Devils add Chisholm and Lombardi

  No, not Shirley Chisholm or Vince Lombardi, but on the eve of the NHL Draft, the New Jersey Devils have added two players who should compete for back spots on the roster and, at minimum, help the Devils AHL affiliate in Utica.

The Devils traded their fourth-rounder in this draft to the Detroit Red Wings for forward Amadeus Lombardi, and their fourth-rounder in the 2027 draft to the Washington Capitals for defenseman Declan Chisholm.

Chisholm (pictured) has played for three teams (Winnipeg, Minnesota, and Washington) and played in only twenty-six games, scoring one goal with six assists as the seventh defenseman.

Chisholm will compete for the six/seventh defenseman spot on the roster, but could also bring a veteran presence to a young defensive corps in Utica who could be called to the big club if injuries deem it necessary.

The more intriguing addition is Amadeus Lombardi, for reasons beyond an unusual name, as the twenty-three-year-old center has been very productive at the AHL level and might just need a chance to break through to the NHL.

Lombardi is reported to be a two-way player and has yet to make his NHL debut, having spent the past three seasons in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Lombardi scored sixteen goals with twenty-six assists in forty-seven games for the Griffins and will compete for the center spot on the Devils' third or fourth lines.

Sometimes, a young player who is blocked by better players just needs a chance to prove themselves with another organization, and Lombardi might be one of those players.

Cavaliers select Meleek Thomas

    The Cleveland Cavaliers seem to have made a strong move by trading out of the first round and dropping five spots into the second round after their opening draft night deal with the Sacramento Kings.

Cleveland's selection of Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas added one of the better shooters in the draft and one who, at nineteen, has the potential to eventually be a key contributor down the road.

The 6'5 Thomas played one season in college at Arkansas for John Calipari, averaging just under sixteen points per game, shooting forty-three percent from the floor and an impressive forty-one percent from three-point distance.

Thomas was a five-star recruit for Arkansas after playing his high school basketball in Pittsburgh and entering the draft. He was rated by most as a mid to late first-rounder, so on talent, Thomas would seem to be a steal in the second round.

Thomas is regarded as an excellent shooter, has been described as a "Gifted Scorer", and his offensive game made me think of Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson, the Detroit Pistons sixth man in the late eighties and early nineties.

Thomas does have some flaws, as he's been noted to play out of control and needs major league work on the defensive end, but at only nineteen, Thomas's potential is worth taking in the second round.

I'd park him with the G-League's Cleveland Charge for as many games as possible and hope he can improve enough to be a key contributor and an offensive catalyst off the bench.

Cavaliers trade out of Round One

   The Cleveland Cavaliers were rumored to have been shopping their first-round pick during the first night of the NBA Draft, and I thought they would move the pick.

Not on any brilliance on my part, but because I was very tired, and usually in these situations, the result isn't worth staying awake.

And the Cavaliers didn't disappoint, trading the next-to-last choice in the first round (29th, originally the property of the San Antonio Spurs) to the Sacramento Kings for the 34th pick (the fourth pick in round two) and a "future second-rounder".

I bracketed those words because the pick wasn't specified, but was described to Cleveland.com as "in the distant future".

The deal is uninspiring, but it makes sense because a second-round choice isn't automatically tied to the team's salary structure as a first-round choice would be, and, given the Cavaliers' cap situation, they need to save wherever they can.

Interesting prospects available in round two include center Henri Veesaar of North Carolina, forward Isaiah Evans of Duke, and guards Maleek Thomas of Arkansas, Ryan Conwell of Louisville, and Bruce Thornton of Ohio State

Devils trade Nemec to Flames, add two number ones

      Days before the NHL Draft, the new general manager of the New Jersey Devils, Sunny Mehta, made his first trade, and it's a very interesting move that dealt from the team's deepest position with the bonus of adding future draft capital.

New Jersey traded defenseman Simon Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames for two future first-round draft picks, a second-rounder in Friday's draft, and minor league defenseman Etienne Morin.

Nemec is coming off his best season with New Jersey since being selected second overall by the Devils in the 2022 draft, scoring eleven goals with fifteen assists, and at only twenty-two, the Devils could be selling low on Nemec.

