The Buffalo Sabres could go a number of different ways as the NHL is in the midst of trade season following the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency on July 1. With the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram, GM Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to seek out offensive reinforcements to make up for the 44 goals lost by their departures.
We are continuing to look at potential options for the Sabres, now that veteran Patrick Kane has returned with Chicago. Some of the possibilities are not going to match Tuch’s stats, but any additions could provide some relief to the pressure that youngsters Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Noah Ostlund will be under to make up the deficit.
Kekalainen ideally is looking for someone who could make up as much of the 60-to-70 point production that he lost with Tuch, or someone who can fill the leadership gap and/or add some snarl and sandpaper to the middle-six, with the trade of Jordan Greenway to Chicago.
Where will Connor Hellebuyck end up?
Forward Rickard Rakell, similar to teammate Bryan Rust, was expected to be a trade commodity last season, but the Pittsburgh Penguins unexpected run to the playoffs nixed that plan. This season, many are expecting the Pens to compete for the playoffs again, but with veterans Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson another year older, GM Kyle Dubas could become a seller closer to the trade deadline if Pittsburgh falls behind in the playoff race.
Rakell was acquired as a deadline addition in 2022 from Anaheim, and except for a subpar season in 2023-24, has scored 20 or more goals each season in the Steel City. After scoring a career-high 35 goals in 2025, the 33-year-old Swede notched 48 points (24 goals, 24 assists) in just 60 games.
As with Rust, Rakell is an enticing option for Kekalainen since he would not be a rental (with two years left at $5 million AAV entering the season), but unlike his teammate, he has an eight-team no-trade clause for the rest of his contract. Dubas would likely be looking for young prospects in a trade since the Penguins are attempting to reset while keeping their aging veterans.
Buffalo has enough in their prospect pipeline to acquire Rakell, but his availability likely would not be until the All-Star break, when it is firmly ascertained whether the Pens are in the playoff mix or not.
Give team president Tim Connelly and the brain trust in Minnesota credit: They realized that the road they had gone down, a road that took them to consecutive Western Conference Finals, had reached a dead end. They made a U-turn and reshaped the roster this summer. Dramatically.
The Timberwolves that take the court in October will be radically overhauled in style and key personnel from just a season ago. Check out this likely starting five:
LaMelo Ball. Anthony Edwards. Jonathan Kuminga. Jaden McDaniels. Rudy Gobert.
It's a roster a lot of fans — not just in Minnesota — are excited about. LaMelo Ball next to an MVP-level two guard in Edwards could be dynamic. Fans believe in the potential of Jonathan Kuminga — and so do the Timberwolves, who struggled to slow him in a 2025 playoff series against the Warriors. Rudy Gobert is still a defensive force in the paint.
But are the Timberwolves really improved? Or just different?
Questions Minnesota must answer
That high-profile starting five comes with a lot of questions:
• Ball and Kuminga are immensely talented, and both have frustrated coaches and teammates in previous stops by not playing within the system and doing too much on their own.
• Kuminga took less money this season with a shorter deal so he could get back on the free agent market as soon as next season and get the payday he feels he deserves (which was not out there for him this summer). The Timberwolves need his athleticism at the four, but they also need him to play within the team system. Will he do that, or at times try to put up numbers at the expense of what is best for winning?
• LaMelo Ball is untested in the playoffs. In the play-in games last season, he scored 30 against Miami and hit the game-winner in overtime, but could/should have been ejected for taking Bam Adebayo's leg out, knocking him to the ground and out of the game. In the next play-in game, a loss to Orlando, Ball scored 23 points but on 7-of-17 shooting, had five assists and three turnovers, and was -9 (by far the best +/- of all the Hornet starters).
• With Gobert and Kuminga (and some questions about McDaniels' consistency), is there enough shooting?
• Ball is a defensive target for other teams. While he is surrounded by other quality defenders (and they can hide him some), can he step up more on that end?
• Edwards, Ball and Kuminga are all guys who prefer to operate with the ball in their hands, breaking guys down, then scoring or setting up the assist. At any moment, two of them have to play off the ball.
Overall, this is a Minnesota team that went from being huge, physical, and relying on defense, with hopefully just enough offense, to a much more dynamic offensive team but without the same depth and at least some questions about fit and defense.
Fans are excited about this team, but after talking to people in league circles over the past couple of months, there is plenty of skepticism. There is doubt Minnesota really improved after last season's 49 wins and second-round exit.
In the West, the Thunder and Spurs are the proven powerhouses we know will be elite. Then comes a group of four teams with a lot of potential but also a lot of questions: The Timberwolves, the Lakers, the Rockets and the Nuggets. Teams that are going to be good, but just how good? Can one of them break out and join the upper tier?
If the pieces fit...
Connelly and the Timberwolves front office gambled big on all those changes, but saw it as a bet worth making because more of the same wasn't going to work (and could have led to an increasingly frustrated Edwards, who is extension-eligible next summer).
Sometimes big bets pay off.
An Edwards and Ball backcourt has the potential to be one of the best in the league, a high-octane offensive engine that drives a lot of wins. Kuminga may thrive as an athletic four in the role Chris Finch and the Timberwolves lay out for him. Defense and shooting may be questions we wondered why we asked about in the first place.
If Connelly's bet pays off, if all the puzzle pieces fit together, this is at worst the third-best team in the West and one that is a threat to the existing powers in Oklahoma City and San Antonio. A return to the Western Conference Finals for the third time in four years would absolutely be on the table (and maybe more).
But there are a lot of questions to answer before we get to that point, and don't be surprised if this team stumbles out of the gate a little as everyone tries to settle into their roles.
Ultimately, the fans may be right — this team is going to produce highlights and should rack up a lot of wins. But are they contenders? Did they improve? Color me and a lot of people skeptical.
Either way, there may be no more must-watch team in the league this season than Minnesota.
