NHL NARROWING LIST OF POSSIBLE CITIES
The National Hockey League has begun winnowing its possible locations to resume the season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Blue Jackets were informed Monday that Columbus will not be one of the NHL’s hub cities. Columbus was one of 10 finalists, including seven in the U.S.
Las Vegas is now considered the U.S. favorite to host NHL playoff games, unless two Canadian cities are selected. Canada’s federal government last week said it would allow the league to quarantine internally, making Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton realistic possibilities — if not the front-runners.
The NHL has said it will select two hub cities — one for the Eastern Conference playoffs and one for the Western Conference. The Stanley Cup Final would likely be in one of the two cities.
PGA Championship confirms no fans for Harding Park.
Brooks Koepka will try to become the first player to win the PGA Championship three straight times in stroke play, and there won’t be anyone at Harding Park to cheer him on.
The PGA Championship, originally scheduled for May 14-17 in San Francisco, now is set for Aug. 6-9 and will be the first of three majors this year. The U.S. Open moved from June to Sept. 17-20 in New York, with the Masters moving to November two weeks before Thanksgiving. The British Open was canceled.
Cowboys’ Prescott signs $31M tag, still time for longer deal.
Dak Prescott plans to be at training camp with the Dallas Cowboys, if and when it starts, on the richest one-year contract in franchise history.
There is also still time to work out a long-term deal for the star quarterback. Prescott signed his $31.4 million tender under the franchise tag. That comes just over three weeks before the July 15 deadline to agree on a long-term deal.
By signing the offer under the franchise tag, Prescott is obligated to report for all team activities or risk being fined.
Oklahoma State’s Cunningham staying despite postseason ban.
Cade Cunningham, one of the nation’s top basketball recruits, has chosen to remain at Oklahoma State despite the program being banned from the 2021 postseason.
The 6-foot-7 point guard won the Naismith High School Trophy given to the nation’s best player. He is No. 1 in the Rivals and 247Sports recruiting rankings for his class and No. 2 in the ESPN 100.
Earlier this month, an NCAA infractions committee panel handed down numerous penalties related to findings that former assistant coach Lamont Evans accepted up to $22,000 in bribes intended to help steer athletes to certain financial advisers. Oklahoma State is appealing.
Mystics’ Natasha Cloud, LaToya Sanders to skip WNBA season.
WASHINGTON»Washington Mystics players Natasha Cloud and LaToya Sanders are opting out of participating in the 2020 WNBA season for the league’s reigning champions.
In a social media posting, Cloud cited a desire to “fight on the front lines for social reform,” while Sanders explained in a statement issued by the club that taking the season off “is what’s best for my health and family.”
Their announcements follow those of other WNBA players who have said they won’t be a part of plans for a 22-game schedule that would begin in late July in Florida without spectators.
Pride withdraws from NWSL tourney after positive COVID-19 tests.
The Orlando Pride have withdrawn from the upcoming National Women’s Soccer League tournament after six players and four staff members tested positive for COVID-19.
The NWSL is the first U.S. professional team sport scheduled to return amid the coronavirus pandemic. The month-long Challenge Cup tournament is set to start Saturday in Utah. —