Sports
Each Premier League team reranked: Man United good now, Arsenal even better
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Ryan O’Hanlon
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Bill Connelly
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Bill Connelly
ESPN Staff Writer
- Bill Connelly is a writer for ESPN. He covers college football, soccer and tennis. He has been at ESPN since 2019.
Multiple Authors
Last October might as well be five years ago at this point.
When we last did these rankings, two weeks before Halloween, Crystal Palace‘s Oliver Glasner had just been named manager of the month for September. Ruben Amorim was in the middle of guiding Manchester United through a stretch that would earn him October’s manager of the month honors. And he would be followed up by Enzo Maresca, whose Chelsea won three and drew one in November.
Now, it’s early February. Maresca and Amorim have been fired by their clubs, and Glasner has publicly stated that he will be leaving his club. Oh, and the current reigning manager of the month? Unai Emery, who is managing the team we ranked 13th the last time we did this.
A lot has happened over the last 3½ months, so we’re back to make sense of it all in the only way we know how: by ranking every Premier League team, from 1 down to 20.
The updated Premier League team rankings
Our rerankings — the combination of the individual rankings from Bill and Ryan — are listed along with the last rankings from October, and each team’s present points total and goal differential in the Premier League table.
Arsenal: Still the best, and possibly getting better
Here’s the scary thing about Arsenal: They’re the best team in the world, and they could easily be even better.
If we strip out penalties and set pieces, then this is how everyone in the Premier League stacks up by their expected-goal differential:
In fact, that’s not too different from what markets and projection systems expected before the season: Arsenal and Liverpool battling it out at the top, with Manchester City just slightly behind.
But what if we look at only free kicks, corners, and throw-ins? Well …
Put it all together, and Arsenal have easily been the best team in the Premier League through the first 24 matches:
If you’re wondering why most Premier League teams have become obsessed with the moments when the ball goes out of play or the ref blows his whistle, then this is your answer: It’s enough to take you from being one of the best teams in the Premier League to being the clear No. 1.
Or: It’s enough to build a six-point lead over second place, despite the fact that the three strikers on your roster have combined to score six non-penalty goals in the league this season. Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have combined for two starts in the league this season, and Jesus has scored two non-penalty goals.
The plan before the season was never to have Jesus contribute heavily, but the same can’t be said about Havertz, who is yet to score in the league. He’s recently back from a long-term injury, and the team always seems to play better when he’s out there — whether or not he’s scoring goals. He’s a winning player who does a little bit of everything.
Of course, Havertz was supposed to become more of a secondary figure this season after the club spent a lot of money to bring in Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting Lisbon over the summer. Gyökeres has scored four non-penalty goals and registered zero assists across 18 starts. Despite playing a lot of minutes, he ranks 34th in the league for non-penalty expected goals and assists.
If we look at the numbers on a per-90 basis, Gyökeres’ underlying attacking performance is roughly the same as that of Mikel Merino, last season’s emergency striker who was never supposed to play that position again after the club signed Gyökeres. And yet, Gyökeres has played six games so far against Tottenham, the Manchester clubs, Chelsea, and Liverpool, and he has attempted one shot in those games.
While Arsenal’s slower pace of play and the general tactical state of the Premier League right now have both made it harder for their strikers to produce, six non-penalty goals from their center forwards is pretty much the worst-case scenario for a club with Arsenal’s ambitions. And yet their defense is so good, their other attackers so talented, their midfield so reliable, and their set piece efficiency so otherworldly that it hasn’t really mattered.
That’s why it’s easier to see Arsenal getting better rather than getting worse.
If Havertz and Jesus start playing more often and producing like they have in the past, they’ll both be big upgrades on Gyökeres. And while I don’t think it’s as likely for a player already more than halfway through his peak years, Gyökeres could also improve from here on out. (A number of other big signings from this past summer, notably Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz and Tottenham’s Xavi Simons, have kicked into another gear recently.) Or, if none of that happens, then Arsenal could just sign another striker over the summer and the team would immediately be a lot better.
