Deadspin | NHL roundup: Alex Ovechkin earns assist in possible finale 
Apr 14, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) salutes the fans as he leaves the ice after the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images Alex Ovechkin had an assist in what might have been his final NHL game, Jakob Chychrun scored the go-ahead goal and the Washington Capitals beat the host Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 in the season finale for teams on Tuesday. Neither team will be in the playoffs.
Chychrun scored on a power play with about four minutes left in regulation.
The secondary assist went to Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer who has completed his 21st NHL season and a five-year contract. The 40-year-old left winger, who has scored 929 regular-season goals, said recently he will not decide his future until the offseason.
Anthony Beauvillier also scored for the Capitals, who got 27 saves from Clay Stevenson. Boone Jenner scored for the Blue Jackets, and Jet Greaves stopped 19 shots.
Bruins 4, Devils 0
Mark Kastelic scored two of Boston’s four first-period goals as the Bruins wrapped up the first Eastern Conference wild card with a shutout of visiting New Jersey.
Boston’s Jeremy Swayman made 21 saves in the regular-season finale for both teams. Morgan Geekie and Viktor Arvidsson also lit the lamp for the Bruins, who will meet the Buffalo Sabres in the first playoff round. Sean Kuraly notched two assists, and David Pastrnak had one, securing his fourth consecutive 100-point season.
Nico Daws, in his second straight start for the Devils, stopped 22 shots.
Mammoth 5, Jets 3
Nick Schmaltz scored twice as Utah held on late to defeat Winnipeg in Salt Lake City and secure the first Western Conference wild-card spot with one game remaining in the regular season.
Logan Cooley had a goal and an assist, Alex Kerfoot scored a goal and Karel Vejmelka made 21 saves for the Mammoth, who snapped a two-game skid.
Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist, Isak Rosen added a goal and Gabe Vilardi had two assists for the Jets, who were eliminated on Monday and finished their season on a three-game losing streak. Eric Comrie made 31 saves.
Flyers 4, Canadiens 2
Matvei Michkov had a goal and two assists for Philadelphia in a win against visiting Montreal.
Porter Martone and defenseman Oliver Bonk, in his NHL debut, each had a goal and an assist. Samuel Ersson made 27 saves for the Flyers, who won their last three games of the regular season and finished third in the Metropolitan Division. They play the rival Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Brendan Gallagher and Jake Evans scored for the Canadiens, who finished third in the Atlantic Division. Jakub Dobes made 21 saves.
Wild 3, Ducks 2
Hunter Haight scored his first NHL goal and Minnesota held on for a win over Anaheim in Saint Paul, Minn.
Danila Yurov and Robby Fabbri also scored one goal apiece for Minnesota, which wrapped up its regular season. The Wild will face the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 35 saves.
Mason McTavish scored two goals to lead Anaheim, which also is headed to the postseason. Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal allowed three goals on 20 shots.
Hurricanes 2, Islanders 1
Mark Jankowski scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:22 left for Carolina, which tuned up for the playoffs with a win over New York in the regular season finale for both clubs at Elmont, N.Y.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored in the first for the Hurricanes, who won the Metropolitan Division and earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Carolina will play the Ottawa Senators in a first-round series beginning this weekend. Brandon Bussi made 28 saves.
Bo Horvat scored his 300th career goal for the Islanders, who missed the postseason for a second straight year. David Rittich recorded 19 saves.
Avalanche 3, Flames 1
Gabriel Landeskog scored a tiebreaking goal late in the third period, Martin Necas had an assist to reach 100 points for the first time in his career and visiting Colorado beat Calgary.
Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon scored goals and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 30 shots. The Avalanche have 119 points, tying the franchise record. MacKinnon notched his NHL-leading 53rd goal, and Cale Makar logged three assists in his return after missing seven games due to an upper-body injury.
Blake Coleman had a goal and Dustin Wolf made 36 saves for Calgary.
