Bears 7-round mock draft: Chicago picks Peter Woods, reinforces trenches

The 2025Chicago Bearsnearly made it to the NFC championship game. How can they improve their roster in the2026 NFL Draftto get over the hump?

That's a question every Bears fan is trying to answer alongside Chicago's general manager, Ryan Poles; its head coach, Ben Johnson; and the team's scouts and other executives.

Earlier this offseason, Poles made a significant step to ready up for the draft bysending wide receiver DJ Mooreand a fifth-round pick to theBuffalo Billsfor a second-round pick. The upgraded draft capital provides Poles the opportunity to add a talented player to a position of need early in the draft.

The Bears' biggest needs are on the defensive side of the ball. While Chicago led the league in forced turnovers last season, the defense's performance outside of the takeaways left much to be desired. The unit ranked 21st in expected points added (EPA)/play allowed and 26th in success rate allowed in 2025.

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2026 NFL DRAFT:Ranking the top 150 best players available

USA TODAY Sports has compiled a seven-round mock draft to boost the 2026 Bears' roster. Here's how Chicago might use its seven picks in the upcoming NFL draft:

OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

2026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, trades

OT Tytus Howard:Traded to Cleveland Browns(previous team: Houston Texans)

Chicago Bearsmock draft

Round 1, No. 25 overall: DT Peter Woods, Clemson

Getting the Bears' defense right starts in the trenches. Chicago ranked 31st in the NFL in pass-rush win rate and 26th in the league in run-stop win rate in 2025, according to ESPN. Dennis Allen's defense tied for seventh-fewest sacks as a team (35) during the season. WhileGervon Dexterhad another solid season,Grady Jarrett's performance left much to be desired, and he'll be 33 by the weekend after the draft.

Woods is the top defensive tackle prospect in his draft class, as a guy capable of stuffing opposing rushers and has real upside as an interior pass-rusher as well. A 3-tech who can be effective on all three downs would be a nice tool to add to Allen's arsenal on the defensive side.

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Round 2, No. 57 overall: S A.J. Haulcy, LSU

With two more picks in the second round, the Bears have a good chance to bring in several young, new starters to upgrade their defense. With Poles addressing the trenches first, he could look to the secondary with the Bears' second pick in the draft. Chicago let five defensive backs walk in free agency earlier this offseason and brought in safetiesCam LewisandCoby Bryantto help plug the new holes in the secondary.

Bryant only recently became a consistent starter, and Lewis had a lot of special teams snaps but rarely started on defense with the Bills. Haulcy is one of the best safeties in this class outside of projected first-rounders Caleb Downs, Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. He lined up all over the field – free safety, in the box and in the slot – in his collegiate career and tallied eight interceptions and 10 PBUs in his last two seasons.

Round 2, No. 60 overall: Edge Derrick Moore, Michigan

Even after adding Woods in the first round, the Bears could still use the extra help in the pass-rush.Montez Sweathad the second double-digit sack season of his career in 2025, but fellow defensive endDayo Odeyingbohad one sack before tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 9.

With uncertainty around Odeyingbo's effectiveness when he returns from injury and a lack of sacks production from those not named Montez Sweat, Moore steps in as a plug-and-play starter. He's a powerful pass-rusher who broke out in 2025 with 10 sacks in 12 games with the Wolverines. Moore's run defense is less pretty, but the pass-rush ceiling is too enticing to pass up in the late second round.

Round 3, No. 89 overall: C Connor Lew, Auburn

After tripling down on defensive help in the first two rounds, Poles finally turns his attention to the offense in Round 3 of this mock. Center is not an immediate need for the Bears. AfterDrew Dalman's surprising retirement, Chicago traded for Patriots centerGarrett Bradbury. But Bradbury will be 31 in June and is a free agent after this year. Lew can join the Bears' squad of offensive lineman as Bradbury's (and Dalman's) heir apparent on the interior.

Round 4, No. 129 overall: OT Drew Shelton, Penn State

Trenches win football games. That's the philosophy for this mock draft and a sound strategy to get the Bears closer to a Super Bowl win next February.Darnell Wrighthas the right tackle spot locked down for Chicago for at least 2026 and likely 2027, once the Bears exercise his fifth-year option. It's the left tackle spot that is a bit more uncertain.