The only reason there’s even still a semblance of a title race is because Arsenal aren’t getting any consistent production from the player in the center of their front three. If they ever do, then it might be a long time until somebody else catches them at the top. — Ryan O’Hanlon
Over the last couple of years, as we’ve done these reranking pieces, we’ve almost never had any reason to say something nice about Manchester United.
• “Everton and Manchester United: a tale of two underachievers.”
• “Manchester United: the model of mediocrity.”
• “Man United haven’t figured anything out yet.”
• And my personal favorite: “Manchester United: Still stinking up a storm.”
It’s never personal — it’s just how things go when the club that once ran the Premier League is falling to eighth in the table one year, then to 15th the next.
United rose from 11th to eighth in our October rerank, however — and despite mercifully sacking Ruben Amorim in early January — they’ve made another charge in the months since. They beat Manchester City and Arsenal back-to-back under interim coach Michael Carrick, sure, but even going further back than that, they’ve lost just twice in league play since September, and their expected goals differential for the season ranks third.
This is a verifiably good team, one that has a 49.1% chance of a top-five finish (and likely Champions League berth) per the Opta supercomputer and a 59.3% chance per xStandings.
Carrick’s sample is far too small to judge with statistical rigor, and they’ve won these last three matches with pure directness — they’ve scored eight goals while averaging just 19 touches per match in the opponent’s box (opponents are averaging 29.7). There’s been a dose of good fortune in this streak, with Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Patrick Dorgu combining for six goals from shots worth 2.2 xG.
But the results haven’t just been lucky. Casemiro has looked very comfortable at the base of Carrick’s 4-2-3-1 system, and we knew from his time at Brentford that Mbeumo is dynamite in transition.
Be it through Amorim’s three-at-the-back approach or Carrick’s adjustments, United have been the best quick-strike team in the Premier League this season. They’re fifth in ball recoveries, but they’re first in shots (15) and in goals scored from ball recoveries (five); they’re fourth in high turnovers created, but they’re first in goals scored from them (16).
They have attempted by far the most first-time shots in the league (207) — meaning, they find openings and immediately try to exploit them. And while this still isn’t a particularly disruptive or physical defense, they’ve erased their old tendency of allowing opponents loads of shot attempts: Per possession, they’re currently second in shots and fourth in shots allowed.
1:33
Ogden: Carrick’s success is creating a problem for Man United’s hierarchy
Mark Ogden believes Manchester United will have to make a decision about Michael Carrick’s future soon.
Plenty of people in our line of work have attempted to immediately parlay this happy three-match run into “Are United title threats?!” headlines, and … no. They’re not. They’re 12 points behind Arsenal with 14 games to play, and their title odds are well under 1%.
But honestly, fans should treat that as a good thing. The day-to-day life of a Manchester United fan appears to be existentially exhausting, a nonstop ride of overreaction and resetting of expectations.
Sure, they’ve got a Champions League berth to play for — and lord knows the “Should Carrick become the full-time manager?!” headlines aren’t going to stop if they keep playing like this* — but at this moment they’re playing fun, fast, entertaining and semi-sustainable ball. For a little while, at least, that should be enough.
(*My own opinion: Sure, give him the full-time job. It’s fine. He’s a smart guy, former holding midfielders can make excellent coaches, he was decent in two-and-a-half seasons at Middlesbrough, people who are frequently wrong think it’s a bad idea, and hey, the manager doesn’t matter as much as he used to, anyway, right?) — Bill Connelly
At the time of the last rerank, Aston Villa and Brentford were 13th and 16th, respectively, in the Premier League table and 13th and 14th on our list. Villa couldn’t generate decent scoring chances to save their lives (they were 16th in goals and 19th in xG created at that point), and Brentford couldn’t keep opponents from scoring (16th in goals allowed, 14th in xG allowed).