Canucks 4, Kings 3 (OT)
Jake DeBrusk scored twice, including the overtime winner, as Vancouver edged visiting Los Angeles.
DeBrusk tapped in an Elias Pettersson feed at the side of the net at 2:58 of the extra frame. Elias Pettersson and Zeev Buium also scored for Vancouver, who have won three straight. Kevin Lankinen made 31 saves as the Canucks finished the season 9-27-5 on home ice.
Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere each scored and added an assist, Adrian Kempe had the other goal for the Kings and Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 shots. Los Angeles, currently in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, still has a shot of finishing second or third in the Pacific Division. The Kings wrap up the regular season on Thursday in Calgary.
Blues 7, Penguins 5
Jimmy Snuggerud had two goals and two assists to help St. Louis rally for a win against visiting Pittsburgh.
Dylan Holloway had two goals and an assist, Logan Mailloux added a goal and an assist, Jake Neighbours produced two assists and Jordan Binnington made 18 saves for the Blues, who rallied from a three-goal deficit to win their third in a row.
Avery Hayes scored two goals, Anthony Mantha had a goal and an assist and Kevin Hayes had two assists in the regular-season finale for the Penguins. Stuart Skinner made 17 saves through two periods before Arturs Silovs stopped seven shots in the third for Pittsburgh, which had already clinched second place in the Metropolitan Division.
–Field Level Media
#Deadspin #NHL #roundup #Alex #Ovechkin #earns #assist #finale
Apr 14, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) salutes the fans as he leaves the ice after the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images Alex Ovechkin had an assist in what might have been his final NHL game, Jakob Chychrun scored the go-ahead goal and the Washington Capitals beat the host Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 in the season finale for teams on Tuesday. Neither team will be in the playoffs.
Chychrun scored on a power play with about four minutes left in regulation.
The secondary assist went to Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer who has completed his 21st NHL season and a five-year contract. The 40-year-old left winger, who has scored 929 regular-season goals, said recently he will not decide his future until the offseason.
Anthony Beauvillier also scored for the Capitals, who got 27 saves from Clay Stevenson. Boone Jenner scored for the Blue Jackets, and Jet Greaves stopped 19 shots.
Bruins 4, Devils 0
Mark Kastelic scored two of Boston’s four first-period goals as the Bruins wrapped up the first Eastern Conference wild card with a shutout of visiting New Jersey.
Boston’s Jeremy Swayman made 21 saves in the regular-season finale for both teams. Morgan Geekie and Viktor Arvidsson also lit the lamp for the Bruins, who will meet the Buffalo Sabres in the first playoff round. Sean Kuraly notched two assists, and David Pastrnak had one, securing his fourth consecutive 100-point season.
Nico Daws, in his second straight start for the Devils, stopped 22 shots.
Mammoth 5, Jets 3
Nick Schmaltz scored twice as Utah held on late to defeat Winnipeg in Salt Lake City and secure the first Western Conference wild-card spot with one game remaining in the regular season.
Logan Cooley had a goal and an assist, Alex Kerfoot scored a goal and Karel Vejmelka made 21 saves for the Mammoth, who snapped a two-game skid.
Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist, Isak Rosen added a goal and Gabe Vilardi had two assists for the Jets, who were eliminated on Monday and finished their season on a three-game losing streak. Eric Comrie made 31 saves.
Flyers 4, Canadiens 2
Matvei Michkov had a goal and two assists for Philadelphia in a win against visiting Montreal.
Porter Martone and defenseman Oliver Bonk, in his NHL debut, each had a goal and an assist. Samuel Ersson made 27 saves for the Flyers, who won their last three games of the regular season and finished third in the Metropolitan Division. They play the rival Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Brendan Gallagher and Jake Evans scored for the Canadiens, who finished third in the Atlantic Division. Jakub Dobes made 21 saves.
Wild 3, Ducks 2
Hunter Haight scored his first NHL goal and Minnesota held on for a win over Anaheim in Saint Paul, Minn.
