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Canadiens: Anderson Must Be Signed To A New Contract, But It Can’t Be A Big One

One thing was made abundantly clear in the Montreal Canadiens’ first game of the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs: Josh Anderson plays an important role on the team. It wasn’t just that he scored the goal that let the Habs tie it up in the first frame; he was absolutely flying out there, determined to make an impact. If anyone doubted he deserved an alternate captaincy after Brendan Gallagher’s departure, those doubts should have been eased. On Monday night, he was a general leading his troops into battle.

Granted, one good game doesn’t make a season, but Anderson picked up right where he left off in the playoffs with gritty, physical play. The winger landed four hits, more than anyone else on the team. Watching him play, Jeff Gorton’s words from the third episode of the rebuild came back to me: “This is why we’ll never trade Andy.” The executive said that in a game against the Boston Bruins, when the big winger set the tone by dropping the gloves early against Tanner Jeannot. The Habs eventually won that December 23 game 6-2.

Canadiens Rain On Leafs Parade
Game 1: Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs Pregame – Newhook’s Opportunity
Canadiens: The One That Got Away

As things stand, the power forward is in the final year of a 7-year deal with a $5.5 million cap hit. When Marc Bergevin signed him to that deal, he hoped Anderson would be a 30-goal-per-year scorer; that didn’t happen. Early in his contract, and during the rebuild, there were rumblings that he should be moved; his name was in a lot of rumors, and he absolutely hated being asked about the possibility. He was clear about his intentions back in 2022:

We’re in a tough situation right now, but I think that we have the right people to make this thing work. I love it here in Montreal; I signed a long-term deal for a reason: to stay in Montreal and to win here. So, I’m obviously very excited about that, and like I said, I think we have the right people to make that happen.
- Anderson back in 2022

Even though he never became the offensive producer the team hoped for, he became one of the few players on the roster to provide the all-important sandpaper. Who else would have dared to drop the gloves against Tom Wilson in the 2025 playoffs? It gave us one of the most memorable moments of that postseason, with the tussle ending up on the Washington Capitals' bench between two periods.

For all those reasons, Anderson needs to stay, but the Canadiens must find a way to fit him into his rightful place in the Habs’ salary structure. The salary cap may be going up, and the Canadiens are in an enviable position from that standpoint, but they have to stay there. Kent Hughes just signed Alex Newhook to a four-year contract extension with a $5.55 million cap hit. Last season, the Newfoundlander put up 25 points in 42 games, and if he stays healthy, he’ll be counted on for around 50 points.

As for Anderson, he put up 23 points in 72 games last year. The organization knows what he brings, and his ceiling is clear. He won’t be a massive offensive contributor, but he’ll contribute in other ways. At the end of June, the Anaheim Ducks gave tough guy AJ Greer, who put up 32 points and 113 penalty minutes, a four-year contract with a $4.25 cap hit; that’s a strong comparable for the rugged forward. Term-wise, four years may be a bit much for the 32-year-old; a two- or three-year contract would probably be the right fit. Given that every Hab has bought into the notion that they need to take less money for the good of the team, Anderson will likely do the same. A $4 million AAV would be ideal, given the salary cap is still rising, and it feels like that will soon be the average earned by bottom-six players.

Does he have to be signed right away? Probably not, but he’d likely want to put the uncertainty behind him and play hockey, though being made alternate captain permanently shows the organization is committed to him and values what he brings.

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Game Preview: Avalanche Open Season With Kings Rematch

DENVER — The wait is over.

The Avalanche are back at Ball Arena, the Stanley Cup is still the goal, and their first opponent of the new season just happens to be the team they swept out of the playoffs four months ago.

Colorado opens its 31st season in Denver on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Kings, giving the Avalanche a chance to start a new season in a building that should be buzzing from the opening faceoff.

And there’s no shortage of familiar faces or interesting storylines.

Nathan MacKinnon is coming off a 53-goal, 127-point season and has continued to produce against Los Angeles. He has two goals and five assists in his last four regular-season games against the Kings, along with four points in Colorado’s four-game playoff sweep.

Cale Makar is fresh off signing an eight-year, $163.2 million extension to remain in Colorado. He has one goal and five assists in his last four regular-season games against Los Angeles and scored once in each of Games 3 and 4 of last season’s playoff series.

Then there’s Martin Necas.

Necas opened last season’s matchup against the Kings by firing a wicked wrist shot past Darcy Kuemper for the first goal of Colorado’s 4-1 win. He scored twice that night and finished with four goals and four assists in seven games against Los Angeles when combining the regular season and playoffs.

So, yes, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about seeing this group back on the ice.

But the Kings have some players Colorado will have to keep an eye on, too.

Adrian Kempe led Los Angeles in goals, assists and points last season, finishing with 36 goals and 73 points. He had three assists in the three regular-season meetings against Colorado before adding a goal and two assists in the playoff series.

