England v Sri Lanka ODIs come a year before World Cup
Harry Brook is hopeful that Brydon Carse will break back into his England white-ball teams once the fast bowler is clear of his ongoing disciplinary, describing him as a “very good mate” who is “working on a few things behind the scenes”.
Carse has recently discovered he will not face a criminal charge for the late-night incident in Derby last month that led to him being briefly handcuffed. But while technically available for selection, the 31-year-old has not featured in England’s squads since that night as he awaits the outcome of an investigation by the Cricket Regulator.
That virus kept him away from the team for a short while, including skating with a red non-contact sweater with Group 3 on Thursday, the first day of camp on the ice.
Since then, he's been ramped up, joining Group 1 with the main NHL roster for the past couple of practices. On Friday, he was paired with Emil Andrae, but head coach Jim Hiller said not to look too deeply into that as a sign of things to come.
On Monday, he provided an update on how he was feeling.
"I feel good," the Leafs' blueliner said. "I felt good all along, it's just some kind of virus that I didn't really know I had that came up in blood work. We wanted to avoid contact for a couple of days, that's all."
The Maple Leafs opened their short pre-season campaign on Saturday, with a split-squad game against the Montreal Canadiens. One game was played in each arena of the two teams, one at the Bell Centre in Montreal and the other at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, but Rielly didn't feature in either contest.
At Monday's practice, he was skating on what could be identified as the team's top defense pairing with Darren Raddysh. After the session, Rielly was asked if he believes that he'll be ready to go for the Maple Leafs' final pre-season outing on Wednesday against the Ottawa Senators.
On Saturday, the Maple Leafs had Chris Tanev, Jake McCabe, Raddysh and Andrae as the defensemen from Toronto's Group 1 of training camp. Ben Danford and Marshall Rifai were the two on the bottom pair.
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Hockey is officially back! The Pittsburgh Penguins will play their first preseason game of the year against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.
The Penguins will feature some of their regulars on Monday, but younger players will also be in the lineup as they fight for roster spots.
The top line will feature Ben Kindel between Bryan Rust and Andrei Kuzmenko. Those three have played together throughout training camp and have looked comfortable. Now, it's time to see what they can do in game action.
Defensemen Harrison Brunicke and Owen Pickering will be paired together after practicing on a pair during camp. They've both had great camps and will have an opportunity to start the preseason on a high note.
Goaltender Sergei Murashov will play in the first half of the game, while Joel Blomqvist will get the second half.
Here are the expected lines and pairs:
Forwards
Kuzmenko-Kindel-Rust
Hallander-Lapierre-Brazeau
Dewar-Broz-Soderblom
Howe-Gustafsson-Hayes
Defensemen
Van Riemsdyk-Letang
Graves-Pietila
Pickering-Brunicke
It certainly appears that forward Carter Sanderson and defenseman Tomas Galvas will be the scratches.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
The St. Louis Blues have no shortage of NHL-caliber bottom-six players, but the simple fact is that not all of those players will make the opening-night roster, which is why the latest report stating the Blues are open to trades is unsurprising.
According to trusted NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Blues have made it known that they have plenty of NHL-caliber depth forwards who they are willing to part with.
“One thing I kind of heard is that in St. Louis, for example, they have a bunch of NHL guys who are kind of in the bottom six, and not all of them are going to make their team," said Friedman on his podcast, 32 Thoughts. "And I think the Blues have let it be known that if you want some NHL depth, deeper in your roster, guys who’ve played, we have extras.”
The veteran core the Blues are bringing into the season includes Jonatan Berggren, Pius Suter, Ross Johnston, Alexey Toropchenko, Dillon Dube, Nathan Walker, Oskar Sundqvist and Jack Finley.
This also includes younger players waiting for their opportunity, like Otto Stenberg, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Zach Dean, Justin Carbonneau and Dylan Peterson, although those players are unlikely to be traded.
From the veteran group, Ross Johnston is the least likely to be traded, as he was signed to a three-year deal in the off-season to be the team's physical presence and enforcer.
There are only so many spots, and realistically, there are just five spots to be earned from a group of 13 players. Stenberg, Carobonneau and Kaskimaki are likely out of the race due to being waivers exempt. Dean and Peterson are on two-way contracts, but the organization likely wants to see a bit more from them before calling them up.
