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Islanders Free Agency News: Anders Lee to Utah, Darche talks 2027-28

Trust the punt. | NHLI via Getty Images

The Islanders made a few depth signings on the first day of free agency, and evidently, one was to replace the departing Max Shabanov, who very understandably chose not to return. But the big splash (or unsplash?) was the confirmation that captain Anders Lee was existing after 923 regular season plus another 46 playoff games with the organization that drafted him.

Lee, who reports indicated was only offered short term (a year…maybe two late?) by the Islanders, left to take a three-year deal at age 36 with Utah, who also added Vincent Trocheck from the Rangers. A reasonable deduction would be that Lee expects to be able to play at least three more NHL seasons, and he didn’t want one of those to be here if he was just going to be cast away next summer.

For GM Mathieu Darche, the name of the game was flexibility, as each addition he made was for one year, and he referenced an expected $40 million in cap space available next summer.

The Signings

More on Darche’s remarks below, but first, the additions:

  • A depth goalie: Vitek Vanicek was inked to a one-year deal, taking on the David Rittich role in that he can be in the AHL if and when Semyon Varlamov is healthy but can be the backup if Varlamov has a setback. [Isles]
  • A depth defenseman: Matthew Kessel joins after several seasons as a callup/7th-8th D with the Blues. He’s perfectly fine as a guy who can step in, likely with more of a coach’s trust than Adam Boqvist was able to garner. [Isles]
  • A middle-six forward: Matias Maccelli joins, most recently from the Leafs. He’s a creative Finn who plays “the right way” and Pete DeBoer said he liked his game when both were out West. Here are 7 facts about Maccelli (relax, relax, he’s not Italian). [Isles]
  • Another depth forward: Mitchel Chaffee joins with just 109 NHL games at age 28. [Isles] He’ll be a callup/injury fill-in type.
  • An AHL forward: Matt Luff was also re-signed at age 29. He was with Bridgeport late last season after yet another Blues-Islanders exchange. It’s a two-way deal, so maybe he sees some NHL time in an injury crisis, but otherwise he’s an experienced AHL (sometimes All-Star) for…Hamilton. [Isles]

Oh, but prospect camp was also underway:

  • Catching up with Victor Eklund. [Isles]
  • Notes and observations on a few guys from the Blue & White scrimmage. [Isles]

Back to free agency and Lee’s departure: Darche spoke with media, confirming the previously reported gap between Lee and the team on term and setting the context for what the GM did on July 1. [Newsday | Post | THN]

With the captain gone, it’s likely Bo Horvat and Brayden Schenn (whose $6.5M cap hit for the next two years is above what Lee just got) will be the veteran leaders now, with a side of Kyle Palmieri.

The Islanders comms staff was ready with a tribute video to Lee. Damn, he’s done a lot for this organization.

View Link

Elsewhere

  • After all that drama, the Blue Jackets and Zach Werenski kissed and made up. [Athletic | NHL | ESPN]
  • Tee hee: the Leafs bet big on Sergei Bobrovsky’s aging years. [NHL]
  • Ranking the day’s best and worst deals (Maccelli’s is seen as a win): Zuccarello to the Kings for just $1 million somehow, while the Sharks gave Jacob Trouba four years at $8.25 million(!). WTF. [Athletic]
  • The Oilers did a lot of shuffling, including adding goalie Frederik Andersen and finding a no-salary-retained taker for Darnell Nurse. [NHL]
  • The Canadiens extended Ivan Demidov for eight years and $73 million, starting a year from now. [Sportsnet]
  • The Panthers didn’t stop with Brady Tkachuk, and they’re happy with their shuffle. [NHL]
  • John Carlson signs for two years in Tampa, continuing a tradition of players who choose the Lightning over the Hurricanes. [Sportsnet]

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76ers snatch Jaylen Brown from Celtics in blockbuster steal

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 30: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during a game at State Farm Arena on March 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

When the offseason began, it felt inevitable that Jaylen Brown would spend the summer answering questions about his future, whether it happened in Boston, Milwaukee, or elsewhere.

What nobody expected, however, was that those questions would end with Brown wearing a Philadelphia 76ers jersey.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Celtics traded Brown to Philadelphia in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks.

Now, being entirely honest, the writing was very much on the wall. Just a few days after trying to include Brown in a Giannis Antetokounmpo package, after endless rumors and commentary on the Celtics’ plans to get rid of Brown, and even after Brown himself never said he wanted out of Boston, we all knew where this was going.

Again, waht no freaking body could see coming was a trade that sent the 2024 Finals MVP to the team that knocked it out of the playoffs last May.

If Brown had been traded for Giannis, most people would’ve understood it, and nobody would have batted much of an eye. Instead, Boston pivoted to deal after deal, asked teams for up to four or five first-round picks, and ultimately found no real market for a seemingly overvalued player that ended up near-dumped by the C’s.

For context, Brown averaged career highs in 2026 with 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while leading the Celtics to 56 wins, even with Jayson Tatum missing most of the season recovering from his Achilles injury. He finished sixth in MVP voting and made Second Team All-NBA.

In exchange for that Brown, all the Sixers sent the other way was a package centered around a 35-year-old Paul George (who missed ample time last season with a suspension and is more injured than not) and four future draft picks (definitely not the ones the Celtics wanted).

