THE NHL IS EYEBALLING SOUTH TEXAS FOR THEIR NEXT EXPANSION TEAM

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The NHL has announced they are looking into putting an expansion team in either Houston or Austin, Texas. The league also has not ruled out bringing a new team to either Atlanta or Arizona in markets the NHL has already been in. The NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has come to an agreement with the Friedkin Family. Dan Friedkin is the CEO of the Friedkin Group & prospective owner of a new NHL franchise. It will be a hefty price of 3.5 million dollars which will be used to help build a new arena in whichever Texas city. Some of that 3.5 billion covers what the NHL calls an expansion fee to become the 33rd NHL team. The league will conduct a six month investigation of the two cities and then decide if either town will get a NHL team. Texas, like Arizona, and Hotlanta, have one thing in common which is they are huge markets. Which is a shame because some of the other options just sound better than adding hockey to a warmer climate in North America.

Other mentioned cities that have been talked about to join the NHL with an expansion team include Indianapolis, New Orleans, Portland (Oregon), Kansas City, and Quebec City. I also have a few cities in my mindset which should be considered for getting an expansion team – especially if some cities get multiple chances. The last two expansion teams, the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken, have been nice additions into the league. The way the Golden Knights make the Stanley Cup Finals and have already won a Cup makes your own city want to ditch their current team and replace them with an expansion team. The Kraken have also made the post-season already in their short history. The old Arizona Coyotes could not get a arena built in the desert for some odd reason. They moved to Salt Lake City, Utah and found a better supporting cast, as in fan base, around the Mammoth. Some times it’s not the fan bases of these cities that make the owner move the franchise elsewhere. These new teams always start with a fan base because the city is usually excited about something new in town. Most of the time it’s the greedy owners that ruin everything and break the hearts of the fan base or just turns them off. Nobody wants to continue lining the pockets of a Greedy Gus. The owner then moves the franchise. The NHL itself is responsible for this kind of foul play. Yes, you Mr. Bettman, the Commissioner of the hockey world should take a look at your ugly self in the mirror. You hope the mirror speaks back and tells him the truth.

What are the pros and cons of some of these cities on the expansion list? Would you want to visit these cities to watch hockey?

AUSTIN, TEXAS

Austin Texas has had some minor league teams in their city. The Austin Ice Bats played in town from 1996-2008. They played in two leagues: the Western Professional Hockey league and the Central Hockey league. The Texas Stars are the current team playing there. The Stars are the Dallas Stars affiliate who play in the AHL. The city of Austin does not have any of the 4 main professional sports teams in its city. The City of Austin you could compare it to Nashville, who now have the Titans in the NFL and Predators who play in the NHL.

HOUSTON, TEXAS

The city of Houston has three professional teams from the 4 main sports. The Houston Texans of the NFL, Rockets of the NBA and those cheating bastards the Astros of the MLB. Houston does have some hockey history. They had the Houston Apollos from 1965-69 which was a farm system for the Montreal Canadiens that played minor league hockey. The Aeros have been the staple of Houston Hockey. The Aeros once won back to back championships in the WHA (World Hockey Association) back in 1974 & 75. That league disbanded. The Aeros would return in 1994 and last until 2013 playing in the IHL (International Hockey League) and the AHL (American Hockey League). Both leagues were minor league hockey.

That jersey with that logo I would love to see in the NHL.

OTHER POTENTIAL LOCATION FOR EXPANSION

ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Atlanta once had the Flames from 1972 through 1980 and then they moved from the state of Georgia to Calgary. To this day they are still the Calgary Flames.

Then Atlanta received another expansion hockey team in 1999 in the NHL. The Atlanta Thrashers lasted 11 seasons and then moved to Winnipeg in 2011. The incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets resurfaced after their city lost their original team in 1996. Those original Jets became the Phoenix Coyotes who then became the Arizona Coyotes.

ARIZONA

Then the Coyotes moved to Utah to become the Mammoth. I would not give the state of Arizona or Atlanta, Georgia another franchise. The NHL has done this did that. You can say bad owners had those franchises. It can still happen again. Even though both are big markets and both have professional teams from the 4 major food groups.

PORTLAND, OREGON

The Buckaroos is a name I would love to see on an NHL jersey. Not in present day, the youth would not buy this name or jersey. Portland has some nice hockey history which includes these Buckaroos who played in the Western Hockey League from 1960-1974. The early Buckaroos which also were later called the Eagles played hockey in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1928-1951. Then we can’t forget about the Portland Rosebuds who played in the same Pacific Coast Hockey Association from the early years of 1914-1918. The city of Portland only has the Trail Blazers of the NBA as their main professional team. A Portland team could be a nice rival to the Seattle Kraken and Vancouver Canucks. Would Seattle and Vancouver lose some fans if Portland, Oregon landed an expansion team?

MONTREAL CANADA

When the NHL moved the Quebec Nordiques to Colorado, it was a travesty. The Nordiques was part of the WHA World Hockey Association in the 1970’s from 72-79. They won the WHA championship in 1977. Then they were one of multiple teams when the league disbanded went to the NHL. From 1979 to 1995 they played in the NHL. Then they moved to Colorado to become the Avalanche. I always thought the city of Quebec got a raw deal. It’s a city that loved its hockey team. The Jets got their team back the city of Quebec should get theirs back.

