Jessica Pegula is one of the stars of women's tennis as well as the daughter of the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres owners. She's the No. 3 rated women's tennis player in the world who's searching for her first Grand Slam singles **** le, although she's made it to the U.S. Open final once in 2024. And if you're here, you might be wondering: who is her husband?
The answer: It's Taylor Gahagen. Per People, he worked for Pegula Sports and Entertainment, which is owned by Jessica's parents. He has since left, but the pair appeared to be dating in 2015 and she's posted photos of them together in 2016. They got married in 2021.

#tennis #bills #open #taylor

The Blue Jackets are still negotiating a contract extension with star center Adam Fantilli and haven't revealed details about their new NHL-produced television broadcast, but they have released plans for training camp and the preseason.
More: Columbus Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski wants to stay with team 'long term'
Following the Blue Jackets' participation in a prospect tournament Sept. 12-15 in Detroit, they'll open NHL camp Sept. 16 with player medical evaluations. The first day of skating will be Sept. 17, followed by the preseason opener against the Detroit Red Wings on Sept. 21 at Nationwide Arena.
The Jackets will play only four preseason games before hosting the Buffalo Sabres to start the 84-game regular season Oct. 1 at Nationwide Arena.
Fantilli, 21, is the lone Blue Jackets player without a contract. He's a restricted free agent for the first time and is due a large pay raise coming off an entry-level contract signed shortly after the Blue Jackets selected him third overall in 2023.

#contract #fantilli #nationwide

Returning to Boston, a Motivated Connor Clifton Looks to Bolster Bruins' Defense originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The last two seasons for the Bruins have seen the team miss the playoffs or lose in the first round. Something was needed to give the team a spark. How about the return of an old teammate?
After a run with the Sabres and Penguins, Connor Clifton looks to once again create chaos with the Bruins, a team he spent his first five seasons with, signing a two-year contract with a $2.25 million cap hit.
The defenseman from New Jersey, a member of the ECAC All-Tournament Team at Quinnipiac, joined the Providence Bruins in 2017 before signing an entry-level deal with the Bruins in 2018. A fixture on the third defense pairing, Clifton became a menace on the ice in the early 2020s.
In those five seasons in Boston, Clifton had 10 goals and 33 **** ists. He accumulated a career-high 23 points during the 2022-23 season, during which he led the Bruins in hits (208). Clifton led the Penguins with 180 hits last season.

#bruins #connor

The Boston Bruins managed to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs earlier this spring, marking a return to the annual tournament for the first time since 2024 after having failed to qualify last spring.
However, their stay in the postseason was short, as they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal by the divisional rival Buffalo Sabres in six games. Despite sniper David Pastrnak's best efforts to stave off elimination with an overtime goal in Game 5 to extend the series, Boston's momentum was halted just days later.
Since then, there have been a handful of changes to their roster, which include the trade of Joonas Korpisalo to the rival New York Rangers, the loss of Fabian Lysell via trade, and the departure of Viktor Arvidsson via free agency.
And according to a key NHL Insider, it might not be long until the Bruins are faced with another notable departure.
The Bruins acquired forward Pavel Zacha from the New Jersey Devils in the summer of 2022 in return for forward Erik Haula, and eventually signed him to a four-year, $19 million contract.

#bruins #return #trade

It took a while, but the Blue Jackets finally have their coaching staff in place for the upcoming season.
More: Columbus Blue Jackets plan to hire Don Granato as NHL **** istant coach
The team announced July 30 that former Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato was hired to join a staff led by head coach Rick Bowness, a move that's been pending for a month. The Blue Jackets also announced the hiring of San Jose Sharks **** istant video coach Cody Ward to head their video staff.
Granato, 58, and Ward, 28, join **** istant Trent Vogelhuber, **** istant Jared Boll, goaltending coach Niklas Backstrom and **** istant video coach Cam Briere.
"I am very excited about the staff we have put together," Bowness said in a statement. "I've known Donny [Granato] for many years and have great respect for him as a coach, but more importantly as a person. I'm really looking forward to working with him, Trent, Jared, Nik, Cody and Cam to help our players be the best they can be individually to help our team reach its goals."