There’s been nonsensical trades this season, but this one puts the cherry on top of the poop sundae Boston has been carefully preparing. Shout-out, Philly, you got a good one here.

George is still a very good player when he’s available, but availability has become an inevitable part of the PG8 equation. He played just 37 games last season, only more than 56 once since he left OKC in 2019, and he’ll turn 36 before next year’s playoffs. Will the draft picks help Boston? Probably, but this is most definitely not another KG-Nets-like trade for the C’s.

For the Sixers, not only do they get rid of Paul George and replace them with a younger, ten-times better player, but Brown also gives them another star capable of carrying the offense when Joel Embiid isn’t on the floor, which they know will happen at some point during both the regular season and the playoffs.

Brown also joins VJ Edgecome and Tyrese Maxey, none of whom will need to create that much by themselves anymore, let alone after Brown proved he can be a 1A leader after becoming Boston’s primary option last year. The former Leprechaun has also played at least 63 games in each of the last five seasons, a bill of health Philadelphia isn’t accustomed to seeing around those places.

As for the Knicks, this trade feels a little like a wash. I wouldn’t call it a win, but with a little bit of time to let it marinate, I might end up leaning that way.

For one, Boston signed Mitchell Robinson from the Knicks on Wednesday, and the lineup was looking complete with a healthy Tatum ready to go. Now, the PG-Celtics are definitely worse than they were 12 hours ago. Not only that, but the Celtics have replaced a player smacked right in the middle of his prime with one nearing the end of his.

The Sixers, on the other hand, are definitely much better. But there’s always a but, and we all know what the but is here. Maxey is a budding star. VJ is another one. Embiid was one. Brown is a superstar. Have you seen all Sixers play together for more than two games in a row? I bet you’ve not. Let’s see how the joints hold up heading into April and go from there.

I was going to write a bit about the impact of the trade in the broader Eastern Conference picture, but I’m doing that in a separate post because this one is running too long.

Let me finish with this. The Knicks are 7-3 against the Celtics in the last two seasons. They are 14-2 against Philly. I just don’t see those records flipping any time soon.

You can follow Antonio on Twitter at @chapulana.

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Winners, losers from Jaylen Brown to 76ers for Paul George trade

It's hard to describe just how out of left field this trade felt when it landed, so let's let Tyrese Maxey handle it.

When we woke up on July 1, all the talk — including from league sources speaking to NBC Sports — was about how there was no market for a Jaylen Brown trade. The question was whether Brad Stevens and the Boston front office would be forced to tell Brown there was no trade and that they needed to work things out, or whether the relationship was too fractured. Well, we got that answer.

Let's pick the winners and losers from this trade, but first a reminder of who was involved.

Philadelphia receives: Jaylen Brown
Boston receives: Paul George, two first-round picks (2028, 2031), two second-round picks (2028, 2030)

Winner: Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia was already a win-now team (Joel Embiid is already 32, the clock is ticking), and it just landed an All-NBA player in his prime, someone who just finished sixth in MVP voting last season. And as a bonus, they got off a contract considered one of the worst in the league in Paul George.

Philadelphia got the best player in this trade, and now look at their starting five:
PG: Tyrese Maxey
SG: VG Edgecombe
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Dean Wade
C: Joel Embiid

There is a price for Philadelphia here, and that starts with Brown being owed more than Paul George, a little over $180 million across the next three seasons — and he's eligible for a two-year extension worth over $140 million. Then there is giving up the draft picks, there is real value in two first-round picks.

But that's the cost to turn a team into a contender, the 76ers would gladly pay it. And if Embiid is healthy, this team can compete with the Knicks (and maybe Detroit or Indiana or anyone else) to win the East.

That's the definition of a win.

Loser: Boston Celtics

The Celtics flat out got worse with this trade.

This was a team that won the title a couple of years ago and entered this year's playoffs as the betting favorite. This trade made them actively worse while Jayson Tatum is in his prime. They are not as bad as some pundits want it to sound — they still have Derrick White, Tatum, George (if he's healthy), Payton Pritchard and more. This is still a top-six team in the East. But they got worse and are not contenders as we stand here.

I'm not in the room and it's hard to get my head around what Brad Stevens and company were thinking. According to the reporting from people close to the Celtics, Brown did not ask for a trade. Stevens said multiple times that he and Brown had a good relationship. Yet this relationship was somehow so broken that Stevens felt forced to make a below-market offer in what feels like a panicked, rushed trade.

It's not all bad. Boston got two very valuable picks, and George is a solid role player at this point in his career who can help the Celtics, but I don't get giving up an All-NBA player for this package. It's not enough. And that the Celtics let it get to the point that they felt they had to make this trade is an indictment of them.

Winner: Baylor Scheierman

Maybe we should throw Hugo Gonzalez into this mix as well, but the Celtics' young backup wings had earned more run based on their play last season. Now, they are about to be thrust into a much bigger role and get a real opportunity. They earned the chance, we'll see what they do with it.

Winner: Jaylen Brown

I don't know that Jaylen Brown wanted out of Boston. What I do know is he said this past season — with the ball in his hands as the primary shot creator, the guy on the top of opponents' scouting reports — was his favorite in the NBA. Then he should love this next season. It's not that Philadelphia doesn't have other shot creators and guys who need touches — Maxey, Embiid — but Brown is going to get the chance to be the headliner of a contender. You don't trade for Brown to play a role, you trade for him to take charge, and that's what the 76ers will ask him to do.

