Patriots’ Mayo: Maye ‘has a lot to work on’

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo knows Drake Maye is a work in progress but is confident the rookie quarterback will do everything he can to get up to speed.

“He has a lot to work on, but I have no doubt that he’ll put the time in,” Mayo said Saturday, according to team reporter Tamara Brown.

“He was here all night trying to get on the same page as everyone else.”

Maye took part in the opening day of the Patriots’ minicamp Saturday alongside his fellow first-year players.

The No. 3 overall pick was criticized during the pre-draft process for his inconsistent footwork in college, which occasionally led to erratic play. Improving his mechanics will be a focal point of Maye’s offseason work with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

“It’s been good. Kind of the first day, feeling it out and just getting more and more reps,” Maye said, according to Mark Daniels of Mass Live. “That’s all something new takes – getting more reps at it.

“There are some perks to the quick game, it’s a lot quicker. Under center stance – I’m trying out two new stances that I’m getting used to. Just working it, repping it, and I felt pretty good here today. I just have to keep working.”

Drake Maye pic.twitter.com/EunnqUkaHw

— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) May 11, 2024

Maye is expected to compete with free-agent addition Jacoby Brissett, who returned for a second stint in New England after initially being drafted by the club in 2016.

Brissett boasts 48 career starts with four teams, giving the Pats a veteran option under center if the inexperienced Maye isn’t ready to start Day 1. The rookie passer turns 22 years old in August, and he only started two seasons at North Carolina before heading to the pros.

Eberflus confirms Williams as starter: ‘No conversation’

Head coach Matt Eberflus isn’t wasting any time declaring Caleb Williams the Chicago Bears’ starting quarterback.

“No conversation,” Eberflus said Friday, according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “(Williams) is the starter.”

Williams is set to start over Brett Rypien, Tyson Bagent, and undrafted free agent Austin Reed.

Eberflus added that one of Williams’ benchmarks moving forward will be having a “full understanding of the concepts” of the team’s offense. The 53-year-old also lauded Williams’ personal quarterback coach, noting the pair worked together to prepare for the club’s rookie minicamp this weekend.

Despite being named the starter, Williams said he’ll likely have some “mess-ups” as the team starts its offseason program, Cronin reports. However, he added that he feels good about understanding the fundamentals of Chicago’s scheme.

The Bears selected Williams No. 1 overall in April’s draft after the signal-caller produced a standout career at Oklahoma and USC, including a Heisman Trophy-winning campaign in 2022 with the Trojans.

Williams finished his collegiate career with 10,082 yards, 93 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions on 66.9% passing.

Suns dismiss Vogel, reportedly eyeing Budenholzer

The Phoenix Suns dismissed head coach Frank Vogel after one season, the franchise announced Thursday.

Former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer is emerging as the front-runner to become the Suns’ next bench boss, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The veteran skipper has reportedly been assembling a coaching staff to bring with him.

“As we said at the press conference on May 1, team leadership, including myself, Josh Bartelstein, and ownership, would be looking across basketball operations to determine what changes needed to be made,” said Suns president of basketball operations and general manager James Jones. “After a thoughtful review of the season, we concluded that we needed a different head coach for our team. We appreciate Frank’s hard work and commitment.”

The Suns were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.

“We are here to win a championship, and last season was way below our expectations,” Jones added. “We will continue to evaluate our operation and make the necessary changes to reach our championship-caliber goals.”

The Suns hired Vogel after the championship-winning coach parted ways with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023. The 50-year-old led Phoenix to 49 wins in his lone season with the franchise.

Vogel originally inked a five-year, $31-million deal with the organization.

Budenholzer led the Bucks to a championship in 2021. He’s gone 484-317 over his last 10 seasons as a head coach.

He’d be the Suns’ third coach in as many seasons, as the club previously dismissed Monty Williams in 2023.

Maple Leafs fire Keefe after 5 seasons

The Toronto Maple Leafs fired head coach Sheldon Keefe after five seasons with the club, the team announced Thursday.

Decisions on the rest of the coaching staff are still to come.

“Today’s decision was difficult,” general manager Brad Treliving said in a statement. “Sheldon is an excellent coach and a great man; however, we determined a new voice is needed to help the team push through to reach our ultimate goal. We thank Sheldon for his hard work and dedication to the organization over the last nine years, and wish him and his family all the very best.”

Keefe signed a two-year extension last August that hadn’t kicked in yet. The 43-year-old took to X to express his gratitude hours after news of his firing broke.

