Contenders complete deals as NHL deadline approaches

Stanley Cup contenders aren’t waiting until the NHL trade deadline day to shore up depth for what they hope is a long playoff run.

The league-leading Florida Panthers got deeper on the wing on Wednesday by acquiring Vladimir Tarasenko from Ottawa, Connor Mcdavid’s Edmonton Oilers added a pair of centers in Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick from Anaheim, the New York Rangers traded with Seattle for a player they coveted in Alexander Wennberg and the Colorado Avalanche loaded up by getting defenseman Sean Walker from Philadelphia and center Casey Mittelstadt from Buffalo in separate deals.

Colorado traded a top-10 protected 2025 first-round pick and center Ryan Johansen to Philadelphia for Walker and a fifth-rounder in 2026 and got Mittelstadt in a one-for-one trade that sent defenseman Bowen Byram to the Sabres.

The Panthers sent a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft to Ottawa for Tarasenko, and the fourth-rounder would upgrade to a 2026 thirdrounder if Florida wins the Stanley Cup this season. Ottawa also is getting a third-round pick from Florida in 2025, while the Senators are retaining half of Tarasenko’s salary.

The Rangers sent a 2024 second- and a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Kraken for Wennberg.

The moves come less than 24 hours after the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights got the ball rolling by trading with Washington for 20-goal scorer Anthony Mantha. Many more moves are expected before 2 p.m. CST Friday deadline.

Capitals extend Sandin:

Defenseman Rasmus

Sandin is sticking around with the Washington Capitals for a while after re-signing Wednesday on a five-year contract worth $23 million.

GOLF British Open puts its age limit at 55

The British Open is reducing the age limit to 55 for winners of the claret jug this year and beyond, part of a few tweaks to its exemption categories announced Wednesday.

Among the changes are to take the leading five players from the International Federation Ranking — the top players from the money lists of Japan, Asian, Australian and South African tours, plus the next-highest player in the world ranking from those tours.

That provides a path this year for Andy Ogletree, now with Saudifunded LIV Golf, who won the Asian Tour Order of Merit last year.

The Open changed its age limit from 65 to 60 in 2010, and it now will be 55 for future champions. But the change doesn’t affect past champions like Phil Mickelson and John Daly, who will be 54 and 58, respectively, at this year’s Open.

OLYMPICS IOC: Israel not facing sanctions

Israel faces no threat to its Olympic status ahead of the Paris Games despite the conflict in Gaza, IOC president Thomas Bach confirmed Wednesday.

Some of the scattered calls Israel has faced for sporting sanction since October have come from Russia, which is isolated in world sports because of its invasion of Ukraine.

Asked Wednesday about Israel teams and athletes not taking part in Paris, Bach said: “No, there is no question about this.”