Loser: Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum is in his prime and wants to win — and his team just took a step backward. I don't pretend to know how tight Tatum and Brown are, or what Tatum says about Brown away from the cameras, but he cannot be happy about his team trading away a Finals MVP and turning a division rival into a contender. More is going to fall on Tatum's shoulders, and while that may be good for his personal stats, it's not going to be good for the team. Or helping them win another ring.

Winner: 76ers fans

Do I even need to explain this one? Philadelphia fans have every reason to be hyped up heading into next season because their team just made the leap to contender status. That's not a ring, but there is a genuine hope for one now and that's all a fan can ask for.

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Canucks Pick Up Jamie Oleksiak On First Day Of Free Agency

Jamie Oleksiak, who came to the Kraken in 2021 as part of the expansion draft, will be headed to the Vancouver Canucks for the 2026-27 season.  The 6’7”, 252 pound defenseman has skated in 758 NHL games over 13 seasons, the past five of those in Seattle.

During his time in Seattle, Oleksiak appeared in 389 regular season games.  He posted 17 goals for a total of 89 points.  He hit a career-high 9 goals (25 points) in the 2022-23 season.  Known primarily for his size, Oleksiak’s control and agility mean he moves like a much smaller skater as he out-maneuvers the opposition to move the puck up ice.  

Courtesy of Seattle Kraken
Courtesy of Seattle Kraken

Selected by the Dallas Stars in the first round (14th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Oleksiak has played with the Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Kraken.  The veteran defenseman agreed to a 2-year, $5 million AAV contract with the Canucks.  

Related:

Jaden Schwartz Heads To Colorado Jaden Schwartz Heads To Colorado The Avalanche bolster their veteran presence, locking down the former Kraken forward with a three-year deal to bring playoff experience and scoring depth to Denver’s lineup.
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Devils Sign Winger Riley Tufte to 1 Year, $850,000 Deal

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 28: Riley Tufte #10 of the Boston Bruins checks Adam Fox #23 of the New York Rangers during the third period at the TD Garden on November 28, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Rangers won 6-2. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In one of the more under the radar moves today, the Devils announced the signing of 28-year-old winger Riley Tufte to a one-year, one-way NHL contract. A link to the press release can be found here.

A 6’6”, 245lb behemoth, Tufte has been one of the most prolific scorers in the AHL, finishing tied for third in the league last season with 32 goals in only 64 games as Tufte missed some time in the minors during a call-up to the big club. Tufte has played 28 games total in his NHL career as a journeyman tweener splitting time between the Stars, Avalanche, and most recently, the Bruins, and has three goals and an assist at the highest level on his resume.

All in all, it’s a no risk signing. At worst, the Utica Comets, who failed to score over 200 goals as a team last year, should have some much needed goal scoring next season. At best, the Devils found a diamond in the rough, who was being underutilized and never really given a long look at the NHL level.

What do you think? Post your comments below.

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Minor League Recap: Columbus Only Team Victorious

Clippers 5, Bats 4

Justin Campbell’s awaited AAA debut wound up ending before it could even start. He was scratched from his start after injuring his oblique in warmups. As someone who was waiting all week to watch this start, it was very disappointing but I am also very glad that it appears we avoided the worst case scenario here. Trent Denholm got the start in place of Campbell and pitched pretty well considering the circumstances. He tossed 6 innings and struck out 8 batters and allowed 3 earned runs on 6 hits. Franco Aleman lowered his ERA to 0.32 after striking out the side and recording his 9th save of the season.

The offense was powered by Angel Genao’s 4-5 performance that included an RBI single and a double. He is now hitting .283 with an .823 OPS since being promoted to AAA. P:etey Halpin also had a big game, going 3-5 which included a triple and an RBI double. Juan Brito and Dayan Frias also had multi hit performances.

RubberDucks 9, SeaWolves 18

This was the other debut I was excited to watch tonight, as Braylon Doughty had his first start in AA! It went better than Campbell’s debut, but not by too much, as he allowed 8 runs over 2.1 innings pitched. Welcome to AA kid! Doughty is an extremely talented prospect who I have no doubt will bounce back from this and I can’t wait to see his next start.

Alfonsin Rosario just keeps trucking along, going 2-4 with his 14th HR of the season. He is now hitting .260 with a .913 OPS on the season. He is starting to prove that he may be ready for a promotion to AAA. Jaison Chourio and Jose Devers also had multi hit performances. Bennett Thompson made quite a bang in his AA debut! He recorded just one hit but that hit happened to be a grand slam in the bottom of the 3rd inning.

Captains 7, Whitecaps 10

Despite losing tonight’s game, the Captains still recorded 15 hits on offense. Welbyn Francisca continues to be scorching hot at the plate, going 2-4. Nolan Schubart went 2-5 with his 17th HR of the season. Both him and Welbyn have OPS’s over .900 on the season. We also saw multi hit performances from Tommy Hawke, Jeffrey Mercedes, Esteban Gonzalez, and Tyler Howard.

Jacob Zibin fared much better in his second High-A start, allowing three runs in 5 innings and striking out four.