#assistant #blue #bowness

The New York Yankees, as well as some other New York pro sports teams, will have a new streaming home.
Streaming conglomerate DAZN will be the new exclusive direct-to-customer streaming home of MSG Networks and YES Network starting this fall.
"MSG Networks and YES Network have entered into a landmark partnership that will make DAZN, the world's leading sports entertainment platform, the exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming home of MSG Networks and YES Network during the 2026-2027 NBA and NHL seasons," according to a DAZN press release Wednesday.
"Subscribers within the networks' respective regional coverage territories will have access to live Yankees, Knicks, Nets, Rangers, Devils, Islanders and Sabres games, as well as 24/7 feeds of the MSG, MSG Sportsnet, and YES networks, and a wealth of on-demand content including highlights, behind-the-scenes programming and Emmy Award-winning original series."
Here are more details on what you need to know about the new streaming service:

#networks #york #yankees

In a major development, London-based streaming platform DAZN will have a major hand in distributing local NBA broadcasts to fans next season.
According to a report by Austin Karp in Sports Business Journal, "DAZN is close to acquiring full exclusive local broadcast rights next season" for five NBA teams formerly under contract with Main Street Sports Group, owner of the now-defunct FanDuel Sports Networks. Those teams are the Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, and Memphis Grizzlies. Additionally, DAZN is close to securing streaming-only arrangements with the Orlando Magic and "possibly" the Charlotte Hornets.
DAZN will also overtake what is now known as the Gotham Sports app, a joint streaming venture between YES Network and MSG Networks that sells access to local broadcasts for seven New York-area franchises — the Yankees, Knicks, Nets, Rangers, Islanders, Devils, and Sabres.
The news is a culmination of DAZN's nearly year-long effort to break into the local sports broadcast market in the United States. After initially considering a lifesaving merger or acquisition of Main Street, DAZN instead chose to allow the company to collapse and attempt to court local rights for franchises independently. The streamer initially struck out on every MLB team following Main Street's collapse, but is now set to own streaming rights for at least nine NBA clubs, with the possibility of adding the Washington Wizards as a tenth under a non-exclusive streaming deal, per Sports Business Journal.
With the NBA looking to launch a centralized local streaming hub ahead of the 2027-28 season, DAZN will reportedly sign deals that are either one season in length or have mutual opt-out clauses following the upcoming season as teams demand the flexibility to join the league's aggregated local rights solution when it launches. If DAZN or a team invokes an opt-out clause, it will reportedly pay a termination fee unless, in the team's case, DAZN fails to meet certain performance metrics.

#sports #Streaming #season

What Sabres do now after Patrick Kane signs with Blackhawks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Buffalo Sabres were reportedly one of the final two teams being considered by free agent winger Patrick Kane.
He chose a return to the Chicago Blackhawks, though, and so the Sabres are left as the runner-up with no prize to show for it.
Kane is originally from Buffalo, so there was hoped to be some pull there, but apparently the NHL familiarity of the Blackhawks won out.
That leaves the Sabres maybe one player short from what they hoped to achieve this offseason.

#sabres #kane #blackhawks #buffalo

Patrick Kane has a new home, same as his old home.
Kane has resigned with the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he spent the first 16 seasons of his NHL career, the Blackhawks announced Wednesday morning.
"Welcome back 88," the Blackhawks wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
Kane is signing a two-year contract worth $16 million, or $8 million annually, according to published reports, after spending the last three seasons playing for the Red Wings. He was an unrestricted free agent.
Chris Chelios said on Chicago radio recently that Kane was down to the Blackhawks or Buffalo Sabres.

#blackhawks #wednesday #seasons #twitter

John Davidson is keeping his toe in the NHL pool, but the longtime executive and former TV ******* yst is no longer with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Blue Jackets' senior adviser since May 2024 and president of hockey operations in two stints before that is now senior adviser for the Buffalo Sabres, who announced the hiring July 13. The move reunites Davidson, 73, with former Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, the Sabres' GM whom Davidson hired for that role in Columbus in 2013.
Davidson also fired Kekalainen on Feb. 15, 2024, after the two signed off on the hiring of Mike Babcock as head coach, a stint that lasted just 78 days after the controversial coach was hired July 1, 2023, to succeed Brad Larsen.
Babcock resigned amid allegations that he violated players' privacy by pressuring them to show him photos on their cellphones. It ultimately led to an investigation by the NHL Players' ******* ociation followed by Kekalainen and Davidson taking the fall, with the former's eventual firing and the latter moving to a senior advisory spot in May 2024 after ******* isting a GM search that led to the Blue Jackets hiring Don Waddell as president/GM.
Davidson's contract ran out June 30.

