The New York Knicks made history last Saturday, capturing the franchise's first NBA championship in 53 years. This Thursday, June 18, New Yorkers will get to celebrate the milestone in the franchise's first ticker-tape parade.
“For more than 50 years, New Yorkers have waited for this moment. Through near misses, heartbreak and a hope that every year could be our year, this city never stopped believing in the Knicks. And this team fulfilled that hope with grit, resilience, and heart — just like the five boroughs itself,” said New York City Zohran Mayor Mamdani in a statement. “New Yorkers have cheered for our team from packed living rooms in the Bronx to watch parties in Brooklyn, from bars in Queens to Staten Island to Manhattan, and Madison Square Garden itself. Now it’s time for our city to celebrate together. Bing bong.”
See below for everything you need to know about the 2026 Knicks championship parade.
The New York Knicks rallied once again thanks to a 45-point performance from Jalen Brunson to beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5, winning the team’s first title since 1973.
Cooper Connolly continued his impressive form with the bat as two Australian debutants impressed in a four-wicket win over Bangladesh in the opening T20 international on Wednesday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Wednesday that they have hired Jim Hiller as the franchise's next head coach.
Hiller is coming off a stint with the Los Angeles Kings, which lasted for parts of three years and one full season in that tenure.
In a total of 175 games as an NHL head coach with the Kings, he holds a record of 93-58-24.
"Jim is an experienced coach with a strong understanding of what it takes to win in today's NHL," Leafs GM John Chayka said. "He has worked with successful teams throughout his career, connects well with players and brings a clear approach behind the bench. We believe he's the right person to lead our team and help us reach our goals."
He was fired by Kings GM Ken Holland on March 1 after a 24-21-14 record across the first 59 games of the season. Los Angeles struggled last season under Hiller and nearly missed the Stanley Cup playoffs.
When he was let go, former Leafs assistant coach D.J. Smith was named his successor and got Los Angeles into the post-season.
Nonetheless, Hiller has a strong history with the Maple Leafs. He was an assistant coach in Toronto, a part of Mike Babcock's staff from 2015-16 to 2018-19.
"I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity to return to Toronto and lead the Maple Leafs," Hiller said. "This is a special organization with great players, passionate fans and high expectations. I'm looking forward to getting to work with our players and staff and doing everything we can to help this team reach its full potential."
During his time with the Leafs, Hiller ran the team's power play. Across the four years he was behind Toronto's bench as an assistant, the Maple Leafs' power play executed at 21.3 percent, which is the fifth-best rate in the NHL in that span.
Between his time with the Maple Leafs and the Kings, Hiller was also an assistant coach with the New York Islanders from 2019-20 to 2021-22. He also controlled the power play for the Isles, and had them perform at a 19.6 percent rate, which was 19th-best in the league over those years.
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Chayka checked off multiple boxes for the Maple Leafs in that deal, bringing in a young defenseman who will improve the team's ability to advance the puck up the ice. However, more moves should be expected for Toronto this off-season.
Matthew Knies has surfaced in trade rumors, but the player who has ramped up in trade discussions is defenseman Morgan Rielly.
Knies has been included in off-season trade boards, and it was even revealed that he was almost dealt at the NHL trade deadline last season. Though nothing has come to fruition yet, teams around the league have been eying the 23-year-old left winger.
Aside from captain Auston Matthews and right winger William Nylander, Knies is probably the next player who would bring in the biggest trade package for the Maple Leafs.
The possibility of a Rielly trade, however, seems to be much greater based on recent reports.
The Maple Leafs trading away the veteran blueliner appears to be the next likely scenario for Chayka and the organization this off-season. In fact, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun wrote, "all signs indeed point to a potential trade this offseason," regarding Rielly, and that both the player's camp and the team are working together on making a deal happen.
Because of that clause in his contract, Rielly cannot be traded without his consent to the team he is going to, or for a trade to happen at all. With that, LeBrun reported that Rielly's agent, J.P. Barry, has given Leafs management a list of teams that the player could be interested in moving to.
"My understanding is that most of those teams are all in the Western Conference, but there’s also a sense that there could be flexibility as talks evolve," LeBrun wrote. "For instance, if Leafs GM John Chayka comes back to Barry with a team that’s not on the list but that made a decent trade offer, it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s a 'no.'"
The NHL insider also said that the San Jose Sharks make plenty of sense as a possible destination for Rielly. He also doesn't believe his hometown team, the Vancouver Canucks, is on the list.
Nonetheless, it appears a divorce between Rielly and the Leafs could be in the cards this off-season.
