Flip through the youngest teams in the Champions League, and you'll find a list of the usual suspects. Per data from the CIES football observatory, Genk are the junior team in Europe's club competition, boasting a starting XI with an average age of 23.8. (Data is only for domestic games.) No surprise there; this is the same club that has sold the likes of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Wilfred Ndidi, Leon Bailey, Thibaut Courtois, Christian Benteke, Kevin De Bruyne, and Kalidou Koulibaly within the past decade.

After Genk, it's the two Red Bull-affiliated clubs, FC Salzburg and RB Leipzig, with Lille and Lyon sandwiched in between. Salzburg (24.1) once employed Sadio Mane and Naby Keita, along with countless other players scattered throughout the Bundesliga and elsewhere among Europe's top leagues.

Lille (24.3) are the youngest side in Europe's top five leagues; recent stalwarts include Nicolas Pepe, Eden Hazard, Divock Origi, Rafael Leao, Lucas Digne and Idrissa Gueye. Lyon (24.7), meanwhile, are perhaps better than any other club when it comes to promoting youth and then selling it on: Tanguy Ndombele, Alexandre Lacazette, Ferland Mendy, Corentin Tolisso, Nabil Fekir -- and that's all within the past three years.

As for Leipzig (24.8)? Well, among the 50 most valuable clubs in the world according to the valuations on the website Transfermarkt, their full squad has the youngest average age. The next team on the list, though, isn't anything like the five clubs before it. In fact, Chelsea (25.3) have purchased players from more than half of them.

"Playing the kids" is typically the province of clubs that make a lot of their money from first showcasing, and then selling, their best prospects. Of the aforementioned five, only Lyon broke into last year's Deloitte Money League, which ranks the 30 richest clubs in the world by annual revenue. They were 28th with revenues of €164.2 million, which is less than one-third of what eighth-ranked Chelsea brought in over the same time frame.

There's supposed to be some trade off with rolling out a young squad. Like with, say, Monaco in 2016-17: a bumper crop of prospects comes together all at once to produce an unlikely Ligue 1 title -- only for someone bigger to come along and buy all of the best players. Or as with Manchester United this season, your short-term performance suffers because the kids aren't quite ready yet. However, Chelsea don't seem to have either of those problems. They're young, they're rich and they're already one of the best teams in the world.

Chelsea are going to lose N'Golo Kante and Eden Hazard. Also, they're going to be banned from signing any new players. And oh yeah, they're going to be better than last year.

Had someone repeated those words back in, say, March, they would've lost friends and family. While ostracised by the people who truly care about him, this theoretical person also would've been correct. Hazard left for Real Madrid in the summer. Kante has only played 377 Premier League minutes so far this season thanks to a succession of injuries, and they were banned from signing new players for two windows, starting last summer. Yet through 12 games, Chelsea are averaging more points per game (1.89 to 2.17) and sporting a better per-game goal differential (0.63 to 0.83) than they did last year. It's no fluke either, as their expected goal (xG) differential has also improved from 0.62 to 0.88.

The backgrounds of their two best attackers help explain the improvement and the advantageous situation they now find themselves in.

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For most of the Roman Abramovich era, Chelsea essentially operated on two separate tracks. One was the first team, which spent tons of money on big-name talent in an effort to win the Premier League and the Champions League. The club has spent at least $25 million on 25 different players since the Russian oligarch bought the club in 2003. Among the Big Six, Chelsea have won the most trophies (16) in that stretch. The other track was the so-called "Loan Army," a bountiful collection of young prospects that the club would purchase and/or develop, farm out on loan for a number of years and then sell on for a profit before the player had made any significant contributions to his parent club. This process helped to balance out the spending on the first team.

Christian Pulisic falls into the first category. Although he was purchased from Borussia Dortmund in January and then loaned back for the remainder of the 2018-19 season, the 21-year-old was acquired for $73 million to perform for the first team. Despite a slow start, he's done just that. Among Premier League players who have played at least half of their team's available minutes, Pulisic is third in non-penalty goals plus assists per 90 minutes (NPG+A/90) (1.11) and fifth in expected goals plus expected assists (xG+xA) (0.87), according to the site FBRef.com. When he's been on the field this season, Pulisic has simply been one of the most productive attacking players on the planet.

Tammy Abraham, however, has been even better. Abraham came up through the Chelsea academy and was then loaned out in each of the past three seasons. He scored 51 combined goals across two loans in the Championship to Bristol City and Aston Villa, but struggled during his one Premier League loan with Swansea City in 2017-18. As a 19-year-old, he scored three goals across a full season. Two years later, he's already got 10 through just 12 games. Abraham is first among all players in NPG+A/90 and second in xG+xA. Since August, he's been the best English striker.

Last year, Hazard ranked fourth in the league in NPG+A/90 and 15th in xG+xA while no-one else at the club was in the top 20 of either category. This year, Chelsea have two guys within the top five of both. They have the third-best xG differential in the Premier League. They're rated as the seventh-best team in the world, according to FiveThirtyEight's global club rankings, while the Club Elo rankings have them at fifth -- behind just Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Manchester City and Liverpool.

The scary part? They're likely to get even better.

Thanks to the transfer ban and the appointment of Frank Lampard -- two things that may not be unrelated -- Chelsea have turned to the kids. Lampard didn't have much of a managerial track record before his arrival but the one thing he did do in his single season at Derby County was give lots of playing time to talented youngsters. In addition to Pulisic and Abraham, three other 24-and-under players who were on loan last season -- Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount and Kurt Zouma -- have become consistent starters. Another one, Reece James, looks likely to soon become a member of the first XI. James's fellow 19-year-old, Callum Hudson-Odoi, has made five starts in all competitions. And don't forget about Ruben Loftus-Cheek, the 23-year-old midfielder who became a starter last season before rupturing his Achilles in a stupid in-season exhibition match against the New England Revolution this past spring.

Loftus-Cheek is expected back soon and so is Kante, who is practically ancient at 28 years old but is still probably the best player on the team. While the transfer ban may have been a blessing in disguise, it does seem like an emphasis on youth has been established within the senior team. So perhaps once Chelsea are able to buy players again -- they're appealing the ban and would be allowed to sign players during the January window if it's overturned -- they'll be doing so in a way that improves the team but doesn't stunt the growth of any of the young talent.

Most soccer players peak somewhere between the ages of 24 and 28. Chelsea now have a core of players who are 1) good enough to compete at the top level right now, and 2) still years away from their primes. Now, they're not at the level of Liverpool or Manchester City, but it might not be long until they get there.

We've already seen what can happen when one or two prospects turn into stars but for Chelsea, it could happen to five or six more guys all at the same time.

If Test cricket is professional wrestling, Neil Wagner is an ECW guy. ECW was aggressive, it was extreme, it was chaotic, it was "hardcore". Traditional rules and grammar don't apply to hardcore wrestling. There are no disqualifications, it is not confined to a ring, foreign objects are allowed.

Wagner doesn't follow the tradition of fast bowling in Tests. His "top of off" is the batsman's shoulder. His seam is all over the place. He looks for swing only for a little while. He bowls away from the stumps. He creates weird angles by going, say, extremely around the wicket to a left-handed batsman. "Caught others" is Wagner's dominant mode of dismissal, whereas others look for bowleds and lbws and nicks to the keeper or the cordon. If you think you can patiently see him off, he just goes on and on to bowl extremely long spells. Sometimes they seem to be comprised of nothing but bouncers. He just doesn't go away.

