The Montreal Canadiens are locking up one of their franchise cornerstones. The team has agreed to terms on an eight-year extension with star winger Cole Caufield, the team announced on Monday morning.
The deal will run through the 2030-31 season and will carry an average annual value of $7.85 million per season.
Caufield is coming off a season in which he scored a career-high 26 goals while dishing out 10 assists in 46 regular-season contests. The 22-year-old star’s season came to a premature end in January when he was forced to undergo shoulder surgery.
During the 2022-23 season, Caufield’s 26 goals were tied for the team lead and marked the second consecutive season in which he led the team in that category. At the time of his injury, Caufield was 11th in goals in the league, while also being ranked eighth in the NHL with 19 even-strength goals.
In his first three professional seasons, Caufield has racked up 84 points (53 goals, 31 assists) while topping the 20-goal mark in each of his last two seasons. In addition, the star forward has also tallied 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 20 postseason contests, which all came during the 2020-21 campaign.
Caufield was originally selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft by the Canadiens after a standout career at the University of Wisconsin.
The Florida Panthers attempt to even the 2023 Stanley Cup Final at one win apiece when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights for Game 2 on Monday. Florida allowed three goals in the third period on Saturday and suffered a 5-2 loss in the series opener, falling to 0-5 all-time in the Final. The Panthers were swept by Colorado in their only other appearance in 1996. Vegas, which also is in the Final for the second time in its history, has won all five of its home meetings with Florida since joining the NHL in 2017-18.
Opening faceoff at T-Mobile Arena is set for 8 p.m. ET. Vegas is the -140 favorite (risk $140 to win $100) in the latest Golden Knights vs. Panthers odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total goals scored is 5.5. Before making any Panthers vs. Golden Knights picks, be sure to check out the NHL predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
This model simulates every NHL game 10,000 times, taking into account factors like current form, individual matchups, injuries and short- and long-term trends when making NHL picks. The model seeks the best values on the money line, puck line and total.
Now, the model has set its sights on Golden Knights vs. Panthers and just locked in its picks and Stanley Cup Final predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the NHL odds and trends for Panthers vs. Golden Knights:
Golden Knights vs. Panthers money line: Golden Knights -140, Panthers +118 Golden Knights vs. Panthers over/under: 5.5 goals Golden Knights vs. Panthers puck line: Golden Knights -1.5 (+185) VGK: The Golden Knights have scored 11 goals in their last two games FLA: The Panthers are 8-1 when scoring first this postseason after their Game 1 loss Golden Knights vs. Panthers picks: See picks at SportsLine Featured Game
Why the Golden Knights can win Trailing in a game has not bothered Vegas very much this postseason. The Golden Knights are 8-3 when giving up the first goal and have posted nine comeback victories, one shy of the playoff record set in 2009 by Pittsburgh and matched by Colorado last postseason. Jonathan Marchessault is riding a six-game point streak after scoring his 10th goal of the playoffs in Game 1.
The 32-year-old right wing, who is one of six players remaining from the Vegas team that reached the Final in 2018, has netted eight tallies in as many contests and amassed 16 points over his last 11 games. Ivan Barbashev also has been hot of late, registering 10 points in his past nine outings. Captain Mark Stone continues to be an offensive force at home in the playoffs as he has recorded 14 of his 16 points at T-Mobile Arena after scoring a huge goal on Saturday. See which team to pick here.
Why the Panthers can win Matthew Tkachuk has set a franchise playoff record with 21 points, which ranks him second in the NHL. The 25-year-old left wing, who was kept off the scoresheet in Game 1 for just the fourth time in 17 contests this postseason, scored four of his nine goals during Florida’s sweep of Carolina in the Eastern Conference Final — three of which were game-winners. Tkachuk has not disappointed since being acquired from Calgary last July as his 130 combined points (regular season and playoffs) are the fourth-most by a player in his first season with a franchise.
Carter Verhaeghe also has come up big for the Panthers, with three of his six playoff tallies being game-winners after only two of his career-high 42 during the regular season decided contests. After scoring only two goals in 20 regular-season games, Anthony Duclair has recorded four in 16 playoff outings and enters Monday having tallied in back-to-back contests. Brandon Montour has gone nine games without a point but leads all NHL defensemen with six goals this postseason. See which team to pick here.
How to make Golden Knights vs. Panthers picks SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the goal total, as the simulations have the teams combining for 6.2 goals. It also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the model’s pick at SportsLine.
This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up to get it in your inbox every weekday morning here.
Good morning to everyone but especially to… THE VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
In Game 1, the Golden Knights fell behind, went ahead, gave up their lead and then finally took over. In Game 2, they went straight to taking over.