Things have changed pretty dramatically since then:
Villa have matched Arsenal with 37 points over the last 17 matchdays, while Brentford have been exceeded only by Villa, Arsenal and the Manchester clubs. Have they actually been among the five best teams in this span? Probably not. Villa’s plus-10 goal differential in these 17 matches has come from an xG differential of plus-0.6, and they’ve managed to win six games (with three draws) in matches with a negative xG differential. That’s awfully tough to sustain.
Brentford, meanwhile, have generated a beautifully high-variance style: In this 17-match sample, they’ve won seven matches by at least two goals and lost five matches by at least two goals. A high-variance approach is smart for a team with fewer resources, but it doesn’t make you particularly reliable. Brentford have beaten Liverpool, Villa and Newcastle in this span while losing to Nottingham Forest and taking one point from two matches against Spurs (who, as you see above, haven’t taken that many other points in this span).
Villa have done a lovely job of stockpiling points of late, even if there was some good fortune involved. The Premier League is exceedingly likely to earn a fifth Champions League spot this season via the coefficient table across Europe — and Villa, at 46 points, are as close to first-place Arsenal (53) as to sixth-place Liverpool (39).
But Villa have a couple of concerns at the moment. First, vengeance from the god of xG could be coming for them:
Even with an unlikely Sunday result — they lost 1-0 to Brentford despite an xG differential of +2.0 — they have the largest disparity in the league between their xGD and their place in the table. They rode a torrid finishing streak from Morgan Rogers to a nice series of results (from Nov. 23 to Dec. 21, he scored six goals while attempting shots worth just 2.1 xG). In this span, they won six straight matches, all by one goal. Sunday’s result might have been the start of a run of statistical comeuppance.
Even more worrisome than the stats are the midfield injuries. There are so damn many of them. Boubacar Kamara is out for the season (knee); Youri Tielemans (ankle) and John McGinn (knee) are out for a few more weeks; Ross Barkley (knee) is out; and Amadou Onana‘s minutes are being managed because of muscle fatigue.
Villa added three players during the January transfer window, but only one — Juventus loanee Douglas Luiz, who was with Villa through 2023-24 — is, by trade, a midfielder. Villa’s next three league matches are against the teams ranked ninth through 11th above. Depending on what they get from a makeshift midfield, all three games are both winnable and losable.
Villa did make some short-term moves in January to theoretically shore up their top-five odds, but Brentford, on the other hand, are not a short-term team.
Brentford’s only January move was for 18-year-old forward Kaye Furo, who had played only 89 league minutes for Club Brugge this season — that is the opposite of a win-now transaction. They’re going to ride with the hand they’ve been dealt, and of late it’s been a pretty good one. They’ve scored 14 goals in their last eight league matches, and that’s with Kevin Schade going through a minor finishing funk — since a Dec. 27 hat trick against Bournemouth, he has failed to score despite generating shots worth 1.8 xG.
In these last eight matches, Brentford have attempted 26 shots worth at least 0.2 xG (most in the league) while allowing only 12 (sixth fewest). This isn’t a team designed to generate huge shot volume, but if you’re attempting all the good shots, you’re going to give yourself a chance. And strangely enough, despite having hired prolific set piece coach Keith Andrews as their manager — and despite playing in a league dominated by set pieces at the moment — they’ve done almost all their damage in open play.
Opta’s supercomputer now gives the Bees a 42% chance of finishing in the top seven, which would likely earn them a first-ever spot in a European competition. But the next three matches will make a huge impact on those odds, one way or the other: They visit Newcastle on Saturday, then host Arsenal and Brighton. — Connelly
Let me take you back to the middle of October, when we last did these rankings. It was a time when there were three Premier League teams with a non-penalty xG differential of plus-4 or better: Arsenal, Manchester City and Crystal Palace.
