PARIS – Formula E has been granted world championship status by the FIA, in a vote that will see the series recognized as the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship beginning with the 2020/21 season.

The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, the governing and sanctioning body for world motorsport, and sitting members of the FIA World Motor Sport Council recently voted upon and agreed to move forward with certifying Formula E as an FIA world championship.

Formula E Founder and Chairman Alejandro Agag – alongside FIA President Jean Todt – signed the agreement together at FIA headquarters at Place de la Concorde in Paris to officially confirm world championship status for season seven.

“It was always our ambition to one day become an FIA world championship,” said Agag. “Everything we have done and delivered to this point has been working towards this particular moment in time. Achieving the feat and being granted with FIA world championship status adds more credibility to what is already a fully-fledged formula of racing and a spectacular sporting product. This agreement and announcement truly puts Formula E in the top tier of international single-seater racing. It has been a tremendous effort from many people involved and none of it would have been possible without the support of FIA President Jean Todt and the federation, as well as the dedication and commitment shown by our teams and partners. Now we can say we have done it. But it is only the beginning of a new chapter under the banner of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.”

“The creation and development of Formula E has been a great adventure,” said Todt. “I am proud that today we confirm its FIA world championship status. Since we started this journey, Formula E has undoubtedly gone from strength to strength. Within a short timeframe, the series has proven itself relevant for the automotive industry with two more major car manufacturers having joined the championship at the start of the current season, bringing the total number to 10. The commitment and professionalism of those manufacturers and their respective teams is mirrored in the quality of the driver roster, which has improved with every season. Since its first race in Beijing in 2014 and with every E-Prix thereafter, Formula E has proven that the concept of cutting-edge electric racing works. I wholeheartedly welcome Formula E as the latest FIA world championship.”

Each week on GolfChannel.com, we’ll examine which players’ stocks and trends are rising and falling in the world of golf. This is the year-end version.

RISING

Tiger (+10%): A major was the next logical step after his resurgent 2018, but still: The quick Sunday turnaround, the 54-hole deficit, the 12^th-hole collapses – the Masters might not have been Woods’ greatest performance, but it was the most personally significant. More history awaits in 2020.

Jin Young Ko (+9%): For the second time in as many years, a player swept all of the major LPGA awards in an addition to being world No. 1. But unlike Ariya Jutanugarn, Ko’s game has no real weaknesses and she seems unfazed in the top spot.

Brooks/Rory (+8%): The men’s game is too deep for two players to separate themselves, but Koepka and McIlroy are a fascinating contrast in styles and personalities – and that’s the key ingredient in any rivalry. 

Generation Next (+7%): Pay a little closer attention to next year’s NCAAs – you might be watching a future Tour winner. That was the case this year, at least, with Matthew Wolff and Collin Morikawa each winning a few months after being the big man on campus. For the amateur elite, the transition time to the pros is virtually nonexistent.

Augusta National Women’s Amateur (+6%): In one of the year’s pleasant surprises, the top two amateurs in the glitzy field ignited roars and battled on the second nine at Augusta National. Jennifer Kupcho and Maria Fassi put on a dazzling display of talent and sportsmanship that set the foundation for future growth.

Brendon Todd (+5%): Left for dead after developing the full-swing yips, Todd persevered and (twice) became a Tour winner again to solidify his reputation as one of the game’s grittiest grinders. 

Nelly Korda (+4%): The telegenic 21-year-old has ripped off three wins in the past 14 months, leapfrogging the other Americans in the world rankings and positioning herself for a major title in 2020. 

Jon Rahm (+3%): The only missing piece in his arsenal was maturity, and Rahm, 25 and about to be married, seems to have found an inner peace. We’ll continue to believe in his world-beating potential.  

Bernd Wiesberger (+2%): His three wins (and two Rolex Series titles) this season defied explanation, not just because they came after a serious wrist injury, but more because he wasn’t particularly proficient in any facet of the game. But when he’s hot, he can win, and now he just might make the European Ryder Cup team.

Patrick Cantlay (+1%): He’s gotten incrementally better each of the past three years, and his strokes-gained numbers suggest he’s due for a multiple-win season in 2020. He’s good – really, really good. 

FALLING

Lexi Thompson (-1%): Save for a three-start stretch in the summer, the former prodigy looked awfully pedestrian in 2019 and, in a sign of desperation, began working with a new swing coach. Still just 24, she’s too talented to own just one major title.

Matt Kuchar (-2%): On the course it was his most profitable season yet: two wins, two runners-up, nearly $6.3 million in earnings. But his golly-gee reputation was irreparably damaged with a series of head-scratching decisions, from defending the stiffing of his caddie to his role in a couple of shady rulings. 

Francesco Molinari (-3%): Tiger may have broken The Machine. Ever since his watery demise at Augusta National, Molinari has failed to post a top-10 and reconfigured the team around him. All good things must come to an end.

Jason Day (-4%): In his worst season since 2012, Day rarely contended, couldn’t make it work with caddie Steve Williams and got hurt. Again. The big question now: Will he retool his violent swing to prolong his career?

Lydia Ko (-5%): Ah, what could have been for the former world No. 1 who now looks more like a cautionary tale. Short and crooked off the tee is usually a one-way ticket to irrelevance, and Ko is trending that direction. 

Jordan Spieth (-6%): Now two-and-a-half years removed from his last win, Spieth unfortunately appears no closer to a long-term solution: His ball-striking is in disarray, his weekend scoring average is abysmal and his boyhood idol, Tiger Woods, passed up the chance to add him to the Presidents Cup team. Brutal.

Slow play (-7%): Rather than enforce its current policy, the Tour will instead roll out a new plan that supposedly cracks down on individual players instead of their groups. That’s progress, except the bad times still won’t be publicized. A little public shaming would go a long way.

Bubba Watson (-8%): Now 41, and with a host of other interests, the window appears closed on Bubba Golf. He’ll soon be outside the top 50.

Sergio Garcia (-9%): Remember when the scowling, petulant brat was supposedly transformed by a major win and fatherhood? Oops. Garcia had yet another year to forget with a couple of high-profile, caught-on-camera temper tantrums that overshadowed a 10 top-10 year.

