CNOTES 2025 2026 NHL NEWS, BEST BETS, AND OPINION !

[Cnotes53]

Kirill Kaprizov contract extension: Wild star becomes highest-paid player in NHL history with eight-year deal​

Kaprizov will make $17.0 million annually with the contract extension​

The Minnesota Wild made star winger Kirill Kaprizov the highest-paid player in NHL history. Kaprizov signed an eight-year, $136 million contract extension with the Wild, which carries an average annual value of $17.0 million per season.

Kaparizov's deal begins for the 2026-27 season and goes through the 2033-34 campaign. The star forward was slated to enter the final season of a five-year, $45 million contract that he signed back in 2021. He would have been an unrestricted free agent following the 2025-26 season.

The contract is the largest in league history in terms of total dollars as Kaprizov's new deal will surpass Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin's 13-year, $124 million contract extension signed back in 2008. Meanwhile, Kaprizov's contract will also surpass Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl ($14.0 million) in terms of his annual cap hit.

Kaprizov previously turned down an eight-year, $128 million contract extension offer.

The Wild forward is fresh off a season in which he registered 56 points (25 goals, 31 assists) in 2024-25 but missed 41 games due to a lower-body injury. The Wild star recorded three consecutive 40-goal campaigns prior to an injury-shortened 2024-25 season, including a career-high 47 goals in 2021-22.

Since entering the league in 2020-21, Kaprizov has developed into one of the NHL's most dynamic goal scorers. Kaprizov -- a fifth-round selection in the 2015 NHL Draft -- won the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie in 2020-21 and has appeared in three NHL All-Star Games.

 

[Cnotes53]

NHL Power Rankings: Reigning champion Panthers remain team to beat after draft, free agency​

The Panthers have kept winning ever since hoisting the Cup​

Following the NHL Draft and free agency, the offseason has hit its annual lull. Over the last month, teams have been working to improve their teams for the 2025-26 campaign, but how many really did that?

In this offseason edition of the NHL Power Rankings, we'll see where every team stands with the draft and free agency in the rearview mirror. While many questions remain throughout the league, one thing is clear. The Florida Panthers are the best organization around.

Florida kept all three of its major free agents, and it got them at a discount, at least as far as average annual value is concerned. The Panthers have reloaded for their fourth consecutive deep playoff run. It shouldn't be a shock to see the back-to-back champs at the top of the rankings.

NHL free agency tracker: Bowen Byram re-signs with Sabres amidst trade speculation
Chris Bengel


Below the Cats, there was quite a bit of movement. In the West, the Vegas Golden Knights made a big splash with the acquisition of Mitch Marner, while the Los Angeles Kings took a couple steps backward. The Carolina Hurricanes tried to close the gap with the Panthers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have a clear void to fill.

 

[Cnotes53]

Canadiens	The Canadiens are a fascinating team in 2025-26 because they just made the playoffs with a minus-20 goal differential. That tells me they were fortunate to be in that position. On the other hand, Montreal is an exciting group. Lane Hutson is coming off a Calder Trophy win, and the team just swung a blockbuster trade for Noah Dobson.	--	0-0-0
16	Kings	Missing out on Mitch Marner. Trading Jordan Spence. Signing Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin to big contracts. It's hard to see the Kings as anything other than one of the offseason's biggest losers so far. Los Angeles is probably still a playoff team, but a fifth straight loss to the Oilers is coming down the tracks.	12	0-0-0
17	Blues	St. Louis has upgraded its center depth with Pius Suter and Nick Bjugstad, and there are still things to like elsewhere. The Blues just seem to lack enough high-end scorers to compete with the top teams in its own division. Perhaps Jim Montgomery's defensive acumen can get this team to the postseason again.	4	0-0-0
18	Rangers	The Rangers essentially swapped K'Andre Miller for Vladislav Gavrikov. They got rid of a veteran player on a pricey deal in Chris Kreider. Mike Sullivan takes over behind the bench. It's been a mixed bag for New York, a team that seems destined for the playoff fringes next season.	4	0-0-0
19	Canucks	Pius Suter is gone. Evander Kane has arrived. Brock Boeser has returned. All of those things feel surprising to different degrees, and it's hard to evaluate these Canucks. Will they be closer to the 2023-24 squad that nearly went to the conference finals, or will it be a repeat of last year when they missed the playoffs by six points? The latter seems more likely.	1	0-0-0
20	Red Wings	The Red Wings went out and got the top goalie available on the trade market in John Gibson. They also added defensive specialist Mason Appleton to the forward group. Is that enough to end Detroit's lengthy playoff drought? I'm pretty skeptical, so Steve Yzerman may need to take a big swing on the trade market over the next few months (see: Jason Robertson).	1	0-0-0
21	Ducks	Despite the addition of some veterans (Mikael Granlund and Chris Kreider), any meaningful improvements will have to be made internally. Anaheim needs players like Mason McTavish, Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier and Pavel Mintyukov to take big steps forward under new coach Joel Quenneville.	4	0-0-0
22	Sabres	I'm of two minds about the Buffalo Sabres. For one, they have some fun players in their forward group, and their young core of defensemen is quite impressive. Having said that, it's also the Sabres. There are still big holes further down the lineup that I do not expect them to plug. This team can't get out of its own way, so I won't be predicting playoffs until I see it with my own eyes.	1	0-0-0
23	Bruins	Putting the Bruins at No. 23 feels a little generous. Outside of David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy, how many players are there to get excited about? Maybe Hampus Lindholm. Maybe Jeremy Swayman. Boston may be in for a very long 2025-26 season.	6	0-0-0
24	Predators	The Predators have tinkered with their defense a bit, but it's been uneventful outside of that. Positive regression alone should make Nashville better next season, but that would still put the team well out of a playoff spot. The Preds' front office might be better served to set its sights on the 2026 offseason.	7	0-0-0
25	Blue Jackets	This may seem low for a team that just missed the playoffs by two points last season, but the Blue Jackets played well above expectations. A lot went right for Columbus, and the team still missed the playoffs. The acquisition of Charlie Coyle was a head-scratcher, and the Ivan Provorov extension might have caused some bald spots among the fan base.	6	0-0-0
26	Flyers	The Trevor Zegras trade was a smart move from the Flyers. Bet on a very talented young player whose value has never been lower. If Zegras hits in Philly, the team will have a star. If not, he's in the last year of his current contract, so no harm done. Despite that, I still think the Flyers need at least one more year before they are back in the playoff conversation.	--	0-0-0
27	Islanders	Times are finally changing on Long Island. Lou Lamoriello is out, and the roster has been shaken up. Most notably, star defenseman Noah Dobson is a Canadien, and No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer will theoretically take his place. The change of direction might mean a tough year for the Islanders, but the future already looks pretty bright.	3	0-0-0
28	Flames	The Flames are another team that narrowly missed out on the playoffs, but they have taken a tumble in the postseason power rankings. Calgary was the beneficiary of some good puck luck, and the roster remains quite underwhelming. That's especially the case if Rasmus Andersson gets traded in the coming weeks.	10	0-0-0
29	Kraken	Seattle has done stuff this summer, but how much of it has been good? Lane Lambert is now the coach, but his resume with the Islanders was very underwhelming. Mason Marchment is a good player, but how much does he move the needle? Ryan Lindgren struggled last year, and now he will play a big role on the Kraken's blue line.	2	0-0-0
30	Penguins	One of the few teams clearly not trying to get any better for next season, the Penguins are very much playing the long game. Pittsburgh hasn't made many major additions, and GM Kyle Dubas is surely dangling trade chips like Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. The Pens will be quite bad, but that's by design.	2	0-0-0
31	Sharks	The Sharks are still going to be bad. But they might not be quite as bad. They have a trio of very exciting young forwards, and they added some veterans on the blue line. San Jose won't be within spitting distance of the playoffs, but there should be competent hockey on most nights.	1	0-0-0
32	Blackhawks	Last year made it very evident that the Blackhawks' rebuild still has a very long way to go. Even Connor Bedard struggled as Chicago cratered. Expect more young prospects to play bigger roles in 2025-26, and it will be interesting to see how many of them rise to the occasion and stick with the NHL club for most of the year.	2	0-0-0