Howlers 5, Woodpeckers 9

We saw multi hit performances from Jonathan Martinez and Gabriel Rodriguez in this one. Juneiker Caceres went 1-4 with a walk. Cannon Peebles went 1-3 with a walk and a 2 RBI double.

Ryan Prager didn’t have his best stuff tonight, but was still able to limit the damage to just two runs over 3.2 innings pitched. He wound up walking five batters and striking out four, which is not what we are accustomed to seeing from him.

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Giants Finally End Skid with 6-4 Triumph

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 01: Starting pitcher Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks walks off the field after a pitching change in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field on July 01, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

I’ve always loved the idea of a “stopper” in a baseball rotation – a guy who can be counted on to stop a losing streak or provide a much-needed win in a crucial part of the season. In my mind, it’s a different role than an ace who might be expected to provide a specific type of run-prevention performance rather than one that gives the team a chance to win on their night to pitch. Unfortunately, Zac Gallen has seemingly taken on the role of an “anti-stopper” where instead of blunting negative momentum, he blunts positive momentum. Entering tonight’s play, the team has gone a discouraging 6-11 in Gallen starts which isn’t all that surprising given his 6.15 ERA and 1.575 WHIP on the season. He’s not the only player fulfilling that role as fellow veteran Merrill Kelly has also been a net drag on the team, going just 5-9 in Kelly’s turns in the rotation. But it is frustrating to see just how far away Gallen is from the pitcher who came in the top-five of Cy Young voting in consecutive years back in 2022 and 2023.

Through the first four innings of tonight’s game though, he looked exactly like that pitcher with a biting slider and a four-seamer that found its way past hitters and just one two-out single on his ledger. But he got ambushed in the fifth with four straight hits, including two home runs – a solo shot from Heliot Ramos to lead off the inning and a two-run shot from Victor Bericoto that gave the Giants a three-run lead. Gallen looked back in control in the sixth, collecting two easy strikeouts before committing the ultimate pitching sin: a two out walk, this one to Rafael Devers who quickly came in to score on a deep drive from Ramos that nearly left the yard and was just beyond a leaping Corbin Carroll. Ramos himself would be driven in four pitches later when Jung Hoo Lee shot a ground ball through the infield to end Gallen’s night as Torey Lovullo opted to bring in Ryan Thompson to face Bericoto. The pitching move did not pay off as Thompson gave up consecutive singles to Bericoto and Drew Cavanaugh to plate San Francisco’s sixth and final run of the night before mercifully ending the inning.

To their credit, after looking completely lifeless against Giants starter Trevor McDonald – making just his 13th career start but managing to surrender exactly one baserunner over six innings – the D-Backs finally managed to find some traction amidst the woeful San Francisco bullpen in the home half of the eighth. Nolan Arenado led off the inning with a single and came around to score on a sharp single from Pavin Smith, but Ketel Marte’s 18th double of the season was the biggest blow – plating Smith and allowing Tommy Troy to reach third. But a poor relay throw from Christian Koss doinked off Troy and out of play, scoring Troy and advancing Marte all the way to third with no outs. Sadly, Geraldo Perdomo and Carroll could only muster up a sacrifice groundout between them to score Marte for the D-Backs’ fourth and final run.

Tonight’s loss returns the team to .500 – a mark the team has struggled to escape since they swept these same Giants back at the end of May. Since then, the team has gone a dismal 12-19, the third-worst record in that time in the major leagues. While this team is clearly talented and has plenty of potential, I find myself lacking much confidence in their ability to play up to their opponents. They have feasted on bad teams with a 29-10 record against teams with sub-.500 records compared to just 14-32 against winning clubs. That does not feel like a team that is capable of making a run towards the playoffs and might find themselves overmatched if they did. They will need to find another gear if they hope to force Mike Hazen’s hand in adding to this team rather than subtracting from it with the Trade Deadline just over a month away.

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Carlson Signs With Lightning and Andersen With the Oil – Day 2, Open Thread

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 14: Goaltender Frederik Andersen #31 and left wing Nikolaj Ehlers #27 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate winning the Stanley Cup and their Danish background after game six of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes on June 14, 2026 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matthew Bolt/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Defenseman John Carlson, whose rights the Carolina Hurricanes made a trade for with their final pick during the NHL Entry Draft on Saturday, ended up signing with the Tampa Bay Lighting. After all the rumors about the starting price for him being $10 million times two, or more, he ended up signing for $8.5 million AAV for two years.

Things like this usually work out for the best and he might have worked out well in Carolina, but maybe he wouldn’t have. Bottom line, the Canes probably matched that offer and he chose Tampa. So be it.

In other big news, Frederik Andersen signed a one year deal with the Edmonton Oilers. Andersen had a tremendous playoffs for the Hurricanes this postseason until he got hurt in Game two of the Finals. He had a rough regular season and overall had an up and down career with Carolina.

In the five years with the Canes, he posted a .906 save percentage, but the last two seasons he was at .874 and .899. He started 51 games in year one in Carolina, but then started 33, 16, 22, and 35 after that due to a variety of injuries or issues. His base salary in Edmonton is $1 million with another $1.8 million in performance bonuses.

Andersen was the consummate professional, was always open to the media, and was a great teammate in the room. He will be missed.

There were several other signings yesterday, you can check them out here as well as who is still available.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/free-agency/

While they lost Carlson and Zach Werenski has taken himself out of trade talks, the Canes still have work to do.