Hardcore wrestling was ridiculed by mainstream promotions before they assimilated it as part of their shows for its shock value. Promotions such as ECW end up either being bought over by mainstream companies or remain extremely niche.

Wagner was noticed by the mainstream about three years ago when he became only the 14th man, and the second-fastest among them, to take 100 Test wickets for New Zealand. He is no longer niche, though. Three years on, and he has steadfastly refused to die as a novelty act whose shock value has worn off. He is still bowling those long spells full of bouncers to help New Zealand find a way past their flat pitches.

And now, at No. 3 in the latest ICC rankings, he is properly mainstream. With a wicket every 52 balls, he is in the top 20 strike rates of all time. Among those who have taken 150 wickets, only one New Zealand bowler has been quicker to a wicket than him: Sir Richard Hadlee. Wagner will soon become only the seventh New Zealand bowler to 200 wickets.

But these are just mainstream stats. The real #WagnerStats, the ones that make him hardcore, are the length of his spells and the shortness of his deliveries. Wagner has bowled a staggering 34.62% of his deliveries in spells of seven overs or more, not counting those that were broken by session breaks or the end of a day's play. Since Wagner made his debut, the only pace bowlers who come close to this number are typically gentler bowlers without the body of work that Wagner has. Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Murtagh, Darren Sammy and Hardik Pandya are a few.

Among those closer to Wagner's potency and a body of work (say 500 overs), Bhuvneshwar Kumar has bowled 25.57% of his deliveries in spells of seven overs or more; James Anderson, Kagiso Rabada and Ben Stokes just under 20.

Since Wagner's debut, Anderson has managed to bowl three more seven-or-more-over spells than Wagner's 68, but Anderson has played a lot more Test cricket than Wagner, the first half of whose career was played only on flat unhelpful tracks. At first, he would to lose out to Doug Bracewell or Matt Henry or Adam Milne the moment there was some movement to be extracted, but soon his longevity and unusual mode of attack began to outweigh the utility of a traditional bowler with the new ball.

If you want to see Wagner's real utility, look at his spells of 10 overs or more. He has bowled 10 of this ilk. Only Anderson comes close with six. Imagine the luxury for a captain and fellow bowlers. The match is slipping away, the new ball is 20 overs away, you want control and perhaps a wicket or two and you want your two swing bowlers fresh for the new ball.

Wagner turns up from overs 61 to 79, into the wind, for the wickets of Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan for 26 runs in a tense chase by India in Auckland in 2013-14. On a spinner's track, in an even more tense chase, how about an absolute nerveless 13-4-27-2 to help Aiaz Patel seal a historic four-run win in Abu Dhabi in 2018-19? Or 12-5-27-3 (two overs before tea) on the final evening to get rid of the stubborn Stokes and Chris Woakes and carry New Zealand a win at Auckland in 2017-18, despite two days lost to rain.

Last week in Mount Maunganui, Wagner was in his ninth straight over when he himself ended England's resistance, which had begun to look prickly on the final day. This spell is a good example of what he does as a bowler. A wicket with a wide short ball, a wicket with a wide knuckle-ball full toss, another with a short ball into the ribs, before sealing the match with a full toss from the edge of the crease to a left-handed batsman, a swinging yorker that the batsman couldn't lay a bat on. There is no pattern. Some of these might even look like fluke wickets, but you don't reach 182 wickets at a strike rate of 52 by fluke. It is really difficult to prepare for Wagner because nobody bowls like him. He messes with batsmen's balance and footwork.

Over the years Wagner has upskilled himself - that knuckle-ball is an example, his improved wrist position after a stint at Lancashire is another - but the short ball remains the bedrock of his bowling. Since his debut, nobody has bowled more short balls or taken more wickets with it than Wagner has. He has to work harder than most. Kagiso Rabada gets a wicket every 22 short balls, Morne Morkel took only 19, but Wagner gets a wicket after bowling 30 short balls on an average. That is indicative of the gentle pace of the pitches that Wagner bowls on, but he has figured out that - especially in New Zealand, especially on the third day onwards - a full ball is worse than a good short ball. That his average with the short ball is better than Rabada or Morkel tells you of his control with his favourite weapon.

Since 2014, only Lahiru Kumara has bowled a higher percentage of deliveries short or short of a length than Wagner's 49.09 percent. Eighty-five of his 132 wickets in this period have come with these deliveries, a percentage nobody comes close to. Pat Cummins, with higher pace and more tools at his disposal, is a more complete bowler, but he too prefers the Wagner-type of length.

The only other bowlers that come close to this mode of operation are Wahab Riaz and Mark Wood, but it takes a toll on their bodies and increasingly both men are becoming shorter-formats-only bowlers. Mitchell Johnson and Morkel would also drag their lengths back from time to time, but neither them nor Cummins did so with the frequency that Wagner does.

For the extra effort that is required, Wagner trains like a madman. New Zealand Herald described a typical Wagner pre-season training session thus: "He sprints 100m, 200m, 300m and 400m with just a minute's rest in between. Four times. After a quick rest and refuel, it's off to the gym for 90 minutes of further torture."

Wagner remains thankful he has had an international career, having failed during his South Africa days to get into a Titans side behind Dale Steyn, Andre Nel, the Morkel brothers and Alfonso Thomas. Mike Hesson, who was instrumental in bringing him to New Zealand, has a nice little story about how that came about. He was looking for a quick bowler for Otago, and was shown footage of Wagner giving it his all even though his side had all but lost. When Hesson offered him the job, Wagner said yes without discussing the money.

That principle still remains true. This year, the only non-first-class cricket that Wagner has played is five T20s. New Zealand is not in the financial health to compensate Test players the way India does Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma, and nor do they play as much Test cricket as India. Is it any surprise that he puts everything into every Test spell as if everything depends on it?

In the larger scheme of cricket, Wagner remains niche. At the most, he tends to be in the spotlight for five weeks or so a year. If there ever was a season for him to go fully mainstream, it is this: No. 2 New Zealand will be playing against the Nos. 1, 3 and 4 sides in the same summer. He has already taken a five-for against - and twice removed the captain of - the No. 3 side. By the time New Zealand go to Australia, the hosts will likely be No. 4. The big one will be the dominant Indian side touring New Zealand early next year.

Wagner will be ready with his square leg and short leg slightly in front of square, and a fine leg and a leg gully (or two fine legs) waiting round the corner. The umpires will check his wickets for back-foot no-balls because he will exploit every angle he can. It will be extreme cricket. In the mainstream.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman will return to Middlesex for the whole of the group stage of next season's T20 Blast, and the quarter-final if the club qualifies.

Mujeeb, 18, took seven wickets and conceded 7.23 runs per over in this season's tournament, and will spend most of the summer in England after being drafted by Northern Superchargers for the inaugural season of the Hundred.

Having spent the 2018 season at Hampshire, Mujeeb played ten games for Middlesex last season as the club reached the quarter-finals of the Blast for just the second time since 2008. He was their go-to bowler in the first six overs, and bowled over 60 percent of his overs during the Powerplay.

"I enjoyed my time at Middlesex so much, so I am very pleased to be coming back," Mujeeb said. "The whole team, on and off the field, made me feel very welcome and hopefully we can be successful together next season."