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 27: Maliq Brown #6, Isaiah Evans #3, Cameron Boozer #12 and Dame Sarr #7 of the Duke Blue Devils look on against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half of the CBS Thanksgiving Classic at the United Center on November 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every year we do a DBR Mock Draft and The 2026 version is complete, with Jason Evans as Commissioner and @-jk, @CDu, and @brevity deputized to run things in his absence. Notable picks including AJ Dybantsa to Washington, Darryn Peterson to Utah, and Cameron Boozer to Memphis. Fellow Blue Devils Isaiah Evans and Maliq Brown were also selected.
Here is the draft order and the GMs who signed up for each team/pick.Keep an eye on Stickdog!
FIRST ROUND 1. Washington (@coldriver10): AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU 2. Utah (@kinghoops): Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas 3. Memphis (@pfrduke): Cameron Boozer, F, Duke 4. Chicago (@CDu): Caleb Wilson, F, UNC 5. LA Clippers (@brevity): Cameron Carr, G, Baylor 6. Brooklyn (@Daddylawman): Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois 7. Sacramento (@toughbuff1): Darius Acuff Jr, G, Arkansas 8. Atlanta (@JasonEvans): Aday Mara, C, Michigan 9. Dallas (@JNort): Mikel Brown Jr, G, Louisville 10. Milwaukee (@DukeFan1986 defaults, now @phaedrus): Kingston Flemings, G, Houston 11. Golden State (@stickdog): Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan 12. Oklahoma City (@accfanfrom1970): Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington 13. Miami (@tommy): Morez Johnson Jr, F, Michigan 14. Charlotte (@roywhite): Jayden Quaintance, F, Kentucky 15. Chicago (@CDu): Dailyn Swain, G/F, Texas 16. Memphis (@pfrduke): Brayden Burries, G, Arizona 17. Oklahoma City (@accfanfrom1970): Nate Ament, F, Tennessee 18. Charlotte (@roywhite): Chris Cenac Jr, F/C, Houston 19. Toronto (@jam): Labaron Philon Jr, G, Alabama 20. San Antonio (@BlueDevilDog): Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara 21. Detroit (@scottdude8): Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke 22. Philadelphia (@TheBrianZoubekExperience): Henri Veesaar, C, UNC 23. Atlanta (@JasonEvans): Christian Anderson Jr, G, Texas Tech 24. New York (@Billy Dat): Zuby Ejiofor, F, St. John’s 25. LA Lakers (@Whutadrag): Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State 26. Denver (@Kdogg): Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa 27. Boston (@Furniture): Koa Peat, F, Arizona 28. Minnesota (@pokeresqdefaults, now@phaedrus): Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas 29. Cleveland (@MrJeffSchwartz0): Luigi Suigo, C, Mega 30. Dallas (@JNort): Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers
SECOND ROUND 31. New York (@Billy Dat): Trevon Brazile, F, Arkansas 32. Memphis (@pfrduke): Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford 33. Brooklyn (@Daddylawman): Pavle Backo, C, Mega 34. Sacramento (@toughbuff1): Baba Miller, F, Cincinnati 35. San Antonio (@BlueDevilDog): Tarris Reed Jr, C, Connecticut 36. LA Clippers (@brevity): Maliq Brown, F, Duke 37. Oklahoma City (@accfanfrom1970): Sergio de Larrea, G, Valencia 38. Chicago (@CDu): Ugonna Onyenso, C, Virginia 39. Houston (@godins): Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston 40. Boston (@Furniture): Tobias Jensen, G, Ratiopharm Ulm 41. Miami (@tommy): Nick Boyd, G, Wisconsin 42. San Antonio (@BlueDevilDog): Alex Karaban, F, Connecticut 43. Brooklyn (@Daddylawman): Braden Smith, G, Purdue 44. San Antonio (@BlueDevilDog): Ryan Conwell, G, Louisville 45. Sacramento (@toughbuff1): Jack Kayil, G, Alba Berlin 46. Orlando (@House P): Quadir Copeland, G, NC State 47. Phoenix (@powellhill1981): Tobi Lawal, F, Virginia Tech 48. Dallas (@JNortdefaults, now@AGDukesky): Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona 49. Denver (@Kdogg): Dillon Mitchell, F, St. John’s 50. Toronto (@jam): Felix Okpara, F, Tennessee 51. Washington (@coldriver10): Milos Uzan, G, Houston 52. LA Clippers (@brevity): Tyler Bilodeau, F, UCLA 53. Houston (@godins): Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky 54. Golden State (@stickdog): Richie Saunders, G, BYU 55. New York (@Billy Dat): Nick Townsend, F, Yale 56. Chicago (@CDu): Jaden Henley, G, Grand Canyon 57. Atlanta (@JasonEvans): Tyler Nickel, G/F, Vanderbilt 58. New Orleans (@pcal6vb): Tobe Awaka, F, Arizona 59. Minnesota (@pokeresq defaults, now @AGDukesky): Izaiyah Nelson, F, South Florida 60. Washington (@coldriver10): Keyshawn Hall, F, Auburn
Giving captain the summer off ‘would be the right thing to do’
Van Rensburg set for England debut despite Test ineligibility
Steve Borthwick will rest the England captain Maro Itoje this summer unless injury strikes in the second row over the weekend.