Another city that should get their team back is Hartford Connecticut. The Whalers are now the Carolina Hurricanes who just won the Stanley Cup. The Whalers left Hartford back in 1997. The Whalers were one of those teams that played in the WHA from 1972-79 & then transitioned to the NHL. They were the New England Whalers at the time in and then they became the Hartford Whalers in 1979 until 1997 which is 25 years. I know the Hurricanes wear that Whalers jersey a few times a year. The Whalers jersey should be in the NHL in present day. To bring them back to Hartford would be a great idea.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

The city of Indianapolis has some hockey history. One team name, the Racers, who played in the World Hockey Association from 1974-78 has me interested. They obviously named the team after the famous car race that is in the city of Indianapolis every year. The Indianapolis Ice played in the CHL and the IHL from 1988 until 2004. They won two titles in 1990 and 2000. The city of Indianapolis had the Capitals, a team that played in the AHL back from 1939-52 and won two Cups – one in ’42 and the other in ’50. The city of Indianapolis has the Pacers in the NBA and Colts in the NFL. This is an interesting option. I like the fact it’s a colder state and kids growing up probably skate outside on frozen rinks loving the game.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

Once upon a time ago, the city of Kansas City did have a NHL team in 1974 that lasted two seasons. They were called the Scouts and Kansas City likes those Indian names like the Chiefs they have in the NFL. The Scouts then became the first Colorado Rockies which now they have a baseball team named that. Then the Rockies left Colorado to become the New Jersey Devils. The city of Kansas City also has the Royals in the MLB. Other hockey history in BBQ town was the Outlaws who skated in the United Hockey League from 2004-2005. They had the Kansas City Blades from 1990 until 2001 in the IHL as they won the Turner Cup back in 1992. Kansas City is a town from the Midwest that has seasons that the youth would bring out the hockey sticks and net to play on some local frozen lake or rink.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

The city of New Orleans does not have a rich history in hockey. They have two professional teams in the Saints of the NFL and Pelicans of the NBA. From 1997-2002, New Orleans had a minor league hockey team called the Brass. Cool logo with horns and trumpets playing that New Orleans style music. They were in the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League). If the city of New Orleans did get a team in the NHL, you could probably come up with a cooler name involving Cajun, gators, crocodiles or voodoo in the name. The Big Easy is an awesome city. Come on hockey. No way.

WILD SHAMROCK RANKINGS ON WHICH TEAM SHOULD GET THE EXPANSION TEAM FROM 1-10

(1 being the top cities & 10 being no way Jose)

#1. Quebec (It’s time the NHL corrected a wrong.)

#2. Indianapolis (No longer just a basketball state, ask Indiana University that.)

#3. Hartford (Another wrong the NHL needs to address and bring back the Whalers.)

#4. Houston (Only if they are nicknamed the Aeros and can play at the old Astro dome which would be cool.)

#5. Portland (Great craft beer town and a gorgeous state in general.)

#6. Austin (I can see Nashville part two as being a nice destination for a weekend away with lots to do there.)

#7. Kansas City (BBQ, BBQ, and BBQ)

#8. Arizona (Only if they have a pool at the new arena like they have with the Diamondbacks stadium in baseball.)

#9.Atlanta (Did that already twice.)

#10. New Orleans (Do they even know what hockey is down there?)

A honorable mention for shits and giggles: Fargo, North Dakota

Fargo could be nicknamed the Wood Chippers. Yes, that is piece of wood not a wooden leg.

Or the Fargo Ice-Holes

THE RETURN OF PENNYWISE TO THE HOUSTON TEXANS DEFENSE

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Last year the Houston Texans defense was ranked number 1 in the entire NFL. The Texans defense allowed 277.2 yards per game which was number 1 overall. Their defense were only 2nd in points allowed as they only allowed 17.4 points per game. They had the number 1 overall pass defense because of their book ends they have as defensive ends. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are two guys that can kill your quarterback on any given Sunday. They can wreck havoc on your offensive game plan in the very first series of the game. The Texans defense unfortunately could not overcome all the interceptions CJ Stroud threw on the road in New England in the AFC divisional round, which was 4. The Texans would lose that game 28-16. The Patriots would go on the road and beat the Broncos in the AFC Championship at their place to move on to the Superbowl. The Patriots played the Broncos without their starting quarterback and the snow came down very heavy in the second half of that game. The Texans would be home to watch the best defense in the NFC give Drake Maye and the Patriots a beat down with their defense. In the latest move, the Texans added more teeth to their defense in bringing home their former number 1 pick in Jadeveon Clowney.

Jadeveon Clowney returns home to Houston to where it all started. In 2014 he was selected number 1 overall by the Texans from South Carolina University. Clowney played 5 seasons out of his 12 year career with the Texans. His second stint will be a one year deal as his thought process is he has a chance to chase that Superbowl dream with the team he started his career with. In 2019 the Texans placed a franchise tag on their star defensive end. Both sides could not come up with a fair number in a contract extension, so Houston had a problem with Clowney and traded him to Seattle. After Houston, Clowney has not found a permanent home as he has gone team to team. He has been with six teams since he left Houston. Obviously Seattle, he has also played in Baltimore, Carolina, Cleveland, Tennessee, and Dallas last year. Only in Cleveland he stayed longer there and played for the Browns for two seasons instead of the 1 he played with every other franchise. Last year he played in only 13 games for the Cowboys. He signed late and played his first game with the Boys in week 4. In those 13 games he did create havoc chasing down the other team’s quarterback. He tallied up 8.5 sacks and had three of them against the Giants in the season finale. He had 24 solo tackles and forced a fumble in his lone year in Dallas. In 12 seasons he has tallied up 66.5 sacks and has 296 solo tackles. He has racked up 16 forced fumbles. He is a 3x Pro-Bowler. He has never had a double digit sack season, but his career high was close at 9.5 in 2017 when he wore the Texans uniform. In 2023 he matched that number of 9.5 with the Ravens.

You would have to say that Will Anderson Jr., who had 12 sacks, or Danielle Hunter, who had 15 sacks, would be the Pennywise of the Texans defense. That is 27 sacks your starting book ends had last year. You can always add another clown to the defense. Jadeveon Clowney is 33 years old but could still be an asset to this current Texans defense that could unleash the Killer Klowns from outer space at the edges. Clowney will most likely be used as a rotational piece. He could also fill in if Hunter or Anderson Jr. had an injury. Can the Texans come up with a scheme to have all three of these guys on the same line coming after your quarterback? With Clowney you could keep your other two beasts at the book ends refreshed especially when you want them to be ferocious at the end of the games and in the post-season. The Texans may have the best corner back in the NFL with Derek Stingley. They have a very solid middle linebacker in Al-Shaair Azeez when his head is in the game. If CJ Stroud can get his act together and play like he did his rookie year, this team will be in the post-season and could go beyond the divisional round. They added a number 1 running back this off-season in X-Lion David Montgomery. If they run more. Make less mistakes on offense. The improved running game should give the Texans defense more rest in between series. Guys like Clowney along with Anderson and Hunter will be teeing off on quarterbacks this upcoming season. This Clowney move is an under the radar kind of move. But it is savvy. All the greatest defenses of all-time have a slew of stars that coexist and all help take their game to the next level but in a unit style of play. Right now quarterbacks in the NFL are stuck in the middle with Texans clowns to the right of them and Texans Jokers to the left of them.

