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Everything you need to know about the 2026 NHL Playoffs

Everything you need to know about the 2026 NHL Playoffs

Everything you need to know about the 2026 NHL Playoffs

The Stanley Cup Playoffs feature 16 of the league’s 32 teams — eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference. The top three teams in each division (Atlantic and Metropolitan in the East; Central and Pacific in the West), along with the two next-best teams in each conference (the Wild Cards) complete the 16-team field.

Cameron Brink refuses to be sidelined

Cameron Brink refuses to be sidelined

Cameron Brink refuses to be sidelined

As the LA Sparks seek a fourth WNBA championship, they’re building a roster around big-name veterans like Kelsey Plum and Nneka Ogwumike. But one young superstar is also at the heart of the team and the WNBA at large: third-year forward Cameron Brink. Last week, we caught up with her to learn about how she’s built her illustrious brand portfolio with “intentional” partnerships — and how she turned a difficult injury setback into an opportunity to build her entrepreneurial skills.

Top NBA postseason storylines to watch

Top NBA postseason storylines to watch

Top NBA postseason storylines to watch

The top storylines to know as the NBA postseason tips off.

The NBA postseason set-up

The NBA postseason set-up

The NBA postseason set-up

The NBA playoff field is almost locked in. Here's how the postseason works.

New data on Gen Z teens underscores the generation’s appreciation for athlete advocacy around social issues

New data on Gen Z teens underscores the generation’s appreciation for athlete advocacy around social issues

New data on Gen Z teens underscores the generation’s appreciation for athlete advocacy around social issues

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a national study involving Gen Z teens yesterday, highlighting that sports and athletes heavily influence how teens perceive societal issues.

WNBA eyes international expansion as global athletes, fans develop ties to league

WNBA eyes international expansion as global athletes, fans develop ties to league

WNBA eyes international expansion as global athletes, fans develop ties to league

For the WNBA’s 30th season, the league is looking back — and abroad. Three of the first 12 WNBA Draft picks were international, including No. 3 Awa Fam Thiam from Spain. It makes sense to lure stars stateside as the league hopes to build fandom abroad: W commissioner Cathy Engelbert said she’s “heavily looking at” staging international WNBA games.

LSU sophomore Kailin Chio, UCLA senior Jordan Chiles headline the NCAA women’s gymnastics national championships

LSU sophomore Kailin Chio, UCLA senior Jordan Chiles headline the NCAA women’s gymnastics national championships

LSU sophomore Kailin Chio, UCLA senior Jordan Chiles headline the NCAA women’s gymnastics national championships

A positively stacked eight-team field has touched down in Fort Worth, Texas, for the NCAA women’s gymnastics national championships. Join the party and giddy on up — these women are flippin’ fantastic.

Drama abounds in NBA Play-In Tournament

Drama abounds in NBA Play-In Tournament

Sports News

Drama abounds in NBA Play-In Tournament

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April 15, 2026

Two games in, and the NBA Play-In Tournament is already doing what it does best — stirring up chaos. Official playoff berths are on the line, and the high-stakes hoopla has only just begun.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Puck off — the NHL postseason is here

April 16, 2026

Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify

Puck off — the NHL postseason is here

Puck off — the NHL postseason is here

It’s giving icy and spicy.

It’s once again time to talk about the hardest trophy to win in professional sports, the Stanley Cup. The puck drops on the NHL postseason this Saturday, so today’s episode of The GIST of It is all about the best game you can name, from how the playoffs work to the teams co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are keeping an eye on. Let’s do that hockey.

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LOVB SF owners on unique Bay Area ecosystem that makes volleyball franchise a smash hit

LOVB SF owners on unique Bay Area ecosystem that makes volleyball franchise a smash hit

LOVB SF owners on unique Bay Area ecosystem that makes volleyball franchise a smash hit

This Thursday, LOVB serves up its championship weekend, which will air on USA Sports for the first time. This will be the last chip featuring the league’s inaugural six teams as three expansion teams will be added next year, including LOVB San Francisco.

Caddix lacrosse cleats fill crucial need in women’s market as Nike eyes lacrosse space

Caddix lacrosse cleats fill crucial need in women’s market as Nike eyes lacrosse space

Caddix lacrosse cleats fill crucial need in women’s market as Nike eyes lacrosse space

Nike netted a multiyear agreement with the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) and the Women’s Lacrosse League (WLL) yesterday as the official apparel partner of both leagues. This includes Nike-designed uniforms and sideline apparel, but doesn’t include cleats, a white space in the women’s lacrosse world — one that Caddix, a new USA Lacrosse partner, is busy filling.

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy wins second consecutive Masters

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy wins second consecutive Masters

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy wins second consecutive Masters

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy has cemented his legacy among golf’s greats, winning his second consecutive Masters yesterday. McIlroy’s victory wasn’t straightforward, but was decidedly human — par for the course for the Northern Irishman — complete with both brilliant strokes and bonehead swings. Truly a tradition unlike any other.

WNBA free agency and the entry draft: An exercise in roster building

WNBA free agency and the entry draft: An exercise in roster building

WNBA free agency and the entry draft: An exercise in roster building

WNBA free agency has lived up to the hype, with a myriad of moves coming after the official signing period opened on Saturday. All that action has set the stage for tonight’s 7 p.m. ET three-round entry draft in NYC. Keep those notifications on — women’s basketball never sleeps.

Women’s sports memorabilia is the next big thing, and The Realest is ready

Women’s sports memorabilia is the next big thing, and The Realest is ready

Women’s sports memorabilia is the next big thing, and The Realest is ready

In sports, fashion, media, and beyond, we’re seeing a multigenerational interest in nostalgia, one that women’s sports hasn’t always had the resources to meet. But that’s changing fast thanks to companies like The Realest, the authenticated memorabilia platform that raised $12M in funding earlier this year. In February, we spoke with founder and CEO Scott Keeney about how the new verified memorabilia brand has been able to break into the market, address authentication issues, and serve the women’s sports community like no one has before.

The impact of the 65-game rule on the NBA MVP race

The impact of the 65-game rule on the NBA MVP race

The impact of the 65-game rule on the NBA MVP race

The NBA postseason picture is taking shape ahead of the regular-season finale on Sunday. And while the Eastern Conference middle-of-the-standings traffic jam is intriguing, the league MVP race is providing the real drama. The culprit? A little something called the 65-game rule. Let’s discuss.

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