Tag: Florida

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College Football

Weighing 464 pounds, Florida’s Desmond Watson could set the record as the heaviest player ever drafted in NFL history

Desmond Watson performs a drill in the practice

Looking at everything massive defensive tackle Desmond Watson did during Florida’s pro day, his most impressive moment might have been leaving the practice facility without anyone noticing.

The 6-foot-6, 464-pound prospect somehow avoided detection from team personnel and media members after his workout in front of NFL scouts on Thursday.

Watson’s teammates and coaches spoke on his behalf, all praising his performance and trying to convince someone to make him the heaviest draft pick in NFL history next month.

“He moves way better than anybody thought he would at his size,” said fellow defensive tackle Joey Slackman. “I don’t see why a team wouldn’t give him a chance. He’s a football player through and through; I would want that guy on my team.”

Watson pressed 225 pounds an impressive 36 times, beating any bench-press performance at this year’s NFL combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in 5.93 seconds and recorded a 25-inch vertical jump.

He looked winded during position drills, not surprising since Florida only had four defensive linemen in the rotation. But his size and strength, particularly his weight, were evident during what could be the most important day of his career.

“Dez, obviously, he’s a unicorn,” said Gators coach Billy Napier. “You’ll go the rest of your career and never meet a guy like him. And then you get to know Dez. He’s extremely intelligent. He’s got a great sense of humor. He was a great teammate.

“He showed up in good shape today, so he’ll get his shot, and I’m hoping he’ll make the most of it.”

Watson’s weight was as surprising as his bench press. He was listed at 449 pounds last season, up from 435 pounds as a junior and 415 pounds as a sophomore. He’s had to manage his weight since he first arrived at Florida in 2021 when then-coach Dan Mullen described him as “a 385-pound athlete.”

Billy Napier watches the players participate in the drills

“He’s had numerous nutritionists, numerous position coaches, numerous strength coaches, and I think this past year we probably executed the best we have,” Napier said. “And I thought he played his best football of his career. In general, I think he’s learned a lot about habit-building, self-discipline.

“The guy’s frame would indicate that he’s going to be huge — that number’s always going to be pretty big. He’s 6-foot-6, and just the density, the bone structure. It’s just a big man.”

Watson never missed a game during his four years at Florida. His highlights were rare, but he had a few standout moments, like tossing South Florida running back Brian Battie in 2022 and forcing a fumble against South Carolina, which he later returned for a score, possibly even a touchdown if not for a missed open-field tackle by quarterback Spencer Rattler.

Watson, the ultimate space-eater, ended his college career with 63 tackles and 1½ sacks. He also ran for a 1-yard gain and even played fullback for a few plays against Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl in December.

“Dez is a really talented, athletic guy,” said Florida defensive back Trikweze Bridges. “We all know that. We all see it.”

But will it be enough for an NFL team to draft him? The heaviest players ever selected in the NFL draft weighed 380 pounds: offensive linemen Trent Brown (Florida, 2015) and Daniel Faalele (Minnesota, 2022). Watson exceeds them by nearly 100 pounds.

“Dez came out here and really shocked a lot of scouts, especially when he ran his 40,” said defensive tackle Cam Jackson. “I feel like he shocked a lot of people. A lot of big guys can’t move the way Dez can move.

“He’s working to get the weight down. I feel like a team is going to take a shot on him. If I was them, I would. You don’t find too many nose tackles moving like him. Dez is a big, disruptive guy, and he puts in the work.”

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Basketball

Todd Golden’s return to the Bay Area with No. 1 Florida in the NCAA Tournament is his opportunity to express thanks

Todd Golden shakes hands with Cooper Josefberg in the practice

Todd Golden knows he might need to save a couple of NCAA Tournament tickets for some special people, his longtime mentors and former coaches at nearby Saint Mary’s College.

That’s just how things work sometimes in March when you’re younger and part of a coaching tree that stretches far.

