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Maple Leafs notebook: Carlo blocking criticism of Minten trade

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A Round 1 playoff preview perhaps. A measuring stick for two Eastern Conference titans. A civic referendum on hockey culture. Something grander than 60 minutes of entertainment as the frost evaporated off the Causeway’s flying Bobby Orr statue.

A couple of storied and good teams puffing their chests to see who’s better.

In 2024-25, you may recall, the Maple Leafs and Bruins were co-owners of the NHL’s longest active post-season streak at eight years.

Well, Boston ceded that title Toronto last March, and now the floundering Maple Leafs have spiked their own impressive playoff run, selling at the trade deadline and hoping for a Bruins-like rebound to relevance in 2026-27.

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To that end, a top-five draft pick in 2026 would bless Leafs Nation with much-needed hope.

A prospect drafted between No. 6 and No. 10 overall that funnels into Boston’s system?

That’s a major yikes. And it would only further reflect poorly on GM Brad Treliving’s 2025 deadline deal for defenceman Brandon Carlo, which cost Toronto 21-year-old Fraser Minten and a 2026 first-round pick that is only protected through the top five.

Team Tank would prefer the Maple Leafs extend their losing skid Tuesday, when Treliving’s most criticized move will be on full display.

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Whip-smart Minten has bulked up. He is in the throes of a breakout campaign, his first full one in the show. His 70 games, 16 goals, and 31 points are all career highs. 

Minten’s plus-22 rating leads all Bruins forwards. And he’s now centring playoff-bound Boston’s top line. David Pastrnak is on the man’s wing.

Boston coach Marco Sturm has likened Minten to another two-way pivot, L.A.’s Quinton Byfield, in the way the centre thinks the game.

“There are a lot of things you can’t teach,” Sturm told reporters of Minten’s hockey IQ, which was also raved about in Toronto. “That’s why he’s ahead of some other guys. He already had it. Even the teaching part, he gets it right away. He just has it. He’s lucky enough to be born with it.”

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The flip side of the Minten trade, Carlo, has heard the criticism and admitted to reporters in Toronto on Monday that the fan base’s angst over move has been “a little bit” tough on him.

“If you’re gonna be in the NHL environment, there’s gonna be a lot of things you need to tune out throughout your career,” Carlo said. “Just put it in the category with most of those things and continue forward.”

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Could the prospect-light Maple Leafs, who recently traded away depth centres Nicolas Roy and Scott Laughton, benefit from the service of the emerging Minten? No doubt.

To be fair, Carlo has battled a foot injury this season and has consistently professed his appreciation and desire to be a Leaf. He’s also under contract for a team-friendly $3.49-million cap hit next season, which makes him a valuable contributor if they get back in the mix and a valuable trade asset if they don’t.

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And then there’s this nugget, which may surprise some: The Maple Leafs, at minus-29, have the worst goal differential in the Eastern Conference. Carlo (plus-9) is the only Leafs defenceman (minimum 12 games played) who has been on the ice for as many more goals for as goals against (36-36), despite starting only 45 per cent of his shifts in the offensive zone.

Carlo hasn’t hurt his new team. 

The catch is that where the Maple Leafs find themselves now — in search of picks, young impact players and centre depth — Carlo’s best game can’t make up for all of that.

Carlo is the rare player who has seen both sides of the Toronto-Boston rivalry. He predicts a competitive affair Tuesday, standings be damned.

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“You know it’s going to be physical,” Carlo said.

And, because of their link, you know both Carlo and Minten will be scrutinized in this one.

Stolarz rebounds from Nylander scare

Despite Saturday’s unplanned visit to an Ottawa hospital and Monday’s recall of third-stringer Dennis Hildeby on an emergency basis, Anthony Stolarz is expected to start one half of this week’s back-to-back. (Coach Craig Berube hasn’t declared whether that’ll be in Boston, site of Stolarz’s original neck injury this season, or Wednesday at home versus the New York Rangers.)