 

[Cnotes53]

Biggest Movers
8 Panthers
12 Kings

Rk	Teams		Chg	Rcrd
1	Panthers	Bill Zito just keeps working his magic. Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad are all still Panthers. Well, it's either magic or all the winning and year-round sunshine. Regardless, Florida is primed for the first three-peat since the Islanders' run in the early 80s.	8	0-0-0
2	Golden Knights	Is it any surprise that the Golden Knights wound up with the biggest prize on the market this offseason? Mitch Marner is now in a Vegas uniform, and he'll play alongside Jack Eichel to form a terrifying duo. One more blue line addition should complete this juggernaut.	--	0-0-0
3	Avalanche	It hasn't been a crazy summer for the Avalanche, but they've handled their business quite nicely. Colorado re-signed Brock Nelson, and it upgraded on defense with a cheap one-year deal for Brent Burns. The Avalanche will once again be one of the favorites to hoist the Cup in 2025.	3	0-0-0
4	Stars	The Stars have some very real salary cap issues, but as things stand today, it looks like they'll be battling with the Avalanche atop the Central Division. Jason Robertson remains on the roster for now, and Dallas needs to do everything in its power to avoid trading him. That would be a major loss for the organization.	3	0-0-0
5	Hurricanes	Count me among the fans of Carolina's moves over the last week or so. The Canes signed Logan Stankoven to a very team-friendly contract, acquired K'Andre Miller from the Rangers and signed skilled winger Nikolaj Ehlers. Carolina is doing its best to close that gap with Florida in the East.	6	0-0-0
6	Oilers	Paying Trent Frederic almost $4 million to play bottom-six minutes was an interesting decision, and they tried yet again to fix their depth scoring by signing Andrew Mangiapane. Goaltending remains the biggest question, so we'll see whether the Oilers find any answers at that position between now and October.	6	0-0-0
7	Lightning	The Bolts have been quiet this summer, but we'll see how long that lasts. Even if it remains status quo for Tampa, this is still a very good team. If the Lightning can find a way to get better (and younger) on defense, then they will look pretty scary on paper going into 2025-26.	2	0-0-0
8	Maple Leafs	Even without Mitch Marner, the Leafs still have a talented lineup. Three members of the Core Four remain, and Matthew Knies is poised for another big jump. Beyond that, the acquisition of Matias Maccelli is one of my favorite low-key moves of the offseason. Still, Toronto just lost a perennial 100-point scorer, and the team is worse because of it.	7	0-0-0
9	Senators	Ottawa has yet to do anything really splashy, but the two under-the-radar moves it has made are really savvy. I'm a big fan of young defenseman Jordan Spence, who was underused in Los Angeles, and Lars Eller is an excellent fourth-line center. The Senators are coming for the top dogs in the Atlantic.	1	0-0-0
10	Mammoth	Expect me to be banging the Mammoth drum until the puck drops on opening night. I like the talent on this team, and that's especially true after the deal for JJ Peterka. He's capable of putting up 40 goals in this league, and while it does sting to lose Michael Kesselring, Utah's offense just got a major boost.	6	0-0-0
11	Devils	As things stand right now, the Devils seemed poised to run it back. That may not necessarily be a bad thing. There is plenty to like about this squad, especially with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt leading the way. The question is whether New Jersey can get a full 82 games out of Hughes.	3	0-0-0
12	Capitals	Not much has changed for the Capitals, and that's OK. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Washington is set to bring back most of the team that posted 51 wins and 111 points last season. I do suspect there will be some regression, but Washington will still be firmly in the Metro Division mix.	2	0-0-0
13	Jets	The Jets didn't know what they had in Nikolaj Ehlers, and now he's gone. On top of that, Winnipeg got much older with the signings of Jonathan Toews and Gus Nyquist, two players whose best days are behind them. Right now, it seems like the Jets may be in for a sizable step back after winning the Presidents' Trophy.	10	0-0-0
14	Wild	I still have questions about how the Wild will score, and while the addition of Vladimir Tarasenko could help, he's a player in decline. Minnesota probably isn't done making moves with Marco Rossi on the trade block. If the Wild can move on from Rossi and land a true No. 1 center, it will be a great summer. If not, then the team may be destined for another first-round exit.