Itoje is set to be stood down for next month’s Tests against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina following a year that saw him lead the British & Irish Lions to a series victory against Australia, play in the autumn and Six Nations campaigns and mourn the death of his mother.
May 16, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) and pitcher Payton Tolle (70) celebrate after a victory over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Boston Red Sox do not deserve to have any representatives at the 2026 MLB All-Star Game.
It’s going to happen, though…
Major League Baseball, in an effort to maximize fan engagement across all of its markets, requires that each team is represented by at least one player at the Midsummer Classic. Cesar Izturis, Michael Lorenzen, Ty Wigginton, and Brock Holt are some of the names you may or may not know to earn the honor by way of technicality — which is exactly where the local nine should be, no matter how many decent individual performers are on the roster.
Willson Contreras (.304/.396/.570 | 16) has undoubtedly been the club’s best player, but there’s no world in which he should get the nod over New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (.293/.387/.611 | 19) and Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (.240/.378/.560 | 20). Aroldis Chapman (0.44 ERA | 14 SV) barely ever pitches despite being the most dominant reliever in the American League, so he could be edged out by some other guys like Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith (2.48), Tampa Bay Rays closer Bryan Baker (1.91), and Texas Rangers reliever Jacob Latz (1.62 ERA). Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu have been good, but they’re not going to edge out the popular vote guys like Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, Byron Buxton, or Julio Rodriguez.
If they’re going to push to send anyone, it should be Payton Tolle.
Tolle hasn’t been their most consistent starting pitcher (Sonny Gray), doesn’t have the best numbers (Ranger Suarez), and wasn’t the obvious choice coming into the season (Garrett Crochet) — but he’s the best possible representative for a club that needs to improve the vibes!
Tolle hit a speed bump last night but is having a remarkable rookie campaign overall — 2.93 ERA, 60 K, 58.1 IP — and happens to be the only human being on this baseball team that can bring a smile to one’s face. If you want someone who can show you just how fun playing in this market can be, go send that guy!
I’d also be inclined to ask him to do some recruiting…
*insert Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant gif*
I don’t know how many of these guys will actually hit free agency due to the whole impending lockout situation, but we can get the ball rolling early on some of these guys!
William Contreras might want to come play with his brother! Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, and Ronald Acuña Jr. are opt-out candidates! Murakami’s short-term deal might end up being a detriment to his current club!
If none of that matters, just reward the guy who actually makes your fanbase happy. It could be that easy.
One year ago today, those of us associated with the Florida Panthers were feeling pretty darn good.
It was on June 17 of last year that the Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final to claim their second consecutive championship.
The victory capped off an impressive playoff run that saw Florida reel off 16 wins in just 23 games, one less than it took them to claim the franchise’s first Stanley Cup a year prior.
Similarly to the first time, Florida’s second Cup clinching win over the Oilers came in front of their home fans at Amerant Bank Arena.
This time, it was the Panthers who had to come from behind in the series after dropping Game 1, an overtime thriller in Edmonton.
Florida responded by reeling off four wins over the next five games, with their only defeat coming during a Game 4 that the Panthers blew a 3-0 lead and lost on a funky deflection in overtime.
They followed that up by smothering Edmonton by a combined score of 10-3 in Games 5 and 6, with five of those 10 goals coming off the stick of Sam Reinhart.
For as much of a nail-biter as their first championship turned out to be, this one felt more like a coronation.
Photo caption: Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; The Florida Panthers celebrate after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
The 2026 series is locked at one all after Queensland defeat NSW thanks to a stunning second-half onslaught
Tonight’s referee is Ashley Klein, but there have been calls the NRL should have found a replacement. Klein took centre stage in Origin I for his decision to send off Kalyn Ponga, and he has since been the subject of media stories due to his historic gambling activities. His performance will be scrutinised like no whistleblower before.
Laurie Daley is delighted to have Payne Haas back in his XIII: “the best front row in the game”, according to the NSW coach, and he’s relieved to be able to call upon the game management and kicking prowess of Mitchell Moses.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 10: Relief pitcher Ryan Yarbrough #33 of the New York Yankees pitches during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on June 10, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Yankees defeated the Guardians 8-3. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the Yankees’ bullpen has come under fire over the past few months and emerged as arguably the team’s biggest weakness*, they have continued to carry both Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough — two pitchers who have spent most of their career as starters (or, well, in Yarbrough’s case, starter-adjacent, thanks to the Rays frequently pairing him with an opener) in their bullpen since Opening Day.
*At least before two-thirds of the starting outfield hit the shelf at the same time.