LEBRON’S LAST DECISION IS TAKING HIS TALENTS TO THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE

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Once again the basketball world had to wait on the great Lebron James to make a decision about where he would play next season. James ended an 8 year run with the LA Lakers which resulted in one NBA title in 2020. Multiple teams were in on the Lebron sweepstakes such as the Warriors, and few of his former teams such as the Heat along with the Cavaliers. Finally Lebron calls it the last decision for his record breaking 24th season in the NBA. He will be taking his talents to Rocky Town and has signed a two year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. It was not for the money as the King gets a two year deal worth only 8 million & he made close to 53 million in his last year with the Lakers. Lebron will be trying to get his 5th NBA ring while helping the 76ers break a 43 year drought since their last title.

The last time the Philadelphia 76ers won the title you have to go back to 1983. Since that title, the 76ers have made the conference finals twice which the last one was in 2019 where the Toronto Raptors knocked out Philadelphia in a game 7. The NBA just saw the New York Knicks break a 53 year drought when they beat the San Antonio Spurs several weeks ago. Over the last several years we have seen different teams snap championship droughts. In 2019 the Raptors won their first NBA title. In 2021 the Milwaukee Bucks won their second title and snapped their drought of decades without a championship. In 2023 the Denver Nuggets won their first title ever. In 2025 the Oklahoma Thunder captured their first ever title. The city of Brotherly Love has seen their Eagles win two NFL Superbowls in 2018 and 2025. The Phillies won the World Series back in 2008. The Flyers, like the 76ers, have been in a drought from their last Stanley Cup title which was back in 1975.

Is Lebron James the golden goose the 76ers need to put them over the top? Last year the 76ers had a 45-37 regular season record and made it to the second round of the NBA post-season. The 76ers were swept by the next champions, the Knicks, that ended their season. Lebron James has won at least 1 championship for each franchise he has played for. The Lakers was in 2020. He helped the Cleveland Cavaliers capture their first title in his second stint with the organization. Then when he took his talents to South Beach, he helped the Miami Heat net two championships. James has been to 10 NBA finals and is 4-6 in those championship series. Lebron averaged 20.9 points a game last year. He played in 60 games in his final season as a Laker. He averaged 6.1 rebounds per game while dishing out 7.2 assists per game. He is still a very productive player, but he knew he had to bring his price down if he wanted a chance to get a 5th ring with somebody. Lebron has all the records and is decorated like a few Generals with the hardware he has earned playing in the NBA.

The Lebron James signing is a big move by the Philadelphia 76ers, but it was not their biggest off-season move. The 76ers acquired Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics. With Celtics star Jayson Tatum out most of the season last year, it was Brown that stepped up and had Boston landing the number two seed in the Eastern conference. Brown had his best season of his career and finished in the top 6 of the MVP voting. The 76ers also have two other talented names to throw at you in Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. The eastern conference is wide open. Boston becomes weaker. Will the Heat rise with the trade landing the former Milwaukee Buck, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Cavaliers with Donovan Mitchell have been a threat the last few seasons. Both the Heat and Cavaliers would be sitting pretty if the last decision involved James picking them. The Knicks will also be a threat looking to defend their magical run from last year. Once again James has weaseled himself into a great situation. In James’ head, he may not be a zombie but certainly could be Michael Jordan’s six pack of rings. That may be the only thing fueling the King after he crossed off playing with his son last year with the Lakers. If James struggles and falls flat on his face, the Philly fans will let his last decision be regretful.

KANE RETURNING TO CHICAGO AFTER TWO YEAR HIATUS IN THE MOTOR CITY

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Patrick Kane never looked good wearing the Detroit Red Wings costume on the ice for the last two seasons. In 2023 the Chicago Blackhawks were in rebuild and with Kane’s contract about to lapse, they traded the hockey legend to the Big Apple’s New York Rangers. Kane was drafted number 1 overall by the Blackhawks in 2007 and was a huge part of resurrecting a franchise that was playing in the dark ages. That first resurrection resulted in three Stanley Cups. Can Kane’s reunion with the Blackhawks help this team get back to the post-season for the first time since the pandemic in 2020? This original six organization has resorted back to their old ways skating in the dark ages. This reunion could put the Indian-head back on the map as Kane could be very important with getting Chicago’s next superstar Connor Bedard to take the next step. This reminds me of when Mario Lemieux on the Penguins helped their next superstar unfold in Sid the Kid Crosby.

Patrick Kane is 37 years of age and the right winger will be playing in his 20th NHL season. This will be his 17th season with the Blackhawks in his second stint with the franchise. Kane in 19 NHL seasons is like a decorated General with all the hardware he has won wearing the Indian-head sweater. Before he was traded to the Rangers, he was ranked high in many of the Blackhawks team records. He is second all-time in points with 1,225 as he trails the great Stan Mikita who has racked up 1,467 points in his time in Chicago. Kane is 3rd on the Blackhawks list in goals with 446 tallies. Bobby Hull is number 1 with 604 tallies while Mikita is number 2 with 541. Kane is also 3rd in games played wearing the Indian-head sweater. Kane gets a two year deal worth 16 million to return to the Windy City. He may not break any of these prestige Blackhawks records but he can move up on the charts certainly. He does have a chance to break the record for the most goals scored by a player born in the United States. Kane has 508 career goals and is ranked number 4 right now. Mike Madano is number 1 with 561 career goals. That would be very cool to achieve that record in a Blackhawks uniform. Last year with the Red Wings, Kane scored 16 goals but dished out 41 assists in 67 games. In his late 30’s he has been very productive still on the ice.