 

[Cnotes53]

Aleksander Barkov injury: Panthers captain suffers torn ACL, could miss entire 2025-26 season​

Barkov has led the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup victories​

Getty Images
The Florida Panthers could potentially be without captain Aleksander Barkov for the entire 2025-26 season after he suffered a torn ACL. Barkov underwent surgery after suffering the injury in the early stages of training camp and is expected to miss seven to nine months.
During Panthers' practice Tuesday, Barkov was working one-on-one against defenseman Niko Mikkola when he went down awkwardly. Barkov's right leg got bent underneath him, and he was unable to put any weight on it as he was helped off the ice by members of the training staff.

After further evaluation, Barkov underwent surgery Friday, Panthers coach Paul Maurice told reporters. Later that day, a press release from the Panthers organization confirmed an expected timeline for Barkov's return.
"Today, [Barkov] underwent successful surgery by Dr. John Uribe at Baptist Health Doctors Hospital," the release read. "He will be re-evaluated on an ongoing basis. The expected recovery timeline for these injuries is 7 to 9 months."
Barkov, arguably the best two-way center in the NHL, has led the Panthers to consecutive Stanley Cup championships. It would be an understatement to say that his absence hurts the team's chances of a three-peat this upcoming season.

A three-time Selke Trophy winner as the best defensive forward in the league, Barkov routinely thrives against the opponents' best players, something that has been a major advantage for Florida in its last few playoff runs. Last season, Barkov posted an expected goals share of 58.4% and a goal differential of plus-13 at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick. Considering the quality of competition, those numbers are absurd, and the list of players who could match them is quite small.
While Barkov makes his hay as an elite defensive forward, he doesn't lack for offense either. He's eclipsed 70 points in each of the last four seasons, and Barkov has surpassed 80 points twice. There's simply no one better at playing 200-foot hockey than Barkov.

Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk likely out until at least December after undergoing surgery, per GM Bill Zito
Zachary Pereles

The loss of Barkov is a double whammy for Florida, which is already going to be without star winger Matthew Tkachuk as he recovers from offseason surgery to repair a lower-body injury. Without Barkov and Tkachuk, two captains and impact players on the ice, the Panthers will have to do all they can to stay afloat until the latter returns from injury.

If any team has the depth to overcome these two losses, it's the Panthers. They still have 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett and Anton Lundell down the middle. Plus, the wings are still in good shape with Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe and Brad Marchand all returning there. Assuming Barkov and Tkachuk will be placed on long-term injured reserve, general manager Bill Zito will have a lot of salary cap room with which to maneuver as well, and he's never shied away from big swings in the past.

 

[Cnotes53]

Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk likely out until at least December after undergoing surgery, per GM Bill Zito​

The reigning champs will start the season without one of their top players​

Getty Images
Florida Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk is likely to be out until "December-ish," according to GM Bill Zito after undergoing surgery for a lower-body injury.
Tkachuk had the surgery in late August, and though it was known that he'd miss the start of the season, Zito's latest comments provide more of a timetable for his return. Zito, however, said it's a hopeful timetable rather than a hard one, per team reporter Jessica Blaylock.

Tkachuk suffered a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia injury while playing for the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off, though he didn't reveal the seriousness of the injuries until after his Panthers had won the Stanley Cup.

"I tore my adductor off the bone and had some hernia thing all on the same side," Tkachuk said to TNT's Darren Pang when asked about his injuries. "I wanted to throw in the towel a bunch of times."

Tkachuk missed the final 25 games of the regular season due to the injuries, but he was on the ice for the playoffs as Florida successfully defended its title. He posted eight goals and 15 assists in the postseason, tying Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe for the team lead in points (23).

Bill Guerin, the GM for Team USA hockey at the 2026 Olympics, expects to have Tkachuk for the Games, per NHL.com. It's the first Olympics that NHL players are participating in since Sochi in 2014. Matthew Tkachuk and his brother Brady Tkachuk were among the U.S.'s "first six" reveal back in June, along with Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy.

 

[Cnotes53]

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar to retire after 2025-26 NHL season​

Kopitar will bring his career to a close at the end of what will be his 20th season in the NHL​

[IMG alt=" Steven Taranto
"]https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2023/09/15/1307cf00-0683-428f-81f8-07cb4fe439b3/thumbnail/80x80/bcdaef9a33930c8390b69e0931bcf213/steve-taranto-700.png[/IMG]

By Steven Taranto

Getty Images

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar, a franchise great who helped his team secure two Stanley Cup trophies between 2012 and 2014, announced Thursday that he will retire at the end of the 2025-26 NHL season. The upcoming season marks Kopitar's 20th and final season as a player, and the announcement of his retirement comes just after his 38th birthday.
Kopitar, who played his entire career with the Kings, enters the final season of a two-year contract extension that he signed in 2023 that has allowed him to affirm his legacy as one of the greatest players in franchise history. A two-way center known for his defensive prowess in particular, Kopitar is the Kings' all-time leader in games played (1,454) and assists (838) and sits just 30 points away from surpassing Marcel Dionne as the team's all-time leading scorer (Dionne's record is 1,307 points). Last year, Kopitar finished second on the Kings with 67 points and ice-time (18:57), and tied for the team lead with seven game-winning goals.

The Kings chose Kopitar with the No. 11-overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, becoming a national hero in Slovenia when he became the first Slovenian to play in the NHL upon his debut in 2006-07. He has since become a pillar of the Kings franchise, with his greatest contribution coming as a key member of their Stanley Cup-winning teams in 2012 and 2014. He has also earned enormous respect around the league, as he has won the Selke Trophy twice (2016, 2018) and has also earned three Lady Byng Trophies for gentlemanly play, two of which have come in the last three seasons in 2023 and 2025.

