Sports
Wild, Kraken out to build on skid-busting victories
Jan 9, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Seattle Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer (31) makes a glove save against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images When the Seattle Kraken play host to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night, the first 10,000 fans will receive a Philipp Grubauer bobblehead.
Grubauer will be in the building as well, which wasn’t necessarily guaranteed.
The veteran goaltender was recalled from Coachella Valley of the American Hockey League on Sunday after being sent down before the 4 Nations Face-Off to get in some work.
Grubauer went 5-2-0 in seven starts with the Firebirds and posted a 2.87 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage. Those were a vast improvement over his NHL numbers, as he was 5-15-1 with a 3.83 GAA and .866 save percentage with the Kraken.
“It was pretty turbulent there for a minute,” said Grubauer, who had to clear waivers to be sent to the Kraken’s minor-league affiliate in Palm Springs, Calif. “I played seven games down there in a short amount of time and they threw every possible situation at me. It’s just about seeing the puck and reading the game. It’s tough to sit on the bench for 25 days (in the NHL) and then have to play. For a goalie, it’s important to get into a rhythm. … Whenever they need me up here, I’m ready to go.”
Kraken coach Dan Bylsma praised Grubauer’s professionalism.
“It’s good to see him back,” Bylsma said after practice Monday. “We sent him to CV … to get him some games and get his game back. He went down, was a true pro and served as an example for the group down there. He put his head down and went to work. … Pretty much every report on him from down there is he’s an NHL goalie.”
Bylsma, whose team entered Monday nine points out of a wild-card berth in the Western Conference, didn’t get specific when asked when Grubauer would play next.
“Given the schedule we’ll see, we should have a chance to get him back in the net here pretty soon,” Bylsma said.
The Kraken snapped a two-game skid Saturday with a 6-3 victory against visiting Vancouver. Eeli Tolvanen scored twice, Brandon Montour added a goal and an assist and Shane Wright and Vince Dunn each had two helpers.
The Wild snapped a three-game slide Sunday with a 1-0 victory against the visiting Boston Bruins. Filip Gustavsson stopped 28 shots and Frederick Gaudreau scored the lone goal.
“Yeah, we had a tough loss to the Red Wings at home (Feb. 25), and then we played horrible for two games there on the road and get back here and get a dirty 1-0 win,” Gustavsson said. “It feels good.”
Wild coach John Hynes sounded pleased with the effort.
“It was good, coming out of the road trip and taking some lessons out of the last two games,” Hynes said. “We played fairly solid. There wasn’t a ton going on in the game in general, but a good win.”
Minnesota enters the week third in the Central Division with 74 points, six points behind the Dallas Stars and two ahead of the Colorado Avalanche, who hold the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot.
–Field Level Media
Sports
LIV's Thomas Pieters: Rather retire than return to PGA Tour
Apr 4, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Thomas Pieters plays his shot from the 18th tee during the first round of the LIV Golf Miami golf tournament at Trump National Doral. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Belgium’s Thomas Pieters said he won’t return to the PGA Tour if the financially challenged LIV Golf League shutters its doors.
“I’m definitely never going back to the PGA Tour,” he recently told host Dan Rapaport of the “Dan on Golf” YouTube channel. “I’ve never liked that life. And that’s not me having a go at the PGA Tour, it’s not for me. I tried it and I just wasn’t happy there. If (LIV) goes away, I’ll probably try and play some on the European Tour or I don’t know. I really don’t know.”
Pieters, 34, joined the PGA Tour in 2017 and made 53 starts, with his best finish a runner-up effort at the Genesis Open in 2017. He has six wins on Europe’s DP World Tour.
He signed with LIV Golf in 2023 and currently plays for captain Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC. He finished T4 at the 2026 season opener at Riyadh in February and third at LIV Golf Hong Kong in March.
Pieters said he was “ready to retire” if LIV Golf had decided to “pull the plug” after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced plans to cut off funding.
“The atmosphere was really grim. I had enough of it after 3-4 hours, everybody talking about it,” he said. “I’m not fussed about it at this point because I feel like I still have a duty to focus on these next six, seven tournaments on LIV and then we’ll see. They’re obviously trying to get it together next year. We’ll see.”
