Utah Senator Orrin Hatch said he will lead the charge on a new bill to keep sports gambling banned after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law Monday.
"At stake here is the very integrity of sports," Hatch said in a statement cited by The Hill's Jordain Carney. "That's why I plan to introduce legislation in the coming weeks to help protect honesty and principle in the athletic arena."
Hatch was one of the legislative authors of the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) that kept sports betting effectively illegal outside of Nevada and Delaware. That was the law ruled unconstitutional Monday morning by the highest court in the country. The decision opens the door to legalized wagering nationwide.
Hatch, a conservative Republican, added: "we cannot allow this practice to proliferate amid uneven enforcement and a patchwork race to the regulatory bottom."
The 84-year-old Hatch plans to retire from politics at the end of this year.
Canada avoided a potential upset loss to Latvia thanks to Connor McDavid's overtime winner on Monday.
McDavid scored 46 seconds into overtime, knocking a puck out of mid-air into the net after Latvia netminder Kristers Gudlevskis made an incredible pad stop on Canada's captain.
With the 2-1 win, Canada clinched a spot in the quarterfinals and moved into third place in Group B - one point back of Finland for second.
Anthony Beauvilier was named Canada's player of the game after scoring the the contest's opening goal early into the first period. Meanwhile, Gudlevskis earned the honors for Latvia after making 32 saves on 34 shots.
Canada will close out the preliminary round on Tuesday in a game against Germany.
After failing to capture the Stanley Cup through his first 12 years in the NHL, the Washington Capitals captain is seemingly out to carve a new path in the 2018 postseason.
Ovechkin has tallied 19 points in 14 playoff games, including a game-winning goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. He's powered the Capitals to their first third-round appearance since 1998.
The charge has only continued as Ovechkin and the Capitals have taken the first two games against the favored Tampa Bay Lightning.
"I think he has taken 14 years of frustration out on one playoff. Not just us, but this whole playoff season," Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters Monday. "There's a reason he has 600 goals and he's done all these wonderful things in the league."
Ovechkin has picked up a pair of points in each game against the Lightning. The Capitals can push Tampa to the brink of elimination in Washington on Tuesday, which would make Ovechkin's dominance even more impressive.
"In the past, (Ovechkin) has not had playoff success, and when you do get to taste a little bit of it, it really tastes good," Cooper added.
Ovechkin is just two points back of tying his career high in the playoffs. He notched 11 goals and 10 assists during the 2009 postseason.
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.
The Edmonton Oilers added some depth between the pipes, agreeing to terms with Swift Current Broncos netminder Stuart Skinner on a three-year entry-level contract, the Oilers announced Monday.
Skinner finished the Western Hockey League regular season with a 16-6-1 record and a .914 save percentage across 25 appearances. He then stacked up another 16 victories in the playoffs to guide Swift Current to its first trip to the Memorial Cup since 1993, winning the WHL championship on Sunday night.
The 2018 Memorial Cup will take place later this month in Regina, Saskatchewan, and includes the host Pats along with the Broncos, the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, and the Hamilton Bulldogs.
The Oilers selected Skinner with the 78th pick in last year's draft.
With the Stanley Cup Playoffs winding down it's time to consider how players still competing in the postseason have better positioned themselves ahead of free agency.
Here are three standouts who could cash in when the market opens on July 1.
John Carlson, D, Washington Capitals
We've seen this before. On his contract year, a player has a career-best season and then gets a nice raise during free agency. Carlson, who wrapped the regular season with a career-high 68 points, could be next to get that contract-year bump, especially with his high-end production continuing into the third round of the postseason.
Prior to the 2017-18 campaign, Carlson's career high was 55 points, and he's averaged 51 points over the past three years (adjusted for 82 games). That's more good news for Carlson's agent, who is sure to highlight the veteran blue-liner's status as the top right-handed shot available. The next best option is an older, injury-riddled, and less productive Mike Green.