Danila Yurov and Robby Fabbri also scored one goal apiece for Minnesota, which wrapped up its regular season. The Wild will face the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 35 saves.
Mason McTavish scored two goals to lead Anaheim, which also is headed to the postseason. Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal allowed three goals on 20 shots.
Hurricanes 2, Islanders 1
Mark Jankowski scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:22 left for Carolina, which tuned up for the playoffs with a win over New York in the regular season finale for both clubs at Elmont, N.Y.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored in the first for the Hurricanes, who won the Metropolitan Division and earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Carolina will play the Ottawa Senators in a first-round series beginning this weekend. Brandon Bussi made 28 saves.
Bo Horvat scored his 300th career goal for the Islanders, who missed the postseason for a second straight year. David Rittich recorded 19 saves.
Avalanche 3, Flames 1
Gabriel Landeskog scored a tiebreaking goal late in the third period, Martin Necas had an assist to reach 100 points for the first time in his career and visiting Colorado beat Calgary.
Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon scored goals and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 30 shots. The Avalanche have 119 points, tying the franchise record. MacKinnon notched his NHL-leading 53rd goal, and Cale Makar logged three assists in his return after missing seven games due to an upper-body injury.
Blake Coleman had a goal and Dustin Wolf made 36 saves for Calgary.
Canucks 4, Kings 3 (OT)
Jake DeBrusk scored twice, including the overtime winner, as Vancouver edged visiting Los Angeles.
DeBrusk tapped in an Elias Pettersson feed at the side of the net at 2:58 of the extra frame. Elias Pettersson and Zeev Buium also scored for Vancouver, who have won three straight. Kevin Lankinen made 31 saves as the Canucks finished the season 9-27-5 on home ice.
Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere each scored and added an assist, Adrian Kempe had the other goal for the Kings and Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 shots. Los Angeles, currently in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, still has a shot of finishing second or third in the Pacific Division. The Kings wrap up the regular season on Thursday in Calgary.
Blues 7, Penguins 5
Jimmy Snuggerud had two goals and two assists to help St. Louis rally for a win against visiting Pittsburgh.
Dylan Holloway had two goals and an assist, Logan Mailloux added a goal and an assist, Jake Neighbours produced two assists and Jordan Binnington made 18 saves for the Blues, who rallied from a three-goal deficit to win their third in a row.
Avery Hayes scored two goals, Anthony Mantha had a goal and an assist and Kevin Hayes had two assists in the regular-season finale for the Penguins. Stuart Skinner made 17 saves through two periods before Arturs Silovs stopped seven shots in the third for Pittsburgh, which had already clinched second place in the Metropolitan Division.
–Field Level Media
![Deadspin | SEC notebook: Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy cleared after shooting; recovery timeline TBD Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) reacts to his first down pickup during the first quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Jacksonville. Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy has been medically cleared for football activities just over two months after being shot in the upper leg, head coach Eli Drinkwitz announced Monday. Hardy was shot while attending an outdoor concert on May 10 in Laurel, Miss. “We anticipate he will make a recovery, but what that recovery will look like after having a bullet strike you is still to be determined,” Drinkwitz said Monday at SEC Media Days. “We do not know exactly what the return to play progression is because there’s not a lot of literature to that on this. “We do anticipate this return to play protocol could take anywhere from five-to-eight weeks, and at the end of the eight weeks, we still don’t know what the recovery will be — is he the same Ahmad Hardy as he was last year? My anticipation and what I’ve seen and the way he’s attacked his rehab, he’s going to be a better Ahmad Hardy than he was before.” Drinkwitz said Hardy likely learned an important lesson during the ordeal. “I think there’s a youthfulness feel of invincibility for all of these guys right now from 18 to 22 (years) old, and they’re empowered more now than they’ve ever been before, whether that’s financially or influence,” Drinkwitz said. “I think for Ahmad, there was that moment there where he realized he was mortal, and there could be really bad outcomes if you don’t make the right decisions consistently. “It