Of the veteran group, Johnston likely has his spot locked down, and Suter should get the first run as the fourth-line center. Berggren showed he was capable of a middle six role last year and it would be shocking to not see him start on the third line.
That leaves Toropchenko, Walker, Sundqvist, Finley, and Dube fighting for one roster spot and one 13th forward spot. Three players will be sent on waivers and could be claimed by other teams. If the Blues don't see a future for them in the NHL, trading them and receiving a draft pick in exchange will help mitigate the loss.
Any of those players could be traded, but Suter's name could draw the most interest. He's a better player than a fourth-line center, but with the makeup of the roster, it's the role he's been reduced to. Suter earns $4.125 million for the remainder of this season before becoming a UFA.
NHL teams in need of center depth, especially someone with Suter's two-way versatility, could be willing to part ways with serious assets.
The Blues remain insistent on competing, and keeping Suter provides them with a strong lineup. But in the case where they think Kaskimaki or Dean could adequately fill that role, they could look to offload Suter.
Whichever direction the Blues go, they could be very active in the trade market.
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Jiri Kulich and Justin Danforth were both on last year’s opening night lineup – Kulich as the team’s projected No. 1 center, Danforth having just signed a two-year contract to be an impact bottom-six player.
Both players saw their seasons end early. Danforth sustained a broken kneecap during the fourth game of the season; Kulich was diagnosed with a blood clot on Nov. 1.
The Sabres will use camp to find out where both players, now healthy, fit into their organizational picture to begin this season. Kulich has practiced thus far on a line with Sam Carrick and Beck Malenstyn but has history playing a top-six role. Danforth, meanwhile, is one of several viable candidates for a bottom-six, penalty-killing role. That group also includes Tyson Kozak, who will be in Monday’s lineup.
The Sabres enter the season with their top-six defensemen seemingly set: the returning quartet of Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power and Conor Timmins plus two newcomers in Olen Zellweger and Louis Crevier.
The depth behind that group of six will be highlighted in Pittsburgh. Zach Metsa and Dennis Gilbert open as the frontrunners for the role of seventh defenseman, having spent the start of training camp with the NHL practice group. Ryan Johnson has NHL experience and could factor into that conversation as well, while Radim Mrtka – Buffalo’s first-round pick in 2025 – is looking to make an impression as he begins his first professional season.
After Saint-Boniface won the Kraft Hockeyville contest, the NHL set up camp in Trois-Rivières on Monday, where the Montreal Canadiens will face the Ottawa Senators at 7:00 PM. While there was some talk that the lineups may not be up to par because of the new CBA rules, which provide that veterans who have played over 100 games of professional hockey cannot play more than two exhibition games, it has now been clarified that today’s festivities do not count as a regular exhibition game but rather as a special NHL event.
At 8:00 AM, the first group of Sens arrived at the Colisee Videtron parking lot, and a significant crowd was already assembled to see who had made the trip from Ottawa. Tim Stutzle, William Eklund, Samuel Blais, Drake Batherson, Nick Cousins, Dylan Cozens, Andre Burakovsky, and Jake Sanderson all made the trip. The Sens greeted the fans when they arrived, but nearly the entire crowd wore some sort of Canadiens merch, and it was clear that Ottawa was the appetizer before the main course.
The Habs were scheduled to arrive around 9:00 AM, but they didn't get there until 9:45; maybe they wanted to be fashionably late, or maybe to keep fans from going into the building to cheer the Senators on during their morning skate. Whatever the reason, though, the wait was worth it. Captain Nick Suzuki followed coach Martin St-Louis out of the bus along with Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, Samuel Montembeault, Jakub Dobes, Zach Bolduc, Alexandre Texier, the Xhekaj brothers, David Reinbacher, Noah Dobson, Lane Hutson, Alex Newhook, Jayden Struble, Kirby Dach, Adam Engstrom, Brett Berard and Sasha Pastujov.
While the lines and pairings haven’t been released yet, the Canadiens will ice a star-studded lineup tonight. Beyond the established players, Trois-Rivières fans will get a look at Reinbacher, who had a statement first game Saturday night and clearly wants to make the team this season. Up front, they’ll see the “young Xhekaj.” Florian also had a solid game in Toronto, and while it would be shocking to see him get a spot in the lineup this season, there are just too many players on NHL contracts. He plays the kind of game fans love to watch: hard-hitting, just like his brother.
