Felix Reyes of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs hits the ball during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Guess who had another fantastic start in Jersey Shore? Checking in on the kids:
Lehigh Valley 6, Indianapolis 3
Steward Berroa enjoyed a three hit day for the IronPigs, possibly his last day as a member of the Phillies’ 40 man roster with their impending need to add Brian Keller. Berroa was the only one with more than one hit, yet Felix Reyes and Dylan Moore chipped in with a two-run home run apiece. On the mound, Drake Fellows had six innings where he only allowed three runs, but did not walk a single batter and struck out four.
Harrisburg 3, Reading 0
One hit? One gosh dang hit?
That was all the Fightin’ Phils could muster on the evening, Bryan Rincon getting a measly single as Jake Irvin, rehabbing for the Nationals, and two relievers shut them down. A shame as Andy Seminaris had another solid pitching performance for the farm system, also going six innings and allowing only two runs on seven hits and no walks, striking out seven. Considering that they haven’t been getting many good pitching performances lately, this was certainly one where you’d want to see the offense do anything good.
Brooklyn 4, Jersey Shore 3 Jersey Shore 5, Brooklyn 0
Playing in a doubleheader due to weather earlier in the week, the Blue Claws saw the best and most agonizing. In the first game, the two teams were tied at one after seven, yet going into the eighth inning, the bullpen could not hold it together. Camron Hill was on the mound and with the ghost runner on, allowed three straight baserunners to give the Cyclones two runs. Another scored later in the inning before the Jersey Shore got their chance. They capitalized, scoring two runs of their own before Tyler Miller was called out on strikes with runners on second and third to end the first game.
In game two, it was the Ramon Marquez show. In five innings, he was spectacular, only giving up a hit and a walk and striking out ten in yet another showcase for possible teams interested in doing a deal with the Phillies. He has been a revelation this year for the Phillies’ player development system.
Clearwater 11, Daytona 0
Juan Villavicencio had two hits, including a double, while Will Vierling had two hits and three RBI, Nolan Beltran had two hits and two RBI, Matthew Ferrera had an RBI double to help pace an offense that put up another impressive offensive performance before the game was called due to rain after the top of the sixth inning. Cade Obermueller had four innings of no-hit shutout baseball, striking out five and walking two. If we’re looking at teams the Phillies might be trading prospects from, this might be the leader in the clubhouse.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 24: Blake Snell #24 of the Oklahoma City Comets pitches during the third inning of a rehab assignment against the Sacramento River Cats at Sutter Health Park on July 24, 2026 in Sacramento, California (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Blake Snell’s second rehab start went well, striking out three in 2 2/3 innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City. He allowed two singles and a run which scored after Snell departed, throwing 49 pitches with no walks.
Matt Gorski had six singles and no extra-base hits in his first nine games off the injured list for Triple-A Oklahoma City, but he made up for lost time on Friday. The Comets first baseman homered and doubles, while driving in four runs.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
The Comets put up crooked numbers in three different innings in a road win over the Sacramento River Cats (Giants).
Hyeseong Kim singled twice, walked twice, scored three runs, stole a base, and made this incredible play at second base.
The Drillers were one out away from losing in a combined perfect game, but instead just suffered a blowout loss to the Arkansas Travelers (Mariners). Tulsa’s lone baserunner was a two-out infield single in the ninth inning by Sam Mongelli that involved a throwing error.
Adam Serwinowski struck out nine but also allowed six runs and two home runs in six innings.
High-A Great Lakes
Zach Root had a rough time with more walks (six) than strikeouts (five) in the Loons’ loss to the Lansing Lugnuts (A’s). Root allowed three runs, two earned in 5 2/3 innings, and after a 9.4-percent walk rate through his first 13 starts the left-hander has 10 walks and a 22.2-percent walk rate in his last two outings.
Class-A Ontario
The Tower Buzzers tied things in the ninth inning, then beat the San Jose Giants on the road in 10 innings.
