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.
PBT: Jeremy Lin wasn't his hot self on Saturday, but he still led the Knicks to victory.
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.
AP
Stanley Cups: 0
2008-'09 record: 45-27-10, 100 points (1st in Northwest, 3rd in West)
2008-'09 playoffs: Defeated St. Louis Blues 4-0; lost to Chicago Blackhawks 4-2
General manager: Mike Gillis (45-27-10, 2nd NHL year, 1st team)
Coach: Alain Vigneault (242-208-62, 8th NHL year, 2nd team)
Captain: Roberto Luongo
Top returning scorer: LW Daniel Sedin (31 goals, 51 assists, 82 points)
Top returning goalie: Roberto Luongo (33-13-7, 2.34, .920)
Key additions: D Aaron Rome; RW Mikael Samuelsson; D Lawrence Nycholat; G Andrew Raycroft; LW Tanner Glass; D Mike Funk; D Christian Ehrhoff; D Brad Lukowich; D Mathieu Schneider.
Key subtractions: G Jason LaBarbera; D Mattias Ohlund; C Jason Krog; RW Jason Jaffray; G Curtis Sanford; LW Jeff Cowan; LW Taylor Pyatt; D Rob Davison; C Mats Sundin; D Ossi Vaananen.
Top line: LW Daniel Sedin, C Henrik Sedin, RW Mikael Samuelsson
Top defensive pairing: Willie Mitchell, Sami Salo
Goaltending: Luongo suffered through another sub-par playoff, questioning the wisdom of Canucks locking him into a long-term deal. Posted franchise-record nine shutouts and reached 30-win plateau for fourth straight season. Fills net with large frame and amazing reactions. Should figure large in Canadian Olympic plans.
Player to watch: C Cody Hodgson. Canadian Hockey League player of the year did everything he could in his last season of junior with Brampton (OHL), leading team to league final, winning gold medal with Canadian juniors at worlds, topping the tourney with 16 points. Goes strongly to the net and has the hands and shot to finish what he sets out to do in the offensive zone.
Icing: The Canucks will not play a home game between Jan. 27 and March 13 — a stretch of 14 consecutive road games that spans the NHL Olympic break. The newly re-signed Sedin twins will get some more help up front from Samuelsson, who left the West champion Detroit Red Wings for the Pacific Northwest.
Outlook: Luongo will win them games they shouldn’t win — at least during the regular season — but there’s still little scoring beyond the Sedin twins.
Prediction: 94 points (2nd in Northwest, 7th seed in West)
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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.
 | Video: NHL from NBC Sports |
 Carlson scores late in 3rd John Carlson gets the Caps within one with his goal late in the 3rd period. |
More on Stanley Cup finals |
Chicago Blackhawks def. Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 |
 | Slideshow |
 | 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.
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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.
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