Majestic Root basks in glory down under at last but Brook’s folly could be costly

A tale of two Yorkshiremen, one keeping England in the series, the other a scarecrow batting without a brain

In the end even the celebration was perfect, out there under that strange deep-blue southern sky, in the frenzy of the game-state – manic Baz energy, England’s lower order scything away death cult-style at the other end, the way even the grass seems lacquered and glazed by the lights.

So yeah. All that stuff. In the middle of this Joe Root guided the ball away through point to complete his first Test hundred in Australia, then marked it with a gentle smile and a wave of the bat, no fist-punching, no monkeys off backs, no angsty and pointed messaging.

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South Africa’s Eben Etzebeth handed 12-match ban for eye-gouging against Wales

  • Lock sent off in Cardiff during Springboks’ 73-0 win

  • Suspension covers matches until end of March

South Africa’s Eben Etzebeth has been suspended for 12 matches for eye-gouging against Wales last weekend.

The suspension covers matches for the Durban-based Sharks starting from this weekend to the end of March. The Sharks deregistered Etzebeth this week in anticipation of a lengthy ban.

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Blues Are Happy With Philip Broberg; Haven't Started Contract Negations

Philip Broberg is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2025-26 season, and he's once again having a solid campaign. Despite that, the St. Louis Blues have not begun contract negotiations. 

Teammates and coaches rave about the play of their 24-year-old defenseman, but a recent report from The Athletic suggests that the Blues are willing to take their time in extension talks. 

Through 27 games this season, Broberg has notched two goals and 10 points, but the value he brings at both ends of the ice is where he shines. Despite standing 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Broberg is an excellent skater who utilizes his feet to help him defend and jump into the play. His foot speed allows him to start transition offense and make efficient first passes. He can then jump into the rush and create offense.

Defensively, his skating allows him to defend top-end players off the rush, and his size allows him to win puck battles and protect the front of his net. Broberg has developed into a workhorse, all-around defenseman and the Blues are taking notice. 

“He’s been incredible for us this year,” coach Jim Montgomery said. “If our record was better, I think people would be talking about him a lot more in the league. If we were playing really good hockey, he would be talked about in the league a lot more. He has been a tremendous hockey player from the start of the year.”

Broberg has been the Blues' best defenseman this season, both by the eye test and analytically. According to Natural Stat Trick, Broberg has been on the ice for 21 Blues goals at 5-on-5 and 19 goals by their opponents. He has the second-highest goals for percentage on the team, trailing just Robert Thomas. 

Montgomery is of the belief that those numbers could and should be higher for Broberg.

“But with a little more finishing touch, or a little bit better puck luck, he might have eight goals already,” Montgomery said. “Then you’re really talking about him as an offensive defenseman.”

Philip Broberg (Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)

With all that being said, GM Doug Armstrong has previously illustrated that there is no rush with his contract negotiations, and the team is still demonstrating patience in December. 

“There’s no rush with that,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said in October, referring to contract talks with both Broberg and Holloway. “We’re going to try and get them signed as quick as we can. If not, they’re restricted free agents. We’ll make sure that we leave enough space available to get those guys signed. The cap’s going up. It’s nice to know, with (other) guys signed, what we can do moving forward. And we can always create space.”

Although patience can pay off, with a young, blossoming defenseman, patience may mean they have to pay him more. He's averaging nearly three minutes more of ice time this season and leads the Blues in average ice time with 23:15. 

Thomas Harley signed an eight-year, $10.587-million contract earlier this season with the Dallas Stars, and other defenseman Broberg has been compared with have all eclipsed $8 million. The Blues will likely have to hand out a hefty contract to Broberg, but so far, he's showing he's deserving of it. 

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Blackhawks Vs Kings: Projected Lineup, How To Watch, & More Ahead Of Game 27

The Chicago Blackhawks are taking on the Los Angeles Kings for the second time this season. The first was a 3-1 victory for LA at the United Center on October 26th. Both teams have come a long way since then. 

The Blackhawks dropped their most recent game in a shootout to the Vegas Golden Knights, but this game against the Kings is their chance to make it a three-game point streak. 