SAN DIEGO, CA — After three portions completed, it’s come down to the final duo of this Los Angeles Kings series. It is timing that brings us to this point, as it’s the most convoluted and suspect aspect of this franchise going into the new season. It’s a massive reason why I saved it for last, and it’s going to be heavily scrutinized as the season moves along.
Who is the number one center? Easy.
This is the clearest, easiest piece of what is a convoluted puzzle heading into 2026-27. This has been a question despite having a top prospect whose ceiling has become suspect due to inconsistencies, a poor build around him, and a fleeting overarching plan the front office has failed to execute. Quinton Byfield, despite the negative superlatives regarding production, is the number one in Los Angeles. He’s had some ups and downs in LA but has found a floor, not a ceiling, a sign of hope from the franchise’s front office.
He’s broken through and flirted with 50 points over the last three seasons, breaking it twice, coming up short last season with 49. He’s now had two campaigns in the Kings system as a top-six center, boasting 45+ points, and has done so with limited talent on his flanks and a slogged-backed, defensive-grinding system to play under.
He will finally have elite capacity on both flanks, which at even strength will be a major boost to a player who has landed himself over the last season in the upper half of production amongst the league’s forwards (out of 204 forwards who logged 2,600+ minutes over the last three seasons, Byfield is 86th in goals, 55th in assists, 68th in points). Now he hasn’t broken into the top 30, a select group that rebrands itself as elite in even strength production, and for a player that a franchise desperately needs to break through that barrier, there’s cause for concern.
It will be a test that could sink or swim his ceiling moving forward, but his underlying relative analytics represent an excellent defensive player with higher offensive upside who could use new wingers (204 forward grouping, 29th in CF%, 24% in FF, 40th in SF%, 24th in GF%, 29th in SCF%, and 18th in HDGF%).
His production vs. on-ice relative rates suggest a coupling with elite wingers that could drastically boost his output.
What is killing Byfield’s overall production is the lack of points on special teams. He is rapidly heading towards stepping into a role he hasn’t fully been able to carry off yet, mostly spending time rotating between the first and second units, with the ladder being a unit he has anchored. Sinking him further is a sub-50% faceoff percentage that undermines his ability to retain possession on the man-advantage. While it is a niche skill that has its place in hockey and can sometimes be overlooked for certain players, it is absolutely needed on the man advantage and on the penalty kill.
On the penalty kill, he is excellent, with rates that are either elite or nipping away at elite (SA/60, xGA/60, SCA/60, HDCA/60), and some rates are a cause for concern (GA/60, HDGA/60). These last two (GA/60, HDGA/60) are heavily skewed based on the performance on the netminder, as Byfield’s individual relative rates of suppression are fringing upon an elite penalty killer.
Given his excellent baseline for defensive suppression, a clear tarmac for an increased arsenal of EVs offense, and ample opportunity for added production on the man advantage, there is certainly room for optimism for Byfield to firmly take hold of being the team’s number one center.
Now then, that’s the vision of the front office. If that 50-point production benchmark is the ceiling with these changes, then boy-oh-boy, the team’s outlook is rather dim. The retirement of franchise legend Anze Kopitar, the trade of Phillip Danault last season, and the wreckage caused by the Pierre Luc Dubois acquisition have left the center positioning in damage control mode. This assessment isn’t just a bird’s-eye view, but something plain and clear during the tenure of General Manager Ken Holland.
The center decisions of Holland sync rather nicely with the discussion of the other part of the ‘center duo’. His moves suggest a path that appears reactive rather than proactive, despite the greater likelihood of a timeframe of knowledge surrounding the decline of Kopitar’s brilliant career. Rob Blake tried to be proactive regarding this very aspect, the center roster column, and it backfired. For the roster under Holland’s reactive heel, it’s realistically a trio, not a duo, that has two insurance policies that carry the weight of unease.
Behind Byfield is a duo in itself and not the duo that comes knocking down any doors. Scott Laughton is a capable shutdown centerman who was acquired in a marginal push towards the playoffs last season, in the wake of the Kevin Fiala injury and Artemi Panarin's cancel-out moment.
Laughton re-upped in the offseason with the Kings and was joined by free agent Erik Haula. Laughton is a respectable defensive depth piece, and Haula, in his prime, was a respectable, speedy offensive depth piece.
Depth pieces. The team needed a top-six center and got depth pieces.
To be clear, there are quantifiable labels attached to each player, but Haula might actually be the better defensive player at this stage of his career, with excellent penalty-killing metrics that bode well for his projected partnership with Joel Armia. For Laughton, at this point, just like most of Laughton’s small tenure in the post-deadline world for the Kings, he is likely to be a faceoff specialist who can handle tough assignments. Both players are excellent in the dot. Out of 204 forwards who have logged 2,600+ minutes in the last three seasons, Laughton is the 37th-best, with Haula at 27th-best.
The fact that these two are holding center spots due to a major departure is entirely out of a Holland playbook, reusing the same play to some extent, filling the void left by Vladislav Gavrikov with Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci (Jordan Spence booted for more Brandt Clarke exposure). Now Kopitar retires, and the team does patch work with depth centermen while Byfield gets more exposure. The playbook is clear; it’s just a questionable one, and looking at the recent body of work, both centers under Byfield are not remotely shoe-ins for a 2C slot but rather platoon-type rotation depending on matchups.
The numbers will typically speak for themselves, and so will the actions and actionable words from the General Manager. These words, such as Adrian Kempe being discussed as playing some center, and actions like when the team dipped its toe into unknown waters by deploying Alex Laferriere at center. Both are options per Holland.
Is this patchwork a pivot towards something more grandiose? Because in the interim, this is quite the opposite. Taking the hit to pivot towards something else makes sense, but does the front office really think that way? With the acquisition of Panarin last season, I don’t think this team is in “take a hit to make a play mode”.
