Sports
NHL Free Agency 2026: Why This Year’s Market Looks Surprisingly Thin
For those who love transactions and the excitement around them, we have bad news.
If you thought the NHL’s trade deadline was lacking intrigue, prepare to be suitably underwhelmed when free-agency kicks off July 1.
What was already a thin market took another hit a few days ago when Nick Schmaltz re-signed with the Utah Mammoth, inking an eight-year, $64-million pact and forgoing a chance to hit the open market.
Now, we can understand if the more casual fans are not versed in what Schmaltz can bring to the table, but rest assured there would have been plenty of clubs interested in signing the center.
Schmaltz, who has netted a career-high 24 goals and with 59 points is only a handful back of his best season, would but a top-liner on many teams. Certainly he would be a fantastic scoring second-liner on the truly elite clubs.
This has been quite the year of seeing skilled players, especially forwards, re-sign instead of hitting free agency. Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers), Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild), Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights), Artemi Panarin (Los Angeles Kings, shortly after being acquired from the New York Rangers), Adrian Kempe (Kings), Martin Necas (Colorado Avalanche) and Kyle Connor (Winnipeg Jets) signed extensions and scuttled what could have been an incredible free-agency class.
Even middle-lineup players such as Kiefer Sherwood of the San Jose Sharks and Mike Matheson of the Montreal Canadiens decided to re-sign.
What does that leave us with?
There are a bunch of players who appear most likely to stay with their current team, a list that includes the likes of Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals), Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins), Anders Lee (New York Islanders), Jacob Trouba (Anaheim Ducks), John Klingberg (Sharks), Patrick Kane (Detroit Red Wings), Claude Giroux (Ottawa Senators), Radko Gudas (Ducks) and Rasmus Andersson (Golden Knights).
Plus there are some who would be best-served staying where they are, such as Anthony Mantha (Penguins) and Jack Roslovic (Edmonton Oilers).
Which leaves, frankly, not much.
Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres could be the most sought-after skater, certainly the most impactful forward as he heads toward his third 30-goal season.
After that, the group of forwards are mainly players who are middle-line skaters, such as Bobby McMann (Seattle Kraken), Boone Jenner and Charlie Coyle of the Columbus Blue Jackets), Vladimir Tarasenko (Minnesota Wild) and Michael Bunting (Dallas Stars).
The player with the most potential to return to stardom is Patrik Laine of the Montreal Canadiens, but that may require a “show-me” contract.
The defensemen actually provide more buzz, but we are not talking top-tier, proven stars. Andersson may re-sign in Vegas, but would be a boon to clubs wanting a big-minute two/three blueliner, although he is not lighting it up with the Golden Knights.
John Carlson was traded to the Ducks from Washington (which may be a catalyst for Ovechkin to move elsewhere if he continues his career) and Anaheim would like to keep him in the fold as their team climbs back toward Stanley Cup contender. But even with age, Carlson would command attention.
The true wildcard would be Darren Raddysh of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who at age 30 has exploded offensively with 17 goals and 58 points. You can understand him wanting to see what others will pay for his services, but it is hard to imagine a better fit than what he already has in Tampa.
Either way, the hottest action when free agency opens may be at your barbecue.
Sports
Guard play will be key for Vanderbilt, Arkansas in SEC final
Vanderbilt guard Duke Miles (2) starts a fast break against Florida during their semifinal game of the 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, March 14, 2026. NASHVILLE — No. 22 Vanderbilt will try to win its first Southeastern Conference tournament championship since 2012 when it meets 17th-ranked Arkansas on Sunday.
The Commodores (26-7), playing two miles from their campus, routed fourth-ranked Florida (the tournament’s top seed) by a 91-74 score on Saturday, snapping the Gators’ 12-game winning streak.
“Proud of the guys,” Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington said afterward. “Not really much celebrating. It’s on to Sunday, and that’s what we started this tournament for, is to play for a trophy on Sunday, and that’s what we have a chance to do tomorrow.”
Vanderbilt enters on a four-game winning streak, none of those wins coming on its campus.
Arkansas (25-8) has also won four straight, surviving in a 93-90 overtime win over Ole Miss to get here.
It’ll be the third game in three days for both teams, and Arkansas coach John Calipari was particularly perturbed about tournament scheduling on Friday evening.
After beating Oklahoma in a game that ended around 11:30 p.m. Central on Friday, Calipari lamented a Sunday tip-off that comes less than 19 hours after Arkansas finished off the Rebels.