Will they be able to re-sign Nikishin or will they trade him? Are they still kicking the tires on Connor Hellebuyck? Do they have another trick up their sleeves?

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Lakers announce summer league schedule, roster

Lakers forward Adou Thiero walks back to the locker room after being ejected during an NBA playoff game on April 26.
Adou Thiero of the Lakers will be a part of the summer league roster. (Karen Warren / Associated Press)

While veterans jockey for new contracts during free agency, young players are getting their tryout opportunities with NBA summer league games beginning this week.

First-round draft pick Cameron Carr and second-year forward Adou Thiero highlight the Lakers summer league roster that was announced Wednesday. The 16-man team will be coached by Lakers assistant coach Ty Abbott and begin summer league play Friday against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center.

The Lakers also face the Miami Heat (July 5, 1:30 p.m.) and San Antonio Spurs (July 6, 4:30 p.m.) in the California Classic before playing in the Las Vegas summer league from July 9-19. The Lakers play Oklahoma City (July 10), Dallas (July 11), the Clippers (July 14) and Chicago (July 16) in Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Center.

Read more:Lakers get their new center. How Walker Kessler, three free agents fit with Luka Doncic

The Lakers traded up in the draft to get Carr, a 6-foot-5 guard out of Baylor, with the 24th overall pick. He will make his unofficial NBA debut, along with former Indiana State and Saint Louis star Robbie Avila. The 6-10 center became a bespectacled college basketball cult hero known affectionately as “Cream Abdul Jabbar” while leading Indiana State to the NIT championship game in 2024. He transferred to Saint Louis, where he was named Atlantic-10 player of the year as a senior when the Billikens won a school-record 29 wins.

Although he is entering his second season with the Lakers, Thiero will be playing his first summer league games. Persistent knee injuries hampered his rookie season. The athletic 6-7 forward averaged 1.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in 25 appearances last season. He said after the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs that he wanted to improve on his three-point shooting during his second year. He attempted only five three-pointers during his rookie season, regular season and playoffs, making one.

Lakers summer league roster

Robbie Avila, C, 6-10, 240
Cameron Carr, G, 6-5, 190
Jon Elmore, G, 6-3, 190
Luke Goode, F, 6-7, 210
William Hickey, G, 6-4, 203
Arthur Kaluma, F, 6-7, 225
William Kyle III, C, 6-9, 230
Chris Mañon, G, 6-4, 212
Robert McCray V, G, 6-4, 188
AK Okereke, F, 6-7, 245
Chase Ross, G, 6-5, 210
Zhaire Smith, G, 6-4, 205
Peter Suder, G, 6-5, 215
Adou Thiero, F, 6-7, 234
Anton Watson, F, 6-8, 225
Jacari White, G, 6-3, 180

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Jacob Latz tops saves leaderboard in June, Reds welcome back Emilio Pagán

In this week's Closer Report, Jacob Latz is one of the biggest risers as he led baseball in saves in June. The Reds got their closer back, activating Emilio Pagán. And the Orioles could see their closer sidelined once again after Ryan Helsley experienced some elbow discomfort on Wednesday.

⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

Check out this week’s Stolen Base Report!

2026 Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

▶ Tier 1

Mason Miller - San Diego Padres
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays
Josh Hader - Houston Astros

Miller made one appearance this week, recording two outs against the Cubs in a non-save situation. He's posted a 0.78 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 66 strikeouts over 34 2/3 innings. Meanwhile, Duran locked down two more saves this week for the Phillies. He's up to 21 with a 1.52 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts over 29 2/3 innings in what has been a career season so far.

After giving up four runs in two appearances last week, Smith bounced back with a pair of saves against the Mariners on Saturday and Sunday. He leads baseball by a good margin at 26 saves to go with a 3.05 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 57 strikeouts over 38 1/3 innings.

Varland pitched a scoreless inning against the Rangers on Friday, then allowed a run on a wild pitch in a tie game on Sunday to take the loss. He bounced back on Monday, striking out two to pick up his 17th save against the Mets.

Hader added two more saves and a win with three scoreless appearances this week. He's now 8-for-8 in save opportunities with just one run allowed and a 21/5 K/BB ratio across 13 innings.

▶ Tier 2

Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
David Bednar - New York Yankees
Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers

Chapman made three appearances against the Yankees, picking up a save on Thursday, followed by a scoreless inning for his 16th save on Saturday. Then, pitching for the third time in four games, he gave up one run on Sunday to blow a save chance. With Boston in last place in the AL East, there's a good chance Chapman will be on the move before the end of the month.

Iglesias worked a clean inning to pick up a save against the Giants on Friday, then worked a perfect frame in a non-save situation against the Cardinals on Tuesday. The 36-year-old right-hander is up to 16 saves with a 1.27 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts over 28 1/3 innings.

Baker tossed a clean inning against the Diamondbacks on Saturday for his 21st save of the season in his only appearance this week. Meanwhile, Muñoz has put together one of his better stretches this season, with three straight perfect outings. He added his 15th save against the Guardians on Friday.

Bednar pitched two scoreless innings against the Red Sox on Sunday before starting the week on the paternity list. The 31-year-old right-hander has tossed 14 scoreless innings with a 15/3 K/BB ratio since May 22.