While Randy Bennett and Kyle Smith were both busy checking the transfer portal on Wednesday for possible new players for their teams — with Smith just finishing his first season as Stanford’s head coach — Golden was focused on getting top-seeded Florida ready for a Sweet 16 game against Maryland.

It really felt like a reunion at Chase Center. As the Gators started their practice, Golden said a quick hello to Smith, who was sitting on the baseline talking with Golden’s father, Scott. Former NBA coach P.J. Carlesimo stopped by to chat with them too.

“This is why he is the way he is,” proud dad Scott said, talking about all the people who helped shape his son’s journey from San Francisco to Gainesville. “It’s been beyond surreal, the year they’ve had. This year’s been beyond belief. Hopefully it keeps going.”

Golden has shared with his players some stories about his life here. He worked as an assistant to Smith at the University of San Francisco before taking over as head coach in 2019 when Smith left for Washington State — a move that eventually brought Smith back to the Bay Area for the Stanford job last spring.

The Gators visited the famous Crissy Field by San Francisco’s waterfront on Wednesday morning to see the Golden Gate Bridge in all its beauty.

After practicing in Golden’s old gym at USF, which he called “a full-circle moment,” they managed to fit their large group into Golden’s favorite Original Joe’s in the North Beach neighborhood for dinner on Tuesday night. The coach had prime rib because “being here in San Francisco you can’t go wrong.”

Todd Golden in the press conference

At first, the restaurant told Golden they couldn’t accommodate his group of about 35 people.

“It’s been amazing. When the bracket came out and we saw we were the 1 seed in the West and obviously you see that the regionals in San Francisco, you can’t help but think about how awesome it would be to be able to experience that,” Golden said. “But there’s two games before that that you have to find a way to advance.

“And once we were able to get past UConn on Sunday, it kind of all hit me and (wife) Megan and our family that we’d have a chance to come back to the Bay Area. Just landing in San Francisco yesterday and just kind of driving back through the city, I had to pinch myself a little bit.”

The Gators (32-4) hope to make it an extended stay by getting past No. 4 seed Maryland (27-8) on Thursday. Florida, which ended UConn’s bid for a third straight NCAA championship in the second round, is aiming for its first Final Four appearance since 2014.

Golden even has one of Smith’s former Washington State players starting, Rueben Chinyelu.

No matter how long this NCAA run lasts, Golden will have big supporters in Bennett and Smith. Seeing the 39-year-old Golden on the big stage brings a smile to Smith’s face. He finds it amazing that Golden “doesn’t age.”

Golden recalled Smith always pushing him to be tough as a mid-major player in the East Bay suburb of Moraga. They’ve both come a long way.

“It’s awesome,” said Smith, who had dinner with the team Tuesday and never saw a bill. “I think part of why they’re successful and why they’ve been able to get good quickly is because Saint Mary’s is one of the tougher programs in the country and Todd did five years. He had to bring it every day and prove himself.”

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Basketball

Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. stays calm under pressure, playing with patience and shooting with confidence

Walter Clayton Jr. celebrates after scoring in the 2nd half

Florida’s practice court is almost empty. Towels and sweaty jerseys are piled by the door, and most of the players and coaching staff are rushing around, preparing for the trip. The bus is waiting for them.

They need to shower, pack, and grab a quick meal before heading to the airport for the NCAA Tournament.

But Walter Clayton Jr. is still in the gym. Two team managers are waiting for the last basketball, which will be added to the bag already packed and hanging on Clayton’s shoulder.

He’s in no rush. His calmness on and off the court is noticeable.

The All-American guard never seems to panic, rarely forces anything, and plays with a smoothness that’s uncommon at the college level. He’s the definition of calm.

He’s certainly the main reason the top-seeded Gators (32-4) made it to the Sweet 16, where they’ll face No. 4 seed Maryland (27-8) on Thursday in the West Regional.