We don’t know how many teams this off-season expressed interest in Patrick Kane’s services. It seemed like it came down to two teams: Blackhawks and Kane’s hometown team, the Buffalo Sabres. You could easily put your money down that Kane was going home to play for the Sabres for a few reasons. Playing at home in front of family and friends. The other reason is the Sabres were the better team last year as Buffalo went deep into the post-season. If Kane signed there, would he have been the X-factor of helping his home team get to the Stanley Cup finals? Buffalo may be a few players away from getting that far. Then why the Blackhawks? Kane has spent 16 years in Chicago. I’m not sure if Kane resides in Buffalo during the off-season. He may certainly visit Western New York. Kane has spent many of his adult years in the city of Chicago. He definitely has ties to the city and not just playing hockey. He knows the organization very well. He may have never really wanted to leave in the first place. At the time, the Blackhawks really had no choice trading him. How the front office failed to build a few more solid teams around Kane leaves you scratching your head.

Connor Bedard is only 21 years of age and has been in the league for three seasons. Bedard was drafted number 1 overall. Patrick Kane was a young pup when he started playing for the Blackhawks. Right there you have things in common. Kane had Jonathan Toews to lean on with a few other veterans when he first came into the league. The Blackhawks have added veterans and are still in the midst of developing the younger core they have assembled after many dreadful years of hockey and being awarded with high draft picks. The Blackhawks were streaky last year. They had some stretches where they looked like a post-season team. Adding a veteran like Kane should help this team get closer to post-season or get into post-season as a wild card team. The fact that Bedard lobbied for the signing of Blackhawks legend Kane shows you he wants to win. I truly believe Kane was a wild child at Bedard’s age and having Toews somewhat kept him in check. Bedard does not seem to be the party animal like the Kaner. Kane’s everyday approach to the game and wisdom should rub off on Bedard. In the future it may be Bedard who breaks all of Kane’s old records as the Blackhawks signed him to an extension keeping him here in Chicago for years to come. Bedard and Kane may not win a cup together in the next two seasons. Kane’s presence and seeing how the Blackhawks crowd treats him like a rock star will be something Bedard will crave. Down the road Bedard may have Kane’s eye of the tiger and score that deciding goal like Patrick did to seal the deal versus the Flyers in that first Cup he helped win with that dynasty. WELCOME BACK KOTTER!! The Blackhawks sweathogs need you most definitely to help them grow.

PATRICK KANE COULD GO HOME OR GO HOME AGAIN

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I feel like Patrick Kane is like the alien E.T. ready to phone home after three seasons of playing in Detroit with the Red Wings. However where is home for the 37 year old right winger? Is it where he was born and raised in Buffalo, New York? Could he be the missing piece wearing the Sabres sweater to get Buffalo even deeper into the post-season? Perhaps even the Stanley Cup finals. Kane could also go home to the team that drafted him in Chicago in 2007, number 1 overall. Kane wore the Blackhawks sweater for 16 seasons and helped Chicago win three Stanley Cups. The last three seasons in Motor City, Kane has been productive, but the Red Wings still did not make the post-season. Now as a free agent he has some interesting choices for his 20th season in the NHL.

Patrick Kane last season with the Red Wings only scored 16 goals after two previous seasons in Detroit notching at least 20 or more goals. Kane did dish out 41 assists to give him 57 points for the season, so he is still a productive player. He also played in 67 games last year for the Red Wings, so he also has been durable. Kane’s hockey resume is impressive overall throughout his 19 year career. He has lit the lamp 508 times. He has racked up 892 assists for 1,400 points in 1,389 regular season games in the NHL. He could hang up the skates for good right now and still be a first ballot Hall of Famer. Could he still be hanging on for another Stanley Cup? He may be seeking the goal record for the most goals ever by a player in the NHL born in the U.S.A. Kane’s 504 goals is 4th all-time in the NHL for a U.S. born player. Another former Blackhawk, Jeremy Roenick, is 3rd all-time with 513 goals.

Then in second is Keith Tkachuk with 538 goals. If Kane has a great season coming up, he could be in the number two slot by the end of the 2026-27 season. Mike Modano is number 1 with 561 goals. This record Kane could get if he plays three more seasons, by my estimate.

The Buffalo Sabres broke a 14 season post-season drought this season. They eliminated the Boston Bruins in round 1 of the Stanley Cup post-season. In round two they fell to the Montreal Canadiens in a series that went all the way to game 7. The Sabres have a ton of talent on their roster. However once again money was the issue in keeping one of their most important cogs that helped this Sabres machine run smoothly on the ice, in right winger Alex Tuch. The Sabres had to trade Tuch to the Washington Capitals to get something for him. Tuch got his pay day with the Capitals and will team up with the NHL’s all-time scorer Alex Ovechin for one more run at the cup for the Russian who getting up there in age. The Sabres almost had a deal with the Jets for their star goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Both sides could not agree on a deal right before the NHL draft. Rumors have it that a deal could still happen between these two franchises. If the Sabres do land the services of Hellebuyck, with the core they have they for sure are a team that could go once again deep into the post-season. With a homecoming for Kane he would be a nice replacement for Tuch and could give this Sabres machine the juice it needs to get to the finals. Kane could come cheaper. Kane’s post-season experience and magic certainly would be the X-factor. Playing in front of the home crowd where you grew up has to be something special.

The other homecoming would be in Chicago where Patrick Kane is treated like a rock star in the Windy City. The last time the Blackhawks made the post-season was the 2019-20 season. During the pandemic, the NHL expanded the post-season and Chicago qualified to the final sixteen after making the 24 team format. They dispatched the Edmonton Oilers in the qualifying round. The Blackhawks are trying to build something around their new superstar Connor Bedard. Adding Kane to the mix in Chicago does not get this franchise an automatic bid to the post-season. Right now the Blackhawks are making some solid improvements building around Bedard but not enough to bring in Kane. Coming back to Chicago would equal out to playing the last three seasons in Detroit. Close, but they still missed the post-season by a handful of games. Kane ranks 2nd in points and assists on the Blackhawks franchise all-time lists. He ranks 3rd in franchise in goals as well. Heading back to Chicago he could certainly move his name up those charts.

The Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin wants out of Detroit. Larkin is even a Michigan native and wants to be traded to a few contenders he has handpicked. Knowing that news, the chances are very good that Kane will no longer be wearing a Red Wings sweater. I’m sure Kane will have other NHL teams besides Chicago or Buffalo interested in his services for next season. He may not want to go home again. He has that legendary status in Chicago already. Being an older player, you don’t want to taint your play and your name at the end of your career where you had all your success. Perhaps not signing with the Sabres prevents the hometown team fans seeing the aging process right in front of their eyes. If you go home again, you want to show them that you can contribute and help your team win games. I honestly think Kane has some gas left in the tank and could help the Sabres and the Blackhawks. He also could help another team as well. If the Hurricanes, or the Stars, or some of the other powerhouses come calling for Kane’s services, a homecoming will not happen.

COULD LEBRON JAMES JOIN FORCES WITH SETH CURRY AND THE WARRIORS?

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Is another dream team being formed right in front of our own eyes this off-season in the NBA? It did not take Lebron James very long to make a decision this go around as he informed the Lakers he’s taking his talents elsewhere. The King James is a free agent so we are expecting an hour long show on ESPN to tell us where he will be playing basketball next year. Some of the NBA experts think he should go back home and suit up for his third stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers have done fine without James. Could he be the final piece of the pie of Cleveland to get them back in the NBA finals? The biggest rumor out there is the Golden State Warriors have interest in signing Lebron James’ services. Once upon a time ago sworn enemies of Seth Curry teams were facing James teams in the NBA finals & that has happened 4 times. Now pairing Curry and James together sounds like the Warriors are bringing King Kong and Godzilla together to retake the NBA from the youth gone wild on the hardwood floors.

Lebron James is 41 years of age and will be returning for his 24th NBA season which is Tom Brady-like on the football field in his career. Lebron played with son Bronny James last year as they were teammates in the NBA playing as father and son on the Lakers. You can cross that off the bucket list. Lebron has all kinds of NBA records to himself. Most games played. He became the all-time leading scorer breaking Kareem Addul-Jabar’s record of most points all-time. He broke a pair of Michael Jordan’s records of most post-season wins and post-season scoring record. However he does not have Air Jordan’s six pack of championships. Lebron has played in 10 total championships and has won 4 of them. He won a pair with the Miami Heat in 2012 & ’13. That’s when he left Cleveland the first time and took his talents to South Beach. Then in his second stint with Cleveland in a wild NBA final, Lebron rallied his team against Seth Curry and the Warriors being down in that championship series in 2016. Then he helped the Lakers win another championship during the pandemic year of 2020. He has 4 championships and Curry has 4. It would be a long shot for James to get three more to break Jordan’s record of six. Two would be very hard as well. Going to Golden State maybe he has a shot for one more title at his age.

The last time the Golden State Warriors were in the NBA finals was in 2022 when they won their 4th championship. Seth Curry’s Golden State Warriors have been to 6 NBA finals as they won 4 titles in a group that is a legit dynasty. The Warriors have beaten Lebron-lead teams three times out of four in the NBA finals. Steve Kerr is still the head coach of the Warriors. Draymond Green is still the Warriors power forward. Green is still playing at a high level with his long tenured teammate, Curry. The splash brothers have been split up as Klay Thompson just finished his second season with the Mavericks. Has Jimmy Buckets, aka Jimmy Butler, wore out the welcome of another franchise? Butler has had some injuries in the last two seasons with the Warriors. It seems like Butler did not have the best finish to last regular season as the Warriors missed the post-season. In 2025 the Curry Butler dynamic duo went all the way to the Western Conference finals to end up losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves. What will happen to Butler if Lebron joins the team? Does he stay or does he go?

When Lebron James had his hour special and made the decision to take his talents to South Beach, he also persuaded free agent Chris Bosh to join him. Bosh played for the Raptors and signed with Miami to play for the Heat and Dwayne Wade to form the big three in their line up. It was a master plan that won two championships. For the Warriors, the plan may be to sign James and trade away Jimmy Butler. Then contact the Washington Wizards to pry away Lebron’s former Lakers teammate, Anthony Davis, who was traded there from the Mavericks. Rumor has it Davis does not want to play for the Wizards. As you remember, Davis won a title with Lebron in the 2020 season playing in LA for the Lakers. Lots of dominoes have to fall to get all this aging talents to the Bay.

Think about if the Golden State starting line up next year is Seth Curry, Lebron James, Draymond Green, Anthony Davis, and the 5th player right now is unknown. My first thought is ratings, ratings, and then ratings. Like location, location, location they say for starting your own business. This line up is an aging dream team line up. Maybe five years ago this line up would rule the NBA. A few injuries and lack of bench play because you invested too much money into this line up could easily derail your season. Imagine fitting James and Davis on the Warriors roster; you have to get rid of Jimmy Butler and perhaps a few other guys. Your depth on your roster will dwindle as you have to pick up cheap alternatives to help the roster. Which may be guys also on their last legs. Curry and James helped the U.S. team win the gold medal playing together in 2024. That seems like a long time ago in basketball years which equals to dog years.You may not find a quick chemistry with all these guys. Sure Davis and James have played together. So has Curry and Green. Not all 4 of these guys and the player named later in the starting line up have. The Warriors will gobble up television ratings with this group. I think this group could make the post-season as well. I think the day of getting all these aging superstars together are over in the NBA. The red rover game calling, “Let Jimmy come over.” Which is a good thing. You are seeing more teams build through the draft and become very successful doing so. If only the NBA could add defense into their game. Maybe play the game of basketball instead of chucking up threes every possession. Not calling a foul if a player sneezes would be better entertainment than getting the retirement home on one roster expecting them to pull off the miracle in beating the younger talent of the NBA half their age group.