The Blackhawks are one point (28) below the playoff line with a record of 11-9-6. Los Angeles is in third place in the Pacific Division with a 12-7-7 record for 31 points. It is tight on the bubble in both Western Conference divisions. 

Scouting Los Angeles 

The Los Angeles Kings have been one of the best teams in the Western Conference over the last handful of years, but they haven’t won a playoff series since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014. Like the Blackhawks, they want to end this type of drought soon. 

LA has lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round in each of the last four seasons. This year is all about finding a way to get it done, no matter who is in their way. That includes the Blackhawks on Thursday night.  

Moore - Kopitar - Kempe

Fiala - Byfield - Armia

Kuzmenko - Danault - Laferriere

Malott - Turcotte - Perry

Anderson - Edmundson

Dumoulin - Clarke

Moverare - Ceci

Kuemper

Forsberg

Everything to do with the Los Angeles Kings is centered around their captain, Anze Kopitar. He has been their franchise player for his entire career, which is coming to an end with the conclusion of this season. 

Adrian Kempe, Quinton Byfield, and Kevin Fiala all have the ceiling of stars in the NHL and can make a difference in any game. Their depth is great, led by former Blackhawks center Philipp Danault, who is one of the best checking centers you’ll find. 

Future Hall of Famer Drew Doughty is injured, which leaves a hole in Los Angeles’ defense, but this group has mostly gotten the job done this year. 

In goal, Darcy Kuemper is their main guy, and he’s been excellent during his entire tenure there. He has a Stanley Cup ring as a starter, so there is plenty of pedigree in his game. Former Hawk Anton Forsberg serves as a decent enough backup. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks have been running with an 11/7 lineup almost all season long. Their 11 forwards have undergone some changes in lines, with certain players coming in and out of the lineup, but their defense has remained mostly the same, consisting of the same 7. 

Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky 

Moore-Nazar-Bertuzzi

Teravainen-Dickinson-Mikheyev 

Dach-Donato

Vlasic-Crevier

Kaiser-Levshunov

Grzelcyk-Murphy

Rinzel

Knight

To say Connor Bedard has been elite this season would be an understatement. He is amongst the league’s leading scorers, and he makes an impact every single day. Having a superstar at the top of the lineup will keep any team in most games, and that has been the case for Chicago with Bedard. 

Multiple forwards will make up for the empty spot on the fourth line, including Bedard. This allows the defenders to be much fresher, as most of them are early in their careers. 

Expect Spencer Knight to be the starter in this one. With the Kings being a playoff-caliber team and no back-to-back situations, it makes more sense to go with the number one goalie.  

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be streamed on ESPN+ and Hulu. The puck will drop shortly after 9 PM. 

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How 'Real' Are Flyers? Sunday's Test With Avs Will Tell

The Philadelphia Flyers redeemed themselves Wednesday, trouncing the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. 

They set the stage for a statement game Sunday against the Stanley Cup favorite Colorado Avalanche, a team that (gulp) has points in 25 of its 26 games.

In their previous game, the Flyers dropped a 5-1 decision to the arch-rival Pittsburgh Penguins, a defeat made worse because they lost right winger Tyson Foerster, their co-leading goal-scorer, for two to three months because of a suspected shoulder injury.

The Sabres, however, helped cure their frustrations.

The Flyers scored three times in a 59-second span in the first period, erasing a 1-0 deficit and coasting to a win at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Buffalo has been bad forever, so this wasn't a surprising victory.

That said, the Sabres have been playing better lately – six wins in their last nine games before Wednesday. 

But Philly (15-8-3), one of the NHL's most surprising teams, couldn't afford two straight losses heading into Sunday's game against the Avs. They couldn't afford to start a tailspin that could wipe out their impressive start.

And they couldn't get into a woe-is-me feeling because of Foerster's injury.

"He's a tough guy to replace, for sure," Trevor Zegras said, "so we all have to do a little more."

Flyers Officially Decide on Tyson Foerster Injury ReplacementsFlyers Officially Decide on Tyson Foerster Injury ReplacementsThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> are set to be without top forward Tyson Foerster for at least two months, and with the injury confirmed, Foerster's two injury replacements have already been selected.