Clayton scored 13 of his 23 points in the last eight minutes of Sunday’s game, helping Florida come back to beat two-time defending NCAA champion UConn in Raleigh, North Carolina. He made two tough 3-pointers with defenders right in his face, showing off his skills: one came after he patiently took advantage of a mismatch against Alex Karaban, giving Florida their first lead of the second half. The other came when he waited for a double team to clear before hitting the shot.

“I’ve hit some big shots in my life,” Clayton said. “Those were probably two of the biggest.”

Florida coach Todd Golden added, “He’s a beast. People don’t understand. They’re kind of like, ‘Oh, he’s never emotional, looks like he’s not trying.’ I’m like, ‘Dude, it’s because the game comes easy to him.’ I just love it.”

“This guy is legit,” Golden continued.

Walter Clayton Jr. drives past Chris Fields Jr. in the 2nd half

Clayton also scored 23 points in Florida’s first tournament game against Norfolk State

The 6-foot-2 senior from Lake Wales has now scored over 20 points in six of Florida’s last seven games, raising his average to nearly 18 points per game. He’s exceeded expectations, especially after moving from shooting guard to point guard in his final year.

“Everybody was on my (butt) all summer about the point-guard play,” Golden said. “I’m like, ‘This guy is legit.’ Even though he was great for us last year, people didn’t understand how elite of an offensive player he was.”

This development is something few saw coming.

Florida’s top basketball programs overlooked Clayton when he came out of high school. Stetson and Florida A&M were the only in-state schools that recruited him. Clayton eventually went to Iona in New Rochelle, New York, under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino.

Attorney and Florida booster John Frost, whose firm is in Bartow (where Clayton finished high school), saw something in Clayton that Florida’s Mike White, Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton, and Miami’s Jim Larrañaga missed. Frost recommended Clayton to coach Golden shortly after he took the Florida job in 2022.

Having never heard of Clayton, Golden went home that night and looked him up on an analytics website.

“He had great numbers as a freshman,” Golden said. “A freaking shot-maker.”

An Easter Surprise

Golden had been keeping an eye on Clayton since his sophomore year, and he was eventually named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s player of the year. When Pitino left Iona for St. John’s, it became clear that Clayton was planning to leave as well.

It came down to whether he would follow Pitino or come back to his home state to play for Golden and the Gators.

“We have him on a visit, and we think we’re getting him,” Golden said.

Then, on Easter morning, Clayton’s mom called crying.

“She was worried he was going to stay up there at St. John’s,” Golden said. “She wanted him down here, not more than we did, but equal for sure.”

Golden called the athletic department to book Florida’s jet, grabbed assistant coach/recruiter Korey McCray, and headed to New York to “figure out how we’re going to get this to the finish line.” They met Clayton at a local restaurant, only to find out that he had invited Steve Masiello, Pitino’s assistant, to dinner.

Walter Clayton Jr. and Tyrel Bladen in the 2nd half

Was this bad news? A bidding war? Golden and McCray looked at each other, unsure of what was happening. Clayton left them in suspense, and after an awkward silence, just before Masiello arrived, he shared the news.

“I’m coming to Florida,” Clayton said. “I just want you guys to be able to ask (Masiello) any questions about me that you might have. I’m coming home.”

Golden added, “It was a crazy day. I’d say that Easter was very important to the return of Florida basketball.”

“It’s Amazing to Watch”

With everyone else gone from the practice court, Clayton is still getting in extra shots — 3-pointers, free throws, and even a layup or two. The managers wait, then slip the last ball into the bag and rush it to the bus.

Clayton takes his time getting ready; the Gators won’t leave without him. Everyone knows how important he is to Florida’s offense, whether it’s finding teammates in transition, running half-court plays, hitting shots from deep, or stepping up when it matters most.

“What makes him such a great player is his ability to score from anywhere on the court,” said teammate Will Richard.

Clayton showed that skill all season, especially when the Gators needed him the most against UConn.

“Super clutch, man,” said teammate Alijah Martin. “That’s Walter Clayton Jr. for you right there. He put us on his back — just so proud of him. I see the work he puts in every day. It’s amazing to watch.”