While not, at the start of the season, a bad move — veteran depth capable of starting is hardly ever a bad thing, and having multiple pitchers capable of going multiple innings while starters are still ramping up early in the season can help teams get through the early season without overusing their bullpen — this decision has frustrated fans over the last month or so. As the high-leverage arms have been overworked, does the team really need to have two low-leverage long men?
Last week, we took a look at Blackburn’s season, breaking down how the Yankees have tried to convert him into a middle reliever, with some success. This week, though, I want to take a dive into Yarbrough’s metrics, and see if he might be a better choice for those medium-leverage innings that Blackburn has been getting. Because, well, Yarbrough’s metrics have been…pulling in different directions, to say the least.
Out of pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched this season, only dominant San Diego closer Mason Miller has allowed less hard contact than Yarbrough, 17.6 to 14.0 percent (these numbers come from FanGraphs’ Statcast heading, which has different values than the ones in the chart above, but the percentiles are the same). His average exit velocity is better than any pitcher except Philadelphia’s Orion Kerkering. The only way his batted-ball profile would be better is if he generated more groundballs — he ranks 214th out of the 375 pitchers that we’re looking at — but at the end of the day, soft contact is soft contact.
At the same time, though, thanks to a fastball that tops out at 87.5 mph, Yarbrough struggles to get strikeouts. He does not get batters to chase pitches out of the zone, he does not generate whiffs inside of the zone, and on top of it, his walk rate is up three percentage points from last year (7.2 to 10.2 percent). While, as we saw last week with Blackburn, pitchers don’t need to have high strikeout rates to be relatively successful, even as relievers, it does leave less room for error.
What we need to remember when looking at Yarbrough’s performance, however, is the fact that he has only made 14 appearances this season, mostly in low-leverage situations; in fact, in 11 of those games, his primary task was “eat the final one to three innings so the rest of the bullpen can get some rest.”*
*This was all written before last night, when Yarbrough made yet another low-leverage appearance, pitching three scoreless innings to close out a 12-2 blowout of the White Sox.
In these situations, regardless of whether you’re up or down big, the primary goal is to just throw the ball over the plate and try to get some (ideally soft) contact in order to reach the finish line as quickly and painlessly as possible. As such, much of this data can be a bit skewed; therefore, it we want to see whether or not Yarbrough can be used in more high-leverage spots, we need to look a bit deeper.
So far this season, Yarbrough has been much better against lefties than he has against righties: right-handed bats have slashed .245/.333/.321 in 60 plate appearances, while lefties have slashed .091/.211/.182 in 38. These are, admittedly, extremely small sample sizes, but this does reflect a pattern. Last year, left-handed bats managed just a .198/.216/.360 line against Yarbrough, compared to a .263/.341/.481 line against righties. To put it another way, over the last two years, Yarbrough turns all righties into 2026 Cody Bellinger (130 wRC+), and all lefties into 2026 Caleb Durbin (53 wRC+).
If the Yankees are inclined to use Yarbrough more often and turn him into a more high-leverage threat, the best route to take would be to use him as a lefty specialist, lining him up to minimize the amount of right-handed batters he faces. However, this isn’t exactly something the bullpen is lacking. Tim Hill has absolutely decimated lefties this year (.177/.190/.210), but has been prone to give up the long ball against righties (.357/.440/.595, with three home runs). Fernando Cruz may not be a southpaw, but his splitter absolutely flummoxes lefties (.120/.267/.200). On a day-to-day basis, there are better options than Yarbrough if they need a left-handed specialist.
As such, for the time being, it’s probably best for the Yankees to continue using Yarbrough as a long man out of the ’pen, solely for the purpose of keeping him stretched out in case they need to dip into the rotation depth again while Max Fried is on the shelf. He may be behind Elmer Rodriguez, and possibly also Brendan Beck, but as we’ve seen, depth can dissipate at the drop of a hat.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 16: Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets walks across the field in the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on June 16, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets lost 5-3 to the Reds, losing the series as well. Kodai Senga lasted just four innings, giving up four runs on two hits and four walks while striking out five.
Buster Olney listed 12 baseball executives under the most pressure ahead of the trade deadline, and David Stearns (unsurprisingly) ranked very high.
The Mets made a handful of roster moves, including activating Kodai Senga fromt he injured list and designating Vidal Bruján for assignment.
Despite the shaky—and short—start last night, Kodai Senga will likely remain in the Mets rotation.
Around the National League East
The Phillies soundly defeated the Marlins 8-2. Jesús Luzardo went seven innings and gave up just two runs, striking out nine Marlins in the process.
The Nationals narrowly beat the Royals 6-4. Curtis Mead drove in three of the Nationals six runs on one big swing, a three run home run in the seventh inning.
The Giants were beating the Braves 3-2 before the game was suspended in the second inning due to rain. The game will be completed today at 2 PM, ahead of the 7:15 PM series finale.
