Morning Sports Update

Grant Williams reportedly seeking $20 million annually in new contract

Williams has become a valuable piece for the Celtics since being picked 22nd overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.

By Hayden Bird

February 14, 2023

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Northeastern men’s hockey defeated Harvard 3-2 in the Beanpot final on Monday, with a shootout deciding the winner for the first time in the competition’s storied history.

In what was also an unprecedented final matchup, Northeastern goaltender Devon Levi emerged as MVP after making 32 saves and denying all three of Harvard’s attempts in the shootout. Northeastern senior Aidan McDonough scored what proved to be the winner:

Tonight, the women’s edition of the final gets underway at 7:30 p.m. as Northeastern takes on Boston College.

The Celtics will be in Milwaukee for a major test against the Bucks at 7:30 p.m.

And the Bruins will also be in action, facing the Stars in Dallas at 8:30 p.m.

Grant Williams and the possibility of a new contract: Grant Williams has become an important piece of the Celtics over the past two seasons, and could be in line for a new contract.

Williams, 24, has improved dramatically since being picked 22nd overall by the Celtics in 2019. As a result, Williams’s next contract is expected to be sizable.

NBA reporter Marc Stein recently explained what Williams could be looking for.

Set to become a restricted free agent following the current season, Williams is “said to be seeking a contract in the Keldon Johnson-in-San Antonio, $20-million-annually range,” per Stein.

Johnson signed a four-year extension with the Spurs in 2022 worth $74 million.

Other NBA teams are “monitoring” the situation with Williams, according to Stein, given that the Celtics may have a hard time keeping everyone on the current roster. With Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, and Derrick White set to make a combined $122 million next season, Williams’s asking price could be more difficult to meet.

The Celtics are currently 41-16, holding the best record in the NBA.

More from Boston.com:

• Northeastern skates off with men’s Beanpot after first-of-its-kind shootout win over Harvard
• Weighing the pros and cons of a Jakob Chychrun trade for the Bruins
• Erin Andrews has her roots in Maine, and the city of Lewiston’s Facebook page doesn’t want you to forget
• Derrick White earns league honor after leading shorthanded Celtics
• Joe Mazzulla said it was ‘important’ for Payton Pritchard to express his desire to be traded
• Patrick Mahomes secured his place in history with a Super Bowl masterpiece
• Here’s the latest update on the Patriots’ 2023 game scheduled to be played in Germany
• Spring training’s start brings pitch clocks, shift limits
• ‘Ghost runner’ in extra innings made permanent by MLB
• Analysis: NFL skids into offseason after slippery Super Bowl

A first for the U.S. ski team: The U.S. won the world championship in the mixed team parallel event for the first time in its history.

Patrick Mahomes on how long he might play in the NFL:

On this day: In 1980, the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team defeated Czechoslovakia 7-3 in the round-robin stage of the Lake Placid Winter Games. In a tournament that culminated with the famed “Miracle on Ice,” the earlier win over the Czechoslovakians has become a somewhat forgotten miracle in its own right.

The Czechoslovakian team, fielding a veteran roster that included 10 future NHL players and one future Hall of Famer (Peter Stastny), was the second-ranked team in the world behind only the Soviet Union. Having medaled in each of the four preceding Olympics, they harbored aspirations of potentially taking on the Soviets for gold.

Things were going to plan for Czechoslovakia initially, until Winthrop native Mike Eruzione tied the game 1-1 in the first period. It erased what proved to be the visitor’s only lead of the night. From that point on, the U.S. gave the Lake Placid crowd a glimpse of the team’s eventual gold medal trajectory.

By the third period, the Americans were out-hustling the favored European opponent, and built a commanding lead. The only remaining drama arrived when Czechoslovakian defenseman Jan Neliba hit U.S. forward Mark Johnson away from the puck.

Legendary U.S. coach Herb Brooks took issue with the incident, yelling at Neliba for what he perceived was a dirty play. His expletive-laden response was caught on an open mic, eliciting a nervous laugh from play-by-play commentator Al Michaels, who noted only that Brooks was “very upset.”

Johnson luckily didn’t suffer a major injury, and went on to play a crucial role in the “Miracle” against the Soviets in the medal round.

Daily highlight: Senators center Tim Stützle scored the overtime winner against the Flames on Wednesday — one of his four points on the night — to complete the 4-3 comeback.