The 4,390-seat arena is sure to be sold out tonight, and the fans should be treated to a great time.
For Colorado Avalanche fans, Sunday night offered a little bit of everything — established NHL regulars, intriguing prospects and perhaps a glimpse at what the next generation of the organization could eventually look like.
And while the veterans naturally command most of the attention, it was the kids who stole the show.
Beckett Hamilton, the 18-year-old third-round pick, scored in his preseason NHL debut. So did Taylor Makar, the younger brother of two-time Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar, giving both prospects a memorable first taste of preseason NHL action.
Gavin Brindley, who is at least a fringe contender for a spot on the opening-night roster, provided another highlight, finishing off a scintillating 2-on-1 rush after Nazem Kadri found him for one of the easiest backdoor tap-ins he may ever have.
Then there was Ilya Nabokov.
The highly touted goaltending prospect out of Russia made his North American debut and stopped 16 of 17 shots after taking over for Mackenzie Blackwood, who opened the game by stopping all seven shots he faced.
Colorado's youngest players repeatedly gave Avalanche fans something to watch and it certainly did not go unnoticed by head coach Jared Bednar.
Brindley, in particular, was impossible for Bednar to miss. The young forward immediately caught the Avalanche head coach's eye and remained one of Colorado's most noticeable players throughout the night.
"I noticed (Gavin Brindley) right away — the competitiveness, the speed of the game, his skating," Bednar said, via Avalanche beat reporter Jesse Montano. "He's quick all over the ice. He was relentless on pucks."
Those same qualities were evident in Makar, who Bednar grouped alongside Brindley after seeing both young forwards make an immediate impact.
"I put Taylor Makar in that same category," Bednar said. "Funny, they both end up scoring too because of the same type of thing — quickness, effort, competitiveness."
Bednar also singled out T.J. Hughes for his work on the power play, where the young forward has displayed impressive vision and timing to consistently create offensive opportunities, something he has showcased throughout optional skates and training camp.
"He kind of stood out, especially on the power play," Bednar said. "Smart, just moves it apart, you know, with great timing to the right guy, made a bunch of offensive plays."
Nabokov rounded out an impressive night for Colorado's young players, making several key saves after taking over in net and showing Bednar plenty to like in his first North American appearance.
"Nabakov was great in goal too," Bednar said. "No chance on the first one, makes a big save. The rebound comes to him after, like, a couple turnovers and an extended, tired group out there."
Blackwood, meanwhile, quietly did exactly what the Avalanche needed to open the game, stopping all seven shots he faced before the goaltending change.
"Blackwood was really good too," Bednar said. "For the first half, he wasn't tested that much, but made a couple huge saves right before he got, uh, before we made the switch."
The performance was particularly interesting considering where Colorado's young talent has landed in preseason prospect evaluations.
The Avalanche entered the season with one of the NHL's least-regarded prospect pools. Corey Pronman's pipeline rankings for The Athletic placed Colorado 32nd out of 32 teams, while Utah was ranked fifth by Daily Faceoff in its 2026-27 prospect pool rankings.
One preseason game obviously does not erase an organizational ranking, nor should it. But Sunday provided an encouraging glimpse at a group that has been questioned throughout the offseason.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 10 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #10.
Let's take a look.
Serge Aubin - 2001-2002 - Drafted by Pittsburgh in 1994.
Aubin played 154 games for the Jackets and had 60 points.
He left for Europe in 2006 and played in Switzerland and Germany until he retired in 2012.
He's currently the head coach for SC Bern of the Swiss National League.
Trevor Letowski - 2004-2006 - Drafted by Phoenix in 1996.
Played 154 games for the Jackets and had 60 points.
He finished his career by playing two seasons in the KHL. He is currently an assistant coach for the Montréal Canadiens, where he's been since 2021.
Duvie Westcott - 2007-2008 - Westcott was undrafted and signed by the CBJ in 2001.
Wescott played in 201 games for the Blue Jackets from 2001 to 2008. He scored 11 goals and totaled 56 points. Wescott was described as "a gritty defenseman with a solid all-around game. Has good passing ability and power-play skills."