StarterOzzy Trapilotore his patellar tendon in the playoffs after a breakout rookie season in 2025, and the Bears signed three tackles to one-year deals in free agency. Shelton provides a possible short-term reinforcement if Trapilo experiences any setbacks from his patellar tendon injury. He could also be a long-term replacement if Trapilo does not return to form post-injury.

Round 7, No. 239 overall: WR Zavion Thomas, LSU

If Poles doesn't want to trade back up into the fifth or sixth round of the draft, he can take a short breather before the Bears' next pick. With the first of Chicago's two picks this late in the draft, the Bears could take a swing on a receiver who was the third-fastest player at the NFL combine. Thomas was not a hugely productive receiver in college, but he has real upside as a kick returner and gadget player for Ben Johnson's offense.

Round 7, No. 241 overall: CB Andre Fuller, Toledo

Closing things out with another defensive pick. Fuller is a raw cornerback prospect with the tools to develop into an impact defender, given further development. He has the frame – 6-foot-1, 200 pounds – and physicality to give a glimpse into his potential as a press-man, boundary corner. Early in his career, he can earn a roster spot with special teams contributions before developing into a rotational corner who thrives in Cover 2 scenarios.

3. Arizona Cardinals – David Bailey, OLB/DE, Texas Tech

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 4. Tennessee Titans – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 5. New York Giants – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 6. Cleveland Browns – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 7. Washington Commanders – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 8. New Orleans Saints – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 9. Kansas City Chiefs – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 10. Cincinnati Bengals – Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 11. Miami Dolphins – Francis Mauigoa, OT/G, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 12. Dallas Cowboys – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Makai Lemon, WR, USC

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 16. Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 17. Detroit Lions – Spencer Fano, OT/G, Utah

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 18. Minnesota Vikings – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 19. Carolina Panthers - Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Kadyn Proctor, OT/G, Alabama

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 22. Los Angeles Chargers – T.J. Parker, DE/OLB, Clemson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 23. Philadelphia Eagles – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 24. Cleveland Browns – Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 25. Chicago Bears – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 26. Buffalo Bills – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams) – Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 30. Miami Dolphins (from Denver Broncos) – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 32. Seattle Seahawks – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Bears 2026 NFL mock draft: Chicago builds up defense, lands top DT

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April 18, 2026

Bears 7-round mock draft: Chicago picks Peter Woods, reinforces trenches

The 2025Chicago Bearsnearly made it to the NFC championship game. How can they improve their roster in the2026 NFL Draftto get over the...

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Tom Cruise's unrecognizable new look revealed in “Digger” footage at CinemaCon

Warner Bros. debuted the first proper look at Tom Cruise's wild prosthetics from Digger.

Key points

• The film is directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and also stars Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Riz Ahmed, Sophie Wilde, and Emma D'Arcy.

• Digger hits theaters on Oct. 2.

Tom Cruisedoesn't quite look like himself in his new movie.

During Warner Bros.' presentation at CinemaCon 2026 on Tuesday, Cruise and directorAlejandro González Iñárrituarrived in person (and to a standing ovation) to unveil our first proper look at theJerry Maguirestar's radical prosthetics-forward transformation forDigger, his wild new comedy from theBirdmanauteur.

Digger Rockwell appears to be significantly older than the actor playing him, and Cruise is covered in old-age makeup and a hairpiece to give him thinning white hair. He lookswaymore like Garry Marshall than like Ethan Hunt. He also acts like a massive jerk to everybody he interacts with, except his frail old cat.The teaser shows that Digger is in charge of a massive company that has undertaken a drilling operation that went too far and has put millions of lives in danger.John Goodman is portraying the President of the United States, who appears to be using an oxygen tube in several scenes.

Diggerwill mark Cruise's first non-franchise film since 2017'sAmerican Made. Jesse Plemons, who worked with Cruise on that film and also appears inDigger,shared his perspectiveon the new project in an interview withVariety.

"It's one of the strangest, funniest, most tragic scripts I've read," theGame Nightstar said ofDigger. "There's a kind of modern-dayDr. Strangelovething, and then it becomes something else entirely."

Plemons added, "Getting to see Tom just go for it — not in a death-defying action way but fully showing what an incredible actor he is — that was thrilling."

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Sandra Hüller,John Goodman,Riz Ahmed, Sophie Wilde, and Emma D'Arcy also play supporting roles in the film.