Vanderbilt knows something about overcoming difficult circumstances lately.
The Commodores struggle against teams with size and rebounding, but in their last three games have knocked off the nation’s top offensive rebounding team in Tennessee (twice) and then clocked the Gators, who rank second.
Vanderbilt was beaten on the glass by Tennessee by counts of 40-31 and 46-34, and then 38-23 by Florida.
But neither team could come close to matching Vanderbilt’s guard play of Tyler Tanner (19.2 ppg, 5.2 apg, 2.4 spg) and Duke Miles (16.5 ppg, 4.2 apg, 2.6 spg).
The two have been a wrecking crew most of the season through their quickness and play-making ability. Tanner was a first-team All-SEC pick and Miles scored 30 in the win Friday over Tennessee.
Arkansas also has elite guards, led by SEC Player of the Year Darius Acuff Jr. (22.7 ppg, 6.5 apg) and Meleek Thomas (15.6 ppg). Acuff scored 24 and dished out seven assists on Saturday and Thomas added 29 and five.
Thomas played all 45 minutes on Saturday, just as he did in an 88-84 win over Missouri when Acuff was out with injury.
“There is no one that would say to Meleek anything that would believe him to believe he’s not as good as good as any player in the country,” Calipari said after Saturday. “He has otherworldly — otherworldly, now — confidence. Like, he could run for president one day. … I’ve gotta let him do some crazy stuff. I get on him but he’ll look at me like, ‘You’re nuts. You don’t have any idea how good I am.’ And I love that.”
The Razorbacks handed Vanderbilt its most lopsided loss of the season with a 93-68 walloping in Fayetteville on Jan. 20.
Arkansas is best in the country at avoiding turnovers (12.2%), per KenPom.
The 6-foot-3 Acuff and 6-5 Thomas also have the height advantage, respectively, on Tanner (6-0) and Miles (6-2), who had just 11 and five points, respectively, in the first game.
–Chris Lee, Field Level Media
Sports
No. 3 Michigan needs to hurdle No. 18 Purdue to repeat at Big Ten champ
Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) celebrates a 3-pointer against Wisconsin with guard Nimari Burnett (4)during the second half of Big Ten Tournament semifinal at United Center in Chicago on Saturday, March 14, 2026. With hopes for a shot at another Big Ten tournament title needing a final-minute game-winner, No. 3 Michigan turned to its top scorer to keep winning in the Windy City.
Yaxel Lendeborg and the top-seeded Wolverines will look to repeat as conference tournament champions and lock down a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament when they meet No. 18 Purdue in the championship game Sunday afternoon in Chicago.
On the road last month, Michigan (now 31-2) defeated the No. 7 seed Boilermakers 91-80 behind 17 points from Elliot Cadeau, but Sunday’s matchup came about largely by big shots from Lendeborg.
The 6-foot-9 senior produced two key moments in Saturday’s 68-65 semifinal win over No. 5 seed Wisconsin, the most obvious being a tiebreaking 3-pointer off a pass from Cadeau from the right corner. He buried a 24-footer with 0.4 seconds left in the rematch of last season’s tournament title game.
“(My teammates) strive for me to make plays like that, and I’ve always dreamed of hitting a shot like that,” said Lendeborg, the squad’s leading scorer who totaled 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. “Today was my moment to finally come through, and I did.”
While Lendeborg was crucial at the end, he said his team’s composure was equally important, especially in a first half when the Wolverines made just eight of 30 shots, including his trey at the end of the half to knot it 28-all.
“It’s all about composure, and we talk about how unselfish this team is,” said Lendeborg, the Big Ten Player of the Year. “We all love each other and all play for each other. And Aday (Mara) really got it going, so we decided to play through him, and everybody fell in line.”
Mara produced 16 points, eight rebounds, five blocked shots and two assists as Michigan survived Wisconsin’s three-quarter-court heave to advance to Sunday’s game.
A win Sunday over the Boilermakers (26-8) would allow the Wolverines to cut down the nets for a fifth time to end the Big Ten tournament, though the 1998 title was vacated due to NCAA sanctions.
Following a 73-66 win over banged up UCLA in the second semifinal, Purdue is a team brimming with confidence over the three tourney games, according to coach Matt Painter.
“(This run) is just building some confidence more than anything,” Painter said of his club, which went 2-4 to close out the regular season dating back to the Michigan setback. “Just trying to execute offensively and be efficient and be better on the basketball from a defensive standpoint.
