the Dallas blue line while providing long-term flexibility, though it would come at the steep cost of losing their leading scorer. Stars General Manager Jim Nill is expected to let the early part of the season play out before committing to a decision, but these scenarios underline what it would take for Dallas to even consider parting ways with their 26-year-old star. I think Jim Nill might be forced to explore one of these trades if Robertson pushes for a contract comparable to Mikko Rantanen's $12 million annual deal.
The Bengals officially hosted tight end Noah Fant for a visit on Thursday according to the NFL's official transaction wire. The 27-year-old was released by the Seahawks earlier this week. The visit appears to be over. That doesn't mean the Bengals won't sign the former first round pick, but it could be an indicator that he's going to take other visits before coming to an agreement with a team. Fant would be a good fit in the Bengals' pass-first offense and could give them another weapon at tight end alongside Mike Gesicki. "I can only say so much to him to make him come here," Bengals star Ja'Marr Chase said on Thursday. "He knows what we have here. I know he sees the schemes, I know he might like the schemes. That's why you come take the visit." Fant was picked in the first round (20th overall) by the Broncos in the 2019 NFL Draft. He has at least 414 receiving yards in each of his first six NFL seasons. He had 48 receptions for 500 yards and one touchdown for the Seahawks last season. Fant praised Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow with a social media post on X a few years ago. "Joe Brrrr. Joe Shiesty. Joe Mama. Whatever you call him, he’s the real deal," Fant tweeted as the Bengals were rallying past the Chiefs for a 27-24 victory in the AFC Championship Game. Fant reportedly has multiple suitors, but he is clearly intrigued by the possibility of joining an offense led by Burrow and Chase. Check out the NFL's official transaction wire below:
Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter recently discussed some of the top names available at the trade deadline. One of the names Reuter discussed was St. Louis Cardinals reliever Phil Maton. With Maton sitting on an expiring contract, it seems quite likely he's traded away. "Few pitchers have done a better job limiting hard contact this season than Maton, who ranks among the MLB leaders in hard-hit rate allowed (97th percentile), average exit velocity allowed (100th percentile) and barrel rate allowed (97th percentile)," Reuter wrote. "The 32-year-old has a 2.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 11.6 K/9 with 18 holds in 38 games." The Cardinals were reportedly the only team that had interest in Maton as a free agent in the offseason, but now, a lot of contenders will likely go after him on the trade block. One of the team's that would be a perfect fit for Maton is the New York Yankees. The Yankees are bound to be quite aggressive at the trade deadline, and they need to add an arm to the bullpen. While it would be fun for the Yankees to chase a name like Ryan Helsley or Emmanuel Clase, it's more likely they'll use their top prospects to trade for a third baseman and a starting pitcher. That means the Cardinals could ship Maton to the Bronx in exchange for one or two mid-level prospects at the deadline. This would work for St. Louis, who is not going to contend for the World Series this season either way. It would also work for the Yankees, who could add to their bullpen in an affordable way, while saving the top prospects to be traded in the bigger deals.
It’s wild how quickly the NBA narrative can flip. A year ago, Zion Williamson was in every trade rumor possible. People were questioning his health, his work ethic, even his future in New Orleans. And the Pelicans? They didn’t really deny any of it. It felt like both sides were one step away from walking. But things have shifted this offseason — quietly, but clearly. The Pelicans could’ve pulled the plug. Zion’s contract gave them outs, and the trade market might’ve still brought back some real value. Instead, they stuck with him. And based on what one of their own just said, they’re not just keeping him around — they’re still betting big on him. In a recent interview with Spotrac’s Keith Smith, an anonymous Pelicans executive made it crystal clear. “Zion is still our guy. We’re all in on him. We think he’s going to have a huge year. We’ve had some bad injury luck and some things that just haven’t worked out. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.” That’s not something you say if you’re halfway in. They backed it up with their offseason moves, too. They traded CJ McCollum and brought in Jordan Poole, a high-usage creator who can take pressure off Zion. They drafted Jeremiah Fears with the No. 7 pick, a dynamic young guard. They added Kevon Looney, a reliable veteran who brings playoff experience and toughness. Those aren’t tear-it-down moves — those are “let’s try this another way” moves. Of course, Zion’s health is still the question. That never really goes away. He played just 30 games last season, but in those games he looked solid: 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per night on 56.7 percent shooting. The explosiveness was there. The playmaking was sharp. And the hope for New Orleans is that this time, he can finally sustain it. What’s interesting is how the front office is trying to create a better environment around him. Joe Dumars has stepped in to lead basketball operations and is reportedly building a closer relationship with Zion — dinners, real conversations, not just surface-level stuff. It feels like, for once, the team is trying to meet him halfway. It’s a risk, sure. But it’s a calculated one. The West is brutal and the margin for error is thin. Still, if Zion can stay healthy for 60 games, and if Poole finds a rhythm and guys like Trey Murphy and Herb Jones keep improving — this team has a shot to be in the mix. The quote from the exec says it all. They could’ve hit reset, moved on, cleaned house. But they didn’t. They’re still in. And now it’s on Zion to hold up his end of the deal. After everything that’s happened, they’re telling the world they still believe. Now it’s time to find out if they’re right.
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