Around Major League Baseball
The Giants are open to offers for major players such as Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers, though they don’t plan on trading Logan Webb or their young players.
Jeff Passan lamented the seeming parallel course the beginning of this labor dispute is taking to 1994—a fight that nearly derailed baseball permanently.
Passan spoke to Tom Glavine about these concerns that Glavine (a former executive subcommittee member and face of the players during the 1994 strike) shares.
Yankees prospect Kaeden Kent was born to play baseball—especially given the fact that his dad is impending Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Kent.
We enjoyed the Player A and B test so much that we are bringing it back for another round. This time we will take a look at a former Astro and a current Astro. However, I have to set up a few extra ground rules in order for this one to work. First, we are looking at only the rate statistics for their careers. They won’t be exactly alike because no two players are exactly alike, but they will be a lot closer then if we look at the counting numbers.
So, in addition to numbers like OPS, we will be looking at isolated power, isolated patience. secondary average, home run percentage, strikeout percentage, and walk percentage. We use these numbers because one player played a lot longer than the other player. We want to be able to judge their overall quality, but I also want to conceal the identities as much as humanly possible.
The second curveball on this comparison is a look at the fielding numbers. Since these two played a number of different positions and wildly different defensive innings totals, we will be looking at their defensive runs saved (DRS), outs above average (OAA), and fielding run value (FRV) per 1000 innings. Again, they aren’t exactly the same but it should be interesting.
Offensive Numbers
OPS
ISOpow
ISOpat
SEC
HR%
SO%
BB%
Player A
.681
.154
.053
.249
3.15
30.0
5.4
Player B
.638
.176
.052
.238
4.37
33.6
6.1
We could further break these numbers down. For instance, some people are really into the strikeout to walk ratio. These two players are nearly identical in that department. Home run percentage needs a little explanation. It is the average number of homers each player would hit per 100 plate appearances. They are nearly identical when it comes to isolated patience (OBP – AVG) as well. As we said before, no two players are exactly alike, but these two are pretty comparable.
This becomes more true when we consider that both are playing in slightly different eras. It probably wouldn’t surprise you to find out that Player A played in a better offensive era than Player B. If we showed the respective batting averages involved then it would probably give the comparison away. During Player A’s most prolific season, the league hit .254 and he hit .236. The league hit .243 during Player B’s most prolific season. So, even though his average was lower, the gap is not as significant.
By far, the most telling statistic in both cases is the strikeout rate. I don’t have to tell anyone that anything north of 30 percent is not sustainable over time. Usually one of two things will happen with those players. Either they will get drummed out of the league or they will figure out how to make more contact. One of these players was drummed out of the league. One of them is still active.
Remember, usually we offter more descriptive numbers, but the goal here is to keep these two players’ identities a secret a little while longer so that we can compare them without the emotional baggage. We also do that because seeing the numbers first might help put the current Astro in a different context. It could be a context that might help us understand how he should be used. First, let’s look at the defensive numbers.
Fielding Numbers
DRS/1000
OAA/1000
FRV/1000
Player A
+14.6
+9.3
+8.2
Player B
+11.4
+5.7
+7.6
Before we jump too far on the bandwagon for Player A we should give a little context. Player A played all three outfield positions while Player B played two outfield positions and three infield positions. These represent all of the defensive innings added together. Obviously, this represents a bird’s eye view of the player’s defensive value. A manager would look more closely at how they performed at each defensive spot because that value was not spread evenly across the board.
Also, Player A was likely a little better in the OAA and FRV categories, but they did not track those for three of his seasons in Houston. So, the gap between Player A and Player B is probably wider than what it appears. Naturally, that is a huge clue as to these two players identities, but it also has to be said because the last thing I want to do is misrepresent the facts.
Remember, these numbers are per 1000 innings. Neither player ever reached 1000 innings in any one season, so they are theoretical in nature. Most people consider ten runs to be equal to one win. So, depending on your source, both players could be as much as two wins better than a replacement level player with the glove alone. As we saw above, their bats kept them out of the lineup consistently.
The Big Reveal
My mea culpa gave away part of the big reveal. Player A represents Jake Marisnick’s numbers as an Astro offensively and his career fielding numbers. Player B represents what Brice Matthews has done to date. Time heals all wounds and often smooths over the edges of our memory. There were very similar conversations about both players and the Matthews conversation is still ongoing.
The general idea is that they both had very good power, very good speed, and were certainly close to elite with the glove. If they could only make more contact then we could pencil them in everyday. Marisnick obviously never figured out the contact part of things and his career fizzled out. Yet, at his best he was a very good part-time player that could make spot starts or serve as a late inning defensive replacement. There were numerous games in 2017 where he pushed George Springer to right field in the late innings to give the Astros the best defensive alignment.
