It was another dreadful performance by the skaters. At one point, the Penguins were being outshot 33-10, and they finished the game outshot 45-22.
Rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov was the only reason why the Penguins stole a point and had a chance to steal the extra one. He was locked in from the drop of the puck and made several massive saves throughout the game to keep the Penguins in it.
In his first two starts, Murashov has made 75 saves on 80 shots, good for a .938 save percentage. He looks like the real deal.
He'll have Saturday off when the Dallas Stars come to town. Arturs Silovs will start in this game and needs a good performance after struggling a little bit in Washington on Wednesday.
The Penguins will play a Stars team that is 2-2 overall and has outscored their opponents 9-0 this week. They're one of the best teams in the league and are a handful to deal with.
If the Penguins want to snap their three-game losing streak, they'll need to get off to a fast start and be way more responsible in their own end. They haven't made things easy for their goaltenders over the last week, and that needs to change.
There's a chance that head coach Dan Muse tweaks the lines after Friday's shootout loss, but this is what they looked like last night:
Forwards
Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
Lapierre-Kindel-Koivunen
Dewar-Lizotte-Robertson
Defensive pairs
Carlile-Karlsson
Girard-Korczak
van Riemsdyk-Letang
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
Feb 25, 2024; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and general manager Sam Fuld talk in the dugout before a game against the New York Yankees at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Well the list of potential new GM’s for the A’s got a little smaller on Saturday morning. Jeff Passan reports that Phillies General Manager Sam Fuld has turned down an offer by the A’s to take over the front office, opting to instead remain in Philadelphia where he’ll be second fiddle to Philly President Dave Dombrowski:
Sam Fuld was offered the A’s job as president of baseball operations but declined to take it and has withdrawn from consideration, sources tell ESPN. Fuld, who was previously GM of Philadelphia, will remain in his current role as president of business operations for the Phillies.
Fuld was considered one of the stronger candidates to take over the A’s operations but evidently he’d prefer to stay put and wait for a different opportunity down the line. It’s never a good feeling to see your team rejected like this. The A’s apparently made not only the offer of General Manager, but offered the title of President of Baseball Operations. He would have been able to staff out an entire front office to his vision, but evidently the Athletics’ job was one that he did not want to take.
While Fuld is now out of contention, there’s a name that is gaining traction, again according to Passan. Red Sox AGM Taylor Smith may now be the option as of now:
Boston assistant general manager Taylor Smith remains a top candidate to take over as head of baseball operations for the A’s, sources tell ESPN. Cardinals assistant GM Rob Cerfolio, another finalist, is expected to remain with St. Louis.
Smith began his career with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018 with their research and development team but was poached by the division-rival Red Sox in 2024, getting the title of assistant GM to Craig Breslow. Over the past couple of years he’s been in charge of their analytics department. That Tampa organization really does pump out staffers to other organizations at an incredible rate, and Smith was among those that was highly regarded and viewed as a future GM, even by the Red Sox. He has been one of several lieutenants for the former A’s reliever-turned-GM in their collaborative front office approach.
He wouldn’t have anyone else to report to if he does end up getting the A’s job since the Passan report indicates he’d be given the President title. That’d mean he’d have free reign to shape the team as he sees fit and hire who he wants to staff his front office. Presumably the first order of business will be to address the pitching, or lack thereof. That’ll be the top priority for whoever the A’s select but Smith seems like as good as any candidate to bring in fresh outside ideas into the organization, something the organization could certainly use. He’s a bit on the younger side in his early 30’s (there’s no public information on his exact age), and he doesn’t have the most experience, but if the A’s feel he’s their guy then what are we waiting for?
And one more tidbit from Passan is that St. Louis AGM Rob Cerfolio is likely to remain with the Cardinals. That’s not especially surprising considering what’s going on over there. Chaim Bloom is ascending to President, meaning that Cerfolio will get his own promotion to GM. He’ll still be the second-in-command but that was always expected.
The wait to find out who will be the next voice of the Athletics’ front office seems to be winding down. We should hopefully know the choice by the end of the weekend, or at the latest early next week. Who do you guys want to be the selection?
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 06: Los Angeles second baseman Miguel Rojas (72) warms up prior to the start of the NLDS game 3 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on October 6th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Veteran infielder Miguel Rojas took ground balls and hit in a few rounds of batting practice during the Dodgers workout at Dodger Stadium on Friday, still nursing back and hip pain suffered Tuesday in Atlanta, with the hope he could be ready to go for the start of the National League Championship Series on Sunday in Milwaukee.
“Today was encouraging. He had imaging, and a lot of it was stuff that he’s had prior history. We’ve still got a flight to get on, and we’ll see how he comes in [Saturday] for the workout there. So there’s nothing definitive, but I will say today was a step in the right direction,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on a Friday Zoom call. “That was good to see.”
The veteran Rojas was one of the Dodgers’ most effective batters against left-handed pitchers this season, hitting .293/.340/.469 with a 121 wRC+. Rojas started twice in the NLDS, both against left-handed starting pitchers (Ray Kerr opened Game 2, followed by Chris Sale in Game 3).