“When we’re better on the basketball, it really helps us.”
Big man Oscar Cluff has been on the basketball, being the first to come up with it most of the time after missed shots.
He produced his eighth double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds in Saturday’s win, owning the paint against the Bruins with nine offensive boards.
The 6-foot-11 bearded Australian had eight points in the final 3:41 as Purdue pulled away for the win.
“He’s had some games like that,” Painter said. “He had 10 offensive rebounds against Nebraska in the regular season. He’s been a horse for us, just being physical down there posting up and getting every rebound.”
A win over Michigan would give the Boilermakers their third conference tournament title and first since 2023.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Why Duke and Michigan Are Dead Even Entering Selection Sunday
It has been more than a decade since there was such a small difference between college basketball’s best two teams as Selection Sunday beckons.
Look at the metrics. Look at the gambling futures. Look at the evidence on our TV screens. It’s nearly impossible to say whether the Duke Blue Devils or the Michigan Wolverines are the favorite to win it all.
If you go by predictive metrics like KenPom, Duke ranks as roughly a half-point favorite over Michigan. If you go by results-based metrics like Wins Above Bubble, Michigan is a smidge ahead of Duke. If you go by online sportsbooks like Caesars, Duke is listed at +325 to cut down the nets on April 6 in Indianapolis at +325 — but Michigan sits at +325, too.
If you prefer to go by something absurd like on-court results, Duke edged Michigan 68-63 in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 21 in a game where neither team led by more than eight.
In essence, if this year’s tournament turns into nothing more than Duke and Michigan on an inexorable collision course from opposite sides of the bracket (to be unveiled at 6 p.m. ET Sunday), then we’re destined for an amazing three weeks.
The only way it might be greater is if we get a replay of the last NCAA Tournament with its top two teams virtually indistinguishable — because that was the last time a wholly unexpected squad stormed to the NCAA title.
That was way back in 2014, when NCAA Tournament committee members were still such troglodytes when it came to metrics that Louisville entered the tournament ranked as KenPom’s No. 1 overall team — yet received a No. 4 seed.
When the dust settled in Arlington, Texas, 18th-ranked and No. 7 seeded Connecticut claimed the championship while eighth-seeded Kentucky also made the Final Four. Some would argue that’s way more fun than having only No. 1 seeds in the Final Four.
What else will happen on Selection Sunday?
What else can be learned from the 2014 NCAA Tournament that might be applicable as we try to predict what will happen on Selection Sunday? Well, that was the year Wichita State raced through the regular season and the Missouri Valley Conference tournament at 34-0 and was rewarded with a No. 1 seed.
Now, the Shockers played a significantly tougher schedule than the 2025-26 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks — Tennessee, Alabama (on the road), BYU, Saint Louis and Tulsa were among their non-conference conquests — and the MVC was tougher than the current-day MAC.
But for all those who believe the NCAA Tournament committee shouldn’t bow at the feet of an undefeated mid-major, Wichita State’s season ended in the second round when John Calipari’s Kentucky squad rallied for a 78-76 win.
Speaking of the Miami RedHawks, their perfect season went poof Thursday in the MAC quarterfinals against a Massachusetts squad that finished with a 17-16 record. After that flaccid finish, which followed multiple 2-point escapes, there will be howling no matter how the committee treats the 31-1 RedHawks.
Do they deserve the worst at-large seed, which is usually a 12? Does the committee force them into the First Four with an 11 seed, which would inadvertently punish their opponent because Miami’s Millett Hall is just 40.4 miles from University of Dayton Arena?
Or does the committee decide Miami doesn’t deserve a bid at all because it played such a putrid schedule? According to the NET rankings, the RedHawks played zero Quad 1 games and went 2-0 versus Quad 2 foes. Auburn, widely expected to fall short of the 68-team tournament field, went 4-13 versus Quad 1s and 3-2 vs. Quad 2s. Indiana, in a similar spot, went 3-10 versus Quad 1s and 3-4 against Quad 2s.
The prediction here? Miami (Ohio) receives a No. 10 seed — and faces seventh-seeded Miami (Fla.) in the first round.
Duke, Michigan, Arizona and Florida receive the No. 1 seeds. Iowa State, UConn, Houston and Michigan State get the No. 2 seeds. Santa Clara claims an at-large berth and none of the power-conference bubble teams get in.
Guard play will be key for Vanderbilt, Arkansas in SEC final
No. 3 Michigan needs to hurdle No. 18 Purdue to repeat at Big Ten champ