Here's the thing: even with Foerster and his 10 goals before Wednesday, the Flyers haven't been an offense juggernaut. Au contraire.

They entered the night 26th out of 32 teams, averaging just 2.76 goals-for per game.

And then five different players scored – Travis Konecny, Zegras, Bobby Brink, Noah Cates and Owen Tippett – five players contributed two points apiece, and the Flyers fired 35 shots in their league-leading 11th comeback win of the season. 

The Flyers moved up to third in the Metro, just three points behind division-leading Washington, which has played two more games.

Philadelphia scored four of its goals from the dirty areas near the net. Tim Kerr and Gary Dornhoefer would have been proud.

"It has to be habitual," said coach Rick Tocchet, who had no update on defenseman Cam York after he left the game with an unspecified injury. "You have to do it all the time."

It was good to see the offense erupt, the power play (2-for-5) click and the penalty kill go 1-for-6. 

Tocchet, who continues to push the right buttons, went back to most of the players on his original No. 1 power-play unit – Konecny, Tippett, Matvei Michkov, Zegras and Jamie Drysdale – and it paid dividends.

Owen Tippett, right, says Wednesday's win over the Buffalo Sabres is a good start to bounce back from a blowout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday. (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)

Now the real test comes Sunday afternoon, when the Flyers host a 19-1-6 Colorado team that is averaging 4.08 goals per game and allowing 2.04 goals. Both figures lead the league.

Some of the Flyers didn't yet want to talk about facing the Avs. Tippett wasn't one of them.

He said it was a good primer for Colorado.

"Obviously, we wanted to have a bounce back after last game, and it’s a good start," said Tippett. "Obviously, with a couple days we can fine-tune some stuff in practice, but that was a good start."

Against Colorado, the Flyers will need to be at their best just to be competitive. They can't let down for any stretch as they did for a 21-minute span Wednesday, when Buffalo outshot them 16-6 in parts of the first two periods, but goalie Sam Ersson stood tall.

It will take 60 minutes of excellence on Sunday if the Flyers want to stay in the game.

Wednesday, though not perfect, was a nice building block.


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Canadiens send Florian Xhekaj And Adam Engstrom Back To Laval

After Wednesday night’s game against the Winnipeg Jets, the Montreal Canadiens announced that they had sent Florian Xhekaj and Adam Engstrom back down to the Laval Rocket.

The two players were healthy scratches for the game, and given that the Rocket has a back-to-back on Friday and Saturday against the Belleville Senators, while the Canadiens have a day off on Thursday, sending them down last night made sense. They’ll get to practice with Pascal Vincent’s team on Thursday before taking on Belleville on Friday.

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NHL Trade Rumors: Canadiens Linked To Canucks Forward

In five games, Xhekaj put up one point, took four shots, spent seven minutes in the penalty box, had a minus-one differential and landed nine hits. As for Engstrom, he played two games, was held off the scoresheet, took two shots and landed a hit.

This means that Jarred Davidson, who played on Wednesday, remains with the Canadiens for now at least. The 23-year-old has now played six games with the Habs and has yet to register a point, but he has landed 13 hits, spent six minutes in the sin bin and has a minus-two differential.

While the news will no doubt come as a disappointment for Xhekaj and Engstrom, it makes sense to send them back down if they’re not going to play. At this stage of their career, they are still developing and need as much ice time as possible.

It will be interesting to see how things unfold for the Canadiens now. Over the last couple of weeks, there have been so many scouts at the Bell Centre that one can wonder who they might have been observing. Did the Canadiens want to show what Engstrom could do at the NHL level? Or were they taking stock in readiness for the decisions that will no doubt have to be made about the blueline sooner or later?

When everyone is healthy, Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble share the sixth defenseman role, but when youngsters from Laval are ready for the NHL, someone will have to be moved. David Reinbacher and Engstrom are both close to being NHL-ready, and when they are, something will have to give.


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NHL Rumor Roundup: Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood Draws Interest, Plus Islanders Buzz

The Vancouver Canucks' willingness to entertain trade offers for their UFA-eligible players has made Kiefer Sherwood one of the most notable names in the rumor mill.

