Sports
Minus Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers hope to prey on Predators
Feb 8, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrates with center Aleksander Barkov (16) and center Carter Verhaeghe (23) after scoring against the Ottawa Senators during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Even with star Matthew Tkachuk out indefinitely, the Florida Panthers seem poised to maintain their spot among the best in the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators are still searching for anything positive down the stretch of a disappointing season.
The Panthers aim to rebound from a home defeat when visiting the lowly Predators on Tuesday night.
Florida entered play Monday second in the Atlantic Division, one point behind Toronto. However, Tkachuk, second on the team with 57 points, will be out for an undetermined amount of time while dealing with a groin injury apparently suffered during the recent 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice told the “Joe Rose Show” on Monday that Tkachuk seems to be dealing with a long-term injury, “but he’s playing for us this year.”
Whether that means in the regular season or not until the playoffs remains to be seen.
“I don’t have a timeline on him,” Maurice added on the show. “We’re hoping it’s not too serious.”
Minus Tkachuk, Florida fell 2-1 to Seattle at home Saturday in its return from the 4 Nations break. Eetu Luostarinen scored for the Panthers, who managed only 27 shots while losing for the second time in seven games.
“We had our chances,” said Luostarinen, who has four points in his last eight games. “We can just improve from this.”
Regardless of who’s in its lineup, Florida would seem to have a good chance at bouncing back against the Predators. Carter Verhaeghe had two goals with an assist and Sam Reinhart registered one of his team-leading 31 goals during the Panthers’ 6-2 home win over Nashville on Nov. 7.
The Predators are close to the basement in the Western Conference with 47 points — ahead of only Chicago and San Jose, two teams in undisputed rebuilding mode. Nashville lost six straight before winning two in a row, then fell 5-0 to New Jersey at home on Sunday.
“It’s one of the toughest years I’ve been part of, coming in with so much expectation and just not living up to it” said Predators forward Ryan O’Reilly, a 16-year veteran.
“It hasn’t been fun, but we still have a lot of hockey left. We have to try to build on something here, and we’re not going to quit.”
Among the NHL’s lowest-scoring teams with 2.59 goals per game, Nashville has totaled just 18 in its last nine contests. Star Steven Stamkos, the Predators’ most prominent offseason acquisition, is caught in a career-worst nine-game point drought.
“I really feel for the group,” said Nashville coach Andrew Brunette, whose team has been shut out eight times this season.
Stamkos did score one of his 17 goals this season in November at Florida. Filip Forsberg, the team’s leader with 53 points, had an assist in that meeting, but he’s been blanked in six of the last eight games for Nashville.
Juuse Saros made 31 saves during Saturday’s 2-1 win over Colorado after allowing 10 goals in his previous two starts.
Meanwhile, Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky has been on a tear in his last seven starts with five wins, a 1.74 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage. Panthers backup Spencer Knight stands 5-2-0 with a 1.84 GAA and a .935 save percentage as a starter since the calendar turned to 2025.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tour de France final stage rerouted due to wildfires
A firefighter works to battle wildfire near the A9 motorway near Beziers, France, July 3, 2026. Wildfires in southwest France have forced organizers of the Tour de France to reconfigure the final stage, set for Sunday.
The change is necessary because multiple first responders have been diverted to the fires. The new route will leave a smaller race footprint for local officials to secure.
“As numerous wildfires are currently affecting France, particularly the Gironde region, emergency services are fully mobilized to combat the blazes, while internal security forces are working to secure the affected areas and protect the population,” the Amaury Sport Organisation said in a statement.
“In light of this, the Ministry of Interior has decided to redeploy a portion of the internal security forces initially mobilized to ensure security for the final stage of the Tour de France, in order to reinforce the response efforts in the areas affected by the wildfires.”
The wildfires have led to the evacuations of about 200,000 people.
Stage 21 had been set as a 132.5-kilometer ride from Thoiry down the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
The re-imagined Stage 21 still will end along the famed road, just after a circuit on the Montmartre. But the run now will occur solely within the Paris boundaries and travel just 89 km. Cyclists will take two extra circuits along the Champs-Elysees before heading out for the Montmartre climb.
The Montmartre circuit has proven to be popular after it was used in the 2024 Paris Olympics and then added to the 2025 Tour de France. The area can accommodate large gatherings of fans, who turn the area into a party atmosphere.
Earlier in the Tour de France, fans were asked to stay away from the final 40 kilometers of Stage 3 because of wildfires and the need to deploy first responders to the area.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Robert Kraft: Patriots offered CB Christian Gonzalez record-setting deal
Jun 9, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (0) takes questions from the media at minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said the team offered Christian Gonzalez a contract extension that would make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.
Kraft did not reveal the specific terms of the deal on Saturday, the first day of training camp.
“We love Christian Gonzalez,” Kraft said during the team’s Pawtriots pet adoption event, per the Boston Herald. “We love him as a player, as a person. That’s why we’ve made an offer to him that makes him the highest-paid player ever to play that position in the NFL, and coincidentally, it’s the highest contract in the Patriots franchise history.
“So we’re glad we drafted him and we developed here, and we hope he’ll be with us for a long time.”
Gonzalez is eligible for a contract extension for the first time after being selected by the Patriots with the 17th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Los Angeles Rams’ Trent McDuffie is currently the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback, pocketing $31 million per season on his four-year, $131 million contract that he signed this offseason.
Gonzalez, 24, made the Pro Bowl last season after posting 69 tackles and 10 passes defensed in 14 starts. He has three interceptions, 24 passes defensed, one fumble recovery, one sack and 145 tackles in 34 career games (all starts).
–Field Level Media
Sports
49ers' Kyle Shanahan to be limited in camp after serious car crash
San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan talks to the media during the NFL League Meetings on March 30, 2026, at Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix. San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan broke his nose, three ribs and his hand, needed over 40 stitches to his face and sustained a severe concussion after he was involved in a car accident last week, ESPN reported Saturday.
Per the network, the accident occurred on July 14 after Shanahan collided with an SUV near his northern California home.
The other driver was not injured, per Palo Alto lieutenant Nicholas Martinez. Martinez added that drugs and alcohol were not involved.
The 49ers said Shanahan will participate in team activities on a limited basis at the start of training camp, with ESPN reporting doctors will not clear Shanahan for all activities until concussion symptoms clear.
The team said assistant head coach Chris Foerster along with team coordinators will handle the head-coaching responsibilities during this time.
49ers general manager John Lynch is scheduled to hold a news conference at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday.
The Niners are scheduled to hold their first practice of training camp Sunday morning and are set to open the season on Sept. 10 against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.
Shanahan, 46, will begin his 10th season as head coach in San Francisco. He owns an 82-67 record in the regular season. He has a 9-5 postseason record, guiding the 49ers to a pair of Super Bowl appearances — losing to the Kansas City Chiefs both times (2020, 2024).
–Field Level Media
Tour de France final stage rerouted due to wildfires
Robert Kraft: Patriots offered CB Christian Gonzalez record-setting deal