The 37-year-old also led the team with 40 pinch-hit plate appearances, 15 more than any other player on the team. His presence among the reserves is felt, and the Dodgers will have a shorter bench in the NLCS, as the team plans to carry 13 pitchers in the best-of-7 NLCS after only using 12 pitchers in the Division Series, Roberts confirmed on Friday.
During the NLDS, the Dodgers bench included Rojas and Kiké Hernández, each of whom started twice during the series, plus backup catcher Hunter Feduccia, who did not play, rookie Josue De Paula, used twice as a pinch-hitter, and speedster Hyeseong Kim, who was used as a pinch-runner in Game 5 and played the final inning at second base.
Rojas spent the last few days getting treatment for his injury, and the Dodgers still have until Sunday morning to determine whether he’ll be on the NLCS roster.
“We’ve just got to be certain that if he do have him on [the NLCS roster], he can stay healthy, so you don’t lose him for the potential World Series,” Roberts said Friday. “We certainly have a couple other good options if it doesn’t happen, and he can’t post. But I’m encouraged with what I saw today.”
If the Dodgers were to put Rojas on the NLCS roster but need to replace him due to injury within the series, Rojas would then be ineligible for the next round, which in this case is the World Series.
The Dodgers have three options if Rojas isn’t available for the NLCS. They could keep the same rest of the bench as the NLDS, without Rojas: Hernández, Feduccia, De Paula, and Kim. Or they could replace Kim with Alex Freeland, a switch-hitting infielder who hits better from the left side. Outfielder Alex Call could be the choice over Kim, offering a right-handed hitter on the bench. Either way, the versatility of Hernández and Tommy Edman gives the Dodgers flexibility when making late-inning defensive replacements, moving around the infield or outfield as needed.
ESPN's Shams Charania first reported the news on X on Saturday, Oct. 10, citing Podziemski's agent, Bill Duffy of WME Basketball. The Warriors have since confirmed the move to USA TODAY Sports. The rookie-scale extension is fully guaranteed with a mutual option in the fifth year and a trade kicker.
The Warriors confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that the team agreed to a new contract with Podziemski.
Podziemski will be playing in the last year of his rookie contract this season. His extension will kick in next season.
What are Brandin Podziemski's stats with Golden State?
Brandin Podziemski has played three seasons in the NBA, all with the Golden State Warriors. He averages 11.6 points, 3.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game.
He played all 82 games last season in the 2025-26 campaign and started 43 times. He averaged 13.8 points, 3.7 assists and 5.1 boards per matchup.
When do the Warriors start the 2026-27 NBA season?
The Golden State Warriors tip off their 2026-27 season on Wednesday, Oct. 21 in an away game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Not many in this Top 25 had the chance to play NHL games for the Devils in the “Jersey Jersey,” but Topias Vilen made his NHL debut in his. | Getty Images
Happy weekend and happy game day, Devils fans. As we wait for our matinee against the Canucks, please feel free to read about another set of our Top 25 Under 25!
The New Jersey Devils’ third pick from the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, selected at 44th overall, kicks off our top 15 this year. Nikita Shcherbakov is already looking like he might be one of the steals of the draft. Last season, Shcherbakov played seven scoreless games with Salavat Yulaev Ufa, spending most of his season in the VHL (Russian second-tier) with Toros Neftekamsk, where he had four goals and six assists in 35 games. He also had 10 assists in 15 games for Tolpar Ufa in the MHL, or Russian juniors. By our expectations, we would have been happy to see Shcherbakov have a good season in the VHL, improving from the slow production he had there last year. We would have been thrilled with some modest production in the KHL.
So, who would have expected that Shcherbakov would already have two goals and four assists in 14 games for his KHL club? For a KHL rookie, Shcherbakov positions himself aggressively enough to contribute to the offense. Of course, this might not last forever. According to the KHL website, Shcherbakov only plays about 10:06 per game, and he has neither received penalty killing nor power play shifts to this point. Still, he has a chance to make history. In the 18 years that the KHL has existed, the all-time leading scorers among 18-year old defensemen are Anton Silaev and Mikhail Gulyaev, who had 12 points in 63 and 64 games, respectively. The all-time leading per-game scorer among 18-year old defensemen is Shakir Mukhamadullin, who had 10 points in 39 games.
While he did slip a bit in these rankings, Shane Lachance still has a very good chance of making the NHL. At 6’5” and 218 pounds, Lachance’s easiest path to the big club is by establishing himself as a consistent netfront presence. Last season, we saw a glimpse of that when he scored a preseason goal against the Capitals with the Devils’ power play, but Lachance played one game for the New Jersey Devils in the regular season. On a floundering Utica Comets team for most of that season, Lachance only had 10 goals and 15 assists in 62 games after having a goal and an assist in two games for them in 2024-25 upon his departure from Boston University. It was hard not to notice that players like Lachance and Cam Squires looked outstanding immediately after leaving their juniors or college teams only to have strongly disappointing full seasons with Utica.