Sure, Palace had lost Eberechi Eze to Arsenal, but it seemed as if it didn’t matter. This team was one of the best sides in the Premier League in the second half of last season, and the first seven games of this season did nothing to suggest that wasn’t still true. Palace beat Aston Villa, 3-0, then created nearly 3.0 xG worth of chances in a thrilling 2-1 win against Liverpool. With the potential for five Premier League teams to qualify for the Champions League, Palace looked like the most likely outsider to crash the party.
Come early December, they were crashing the party. A 2-1 win over Fulham moved them into fourth place, and they weren’t lucky to be there, either. Fifteen games into the season, only Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool had produced better xG differentials.
So, uh, guess how many games they’ve won since then? That would be zero.
Over their last nine matches, they’ve drawn three and lost six. As you can see from some of the charts in the Arsenal section, Palace’s overall performance level still looks pretty good. But here’s how the league stacks up by non-penalty xG differential and goal differential from the most recent 10-game stretch:
As you can see, you don’t go from being in the top four with peripherals that back it up to going winless in nine without two things happening: (1) your performance level dropping off and (2) the ball not bouncing your way. Palace have been about a league-average team for the last 10 games, but they’ve turned that into the worst goal differential in the league over the same stretch.
Normally, I’d say: hold tight, positive regression is coming! But it seems as if this bad run has all but destroyed the club. Head coach Glasner had a public meltdown and announced he’ll be leaving after the season. After not allowing captain Marc Guéhi to leave over the summer, they decided it was fine for him to leave with just a couple of months left on his contract and a much lower transfer fee on offer. They also nearly let striker Jean-Philippe Mateta leave too — only for him to fail his medical exam with AC Milan.
On top of all that, there’s a good reason the team got worse: Palace didn’t have enough players to handle midweek European matches that came with Conference League qualification. Through those first seven games, every member of their back five played every minute of every game. Since then: Guéhi has left for Manchester City and Chris Richards and Daniel Muñoz have both missed significant stretches of time. And everyone else has looked exhausted.
Now, they have added a couple of players in the January window: Brennan Johnson from Spurs and Jørgen Strand Larsen from Wolves, plus a loan for Aston Villa’s Evann Guessand. Johnson is a fine signing — a productive player from, technically, a Champions League side — while Strand Larsen is big and strong, has scored one goal this season, and plays the same position as Mateta. Guéhi, notably, has not been replaced.
The performances haven’t been that bad, but the vibes are bad, the results have been terrible, and now they’ve lost their best player.
Healthy clubs are the ones that manage to overcome these runs of bad luck without panicking and sticking to the plan. If Palace wanted to be a healthy club, then they should’ve considered selling a 43% stake in the team to someone other than the guy who owns the New York Jets. — O’Hanlon
There are just three weeks until the start of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. As chaotic as the standings have been the past few weeks, it’s only going to get wilder now that the pressure is ramped up.
NHL fans are in for a treat on what’s been dubbed Showdown Saturday, with 15 games throughout the course of the day.
And instead of the usual “eight games starting at 7 p.m. ET” trick, the start times have been staggered earlier in the day, too!
So without any further preamble, let’s dive right into the storylines ahead of each contest in regards to playoff positioning, the draft lottery and more:
Ottawa Senators at Tampa Bay Lightning
1 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
The Senators were in a playoff spot earlier this week, and are pushing to get there again. They enter play a point behind the Islanders and two behind the Bruins for the wild-card spots; importantly, Ottawa holds the regulation-wins tiebreaker over both of those clubs. On the other side, the Lightning still have designs on an Atlantic Division title; they are two points and two regulation wins behind the Sabres, with two games in hand.
Florida Panthers at New York Islanders
1 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Well, we knew the Panthers might be a little out of sorts this season after two straight Cups (and a Cup Final appearance the year before that), and their playoff hopes are closing in on zero. However, they are in line for a top-10 draft pick, currently sitting No. 8 in the lottery standings. The Islanders are hanging on to a playoff spot by a thread; getting wins in games like this one against a non-playoff team are crucial.