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FEATURED

Sixth-ranked Florida makes history in Gainesville with its first-ever road win over a No. 1 team, defeating Auburn

Florida and No. 1 Auburn

Sixth-ranked Florida made history on Saturday with their victory over No. 1 Auburn.

It wasn’t just the 90-81 win that went into the record books for Florida, though. Earlier in the season, the Gators had already beaten a No. 1 team, defeating then-No. 1 Tennessee 73-43 on Jan. 7.

Saturday’s win was historic because it was the first time Florida had beaten a No. 1 team on the road. It also marked the first home loss and first SEC loss for Auburn (21-2, 9-1 Southeastern Conference) this season.

Before this game, Florida (20-3, 7-3) had lost all seven of its previous road games against No. 1 teams.

“This is probably the toughest place to play in America right now, against the best team in America, and we showed out for 40 minutes,” Florida head coach Todd Golden said. “I thought we were the mentally and physically tougher team.”

Florida pulled off the win without their second-leading scorer, Alijah Martin, who was out with a hip injury.

Instead, the Gators relied on their leading scorer, Walter Clayton Jr., who played the whole game. Clayton, who had missed Florida’s win at Vanderbilt earlier in the week due to an ankle injury, finished with 19 points and nine assists.

“I looked over at him and said I was going to run him for all 40 minutes,” Golden said. Clayton responded with, “No problem.”

Auburn quickly took a 10-point lead in the first six minutes of the game. However, Florida controlled the rest of the first half, outscoring Auburn 43-23. In the second half, Florida scored 20 of the first 29 points.

“I mean, they just came in here like they had to win it,” Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said about Florida. “That’s how they played their possessions. And they played harder. They played better. They played more desperately.

Florida and No. 1 Auburn

“We did not look like the No. 1 team in the country. We didn’t act like the No. 1 team in the country. We didn’t prepare like it. And, as a result, we got beat.”

Before Saturday, Auburn hadn’t allowed more than 70 points in a home game this season. Florida reached that total with 12:31 left in the game.

“It’s definitely tough to get a win on the road in the SEC in general, especially against a No. 1 team,” Clayton said. “Auburn, they’re a great team. They do a lot of things well. But we prepared well, and we came out, and we executed.”

Florida did well against Auburn’s frontcourt, led by Johni Broome, a fifth-year senior and preseason Associated Press All-American who is considered a national player of the year candidate. Broome finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, but he missed 11 of his 19 shots.

Golden praised his team for defending Broome’s powerful left hand during his inside touches. Alex Condon scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Florida, while Thomas Haugh added 16 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks off the bench.

“(Broome) has played like the best player in America to this point,” Golden said. “He deserves that recognition. … I recruited Johni when I first got at Florida, and Bruce punked me there and got the best player in America for a few years.”

Offensively, Florida had 22 assists on 31 made baskets, the highest assist count for the team in SEC play this season. This was well above their average of 13.9 assists per game in conference play.

These 22 assists were also the most Auburn had allowed all season, by a significant margin. The previous high was 13 assists by Purdue in December.

Florida made 13 3-pointers, also a season-high in SEC play. Urban Klavzar came off the bench and made all three of his shots from long distance.

“It was the way they played out of the ball screen and shared the ball and spaced (out),” Pearl said. “And they banged a bunch of shots. I mean, they banged a bunch of shots. And their bench really stepped up for them.”

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FEATURED

Panthers look to extend streak with tough road matchup against Ovechkin’s Capitals in Washington, D.C.

Alex Ovechkin- Washington Capitals

After completing a perfect three-game homestand, the Florida Panthers are now heading out on the road to face the Washington Capitals and Alex Ovechkin on Tuesday night in a matchup of division leaders.

Carter Verhaeghe has been a key player for the Panthers in their last two games. He scored a goal and added an assist in a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday and followed that up with his fourth career hat trick in a 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders on Sunday.