Quinton Byfield finished second on the Kings with 24 goals and 49 points. He was held without a point in the regular-season meetings with Colorado but picked up two assists in the playoffs.

Alex Laferriere scored 21 goals and finished with 44 points last season. He also failed to register a point against Colorado during the regular season, but found another gear in the playoffs with four assists.

Colorado managed to keep Byfield and Laferriere quiet during the regular season. The Avalanche will get an early look Wednesday at whether that trend continues.

The goaltending matchup could be another interesting part of the night.

Mackenzie Blackwood, who is expected to start for Colorado, has a 5-3-2 career record against the Kings with a 2.12 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage.

Scott Wedgewood has been even better statistically. He is 6-2-0 in eight career games against Los Angeles with a 2.00 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage.

Wedgewood also played a big role the last time these teams met. He stopped 24 of 25 shots in Game 4 as Colorado completed the sweep, finishing the series with a .950 save percentage.

Los Angeles has a familiar option of its own.

Anton Forsberg appears likely to be part of the Kings' crease rotation after putting together a strong 2025-26 season. He started all four games of the playoff series against Colorado and was arguably Los Angeles' best player in the matchup.

Darcy Kuemper is also back, although the Kings' goaltending situation remained unsettled coming out of training camp. Kuemper struggled after returning from a midseason injury last year, while Forsberg emerged as the team's postseason starter.

There’s a pretty good Colorado connection as well. 

Forsberg won the Calder Cup with Jared Bednar and the Lake Erie Monsters in 2016. Kuemper, meanwhile, was part of the Avalanche team that won the Stanley Cup in 2022.

And Bednar signed a four-year contract extension Wednesday morning, keeping him behind the Colorado bench through the 2030-31 season.

Tonight will also mark the highly anticipated NHL debut of T.J. Hughes, the former University of Michigan standout who has been one of Colorado’s most impressive players throughout training camp. Hughes capped his preseason with a four-point performance in Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets at Ball Arena, scoring a hat trick in the process.

The Avalanche and Kings have plenty of history, but that doesn't matter now. The playoff series is over, the slate is clean, and the Avalanche are back.

The Kings get the first crack at them — again.

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In battle of Stanley Cup winners, Panthers announce return in OT win against Hurricanes

NHL: SEP 29 Panthers at Hurricanes

RALEIGH, NC - SEPTEMBER 29: Left Wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) of the Florida Panthers prepares for a faceoff during the NHL game between the Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes on September 29, 2026 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Katherine Gawlik/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes gathered at the blue line, the Stanley Cup sitting on a table a few feet away, and watched a championship banner rise to the rafters amid roaring home fans.

From the visiting bench, the Florida Panthers — the team that had won the Cup the two years before Carolina’s June breakthrough — patiently waited through that 15-minute ceremony to remind everyone that they’re fully back from an injury-hammered year.

It added up to a tight-checking, goaltender-dominated and sometimes testy reunion between title winners with playoff history between them. And it took a blue-liner in Gustav Forsling to finally end it by blasting a one-timer past Brandon Bussi with 4.3 seconds left in overtime that pushed the Panthers to a 1-0 season-opening win.

“Playoff-style hockey,” Forsling said. “That felt like a playoff game to me. It was awesome, really fun.”

The NHL said it marked the third time in its modern era (since 1943-44) that the two previous Cup winners met in a season-opening game, the others coming in 1962-63 and 2019-20.

The Panthers had reached the Stanley Cup Final for three straight years and won it all in 2024 and 2025, twice eliminating the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final in that run. But injuries last year derailed any chance to contend, notably with captain Aleksander Barkov going down with a knee injury to open preseason camp.

Getting Barkov back, along with Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk welcoming brother Brady as an offseason addition to an already deep lineup, had offered plenty of reason to believe Florida is back among the league’s best. They also brought in Jacob Markstrom to take over the crease anchored by Sergei Bobrovsky during those title runs.

That’s why Florida coach Paul Maurice pointed out it’s a new team, even with so many championship holdovers. And why the Panthers sat on the bench to watch the Hurricanes’ pregame ceremony.

“You get a chance to see what you want so bad,” Maurice said. “We think it’s really important that the teams respect each other for those achievements, whether it’s an individual player hitting a milestone or certainly a Stanley Cup. They’ve earned the right to have as long of a ceremony as they wanted, and it was well done.”

Markstrom was a standout in making 15 saves, including stopping Carolina top-line center Sebastian Aho on a short-handed breakaway in the second period. Forsling also stepped up beyond his walk-off winner, blocking a shot by a trailing Jackson Blake in the crease to help Markstrom in turning away a four-on-one rush late in the second.

Sequences like those were magnified on a night with the teams going a combined 0 for 13 on power plays.

“I thought we played a great game — everyone, the whole lineup,” Markstrom said. “All four lines and all six D played really good, making my job a lot easier.”