First baseman Easton Shelton homered again, because that’s what he does, with five home runs over his last five games and an .871 slugging percentage in July. Shelton’s 31 home runs lead the minor leagues, one shy of doubling the second-place slot in the California League.
Easton Shelton takes over the Minor League HR lead with his 31st of the year for the @towerbuzzers 🚀
Double-A: Shortstop Elijah Hainline was activated off the injured list after missing three weeks. Left-hander Wyatt Crowell was placed on the 7-day injured list.
High-A: Infielder Nico Perez was activated off the injured list after missing six and a half weeks.
4:05 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Christian Zazueta) at Arkansas (Ryan Sloan)
4:05 p.m.: Great Lakes (Brady Smith) at Lansing (Tucker Novotny)
5 p.m.: Ontario (TBA) at San Jose (TBA)
6:37 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Cole Irvin) at Sacramento (Carson Whisenhunt)
Brady Smith, the Dodgers’ third-round pick in 2023 and now 21 years old, makes his High-A debut on Saturday after posting a 3.88 ERA in 19 starts for Class-A Ontario, with 104 strikeouts (37.5 percent rate) and 27 walks in 65 innings.
KANSAS CITY, MO - JULY 18: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals is congratulated on the win after an MLB game between the San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals on July 18, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“I’m just here to pitch,” Dobnak said. “If they want me to start, if they want me in long relief, at the end of the day, I’ll do whatever the team needs. I’ve done both over my career over the years. My mindset is any time I get the ball, just go out there and do my thing.”
When he was placed on the IL in early June, Isbel said that the key to his recovery would be managing the inflammation, and so the timetable for a return was uncertain. Now that he’s back on the field in game action, the key will be to keep from reaggravating the foot.
“It’s just getting the inflammation down, and then there’s not really a timetable on it,” Isbel said. “Just more symptom-based. … Just a lot of pressure in the bottom of my foot.”
System snapshot: The system has improved the past few years: Recent draft additions SS Josh Hammond and LHP David Shields have been trending up, RHP Kendry Chourio and CF Angeibel Gomez were signed internationally, and money was spread around in the 2026 draft to land CF Zion Rose, RHP Taylor Rabe and RHP Jack Slightom. Lefties Justin Lamkin and Maxx Yehl are sleepers who could move quickly.
Biggest need: It feels like continuing to add potential impact talent is the long-term focus, but I could see the Royals adding some prospects that can help the 2027 big league team if they see a clear path to filling a role and thus shortening the list of winter needs.
There’s not really much point in talking to team sources about Witt’s talent. What are they going to say? Instead, we mostly talked about his contract, and whether it should push him down the list a bit. I tried to model it to get a sense of how much of a negative to assign it in my head, but truthfully, I struggled to put a value on it. If you think that the highest AAV he could realistically achieve when getting a new deal at age 31 is $40 or $45 million, the odds of an opt-out aren’t that high, and it won’t cost you that much to renegotiate. If you think that the top end of the salary range has been permanently expanded by the Soto and Tucker deals, it’s a more pressing concern. But even if you treat Witt as being on a four-year deal, he projects as the best player in baseball for those four years. I’m also not particularly concerned with the downside of him declining and then accepting the option; hitters don’t have the same career-altering injury risk that pitchers do, so the odds of taking a huge L on the deal are meaningfully lower.
I know that talking about economics in a baseball article isn’t that exciting, but it’s worth dwelling on the contract in Witt’s case. That’s because there aren’t really any other negatives to be had here. Witt is on a Hall of Fame trajectory.
Jul 12, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds outfielder Spencer Steer (7) hits a single in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Somehow, the Mariners are just a good weekend away from reclaiming the AL West crown. Despite their recent poor performance, do you still believe the M’s will end the season atop the division?
In Mariners news…
Bryan Woo was the latest guest on the Cal Raleigh Show.
Rangers catcher Danny Jansen is considering elbow surgery. The injury has kept him out of action since early June and he’s currently testing whether he can proceed with rehab without going under the knife.