“It was nice. I have been shooting it a lot lately, so it feels good to have a couple go in,” Verhaeghe said. He also assisted on Matthew Tkachuk’s empty-net goal against the Islanders.

Florida’s head coach Paul Maurice praised Verhaeghe, saying, “We felt his game is trending in the right way. He’s got it cooking now.”

Other key players like Sam Reinhart, captain Aleksander Barkov, and Tkachuk are also performing well for the Panthers. Reinhart has scored in two consecutive games, bringing his team-leading goal total to 31. He’s also added four assists during his current three-game point streak.

Tkachuk, who contributed an assist on Sunday, has accumulated nine points (four goals, five assists) in his last five games.

Barkov set up three goals in the win over New York, bringing his assist total to a team-high 35 on the season. He has eight points (one goal, seven assists) in his last five games.

Verhaeghe had a hand in defenseman Niko Mikkola’s goal in a 4-1 loss to Washington back on November 25. That game ended with the Capitals cruising to victory in Sunrise, Florida, with Lars Eller scoring twice and Jakob Chychrun adding a goal and two assists.

Florida Panthers (NHL)

Now, Washington, which leads the Metropolitan Division, comes into Tuesday’s game having lost two straight 5-4 overtime games, with three losses in their last four contests (1-1-2). The Capitals did extend their home point streak to 13 games (9-0-4) with a loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.

Head coach Spencer Carbery was encouraged despite the loss, saying, “To get that game tied and to score four against that team and that goaltender (two-time Vezina Trophy recipient Connor Hellebuyck), there’s positives that we’ll take out of that game.”

However, Carbery noted missed opportunities, adding, “I just thought we could’ve done a better job in a lot of different scenarios to win that hockey game in regulation, and we just didn’t. And right to the end — we make a silly mental mistake in overtime and let (Josh) Morrissey beat us off the wall, which, that’s uncharacteristic. That’s not us.”

Ovechkin continued his strong play by scoring his team-leading 24th goal of the season in the loss to Winnipeg, which was his second goal in as many games. The three-time Hart Trophy winner now has 877 career goals, leaving him 18 shy of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record.

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FEATURED

Trump focuses on hockey, sidesteps tariff discussions during Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup visit in Washington, D.C.

President Donald Trump speaks during an event

President Donald Trump mainly focused on sports and avoided discussing tariffs during the White House celebration of the Florida Panthers, the NHL’s reigning Stanley Cup champions, on Monday.

Trump delayed the event for nearly an hour to have a conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about tariffs. Once the ceremony began, with the Stanley Cup placed on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, Trump posed for pictures with the Panthers, spoke with players and team owner Vinnie Viola — who he considers a close friend — and received a couple of jerseys and a golden hockey stick as gifts.

Trump praised the Panthers for their remarkable comeback from losing in the 2023 finals to Vegas to winning their first-ever championship. He humorously compared their comeback to his own return to the White House.

“You gave the fans one of the most riveting comebacks in NHL history, in any sport history,” Trump said. “I don’t know anything about a comeback, but they tell me it’s very nice.”

The Panthers presented Trump with a customized red jersey reading “Trump 45-47,” and a “Trump 47” jersey, as well as the gold stick. The gifts were handed to him by Viola, Finnish captain Aleksander Barkov, and American forward Matthew Tkachuk.

President Donald Trump holds a gold hockey stick

“We had to go with 45 and 47, right?” Viola joked. “We brought a cohort, to use a term from the military, of champions to visit a champion. And your kindness and the hospitality displayed by your staff reflect the excellence you demand from people, and we were the beneficiaries of it today.”

Viola had briefly been nominated by Trump to be the Secretary of the Army in 2016, though he later withdrew his name.

Trump praised Viola, saying, “He’s a champion at everything he’s ever done, loves the military.”

Trump also singled out key players, including goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, forward Anton Lundell, and Game 7 heroes Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe, as well as Florida head coach Paul Maurice and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Trump commended Bettman’s long tenure, saying, “He does a great job. Knew him for a long while, when he was in another league. But this has been incredible, the job you’ve done.”