Bussi nearly matched Markstrom in making it through regulation and overtime unscathed. The waiver-wire wonder from last year, who posted a shutout in Carolina’s Cup-clinching win against Vegas on June 14, made 19 saves.

But Forsling’s blast from inside the blue line, off a feed from Carter Verhaeghe, zipped past Carolina forward Taylor Hall and beat Bussi to the glove side just as it seemed the game was headed toward a shootout. It left the goaltender crumpling forward to his pads and gloves, a disappointing end to his first game as the top starter since veteran Frederik Andersen’s departure in free agency.

“It was far enough out I should kind of found it, for some reason I didn’t get a good visual on it,” Bussi said, uncertain if the puck clipped Hall on its way in. “And it’s 4 seconds left, trying to get to a shootout. I think on my standards it’s a bad goal.”

It was a damper on a jubilant night for the Hurricanes, who had reached the Eastern final three times in the seven years before going 16-3 on the way to the franchise’s second Cup. The Hurricanes return with a largely intact roster beyond Andersen’s departure, top-line forward Seth Jarvis still recovering from shoulder surgery and third-pair defenseman Alexander Nikishin unsigned as a restricted free agent.

But having that cohesion back didn’t eliminate rust, nor the ability to push past a tested Florida team in what could be a preview of yet another postseason reunion.

“I think it’s a good game for us,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “The offensive guys got, ‘OK, well now we’ve got to get going here with the way the game is played.’ Like I said, it wasn’t a lot of room and the little plays you normally make, we weren’t making them tonight. Or seeing them.”

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Unsigned Red Wings RFA Simon Edvinsson Returns To Sweden

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The 2026-27 NHL season is two days away for the Detroit Red Wings, and it appears as though they won't have one of their most important pieces on the ice with them when it comes time to drop the puck on Friday evening.

Unsigned defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who remains a restricted free agent, has returned to his native Sweden and is training with Frolunda. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

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Despite not having an NHL contract, Edvinsson reported to Training Camp and was on the ice with the rest of his teamamtes for non-scrimmage drills. 

Shawn Horcoff: Red Wings To "Continue Conversations" With Unsigned Simon Edvinsson Shawn Horcoff: Red Wings To "Continue Conversations" With Unsigned Simon Edvinsson In a statement, Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff said that the club will continue conversations with unsigned D Simon Edvinsson, who remains a restricted free agent.

"I don't see the reason for me to sit at home, to be honest," Edvinsson said earlier this month. "I think I would be stressed if I were back in Sweden now and I saw everybody else practicing. We are going into a new season where it's important that everybody is linked together."

"I don't know the expression, but everybody needs to be on the same page, and that was my reasoning to come over here," he continued. 

Earlier this week, Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff released the following statement: 

“As of today, Simon is not practicing with the team. The organization will continue conversations with Simon and his representatives.”

Edvinsson, whom the Red Wings selected in the first round (sixth overall pick) of the 2021 NHL Draft, has emerged as Detroit's second-best defenseman behind Moritz Seider. 

According to various reports, the Red Wings are allegedly interested in a bridge-style contract for Edvinsson, while he and his camp would prefer a more long-term arranement. 

A difficult situation for the Red Wings just became more difficult with the start of the regular season now just over 48 hours away. 

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Kansas City Royals news: Alec Zumwalt is out

May 19, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals hitting coach Alec Zumwalt during the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Jaylon Thompson covers the reports that Alec Zumwalt is out as Royals hitting coach.

The offense struggled at key points. The Royals got off to a slow start this spring with a 22-37 record entering June. The club posted a .650 OPS in May as the offense couldn’t get into an early season rhythm.

Things started to turn around down the stretch. Rookie catcher Carter Jensen began to ascend behind the plate and Jac Caglianone tapped into his immense power. Both players won the American League Player of the Month award.

Yet, the Royals couldn’t overcome their early strugles. It’s easy to point to down seasons from Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino, among others. The trio dealt with injuries at different times, which zapped their production.

Craig Brown reacts.

What I believe this move signals is that the Royals feel there’s more to come from their offensive performance. I can’t disagree there, but the club would be better served to finding two or three productive bats from outside the org. The Picollo Era has been marked by awarding too many plate appearances to too many sub-mediocre hitters.

Zumwalt has been in the sights for a segment of this fan base for the better part of two seasons. I get it. When a team underperforms—and the Royals have certainly underperformed—there needs to be accountability. Owner John Sherman’s guy is Picollo. Picollo’s guy is Quatraro. So someone on the coaching staff needs to take the fall. Or be reassigned.

Philip Ruo at Royals Keep evaluates Royals hitters the Royals picked up last season, like Isaac Collins.

In one respect, Collins succeeded in solidifying left field. Collins accounted for 78% of the plate appearances from Royals left fielders in 2026. He also provided a noticeable improvement in offensive production with a slash line of .214/.321/.324 with an 84 wRC+ and 0.2 fWAR. However, his wRC+ and fWAR rank second-to-last and last among qualified primary left fielders. Collins was brought in for his on-base skills and plate discipline, but he saw a noticeable decline in his xwOBA from .322 in 2025 to .294 in 2026, which places him in the 15th percentile in the majors.