This season, we hope for more from Lachance. The team as a whole is built far more competitively, including multiple former NHLers such as Vladislav Kolyachonok and Colin White along with higher-scoring AHLers such as Ben Steeves and Riley Tufte. Having multiple layers of scoring threat built throughout that lineup means that games no longer hinge on whether players like Lachance, Melovsky, and Hameenaho are the absolute key to whether they win or lose, as opponents will be forced to make tougher matchup decisions. Utica played their first game eight days ago, but their season finally resumes this evening. Let’s hope for a display of improved skating and high-danger scoring from the big Lachance.
13. Matyas Melovsky (RH C) — Last Rank: 16 — Age: 22 — Team: Utica Comets (AHL)
Prior to Sunny Mehta’s trade of Jacob Markstrom for Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist, I would have thought that Matyas Melovsky was a strong candidate to make the NHL this season as a fourth-line center. The Czech right-hander was drafted in 2024 as a double-overage selection by the Devils in the sixth round, and this move has proved to be a rather solid one. Melovsky grew as a goal scorer over time in the QMJHL, going from a pure playmaker to a dual-threat with two-way success that made him one of the best players in the league at the time. Last season, in his professional debut for the Utica Comets, Melovsky had 10 goals and 16 assists in 55 games while having some of the best on-ice results on the team.
This year, Melovsky is off to a good start with an assist in Utica’s only game to date, as he got the primary assist on a goal by Ben Steeves. What makes Melovsky so easy to project into the NHL is his skating ability and positioning. He always seems to be making the right plays, far from being a selfish player. The New Jersey Devils might not have an easy way for Melovsky to get onto the team this season, but I expect him to be the regular number one center for Utica, above Schmelzer, White, and McLaughlin, by November. Of course, I think he should already be there.
Continuing the theme of this entry of the Top 25 Under 25 being dominated by Utica Comets, Topias Vilen is the prospect in this section who played the most games in the NHL last season. Those two games might not stand out, but Vilen held his own in his cup-of-coffee NHL experience. Personally, I was not surprised by this, as Vilen has been playing professional hockey since he was 17, when he played in the Finnish Liiga. Since coming to the AHL in 2023, Vilen has been very consistent with 24 or more points in each season and a total of 80 points in 174 games.
This season, Vilen has to contend with a more stacked left side of the defense in Utica. Playing with Anton Silaev and Ethan Edwards, Vilen’s best chance of getting 20 minutes a game would necessitate him playing on the right side where Vladislav Kolyachonok is currently slated (especially while Seamus Casey remains out). Along with Kolyachonok, Vilen was among the final cuts from the New Jersey Devils’ roster going into the regular season, so there is a chance that we see him again this season. But if injuries arise, Mehta and Keefe will need to decide whether they prefer the steadiness of Vilen’s game or the potential of the speedy Edwards, the giant Silaev, or the NHL-experienced Kolyachonok.
The gap between Vilen and Ethan Edwards, in my opinion, is razor-thin. Honestly, going by pure production, Vilen is probably a bit better. Edwards is nearly a year older and was a four-year college player, where he was never a huge point producer at the University of Michigan. But Edwards’s skating has always been extremely intriguing. He has good edges and straight-line speed with the potential to be a good two-way defenseman that can close gaps quickly and join the attack. Last season, Edwards even had 10 goals for the Utica Comets, though his total of 23 points in 69 games still lagged well behind Vilen’s overall pace.
Edwards has one very big issue to take care of this season, though. In the 2025-26 season, Edwards had the third-worst on-ice goal rates out of 10 defensemen who played 10 or more games for the Utica Comets. And with most of the power play time last season going to Calen Addison, Seamus Casey, and Topias Vilen, Edwards was unable to push for power play time, while having significantly less success in extended penalty killing minutes than Vilen. First and foremost, Edwards needs to get his five-on-five play under control, proving that he can put his excellent skating to good use. Second, Edwards needs to find a special teams niche in the AHL, whether it is on the power play or penalty kill. If he can do that, he might put himself in position to push for a roster spot by next year. With Edwards being ranked so high, we are betting big on physical tools and athleticism.
The Vote
See below for the tally today.
As I mentioned yesterday, we are at the point where the variance in rankings has reduced significantly. The true average ranks for each of these players sat between 12 and 14.33, while the worst individual rank for any of them was 20 and the best individual ranks were as high as 9. This is where the slight disagreements came from everyone:
I had Nikita Shcherbakov (17->15) and Shane Lachance (16->14) in the top 20.
James had Matyas Melovsky (16->13) in the top 20 and Lachance (9->14) in the top 10.
Jared had Ethan Edwards (10->11) and Shcherbakov (9->15) in the top 10.
Jackson had Topias Vilen (17->12) in the top 20.
Tim had Lachance (20->14) in the top 20 and Melovsky (10->13) in the top 10.