Soon after the ceremony, Trump announced that he had agreed to pause tariffs on both Canada and Mexico for 30 days.

Tkachuk, the only American-born player remaining on the team this season, expressed his gratitude for the visit. “Being one of the few Americans who loves this country so much, this is such an incredible day for myself,” he said. “You wake up every day really grateful to be an American, so thank you.”

The Panthers visited the White House before their game against the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. During his speech, Trump mentioned talking to Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s career goals record.

Trump recalled a conversation with Gretzky, saying, “Do you know Wayne Gretzky? Did you ever hear of Wayne Gretzky? Isn’t that the ‘Great One?’ And he was telling me about a gentleman that protected him named Marty McSorley. You know that? You ever hear of him? I don’t know if he was a good hockey player, but they say he was very tough. Wayne was saying he was great as far as he was concerned.”

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FEATURED

Islanders aim for eighth straight win in a visit to the Panthers in Florida

New York Islanders (NHL)

The New York Islanders will aim for their eighth consecutive win when they visit the Florida Panthers on Sunday.

New York continued its push for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference by defeating Tampa Bay 3-2 in overtime on Saturday, closing the gap to just three points behind the Lightning for the second wild card.

Florida, on the other hand, will look to secure its third straight win after a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon.

Tony DeAngelo scored just 33 seconds into overtime to give the Islanders the win. It was DeAngelo’s first goal since joining the Islanders as a free agent on January 24.

“Everybody’s dialed in. Obviously, it’s a four-point game if it goes the other way,” DeAngelo said. “Everyone knows where the standings are at and we have a long way to go, but these games mean a lot.”

Adam Boqvist and Kyle Palmieri also scored for the Islanders, while Simon Holmstrom had two assists. Goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 28 saves. Boqvist was playing in his first game for the Islanders after being claimed off waivers on Friday.

“The new guys, since they’ve been here, they’ve brought a lot of energy,” said forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau, referring to Boqvist and DeAngelo. “They seem to fit in really well and they want to be part of it to help us win.”

Palmieri has scored in back-to-back games after going 14 games without a goal. Holmstrom extended his point streak to three games with five points (three goals, two assists) during that span.

Florida Panthers (NHL)

Scott Mayfield left the game in the second period with an injury and did not return, while Mathew Barzal went to the locker room in the final minute of regulation after blocking a shot. Coach Patrick Roy didn’t have any updates on the two players after the game.

Florida, in its second game in six days, found itself down 1-0 just seven seconds into the game after Landon Slaggert scored the quickest opening goal in Blackhawks history.

“Sometimes it gets you out of wading into a game,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said about the early deficit. “We were pretty good after that. Strong first period for us. Pretty good start to finish.”

Sam Reinhart had a goal and two assists, while Carter Verhaeghe scored a goal and had an assist for the Panthers. Captain Aleksander Barkov recorded two assists, marking his 200th career multi-point game. Sergei Bobrovsky made 24 saves.

“It was nice to get the win,” said Verhaeghe. “We like where our game is at. We’re trying to build something here and get to our identity a little bit. We played pretty well the past couple of weeks and weren’t getting the results. But we’ve been sticking to our game.”

Reinhart became the first player in Panthers history to score at least 30 goals in four straight seasons.

Maurice, with the win, became just the fourth head coach in NHL history to reach 900 regular-season victories, joining Scotty Bowman (1,244), Joel Quenneville (969), and Barry Trotz (914).

In their first meeting this season, the Panthers came back from a three-goal deficit to defeat the Islanders 6-3 on October 26. Matthew Tkachuk scored twice, and Sam Bennett netted the game-winning goal in the third period.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Mark Messier mistakenly suggests benching Connor Bedard

Connor Bedard (NHL)

Connor Bedard is performing exceptionally well for a teenager, especially on a struggling team. His pace at such a young age is rare, yet some people, even former pros like Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier, aren’t satisfied with his performance.