Apr 23, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (4) skates against Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
CHICAGO — Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Bowen Byram has agreed to a 6-year, $75 million extension with his new team.
The deal was announced Wednesday, the first day that Byram was eligible to sign an extension. It runs through the 2032-33 season.
The 25-year-old Byram was acquired in a trade with Buffalo on June 23. The Blackhawks sent the No. 4 and No. 45 selections in the NHL draft and defenseman Louis Crevier to the Sabres for Byram and forward Jordan Greenway.
It has been a very busy summer for Byram, who got married last weekend in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Bowen Byram has agreed to a $75 million, six-year contract extension with his new team.
The deal was announced Wednesday, the first day that Byram was eligible to sign an extension. It runs through the 2032-33 season.
The 25-year-old Byram was acquired in a trade with Buffalo on June 23. The Blackhawks sent the No. 4 and No. 45 selections in the NHL draft and defenseman Louis Crevier to the Sabres for Byram and forward Jordan Greenway.
It has been a very busy summer for Byram, who got married last weekend in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
The Blackhawks are counting on Byram to take over as their No. 1 defenseman — and they paid him accordingly.

The weeks leading up to free agency have been much more eventful than anyone expected. There have been several shocking, landscape-altering trades this week, but they are not all equal. The three trades with the most potential to deliver for their respective franchises were made by the Washington Capitals, the Florida Panthers, and the Buffalo Sabres; one of these teams is the clear winner of the offseason so far.
The Washington Capitals and the Buffalo Sabres completed a sign-and-trade deal for Alex Tuch, in exchange for forward David Kampf and a third-round pick in 2027. Tuch is a skilled right winger played an important role in driving Buffalo’s offense. In his last two seasons, he put up points in the mid-60s.
While the price tag of $10.5 million a year could be a slight overpay, Tuch has the potential to deliver on more than he’s worth in the coming seasons, and the Capitals organization has agreed to keep him until he is 38.
Tuch is 6-foot-4, which aligns with the Washington Capitals’ group of sizeable power forwards. With the acquisition of Jordan Kyrou, as well, the Capitals are putting together a group capable of making a serious playoff run next season. With these key moves, the Washington Capitals are a contender for the best front office so far this summer.
Perhaps the most surprising trade this week belongs to the Ottawa Senators and the Florida Panthers. In a trade involving four picks, the Senators sent Brady Tkachuk to Florida. In this trade, he was reunited with his Team USA teammate and brother, Matthew Tkachuk.

Attempts by the Detroit Red Wings to improve via free agency took a hit a week before the market opens.
Forward Alex Tuch, a 30-goal scorer, was dealt by the Buffalo Sabres to the Washington Capitals on the evening of Wednesday, June 24, in a sign-and-trade that netted the 30-year-old an eight-year, $84 million deal that carries a cap hit of $10.5 million per year. The Sabres received David Kampf and a third-round pick in return.
It was a sensible move for the Sabres, who stood to lose Tuch as he was a pending unrestricted free agent. And a power move by the Capitals, who missed the 2026 playoffs by four points this spring.
It does also further harden how difficult it will be for the Wings and the rest of the NHL to improve via free agency. Tuch stood as the top prize this summer, and with him gone, the market is even thinner.
And the Wings are still dealing with figuring out what to do with captain Dylan Larkin, who has requested a trade to a contender, with his top destinations being the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights. Larkin, who turns 30 on July 30, has a no-trade clause, so he has a say in where he lands. But the Wings have power, too: General manager Steve Yzerman is not obligated to trade Larkin, a consistent 30-goal scorer under contract for five more seasons at a very reasonable $8.7 million salary cap hit. The Wings would, be it directly or via a multi-team trade, need to get someone just like Larkin in return: A forward who can center the top line and play both special teams.

Take Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch off the NHL free agent list.
Tuch, who had been the top available player, is going to the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade deal. He will average $10.5 million in his eight-year contract. The Sabres get back a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and forward David Kampf.
Tuch, 30, has three 30-goal seasons, including 33 goals this past season. His cap hit had been $4.75 million.
It's the second major recent move by the Capitals, who acquired Jordan Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues and are deep on right wing.
They still don't know if left wing Alex Ovechkin will return or retire, but one of the NHL all-time leading goal scorer's factors was whether the team would be competitive after missing the playoffs in 2025-26.