NO JUICE WILL BE SERVED AT THE BILLS’ NEW STADIUM

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The Buffalo Bills will be playing at a brand new spanking facility this upcoming season. The new Bills stadium will still be named Highmark stadium which cost 2.1 billion dollars to construct this new facility that is across the street from the old building. The Old Highmark stadium is being bulldozed which is already underway. Left under the rubble will be one of the Bills most famous running backs not named Thurman Thomas. All the Bills greats from the old stadium will be honored at the new stadium like nothing ever happened except one name. The Juice. OJ Simpson will be a ghost of the past when it comes to his old team moving into a new home. You can’t erase the past. However you could erase him from your new building which many thought they should have done a long time ago when the Bronco was in motion and the gloves did not fit in the 1990’s. When Juice was suddenly not a healthy choice in Western New York anymore. The Bills X running back created more black clouds above their skies which lingered for decades. Now the Bills leaders have finally got rid of a stain on the franchise that Simpson caused murdering two people and getting away with it.

OJ Simpson was the oil and gasoline of the Buffalo Bills on the field during the 1970’s. Simpson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills number 1 overall in the 1969 NFL draft from USC. He played 11 seasons in the NFL of which his first 9 came in wearing a Bills uniform. His last two seasons he went back home to the west coast and suited up with the 49ers. From 1969-1977 he made a name for himself on the gridiron playing professional football after a very solid college career. In 1973 he became the first running back in the NFL to rush for over 2,000 yards in one season. He was a 6 x Pro-Bowler. He made 5 first All-Pro squads in his 11 year career. He played in 135 games and ran the ball 2,404 times and tallied up 11,236 rushing yards. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry and scored 61 rushing touchdowns. He was a 3x AFC MVP. He was the first inducted member of the Bills Wall of Fame at the old stadium. They called it the Wall of Fame and his name was there for a reason. His play on the field eventually earned himself a trip to Canton as he made the NFL Hall of Fame.

Then in 1994 Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman were found stabbed to death. OJ Simpson now became a person of interest. Everyone was glued to their television set when OJ tried to make a run for it in his white Bronco with his best friend. Which set up one of the slowest ever police chases of all-time. Then in 1995 Simpson was charged with murder for what he did to his X-wife Nicole and Mr. Goldman. When you have money you can hire the dream team table of lawyers which the Juice did. His trial drew a larger audience than he ever saw on the football field. It was a world wide trial of people wanting to know what would happen next. What happened was Simpson was acquitted of all charges & that put plenty of dark clouds on America’s justice system. A trial that prosecutors botched big time. Simpson was a free man. But two years later his bank account all of a sudden dried up as he lost the civil court case that cost him 33.5 million dollars. The civil court claimed he was liable for wrongful death. In 2007 Simpson would be arrested in an arm robbery along with kidnapping charges with several accomplices. He claimed he was trying to get back his sports memorabilia that was stolon from him as he broke into a hotel in Las Vegas. In 2008 he was locked up. He served only 9 years in prison as he was once again a free man in 2017. Simpson would die of cancer in 2024 at the age of 76.

The Bills President of Business Operations, Pete Guelli, said, “We have an organizational decision that he is not fit to display inside our new stadium and family circle.”

The family circle will be all the Bills legends outside with three gigantic bison statues that will be open all year round.

Inside, other players on the Wall of Fame will be in the new stadium except OJ Simpson. No Juice. Just tall boys of Labatt Blue. Inside the new stadium will have history of all those great teams in the 1990’s with the 4 Superbowls in a row in that decade. Then other seasons that were memorable.

OJ Simpson had it all. He was a side line reporter for the NFL after his playing career concluded. He was a pitchman for Hertz car rental. He was a Hollywood movie star starring in all three of the Naked Guns.

Simpson was a guy that was liked on those commercials and movies. The fans in the NFL liked his insight on the sidelines of games he covered. He had a dark side and that is what came out years later.

OJ Simpson will always be one of the Best Buffalo Bills running backs of all-time. When he played the game on the gridiron, he did not have that dark side. He had a knack and the athleticism to run the football well on the field. He may have played with an edge. He had that friendly personality that fans loved after the games. Those were dark days of your franchise because the team did not win a ton of games like they do now in present day. He was a bright spot in those dark days that turned into a problem when he stabbed his X-wife and Ronald Goldman. Murderers should only be on the walls of the post office as a wanted person dead or live by the law. You have to protect the youth and not glamorize an athlete who committed double homicide. If you call something Family Circle, no way you should have OJ’s face on that. The Bills should have removed OJ from the old stadium . They let it linger. It’s better to leave OJ’s memories there. The Bills did not win any Superbowls in the old facility that had OJ on the wall. It’s a new beginning. The Bills are making the smart decisions to hopefully create more sunshine above Highmark stadium and disburse those dark clouds to New England.

THE TKACHUK BROTHERS CRUNCH PLAYING OUT IN FLORIDA NEXT SEASON

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It was only a few months when the Tkachuk brothers were on the ice at the same time, with the same team. It was when U.S.A. hockey took the gold medal in the Winter Olympics. Which broke a 46 year drought for U.S. Hockey. Now the Tkachuk brothers will rule the NHL together playing on the same team starting next season with the Florida Panthers. Brady will be with his brother Matt down in Florida as the Panthers and Ottawa Senators pull off a blockbuster trade before the NHL draft. The Senators send a former number 1 pick in Brady to Florida for three number 1 draft picks and a future number two pick. The Senators will get the Panthers number 9 overall pick along with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL draft. The Panthers did not make it to the post-season last season so they made out like bandits to get a top ten pick. Before this blockbuster trade went down with Brady. The Panthers sent winger Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken for the other first round pick which is the 25th overall pick. The Senators will also get the Panthers first round pick in 2027. Then in 2030 the trade will conclude with the Panthers 2nd round pick. The Senators made the post-season last year, and will take a step back and reload with stock of younger talent. Meanwhile the Panthers will look for their 3rd Stanley Cup title after winning back to back titles in ’24 & ’25.