Dominick Williams at the Star has a photo collection of memorable Royals moments from this year.

Ben Rice hits a grand slam in a Game 1 Yankees win over the Red Sox.

The White Sox have their first postseason win in five years, defeating the Astros.

Phillies manager Don Mattingly goes to Jhoan Duran in the seventh and it backfires in a loss to the Braves.

Padres pitcher Michael King takes a no-hitter into the seventh in a win over the Cubs.

Ken Rosenthal wants reseeding after the Wild Card round for the postseason.

Why each playoff team will or won’t win the World Series.

Miami does not plan to trade pitcher Sandy Alcantara this offseason.

The Mariners want to hire an experienced manager.

The Tigers part ways with two coaches.

The Marlins fire hitting coach Pedro Guerrero.

The Twins plan to meaningfully invest in payroll and contend next year.

Athletics infielder Zach Gelof sues the Tigers for an injury he sustained at Comerica Park.

Former Royals pitcher and All-Star reliever Liam Hendriks retires.

17-year-old Mathis Albert becomes the youngest player to ever score for the US Men’s National soccer team.

The top-seeded Minnesota Lynx fall to the New York Liberty in the WNBA playoffs.

The Senate overwhelmingly passes the Protect College Sports Act.

AI actress “Tilly Norwood” glitches and suddenly speaks Chinese in a live TV interview.

The Game of Thrones movie will come out in 2029.

Your song of the day is Goth Babe with Moments/Tides.

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AL Wild Card Series Game 2 Preview: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox

After taking the first game of the series in dominant fashion, the Yankees look to take care of business tonight in the Bronx. The Bombers hand the ball to veteran lefty and ace Max Fried. What can Fried do to follow up on Schlittler’s gem in the opener and send Boston home for the winter? Let’s preview Game 2 of this Wild Card Series.

Fried’s body of work was spectacular, but limited in 2026. In 20 starts this season, he posted a 2.80 ERA and a 0.994 WHIP, racking up 104 strikeouts over 112.2 frames while holding opponents to a meager .201 average. In his last two starts of the regular season, Fried dominated Minnesota, going seven strong innings of one-run ball on September 15th, before stumbling slightly against the Rays on September 22nd, when he took a loss after allowing four runs over 6.2 innings.

The 32-year-old Fried squared off with the Red Sox twice during the 2026 regular season. Back on April 22nd, he abandoned his windup mid-game to pitch entirely from the stretch and went eight dominant innings in Boston, striking out nine and giving up only three hits.

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Fried’s most recent encounter with the Beantown Boys was on August 29th, when he was coming off the injured list. In that game, he tossed 3.2 frames of one-run ball to help the Yankees to a 9-2 victory. Even though it was last year, we’d also be remiss if we didn’t note that Fried fired 6.1 innings of shutout ball against Boston in the 2025 Wild Card Series opener.

When facing left-handed starters like Fried, the Red Sox usually counter with a lineup heavily anchored by switch-hitters Adley Rutschman and Nick Sogard, alongside right-handed bats Willson Contreras, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Trevor Story. With Roman Anthony leaving Game 1 with an injury, we will have to wait and see what the Red Sox do to try and get some offense. Few Red Sox hitters have many at-bats vs. Fried, but Story has gone 5-for-22 with two home runs off Fried.

Boston counters with right-handed Sonny Gray. The former Yankee has put together a great season as a 36-year-old. After logging an 18-5 record over 29 starts with a 2.72 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and 149 strikeouts in 169 innings, many Red Sox fans would argue “their guy” should be in the down-ballot Cy Young race. Gray is coming off a masterful performance against the Guardians on September 23rd, firing six scoreless innings while earning his 18th win. Over his last three starts, he has surrendered six earned runs across 18.1 innings. Gray attacks hitters with a heavy dose of four-seam fastballs paired with hard-sweeping sliders and multi-quadrant breaking balls.

Gray had one meh start and one really, really good start against the Yankees in the regular season. His numbers ended up at 1-0 with a 1.98 ERA in two starts. He outlasted the Yankees in the Stadium on June 5th, giving up three runs over 6.1 innings for a 5-3 win, though the Bombers did tally eight hits in that game. He followed that up on June 28th with a big personal performance, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning and recording his 2,000th career strikeout.

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However, Gray has not faced this Yankees lineup and arguably faced the Yankees this season when they were at their worst.

Meanwhile, the Yankees’ playoff roster is finally the chess board Brian Cashman has tried to provide Aaron Boone with for years, even if the team is still missing the most important offensive piece on the roster. With a right-hander on the bump to start the game, I expect the Yankees to roll a lefty-heavy lineup out of the starting gate despite Gray’s splits showing he has been just as effective versus lefties as righties.

