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Struggling Ducks land No. 3 pick in upcoming NHL draft

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Struggling Ducks land No. 3 pick in upcoming NHL draft

The Ducks will have a top-three pick in the NHL entry draft for the third time in four seasons. The San José Sharks will go first in next month’s draft for the first time in team history, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Boston University forward Macklin Celebrini is widely expected to be the top player selected. Celebrini, a 17-year-old freshman, won the Hobey Baker Award this year, making him the youngest player to be selected college hockey’s top player. No reigning Baker Award winner has been picked first in the NHL draft.

The Ducks (27-50-5) had the third-worst record in the NHL this season and were one of 11 teams that had a chance to secure the No. 1 overall pick in Tuesday’s draft lottery. The team has missed the playoffs in each of the last six seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.

“While its disappointing to not win a lottery, we remain in a position to draft one of the best players available and add to our young, strong core of top young players already in the NHL,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement.

The Ducks have never had the top pick in hockey’s annual draft but last summer they chose second, using that selection on forward Leo Carlsson. The Swedish teen had a solid rookie season, scoring 12 times with 17 assists in 55 games.

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The Ducks also had the second pick in 2005 and 1994, using those selections on Bobby Ryan and Oleg Tverdovsky, and the third pick in 2021. That year they drafted Mason McTavish, 21, who had 19 goals and 23 assists in 64 games this season. The Ducks opened last season with the fourth-youngest roster in the NHL, with their players averaging 26.7 years of age.

After Celebrini, the most promising players in a deep draft class are a pair of offense-minded teenaged defensemen in Artyom Levshunov, 18, a Belarussian playing at Michigan State, and Zayne Parekh, 18, who had 96 points in 66 games for Saginaw in the Ontario Hockey League.

This summer’s seven-round draft is scheduled for June 28-29 at the Sphere music and entertainment arena in Las Vegas.

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Scottie Scheffler may see charges dropped after arrest during PGA Championship: report

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Scottie Scheffler may see charges dropped after arrest during PGA Championship: report

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Prosecutors in Kentucky were reportedly expected to drop the charges against Scottie Scheffler after his stunning arrest before the second round of the PGA Championship on Friday.

Jefferson County prosecutors were planning, “as of now,” to drop the charges, No Laying Up reported Sunday, citing a source “familiar with the office’s thinking.” 

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Scottie Scheffler plays a shot from a bunker on the 18th hole during the third round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on May 18, 2024, in Louisville, Kentucky. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Scheffler was charged with second-degree assault of a police officer (a felony), criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic. 

He allegedly drove past a police officer who was directing traffic and failed to stop when directed. The officer attached himself to Scheffler’s vehicle and was dragged. According to an arrest report, Louisville Detective Bryan Gillis suffered injuries in the incident.

Scheffler’s arraignment is set for Tuesday. The Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office and the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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Louisville, Kentucky, Mayor Craig Greenberg said Saturday there was no body cam footage of the incident between Scheffler and Gillis.

Scottie Scheffler with his caddie

Scottie Scheffler and his caddie, Brad Payne, on the 18th green during the third round of the PGA Championship on May 18, 2024. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

PGA CHAMPIONSHIP 2024: XANDER SCHAUFFELE, COLLIN MORIKAWA ATOP CROWDED LEADERBOARD HEADING INTO FINAL ROUND

“The officer did not have body cam footage turned on during the incident,” Greenberg said Saturday, via the Louisville Courier-Journal. “We will release footage that we have… to my knowledge, we have not yet discovered any video of the initial contact between Officer Gillis and Mr. Scheffler.”

Greenberg did say there was a “fixed camera” across the street from where the incident took place. He was unsure if Gillis was wearing a body camera. He didn’t say whether Scheffler’s charges would be reduced.

ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington was in the vicinity of the incident and caught video of Scheffler being put into the back of a police vehicle.

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Scheffler called the incident a “big misunderstanding” on Friday.

Scheffler being led away in handcuffs

In this still image made from video provided by ESPN, Masters champion Scottie Scheffler is escorted by police after being handcuffed near Valhalla Golf Club, site of the PGA Championship golf tournament, early Friday, May 17, 2024. (ESPN via AP)

“This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers. It was a very chaotic situation, understandably so considering the tragic accident that had occurred earlier, and there was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do,” he said. “I never intended to disregard any of the instructions. I’m hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today.

“Of course, all of us involved in the tournament express our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in the earlier accident this morning. It truly puts everything in perspective.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Column: Fairfax's McRae siblings keep trying to one-up each other, all the way to Dartmouth

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Column: Fairfax's McRae siblings keep trying to one-up each other, all the way to Dartmouth

On Mother’s Day, Ebony Robinson felt like the luckiest mom in the world.

Her oldest son, Robert McRae III, a former Fairfax basketball player, is graduating next month from Dartmouth. Daughter Elyjah, a former Fairfax volleyball player, is a junior at the Ivy League university. And the baby boy, Romello, who played football and basketball at Fairfax, just chose the same school after turning down Harvard.