 

[Cnotes53]

Monday’s 6-pack:
Week 6 NFL spreads:
— Eagles (-7.5) @ Giants
— Broncos (-7.5) vs Jets (@ London)
— Browns @ Pittsburgh (-5.5)
— Chargers (-5.5) @ Miami
— Cardinals @ Indianapolis (-5.5)
— Seahawks @ Jacksonville (-1.5)

Quote of the Day
“I don’t really know what to think about that. I don’t even know. I really don’t even know. That’s ‘How to Lose a Game 101.’ I don’t know. It was crazy.”
Cardinals’ QB Kyler Murray

Monday’s quiz
Last time Toronto Blue Jays won a playoff series was 2016; who did they beat?

Sunday’s quiz
Since 2021, Detroit Lions have the NFL’s best record against the spread (51-22)

Saturday’s quiz
Jared Goff played his college football for the Cal Golden Bears.

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Monday’s Den: Wrapping up an NFL Sunday…….​

Titans 22, Cardinals 21
Arizona led 21-6 with 13:00 left; RB Demercado appeared to run for a 72-yard TD to salt the game away, but he dropped the ball just before he crossed the goal line; it became a touchback.
Arizona’s first four drives: 22 plays, 173 yards, 21 points.
Arizona rest of game: 42 plays, 185 yards, no points.
Cardinals lost their last three games by total of five points.
Rookie QB Ward threw for 265 yards in his first NFL win.
Titans’ last three drives: 25 plays, 205 yards, TD-INT-FG
WR Ridley caught five passes for 131 yards.
Tennessee also scored a TD when Arizona picked off a Ward pass with 5:00 left, but the guy fumbled and the Titans recovered it in the end zone for a TD.

Broncos 21, Eagles 17
Eagles led 17-3 after the third quarter.
Broncos in first 3 quarters: 45 plays, 171 yards, 3 points.
Denver in 4th quarter: 27 plays, 190 yards, 18 points.
Down 17-10, Denver scored a TD with 7:36 left; they went for 2 points and the lead, and made it, talking the lead for good.
Eagles’ last five drives: 20 plays, 54 yards, no points.
Eagles are 4-1, but they’ve been outgained in all five games.
Philly converted 2-11 third down plays, Broncos 5-16.
Philly is 7-10-1 ATS in last 18 games as a home favorite.

Buccaneers 38, Seahawks 35
Buccaneers kicked a 39-yard FG at the gun for a walk-off win.
Tampa Bay is 3-0 on road, with wins by 1-3-3 points.
Tampa Bay is 13-2 ATS last 15 games as a road underdog.
Mayfield threw for 379 yards, two TD’s.
Both teams averaged 10+ yards/pass attempt.
Seahawks’ first 3 drives: 15 plays, 95 yards, no points.
Seahawks’ last six drives: 30 plays, 311 yards, 35 points, one INT
Seattle is 7-13-1 ATS in last 21 games as a home favorite.

Panthers 27, Dolphins 24
Carolina drove 78 yards, scored game-winning TD with 1:59 left.
RB Dowdle ran ball 23 times for 206 yards and a TD.
Panthers outgained Miami, 418-248.
Carolina won both its home games, scoring 30-27 points.
Miami led 17-0 with 5:00 left in first half.
Dolphins ran the ball 14 times for only 19 yards.
Dolphins are 0-3 on road, giving up 30.3 ppg.
Under McDaniel, Miami is 9-13-1 ATS in games with spread of 3 or less points.

Vikings 21, Browns 17
Vikings drove 80 yards in 10 plays, scored game-winning TD with 0:25 left.
Under O’Connell, Vikings are 28-10 SU in games decided by 8 or fewer points.
Under O’Connell, Vikings are 20-13-3 ATS as a favorite.
Vikings are first team in ’25 to gain more than 277 yards vs Cleveland.
Rookie QB Gabriel threw for 190 yards, 2 TD’s in his first NFL start.
Rookie RB Judkins ran for 110 yards on 23 carries.
Minnesota converted 3-9 on third down, Cleveland 3-15.
In their 1-4 start, Browns have scored 16-17-13-10-17 points.

Patriots 23, Bills 20
New England led 6-3 at halftime.
Patriots kicked a 52-yard FG with 0:15 left for the win.
Patriots scored 33-42-23 points in wins, 13-14 in losses.
New England is 2-0 on road (33-27 @ Miami/23-20 here)
Bills outgained NE 363-338, but had 3 turnovers (minus-2)
Buffalo in first half: 27 plays, 125 yards, 3 points.
Buffalo in 2nd half: 36 plays, 263 yards, 17 points.
Patriots are 2-5 SU/5-2 ATS in last seven visits to Buffalo.

Famous birthdays, October 6th:
Tony Dungy, 70
Alfredo Griffin, 68
Elisabeth Shue, 62
Rubén Sierra, 60
Jeremy Sisto, 51
Freddy Garcia, 49
Jake Bauers, 30
Bryson Stott, 28
Herb Jones, 27
Trevor Lawrence, 26
Kyle Pitts, 25
Jonathan Kuminga, 23

— Blue Jays 13, New York 7
Toronto led 11-0 in the fourth inning.
Daulton Varsho was 4-for-5, scoring 4 runs, with 4 RBI
Toronto leads series 2-0; Game 3 is Tuesday in New York.

— Mariners 3, Tigers 2
Julio Rodriguez won the game with an 8th inning double.
Skubal pitched 7 innings, but Tigers got only three hits.
Series is tied, 1-1; Game 3 is Tuesday in Detroit.

Texans 44, Ravens 10
Texans’ first five drives: 36 plays, 266 yards, 31 points.
QB Stroud threw for 244 yards, four TD’s.
Houston outgained the Ravens, 417-207.
Texans won last two games 26-0/44-10, after an 0-3 start.
QB Jackson didn’t play; Baltimore trailed 24-3 at halftime.
Baltimore’s first six drives: 28 plays, 112 yards, 7 points.
Ravens gave up 41-38-37-44 points in their four losses.
Ravens are giving up 409.4 yards/game.