Before this season, the 30-year-old Sherwood was a little-known checking-line forward. After spending his first six NHL seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators, he enjoyed a career-best 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points last season with the Canucks.

Sherwood currently leads the Canucks with 12 goals, putting him on pace to reach 36 goals this season. He's in the final season of a two-year contract with an affordable $1.5-million cap hit.

Given the limited number of sellers thus far, the NHL trade market is thin on quality talent. That's made Sherwood an enticing trade target for playoff contenders. While his production has cooled lately, his feisty style of play is tailor-made for the physical grind of post-season hockey.

TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported Tuesday the Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars were among a long list of teams to inquire about Sherwood. Sportsnet's Ryan Dixon looked at the impact Sherwood could have with the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported the Columbus Blue Jackets had contacted the Canucks about Sherwood. Meanwhile, NHL.com's Dan Rosen suggested the Pittsburgh Penguins might be a good fit. The Buffalo SabresAvalanche and Detroit Red Wings have also surfaced as potential destinations for Sherwood.

LeBrun indicated that the Canucks aren't in any rush to move Sherwood, preferring to take their time to explore the trade market. He also wondered if any of those interested clubs would want to sign the veteran winger to a contract extension, as that would raise his trade value for the Canucks.

It's understandable why the Canucks would prefer to remain patient, as it could drive up the return for Sherwood. However, that stance also carries the risk of injury or a decline in his production.

Three Potential Trade Fits For Canucks' Kiefer SherwoodThree Potential Trade Fits For Canucks' Kiefer SherwoodKiefer Sherwood is among the Canucks' top trade candidates, and these three teams should consider trying to acquire the hard-hitting forward.

Turning to the Islanders, they could use someone like Sherwood to offset the loss of right winger Kyle Palmieri to a season-ending knee injury. That would explain why they were mentioned among the clubs linked to the Canucks right winger.

The Hockey News' Russell Macias says the Islanders have a depth-scoring crisis. And Ethan Sears of the New York Postbelieves they could use another scoring forward and some physicality among their checking lines.

Those traits would make Sherwood an enticing option for the Isles.

Sears also felt that they must improve their defense corps, pointing out the loss of left-shot blueliner Alexander Romanov, plus they never fully replaced Noah Dobson on the right side after trading him to Montreal last summer.

However, Sears cautioned that Isles management should avoid hasty decisions that would sacrifice their future first-round picks or top prospects for a short-term replacement for Palmieri.


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'There's No Way': NHL Draft Prospect Records Goalie Goal And Shutout In WHL

The WHL witnessed NHL draft prospect Xavier Wendt score the league's first goalie goal since 2023 on Wednesday night.

With the Tri-City Americans leading the Swift Current Broncos 3-0, Wendt scored from behind his net after picking up the puck from a soft dump-in.

After cradling the puck, he fired it down the center of the ice, going through all the Broncos who were trying to swat at it. Eventually, the puck made its way to the center of the cage on the opposite side of the ice.

Wendt, 17, became the 11th goalie in WHL history to score a goal and the first since Spokane Chiefs netminder Dawson Cowan on Nov. 26, 2023. Other netminders who scored in the WHL include Olaf Kolzig, Chris Osgood, Chris Dreidger and current Edmonton Oilers starter Stuart Skinner.

Wendt's tally gave the Americans a 4-0 lead with a minute remaining.

"There's no way, a goalie goal at the Toyota Center," play-by-play announcer Craig Beauchemin said emphatically on the broadcast.

Aside from this remarkable goalie goal, Wendt was already having a great performance.

He stopped all 23 shots he faced in the game, recording his first career shutout in the WHL. This is also his first season in the WHL.

Wendt has played 15 WHL games, averaging a 2.39 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage.

Among WHL goaltenders who have played at least 40 percent of their team's total minutes, the rookie leads the league in save percentage and is tied for second in goals-against average.

The Plymouth, Minn., native has spent his minor hockey career at Shattuck St. Mary's prep school, which has alumni such as Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews and Zach Parise.

As a member of Shattuck's U-18 team last season, in 29 appearances in the USHS-Prep division, he dominated with a 24-0-1 record, 1.55 GAA and .932 SP.