Haula may very well end up on the wing, allowing one of their works-in-progress-type centermen in Kempe or Laferriere to step in. But let’s full stop there: A contender isn’t figuring out who to deploy as a 2C. A pretender, maybe, as a platoon of depth players and two wingers-turned-centermen represent a team patching holes in their boat as they gradually sink.
The Kings do not have a center duo. They will rely on their biggest strength, at the wing, to either supplement the issue or at least saddle a Ford Focus with Ferraris on the wings. They have a project in a 1C; they are finally giving the full grace to either take off or fall flat. The Kings will field Kempe, Panarin, Fiala, Mats Zuccarello, Trevor Moore, Armia, Corey Perry, and Laferriere on the wing. That’s an impressive group, as we’ve covered in our wings’ duo series, but it will have a single point of failure anchoring it.
That center duo isn’t a thing in LA. What it is is a suspect trio of a team pretending to contend in the now.
The Edmonton Oilers spent much of the summer putting together a roster with enough options to withstand the injuries that inevitably show up over an 82-game season. Of course, they're now dealing with it right now.
Matt Savoie, Mattias Janmark, Frederik Andersen and Alec Regula are all expected to miss training camp next month. Savoie and Andersen were injured during offseason training, while Janmark and Regula are still recovering from medical procedures. Edmonton hasn't provided return dates for any of them. General manager Stan Bowman has since said Savoie will miss some time without expecting his absence to approach half a season, while Andersen is expected to be out longer.
Four injuries before camp opens on Sept. 16 isn't exactly the start Mike Babcock had in mind. It does provide an early answer to one of the questions surrounding Edmonton's roster throughout the summer.
How deep are the Oilers?
We're about to get a decent look.
Savoie played all 82 games last season, finished with 18 goals and 37 points and had worked his way onto Connor McDavid's line late in the year. Over his final 24 regular-season games, Savoie scored nine goals and 19 points. He spent 203 five-on-five minutes with McDavid during that stretch, with Edmonton holding a 13-7 advantage in goals during those minutes.
His absence leaves an opening in the top six. Isaac Howard and Colton Dach, Kasperi Kapanen will be the ones up. Vasily Podkolzin is an established top-six player for this team, and Babcock will have plenty of time during camp to move players around McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Further down the lineup are more problems. Savoie logged more than 132 minutes shorthanded last season, leading Oilers forwards in penalty-killing usage, so Babcock enters camp missing two forwards, including Janmark, who were expected to contribute in that area. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jason Dickinson, Kapanen, Mathieu Joseph and Josh Samanski are among the other options to take up more minutes on the PK.
Samanski, too, now has a better chance of staying in Edmonton all season. The same applies to Howard and Quinn Hutson.
Bowman mentioned those three when discussing the injuries on Thursday with Mark Spector, along with Eduards Tralmaks and Aku Raty.
That's where the depth Edmonton assembled over the summer starts to matter.
Samanski provel reliable enough in the NHL last season. Howard was already expected to push to stay in the lineup. Dach is ready for a more established role. Mathieu Joseph is another experienced winger, and Jason Dickinson is another veteran who can play defensively and on the penalty kill.
There are actual players available when somebody gets hurt. Edmonton spent plenty of seasons without that luxury.
The concern is where those players are being asked to play. Replacing a fourth-line winger for a few weeks is manageable. Finding somebody to take Savoie's minutes beside McDavid carries different, particularly after the way Savoie finished last season.
It's probably going to be Howard could. He can score and is slightly familiar with it already. A strong camp could force Babcock to keep him around when Savoie returns. Dach has a similar opportunity after spending the summer talking about adding more of Zach Hyman's game to his own. Samanski has a path through the bottom six and penalty kill.
These are the situations teams talk about when they praise their organizational depth. Edmonton has spent time adding players who should be capable of moving into the lineup, and September should prove it that work has paid off.
Of course, goaltending is a little harder to sort out.
Andersen signed with Edmonton on July 1 and was expected to be part of a three-goalie tandem with Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi. His absence leaves the bulk of the training-camp workload in Jarry and Levi, and Bowman has indicated Andersen will be given time to recover rather than being pushed back too soon.
Levi's was supposed to give Edmonton another NHL option in goal. That option is already needed before the preseason has started.
Regula's absence won't have the same effect on the opening lineup, although it removes another defenceman from Babcock's camp. He appeared in 29 games for Edmonton last season and gives the organization another injury replacement on the blue line.
The Oilers have spent years looking for enough depth to survive stretches without regulars. Their best players have carried enormous workloads, their bottom six has gone through constant changes and injuries have occasionally exposed how quickly the options thin out once the lineup gets past the regular 12 forwards and six defencemen.
This year's group includes several players sitting outside the obvious opening-night lineup who have played in the NHL or have reasonable expectations of getting there soon. Howard, Samanski and Hutson have better roles available to them. Levi gets more work in goal. Dach should have room to move around the lineup.
Edmonton wanted enough depth to handle injuries without scrambling every time somebody went down. Four players are already unavailable, including a top-six winger and one of the goaltenders brought in this summer.
Training camp hasn't even started, and the depth chart is already moving.
Tarik Skubal returns to Detroit for the first time since being traded at the Deadline to the Dodgers when Los Angeles (80-54) takes on the Tigers (62-71).
While still comfortably in first place in the NL West, the Dodgers head to Motown following a dismal trip to Atlanta. Each game of the three-game series was decided by a single run with the Braves winning all three. They took the series finale 1-0. Chris Sale was brilliant pitching arguably the game of the season in major league baseball. Sale threw a complete game, five-hit shutout. The veteran did not allow a walk and struck out 11 Dodgers. While LA is battling for home field advantage in the playoffs, the Tigers are in a far more dire position following a lost series to the Rays earlier this week. Detroit sits 5.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot.
