Mickey Togs

The Rangers showed Evgeni Malkin and the Penguins just how dangerous they can be.

Caution tape should’ve lined the Rangers bench Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, where the home team rolled over the Penguins in a 6-0 win that inflated their lead on Pittsburgh to 12 points.

Every Rangers unit that jumped over the boards and onto the ice did well.

That included both power-play units, which went 1-for-4 on the night, and the penalty kill, which was a perfect 5-for-5. 

And the same could be said for goalie Igor Shesterkin, who recorded his first shutout in more than four months and has been dialed in for a handful of games now.

The Rangers are finally putting it all together. They even ran Pittsburgh’s starting netminder, Tristan Jarry, off the ice less than halfway through the second period.

Sonic is bringing sit-down restaurant-style flavor to the drive-in with the introduction of the new Chophouse Cheeseburger.

The new Chophouse Cheeseburger features a 100 percent pure seasoned beef patty with two slices of American cheese, bold Chophouse aioli sauce, and crispy onion strings, served on a toasted brioche bun.

According to Sonic, the new Montreal-style steak seasoned burger combined with their transformative aioli “delivers a bold and elevated flavor every steak lover must try.”

The New York Giants are placing the non-exclusive franchise tag on star running back Saquon Barkley. 

Barkley put together his best season as a pro under first-year head coach Brian Daboll in 2022. He earned his second-career Pro Bowl invite after recording a career-high 1,312 rushing yards as well as 10 touchdowns.

The Penn State product dazzled during his rookie campaign after New York selected him with the second overall pick in 2018. He led the league with 2,028 scrimmage yards and added 15 total touchdowns on his way to being named the Offensive Rookie of the Year.

New York appeared destined to tag QB Daniel Jones due to stalled negotiations, which would’ve let Barkley test free agency. However, the  Giants reached an agreement on a reported four-year, $160-million contract extension with Jones. The club then elected to use the tender on Barkley.

The Mets’ reconnection to their history under owner Steve Cohen will mean an increased alumni presence in spring training.

David Wright, Edgardo Alfonzo, Darryl Strawberry, Mookie Wilson, Howard Johnson, John Franco and Al Leiter make up the roster of guest instructors the team will bring to camp, according to manager Buck Showalter.

A notable absentee will be Mike Piazza, who is managing Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

Franco’s appearance at camp will be his first in several years. Johnson returned to the Mets family last season, following a rift with the previous regime that had kept him separated from the franchise following his firing as the team’s hitting coach after the 2010 season.

Multiple MLB owners are worried after New York Mets owner Steve Cohen went on an unprecedented shopping spree in free agency this offseason.

Some owners are reportedly concerned they won’t be able to compete for players and, inevitably, in games.

Other owners were fine with Cohen signing Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, and Justin Verlander but thought landing Carlos Correa was “over the top.”

New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said that Cohen’s spending was something that had to be “looked at” after the latter  dished out over $800 million to free agents.

The Mets’ total payroll for 2023 currently stands at around $500 million, which includes a luxury-tax penalty of over $100 million. Meanwhile, the Yankees have the second-highest projected payroll in baseball but are still 33% behind their crosstown rivals.

Cohen is by far the wealthiest MLB owner, with an estimated net worth of $17.4 billion.

It’s no secret that Giants QB Daniel Jones wants a massive payday after a career-defining year. The drama comes in where the Giants can only use their franchise tag on either Jones or star RB Saquon Barkley, two guys they absolutely need to pay.

Jones is looking for greater than $45 million a year on his new deal, which would put him in the company of the following: Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. Josh Allen, Matt Stafford, and Dak Prescott all earn north of $40 million. 

If the Giants decide to franchise tag Jones he would earn over $32 million a year. Still impressive, but well below his ask. Throwing over 3,000 yards and rushing for over 700 while leading New York to the playoffs has certainly convinced Jones that he’s a top-tier player. 

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said Jeff Bezos “is probably one of the most competent business people in the world” who would make a “great owner” if he bought the NFL’s Washington Commanders.

Kraft, one of the NFL’s most powerful owners, hailed Bezos as a “tremendous operator” when asked about reports that the Amazon founder was looking into buying the Washington team from Daniel Snyder.

“For those of us that are privileged to own NFL franchises — it’s the one thing more than anything that I believe builds community and we need good operating people in their individual towns,” Kraft said.

There is growing chatter in business circles indicating that Bezos was looking to clear the way for a purchase of the Washington Commanders by selling The Washington Post.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers left his future open-ended, mentioning retirement as a serious possibility for the third straight year.

“It could be time to step away,” Rodgers said after a 20-16 loss to  the Detroit Lions that eliminated the Packers from the playoff picture in the regular-season finale. “But I could take some time and say, Hell no, I need to go on another run.” 

It’s the third straight offseason in which Rodgers has appeared torn about returning. He reportedly considered a move to the Denver Broncos in the 2022 offseason before inking a three-year, $150-million deal to stay in Green Bay.

There is a real possibility that at some point this offseason, Aaron Rodgers is going to be traded.

The Shamrock Shake and Oreo Shamrock McFlurry are making their much-anticipated return to McDonald’s.

First introduced in 1970, the iconic Shamrock Shake features vanilla soft serve, blended with Shamrock Shake syrup and whipped topping.

Meanwhile, Oreo Shamrock McFlurry, which made its nationwide debut in 2020, features vanilla soft serve blended with Shamrock Shake flavor and Oreo cookie pieces.

You can find both minty treats at participating McDonald’s locations nationwide for a limited time.