NHL Central Scouting gave Wendt a 'W' rating for its preliminary players to watch list ahead of the 2026 NHL draft next June. That means it projects him to be drafted in the sixth or seventh round.

With that goalie goal and shutout, Wendt is certainly making a positive impression.


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Mets interested in trading for Twins ace Joe Ryan: report

The Mets' best avenue when it comes to adding a top of the rotation starter this offseason could be the trade market, where Twins ace Joe Ryan and Brewers ace Freddy Peralta are among those who could be available.

And per Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Mets have interest in dealing for Ryan.

Heyman notes that Minnesota is believed to like Jonah Tong.

With Ryan having two years of team control remaining and being set to make just $6 million or so via arbitration in 2026, the cost to acquire him would almost certainly be Tong (or another top prospect) plus a lot more.

Ryan, who is entering his age-30 season, had a 3.42 ERA (3.74 FIP) and 1.03 WHIP with 194 strikeouts in a career-high 171 innings for the Twins in 2025. He was similarly impressive in 2024, posting a 3.60 ERA (3.44 FIP) and 0.98 WHIP with 147 strikeouts in 135 innings.

Ryan relies heavily on a four-seam fastball (he threw it 51 percent of the time in 2025) that graded out as one of the best pitches in baseball last season. He also utilizes a sweeper, splitter, sinker, slider, and curve. 

The Twins are in the midst of a rebuild after having a fire sale at the 2025 trade deadline as they traded 10 players from the big league roster.

That included Carlos CorreaGriffin Jax, and elite closer Jhoan Duran, who -- like Ryan -- has two more years of arbitration remaining and will be wildly inexpensive in 2026 (he made just $1.3 million this past season).

Along with Ryan, it's possible the Twins entertain the possibility of trading center fielder Byron Buxton. The 31-year-old would be a fit for the Mets, but has a full no-trade clause.

As far as Ryan, he would be a great add atop a Mets rotation that is expected to include Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, and David Peterson

Fans Calling For Oilers To Give Red-Hot Prospect An NHL Look

"I’ve seen enough time to get the call to The Show," said one fan after watching a video of Quinn Hutson scoring another beauty goal for the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL this week. The red-hot Oilers prospect -- and older brother of Montreal Canadiens' superstar Lane Hutson -- is on a tear and making a case that he might be ready for some NHL action. 

Does that mean the Edmonton Oilers should give Hutson a closer look?

Hutson now sits atop the AHL rookie leaderboard with his 12 goals season. Hutson has 10-8-18/+11 in the last nine games played. He is playing really well and showing Edmonton that they have a lot to look forward to. 

It's unlikely that he keeps up his pace, but amazingly, he's on a 144-point pace, and a plus-minus +96. 

The Arguments For and Against Calling Up Hutson

For the Oilers, it might be tempting to give Hutson a look. At the same time, the last thing Edmonton wants to do is rush a solid prospect and ruin his momentum. Ideally, letting him continue to dominate the AHL is a solid strategy. He'll have all the confidence in the world when he ultimately makes his regular season debut. It's called over-ripening, and it's a plan many NHL clubs use.

Quinn Hutson Edmonton Oilers prospect © Perry Nelson Imagn Images

On the other hand, Edmonton is in need for additional scoring. Without Jack Roslovic and Kasperi Kapanen, they are short on the wings and shuffling pieces around trying to find the right mix. The Oilers lost 1-0 to the Minnesota Wild in a game where, clearly, the Oilers only needed one goal and couldn't get it. They are lacking for offense this season, in the middle of the NHL standings in terms of goals for. 

Edmonton could use the depth scoring. 

There isn't arguably room to move Hutson up without moving someone else down or out. Hutson's game is best utilized in a top-six role and that means demoting someone like Matt Savoie. Some fans would say that's fine, given that Savoie is struggling offensively, but the need to get him going might be as imperative as anything. 

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Takeaways: Flyers Collect High-Event, High-Emotion Win Over Sabres

If the Philadelphia Flyers needed a game to reset their rhythm after a flat showing against Pittsburgh, they delivered the loudest possible answer.