After playing for Columbus, Wescott went to Europe and played the next seven seasons in the KHL, DEL, and Swiss National League. He retired in 2015.
Kris Russell - 2009-2012 - Drafted by Columbus in 2005.
Russell played 288 games in Columbus and had 79 points. He was traded to the St. Louis Blues on November 11, 2011, in exchange for
Nikita Nikitin.
He went on to play 912 NHL games and total 254 points. After playing 6 seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Russell retired in 2022.
Marián Gáborík - 2013-2014 - Drafted by Minnesota in 2000.
Gáborík played only 34 games as a Jacket and had 22 points. He was traded to the LA Kings on March 5, 2014, in exchange for Matt Frattin. He officially retired in 2021 after playing 1,035 career games.
One scout said of Gáborík, "One of the best skaters in the world, Gáborík is known for his explosive speed. He is a highly offensive winger and, thanks to good hands and an extremely sharp shot, an excellent finisher. On the downside, Gaborik doesn't always think team-first and has also had issues with commitment to defensive play."
Mark Letestu - 2013 - Undrafted out of Elk Point, Alberta.
Letestu was traded to Columbus by Pittsburgh for Columbus's 4th-round pick on November 8, 2011. He played in 255 games in two different stints with the CBJ, scoring 44 goals and totaling 102 points. He also played 64 games for the Cleveland Monsters during the 2018-19 season, where he scored 50 points. He would play his last NHL game on October 13th, 2019, for the Winnipeg Jets.
In 2021, he was hired as an Assistant Coach by the Monsters, where he served until 2025. In the Summer of 2025, he was hired by the AHL's Colorado Eagles to be their head coach. For this upcoming season, he has joined the Vegas Golden Knights as an asst. coach.
Jack Skille - 2015 - Drafted by Chicago in 2005.
Skille played 61 games for Columbus and had 12 points. On July 6, 2013, Skille was signed as a free agent by the CBJ, but the following summer, he left in free agency. On October 5, 2014, Skille was claimed off waivers by Columbus, where he would play in 45 games. He left Columbus again and would play a season in Colorado and a season in Vancouver.
In 2017, he left for Europe, where he played in Russia, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. He retired in 2021 and went into coaching. He was the skills coach and the Director of Skills Development for the ECHL's Utah Grizzlies franchise.
He's currently an asst. coach for the Schwenninger Wild Wings of the DEL.
Alexander Wennberg - 2017-2020 - Wennberg was drafted in the 1st round of the 2013 NHL Draft as the 14th overall draft pick.
Wennberg came to North America and made his NHL Debut in 2014. After having three decent seasons, including a 59-point year in 2016-17, Wennberg was signed to a six-year deal on September 1st, 2017.
Tom Wilson would seemingly derail Wennberg's career in the 2018 playoffs when he laid a devastating check on him. The next two seasons, Wennberg would only total 47 points. In October of 2020, the CBJ would buy Wennberg out, making him a free agent. The Jackets are finally about to make the final buyout payment to Wennberg this year.
In addition to playing with the Florida Panthers since leaving Columbus, He's played for the Seattle Kraken, New York Rangers, and San Jose Sharks. After the 59-point season he had in 2016-17, Wennberg hadn't scored more than 38 points in a single season until last year's 55.
Jordan Schroeder - 2018 - Drafted by Vancouver in 2009.
Schroeder played 21 games as a Jacket and had two points. He left for Europe in 2019 and retired after playing in Sweden in 2025.
Dmitri Voronkov - 2024-2026 - Drafted by Columbus in 2019.
The big Russian forward played 211 games and has 113 points in his first three seasons.
He will be looking to add on to that this season if he can stay healthy. He was challenged to come into camp this year and be in better shape. All indications are that he did just that. He will be counted as one of the young players to take another big step this season to help the Jackets into the playoffs.
Mike and Dan return for Season 11 to run through some summer news on and off the ice, the Islanders’ first preseason game, and their super specific predictions for the season. Mike and Dan return for Season 11 to run through some summer news on and off the ice, the Islanders’ first preseason game and their super specific predictions for the season.
