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 for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
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.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
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.
MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Wild hired Chuck Fletcher on Thursday to take over as general manager, turning to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ front office to find the second GM in their brief history.
A person with knowledge of the decision confirmed it to The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because an official announcement wasn’t planned until a news conference on Friday. Pittsburgh hosted the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, but Fletcher wasn’t present.
The Penguins declined comment.
Fletcher replaces Doug Risebrough, who held the Wild’s top front-office job from their founding until he was fired in April following eight seasons in charge. Minnesota has advanced past the first round of the playoffs only once, in 2003, and owner Craig Leipold declared a desire for a fresh set of eyes on the franchise when he addressed Risebrough’s dismissal.
The 41-year-old Fletcher, who has been with the Penguins since 2006, is the son of Cliff Fletcher, a Hall of Fame inductee in the builders’ category for his work with several teams, most notably as general manager of the 1989 Stanley Cup champion Calgary Flames and later the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The younger Fletcher, a 1990 Harvard graduate, has been groomed for this job for awhile. He spent four years with the Anaheim Ducks as director of hockey operations, assistant GM and vice president of amateur scouting and player development. Before that, he had nine years of experience with the Florida Panthers — including seven as assistant GM and one as interim GM.
Fletcher worked closely with Penguins general manager Ray Shero in all facets of the front office, including scouting, the minor leagues and contract negotiations while being groomed for. Fletcher managed hockey operations for Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
With young stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal leading the way, Pittsburgh has been one of the NHL’s best success stories during the time Shero and Fletcher have worked together. After missing the playoffs for four straight years and threatening to move, the Penguins secured a new arena and made the postseason this spring for the third year in a row — pulling a few wins away from the Stanley Cup finals.
Another candidate for the job, broadcaster Pierre McGuire, wished the team and Fletcher well.
“The Minnesota Wild is a great organization, and they made a great hire in Chuck Fletcher,” he said in a brief interview from Pittsburgh before helping call Game 3.
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Check out highlights from the Rangers 3-2 win over the Capitals.
ProHockeyTalk headlines |
 | Video: NHL from NBC Sports |
 NHLI via Getty Images |
 | 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 |
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.
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
NBC Sports TV and livestream listings