The NCAA’s Division I Council has approved changes that will shorten the transfer portal windows for football and basketball from 45 to 30 days while keeping an additional 30-day window in all sports after the departure of a head coach.

Tuesday’s decisions, first reported by On3, will not become final until meetings end on Wednesday but will take effect immediately.

Football’s current fall portal window runs Dec. 9 to Jan. 7, 2025 and April 16-30 in the spring. The new fall window will be 20 days after Bowl Subdivision conference championships from Dec. 9-28, with the remaining 10 days occurring from April 16-25 next spring.

Basketball’s current window of March 17-April 30, 2025, will shorten to 30 days after the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

NHL

Rangers drill Penguins in season opener

Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots and the New York Rangers opened the season with a 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Chris Kreider scored twice for the reigning Metropolitan Division champions. Sam Carrick, Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil and Vincent Trocheck also scored for New York, which dominated Pittsburgh while beating the Penguins for the fifth time in their last six meetings.

Chytil’s goal was his first in over 18 months after he missed most of last season due to a concussion.

Montembeault makes 47 saves in Canadiens win

Sam Montembeault made 47 saves, Cole Caufield scored on a first-period power play and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0 on Wednesday night in the season opener for both teams.

Caufield scored at 7:48 of the opening period, finishing off a tic-tac-toe play with Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach. The Canadiens were 1 for 5 on the power play after going 0 for 30 in the preseason.

Briefly

NBA >> Concerns over Hurricane Milton and its effects on Florida forced the cancellation of Friday’s preseason game in Orlando between the Magic and the New Orleans Pelicans.

College football >> Georgia coach Kirby Smart placed wide receiver Colbie Young on indefinite suspension, one day after Young’s arrest and two charges of battery and one charge of assault following an altercation with a woman.

— From news services