Gretzky fulfills promise to Ovechkin, March Madness Wild Ending, and Duke Dreams Shattered

Today’s WOW moments from sports world!

🏒 GRETZKY TIPS HAT TO OVECHKIN
💰️NHL MONEY MAKERS
🏀NCAA MADNESS
🏎️ JAPANESE GP RECAP

8️⃣ History on Ice: Ovechkin’s 895th Goal Stuns the World

History was made under the bright lights of UBS Arena as Alexander Ovechkin officially became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer. The Washington Capitals captain slammed home his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders, finally surpassing the seemingly untouchable record set by Wayne Gretzky. The second-period goal brought the game to a pause, as fans and players alike stood to honor “The Great Eight” for his incredible feat.

In a moment that perfectly captured the weight of the achievement, Wayne Gretzky—who had long held the top spot with 894 goals—kept his word and stepped onto the ice to shake Ovechkin’s hand. Their families and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman watched on, adding a personal touch to the milestone. “Alex, I said I’d be the first guy to shake your hand when you broke the record,” Gretzky told him, delivering a moment that will live forever in hockey history.

The NHL spared no effort in celebrating the occasion. A tribute video featuring legends from across the sports and entertainment world was aired during the stoppage. From Michael Jordan and Roger Federer to Simone Biles and Snoop Dogg—icons from every arena tipped their hat to Ovechkin’s legacy. Even Steve Carell and Jayden Daniels got in on the celebration, along with Olympic greats like Katie Ledecky and Michael Phelps. ⛸️ FULL STORY

This moment doesn’t just belong to Ovechkin—it belongs to the sport. His achievement bridges generations, reminding fans of hockey’s evolving greatness and the rare individuals who define it. With the regular season winding down, the spotlight is firmly on No. 8 as he continues to chase greatness and add to a legacy that now stands above the rest.

💵 NHL’s Money Men: Who’s Earning the Big Bucks in 2024-25?

The NHL might be the quieter cousin of the NFL and NBA, but when it comes to salaries, these ice warriors are skating their way into some serious cash. Let’s break down who’s getting paid what across all five key positions in the league:

🥇 1. Highest-Paid Center: Leon Draisaitl – $14M/year

Draisaitl’s new contract doesn’t just make him the highest-paid center, it’s the richest contract in NHL history.

🏹 2. Highest-Paid Right Winger: Mikko Rantanen – $12M/year

After a wild trade from Colorado to Dallas, Rantanen wasted no time signing a massive deal to match his offensive firepower.

🧊 3. Highest-Paid Left Winger: Artemi Panarin – $11.62M/year

The Russian winger has been lighting it up in NYC—and getting paid accordingly.

🛡️ 4. Highest-Paid Defenseman: Erik Karlsson – $11.5M/year

Karlsson's big payday came in San Jose, but he now plays for the Penguins after a high-profile trade.

🧤 5. Highest-Paid Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin – $11.5M/year

Rangers locked down their star goalie in a record-breaking deal that keeps him in the Big Apple until 2032.

🧮 What’s the NHL Average?

With the salary cap projected to hit $92M next season, the average salary could soon top $4M/year—and the ice won’t be the only thing heating up.

🏀 Cooper Flagg’s Controversy, Barkley’s Blues & Bueckers’ Brilliance

The NCAA men’s as well as women’s tournaments reached their final games. The men’s game saw the Auburn Tigers lose to the Florida Gators, much to the dismay of Charles Barkley. The former Tiger went through the emotions as Auburn fought hard but could not edge Florida.

All eyes were on Cooper Flagg and his Duke Blue Devils in the second Final Four game. They led for much of the game, but in the final two minutes, elite defense and some quick scoring from the Houston Cougars turned the game around.

Duke were still ahead with less than twenty seconds to go. But a controversial foul called on Flagg gifted the Cougars two free throws. Flagg was stunned by the call, and to compound matters, Duke could not challenge it.

The Cougars scored both free throws and took the lead, which they would keep to reach the national championship game for the first time in more than four decades. Hakeem Olajuwon was the last star to lead them to the finals, and he wanted to celebrate with his alma mater, but NCAA security did not allow him on the court.

In the women’s final, South Carolina was supposed to give UConn a tough time. But it was the Huskies who steamrolled the defending champions to win their 12^th title. It was a fitting end to Paige Bueckers’ college career as she now looks to move to the WNBA.

Finger Guns, Flagrant Plays & A Shaky MVP Race

The NBA fined Ja Morant $75K after his second finger gun celebration. This fine saw some players pull their hands back as soon as they thought of trying out that celebration. The league felt the celebration invokes violence, but did not maintain the same thought when allowing physical play to return.

Draymond Green tried to take advantage of that against the Houston Rockets. Just that one situation led to a technical foul and a dunk attempt saw Alperen Sengun crashing to the floor, enough to draw a flagrant foul.

The Rockets and their 90s style basketball comprising of post play and fast paced play was too much for both the Golden State Warriors as well as the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder were supposed to shed that loss when the Los Angeles Lakers visited.

But to the surprise of many, the men in purple and gold blew the league leaders out of their own building. The Lakers ensured Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could not resort to his free throws and, along with the Rockets, gave the NBA a blueprint to defeat the Thunder. 📰 FULL STORY

SGA needs to get back on winning terms soon, or else the MVP race he has led for this long could go to Nikola Jokic. The Serbian’s performances have been great, but losses are helping SGA breathe a little. But if it comes down to it, Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett believes the NBA should award both of them a co-MVP trophy.

🏁 Verstappen Masterclass Ends McLaren Streak, But Red Bull Shifts Focus to Title Race

Max Verstappen reminded the world why he’s the reigning king of Formula 1 with a clinical victory at the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix. Despite Red Bull’s pace falling behind McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Verstappen made no mistakes, capitalizing on their Q3 slip-ups to grab pole position and dominate the race. This marked his fourth straight win at Suzuka and gave Red Bull a crucial boost in what’s shaping up to be a tightly contested season.

However, all’s not well within the Red Bull camp. Yuki Tsunoda’s underwhelming result outside the points has led team boss Christian Horner to publicly shift the team’s focus solely toward securing Verstappen’s fifth drivers’ title. With 21 races left, Horner admitted the constructors’ championship may be out of reach this season but praised Verstappen’s "amazing lap" and “one of his best weekends,” calling him the undisputed best driver in the world.

McLaren’s early season dominance isn’t going unnoticed either. Though Verstappen stole the show, George Russell believes McLaren’s full potential is yet to come. According to him, colder temperatures in Australia and Japan may have limited their performance, and with hotter races coming up in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the papaya squad could bounce back in a big way.

Thank you folks for reading our newsletter! Will see you in the next edition with more exciting highlights from the sports world curated for you! 🙏