Paul Stastny, C, Winnipeg Jets
Dealt from St. Louis to Winnipeg at the trade deadline, Stastny's production saw only a slight increase following the deal, up 0.05 points per contest. But he's raised his play in the postseason, tallying 15 points through 13 games to outpace key offensive threats like Patrik Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Kyle Connor.
If John Tavares becomes a free agent he'll undoubtedly be the top center available. But teams that miss out on the New York Islanders captain can come calling for Stastny. Currently on a $7-million contract, Stastny's strong playoffs after a pedestrian regular season in St. Louis could earn him a similar annual figure.
James Neal, RW, Vegas Golden Knights
There's a lot to like about Neal, and more than just intriguing intangibles like grit and leadership that typically boost a player's value in free agency.
The savvy winger also brings a steady scoring touch. He's displayed that throughout his career, including Neal's first year with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights. Neal continues to be a proven veteran who delivers when it matters. He's tied for fourth in Vegas playoff scoring with seven points over 11 games.
Adding to the intrigue is that the 30-year-old has never reached free agency, meaning many teams will finally have their shot at signing him to their squad.
Following reports of a rift stemming from the Toronto Maple Leafs' exit from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, head coach Mike Babcock visited star player Auston Matthews in his native Arizona earlier this month.
Babcock says the face time allowed them to work out any outstanding issues.
"He wants to be better, I want him to be better, I want our team to be better," Babcock told TSN's Darren Dreger. "He wants to be playing now, so that's what we're working towards. He wants to be the best two-way player in the game, so we're going to work as hard as we can.
"It's not going to be rosy every day. It never is. Anyone who perceives the NHL that things are going good every day, it's not like that. It's a competitive, competitive atmosphere."
The meeting came after Matthews, who maintained a point-per-game pace throughout the regular season, struggled to a two-point showing in Toronto's opening-round series against the Boston Bruins.
And while Matthews took flack for failing to find the scoresheet more frequently, Babcock was also the target of criticism after he elected not to double-shift his star player against a banged-up Boston squad.
For now, it appears they've cleared the air.
"There's a big difference between being 28 and totally established, and being 20," Babcock added. "We've got a lot of young people on our team, so that guidance is going to continue to happen. But we're excited about our group."
The Maple Leafs finished the regular season with a franchise-best 105 points.
The Nashville Predators had legit Stanley Cup aspirations until their dream season was unceremoniously cut short by a deep and talented Winnipeg Jets squad last week.
On Monday, general manager David Poile spoke to the media to address his team's finish, offseason approach, and health, announcing a handful of players who got hurt during its postseason run:
Mike Fisher (F) - Was playing through a meniscus injury, would have likely been available for Stanley Cup Final had Nashville qualified.
Ryan Hartman (F) - Suffered an injured shoulder that will require offseason surgery; recovery time is expected to be four to five months.
Calle Jarnkrok (F) - Dealt with an injured shoulder that kept him out of the lineup for some playoff games; will make full recovery prior to training camp.
Despite finishing with a league-best 117 points and the franchise's first Presidents' Trophy, the season will ultimately be deemed a failure for Poile and Co., as the Predators entered the campaign as one of the favorites to be named Cup champs.
Scott Hartnell's second tour of duty in Nashville is over.
The veteran forward and pending unrestricted free agent won't be offered a contract extension, Predators general manager David Poile announced Monday.
The news comes after Hartnell was held off the scoresheet in four playoff appearances. He played just one game against the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round, then dressed for three of seven contests against the Winnipeg Jets in the semifinals.
Hartnell signed a one-year, $1-million contract with the Predators last offseason.
He finished the regular season with 13 goals and 11 assists in 62 games. It was a slight decrease in production for the 36-year-old, who tallied 37 points in 78 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets a year ago.
The Predators originally selected Hartnell with the sixth overall pick in the 2000 draft. He spent his first six seasons with the franchise prior to a 2007 trade that sent him to the Philadelphia Flyers.
In 1,249 career games, he has registered 327 goals and 380 assists.