TORONTO, CANADA - JULY 21: Yandy Diaz #2 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates a three run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on July 21, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What a game the Yankees just pitched to open their series against the Phillies with a 1-0 win! Cam Schlittler was dominant for 7.1 scoreless innings with a dozen strikeouts, Brent Headrick escaped an eighth innings bases loaded jam against Kyle Schwarber, and David Bednar extended his MLB-leading scoreless streak to 22.2 innings to nail down the save in the ninth. They needed this performance to hold serve in the division with the Rays pummeling the Guardians, so let’s see how those other games panned out.
Tampa Bay Rays (60-43) 11, Cleveland Guardians (54-51) 3
The Rays’ offense keeps on rolling, tallying their second double-digit scoring effort in their last four games. It helps when your starter can take pressure off the offense the way Shane McClanahan did with his five innings of one-run ball. Ryan Vilade got things started with a two-run homer in the second after Jonny DeLuca reached on a one-out single. Brayan Rocchio cut that deficit in half with an RBI double in the fourth, but from there Tampa kicked it into top gear scoring nine unanswered.
Three of those came in the fourth, Cedric Mullins leading off with a triple and scoring on a DeLuca single. Chandler Simpson singled and Vilade walked to load the bases with no outs, after which a Ben Williamson fielder’s choice and Nick Fortes singled each plated a run. Junior Caminero added an RBI single in the sixth and Fortes an RBI double in the seventh to extend their lead to 7-1, the number nine hitting catcher Fortes going 4-for-4 on the day. In the eighth, Jonathan Aranda drew a leadoff walk, Mullins doubled, and DeLuca walked to again load the bases. A Simpson sac fly drove in their eighth run, and a Richie Palacios three-run no-doubter made it a complete laugher.
The Guardians got a pair of consolation runs in the ninth, Gabriel Arias reaching on a two-out single and Austin Hedges hitting a two-run homer, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Rays from becoming the first team in the AL to 60 wins.
Other Games
Boston Red Sox (53-49) 6, Toronto Blue Jays (47-57) 4
Two days after having their franchise record 15-game winning streak broken by the Orioles, the Red Sox weathered a late Blue Jays rally to avoid the start of a losing streak. They had control for most of the contest, scoring five unanswered through the first six innings while Patrick Sandoval tossed 4.2 scoreless innings. Anthony Seigler led off the first with a homer and then led off the third with a single to set up a two-run blast from Ceddanne Rafaela. In the sixth, Masataka Yoshida walked, Caleb Durbin was hit by a pitch, and Jarren Duran singled to load the bases with one out. An Andruw Monasterio sac fly brought home their fifth run, though Durbin was thrown out at home on a Connor Wong single to end the inning.
This opened the door for a Blue Jays rally the next inning. Ernie Clement got plunked and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. blooped a one-out single to put a pair on with one out for Kazuma Okamoto, whose three-run home run pulled Toronto within one and gave him 23 on the year to break Shohei Ohtani’s record for the most home runs by a Japanese-born rookie. After Durbin grounded out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the frame, the Blue Jays tied the game on a Nathan Lukes leadoff double, Daulton Varsho single, and Andrés Giménez sac fly. That would not last for long as the Red Sox reestablished a two-run lead in the bottom of the inning on a Duran leadoff single and back-to-back RBI doubles from Romy Gonzalez and Seigler, the former Yankee farmhand going 4-for-5.
Houston Astros (51-54) 9, Chicago White Sox (54-48) 5
The White Sox looked to be well on track for a stress-free win, scoring three in the first and two in the fifth without the Astros managing a reply. In the first, they loaded the bases with no outs to set up a Colson Montgomery sac fly, Braden Montgomery RBI single, and Chase Meidroth HBP with the bases loaded, while in the fifth, Meidroth hit a two-run double. Meanwhile, Davis Martin pitched a shutout through five, only for the wheels to fly off in the sixth.