Friday marks an emotional homecoming for Skubal (8-7, 2.91 ERA), who won back-to-back Cy Young Awards with Detroit and became the face of the Tigers' rotation before being dealt to Los Angeles. Since joining the Dodgers, he has continued to pitch effectively but short of dominant, posting a 3.38 ERA in his first four starts with the club while striking out 30 batters in 24 innings. Drew Anderson (4-5, 4.09 ERA) gets the ball for the Tigers. The righthander has lasted five innings and given up three runs in each of his last two starts.
Lets dive further into today’s game and find a sweat or two.
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The Latest Odds: Dodgers vs. Tigers
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: LA Dodgers (-181), Detroit Tigers (+168)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (-107), Tigers +1.5 (-113)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers – Dodgers vs. Tigers for August 28
Tigers: Drew Anderson Season Totals: 81.1 IP, 4-5, 4.09 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 91K, 30 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Dodgers vs. Tigers
Gleyber Torres is 3-10 in his career against Tarik Skubal
In his 4 starts with the Dodgers, Tarik Skubal has struck out 6, 6, 7, and 11 opposing hitters
Drew Anderson has struck out at least 4 hitters in each of his last 3 starts
Freddie Freeman has hit safely in 4 of his last 5 games (6-20)
Shohei Ohtani is 3-20 over his last 5 games
Kyle Tucker saw his 3-game hitting streak (3-11) snapped in his last game on Wednesday (0-5)
Max Muncy has 3 HRs and 8 RBI over his last 10 games
Kevin McGonigle is 3-20 over his last 5 games
Spencer Torkelson is just 3-31 over his last 11 games
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Dodgers vs. Tigers
The Dodgers are 54-79 on the Run Line this season
The Tigers are 72-61 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 57 times in Detroit’s 133 games this season (57-70-6)
The OVER has cashed 62 times in LA’s 134 games this season (62-71-1)
Expert picks & predictions: Dodgers vs. Tigers for August 28
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Dodgers and the Tigers:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Dodgers on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5
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On this day 31 years ago, José DeLeón was traded from the White Sox for the second and final time. | Getty Images
1909 In the second inning of the opener of a doubleheader at South Side Park, Washington’s Dolly Gray set two major league records against the White Sox: He walked eight batters in the inning, and seven of them consecutive. Patsy Dougherty led off the inning with a single, and No. 5 hitter Frank Isbell either sacrificed Doughtery to second or made an out (game play-by-play isn’t available). And then, the parade of walks — from No. 6 hitter Lee Tannehill all the way back through the order to Doughtery — began. The White Sox scored six in the inning, all “driven in” with walks.
The second time Doughtery went to bat, with six straight walks already in the books, White Sox manager Billy Sullivan suggested Doughtery leave his bat in the dugout.
The White Sox won, 6-4, with only Doughtery’s single hit. Gray’s one-hitter came with 11 additional walks, so there was still a lot of traffic on the bases!
Interestingly, it marks the third time Doughtery has had the only hit for his team in a game, and it still will happen once more in his career.
The White Sox also won the nightcap, 2-1, walking just twice.
1936 With a 2-for-3 effort in a White Sox win over the Senators, 6-5, Luke Appling set the mark for longest franchise hitting streak, at 23 games. Appling had tapped out 30 hits in those 23 games, batting .337 with a .427 on-base and .888 OPS. The shortstop broke Eddie Collins’ previous mark of 22 games.
Appling would hit safely in four more games, and his 27-game hit streak would remain tops in team annals for 68 years, when Carlos Lee bettered him by one game and set the current team mark of 28.
1938 It was the most grueling stretch of baseball in major league history: A series of rainouts forced the White Sox to play six consecutive doubleheaders on six consecutive days from August 23-28. They played four games against the Yankees in two days, six games against the Red Sox in three days and two games against the Athletics. All were on the road.
For the month, the White Sox had to play 13 doubleheaders! Despite the daunting stretch of games, they finished the month with a record of 16-22 — not bad at all.
1955 In front of a Sunday crowd of 50,990 — 15th-biggest in White Sox/Comiskey Park/Chicago history — the White Sox split a twinbill with the Yankees, losing, 6-1, then triumphing, 3-2. The split kept the 77-51 White Sox a half-game behind the Yankees for first place in the AL, but by their next game, a 7-5 win over Boston on August 30, the South Siders (briefly) returned to first.
1960 Of all the crazy games and things that have happened when the Sox played at Baltimore, this one topped the list. The Sox started the day 2 ½ games behind the Yankees and trailed the O’s 3-0 going into the eighth inning. With two outs, Luis Aparicio, Nellie Fox and Roy Sievers ripped consecutive singles, scoring a run and putting the tying runs on base. Manager Al Lopez called on Ted Kluszewski to pinch-hit.
Big Klu drilled a pitch from Milt Pappas into the right-field stands for an apparent three-run homer, except for one small thing …
Third base umpire Ed Hurley called time!
Nobody remembered seeing him do it, but he refused to change his call. Fox was ejected in the confrontation afterwards and Lopezplayed the game under protest. Hurley called time right before the pitch to tell Sox players Floyd Robinson and Earl Torgeson that they were warming up in the wrong area. The next day, Hurley was quoted in the newspapers as saying ”I wish to heck I hadn’t called it; I’d gladly take it back …”
The end result was the Sox lost, 3-1, and were now three games behind the Yankees. Kluszewskilater recalled that this game was the one that broke the team’s spirit that season.
1977 In if not the worst, then the shortest start of his career, Wilbur Wood was routed from an eventual 10-1 loss to the Brewers having recorded just one out while falling behind, 4-0. The big blow came on a Comiskey Park roof shot from Sal Bando.
It was the 21st and final “true” home run on the roof, coming before home plate was moved up eight feet, prior to the 1983 season. The final White Sox “true” roof shot had come on June 4, 1977, clubbed by Richie Zisk.