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An errant William Nylander warm-up shot caught the goaltender in the throat, making it difficult for him to breathe or talk for 30 or 40 minutes. 

Stolarz, who recovered from a nerve issue in his neck shortly before the Olympic break, went for imaging to make sure blood vessels weren’t damaged. He was cleared by the buzzer and traveled home with the club.

“I’m fine,” Stolarz told reporters in Toronto, after practising with some new neck protection. “It’s an occupational hazard. You get pucks coming at you anywhere from 70 to 100 miles an hour, they’re gonna catch you in a bad spot once in a while. Just kinda shock.” 

Nylander checked in on Stolarz immediately after his mistake and followed up with text messages before leaving Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday.

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“I have certain spots where I shoot it, so they know where I’m shooting it all the time,” says Nylander, who was aiming glove. “Except for maybe the last shot we do in the half-moon, maybe you try to score. But other than that, I’m always doing the same shot.

“I feel really bad for that.”

Accidents happen. No real harm done.

“He’s good. It’s a one-off,” Stolarz said, shaking off the incident with a smile.

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During the broadcast, Sportsnet analyst Craig Simpson suggested the onus is on Nylander to control his aim. A couple goaltenders we spoke to, though, suggested that goalies must never let their neck be exposed during shooting drills.

Soccer players cover their most sensitive bits when building a wall to block free kicks.

Auston Matthews even gave Stolarz a bit of advice: “Next time, keep your chin tucked.”

One-Timers: Morgan Rielly missed Saturday’s game in Ottawa due to a lower-body injury but returned to practice Monday and was a full participant…. Oliver Ekman-Larsson left practice early because “something was bugging him,” according to Berube. The coach assures the durable defenceman will be fine to play Tuesday…. Joseph Woll says he never took so many pucks in the head as he did Saturday in Ottawa: three. “My poor mask was taking a beating,” he chuckled. “It broke. We fixed it. It broke again. Check my brain after that game. That’s the most I’ve gotten hit in the head for sure.”… The Maple Leafs mentors’ trip is going down in Boston.

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Maple Leafs’ projected lineup Tuesday in Boston:

Cowan – Tavares – Nylander 

Knies – Domi – Robertson 

Maccelli – Groulx – Joshua

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Lorentz – Quillan – Järnkrok

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Jurgen Klopp describes Real Madrid job talk as ‘nonsense’

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Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has described speculation that he will take over at Real Madrid this summer as “nonsense”.

The German stood down after nearly nine years in charge at Anfield following the end of the 2023-24 season and has since fulfilled a role as head of global football with Red Bull.

He has not ruled out a return to football management in the future, although he has been linked with a comeback to Anfield amid his successor Arne Slot’s struggles in his second season in the hot-seat.

Klopp, who won the Champions League and Premier League at Liverpool, has also been mentioned as a candidate for the Real job to replace Alvaro Arbeloa at the end of the campaign.

But Klopp told reporters at the Magenta TV World Cup team presentation in Munich: “If Real Madrid had phoned, we would have heard about it by now.

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“But that’s all nonsense. They haven’t called even once, not once. My agent is there, you can ask him. They haven’t called him either.

“Right now I’m not thinking about that, luckily there’s no reason to.

“For my age, I’m quite advanced in life, but as a coach I’m not completely finished. I haven’t reached retirement age. Who knows what will happen in the coming years? But there’s nothing planned.”