Brady Tkachuk is Matt’s younger brother as he is 26 years of age. He has played all 8 seasons with the team he was drafted by, the Ottawa Senators. Brady was out of Boston College and went 4th in the 1st round of the 2018 NHL draft. Last season he played in 60 games and scored 22 goals while dishing out 37 assists for 59 points. Brady has had three seasons where he scored 30 or more goals in one year. He actually achieved it three seasons straight from 2021 through 2024. Brady has 572 games under his belt in the NHL. He has tallied up 213 goals with 250 assists for 463 points in his NHL career so far. Brady goes by the nickname, Chucky. I’m guessing the doll in the horror movies that kills all those people. They do have similar looks.

Then big brother Matt Tkachuk is the blood of the Florida Panthers. He was also a first round pick back in 2016 by the Calgary Flames where he was selected 6th overall. He played six seasons in Calgary before he came over to Florida in a blockbuster trade in 2022 that started this franchise dynasty. In 4 seasons Matt has been to three Stanley Cup finals including winning two back-to-back titles. Matt is a 2 x All-Star. Last year he only played in 31 games due to injuries. He had 13 goals with 21 assists for 34 points. In 10 seasons Matt has 253 goals and 417 assists with 670 points. Matt is 28 years of age and is nicknamed the Rat King. The Rat King will be going into the prime of his career at 28 years old.

Opposing teams hate playing one Tkachuk on the ice & now they will have to deal with two of them. In the old sitcom Happy Days, the Fonz had to go up against two brothers called the Malachi brothers. Crash up car derby is the game they played as they perfected the Malachi crunch. When both brothers would take their cars and smash you inside your car from both sides where you become the smash burger patty on the bun. The Tkachuk brothers are the two most intimidating forwards in the NHL. They have physicality as they will come after you. Like the Malachi crunch, they may have their own version on the ice smashing a player from both sides. Both of these guys have leadership skills. On the U.S. team that won the goal, it was Brady scoring three goals in the Olympics while Matt was happy to make some assists as he had 5 of them. Both of them have great net presence getting the biscuit in the basket. Florida last year did not make the post-season because of all the injuries. Then Brady said he would not sign a long term deal with the Senators and now the trade has been made to benefit both sides. With these two brothers playing for the Panthers, it should elevate both of their games. They were great without each other. They played well together at the Olympics. Plus the Panthers have a solid roster in place and the Panthers GM said he is not done after this big splashy move he just made. The Panthers are looking at another post-season run and going for that 3rd championship in the last 5 seasons.

UFL MVP LOOKING TO RUN WITH THE BISON IN BUFFALO

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The Buffalo Bills added another running back to their roster by signing the UFL,United Football League MVP of the recent championship, Ian Wheeler. Wheeler helped the Louisville Kings win their first title in the United Bowl III which was only weeks ago. Wheeler is 24 years old and will be 25 when the month of September rolls around. This is a guy that put medical school on hold to achieve his NFL dreams. His NFL dreams were crushed with a preseason injury with the Chicago Bears. After that he made the Saints practice squad which only lasted a week. Can Wheeler help the Bills and Josh Allen win a championship with a very loaded running back room already in place?

This will not be the first time Ian Wheeler has run with the Buffaloes. Wheeler played college football at Howard University.

Howard University had nothing to do with that award winning Hollywood movie, Howard the Duck. Howard University’s nickname is the Bison. When Wheeler played for the Bison during his college years, he averaged 6.5 yards per carry on the grid iron. I imagine in the classroom his grades were also off the charts as he already achieved a degree in Psychology. His college stats he carried the ball for the Bison 177 times and tallied up 1,154 rushing yards with 14 rushing touchdowns. The passing game he only tallied up a couple hundred yards with one more touchdown. In the return game, he had three touchdowns on special teams in his collegiate career. He was an undrafted free agent and signed with the Chicago Bears after he concluded a very nice career at Howard.

On August 10th of 2024, Ian Wheeler in a Chicago Bear Uniform scored two touchdowns against the team he just signed for, the Buffalo Bills, in a preseason game. By August 24th he was placed on injury reserve as a torn ACL which made his football career at that time very grim. By 2025, about a year later, the Bears released Wheeler. In late November he was able to sign with the Saints practice squad but it only lasted for a cup of coffee in the Big Easy. To keep Medical School on hold, Wheeler needed a new plan and that’s when the United Football league would help his case to show teams what he still has in his legs. Wheeler played in 9 regular season games for the Louisville Kings and finished 4th in rushing yards for the season in the UFL. He carried the ball 68 times and tallied up 370 rushing yards in those 9 games. Which averages out to 5.4 yards per carry. He had 6 rushing touchdowns during regular season. In two post-season games, he carried the ball 17 times for 175 rushing yards. He scored two rushing touchdowns. One of those touchdowns came in the 4th quarter in the United Bowl, a 44 yard dagger that beat last year’s champions the DC Defenders in their home stadium. Wheeler ranked number 5 in the UFL during the regular season for all-purpose yards. He averaged 28.5 yards on kick off returns for the Kings this spring.

Why do the Bills even need another running back when their starter won the rushing title in 2025? James Cook III tore up the league last year and won his first rushing title of his career. The Bills already have in place a solid third down running back in veteran Ty Johnson. The Bills also have the legendary Frank Gore’s son, Frank Jr., as the guy on the practice squad that has been improving every week and waiting to latch on to the main roster this upcoming season. Then Ray Davis who has been crucial on the return game on special teams for the Bills. When Davis carries the rock, he has done very well in limited time on the field. However Davis has been disgruntled as he voiced his opinions that he should be used more in the Bills offense. Could Wheeler be his replacement?