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Jonathan Marchessault opened the scoring on a power play, and Alec Martinez doubled the lead later in the first. Nicolas Roy and Brett Howden made it 4-0 early in the second before Florida pulled Bobrovsky. He allowed four goals on 13 shots faced. Alex Lyon took over and ended up allowing third-period goals to Marchessault, Michael Amadio and Howden. Lyon allowed three goals on just 15 shots faced, so head coach Paul Maurice can’t be feeling too confident in either option. Florida did score a pair of third-period goals via Anton Lundell and Matthew Tkachuk to at least take something positive home, I suppose.
The Golden Knights have had nine different scorers already this series, the most ever through two games of a Stanley Cup Final. Their offensive firepower and depth is simply overwhelming the Panthers, writes our Austin Nivison.
Nivison: “The Golden Knights’ depth has given them an advantage throughout the playoffs, and that has been the case through the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final. All four lines have been effective at generating offense against the Panthers. Vegas has dressed 18 skaters so far in the series, and 15 of them have recorded a point… This comes after every single player recorded a point against the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final.” Honorable mentions One day after winning the Memorial, Viktor Hovland caddied for a former college teammate at a U.S. Open qualifier. Five-star 2024 linebacker prospect Sammy Brown committed to Clemson. And not such a good morning for… ISAIAH RODGERS AND THE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
The NFL is investigating Colts cornerback/returner Isaiah Rodgers for possible violations of the league’s gambling policy, the latest episode in an offseason that’s been full of betting-related issues.
Rodgers, 25, reportedly placed “hundreds of wagers,” including on the Colts, through an acquaintance’s account. NFL rules prevent players from gambling on the NFL ever, as well as on any sport at team facilities or while traveling with the team.
Rodgers posted an apology to Twitter, saying he will “work hard to make sure that those mistakes are rectified through this process.” In April, the NFL suspended five players — four from the Lions and one from the Commanders — for gambling violations. In May, the NFL reportedly began investigating a second wave of violations. Those investigations and suspensions came after Calvin Ridley was suspended for the entire 2022 season for gambling on the NFL. He was reinstated in March. Rodgers, 25, has played three seasons in Indianapolis after the Colts picked him in the sixth round in 2020. After primarily being used as a kick returner as a rookie, he became a significant part of the defense with three interceptions in 2021 and nine starts in 2022.
Not so honorable mentions Alek Manoah got pulled in the first inning against the Astros as his tough season continues. Mike Soroka’s initial return to MLB from an Achilles injury didn’t last long. It might be tough for HBO to find a team for “Hard Knocks.” Kyrie Irving trying to recruit LeBron James to Dallas 🏀 kyrie-lebron-getty.png Getty Images Kyrie Irving wants to team up with LeBron James, but maybe not in the way you expected: Irving reportedly wants James to come to Dallas, reaching out personally to James to gauge his interest
Irving is an unrestricted free agent this summer (though owner Mark Cuban has stated his desire to build around Irving and Luka Doncic) while James remains under contract with the Lakers. James can opt out of his contract after next season, though he has expressed a desire to play with his son Bronny — who will be playing college ball at USC.
The big problem? Going for James is nearly impossible without including Doncic. As our Brad Botkin pointed out, the chances of anything happening here are slim — even if Dallas tries to build a trade package around their No. 10 pick.
Mandatory minicamp storylines: Quarterback questions, rookie impressions 🏈 We’re three months and one day away from the NFL regular season, and things are beginning to pick up, even if just a bit. Nine teams begin mandatory minicamp today, and there are storylines abound, especially at the game’s most important position: quarterback.
No one has more questions (or potential solutions) than the 49ers, who feature two former first-rounders, but have Mr. Irrelevant leading the race for now. Let our Tyler Sullivan explain:
Sullivan: “Brock Purdy is in line to be the team’s starter in 2023, but the quarterback is recovering from right elbow surgery and has only recently resumed throwing. With that in mind, Purdy likely won’t see the lion’s share of work at minicamp, thrusting either Trey Lance or Sam Darnold into the primary role, which has been the case throughout OTAs. If Lance can flash the talent that made him the No. 3 overall pick just a few years ago, it’ll be interesting how that could set the stage for training camp, especially if Purdy is still not 100%.” Elsewhere, former 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is dealing with his own injury issues in Las Vegas, and the Commanders are turning to Sam Howell.
As for two of the most pleasant surprises of 2022, the Seahawks and Lions are hoping to take the next step with loaded rookie classes. Time for first-rounders Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Seattle and Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell in Detroit to show what they can do.
Oklahoma softball reaches WCWS finals as winning streak hits 51 games 🥎 Syndication: The Oklahoman USATSI Oklahoma softball has won six national championships (including the last two), produced legend after legend and recorded some of the greatest seasons in college softball history. This team might just be the best ever — not just in program history, but the sport’s as a whole.
The No. 1 Sooners beat Stanford, 4-2, to run their winning streak to a D-I record 51 games and advance to the Women’s College World Series finals.