1983 Greg Luzinski completed his “downtown Triple Crown” by blasting a pitch from Boston’s Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd over the Comiskey Park roof in left-center field. It was Luzinski’s third roof shot in 1983, with the others coming against the Twins and Yankees. Greg would have four rooftop home runs in his White Sox career. The Sox took care of Boston on this afternoon, 6-2.
1990 Frank Thomas, who would become the White Sox all-time home run leader, belted his first big-league round tripper. Thomasconnected in the ninth inning of a game at the Metrodome, off of Minnesota’s Gary Wayne. The Sox lost that day, 12-6.
Thomas had 448 home runs in a Sox uniform.
1995 The White Sox swapped pitcher José DeLeón for a second time, on this occasion to the Montreal Expos for Jeff Shaw. Shaw did very little for the White Sox down the stretch, pitching in nine games to a 6.52 ERA and -0.1 WAR. The reliever signed with Cincinnati in the offseason and ended up an ancillary player in getting a franchise icon to the White Sox, as Shaw was swapped to Los Angeles in 1998 for a package including Paul Konerko, who four months later was flipped by the Reds to Chicago.
Unlike this deal, DeLeón had been a part of several big-name swaps in the past: Being acquired from Pittsburgh for Bobby Bonilla, getting traded to St. Louis for Lance Johnson and coming back to Chicago from Philadelphia for Bobby Thigpen.
1998 The White Sox and Rangers combined for 14 home runs in a doubleheader at Comiskey Park, tying the American League mark. The teams hit seven in the first game, seven in the second. Texas and the Sox split the two games on the day.
Jane Ewing will join Nike as executive vice president & chief commercial officer, effective Sept. 7. She will report directly to CEO Elliot Hill and join Nike’s senior leadership team. Ewing joins Nike after almost 14 years at Walmart, where she most recently served as interim CEO for Sam’s Club China. She also held senior leadership roles spanning merchandising, digital acceleration and international operations.
USA Volleyball Names Garbato as GM, USA Beach Volleyball
USA Volleyball announced the appointment of Carolina “Gabi” Garbato as its new general manager, USA Beach Volleyball, effective immediately. In this role, Garbato will lead the overall management and performance of USA Volleyball’s Beach program, spanning the senior national teams and the Beach National Team Development Program (NTDP) to build “an athlete-centered program.” Garbato was most recently director of the NTDP, where she led the national scouting network and athlete pathway strategy connecting emerging youth talent directly into the senior national team pipeline.
Joe Flannery Joins Good Good Golf as President
Good Good Golf, the golf brand, announced the appointment of Joe Flannery as its new president. Flannery’s career highlights include leading Topgolf Callaway’s Active Lifestyle division including TravisMathew, serving as CMO of The North Face, running Adidas Originals globally and most recently serving as CEO of Score Sports. At Good Good, Flannery will oversee the full commercial, product and creative/content engine of the company, with all major functions of the core business reporting to him.
Tmrw Sports Taps Geraci as Flag Football Ambassador
Tmrw Sports announced Isabella “Izzy” Geraci as a professional flag football ambassador for the new pro league being developed by Tmrw Sports in partnership with the NFL. Earlier this month, Geraci helped Team USA Football capture a silver medal at the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championship in Düsseldorf, Germany. She joins fellow TMRW Sports pro flag football ambassadors Ashlea Klam and Vanita Krouch, who is also serving as the league’s lead for player relations.
PARTNERSHIPS
NFL Announces Official Partnerships with Three Sports Betting Operators
The NFL has reached commercial agreements with three sports betting operators ahead of the 2026 season. DraftKings and FanDuel, partners in the category since 2021, each signed a multiyear deal. Fanatics Betting and Gaming also signed a multiyear agreement, expanding a relationship with the NFL. All three partners will have the ability to use NFL marks within the sports betting category and promote online and retail sports betting. They will also have presence at NFL tentpole events such, unique hospitality and VIP experiences and integrations across NFL-owned digital media properties. Finally, they will have access to real-time, official play-by-play statistics, proprietary Next Gen Stats and BetVision through Genius Sports, the league’s exclusive data distribution partner.
Arthur Fery Partners With Giffgaff
Giffgaff has announced that it is the exclusive connectivity partner of rising British tennis star Arthur Fery. The signing builds on the mobile and broadband provider’s sponsorship of Fery during his career-changing performance at Wimbledon this summer, which saw its logo appear on the British wildcard’s sleeve as he defied expectations to reach the semifinals. Fery will continue to wear the Giffgaff logo on his kit across the next four Grand Slams, Davis Cup and other ATP events, while also featuring in a range of Giffgaff marketing activity over the next 12 months.
Champion and Nash Re-Signs Partnership With NBA’s Rockets for 2026-27
Following their first season as an official partner of a professional sports team, Champion and Nash has announced it will once again serve as a partner for the Houston Rockets for the upcoming regular season. Champion and Nash branding will be showcased throughout Toyota Center for locally televised Rockets home games, as well as at a number of community initiatives in the surrounding Houston region. In addition to serving as presenting partner for one home game during the regular season, Champion and Nash will prominently be showcased as part of the Champion Play of the Week social feature on the Rockets’ Instagram, Facebook and X channels.
Elevate Named Agency Operating Partner of Venezia FC
Elevate announced it has been named Agency Operating Partner of Venezia Football Club, a strategic partnership meant to accelerate the club’s commercial growth as it returns to Serie A and expands its global profile. Elevate will provide support across business strategy, hospitality, corporate partnerships and creative. Elevate will also lead partner discovery and commercial growth, focused on identifying brands that align with Venezia FC’s identity and expanding the club’s roster of commercial sponsors.