was an unfortunate accident, incident and it wasn’t something he had any intention, nobody did. When you go to a concert, you don’t expect to be a victim of a random act of violence, especially gun violence. But I’ve been very, very proud of the way he has approached his recovery. This was a great opportunity for Ahmad to learn and for our student-athletes to learn. Also a great reminder there’s no place for gun violence in this world and that we need to do a better job of policing gun violence.” Missouri opens the 2026 season on Sept. 3 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Columbia, Mo. That is approximately 6 1/2 weeks into the recovery timeline. Hardy, 20, is a Mississippi native. He began his career at Louisiana-Monroe, where he was named the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year after he led the conference in rushing yards (1,351) and rushing touchdowns (13) on 237 attempts. He transferred to Missouri, where he ranked second among FBS players with 1,649 rushing yards last season, a mark that broke the Tigers’ single-season record. He earned SEC Newcomer of the Year honors, was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award and a consensus All-American while scoring 16 TDs and averaging 6.4 yards on his 256 rushing attempts. –Oklahoma not noticing newfound national respect A year ago, there were some valid questions about Brett Venables’ future at Oklahoma. After 6-7 campaigns in two of his first three seasons, the Sooners needed a breakthrough in 2025 for their coach’s sake. They delivered just that, finishing a 10-2 regular season, earning the No. 8 seed in the College Football Playoff and hosting a first-round game they lost to Alabama. Now, Venables enters Year 5 at Oklahoma on a cooler seat and with higher expectations. Quarterback John Mateer is back and fully recovered from the throwing hand injury that limited him last season. A number of key pieces from the Sooners’ stellar defense are also back this fall. The coach is trying not to give any of that attention much mind. “We focus on things that we can control,” Venables said. “Do you ever use that as a motivation for a guy to maybe humble a guy? Absolutely. But at the end of the day this is a game of performance, this is a game that’s about the work, and this is a game where it’s decided on the field.” His Sooners will get to prove their worth early in the season, playing at Michigan, at Georgia and facing Texas in Dallas in their first five games of the season. –Will Stein brings extreme confidence to Kentucky When it comes to Kentucky, football isn’t the first sport that comes to mind. But with the confidence that first-year coach Will Stein is bringing to the Wildcats, he certainly believes that will change. Stein, who rose to prominence as Oregon’s offensive coordinator the last three seasons, takes over a program that has won double-digit games just twice since 1977. As the 36-year-old Louisville native took the podium Monday, he took the opportunity presented by a reporter asking him why he believes he’ll win big in Lexington to demonstrate his strong self-belief. “I think because of me, to be honest,” Stein said. “Because of me. I think I know what it takes. I’ve seen it at the highest levels. I know what it takes to recruit at this level. You’ve just got to believe, man. You’ve just got to put the ball down and play. There’s not really (much) else to be said.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #SEC #notebook #Missouri #Ahmad #Hardy #cleared #shooting #recovery #timeline #TBD](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-1200,fo-auto/27891314.jpg "Deadspin | SEC notebook: Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy cleared after shooting; recovery timeline TBD Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) reacts to his first down pickup during the first quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Jacksonville. Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy has been medically cleared for football activities just over two months after being shot in the upper leg, head coach Eli Drinkwitz announced Monday. Hardy was shot while attending an outdoor concert on May 10 in Laurel, Miss. “We anticipate he will make a recovery, but what that recovery will look like after having a bullet strike you is still to be determined,” Drinkwitz said Monday at SEC Media Days. “We do not know exactly what the return to play progression is because there’s not a lot of literature to that on this. “We do anticipate this return to play protocol could take anywhere from five-to-eight weeks, and at the end of the eight weeks, we still don’t know what the recovery will be — is he the same Ahmad Hardy as he was last year? My anticipation and what I’ve seen and the way he’s attacked his rehab, he’s going to be a better Ahmad Hardy than he was before.” Drinkwitz said Hardy likely learned