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‘He is like a teacher’: Mayank Yadav reveals Bumrah’s role in injury comeback | Cricket News

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'He is like a teacher': Mayank Yadav reveals Bumrah’s role in injury comeback
Mayank Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah (Agency Image)

Mayank Yadav has opened up about a major shift in his approach to fitness and recovery after battling multiple injuries, admitting that he previously neglected his body before a surgery forced him to rethink everything. The 23-year-old fast bowler, who represents Lucknow Super Giants, went through a difficult phase that began with an injury during IPL 2024, followed by a serious back problem that kept him out for the remainder of the 2025 season. Having completed his rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, he is now gearing up for a comeback. Reflecting on his journey, Mayank acknowledged how drastically his mindset has changed post-surgery. “Everything has changed for me post-surgery. Earlier, I never used to take care of myself. Whenever I had to do a recovery session, I used to avoid it and neglect many aspects. But after the surgery, I paid a lot of attention to recovery, nutrition and sleep. The more I respect my body, the more my body respects me on the field,” he said on JioStar’s ‘IPL Today Live’. During his time at the National Cricket Academy, Mayank found valuable guidance from Jasprit Bumrah, who had undergone a similar procedure. The young pacer described Bumrah as a mentor figure during the recovery phase. “When I was in rehab at the NCA, Bumrah bhaiya was also there. I have a very good bonding with him. He is like a teacher to me. He also had the same surgery, the same scenario,” he said. “Bumrah bhaiya shared his experience of how to come back after surgery and what things to pay attention to. He told me how the body will be during recovery, how it will react. Sometimes it will feel good, sometimes not. Whenever we talk on call or messages, he shares his experience as much as possible,” he added. Mayank, who recorded the fastest delivery by an Indian during IPL 2024, also spoke about when he first realised his ability to bowl at extreme pace. “When I came to the IPL for the first time, our trainers used to measure our bowling speed with a speed gun. At that time, I came to know that I have this talent, I have this gift. So now I have to respect it,” he said. He also acknowledged the physical and mental challenges associated with fast bowling. “With fast bowling, things are always a little dicey whether you can do it or not. There is a lot of stress on the body, physically and mentally.” Tracing his love for pace back to childhood, Mayank said he was always inclined towards fast bowling rather than spin. “When I used to play in the streets, I didn’t know how to bowl spin so I used to bowl only fast bowling. My craze for fast bowling began since childhood. My father also used to show me a lot of fast bowling videos. “Mostly, when India used to play in South Africa, I used to watch a lot of those matches. I really liked two of their pacers, our current bowling coach Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn. Through them, I got the craze to bowl fast,” he said.

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Farioli Praises Terem Moffi as Porto Come From Behind to Beat Braga

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FC Porto coach Francesco Farioli has praised the impact of Terem Moffi after Porto secured a 2‑1 comeback victory over Sporting Braga in a Primeira Liga clash at Estádio Municipal de Braga on Sunday night.

Braga took the lead from a penalty, putting the home side ahead early in the match. However, Porto responded strongly after Farioli made key substitutions. William Gomes quickly equalised, and Seko Fofana’s strike secured the turnaround for Porto.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Farioli credited the bench for changing the game’s momentum. “The entry of William Gomes and Terem Moffi was very positive, as was that of Seko Fofana who scored the goal, or Borja Sainz and Pablo who helped us gain ground in the opponent’s area,” he said.

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Since joining Porto on loan from OGC Nice during the winter transfer window, Moffi has quickly made his mark. The Nigerian forward has already scored two goals across all competitions, and his dynamic introduction against Braga played a key role in helping Porto secure the important victory.

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Sunil Gavaskar ‘not able to get Dhurandhar 2 tickets’, turns to actor for help | Off the field News

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Sunil Gavaskar ‘not able to get Dhurandhar 2 tickets’, turns to actor for help
Sunil Gavaskar and Ranveer Singh (Agency Image)

