LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 21: Emmet Sheehan #80 of the Los Angeles Dodgers has a mound visit with Chuckie Robinson #52 during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium on June 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After five consecutive one-run games, the Dodgers on Sunday closed out the homestand with a literal one-run game on offense. Unfortunately for them, the Baltimore Orioles scored a dozen runs, romping through Los Angeles in a 12-1 victory.
Emmet Sheehan allowed half of those 12 runs while recording only 10 outs. The big blows were solo home runs by Taylor Ward and Colton Cowser.
Relievers Jonathan Hernández and Chayce McDermott also each allowed a home run and combined to allow the other six runs.
Not much else to say about this one, other than it’s the first time the Dodgers lost consecutive games since May 9-12.
Sunday particulars
Home runs: Taylor Ward (4), Colton Cowser (8), Pete Alonso (18), Blaze Alexander (3)
The Dodgers continue their dalliance with the American League, heading to Minneapolis to face the Twins beginning Monday night (4:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA), the fourth consecutive interleague foe for Los Angeles. Left-hander Eric Lauer starts on the mound for the Dodgers in the series opener.
Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan delivers during the third inning of a 12-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium on Sunday. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
An eye-watering, cough-inducing thick stench of burning plastic permeated Dodger Stadium on Sunday morning. The smoke from the Boyle Heights warehouse fire had spread into every crevice and corner of the facility, inescapable despite the masks handed out to staff.
“It’s a little dark out there, little Gotham City when I was driving up,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Major League Baseball approved the Father’s Day game to be played, according to Roberts. Still, the ominous atmosphere was hard to miss. When rolling up Vin Scully Avenue, a white smoke hung like a curtain behind the small hills on the other side of outfield walls, obscuring the normally scenic view of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Smoke from a structure fire in nearby Boyle Heights shrouds Dodger Stadium before Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Perhaps that should’ve been the first sign things wouldn’t go as planned for the Dodgers, who lost 12-1 to the Orioles. The loss marked the first time the Dodgers (49-29) have lost consecutive games since May 12.
“It just wasn’t a great start for our team, and offensively we weren’t very good,” Roberts said. “Feel fortunate we won a game this series.”
By the time Emmet Sheehan took the mound, the smell had diluted, and the sunshine broke through the haze. The 26-year-old hasn’t won in more than a month, despite what at the time appeared to be a bounce-back performance against the Chicago White Sox last week. Sheehan lasted 3 1/3 innings against Baltimore, none particularly worse than the first.
Sheehan (3-5) loaded the bases, and Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo put Baltimore (37-42) on the scoreboard with a softly hit ball that split first baseman Freddie Freeman and right fielder Kyle Tucker. A two-out single by Colton Cowser put the Orioles up by two. With the bases loaded, Sheehan worked out of trouble with two strikeouts and a pop out. But the inning cost him four hits and nearly 30 pitches.
“At this point, my coaches, my teammates deserve better,” Sheehan said.
Sheehan struggled the most with his slider. Normally, the pitch elicits about a 43% chase rate, though against Baltimore it plummeted to 18%. The nosedive, mainly caused by his inability to throw the slider in the zone, made his other pitches look less competitive, and the Orioles started connecting with his fastball. He gave up two home runs on the pitch to Taylor Ward in the second and Cowser in the third.
“He wasn’t sharp,” Roberts said. “The slider wasn’t in the zone, they were seeing him well, he wasn’t efficient.”
Meanwhile, Max Muncy drove in the Dodgers’ only run in the first with a line drive to left field. Shohei Ohtani, who had reached first on a walk and took second on Freeman’s single, slid home as the throw came in. However, the ball bounced off Basallo’s gear and ricocheted away from the plate.
Baltimore's Pete Alonso scores after beating a throw to Dodgers catcher Chuckie Robinson during the fourth inning Sunday. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The Orioles scored runs in four consecutive innings before Edgardo Henriquez threw a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth. The team tacked on four runs in the seventh, when, with a man on, the Dodgers reliever Jonathan Hernández intentionally walked Gunnar Henderson, who had gone two for four. He then threw a belt-high sinker down the middle of the plate that Pete Alonso smashed into the right-field bleachers for a three-run homer. Hernández could only watch the ball soar, hunched over.
Blaze Alexander hit a two-run homer in the eighth. But position-player pitcher Miguel Rojas dealt a 1-2-3 ninth inning, one of the team’s three innings it held the Orioles scoreless. By then, the skies had cleared enough for the faint outline of the San Gabriel Mountains to appear. The Dodgers, though, finished the game as uncompetitive as it had started.
