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Kraken now face expectations of trying to repeat playoff run in loaded Western Conference

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:17 GMT

SEATTLE KRAKENCOACH: Dave Hakstol (207-178-56 over seven seasons).SEASON OPENER: Oct. 10 at Vegas.DEPARTURES: F Morgan Geekie, F Ryan Donato, F Daniel Sprong, D Carson Soucy, G Martin Jones.ADDITIONS: F Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, F Kailer Yamamoto, D Brian Dumoulin, D Ryker Evans.GOALIES: Philipp Grubauer (17-14-4, 2.85 GAA, 0.895 save percentage) and Joey Daccord (4-2-1, 3.14 GAA, 0.900).FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK STANLEY CUP ODDS: 50-1.LAST SEASON: In just their second season, the Kraken stayed near the top of the Pacific Division standings for most of the season. Seattle relied on the depth of its scoring and career years from forward Jared McCann and defenseman Vince Dunn to earn one of the wild card spots in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, Seattle received exceptional goaltending from Philipp Grubauer to upset defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado before losing to Dallas in the conference semifinals in Game 7.STRENGTHS: While Seattle may lack a superstar, its top nine forward...

NASCAR bringing its top Cup Series to Iowa for the first time in 2024

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:17 GMT

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — NASCAR announced Tuesday that it will finally bring its top Cup Series to Iowa for the first time.Cup Series drivers will race at Iowa Speedway in Newton in June 2024, a weekend that will also include the second-tier Xfinity Series at the track about a forty-minute drive east of Des Moines.“Today’s announcement is an exciting one for NASCAR and for race fans in the state of Iowa,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president for racing development and strategy. “They have long sought a NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway, and we’re happy to deliver that for them.”NASCAR has held Xfinity and Truck series races at the 0.875-mile oval track but none since 2019. Iowa Speedway has hosted IndyCar Series races for years, since it first opened in 2006. The NASCAR-owned track lists a 30,000 capacity.Rusty Wallace, a former Cup series champion who designed the speedway, and former Cup champion Brad Keselowski were in attendance at the announcement outside of the Iowa...

Lorenzen, Buxton, Hernández, Cueto out for Wild Card Series; Correa, Siri, Bush on rosters

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:17 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Michael Lorenzen, Byron Buxton, Johnny Cueto and Jonathan Hernández were among the players left off rosters for Wild Card Series that started Tuesday, while the Texas Rangers made the surprise inclusion of former top draft pick Matt Bush.Minnesota included Carlos Correa and rookie Royce Lewis along with right-hander Chris Paddack, who made a pair relief appearances last week in his return from Tommy John surgery. Correa hasn’t played since Sept. 18 because of plantar fasciitis in his left foot and Lewis has been sidelined since straining his left hamstring on Sept. 19.Outfielder Jose Siri made Tampa Bay’s roster after missing the season’s final three weeks with a broken hand.Milwaukee dropped first baseman Rowdy Tellez, who homered twice in last year’s Division Series but slumped this season.Lorenzen, a 31-year-old right-hander, no-hit Washington on Aug. 9. He then went 2-2 with a 7.96 ERA in his next five starts and was dropped from the Phillie...

It’s time Europe reduced its defense reliance on the US, Czech president says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:17 GMT

BRUGES, Belgium — Europe should reduce its reliance on the U.S. and strengthen the European pillar of NATO instead, Czech President Petr Pavel said Tuesday.“The dominant role of NATO as a security provider must no longer mean that Europe neglects its defense obligations,” said Pavel, speaking at the opening ceremony of the new academic year at the College of Europe in Bruges. “Reducing the reliance on the U.S. and developing European strategic enablers is to be seen as our contribution to our transatlantic partnership.“Very likely, we will have to go beyond the 2 percent spending on defense,” he noted.NATO allies agreed at the Vilnius summit in July that the target, in the words of Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, should be treated as a floor instead of a ceiling. “We affirm that in many cases, expenditure beyond 2 percent of GDP will be needed,” the joint communiqué stated. Only about a third of the 31-strong alliance — including many Eastern allies — is meeting or close to...

If the bond markets aren’t scaring you yet, they should be

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:17 GMT

Bond markets, famously, can scare everyone. And if you aren’t scared by what’s happening with them yet, maybe you should be paying more attention.In less than three months, long-term interest rates have risen nearly a full percentage point in the U.S., dragging up borrowing costs for governments, companies and households around the world. And they don’t show any sign of stopping yet. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury, the world benchmark for long-term capital, rose another 0.11 percentage points on Tuesday to a new 16-year high after another surprisingly strong set of data from the U.S. labor market, which forced market participants to push back their expectations of an American recession yet again. In Europe, its German counterpart, the 10-year Bund, is now yielding nearly 3 percent, a level it hasn’t seen since 2011.As Deutsche Bank strategist Jim Reid pointed out, the weekend deal to avoid a U.S. government shutdown has, if anything, made things worse in the ...