an important lesson during the ordeal. “I think there’s a youthfulness feel of invincibility for all of these guys right now from 18 to 22 (years) old, and they’re empowered more now than they’ve ever been before, whether that’s financially or influence,” Drinkwitz said. “I think for Ahmad, there was that moment there where he realized he was mortal, and there could be really bad outcomes if you don’t make the right decisions consistently. “It was an unfortunate accident, incident and it wasn’t something he had any intention, nobody did. When you go to a concert, you don’t expect to be a victim of a random act of violence, especially gun violence. But I’ve been very, very proud of the way he has approached his recovery. This was a great opportunity for Ahmad to learn and for our student-athletes to learn. Also a great reminder there’s no place for gun violence in this world and that we need to do a better job of policing gun violence.” Missouri opens the 2026 season on Sept. 3 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Columbia, Mo. That is approximately 6 1/2 weeks into the recovery timeline. Hardy, 20, is a Mississippi native. He began his career at Louisiana-Monroe, where he was named the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year after he led the conference in rushing yards (1,351) and rushing touchdowns (13) on 237 attempts. He transferred to Missouri, where he ranked second among FBS players with 1,649 rushing yards last season, a mark that broke the Tigers’ single-season record. He earned SEC Newcomer of the Year honors, was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award and a consensus All-American while scoring 16 TDs and averaging 6.4 yards on his 256 rushing attempts. –Oklahoma not noticing newfound national respect A year ago, there were some valid questions about Brett Venables’ future at Oklahoma. After 6-7 campaigns in two of his first three seasons, the Sooners needed a breakthrough in 2025 for their coach’s sake. They delivered just that, finishing a 10-2 regular season, earning the No. 8 seed in the College Football Playoff and hosting a first-round game they lost to Alabama. Now, Venables enters Year 5 at Oklahoma on a cooler seat and with higher expectations. Quarterback John Mateer is back and fully recovered from the throwing hand injury that limited him last season. A number of key pieces from the Sooners’ stellar defense are also back this fall. The coach is trying not to give any of that attention much mind. “We focus on things that we can control,” Venables said. “Do you ever use that as a motivation for a guy to maybe humble a guy? Absolutely. But at the end of the day this is a game of performance, this is a game that’s about the work, and this is a game where it’s decided on the field.” His Sooners will get to prove their worth early in the season, playing at Michigan, at Georgia and facing Texas in Dallas in their first five games of the season. –Will Stein brings extreme confidence to Kentucky When it comes to Kentucky, football isn’t the first sport that comes to mind. But with the confidence that first-year coach Will Stein is bringing to the Wildcats, he certainly believes that will change. Stein, who rose to prominence as Oregon’s offensive coordinator the last three seasons, takes over a program that has won double-digit games just twice since 1977. As the 36-year-old Louisville native took the podium Monday, he took the opportunity presented by a reporter asking him why he believes he’ll win big in Lexington to demonstrate his strong self-belief. “I think because of me, to be honest,” Stein said. “Because of me. I think I know what it takes. I’ve seen it at the highest levels. I know what it takes to recruit at this level. You’ve just got to believe, man. You’ve just got to put the ball down and play. There’s not really (much) else to be said.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #SEC #notebook #Missouri #Ahmad #Hardy #cleared #shooting #recovery #timeline #TBD")
![Deadspin | SEC notebook: Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy cleared after shooting; recovery timeline TBD Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) reacts to his first down pickup during the first quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Jacksonville. Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy has been medically cleared for football activities just over two months after being shot in the upper leg, head coach Eli Drinkwitz announced Monday. Hardy was shot while attending an outdoor concert on May 10 in Laurel, Miss. “We anticipate he will make a recovery, but what that recovery will look like after having a bullet strike you is still to be determined,” Drinkwitz said Monday at SEC Media Days. “We do not know exactly what the return to play progression is because there’s not a lot of literature to that on this. “We do anticipate this return to play protocol could take anywhere from five-to-eight weeks, and at the end of the eight weeks, we still don’t know what the recovery will be — is he the same Ahmad Hardy as he was last year? My anticipation and what I’ve seen and the way he’s attacked his rehab, he’s going to be a better Ahmad Hardy than he was before.” Drinkwitz said Hardy likely learned an important lesson during the ordeal. “I think there’s a youthfulness feel of invincibility for all of these guys right now from 18 to 22 (years) old, and they’re empowered more now than they’ve ever been before, whether that’s financially or influence,” Drinkwitz said. “I think for Ahmad, there was that moment there where he realized he was mortal, and there could be really bad outcomes if you don’t make the right decisions consistently. “It was an unfortunate accident, incident and it wasn’t something he had any intention, nobody did. When you go to a concert, you don’t expect to be a victim of a random act of violence, especially gun violence. But I’ve been very, very proud of the way he has approached his recovery. This was a great opportunity for Ahmad to learn and for our student-athletes to learn. Also a great reminder there’s no place for gun violence in this world and that we need to do a better job of policing gun violence.” Missouri opens the 2026 season on Sept. 3 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Columbia, Mo. That is approximately 6 1/2 weeks into the recovery timeline. Hardy, 20, is a Mississippi native. He began his career at Louisiana-Monroe, where he was named the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year after he led the conference in rushing yards (1,351) and rushing touchdowns (13) on 237 attempts. He transferred to Missouri, where he ranked second among FBS players with 1,649 rushing yards last season, a mark that broke the Tigers’ single-season record. He earned SEC Newcomer of the Year honors, was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award and a consensus All-American while scoring 16 TDs and averaging 6.4 yards on his 256 rushing attempts. –Oklahoma not noticing newfound national respect A year ago, there were some valid questions about Brett Venables’ future at Oklahoma. After 6-7 campaigns in two of his first three seasons, the Sooners needed a breakthrough in 2025 for their coach’s sake. They delivered just that, finishing a 10-2 regular season, earning the No. 8 seed in the College Football Playoff and hosting a first-round game they lost to Alabama. Now, Venables enters Year 5 at Oklahoma on a cooler seat and with higher expectations. Quarterback John Mateer is back and fully recovered from the throwing hand injury that limited him last season. A number of key pieces from the Sooners’ stellar defense are also back this fall. The coach is trying not to give any of that attention much mind. “We focus on things that we can control,” Venables said. “Do you ever use that as a motivation for a guy to maybe humble a guy? Absolutely. But at the end of the day this is a game of performance, this is a game that’s about the work, and this is a game where it’s decided on the field.” His Sooners will get to prove their worth early in the season, playing at Michigan, at Georgia and facing Texas in Dallas in their first five games of the season. –Will Stein brings extreme confidence to Kentucky When it comes to Kentucky, football isn’t the first sport that comes to mind. But with the confidence that first-year coach Will Stein is bringing to the Wildcats, he certainly believes that will change. Stein, who rose to prominence as Oregon’s offensive coordinator the last three seasons, takes over a program that has won double-digit games just twice since 1977. As the 36-year-old Louisville native took the podium Monday, he took the opportunity presented by a reporter asking him why he believes he’ll win big in Lexington to demonstrate his strong self-belief. “I think because of me, to be honest,” Stein said. “Because of me. I think I know what it takes. I’ve seen it at the highest levels. I know what it takes to recruit at this level. You’ve just got to believe, man. You’ve just got to put the ball down and play. There’s not really (much) else to be said.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #SEC #notebook #Missouri #Ahmad #Hardy #cleared #shooting #recovery #timeline #TBD](https://i3.wp.com/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-1200,fo-auto/27891314.jpg?ssl=1 "Deadspin | SEC notebook: Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy cleared after shooting; recovery timeline TBD Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) reacts to his first down pickup during the first quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Jacksonville. Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy has been medically cleared for football activities just over two months after being shot in the upper leg, head coach Eli Drinkwitz announced Monday. Hardy was shot while attending an outdoor concert on May 10 in Laurel, Miss. “We anticipate he will make a recovery, but what that recovery will look like after having a bullet strike you is still to be determined,” Drinkwitz said Monday at SEC Media Days. “We do not know exactly what the return to play progression is because there’s not a lot of literature to that on this. “We do anticipate this return to play protocol could take anywhere from five-to-eight weeks, and at the end of the eight weeks, we still don’t know what the recovery will be — is he the same Ahmad Hardy as he was last year? My anticipation and what I’ve seen and the way he’s attacked his rehab, he’s going to be a better Ahmad Hardy than he was before.” Drinkwitz said Hardy likely learned an important lesson during the ordeal. “I think there’s a youthfulness feel of invincibility for all of these guys right now from 18 to 22 (years) old, and they’re empowered more now than they’ve ever been before, whether that’s financially or influence,” Drinkwitz said. “I think for Ahmad, there was that moment there where he realized he was mortal, and there could be really bad outcomes if you don’t make the right decisions consistently. “It was an unfortunate accident, incident and it wasn’t something he had any intention, nobody did. When you go to a concert, you don’t expect to be a victim of a random act of violence, especially gun violence. But I’ve been very, very proud of the way he has approached his recovery. This was a great opportunity for Ahmad to learn and for our student-athletes to learn. Also a great reminder there’s no place for gun violence in this world and that we need to do a better job of policing gun violence.” Missouri opens the 2026 season on Sept. 3 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Columbia, Mo. That is approximately 6 1/2 weeks into the recovery timeline. Hardy, 20, is a Mississippi native. He began his career at Louisiana-Monroe, where he was named the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year after he led the conference in rushing yards (1,351) and rushing touchdowns (13) on 237 attempts. He transferred to Missouri, where he ranked second among FBS players with 1,649 rushing yards last season, a mark that broke the Tigers’ single-season record. He earned SEC Newcomer of the Year honors, was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award and a consensus All-American while scoring 16 TDs and averaging 6.4 yards on his 256 rushing attempts. –Oklahoma not noticing newfound national respect A year ago, there were some valid questions about Brett Venables’ future at Oklahoma. After 6-7 campaigns in two of his first three seasons, the Sooners needed a breakthrough in 2025 for their coach’s sake. They delivered just that, finishing a 10-2 regular season, earning the No. 8 seed in the College Football Playoff and hosting a first-round game they lost to Alabama. Now, Venables enters Year 5 at Oklahoma on a cooler seat and with higher expectations. Quarterback John Mateer is back and fully recovered from the throwing hand injury that limited him last season. A number of key pieces from the Sooners’ stellar defense are also back this fall. The coach is trying not to give any of that attention much mind. “We focus on things that we can control,” Venables said. “Do you ever use that as a motivation for a guy to maybe humble a guy? Absolutely. But at the end of the day this is a game of performance, this is a game that’s about the work, and this is a game where it’s decided on the field.” His Sooners will get to prove their worth early in the season, playing at Michigan, at Georgia and facing Texas in Dallas in their first five games of the season. –Will Stein brings extreme confidence to Kentucky When it comes to Kentucky, football isn’t the first sport that comes to mind. But with the confidence that first-year coach Will Stein is bringing to the Wildcats, he certainly believes that will change. Stein, who rose to prominence as Oregon’s offensive coordinator the last three seasons, takes over a program that has won double-digit games just twice since 1977. As the 36-year-old Louisville native took the podium Monday, he took the opportunity presented by a reporter asking him why he believes he’ll win big in Lexington to demonstrate his strong self-belief. “I think because of me, to be honest,” Stein said. “Because of me. I think I know what it takes. I’ve seen it at the highest levels. I know what it takes to recruit at this level. You’ve just got to believe, man. You’ve just got to put the ball down and play. There’s not really (much) else to be said.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #SEC #notebook #Missouri #Ahmad #Hardy #cleared #shooting #recovery #timeline #TBD")
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