All posts by Dane Belbeck

Report: Red Wings, Erne settle on 2-year deal with $2.1M AAV

The Detroit Red Wings and forward Adam Erne have settled on a two-year deal with an average annual value of $2.1 million, reports Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Erne filed for arbitration after posting 11 goals and nine assists over 45 games for the Red Wings last season, the best output of his five-year NHL career.

The news comes just five days after the Red Wings settled with electric forward Jakub Vrana on a three-year deal with an average annual value of over $5 million.

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NHL postpones February outdoor game set for North Carolina

The NHL Stadium Series outdoor game set for Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina has been postponed from its scheduled date of Feb. 20, 2021.

"While we are extremely disappointed that we will not be able to host an outdoor game this season, the health and safety of our fans remains our top priority," Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. "We look forward to hosting the game in the near future and rewarding our incredible fan base with an unforgettable experience."

The contest on the NC State campus is slated to be the NHL's 32nd regular-season outdoor game, and the first to feature the Hurricanes. Other historic college football venues that have hosted NHL games include Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, and Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.

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Subban insists Bellemare bit him during altercation

A marquee matchup between two of the better teams in the league turned ugly on Wednesday night, with P.K. Subban claiming he was bitten by Pierre-Edouard Bellemare during a skirmish in front of the net.

The Nashville Predators defenseman left the incident telling referees that the Vegas Golden Knights forward had bitten his finger, something he confirmed to reporters after the contest.

"He bit me. My finger was bleeding," Subban said, as per Ryan Quigley of Knights on Ice. "All I tried to do was grab him. I grabbed him by the head to pull him up and he bit me. I don't know how I walk out of there with four minutes in penalties."

Bellemare was not penalized in the incident, with the referees instead opting to send Subban and Ryan Reaves to the box after he came to his teammate's defense. While Subban seems certain there was a bite, Bellemare saw his opponent as the aggressor in the situation.

"I'm in front of the net trying to get the rebound and suddenly I'm in a headlock with an entire glove in my mouth and I'm choking," Bellemare told Vince Sapienza of FOX-5. "He started yelling like, 'I bit him, I bit him.' I don't know what you have in your mouth, but like, if you put all of your hand all the way through and you pull up you are going to feel the teeth."

Bellemare wasn't done there, continuing by questioning Subban's reaction to the whole incident.

"I don't know why he's going absolutely crazy there," he said. "I have half a glove in my throat and playing with the back of it and pulling me up and there was no mouthguard, so it's like, those are my teeth."

The teams won't have to wait too long to renew acquaintances, as the two are scheduled to meet in Vegas once again on Feb. 16.

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Oilers’ Larsson admits to ‘playing so bad right now’ after loss to Canes

Adam Larsson didn't mince words on his own performance after the Edmonton Oilers dropped a 7-4 contest at home to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.

"They came out hot, we didn't and a lot of that is on me," Larsson said after the contest. "I'm playing so bad right now, I don't know what it is, but I need it to stop as soon as possible."

The 26-year-old was a minus-3 in just under 18 minutes of ice time against the Hurricanes, marking the fourth time in his last seven games that he's posted that rating. The Oilers have posted a 3-4 record in that span, and have lost 11 of their last 16 contests.

As for the reasons behind the struggles? Larsson doesn't think it's a lack of effort.

"I feel like I'm working hard, I feel like I'm just too passive, not skating," he said. "This is as bad as it's been and it's as bad as it will be. I can guarantee you that."

Larsson gets his next chance to break out of his funk on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings.

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Ducks acquire Grant from Penguins for Blandisi

The Anaheim Ducks have acquired center Derek Grant from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for center Joseph Blandisi, the team announced early Thursday morning.

Grant has appeared in 25 games with the Penguins this season, posting five points and a plus-3 rating over that span. Blandisi has spent the majority of the last two seasons in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls, scoring 13 goals with 28 helpers in 55 games at that level.

The move added to a busy night for the Ducks, as the club dealt Luke Schenn and a seventh-round pick to the Vancouver Canucks for Michael Del Zotto earlier on.

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Breaking down the Supreme Court’s ruling with betting analyst Jon Campbell

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday morning that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act is unconstitutional, paving the way for states to offer legalized sports gambling on an individual basis.

The 49-page ruling can be difficult to follow, so theScore contacted sports betting analyst Jon Campbell of Oddsshark.com to break down the main points from the decision.

theScore: What does today's decision mean for sports betting in the United States?

Jon Campbell: States will now have the power to decide whether they want to legalize and regulate sports betting themselves. Before, they weren't allowed to do that under the old PASPA law.

theScore: Will people have to place wagers at casinos, or will they be able to do so through an app on their mobile device?

Campbell: That will really be up to the state itself. I'd be surprised if we ultimately don't end up with states having a Nevada-type model where you can place bets at casinos or you can use online apps. My best guess is casinos and brick-and-mortar places offer them first and then we'll have the apps and bettors will be able to have mobile options.

theScore: How has the viewpoint toward legalized sports betting from the four major professional leagues changed since they sued in 2012 to keep this ban in place?