Phil Mickelson (-10%): His emergence as a social-media star this year was unexpected, if only because his 2019 began with so much promise on the course. Almost eligible for the senior tour, can Lefty rediscover his game, reverse his tanking world ranking and qualify for another U.S. team? The eye test, sadly, says no.

The 13th Presidents Cup takes place Dec. 12-15 in Melbourne, Australia. The biennial competition features a team of 12 U.S. players against a team of 12 International (non-European) players. Golf Channel has live coverage from start to finish.

Here's how you can watch on TV and online, including PGA Tour Live on NBC Sports Gold (click here). And join the social media conversation by following Golf Channel on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and using hashtag #PresidentsCup.

Presidents Cup programming guide (all times ET and on Golf Channel, unless otherwise noted):

Monday, December 9:
7-9AM: Morning Drive
7PM-1AM: Live From the Presidents Cup

Tuesday, December 10:
7-9AM: Morning Drive
7PM-2AM: Live From the Presidents Cup

Wednesday, December 11:
7-10AM: Morning Drive
3:30-5:30PM: Live From the Presidents Cup
5:30PM-Midnight: Presidents Cup, Day 1 (click here to watch online)
Midnight-2AM: Live From the Presidents Cup

Thursday, December 12:
7-10AM: Morning Drive
4:30-7PM: Live From the Presidents Cup
7PM-Midnight: Presidents Cup, Day 2 (click here to watch online)
Midnight-2AM: Live From the Presidents Cup

Friday, December 13:
7-8AM: Morning Drive
2-3PM: Live From the Presidents Cup
3PM-2AM: Presidents Cup, Day 3 (click here to watch online)
2-4AM: Live From the Presidents Cup

Saturday, December 14:
10AM-Noon: Morning Drive
2:30-6PM: Presidents Cup, Day 3 replay on NBC Sports
4-6PM: Live From the Presidents Cup
6PM-Midnight: Presidents Cup, Day 4 (click here to watch online)
Midnight-2AM: Live From the Presidents Cup

Sunday, December 15:
10AM-Noon: Morning Drive
1-6PM: Presidents Cup, Day 4 replay on NBC Sports

MANCHESTER, England -- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he does not fear the sack at Manchester United.

United are ninth in the Premier League table after their worst start to a season since 1988 and sit closer to the relegation places than the top four ahead of Wednesday's visit of Tottenham.

"It doesn't make me concerned," Solskjaer said. "I'm just focusing on my job and that's doing as well as I can, looking forward to the next game."

Solskjaer's United have taken 26 points from the 22 league games since he was appointed permanent manager in March. Mauricio Pochettino was sacked by Tottenham after collecting 25 points from his last 22 games in charge. Meanwhile, Unai Emery was dismissed by Arsenal having taken 28 points from his final 22 games.

Pochettino has said he intends to get back into management soon following his departure from Spurs but Solskjaer has said he is purely focused on turning United's season around.

"Football is a results business. We're not happy, we know we can do better and we are working hard," Solskjaer added, while also ruling out Paul Pogba for the visit of Jose Mourinho's men.

"The work is always geared on us improving but we're not getting all the results we've deserved."

United have won just four of their 14 league games this term, and after the 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, they are on a run of three games without a win in all competitions.

Solskjaer, however, insists it is not the time for crisis talks with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and the Glazers.

"We speak all the time so it's not like knee jerk suddenly now we need to talk," Solskjaer said.

"We speak a few times every week so it's continually progressing, the plans we've put in place, the rebuilding we know we started. We made some decisions that were necessary and now of course we're not happy where we are, but we will continue working."

Solskjaer is facing a tough week with Tottenham's visit followed by a trip to Manchester City on Saturday. It will be Mourinho's first time back on the touchline at Old Trafford after he was sacked by United a year ago and Solskjaer is expecting the Portuguese coach, who has guided Spurs to three straight victories, to get a warm welcome.

"He will get a very good reception and that's just a testament to this club and these supporters," Solskjaer said.

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"They remember two-and-a-half years, winning trophies and I'm 100 percent sure our fans, staff and the club will welcome him. I don't think whoever is manager of the opposition will change motivation [for the players]. They are motivated to do well for Man United."

Pogba has returned to training after missing two months with a ankle injury but will not be fit to face Tottenham. Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic, meanwhile, are rated as "touch and go".

"Paul is not ready, no," Solskjaer added. "He's still a bit away but he's working hard so let's see. Let's see how long it will take. "We've got more games than this one. We can't look at just the one game, we have to look at long-term."

It's time to admit that James Harden is the NBA's best scorer since Michael Jordan.

On Saturday night, Harden dropped 60 points on the Atlanta Hawks in less than three quarters of play. It was another virtuoso performance by the world's greatest offensive basketball player. Through 19 games, Harden is averaging an incredible 38.9 points per game and, barring injury, he's on pace to win his third consecutive scoring title, something only MJ and Kevin Durant have done in the 3-point era.

But the most stunning thing about Harden isn't his numbers -- it's his style. He's a rarity in pro basketball, regularly inventing new fundamentals. We haven't seen scoring numbers this big since a 23-year-old Jordan put up 37.1 PPG. Before that, the only comparison was Wilt Chamberlain's prime in the early 1960s. And Harden thrives much like Chamberlain did -- in the kinds of isolated one-on-one matchups that were supposed to be dead by now.

Hero ball is back and we owe it all Harden, whose offensive techniques are reforming the conventional wisdom of the modern NBA in real time. Very few people thought Harden would get even better and more productive following an incomprehensible scoring season in 2018-19. Ever after pairing up with Russell Westbrook, here is how Harden is doing things nobody else has ever done in ways that no one has ever even tried.

MORE: NBA Power Rankings

Harden's isolation feast

Let's start with Harden's 60-burger against Atlanta: His 24 shot attempts was the fewest ever in a 60-point game in NBA history. He shot 8-for-10 in the paint, 8-for-14 from 3-point range and 20-for-23 from the free throw line. Pure Harden -- tons of 3s, a handful of rim attacks and a mind-numbing volume of foul shots. But shot selection is one thing. It's how he's getting to these shots that's truly unusual.

Of those 60 points, 31 came straight out of isolation plays. His 17 isos were actually below his season average of 18.5, according to Second Spectrum data. For context, no other player has logged more than 12 isos per game in a season dating back to 2013-14, which is the furthest back we have tracking data.

Harden is both the most efficient and the most active perimeter isolation player in the world.

