#eastern-conference

#eastern-conference

The Hornets are a slight favorite at home with a -3.5 spread and a -166 moneyline according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The Heat are a +140 underdog while the total is over/under 233.5 points in this matchup. The Hornets have failed to cover their last five games, while the Heat are 7-3 against the spread in their last 10.

The trade deadline for the 2025-26 NHL season was Friday at 3 p.m. ET, and although several deals weren't announced until over an hour later, we can officially say that there won't be any more. It was quite a wild deadline week, including Nazem Kadri heading back to the Colorado Avalanche, John Carlson joining the Anaheim Ducks, and the Buffalo Sabres adding a trio of veterans in Logan Stanley, Luke Schenn and Sam Carrick.

The league's best teams often teeter on a knife's edge, thriving thanks to continuity but in a constant state of fragility, which explains the current state of the weakened Eastern Conference. The two favorites, who meet in a made-for-television opener Wednesday in New York, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Knicks (7 p.m. ET on ESPN), are in this place because of the consistency of their rosters and misfortune of fellow contenders.

The Knicks are stocked with talent but also are laden with expectations with fans desperate for the team to make the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. The Knicks could take a minute or two to adjust to coach Mike Brown's fast-paced offense, but as long as Jalen Brunson remains healthy, they have a solid chance of coming out of the East.

The devastating news surrounding Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov's injury has sent shockwaves throughout the NHL. Here's a player who's gone through everything and stood tall. He's withstood three straight Stanley Cup runs playing through just about every sort of injury hockey players can deal with. Yet, during a seemingly innocuous play, Barkov suffered a crushing knee injury that pretty much ended his season.

My focus has been on the top four. Finishing in the top four will give us a better chance than last season in the playoffs. We've still got some work to do now to get there. We have to win games, we know that. We are playing against opposition now that probably don't have so much to play for, but there are new head coaches. They will be looking to show them what they are all about for the beginning of next season.