“It’s everywhere in baseball, to be quite honest, but my concern is our team,” Roberts said of the Dodgers’ recent performances. “I don’t know the answer. It happens sporadically with all teams.”
Catcher Will Smith will not travel with the team this week as they take on the Twins and the Padres, Roberts said before the game. Smith is expected to participate in some baseball activities and will have a better estimate of his return depending on how he feels after.
Teoscar Hernández is slated to play in a rehab assignment Tuesday with the triple-A Oklahoma City Comets before joining the team for its final June series against the Athletics.
Reliever Blake Treinen, on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, got some good news. The MRI did not show any structural damage, only inflammation that Roberts attributed to the wear and tear of the season. “I don’t think it’ll be a long thing,” Roberts said. “Obviously, he’s on the IL, so it’s going to be two weeks, but hopefully it’s not much more beyond that.”
Knoxville Smokies pitcher Jaxon Wiggins (41) pitches during a minor league baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Chattanooga Lookouts at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tenn., on June 3, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Pelicans right-hander Edwardo Melendez was activated off the Development List.
South Bend left-hander Ethan Flanagan was activated off the Development List.
Brooks Caple started and took the loss after surrendering five runs on six hits over four innings. Four of those runs came in the top of the first inning. Caple walked three and struck out five.
Third baseman Devin Ortiz hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning, his third of the season. Ortiz went 1 for 4.
Center fielder Carter Trice was 2 for 3 with an RBI double and a walk. He scored on Ortiz’s home run.
The Ortiz home run.
Devin Ortiz muscles his third homer of the season out to dead center field 😳
Jaxon Wiggins started this game on a rehab assignment. He allowed one hit—a solo home run to lead off the second inning—over 2.2 innings. He walked two and struck out three.
The loss went to Ethan Flanagan, who pitched a scoreless fifth and sixth inning. But then he came out for the seventh inning and gave up three runs. Flanagan’s final line was three runs on five hits over three innings. He struck out four and walked no one.
South Bend managed just five hits. DH Kane Kepley was 2 for 2 with an RBI double, a walk. and he was hit by a pitch.
Braylon Myers started and got the win. He made pretty much one mistake, a two-run home run in the fourth inning. Other than that, his final line was two runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out five and walked no one.
Daniel Avitia pitched the next three innings without allowing a run. Avitia gave up one hit, walked three and struck out four.
Catcher Logan Poteet homered for the third-straight game and for the 13th time this year. It was a solo home run in the fourth. Poteet went 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored three times.
First baseman Michael Carico hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning, his seventh on the year. Carico was 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.
DH Edward Vargas was 2 for 4 with a stolen base and an RBI infield single in the fifth inning. He also scored one run.
Left fielder Darlyn De Leon went 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the fourth inning. Poteet
Shortstop Derniche Valdez was 2 for 5 with a stolen base.
June 21 marks Father’s Day, which is always a heartwarming day in the sports world.
Since so many of the world’s best athletes are also dads, it’s always cool to see families taking the time to show these athletes love on social media. And when it comes to families in the sports world, there’s none who have made more headlines in recent years than the James family.
Lakers star LeBron James received Father’s Day messages from his sons. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
This is because LeBron James has been playing alongside his son, Bronny, on the Lakers for the past few seasons. Even though this has gotten a ton of coverage, it still feels like this feat isn’t spoken about enough, given that it’s the first time a father has ever played in an NBA game with his son.
LeBron and Bronny James have a special bond on the court. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
And Bronny isn’t LeBron’s only son who has impressed on the basketball court. LeBron and his wife Savannah’s middle child, Bryce, is on the University of Arizona’s roster and is hoping to receive playing time as a sophomore next season after redshirting this past year.
LeBron has done a great job raising all three of his children (including his youngest, daughter Zhuri).
Both of LeBron’s sons showed him love on Father’s Day. Bronny made an Instagram Story post showing him and LeBron before a Lakers game. The story was captioned, “Happy Father’s Day!! ”.
LeBron and Bronny James have a strong connection on and off the court. Getty Images
Bryce took a different route. He posted an Instagram Story photo of the entire James family in front of the Eiffel Tower during the Paris 2024 Olympics. The post was captioned, “”.
Bryce James’ June 21 Instagram Story of the entire James family in front of the Eiffel Tower.
While Bronny and Bryce showed their love in different ways, it’s still cool to see them shouting their dad out on what’s always a special day.