From the outside, it didn’t look like the Islanders did much this offseason. But sickos like us know that’s not the case. There’s a new captain, a new assistant GM, a new minority owner, a new (actual human) winner of the third jersey design contest, and a new streaming home for the team with the worst name we’ve ever heard. There’s also a “luxury item” the team might be able to see again this season. Sadly, the news isn’t all good, as Mat Barzal will miss most of camp with inflammation. At least, that’s what we think this weirdly-worded release says. We also say good bye to a guy we talked about A LOT last season. Uh, good luck to everyone involved.
In the second half, we “recap” the Islanders 2-1 preseason loss to the Devils and get used to Pete DeBoer’s plainspoken pressers, which are a welcome change. We also look at some recent articles featuring Matthew Schaefer being awesome and the Islanders getting a fair, if realistic shake from an outlet that usually doesn’t. Finally, we give some predictions on games, moves, awards, celebrities and other stuff we see happening around the Islanders and the NHL this season. We also pay our respects to late NHL coach and broadcaster Barry Melrose.
Thank you all so much for listening all these years. We’re lucky and grateful that our show has now passed the decade mark, which is rarified air for podcasts. We’re looking forward to bringing you our offbeat observations about this team for a long time.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 09: Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche is recorded by TNT during the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour at City National Arena on September 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
Brett Kulak excited for stability with Avalanche after ‘tough’ year. [Col Hockey Now]
Brent Burns debuts new look ahead of 23rd NHL season. Avalanche defenseman brings clean-shaven beard, new teeth into training camp. [NHL]
Joe Sakic to remain as Avs’ GM on full-time basis. [TSN]
Should Nazem Kadri play wing for the Colorado Avalanche? [DNVR]
Mackenzie Blackwood enters the second year of his $26.25 million contract with something to prove after Scott Wedgewood’s breakout season turned Colorado’s goaltending situation into one of the team’s biggest questions. [The Hockey News]
The $21 million decision that changed everything. When the New York Rangers tried to pry Joe Sakic away from Colorado in 1997, the Avalanche faced a decision that would alter the franchise’s future. [Sports Illustrated]
NHL insider Darren Dreger reports that the Edmonton Oilers were not the only team interested in forward Alex Formenton. In fact, he was likely offered a contract instead of a professional tryout (PTO) because at least two other teams were prepared to offer him a guarantee.
Dreger was a guest on The Nielson Show and said: "There were other teams that wanted to sign Alex Formenton: Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, I was told, had considerable interest in Formenton, and Edmonton."
Why did he choose the Oilers? Of all his options on the table, why did Formenton choose to go to a Canadian team where the market would undoubtedly push back on the signing?
Dreger says it was about friendship.
"So, Formenton chose Edmonton mostly because of his history with Evan Bouchard. They are really good buddies, and more obviously, the time he spent with D.J. Smith when D.J. was in Ottawa."
Formenton was aware that him landing with an NHL team would cause a stir. It would land even more loudly in Canada, where he was part of a 2018 Hockey Canada team that was acquitted of sexual assualt. Still, he wanted to be around people he knew, people that would support him as he navigated that would come with the challenges of rejoining the NHL.
That support was on display early: the first time Formenton met with the media, Bouchard stood off-camera in the background, watching the entire interview.
Had Formenton gone to Vegas -- who had previously signed another member of the 2018 team in Carter Hart -- or Carolina, where they were Cup winners but don't have the most passionate hockey market, his signing would have made the news, but not like it did when he came to Edmonton. Formenton chose a support system and a chance to win over his other options.
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ST. PAUL, Minn. — Carson Lambos isn't one of the youngest players at Minnesota Wild training camp anymore.
The 23-year-old defenseman has spent the last two seasons developing in Iowa, made his NHL debut last season and has now reached a different stage of his career. He wants to establish himself as an NHL player.
And Lambos knows this is an important camp to show he is ready for more.
"I'm definitely not in that group of super young players anymore," Lambos said. "So, I think I can be more assertive with my game, make more plays, and yeah, really make an impact out there."
There is another wrinkle this time around. Lambos, Minnesota's first-round pick (No. 26) in the 2021 NHL Draft, would need to clear waivers to be assigned to Iowa.
That gives the Wild a decision to make, but coach John Hynes was specific about what he wants to see from Lambos as he attempts to prove he belongs at the NHL level.
"I think Lambo is a very good skater. He's very competitive. I think he defends well," Hynes said. "I think it's the puck play, just making sure that he goes back. He's efficient with his puck movement, efficient with the puck play, good decisions with the puck."