Stuart Law, the club's head coach said: "It's great to have Mujeeb locked in for the Blast again in 2020.

"His ability to bowl economically in the Powerplay is invaluable and he's a great man to have in the dressing room. We look forward to seeing him back at Middlesex next season."

MS Dhoni has added to the speculation around his future with an intriguing comment on Wednesday. At an event in Mumbai, Dhoni was asked by a reporter about everyone speaking about his future plans barring himself. Dhoni's response was brief: "January tak mat poocho (don't ask until January)."

Dhoni did not elaborate on what was meant to happen in January, leaving his words open to interpretation. This is the first time he has spoken about his future - even in this cryptic manner - in the recent months that he has spent away from India's limited-overs teams.

Dhoni hasn't played any competitive cricket since India's World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand at Old Trafford in July. He opted out of the West Indies tour that followed the World Cup, in order to spend a fortnight with the Indian territorial army, and since then has not featured in the squads for the home series against South Africa and Bangladesh and the upcoming one against West Indies. He hasn't played domestic cricket in this period either.

The selectors have kept faith in Rishabh Pant as the limited-overs keeper in this time, with Sanju Samson picked as his back-up for the last two T20I series. In October, chairman MSK Prasad said the selectors were "moving on" from Dhoni.

On Tuesday, India head coach Ravi Shastri also weighed in on the Dhoni question. Asked whether there was still a chance of Dhoni making a comeback for next year's T20 World Cup in Australia, Shastri said it would depend on the form of the incumbents as well as his own form, particularly during the IPL.

"It all depends on when he starts playing and how he is playing during the IPL," Shastri told IANS. "What are the other people doing with the wicketkeeping gloves or what is the form of those players as opposed to Dhoni's form. The IPL becomes a massive tournament because that could be the last tournament after which more or less your 15 is decided."

As Anthony Davis fielded questions about what his return to New Orleans on Wednesday might feel like, he stared across the Los Angeles Lakers' locker room at someone who already has answers about how to navigate an uneasy homecoming: LeBron James.

Of course James remembers the animosity in the air when he played his first game in Cleveland with the Miami Heat. He remembers it so well that he knows the date -- Dec. 2, 2010 -- as if it was a loved one's birthday.

Nearly a decade later, he's trying to prepare Davis for what to expect when New Orleans Pelicans fans will surely pelt him with vitriol pent up from seeing their franchise player walk out the door. In the past week, a number of Lakers spoke about the issue.

"I talked to him," James said. "Because I know what it's like going into a situation where you would call home for seven years. ... He's a kid when he got there, and he became a man along that seven-year journey, so it's just going to be a different situation for him personally."

Davis said he's already had a dress rehearsal. He "felt like I was on the other side," he said, when he was booed at home in February in his first game after the trade deadline when he was still on the team despite requesting a trade. This time, he'll actually be on the other side when he's introduced as a Laker.

"I got a little taste of it, but I know it's going to be even worse," Davis said last week.

A couple of days later, as the game drew even closer, he was more blunt about what he expected.

"I'm pretty sure every time I catch the ball, it's probably going to be boos and stuff like that," Davis said. "Obviously they're fans of the Pelicans. And I understand why they feel that way, but it's all love on my end."

Lining up for the Pelicans, if healthy, will be former Lakers Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart -- only adding juice to the matchup.

"It's going to be a great battle. Those guys are going to try to take our heads off just to prove a point and -- I don't want to say I want to take their heads off [but] -- I just want to win it," Davis said.

James might have played the most notable "reunion game" out of all of the Lakers, but he's not the only one of Davis' teammates to experience it firsthand. Rajon Rondo played in Boston less than a month after being traded to Dallas. Danny Green went back to play in San Antonio after the Spurs traded him to Toronto following eight fruitful years. Dwight Howard visited Orlando his first time around as a Laker. And even Lakers coach Frank Vogel knows the feeling, coaching the Magic in Indiana after spending nine years with the Pacers franchise. Some of those return games were dynamite. Some were duds. All of them are stories Davis can learn from.

"Just focus on getting the win," Rondo told ESPN. "That's all that matters. You want to go back and beat your home team -- or your old team. Just focus on getting the W. And you go from there. Let your game speak for itself. Don't try to press anything. Just be who you are. He doesn't have to go out there and try to score 50 -- even though he can do it, probably, any night. Just go out there and get the win."

Of course, that's easy for Rondo to say. Not only did the Mavs beat the Celtics by 18 when he graced the parquet again, the point guard put up a season-high 29 points on 12-for-19 shooting.

"S---, if he wants to have a big game, of course he wants to have a game," Rondo said. "I just want to get a W. Anybody who is playing against their old team, I want to beat their ass and go from there."

James' performance was even more impressive -- 38 points and eight assists in 30 minutes in a 28-point win -- and Davis knows about it.

"Bron told me he had like, I want to say 39 [points] in his return, so put a little pressure on me," Davis said. "Like I said, if we get the win, that's more than enough."

Howard also got the win in Orlando, and his 39 points were the most he's ever scored as a Laker.

Others weren't so fortunate. The Pacers drilled Vogel's Magic squad by 19.

"It wasn't fun," Vogel said. "It's no fun losing to your prior team, especially for me where I had deep roots there in Indiana."

And Green had one of the worst games of his career, going 0-for-7 from the field with three fouls in an 18-point loss.

"Before the game, you do so much more of saying hello and showing love to the coaching staff, arena people," Green said. "You don't really have a chance to work out and lock in on the game. It's tough. It's weird, nostalgic."

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, asked to reflect on Green's return, said: "We honored the hell out of him, [me] personally and collectively as an organization."

Green said the show of appreciation stirred up emotions, causing him to think about his entire career. But it wasn't just that. The experience of coming back to his house that he'd abandoned for months as he rented a furnished home in Toronto was another unanticipated wrinkle.

"It didn't feel like home," Green told ESPN. "I hadn't been there in a while. ... You go on the road, there's a time when you always come back home. But it felt like I had been on the road for a really long time. I hadn't been to my house in a long time, so it was strange."

Green ended up winning the championship in his lone season in Toronto -- as the saying goes, the best way to get over a breakup is to live your best life. And Davis is returning from a position of strength -- the Lakers are No. 1 in the West, while the Pelicans are No. 11.

"I'm excited to play it. I just don't want to get through it, I'm excited to play," Davis said. "It's going to be fun."

And if there are moments that are not so fun, he's equipped for them, too.

"I have help there," Davis said. "I have someone to lean on who's been through it, and just letting me know like, 'Look, [do] X, Y and Z, just do this,' whatever, whatever and help me throughout that entire game."

The hope is that with all the guidance available to him, the night can shrink in significance from something he perceives as an epic event to just another game.

"The greatest thing is when you finally get on the floor and that ball tips up," James said. "There's nothing but strictly basketball, and everything else doesn't matter at that point."

James Hook says Ospreys players must share responsibility for the team's poor form which resulted in coach Allen Clarke departing on Tuesday.

Ospreys have won only one out of eight competitive games this season.

The region have still not confirmed Clarke's departure with veteran player Hook and coach Richie Pugh not allowed to answer questions on the subject at a Pro14 media event on Wednesday.

But Hook said coaching was being taken by Matt Sherratt and Carl Hogg.