Aramark Expands NCAA Presence With FSU, Texas State Partnerships
As the 2026 NCAA season opens, Aramark has widened its collegiate footprint through new partnerships with Florida State University and Texas State University. Through an expanded partnership with FSU, a member of the ACC, Aramark will be the foodservice provider for Florida State athletics, providing game-day hospitality services across 13 competition venues and overseeing culinary operations in student-athlete dining facilities. At Texas State University, which recently joined the Pac-12, Aramark is supporting enhancements designed to broaden both the Bobcat fan experience and student-athlete performance.
Ticketmaster Becomes Partner of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027
FIBA and Ticketmaster have announced a new partnership naming Ticketmaster the official ticketing partner of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027. Through the partnership, Ticketmaster will deliver a fully digital ticketing experience for FIBA’s flagship men’s event. Powered by Ticketmaster’s SafeTix technology, tickets will be securely embedded within the tournament’s official mobile app. Ticketmaster will also service venue access across all four competition venues using TM Entry and provide on-site support throughout the tournament.
PRODUCTS
AEG and Archer to Develop Vertiport at L.A. LIVE
AEG and Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) announced a collaboration to develop downtown Los Angeles’ first vertiport—a vertical takeoff and landing site for electric air taxis—at L.A. LIVE, AEG’s four-million-square-foot sports and entertainment district in downtown LA. The agreement, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, names Archer as the exclusive air taxi partner of L.A. LIVE. Designed for local, point-to-point urban air taxi travel, the goal of Archer’s planned LA network is to enable people to move across the city in just 10 to 20 minutes aboard Archer’s Midnight aircraft.
Alpharetta City Council Approves North Point Rezoning
The Alpharetta City Council voted to approve the vision to transform North Point Mall into a sports-adjacent, mixed-use entertainment district. The proposal, led by real estate and placemaking firm Jamestown on behalf of site owner New York Life and in partnership with Machete Group, includes a 20,000-seat NHL-ready arena, 4,000-seat music hall and performing arts center, 2,000-seat community hockey rink, 1,100-seat movie theater, 35,000-square-foot hotel conference center, and up to 650 rooms across two hotel buildings. The project also includes approximately 565,000 square feet of retail and dining, 750,000 square feet of office, 1,385 for-rent multifamily units, and more than 20 acres of publicly accessible parks, plazas and multi-use trails.
Josh Allen Launches Limited-Edition Wonderful Pistachios Bag
Wonderful Pistachios is launching its limited-edition Josh Allen packaging, bringing the NFL star quarterback and pistachio company into homes on its flagship 16-ounce roasted & salted in-shell pistachios. The new packaging builds on Allen’s partnership with Wonderful Pistachios, which also includes new national TV ads airing this fall, social content and the renewal of the Josh Allen Scholarship, a program that supports first-generation college students in California’s Central Valley, where Allen was born and raised.
PURCHASES
DAZN to Acquire EverPass Media
DAZN announced its agreement to acquire EverPass Media, marking the full global launch of DAZN for Business, a dedicated media platform serving bars, restaurants, hotels and other commercial venues across the world. Founded in 2023 by 32 Equity and RedBird Capital Partners, EverPass is a “purpose-built media and technology platform that partners with rightsholders, distribution partners and business owners to unlock access to premium live events and drive business growth.” Alex Kaplan, CEO of EverPass, will continue to lead the business as well as take on a larger role within DAZN. RedBird Capital Partners, 32 Equity and TKO Group Holdings will become minority shareholders in DAZN.
Caddix Adds Baltimore Ravens WR Ja’Kobi Lane as New Investor
Caddix, the cleat company that advertises “injury-reducing footwear” with its SmartStuds technology, announced that Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane has joined the company as an investor. The company said Lane turned down a payment to be a brand ambassador for top shoe and NFL-affiliated cleat companies to instead invest “a significant portion of his rookie salary” into Caddix.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 3: Grant Holmes #66 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the New York Mets in the second inning at Truist Park on July 3, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TGIF, folks. How are we feeling after that series sweep?
For most enjoyers of the sport, those three games were hailed as “good baseball.” Now that we’re on the other side of it, I agree, but it was a very stressful three nights. Brandon Gaudin wasn’t lying when he called it “a taste of October” – I forgot what that particular flavor of anxiety was like.
But here we are. The 79-55 Atlanta Braves will welcome two other NL West teams to Truist Park over the next four days. For this next three-game set, the Dodger blues in the opposing dugout will give way to the grays and purples of the Colorado Rockies.
Victims of being swept by the Braves themselves back in May, the Rockies come to our place 30 games under .500 (52-82) with Purple Row readers pondering how/if they’ll avoid another 100 loss season.
Big flashing warning sign for the 2026 Braves, who have played winning teams tough with a 37-23 record. But for teams we should beat… not quite as successful. While getting swept in Minnesota feels fainter now, it certainly still lingers.
The Braves are looking to keep the good vibes rolling and extend their win streak to five behind Grant Holmes (8-5, 3.64 ERA). Holmes has gone six innings in three of his four outings in August, and each were quality starts versus the Marlins, Yankees, and Chicago White Sox. The one blow-up was the 3.2 innings and six earned runs against the Diamondbacks here at home on August 15. But he’s rocking a 2.49 ERA on the month. Another quality start could help his case to stay in the rotation with Reynaldo López set to return soon. If not? For the hundredth time this season… get ready to learn bullpen, buddy.
The majority of Colorado’s hitters have seen Holmes, with the exception of Zac Veen, Cole Carrigg, and Brett Sullivan. Hunter Goodman and Connor Norby lead the team with six total ABs. Goodman and Troy Johnston each have a double off him, and Mickey Moniak has the lone home run.
The Braves will face yet another Japanese starting pitcher. Right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (12-7, 4.96 ERA), was teammates with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Team Japan at the World Baseball Classic. He’s a new face for the Braves as they’d never faced him in his debut season in 2025 as a Baltimore Oriole. Prior to that, he was an ace for twelve seasons with the Yomiuri Giants.