Anaheim Ducks at Edmonton Oilers
3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
If you’d told a hockey fan prior to the season that this game would pit a team with a five-point Pacific Division lead against one battling it out for the No. 2 or 3 seed, they’d likely have replied, “Wow, good for the Ducks to eke their way in!” Instead, it’s Connor McDavid and friends whose playoff lives are in a bit more peril. A win here by Anaheim would put it seven points ahead of Edmonton, while a decision the other way would drop the Ducks’ lead to three.
Minnesota Wild at Boston Bruins
5 p.m. ET (NHL Network)
This will be the final meeting of the season between U.S. Olympic teammates Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman (Bruins) with Quinn Hughes, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber (Wild) — unless they meet again in the Cup Final. The Wild are on the cusp of clinching a spot, with a magic number of two; the Bruins have quite a bit more work to do, with the Senators and Red Wings nipping at their heels. Also of note: the B’s are just two points back of the Canadiens for the No. 3 spot in the Atlantic.
Dallas Stars at Pittsburgh Penguins
5 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Another green vs. yellow matchup! The Stars have clinched a postseason spot and are likely to be paired up with the Wild in Round 1, as they enter Saturday nine points back of the Avalanche for first in the Central. Pittsburgh has been swapping spots with the Blue Jackets and Islanders recently. As it stands heading into this one, the Penguins are the Metro’s No. 2 seed, one point and two regulation wins ahead of both Columbus and New York.
New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes
5 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
The Hurricanes appear destined to win another Metro crown, with an eight-point lead over the Penguins. What remains to be won is the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed; Carolina enters the day tied in the standings with Buffalo, but ahead on the games played tiebreaker. Of note, they have five fewer regulation wins than the Sabres. As for the Devils, a late-season surge has been encouraging for 2026-27, but a playoff spot would require an extraordinary amount of help from opponents of the teams ahead of them. New Jersey sits No. 12 in the draft lottery standings.
San Jose Sharks at Columbus Blue Jackets
5 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Last season, the Blue Jackets remained in the playoff race until the final week of the season, ultimately just missing the cut by two points. This season, the Hockey Gods appear to be on their side, as they hold the Metro’s No. 3 spot heading into Saturday. They are a point behind the Penguins for second, and a tiebreaker ahead of the Islanders. San Jose finished 44 points out of a playoff spot in 2024-25, so the fact that they have any chance at all at this stage is a vast improvement. But if they are going to make it, they’ll need to start earning points more regularly; the Predators hold the second Western wild card six points ahead of the Sharks, and the Golden Knights are eight points ahead in the battle for third in the Pacific.
Seattle Kraken at Buffalo Sabres
5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
The Kraken are even closer to the playoff mix than the Sharks — three points behind Nashville, five behind Vegas — but face an even more challenging opponent Saturday. The Sabres are on an epic run; as a result, they hold a two-point lead in the Atlantic Division, and are a tiebreaker behind Carolina for first overall in the East.
Toronto Maple Leafs at St. Louis Blues
7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
This is the first matchup of the slate featuring two lottery-bound teams; unfortunately for the Leafs, their pick belongs to Boston unless it falls in the top five. As of now, Toronto is 10th in the lotto standings, in the middle of a cluster of eight teams between 71 and 76 points. One of the teams at the end of that cluster is the St. Louis Blues, who hold the No. 5 position with 71 points.
Montreal Canadiens at Nashville Predators
7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Is it a bigger surprise that the Canadiens are on pace for 104 points, or that the Predators are in line to earn a playoff spot after how dreadful last season (and the start of this one) went? Montreal is four points (and seven regulation wins) back of Tampa Bay for second in the Atlantic, and has a two-point edge on Boston to retain their No. 3 position. Nashville is just a point ahead of Los Angeles for the second Western wild card, and three points behind Utah for the first.