The Astros sent 14 men to the plate and scored eight runs — four apiece off Martin and Bryan Hudson. Amazingly, they only hit one homer in the frame — a two-run shot from Cam Smith to give them the lead. By the time the dust had settled on the inning, the Astros had tallied seven hits, two free passes, an intentional walk, and a hit-by-pitch, so rather than regurgitate it all, I’ll just leave this here for you:
Christian Vázquez wrapped up the scoring with an RBI double in the ninth in what was a wild game both literally and figuratively — a combined seven batters were hit by pitches, four for the White Sox and three for the Astros.
Neither starter was at their sharpest, Bryce Miller allowing five runs on six hits in 5.1 innings while MacKenzie Gore gave up three runs on seven hits in five innings. A Wyatt Langford solo shot opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Weston Wilson responded with an RBI single in the second, though Randy Arozarena would ground out to strand the bases loaded. Texas retook the lead in the fourth on a two-run blast from Jake Burger. Dominic Canzone responded with a two-run double in the fifth to grab Seattle’s first lead. Burger tied the game with an RBI single in the sixth and Nicky Lopez restored their lead with an RBI sac bunt, though this time it was Joc Pederson’s turn to strand the bases loaded with a pop fly. Seattle almost made them pay, pulling to within one in the ninth as Colt Emerson doubled, advanced to third, and scored on a wild pitch, but the comeback attempt would fall just short.
Nikolaj Ehlers waited more than a decade to get his hands on the Stanley Cup. When his turn finally came to bring it home, the former Winnipeg Jets winger made certain it was a day his hometown of Aalborg would remember.
Ehlers celebrated his day with the Cup on Thursday carrying hockey’s most famous trophy through his city before sharing it with thousands of Danish hockey fans.
Photo courtesy of the Carolina Hurricanes
And naturally, he arrived in style: Ehlers placed the Stanley Cup in the passenger seat of a bright yellow Lamborghini, fastened the trophy securely with a seatbelt and drove it to Sparekassen Danmark Arena. The Cup rode shotgun as Ehlers cruised around Aalborg.
The 30-year-old then carried Lord Stanley down a red carpet and into the arena, where more than 4,000 fans had gathered for the opportunity to celebrate with one of Denmark’s newest Stanley Cup champions.
Ehlers posed for photographs, displayed the Cup and spent time signing autographs for those in attendance.
“We are enormously proud of his sporting achievements,” Mayor Lasse Frimand Jensen said in announcing the celebration. “But we are equally proud of the person he is and the great contribution the entire Ehlers family makes to their hometown and to the Aalborg Pirates.”
For Ehlers, the public celebration brought an emotional conclusion to a whirlwind stretch that began when the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in six games to capture the franchise’s second Stanley Cup.
Ehlers fittingly scored the final goal of Carolina’s season, depositing an empty-netter with 68 seconds remaining in the Hurricanes’ 3-0 Game 6 victory. It was the first championship of his NHL career after spending his first 10 seasons in Winnipeg with the Jets.
“It’s been fantastic to be able to take the trophy home to Aalborg and Denmark,” Ehlers said following Thursday’s festivities.
“There are a lot of people who have come from all over Denmark. So, that means a lot. It’s been a solid day and right now that gives me a little closure to the wildest month I’ve had. It’s been fantastic and I’m super happy.”
The celebration came one day after fellow Hurricanes champion Frederik Andersen brought the Stanley Cup to Denmark. Andersen’s tour included a stop at Legoland before the Cup moved north to Aalborg for Ehlers’ turn.
For Jets fans, the sight was undoubtedly bittersweet. A beloved member of Winnipeg's only big-four professional team, the Jets selected Ehlers ninth overall in the 2014 NHL Draft, and he became one of the most electrifying players in the team's modern history. His speed and creativity made him a fan favourite over 10 seasons in Manitoba.
His time in Winnipeg ended without the championship both he and the organization had chased. But one year after signing a big deal in Raleigh and leaving the only NHL home he had ever known, Ehlers reached the top of the hockey world.
And on Thursday, he brought the Cup back to where it all began - with thousands of people waiting to welcome him home.
