Matthews, Josi, Kadri the week's NHL stars
Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews, Nashville Predators defenceman Roman Josi and Calgary Flames centre Nazem Kadri have been named the NHL's three stars of the week.
Matthews led the league with five goals and added two assists in four games last week. He scored in all four of Toronto's games to extend his goal streak to eight games and his point streak to 14.
Josi led defencemen and placed fourth in the NHL with seven points (two goals, five assists) in three games as Nashville clinched a post-season berth.
Kadri led the league with eight points (four goals, four assists) in four games.
Attendance was up 1.4 per cent in the NBA this season, with the league setting a slew of records for ticket sales and sellouts.
The total attendance in the regular season that ended Sunday was 22,536,341, the league said — the second consecutive season in which the NBA set that record. Other records set this season included 872 sellouts, 71 per cent of games selling out and an average attendance of 18,322.
In all, the league said, arenas were filled to 98 per cent capacity, another record.
Part of the reason for the attendance boost was the success of the In-Season Tournament, which was held this season for the first time in November and December. The NBA's average attendance for those November games around the league was 18,208, another record.
Three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and the Indianapolis Colts have agreed on a US$46 million, two-year contract extension through 2026, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team didn't release the terms.
Buckner had eight sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 21 quarterback hits in 2023. A first-round pick by San Francisco in 2016, the 30-year-old Buckner was traded to the Colts in 2020. For his career, he has 61 sacks and 80 tackles for loss.
The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to terms with wide receiver DeVonta Smith on a three-year contract extension Monday. The move included the Eagles picking up the fifth-year option on Smith's 2025 season. Smith has 240 receptions for 3,178 yards and 19 touchdowns in three seasons.
The favoured French candidacy to host the 2030 Winter Olympics is in talks with the Netherlands and Italy to stage speed skating races.
The cross-border option was detailed on Monday by International Olympic Committee officials.
Nice does not have enough venues for all Olympic events on ice and the IOC now encourages hosts to avoid construction costs by finding cheaper solutions abroad.