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Harden's isolation volume and efficiency are both tops in the league. Over 50% of Harden's points stem from isos. None of the league's 11 other 25 PPG scorers are even approaching 30%. While most other teams in the NBA frown upon hero ball as an inefficient strategy reserved only for necessary moments, the Rockets have reached the opposite conclusion simply because they have Harden. He is an offense unto himself, and the numbers are startling.

Consider this: Since the beginning of the 2017-18 season, 122 NBA players have run at least 200 isolation plays, and Harden leads the way with 1.14 points per iso. The average half-court play in the NBA has only been worth 0.96 points this season, so the Rockets would be foolish not to exploit such a giant margin. At the end of a decade that will be remembered for its analytical awakening, Harden and the Rockets are making us rethink the virtues of hero ball, a ridiculed tactic that looked left for dead years ago as motion offenses started dominating the league.

We can't track pure isos back earlier than 2013-14, but we do have data on assisted and unassisted field goals dating back to 2000-01, via Basketball-Reference.com. Fewer than 14% of Harden's made field goals from this season and last season have been assisted. Here's that breakdown for the season-long scoring champs with at least 30 PPG over the past two decades.

Harden isn't even a throwback to early-2000s hero ball -- those dudes like Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady can't compare to Harden's on-an-island approach. More than a third of their buckets came with the help of an assist. Harden is really a revamped version of Chamberlain's squads from back in the day: Get the ball to your best player and get the heck out of the way. Rinse and repeat.

Why do anything different? Why run motion sets or even pass the ball when your best player and primary ball handler is unstoppable? Why not just let him bring the ball up and let him do his thing? The answers to those questions are fueling the NBA's most unconventional offense. Dating back to 2013-14 ...

• ... no team has passed the ball less frequently than the 2019-20 Rockets

• ... and no team has run more isolation plays than the 2019-20 Rockets

Pass less, isolate more, harvest buckets.

How the isos work

NBA history is lined with dominant scorers like Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O'Neal who used to camp out down on the block. Harden sets up at the top of the arc, but the idea is the same: Let your superstar devastate lonely defenders. It might be the most tried and true strategy in basketball history, but not everyone is amused.

Many observers, including myself from time to time, have derided the monotonous aesthetic of Rockets basketball. Critics argue there's too much dribbling and not enough passing. The whole thing is gimmicky, predictable and tiresome.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey sees some hypocrisy there.

"Nobody was mad when Kareem was getting it dozens of times per game," Morey told ESPN.

He also believes that some critics are tougher on Harden because he's doing this as a guard and not as a big.

"There's a long-held basketball perception that the guy who holds the ball initially shouldn't shoot," he said. "Even when you play pickup, there's a rule that the guy who checks it in can't shoot."

Many of Harden's key iso sequences do begin as soon as he brings the ball up the floor. At that point, he becomes the most dangerous man in the NBA.

More than two-thirds of his isos end with him taking a shot, and his 1.34 points per possession on those plays is a better mark than all but two NBA offenses this season, per Second Spectrum data. Another 13% of the time, Harden draws a foul on his isos, leading to a nearly automatic 1.72 points per possession. You can't do much better than that. An offense made up entirely of Harden isos leading to shots and fouls would average more than 140 points per game based on those scoring rates.

He also almost always makes the right play and is more than willing to give the ball up. This season, he's creating 20.9 points per game via assists. On the 14% of iso possessions when Harden passes, Houston generates 1.19 points. One other underrated Harden edge is that he only has 12 total turnovers out of isolations all season, making up just 3% of his solo plays.

But here's the stat that really matters: 51% of Harden's isos lead to a 3-pointer from himself or a teammate.

The dominant trends of the 2010s were never really about ball movement or motion. They were always about 3-point shooting and the quest for efficiency. For a few years in the middle part of the decade, it looked as though beautiful, pass-happy offenses were the best way to harvest more triples. Think of the San Antonio Spurs team that took a title from LeBron James' Miami Heat or of Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors.

But then Harden started to develop his step-back in the iso lab. Now, as we approach the end of this decade, his signature move enables him to generate valuable 3-point shots at will, making him the league's most prolific threat from deep. Harden is on pace to break his own record for the most 3-point attempts in a season with 1,143. And more impressively, at his current clip, he's on track to sink 405 total 3s, breaking Curry's record of 402 from 2015-16.

The final element that makes Harden's iso game work so well is the phenomenal countermove to his step-back 3: He's the NBA's most active driver.

Since the beginning of last season, Harden is averaging a mind-blowing 19.6 drives per game, and he's pretty good at it. Out of 187 players with at least 200 drives over that period, only Durant and James have been more efficient. Despite that league-leading volume, an average Harden drive yields 1.12 points -- again, a huge upgrade over an average NBA half-court chance.

Harden's historic efficiency

Between all the step-backs and driving rim attacks, Harden produces a predictable shot signature. His chart reveals just two areas of real activity: beyond the arc and in the paint.

Despite awesome scoring totals, Harden's percentages from the field aren't as dominant as other great scorers. He converts his shots at average rates, but that's deceptive because he hedges on efficiency by only shooting in the best spots. And he achieves a massive subsidy by getting to the line more than anyone else in the NBA.

Harden is the savviest foul-hunting guard this league has ever seen. He's led the NBA in made free throws in each of the past five seasons, but he's taking it to new heights this season. The dude is going to the line 14.4 times per game, and over 12 of his nearly 39 points per night are coming at the charity stripe.

Trivia time: Who was the most recent NBA player to score over 12 PPG at the free throw line? Nobody, folks. No player in NBA history has ever averaged more than 10.6 made free throws per game. Harden is currently scoring more points at the line than teammates Eric Gordon and PJ Tucker are earning overall. Think about it this way: It's feasible for Harden to break Curry's 3-point shooting record and Jerry West's free throw record in the same season. That's astounding.

Even though Harden's step-backs and drives are very good statistical options, they pale in comparison to the boon of the whistle. And while many observers tend to roll their eyes at Harden's foul-drawing antics, opponents do so at their own peril. Harden's ability to draw whistles is central to his game, not just because free throws are ridiculously efficient, but also because it keeps his defenders honest.

In many cases, it even sends them to the bench. Just ask Patrick Beverley:

(Oh, by the way, not only is Harden already the all-time leader in unassisted 3-pointers, he's also the all-time leader in four-point plays with 61.)