The Montreal Canadiens could use another skilled winger to solidify their top nine before the start of the season. At this point of the off-season, there are not too many notable free agent options left. Because of this, if the Canadiens hope to bring in another winger, their best bet would be the trade market.
One trade candidate who would make sense for the Canadiens to make a push for is Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk.
With the Canucks being in a full-on rebuild, DeBrusk has been a popular name in the rumor mill since leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. With the Canadiens needing help on offense, the 2015 first-round pick would be worth taking a flier on.
If the Canadiens signed DeBrusk, he could slot very nicely at their second line left wing spot. He would also provide Montreal with another scorer to work with on their power play if brought in.
In 81 games last season for the Canucks, DeBrusk scored a team-high 23 goals and recorded 42 points. This was after he scored a career-high 28 goals and posted 48 points in 82 games with Vancouver in 2024-25. He has also scored at least 23 goals in four out of his last five seasons. With numbers like these, he would certainly give Montreal's roster a boost.
DeBrusk would be a long-term pickup for the Canadiens, too, as he has a reasonable $5.5 million cap hit through the 2030-31 season.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 28: Lebron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena on December 28, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LeBron James wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t care about money when assessing his options in NBA free agency. Any team in the league could have landed James for essentially the veteran’s minimum if they could make the case that they gave him the best chance to win a fifth championship.
In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers won the LeBron sweepstakes. James is joining a lineup that already includes Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid. The bench is pretty strong too with Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Labaron Philon, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Justin Edwards, and Ariel Hukporti. I predicted the Sixers were the favorites to sign James last weekend, but it’s still hard to believe it actually happened.
The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers have to be heartbroken over James’ decision. The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves must be kicking themselves that they couldn’t make a couple more moves to woo LeBron. Do the Boston Celtics suddenly regret the shocking Jaylen Brown to Philly trade that set LeBron’s decision into motion?
I released by way-too-early NBA power rankings two weeks ago, and now they’re already irrelevant after LeBron’s decision. With the Oklahoma City Thunder also trading Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal, it feels appropriate to refresh the rankings. Here’s our latest power rankings for the 2026-2027 NBA season. One note: this is based on championship chances, not regular season performance. We’ll have more notes on the changes after the table.
Rank
Team
Change
1
Oklahoma City Thunder
—
2
San Antonio Spurs
—
3
New York Knicks
—
4
Minnesota Timberwolves
—
5
Philadelphia 76ers
Up 7
6
Boston Celtics
Down 1
7
Los Angeles Lakers
Down 1
8
Denver Nuggets
Down 1
9
Detroit Pistons
Down 1
10
Toronto Raptors
Down 1
11
Houston Rockets
Up 2
12
Cleveland Cavaliers
Down 2
13
Indiana Pacers
Down 2
14
Atlanta Hawks
Up 3
15
Miami Heat
Down 1
16
Orlando Magic
Down 1
17
Portland Trail Blazers
Down 1
18
Utah Jazz
—
19
Phoenix Suns
—
20
Dallas Mavericks
—
21
Charlotte Hornets
—
22
Memphis Grizzlies
—
23
Golden State Warriors
—
24
New Orleans Pelicans
—
25
Brooklyn Nets
—
26
Los Angeles Clippers
—
27
Washington Wizards
—
28
Chicago Bulls
—
29
Milwaukee Bucks
—
30
Sacramento Kings
—
Let’s dive into some changes from the last edition of power rankings.
The Thunder have a weak grip on No. 1 after the Lu Dort trade
The Thunder traded Lu Dort to save on their tax bill, and even Sam Presti admitted as much. I thought Dort was borderline unplayable late in the playoffs last year with a shaky handle, poor passing vision, and an inconsistent three-point stroke, but his defense was still impactful to opponents who feared his physicality. Losing Dort means more minutes for Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain, which should be a very good thing for OKC. It also means some of the young guns need to step up behind them, and the pressure is now on Nikola Topic and Bennett Stirtz, as well as Aday Mara and Thomas Sorber, to turn into decent rotation pieces.
