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1. Minnesota Vikings Draft Day Mock Draft Roundup  Daily Norseman
2. NFL draft picks 2024: Tracker, analysis on first round's selections  USA TODAY
3. NFL Draft 2024: Pick tracker, how to watch, live updates  The Associated Press
4. Vikings first-round draft updates, analysis  Star Tribune
5. 2024 NFL Draft Care/Don't Care: Minnesota's QB conundrum, the WR bonanza and more  Yahoo Sports

Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery isn’t yet ready to commit to backing off his long-standing goaltender rotation for Game 4 of the team’s first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it sure sounds like he’s considering it.

Asked if Jeremy Swayman‘s recent impressive record against the Leafs will factor in his decision, Montgomery pointed to another aspect of the Bruins’ 4-2 win in Game 3.

“Sometimes I don’t think that (head-to-head records matter) but when (Max) Domi goes off the bench and bumps him on purpose, makes me think that maybe he’s in their head a little bit,” Montgomery said.

During a break in play in the second period, Domi made contact with Swayman as he skated off the bench.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1: Maple Leafs vs. Bruins

Keep up with the latest as the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins renew their Original Six rivalry in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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Swayman was in net for Boston’s two wins in the series. Over the past two seasons, Swayman is 6-0-0 against the Maple Leafs, with a .959 save percentage and 1.31 goals-against average. He also has had four 30-save performances.

Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe, however, isn’t buying Montgomery’s theory.

“I sense zero frustration,” he said. “I think it’s playoff hockey and things are happening all over the ice. With that logic, you would say every time they bump into one of our guys, maybe we’re in their heads.”

There is now an extra day off between games, with the teams returning to action Saturday in Toronto.

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Swayman and Linus Ullmark, the Vezina Trophy winner last year, have been on a rotation most of the season. Swayman hasn’t started two games in a row since Feb. 19-21.

“I mean we’re going to have more rest,” Montgomery said. “The rotation’s been so good for us, so it’s a hard decision.”

Watch Game 4 on Saturday on Sportsnet or Sportsnet+ at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.

England make two injury-enforced changes to face France in their Grand Slam decider on Saturday in Bordeaux.

Falcons NFL Draft first round live coverage: Falcons Draft Party 2024  The FalcoholicView Full Coverage on Google News

Horseshoe Huddle Roundtable: Predicting the Colts' First-Round Pick  Sports IllustratedView Full Coverage on Google News

1. Royals call up Will Klein, Alec Marsh to the Injured List  Royals Review
2. Royals' Marsh on IL after taking liner off elbow  ESPN
3. Royals Place Alec Marsh On Injured List, Recall Will Klein For MLB Debut  MLB Trade Rumors
4. Alec Marsh exits with injury after getting hit vs. Blue Jays  MLB.com
5. KC Royals move one pitcher to the IL, call up rookie hurler  Kings of Kauffman

According to multiple sources, William Nylander’s absence from the Toronto lineup has to do with a migraine so severe that team doctors tested to see if he suffered a concussion. One of the reasons for the secrecy around his situation is that an actual diagnosis has been hard to come by, whether it is a migraine, a concussion or something else that could affect that area.

That secrecy led to wild speculation — even by Toronto standards — as to why Nylander missed the first three games of the Boston series. It’s believed Nylander first indicated an issue Thursday, the day after the Maple Leafs ended their regular season in Tampa Bay. He played all 82 games in 2023-24. 

In September 2022, Nylander told reporters he switched to a tinted visor because of migraines he’d suffered the previous season.

There is hope he will play Game 4, with Boston leading the series 2-1. A little more unclear is the status of the useful Bobby McMann, who suffered a lower-body injury in Game 80 versus Detroit. His timeline was expected to be longer than Nylander’s, although he hasn’t been ruled out of the series.

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When MLB teams are said to be built around pitching and defence — a label that undoubtedly applies to the Toronto Blue Jays — the second part of that description tends to overshadow the first.