In a stunning move on Sunday, June 21, the NHL team that just had its two-time defending champion status revoked reloaded in a big way.
The Florida Panthers, who missed the Stanley Cup playoffs this past season in a year riddled with injuries, have reportedly traded for Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, uniting him with his brother Matthew — undoubtedly a special Father's Day gift for their dad Keith, a U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer.
Brady and Matthew Tkachuk won gold together at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina in a stunning upset of Canada.
The Senators will reportedly receive a plethora of picks in the blockbuster deal, including two in the upcoming NHL draft.
According to Elliotte Friedman, the return is the No. 9 and No 25 picks in the 2026 NHL draft — the latter of which was acquired earlier on June 21 by trading Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken — a 2029 first-round pick and a second in 2030. Tkachuk waived his no movement clause to allow the deal to happen.
Per reports from the Ottawa Citizen, Tkachuk had indicated to the Senators he would not re-sign in Ottawa when his contract expires in two years, upping the urgency to make a move. It's the second time in the past 12 months an American player muscled his way off a Canadian roster, with Quinn Hughes doing something similar with the Vancouver Canucks partway through the 2025-26 season when he was traded to the Minnesota Wild.
The Senators did not get any players in dealing Tkachuk, instead landing two first-round picks in the 2026 NHL entry draft (Nos. 9 and 25 overall), a first-round pick in 2029, and a second-round pick in 2030.
Brady Tkachuk contract
Tkachuk is on the back end of a seven-year, $57.5 million contract with an AAV of $8.2 million. He has two years remaining on the deal and is anticipated to become a free agent in the 2028 offseason unless he signs an extension with the Panthers. Matthew Tkachuk, for his part, is on the fifth year of an eight-year, $76 million contract ($9.5 million AAV), and is slated to become a free agent in 2030.
Brady Tkachuk stats
Tkachuk, who has served as Senators captain since 2021, logged 59 points last season with 22 goals and 37 assists. He played in 60 games, the lowest total in a full season in his career, and had 221 shots with a shot percentage of 10%.
In his career, Tkachuk has scored 213 goals and has 250 assists. He has spent his entire career in Ottawa to date and leaves with the fourth-most goals in Senators history.
Jun 21, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies designated hitter Sterlin Thompson (30) RBI singles n the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Coming into Sunday’s afternoon game with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Colorado Rockies were looking to finish the sweep after Friday and Saturday night wins in games that had, well, stressful conclusions. The hope on Sunday was to finish the job in a less-dramatic fashion.
That did not happen as the Rockies bats stayed quiet early while the Pirates offense cranked up the volume on Rockies pitching, and a late-game rally wasn’t enough.
In the end, the Pirates avoided the sweep with a 8-6 win.
Although the Rockies lost the game, they did win the series, their seventh series win of 2026.
The Rockies offense arrived fashionably late — too late
Things began to get serious in the second inning when the Rockies loaded the bases, starting with a leadoff single from Tyler Freeman followed by two walks issued by Jared Jones. A Sterlin Thompson force out got the run home while sending Edouard Julien to the dugout. Still, the Rockies had a one-run lead with two on and just one out.
However, following that, Kyle Karros struck out, and Brett Sullivan flied to center, ending the threat.
Starter Jared Jones left the game after three innings and 45 pitches (28 for strikes). He left after being struck on the right elbow by a comebacker. His final line was one run (earned) on one hit with two walks and three strikeouts. Jones’ ERA is 5.75.
The Pirates answered back in the fourth inning. After Bryan Reynolds hit a lead0ff double, Nick Gonzales finished the job with a homer, and the score was 2-1 Pirates.
The Pirates extended their lead in the fifth when a Jake Mangum double brought home Tyler Callahan, giving the visiting team a 3-1 lead.
As for the Rockies, they were unable to figure out Yohan Ramírez and continued scoreless into the sixth.
In the sixth inning, RHP Juan Mejia entered the game in relief of Lorenzen with one out and runners at the corners. He allowed a single that gave Gonzales an opportunity to score, but a gorgeous throw from right fielder Tyler Freeman to third baseman Kyle Karros gave the Rockies their second out of the sixth. Jake Mangum hit an RBI double that made the score 5-1 Pirates as the top of the sixth ended.
Things got worse in the seventh as Mejia stayed in for a second inning of work. He surrendered two singles to Spencer Horowitz and Brandon Lowe before Bryan Reynolds went yard to make the score 8-1 Pirates.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Rockies showed some offensive life with a Cole Carrigg leadoff single — the Rockies first hit since the second inning. Julien followed that with another single. But even with three outs remaining, the Rockies were unable to capitalize.