My bold prediction is that Boone will start two right-handed bats tonight in George Lombard Jr. and Amed Rosario. Rosario is 7-for-24 lifetime vs. Gray, while Ryan McMahon is 1-for-11 — though the contact-oriented Fried has generally preferred to have the more defensively adept McMahon at the hot corner. The good news for the Yankees is Trade Deadline acquisition Luis Garcia Jr. is 4-for-10 with a home run, and Game 1 hero Ben Rice is 3-for-7 with two home runs. Those are good for a 1.200 and 1.841 OPS, respectively. Trent Grisham might not start, but he has also hit Gray well, sitting at a .500 average in 10 at-bats with a home run and a 1.445 OPS of his own. The cherry on top is Spencer Jones is also batting .500 against Gray with a double sprinkled into those three hits. Maybe this is all Small Sample Theatre, but it’s worth considering.

The Red Sox have lefties galore on their staff and, in an elimination game, will have to lay all their cards on the table. If you decide to keep score at home, I would recommend a pencil tonight and be ready for lots of scratches through the lineup card, as each pitching change could very well be met with a counter in the batter’s box.

Game 1 is over; let’s do it all again tonight!

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Mets Morning News: Wild Card wins

SAN DIEGO, CA - SEPTEMBER 29: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres celebrates at home plate after scoring in the seventh inning during Game One of the National League Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie between the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Meet the Mets

Jefferson Rojas is nearing the majors, but his hopes could be stalled by a potential lockout.

Joel Sherman wrote a guide to the Mets’ offseason, covering the big questions and potential targets.

Freddy Peralta won the American League Pitcher of the Month honor for September, and David Stearns credited Tampa Bay for doing what the Mets were unable to achieve with Peralta.

Around the National League East

The Phillies announced their complete Wild Card series roster.

The Braves beat the Phillies 5-3 in the first game of the Wild Card series. Austin Riley hit a three-run home run off of Phillies closer Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning to seal the victory.

Paul Casella compiled a list of four key takeaways from the first game between the Braves and the Phillies.

Around Major League Baseball

The White Sox beat the Astros 6-3 in the first game of their series and made it look easy.

The Yankees completely dominated the Red Sox 9-0 in the first game of their Wild Card series, with plenty of help from Massachusetts natives Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice.

The Padres bashed their way to a win in a 8-0 beatdown of the Cubs, and Michael King’s seven innings of one-hit baseball sealed the deal for the Padres to take the lead in the Wild Card series.

Britt Ghiroli is dreading this postseason, as the looming lockout could stop games for an indeterminable amount of time.

After years as baseball’s worst hitter, Austin Hedges has been experiencing an offensive renaissance at 34 years old.

John Harper made bold predictions for each postseason series.

The Minor League Baseball award winners were announced Monday evening.

There’s a way each postseason team could eventually go the distance and win the World Series.

Aaron Judge was officially left off the Yankees Wild Card series roster, but he’ll continue his rehab in hopes of being activated for a potential American League Division Series.

Giancarlo Stanton and Garrett Crochet could perform some postseason heroics after being added to their respective teams rosters.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

A Pod of Their Own returned with their 2026 season postmortem.

Linus Lawrence listed the different former Mets playing in this year’s postseason.

Lawrence also wrote a guide to the postseason with reasons why a Mets fan might want to root for each team.

Steve Sypa published the Prospect Report Card for September.

This Date in Mets History

Two different historic Mets defeats occurred 45 years apart on this day.

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1 Day Until Opening Night: The History OF Jersey #1

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 1 day until opening night at Nationwide Arena. 

Let's take a look at who wore 1 and where they are now.

Jean-François Labbé - 2002 - Undrafted out of Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Jean-François Labbé played in 14 games with the Blue Jackets over the course of two seasons. He went 3-5 with an .890 SV%. He spent the bulk of his time playing in the AHL for the Syracuse Crunch. 

He left North America in 2003 for Russia. He then played in Germany and Poland before returning to Canada in 2009. After playing a season for Sherbrooke Saint-François in the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey, he would retire. 

Labbé was primarily an AHL goalie, playing in a total of 261 games. He had a record of 131-97-25 and had 13 shutouts. He has won numerous awards in the AHL, including Best Goaltender and Most Valuable Player. For his efforts, Labbé was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2016.

After retiring, he moved into coaching, where he was either a head coach or a goaltending coach at different stops. 

Tomáš Pöpperle - 2007 - Drafted by Columbus in 2005. 

Pöpperle played two games for Columbus in 06-07, which were the only two NHL games of his career, both of which were in relief. His SV% was .929% and he had a GAA of 1.35.

He played 66 AHL games for the Syracuse Crunch before returning to Europe. He last played in 23-24 in Germany's second tier. 

Steve Mason - 2009-2013 - Drafted by Columbus in 2006. 