When you ask Morey why he thinks Harden is the greatest scorer of this era, his answer -- just like the Rockets' offense -- is simple: "James is generating more points per possession than pretty much anyone in history."

The numbers back up the bold claim. Harden's 48.2 points per 100 possessions last season was more than any player has logged dating back to 1973-74. And this season he's doing it ... again. There's no question that post-Jordan scorers such as Durant, Curry, James and Kobe Bryant are phenomenal. Each has changed the game in his own ways. However, none of them combined volume and efficiency as well as Harden has over this sustained run of excellence.

Maybe hero ball isn't so bad after all. What's wrong with watching a virtuoso? What's so bad about a strategy that showcases the world's best scorer on repeat? Maybe the Rockets are an acquired taste, but I found myself loving every minute of Harden's masterpiece Saturday night. He was making perfect decisions every time down the floor. If you're not impressed, I don't know what to tell you, except that James Harden is a harbinger of what's next. Just watch this season's breakout sensation, Luka Doncic, and you'll see that the future of the league is bending toward Hardenism.

The only true knock against Harden claiming the scoring crown for this era: He has yet to get over the hump in the playoffs, whereas the other contenders have all had defining postseason moments. Does Harden wilt under pressure? If he's so great, why can't he get to the Finals? Hero ball might work in December, but does it work in June? Does it work when the best teams in the league have seven games to focus and solve it?

Until Harden silences those concerns, many folks around the NBA will remain skeptical and refute the idea that he's is an all-time great. But just as it's fair to criticize the Rockets for their playoff failures, you also have to acknowledge that Harden is still just 30 years old, and his team took an all-time dynasty to the brink. Wilt didn't win a title until his 30s. Harden has got time to show us that his superhero ball can do more than just rack up unprecedented regular season stats.

MORE: NBA Power Rankings

For the many thousands of hours executives have spent talking with their counterparts about potential trades since the end of the baseball season, there have been a grand total of four deals involving players who spent all of 2019 in the major leagues. Half of them took place before Monday's tender deadline and involved players who otherwise would've been cut.

To those feeling generous, baseball's offseason is simply a slow burn, building toward a climactic scene, like, say, the 2019 winter meetings, which start Monday in San Diego. And to others, who see the hot stove as a microcosm of the sport's greater issues -- it's ... so ... slow -- this is just another tease, baseball's promise falling short.

With free agency beginning to churn into high gear -- the first nine-figure deal could be coming sooner than later -- and teams that miss out needing fallback options, the trade market is always there. And conversations with more than two dozen executives in recent weeks illustrate a trade market that is filled with available players -- for the right price. The prices have been high, clearly. How exactly they shift will determine whether the winter meetings are indeed livelier than last year's festival of tedium.

Trade discussions, it should be noted, do not take place strictly at the president/general manager level. Midlevel executives talk. Lower-level executives converse. These parleys are not in and of themselves of great import. Talks are talks, simply the first layer of blocks for deals. But now that those foundations are set, teams know the available player pool and can maneuver in that space.

Because so many names have been bandied about, it's easier to separate them into categories for assessment. Some of the strata are overloaded. Others contain a few names. The first consists of just one.

WE MIGHT TRADE MOOKIE BETTS

Candidate: Mookie Betts, of course

Multiple executives this week said they believe a potential trade involving 2018 American League MVP Mookie Betts is unlikely to happen. The Boston Red Sox, who are looking to cut payroll, instead are trying to move salary in the form of a pitcher -- either David Price or Nathan Eovaldi. Which is all well and good, except that to do so, the Red Sox will need to include someone of value.

Because new chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom inherited one of the game's worst farm systems, attaching prospects as a sweetener is tricky. Because the Red Sox want to remain competitive, attaching major league players -- outfielder Andrew Benintendi has been a popular ask this offseason -- is likewise difficult.

It's what makes Boston's position so precarious. All of it stems from the desire to sneak under the $208 million luxury-tax threshold. Why the Red Sox, who are worth more than $3 billion and have won four championships in the past 16 years, need to practice austerity is a reasonable question. Particularly if it brings them back to dealing Betts.

He is the sort of player the Red Sox would seemingly dream of locking up to a long-term deal: homegrown, supremely skilled, beloved. Problem is, Betts wants to test free agency after this season, and if the Red Sox don't re-sign him, the best they get is a compensatory pick around 80th overall. (Or, if they've exceeded the luxury-tax threshold, closer to the 135th-pick range.)

If Boston were to deal Betts now, not only would it dip below the threshold -- Betts could earn upward of $30 million in arbitration this year -- but the return in prospects would far exceed that of a post-2020 draft pick.

Still, as much sense as that makes in the vacuum in which the Red Sox need to get under the threshold -- they don't need to get under the threshold, whispered the narrator -- Betts is going to serve as a reasonable litmus test for the Red Sox under Bloom. If he is working in a world in which the unspoken-but-kinda-spoken mandate is to sneak under the threshold, he must operate there. If Bloom is operating there and believes it is the clearest and most intelligent way to maneuver the Red Sox back to World Series contention, then he will trade Betts. Simple as that. Feelings cannot get in the way. The Red Sox hired Bloom from Tampa Bay to bring a little of the Rays' calculation to an organization that has been guilty of lapsing into operating on emotion.

WE ARE TRADING SOMEONE

Candidates: Willson Contreras, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber, Albert Almora Jr.

The Chicago Cubs have been, according to various executives, "aggressive," "manic," "motivated" and "obvious" in their desire to trade someone. Or someones. The Cubs are going to make a move. They're just not sure what yet.

Contreras is the name bandied about the most, partially because at $5 million or so as a first-time arbitration-eligible player, he's cheap and comes with three full years of control. Bryant, who turns 28 in January, is only four months older than Contreras but could cost quadruple the amount as a third-time-eligible player.

Because Bryant is so costly -- and because there's a risk, albeit slight, that an arbitrator could rule in his favor that the Cubs manipulated his service time and award him an extra day of service, giving him free agency after this season -- teams are hesitant on him. And that complicates matters, because a former MVP going on the trade market for a team with aspirations to win in 2020 is as weird as it sounds. It's simply the calculus these days, in which the balance between now and next is ever-harder to strike.

