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However, playing the Knights
in General Discussion Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:01 amby chenyan94 • Farseer | 293 Posts | 2930 Points
While NFL owners were busy unanimously approving the sale of the Carolina Panthers to hedge fund owner David Tepper in Atlanta Jean-Gabriel Pageau Jersey , his new team was taking the field for the first time together this season 250 miles away in Charlotte.
Tepper inherits a team that will have a noticeably new look for 2018.
Sure, many of the veteran core players including Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, Greg Olsen, Ryan Kalil and Kawann Short are back, but Carolina has an unusually high influx of new players this offseason via free agency, trades and the NFL draft following a year in which they lost in the first round of the playoffs to New Orleans.
The Panthers replaced all-time leading rusher Jonathan Stewart with free agent C.J. Anderson from the Broncos and added three wide receivers. They acquired Torrey Smith in a trade with the Super Bowl champion Eagles, signed free agent Jarius Wright and drafted D.J. Moore from Maryland in the first round.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera hopes free agent Russ Cockrell and second-round pick Donte Jackson provide long-term stability at cornerback while Da’Norris Searcy can fill the shoes of Kurt Coleman at safety. Carolina also invested $28 million in free agent defensive tackle Dontari Poe to replace Star Lotulelei.
”We wanted some veteran guys who have a feel for what it takes,” Rivera said Tuesday.
That includes Smith and Anderson, who recently won Super Bowls.
It’s early yet, but Rivera likes what he’s seen from the newcomers.
”I feel very comfortable about the veteran guys that we brought it and now it’s about the young guys,” Rivera said. ”Not just this year’s rookie class but last year’s rookie class. A group of those guys have got to step up.”
Tepper stepped up and bought the Panthers last week for an NFL-record $2.2 billion in cash, setting the stage for a new era to begin in Carolina.
The hedge fund owner was formerly a minority owner with the Pittsburgh Steelers, although he will have to sell that share now that he is running the Panthers. His agreement to purchase the team ended a five-month search for new ownership after franchise founder Jerry Richardson announced he was selling amid allegations of improper sexual and racial behavior at the team’s headquarters in Charlotte.
”For a lot of people I am sure they are ready for some closure and for that transition to start,” Olsen said. ”… I think this transition has been inevitable for a little while since it was announced that the team would be sold. I think for a lot of people in the building Cam Fowler Jersey , the players, the team, just to put all of this to rest and move forward in the new direction that the team is going with.”
Rivera said he’s met Tepper a couple of times in passing and presented a formal presentation to him – and other potential owners – during the bidding process.
He likes that Tepper has been around the NFL as a part owner.
”He has a sense and a feel for football and he has been around it,” Rivera said. ”… Eventually I know we will sit down and talk some football and talk about this team.”
Meanwhile, Newton was the on the field throwing during the first day of OTAs. He missed all of the spring workouts last year because of surgery on his right shoulder.
Rivera said having a healthy Newton for these camps is essential because he sets the tone and tempo for the team during practice. He also said it is ”critical” that he has a chance to get on the same page with his new group of receivers.
”I am excited about having him out here and throwing the ball and developing that” chemistry, Rivera said.
Newton is in the midst of learning a new offensive system.
Norv Turner replaced Mike Shula as offensive coordinator this offseason. Shula was Newton’s coordinator since 2013 and had a close relationship with him. Rivera said at first Newton was nervous about the change, but has now started to settle down.
The quarterback seemed relaxed Tuesday, running and smiling and trading his normal barbs with linebacker Thomas Davis after big plays.
”I think Cam gets that Norv is here to help,” Rivera said.
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GLENDALE, Ariz. — Every NHL team seemingly wanted to face the Arizona Coyotes when the season began. As the schedule winds down, they are the team no playoff contender is eager to go against.
The Tampa Bay Lightning, who have led the Eastern Conference most of the season, discovered that during a 4-1 loss to Arizona on Monday. The Vegas Golden Knights, who have led the Western Conference much of the season, discovered that during a 3-2 loss to Arizona on Wednesday.
The St. Louis Blues, already a loser to Arizona this season Womens Robin Lehner Jersey , are hoping they don’t meet the same fate as the Lightning and Golden Knights when they play the suddenly dangerous Coyotes on Saturday night at Gila River Arena, in a game critical to St. Louis’ playoff hopes.
The Blues (43-28-6) had won six in a row until losing at Vegas 4-3 in overtime on Friday night, a loss that gained them a valuable point but dropped them a point behind the Anaheim Ducks for the top Western Conference wild card.
Jonathan Marchessault scored twice for Vegas, including the game-winner only 22 seconds into overtime. The Ducks moved past St. Louis, 93 points to 92, by beating the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 in overtime.
Arizona (27-40-11) stumbled during a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday as Jeff Carter scored three goals. It concluded a road trip in which the Coyotes won three of six, but they’re proving to be a very difficult opponent as the playoff races wrap up.
Certainly, much more so than back in October, November and December, when the Coyotes were winless through 11 games (0-10-1) and they won only nine of their first 41.
“Unfortunately, we came up a little bit short (in Los Angeles), but we’ll take the positives and get ready to go for St. Louis,” said left winger Max Domi, who had a goal and an assist against the Kings. “It was a good test for us and a really good learning experience, too, and we’ll take that and move forward. We’ve got four games left and Womens Patrick Mahomes Jersey , hopefully, we can make the most of those.”
The Coyotes are 18-13-6 since midseason, and 15-8-2 in their last 25 games. It’s not exactly a Presidents’ Trophy-level pace, but certainly much better than midseason, when they were threatening to put together one of the NHL’s worst seasons in decades.
“I’m proud of this team,” first-year coach Rick Tocchet said. “We had a good road trip and the guys played hard.”
The Coyotes are getting production from Kevin Connauton, who scored in Los Angeles and has three goals in two games, and rookie center Clayton Keller, who had a 10-game scoring streak stopped against the Kings. He has three goals and seven points in his last five games, and 23 goals and 62 points overall.
The Blues beat the Coyotes 3-2 in a shootout on Nov. 9 but lost to them 5-2 on Jan. 20. They had won eight of nine before Friday, including key wins over the Kings and the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins.
“It was a typical Western Conference game, just heavy sticks, just heavy bodies and two teams just slugging it out,” said right winger Chris Thorburn, who scored his first goal with St. Louis.
Of those six consecutive Blues wins, four came in overtime http://www.greenbaypackersteamonline.com/aaron-jones-jersey , including three in a row from March 17-21 against the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and Bruins.
Brayden Schenn leads them with 65 points, including 26 goals, while Vladimir Tarasenko has a team-high 31 goals to go with 63 points.
Their late-season surge pushed the Blues from 11th place in the Western Conference on March 16 into a wild-card slot, and they now control their own playoff destiny rather than having to rely on other teams.
“Certainly, the picture’s a little bit clearer right now,” Blues coach Mike Yeo said.
However, playing the Knights and Coyotes on back-to-back nights in the desert is proving to be quite a challenge down the stretch. And the Blues’ schedule isn’t easy, with six games in nine days counting the Vegas game, and three more on the road.
St. Louis is 12-9-2 against the Pacific Division.
“What we do beyond this (is) really going to count,” Yeo said.
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