Shelton excited for chance with Pats
Danny Shelton didn’t need very long to start toeing the New England Patriots’ company line.
Less than a week after New England acquired Shelton in a trade with the Cleveland Browns, the defensive lineman is already singing coach Bill Belichick’s praises and taking notice of the team’s culture of success.
“Part of the formula to winning is doing your job, and I see that everywhere at the facility with everyone just staying focused and having that same goal leading toward success, and that’s what I want to be a part of,” Shelton said on a conference call Monday.
After spending his first three NFL seasons with a Browns team that won only four games total and went 0-16 last season, the 24-year-old Shelton is willing to adapt to whatever role Belichick sees fit for him.
“Honestly, I’m just going to go with whatever coach wants me to do,” Shelton said. “My best (skill) is stopping the run, so if he wants me to play a defensive position I’ll do it and I’ll make sure I do my job to achieve success.”
Shelton had 128 tackles and 1½ sacks over 46 games with Cleveland after being drafted by the Browns with the No. 12 overall pick out of Washington in 2015.
In 2016, Shelton started all 16 games and had a ca- reer-high 59 tackles.
Shelton hopes to wear the No. 55 with the Patriots after doing so with the Browns and in college in honor of the late Junior Seau, who wore the number throughout his career and in his last four seasons in New England.
“Any opportunity I get to wear the number I would take in a heartbeat,” Shelton said. “It’s just amazing to have this opportunity to play for a great organization and knowing that one of my role models, one of the guys that I looked up to played here.”
Shelton said he is also fond of former Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, whom he drew comparisons to before he was drafted.
“Just knowing that I’ll be able to play for a team that’s had such great talent here, I just want to add to the team success,” Shelton said.
NOTE: The Patriots released veteran linebacker Shea McClellin.
McClellin, 28, missed the 2017 season with multiple concussions after joining the Patriots as an unrestricted free agent in 2016.
McClellin had 39 tackles and one sack in 14 games for the Patriots in 2016.
The former Boise State standout was drafted No. 19 overall in 2012 by Chicago and spent his first four NFL seasons with the Bears.
Over 52 games with Chicago, McClellin had 7½ sacks and 161 tackles, including a career-high 81 in 2015. Monday’s sports transactions
By the Associated Press
BASEBALL American League MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL — Promoted Uzma Rawn group director and vice president of sponsorship sales. American League
BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Optioned C Austin Wynns and LHP Donnie Hart to Norfolk (IL).
BOSTON RED SOX — Reassigned INF Chad De La Guerra to minor league camp. CLEVELAND INDIANS — Optioned INF Yandy Diaz, C Eric Haase and INF Eric Stamets to Columbus (IL). Reassigned OF Brandon Barnes, INF Richie Shaffer and RHPs Preston Claiborne, Stephen Fife, Cam Hill and Neil Ramirez to minor league camp. Released C Ryan Hanigan and OF Melvin Upton Jr.
HOUSTON ASTROS — Signed 2B Jose Altuve to a seven-year contract. SEATTLE MARINERS — Optioned C David Freitas to Tacoma (PCL). Reassigned OF John Andreoli and RHPs Shawn Armstrong, Mike Morin and Art Warren to minor league camp.
TAMPA BAY RAYS — Optioned LHP Anthony Banda and RHP Ryne Stanek to Durham (IL).
TEXAS RANGERS — Placed RHP Clayton Blackburn on the 60-day DL. Claimed 1B Tommy Joseph off waivers from Philadelphia.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Optioned SS Richard Urena and LHP Sam Moll to Buffalo (IL).
National League ATLANTA BRAVES — Optioned 3B Ryan Schimpf to Gwinnett (IL). Signed RHP Anibal Sanchez to a minor league contract. WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Signed RHP Jeremy Hellickson to a minor league contract.
American Association CHICAGO DOGS — Signed LHP Miles Moeller.
KANSAS CITY T-BONES — Signed OF Dillon Thomas.
Can-Am League ROCKLAND BOULDERS — Signed OF Mike Montville.
SUSSEX COUNTY MINERS — Signed RHP Brent Jones.
BASKETBALL National Basketball Association ATLANTA HAWKS — Transferred F Andrew White III from Erie (NBAGL). CLEVELAND CAVALIERS — Announced coach Tyronn Lue is taking a leave of absence.
FOOTBALL National Football League HOUSTON TEXANS — Signed S Tyrann Mathieu. Claimed WR Sammie Coates off waivers from Cleveland.
LOS ANGELES RAIDERS — Signed QB Josh Johnson and CB Shareece Wright. LOS ANGELES RAMS — Re-signed DE Dominique Easley to a one-year contract. MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Acquired QB Trevor Siemian and a 2018 seventh-round draft pick from Denver for a 2019 fifthround pick.