I thought about moving OKC off the No. 1 spot with this update. The Spurs whooped them all season, right? The Knicks deserve the benefit of the doubt after a championship run, don’t they? The thing that keeps bringing me back to OKC is that we didn’t really get to see this team fully healthy all year, not with Jalen Williams and Mitchell both suffering untimely injuries. I hate the way Chet Holmgren looks in the Spurs matchup against Victor Wembanyama, but to me he’s still a top-15 player against anyone else. At the end of the day, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still the best guard in the game, and I’ll take my chances with him fully in his prime.
There is part of me that thinks losing Dort could be addition by subtraction for the Thunder. Their season will be determined by Williams’ health, Holmgren’s mindset, and Mitchell’s ability to level up again. I still think this is the strongest roster in the NBA, so they’re No. 1 entering the season to me.
The Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?
I don’t love the fit with LeBron on the Sixers. Sorry. There are a lot of guys here at their best with the ball in their hands, with Philly’s five projected starters totaling 140% in usage rate. The defense is even more worrisome. Scaling down can be as hard as scaling up, and I just don’t think Jaylen Brown or Joel Embiid as it in their game to do it. Those two will need to prove me wrong for Philly to walk away from this season with a championship.
Can Brown adjust to a more off-ball role where he maximizes his three-point rate and locks in off-the-ball defensively? He only hit 33.1% on 2.5 catch-and-shoot attempts from three per game last year, and he’s always been inattentive defensively when he’s not guarding the ball. Can Embiid forgo his need for post touches and instead use most of his energy to get back to being a monster rim protector? I’m skeptical he’s interested in doing that. The Celtics shopped Brown to the entire NBA and no one wanted him enough to beat Philly’s offer. LeBron is seeing something that the nerds in rival front offices aren’t seeing, and that makes this move feel like a big bet on “Jaylen Brown, the superstar” as much as anything else.
The media is going to expect this team to be really good, but there’s quite a bit of downside here. James is going to need to have a big time shooting season after hitting just 31.7% from deep last year. He’s going to need to push himself as a leader to get Brown and Embiid to buy into their best roles. I still trust LeBron’s ability to problem-solve in the biggest moments, and this team will need it. I like Philly a lot better as a playoff team than a regular season team, but only if they’re healthy. That’s a big if with this collection.
Miami and Cleveland are the big losers of LeBron’s decision
Don’t look now, but the Heat and Cavs might be fighting to just get out of the play-in tournament after LeBron decided against a reunion with both franchises.
The Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, but their depth is poor and they don’t really have any future assets left to continue building out the team. Miami is always so good at developing players on the margins, and this will be the biggest test yet of their ability to do it again. The Cavs are coming off a decidedly unconvincing run to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they’ve only gotten worse this summer. Dean Wade is gone, and the only addition to the roster is second-round pick Meleek Thomas. I don’t care how great Thomas looked in summer league, this roster is in big trouble, and James choosing to go elsewhere is a huge indictment.
I’m liking the Hawks roster as much or more than the Heat and Cavs’. With New York, Philly, Boston, and Toronto (assuming they land Kawhi) all looking like better regular season teams, the pressure is on the front offices for Miami and Cleveland to pull a rabbit out of their hat at some point to up their ceiling and give their teams a real chance come playoff time.
The Chicago Blackhawks should have a goalie battle to watch once we get to training camp. Prospect Drew Commesso will be looking to earn himself a spot on Chicago's roster over Arvid Soderblom, and the possibility of him doing so should not be ruled out.
Commesso showed a lot of promise during his few chances with Chicago last season. In three games with the Blackhawks last season, the 2020 second-round pick posted a 2-1-0 record, a 2.31 goals-against average, and a .918 save percentage. He also made a big statement with his 36-save shutout against the Nashville Predators on Jan. 10.
If Commesso can impress at training camp, he very well could earn a spot on the Blackhawks' roster to start the season. The 24-year-old has shown promise at the AHL level for multiple seasons now. His best season with the Rockford IceHogs was in 2024-25, when he had an 18-15-4 record, a .911 save percentage, and a 2.54 goals-against average.