It's why Rizzo's name comes up in discussions. He seems untradable. The likelihood of the Cubs moving him certainly is lower than the others. But even he could move in this climate.

The Cubs know they need to be creative. They also know the first move they make is perhaps the most important and will set the tone for their winter.

WE ARE PROBABLY NOT TRADING NOLAN ARENADO ... BUT SHOULD WE?

Candidate: Nolan Arenado

Multiple teams have approached the Colorado Rockies expressing interest in their star third baseman, according to club sources. While those conversations went nowhere, they at least raise a decent question for the Rockies to ask themselves: Why don't we move him?

Now, some context. Less than a year ago, the Rockies signed Arenado to an eight-year, $260 million deal. It dwarfed their previous biggest deal, Troy Tulowitzki's, by more than $100 million. It was one of the biggest contracts in the sport's history.

It also included an opt-out clause after the third year. And while it's too early to say whether Arenado would really leave five years and $164 million on the table, it's at least a distinct enough possibility that if you're the Rockies, you must consider it. The issue, of course, is that the acquiring team would be dealing with the same concern, and it would price the risk of the opt-out into what it would pay in trade capital. And the Rockies aren't simply going to part with Arenado for payroll flexibility -- unless ...

WE DON'T HAVE TO TRADE HIM BUT THE CLOCK IS TICKING

Candidates: Francisco Lindor, Trevor Story, Marcus Semien

These are three players in similar circumstances with teams facing distinctly different potential outcomes.

Lindor, multiple executives said, "is going to get traded." They're not sure if it's this winter or this summer, but considering how disciplined the Indians are, they want to maximize Lindor's value, and doing so means trading him before the July 31 deadline. Maybe if Cleveland is excellent it's a different story, but executives who covet Lindor believe it's the logical outcome, because the Indians don't want to find themselves in a similar situation as Boston, with Betts' value diminished because he's so close to free agency.

Story is part of the ridiculous shortstop class of 2021, along with Lindor, Javier Baez, Carlos Correa and Corey Seager. The notion of the Rockies carrying two $30 million-plus players simultaneously is laughable. And if they're stuck right now without any additional payroll, as they've suggested to other teams, and spend 2020 hamstrung by the disastrous 2018 offseason -- in which they guaranteed $106 million to Wade Davis, Jake McGee and Bryan Shaw, who have combined for 327⅓ innings of 5.69 ERA ball -- then that puts the onus on them to act decisively now, when they have at least some control over how to dictate their future. Because the true mess, in which the Rockies hold onto Arenado and Story through 2021 and both leave via free agency, cannot happen. Inaction, in this case, is inviting disaster.

Semien, who finished third in AL MVP voting this year, is set to be a free agent after this season. His case is slightly different from Lindor's and Story's in that he reached stardom the year before free agency. The clear answer for Oakland is to extend Semien, though doing so after a career year is always tricky. At the same time, trading him now (or in July) probably won't bring a huge bounty. Holding onto him to win again this year is palatable ... until Semien signs elsewhere and all the A's have to show for it is a compensation pick in the 80s. (In 2020, they are fully market disqualified, according to the collective bargaining agreement, which means they no longer will receive revenue sharing.)

WE DON'T HAVE TO TRADE HIM BUT WE'D BE DUMB NOT TO LISTEN

Candidates: Whit Merrifield, Mitch Haniger, Andrew Benintendi, Noah Syndergaard, Matthew Boyd, Tommy Pham

All of the above have generated various levels of interest. Merrifield is the only one under a long-term contract. He also turns 31 in January, and considering where the Royals are in the rebuilding process -- they're not spending this winter and, best-case scenario, graduate some pitching this season and start trying to win in 2021 -- dealing Merrifield before his decline begins and extracting value out of his cheap contract (three years at $15.25 million guaranteed with a 2023 option for another $5.75 million) makes too much sense not to explore. If Merrifield's former teammate Mike Moustakas is getting $64 million to play second base for four years in Cincinnati, teams are going to see Merrifield at $21 million over four years in an even better light.

The remainder of the players are under control for two (Syndergaard and Pham) or three (Haniger, Benintendi and Boyd) more seasons. The Mariners have said they'd like to hold on to Haniger. The Red Sox aren't budging on Benintendi. Syndergaard is the ur-candidate but is seen by executives as more of a July target. Boyd is often mentioned, never moved. And it would be nice to see Pham not part of the Rays' revolving door.

WE'VE DISCUSSED PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE, SO MIGHT AS WELL

Candidates: Josh Hader and just about any Brewer who isn't Christian Yelich

For more than a month, as Ken Rosenthal said Monday, the Milwaukee Brewers have told opposing teams they're open to trading super reliever Josh Hader. Their penchant for creativity -- or at least a willingness to discuss anyone not named Christian Yelich -- extended even to center fielder Lorenzo Cain, according to sources. With three years and $51 million remaining on his contract, Cain is the Brewers' biggest financial liability. Ryan Braun's deal is up after this season. Yelich has three more years remaining, including a 2022 option. And with the trade of Zach Davies and non-tenders of Travis Shaw, Junior Guerra, Jimmy Nelson, Alex Claudio and Tyler Saladino, the Brewers slashed more than $20 million from their payroll.

Perhaps that keeps Cain and Hader in Milwaukee, though it's worth noting that multiple arbitration experts believe Hader will command significantly more in the arbitration process than the $4.5 million MLB Trade Rumors estimates him to earn. Hader, 25, has been arguably the best reliever in baseball over the past 2½ years, though his 15 home runs allowed have given a number of teams pause.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HIM A LOT

Candidates: Danny Duffy, Starling Marte, Robbie Ray, Joc Pederson, Miguel Andujar, Corey Kluber

These are the guys who come up in conversation often, for varying reasons. Kansas City wants to take advantage of a pricey free agent market and parlay Duffy and the remaining two years and $30.75 million on his deal into something. Ditto Marte: He plays a premium position in center field, one without much representation in free agency, and Pittsburgh is in pure talent-gathering mode.

Arizona could keep Ray, who's in his walk year, but if second-tier free-agent pitchers like Zack Wheeler and Madison Bumgarner are getting $100 million, a motivated, (relatively) cheap pitcher such as Ray is quite the bet to make for a season at around $10 million. Pederson and Andujar are on the permanent perpetually discussed list, each a victim of his surroundings -- and teams' skill at acquiring depth -- than anything that has to do with either.