Hook told media at a Pro14 promotional event: "It has been tough. One win from eight is probably not good enough. The boys realise that.

"It's not just management. We have got a responsibility, we have got to hold our hands up as well.

"In football, rugby, the coach carries the can. That's the way it goes, it's a business. Speaking from my point of view and other players, they do take responsibility as well."

The region's silence on Clarke's departure has led to criticism on social media, with some on Twitter claiming they should clarify matters for fans.

It followed the announcement last week that backs coach Sherratt would be leaving at the end of the current season.

BBC Wales has asked the region to comment.

The region have also been hampered by international call ups for the World Cup, and have been his by a string of serious injuries.

Ospreys play Cheetahs in the Pro14 at the Gnoll in Neath on Saturday with preparations going ahead as normal, according to Pugh and Hook.

"I'm involved in the sessions. We're prepping as we would normally," Pugh said.

Hook added: "Matt Sherratt's there, Hoggy's there. These are quality coaches who take our sessions through most of the week anyway. So there's plenty of experience there to look after it.

"We've been told we can't say too much - and, I've got to be honest, I don't know a lot myself.

"We've been in tough situations and as players all we can do is focus on the game on Saturday."

This Thursday is Thanksgiving, or as it's known in the hockey community, "American Thanksgiving." It's a day full of annual traditions, from gluttonous gorging resulting in food comas to watching horrible football games to seeing which retired players the NHL ropes in for its Thanksgiving Day parade float.

(As an aside, the NHL's entry in the Macy's parade this year is a salute to hockey moms, featuring young players shooting on a giant turkey playing goalie and also the Fergie-less Black-Eyed Peas for some reason. "Put your hands in the air ... Will.I.Am, drop the puck now!")

Another tradition? Our annual "What we're thankful for in hockey" compendium, as a collection of voices from around the hockey world are invited to gush over whatever they cherish in the land of puck. It could be something current or something nostalgic. It could be something serious or how we seriously crush on hockey doggos.

Here are some NHL players, hockey personalities and your puckhead friends here at ESPN, giving thanks to the sport we love:

John Buccigross, ESPN

I'm thankful players are allowed to be ultra-creative and athletic around the net, and are reinventing the game by how they score goals without interference from caveman coaches.

Michael Farber, TSN

I am thankful for the New York Islanders. Their teams of the early 80s are the forgotten dynasty, shoehorned between the fabulous Montreal Canadiens of the late 70s and the eye-candy Edmonton Oilers of the later 80s, but they had more fascinating and expressive players than any great team that comes to mind. The splendid fans of the franchise have had to endure so much and, until the new barn is built, they will continue to do so. GM Lou Lamoriello and coach Barry Trotz are among the finest and most principled people I have ever crossed paths with in hockey. Let's enjoy their current success. I hope it pays off in another Stanley Cup for them.

Emily Kaplan, ESPN

I'm thankful that hockey truly is a community, and a welcoming one. I've only been covering the sport for two and a half years, but it feels like much longer because of the relationships I've forged, from every PR person or coach who responds to my calls, to the players who answer my (often goofy) questions ... again, and again ... to our small but tight-knit group at ESPN that challenges one another to cover the sport in a meaningful way for fans.

Hockey has become part of my personal life, too. On Thursday, Kajsa Kalmeus, a Swedish hockey journalist, is coming to New Jersey to experience her first turkey day with my family. A week later, I'm traveling to D.C. to say goodbye to Isabelle Khurshudyan, the Washington Post Caps writer who is on to new adventures on the Moscow beat for the paper. Hockey brought us together, but we are friends for life.

Keith Olbermann, ESPN

John Shorthouse and John Garrett, the Vancouver broadcast team. Shortie's the best play-by-play man in the sport, hands down. Cheech is stealthily brilliant. They support without rooting. They maintain the traditions of Statler and Waldorf, while simultaneously having the senses of humor of 12-year-olds.

Linda Cohn, ESPN

I love 3-on-3 overtime! It's exciting for the fan, challenging for the players, nerve-wracking for the goalies and made for today's fast and furious brand of hockey. Who needs the shootout?

AJ Mleczko Griswold, NBC Sports

There is so much to be thankful for in hockey! I am grateful every day for all of the amazing people in this sport. From my vantage point between the benches I am thankful for 3-on-3 overtime. It is incredible to watch. On a more personal level, however, I am forever grateful for the parents of my kids' teammates, who help get my kids to and from their games and practices while I am on the road. It takes a village, and the hockey village is the best one there is.

Daniel Carcillo, former NHL player

I'm thankful for the trauma that I have sustained in hockey, because it has awoken me to just how powerful I really am and the strength of the human spirit.

Tim Kavanagh, ESPN

It's the renaissance of absurd goals we've witnessed recently. Slick moves have always filled highlight reels. But there's a new batch of young players who seem unconcerned about any potential retribution from showboating. Be it Andrei Svechnikov's lacrosse goal, or the many between-the-legs maneuvers, I am here for it!

Matthew Tkachuk's between-the-legs overtime goal (4:58) matched the @NHLFlames franchise mark for latest regular-season overtime goal. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/ghdv1bK4gi

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 1, 2019

Aimee Crawford, ESPN

I'm thankful for the Stanley Pup, and hockey's other fetching team doggos.

The St. Louis Blues won the first Stanley Cup in franchise history, but their most significant acquisition last season wasn't Ryan O'Reilly or David Perron. It was Barclay, the yellow labrador retriever St. Louis adopted last fall socialize him to become a service dog. Not long after a video of Barclay frolicking on the ice -- and stealing Brayden Schenn's stick -- went viral, the basement-dwelling Blues embarked on a remarkable run. They rallied from last place in the league to make the playoffs, where they chewed and clawed their way to a championship. And then their very own Stanley Pup got to eat from the Stanley Cup.

Barclay might be top dog, but he isn't hockey's only resident canine. Nine other teams -- the Predators, Coyotes, Wild, Canadiens, Islanders, Senators, Sharks, Lightning and Capitals -- also have service dogs in training as teammates. And Ranger, the NHL's first service puppy trainee, found a home this summer as a companion pet to a teen boy with autism after training for the job around Madison Square Garden and at Rangers practices. Now that's a very good boy.

Anthony Stewart, Sportsnet

I'm thankful for the guys around the league getting second chances. The guys like James Neal, Jason Spezza and Chris Stewart getting opportunities to prove they still belong in the NHL.

Rick DiPietro, The Humpty & Canty with Rothenberg Show, 98.7 FM ESPN NY

This year I'm thankful for Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello and coach Barry Trotz. For bringing stability and credibility to a fan base that has desperately craved it like a delicious heaping plate of turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving. And let's be completely honest, what former goalie doesn't love a team with a defense-first mentality?

Pierre Becquey, ESPN

I'm thankful the Maple Leafs acted decisively and replaced coach Mike Babcock rather than letting the situation drag on into the new year. As new coach Sheldon Keefe pointed out, there's enough talent on this team for a quick turnaround. It's not quite the St. Louis Blues' script, but it's not that far off.

Allan Walsh, NHL agent

When I was a little kid playing hockey with my friends on the frozen streets of Montreal, I dreamed of one day playing in the NHL. While I wasn't good enough to play professionally, I consider myself blessed everyday to be entrusted by my NHL clients with representing them. I'm thankful for their friendship, loyalty and the bond we share with each other.