Mason won 96 games for Columbus in his career. His win total is third behind Sergei Bobrovsky and Elvis Merzlikins. His 19 shutouts are also second, while he played 13,138:02 of TOI, which is fourth. His GAA is fourth in team history, while his save % is fifth. 

After he was traded to Philadelphia, he played four years for the Flyers before spending a season with the Winnipeg organization. After suffering two concussions and a serious knee injury, Mason wouldn't play again and would retire. 

Mason started his career with a bang, winning the 08-09 Calder Trophy and being named to the NHL's All-Rookie Team. He was also named an NHL All-Star during his rookie year, to go along with his NHL second-team honors. 

Mason was traded to the Flyers on April 3, 2013, in exchange for goaltender Michael Leighton and a 2015 third-round draft pick. In Philly, he would finish with a record of 104-78-36.

Mason, while playing for Canada at the U20 World Junior Championships, went 5-0 with a SV% of .951 and won tournament MVP, best goaltender, and was an all-star. 

Oh, what could have been. 

There is one day left until opening day at Nationwide Arena. 

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Braves News: Austin Riley heroic, Walt Weiss press conference, and more

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 29: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves hits a three-run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the eighth inning in game one of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on September 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It was an exciting afternoon at Truist Park as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 to take Game 1 of the National League Wild Card. Chris Sale got the start and was brilliant. In 6.1 innings, he recorded nine strikeouts and issued one walk. He was charged with three earned runs. 

The Atlanta offense had some tough breaks and was unable to put together timely hitting until later in the game. However, that changed when a Michael Harris II single and a hit by pitch had two on for Austin Riley. Riley launched a homer to right center field to give the Braves the 5-3 edge. 

The Braves were able to hold on in the top of the ninth and look to sweep the best-of-three series on Wednesday afternoon at Truist Park.

More Braves News:

Walt Weiss spoke with the media postgame and discussed the unpredictability of the Postseason. 

Don’t think the Braves can win the World Series? Here’s why they can.

MLB News:

Three-time All-Star Liam Hendriks announced his retirement on Tuesday. He was a part of 14 big league seasons. 

The Miami Marlins have parted ways with hitting coach Pedro Guerrero.

From the Feed:

Lock in your predictions for the NL Wild Card series.

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After a brutal opening loss, can the Red Sox come back?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 29: Payton Tolle #70 of the Boston Red Sox walks back to the dugout after being pull against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning in game one of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on September 29, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Happy Wednesday, OTM! If you’re reading this, that means the sun did rise once again after a horrific game one loss to the New York Yankees last night. My question to you today is simple: do you still believe? The offense is putrid, Roman Anthony is hurt again, and the Yankees have Max Fried lined up to start. Signs are bad, but as Payton Tolle said, he hasn’t heard a fat lady sing. I’m sure if he walks around New York City for long enough, he’ll find one, but he probably wouldn’t find one who’s omniscient and only sings in conjunction with the end of a baseball playoff series. If he did, he should bring her to American Idol or something. America’s Got Talent, maybe? I don’t know, I’m just vamping.

Are we going to win tonight? Do we have any chance at pulling this series out? Talk about this and whatever else you want, and as always, be good to one another.

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NLDS notes: Josue De Paula, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Josue De Paula #95 of the Los Angeles Dodgers singles during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on September 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

While eight teams battle it out to see who will advance to the Division Series, the Dodgers are among four teams using this time off to prepare for October baseball.

After winning an even 100 games in the regular season, the Dodgers secured a first-round bye and will await the winner of the NL Wild Card matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. While the Dodgers continue to add the finishing touches to their postseason roster, there are some lingering questions as to which players will be a part of the team’s depth chart.

21-year-old outfielder Josue De Paula made his presence known while filling in for the then-injured Shohei Ohtani, slashing .323/.500/.581 across 42 plate appearances before he was sent down to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Sonja Chen of MLB.com believes that both De Paula and utility man Hyeseong Kim can make an impact on the postseason roster, with the former being relegated to pinch-hit opportunities due to his lack of big-league experience in the outfield.

Of course, De Paula is capable of playing the corner outfield, but we only saw him play six innings in left as a Dodger. And given how important defense is in the postseason, I doubt we will see him in the field unless it’s an emergency.

The month of September has given Shohei Ohtani plenty of time to prepare for his third consecutive postseason run with the Dodgers. The Dodgers still have another three days to prepare for the NLDS, and Ohtani is using this time to get his swing in the right place, per Chen.

“Everything is feeling great physically,” general manager Brandon Gomes said on a Zoom call with the media on Tuesday. “The swings, once he came back, overall were in a good place. And using these five days to continue to get reps and feeling good into this series is really important. But feels like he’s in a great spot.”

Freddie Freeman had his power zapped in the second half of the regular season, hitting just one home run while posting a slugging percentage of .339. Freeman dealt with patellar tendonitis in his right knee, but entering the NLDS, he said that he’s feeling a lot better, reports Jack Harris of the California Post.