Soderblom, on the other hand, appeared in 26 games last season with the Blackhawks, where he had an 8-13-3 record, an .880 save percentage, and one shutout. This was after he posted a 10-18-7 record, an .898 save percentage, and a 3.18 goals-against average with the Blackhawks during the 2025-26 season.
It will be interesting to see what happens with the Blackhawks' backup goalie situation. Soderblom may have the edge right now, but a strong training camp from Commesso could change things on that front.
It wasn’t
so long ago that Martin St-Louis’ nomination as the Montreal Canadiens’ coach
raised more than a few eyebrows. On that cold day of February 2022, GM Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton announced that a man who had only coached minor hockey until then would be taking the helm of one of the NHL’s most prestigious franchises in a market that lives and breathes hockey.
Many
believed that the lack of experience meant that the Hall of Famer would be a
temporary solution, a patch to put on a lost season and evaluate what the Habs
actually had in their locker room, but over four years on, he’s still there.
The bench
boss has shown himself to be much more than a temporary fix. What we didn’t
know back then was that St-Louis had been training to be a coach even when he
was a player, taking to the whiteboard and explaining to his teammates what
they should be doing. In La Presse on Friday, Mathias Brunet’s interview with
Steve Begin revealed that he was even doing it when he was playing in the
Calgary Flames’ AHL system, long before he became one of the top
players in the game.
St-Louis
has now been behind the Canadiens’ bench for 365 regular-season games, and he
has a 162-155-47 record for a .511 points percentage, that’s very impressive when
considering the state the team was in when he first took over. He now also has
24 games of playoffs experience in his back pocket with a 10-14 record that includes
to seven-game series win over some of the best coaches in the league in Jon
Cooper and Lindy Ruff.
Beyond the
numbers, though, what’s more impressive about what St-Louis has accomplished is how much he’s helped players individually. He’s a brilliant communicator and teacher as well; that’s not always true for former players who were brilliant at playing the game but fall well short as a coach- think of Wayne Gretzky with the Arizona Coyotes, for instance.
In the
Canadiens’ first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, St-Louis showed
that he could adapt to another team’s style of play. After holding firm on
matchups in the hope that his top line would find a way to get the better of
the opposition, he realized that it wasn’t likely to happen, and he started
juggling lines like the best of them. Getting the better of Cooper is no easy
task, but he still did it.
Of course,
St-Louis isn’t perfect; nobody is. His shortcomings and lack of experience were
exposed against Rod Brind’Amour and the Carolina Hurricanes in the third round, where the Habs were beaten in just five games and outplayed at nearly every
turn. Still, just like his players, the coach will have learned from the
experience.
As things
stand, he is the fifth-longest-tenured coach in the league behind Cooper, Jared
Bednar, Brind’Amour, and Andre Tourigny. His contract with the Canadiens is set to expire at the end of the season, and while Hughes did say that’s something that was on his to-do list this off-season, there’s been no news on that front.
What did
happen though was that the Canadiens appointed Derek Lalonde as an associate
coach, because Trevor Letowski reportedly wants to take a step back and have
more time to spend with his family. He was St-Louis’ right hand man and there’s
no doubt that seeing him come out of the bench won’t have please him. Still, it
would be surprising if St-Louis started the season without a new deal in his
back pocket, he has proven over the years that he’s what the Habs needed.
When Kyle Davidson took over as the Chicago Blackhawks GM, he had a vision. That vision was to tear the team down to nothing and then build it back up through the draft. It was intentional to go through some painful years, which they certainly have.
Part of that teardown was the trade that sent Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers ahead of the deadline in 2023. He finished that year with New York, a first-round exit at the hands of the New Jersey Devils, and has played with the Detroit Red Wings ever since.
On Thursday, the Blackhawks announced that Kane would be coming back on a two-year deal ($8 million AAV) at the age of 37. This comes just a couple of years after Davidson said that Kane’s time in Chicago was done, and it was a necessary move for the growth of the team. He continued to shoot down any return rumors from that point on.