It was a busy week for Latz, who made four appearances in six days, collecting four saves to give him 18 on the season with a 1.71 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts over 42 innings. The 30-year-old left-hander has emerged as a legitimate top saves option.

Scott recorded the final out in the seventh against the Padres on Sunday before tossing a scoreless eighth. Edgardo Henriquez then took over in the ninth and closed out the game for his first save. Despite being the primary option for saves in Los Angeles, this usage will suppress Scott's save total. And in Milwaukee, Megill ends June with four scoreless appearances this week, picking up his 12th save with a scoreless inning against the Reds on Wednesday.

▶ Tier 3

Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals
Devin Williams - New York Mets
Ryan Helsley - Baltimore Orioles
Emilio Pagan - Cincinnati Reds
Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers

O'Brien worked two scoreless appearances, picking up saves against the Marlins and Braves on Sunday and Tuesday. He's up to 21 with a 3.82 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 34 strikeouts over 35 1/3 innings. The Cardinals entered the season in a bit of a rebuild but find themselves in the hunt for the playoffs. It'll be interesting to see which direction they go at the trade deadline, as they could be a candidate to add to the back end of the bullpen.

Williams made two scoreless appearances in non-save situations, then converted a save with a scoreless inning against the Blue Jays on Tuesday for his 12th of the season. While Williams has been much better after an abysmal April, it hasn't necessarily led to more saves on a disappointing Mets team.

Helsley was supposed to make an appearance against the White Sox on Tuesday, but was held out with elbow discomfort. It's not a good sign after Helsley missed time with elbow inflammation. He'll undergo further evaluation, but it would be no surprise if he lands back on the injured list. Fantasy managers could speculate on Yennier Cano, Andrew Kittredge, or Rico Garcia in the event Helsley misses time. Garcia previously recorded four saves in Helsley's absence, but never made him the primary option. And recent usage suggests Cano and Kittredge remain high in the leverage hierarchy.

The Reds got their closer back this week, reinstating Pagán following a nearly two-month absence with a hamstring strain. Manager Terry Francona confirmed Pagán will slot back into the ninth-inning role.

Sewald made one appearance this week, giving up two runs against the Giants on Monday before holding on for his 19th save. He's allowed six runs in his last four outings, giving him a 4.50 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts over 30 innings.

It wasn't Jansen's best week, either. He gave up a run in a non-save situation against the Astros on Thursday, then surrendered three to Houston on Sunday to take a loss. Still, the Tigers are short on alternatives, with Will Vest landing on the injured list with right elbow inflammation.

▶ Tier 4

Gregory Soto - Pittsburgh Pirates
Pete Fairbanks - Miami Marlins
Alex Lange - Kansas City Royals
Yoendrys Gómez - Minnesota Twins
Kaleb Kilian - San Francisco Giants
Clayton Beeter - Washington Nationals

In Pittsburgh, Soto's freefall continues as he gave up five more runs over two appearances, including a blown save against the Reds on Saturday. Fantasy managers could speculate on Mason Montgomery or Dennis Santana. Meanwhile, Fairbanks gave up one run in a non-save situation in his only appearance for the Marlins this week. And Lange had a meltdown against the White Sox on Friday, giving up five runs while recording one out, then bounced back with a scoreless inning for a save on Sunday. Lange is up to seven saves with a 4.95 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts over 36 1/3 innings.

Gomez has run away as the primary closing option for the Twins. He picked up two more saves this week against the Rockies and Astros. The 26-year-old right-hander is up to nine with a 3.57 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts over 40 1/3 innings. While he may be worthy of a pickup for saves in deeper leagues, I wouldn't expect this success to last all season. His 4.82 FIP and 5.30 xFIP suggest he's been incredibly fortunate so far.

Kilian blew a save last Thursday against the Athletics, giving up four runs. He gave up another run on Sunday, but held on to convert a save, then bounced back with a scoreless inning on Wednesday against the Diamondbacks for his seventh save.

Beeter was charged with a blown save last Thursday in the seventh inning, walking two batters and allowing an unearned run to score. He then bounced back with a clean inning against the Orioles on Saturday, striking out two batters to pick up a win.

▶ Tier 5

Grant Taylor/Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox
Jacob Webb/Caleb Thielbar - Chicago Cubs
Sam Bachman/Kirby Yates - Los Angeles Angels
Antonio Senzatela - Colorado Rockies
Elvis Alvarado/Hogan Harris - Athletics

No saves for the White Sox this week. Taylor did pick up two wins with a pair of scoreless two-inning appearances. Despite having only two saves, he's the only reliever worth rostering in the bullpen, with a 2.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 62 strikeouts across 43 1/3 innings.

Bachman appeared to have worked his way into the primary closer role, but he worked the eighth inning on Saturday against the Athletics before Yates stepped in for a save. If it's a committee situation for the Angels, it's not one worth chasing.

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Ducks Make Slew of Signings on Day 1 of 2026 Free Agency

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek speaks to the media during his 2025-26 exit interview.

The Ducks were quite active on the first day of free agency, although the signings they made weren't exactly ones of great magnitude. After deciding to let all of their pending unrestricted free agents––aside from A.J. Greer––walk and head to free agency, the Ducks watched as Radko Gudas, Jacob Trouba, Ross Johnston, Jeff Viel and John Carlson all signed with new teams. Meanwhile, they were making some signs of their own.

