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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Defector

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

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Merch v3

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Ray Ratto

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 20: The Utah Hockey Club salutes the crowd after a win against the Winnipeg Jets on January 20, 2025 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Hunter Dyke/NHLI via Getty Images)

Winnipeg Jets v Utah Hockey Club

Utah Yeti? Not Yeti

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Barry Petchesky

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 21: Matt Rempe #73 of the New York Rangers and Brady Tkachuk #7 of the Ottawa Senators battle at Madison Square Garden on January 21, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Ottawa Senators v New York Rangers

Up Close And Personal With Good Matt Rempe

VANCOUVER, CANADA - JANUARY 18: Conor Garland #8 of the Vancouver Canucks checks Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers during the third period of their NHL game at Rogers Arena on January 18, 2025 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vancouver won 3-2. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

Edmonton Oilers v Vancouver Canucks

Connor McDavid Has Three Games To Think About What He’s Done

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Ryan McLeod #71 of the Buffalo Sabres skates with the puck against Sean Walker #26 of the Carolina Hurricanes during an NHL game on January 15, 2025 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

Carolina Hurricanes v Buffalo Sabres

How To Complete A Hat Trick Without Taking A Shot

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 31: Tyler Bertuzzi #59 of the Chicago Blackhawks and Ryan Suter #22 of the St. Louis Blues look to the puck during the third period of the Discover NHL Winter Classic between the St. Louis Blues and the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field on December 31, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Discover NHL Winter Classic – St Louis Blues v Chicago Blackhawks

The NHL Has Given Up On New Year’s Day

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Elias Pettersson #40 and J.T. Miller #9 of the Vancouver Canucks discuss game play during the second period of their NHL game against the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena on December 23, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

San Jose Sharks v Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver’s Favorite Sport Isn’t Hockey, It’s Talking About Locker-Room Beefs

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - DECEMBER 15: Filip Chytil #72 of the New York Rangers reacts after losing to the St. Louis Blues 3-2 at Enterprise Center on December 15, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

New York Rangers v St Louis Blues

What Is Up With The Rangers?

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Lauren Theisen

Dylan Cozens #24 of the Buffalo Sabres is driven toward the net

New York Rangers v Buffalo Sabres

Sabres Still Bad

OSHAWA, ON - DECEMBER 5: Stuffed animals get ready for the annual Teddy Bear toss between the Kingston Frontenacs and Oshawa Generals in an OHL game at the Tribute Communities Centre on December 5, 2019 in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)

Kinston Frontenacs v Oshawa Generals

Top NHL Prospect Suspended For Disrespecting Teddy Bears

Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov (97) is mauled by teammates after scoring an overtime game-winning goal

NHL: DEC 03 Canucks at Wild

The Wild Are Running … Uh, You Know

Macklin Celebrini celebrates after scoring an overtime game winner

NHL: NOV 18 Red Wings at Sharks

Macklin Celebrini Stripped The Red Wings Of Any Remaining Dignity

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 17: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates his goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period at T-Mobile Arena on November 17, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)

Washington Capitals v Vegas Golden Knights

Alex Ovechkin Refuses To Slow Down

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Rasmus Dahlin #26 of the Buffalo Sabres scores the over time winning goal during an NHL game on November 14, 2024 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Chris Conaway Jr./NHLI via Getty Images)

St Louis Blues v Buffalo Sabres

Big-Brained Buffalo Boys Beat Blues By Brilliant Blueprint

Olli Maatta #2 of the Utah Hockey Club celebrates with goaltender Karel Vejmelka

Carolina Hurricanes v Utah Hockey Club

Utah Hockey Club Becomes A Utah Hockey Team

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 12: Gabriel Vilardi #13 of the Winnipeg Jets celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the second period against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on November 12, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)

Winnipeg Jets v New York Rangers

Gabe Vilardi, You Filthy Boy

Goaltenders Connor Hellebuyck (left, in a helmet) and Eric Comrie (right, arms flung up as if to give a big hug) of the Winnipeg Jets celebrate following a 7-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Tampa Bay Lightning v Winnipeg Jets

Might As Well Believe In The Winnipeg Jets

Macklin Celebrini #71 of the San Jose Sharks takes the ice through the Shark Head

St. Louis Blues v San Jose Sharks

Today’s The Big Day

ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 15: Filip Gustavsson #32 of the Minnesota Wild celebrates his empty net goal against the St. Louis Blues on October 15, 2024 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Rovak/NHLI via Getty Images)

Minnesota Wild v St Louis Blues

A Short History Of The Goalie Goal

COLUMBUS, OHIO - OCTOBER 15: A banner honoring Columbus Blue Jackets player Johnny Gaudreau is raised to the rafters before a game against the Florida Panthers in the home opener at Nationwide Arena on October 15, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. Gaudreau along with his brother Matthew were killed by a driver while biking in Salem County, New Jersey in August. at Nationwide Arena on October 15, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

Florida Panthers v Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus’s Johnny Gaudreau Tribute Was A Thank You, Not A Goodbye

Chicago Blackhawks v Utah Hockey Club

There’s Officially Hockey In Utah Now

NHL 2024 preview

Love, Hate, Clairvoyance: Your 2024–25 NHL Preview

TORONTO, ON - MAY 2: William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates with mascot Carlton the Bear after defeating the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 2, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)

Boston Bruins v Toronto Maple Leafs – Game Six

It’s Autumn And The Leafs Are Falling

Columbus Blue Jackets v Carolina Hurricanes

Johnny Gaudreau And His Brother Matthew Have Died

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 26: Patrik Laine #29 of the Columbus Blue Jackets looks on during the warmups of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on November 26, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images)*** Local Caption ***Patrik Laine

Bad Contracts Expose Bad Teams

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: An exterior general view is seen of Sphere prior to the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft on June 26, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held at the Sphere on June 28 and 29, 2024. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft – Previews

Journalismism

Jeff Marek Got Fired For Leaking Draft Picks To The Wrong Person