Hynes said he wants to see Lambos' skating become a factor, along with physicality, defending and particularly his puck movement.
Those areas align with how Lambos evaluates his own game.
"There's feedback, and then there's like a self-analysis as well," Lambos said. "And I just think I got to make a bigger impact in different ways, whether that's physically, but also when I get the puck offensively, trying not to let the play die on my stick, or getting up the ice and supporting that way.
"Keeping close gaps, and just being, you know, I've said it a few times here, but like assertive is a big word for me, just trying to do that."
The word assertive came up repeatedly when Lambos described the player he wants to become.
His role in Iowa has expanded significantly over the past two seasons. Lambos has played heavy minutes, faced opponents' top lines and received difficult defensive-zone assignments. He believes those responsibilities have helped mature a game that was once built heavily around his skating and offensive ability.
"Playing lots of minutes, facing top lines, a lot of D zone draws, that kind of thing, I think it matured my game a little bit," Lambos said. "Just trying to be more assertive. Winning battles, killing plays, and being someone that is leading in all facets of the game."
But Lambos doesn't believe becoming a more dependable defensive player means the offensive part of his game has disappeared.
"I don't think that's something I've lost," Lambos said. "There's a lot of times where you've been defending a lot, and that's just something you're forced to do. I don't think it's something I've lost. I haven't died or quit on that part of my game, and I think I'm looking to grow it here at the pro level a little bit."
Lambos finally got his first taste of the NHL last season, appearing in one game for Minnesota.
It was an important milestone, but not one he spent the summer celebrating.
"It was definitely a great experience to have, but at the end of the day, it's one game, and I want a lot more than that," Lambos said. "The mentality and mindset stays the same regardless of how much I do or don't play. I think I'm still just trying to strive to get to this level on a full-time basis."
That's the opportunity in front of him now.
With a shorter training camp and fewer preseason opportunities, Lambos knows there isn't much time to slowly work his way into form. Each practice and preseason appearance carries additional importance.
"It's more about the mentality going into every game, like not wasting a day, and every game is so huge," Lambos said. "I'm just trying to really do whatever I can, and at the same time not doing too much.
"I think just sticking within my game and what I know I'm good at, but also trying to drive the play a little bit and being a prominent force out there."
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NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 28: Cam Whitmore #22 of the Villanova Wildcats in action against the Seton Hall Pirates during a game at Prudential Center on February 28, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. Villanova defeated Seton Hall 76-72. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Former Villanova 5-star forward/wing — and Big East Freshman of the Year — Cam Whitmore is getting another shot in the NBA, this time with the Denver Nuggets. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported the news on Friday:
The Denver Nuggets are signing 2023 first-round pick Cam Whitmore on a two-way NBA deal, sources tell ESPN. Whitmore enters his fourth NBA season after averaging 10.5 points and 3.3 rebounds over 119 career games — and has already joined the Nuggets for workouts in Denver. pic.twitter.com/WBhDfTIhOQ
Denver signed Whitmore to a one-year, two-way contract after the 22-year-old was traded from Washington to Cleveland in a five-team deal (which ironically involved the Nuggets) and was subsequently waived by the Cavaliers almost immediately.
Technically, Denver i Whitmore’s fourth NBA team in four years. Realistically, it’s his third stop. He never played for Cleveland, so I’m not counting that one as legitimate.
Either way, the former Villanova five-star has reached an interesting point in his young, once-promising career.
Whitmore’s career hasn’t exactly gone according to plan after being taken 20th overall by the Rockets in the 2023 Draft, but his production hasn’t been terrible either. He averaged 10.5 points in 17.3 minutes across 119 games with Houston and Washington. Per 36 minutes, his counting stats jump to 21.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. Not terrible.
The question in Denver will ultimately become whether he’s the type of player a good team with championship aspirations trusts with regular minutes or not.
Whitmore has a respectable 34.9% from three over his career that dipped to 28.6% during an injury-shortened season in Washington last year. He also only has 97 career assists (0.8 per game), which feeds the “tunnel vision” criticisms the 6-foot-6, 230-pounder hasn’t been able to shake thus far. He needs to show he can contribute elsewhere on the court, either through cutting/driving/slashing and using his brute strength and athleticism or by leaning into being a secondary playmaker.