The community had Shcherbakov (20->15) in the top 20 and Edwards (9->11) in the top 10.
We are largely in consensus over the general range of these prospects. By this point of the rankings, we are hoping that at least three of the five players here turn into true NHLers. They might not be superstars at this range (though Jared may have been onto something ranking Shcherbakov so high when he did), but there should be NHL depth, third pairing defensemen, or bottom six forwards of the future here. After these five, the expectations take another jump.
Your Thoughts
What did you think of today’s rankings release? Who are you excited to follow throughout this season? What do you think of Shcherbakov’s historic start in the KHL? Do you think Melovsky or Lachance will appear for the Devils this season? Do you think Vilen or Edwards might serve as injury fill-ins at some point? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
Ahead of Saturday afternoon's road game against the Boston Bruins, the Philadelphia Flyers announced a slew of unfortunate injury updates that will have major impacts on the team's short- and long-term plans.
According to Flyers general manager Danny Briere, forward Travis Konecny (lower-body) and Cam York (upper-body) are both day-to-day and will not play against the Bruins on Saturday.
Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who accompanied the Flyers for their three-game road trip, has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 3, making him eligible to return as soon as he is ready to play.
With Ristolainen on injured reserve, the Flyers activated defenseman Helge Grans, who started the season on season-opening injured reserve due to a lower-body injury suffered in the preseason.
With York and Ristolainen out, Grans will make his season debut against the Bruins on Saturday on a defense pairing with Simon Benoit.
The most significant and unfortunate piece of injury news comes from a player who has hardly played in the last seven months, a trend that will linger into the foreseeable future.
Energetic young winger Nikita Grebenkin, who has not played a competitive game for the Flyers since March 21, will be out a minimum of four months after undergoing back surgery.
Grebenkin, 23, missed most of training camp with his injury but eventually returned to skate in a yellow no-contact jersey before playing against, ironically, the Bruins in a preseason game on Sept. 24.
In that game against the Bruins, Grebenkin was apparently injured by a collision along the wall, but eventually returned to the game. The Russian forward has been out since then.
Updated Flyers lineup
With the slew of injuries mentioned above, here's how the Flyers are expected to line up against Boston on Saturday, and potentially Carolina on Sunday night, too.
Christian Dvorak - Trevor Zegras - Tyson Foerster
Owen Tippett - Sean Couturier - Matvei Michkov
Denver Barkey - Noah Cates - Porter Martone
Garrett Wilson - Noel Acciari - Michael Bunting
Travis Sanheim - Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler - David Jiricek
Simon Benoit - Helge Grans
Having a back-to-back this weekend complicates things, as the Flyers have just one spare healthy skater on the roster in Carl Grundstrom.
Grundstrom did not play against Ottawa on Thursday night and will remain out in favor of the long-time tough guy Wilson as the Flyers face the hosting Bruins in the most important game of their winless 0-3-2 season thus far.
Dominic Solanke earned a deserved point for Spurs despite Rodrigo Bentancur’s red card
Spurs get the ball rolling. They’re kicking towards the Stretford End in this first half.
The teams are out. Manchester United in their famous red, white and black, Tottenham in second-choice dark blue with diagonal multi-coloured neon nonsense. Meanwhile here’s the first line of a song ringing out loud from all four corners of Old Trafford: “You know what you are.” No prizes for guessing the rest of the lyrics, or which club they’re serenading. Don’t look back in anger? Good luck with that! We’ll be off in a minute.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 07: Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees bats against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning in game three of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 07, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Batting order alone doesn’t dictate a team’s fortune, but it does make a difference. This is especially so in short series, where even the tiniest edges and flaws are magnified. And no place in the lineup matters more than the top spot. Suffice it to say that Aaron Boone and the Yankees faced an extremely important decision when choosing the leadoff man for Game 3 with the season on the line.
So why in the world did they land on Trent Grisham?
To state the obvious, Grisham did not have a good year in any shape or form. He had a .308 OBP. His wRC+ was 98. And these numbers are what he recorded before landing on the IL at the start of September with a strained hammy. To his credit, Grisham did record two hits during the party against the dregs of the Red Sox bullpen in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series, but he was a non-factor in Games 1 and 2 of the Division Series. This isn’t the resume of someone to whom you’d like to entrust the leadoff spot in an elimination game . And yet, that’s precisely what the Yankees did.
Of course, it’s easy as an armchair manager to fall into the trap of hindsight. It would be wrong of me to point to Grisham’s 0-for-5, three-strikeout night and say, “I told you so.” But that’s not what I’m going to argue. My point is that hitting Grisham first was the wrong call, even if it had worked out, because the decision-making process had a fatal flaw — one that explains so much about this current era of Yankees baseball.
That flaw is this: the Yankees’ way of evaluating players has become far too rigid. Once they make up their mind about a player’s true talent, they will adhere to it adamantly, even if the on-field results suggest that something is wrong. It takes a mountain of evidence to pile up for them to consider recalibrating their view of that player, and by the time that happens, the damage has already been done.