Thank you, Leafs Nation 💙✌️ pic.twitter.com/WN4iXJZjjE

— Sheldon Keefe (@SheldonKeefe) May 9, 2024

Keefe’s dismissal comes after yet another early playoff exit for the Maple Leafs. Toronto lost to the Boston Bruins in overtime of Game 7 last week for its seventh opening-round elimination in eight years, and fourth in five years under Keefe.

The Maple Leafs accrued the fourth-most points of any team across the NHL since Keefe took over in November 2019, going 212-97-40. However, the club only won one playoff round under his guidance, a first-round victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023.

The cumulative stats of Keefe’s tenure show Toronto became a far less potent team in the postseason.

REGULAR SEASON	STAT	PLAYOFFS
212-97-40	Record	16-21
3.55	Goals for per-game	2.62
2.93	Goals against per-game	2.76
24.9%	Power play	15.4%
80.1%	Penalty kill	78.8%

Keefe’s gig with Toronto was his first in the NHL.

The Leafs will begin their search for a new coach immediately. Five other coaching vacancies across the NHL also need to be filled: the New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Seattle Kraken, Winnipeg Jets, and San Jose Sharks.

There have now been 19 head coaching changes across the NHL since the end of the 2022-23 season, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

Bowness retires after nearly 40 years behind NHL benches

Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness announced his retirement Monday.

Hockey won't be the same without you, Bones 💙 pic.twitter.com/7evocydmqK

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) May 6, 2024

Bowness is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year after leading the Jets to a 52-24-6 record in 2023-24. The club lost to the Colorado Avalanche in five games in Round 1.

The 69-year-old took a month-long leave of absence from the team early in the season after his wife, Judy, was hospitalized by a seizure.

Bowness and Hall of Famers Scotty Bowman and Pat Quinn are the only bench bosses to hold an NHL head coaching position in five different decades. His first NHL job was as an assistant coach with the original Winnipeg Jets franchise for the 1984-85 campaign. He eventually became the head coach of the Jets for one season in 1988-89.

“Bones” also served as head coach of the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, Arizona Coyotes, and Dallas Stars. The pinnacle of Bowness’ coaching career came in 2020 when he led the Stars to the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Bowness also went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011 as an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks and in 2015 as an associate coach with the Lightning.

His 2,726 games as an NHL head coach or assistant are the most by anyone in league history.

The Jets are now one of seven NHL teams without a full-time head coach.

Mavericks sign Kidd to multi-year extension

The Dallas Mavericks extended head coach Jason Kidd on a multi-year deal, the team announced Monday.

The Mavericks recently beat the Los Angeles Clippers in the postseason’s first round, marking the second time in Kidd’s three seasons coaching Dallas that he’s won at least one playoff series.

“We are excited to have coach Kidd continue to lead our team throughout the coming years with this well-earned contract extension,” said general manager Nico Harrison. “As a former NBA champion Hall of Fame player, Jason brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role, which cannot be duplicated.”

The 51-year-old’s illustrious playing career includes a Rookie of the Year award, 10 All-Star appearances, an NBA title, and induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Kidd started coaching with the Brooklyn Nets in 2013-14 before joining the Milwaukee Bucks for three-and-a-half seasons. After he spent a few years as an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Mavs hired Kidd as head coach in 2021.

The Luka Doncic-led squad put up a 52-30 record and lost in the Western Conference finals in Kidd’s first season at the helm. However, the team failed to make the play-in tournament last campaign despite adding All-Star Kyrie Irving.

Kidd got the wheels back on track in 2023-24, leading Dallas to a 50-32 regular-season record and a date with the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round.

Lakers fire Darvin Ham after 2 seasons

The Los Angeles Lakers dismissed head coach Darvin Ham after two seasons on the job, the team announced Friday.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka reportedly informed Ham of the club’s decision in a phone call earlier Friday, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Ham’s entire coaching staff was relieved of its duties as well, reports Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times.

Mike Budenholzer, Kenny Atkinson, JJ Redick, and potentially Tyronn Lue are among the candidates to succeed Ham, sources told The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Jovan Buha.

Following years of stability under Phil Jackson, the Lakers’ next hire will be their eighth head coach since the 2011-12 campaign.

Ham guided Los Angeles to a 90-74 mark, including back-to-back playoff appearances. The Lakers reached last season’s West finals but fell in five games to the Denver Nuggets in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs.

“We greatly appreciate Darvin’s efforts on behalf of the Lakers and recognize the many accomplishments achieved over the past two seasons, including last year’s remarkable run to the Western Conference finals,” Pelinka said in a statement.

“We all want to thank Darvin for his dedication and positivity. While this was a difficult decision to make, it is the best course of action following a full review of the season.”

Los Angeles signed Ham to a four-year contract in May 2022 worth around $5 million per season, according to Charania and Buha. The Lakers will assume the remaining money on his deal.