In his seven-pitch arsenal, he leads with the split-finger, followed closely by the four seamer and sinker. He’ll also mix in a cutter, sweeper, slider, and occasional curveball. The big red bar on his Baseball Savant page? His walk rate is in the top 7% of MLB. But he’s been hard-hit in his last two outings: in eight innings (5.0 vs. LA, 3.0 vs. CLE), he was tagged for 16 hits and 12 runs (11 earned). It’d be nice if the Braves could build on the offensive signs of life we’d seen in the Dodgers series.
Lane Thomas and Dominic Smith are the only Braves with any experience against Sugano. Dom is hitless with a K in two ABs, and Thomas is 1-for-6.
It’s not another high-octane battle between two first-place teams for a bye, but win number 80 on the season and a five-game win streak are at stake. So play them just as tough, Braves, please and thank you.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, August 28, 7:15 p.m. ET
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
TV: BravesVision
Streaming: MLB.tv
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
Week 3 of the preseason is often when teams begin resting starters, and that will be the case Friday at 6 p.m. ET, with backups expected to handle most of the workload.
Baltimore, however, still has an unsettled QB2 competition. With the Ravens priced as 60-cent favorites at Kalshi, that quarterback battle is at the center of my Commanders vs. Ravens prediction.
Let's dive into my NFL picks and head into the regular season with some extra cash in our bankroll.
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TOP PICK
Who will win Commanders vs Ravens: Ravens -2.5
Kalshi probability: 53%
Dan Quinn noted Jayden Daniels will take his snaps and own a heavier workload during joint practices against the Baltimore Ravens, which suggests he won't play in Week 3 of the preseason.
Huntley and Fagnano have carried the Ravens to a 2-0 record in the preseason, combining for 486 yards on 48 of 64 attempts. Let's watch them do the job for us one more time against the Commanders' backups.
Want more of my plays? I have you covered in my NFL moneyline picks for every Week 3 preseason game/
Commanders vs Ravens Over/Under pick: Under 34.5
Kalshi probability: 53%
While I trust the quarterbacks in Baltimore in the preseason finale, I have next to zero faith in Hartman and Kaliakmanis, who have yet to combine for even one touchdown pass so far through two weeks.
While defensive starters will be rested, the Ravens' defensive scheme has reigned supreme, allowing just 10 points across two weeks.
On the other side, the Commanders' defense has been serviceable, allowing just three touchdowns. Overall, these two teams are 4-0 to the Under in the preseason; let's watch it hit one more time.
I'd price this closer to 58 cents, so I'll hit the button.
We'll have a perfect night of football on Friday night, with temperatures reaching 84 degrees Fahrenheit under a partly cloudy sky.
How to watch Commanders vs Ravens
Location
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD
Date
Friday, Aug. 28, 2026
Kickoff
6 p.m. ET
TV
NFL Network
Commanders vs Ravens latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
In what was a busy offseason, the Philadelphia Flyers re-signed almost all of their free agents, but one forward who played a key role for the team down the stretch is now a solid option for one of the NHL's powerhouses.
On Wednesday, the Edmonton Oilers announced in a press release that forwards Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark, goalie Frederik Andersen, and defenseman Alec Regula are all expected to miss training camp next month due to injury, putting a massive dent in the Stanley Cup hopeful's depth with little time left before the season.
Arguably the most considerable loss for the Oilers is Janmark, who has been a two-way, bottom-six staple for Edmonton for several seasons now.
Janmark, 33, underwent season-ending surgery back on March 6, and started 62.9% of his even-strength shifts in the defensive zone in the 43 games he did manage to play in.
Savoie, 22, emerged as a penalty-killer, too, and scored twice shorthanded for Edmonton last year in what was his first full NHL season. It's unclear when Janmark will be back, but Savoie isn't expected to be out terribly long, according to GM Stan Bowman.
Still, the Oilers will need another forward to start the season, and that's where free agent Flyers forward Luke Glendening comes in.
Flyers' Glendening could get one last chance to play for a contender
Flyers center Luke Glendening and Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin battle on a faceoff. (Photo: Kyle Ross, Imagn Images)
Glendening, 37, is one of three remaining free agent forwards who played at least 100 minutes on the penalty kill last season, featuring in that role for both New Jersey in Philadelphia.
The wily vet salvaged his season with the Flyers after being claimed on waivers from New Jersey, scoring five points in 18 games with Philadelphia after recording just four in 52 games with the Devils.
Glendening was part of a formidable fourth line formed by the Flyers and head coach Rick Tocchet, playing alongside Garnet Hathaway and Sean Couturier and occasionally drawing in as a center to take faceoffs for matchup purposes.
Notably, Glendening has played 100 or more minutes on the penalty kill in every year of his NHL career, and while Father Time is beginning to catch up, Glendening was still able to handle a whopping 76.3% defensive zone start rate with the Flyers.
The Oilers could do worse than an experienced, battle-tested Glendening who proved he still has something left in the tank to close out the 2025-26 season.
It helps, too, that the unsigned Flyers forward is a right-shot, like Savoie, and has the versatility to play on the wing if and when needed. The offensive upside is null and void, but the Oilers can leave that up to Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard, and Leon Draisaitl in the interim.
The Flyers were previously considering bringing Glendening back earlier in the offseason, but the addition of free agent Noel Acciari makes that unlikely in the absence of any injuries to the Flyers' forward group.
So, if this is it for Glendening and the Flyers, the Oilers are a logical next step for the 13-year NHL veteran.
The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.
Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games.
12. Adam Kleber – Defense (Minnesota-Duluth – NCAA)
Kleber was the Sabres second-round pick at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas. The Chaska, MN native played his amateur hockey in Minnesota and two years in the USHL with Lincoln before being selected 42nd overall with a pick obtained from the San Jose Sharks when Buffalo traded down from 11th to 14th overall.
