Nov 4, 2021 3 min read

In the NHL

Jack Eichel lost nearly an entire season of his NHL career due to a stalemate over how to treat a neck injury. The deposed and now former Buffalo Sabres captain has finally gained some clarity – and control – over his future.

It took eight months, but Eichel can finally start thinking about playing again.

The bitter, public feud between the Sabres’ franchise player and team over how to treat the injury finally reached a resolution Thursday when Buffalo traded the 25-year-old Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Eichel received his long-standing wish to leave Buffalo, where he’s only known losing, and join a Golden Knights franchise that’s known mostly success during its four seasons of existence.

More importantly, Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon made clear he will allow Eichel to have his preferred choice of surgery by having his herniated disk artificially replaced, which is something the Sabres denied because the procedure had never been performed on an NHL player.

In baseball

San Francisco catcher Buster Posey announced his retirement.

Posey offered a heartfelt goodbye to baseball following a decorated 12-year career with the Giants during which he won three World Series championships.

• Cincinnati Reds star outfielder Nick Castellanos exercised the opt-out clause in his contract and is a free agent.

The Reds right fielder opted out of the final two years and $34 million remaining on his contract after having the best season of his nine-year career.

The 29-year-old Castellanos was a first-time All-Star in 2021. He batted .309 with 34 home runs and led the Reds with 100 RBI. He is a career .278 hitter with 168 homers in parts of nine seasons with the Reds, Tigers and Cubs.

In the NFL

Odell Beckham Jr. remains lined up outside – way outside.

The polarizing wide receiver was excused from practice for the second straight day Thursday as the Cleveland Browns figure out their next move with him.

Beckham has likely played his last game in Cleveland, his exit hastened by his father sharing a video on social media criticizing quarterback Baker Mayfield for not throwing the ball to the three-time Pro Bowler.

In college football

Attorneys for former Washington State coach Nick Rolovich sent a letter to the university appealing his firing for refusing to get the coronavirus vaccine, contending school officials did not conduct a fair process to determine whether he should receive a religious exemption to a state mandate that all state employees must be vaccinated.

Attorneys Brian Fahling and Eric Kniffen’s letter to athletic director Pat Chun lays out their appeal of Rolovich’s firing for just cause.

The letter says Chun overturned a decision by the university’s Human Resource Services to grant Rolovich a religious exemption to the vaccination mandate. Rolovich has said he is Catholic. The Catholic Church has not prohibited vaccinations against COVID-19.