NEW YORK GIANTS — Re-signed DE Kerry Wynn. Signed WR Cody Latimer and CB B.W. Webb.
OAKLAND RAIDERS — Signed QB Josh Johnson and CB Shareece Wright. WASHINGTON REDSKINS — Signed CB Orlando Scandrick.
HOCKEY
National Hockey League CALGARY FLAMES — Assigned G Nick Schneider to Stockton (AHL). Recalled D Rasmus Andersson from Stockton. American Hockey League STOCKTON HEAT — Assigned G Mason McDonald to Kansas City (ECHL).
COLLEGE INTERCOLLEGIATE TENNIS ASSOCIATION — Named Dakota Johnson championships and rankings coordinator. WEST COAST CONFERENCE — Named Gloria Nevarez commissioner. CUMBERLAND (TENN.) — Named Jeremy Lewis men’s basketball coach. Tournament championship.
1965 — Bill Bradley scores 58 points to lead Princeton to a 118-82 rout of Wichita State in the NCAA third-place game. UCLA beats Michigan 91-80 to win its second National championship.
1968 — Dave Bing of the Detroit Pistons finishes the season with a league-leading 27.1 ppg. average, becoming the first guard in 20 years to lead the NBA in scoring.
1969 — Less than two months after she becomes the first woman to ride in a pari-mutuel race in America, Diane Crump rides her first winner at Gulfstream Park. 1971 — Two brothers face each other in goal for the first time in the NHL. Ken Dryden and the Montreal Canadiens get a 5-2 win against Dave Dryden and the Buffalo Sabres at the Montreal Forum. Ken appears after a second-period injury to Rogie Vachon and then Dave is immediately put in goal by Buffalo coach Punch Imlach. 1976 — Boston’s John Havlicek becomes the first NBA player to score more than 1,000 points per season for 14 consecutive years. Atlantic Division
GP W L OTPts GF GA 72 49 19 4 102260 202 70 45 17 8 98 235 179 72 43 22 7 93 243 204 69 35 27 7 77 210 216 72 26 34 12 64 182 230 71 26 34 11 63 197 244 72 26 35 11 63 184 224 71 23 36 12 58 172 232 Metropolitan Division
GP W L OTPts GF GA Washington 72 41 24 7 89 225 214 Pittsburgh 72 41 26 5 87 237 218 Philadelphia 73 37 25 11 85 218 215 Columbus 72 39 28 5 83 200 199 New Jersey 72 37 27 8 82 217 215 Carolina 72 31 30 11 73 194 225 N.Y. Rangers 72 32 32 8 72 208 231 N.Y. Islanders 72 30 32 10 70 231 262 Tampa Bay Boston Toronto Florida Montreal Ottawa Detroit Buffalo
Central Division
GP W L OTPts GF GA 71 47 14 10 104232 178 72 43 19 10 96 240 189 72 41 24 7 89 224 206 72 39 25 8 86 231 209 73 38 27 8 84 209 197 72 39 28 5 83 201 193 73 30 34 9 69 208 223 Pacific Division
GP W L OTPts GF GA Vegas 72 46 21 5 97 244 199 San Jose 72 40 23 9 89 219 199 Anaheim 73 37 24 12 86 206 197 Los Angeles 72 39 27 6 84 207 181 Calgary 73 35 28 10 80 202 217 Edmonton 72 31 36 5 67 201 231 Vancouver 72 25 38 9 59 186 236 Arizona 71 23 37 11 57 170 228 Nashville Winnipeg Minnesota Colorado Dallas St. Louis Chicago
Goal Scoring
Name Team GP G Name
Patrik Laine Winnipeg 72 43 Blake Wheeler Alex Ovechkin Washington 72 43 Jakub Voracek Evgeni Malkin Pittsburgh 68 40 Johnny Gaudreau William Karlsson Vegas 72 39 Claude Giroux Nathan MacKinnon Colorado 64 38 Nikita Kucherov Eric Staal Minnesota 72 38 Steven Stamkos Tyler Seguin Dallas 73 38 Connor McDavid Nikita Kucherov Tampa Bay 70 36 Mathew Barzal Anders Lee N.Y. Islanders 72 35 Sidney Crosby Connor McDavid Edmonton 72 34 Mikko Rantanen John Tavares N.Y. Islanders 72 32 John Klingberg Taylor Hall New Jersey 67 31 Nathan MacKinnon Rickard Rakell Anaheim 68 31 Anze Kopitar James van Riemsdyk Toronto 71 31 David Perron Brad Marchand Boston 56 30 Evgeny Kuznetsov Sean Monahan Calgary 72 30 Phil Kessel Brock Boeser Vancouver 62 29 Josh Bailey Logan Couture San Jose 68 29 Evgeni Malkin Phil Kessel Pittsburgh 72 29 Erik Karlsson Name