Trent Grisham is but the latest example. When asked postgame whether he regretted placing Grisham in the leadoff spot, Aaron Boone had this to offer:
“No. I mean, look, obviously, we really struggled to score runs in the first two games, and I was pretty convicted on trying to find a way to be able to get Benny a chance to come up with runners on or be in a position to do that more often tonight…it’s a decision I made to try and create a little bit of traffic, and obviously it didn’t work. But you’re going to live with that.”
I get wanting to give Ben Rice more chances to hit with men on base. But even if that made sense, Grisham was not the answer. The man isn’t a high-OBP guy. Not counting 2020, his career high over a full season is the .348 mark he posted last year; in all other years he’s failed to reach .330. He’s a high-walk guy, I’ll give him that, but his abysmal batting averages have generally dragged his OBP down to unremarkable levels. To wit: Grisham’s career walk rate is a robust 12.1 percent, but his career OBP is a pedestrian .319.
Boone’s reasoning only makes sense if you assume that Grisham’s superb 2025 represented a new baseline for him, and that version of him was still somewhere within him, despite his subpar 2026 numbers and his late-season injury. It seems, in short, that Boone and the Yankees were clinging to the best version of Grisham in their minds, a version detached from reality.
When viewed in this way, the Grisham decision turns from an isolated blunder to the latest case of a widespread issue. Recall how the Yankees kept running Austin Wells out until June, despite him hitting for a 26 wRC+ for the entire month of May. The team only took action when Wells went to them, suggesting that they might have been unaware that something was ailing Wells if he hadn’t.
I don’t think it’s too farfetched to theorize that they viewed Wells’ disastrous offensive performance as merely a bad slump, and that they were planning on simply running him out there until he experienced positive regression, without making any inquiries into his health. The Yankees had an idea of how Austin Wells was supposed to hit, and when the on-field results weren’t there, they assumed that their idea of Wells would eventually translate to reality, rather than readjusting their evaluation of Wells given recent results.
Wells’ case is reminiscent of how the Yankees handled Anthony Rizzo’s concussion in 2023. It took 46 games of Rizzo hitting .172/.271/.225 for the Yankees to do anything, and even then, Rizzo had to go to the team, not the other way around. And this goes beyond how the Yankees have mismanaged injuries; in 2024, we saw them keep trotting out Alex Verdugo in left field when it was clear by mid-July that it wasn’t working out. In 2025, they stubbornly kept on using Devin Williams in high-leverage situations, a crucial factor in them losing the division race. Then there’s the ongoing shortstop question, with the Yankees being stubborn at various points about both Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Anthony Volpe’s abilities. Time and time again, the Yankees of recent years have shown a reluctance to change their minds about their own players.
Admittedly, there is something to be said for not overreacting to small sample sizes. Even superstars can have bad weeks and months; look at how Pete Crow-Armstrong and Fernando Tatis Jr. started their respective years, compared to the numbers they finished with. Closer to home in 2024, Aaron Judge followed an awful April with a preposterous .352/.488/.777 triple slash with 52 homers in 127 games as he won MVP. Making rash, drastic changes based on the tiniest fluctuations in performance is not a winning formula by any means.
However, there needs to be a balance. Teams can, and should, try to constantly update their understanding of players’ abilities based on new data, while keeping in mind that small sample size caveats apply. Right now, the Yankees’ modus operandi appears as though it’s set in stone. If that’s due to a philosophical stance about trying not to be influenced by granular data points, then that stance needs to be relaxed. And if that’s due to complacency and hubris, then I’d like to remind them that it’s been 17 years since their last title. Something needs to change.
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 5: Ebuka Okorie #23 of the Detroit Pistons is interviewed after the game against the Phoenix Suns during a preseason game on October 5, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The NBA preseason is a great time to work out some kinks, give reserves more opportunities to thrive, and for players to get their legs back under them. The Detroit Pistons did most of that in their first preseason win over the Phoenix Suns.
Detroit travels to the nation’s capital in a matchup with 2026 first overall pick AJ Dybantsa and the Washington Wizards. The Detroit key players only played around 20 minutes Monday night. Let’s see if J.B. Bickerstaff ramps that up a bit and gets Jalen Duren out there, or will it be the Ebuka Okorie show.
GAME VITALS
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
When: 7:00 PM EST
Watch: TV20 Detroit/DAZN-DET
Odds: Pistons (-4.5)
Bickerstaff said Duren will play in the preseason and could make his debut tonight. Duren said he wants to improve as a rim and pick-and-roll defender. If he does suit up for a bit tonight, he’d have plenty of opportunities to show PnR growth with Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and Deandre Ayton spamming actions. Washington has downhill guards he can sway away from the basket if they manage to get by Detroit’s perimeter defenders.
Ausar Thompson showed growth in his biggest swing skill for this Pistons build to work: creation. His jumper is always at the top of the conversation, but being a legit playmaker next to Cade Cunningham unlocks this team.