Benjamin Arledge, ESPN

I'm thankful for the continued return of '90s NHL jerseys this season. I love seeing the Blues jerseys with a dash of red (and the accompanying CuJo mask that Jordan Binnington donned with the uniform), the Canucks' skate threads, the Gretzky-era Kings throwbacks and, of course, the Coyotes' Kachina sweaters. Who doesn't like a little nostalgia? Now we just need the Isles' Fisherman look to come back.

Sachin Chandan, ESPN

The NHL has a slew of cool alternate jerseys this season -- which I appreciate as a merch collector -- like the outdoor jerseys from the Flames, Jets, Stars and Predators, and a gold-accented anniversary jersey from the Sabres. As usual, the San Jose Sharks roll out some creative giveaway "shirseys" like Los Tiburones or Shark Freak, which make for unique collectors' items.

Sara Civian, The Athletic

This Thanksgiving I'm thankful for shootouts ... for reminding me how great 3-on-3 overtime really is in contrast of how terrible they are. It's like how Nicki Minaj and Jay-Z's verses in "Monster" were back to back.

Mike Modano, Hockey Hall of Famer

The thing that makes me most happy in hockey are the relationships, along with the opportunities to play with and against the best players in the world.

Dimitri Filipovic, ESPN

I'm thankful for Alex Ovechkin. I know sometimes it can seem as if he's just going to be cranking out 50-goal seasons till the end of time because he's a machine, but with his age (34, which might as well be 60 when compared to most of the other top scorers in the league) and the discussion before the season about his contract status (he's up after next season), I've finally started to wrestle with the idea that there eventually will be an end date.

I wasn't around in the '80s, so I didn't get to experience Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky at their absolute apex. I've had to settle for second-hand stories, grainy YouTube videos, and stat lines that can't even be compared to any from today's game. Realizing that I got to live through the entirety of an all-timer's career, and all of the many highs and even the occasional lows that made those other highs that much greater, is pretty special. Especially as he continues his march up the record books, turning the idea of him potentially catching Gretzky's 894 career goals one day from a crazy hypothetical to a legitimate possibility with each milestone he clears.

I hope he keeps scoring, and keeps celebrating each one like it's his first. There will never be another like him, and I'm thankful that I got to say I was along for the ride.

Chris Peters, ESPN

I'm thankful for Cale Makar. Having spent a lot of last season watching and analyzing Makar's game while he was still at UMass, tracking his growth and his overall projection, it's always fun to see a player exceed already lofty expectations. You could tell last season that he had developed into not only an elite prospect, but a special one. Now we're seeing him put together one of the best seasons by a rookie defenseman in decades. It's really fun to watch.

Marty Biron, former NHL goalie

I'm thankful for Marc-Andre Fleury! The guy is a treat to watch every night he's playing. Growing up in Québec, we took pride in the fact that the best goalies came from our province. Goaltending has grown a lot over the past two decades, with Europeans and Americans really pushing the limits, and we don't see as many tenders hailing from "La Belle Province" as much as we used to. But "Flower" is carrying the flag and making all of us Quebecois really proud.

Greg Wyshynski, ESPN

Hey, it's me. I can't believe we made it this far without anyone mentioning Connor McDavid, so: Connor McDavid. He's the rare hockey player who can make you watch any game, at any time, in which his team is playing. It doesn't have to be a game with playoff implications or a rivalry game. It could be Edmonton at Columbus, and I'm firing up Center Ice to check in on what McDavid's up to that night. I can count on one hand the number of individual players who were must-sees in my lifetime: Gretzky, Mario, Jagr, Bure, Ovechkin. Maybe you stretch it out to Hasek, Lindros and Crosby.

McDavid is that guy. He does things with the puck, at full speed, that I've never seen before. In a perfect world, he's a transcendent superstar, getting nonbelievers to watch the NHL. But before we get there ... make the damn playoffs, Edmonton, will ya?

Jersey Fouls

From the East Coast epicenter of Jersey Fouls:

@JerseyFoul Seen at a local MD Chick fil A. "Darthvechkin." @gbbhockey #Caps pic.twitter.com/mgS0eguZDx

— #43Train(25GP 9G 9A 18P +6) (@Robostop10) November 20, 2019

Best guess: This is part of a larger ensemble that includes an Oakland Raiders-esque Vader helmet with this Foul nameplate. It's just that one can't wear a giant Sith Lord helmet when one is scarfing down spicy chicken sandwiches and waffle fries.

Raleigh Stadium Series?

Hark, the oval of orange pylons! The harbinger of NHL outdoor games!

Cones set up at Carter-Finley. My guess is about 200 feet long and about 85 feet wide... pic.twitter.com/gkJvU4v6HA

— Dennis Cox (@TheFanRookie) November 25, 2019

This is at least the second time this year that NC State's stadium has been marked off for a potential rink. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said that his "best guess" was that the Hurricanes could host a Stadium Series game in 2020-21, and these tests would track with that timeline.

Raleigh is such a natural site for an outdoor game right now. The Hurricanes have turned the corner as a franchise and the fan base is energized. And ask anyone who had the pleasure of attending the NHL All-Star Game there several years ago: The city knows how to come together for a big hockey event.

And honestly, who doesn't want to see a Storm Surge inside a stadium?

With the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators coming off the list via the Winter Classic this season, there are only six teams that have yet to appear in the Classic or a Stadium Series game since the NHL made this a regular gimmick in 2008: The Arizona Coyotes, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights.

The Hurricanes seem close to coming off the list. Tampa is getting one soon, and it's hard to imagine the Panthers wouldn't be the opponent.

On Columbus, Bettman has said, "There's a big football stadium there, last time I checked. We've put on 24 outdoor games. I think we kind of know what's involved and we're excited to see how well Columbus is doing." Throw Pittsburgh in the Horseshoe against the Jackets and you have an easy outdoor success story.

That leaves the Coyotes and Knights. The challenge in Vegas is that the new Raiders' stadium would be the site, which means it would have to be a Stadium Series game due to potential NFL playoff activity. (And it has to be against San Jose, right?)

New Coyotes ownership wants an outdoor game at Sun Devil Stadium. The NHL hasn't taken a serious look at it yet. I'd say they're last in line at the moment, but you never know.

Now the real question: How many of these games will ultimately feature the Chicago Blackhawks? (That sound you just heard was the collective sigh of the hockey world.)

Listen To ESPN On Ice

No podcast this week due to the holiday. But perhaps this is a good time to dip into the archives for our chats with Teemu Selanne, Bruce Cassidy, and Matt Duchene this season?

Winners and Losers of the Week

Winner: Reckonings

Bill Peters is a symptom of a larger, incalculable problem in hockey culture. The rug it gets swept under is finally being raised. The most heartbreaking part of Akim Aliu's interview with Frank Seravalli of TSN was that he felt, a decade ago, that speaking up about racism in the sport would have meant the end of his career as a young player of color: "What am I going to say? I was 20 years old and a first-year pro. I was too scared to speak up." The NHL can put out all the "Hockey is for Everyone!" platitudes it wants, but until this fundamental imbalance changes, it's just a slogan. Maybe the Peters situation inches us closer to that change.