Their 5–2 win over the Buffalo Sabres wasn’t always clean, calm, or particularly orderly — but it was effective, explosive in all the right moments, and full of the kind of layered performances that show how this team generates offense by committee.

It was also emotional, bordering on volatile at times. A combined 12 penalties, a Dahlin boarding call that ejected Buffalo’s No. 1 defenseman, and a concerning exit for Cam York all shaped the energy of the night. But beneath the commotion, the Flyers put together exactly the kind of performance they needed to get back to winning ways.


1. The Flyers’ Three-Goal Avalanche.

The Flyers scored three goals in 59 seconds, the second-fastest three-goal burst by any NHL team this season — and they also hold first place on that list.

The burst wasn’t random. It reflected the Flyers’ best strengths when they’re playing connected hockey: They attacked off clean exits instead of forcing plays through the neutral zone, layered bodies in transition, allowing the forwards to hit the offensive blue line with speed, and turned puck recoveries into instant second chances instead of resetting passively.

The Flyers are now 13–0–1 when scoring at least three goals, which isn't just about goal quantity — it’s about the way they attack in waves when they’re on their game. When they combine quick-support puck movement with early off-puck motion, their forward depth overwhelms.

This was one of those nights. Buffalo never quite refound their footing after that 59-second avalanche, and the Flyers didn’t give them a chance to breathe.


2. Sam Ersson Did Exactly What He Needed to Do.

There were parts of this game where things got weird. Wild scrambles, broken coverage, flashes of open ice, and even a play where Sam Ersson found himself stickless in the crease.

And yet, he was excellent.

Ersson stopped 26 of 28 shots, but the quality matters more than the quantity—multiple pad saves through traffic, crucial stops after defensive-zone breakdowns, controlled rebounds on Buffalo’s rush looks, and poise during the mid-scrum scrambles that could have easily tilted momentum.

"He was fantastic," Travis Konecny said of Ersson's performance. "I didn't realize one of the big pad saves he made—I saw it on the Jumbotron; it was unbelievable. I've been saying it all year—we love both our [goalies] and he just proved us right again that we can trust these guys, play hard for them and...have these good starts and let these guys get into the game and shut the door for us."

The best version of the Flyers includes stable, composed goaltending from both halves of their tandem. This was a meaningful step for Ersson, particularly after some uneven performances earlier in the season.

He didn’t just hold down the fort. He allowed the Flyers to lean into the high-event nature of the game without getting punished for it.

Sam Ersson (33). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)

3. You Get a Goal, You Get a Goal...Everybody Gets a Goal!

The consistent through-line was that this team’s scoring is coming from everywhere. Top line, middle six, depth wingers, defensemen. That’s how you survive injuries. That’s how you handle high-event games. And that’s how you stay competitive on nights when things get messy.

Travis Konecny

A goal and an assist, now with 26 points in 29 career games vs. Buffalo. He’s looked sharper over the last week — quicker decisions, tighter puck protection, more assertive shot selection.

Trevor Zegras

His 10th goal of the season, tying Tyson Foerster for the team lead, and extending a four-game point streak (3g, 2a). He’s evolving into a steady producer rather than a high-risk, high-reward playmaker, which is exactly what this team needs from him.

How Trevor Zegras Is Rebuilding His Game—and His Reputation—with Flyers How Trevor Zegras Is Rebuilding His Game—and His Reputation—with Flyers There's a moment from the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a>' shootout win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday that sums up everything you need to know about <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/what-every-flyer-needs-this-season-in-one-sentence">Trevor Zegras</a> right now.

Owen Tippett

Another goal — his ninth of the season, and now four points in his last three games.

Travis Sanheim

Two assists, another multi-point night, and continued evidence that his puck-moving impact is essential to the Flyers’ transition game.

Bobby Brink

A goal and an assist, giving him four multi-point games this season and another against Buffalo (he now has nine points in nine career games vs. the Sabres). Brink’s reads in tight spaces and his ability to extend possessions continue to be extremely effective against teams with looser defensive gaps.

Noah Cates

A goal and an assist, bringing him to 15 points on the season and 12 points in 11 career matchups with Buffalo. Cates looked fully in control of his two-way game — winning small-area battles, organizing line structure, and driving play with a level of confidence he didn’t have earlier in the year.