Ausar was aggressive getting to the rack, keeping his options open versus the Suns. He’d rim run to score or to throw dimes to Paul Reed and spot-up shooters. Seeing his midrange jumper drop spoke to his mindset in that outing. The makes were cool, but the attempts were better. Getting them up to gain the defense’s respect will aid his playmaking chops.
Ron Holland attempted the most shots on the squad. Some were good looks, some were out of control, but his game-wrecking defense was there as always. Holland flew around the court terrorizing Phoenix backups. The Wizards have a ton of guards with off-the-bounce juice. Holland will see plenty of Tre Johnson, Tre Mann, and maybe Young tonight.
Okorie was thrown into the fire with 10 minutes to go and did not disappoint. His defensive effort was there. The microwave scoring was as good as advertised. We should get used to those extended finishes. Okorie uses every bit of his 6-foot-8ish wingspan and turbo jets to get by defenders and finish from different angles. Bickerstaff praised the 19-year-old’s ability to finish at that age. He’s ahead of the curve.
Alex Sarr is questionable after missing Washington’s first preseason game. He’s a do-it-all big that Isaac Jones, John Collins (who had a Detroit-like debut), and Reed will deal with in their minutes. Jones was more than solid defensively Monday night. He set advantage-creating screens that freed up himself and his teammates.
Preseason is like a practice test. See what you got wrong and drill those principles for the real thing. The starters came out flat offensively, but Bickerstaff acknowledged that a new offense takes longer to click than defense. Use this game to get going.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, Jalen Duren
Washington Wizards: Trae Young, Kyshawn George, AJ Dybantsa, Alex Sarr, Anthony Davis
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What do you want to see from Jalen Duren the most this season?
NEW YORK (AP) — New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is out for the season after injuring his right knee Friday night in a game at Washington, the team announced Saturday.
Shesterkin did not put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the ice by teammates after an awkward fall into his own net against the Capitals.
Shesterkin came well out of his crease to challenge a shooter midway through the second period and fell as he scrambled back to the net. The 30-year-old Russian jammed his right skate into the right post as he slid back into the crease and collapsed into the net in pain.
“It's awful, you know? He's a pillar of this team. It stinks," Rangers captain J.T. Miller said following the 3-1 loss to the Capitals.
Coach Mike Sullivan said after his team's four-game winning streak was snapped: “He's an elite goaltender and you never want to see anyone get hurt. Obviously, he's an important player for us.”
The 2022 Vezina Trophy winner missed a month last season with a lower-body injury, contributing to the Rangers finishing last in the Eastern Conference.
Shesterkin was off to a strong start this season with a 3-1 record and 1.76 goals-against average. Last week, he became the first Rangers goalie to score a goal when he lofted the puck the length of the ice into an empty net late in New York’s home opener against Tampa Bay.
“We're not going to let that take the wind out of our sails,” Miller said about Shesterkin's injury. “We love the way we're playing most of the time.”
Shesterkin stopped 13 of 14 shots and left with the score tied 1-all. He was replaced by 24-year-old backup Dylan Garand, who gave up the go-ahead goal late in the second but finished with 11 saves on 12 shots.
It was the fifth NHL appearance and second this season for Garand, recalled last week from Hartford of the American Hockey League after clearing waivers. Garand made 22 saves in a 2-0 shutout at Detroit last Friday with the Rangers playing their second game in two nights.
Garand went 2-0-1 with a 1.62 goals-against average and .948 save percentage in three starts for the Rangers last season.
New York acquired veteran goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins last summer to be Shesterkin’s backup. But the 32-year-old Finn was placed on injured reserve last week and was week to week with a lower-body injury.
Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers is helped off the ice by Marcus Pettersson #26 and Sean Durzi after suffering an injury during a game against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.
The Rangers saw their worst fears realized Saturday morning.
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Igor Shesterkin, the face of the franchise and one of the NHL’s premier goaltenders, is out for the remainder of the season with what the team is terming a lower-body injury. Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan declined to offer any other details after practice Saturday.
It is a crushing blow for the Blueshirts, who were off to a solid start after a nightmarish 2025-26 campaign. Then Friday night happened. In the second period of a 3-1 loss to the Capitals in Washington, he appeared to jam his right skate into the right post as he scrambled to get back into the net. His right leg then bent awkwardly as he fell to the ice.
“It’s obviously horrible to hear. A guy like that who means so much to our team, we’re still kind of processing that and you just feel terrible for him,” alternate captain Adam Fox said. “I personally dealt with injuries the last few years and him too. It sucks when you’re not able to be out there and help the team. He’s such an important piece to this team and what we’re able to do, you just feel for him.”
Now, a season that began with such positive vibes is in crisis. Dylan Garand, less than two weeks removed from being placed on waivers, will be the No. 1 goaltender for the foreseeable future. The 24-year-old has made four NHL starts in his entire career.
Veteran Joonas Korpisalo, acquired in the summer in a trade with the Bruins to serve as Shesterkin’s backup, is on injured reserve and is expected to be out another month due to a lower-body injury. Spencer Martin (lower-body injury) is healthy and expected to be called up to serve as Garand’s backup on Sunday at the Garden against the Canucks.