Pieters, a member of the 2016 European Ryder Cup team, said he will make a decision about his future after he has more information from LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil.
“We are just guessing right now,” Pieters said. “But if we’re playing for $5 million next year or I could play on the DP World Tour for $3 million but be close to home that’s something I’d have to look at it when it comes. Possibly there’s guys going. But I think that’s up to Scott and his team to get this thing together and we’ll just have to find out.
“… Scott is telling us that he’s going to a broader market and trying to fund this for next year. I guess it’s a massive challenge. But we just have to wait and see.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lightning D Victor Hedman stepped away for mental health reasons
Mar 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) warms up before playing the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman announced Tuesday that his extended absence was a result of a need to address his mental health.
The 35-year-old defenseman missed the Lightning’s final 15 games of the regular season and all seven contests in a first-round playoff loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
“Over the past couple of months, I made the decision to step away and focus on my mental health,” Hedman said in a statement released by the Lightning. “It was not an easy decision, but it was the right one.
“I’ve always believed that being a leader means doing what’s best for the team. In this case, it also meant doing what was necessary to take care of myself, so I can be the best player, teammate, husband and father I expect to be.”
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) May 5, 2026
Hedman hasn’t played since exiting in the first period of Tampa Bay’s 6-2 road win versus the Vancouver Canucks on March 19 due to illness. Six days later, the Lightning announced he was taking a leave of absence for personal reasons.
“Obviously, after that first period in Vancouver, that was the final straw,” he told reporters Tuesday. “So, it’s something that’s been going on for a long time. I went through ways to get around it, but I wasn’t able to do that. So that’s where the decision came that I needed to take some time.”
Hedman also addressed his message to people dealing with mental health issues.
“Just don’t stick with your thoughts,” he said. “There are a lot of people out there that can help you and that’s what I found out. And like I said, it’s never too late, either.”
Hedman, 35, recorded 17 points (one goal, 16 assists) in 33 games this season. He endured extended absences due to an undisclosed injury in November and elbow surgery in December.
Hedman is a 2017-18 Norris Trophy winner as the best defenseman in the league, a two-time Stanley Cup champion (2020, 2021) and the 2020 Conn Smythe Trophy recipient as the playoff MVP.
The Sweden native has totaled 811 career points (172 goals, 639 assists), a plus-192 rating and 782 penalty minutes in 1,164 games since being selected by the Lightning with the second overall pick of the 2009 NHL Draft.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Hall of Fame LB Lawrence Taylor discharged from hospital
St. Louis Rams vs New York Giants — The 1986 Giants were honored for their Super Bowl at halftime. Here is Lawrence Taylor at the conclusion of the ceremony, September 19, 2011. Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor has been discharged from a New Jersey hospital after more than a week’s stay.
Taylor, 67, was hospitalized with pancreatitis, TMZ Sports reported. He was released late last week from Morristown Medical Center, where initial reports said he was admitted on April 20 for a “stomach-related issue.”
“He is deeply grateful to the entire medical staff for their exceptional care and unwavering support,” attorney Mark Eiglarsh said in a statement Tuesday to The Athletic. “Also, he is grateful to now be on the road to recovery and hopes to be back on the golf course soon. He is returning home to Florida today.
“Mr. Taylor would also like to sincerely thank everyone for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers. Knowing that so many people were thinking of him and praying for his recovery gave him strength and helped carry him through a very challenging time.”
Considered one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, Taylor was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time All-Pro and 10-time Pro Bowl selection during his 13-year career with the New York Giants.
In 1986, Taylor recorded 20.5 sacks en route to being named the NFL MVP.
Taylor, a key part of two Super Bowl championship runs for New York, was selected by the Giants with the second overall pick of the 1981 NFL Draft out of North Carolina.
After leaving the NFL, Taylor publicly battled substance abuse issues.
–Field Level Media
LIV's Thomas Pieters: Rather retire than return to PGA Tour
Lightning D Victor Hedman stepped away for mental health reasons