New Jersey has already spent money on locking up Luke Hughes in the defensive corps, and Nemec will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, so it does make sense that Nemec was the most valued member of the group.

New Jersey will also have their top pick in 2024, Anton Silayev, available for the upcoming season, so despite Nemec's talent, the Devils may have been smart to move him now.

Maxim Tsyplakov is a toss-in in the trade after splitting last season between the Islanders and Devils, scoring two goals with two assists in forty-nine combined games.

New Jersey will be receiving a first-round pick in 2027 (originally property of Las Vegas) and a first-round pick in 2028 (originally Colorado's) and the Islanders' second-rounder in this year's draft.

Both first-rounders are top-ten protected.

The Devils now own five first-rounders in the next three drafts, so Sunny Mehta could have some ammo to add a forward to their top six.

Etienne Morin scored one goal with six assists for the Calgary Wranglers, the Flames' AHL affiliate, last season, and at twenty-one, still can be considered a prospect. 

Boxing Challenge

  A quick catch-up to keep the challenge standings up to date

Chris Billam-Smith TKO 7 Ryan Rozicki

Masamichi Yabuki won a unanimous decision over Rene Calixto to retain his IBF Flyweight title.

Andrew Moloney won a majority decision over Willibaldo Garcia to win Garcia's IBF Junior Bantamweight title.

John Riel Casimero KO 4 Luis Nery in a battle of former bantamweight champions.

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 62 Pts (4)

Ramon Malpica: 50 Pts (3)

Vince Samano: 42 Pts (2) 

Boxing Challenge

   The boxing weekend may not be the most glamourus but a world title is defended, a vacant world title will be filled, two former champions match up in a career-ending match for the loser, and another former champion continues their comeback.

Cruiserweights 10 Rds

Chris Billam-Smith vs Ryan Rozicki

Ramon Malpica: Rozicki Unanimous Decision

TRS and Vince Samano: Billam-Smith Unanimous Decision

IBF Flyweight Title 12 Rds

Masamichi Yabuki vs Rene Calixto

R.L: Yabuki Unanimous Decision

TRS: Yabuki KO 10

V.S: Calixto Unanimous Decision

IBF Junior Bantamweight Title 12 Rds

Willibaldo Garcia vs Andrew Moloney

R.L: Garcia Unanimous Decision

TRS: Moloney Unanimous Decision

V.S: Garcia KO 8

Featherweights, 10 Rds

Luis Nery vs John Riel Casimero

All: Casimero Unanimous Decision

Browns trade Myles Garrett to Rams, acquire Jared Verse

     The Cleveland Browns finally ended their saga with the greatest defender in the team's history as the Browns traded Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, who cemented their position as Super Bowl favorites with the addition of Garrett.

The thirty-year-old Garrett finished last season with twenty-three sacks to set the record for sacks in a season, and finished with one hundred and twenty-five for his career after the Browns selected him first overall from Texas A&M in the 2017 draft.

While the return for the best pass rusher in the league may not seem to be enough, the Browns didn't come away with nothing as they acquired defensive end Jared Verse and three draft choices from the Rams.

Cleveland added Los Angeles's first rounder in 2027, their second rounder in 2028, and their third rounder in 2029.

Verse was the first round pick of the Rams in 2024 and won the league's defensive rookie of the year award after entering the league from Florida State.

Verse finished last season with seven and a half sacks, forced three fumbles, and thirty-five solo tackles, eleven of those for losses.

Verse isn't Myles Garrett, but he's very good and should be the leading pass rusher on the Browns this season.

I wish the Browns could have received different choices in the three draft years.

The first rounder will almost certainly be in the final few spots of the round in 2027, and the Browns may have gained more value if the first rounder were in 2029, when the Rams may be in decline, but the 2027 option could be vital if the Browns need draft capital to move up in a quarterback-heavy draft.

The Browns could not have made a better trade, considering Garrett's age, with essentially two number-ones (I'm counting Jared Verse, who is young enough to be considered one) added to the coffers.

Jared Verse is the key to the trade.

I don't expect him to come close to Myles Garrett's production, but he has to be at least very good and lead the team's pass rush.

Should Verse meet those expectations, and I believe that he will, this trade could be as good as expected under the circumstances.