“Ultimately we made the trade because we were looking to acquire a defenseman, and Sergachev is big and strong, a good skater, moves the puck well, and we were looking for that kind of player,” Yzerman explained in a conference call with reporters. Though led by perennial Norris Trophy contender Victor Hedman, the Lightning’s defense corps was a major weak spot last season and in need of an upgrade. Sergachev, the ninth overall selection in the 2016 NHL Draft, is considered to be a highly skilled two-way defenseman with an excellent offensive upside who is ready to jump into the NHL next season....

A camera was on several Lightning players during the joke — and they seemed a bit annoyed: NHL AWARDS 2019: Full list of nominees, winners for Hart, Vezina, Norris and more “Shout out to my Tampa folks,” Thompson said. “That’s right, they tied the most wins in the regular season with 62. And then they followed it up by tying with the least wins in the playoffs with ZERO. But hey, hey....

The attack ad posted on social media cuts between footage of Pence praising President Donald Trump at the 2016 Republican National Convention, and clips critical of the commander-in-chief’s behavior and record since taking office. Posting their latest anti-Trump meme, the Lincoln Project said: “VP acceptance speeches are a good way of setting the tone for your presidency, right Mike?” At the start of the 90-second meme, Pence speaks well of Trump’s relationship with staff, before contrasting clips of ex-administration officials criticizing the president are reeled off....

The 57-year-old opened up on barely leaving the house for 5 years after suffering a rare side effect from having fat cells removed in a procedure known as cryolipolysis. Evangelista described how 3 months after the treatment parts of her body, including her face, started protruding. Eventually a doctor diagnosed her with a rare side effect of the treatment called paradoxical adipose hyperplasia. The side effect can occur when the treated area becomes firmer and forms an enlarged mass under the skin rather than breaking down....

Under the leadership of Raffensperger, a Republican who backed former President Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection, multiple recounts and a forensic audit of voting machines determined no widespread fraud or malfeasance occurred. Regardless, Lindell and Trump continue to allege that widespread fraud led to President Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia and other states. During a Friday episode of right-wing political strategist Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast, Lindell appeared live from Atlanta as he and volunteers delivered some 40 boxes of affidavits alleging massive fraud in the last presidential election....

“In December, I spoke truth to power on the harassment and bullying I faced working for Governor Cuomo,” Boylan said in remarks delivered during a rally calling for the governor’s impeachment—where she additionally advocated for affordable housing, equitable pay, policies to advance racial justice, and a fairer budget. “And when the governor should have been focused on leading us out of this pandemic, he was instead focused on covering up the deaths of 15,000 New Yorkers, and smearing me and my reputation,” she continued....

“It’s like every day is Christmas,” the senator said, explaining that each day is like opening a wrapped gift in that no one knows what it holds. He said, “You don’t know what’s under the tree. It can be that shotgun you’ve been hoping to get, or it can be a sweater you don’t want.” On Twitter, many people were quick to point out the quirks in the South Carolina senator’s analogy comparing Washington governance to Yuletide celebrations....

Earlier on Wednesday, Schiff announced the first public hearings of the impeachment inquiry will take place next week and that three current and past State Department officials have been chosen to appear before the cameras. “You will see throughout the course of the testimony… the most important facts are largely not contested,” Schiff said during the announcement. “We are getting an increasing appreciation for just what took place during the course of the last year and the degree to which the president enlisted whole departments of government in the illicit aim of trying to get the Ukraine to dig up dirt on a political opponent, as well as further a conspiracy theory about the 2016 election....

Barcelona 19/20 to win La Liga The Argentine has won the Ballon d’Or an unprecedented five times since making his debut at Camp Nou, helping Barca to a decade of glittering success. That wonderful talent has been duly compensated with a salary package that makes Messi one of the richest men in sport, alongside Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo. According to the International Journal of Computer Science in Sport, however, he may not merit such a high valuation....

Detroit had plenty of momentum toward an NFC wild-card berth before Week 16, but the team falling back under .500 hurts its already limited chances of making the playoffs. Here’s breaking down where the Lions currently stand in the NFL playoff picture: MORE: Updated AFC, NFC playoff picture for Week 16 of 2022 season Lions playoff picture The Lions remain the No. 9 team in the NFC despite the loss....