Alex Tuch has been a consistent force for the Buffalo Sabres since he was dealt to Western New York in the Jack Eichel trade. He's scored 30 goals or more in three of his four seasons to go along with 66 points or more.
And now, because the Sabres weren't going to retain the veteran forward, he's been sent to the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade that got Tuch a MASSIVE contract: eight years and a $10.5 million AAV.
So who won this one? What are the details? As usual, let's hand out some trade grades for both the Capitals and Sabres:
Sabres get: A "mid-round" draft pick, per Grant Paulsen (we'll update when we know more)
Capitals get: F Alex Tuch (who signs an eight-year deal worth a reported $10.5M AAV)

When the NHL draft lottery determined the Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks were the Nos. 1 and 2 picks, respectively, the NHL world recognized the Vancouver Canucks as the biggest losers. But the team just behind the Canucks in the order — the Chicago Blackhawks — were similarly left in the cold at No. 4.
Chicago made the stunning move to ship that pick to the Sabres for Bowen Byram, a free agent after the 2026-27 season, in a package that also involves the No. 45 overall pick and Louis Crevier being sent to Buffalo while the Blackhawks absorb Jordan Greenway. It's the first time since 2008 a team has shipped off a known top-five pick, making it a wildly risky move for Chicago.
REQUIRED READING: Bowen Byram trade grades: Blackhawks take big gamble moving top-5 pick
So why would the Blackhawks take such a desperate swing? The answer is that GM Kyle Davidson is, in a word, desperate. In the current iteration of the NHL postseason, it can be extremely easy to find yourself in purgatory. Teams can scratch and claw their ways to competing for a playoff spot until late February to early March, come up short of the playoffs after a push, and retool in the next offseason.
Retooling, however, isn't an option in this offseason. The free agent class is barren, with Rasmus Andersson and John Carlson likely set to get big contracts as the best defensemen available. And the Blackhawks have a former No. 1 overall pick in Connor Bedard that they have to build around now. Bedard is a restricted free agent, which means Chicago has exclusive negotiating rights with the 20-year-old budding star. But with the Blackhawks in a six-year playoff dearth, and an eight-year drought leaving out the shortened 2019-20 season, the trade for Byram is a swing made out of necessity verging into recklessness.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres acquired the No. 4 pick in the NHL draft in a trade that sent defenseman Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks.
As part of the deal, Buffalo also acquired third-year defenseman Louis Crevier, who had a career-best 25 points in his first full NHL season, and a second-round draft pick, 46th overall. Chicago also acquired hard-hitting forward Jordan Greenway.
Byram is the key player in the trade.
The 25-year-old had a career-high 42 points and matched a career high with 11 goals in 82 games in spending much of the season playing alongside captain Rasmus Dahlin as Buffalo's top defensive pairing. He was part of a deep and talented blue line that contributed to the Sabres winning their first Atlantic Division **** le and snapping an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought.
With the fourth pick, the Sabres are positioned to land a top prospect in a draft class that's loaded with highly regarded defenseman. Among the defensive candidates expected to be available at No. 4 are Carson Carels (WHL Prince George), North Dakota's Keaton Verhoeff and Latvia's Alberts Smits.

The Buffalo Sabres are deep with defensemen and face losing Bowen Byram after this year thanks to free agency. So of course he was going to be a big name in trade talks, which led up to this point: He was dealt on Tuesday to the Chicago Blackhawks in yet another deal involving top picks in the 2026 draft.
For the Blackhawks, it's a huge step in the right direction for a team hoping to be a playoff squad in the near future. And for the Sabres? They'll get some draft capital and a player, with the ***** umption that their blueline can withstand the loss of Byram.
Who won this trade? What are the details? As usual, let's hand out some trade grades for the Hawks and Sabres.
Sabres get: 2026 first-round pick (fourth overall), 2026 second-round pick, D Louis Crevier
Blackhawks get: D Bowen Byram, F Jordan Greenway

The NHL's move to an 84-game season in 2026-27 means the Blue Jackets will play only four preseason games.
They'll be split evenly between Nationwide Arena and two road games, including one home and one road game against the Detroit Red Wings plus a home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins and road matchup at the Buffalo Sabres.
The games will be played Sept. 21-26, starting with a back-to-back Sept. 21 against Detroit at Nationwide Arena and Sept. 22 in Buffalo. The Penguins visit Columbus on Sept. 24 before the Blue Jackets close out the preseason Sept. 26 in Detroit.
All four games will start at 7 p.m., leading into the start of a regular-season schedule that has yet to be released.
After competing in Buffalo the past two years, the Blue Jackets will return to Michigan for their annual pre-training camp prospects tournament. The Red Wings will host, but Detroit's tournament is now held at Belfor Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena rather than at Centre ice Arena in Traverse City, Michigan.