With the Indian Premier League 2026 season just days away, an unexpected topic has captured the nation’s attention — Dhurandhar: The Revenge. Directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, the film has triggered a frenzy across the country, cutting through even the IPL buzz.The spy-action sequel, released last week, is enjoying a sensational run at the box office, raking in massive collections and shattering records. With demand for tickets skyrocketing, even one of India’s greatest cricketers, Sunil Gavaskar, has found it difficult to secure a seat in theatres.Veteran actor Rakesh Bedi, who plays a key role in the two-part film, revealed the amusing episode through a video on Instagram. While requesting fans to avoid sharing spoilers, Bedi recounted his recent meeting with Gavaskar and the unusual request that followed.“Talking about sports, yesterday I met one of the great sportspersons of India, the great Sunil Gavaskar ji. He said, ‘Rakesh ji, I am not able to get the tickets. So please arrange it for me,” said Bedi in the video.“So I am trying to arrange some tickets for him. I hope I am able to,” he added.The film is now on track to become the highest-grossing Bollywood movie of all time, a record currently held by its predecessor, Dhurandhar.The craze has extended into the cricketing world as well. Players from Gujarat Titans were recently seen visiting a theatre in Ahmedabad to watch the sequel, while Hardik Pandya, captain of Mumbai Indians, was also spotted at a multiplex enjoying the film.

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Golf legend John Daly slides down desert hill in viral golf video

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Golf great John Daly shared a hilarious moment that may have been more serious after watching a video he posted on social media, calling himself a “jacka–” in the process. 

Daly was in desert terrain at the La Paloma Country Club for the Cologuard Classic, when he was trying to hit a shot onto a green when he lost his footing.

As he tried to gain traction in the sand, Daly’s feet fell from under him, and he slid down a long desert hill. Multiple people got involved, voluntarily jumping down the hill to see if Daly was all right. 

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John Daly tee shot

John Daly of the United States plays a tee shot on the first hole during the second round of the Cologuard Classic 2026 at La Paloma Country Club on March 21, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Daly left unscathed, but he did enjoy putting the theme music to the “Jackass” franchise over the video to share to the masses. 

“Bellyfloppin’ in the desert,” Daly captioned the video, while shouting out his caddie, Joel Cooley, who sprang to action to see if his partner was doing fine at the bottom of the hill. 

“On today’s episode of ‘jacka**’” was also seen on top of the video. 

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BROOKS KOEPKA RUNS TO COMFORT YOUNG GILR HIT BY GOLF CART DURING HIS VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP

While he doesn’t usually show off his bellyflopping, Daly remains a key figure in golf.

John Daly hits golf shot

John Daly of the United States plays his second shot on the ninth hole during the first round of the Cologuard Classic 2026 at La Paloma Country Club on March 20, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

He spends most of his time on the course for the Champions Tour, which is former PGA Tour players 50 years and older. His most recent round came on Sunday, where he finished tied for 29th with a 6-under tournament in the Cologuard Classic. 

Daly was just named the 2026 Ambassador of Golf Award honoree ahead of the Kaulig Companies Championship at the signature Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. The award recognizes those making an impact on the course as well as in their communities off the course. 

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“I’ve always loved this game and what it’s given me,” he said in a press release for the award. “Golf has taken me places I never imagined and introduced me to incredible people along the way. To be recognized with the Ambassador of Golf Award is truly an honor, and I’m proud to support the meaningful work being done here in Northeast Ohio.”

John Daly swings

John Daly hits his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the PNC Championship 2025 at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on Dec. 21, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

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Daly’s impact on the sport is quite iconic, whether it’s his monstrous drives from the tee box, winning the 1991 PGA Championship as the ninth alternate in the field, or taking home The Open Championship in 1995 at St. Andrews, forever marking himself as a multi-time major winner. 

His larger-than-life personality has always been on display, even today in silly moments like these on and off the course. 

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Moses Itauma accused of ‘going quiet’ on talks to face heavyweight champion: “We won’t avoid him”

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Moses Itauma has been accused of swerving a title shot, which can still be salvaged if he defeats Jermaine Franklin on March 28.

The 21-year-old will square off with Franklin, a durable operator who represents his toughest opponent thus far, at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena.

Up to this point, the heavyweight prodigy has shown considerable talent and potential against mostly limited opposition, with his last performance coming against a faded Dillian Whyte.