Animal care workers, police work to save fox that survived illegal animal trap in Lexington

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:17 GMT

A fox found limping through the streets of Lexington ended up losing a leg, but is on the mend thanks to the work of local police and animal care workers, according to a wildlife rescue center.The Newhouse Wildlife Rescue said the animal was found on Saturday, Sept. 30, as it tried to walk in a neighborhood with a hold trap stuck to his leg – a device banned by Massachusetts state law.According to the rescue center’s Facebook page, a passerby alerted a nearby officer, leading to police working to corner the animal into a garage.With the homeowner assisting as well, police were able to keep the animal in place and call in Massachusetts Environmental Police, who in turn contacted Newhouse.The group was able to later get in contact with Dr. Victoria Vasilakis at Linwood Animal Hospital, who volunteered to come in and provide emergency care.In an update on Tuesday, the wildlife rescue said that despite the fox having no broken bones, blood flow did not return to the animal&#...

Massachusetts teenager charged for Cape Cod boat crash that killed teen girl; he was drunk while steering the boat, police say

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:17 GMT

A Medfield teenager has been charged in connection to the fatal boat crash in Dennis over the summer, which killed a 17-year-old girl.David K. Sullivan, 19, of Medfield, was recently indicted by a Barnstable County Grand Jury for his role in the July 21 death of Sadie Mauro — who was heading into her senior year at Dover-Sherborn High School.Sullivan was allegedly drunk while steering the boat, according to police.The boat crash in Dennis’ Sesuit Harbor led to Mauro’s death, and the crash also caused serious injuries to two other people on the boat.Months following the crash, the Cape and Islands DA has announced the charges against Sullivan: death of a person caused by operating vessel/boat under the influence of intoxicating liquor; possess false RMV documents; minor in possession of alcohol; operation of a vessel while under the influence of intoxication liquor causing serious bodily injury (x2); and reckless or negligent operation of a vessel causing death.R...

How Sandy and John Carpenter will celebrate 10 years of terror in graphic novels

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:17 GMT

Sandy King Carpenter never imagined getting into the world of graphic novels.Sure, the Los Angeles-based writer and film and TV producer enjoyed comic books and appreciated the form’s artistry, but it wasn’t until a television pitch meeting about a dozen years ago that she seriously considered diving into that realm. On that day, Carpenter sat at a large table alongside her husband, “Halloween” director and composer John Carpenter, actor and screenwriter Thomas Ian Griffith across from a bunch of industry gatekeepers to share the idea for a proposed supernatural horror series called “Asylum.”“All the signposts were there that told us we weren’t really going to go into production,” Carpenter said during a recent phone interview. “All it took was an assistant saying, ‘Well, it’s not like you’re matching to a graphic novel or anything.’”It was the lightbulb moment.Los Angeles-based Storm King Comics’ will release the ninth volume of “John Carpenter’s Tales For a...

Mayo Clinic Minute: Correcting the curve with scoliosis surgery

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:17 GMT

Jason Howland | (TNS) Mayo Clinic News NetworkScoliosis is a condition that causes the spine to curve. It often is diagnosed in children — perhaps during a growth spurt or in and around the time of puberty. However, it can be associated with other conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, infection or injuries to the spine. There are also other conditions, including congenital or neuromuscular diseases, that con contribute to a curvature.Surgery is usually a last resort to fix the problem. And as Dr. Jamal McClendon Jr., a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon, explains, new technology and techniques have improved the safety and recovery time for patients who have surgery to correct the curve.Most people with scoliosis have a mild spinal curve that can be monitored by their healthcare team over time or treated with a back brace and physical therapy.“Most individuals who we see, or I see, in the office, greater than 90% do not need any form of a procedure,” says Dr. McClendon.But wh...

Gretchen’s table: Green chili with salsa verde chases away that fall chill

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:17 GMT

Gretchen McKay | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)Now that it’s officially fall, and the weather is getting cooler, many of us are turning to foods that are a little heartier.A rich and warming pot of chili is a good dish to make the transition from summer to autumn in part because it’s a perfect football food — it feeds a crowd and it’s so easy to eat on the couch in front of the TV. Chili is also versatile, and can satisfy a vegetarian as well as a carnivore, depending on the mix of ingredients.It’s also equal opportunity when it comes to spice. If you love a dish that makes your lips and taste buds burn, throw a few more chili peppers or tablespoons of chili powder into the pot. If you’re more reserved, use less or choose a milder chili pepper, such as poblano.This green chili combines chunks of pork tenderloin with white onion, garlic and salsa verde. Cannellini beans, a type of white kidney bean, add protein and fiber without overpowering the other flavors. I also add fresh jalapen...