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

Iñarritu previouslyreflected on his relationshipworking with Cruise in a conversation with IndieWire. "It was the most amazing, unexpected, sweet, gentle relation that I have had on a set," theRevenantdirector said. "His manners, his understanding, his passion, and his integrity, and the way he prepares. He loves the process. Filmmaking has been his life for 40 years. I have never seen somebody so devoted."

The filmmaker continued, "I was happy to share with him that passion. And at the same time, we built an incredible relation of mutual trust. He will surprise the world. People will see a new kind of thing."

Diggerwill debut in theaters on Oct. 2, 2026.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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April 17, 2026

Tom Cruise's unrecognizable new look revealed in “Digger” footage at CinemaCon

Warner Bros. debuted the first proper look at Tom Cruise's wild prosthetics from Digger . Key points The film ...

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Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 inductees are here. Who made the cut?

Rock returns to the spotlight for the2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fameinduction class, withIron Maiden,Billy IdolandOasisamong the eight new additions.

The lineup also features a lone female inclusion:Sade.

The newest entrants, announced during the live broadcast of the “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night”episode of “American Idol"on April 13, are:

• Phil Collins

• Billy Idol

• Iron Maiden

• Joy Division/New Order

• Oasis

• Sade

• Luther Vandross

• Wu-Tang Clan

The chosen group was culled from a crop of 17 hopefuls, 10 of whom appeared on the ballot for the first time and spanned rock, hip-hop, pop, soul and Latin music. Collins, Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan were first-time balloters.

Rock returns to the spotlight for the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class with Billy Idol among the eight new additions.

The induction ceremony will take place Nov. 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and air on ABC and Disney+ in December.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Joy Division/New Order

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Meet the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees

Rock returns to the spotlight for the2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fameclass with Billy Idol among the eight new additions.The induction ceremony will take place Nov. 14 at thePeacock Theaterin Los Angeles and air on ABC and Disney+ in December.

Those who didn't make the cut are The Black Crowes, Jeff Buckley,Mariah Carey,Melissa Etheridge,Lauryn Hill,INXS, Pink,Shakiraand fan vote winner New Edition.

In addition to the performer inductees, Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti,Queen Latifah,MC Lyte and Gram Parsons will be honored with the Early Influence Award. Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller andRick Rubinwill receive the Musical Excellence Award. The annual Ahmet Ertegun Award will rememberEd Sullivan.

When does the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony air?

The Rock Hall ceremony has aired live the past couple of years, but the show will return to its taped format for 2026. The ceremony will take place Nov. 14 at thePeacock Theaterin Los Angeles and debut on ABC and Disney+ in December, with the date TBD.

Ticket on-sale information for the 2026 Induction Ceremony also will be announced at a later date.

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The 2027 ceremony will return to home base in Cleveland.

Who won the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame fan vote?

New Editionscored just over 1 million votes inthis year's fan vote, followed by Phil Collins with 900,825, Pink with 852,581, Shakira with 738,034 and Luther Vandross with 732,747.

New Edition joinsPhish in 2025and the Dave Matthews Band in 2020 as the only artists to get their flowers from fans but not be inducted the same year (DMBjoined the Rock Hall in 2024).

Almost9.5 million voteswere cast during the fan voting period Feb. 25 to April 3.

When voting closed after that window, the top seven earners in the fan vote receivedone vote eachtoward their final total.

Ten newcomers, including Pink, Shakira, Luther Vandross and more, are on the list of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees.

See who has been shortlisted, beginning here with Chris Robinson, left, and brother Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Iron Maiden

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sade

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Phil Collins

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> New Edition

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Wu-Tang Clan

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Melissa Etheridge

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Pink

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lauryn Hill

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Oasis

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Shakira

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Billy Idol

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mariah Carey

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> INXS

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See all 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees in photos

Ten newcomers, including Pink, Shakira, Luther Vandross and more, are on the list ofRock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees.See who has been shortlisted, beginning here with Chris Robinson, left, and brother Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes.

How do artists get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

To be eligible for induction into the Rock Hall, an individual artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years before the year of nomination.

Melissa Ruggieri is among the more than 1,200 voting members – composed of artists, historians and members of the music industry – of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Rock & Roll Hall of Fame unveils 2026 inductees. See the full list.

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April 15, 2026

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 inductees are here. Who made the cut?

Rock returns to the spotlight for the2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fameinduction class, withIron Maiden,Billy IdolandOasisamong the eigh...