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The pair engaged in a brief encounter last August, when Itauma orchestrated a blistering first-round finish, though it goes without saying that tougher tests await the unbeaten southpaw.

One such assignment should arrive against Franklin, who lost a unanimous decision to Anthony Joshua in 2023 but has since established himself as a solid fringe contender.

If nothing else, the American is likely to take Itauma past round two for the first time in nine fights, giving him the necessary experience to resume his swift development.

After that, Itauma could revisit a clash with WBA ‘Regular’ champion Murat Gassiev, who has been repeatedly mentioned as a potential opponent for the prolific knockout artist.

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The former world cruiserweight champion claimed his secondary heavyweight title in December, scoring a sixth-round knockout over 44-year-old veteran Kubrat Pulev.

Regarding a possible showdown with Itauma, meanwhile, Gassiev’s coach Anton Kadushin has told IBA that they remain open to such discussions but feel the Brit’s team have backed off following his most recent KO.

“After the fight with Pulev, Moses Itauma went quiet. All the talk of a fight with Murat stopped.

“But if this fight becomes inevitable – if we win the next one; if Moses Itauma comes out and says he’s ready to face Gassiev at the end of the year, and if the terms are right for us – then we’re open to it. Gassiev is not avoiding anyone.”

By winning the WBA ‘Regular’ belt, Itauma would place himself in a strong position to be upgraded to full champion if Oleksandr Usyk either vacates, or is stripped of, his world title. The fight had been ordered by the WBA, but if Itauma is taken another route he remains well placed with the other sanctioning bodies.

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Colin Cowherd flags overlooked reason behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s record $168,600,000 contract with Seahawks

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The Seattle Seahawks did not just reward production when they handed Jaxon Smith-Njigba a record four-year, $168.6 million extension. According to Colin Cowherd, they paid for something NFL teams value just as much as elite numbers.

Smith-Njigba earned the deal after a Super Bowl-winning season in which he led the league with 1,793 receiving yards. He is now the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. Cowherd argued the overlooked factor was professionalism, not just talent.

“Talent alone in pro sports absolutely has a ceiling,” he said on ‘The Herd,’ today. “No drama, no big ego. He is what every CEO is seeking. He is what every GM is seeking. He gets along with teammates, quarterbacks, coaches, coordinators. He never steps in it.”

Cowherd summed it up by saying, “Ego and drama always punctures talent… This is a prime example why Seattle had to make big decisions, and where do they set the record with JSN, you think it’s just talent. It’s not just talent. No babysitting him, no drama. He cares about the right stuff. He carries himself like a professional…”

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This was not only about rewarding a superstar season. The Seahawks are betting massive money on a proven playmaker who, in Cowherd’s eyes, carries himself like a franchise cornerstone.

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Also read: Top 10 highest-paid NFL WRs in 2026 after Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s blockbuster $168,600,000 Seahawks contract

Also read: “Holy overpay” “10x better than Puka Nacua”: NFL fans react to Jaxon Smith-Njigba signing record breaking $168.6M deal with Seahawks

Colin Cowherd uses Jaxon Smith-Njigba to warn Puka Nacua

In the same segment, Cowherd had a piece of advice, masked in the form of a warning for Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua. He said,

“Many young athletes get terrible advice. JSN, huge talent, no drama. It’s like Amon-Ra St. Brown, you don’t have to worry about him. You don’t have to babysit him. He’s a grown-up. Puka Nacua, by the way, is great, but he has stepped in it multiple times with the Rams.”

“The Rams are going to take a wide receiver, I believe, early in this draft, just in case he steps in it again… And I love Puka, and so do the Rams. Maybe he should stream less…”

Nacua also had a monster season with Rams (1,715 yards) and fell just short of eclipsing Jaxon Smith-Njigba for most receiving yards in the 2025 NFL season.

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