Matvei Michkov

Two primary assists and now six points (3g, 3a) in his last five games. What stands out isn’t just production — it’s how he’s producing. He’s reading pressure better, manipulating defenders with pace changes, and generating controlled entries that tilt the ice in the Flyers’ favor.

"It's fun," Trevor Zegras said of having so many hot hands on offense. "We all love each other in there, so it's cool that everyone's finding the net."


4. The Physical Temperature Rose — and the Flyers Leaned Into It.

This game got messy, and quickly.

It started with heavy forecheck pressure on both sides, then turned sharper when Rasmus Dahlin boarded Trevor Zegras, earning a five-minute major and a game misconduct. The ensuing scrum pulled in multiple Flyers skaters — including Cam York, who took the worst of it and did not return to the game in the third period.

There’s no official update yet, but Rick Tocchet acknowledged postgame that he “thinks” it could be an upper-body issue.

The response from the bench was telling. The Flyers didn’t collapse defensively after losing one of their top back end pieces and channeled the emotional spike into structured pressure.

Nikita Grebenkin, in particular, made his presence felt — five hits, the most of his young career, and all of them with purpose. This wasn’t a game where he floated on the outside. He skated, he pressured, and he supported plays down low.

In a chippy environment, the Flyers weren't short on penalties, but they were able to also channel that emotion and electric energy and turned it into goals.

Sean Couturier (14). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)

Final Thoughts

This wasn’t the Flyers’ most controlled performance, but it was also exactly the kind of game they needed to get back in the win column, and back into that take-no-prisoners mindset. They won a chaotic game by exploding offensively in organized waves, getting stabilizing, composed goaltending, relying on real scoring depth, matching the physical temperature without leaning into reckless decisions, and staying connected after losing a major defensive piece in Cam York.

There’s concern around York, and rightly so. But the Flyers showed that the underlying structure they’ve built can withstand absences and disorder. A high-event game doesn’t always show maturity, but the way the Flyers managed this one absolutely did.

Who should Mets' third baseman be in 2026? Breaking down internal and external options

As the Mets continue to reshape the team following the Brandon Nimmo trade and signing of Devin Williams, their needs are obvious.

There's the need to re-sign Edwin Diaz, which would give New York perhaps the best 1-2 late-game punch in baseball, or add another high-leverage reliever.

The starting rotation has to be addressed in a big way, with a trade for a top-of-the-rotation starter possibly the best way to go about it.

Power must be added to the lineup, whether it's with the return of Pete Alonso or the addition of someone else.

And with Nimmo on the Rangers, there are now holes in both left field and center field.

Taking the above into account, the third base situation seems pretty settled, with Brett Baty penciled in as the starter.

But if Alonso isn't retained, upgrading the offense by adding a third baseman could make a lot of sense.

Even if Alonso is back, addressing third base with a legitimate bat could still be in the cards in the event the Mets go internal or short-term at one or both vacant outfield spots.

Let's break it down...

The Internal Candidates

In 432 plate appearances spanning 130 games last season, Baty hit .254/.313/.435 with 18 home runs and 13 doubles. His .748 OPS dwarfed his previous career-best OPS of .633, his OPS+ of 111 was solidly above league average, and his defense at third base was smooth and reliable.

In addition to Baty's standard offensive numbers, his advanced metrics also told a nice story in 2025.

New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Brett Baty (7) rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning at Citi Field.
New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Brett Baty (7) rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner - Imagn Images

While his 51.0 percent groundball rate was improved from 2024 (54.5 percent), it was still well above the MLB average of 44.2 percent. Baty also strikes out at a pretty high clip for someone who doesn't hit for a lot of power. And he won't make an impact on the bases.

But Baty's above average offensive performance last season, strong defense, age (26 for all of next season), cost, and team control are all pluses. He won't become arbitration-eligible until after the 2026 season, is under team control through 2029, and made just $774,000 in 2025.

Following a down 2025, Mark Vientos is an option at third base as well. 