But the reckoning goes beyond race. There are Michal Jordan's allegation of physical abuse by Peters. There's the widely debated psychological warfare by Mike Babcock, wherein he pressured then-rookie Mitch Marner to rank his teammates by their effort (or lack thereof) and then leaked the results to those players at the bottom of Marner's ranking. These tactics have been shielded by the dressing room door for decades. But it feels as if that door has been yanked off its hinges by a community that's increasingly empowered to no longer tolerate it.

Loser: Enablers

The idea that abusive, insensitive coaches exist in a vacuum is nonsense. At some point, a person in a position of power is told something, or hears something, about such behavior and then has to make the choice to act on it or not. So the heat rightfully should be turned up on someone like Brendan Shanahan for the ills of Babcock's tenure, and on Ron Francis, as reports in Raleigh reveal that his players brought accusations against Peters to his attention but he did nothing about them. Akim Aliu showed more professional courage than the men who sign players' checks. It shouldn't work like that.

Winner: Tom Dundon

When Dundon reassigned Francis in 2018, he was pilloried. When he hired Rod Brind'Amour as head coach, he was ridiculed. In light of the Bill Peters fallout, one wonders if Francis' loyalty to his coach wasn't a factor in his philosophical differences with Dundon. One thing is clear, however: Dundon knew what he needed from his next coach in light of what the other one had been. The Hurricanes responded with a 99-point season, or 12 better than Peters' best, along with a playoff spot, which Peters never accomplished. Funny about that.

Loser: Brad Treliving

The Flames GM made this hire. At no point was anything said during the hiring process that gave him enough pause not to hire Bill Peters, which makes one wonder about the due diligence that was actually done here. But from a hockey perspective, all of this hit as the Flames are in a 1-5-2 tailspin, having one regulation win since Nov. 3.

Winner: San Jose Sharks

Reports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated. A 9-1 run has the Sharks back in a playoff spot. Was it playing 10 of 13 games on home ice? Was it goaltending that wasn't a total disaster like it was earlier this season? No, it was totally the return of defenseman Radim Simek, whose absence from the lineup I apparently underestimated, according to my Twitter mentions. That must be it.

Loser: Vegas Golden Knights

They're 2-6-2 in their past 10 games. They're a .500 team in points percentage, and have three regulation wins since Oct. 31. We're getting close to "make a trade to shake things up" territory.

Winner: Critics of the Department of Player Safety

I'm a defender of the work George Parros & Co. do, because most times they get it right. But they went light on Robert Bortuzzo of the St. Louis Blues for that intent-to-injure cross-check on Viktor Arvidsson. The problem, I think, is they went light on Bortuzzo two years ago for a very similar incident with Brock Nelson of the Islanders. That earned him a fine. Had it earned him the suspension it should have, then the Arvidsson ban would have been longer. Those asking for harsher punishments, in this case, have a point.

Loser: NHLPA

Most of the problems we have track back to the fact that the NHLPA represents both the offending player and the victim, and yet it's the offending player that seems to get the most institutional support. The PA could easily collectively bargain for stiffer financial penalties or man-games lost. As it stands, they're as much to blame for the lack of severity on these punishments as anyone else. (And don't get me started on this NHLPA push to get players not to air grievances about abusive coaches on Twitter. Nothing like burying accusations in the complaint box.)

Puck Headlines

The Kyle Turris situation in Nashville is an ugly one, and this open letter from a Predators fan is an interesting read.

Jason Gregor on abusive coaches: "Coaches who abuse their power are awful, but the management or associations who allow it to go on when told about it are equally guilty. Stop enabling these coaches."

Don't riot at Swiss hockey games: 83 fans have been banned for three years for doing just that.

What's up with James van Riemsdyk? "He might be on the bottom line for another game or potentially the next few, but the Orange and Black will eventually hit another rut (as teams do) and JVR will work his way back into the top nine."

Robin Lehner vs. the media on his shootout prowess.

Great piece on one player's journey from Chinese Taipei to the NWHL.

James Mirtle on Mike Babcock: "Babcock is more guilty of these mind games than most NHL coaches, based on talking to those who have played for him. He liked to pick favorites and didn't often explain why he was so hard on others. And once you were in his doghouse, you rarely escaped."

Finally, the ever-cheeky Golden Knights created a "Home Alone" parody with Jonathan Marchessault. You guys give up, or are ya thirsty for more?

What else could we be forgetting?

...

...

MARCHY! ? pic.twitter.com/shBor1AyiN

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) November 26, 2019

Hockey tl;dr (too long; didn't read)

An interesting look at the founder of the World Table Hockey Association.

In case you missed this from your friends at ESPN

Emily Kaplan's awesome roundtable with NHL stars on a bunch of random topics. The Cale Makar answer on impulse purchases is tremendous.

Happy Thanksgiving week! It's time to whip out the turkey, gravy, pumpkin pie, and everyone's favorite arbitrary NHL deadline. Since 2005 (the introduction of the salary cap) 76% of teams in playoff position on American Thanksgiving have gone on to make the playoffs, according to research by the Elias Sports Bureau. (A subtle reminder that Canadian Thanksgiving was a month ago, which is too early to count such things. Sorry.)

The St. Louis Blues famously bucked the trend last season, and went on to win the Stanley Cup. Who else do we see defying their current situation? For this week's ESPN NHL Power Rankings, we took a spin on buying or selling whether teams will stay in their current postseason position.

How we rank: The ESPN hockey editorial staff submits selections ranking teams 1-31, and those results are tabulated to the list featured here. Teams are rated through Tuesday night's games, taking into account overall record, recent success and other factors such as injuries. The previous ranking for each team is its spot in last week's edition.

1. New York Islanders

Previous ranking: 1

Current status: In

Buy. Very few teams go on point streaks like the one the Islanders' were on that recently ended -- 17 games -- and end up missing the playoffs. The Isles are a tough team to score against, which often equates to a long postseason run.

2. Boston Bruins

Previous ranking: 3

Current status: In

Buy. The Patrice Bergeron injury isn't ideal. However the team seems to be managing the 34-year-old's nagging groin injury so that he can stay healthy down the stretch.

3. Washington Capitals

Previous ranking: 2

Current status: In

Buy. Injuries are piling up (Carl Hagelin, Nic Dowd, Nicklas Backstrom) but the Caps will sustain their success, thanks to one of the league's top offenses (3.52 goals per game).

4. St. Louis Blues

Previous ranking: 4

Current status: In

Buy. The Blues are banged up but still finding ways to win. Just imagine if they get Vladimir Tarasenko back in time for the playoffs.

5. Edmonton Oilers

Previous ranking: 6

Current status: In

Buy. One player might not be able to will a team into the playoffs alone -- but perhaps two can. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are No. 1 and No. 2 in league scoring and looking as dominant as ever.

6. Carolina Hurricanes

Previous ranking: 9

Current status: In

Buy. Coach Rod Brind'Amour's main goal was to build off of last season's run. He's not totally satisfied with where his team is, but that's to be expected with so many new faces in the lineup.

7. Dallas Stars

Previous ranking: 11

Current status: In

Buy. The Stars are starting to look like their best selves, and the offense is clicking. They've also regained form on defense and in net (since their hot streak started on Oct. 19, Dallas has given up a league-low 32 goals in a span of 17 games).