Pitching and defence co-exist in a way that makes them difficult to separate at times, but when teams hang their hat on run suppression the pitchers soak up much of the glory. That’s not completely unfair, either. 

Strikeouts, walks and home runs are the domain of the men on the mound — and some have a talent for meaningfully impacting contact quality on balls in play. There are rare teams whose defence is so strong it becomes the club’s best run-suppression weapon despite its inability to affect every at-bats.

While the Blue Jays experienced a costly, high-profile defensive blunder on Tuesday, they appear to be one of those teams. Toronto’s fWAR (1.1), which is based on fielding-independent pitching numbers, ranks 26th in the majors, but the team allowed a middle-of-the-pack 4.32 runs per game — good for 14th in MLB. 

Some of that has come from fairly mistake-free fielding as only 10 clubs have committed fewer errors than the Blue Jays, but the driving force of their success has been consistently turned likely hits into outs.

Last season, the Blue Jays were an excellent defensive team that ranked seventh in Statcast Fielding Run Value(+19) — a metric that combines Outs Above Average with catcher fielding statistics to summarize a team’s whole defensive output. 

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On a per-game basis that group turned 1.65 balls with an expected batting average above .500 into outs. This year, that number sits at 2.12. 

That’s 53 total balls that easily could’ve been hits that found mitts, often via highlight-reel plays:

Expected Batting Average: .917

Expected Batting Average: .832

Expected Batting Average: .831

It’s not a surprise to see Daulton Varsho feature prominently among the best plays, considering he leads the majors in OAA (+7) after ranking 20th last year.

Much of what we’ve seen thus far makes sense, given the track record of Toronto’s position players. Kevin Kiermaier’s strong start is far from shocking considering he’s won four Gold Gloves, including one last year. Alejandro Kirk ranks fourth on the framing leaderboards, which makes sense considering he was a 95th percentile framer in 2022 and ranked in the 79th percentile last year.

While much of Toronto’s defensive success has come from returning players building on their already-stellar reputations, others have also chipped in. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ernie Clement have been nearly flawless at third base, combining for +2 OAA with both players also performing well at other positions.

Davis Schneider is still inexperienced in left field, but he’s handled himself OK, and Cavan Biggio has bounced around the diamond less than usual, primarily playing his best position: second base. With Kiermaier on the IL, left field may not be a position of strength, but it shouldn’t be a disaster, either.

The only two regulars with negative defensive numbers are Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Bichette took a step forward last season but remains inconsistent defensively. Guerrero is at a low point coming off Tuesday’s error, but he looks more athletic this season — and his sprint speed has gone from 27th percentile last season to 54th this year. If he’s moving better overall, he could be in for a stronger defensive season. 

With a combination of some of MLB’s best defensive performers and relatively few liabilities, the Blue Jays defence has been outstanding and the club’s Statcast Fielding Run Value, or FRV, of +12 leads the majors. Since the beginning of the Statcast era in 2015, no team has topped a FRV of +59 in a season and the Blue Jays are on pace for +77.8.

It’s unfair to expect them to reach that number as defensive numbers are volatile and any kind of unprecedented pace is likely to regress to the mean a bit. Even if that happens, there’s plenty of room for this group to slow down and remain extraordinary.

Considering the Blue Jays sit fourth in the American League East, rank 22nd in scoring, and have a negative run differential, it’s easy to see them as an unremarkable outfit. While there’s plenty of season to play, that description may end up being accurate — but their defence gives the Blue Jays one indisputably elite quality.

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1. RELEASE: Blackhawks Sign Alex Vlasic to Six-Year Contract Extension | Chicago Blackhawks  NHL.com
2. Blackhawks lock up defenseman Alex Vlasic with six-year deal  ESPN
3. Alex Vlasic, Blackhawks agree to six-year contract extension  NBC Sports Chicago
4. Blackhawks, Alex Vlasic agree to 6-year contract extension  The Athletic
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Fifa has announced a partnership with Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil company, Aramco.

CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to a six-year contract with defenceman Alex Vlasic, rewarding one of their best young players with a long-term deal.

The team announced the move on Thursday. The contract runs through the 2029-30 season with a $4.6 million salary-cap hit.

“Alex made enormous strides this year and proved he is a legitimate top-four defenseman in the NHL,” general manager Kyle Davidson said in a release. “In his first full season in the NHL, Alex established himself as an important piece of our young core, and we’re excited to have him with us for the next six years.”

Chicago went 23-53-6 this year, setting a franchise record for losses. But it is hoping for a turnaround as soon as next season, and the contract for Vlasic stamps the Wilmette, Illinois, native as part of the team’s young core.

The 6-foot-6 Vlasic, who turns 23 in June, had two goals and 14 assists in 76 games this season. He averaged almost 21 1/2 minutes of ice time, ranking second on the team behind fellow defenseman Seth Jones.

Vlasic and Jones are on the U.S. roster for the world championships in Czechia next month.

Vlasic was selected by Chicago in the second round of the 2019 draft, and he made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in March 2022. He has three goals and 16 assists in 97 career NHL games.

The coaching carousel and transfer portal have completely upended things just 17 days after UConn won the NCAA title. Welcome, previously unranked and next-in-line teams.

1. KGW partners with Seattle Kraken to broadcast more than 70 games starting in 2024  KGW.com
2. Kraken focus on local visibility, access with KING 5 partnership  KING5.com
3. Kraken leaving ROOT Sports for new TV and streaming deals  The Seattle Times
4. Kraken to stream non-national TV games on Amazon Prime Video  ESPN
5. Seattle Kraken Increases Broadcast and Streaming Access Through Partnerships With TEGNA and Prime Video | Seattle Kraken  NHL.com

1. Florida attorney general files lawsuit against ACC over request for ESPN contract  The Athletic
2. Florida attorney general sues ACC seeking records in FSU case  ESPN
3. Florida Attorney General files complaint against the ACC in FSU conflict  Tampa Bay Times
4. Florida attorney general files suit against ACC to view full text of conference's TV deal  Yahoo Sports
5. Florida AG Sues ACC For Not Releasing ESPN Agreement - TheOsceola  Rivals.com - Florida State

Rogers Communications, Amazon and the NHL announced Thursday a two-year agreement to bring hockey fans in Canada Monday night games exclusively on Prime Video.

Prime Monday Night Hockey will stream all national regular-season Monday night NHL games in English for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 NHL seasons. The deal is the NHL’s first exclusive national broadcast package with a digital-only streaming service in Canada.

The Prime Monday Night Hockey package, produced by Prime Video, will feature a new broadcast team offering in-depth analysis and play-by-play coverage, and stream live exclusively to Prime members in Canada.

“Rogers’ partnership with the NHL has been incredibly successful and integral to Sportsnet’s leadership as the No. 1 sports media brand in Canada,” said Colette Watson, President, Rogers Sports & Media. “Today’s content ecosystem is evolving, and we’re really pleased to work with Amazon to continue to grow the game and help hockey fans watch games when and where they want.”

At the beginning of the 2023-24 hockey season, Sportsnet launched on Prime Video Channels in Canada. Thursday’s announcement builds on the 12-year agreement between Rogers and the NHL that was announced in November 2013. Since 2021, the NHL has worked with Amazon Web Services to deliver new in-game analytics and video highlights to enhance fan experiences. 

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1. Minnesota Timberwolves defense picking up wins in NBA playoffs  MinnPost
2. Suns return home in critical situation against series-leading Wolves  Deadspin
3. Timberwolves 105-93 Suns (Apr 23, 2024) Game Recap  ESPN
4. Timberwolves' shut-down defense frustrates Suns, generates 2-0 playoff series lead  Star Tribune
5. Game Recap: Timberwolves 105, Suns 93  NBA.com