Winnipeg Jets at Colorado Avalanche
7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
The NHL awards the Presidents’ Trophy to the team with the best regular-season record. In 2024-25, that team was the Jets. In 2025-26, that team will likely be the Avalanche. Sadly for the wonderful fans of Winnipeg, the Jets’ success last season didn’t carry over into this one, and they enter Saturday five points back of Nashville for the wild card. Maybe the club will have some lottery luck, and it enters the day in seventh in the draft standings.
Philadelphia Flyers at Detroit Red Wings
8 p.m. ET (ABC)
Time is running out for both of these teams to vault into a playoff spot. As play begins Saturday, the Red Wings are one point back of the second wild card, two back of the first, and four back of Montreal for the Atlantic’s No. 3 seed. The Flyers have four additional points to make up — although their pathway in the Metro is slightly easier, with the Blue Jackets five points ahead in the No. 3 spot and the Penguins six ahead for second.
Utah Mammoth at Los Angeles Kings
9 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
As the end of Anze Kopitar‘s career comes into sight, the Kings remain alive for a playoff berth, but must surpass the Predators for a wild card (they are one point back), the Golden Knights for No. 3 in the Pacific (they are three points behind) … or the Mammoth themselves, who are four points ahead. One wrinkle: Los Angeles will almost certainly need to get ahead of teams on standings points, as they are well behind everyone else in the regulation wins column.
Vancouver Canucks at Calgary Flames
10 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Here’s our other draft lottery positioning game of the day — although it’s exceedingly unlikely that any team “catches” the Canucks, who are 15 points clear of anyone else in the No. 1 position in the draft lottery standings. Calgary enters the day in fourth in the lottery standings, one point behind the Blackhawks and three behind the Rangers.
Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights
10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Will this be Alex Ovechkin‘s final visit to Las Vegas as a member of the Capitals? If so, his team could really use the points as it looks to chase down even a wild-card spot. As the slate begins, the Caps are six points back of the Isles and Blue Jackets, although if they do get back in the mix, their regulation-wins total (currently 31) might well beat out anyone if it comes down to tiebreakers. As for the hosts, the Golden Knights appear much more likely to return to the playoffs — largely because of the relative weakness of the Pacific Division — but could certainly use any additional points they can get to bolster their chances.
Every team has around 10 games remaining before the regular season concludes April 16, and we’ll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch every day. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide details on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2026 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.
Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s schedule
Last night’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Buffalo Sabres vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Montreal Canadiens
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 New York Islanders
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 Columbus Blue Jackets
Western Conference
C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Nashville Predators
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Anaheim Ducks vs. WC1 Utah Mammoth
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Vegas Golden Knights
Saturday’s games
Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
Ottawa Senators at Tampa Bay Lightning, 1 p.m.
Florida Panthers at New York Islanders, 1 p.m.
Anaheim Ducks at Edmonton Oilers, 3:30 p.m.
Minnesota Wild at Boston Bruins, 5 p.m. (NHLN)
Dallas Stars at Pittsburgh Penguins, 5 p.m.
New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes, 5 p.m.
San Jose Sharks at Columbus Blue Jackets, 5 p.m.
Seattle Kraken at Buffalo Sabres, 5:30 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at St. Louis Blues, 7 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens at Nashville Predators, 7 p.m.
Winnipeg Jets at Colorado Avalanche, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers at Detroit Red Wings, 8 p.m. (ABC)
Utah Mammoth at Los Angeles Kings, 9 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks at Calgary Flames, 10 p.m.
Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights, 10:30 p.m.