8. Arizona Coyotes

Previous ranking: 7

Current status: In

Buy. The Coyotes' seven-year playoff drought feels destined to end this season. Thank the NHL's best goaltending tandem: Darcy Kuemper (.943 save percentage) and Antti Raanta (.926).

9. Florida Panthers

Previous ranking: 8

Current status: In

Buy. Joel Quenneville brought his winning ways to Florida, and everything is going to plan. As long as Sergei Bobrovsky regains his form, this will be a scary team to face this spring.

10. Winnipeg Jets

Previous ranking: 12

Current status: In

Sell. Paul Maurice deserves consideration for coach of the year; he has guided this group to wins, despite relentless distractions since the summer. That said, the blue line will eventually get exposed.

11. Colorado Avalanche

Previous ranking: 5

Current status: In

Buy. We saw how dominant the Avalanche could look when everyone is healthy. Just when we feared the injury list was getting too long, it appears Mikko Rantanen is close to returning.

12. Pittsburgh Penguins

Previous ranking: 13

Current status: In

Buy. The Penguins' efforts without Evgeni Malkin, and now Sidney Crosby, missing from the lineup have been admirable. But the improvements on defense perhaps have been even more impressive.

13. Montreal Canadiens

Previous ranking: 10

Current status: In

Sell. We're not saying blowing a 4-0 lead to the Rangers is the only reason we're worried about the Canadiens, but it's one of them. The long-term injury to Jonathan Drouin is also troubling.

14. Tampa Bay Lightning

Previous ranking: 18

Current status: Out

Sell. The Lightning are too talented to miss out on the playoffs altogether. They still have the league's best power play, plus superstars on the verge of going on a tear.

15. San Jose Sharks

Previous ranking: 17

Current status: In

Buy. The Sharks got off to a slow start, but they got going with enough time to make up ground. Their league-best penalty kill (91.4%) can help them down the stretch.

16. Vancouver Canucks

Previous ranking: 14

Current status: In

Sell. The Canucks are a plucky young team and the future is bright. But they seem to be falling into old habits, like not consistently showing up for every game.

17. Philadelphia Flyers

Previous ranking: 15

Current status: In

Sell. It has been troubling to see Shayne Gostisbehere struggle; the former top defenseman got the healthy scratch treatment twice this week.

18. Vegas Golden Knights

Previous ranking: 16

Current status: Out

Sell. OK, so the Golden Knights are going through a rough patch. Their talented top six is too talented to slump for too long, and Marc-Andre Fleury is back to doing Marc-Andre Fleury things on a regular basis.

19. Toronto Maple Leafs

Previous ranking: 23

Current status: Out

Sell. Who knows if Sheldon Keefe is the long-term answer. However, it sure looks as if he'll get more out of this group for the rest of the season than Mike Babcock would have.

20. Nashville Predators

Previous ranking: 21

Current status: Out

Sell. The Predators' goaltending has been abysmal lately, but we have faith in Pekka Rinne to figure it out. Seeing Juuse Saros get back-to-back starts (while Rinne is healthy) should be a wake-up call for the veteran.

21. New York Rangers

Previous ranking: 26

Current status: Out

Buy. The Rangers are hanging around, which will tantalize fans. While certain players (like Artemi Panarin) have been consistently awesome, the coaching staff still has to manage the development of many young players.

22. Buffalo Sabres

Previous ranking: 22

Current status: Out

Buy. The Sabres had a hot start, and unlike last season, they haven't completely collapsed. However, they haven't looked amazing either. Mediocre and inconsistent play since the 10-game winning streak probably keeps them out.

23. Chicago Blackhawks

Previous ranking: 19

Current status: Out

Buy. Despite spectacular goaltending, the Blackhawks have been a confusing team. They're poised to go on another few small runs, but it is probably another transition season for the club.

24. Calgary Flames

Previous ranking: 20

Current status: Out

Buy. The Flames just endured a six-game losing streak in which they were outscored 23-5. Calgary was the West's best team last season; right now, the Flames are a mess.

25. Anaheim Ducks

Previous ranking: 24

Current status: Out

Buy. The Ducks look more competitive than they did last season. Fans should be encouraged that this team is getting much younger, especially at forward.

26. Columbus Blue Jackets

Previous ranking: 25

Current status: Out

Buy. You can look for bright spots in the 2019-20 campaign, but the Blue Jackets don't have enough overall talent to make the playoffs, and slumping veterans haven't helped.

27. Ottawa Senators

Previous ranking: 27

Current status: Out

Buy. This season was supposed to be a write-off, but the Senators are much better than expected. That doesn't mean good enough for the playoffs, though.

28. New Jersey Devils

Previous ranking: 29

Current status: Out

Buy. The Devils' weakness in net has been exposed, and the guys playing in front of the goalies haven't been nearly good enough to overcompensate.

29. Minnesota Wild

Previous ranking: 30

Current status: Out

Buy. To get to the playoffs, the Wild would first have to win more than two consecutive games (which they have yet to do this season). As an aside, Minnesota is quite bad in overtime.

30. Los Angeles Kings

Previous ranking: 31

Current status: Out

Buy. The stars aren't stepping up, and the Kings have removed Ilya Kovalchuk from the lineup. The rebuild isn't always pretty.

31. Detroit Red Wings

Previous ranking: 28

Current status: Out

Buy. Well, at least when we look back at the Steve Yzerman-as-GM era in Detroit, this should be the worst of it.

There were iconic moments we'll never forget (Tiger at Augusta).

There were controversies that still simmer (looking at you, Kuch).

There were shots, pot shots and renewed calls for shot clocks (you're all to blame)!

But these were some of the moments from 2019 that left us with only one possible response ...

What the hell?

Phil's hotel catches fire

Phil Mickelson nearly missed his final round of the 2018-19 season at the BMW Championship outside Chicago. Roughly 90 minutes before his tee time, Mickelson tweeted that lightning hit the top floor of his hotel, sparking a fire and leaving him unable to return to his room. 

Mickelson estimated that he was locked out for an hour and a half and attributed his eventual re-entry and subsequent arrival at Medinah to the power of social media. He pulled into the club parking lot approximately 40 minutes ahead of his tee time, wearing flip flops, and proceeded to take some practice swings next to his courtesy car.

Scary scenes in Charleston and Atlanta

Lightning stuck twice at a pair of high-profile events this summer, reminding players and tournament-goers alike not to take chances when storms roll in.

First up, a severe thunderstorm halted play for nearly two hours at the U.S. Women's Open at the Country Club of Charleston back in May.

Less than three months later, six fans were injured when lightning struck a pine tree near the 16th tee at East Lake Golf Club during the Tour Championship.

'He just did not care'

News of one of the highest U.S. Amateur qualifying scores ever recorded made the rounds in July, a shocking 18-hole total of 194 that got both low-handicappers and hackers talking.

A day later, the Florida State Golf Association, which ran the July 15-16 qualifier at Mayacoo Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., confirmed to GolfChannel.com that there was, in fact, a scoring error.

The correct score was actually 131-over 202.

Darin Green, the FSGA’s director of rules and competitions, said via email that the player, 33-year-old Trey Bilardello of Jupiter, Fla., signed for 202, but the person entering scores didn’t know how to input anything higher than 19 on a single hole.

Speaking of high scores ...

Lee Ann Walker was walloped with 58 penalty strokes over two days, including 42 in the first round of the Senior LPGA Championship.