Multiple executives said the Indians have shown more interest in finding out what they could get for Kluber than Lindor. The Indians are notorious for dangling pitching -- last spring they were talking about dealing Kluber, Trevor Bauer or Shane Bieber -- so until there's further movement, file it away as more tire-kicking.

WE'D LIKE TO GET RID OF THIS CONTRACT, PLEASE

Candidates: Josh Reddick (one year, $13 million), Shin-Soo Choo (one year, $21 million), Kevin Kiermaier (three years, $36 million), Kyle Seager (two years, $37 million), Nathan Eovaldi (three years, $51 million), Dee Gordon (two years, $28.5 million), Jeff Samardzija (one year, $18 million), Johnny Cueto (two years, $47 million)

Pretty self-explanatory. All of them are going to need some sort of hefty inducement, whether it's the original team eating a massive chunk of cash or sending along some prospect capital -- or both. Of all the players on the list, these may be the least likely to move.

WE THINK OTHERS SEE HIM AS A NICE CHANGE-OF-SCENERY BET

Candidates: Nomar Mazara, Gregory Polanco, Edwin Diaz, Clint Frazier

Before exploring the above, some other names in trade talks who didn't fit into a particular category: outfielder Jake Marisnick (especially if the Astros are trying to save money), catcher Omar Narvaez, every Baltimore Oriole (but particularly Dylan Bundy, Mychal Givens, Hanser Alberto or perhaps even Trey Mancini). Mike Minor isn't out there yet but could be if the Rangers add a free-agent starter.

Mazara is still only 24, and in the Rangers' quest to get more right-handed, he could be the one to go, mainly because he's likeliest to bring back the best return. Polanco is in the final two years of a five-year, $35 million deal that has even been good enough to warrant the Pirates picking up two option years at $12.5 million and $13.5 million in 2022-23. At more than $20 million the next two years, Polanco would warrant a paydown, too.

Diaz and Frazier are the in-the-moment get-'em-out-of-New York-and-see-what-they-can-do poster children. Diaz was arguably the best reliever in baseball in 2018 and couldn't get anyone out after he went to the Mets. They want to upgrade in center field, maybe upgrade at catcher, though to do so takes talent and/or money. The Mets are loath to give up either. Frazier was hitting for the Yankees and then got sent down and didn't get many reps when he returned to the big leagues. Neither is seen as likely to move.

ToC to light up Grand Central for a 23rd year
By CHRIS McCLINTICK – Squash Mad Correspondent

The 2020 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions returns to Grand Central Terminal for a 23rd year from January 9-17 as the world’s best squash players prepare to descend on New York City for one of the sport’s most iconic events.

The ToC — retitled in 1992 and the sport’s longest continuous pro tournament since 1999 — will once again take place on the state-of-the-art all-glass Squash Engine show court staged in Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall.

Hundreds of thousands of passersby will have a chance to witness the sport at its highest level on their commute through Grand Central with the tournament’s unique free front wall viewing, while squash fans can guarantee their seats today by purchasing their tickets at tocsquash.com/tickets.

One of seven PSA World Tour Platinum events in the 2019-2020 season, the ToC will offer equal prize money for men and women with a record total pool of $390,000. The tournament’s longstanding official non-profit beneficiaries are StreetSquash and CitySquash, after-school programs providing urban students with squash instruction, tutoring, mentoring and community service opportunities.

Tournament owner and director John Nimick said: “It is a great pleasure to bring all of the world’s best squash players to the heart of New York City every year and to keep working to make the ToC the best tournament in the world. And our squash fans are fantastic! We have been setting attendance records every year for the past decade and the stands are packed every time a player gets on the show court.”

Last year, Egypt’s Nour El Sherbini made history by becoming the first three-time women’s champion at just 23. The recently-crowned women’s world champion will be in search of a record fourth ToC title this January.

Ali Farag, the men’s world No. 1, will aim to defend his first ToC title as the anticipated men’s top seed. The official entry list and draws will be released in the coming weeks.

The 2020 ToC will feature a new highlight for squash fans in the form of the first-ever RAM Champion Challenge featuring Ramy Ashour—a three-time ToC champion and one of the sport’s greatest players of all-time.

The challenge will feature Ashour’s new scoring system, the RAM scoring system, as the Egyptian takes on another all-time great of the sport, England’s Nick Matthew, Friday January 17 at 5pm.

Off court, the ToC will celebrate its annual Women’s Leadership program benefiting the Women’s Sports Foundation on Tuesday, January 14. During the luncheon, England’s former world No. 2 and past President of the Women’s division of the PSA Jenny Duncalf will be honored with the 2020 J.P. Morgan Women’s Leadership Award at the Yale Club of New York.

Squash fans can take advantage of special sessions at the ToC including Dunlop Kids Day and Ladies Night, the Grand Open party, Thundering Thursday (when all seats in the house are on-sale for low prices), ToC Pong benefiting Big Brothers and Big Sisters of NYC and more.

Tickets are available from tocsquash.com/tickets

Article by CHRIS McCLINTICK (US Squash). Edited by ALAN THATCHER.

Pictures courtesy of Patricia Lyons and PSA 

Northampton Saints have signed Fiji hooker Sam Matavesi from Championship side Cornish Pirates.

The 27-year-old played in all four of Fiji's pool games at this year's World Cup in Japan and can also play as a number eight.

After joining the Pirates from Redruth in 2017, Matavesi had a spell on loan at French side Toulouse last term.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for me to compete at the top level of English rugby," he said.

"I can't wait to pull on a Black, Green and Gold jersey for the first time.

"Northampton Saints is a club steeped in history and the team is playing a fantastic brand of rugby at the moment - plus having a few fellow Fijians here at Franklin's Gardens is a nice bonus. I can't wait to get started."

Matavesi, who is the brother of Newcastle Falcons pair Joel and Josh, also works for the Royal Navy at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall.

Leicester back Jonah Holmes will be out until the early part of 2020 after partially tearing a medial collateral ligament in the Premiership defeat by Northampton last weekend.

The Wales international, 27, will be out for about six weeks and joins Telusa Veainu, Jordon Olowofela and Sam Aspland-Robinson on the sidelines.