“It is pretty amazing,” Robinson said about having three children attend the same school in New Hampshire. “I never thought about it. I just didn’t.”

For those who worry about sibling rivalries, understand that the McRae children motivated each other in a positive way in trying to top one another.

“It was more about competing within ourselves,” Romello said. ”My brother was the star athlete for the family. When my sister went to high school, she made it a goal to have better grades than my brother. Going to Fairfax, I had a legacy to live up to.”

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Romello, 6 feet 4 and 180 pounds, played basketball for the Lions, then joined the football team last season for the playoffs after his mother finally relented and let him play. He was the ball boy for 10 weeks until Robinson gave in.

“I was expecting him to just be on the sideline for one game,” she said. “They were supposed to lose in the playoffs.”

Romello McRae played basketball at Fairfax plus football during the playoffs last fall.

(Luca Evans / Los Angeles Times)

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McRae caught a touchdown pass in the first playoff game and Fairfax ended up winning the City Section Division II championship. He has the best grade-point average of his siblings at 4.3 and earned a Gates scholarship that will pay for his college tuition.

“From what I’ve learned is that a healthy competition is always a good thing,” he said. “We’ve always congratulated each other on our successes but always wanted to be the best.”

Dartmouth's Robert McRae III (23) and Romeo Myrthil (20) walk onto the court during a game against Duke.

Dartmouth’s Robert McRae III (23) and Romeo Myrthil (20) walk onto the court during the second half of a game against Duke last season.

(Ben McKeown / Associated Press)

Robert was an All-City basketball player and played on the Lions’ City championship team in 2019. He played four years at Dartmouth. Romello won a City basketball title in 2022 but probably will try to make Dartmouth’s football team as a walk-on with his mother’s blessing.

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“I have accepted it. Go ahead and go try out,” she said.

Robinson, who works with at-risk youths, has been a single parent with a no-excuses attitude.

“Being a single mom, especially having two boys, I didn’t have a lot of room for nonsense,” she said. “I became really strict. I need you to do what I’m asking you to do. I have no mental room for being able to handle anything else.”

She made it clear what was most important in her family.

“Even though the kids would say I am most definitely strict, I always show them unconditional love,” she said. “That love taught them to love each other the same way. With unconditional love, all you can do is admire each other for their strength and not hate on one’s success.”

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To have three kids make it to the Ivy League is something few in the family ever imagined until Robert heard from a Princeton recruiter in high school, when mom’s goal was, “I just want you to have school paid for you because I can’t pay for it.”

Robert, 22, is deciding whether to pursue a master’s degree after graduating next month or head off to Wall Street to work. Elyjah, 21, is majoring in anthropology. Romello, 17, wants to be an engineer and is hoping to borrow his brother’s warm jackets to deal with the New Hampshire winter. Mom will be home with the last of her children, 8-year-old daughter Ellyott.

“I am a proud mommy,” she said.

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NASCAR driver belly-flops into massive flood on pit road as rain postpones race

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NASCAR driver belly-flops into massive flood on pit road as rain postpones race

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A monstrous rainstorm postponed Saturday’s NASCAR truck race, but those on the track still made the most of it.

The storm moved through North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, site of Sunday’s All-Star Open and Saturday’s Craftsman Truck Series Wright Brand 250.

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Pole qualifying was canceled Saturday morning, but the race started on time, as positioning was set per the rule book. However, lightning in the area brought the red flag out on Lap 81 at roughly 2:30 p.m. ET.

Signage old and new at North Wilkesboro Speedway.  (Jim Dedmon/USA Today Sports)

Fans were asked to clear the grandstand and take cover as rain began to fall.

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NASCAR then announced at 5:05 p.m. ET the remainder of the race would be postponed until 11:30 a.m. ET Sunday, and heat races for the All-Star Open slated for Saturday were canceled. Positioning for the race will be set based on the rule book.

Rain flooded pit road so badly, it was roughly thigh-high for some on the track.

North Wilkesboro track

Air driers at work before qualifying at North Wilkesboro Speedway.  (Jim Dedmon/USA Today Sports)

NASCAR STAR’S DAUGHTER BRINGS RACE-WINNING AMERICAN FLAG TO SCHOOL: I’M SO ‘PROUD’

One person in a video taken by FOX Business senior producer Justin Freiman could be seen swimming and diving in the water.

A few seconds later, a driver did a belly flop.

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The weather affected racing Friday night, as well. All-Star Race qualifying and a pit crew challenge at North Wilkesboro Speedway scheduled for Friday night has been postponed due to rain.

NASCAR announced Saturday and Sunday tickets would be honored Sunday with some stipulations.

Saturday ticketholders will receiver “priority seating” for the finish of the truck race, while those who have tickets for Sunday will then get seating for the All-Star Race, in the event of same-seat purchases.

NASCAR in rain delay

Cars covered and parked on the grid during a weather delay in qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro Speedway May 17, 2024, in North Wilkesboro, N.C. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Twenty drivers will participate in the $1 million All-Star Race following the conclusion of the Wright Brand 250.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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