Giddey has been in the midst of his best season as a pro, averaging 18.6 points while slashing .462/.366/.775, along with 8.8 assists, 8.6 rebounds, and 0.9 steals in 34 healthy bouts (31 starts). His health probably stopped him from having at least a chance at cracking the Eastern Conference coaches' reserves list for this year's surprisingly watchable All-Star Game.
Hedman is the Lightning's career leader in games played (1,149) and leads all Tampa Bay defensemen in career goals, assists and points. He led the Bolts to back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 2020 and 2021, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2020. He's a six-time finalist for the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman, winning the award once in 2018.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were dealt a heavy blow when captain Auston Matthews had to leave the game against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 28 after blocking a shot. It got even worse when the news was out that he would miss the following game two days later. But thankfully, the nightmare is over and Matthews is going to be back in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Winnipeg Jets.
Jonathan Aspirot, who has been out of the lineup since Dec. 11 with an upper body injury, was on a second pairing with Hampus Lindholm in the B's morning skate at the Saddledome as the struggling Andrew Peeke moved down to a third pairing with Mason Lohrei. The top pair of Nikita Zadorov-Charlie McAvoy remained intact. Coach Marco Sturm termed Aspirot a game-time decision.
I'm excited to join the group. It's never fun to be on the sideline and watching your teammates battling. They've been playing some super good hockey, and I feel extremely excited to join the group and be able to come back to battle with them.
Terry McLaurin will make his triumphant return for the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football against the Denver Broncos in Week 13. This is only his fifth appearance of the campaign, and it'll be fascinating to see how he fares after another extended spell on the sidelines. Getting McLaurin back gives everyone a massive morale boost. The Commanders are slowly getting healthier. Although they are missing star quarterback Jayden Daniels, having the former Ohio State standout involved will only help.
Tottenham have had a great start to the season and are still unbeaten in the Champions League. Most of their players are internationals. They're a strong side. The Super Cup? That was the first game of the season; Wednesday's game will be different. It's a good memory because it ended well, but a bad memory if I think back to the first 60 minutes when we were struggling. We're more ready to be a dominant team and to win the match.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson is fit to return for the champions as the Premier League returns this weekend. The Brazilian, 33. has not featured since injuring his hamstring in September but is an option to start against Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday. Manager Arne Slot said: "Alisson trained last week and this week so he will be able to play tomorrow if things work out well today. "If he's ready to play, he will start."
Adebayo, 28, is averaging 19.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 45.2 percent shooting, including 34.0 percent from 3-point range and 86.1 percent from the free-throw line. In his last fully healthy game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 3, he scored 25 points with 10 boards, four dimes and two steals on 10-of-18 shooting. Adebayo has made a 3-pointer in 19 straight games that he's completed the game.
The talented Russian forward fully practiced with the team on Tuesday, skating on a line with Ilya Protas and Bogdan Trineyev. Protas leads the team in points early in the season with 10 (5g, 5a) while Trineyev (4g, 5a) is in a three-way tie for second with 9. The Bears, who have won four in a row, were on the ice at Giant Center for nearly 90 minutes, working through a variety of game-situation drills.
Hemp scored a brilliant third goal for Andree Jeglertz's team in first-half stoppage time, firing home from range after Rebecca Knaak and Khadija Shaw had got on the scoresheet. The England international was back in City's starting lineup after missing around a month and a half with an ankle injury, and she laid on three chances for her team-mates. Only Viviane Miedema (four) created more, with the Netherlands international also the only player to contest more duels than Hemp's 11, with 13.
But he was at his best on a 16-yard pass to receiver Jalen Nailor on third down to seal the victory. "We saw a lot of things that he's capable of doing," coach Kevin O'Connell said. "And we saw some things that as he continues his ascension and his growth, he'll only get better and better at."
But his encouraging signs ran deeper than simply the box score, as he produced his two fastest bat speeds since pre-injury on a pair of 72-m.p.h. swings. The first of which came on a third-inning groundout, while the second was a product of Bichette's RBI single in the seventh - a swing that also generated his highest exit velocity (109.6 m.p.h.) of the World Series.