“I truly feel good right now, physically,” Freeman said on Tuesday, during a video conference with reporters ahead of the Dodgers’ first pre-National League Division Series bye week workout. “So it’s on me now to figure out the mechanics of the swing in the next five days. And I have all the confidence in myself that I will figure that out by [Game 1 on] Saturday.”

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Darren Raddysh’s Maple Leafs Debut: Shaky First Game Tests Toronto’s $68 Million Bet

Darren Raddysh’s first night as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs was certainly memorable, but for all the wrong reasons.

The Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 in the season opener at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday. William Nylander scored 48 seconds in and again late in the third. Josh Anderson, Zachary Bolduc and Alexandre Carrier answered for the Canadiens. Raddysh, who was paired with Morgan Rielly and logged 23:47, more ice than anyone in blue and white except Auston Matthews, finished minus-2 with three shots and two blocks. He was on the ice for all three Montreal goals. The first two, in particular, followed the kind of plays that get clipped and circulated before the third period even starts.

“Obviously, you know, not what we wanted. Obviously, I think personally myself, I can do a little bit better,” he said after the game. “But, yeah, you know, I’m really excited to be here and be a part of this and just be a part of the whole organization.”

The Leafs acquired Raddysh’s rights from Tampa Bay for a 2026 fifth-round pick and signed the Toronto-area product to an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million AAV) before he could test free agency. After a 22-goal, 70-point breakout with the Lightning, the bet was simple: a right-shot who can run a power play and move pucks would stabilize a blue line that needed more than veteran stopgaps. One night does not settle that bet, but it certainly asks for a marked improvement.

On Anderson’s tying goal at 10:53 of the first, Raddysh’s attempted breakout was intercepted and the puck stayed in Toronto’s end long enough for Kirby Dach and Carrier to set up a rebound that Anderson batted out of the air. On Bolduc’s 2-1 goal early in the second, Raddysh seemed caught puck-watching in front of Sergei Bobrovsky while Mike Matheson crashed the crease. 

Head coach Jim Hiller did not single him out. He framed the night as what a new group looks like when the first real game arrives before the reads do.

“I thought he was alright too, but I thought, like, we had a lot of new guys. And I thought we looked a little bit like a new team today,” Hiller said. “We just weren’t connecting with our passes. And, you know, I don’t know if that has anything to do with nerves or being in the building for the first time and the first time everybody together. So we just weren’t clean as a team.”

Raddysh heard the same thing from the other side of the stall. Training camp was short. The system is new. The names around him, Gavin McKenna, Kirill Marchenko, Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic and the rest of a remade roster, are still getting used to one another. He has seen this Montreal team plenty from his Tampa years. Nothing about their speed or their forecheck surprised him. 

“Yeah, the training camp’s short. A lot of new guys and, you know, everyone’s trying to learn a new system with a new coach,” he said. “There’s a lot of new learning curves. But, you just got to be prepared for that.”

The pairing with Rielly was the other story that followed him out of the room. Camp had pointed that way for more than a week: two offensive defensemen, extra offensive-zone starts, a clean slate for Rielly under a new staff. Tuesday was the first real look. Chemistry is not built in 23 minutes against a team that plays fast and stays simple. Raddysh said as much.

“Yeah, it was good to finally play a real game with Morgan and try and build out the chemistry that we’ve had these few days of training camp. Yeah, I just got to get ready for it all.”

The schedule does not leave much room to sit with any of it. The New York Islanders are in town Wednesday. Raddysh called that an advantage.

“Yeah, it’s always good when, you know, you play right the next day, so you can kind of put this in the back and just get ready for tomorrow and be prepared for the Islanders.”

One game. A hometown contract that runs through 2034. A minus-2 that will follow him until the next one doesn’t. Raddysh already said the part that matters: he can be better. The Leafs paid for the version that usually is.

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Who are Giants fans rooting for today?

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 11: An overall view of Yankee Stadium during God Bless America during the game between the New York Mets and the New York Yankees on September 11, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good morning, baseball fans!

The National League and American League Wild Card series continue today, with all four series playing the second of three potential games.

Because I live in the past and have to write these before the games have been played, you have a better idea of how the series are going than I do. But here’s what’s on deck for today. I’m going to do these by time instead of league because that makes more sense. Also, rather than repeating myself, all of the games will have national radio coverage on ESPN Radio.

First up, we have the visiting Philadelphia Phillies against the Atlanta Braves, in which Atlanta has a 1-0 lead in the series. This one starts at 11:00 a.m. PT and airs on NBC/Peacock.

After that, we have the visiting Chicago White Sox playing against the Houston Astros at 2:00 p.m. PT, and airing on Peacock/NBC Sports Network.

Then it’s the visiting Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees at 5:00 p.m. PT, airing on NBC/Peacock.

And then finally, we have the visiting Chicago Cubs playing the San Diego Padres at 7:00 p.m. PT, airing on Peacock/NBC Sports Network.