Our Chris Bengel took a look at some of the most notable winning streaks in D-I history, and while this isn’t quite 111 straight from UConn women’s basketball or 88 straight from UCLA men’s basketball, it’s still plenty impressive.
This streak is longer than the longest winning streak in D-I football, also by Oklahoma (47 from 1953-57), and well past the longest winning streak in D-I baseball (34 by Texas in 1977 and FAU in 1999). At 59-1 this season, Oklahoma is on pace to have the best record in D-I softball history. Their lone loss this season was back on Feb. 19 to Baylor . Oklahoma will face No. 3 Florida State in the finals.
WNBA Power Rankings: Aces still top, but a new No. 2 🏀 We knew the Aces were going to be a powerhouse this season, and at 6-0, they absolutely are. It’s the best start to a season since the Lynx began 9-0 in 2017, and Las Vegas is nearly halfway to the longest winning streak to start a season ever (the 2016 Lynx started 13-0).
Long story short, the Aces are still comfortably No. 1 in Jack Maloney’s WNBA Power Rankings.
But it’s the No. 2 team we have our eye on at the moment. The 6-1 Sun jumped the Liberty for second in Jack’s rankings, and they have their star forward to thank:
Maloney: “The Sun may not always play the prettiest or most entertaining basketball, but they just keep on racking up wins. They added two of them this week to improve to 6-1, which is second only to the undefeated Aces. Alyssa Thomas, who set a franchise record with 16 assists in their win over the Lynx, continues to do it all. She’s on pace to join Candace Parker as the only players in WNBA history to average at least 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists per game for a season.” Here’s Jack’s top five:
Aces (prev: 1)
Sun (prev: 3)
Liberty (prev: 2)
Sky (prev: 5)
Mystics (prev: 4) Here are the full rankings.
What we’re watching Tuesday 📺 ⚾ Mets at Braves, 7:20 p.m. on TBS 🏀 Fever at Sky, 8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network 🏀 Sparks at Storm, 10 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
The Orlando Magic are loaded with young guards and are adding another to the mix. Mac McClung has agreed to a partially guaranteed deal with the team, according to a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The former Georgetown and Texas Tech standout is looking to stick with a team after logging just four NBA appearances through his first two pro seasons.
McClung only played one game for the Philadelphia 76ers last season but had plenty of success with the Delaware Blue Coats. The 2023 slam dunk champ notched 18.9 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.4 rebounds over 31 games for the 76ers’ G League affiliate. He shot 54.8 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from deep. It could be difficult for him to steal minutes from the lanky, athletic ballhandlers Orlando already has, though.
Markelle Fultz is fresh off a strong season in which he posted career highs in points (13.9) and assists (5.7) per game. Then there are Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs, who provided scoring support and much-needed defensive intensity off the bench last season. Anthony Black, the sixth overall pick from the 2023 NBA Draft, will join that trio of guards in 2023.
McClung has his work cut out for him if he wants to break into the rotation despite his success in the G League. He’s averaged 21.8 points per contest through 55 games split between the Windy City Bulls, South Bay Lakers, and Blue Coats.
LeBron James has walked out of the Crypto.com Arena tunnel many times, but on Monday the NBA star did so with his eldest son, Bronny James, as they escorted Drake to the stage at the beginning of a concert. This was one of Bronny’s first public appearances since the incoming USC freshman suffered cardiac arrest last month.
On Saturday, Bronny also joined his dad and younger brother, Bryce James, at the LeBron James bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium.
Drake has been getting support from the entire James squad as Bryce was at a concert with his friends earlier this month in Inglewood. During Monday’s concert, the crowd cheered while Drake talked about “the gentleman that walked me to the stage.”
🦉The Boy and The King 👑 Drake walks out with LeBron and Bronny at #cryptocomarena pic.twitter.com/DpswFla2tZ
— Crypto.com Arena (@cryptocomarena) August 22, 2023 The rapper called the Los Angeles Lakers forward his “brother” and explained that LeBron has been supporting his music from the beginning.
“In 2009, when nobody believed in anything I had going on, that same guy showed up to a release party for a mixtape that was called ‘So Far Gone’… He came all the way to Toronto to support me when I was trying to figure out how to live my dreams,” Drake told the crowd. “Tonight, however many years later, it’s an honor to be inside his building.”
“In 2009, when nobody believed in anything I had going on, that same guy showed up to a release party… He came all the way to Toronto to support me… Tonight… it’s an honor to be inside his building.”
Drake on LeBron’s early support in his careerpic.twitter.com/QFoteR5Z2c
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 22, 2023 Bronny collapsed on the court during a practice with USC on July 24 and was taken to the Cedars-Sinai Hospital intensive care unit. He was stabilized and discharged days later, but the family has not given many updates since then.
On July 27, LeBron thanked everyone who sent love and prayers to his family, saying they will share more when they are ready. The proud father also shared a video of Bronny showing off his musical talent by playing piano for his family.