Note: The signing of A.J. Greer is omitted from this list because his deal was reportedly finalized on Tuesday.

Judd Caulfield, F - $875,000 x 2 years

Their first signing of the day was inking  Caulfield to a two-year, two-way contract. Caulfield had played the 2025-26 season on an AHL-only deal, spending the entire season with the San Diego Gulls. He was originally acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2023 and has been in the Ducks organization ever since. The contract is a nice reward for Caulfield, who is coming off of his best season as a professional. A big, physical forward, Caulfield spent most of the season playing alongside Nathan Gaucher as part of the Gulls' de facto checking line. With uncertainty in the Ducks' bottom-6, Caulfield could be given the chance to compete for an NHL roster spot this fall.

Nick Jensen, D - $2.25 million x 2 years

Jensen signed a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.25 million. At 35, he automatically becomes the elder statesman on the right side of Anaheim's defense following the departures of Carlson, Trouba and Gudas. Jensen has played almost 700 NHL games and spent the last two seasons with the Ottawa Senators after coming over in the Jakob Chychrun trade. He did not participate in the Senators' playoff run this past season after suffering a torn meniscus in mid-March, which required surgery. It's unlikely that Jensen will slot in on the top defensive pairing alongside Jackson LaCombe, with him better suited for either the second or third pair.

Jett Woo, D - $875,000 x 2 years

Woo was drafted in the second round of the 2018 draft by the Vancouver Canucks and spent the last nine seasons in the organization before being traded this past March to the San Jose Barracuda. He helped the Abbotsford Canucks win the Calder Cup in 2025 and has played in 300 AHL games, but has yet to make his NHL debut. He is still just 25 (turns 26 on July 27) and may get the chance to break through, now that the Ducks' defensive depth on the right side looks a bit thin.

Corey Schueneman, D - $875,000 x 2 years

Schueneman was one of many players who signed a two-way deal with the Ducks on the first day of free agency. Undrafted out of Western Michigan University, he has bounced around the NHL and AHL since making his professional debut in 2019. He has played over 400 AHL games and can chip in offensively when needed. With Tyson Hinds expected to be with the Ducks on a full-time basis, Schueneman provides another steady veteran for the Gulls to lean on.

James Hamblin, F - $875,000 x 2 years

Outside of a stint in Sweden during the COVID-shortened season, Hamblin had spent his entire professional career in the Edmonton Oilers' system. He had NHL stints with the Oilers during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, but has not been back since. Hamblin had been one of the Bakersfield Condors' alternate captains for the past three seasons and put up 40+ point seasons in the past two seasons. Capable of playing both center and wing, he could be an adequate depth scorer for the Gulls.

Jeff Malott, F - $1.85 million x 3 years

Malott won't have to travel far, joining the Ducks from the division rival Los Angeles Kings. He made his NHL debut during the 2021-22 season with the Winnipeg Jets, but had to wait until 2024-25 to get another shot, where he broke through with the Kings. He played in 58 games this past season, putting up nine points. Offense comes secondary for Malott, who prides himself on being a physical and gritty player. His game is similar to that of Viel, who got a nice pay bump in the deal he signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Malott is coming in to fill the role of his namesake and will likely slot in on the fourth line alongside Tim Washe.

Laurent Brossoit, G - $1.1 million x 1 year

Brossoit is coming in with the expectation that he will fill the role that Ville Husso did at the start of last season: Provide consistent goaltending in the AHL while at the same time being prepared for a call-up to the NHL in the event of an injury. It's been a tough road back to the NHL for Brossoit, who missed the entire 2024-25 season after undergoing hip surgery. He appeared in 26 AHL games this past season, splitting time with the Rockford IceHogs and the Barracuda after a midseason trade. He also played in one game for the San Jose Sharks, his first in 696 days. With Brossoit in the fold, the Gulls now have him, Damian Clara and Tomáš Suchánek battling for the starter's net.

Travis Mitchell, D - $850,000 x 1 year

Mitchell had been with the New York Islanders for the past four seasons, mostly playing for the Bridgeport Islanders in the AHL. He did make his NHL debut this past season and played in nine games, with his first NHL goal coming against the Ducks, funnily enough. At 6-foot-4, Mitchell is now one of the tallest defensemen in the Ducks' system. The left side is a bit more crowded than the right, but Mitchell should provide another strong addition to the left side of the Gulls' defense, if anything, along with Schueneman and budding prospect Stian Solberg.

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NHL free agency winners, losers: Blackhawks' big extension raises eyebrows

The opening day of NHL free agency began with a report that Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had vetoed a trade.

The day continued with Werenski and general manager Don Waddell putting out statements that the Norris Trophy winner wanted to stay in Columbus and try to end a six-season playoff drought.

The day also began with the champion Carolina Hurricanes holding the rights to John Carlson after acquiring them at the draft. It ended with the defenseman signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In between, there were lots of signings and trades. Here are the winners and losers of a busy July 1:

WINNERS

Stanley Cup-winning goalies in demand

Frederik Andersen and Sergei Bobrovsky are headed to teams that need better goaltending to get them to the top.

Bobrovsky got the better deal, signing for three years and $21 million with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He's coming off his worst season but had led the Florida Panthers to championships in 2024 and 2025 and Toronto is counting on that pedigree.