Since the late 2010s were a better offensive period than now, the advantage that Marisnick has on Matthews is not nearly as significant. I should note that Matthews struck out 25 times in 64 plate appearances in March and April, 25 in 91 plate appearances in May, and has seven as a I write this in 27 plate appearances. In other words, the strikeout percentage has improved overall with each passing month.
The decision to play Matthews or not play Matthews is not an easy one. Depending on where you put him, he could be as many as one win better defensively than the player he would be replacing. He could also be one win worse offensively depending on the position. The Matthews conundrum is one every competitive team faces as some point. He will get better offensively with more opportunities. How much better? Is it good enough to justify the growing pains? Make no mistake, the Astros would likely lose more games with Matthews in the lineup than with him out. However, that gap is narrowing as he improves. Depending on whether you are talking about center field, left field, or second base that gap might go the other way when he reaches his ceiling. What does that ceiling look like and how long will it take him to get there? These are things we don’t know the answer to. What if he is just as good as Marisnick was. Would that be good enough for you?
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 16: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Tuesday was as low scoring of an affair as one could as for, as the Dodgers came away with their second 1-0 win since June 5.
In what has been an unbelievable offensive stretch since May 12, Shohei Ohtani kept it going as he provided the only offense for either side, blasting a solo home run against Drew Rasmussen in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ohtani has now homered four times over his last six games and has hit nine home runs over the last five weeks.
Dave Roberts noted post-game that Ohtani has made some recent adjustments at the plate that are helping him not just see the ball better but helping hit the ball with authority to all fields, per Courtney Hollmon of MLB.com.
“It’s just near missing the baseball in the sense of, he was hitting the ball hard — doubles, some singles — and then if he was just missing it a little bit, there was going to be slug,” Roberts said. “Seeing the baseball well, swinging at good pitches. When he uses a big part of the field, there’s just no holding him back.”
There was some concern about Ohtani’s status on the mound after he missed Friday’s game against the Chicago White Sox due to left knee inflammation, but he is cleared to make his scheduled start Wednesday, per Doug Padilla of the Orange County Register.
Justin Wrobleski provided much of the heavy lifting on Tuesday, out dueling Rasmussen with six shutout innings and bouncing back after a rough start in Pittsburgh.
Wrobleski’s pitch count was at just 67 (50 for strikes) after six innings, and Dave Roberts commended the left-hander for his ability to persistently attack the zone and remain ahead in the count, per Hollmon.
“He was attacking all night. That’s who he is,” Roberts said of the left-hander. “Just the dependability with Wrob in the sense that you know that he’s going to go after guys. His first pitch is like his last pitch and he’s the epitome of go as hard as you can for as long as you can — until the manager takes the ball from you. Tonight, we asked [for] six innings and he did that and he passed it to the ’pen and they were fantastic.”
Kyle Tucker has been enjoying a nice little stretch on this current homestand, hitting his first home run at Dodger Stadium in two months on Monday while having three hits and three RBI in the two games against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Tucker spoke to the media on Monday where he acknowledged the lofty expectations his contract placed upon him, noting that his time as a Dodger has gotten off to a lethargic introduction, per Fredo Cervantes of The Sporting Tribune.
The Ducks' 2025-26 season has been over for just over a month and with the 2026 NHL Entry Draft just around the corner, it feels like a good time to start recapping this past season for each player in the organization.
Today's edition of 'By the Numbers' will feature players who wore Nos. 1-10 this season.
Lukáš Dostál
Dostál entered the 2025-26 season as the unquestioned starting goaltender after John Gibson was traded to the Detroit Red Wings during the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. In the second year of his six-year contract extension that he signed in July 2025, Dostál appeared in 56 games (55 starts), putting up a 30-20-4 record with a .888 SV% and 3.10 GAA. He eclipsed his career high in games played for the third consecutive season and had the first 30-win season of his NHL career.
The Ducks' season fell largely on Dostál's performances, as he carried them through several winning streaks and also endured a couple of losing streaks. He missed time in September (during preseason) and December with two separate injuries: a sprained ankle and a broken finger.
Dostál revealed the extent of his injuries during an interview with Czech news outlet iSport. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek had revealed during a preseason interview with Ducks Stream that Dostál suffered the sprained ankle (simply referred to as a lower-body injury at the time) while walking down his stairs at home. Dostál said during his interview with iSport that a shot broke the front joint of his middle finger in his catching (left) hand.
"At the beginning of the season I sprained my ankle," Dostál said (translated from Czech) "And halfway through the season a shot broke the front joint of my middle finger. I played with it for a while, the pain was manageable and it gradually healed. Still, I managed to play over seventy matches, which is also an important indicator for me that I can handle it physically."