During the first intermission of Saturday’s game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers, Messier criticized Anders Sorensen for putting Bedard on the power play after Bedard lost a stick battle to Sam Reinhart, which led to a goal for the Panthers.

Reinhart’s goal gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead. It’s worth mentioning that Reinhart now has 30 goals this season, ranking among the top in the league behind Leon Draisaitl and Mark Scheifele.

Messier suggested that not earning ice time could harm the team’s morale, but this comment doesn’t take into account that Bedard is currently the team’s top scorer by 11 points. Bench him on the power play, and it could have the opposite effect on team morale.

Connor Bedard reacts in the 2nd period

Losing a battle to Reinhart isn’t something to criticize. Reinhart is a top-tier goal scorer, and Bedard’s mistake is just one of many that happen to young players. Bedard, being a teenager, will make mistakes—veterans do too.

Yes, Bedard has areas to improve, particularly defensively, but that’s normal for most young forwards in the NHL. However, benching your best offensive player over one mistake would be a mistake in itself, something that could cost a coach his job.

Messier, though a legendary player with a stellar career, doesn’t fully understand how modern NHL locker rooms work. The team dynamics now are different from when he played in the 80s and 90s. To claim that Bedard hasn’t earned his ice time is simply wrong. He has more than earned it.

You never bench a player like Bedard. Instead, you embrace his talent and work with him on his weaknesses. He’s going to be a star in the NHL for years to come.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Landon Slaggert sets a Blackhawks record, scoring just 7 seconds into the game against Florida in Chicago

Chicago Blackhawks players celebrates after scoring

Landon Slaggert made history for the Blackhawks with the fastest goal to start a game in team history.

Slaggert scored just seven seconds into Chicago’s game against the Panthers on Saturday afternoon, setting a new record for the Blackhawks, according to the NHL record book.

“That’s pretty wild,” Slaggert said.

The previous record was held by Brent Sutter, who scored eight seconds into a 9-4 win over Vancouver on February 5, 1995.

“I was just focused on getting some pressure on their defensemen,” Slaggert explained. “The puck kind of just squirted to an area, and I saw I could get to it first. I just caught a break, and it worked out.”

That goal was Chicago’s only highlight of the game, as Florida went on to win 5-1.

“It’s never a good feeling,” said Florida’s Carter Verhaeghe about allowing such a quick goal. “But we just reset and played the rest of the game like normal.”

Slaggert’s goal became the fastest to start a game in the NHL this season, beating a nine-second goal by Robert Thomas of St. Louis against New Jersey on November 27.

Landon Slaggert and Ryan Donato score after scoring

Ryan Donato won the opening faceoff and passed the puck into Florida’s zone. Slaggert, playing in only his third game of the season, skated past two Panthers defenders, picked up the puck, and scored with a backhander against Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

It was the fastest goal allowed at the start of a game in Florida’s history, coming three seconds quicker than Mike Knuble’s goal for Boston against the Panthers on February 14, 2003. Donato quickly realized that the goal might be something special for Chicago.

“He was saying in the little pile there that it might be the fastest,” Slaggert said. “It’s kind of funny to hear.”

Slaggert’s goal ranks as the eighth-fastest in NHL history. Only seven regular-season goals have been scored more quickly. The most recent was a goal scored six seconds into a game by Vancouver’s Alexandre Burrows during a 5-2 loss to Detroit on March 16, 2013.

There have been four goals scored five seconds into games: Merlyn Phillips (Montreal Maroons, Dec. 29, 1926), Doug Smail (Winnipeg Jets, Dec. 20, 1981), Bryan Trottier (New York Islanders, March 22, 1984), and Alexander Mogilny (Buffalo Sabres, Dec. 21, 1991).

There have also been three goals scored six seconds into a game, including one by Burrows, Henry Boucha (Detroit Red Wings, Jan. 28, 1973), and Jean Pronovost (Pittsburgh Penguins, March 25, 1976).

Slaggert’s goal is the eighth ever scored at the seven-second mark, according to the NHL.