Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored three goals as the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia 5-2 on Saturday for their seventh straight win over the Flyers.
Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
Move over, Hollywood and NFL types, golf's two real A-listers take center stage Sunday at Pebble Beach, both in need of a win.
The United States swept favored Switzerland out of the Davis Cup on Saturday when Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan beat Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Luis Suarez's refusal to shake hands with Patrice Evra overshadowed Manchester United's 2-1 win over rival Liverpool that lifted the defending champions to first place in the Premier League on Saturday.
Marlies Schild of Austria won her sixth World Cup slalom of the season Saturday after overall leader Lindsey Vonn and defending champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch crashed out in the opening run on the windy Pyrenees course.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
NHLI via Getty ImagesSo your team missed out in free agency. Or it still has a gaping hole at forward. Don't sweat it — because there still is plenty of talent available. It's just going to have to come through trade. Thanks to the salary cap — at both the high and low end — we can look for an active trading market between now and the start of the season.
Five players who are prime candidates to change uniforms:
Nikolai Khabibulin, G, Chicago Blackhawks
We want to believe Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon when he says Khabibulin isn't going anywhere. But the $12 million per year paid to Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet is a lot to spend on goaltending — and the Blackhawks aren't in the clear on the salary cap.
"The thing is, I don't look at it as $12 million tied up in goalies," Tallon says. "I look at it as the two best goalies to give us a chance to win."
Maybe he's right, but if a team like, say, the Los Angeles Kings makes a strong offer for Khabibulin and the $6.75 million he's due next season, will Tallon be able to pass?
Mathieu Schneider, D, Anaheim Ducks
They signed Schneider last summer as $11.25 million insurance in case Scott Niedermayer retired. He didn't, and now Niedermayer has committed to another season, which means Schneider is expendable, along with the $5.75 million he's owed for this season.
Trading Schneider becomes even more of a sure thing if Teemu Selanne re-signs with the Ducks.
Mike Knuble, RW, Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers are one of five teams -- the Blackhawks, Capitals, Flames and Ducks are the others -- with serious cap issues. And that makes them prime candidates for a cost-cutting move, especially considering GM Paul Holmgren loves forward prospect Claude Giroux.
"He was arguably good enough last year to start here," Holmgren says of Giroux. And that means a right winger, maybe Knuble or Joffrey Lupul, could be shipped to clear space under the cap and on the ice for Giroux. With Lupul signing a four-year extension last week, Knuble is in the bull's-eye.
Michael Nylander, C, Washington Capitals
The Capitals signed center Sergei Fedorov to a one-year, $4 million deal. Fedorov was a great fit last season; the same can't be said of Nylander.
Injuries limited him to 40 games, and he never meshed with Alex Ovechkin or Alexander Semin. Trading Nylander, who is set to average $4.7 million over the next three seasons, would keep Washington out of cap trouble.
Frantisek Kaberle, D, Carolina Hurricanes
With the acquisition of Joni Pitkanen, the Hurricanes have depth on defense. Now they wouldn't mind shedding a little salary. Kaberle makes the most sense but isn't cheap ($2.2 million per year) or young (34).
Ryan Callahan scored three goals as the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia 5-2 on Saturday for their seventh straight win over the Flyers.
ProHockeyTalk headlines |
 | Video: NHL from NBC Sports |
 Gretzky says Cup race is wide open In the latest NHL Network news update, Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky talks about the division races and how 22 teams have a shot to win it all this year. |
 | Slideshow |
 | NHL All-Stars Take a look at the players who competed in Team Chara's 12-9 victory over Team Alfredsson. more photos |
| Slideshow |
 | more photos |
| Slideshow |
 | more photos |
| Slideshow |
 |
| Slideshow |
 | more photos |
 | Slideshow |
 |
The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos |
 | Special feature |
 | NBCSports.com |
Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Doron Lamb hit a 3-pointer with 3:18 left to put No. 1 Kentucky ahead to stay, and the Wildcats took a big step toward a Southeastern Conference regular-season title by beating Vanderbilt 69-63 Saturday night for their 17th straight win.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.