May 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) defends the goal during the third period against the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
It's unclear to what extent Dostal's finger injury healed, but he did appear to have issues catching the puck cleanly during the Ducks' playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights. His playoff performances had plenty of peaks and valleys. He allowed less than three goals in just three of the Ducks' 12 playoff games and had a save percentage over .900 in only four of those games. However, the Ducks lost two of those four games.
While his playoff performances weren't as consistent as one might have hoped for, it's easy to forget that this season was the most games that Dostál has ever played in his professional career. 56 regular season games on top of 12 playoff games plus four games at the Winter Olympics in the middle of a jam-packed NHL schedule.
"Next year is gonna be kind of easier, especially after my first year being No. 1," Dostál said. "So that's going to be definitely easier to adjust some of your preparations. Some of the things that I actually told Sudsie (director of goaltending Sudarshan Maharaj) and (goaltending coach) Peter (Budaj), I always like to do a lot of things, but maybe, sometimes, it's better to slow down a bit. So it might be something that I might focus on for next year, sometimes to take a little bit more rest. Mentally, physically, you can be just a little bit more rested so you can be sharper in those games. In some of the games I knew that some goals slipped in that shouldn't happen. That's definitely going to be the goal for next year to keep that consistency."
Jackson LaCombe
LaCombe built off his breakout season from last season as a sophomore, setting another career high in points (58) and appearing in all 82 games for the Ducks in 2025-26, one of three Ducks to do so this season. Before he even began the season, he was rewarded with an eight-year, $72 million contract extension. The contract made LaCombe the highest-paid player in franchise history.
Playing the role of No. 1 defenseman, LaCombe was the primary point option on Anaheim's top power play unit up until John Carlson was acquired from the Washington Capitals in March. LaCombe had 14 power play points in 66 games prior to Carlson's arrival and had three power play points in the 16 following games. With Carlson expected to hit the open market and likely head back east, LaCombe is primed to fill the point option on the top power play unit once again.
LaCombe spent most of the 2025-26 season paired with Jacob Trouba, who is a pending UFA. Head coach Joel Quenneville leaned heavily on the pairing down the stretch and especially once the playoffs rolled around. With Carlson on his way out, Trouba will become the primary UFA target for general manager Pat Verbeek to re-sign. What ballpark Trouba's number falls into could affect whether he returns or departs. During his exit interview, Trouba said that Verbeek and he had preliminary discussions at the trade deadline about an extension but that it "didn't get very far." LaCombe has shown he fares well playing alongside more of a defensive-minded partner like Trouba or Radko Gudas before him. If Trouba also departs, Verbeek would be wise to seek out a similar partner for LaCombe, whether via trade or free agency.
Ian Moore
You'd be hard-fetched to find someone who was more of a team player this year than Moore. Not only did he flip-flop between forward and defense throughout the season, but he happily conceded his No. 74 to Carlson when he arrived from the Capitals, switching to No. 3. Moore said that he chose 3 because he wore it while playing for the Chicago Steel in the USHL.
After making his NHL debut and playing in three games at the end of the 2024-25 season, Moore broke camp with the Ducks to start the 2025-26 season. He didn't make an appearance until the fifth game of the season, filling in as a seventh defenseman/fourth line forward hybrid. He received consistent playing as a defensemen for most of November before being healthy scratched for five consecutive games at the end of that month. When he was re-inserted into the lineup, it was as a fourth line winger.
Moore continued to fill this role for a majority of the rest of the regular season, making sporadic appearances on the backend. Carlson's acquisition relegated Moore further to forward duties, but a late-season injury to Gudas opened the door for more opportunities on the blue line. However, an inadequate performance while playing on his off-side against the San Jose Sharks on Apr. 1 shifted him back to forward full-time for the rest of the season.
Apr 28, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defensemen Ian Moore (3) waits for the play to begin against the Edmonton Oilers in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
The fourth line featured Jeff Viel, Tim Washe and Moore to start the Ducks' 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs run, as this unorthodox line kept Connor McDavid at bay for most of the six-game series. But injuries to both Gudas and Helleson required Moore to jump back to defense, where he was paired with Olen Zellweger, who had played infrequently following Carlson's acquisition and Tyson Hinds' promotion from the AHL. The Zellweger-Moore pairing held their own during the latter stages of the series against the Golden Knights, though the Ducks fell in six games.
Moore should without a doubt return to the blue line in permanent fashion in 2026-27. While his work as a winger is admirable, his intelligence and skills shine brighter as a defenseman than as a forward. Targeting offseason additions to bolster the forward depth should be a priority for Verbeek this season. A defenseman shouldn't be one of the first options to fill in at forward, no matter how smart he is.
With the right side of Anaheim's defense currently in flux, an opportunity has developed for Moore to stake his claim at a full-time role. Helleson and Tristan Luneau are also competing for regular roles, which makes for plenty of competition.
