LIGHTNING TRADE MCDONAGH TO PREDS
Julien BriseBois wanted to explain his plan to Ryan McDonagh in person, laying out exactly why he was asking the veteran defenseman to waive his no-trade clause.
After one of the most difficult conversations in his tenure as general manager, BriseBois made perhaps his toughest move yet during the Tampa
Bay Lightning’s run of success by trading a prominent member of two Stanley Cup championship teams in an effort to win it again in the coming years.
The Lightning sent McDonagh to the Nashville Predators on Sunday for younger defenseman Philippe Myers and forward prospect Grant Mismash, clearing significant salary cap space to make more moves this offseason and setting up Tampa Bay to keep younger core players around for the long term.
After previously forecasting his team’s Cup window lasting through only next season, BriseBois moving McDonagh has changed the game for the NHL’s most successful franchise over the past five years.
“It allows us to make sure we can make sure we extend it beyond one season,” BriseBois said.
More NHL
The Winnipeg Jets announced the hiring of Rick Bowness as their head coach after several days of speculation. The 67-year-old Bowness, who becomes the team’s eighth head coach in franchise history, began his coaching career with the Jets, culminating in 28 games running the bench to close the 1988-89 season.
NBA
The Chicago Bulls and guard Goran Dragic agreed to a one-year, $2.9 million contract, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The 36-year-old Dragic has averaged 13.7 points and shot 36.2 percent on 3-pointers over 14 seasons with Phoenix, Houston, Miami, Toronto and Brooklyn.
WNBA
Cheyenne Parker had 21 points and nine rebounds, Rhyne Howard scored 16 points and the Atlanta Dream (10-11) never trailed in their 9076 win over the visiting Seattle Storm.
• Alyssa Thomas scored 14 of her 23 points after halftime and finished with nine rebounds as the host Connecticut Sun (14-7) rallied from a 17point second-half deficit to beat the Washington Mystics (13-10) 74-72 in overtime.
• Nneka Ogwumike scored 22 points, Liz Cambage added 16 and the Los Angeles Sparks (9-11) beat the visiting New York Liberty (8-12) 84-74.
Football
The Birmingham Stallions defeated the Philadelphia Stars 33-30 in the USFL championship game in Canton, Ohio.
• The San Diego Strike Force (3-11) lost, 53-47, to the Tucson Sugar Skulls (8-6) at Pechanga Arena in Indoor Football League play on Saturday night. Strike Force wide receiver Marques “Hoodie” Rodgers had three second-half touchdown catches.
Mixed martial arts
Alexander Volkanovski defeated Max Holloway for the third time Saturday night.
The Australian champion defended his featherweight title by unanimous decision with a dominant striking performance at UFC 276 in Las Vegas.
Israel Adesanya also retained his middlweight belt with a tepid unanimous-decision victory over Jared Cannonier.