The penalties were added to her scores after Tuesday’s second round, when her opening-round score was adjusted to 127 and her second round to 90. Each violation of Rule 10.2b(4), which prohibits a caddie from lining up a player, was a two-shot penalty. They were assessed after Walker realized during the second round that she was violating the new rule, which was implemented at the start of this year.

Na's tearful message in Korean

Moments after securing a playoff victory in his home town at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, Kevin Na appeared on the brink of tears while delivering an impassioned speech in Korean to fans in his native country.

According to a Golf Channel translation, Na's comments in Korean amounted to the following: "To my Korean fans, for always supporting and believing in me despite all these false rumors, I want to say thank you. No matter what anyone said about me, I have been very happy. So as I kept my mouth shut, I feel like I showed you my feelings with my clubs today. Even as I bit my tongue, I have gotten to this point. Thank you to my fans again. I will see you soon at the CJ Cup."

Less than a week later, Na revealed that the message was in reference to a past engagement with a South Korean woman that was broken off in 2014. “There have been too many rumors and false statements and it’s been very hurtful. Now I have a family and I feel I need to protect them and my name,” he said. "I hadn't planned to say anything but I couldn't help it. I'm sorry I rambled on so long and confused all the viewers in the U.S."

@JustinThomas34 vs. @USGA_PR

There was no shortage of backlash to the new Rules of Golf early in 2019, and relations between PGA Tour players and the USGA appeared as strained as ever — and that's really saying something. But this time, things turned personal, as they tend to do on Twitter.

On Saturday night of Honda Classic week, the @USGA_PR account, turning public relations on its head, offered this response to a Thomas tweetstorm: 

Hours later came this follow-up:

The next day, Thomas refuted the claims and expressed his disappointment.

Brooks loses weight — and his clothes

At first, Brooks Koepka wouldn't say why he had decided to cut 25 pounds, offering only "you'll see" for an explanation. That led to the beginning of a back-and-forth with our own Brandel Chamblee, who during Masters week called called Koepka’s diet the “most reckless self-sabotage I have ever seen.”

But it was an open secret: Koepka had shed some pounds so he could shed his clothes for ESPN The Magazine's Body Issue.

In addition to posing naked, Koepka also won the PGA Championship and picked up two other PGA Tour victories, so he gets the trophies, the photo shoot and the last laugh.

Calf-a-mania is running wild

Speaking of body parts we didn't think we'd ever see — Phil Mickelson's calves!

A secret for too long hidden by the evils of long pants, Mickelson's lower leg muscles were finally out in their full glory during practice rounds in 2019.

“Well, when you have calves like these you can't help but have high self-esteem, walk around with incredible confidence,” Mickelson said last month in Vegas. “Whether I'm wearing shorts or not, and they're hidden, I know that they're there, and so I hold my chest out.”

Who knew?

Lexi loses passport; chaos ensues

The only thing worse than misplacing your passport is messing up your fellow tour pros' major-championship prep. Unfortunately, Lexi Thompson did both.

With the LPGA playing back-to-back majors at the Evian Championship in France and the Women's British Open in England, Thompson accidentally left her passport in her golf bag, which was on a truck headed to Woburn.

Lexi's caddie managed to retrieve the passport, but the delay caused the truck's driver to miss his scheduled ferry to England, delaying almost 40 sets of clubs for the women readying to play the Women's British.

Thompson said no player confronted her about her passport debacle and the grief it caused many fellow pros Monday at the AIG Women’s British Open, but ... 

“I can kind of feel it,” Thompson said Wednesday when she met with the media at Woburn Golf Club. “I do apologize. I would be upset, too, if I was the other players.”

You can dance if you want to — or not

For the second year in a row, Brooke Henderson took the title at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii, but unlike in 2018, when she tried — key word being "tried" — to do the celebratory hula dance, this time she just stood and watched.

In fairness to Brooke, had she danced again, she'd probably be getting a shoutout in this column, too. Let's have her go for three in a row and all meet back here next year.

A man, a McDonald's cup, and a cart

John Daly had his request to ride in a cart granted at the PGA Championship, and our Ryan Lavner followed the two-time major winner during his opening round at Bethpage Black. Here's just a little bit of color:

Daly opens the door and gingerly slips out of the backseat. He’s wearing $110 New York Yankees-themed Loudmouth pants and holding a 21-ounce McDonald’s cup filled with Diet Coke. Standing next to his bag, he fiddles in his pocket for a cigarette.

“You have a couple hundred yards to go,” the official instructs him, pointing through the trees toward No. 10. “But we’ve got a cart on the way.”

Daly takes a drag. A few minutes pass.

“The hardest part is getting the cart,” he grumbles.

Read the whole thing right here: 

Driver testing prompts criticism, concern

Last on our list, we go from Daly driving down the fairway to guys like Xander Schauffele and Michael Thompson just trying to drive it in the fairway without the governing bodies taking away their clubs.

Schauffele spoke out both during and after The Open Championship when it was leaked that his driver failed a Characteristic Time (CT) test conducted by the R&A. Suddenly, driver testing morphed from a forgettable pre-tournament note to a major storyline.

Three months later, once the PGA Tour implemented its own driver-testing program with assistance from the USGA, yet more names were leaked. One of the drivers that failed the test belonged to Michael Thompson, who shared his concerns about the program to GolfChannel.com at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Club testing has brought it with a fair amount of questions, including a not-so-subtle "WTH?"

Luis Enrique has branded his predecessor and former assistant Robert Moreno as "disloyal" in a presentation for his return to his role as Spain coach.

Moreno took temporary charge of the national team in March when Luis Enrique's daughter was diagnosed with bone cancer, before being appointed on a full-time basis in June.

Moreno left the job last Tuesday after Spain completed their qualification for Euro 2020 with a 5-0 win over Romania, with Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales saying: "It was left clear that when Luis Enrique wanted to return, he could."

Speaking at a news conference at the national team's headquarters in Las Rozas on Wednesday, Luis Enrique said: "I feel obliged to give more explanations than I would like, because this controversy has been generated by someone who worked with me for many years.

"I had a meeting with Robert Moreno on Sept. 12. It's the only contact I've had with him. We met for 20 to 30 minutes at my house.

"It was clear he wanted to coach at the Euros. It wasn't a surprise, I saw it coming, I understand -- he's ambitious. But for me it was disloyal.

"I don't want anyone like that in my staff. It's a huge defect. I understand his position, but I'd never share it."

Luis Enrique has been given a contract until the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and his backroom staff will remain the same, with the notable absence of Moreno.

When asked last week if their relationship had broken down, Moreno told reporters: "I don't know, ask him. It's best if it stays between us. I don't have anything to say, because I don't think it would be good for anyone, least of all me."

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The turbulent reign of president Rubiales has seen five Spain coaches in the last 17 months, with Luis Enrique being introduced on Wednesday in the same room as his first presentation in July 2018.

He was forced to leave the team on the eve of a European Championship qualifier in Malta in March after his daughter Xana's diagnosis. She passed away in August at the age of nine.

"I'm not the bad guy here, but I'm not the good guy either," Luis Enrique said about the manner of his return.

"I don't regret anything, but I don't feel proud of seeing people suffer. I feel responsible. That's the reality and part of the blame is mine."

Luis Enrique will attend Saturday's Euro 2020 group stage draw in Bucharest, in which Spain will be seeded.