The Bills gave Ian Wheeler a contract as this is not your normal thing inviting UFL players or un-drafted free agents to try out for your team. Wheeler is a winner everywhere he played. Obviously we saw that with the Louisville Kings. If we go back to his college days, he helped the Bison of Howard win back to back MEAC championships. I’m not saying Wheeler is the missing piece that the Bills need to get to the Superbowl. He is a smart guy. He is a smart guy with talent on the field which you don’t get very often on the football field. You don’t get that very often in general in sports. I like anybody that can make big plays in the 4th quarter in a crucial game. He may be a guy the Bills only use on special teams. In football to be a Superbowl team, you have to be talented in all three phases of the game: offense, defense, and special teams. Wheeler could be an important factor if any of these guys get injured. This is a nice signing because there is nothing wrong with having too much talent at one position. It’s a low risk/high ceiling type of move here by the Bills. Hoping medical school waits a little bit longer to see Wheeler run wild with the Buffaloes in Orchard Park, New York.

NO PLACE LIKE JORDAN’S HOME

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Cameron Jordan has stayed afloat in the free agent pool lingering until June looking for his next team to play for in the NFL. After coming off a solid season weighting his offers, he clicked his spiked shoes three times and decided to come home. Jordan is coming home back to the New Orleans Saints for his 16th season in the NFL. All of them have been in the Big Easy. At 36 years of age, Jordan will turn 37 in July & says this will be his last season in the NFL. He could have pursued a Superbowl ring with a contender. He always had an invite by the Saints organization to play another season. He probably would have made more money elsewhere. He settles on a 1 year deal which is an incentive-laden type of contract. He will have to perform his best to get all the extra trimmings. The Saints right now are not Superbowl-bound. Late in the season last year, the Saints showed their fan base improvements. Could the Saints win their division the NFC South which is not a power house in the NFL? When any team makes it to the post-season, sometimes anything can happen. Look at the New England Patriots – a team that looked like they did not belong in the Superbowl. The Patriots found a way winning games on one of the easiest schedules in the NFL last year.

The Saints Defensive End Cameron Jordan was a 1st round pick by the Saints in the 2011 NFL draft 24th overall coming from the University of California. In 17 games last year for the Saints, he recorded 10.5 sacks along with 32 solo tackles and forced two fumbles. Not too shabby for a 36 year old athlete. Jordan has made the NFL Pro-Bowl 8 times in 15 seasons. Jordan has hit double digits in sacks in 7 out of 15 seasons. His career high in sacks was 15.5 sacks in 2019. In 2017 he had 13 sacks that year. He has a pair of 12.5 sack seasons as well. Last season was a contract year for Cameron as he responded but did not get the deal he expected to sign. In 2024 & ’25, he combined 6 sacks in those two seasons. Jordan has started every game in his career except 1 game. He has only missed 1 regular season game in his career. He has played 11 extra games in the post-season and has recorded 5.5 sacks in the playoffs. He has never played in a Superbowl as he missed Drew Brees and the Saints winning their only title by a few seasons. His career numbers he has 132 sacks in the NFL during regular season. Which ranks number 17 all-time in the NFL since they made the sack a stat. He has tallied up 494 solo tackles and has forced 17 forced fumbles in his career. He has 3 interceptions and has tallied up 248 QB hits in 15 seasons. Last year he had 15.

Ricky Jackson was a former Saint line backer as he played some defensive end as well. Jackson played for the Saints from 1981-1993 and racked up 115 sacks which is good for number two all-time on the Saints sacks list. Jackson would move on from New Orleans and play two seasons with the 49ers where he helped San Francisco win a Superbowl. In 15 seasons Jackson has 136 total sacks in the NFL. Cameron Jordan has 132 sacks all with the Saints which makes him the number 1 guy all-time at killing the quarterback for New Orleans. He would need 4 sacks to tie Jackson and with 5 he would move ahead of him on the all-time NFL sacks list. Number three all-time in sacks for the Saints is Wayne Martin who tallied 82.5 sacks from 1989-1999. One of the biggest bad asses in Saints history on their defense was Pat Swilling, who tallied up 76.5 sacks in Saints history from 1986-1992. Which is good for 4th all-time dressed in gold, black and white.

Then Will Smith rounds the top 5 on the Saints all-time sacks list. Smith unfortunately passed away in 2016. He helped the Saints win their only Superbowl as he played from 2004-2013 and played a few seasons with Cameron. He recorded 67.5 sacks for Smith.

The Saints came into last season with a new head coach, Kellen Moore, a guy that has played some quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Moore has been one of the league’s best play callers as well as being an offensive coordinator for years before getting his first head coaching job in New Orleans. The Saints fans may have found their next Drew Brees in Tyler Shough, who was a rookie last year. He showed he can throw the football and use his legs to get some yards. He was quite the leader out there. As a starter down the stretch he had a 5-4 record and Saints looked like a complete different team. The Saints added another top notch receiver in the draft picking up Arizona State Jordyn Tyson which will give Shough another play maker in New Orleans offense. The Saints still have Chris Olave who was the number 1 Saints receiver last year. The Saints aerial attack will be making some noise with Tyson and Olave. Then the Saints added running back free agent Travis Ethienne Jr. who had a monster year for the Jaguars last year. This offense will be better. The Saints defense played better as the season went on. Bringing back Cameron Jordan for peanuts is a big move for this organization. He is a guy that wants to be playing in New Orleans. His wife and 4 kids love the Big Easy. It’s their home away from home. Jordan dd not want to play for an arch rival like the Falcons, Panthers, or Buccaneers. That shows you something. He was honest he did not want to play for any cold weather teams. I thought the Bears should have tried to lure him to Chicago with the Saints old head coach Dennie Allen who is the defensive coordinator in the Windy City. Jordan gave the Saints a definitely home town discount. His heart is still in New Orleans and I have to give credit to a guy playing in one city his entire career. With free agency & trades that is unheard of in the sports world. If the Saints do make the post-season and don’t quite get to the Superbowl, they still look like a future contender. I think Jordan Cameron will go another year after this season just because this team is trending upwards. Look for Jordan along with the Saints to march after your quarterback at a stadium near you. Jordan is back home in the Big Easy looking to kill the quarterback.