Who are you rooting for today?

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MLB News: MLB Wild Card, Postseason predictions, Pope Leo White Sox letter, Aaron Judge

Happy Wednesday, everyone! The postseason is officially here and Wild Card games are underway. While we wait to see how the final postseason picture develops, we’ve got loads of little news tidbits, including deep dives into how all the teams are shaping up, and how all the different MLB experts predict things going as we head towards the World Series.

Plenty to get into so we know which storylines to keep an eye on this October, so let’s just dive right in.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.

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Ethan Anderson became a name to watch in 2026

Despite once seemingly having no path toward big league playing time, Ethan Anderson’s impressive 2026 campaign saw him rise to the top of Baltimore’s catching prospects and put him on the doorstep of the major leagues.

This time last year, catcher was perhaps the most logjammed position of any in the Orioles organization. Adley Rutschman was the established starter coming off his fourth (albeit injury-riddled) season in the majors. Samuel Basallo had arrived in Baltimore at the end of August to start his promising big league career. Backstop was simply not a major position of need for Baltimore, and as such, it seemed like there was no real path forward for any minor leaguer.

Fast forward a year, and things have changed in a big way. Rutschman suffered through another injury-laden first half before being shipped off to Boston in a blockbuster trade. Basallo missed some time with his own injury issues and only projects as a part-timer behind the plate going forward. Injuries to the established catchers mean the Orioles once again cycled through backstops, with Chadwick Tromp, Sam Huff, Carlos Narváez, Yohel Pozo and Jake Rogers all seeing action behind the plate for Baltimore.

While Pozo and Narváez are still under team control for a couple more seasons, their lackluster offensive games mean that the role of Basallo’s running mate should be an open competition. And no minor leaguer, after 2026, is better positioned to take advantage of that opportunity than Anderson.

The former 2024 second-round pick out of Virginia spent most of the year with the Baysox in Double-A and established himself as the heartbeat of Chesapeake’s lineup. Compared to what he’d become, the 23-year-old switch-hitter got off to a relatively quiet start. Over the first month of the season, he hit a strong .302, but only put up one home run and four total extra-base hits en route to a SLG (.397) lower than his OBP (.429)

In May, those numbers would flip. Anderson started showing off his power stroke during the second month of the season, swatting 7 homers along with 3 doubles as he put up an improved .484 SLG. However, his average dipped down to .220, while his OBP dropped to .317. Overall, his first two months of the year reflected a respectable minor league hitter, but one who was still figuring some things out offensively.

Everything truly clicked for Anderson starting in June. In 21 games that month, he again launched 7 long balls, but added to that power with a .286 average, a .368 OBP and a strikeout rate that decreased from 26% to 14 percent.

Throughout the second half of the season, Anderson continued to wear out minor league pitchers. After missing most of July with an ankle injury, he returned in August and embarked on an epic hot streak. Over his final 25 games of the season (split between Frederick, Chesapeake and Norfolk), Anderson slashed .333/.390/.604 (.995 OPS) while hitting another 8 home runs and continuing to keep his strikeout rate under 20 percent.

Perhaps most encouraging was the cup of coffee Anderson had in Norfolk to end the season. In five games, the former Virginia Cavalier picked up a hit in all five contests, hit his first two Triple-A home runs and proved even a step up in competition couldn’t slow him down.

Anderson finished the season with a final triple slash of .288/.375/.544, a .919 OPS, 14 doubles, 24 home runs, 55 RBIs and a 22.1% strikeout rate. Of his 344 ABs, 303 came for the Baysox and 21 of his 24 long balls came against Double-A pitchers. Of the Orioles’ Top 30 prospects, only Wehiwa Aloy and Aron Estrada (25 each) hit more home runs than Anderson.

The switch-hitting Anderson also shows promise from both sides of the plate. He has more power against left-handed pitching, with 18 of his 24 homers coming from the right side and a slugging percentage that’s nearly 100 points higher. However, as a LHB against RHPs, Anderson hit .306—compared to .280 against LHPs.

Having already made his way up to Triple-A, Anderson will likely split time with Creed Willems behind the plate to begin next season. Both Anderson and Willems have the same problem; each has a strong offensive profile for a catcher, but questionable defensive skills that make it uncertain if they can stick behind the plate long term.

Anderson did play 500 defensive innings at catcher this past season, compared to 207 innings at 1B. If he can continue to hold his own behind the dish, Anderson should be first in line to replace Narváez in Baltimore next season. The Orioles have had some success in developing catchers defensively, as Basallo was graded as a below-average defender in the minors but showed major strides as a receiver over his first big league season.

A year ago, Anderson would not have been worth monitoring going into 2027, as he’d likely just be another Willems—stuck in Triple-A all season. But with Rutschman gone and the need to pair Basallo with a catcher who can play 75+ games, Anderson is now on a short list of players who could make their debut in 2027.