The Rockies tried to rally again against Pirates reliever Dennis Santana in the eighth with a Jake McCarthy lead-off single followed a Will Castro single that moved McCarthy to third with no outs. And then TJ Rumfield hit a 387 ft. home run (12) to make the score 8-4.
That was Rumfield’s fifth homer run in his last 11 games.
Gregory Soto came in to close for the Pirates.
Tension was high in Coors Field as Braxton Fulford kicked off the inning with a leadoff walk. Kyle Karros, who had struck out three times, smacked a double to score Fulford, making the score 8-5.
At that point, Schaeffer sent in catcher Hunter Goodman, who had an off-day, to hit. But he struck out, turning over the order with Karros surveying the scene from second with one out.
And then things got interesting.
McCarthy got on base with a single, E4, no RBI, which scored Karros. At that point, the Pirates lead was 8-6 with one out.
However, Willi Castro hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning and the game.
The Pirates finished the day with eight runs (earned) on 13 hits, which were spread out across the Pirates lineup. They walked once and struck out five times.
As for the Rockies, they had six runs (five earned) on eight hits. They struck out 10 times compared to four walks.
“It just wasn’t our done on offense,” manager Warren Schaeffer said after the game.
Michael Lorenzen struggled through
For starter Michel Lorenzen, it was another day of trying to find his footing. Although he kept the Rockies in the game through five innings, things began to skid in the sixth.
He left the game after 5.1 IP on 90 pitches, 57 for strikes. He give up four runs (all earned) on seven hits. In addition, he walked one and struck out six.
“I thought Mike was good,” Schaeffer said. ”I thought that was another building block for him. I thought he pitched very well. He was efficient. He got ahead in counts.“
The bullpen was uneven
Juan Mejia, who entered the game in the sixth inning, went 1.2 IP allowing four runs on give hits. He neither walked nor struck out a batter. Mejia’s current ERA is 6.95.
The eighth and ninth innings went to reliever John Beribbia, whose contract the Rockies had selected earlier in the day. He saw traffic but no runs. Brebbia’s final line was 2.0 IP with one hit, no walks, and one strikeout.
Of Brebbia, Schaeffer said, “He’s efficient. He throws strikes. He’s a veteran that’s not scared of anything.”
Painful fact of the day
Tyler Freeman was HBP for the 12th time this season. He is fourth in MLB in that category.
(Shoutout to Eli Whitney for doing the research on this one.)
Up next
Tomorrow, the Colorado Rockies (30-48) will welcome the Boston Red Sox (31-43) to Coors Field for a three-game stand.
Jake Bennett will take the mound for the Red Sox while Ryan Feltner will start for the Rockies.
Jun 21, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Dominic Canzone (8) runs the bases after hitting a solo-home run against the Boston Red Sox during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk on the ice during the second period at Madison Square Garden in March.
Brady Tkachuk will play alongside his brother next season after a blockbuster NHL trade.
The Senators agreed to send the 26-year-old veteran winger to the Panthers for Florida’s two first-round picks this year (ninth and 25th), their first-round pick in 2029 and second in 2030, according to multiple reports.
Brady, a three-time All-Star, will join his brother Matthew Tkachuk with the Panthers.
The duo won a gold medal together with Team USA earlier this year at the Olympics.
Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk on the ice during the second period at Madison Square Garden in March. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Earlier in the day, the Panthers dealt Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2026 first and a 2027 second-round pick, which ultimately set the stage for this blockbuster deal afterwards.
Brady Tkachuk had 22 goals and 37 assists for Ottawa this past season, which saw the club swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
Brady Tkachuk has two seasons left on his seven-year, $57.5 million deal, which he originally signed with the Senators in 2021.
The contract does have a full no movement clause, but according to The Athletic, he provided Ottawa a four-team list of preferred destinations, including Florida, the Golden Knights, Hurricanes and Wild.
Brady Tkachuk seen against the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 1, Game 4 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 25, 2026, in Ottawa, ON, Canada. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
He is contract extension eligible next summer.
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
The Senators are coming off a disappointing playoff run, in which they were swept by the Hurricanes in the first round, which followed a 4-2 opening round loss to the Maple Leafs the season prior.