Holmes has made nine appearances this season, scoring eight tries.

"It adds some pressure to us at a tough time," coach Geordan Murphy said.

"We're very disappointed for Jonah, he is a much valued member of this squad and it's a cruel blow for him given the form he is in for us.

"Since returning to the group part way through the pre-season programme, after spending the opening months of the summer with Wales, he has added a lot to this young group."

Wales handed Holmes the first of his three international caps in November 2018 against Tonga, and he most recently played against Ireland in a World Cup warm-up game in August.

A month in the NHL can repaint the awards picture. The November portrait still has some of broad strokes that we can see in this latest NHL Awards Watch. But there's a lot of blue and gold that has been erased from the image.

A month ago, the Buffalo Sabres were the talk of the NHL. Now they're outside the playoff picture, which impacts the MVP and coach of the year derbies. A month ago, Pekka Rinne was the clubhouse leader for the Vezina Trophy. Now one wonders if he's still the unquestioned starter for the Nashville Predators.

Much has changed. But a few awards remain locked down by the previous leaders.

Here's the NHL Awards Watch for December. Again, this is a prediction of how I expect the voters would consider the current candidates, as well as a look at their merits. Keep in mind that the Pro Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) votes for the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng; broadcasters vote for the Jack Adams; and general managers handle the Vezina. Also keep in mind the "You Gotta Be In It To Win It" protocol for the Hart and the Jack Adams.

All stats from Hockey Reference, Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.

Jump ahead:
Ross | Richard | Hart
Norris | Selke | Vezina
Calder | Byng | Adams

Art Ross Trophy (points leader)

Current leader: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers (51 points)

Watch out for: Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers (50 points)

Dark horse: Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche (42 points)

Rocket Richard Trophy (leading goal scorer)

Current leader: David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins (25 goals)

Watch out for: Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (20 goals)

Dark horse: Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche (17 goals)

Hart Trophy (MVP)

Leader: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Finalists: Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche; David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins

As a comics fan, the notion of a "multiverse" has always struck me as intriguing. What if there were another NHL, in another universe, that looked like ours but was just a little different? Like, maybe Hartford still has a team. Or ties still exist. Or the Hart Trophy race goes to the three players who are arguably more valuable to their teams this season than the three players listed here are to theirs?

McDavid has 19 goals and 51 points to lead the Oilers through 29 games, potentially en route to another Art Ross Trophy. He has 9.5 goals above average for a team that he has helped carry to a division lead. He has won the Hart once and is a two-time finalist in his four seasons in the NHL. Oh, and he has created more individual highlights in the span of three months than most players create in their entire careers.

Yet linemate Leon Draisaitl is right there with him, with 18 goals and 50 points in 29 games, and is nearly tied with McDavid in wins above replacement (1.5 for Leon, 1.6 for Connor). Draisaitl has been on the ice for 16 of McDavid's 19 goals, assisting on 13 of them. Although it can be a specious stat, he has five game-winning goals, including two in overtime.

Outsiders might see Draisaitl as a creation of McDavid's or, at best, the beneficiary of a symbiotic relationship. But ask around the Oilers, and you'll hear plenty of people testifying that Draisaitl has had the better season -- and is just as valuable as McDavid. But honestly, take either of them at this point: Of Edmonton's 89 goals scored, McDavid or Draisaitl has been on the ice for 64 (71.9%). That is incredible.

MacKinnon has two of the primary attributes of a Hart Trophy finalist. He's well ahead of his teammates in scoring: Through 26 games, MacKinnon has 42 points in 26 games, which is 16 more than any other Avalanche player. He has accomplished this with Mikko Rantanen having been limited to 10 games and Gabriel Landeskog to 11 games due to injuries.

Yet it's rookie Cale Makar who leads the Avalanche -- and the entire NHL -- in goals above average (12.8) and wins above replacement (2.2), though MacKinnon is right there in the latter category (1.9).

Finally, Pastrnak leads the NHL with 25 goals and has 42 points overall. His scoring pace early in this season is the stuff of legend: Pastrnak is the third player in the past 25 years to have scored at least 25 goals in his first 27 games, joining Jaromir Jagr (who did it twice) and Mario Lemieux. As with McDavid, many of these goals have gone straight to the highlight reel. His play is one reason the Bruins are near the top of the NHL in points and have positioned themselves as Stanley Cup favorites again.

Yet linemate Brad Marchand has a legitimate claim to the Hart as well. He has been on the ice for 23 of Pastrnak's 25 goals, assisting on 13 of them. He's second in the NHL in goals above average (12.5) and wins above replacement (2.1). Like McDavid and Draisaitl, take your pick: Of Boston's 99 goals scored, Pastrnak or Marchand has been on the ice for 61 (61.6%).

In this timeline, it's McDavid, MacKinnon and Pastrnak for MVP. But on some other version in the hockey multiverse, the one that values analytics and devalues celebrity, it's Draisaitl, Makar and Marchand for the Hart at this moment.

Norris Trophy (top defenseman)

Leader: John Carlson, Washington Capitals
Finalists: Dougie Hamilton, Carolina Hurricanes; Roman Josi, Nashville Predators

Carlson probably wrapped up this award -- if he stays healthy -- when Alex Ovechkin started calling him "Johnny Norris." As it stands, he has 37 points in 28 games, best among defensemen and sixth among all scorers. As the Norris remains forever a "best offensive defenseman" award, that doesn't just put him in the driver's seat. It puts him dangling off the hood, Mad Max-style.

Truth be told, some of his other even-strength metrics aren't as stellar. He's around 50% in shot attempts between the Capitals and opponents. Although he's a plus-10 in goals scored, he's right on the edge of teams managing more scoring chances and high-danger chances with him on the ice than do the Capitals. His expected goals-against per 60 minutes (2.5) is eighth-highest by a defenseman who has 450 or more minutes at 5-on-5.

All of which is to say that Josi might have a stronger analytics case. His expected goals-against per 60 minutes is 1.83, which is fourth overall in the NHL through 26 games. He's well into the plus side of every metric, including scoring chances (58.02%), in which he's fourth among defensemen. He has 24 points in 26 games, again fourth in the league, putting him in the conversation from an offensive standpoint. Don't discount the notion that he's "due" for the Norris, either.