Sabres trade rumor is terrible news for Bowen Byram's future in Buffalo originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Much of the Buffalo Sabres discussion around Alex Tuch's free agency has been about what the Sabres can do with the money if they don't sign Tuch to a long-term deal.
One name that comes into that conversation is Bowen Byram, the talented defenseman who could be due to get a long-term contract.
Maybe, though, that's not actually a realistic point to make. It sounds like Byram might have other ideas.
On Monday, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun wrote about the firestorm of trades that might be hitting the NHL this offseason. It began with Brady Tkachuk going from the Senators to the Panthers on Sunday.

Here's a chance to vote for the Upstate's best high school baseball player in the SCHSL 2026 season. Multiple votes are allowed and the poll will be open until 5 p.m. on June 21.
We've narrowed the choices to these four:
Carson Bolemon, Southside Christian, Sr.
Bolemon is a left-handed pitcher who committed to Wake Forest but is projected as first-round pick in the MLB draft to be held July 11-13. He led Southside Christian (24-8-1) to the SCHSL Class 3A state championship, a fifth straight for the Sabres. Boleman went 7-0 with a 0.17 ERA, allowing 11 hits and 13 walks in 41.1 innings while striking out 91. He also hit .367 in 90 at-bats with four homers and nine doubles.
Parker Davis, Fountain Inn, Sr.

NHL playoffs schedule 2026: Full bracket, dates, times, TV channels, live streams for road to Stanley Cup originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Hockey fans, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are officially here. The 2026 version might be as good as ever, with a bracket that feels as wide open as any in recent memory.
Sixteen teams have the same quest: to take home Lord Stanley's Cup. Only one will emerge victorious and etch its name into NHL history. The landscape has shifted dramatically this year, as for the first time in a decade, the defending champions will not be in the dance, as the Florida Panthers failed to qualify following their 2025 ******* le run. That leaves the door wide open for the Colorado Avalanche, who enter the postseason as Presidents' Trophy winners, and the Vegas Golden Knights, who look to recapture their 2023 magic under the late-season guidance of John Tortorella.
Then, of course, there's the Buffalo Sabres, who finally shattered the longest playoff drought in NHL history by storming into the postseason as Atlantic Division champions. After 14 years on the outside looking in, Lindy Ruff’s squad has transformed from a December basement-dweller into a legitimate threat to go the distance.
From the breakout Sabres winning the Atlantic to the Utah Mammoth making their postseason debut, the stage is set for a wild ride. Here is the full schedule for every series of the 2026 NHL Playoffs.

Carson Boleman of Southside Christian High School was named the Gatorade South Carolina Baseball Player of the Year on June 1.
Boleman also won the award last year, making him the first player in South Carolina to win the award in back-to-back seasons.
Boleman recently led Southside Christian to a fifth straight state championship after an 8-7 victory over Oceanside Collegiate on May 27 at Sabre Park. Through 33 games, Boleman had a 0.17 ERA, 91 strikeouts, and a 7-0 record in 41.1 innings pitched.
MORE: T.L. Hanna baseball's remarkable playoff run ends in state final
Boleman has played on varsity for the Sabres since he was an eighth-grader and was named the 2026 South Carolina Baseball Coaches **** ociation Pitcher of the Year. The five-time state champion played for the USA Baseball 18U national team, which won the World Championship in 2025.

Sabres vs. Canadiens live score, updates, highlights from Game 1 of NHL playoffs Eastern Conference semifinals

Sabres vs. Canadiens live score, updates, highlights from Game 1 of NHL playoffs Eastern Conference semifinals originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The highly anticipated NHL Eastern Conference playoff series between the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens has arrived at the KeyBank Center on Wednesday night.
It's one of those series that looks right off the bat like it could last seven games, but it has to start with Game 1.
The Sabres are playing in their first second-round playoff game in 19 years.
The Canadiens, who have won more Stanley Cups than any team in NHL history, are chasing their first Cup since 1993.

https://sports.yahoo.com/a...

Buffalo having nothing but misery for eternity with the Sabres and Bills but then having a 3-peat dynasty sports team in Lacrosse is the funniest thing ever