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Goalies are under siege as the NHL save percentage dips to its lowest point in three decades

When he was an NHL goaltender, Brian Boucher recalls that he would look up at the shot counter and keep telling himself how many more pucks he would need to stop to make it a good game.

APTOPIX Devils Stars Hockey

“It was a way to kind of validate what you were doing and how you felt about yourself and kind of a barometer that you used to gauge your game," Boucher said.

He hopes this generation is not doing that, and with good reason. This season is making history and not in a good way for goalies.

The average save percentage is under .900 for the first time in three decades, and .896 is on track to be the lowest since 1994. Shooters from forwards to offensive defensemen are more skilled and selective and hockey has never been faster. The combination of factors is forcing a recalculation of what success looks like atthe sport’s most important position.

“The players evolve and they get better,” said Washington's Logan Thompson, whose .912 save percentage ranks second among goalies with 50 or more starts and fourth overall through games earlier this week. "Their sticks get better. Their shots get harder. They kind of know sneaky little spots, or they’re not shooting as many pucks as they did back in the day, as well.”

Shots are down across the NHL

Indeed, 27.8 shots a game is the lowest total since the so-called dead puck era of the late '90s and early 2000s when hooking, holding and obstruction led to rule changes coming out of the 2004-05 lockout designed to create more goals. The changes have worked — and then some.

Teams are combining to score over six goals per game and have been at that clip each of the past four seasons. Players are also looking for the extra pass rather than settling for even a B-level scoring chance.

“It’s insane,” said Dallas' Jake Oettinger, whose .900 save percentage is by far the lowest of his six-year career. “Guys will have it in the slot and they’re passing it, where I feel like 10 years ago it was just pucks on net. I think guys are way more skilled, so when they get Grade-A chances, they’re that much more talented and everyone can shoot."

Like Boucher, retired goaltender Martin Biron says the game has changed entirely from when he played. During his prime, the league-average save percentage got as high as .911.

“A lot of it was straight on: a guy coming down the wing, taking a shot,” Biron said. “All I had to worry about was the shooter, my angles and it was a lot easier.”

Sports gambling could also be a factor

It is now more common for a shot total from a game to change after the game or even the following day, which of course changes how many saves a goalie made. Oettinger and Stars backup Casey DeSmith dislike the change.

“They just take shots away that are shots on goal,” Oettinger said. “There are probably three a game. If you multiple that by 50 games, that’s like having five more shutouts that they’re taking away.”

Statistical adjustments are under the microscope sincesports gambling became legalin the U.S. and Canada. Because wagers are offered for shots on goal, they are looked at and reviewed meticulously.

“All of that auditing that the league is doing with shots, and honestly it stems from gambling,” Biron said. “People don’t want to lose their bets if there was a shot that was missing the net or whatnot.”

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The NHL sees it as a result ofpuck and player trackingand other technological advancements, which provide more precise data for the league as well as gambling operators. Reviewing the data can lead to changes after the in-game decisions by the official scorekeeper.

Is slimmer equipment taking a toll?

One of the ways the NHL tried to increase offense is byshrinking goaltender equipmentover the years. The intentwas to reduce the sizeof shoulder pads and chest protectors and slim down the pants to give skaters more places to aim at while not taking away from netminders' safety.

Thompson likes his gear smaller and tighter because of how much he moves around. He has noticed a difference when it comes to shots that used to hit a pant leg but now go in.

“Sometimes, there might be a shot that it looks weak but it goes kind of through your knees and there’s really nothing else you can do: There’s just a little hole there and sometimes the puck goes in,” Thompson said. “That’s out of your control."

Thompson, who is in his second season with the Capitals and played a game for Canada at the Olympics as Jordan Binnington's backup, thinks hockey is transitioning away from big, blocking goaltenders who were prioritized for their size to those with more agility in the crease.

“I don’t think you can be a blocking-style goalie,” Thompson said. “With how good and skilled all these players are in this league, you’ve got to be able to react and use your hands. ... You’ve got to be able to react because the shooters, they make too good of shots and too good of plays now.”

Goalies have some work to do, too

Players and teams in recent years have employed skill coaches to beef up scoring. But goalie-specific coaches have been around for years, too, and may have some adjusting to do.

“Shooters are getting good, and it’s time for goalies to adjust a little bit,” Biron said. “It’s not the north-south game anymore. It’s an east-west game, so goalies have to adjust to that. They have to become much more conscious of the puck moving laterally, and the better goalies are the ones that can move laterally so much better.”