Saints 26, Giants 14
Giants led 14-3 New Orleans early in the second quarter.
Rattler threw an 87-yard TD pass to Shaheed.
Howden returned a fumble 86 yards for TD on first play of 4th quarter.
Saints converted 7-15 on third down, Giants 3-10
Giants’ first two drives: 16 plays, 129 yards, 14 points.
Giants rest of game: 53 plays, 207 yards, no points.
Giants are 5-9-1 ATS in last 15 games with spread of 3 or fewer points.
Giants committed 5 turnovers, had 8 penalties for 95 yards.

Cowboys 37, Jets 22
Cowboys in first half: 32 plays, 298 yards, 23 points.
Dallas led 23-3 at halftime.
Since 2021, Cowboys are 12-6 ATS as a road favorite.
Dallas scored 40-40-37 in wins/tie, 20-14 in losses.
Jets are 10-17 ATS in last 27 games as a home underdog.
Jets are 6-19-1 ATS last 26 games vs NFC teams.
Jets are 8-16-1 ATS in last 25 games coming off a loss.
Jets are 8-17-1 ATS last 26 games with spread of 3 or fewer points.

Colts 40, Raiders 6
Indy went 3/out on their first five drive.
Colts’ next six drives: 47 plays, 295 yards, six TD’s.
Colts are 3-0 at home, scoring 33-29-40 points.
Under Steichen, Indy is 7-2 ATS as a home favorite.
Raiders drove 80 yards, kicked FG on their first drive.
Raiders’ next six drives: 26 plays, 121 yards, no points.
Las Vegas lost last four games, giving up 20-41-25-40 points.
Raiders are 20-26-1 ATS in last 47 games coming off a loss.

Commanders 27, Chargers 10
Washington’s first two drives: 8 plays, 30 yards, no points.
Washington’s next four drives: 27 plays, 177 yards, 20 points.
QB Daniels is 16-7 as an NFL starter.
Commanders are 7-3 ATS last 10 games with a spread of 3 or fewer points.
Chargers’ first two drives: 18 plays, 119 yards, 10 points.
Chargers rest of game: 47 plays, 221 yards, no points.
QB Herbert has been sacked 16 times in Chargers’ first five games.
Chargers’ WR Keenan Allen caught his 1,000th career pass.

Lions 37, Bengals 24
Lions led 14-3 at halftime.
Detroit’s first two drives in 2nd half: 12 plays, 108 yards, 14 points.
Lions won last three games, scoring 52-38-34-37 points.
Detroit is +7 in turnovers in its last four games.
Bengals lost last three games, by a combined 113-37.
Lions are 12-2 ATS last 14 games as a road favorite.
Detroit is 16-7 ATS in last 23 games vs AFC teams
Detroit is 25-11 ATS last 36 games coming off a win.

 

[Cnotes53]

Tuesday’s 6-pack:
NFL QB’s who started in Week 5, who played at Oklahoma:
— Dillon Gabriel
— Jalen Hurts
— Baker Mayfield
— Kyler Murray
— Spencer Rattler
— Caleb Williams

Quote of the Day
“I feel very comfortable. It’s a fair question. We score 3 points in three games in the first half. I totally understand that. But right now, it’s going to remain the same.”
Bengals coach Zac Taylor, on his remaining the play caller

Tuesday’s quiz
Patrick Mahomes’ father pitched for six different teams in his 11-year major league career; what did he spend the most time with (5 years)?

Monday’s quiz
Last time Toronto Blue Jays won a playoff series was 2016; they beat Texas in that series.

Sunday’s quiz
Since 2021, Detroit Lions have the NFL’s best record against the spread (51-22)

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Tuesday’s Den: Nobody asked me, but……​

— College football conference trends (in conference games):

American
Home teams 4-9 ATS
Favorites 9-4 ATS

ACC
Road teams 12-8 ATS

Big 18
Underdogs 12-7 ATS

Big X
Favorites 12-7 ATS

Conference USA
Home teams 5-2 ATS

Mid-American
Home teams 7-3 ATS

Mountain West
Home teams 3-4 ATS

SEC
Home underdogs 4-0 ATS
Home teams 11-5 ATS

Sun Belt
Home teams 9-1 ATS

— NFL divisional trends:
AFC East
Home teams 1-4 ATS divisional games
4-6 ATS non-divisional games

AFC North
4-11 ATS non-divisional games

AFC South
8-5 ATS non-divisional games

AFC West
6-7 ATS non-divisional games

NFC East
8-6 ATS non-divisional games

NFC North
7-5 ATS non-divisional games

NFC South
Non-divisional road underdogs 5-3 ATS

NFC South
Home teams 0-4 ATS divisional games
7-5 ATS non-divisional games

— This is only the 4th time ever that every NFL team has a loss by Week 5.

Famous birthdays, October 7th:
José Cardenal, 82
Judy Landers, 67
Dylan Bakler, 66
Priest Holmes, 52
Omar Miller, 47
Evan Longoria, 40
Chase Daniel, 39
Mookie Betts, 33
Jesus Sanchez, 28
Tutu Atwell, 26

— NBA season starts in a couple weeks; NBA uses their preseason to market their game all over the world. Just this month, they’ll have games in:
Adu Dhabi
Australia
China
Puerto Rico
Vancouver, Canada
In regular season, they’ll have NBA games in England, Germany, Mexico City.

— White Sox IF Colson Montgomery hit 21 home runs this year in 71 games, the most home runs EVER by a player who didn’t hit a home run before the All-Star break.

— St Louis Cardinals are probably going to make big changes this winter:
2024: 83-79…….2,869,783 fans at home games (35,872/game)
2025: 78-84…….2,250,007 fans at home games (27,777/game)
Cardinals missed the playoffs the last three years; last time they missed the playoffs 4+ years in a row was 1988-95.

— Texas Rangers hired Skip Schumaker as their new manager; he went 84-78 managing the Marlins in 2023, then went 62-100 last year and he surprisingly resigned.

— Saturday night, Fresno State held off Nevada 20-17 in the Mountain West; Fresno held the ball for the last 8:42 of the game to preserve their win. 15 plays, 68 yards, no punts.