The Panthers finished a disappointing 40-38-4 and out of the playoffs last season after winning two straight Stanley Cups.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 20: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on against Bo Bichette #19 of the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on June 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Mets 15-3. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets lineup
Carson Benge – RF
Bo Bichette – SS
Juan Soto – LF
Jared Young – 1B
A.J. Ewing – CF
Marcus Semien – 2B
Brett Baty – 3B
Francisco Alvarez – DH
Luis Torrens – C
David Peterson – LHP
Phillies lineup
Trea Turner – SS
Kyle Schwarber – DH
Bryce Harper – 1B
Alec Bohm – 3B
Edmundo Sosa – LF
Brandon Marsh – RF
J.T. Realmuto – C
Derek Hill – CF
Bryson Stott – 2B
Zack Wheeler – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 7:20pm EDT TV: NBC/Peacock Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
What was expected to be a busy week for the Florida Panthers ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft got off to an early start.
On Sunday, with many celebrating Father’s Day, the Panthers made a pair of significant moves.
First, Florida traded young forward Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick (25th overall) and a conditional 2027 second-round pick.
The condition on the pick is that Florida will receive either Columbus’ or Winnipeg’s second rounder, via Seattle, depending on which one ends up being a higher selection.
That leaves the Panthers with two first-round selections and two second-round selections at this week’s draft, which is pretty remarkable for a team that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025 and that still features a loaded roster full of talent locked up to long-term, team-friendly deals.
With his newfound riches in the form of draft capital, Panthers General Manager Bill Zito turned around and swung a blockbuster.
Florida sent both 2025 first-round picks, along with a 2029 first-round pick and a 2030 second-round pick to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for their captain Brady Tkachuk.
Tkachuk is under contract through the 2027-28 season, making an average annual value (AAV) of $8.2 million.
This teams Brady up with his older brother Matthew in South Florida.
Over the past several years, the Tkachuk brothers have gradually but increasingly received a taste of what being teammates would be like, starting with the 2023 NHL All-Star Game in Sunrise.
After the experience the two shared at the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off in February of 2025, followed by helping the United States win gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, it started to feel like the brothers teaming up as professionals was a foregone conclusion.
The two elite forwards will only add to the Panthers incredibly talented and deep roster that includes Sasha Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, Gus Forsling, Aaron Ekbald, Carter Verhaeghe, Seth Jones and Anton Lundell, just to name a few.
Following the trade, Florida now has 13 forwards and six defensemen under contract for next season, not including any players like Sandis Vilmanis, Marek Alscher or Jack Devine, all of whom played in the NHL last season and are on two-way deals.
After acquiring the younger Tkachuk, the Panthers will be left with just over $7 million in cap space for next season, according to PuckPedia.
They still need to sign a pair of NHL goaltenders and any depth pieces they’d like to add, so we’ll see how things play out for Zito and his staff in the coming days.
The NHL Draft is set for this Friday and Saturday from Buffalo, with the new league year and free agency arriving a few days later on July 1.
Photo caption: Apr 18, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) reacts against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)
Ahead of Sunday's series-deciding game between the Mets and the Phillies, manager Carlos Mendoza provided some updates on the team's star shortstop, Francisco Lindor.
When asked about the current condition of Lindor, who's been rehabbing a calf strain, Mendoza replied that "the reports so far are pretty good."
However, the skipper did also clarify that he still needs to "talk to the trainers" to gain further insight into when he will be able to pencil in Lindor's return to the Mets lineup.
"We're getting there, he's getting close," Mendoza continued, sharing that he liked what he saw as he watched Lindor play in Triple-A from the clubhouse TV.
Lindor played for Triple-A Syracuse in their 5-3 win earlier Sunday and went 0-for-4 with a walk, alongside fellow ailing major leaguers Tyrone Taylor and Ronny Mauricio. Taylor hit a single to drive home two baserunners - including Lindor, who stole a base shortly before Taylor's knock - in the fifth inning.
The switch-hitting shortstop - who landed on the IL after straining his left calf against the Twins on April 22 - could potentially participate in a simulated game at Citi Field tomorrow, as the Syracuse Mets have an off day.
Francisco Lindor stole second base and scored on an RBI single by Tyrone Taylor today for Triple-A Syracuse pic.twitter.com/hLcRb9vNbK
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 21: Tyler Callihan #37 of the Pittsburgh Pirates scores a run in the sixth inning as Brett Sullivan #26 of the Colorado Rockies waits for the throw at Coors Field on June 21, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Victor Olofsson has become one of those quietly useful NHL forwards who never quite stays in one place long enough to settle in, but keeps finding ways to contribute wherever he lands.