But there's a caveat with Josi and with Dougie Hamilton, who is second in the NHL among defensemen with 28 points: How much of their success is due to their defensive partners? Ryan Ellis of the Predators has been remarkably good, ranking fourth in goals above average (10.9) and wins above replacement (1.9) among all players.

Ditto Jaccob Slavin of the Hurricanes, who is arguably the best defensive defenseman in the league right now. His 9.1 goals above average ranks him sixth. Hockey Reference has an advanced stat called expected plus-minus, which factors in where shots are taken. Slavin is at a plus-8.5, best in the NHL. But alas, 16 points in 27 games doesn't get him on the Norris radar. He didn't receive a vote in a recent canvassing of NHL.com's writers.

Three names to watch here: Kris Letang, who was an early contender before injuries once again limited his game total, and rookies Cale Makar of the Avalanche and Quinn Hughes of the Canucks, though a rookie finishing in the top three for the Norris is a rarity. The past four defensemen who won the Calder didn't crack the top 10 for the Norris.

Calder Trophy (top rookie)

Leader: Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Finalists: Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks; Victor Olofsson, Buffalo Sabres

What a battle between brilliant young defensemen. Makar, 21, is the clear front-runner, as he leads all rookies in scoring with 26 points in 26 games and has more hype than "The Irishman." Hughes, 20, has 23 points in 27 games, plays slightly more and is less insulated (52.3% of his shifts start in the offensive zone vs. 60.8% for Makar). Makar leads the NHL in goals above average (12.8) and wins above replacement (2.2); Hughes is fifth (10.3 and 1.8) in those categories.

Olofsson, our favorite for the award in the previous Awards Watch, still leads all rookies with 10 goals, and a recent six-game point streak got him back in the conversation. But his best path to the Calder, at the moment, is a silent prayer that these ridiculous rookie D-men split the vote.

Vezina Trophy (top goaltender)

Leader: Darcy Kuemper, Arizona Coyotes
Finalists: Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues; Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

Note: The NHL's general managers vote for this award.

Kuemper has to be considered the favorite here after two months in the books. His record (10-6-2) is the only stat that doesn't dazzle you. Otherwise, he leads the NHL in overall save percentage (.935), goals-against average (1.97, the only netminder with a sub-2.00 GAA) and even-strength save percentage (.942). He was fifth for the Vezina last season and has built on that case.

If the MVP race weren't already so crowded, Hellebuyck has a convincing case, given that he's the primary reason the Jets overcame the loss of two thirds of their defense to stubbornly remain in a playoff seed. By Hockey Reference's metrics, he has 15.79 goals saved above average, which is the best in the NHL. He was a Vezina finalist in 2018, so he's on the radar, too.

So is Binnington, obviously, after leading the Blues back from the grave and to their first Stanley Cup last season. He's 13-4-4 through 21 games, with a .928 even-strength save percentage. There are a few other known quantities in contention, such as Ben Bishop of the Dallas Stars, Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins and Marc-Andre Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights. But Binnington might have the edge for now, with the Blues atop the Central Division. Residual goodwill can carry a goalie to the Vezina top three.

Selke Trophy (best defensive forward)

Leader: Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers
Finalists: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins; Mark Stone, Vegas Golden Knights

Couturier has the lead for the Selke for a few reasons, some fact-based and some narrative. The Flyers are playing well, which gives his accomplishments a larger spotlight. Ditto the idea that he's "due," having been nominated for the award just once in nine seasons, despite his defensive acumen. He's a center, which has its obvious advantages in the Selke race. He's also a center with 21 points in 27 games, which is another (maddeningly) mandatory facet for this award.

But mostly, he's winning the head-to-head battle with Bergeron, which is what you have to do to win the Selke as a center. According to Natural Stat Trick's stats per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, Couturier has the advantage in shot attempts (the Flyers get 57.77%, the Bruins 55.70%), scoring chances against (21.45 to 22.36), high-danger shot attempts (9.51 to 10.25), on-ice save percentage (.917 to .891) and faceoff percentage (57.9% to 55%). Couturier also leads in games played (27 to 21), but a deficit there never stopped Bergeron from winning the Selke before.

It's hard to imagine that Stone won't be in the mix, given how much attention his candidacy received last season, when he finished second to Ryan O'Reilly for the award. His underlying defensive numbers have improved after an average start, but he still isn't having a prototypical Mark Stone campaign. Yet something as simple as leading the NHL in takeaways for forwards (35 in 28 games) could sway some voters as Stone tries to become the first non-center to win the award since 2003.

Lady Byng Trophy (gentlemanly play)

This is where we remind you, dear readers, that the Lady Byng Trophy is given "to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability." As hockey writers, we're not exactly the greatest arbiters of what constitutes sportsmanship, and we're the last ones who should be asked to judge "gentlemanly conduct."

This is an award the PHWA should hand over to the players or the NHL's on-ice officials, who are perhaps the most qualified to assess such matters.

As currently constituted, the Lady Byng generally goes to the player with the most points who has the fewest penalty minutes. All that established, Nathan MacKinnon has 42 points and one minor penalty, which seems rather gentlemanly.

Jack Adams Award (best coach)

Leader: Barry Trotz, New York Islanders
Finalists: Dave Tippett, Edmonton Oilers; Rick Tocchet, Arizona Coyotes

Note: The Professional Hockey Broadcasters Association votes on this award.

When John Tavares took his bed sheets and absconded for the Toronto Maple Leafs, there was a discussion about who would lead the New York Islanders into their next phase. The obvious choice was Mathew Barzal, a 22-year-old offensive dynamo. Well, it turns out the real answer was a 57-year-old head coach. The Islanders are a team made in Trotz's image, buying into his dogma and being better than anyone anticipated for a second straight season. He won the Jack Adams in his first season on the Island. So far, he's the most deserving of it again. Trotz has a .656 winning percentage through 106 games with the Islanders. Incredible.

Tippett deserves credit for giving the Oilers the structure they needed to win hockey games they lost in the past, but ultimately, it's the two stars factoring in on more than 70% of their goals who are carrying them. As for Tocchet ... hey, any coach who gets the Coyotes into the playoffs is going to get Jack Adams love, as Tippett did in 2010.

Bruce Cassidy of the Boston Bruins might be in that spot where the team he's icing is so good that his contributions to its Presidents' Trophy chase aren't acknowledged properly. But he's in the mix.