With the start of baseball season, talks of league expansion, head coaching changes and some new rule changes, this week in sports was filled with notable moments. Let’s dive in …
Major League Baseball: The start of something new
MLB Opening Day took place on March 25 with a solo game between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants. In this first game of the year, the Yankees dominated, winning 7-0 against the Giants.
Throughout this first week of Major League Baseball, the Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees all top the league with a 3-1 record.
Additionally, the right fielder from the Cleveland Guardians, Chase DeLauter, has had a fantastic start to the season in his first season in the Major Leagues, leading the league with six hits, five runs scored, and four home runs.
The National Basketball Association: Rule Changes and Expansion
Throughout this week, the NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, has introduced new changes to the NBA that will be coming soon.
Firstly, on March 26, Silver told the league’s 30 general managers that the NBA would be enacting anti-tanking rules next season, including flattening the odds for all lottery teams, freezing the lottery odds at the trade deadline and no longer allowing a team to have a top four pick in consecutive years.
Additionally, the NBA Board of Governors voted to formally explore an expansion to the cities of Las Vegas and Seattle, targeting the teams to take their inaugural seasons in the 2028-29 season.
There has also been talk surrounding the MVP race, with players like Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama all taking the forefront.
Wembanyama mentioned his bid for the MVP in a post-game interview, stating, “I should lead the race until there is no debate anymore at the end of the season. I believe that I am the most impactful defensive player in the league. We almost swept OKC (the defending champions) this season and dominated in our matchups against them, and my offensive impact is more than just points per game.”
The National Hockey League: Head coaching changes and record accomplishments
On March 29, the Vegas Golden Knights decided to fire head coach Bruce Cassidy and replace him with John Tortorella. Tortorella has found immediate success with his new group, leading them to a comeback victory after being down 2-1 in the second period. Vegas has seen a dip in its record this season, having only 82 points and finding itself third in the Pacific Division.
Similarly, the Toronto Maple Leafs fired general manager Brad Treliving. This firing comes with a disappointing season for the Leafs, finding themselves out of the playoffs and seventh in the Atlantic division. Granted, the Leafs lost star forward Austin Matthews to a grade 3 MCL tear; however, with the loss of Mitch Marner in free agency and the lack of addressing the goaltending issue, it is no wonder that Treliving was fired.
The young phenom in San Jose shines as Macklin Celebrini netted two goals in the matchup against the Saint Louis Blues on March 30, earning Celebrini his 100th and 101st points of the season. Celebrini is the youngest player (19 years of age) to earn 100 points in a season since the superstar Sydney Crosby did it in 2005 as an 18-year-old rookie. To be on par with Crosby, a hockey legend and a lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame, at such a young age speaks to the immense talent and success of the young Celebrini. Fans in San Jose have much to look forward to with Celebrini having many more seasons to come, hopefully with the same success.