Asked if he can envision the franchise looking outside the organization for a goalie, Sullivan shot down the possibility. In other words, don’t expect a trade for an established netminder.
Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers is helped off the ice by Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi after suffering an injury during a game against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images
“I’m going to coach the twenty-something guys that we have here,” Sullivan said. “We like the group we have.”
Saturday, alternate captains Fox and Mika Zibanejad expressed sadness for Shesterkin, but belief in Garand and the team around him. They also believe the Rangers have the fortitude to survive this, that this devastating injury won’t ruin their season.
New York Rangers announce that Igor Shesterkin is out for season with a lower-body injury pic.twitter.com/I8CgkEzE3H
“The season doesn’t stop. We still have 77, 78, whatever it is, games to go,” Fox said. “We have confidence in our goalies in here, confidence in our team, to play well in front of them and keep going. We have to keep pushing and keep trying to play good hockey.”
Sullivan doesn’t expect a woe-is-us mentality to pervade the locker room. He’s seen too much good so far for that to happen.
“I’m not worried about this group from that standpoint. We’re not looking for excuses,” Sullivan said. “We like what’s going on around here, and we’re going to continue to work at becoming the best team we can become. There are certain things you can’t control, and it’s an unfortunate injury. We’ve got very capable guys. We feel like we’ve built a pretty good team up to this point. We’re going to continue to try to develop that.”
Shesterkin, the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner and a two-time All-Star selection, had started the year very well. Across four previous starts, he notched a 3-1-0 record with a 1.75 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. He also scored his first NHL goal in a victory against the Lightning on Oct. 1.
Igor Shesterkin (31) of the New York Rangers is injured on a play as his skate hits the post during the second period of an NHL game against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. Getty Images
He has battled injuries throughout his career. Last season, he missed 13 games due to a lower-body injury and was limited to 51 games. But this is obviously by far the worst one yet.
“I couldn’t be more disappointed for Shesty. I know how much playing means to him,” Sullivan said. “He’s obviously one of the cornerstones of this organization. I’m disappointed for him because he’s such a fierce competitor and he loves hockey. He loves playing.”
HONOLULU, HI - OCTOBER 4: Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a free throw during the game against the LA Clippers during the 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 4, 2026 at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jay Metzger/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s safe to say that Brandin Podziemski has been the star of training camp for the Golden State Warriors. The fourth-year guard earned rave reviews at the start of camp for his play, looks to be in pole position for a starting job, and has shined in the team’s preseason games. And now he’s getting paid.
On Saturday morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news that Podziemski and the Warriors had agreed on a contract extension for five years and $110 million. Per ESPN’s Anthony Slater, the first year of Podziemski’s deal (2027-28) will pay him $18.9 million, with subsequent pay raises pushing him to $20.4 million, $22 million, $23.5 million, and $25 million. The final year of the deal (2031-32) is a mutual option and, like most large NBA deals, the contract also includes a trade kicker, meaning Podziemski will receive a pay bump if the Warriors trade him (though the kicker can be waived to facilitate a deal).
Podziemski, who averaged a career-high 13.8 points per game last year while playing in all 82 of the team’s games (and starting 43 times), is in the final year of his first-round rookie scale contract. While the lefty made it clear that he was more focused on basketball than on future deals, there was a little bit of urgency in getting an extension sorted out because of the timeline. Players entering the final year of their rookie-scale contract have until the eve of the season to sign an extension; if a deal is not agreed upon by then, it cannot be signed during the season, and the player will enter restricted free agency in the offseason.
The deal makes lots of sense for both sides. For the Warriors, it’s a fair rate when you account for both the player Podziemski currently is, and the player the team hopes he can continue to develop into, while also locking him in for a great price if he has a breakout season, and keeping him from running up the price in a free agent bidding war. For the 23-year old Podziemski, it gives him a hefty pay raise (he’ll make $5.7 million this year), and also offers him security from any setbacks this year, such as injuries.
We’ll see if Podziemski celebrates by going off in tonight’s preseason game against the Sacramento Kings.
Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
The San Jose Sharks lost a hard-fought 3-1 battle to the Edmonton Oilers.
It was good test of a playoff hopeful in San Jose and a playoff-hardened Edmonton. The Sharks actually probably outplayed the Oilers most of the night, that’s impressive, but there’s something to be learned about keeping it up for 60 minutes.
Here are some takeaways.
Mack Is Back
Macklin Celebrini didn’t miss a beat in his return to the line-up, after missing two games with a lower-body injury.
He looked fast and strong as ever, particularly on his goal, when he bullied Alex Formenton for the puck on the forecheck. He could’ve had more, hitting a post too.
Bad Timing?
You have to love Kiefer Sherwood’s balls to the wall game.
But his early third period penalty, a late side swipe of Leon Draisaitl, seemed unnecessary. The Sharks were controlling the game, up 12-8 shots at that point, and you were opening the door to letting a stifled Oilers offense feel the puck.