Plenty of questions surround the purple and gold entering the offseason, beginning with LeBron James’ future. The four-time Finals MVP has until June 29 to exercise or decline his $51.4-million player option for 2024-25.

Pelinka is also able to offer a maximum of three first-round draft picks in a potential trade package.

Kraken Stars Threatened to Refuse to Play for Dave Hakstol Again, per Report

Dave Hakstol is the only coach the Seattle Kraken has ever known, but his tenure is reportedly ending in explosive fashion.

According to a Monday report from ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, Hakstol was fired after several Kraken voiced their displeasure with him in exit interviews with the organization.

“(General manager) Ron Francis did not want to make this move,” Kaplan said before the Florida Panthers’ 6-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of their first-round series Monday. “I was told at the exit meetings, a handful of players—pretty significant players—made it clear to management, ‘I don’t want to play on this team in the future if Dave Hakstol is the coach.'”

Hakstol’s dismissal came less than a calendar year after Seattle made a surprise run to the second round of the playoffs, upsetting the Colorado Avalanche in seven games in the first round before losing to the Dallas Stars in seven games.

The Kraken went 34-35-13 this season, finishing fifth in the Pacific Division.

Kraken fire coach Dave Hakstol

The Seattle Kraken fired head coach Dave Hakstol from his post, the team announced Monday.

Hakstol was the first head coach in the franchise’s history. He collected a 107-112-27 record, and Seattle made the playoffs once during his three-year tenure.

General manager Ron Francis will immediately begin the search for a replacement.

“I thank Dave for his hard work and dedication to the Kraken franchise. … These decisions are never easy, but we feel this is a necessary step to help ensure our team continues to improve and evolve,” the executive said in a statement. “Dave is a good coach and a terrific person. We wish him and his family all the best.”

The Kraken also announced that assistant coach Paul McFarland won’t return next campaign.

Seattle signed Hakstol to an extension through the 2025-26 campaign in July. He was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the league’s top bench boss one year ago but lost to Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery.

The Kraken made the playoffs for the first time in their existence last season following a 40-point improvement from their abysmal inaugural campaign. They knocked out the Colorado Avalanche in the first round before being eliminated by the Dallas Stars in seven games.

However, Seattle regressed across several categories in 2023-24, finishing 17 points outside the playoff cutline.

SEASON	RECORD	POINTS	P%	GF/GP	GA/GP
2021-22	27-49-6	60	.366	2.60	3.46
2022-23	46-28-8	100	.610	3.52	3.07
2023-24	34-35-13	81	.494	2.61	2.83

The Kraken ranked second in the league with a shooting percentage of 11.57% at all strengths last season but placed among the bottom-five teams with a 9.11% clip this campaign, per Natural Stat Trick.

Hakstol is the second Pacific Division coach to lose his job in the span of a week. The last-place San Jose Sharks parted ways with David Quinn on Wednesday.

Falcons plan to use ‘Green Bay model’ at QB

The Falcons are following the Packers’ lead after Atlanta’s stunning selection of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the opening round of the NFL draft.

General manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris referred to “the Green Bay model” after their NFC peers employed a similar strategy at the position. The Packers drafted Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 draft despite still having Aaron Rodgers on the roster.

The Packers experienced a successful transition when Love took over as starter in 2023 after spending three seasons backing up Rodgers, though the four-time MVP’s tenure in Green Bay came to an unharmonious conclusion before he was traded to the New York Jets last April.

“The Green Bay model was something that we talked about,” Morris said, according to team reporter Terrin Waack. “It’s been proven to be right, last year. Hopefully, we’ll be right with them.”

Fontenot added: “Kirk Cousins is our quarterback. We’re very excited about Kirk, very excited about this team. (With) Michael Penix, we’re talking about the future. The draft is (when) you look at the future and you look at big picture.”

Many were stunned when the Falcons selected Penix with the eighth overall pick, only a few months after landing prized free agent Cousins. Atlanta signed the former Minnesota Vikings passer to a four-year, $180-million contract that includes $100 million guaranteed.

Penix did not take a top-30 visit to the team’s headquarters before the draft, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. The Falcons’ only interactions with the former Washington passer was a 45-minute workout along with a meeting at the scouting combine. However, the franchise felt comfortable with the work it did prior to Thursday.

Cousins was reportedly “shocked” and “disappointed” after Penix was announced as Atlanta’s pick.

Although Green Bay’s front office didn’t give Rodgers a heads-up about Love’s selection, the Falcons contacted Cousins while they were on the clock Thursday night about their decision to add Penix.

The Falcons believe Penix can develop under Cousins the way Love progressed behind Rodgers, until his opportunity arrives in Atlanta.