Friday night’s scoreboard
Detroit Red Wings 5, Buffalo Sabres 2
New York Rangers 6, Chicago Blackhawks 1
Expanded standings
Atlantic Division
Points: 96
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 107.8
Next game: vs. SEA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 10
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 94
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 108.6
Next game: vs. OTT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 12
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 11
Points pace: 103.9
Next game: @ NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 93.8%
Magic number: 16
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 88
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 100.2
Next game: vs. MIN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 65%
Magic number: 18
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 97.9
Next game: @ TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 74.5%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 97.9
Next game: vs. PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 32.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 84.3
Next game: @ STL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 6
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 84.3
Next game: @ NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 8
Metro Division
Points: 96
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 110.9
Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 10
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 88
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 100.2
Next game: vs. DAL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 90.1%
Magic number: 18
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 10
Points pace: 99.1
Next game: vs. SJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 82.1%
Magic number: 19
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 97.7
Next game: vs. FLA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 49.1%
Magic number: 19
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 94.7
Next game: @ DET (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 10.8%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 17
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 91.0
Next game: @ VGK (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 2.3%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 12
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 87.8
Next game: @ CAR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.3%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 11
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 75.3
Next game: vs. NYI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: OUT
Central Division
Points: 106
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 122.4
Next game: vs. WPG (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Magic number: IN
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 97
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 110.5
Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Magic number: IN
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 94
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 105.6
Next game: @ BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 2
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 80
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 89.9
Next game: @ LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 96.4%
Magic number: 16
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 87.7
Next game: vs. MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 34.9%
Magic number: 19
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: @ COL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 2.3%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 15
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 5.2%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 16
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 75.3
Next game: @ NJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 8
Pacific Division
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 97.9
Next game: @ EDM (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 10
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 91.0
Next game: vs. ANA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 94%
Magic number: 15
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 88.7
Next game: vs. WSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 97.7%
Magic number: 17
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 86.6
Next game: vs. UTA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 38.2%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19
Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 85.5
Next game: @ BUF (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 5.9%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 83.2
Next game: @ CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 25.5%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 18
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 77.4
Next game: vs. VAN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 11
Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 57.8
Next game: @ CGY (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: OUT
Note: An “x” with a team’s name means the club has clinched a playoff spot. An “e” means that the club has been mathematically eliminated.
Race for the No. 1 pick
The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here. Atop draft boards for this summer is Gavin McKenna, a forward for Penn State.
Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 24
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 27
Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 19
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 25
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 31
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 28
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 32
*Note: The Maple Leafs’ pick belongs to the Bruins, unless it lands in the top five.
CHICAGO — Alabama players sat teary-eyed at their lockers Friday night at the United Center, still processing a season with plenty of twists before reaching its endpoint against Michigan in the Sweet 16.
The No. 4 seed Crimson Tide started their 14th different lineup against No. 1 seed Michigan, one that had carried them to two dominant wins in the NCAA tournament but ultimately wouldn’t measure up in a 90-77 loss. Alabama’s starters could have included center Charles Bediako and guard Aden Holloway, who both contributed during the season but are no longer with the team, albeit for very different reasons.
“We would not have gotten outrebounded by 13 tonight had we been able to continue to play [Bediako],” coach Nate Oats said.
Michigan held a 46-32 edge in rebounds and finished with 34 points in the paint, while the Tide had 20. Alabama’s Aiden Sherrell, a forward who had to play some center without another sizable low-post presence, acknowledged the season contained “some complicated things.”
“But as a team, we did a great job fighting all the adversity and keeping it between us,” he said.
Oats praised the group as one of the most enjoyable he has had, noting that the team’s leadership was the best he has seen in seven seasons at Alabama. The coach noted all the lineups Alabama used, and added that he “couldn’t be more proud of the group.”
The Tide played their third straight game without Holloway, their second-leading scorer (16.8 points per game) and a third-team All-SEC selection, who was arrested on a felony drug charge earlier this month. An Alabama judge granted Holloway’s request to travel Friday, but he did not join the team and remained banned from all school-related activities. Police found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in Holloway’s apartment after they executed a search warrant in Tuscaloosa.