But playing with superstar center Nikola Jokic could also be exactly what Whitmore needs to finally take off.
Whitmore still has all the good that made him a first-round pick in 2023. He shot 54% from inside the arc last season and remains a dangerous finisher around the basket. In Denver, he won’t need to create everything himself. Cut, run the floor, knock down open threes and don’t stop the offense when the ball finds him.
Then there’s defense. Whitmore doesn’t need to suddenly become the defensive player Peyton Watson was for the Nuggets, but becoming more serviceable on that end would make it considerably easier for Denver to find minutes for him.
His talent has never really been the issue. Whitmore now needs to show he can complement other talented players instead of simply being one himself. If he does, Denver could finally be where his NBA career gets back on track. Nova Nation will be rooting for him.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 20: Jake Cronenworth #9 of the San Diego Padres hits a two-run home run against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning at Petco Park on September 20, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jake Cronenworth extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning and he added a second two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead the San Diego Padres to a 7-3 win, and season sweep, over the Miami Marlins at Petco Park on Sunday.
Cronenworth, who got the start at third base to allow Manny Machado to have a DH day, held his own at the hot corner, but it was his offensive performance that stood out. Cronenworth put the Padres on the board with a two-run home run that gave them a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. He later added an RBI-double in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the score 3-0, and added a second two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning that put the game out of reach, giving San Diego a four-run lead.
The offensive outburst by Croneworth was in support of Padres starting pitcher Walker Buehler, who had one of his best starts of the season. His final line is a bit misleading thanks to a three-run home run by Javier Sanoja that pulled Miami within a run with the score 4-3. Buehler had been cruising through his outing and was trying to complete seven innings, but he was pulled after the home run. He finished with a final line of three runs allowed over 6.2 innings. Buehler allowed three hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
The Padres’ offense allowed Buehler to work with a lead throughout the game and even after he allowed the home run to Sanoja in the top of the seventh, Fernando Tatis Jr. offered an immediate response in the bottom of the inning. The superstar connected on a one-out solo home run, giving him 25 homers on the season, that pushed the San Diego lead to 5-3 before Cronenworth added on in the bottom of the eighth inning.
The hot hitting that seemed to take off when the Padres went to Colorado continued in the series finale with the Marlins. San Diego banged out 10 more hits to give them 33 hits throughout the three-game series with Miami. The output at Petco Park over the weekend followed the four-game series against the Rockies where the Padres totaled 52 hits.
With the win, the magic number for San Diego to clinch a playoff berth is two. Any combination of Padres wins and Arizona Diamondbacks losses that equal two will put the Friars in the playoffs. That could come as early as their next game if the Padres win and the Diamondbacks lose. San Diego remains tied with the Chicago Cubs for the top Wild Card spot and one game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Cubs hold the tiebreaker of over the Padres thanks to their head-to-head record this season.
San Diego has the day off today, but travels to Los Angeles for a three-game series against the Dodgers, which begins Tuesday at 7:10 p.m.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - SEPTEMBER 20: Members of the Boston Red Sox celebrate in the clubhouse after the Red Sox clinch a Wild Card spot after the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Sunday, September 20, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Alex Zadorozny/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Red Sox have clinched a postseason spot. It was… anticlimactic.
The Sox allowed 4 runs before recording a single out yesterday and never made it a competitive game against the Rays, only securing their playoff berth via the Braves defeat of the Astros. They are just 9-8 over the month of September and have dropped each of the last 2 series. The team’s OPS+ of 84 is the lowest monthly mark they’ve posted all season — yes, even worse than the dreadful April (albeit just barely).
After a remarkable roller coaster of a season, we find ourselves in a weird spot. In terms of on-field results, nothing of consequence has really happened this month. The most important things that are happening relative to the Red Sox right now are happening in the trainer’s room. Will Willson Contreras and Ceddanne Rafaela recover in time for the playoffs? Can Roman Anthony find his rhythm after a lengthy injury stint? What can Garrett Crochet and Tanner Houck do, if anything, to salvage two otherwise lost seasons?
But the sting of Champagne last night was real. Playoff baseball is coming. And the truth of the matter is that if the Sox give us a memorable October, we won’t care how September felt.
Use this space to talk about whatever you want and, as always, be good to one another.
