Sports Quick Hits: November 10th, 2021

⚽️NWSL: While we wait for a Canadian team, we’re claiming the Portland Thorns as The North’s unofficial squad. Christine Sinclair is the captain, former CanWNT goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc became their general manager last week and news broke yesterday that CanWNT defender Rhian Wilkinson will be hired as their new head coach. #SheTheNorth.

🏒NHL: More good news from the hockey world? Is that hope we feel? After being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights last week, center Jack Eichel is finally set to have disk replacement surgery — which his former team, the Buffalo Sabres, wouldn’t allow — on Friday and hopes to return to the ice in three months’ time.

⚾️MLB: What’s better than one MVP candidate? Two MVP candidates! Blue Jays infielders Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Marcus Semien are two of the three American League (AL) MVP finalists.

• And star pitcher Robbie Ray is a finalist for the AL Cy Young Award. The winners will be announced next week, but we already have Drake’s “Trophies” queued up.

🏈NFL: With (former) head coach Jon Gruden ousted in October and 2020 first-round pick wide receiver Henry Ruggs III released from the team after killing a 23-year-old woman during a horrific drunk driving accident earlier this month, the Las Vegas Raiders are facing another scandal.

• The team cut 2020 first-round pick and cornerback Damon Arnette yesterday, after videos surfaced of Arnette wielding guns and making death threats. Just awful.