Bediako’s absence was felt more in the Michigan loss, even though he last played for Alabama on Feb. 7 against Auburn. The 7-footer left Alabama for the NBA draft in 2023, signed a two-way NBA contract and played the past three seasons in the G League. He returned to play five games for the Tide and averaged 10 points and 4.6 rebounds while navigating the courts, but ultimately had a motion for a preliminary injunction denied by a state judge in February, ending his college career.
After Saturday’s loss, Oats referenced the case of Baylor center James Nnaji, another former NBA draft pick who never played in the league. Nnaji was cleared to play on Christmas Eve.
“We saw the opportunity to bring some size on after all the adversity we went through, after Nnaji was declared eligible, and most people, including ourselves, thought if they’re going to make Nnaji eligible, that Bediako would be eligible,” Oats said. “We had one judge who thought so. He would’ve definitely helped the situation with the rebounding.”
Guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and others said players have often talked about everything that transpired during the season, which is why they will never forget the 2025-26 team.
“We stayed together, we played for each other, we built off of continuous growth, selfless love and maximum effort,” Sherrell said. “We just stuck through this to those core values, and we went this far.”
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Tiger Woods was released from jail Friday night after he was arrested earlier in the day on a DUI charge following a car crash in Florida.
In a mugshot released hours after his arrest, Woods’ eyes appeared bloodshot, as he donned a blue polo inside the Martin County Jail in Florida.
Woods was seen leaving the jail in the passenger seat of a black SUV after his release on bail late Friday, according to The Associated Press.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek confirmed in a news conference that Woods was traveling at “a high rate of speed” when his vehicle collided with another car, resulting in his vehicle rolling over onto the driver’s side.
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Tiger Woods was booked into Martin County, Florida, jail on March 27, 2026. (AP)
Authorities said Woods “exemplified signs of impairment.” He blew “triple-zeroes” for alcohol but refused a urine test.
“DUI investigators came to the scene here, and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment. They did several tests on him. Of course, he did explain the injuries and the surgeries that he had. We did take that into account, but they did do some in-depth roadside tests,” Budensiek added.
“We really weren’t suspicious of alcohol being involved in this case, and that proved to be true at the jail. … But when it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused. And, so, he’s been charged with DUI, with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.”
Woods was spotted on the phone after the crash, wearing navy blue shorts.
Woods was charged with DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a test, all misdemeanor charges. No one was injured, authorities said. Woods was alone in the car and crawled out of the passenger door after the crash.
Tiger Woods was driven from the Martin County Jail after being arrested for driving under the influence following a car crash on March 27, 2026, in Stuart, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
VANESSA, KAI TRUMP TAKE IN TIGER WOODS’ RETURN TO GOLF AT TGL FINALS
“This could’ve been a lot worse,” Budensiek noted.
President Donald Trump commented on the arrest of his “very close friend.”
“I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty,” Trump said. “There was an accident, and that’s all I know. Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, an amazing man, but some difficulty.”
Woods has not commented on the arrest.
Tiger Woods was arrested on a DUI charge after getting into a car crash on Friday. (Associated Press)
Woods currently is dating Trump’s ex-daughter-in-law, Vanessa, whose daughter, Kai, is set to play college golf in Miami next week.
This is Woods’ second DUI arrest within the last decade. In 2017, he was taken into custody, also in Jupiter Island, after taking prescription drugs and being asleep behind the wheel of a running car at 3 a.m.
In 2021, he got into a wreck that resulted in serious leg injuries that kept him off the golf course for the entire year.
Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2026. (Jason Oteri/AP)
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Woods made his return to competitive golf earlier this week in the TGL championship after rupturing his Achilles just before last year’s Masters (this year’s tournament is in less than two weeks). Woods has not appeared on the links since the 2024 PGA Championship, in which he missed the cut.
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