Biron points to Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy, Buffalo's Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Boston's Jeremy Swayman and the New York Islanders' Ilya Sorokin as some of the best at moving laterally, and the numbers show it. Vasilevskiy at .912 and Luukkonen at .910 rank third and eighth in the NHL, while Swayman and Sorokin are each at .906.

Where shots are coming from also has to do with coaches being willing to sacrifice some defense to get quality scoring opportunities.

“Now teams are more OK with giving up what they give up,” Oettinger said. “That’s kind of just the style now. It’s less defensive-minded and more try to score as much as you can.”

With all the changes, Boucher said he wonders if the benchmark standard will return to .900 — stopping nine of 10 shots — like he focused on long ago. Thompson was watching a recent Stars game against New Jersey in which Oettinger was pulled after allowing four goals on eight shots. The teams combined for 10 on 51 total shots, an .803 save percentage that night.

“You can say, ‘Oh, the goaltending wasn’t good,'" Thompson said. "But at the same time, I don’t really know many goalies who are going to be making those stops.”

AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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April 15, 2026

Goalies are under siege as the NHL save percentage dips to its lowest point in three decades

When he was an NHL goaltender, Brian Boucher recalls that he would look up at the shot counter and keep telling himself how many more p...

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Report: Preakness Stakes' traditional date likely to move

In a move that could prompt more horses to shoot for the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes probably will move back one week on the calendar beginning next year, Sports Business Journal reported on Monday.

The Triple Crown jewel at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore has been held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby for the past 75 years -- the third Saturday in May.

However, possibly due to the quick turnaround between two of the sports' biggest races, the Kentucky Derby winners in 2022 (Rich Strike) and 2025 (Sovereignty) passed on running the Preakness and instead focused on the third Triple Crown race, the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Rich Strike came in sixth in the Belmont. Three years later, Sovereignty prevailed in the Belmont.

Per the report, the date change is being floated as part of media-rights negotiations. NBC Sports holds the Preakness rights through this year, with NBC, Fox Sports, Amazon and Netflix all vying for the future deal, per SBJ.

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Whether the Belmont also would change its date from three weeks after the Preakness is also up in the air pending future media contracts, according to the report.

Fox, the rights holder for the next six runnings of the Belmont, would prefer to have three weeks between each of the Triple Crown races, SBJ reported.

The Preakness Stakes, first contested in 1873, is run over 1 3/16 miles. The Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles, and the Belmont caps the Triple Crown at the length of 1 1/2 miles.

For the first time in the race's history, the 2026 Preakness Stakes will be held at Laurel Park (Md.), due to construction at Pimlico. The 151st running will take place on Saturday, May 16.

--Field Level Media

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April 14, 2026

Report: Preakness Stakes' traditional date likely to move

In a move that could prompt more horses to shoot for the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes probably will move back one week on the cal...

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Brooks Nader Defies Nature in Micro Shorts Look for Arctic Adventure

Brooks Naderis going on an adventure of a lifetime, and fans can’t stay calm. The “Love Thy Nader” star recently shared photos featuring her and her sisters, revealing that they are heading on an Arctic adventure in partnership with Space Prize Foundation, NYU Langone Health, and the University of Arizona. In the post’s caption, she shared that they aim to see “how women’s bodies respond to extreme conditions.”

Brooks Nader poses in micro shorts amid snow in new photo

Take a look at Brooks Nader’s photos in micro shorts amid snow:

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Nader and her sisters, Mary Holland,Grace Ann, and Sarah Jane, are all gearing up for their Arctic adventure. The former “DWTS” star shared the photos on her Instagram handle, featuring her and her sisters posing in the snow.

In one look, she can be seen wearing a bralette top and micro shorts, effortlessly serving glamorous vibes even in dipping temperatures. Fans, too, shared their excitement and wished them good luck for their upcoming adventurous trip.

The postBrooks Nader Defies Nature in Micro Shorts Look for Arctic Adventureappeared first onReality Tea.

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April 14, 2026

Brooks Nader Defies Nature in Micro Shorts Look for Arctic Adventure

Brooks Naderis going on an adventure of a lifetime, and fans can’t stay calm. The “Love Thy Nader” star recently shared photos featuring he...

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Don't miss it! Cycling's golden era delivers weekly brilliance and once-in-a-lifetime rivalries

PARIS (AP) — Think of the golden age of men's tennis, when Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray dominated the tour with unprecedented consistency, delighting fans weekly.