Soft-spoken and understated, he doesn’t draw attention off the ice—and he doesn’t need to on it. His calling card is simple but dangerous: a quick, punishing release that punishes even the smallest defensive lapse.
Olofsson isn’t going to blow by defenders like a Connor McDavid-type skater, nor does he create offense through elite separation speed. But give him half a step in the offensive zone, and the puck is gone—often before a goaltender has time to react. That split-second trigger is what makes him so difficult to contain.
The 30-year-old Swedish winger spent the first 60 games of the season with the Colorado Avalanche, finishing with 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points. He quietly provided value in key moments, with three of his goals standing as game-winners and two coming on the power play. He also recorded the first hat trick of his NHL career on Oct. 28 in a win over the New Jersey Devils at Ball Arena.
Olofsson was originally acquired as part of the Nazem Kadri trade that sent the veteran center to the Calgary Flames in exchange for prospect Max Curran, a conditional 2027 second-round pick, and a conditional 2028 first-round pick. In 18 games with Calgary, he added two goals and four assists.
A full season with the Flames in 2026-27 would almost certainly allow Olofsson to settle into a defined power-play role, where his shot remains his most valuable asset and an underrated weapon.
There’s also another detail that often gets overlooked, but matters to coaches: discipline. Olofsson is not an undisciplined player by any means. In 60 games with the Avalanche, he logged just six penalty minutes, and in 18 games with Calgary, he didn’t take a single penalty. For a coaching staff that values clean, mistake-free hockey while still needing a player who can provide offense at a low cost, that combination carries real value.
There’s also a human element that can’t be ignored. Olofsson and his family have been living out of suitcases for stretches over the past two seasons. After six years in Buffalo, he’s bounced from Vegas to Colorado to Calgary in quick succession—and his wife, Taylor, gave birth to their second child during the Olympic break. That kind of instability adds up.
At some point, hockey fit and life fit start to overlap. For Calgary, the decision becomes fairly straightforward. With the salary cap continuing to rise, a deal in the $1.75–$2.25 million range feels like solid value for a player who can still change a game with a single clean look at the net.
If the Flames are looking for continuity and a low-risk scoring touch, this is the type of player you don’t overthink. You keep him, you stabilize the role, and you let the shot do the talking.
May 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Hopefully the Phillies saved some runs for today. After demolishing the Mets on Saturday night, the Phillies will attempt to win the series and give Phillies fans a Happy Father’s Day as the series finale is held on Sunday night.
Former Met Zack Wheeler gets the start for the Phillies. For his career, the ace righty is 5-5 with a 3.36 ERA against his former squad.
While the majority of the hype in the Bay Area later this week will be focused on the San Jose Sharks’ second overall pick, assuming nothing changes, the Sharks will enter the 2026 NHL Draft with a total of seven picks, five of which will take place on the second day of the annual event.
The first pick they hold on the second day will be the 62nd overall pick, which originally belonged to the Colorado Avalanche. The Sharks acquired the pick as part of the trade that sent MacKenzie Blackwood to Denver.
Throughout the years, a number of successful players have been taken with the 62nd overall selection, which for quite a while was a part of the third round.
There have been two players drafted 62nd overall that went on to play 1,000 or more games in the NHL, one of which is still active. Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins is the all-time games played leader amongst 62nd overall picks, with 1,235 games played, all with Pittsburgh. The first player drafted 62nd overall to hit the 1,000 game threshold, though ironically had the same first name as Letang, Kris Draper. Despite being drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 1989, Draper played the majority of his career with the Detroit Red Wings.
Eight players drafted 62nd overall have reached the 500-game threshold, including long-time St. Louis Blues captain David Backes and former Sharks Jeff Norton and Paul Martin. At this point, only 11 total players drafted 62nd overall have appeared in 200 or more games, though.
More recently, Lane Hutson was drafted 62nd overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2022, and after a couple of seasons with Boston University, he stepped into the NHL and made an immediate impact. The 62nd overall pick in 2023, Felix Unger Sorum, has already made his NHL debut as well for the Carolina Hurricanes. The 2024 and 2025 picks, Jacob Battaglia and Ivan Ryabkin, have yet to make an appearance in the NHL, but there’s still plenty of time.
Based on historical precedent, it seems that the Sharks likely won’t get an NHLer with the 62nd overall pick, but if they do, odds are they’ll be getting an impact player for quite a while. Of course, every player and every draft are different, so only time will tell how the pick pans out for the Sharks.
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