— Sunday in England, Dillon Gabriel was 41st quarterback to start for the Cleveland Browns, since 1999.

— Time flies; the NHL season starts tonight, with three games scheduled.

 

[Cnotes53]

Tuesday, October 7​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
CHI at FLA	05:00 PM	FLA -280 O 5.5	+500 +500
PIT at NYR	08:00 PM	PIT +185 O 6.0	+500 +500
COL at LA	10:30 PM	COL -115 U 5.5	+500 +500

 

[Cnotes53]

CNOTES NHL BEST BETS FOR OCTOBER !

10/07/2025..................................4 - 2 - 0.......................66.66%.....................+ 13.25

TOTALS........................................4 - 2 - 0........................66.66%.....................+ 13.25

 

[Cnotes53]

Wednesday’s 6-pack:
Andy Katz’s top 6 college basketball rivalries:
— North Carolina vs Duke
— Louisville vs Kentucky
— Purdue vs Indiana
— Michigan State vs Michigan
— Kentucky vs Florida
— Tennessee vs Kentucky

Quote of the Day
“I don’t know how to explain it… he’s nasty. I got a ton of respect for him. He gets me a lot and I’ve gotten him.”
Tigers OF Kerry Carpenter, who is 5-11 vs George Kirby, with five home runs

Wednesday’s quiz
In 2019, Arizona Diamondbacks traded Jazz Chisholm to the Marlins; what pitcher did Arizona get in return for him?

Tuesday’s quiz
Patrick Mahomes’ father pitched for six different teams in his 11-year major league career; he spent the most time (5 years) pitching for the Twins.

Monday’s quiz
Last time Toronto Blue Jays won a playoff series was 2016; they beat Texas in that series.

*********************************************

Wednesday’s Den: Our first look at Big East basketball teams…….​

This is the time of year where seasons overlap; college basketball starts November 3rd. Here is an early look at the Big East Conference:

— Butler (15-20, 6-14 LY)
haven’t made the NCAA’s since 2018.
shot 37% behind the arc last year (#31)
added senior G Jackson, first-team Horizon League all-star LY
6-7 senior Ajayi scored 17.2 ppg for Pepperdine two years ago, then bolted to Gonzaga, but only scored 7.4 ppg LY, so he is at his third school in three years.

— UConn (24-11, 14-6 LY)
made NCAA’s last 5 years, won 2/last 3 national titles.
last two years, played slow pace (#343/#330)
are deeper this year, expect to play faster.
brought in transfer point guards, from Georgia/Dayton.
62% of their scoring from LY is back, which is a lot.
odd stat; they lost their last four visits to Seton Hall.

— Creighton (25-11, 15-5 LY)
made last 5 NCAA’s, making Sweet 16 three times.
top four scorers from last year are gone.
added five transfers TY, including two from Iowa.
were 3rd-worst team in country at forcing turnovers LY.
have better depth this year (#295/bench minutes LY)

— DePaul (14-20, 4-16 LY)
haven’t made NCAA Tournament since 2004
have been .500 in conference games since 2007.
48.8% of scoring is back from LY, which is good.
only Big East team whose leading scorer is back.
added 5 transfers this year.
shot 34.4% on arc LY; transfer RJ Smith shot 38.6% on arc, at Colorado.

— Georgetown (18-16, 8-12 LY)
made 1 of last 8 NCAA Tourneys (2021)
last four years, they’re 12-67 in conference games.
added six transfers TY, including three big guys
junior PG was once Ivy League Rookie of Year at Harvard
need better shooting (shot 32.3% on arc LY)
were 10-3 out of conference LY, but they played easiest non-conference schedule in country.

— Marquette (23-11, 13-7 LY)
made NCAA Tournament last four years, going 3-4.
under Smart, they’re 61-27 in Big East games.
forced turnovers 21.7% of time LY (#18)
were #3 in country in turnover margin LY.
were #279 in rebounding margin LY.
lost top three scorers from LY, get PG Jones back (was hurt LY)

Famous birthdays, October 8th:
Chevy Chase, 82
Sigourney Weaver, 76
Enos Cabell, 76
Mike Morgan, 66
Tony Eason, 66
Emily Procter, 57
Matt Damon, 55
Monty Williams, 54
Olmedo Saenz, 55
Nick Allen, 27
Hunter Goodman, 26
Isaiah Collier, 21

— Providence (12-20, 6-14)
missed NCAA’s the last two years.
best player was hurt LY, then bolted to St John’s.
Friars lost 10 of their last 11 games LY.
were #346 LY in forcing turnovers.
added three transfers to bolster their backcourt.
shot 35.6% on arc LY (#76); 45.5% of their shots were 3’s (#50)

— Seton Hall (7-25, 2-18 LY)
LY, had #356 eFG% offense.
LY, had #335 eFG% defense.
forced turnovers 22.2% of time LY (#8)
their NIL budget is $1.5M, about 1/3 of most Big East teams.
haven’t made NCAA’s since 2022.
senior F Fisher played last 3 years at: Texas Tech, DePaul, Pacific

— St John’s (31-5, 18-2 LY)
made NCAA’s LY for first time since 2019
have 11 games this year at Madison Square Garden; high expectations.
were #317 in bench minutes LY.
Shot 30.1% on arc last year (#340)
added 6 transfers this year, 4 of them guards.
big guy Ejiofor scored 14.7 ppg LY, grabbed 8.1 rebounds/game.

— Villanova (21-15, 11-9 LY)
were 31-29 in Big East in 3 years under Neptune (0-0 in NCAA’s).
Kevin Willard is new coach; he’s made NCAA’s 7 of last 9 years.
Villanova’s subs played #358 minutes LY.
Willard added 11 transfers; they’re deeper, will play faster.
Last 4 years, Devin Askew has played for Cal, Texas, Kentucky, Long Beach State

— Xavier (22-12, 13-7 LY)
made NCAA’s twice in last seven years.
Richard Pitino is new coach (27-11 conference games last 2 years)
Pitino’s Lobos were in top 25 in tempo all four years he was there.
Pitino added 10 transfers TY; six of them scored double figures LY.
Those six transfers come from smaller programs:
Belmont, Boise State, Evansville, Montana, North Dakota, Valparaiso

 

[Cnotes53]

Wednesday, October 8​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
MON at TOR	07:00 PM	MON +145 O 6.0	+500 +500
BOS at WAS	07:30 PM	WAS -185 U 5.5	+500 +500
CAL at EDM	10:00 PM	EDM -220 O 6.0	+500 +500
LA at VEG	10:00 PM	VEG -210 U 6.0	+500 +500

 

[Cnotes53]

CNOTES NHL BEST BETS FOR OCTOBER !

