AP Sports

Boston skating club trained Olympic champions. It has also shared in the sport’s pain

NORWOOD, Mass. (AP) — The history of the Skating Club of Boston is the history of American figure skating. In good times and in bad. For more than a century, the club has launched the careers of some of skating’s biggest stars. And when sorrow hits the skating world, the Boston club feels the pain, as well. Six members of the club were killed on Wednesday night when the plane bringing them back from a national development camp in Wichita, Kansas, collided with an Army helicopter. Even as skaters and their families mourned, news came that alumnus Dick Button had died at the age of 95.

Each of the young figure skaters killed in the DC plane crash had a story waiting to be told

The young figure skaters whose lives were cut tragically short when an American Airlines flight collided with an Army helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River on Wednesday night were just beginning their journeys to stardom. Some of them were quickly rising through the ranks of U.S. Figure Skating, while others were still learning the very basics. All of them were coming home from a development camp in Wichita, Kansas, some of them accompanied by their parents and coaches. And all of them had stories that were only just beginning, and just waiting to be told.

International Skating Union to honor athletes killed in plane crash when Boston hosts world champs

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — International Skating Union President Jae Youl Kim has held back tears while announcing they will honor athletes and others killed in the mid-air collision near Washington, D.C., when the world championships are staged in Boston in March. Kim was visibly emotional telling media on Friday at the European championships in Estonia. Skaters, coaches and family members on their way back from a national skating camp in Wichita, Kansas, were among those who died when a passenger jet hit a helicopter on Wednesday. They included two teenage skaters, their mothers and two coaches who were part of the Skating Club of Boston. Kim also praised Dick Button, the two-time Olympic figure skating champion and broadcaster who died on Thursday at 95.

How the All-Star Game works: A breakdown of the NBA’s new format

The NBA All-Stars have been selected. Next up: Assigning them to teams. The 10 players designated as starters were announced on Jan. 23, the remaining 14 players designated as reserves were revealed Thursday — and now, those 24 players will be drafted onto eight-player teams for the games that will be played on Feb. 16 in San Francisco. TNT analysts and basketball greats Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith will draft the teams on Feb. 6. The eight-player teams will bear their names — Team Shaq, Team Charles and Team Kenny.

NHL salary cap over the next 3 seasons is getting its biggest increases since it started in 2005

NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL salary cap is making a big jump next season, with even larger increases happening in the coming years. The league and the Players’ Association on Friday released the cap numbers for the next three seasons. From $88 million this season, it goes up to $95.5 million in 2025-26, then $104 million in ‘26-27 and $113.5 million in ’27-28. Those represent the biggest year-over-year leaps since the cap went into place in 2005 at $39 million. Revenue reaching new record highs thanks to U.S. media rights deals, jersey and board advertisements and other sources are the reasons for the increases.

Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade reveals 2023 kidney surgery to remove tumor later found to be cancerous

Hall of Fame player Dwyane Wade says doctors performed a December 2023 surgery on his kidney to remove a tumor later determined to be cancerous. Wade discussed the surgery on his “The Why With Dwyane Wade” podcast episode released Thursday. Wade said he had not had regular physical exams in a few years before seeing a doctor due to stomach and urinary issues. A full body scan led to doctors removing 40% of his right kidney. Wade retired in 2019 after 16 seasons in the NBA. The 13-time all-star won three world championships with the Miami Heat.

Dick Button, Olympic great and voice of skating, dies at 95

NEW YORK (AP) — Olympic figure skating great and authoritative commentator Dick Button has died at age 95. Button’s son, Edward, says he died Thursday and did not provide a cause. Button won two Olympic gold medals and was the most accomplished men’s figure skater in history. He also was the voice of his sport and one of its greatest innovators. He promoted skating and its athletes, transforming a niche sport into the showpiece of every Winter Olympics. His impact on his sport began in the 1940s and lasted until his death.

Jalen Hurts is a prolific winner but the ultimate victory awaits

Jalen Hurts flashed a rare smile when Nick Sirianni screamed on the podium after the Philadelphia Eagles won the NFC championship game: “All he does is win.” Hurts has been criticized throughout his football career but numbers don’t lie and Sirianni is right. Hurts is a winner. He’s 89-27 as a starting quarterback in college and the NFL. All he’s missing is a Super Bowl ring. Hurts has another chance to get one when the Eagles face Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.

Laid-Back Pat: As the Chiefs chase Super Bowl history, Patrick Mahomes exudes a steadying calm

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Whenever the Chiefs find themselves in another tense game, they know they can count on quarterback Patrick Mahomes to lead them through the crisis. The two-time MVP has an uncanny, preternatural calm when pressure reaches a peak. He has led Kansas City to 17 consecutive one-possession wins. He is the only QB by a longshot with at least 25 starts to have a winning record when he trails in the fourth quarter. In fact, in all three of his Super Bowl triumphs, Mahomes had to lead the Chiefs from behind in the fourth quarter or overtime. Next up are the Eagles on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.

Saquon Barkley could be latest in line of free agents who helped deliver Super Bowl titles

The offseason addition of Saquon Barkley helped elevate a sluggish offense for the Philadelphia Eagles and lead the team to a Super Bowl. While building teams through the draft is still the most desirable avenue for success in the NFL, free agent additions have played a major role for several Super Bowl teams since unrestricted free agency came to the NFL in 1993. If Barkley can help deliver a Super Bowl title to Philadelphia when the Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs, he will join a list of free agent stars from Reggie White to Tom Brady who helped their teams win Super Bowl titles.