San Jose managed to kill the penalty, but Edmonton rolled up three shots on that PP, and scored two goals in 2:27 shortly thereafter, to make it 3-0, and basically put the game out of reach.
There’s something to be said about letting sleeping dogs lie.
Matching Up With McDavid
Alex Wennberg is Warsofsky’s go-to defensive center, so it wasn’t a surprise to see him up against Connor McDavid as much as he was on Saturday.
But it’s impressive to see 19-year-old rookie Ivar Stenberg remain on the line, along with Kiefer Sherwood.
Stenberg-Wennberg-Sherwood did solid work against Vasily Podkolzin-McDavid-Leon Draisaitl. According to Natural Stat Trick, Wennberg’s line outshot McDavid 5-1 at 5-on-5 through two periods, when both were on the ice together.
McDavid did get an assist on the game-winning Vasily Podkolzin goal, but it was against another line.
Stenberg showed lots of poise tonight in every zone, really impressive, despite not coming up with any points.
Chernyshov Demoted, Then Promoted
It wasn’t a surprise that Igor Chernyshov was demoted to the fourth line this afternoon. This, despite starting on the top line on Thursday at the St. Louis Blues.
Head coach Ryan Warsofsky was already showing displeasure in the young Russian winger’s game in St. Louis, yanking him off the power play in the third period. Then, pointedly, when asked about Chernyshov’s game afterwards, Warsofsky didn’t speak on it, choosing to talk about other topics.
The eye test saw a winger trying to do too much and who was careless with the puck. Stathletes’ micro-stats back it up: Chernyshov completed a team-worst 33 percent of his 5-on-5 passes and 52.94 percent of all passes. Just for context, teammate Tyler Toffoli completed 100 percent of his 5-on-5 passes and 95.24 percent of all passes.
Chances are, Warsofsky wants Chernyshov to simplify his game and be more aggressive attacking the net. And he did just that against the Oilers, putting his head down on multiple occasions and bull-rushing the net with the puck.
Chernyshov was rewarded in the third period with a promotion onto Celebrini’s line.
Chernyshov might be, this side of Will Smith, the Sharks’ most talented winger. But there’s nothing wrong with reminding a youngster every once in a while — Chernyshov is just 20! — about how to play winning hockey.
Sharks x PWHL San Jose
It was Sharks x PWHL San Jose Day at SAP Center.
A point made by my colleague Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News, the Sharks’ embrace of PWHL has appeared to be much stronger than any other NHL team that share cities with a PWHL sister squad.
Love that from the Sharks! PWHL San Jose drops the puck on their season on December 5th at SAP Center.
Too Much of a Good Thing?
The lowering of the Shark Head is one of the great traditions in hockey. A great Sharks playoff tradition is the lowering of the Shark Head to the tune of Hans Zimmer’s “Do You Think I’m Saxon?”. The Sharks, however, have been using this intimidating, sounds like it was composed in a forge lead-up for all their home games this season. Call me boring, but I love this classic intro to be saved for special occasions, the home opener and the playoffs. Yeah, I get we haven’t heard this intro a lot over the last seven playoff-less years. But it’s not going to hit the same in the playoffs after I hear it in Game 66 versus the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Vítor Matos praised his Swansea side for overcoming a lack of training as they strengthened their position at the top of the Championship with a 2-1 comeback win over Norwich. Second-half goals from Moussa Yeo and the Republic of Ireland striker Adam Idah wiped out Jacob Wright’s strike just before the half-hour mark.
It was the third time Swansea had come from behind this season to win, and, after West Ham’s draw the previous night, it gave them top spot in the table. Idah, though, limped out of the action and could be a doubt for Tuesday’s visit to Millwall.
The Montreal Canadiens made an early-season trade on Friday, dealing defenseman Jayden Struble to the Nashville Predators for a second-round pick.
With the Canadiens having a defensive logjam on their left side, it seemed likely that one of their defensemen would be moved. Now, Struble is the player that they have decided to part ways with.
With the Canadiens trading Struble, let's look at two more Montreal players who could be on the move next.
Kirby Dach
Questions about Kirby Dach's future with the Canadiens have come up for a while now. He has been the subject of early-season trade rumors, and he could be a good trade chip for Montreal to dangle to upgrade their roster elsewhere.
Dach is signed for the 2026-27 season and is a pending unrestricted free agent. Thus, if the Canadiens do not view him as a long-term part of their plans, it would not be too surprising if he got moved this season.
In four games so far this season, Dach has one assist and a minus-2 rating.
Samuel Montembeault
Samuel Montembeault will be sidelined for the next 10 to 14 days due to injury. Although this is the case, he is still a goalie who should be watched as a trade candidate this season
Montembeault is a pending unrestricted free agent, and the Canadiens have Jacob Fowler waiting in the wings. With that, it would not be surprising if Montembeault is traded to another team by the deadline. This is especially so if he has a solid year for Montreal once he returns from injury.