10/08/2025..................................1 - 5 - 1.......................16.66%....................- 36.25
10/07/2025..................................4 - 2 - 0.......................66.66%....................+ 13.25

TOTALS........................................4 - 7 - 1.......................36.36%....................- 23.00

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday’s 6-pack:
Cleveland Browns are paying 8 quarterbacks this season:
$1.1M— Dillon Gabriel
$955K— Shedeur Sanders
$315K— Bailey Zappe
$35.9M— Deshaun Watson
$2.2M— Jameis Winston
$999K— Joe Flacco
$171K— Dorian Thompson-Robinson
$8K—Kenny Pickett

Quote of the Day
“Early on in my career, it was ‘cocky, immature.’ Now it’s ‘moxie’ and ‘he’s a dog.’…….as long as you play well, they change the narrative, but you’ve just got to be yourself, and I’ve always been like that.”
Baker Mayfield

Thursday’s quiz
In the movie The Bodyguard, when Whitney Houston’s character wins an Academy Award, what well-known actor was the MC of the ceremony?

Wednesday’s quiz
In 2019, Arizona Diamondbacks traded Jazz Chisholm to the Marlins; Arizona got Zac Gallen in return for him.

Tuesday’s quiz
Patrick Mahomes’ father pitched for six different teams in his 11-year major league career; he spent the most time (5 years) pitching for the Twins.

*****************************************

Thursday’s Den: Doing some thinking out loud…….​

— Couple nights ago, was watching YouTube late at night, and every MLB team has at least one podcast on there. Guys like me, sitting on their couch, spewing opinions about what went right or wrong this season. Some of them are good, some of them aren’t.
First of all, I couldn’t talk for an hour straight like that- no way. They must have notes or a script to follow, but that’s not my thing. Two-person podcasts are better, by the way.
My question is this: If you’re a major league player, and you make a few million $$$ a year, do you ever listen to these podcasts? Do you dismiss these nerdy types as wannabe athletes and ignore them?
Two guys do a podcast about the Cincinnati Reds; you would never know that the Reds made the playoffs this year, for only the second time in 12 years. Lot of criticism.

— Tigers 9, Mariners 3
Mariners led this game 3-0 in the fifth inning.
Javier Baez went 2-for-4, with 4 RBI
Riley Greene, Gleyber Torres also homered.
Game 5 is in Seattle on Friday

— Cubs 4, Brewers 3
Cubs scored four runs in the first inning and made them stand up.
Chicago bullpen got the last 15 outs, allowed only two hits.
Jake Bauers homered for Milwaukee.
Game 4 is at Wrigley Thursday.

— Wednesday was the last day this year with more than two baseball games.

— Mets went 83-79 this year, missed the playoffs, then fired the pitching coach, both their hitting coaches, their 3rd base coach, their catchers’ coach and the bench coach.
Somehow the “strategy coach” didn’t get fired; not really sure what he does, but if a team fires six of their coaches, how good could their strategy have been?
Turns out the strategy coach is a 35-year old ex-pitcher who went to Princeton, majoring in economics. He pitched in 119 games for Toronto, posting a 4.33 ERA in 120.2 IP.
David Stearns, who runs the Mets’ front office, went to Harvard, where he was a writer for the school’s newspaper.

Famous birthdays, October 9th:
Freddie Patek, 81
Shera Danese, 76
Brian Downing, 75
Robert Wuhl, 74
Scott Bakula, 71
John O’Hurley, 70
Mike Singletary, 67
Kenny Anderson, 55
Dexter McCleon, 52
Mark McLemore, 45
Derek Holland, 39
Starling Marte, 37

— Cleveland Browns traded 40-year old QB Joe Flacco to division rival Cincinnati Tuesday, and Flacco will start for the 2-3 Bengals this week in Green Bay.
Flacco has a career record of 116-95, 10-6 in playoff games.
The move leaves Cleveland with two rookie QB’s, Dillon Gabriel/Shedeur Sanders, as well as journeyman Bailey Zappe, who is 4-5 in nine NFL starts.

— Browns don’t have a bye week after playing in England Sunday, which is unusual, Team that didn’t have a bye week after playing overseas are:
11-6 SU/9-8 ATS. Browns are +5.5 in Pittsburgh Sunday.

— Indianapolis Colts lost their kicker (knee) for the year last week; they signed Michael Badgley as their new kicker. Badgley kicked for the Colts in 2021.

— Virginia off to a 5-1 start this season; they beat Louisville 30-27 in OT last week, in a game where they got outgained, 383-239, but the Cavaliers scored two defensive TD’s, and held Louisville to 54 rushing yards on 27 tries.

— Best college football teams against the spread this year:
6-0 Memphis
5-0 Louisiana Tech
5-0 Texas Tech
5-0 Utah State
4-0-1 Ohio State

— This past week was the first time the Ravens, Bills, Chiefs all lost in the same since Week 9 of the 2017 season, when Josh Allen/Lamar Jackson were still in college.