While Vientos struggled this past season, he continued to hit the ball incredibly hard and barrel it up at a well above average rate. There's also the fact that despite an overall down year, Vientos helped drive the offense for about a month, when he hit .304/.385/.759 with 10 homers and six doubles in 22 games from Aug. 17 to Sept. 9. 

But given Vientos' defensive struggles, it's hard to imagine him being given a starting role at the hot corner. His fit would be better at DH, and it's also a possibility he'll get traded.

Ronny Mauricio remains intriguing, due largely to his power potential and ability to hit the ball incredibly hard. Mauricio is also a versatile defender, able to handle third base, second base, and shortstop. But he's struggled offensively in the majors, slashing just .234/.295/.369.

The External Candidates

A possibility exists that the Red Sox sign Alonso, which would theoretically open the door for the Mets to turn to Alex Bregman.

In 114 games last season for Boston, Bregman slashed .273/.360/.462 with 18 homers and 28 doubles -- in a year that was interrupted by a quad strain. The 128 OPS+ he put up was his best since 2022, and he continued to be elite when it came to making contact.

Defensively, Bregman was strong at third base, where he was in the 83rd percentile and worth 3 OAA. And in Boston's dugout and in the clubhouse, Bregman had a huge impact -- something that has been the case throughout his career

Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman (2) plays third base during the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park
Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman (2) plays third base during the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park / Troy Taormina - Imagn Images

Put it all together and it feels like Bregman checks all of the Mets' boxes: Right-handed, above average hitter, strong defense, and great in the clubhouse. But it's fair to wonder if New York will want to pay up for a player entering his age-32 season. 

A wild card could be Bo Bichette, as unlikely as a potential signing might be. But if the Blue Jays sign Kyle Tucker, a return to Toronto could be a lot less likely for Bichette. 

Before acquiring Marcus Semien in the Nimmo trade, Bichette -- who played second base during the World Series for the Blue Jays -- would've been a strong fit for New York there.

For the Mets to add him now, Bichette would have to be willing to move to third base -- a position he's never played in the majors. 

But most shortstops are able to handle third base, and Bichette is a special hitter the Mets would be wise to pursue. He's also entering his age-28 season, meaning a long-term deal might be more palatable. 

If the Mets want a short-term option, Eugenio Suarez could make sense -- especially if they're trying to add right-handed power in a world without Alonso. 

Suarez mashed 49 homers last season for the Diamondbacks and Mariners, tying the career-high he set in 2019. 

On the negative side, Suarez had a sub-.300 OBP and was a poor defender, grading out in the ninth percentile. So if the Mets sign him, he'd make much more sense as a DH. 

Then there's Japanese stars Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto, who are able to play both first base and third base.

When it comes to Murakami, most experts have him pegged as a first baseman only. And there are huge questions about whether he'll make enough contact in the majors for his offense and insane power to properly translate.

Okamoto is a plus defender, and could fit at third base for New York in certain scenarios. But the guess here is that he'd be viewed as a first base option if the Mets pursue him. 

Sublime Starc is last man standing after Australia’s mystifying call to leave out Lyon | Geoff Lemon

Left-armer ran through England again but just how much will Australia regret not selecting their premium spinner at the Gabba?

In the end it was Mitchell Starc saving the day in the second Ashes Test as he did the first. In a series supposed to be defined by Australia’s fast-bowling Big Three, he has done the work as the sole member to make the starting line. With one English wicket left to fall and his tally on six for 46, he was on the brink of the remarkable feat of recording career-best figures for the fourth time in less than 12 months. Joe Root and Jofra Archer swung a few runs away to void that statistical note, but it was still another day (and night) of heavy lifting for the man who so far in this series has carried Australia’s burden.

Having passed Harbhajan Singh’s 417 Test wickets in the process Starc, who ended day one with figures of six for 71, is now in the top 15 wicket-takers on the Test all-time list, but the more significant milestone from the overtaking lane was the 414 of Wasim Akram, making Starc the most prolific left-arm quick of all. Until now Wasim has been uncontested as the greatest of his ilk, but with time yet ahead of Starc, the Australian can now make an argument of it. He may average three more runs per wicket, but has needed eight fewer deliveries to take each one, and his recent vintage years have both of those numbers moving in the right direction.

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