There was cause to celebrate, but maybe not so much as the president might like. His polls weren’t really up. They were, in fact, just creeping back to where he was last spring, after Oklahoma City–a mushy 47 percent approval rating, or thereabouts. Clinton merely seemed stronger because all his rivals were weaker, especially Bob Dole. His strength, moreover, was to a curious kind–an inertial strength, the power of politics as usual....

Since news of her death has spread, tributes from celebrities including Seth MacFarlane have been shared on social media. The Family Guy creator took to Twitter to say of the actress: “I am deeply saddened at the news of Lisa Banes’ passing. We had the good fortune to work with her on The Orville this past year. Her stage presence, magnetism, skill and talent were matched only by her unwavering kindness and graciousness toward all of us....

Montgomery, 52, had been handed a death sentence for strangling a pregnant woman, cutting the baby from her womb and attempting to pass the infant off as her own. Her execution came after last-minute legal bids to spare her life failed and the U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-3 to allow the execution to proceed. She became the 11th federal inmate executed since President Donald Trump’s administration resumed federal executions in July last year, ending a 17-year moratorium, despite the coronavirus pandemic....

Thursday's match between Dallas' Lane MacDermid and Calgary's Chris Breen qualifies, and not because of anything either of them did. Listen to the commentary. (h/t r/hockey) That's what can happen when a fight breaks out with drivetime radio guys in the booth; besides the Stars' TV crew, you heard Corby Davidson and Mike Rhyner of 1310 The Ticket in Dallas. Wonder if they know this stuff happens a lot, and that it's not all that funny....

When a Pirates fan caught a foul ball at the Giants game, initially he was pumped. But when he saw the cutest little girl eyeing the ball, he knew he had to give it up. MORE: Bryce Harper takes selfie on fan’s phone | Each franchise’s most beloved player The generous guy tossed the ball across the stands and when the young Giants fan realized what happened, she lit up....

This has become a college basketball season defined by the injuries suffered by significant players on significant teams. It’s become a little like the NFL that way. Surviving short-term injuries, the whole “next-man-up” philosophy, is an integral part of competition in that league. If a team does not encounter such circumstance at some point, it is miraculously fortunate. If a team cannot handle it, there is a place reserved at the bottom of the standings....

A scientist who helped perform post-mortems on six sharks that washed up on the shores of Gansbaai, about two hours from Cape Town, described how they had been “physically ripped open” by the whales in a “precise and refined” way. Marine biologist Alison Towner said the whales, which are also known as orcas, tore the majority of the sharks’ skins just below the throat in order to create a cavity from which the liver—weighing up to 180 lbs—would slide out....

The four carcasses were found by Rene Kukkuvak around 40 miles from Kugaaruk, a hamlet in Canada’s northern Nunavut territory, off the Gulf of Boothia. Kukkuvak was with his son and wife when they came across the bowhead whales. He posted the pictures to Facebook and the images were sent to Steve Ferguson, a research scientist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada who studies killer whales. Ferguson told Nunatsiaq News the images suggested killer whales had attacked the whales, with two of the carcasses showing injuries consistent with their known hunting techniques....

Great white shark diving is a key tourist attraction in parts of South Africa, but the creatures have vanished from the waters of False Bay to the country’s south-west and the fishing town of Gansbaai further down the coast, where they would to flock to feast on Cape fur seals, fish, other sharks and rays. The tourist industry has suffered in recent years due to the mysterious decline in great white sharks, as none have been spotted in False Bay since 2019....

Kim Kardashian and Irish actress Nicola Coughlan shared a sweet Twitter exchange this week that saw worlds collide for fans of both stars. Kardashian needs no introduction of course and many television fans will know Coughlan from her role as Penelope Featherington in Netflix’s Bridgerton. The 34-year-old rose to prominence in the British comedy Derry Girls. Bridgerton was released to huge success in December with its raunchy Regency-era story captivating millions of fans....