Campbell: The NBA now supports legalized sports betting; they just want it regulated at a federal level. The MLB has changed its tune toward sports betting, it's more along the lines of the NBA now. The PGA Tour is the league that most recently came around on sports betting, wanting to license their data to sportsbooks. I think what leagues are struggling with now is how they are going to get their piece of the pie and how they are going to make money off this. They just got to the point where they knew it was inevitable, it was going to be regulated, so there's no point in trying to stop it. Their arguments were really out of date anyway and people weren't buying it anymore.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

theScore: The NBA has floated the idea of attaching a one percent integrity fee that the league would pocket off any wager made. Any chance the individual states will go for that?

Campbell: I think states are crazy if they agree to that. I think the number should be zero. I don't know why they would give the leagues one percent, that's like 20 percent of their profit. I think the average sports fan out there might look at it and say, 'Well, it's only one percent, why don't you pay it?' but sports bettors know that what they are asking for is 20 percent of their profit. Sportsbooks only typically make about 5 percent on the action that they take in. It's a huge chunk that the NBA is asking for and I think it should be the other way around and the NBA should be paying sportsbooks. Sportsbooks are the best marketing tool that the professional leagues have and the sports bettor is the most engaged of all their fans. They are the ones who watch their games right up to the end and I think states would be crazy if they pay the leagues anything.

theScore: With more states likely to legalize sports betting, will the industry in Las Vegas suffer?

Campbell: I think there will be a positive impact on Las Vegas. I've talked to a number of sportsbook managers in Las Vegas and they are all for it. The same way gambling is offered in every state, people still want to go to Las Vegas to gamble. If you like playing in a casino, you want to go to Las Vegas. It's just the mecca of all the betting fun and entertainment. I think that's only going to increase. People are going to be placing more sports bets across North America and people are going to want to go to the mecca of it all.

theScore: How fast can states implement legislation and infrastructure to get sports betting up and running?

Campbell: Before the NFL season, you'll see between five to 10 states offering bets. It's just a matter of days in New Jersey at the sportsbook setup at Monmouth Park. William Hill is just ready to flip the switch. I think Atlantic City will be not far behind. Then you have states that have already passed bills this year like Mississippi, Pennsylvania, West Virginia. I think we'll see them offer legalized sports betting before the NFL season.

theScore: While Canada allows some form of betting, they are yet to legalize single-game sports wagering. Do you think today's decision in the U.S. will cause the Canadian government to act?

Campbell: There's no real urgency right now for Canada to review their law, but I think there will be once money starts changing hands and they see that states are making money. In places like Windsor, people will be crossing the border to place a single-game bet in Detroit. I think once they see they are missing out on revenue and that it's accessible for people living near the border, that might be what it takes for them to review this law.

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U.S. Supreme Court votes to end ban on state-sanctioned sports betting

In a historic decision Monday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 7-2 in favor of overturning the federal ban on state-sanctioned sports betting, paving the way for legalized wagering across the country.

The official decision contends, "Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each State is free to act on its own."

The case was contested in New Jersey, which is now eligible to make the change immediately under the ruling. According to gaming and sports attorney Daniel Wallach, it's expected Monmouth Park Racetrack will be one of the first to offer sports betting in as little as two weeks' time.

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act came into law in 1992, and while it didn't officially ban sports betting nationwide, it ruled states were not allowed to regulate and tax sports betting.

Nevada was the lone exception to the rule, creating a sports betting haven in the desert, most notably in Las Vegas.

According to Pete Williams of NBC Sports, the American Gaming Association estimates the men's NCAA basketball tournament alone brings in $10 billion per year, with only three percent wagered legally in Nevada.

New Jersey may be the state to benefit immediately from the decision, but it certainly won't be the only one. Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia recently passed laws that would allow sports wagering contingent upon Monday's decision.

Wallach also reports 15 other states, including New York, have introduced legislation that would regulate sports betting related to the Supreme Court's ruling. With the ruling now complete, many expect those states to move forward with legislation to allow betting later this summer.

The move to legalize sports betting has picked up a great deal of traction in recent months, with MLB, the NBA, and the PGA Tour leading efforts to ensure safeguards are in place to protect the integrity of their sports. The NBA and MLB are also seeking to be paid a percentage of all legal wagering on their events. NBA vice president Dan Spillane in January told the New York state legislature leagues want a 1 percent cut for "integrity" services, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reports.

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U.S. Supreme Court votes to end ban on state-sanctioned sports betting

In a historic decision Monday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 7-2 in favor of overturning the federal ban on state-sanctioned sports betting, paving the way for legalized wagering across the country.

The official decision contends, "Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each State is free to act on its own." That opens the door for each state to individually decide whether to allow sports betting in its region.

The case was contested in New Jersey, a state that will likely be the first to make the change under the ruling.

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act came into law in 1992, and while it didn't officially ban sports betting nationwide, it ruled states were not allowed to permit sports betting.

Nevada was the lone exception to the rule, creating a sports betting haven in the desert, most notably in Las Vegas.

According to Pete Williams of NBC Sports, the American Gaming Association estimates the men's NCAA basketball tournament alone brings in $10 billion per year, with only three percent being wagered legally in Nevada.

A number of states have introduced legislation in the past few months that would legalize sports betting once the Supreme Court ruled, so expect those areas to act fast following Monday's decision.

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