Andrei Vasilevskiy Pekka Rinne Connor Hellebuyck Frederik Andersen Sergei Bobrovsky Devan Dubnyk Braden Holtby Tuukka Rask John Gibson Jonathan Quick Ben Bishop Marc- Andre Fleury Cam Talbot Martin Jones Henrik Lundqvist Mike Smith Jake Allen
Matt Murray Craig Anderson Brian Elliott Atlantic Division
GP W L OLSOL Pts F A Lehigh Valley 66 42 16 3 5 92 232 187 WB/Scranton 62 37 19 4 2 80 200 177 Providence 64 38 21 3 2 81 188 153 Charlotte 66 37 26 0 3 77 219 192 Bridgeport 64 31 25 5 3 70 173 172 Hartford 66 29 29 5 3 66 183 223 Springfield 65 28 31 5 1 62 182 203 Hershey 66 27 30 4 5 63 175 213 North Division
GP W L OLSOLPts F A Toronto 63 44 17 1 1 90 205 135 Syracuse 65 39 19 3 4 85 207 169 Rochester 65 30 19 10 6 76 197 187 Utica 64 31 23 6 4 72 179 185 Laval 65 24 33 6 2 56 183 230 Belleville 65 24 36 2 3 53 158 234 Binghamton 64 21 33 7 3 52 157 202
Central Division
GP W L OLSOLPts F A Manitoba 64 38 18 4 4 84 220 165 Chicago 63 34 20 7 2 77 199 169 Iowa 63 30 19 9 5 74 196 196 Grand Rapids 64 33 24 1 6 73 195 182 Rockford 64 32 24 4 4 72 191 194 Milwaukee 64 32 27 4 1 69 177 196 Cleveland 62 21 33 5 3 50 150 212 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss. Top three teams in each division and two wild cards per conference advance to playoffs.
Sunday’s Games Colorado 5, Detroit 1
Vegas 4, Calgary 0
Tampa Bay 3, Edmonton 1 Carolina 4, N.Y. Islanders 3 Philadelphia 6, Washington 3 Winnipeg 4, Dallas 2
St. Louis 5, Chicago 4, OT Anaheim 4, New Jersey 2
Monday’s Games Columbus at Boston, 7 p.m. Nashville at Buffalo, 7 p.m. Florida at Montreal, 7:30 p.m. Los Angeles at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Calgary at Arizona, 10 p.m.
Tuesday’s Games Columbus at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m. Dallas at Washington, 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m. Edmonton at Carolina, 7 p.m. Florida at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Toronto at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. Los Angeles at Winnipeg, 8 p.m. Colorado at Chicago, 8:30 p.m. Vancouver at Vegas, 10 p.m. New Jersey at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.
Wednesday’s Games Montreal at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. Arizona at Buffalo, 7 p.m. Boston at St. Louis, 8 p.m. Anaheim at Calgary, 9:30 p.m.
Thursday’s Games N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. Arizona at Carolina, 7 p.m. Florida at Columbus, 7 p.m. Tampa Bay at N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m.
Assists Team GP A Winnipeg 72 61 Philadelphia 73 60 Calgary 73 58 Philadelphia 73 58 Tampa Bay 70 57 Tampa Bay 72 57 Edmonton 72 55 N.Y. Islanders72 54 Pittsburgh 72 54 Colorado 71 52 Dallas 73 52 Colorado 64 51 Los Angeles 72 51 Vegas 66 50 Washington 71 50 Pittsburgh 72 50 N.Y. Islanders68 49 Pittsburgh 68 49 Ottawa 66 48 Pacific Division
GP W L OLSOL Pts F A Tucson 57 34 18 4 1 73 176 149 Ontario 58 32 20 4 2 70 168 160 San Diego 57 32 21 3 1 68 180 165 Texas 65 33 22 7 3 76 194 201 Stockton 57 29 22 2 4 64 179 164 San Antonio 65 30 25 10 0 70 168 181 San Jose 56 26 23 4 3 59 146 164 Bakersfield 57 25 22 9 1 60 161 178
NOTE: Two points are awarded for a win, one point for an overtime or shootout loss.
Sunday’s Games Binghamton 4, Charlotte 1 Providence 4, Bridgeport 1 WB/Scranton 6, Hershey 4 Lehigh Valley 3, Springfield 0 Utica 3, Toronto 1 Chicago 7, Iowa 3
San Antonio 4, Cleveland 0 Hartford 6, Rochester 4 Ontario 5, San Jose 4, OT
Monday’s Games Rockford at Iowa, 8 p.m.
Tuesday’s Games WB/Scranton at Toronto, 7 p.m. Chicago at Cleveland, 7 p.m.