France Paris Roubaix Cycling

Something remarkably similar and just as spectacular is unfolding incyclingtoday.

The sport is being blessed with a generation of male champions who have revitalized it, injecting a sense of drama that had been missing for years, when race strategies felt predictable and viewers would often only tune in for the last kilometers. Now, at the start of every major event, everything seems possible.

You can thankTadej Pogačar, Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard for that.

They are the main figures of cycling’s new age. And since the start of the season, which culminates in the heat of July during three weeks on the bucolic roads of the Tour de France, there has not been a week of racing when they have not taken each other on with excitement and panache.

The latest example unfolded over the weekend in northern France atParis-Roubaix, the grueling cycling classic over cobblestones known as the Hell of the North.

The 123rd edition of the one-day race was expected to be a duel between three-time defending champion van der Poel, from the Alpecin–Premier Tech, and Pogačar, the leader of the UAE Team Emirates XRG, who was chasing a first victory in the only Monument missing from his cabinet trophy. There are four other so-called Monument races in cycling — Liège–Bastogne–Liège, the Tour of Lombardy, the Tour of Flanders and Milan-San Remo.

Unpredictable scenarios

Nothing went as planned in what turned out to be a blockbuster script.

Van der Poel saw his hopes vanish after two punctures in the cobbled sector of the famed Trouée d’Arenberg, losing considerable time he was unable to make up despite a furious chase. Pogačar, who had also suffered a puncture earlier in the race, found himself in an ideal position at the front, but that was without reckoning van Aert.

The often unlucky but experienced Visma–Lease a Bike rider stayed with the Slovenian until the finish and comfortably beat him in the final sprint at the Roubaix velodrome, handing him his first defeat of 2026.

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme praised Pogačar for the enthusiasm he is bringing to the sport by competing on all terrains throughout the year. The 27-year-old four-time Tour champion is arguably the most exciting rider of his generation. Capable of winning everywhere, he has drawn comparisons with the great Eddy Merckx.

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“We have a champion who is doing what Eddy Merckx was doing 50 years ago,” Prudhomme told RMC radio on Sunday. “Not just in terms of victories, but in being present from March all the way through to October. His quest for a fifth Monument—the only one that still eludes him—will continue, and in a way, that’s just fine by me.”

Vintage Tour de France looming

The renewed excitement in cycling has been felt throughout all the major classics this season, with thrilling, action-packed races atMilan–San Remoand theTour of Flanders.It has also been present at weeklong races such asParis-Nice, where two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard won ahead of Dani Martinez with the biggest winning margin since 1939, and the fourth biggest in the history of the race.

Vingegaard also secured the best climber’s polka-dot jersey, and took the best sprinter’s green jersey in a show of force that foreshadowed another major battle with Pogačar at the Tour this summer.

As well as chasing a third Tour crown this year, Vingegaard is set for hisGiro d’Italiadebut in May in a bid to win all threeGrand Tours. He won the Tour de Francein 2022 and ’23and last year clinched his firstSpanish Vuelta title.

Beyond the rivalry between Pogačar and Vingegaard, the possible participation in the Tour of young prodigy Paul Seixas could add an extra layer of suspense. At just 19 years old, the versatile Frenchman from theDecathlon CMA CGMteam is regarded as a future great and France hopes he can end its long wait for a Tour victory, which dates back to 1985 and the final triumph of Bernard Hinault.

Seixas became last week the youngest winner of the Tour of the Basque Country, as well as the youngest winner of a WorldTour stage race ahead of Evenepoel.

“I had said before his brilliant victory in the Ardèche (classic), after a 42-kilometre solo breakaway that If he doesn’t come (to the Tour), we won’t hold it against him. I can confirm today that if he does come, we won’t hold it against him either," Prudhomme joked when asked about Seixas's participation.

According to Prudhomme, cycling's revival is confirmed by a renewed interest among younger audiences, who follow races roadside — like last yearin Montmartre during the Tour final stagewhich drew thousands of spectators — as well as on social media and on television.

There was nearly 150 million viewers across Europe for last year's Tour, with afternoon broadcasts in France reaching record highs.

“I don’t know if we’re living through a golden age, but we are certainly experiencing some beautiful moments,” Prudhomme said.

AP sports:https://apnews.com/sports

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April 13, 2026

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