— 5-0 college teams that haven’t been 5-0 in a while
1959- North Texas
1974- UNLV
2013- Texas Tech
2014- Georgia Tech
2016- Texas Q&M
2022- Ole Miss

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday, October 9​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
NYI at PIT	07:00 PM	PIT +115 O 6.0	+500 +500
OTT at TB	07:00 PM	TB -180 U 6.0	+500 +500
PHI at FLA	07:00 PM	FLA -220 O 5.5	+500 +500
CHI at BOS	07:00 PM	BOS -160 O 6.0	+500 +500
NYR at BUF	07:00 PM	BUF -105 O 6.0	+500 +500
MON at DET	07:00 PM	MON +115 U 6.0	+500 +500
NJ at CAR	07:30 PM	CAR -170 U 5.5	+500 +500
MIN at STL	08:00 PM	STL -125 O 5.5	+500 +500
CLB at NAS	08:00 PM	CLB -105 O 6.0	+500 +500
DAL at WIN	08:00 PM	DAL -115 O 5.5	+500 +500
UTAH at COL	09:00 PM	UTAH +150 O 6.5	+500 +500
CAL at VAN	10:00 PM	VAN -210 U 6.0	+500 +500
ANA at SEA	10:00 PM	SEA -130 U 6.0	+500 +500
VEG at SJ	10:00 PM	VEG -200 O 6.5	+500 +500

 

[Cnotes53]

CNOTES NHL BEST BETS FOR OCTOBER !

10/09/2025...................................7 - 7 - 0.......................50.00%....................- 1.50
10/08/2025...................................1 - 5 - 1.......................16.66%....................- 36.25
10/07/2025...................................4 - 2 - 0.......................66.66%.....................+ 13.25

TOTALS......................................12 - 13 - 1.......................48.00%.....................- 24.50

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday’s 6-pack:
College basketball roster continuity, by conference:
62%— Ivy League
57.9%— Patriot League
36.2%— MAAC
33.6%— Summit League
33.5%— Atlantic Sun
33.2%— Ohio Valley

Quote of the Day
“They just see that we’ve got a chance. Defense is doing a good enough job to help us out. Our playmakers gotta make plays in space. That’s what they see. That’s what they want — is to keep going. They’re just giving us an opportunity to make more of those plays happen.”
WR Ja’Marr Chase, talking about the Bengals trading for QB Joe Flacco

Friday’s quiz
Where did Joe Flacco play his college football?

Thursday’s quiz
In the movie The Bodyguard, when Whitney Houston’s character wins an Academy Award, Robert Wuhl was the MC of the ceremony.

Wednesday’s quiz
In 2019, Arizona Diamondbacks traded Jazz Chisholm to the Marlins; Arizona got Zac Gallen in return for him.

*****************************************

Friday’s Den: Random stuff, with the weekend here…….​

Giants 34, Eagles 17
Giants in first half: 28 plays, 193 yards, 20 points.
Eagles in 2nd half: 21 plays, 140 yards, no points, 2 turnovers.
Giants ran ball 39 times for 172 yards, were +2 in turnovers.
Giants were 11-16 on third down, Eagles 1-9
Rookie RB Skattebo ran ball 19 times for 98 yards, 3 TD’s.
Giants have won two of three games started by rookie QB Dart.
Barkley carried ball 12 times for 58 yards.
Eagles have been outgained in all six of their games.

— Dodgers 2, Phillies 1 (11)
Winning run scored on an error on a ball hit back to the pitcher.
Game was scoreless after six innings.
Both teams scored a run in the 7th.
Dodgers advance to the NLCS, starting Monday.

— Cubs 5, Brewers 0
Matthew Boyd got the first 14 outs, allowing two hits.
Ian Happ hit a 3-run homer in the first inning.
Game 5 is in Milwaukee Saturday.

— Southern Miss 38, Georgia Southern 35
Golden Eagles led 28-7 at halftime, hung on for dear life.
Southern Miss ran ball 48 times for 184 yards.
Georgia Southern had 3 turnovers, 12 penalties for 104 yards.

— Tulane 26, East Carolina 19
Green Wave drove 75 yards, scored winning TD with 0:35 left
Tulane led 12-0 at halftime.
Tulane outgained ECU 458-340; they had 96 penalty yards.

— Jacksonville State 29, Sam Houston State 27
Gamecocks kicked a 52-yard FG at the gun for a road win.
Jax State outgained the Bearkats, 499-286.
Jax State ran the ball 63 times for 370 yards.

— Kennesaw State 35, Louisiana Tech 7
Dexter Williams threw for 284 yards, four TD’s.
Owls outscored Louisiana Tech 21-0 in second half.
Kennesaw converted 9-14 third down plays.

Famous birthdays, October 10th:
Gene Tenace, 79
Ben Vereen, 79
Bradley Whitford, 66
Brett Favre, 56
Pat Burrell, 49
Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, 47
Troy Tulowitzski, 41
Andrew McCutchen, 39
Geno Smith, 35
Lourdes Gurriel Jr, 32
Vinnie Pasquantino, 28
Josh Giddey, 23

— Lebron James is going to miss the start of the NBA season; he is out 3-4 weeks because of sciatica on his right side.
— Only two NBA teams that have never had a Rookie of the Year: Nuggets, Heat.

— Cardinals’ QB Kyler Murray (foot) didn’t practice Wednesday/Thursday; if backup Jacoby Brissett starts Sunday against the Colts, he’ll be the 40th different quarterback to start a game this season.

— In 1970, NFL kickers made 59% of all their field goal attempts.
This year, NFL kickers are making 72% of their FG attempts from 50+ yards out.

— Houston Astros missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016; this week, they cleaned house (kind of), firing:
assistant general manager
both hitting coaches
their catching coach
their trainer
Similar to what the Mets did last week; they kept their GM and their manager, which is kind of weird. If you’re that unhappy with the outcome, how do the managers/GMs keep their jobs?

— Most career postseason home runs:
Manny Ramirez 29
Jose Altuve 27
Kyle Schwarber 23
Bernie Williams 22

— In September, Washington Nationals rookie OF Daylen Like was the first player since Willie Mays in 1957 to hit 7+ triples and 6+ home runs in the same month.

— This season, there were 465 pitch clock violations, down from 602 last year, 1,048 in 2023.
The rule changes MLB put in have done a good job of shortening games.

— Top home run parks in the major leagues this season:
Los Angeles, Toronto, Baltimore, Philadelphia

Worst home run parks:
Pittsburgh, Texas, Arizona, Boston

 

[Plegacy]

Based on that last post.. get ready for the homeruns in the dodgers & mariners series

 

[Plegacy]