Radko Gudas
Gudas has served as the Ducks' captain for the past two seasons. He joined the team in the summer of 2023, signing a three-year deal. He provided a steady partner for LaCombe, who was in his first full season as an NHLer and was one of their better players during rookie head coach Greg Cronin's first year at the helm.
After being named captain prior to the 2024-25 season, Gudas was unable to replicate his form from the previous season, often finding himself out of position and having to take a penalty to prevent prime scoring opportunities. During his 2026 exit interview, he revealed that a lingering ankle injury had affected him for the past few years and was exacerbated by a sprained ankle that he suffered late in the 2025-26 regular season.
Some of Gudas' decline can be attributed to age. He recently turned 36 and his style of play doesn't cater well to decreased physical attributes. He was never the quickest or fastest skater, but being out of position on a regular basis can rear its ugly head, especially as a defenseman. There are still some positive elements that Gudas possesses, though. His knack for giving opponents a hard time in front of his goaltender's crease is something that the Ducks lacked, especially in their series against the Golden Knights. They may not bring him back (he is a pending UFA), but they do need someone who can fill a similar role as a crease clearer.
For as polarizing as his Ducks career has been to this point, Gudas joined the organization at a crucial point in their rebuilding process. His teammates have spoken glowingly of him, especially his younger defensive compatriots. He owned up to his ill-advised knee-on-knee hit on Auston Matthews and faced the music (despite suffering a sprained ankle just a few games before) when the Toronto Maple Leafs faced the Ducks again a couple of weeks later. If he's unable to find a role with an NHL team next season, whether with the Ducks or another organization, a return to Czechia to finish out his professional career––similar to what former Duck Jakob Silfverberg is currently doing––appears likely.
Even with the Stanley Cup Final now behind him and the Golden Knights’ championship hopes dashed, Mitch Marner chose to lift the curtain on a period he once said he would only discuss if his new team hoisted the Cup.
During end-of-season media availability Tuesday at City National Arena, the former Maple Leafs winger elaborated on comments he made earlier in the postseason about enduring “dark days” comments he had conditioned on a Vegas victory during the Cup Final media day. The Knights fell short, but Marner spoke anyway, offering a raw window into the mental health challenges that shadowed much of his final five years in Toronto.
“Mental health is a super important thing to me. It really is,” Marner said. “I’ve been really trying to take care of my mental health probably for the last five years or so. There were some really dark moments there when the thought of playing hockey was really tough, honestly, in a lot of ways. It was just kind of a dark vibe, a dark hole in a way. I’m very thankful that I had people around me.”
The 29-year-old, who opted not to re-sign with the Leafs last season, was traded to Vegas last July after a decade with the organization that drafted him fourth overall in 2015. He has long been one of the NHL’s most polarizing figures, particularly in the city he once called home. In Toronto, Marner was both celebrated as a generational talent and scrutinized under the unrelenting microscope that comes with being a core piece of a franchise starved for a Stanley Cup since 1967. Massive contract negotiations, social-media pile-ons after playoff disappointments, and the constant weight of expectations created an environment where, by his own admission, the game itself began to feel like a burden.
Marner credited the support system that helped pull him through—family, close friends, and teammates both past and present. He has previously spoken about stepping away from social media as a necessary step in protecting his well-being, a move that drew its own share of criticism from fans who interpreted it as avoidance rather than self-preservation.
Mitch Marner dove into what the aforementioned "dark days" entailed over the last five years in Toronto, thanking former Leafs teammates and his family ♥️
What made Tuesday’s comments particularly noteworthy was the context in which they arrived. On media day ahead of the Cup Final, Marner had been asked about those same “dark times” and indicated he would only expand on them “in the coming weeks” if the Golden Knights won the championship. They did not. Yet, when Golden Knights beat writer Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal followed up Tuesday, specifically asking Marner to elaborate on the earlier remark, the forward did not dodge the question.
Marner’s candor comes at a time when the NHL is still grappling with the visibility of mental health issues in the sport. His willingness to speak publicly, even after a painful loss and without the “win-first” condition being met, drew praise from some quarters as a step toward normalizing these conversations. Others, particularly among the Leafs fanbase that watched him leave as a restricted free agent and then excel in a lower-pressure market, viewed the timing and framing with skepticism, wondering aloud whether the narrative would have sounded the same had Vegas won.
Mitch Marner didn't want to elaborate on his comment about going through "dark times" earlier in his hockey career, but says he will if the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup.
The trade to Vegas was framed by some as an escape from that pressure cooker. In his first season with the Golden Knights, Marner’s numbers sagged early as he found an identity with a new team. During the playoffs, he was the NHL’s leading point-getter with 29 in 24 games. He was a shoo-in to win the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoffs MVP had the Golden Knights won the Cup. The move to Vegas appeared to rejuvenate him. Off it, he now says, the work of maintaining his mental health remains ongoing.
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Kurt Helin