At first, it made sense to let both Kane and Jonathan Toews go so that new leaders within the franchise could emerge. However, in 2024, Davidson mentioned that he doesn’t ever see them going back on that.
So, what changed? Davidson was asked that question during Friday’s presser reintroducing Kane:
"When Patrick departed a couple years ago, we were in a totally different spot as a franchise,” said Davidson. “We were much more at the outset of this whole project. Now that we’ve got some of these draft picks that have entered and established themselves in the NHL, the time was right with what he provides."
With Connor Bedard already reaching star status, along with Anton Frondell, Frank Nazar, and others on the rise, the organization felt like now would be a good time to bring back a franchise icon to help them grow.
Kane's production on the ice may fluctuate over his final few years in the NHL, but his impact will be felt no matter what. His wisdom that comes from the experiences that he's had as an NHL player will be invaluable to the younger members of the team.
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The Sabres were dealt bad news earlier this week, as Patrick Kane signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. It was no secret that the Sabres were in on Kane, and it made sense when noting that they need a replacement for Alex Tuch in their top six.
Yet, after missing out on Kane, the Sabres will now need to consider their options elsewhere. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust stands out as an interesting potential option for the Sabres to consider.
Rust's name has entered the rumor mill this off-season as the Penguins continue their retool. When noting that he is an impactful top-six winger who produces strong offense and plays solid defensively, he would be a big pickup for the Sabres if acquired.
If the Sabres acquired Rust, he could slot perfectly on their second line. He would also give them another clear option for their power play and penalty kill if brought in.
In 72 games last season with the Penguins, Rust posted 29 goals, 36 assists, and 65 points. With numbers like these, the 34-year-old winger certainly would have the potential to make up for the offense lost with Tuch's departure if brought in.
Let's see if the Sabres end up making a push for Rust from here.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 07: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers hugs Lebron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers after a game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on December 07, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Los Angeles Lakers won 112-108. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, BBN!
It finally happened: LeBron James has decided where he wants to play next, and he’s pairing up with former Wildcats Tyrese Maxey and Justin Edwards with the Philadelphia 76ers.
If you’re a LeBron fan, like me, you have to be on cloud 9.
If you’re not, but you’re a Kentucky fan, you should still be very excited. The last time LeBron teamed up with a former Cat, it resulted in a championship. LeBron and AD were unstoppable when they first teamed up with the Los Angeles Lakers; I wish we could’ve seen them healthier together.
Nonetheless, it looks like this will be LeBron’s last stop before retirement, and what better way to finish it than with Maxey, Edwards, V.J. Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, and Joel Embiid.
If this doesn’t make them the favorite in the East past the defending champion Knicks, it certainly makes them 2nd.
It should be an absolutely wild 2026-27 NBA season, and I, for one, can’t wait. Bring all the madness, and please, everyone, stay healthy!
Are you excited about LeBron heading to Philly?
Tweet of the Day
Wonderful day and wedding for the big guy! Congratulations to Aaliyah and @Oscartshiebwe34 , what a fantastic journey…just getting started!!! pic.twitter.com/gR8P81nbuO
Earlier this week, former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrew Agozzino announced his retirement from professional. Now, just a few days later, he has already landed his first job since hanging up the skates.
The Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL have announced that they have hired Agozzino as a new assistant coach.
Seeing Agozzino become an assistant coach for the Roadrunners is a cool story, as he played each of the last two seasons with the AHL club. Clearly, they appreciated what the former Penguins forward did for them as a player, and he will now be one of their coaches because of it.
Agozzino will now give the Roadrunners a new coach who had a long career in the AHL. In 847 career AHL games over 15 seasons, the former Penguins forward posted 284 goals, 378 assists, and 662 points. This included him posting 14 goals and 33 points in 37 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2019-20.
Agozzino also played in 53 career games at the NHL level over eight seasons, posting three goals, 12 points, and a plus-4 rating. In 17 games with Pittsburgh, he recorded two assists.