Andersen, who won the 2026 title with the Hurricanes, is heading to the Edmonton Oilers on a bonus-laden one-year deal. Edmonton has been seeking better goaltending, an issue even when it went to back-to-back finals.

Toronto Maple Leafs

In addition to getting Bobrovsky, the Maple Leafs remade their bottom six with Jack Roslovic, Nick Paul, Colton Sissons and Teddy Blueger. Add in No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna and new general John Chayka is putting his imprint on the team.

Utah Mammoth

They landed Vincent Trocheck in a trade and signed Anders Lee, adding them to an already impressive forward group.

Washington Capitals

They already made a splash before free agency by trading for Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou. Then they added former Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner in free agency. Defenseman Vincent Desharnais will help them with injured Rasmus Sandin expected to be out 6-9 months after April knee surgery.

LOSERS

Chicago Blackhawks

Is Bowen Byram really worth $12.5 million a year, making him the NHL's highest-paid defenseman? The Blackhawks raised eyebrows when they traded the fourth-overall pick to get Byram. They raised eyebrows again with the extension.

Vegas Golden Knights

Salary cap problems caused them to trade Pavel Dorofeyev at the draft. The same issue prevented them from finding an adequate replacement. Victor Olofsson, a three-time 20-goal scorer, was their signing, but he had only 15 goals when he played in Vegas in 2024-25. They also traded popular Keegan Kolesar for draft picks. They did re-sign Rasmus Andersson and gave an extension to fellow defenseman Jeremy Lauzon.

Dallas Stars

Dallas was the team that Werenski reportedly turned down. Thomas Harley's name leaked out as going the other way. Does that cause problems? The Stars still have to re-sign leading scorer Jason Robertson and they lost promising Mavrik Bourque, trading him because of cap concerns.

Minnesota Wild

They're still looking for an upgrade at center. They decided to move on from Mats Zuccarello, who worked well with Kirill Kaprizov. He signed a one-year, bonus-laden deal with the Kings. Minnesota native Anders Lee chose Utah. General manager Bill Guerin said the team won't panic because it didn't get what it wanted on the first day.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL free agency winners, losers: Blackhawks' big extension raises eyebrows

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Egor Demin seeks to make quick connection with Nets’ 2026 top draft pick

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Egor Dëmin, celebrating during a game last season, says he's looking to build a connection with Mikel Brown, the Nets' 2026 top pick and his other teammates at the upcoming NBA Summer League, Image 2 shows Nets top draft pick Mikel Brown speaks to the media during a NBA Draft press conference at the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center on June 29, 2026

For Egor Dëmin, the offseason checklist is simple, if not easy:

Win the Summer League, build a backcourt connection with rookie Mikel Brown Jr. and ride that into the regular season.

“The first thing, the goal of the whole team is win Summer League,” Dëmin said. “My goal is to benefit that as much as I can and bring the biggest impact I can.

“And building a connection with the whole team, especially the rookies. With Mikel to be on the court as much as we can together and work this whole thing through before we actually start playing in the season.”

Last season, the Nets made Dëmin their first lottery pick in 15 years, then drafted another guard with the sixth pick last month.

But their skill sets not only aren’t redundant, they are actually complementary.

“They can obviously play together,” coach Jordi Fernández said. “Egor provides gravity and elite shooting, obviously ballhandling too. And Mikel, more of a primary ballhandler, very good athlete, scorer, too. So we’re gonna obviously see it in Summer League, but I don’t see any problems with them playing together.”

There had better not be. The Nets have largely staked their rebuild on the pair not only being able to survive but thrive playing together.

Egor Dëmin, celebrating during a game last season, says he’s looking to build a connection with Mikel Brown, Jr., the Nets’ 2026 top pick. Heather Khalifa for New York Post

Dëmin is better suited off the ball, and his shooting should accentuate Brown’s athleticism and downhill juice. With Dëmin recovered from a plantar fascia injury, the pairing will get their first look together in the California Summer League or ensuing Las Vegas Summer League.

“I love [the fit],” Dëmin said. “[His skills] are going to benefit my game. It’s going to be important to be dialed in with my shooting, and having a guy like this by my side who’s going to get all the defense on him, get to the paint, this is where we can benefit from each other. He shoots the lights out, so for me bringing the ball up sometimes — playing something for him or looking for opportunities in transition — that’s something we could really build on. We could be a special combo.”

Nets top draft pick Mikel Brown speaks to the media during an NBA Draft press conference at the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center on June 29, 2026. Corey Sipkin for New York Post

For his part, Dëmin swatted away questions about the plantar fascia injury that ended his rookie campaign, saying he’s fine. He’s added 13 to 15 pounds from last year, strength that could help him get downhill.

“We’re about to find out. But being on balance, touching the paint and playing off two feet, you need that strength. He’s done an unbelievable job working in the weight room,” Fernández said. “He looks more like a grown-up, and he’s going to do things way better than he did last year.”

“A hundred percent,” Dëmin agreed. “That was one of the main focus of on-court work we’ve done this summer, is to use what I learned in the lifting room, make sure I use it and get these habits of being more aggressive looking for the gaps and going to the paint, trying to get on the rim more. … That was the main focus, to get used to the contact and get into the paint.”