Where will Connor Hellebuyck end up?
The 6’6”, 214 lb. right-handed blueloiner is defensive-minded, something that will be a good fit down the road with a Sabres blueline that is predominantly left-handed and offensive-minded. The 20-year-old possesses above-average skating ability and good awareness and habits in his own zone, skills that project him to be an effective penalty killer down the line, but at the Sabres Development camp earlier this summer, he showed some offensive ability as well.
In his freshman year at Minnesota-Duluth, Kleber had just five points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 33 games, but was part of Team USA’s gold medal-winning squad at the 2025 World Junior Championships, and again played for Team USA last December. His offensive totals slightly picked up as a sophomore, and after his junior season, it is likely that the Sabres will try to get him signed to an entry-level deal.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 26: Head coach Dave Canales of the Carolina Panthers looks on during a joint practice with the Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers Practice Fields on August 26, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Matt Kelley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
78% of Carolina Panthers fans will be disappointed in head coach Dave Canales’ decision to hold starters out of tonight preseason finale against the Houston Texans. There is always a debate between keeping your guys healthy and getting them enough experience to be ready for Week 1. Canales has always erred on the side of caution in that debate. His Panthers teams are also 2-6 in September over his first two years as a head coach.
22% of y’all agree with his decision to rest starters while another 22% want them to play a full half. 9% want more than that while a near majority, at 47% of fans, want to see the starters play the first quarter.
This data came off of a one question survey and obviously doesn’t capture a whole lot of nuance. I want to see y’all down in the comments between now and kick off arguing for your vote. If you want them to play a whole game, tell us why their experience and risk matters more than evaluating the bottom of the roster guys who are getting their last time to shine tonight. If you want to see no time at all, I want to hear why another slow start to the regular season is a worthy risk.
Sign up, scroll down, and sound off to share your opinion.
Asa Montgomery, one of the summer’s biggest risers, is taking an official visit to LSU this weekend, sources told Rivals.
The 6-foot-7 small forward out of Hillgrove High School (GA) is now ranked as the No. 15 overall recruit in the 2027 class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.
Montgomery, a high-four prospect, led the Nike EYCL Circuit in scoring this summer, averaging 27.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game for AOT.
In addition to the Tigers, he’s received offers Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, UConn, Louisville, Florida, Alabama, Houston, Auburn, Arkansas, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, and more.
Scouting Asa Montgomery + what he’s looking for in a school
Rivals National Recruiting Analyst Jamie Shaw has evaluated Montgomery multiple times in person. Here’s what he had to say about him after watching him in July:
In the most recent 2027 Rivals150 update Asa Montgomery jumped to No. 15 overall. The length and explosive 6-foot-7 forward has had as much success as anyone through the spring and summer. On Wednesday night, Montgomery was able to do whatever he wanted on the court. He showcased his handle, creating advantages for himself and his team. He knocked down multiple threes, both off the catch and the bounce. And he displayed top-level-type explosive burst finishing above the rim.
The upside remains very high with Montgomery, but with that upside comes the current level of production he is seeing. A lengthy and explosive wing with positional size and three-level scoring ability is intriguing. Especially when you also look at his defensive upside. Montgomery has been one of the steepest spring risers, and I don’t expect that to change in the coming week.
In a previous interview with Rivals, Montgomery discussed what he is looking for in a college program.
“I want to go to a family-oriented team. A tight team, and I want to play for a coach that can help me develop and who will put me in the right situations for where I am trying to go.”
Ohio State Buckeyes guard Taison Chatman (3) and forward Devin Royal (21) fight for a loose ball with USC Trojans guard Kam Woods (13) during the first half of the NCAA men's basketball game at the Schottenstein Center on Feb. 11, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Happy Friday, and welcome to another heart-stopping, breathtaking edition of “You’re Nuts.” Specifically, this is the hoops-related version — despite college football being mere hours away, we at Land-Grant Holy Land will continue to sprinkle in the basketball-related content wherever we see fit, even during the lean, dark days of the off-season.
The Buckeyes are back on campus, and on top of that, the Ohio State men’s team made a late-summer addition to the roster in 6-foot-9 power forward Lee Aaliya. Aaliya, who turns 22 in November, has played professionally in Argentina for multiple seasons, and actually was committed to play for Juwan Howard at Michigan in 2023. That never materialized for whatever reason, with Michigan coaches citing “logistical” issues, including visa problems and friction with the University of Michigan admissions office.
Aaliya is not expected to be a “project” player or someone who will take several months to acclimate to this level of basketball. He will have an opportunity to compete for minutes right away, despite not having been with the team for summer practices or the team’s trip to Puerto Rico, where they beat two local professional teams by a combined 80 points. Aaliya is considered more of a post player who is more explosive around the rim, not around the three-point line. He will likely log some minutes at power forward and center.
Last week, Connor and Justin predicted Ohio State’s record in the non-conference portion of the schedule, since that part of the schedule has officially been published on the team’s website. The guys were pretty close, with Connor picking Ohio State to go 10-2 in those 12 games, with losses to UConn and Vanderbilt. Justin picked them to go 9-3 in those 12 games, with losses to UConn, Vanderbilt, and BYU.
Full transparency — news is slow right now in the men’s basketball world, unless you’re interested in talking about lawsuits, temporary restraining orders, and 20-something’s trying to play another season when they should probably be updating their resumes.
For that reason, we’re backing up a few months and revisiting the group of players who transferred out of Ohio State in the spring. Five guys left Ohio State — Devin Royal (Villanova), Taison Chatman (Utah), Colin White (Akron), Gabe Cupps (UIC), and Mathieu Grujicic (Radford). Which guy do you think set themselves up for the most success in their new program?
This week’s question: Which outgoing Ohio State transfer will have the most success with their new team?
Connor: Taison Chatman
Unlike the other four guys, there’s a real chance that Taison Chatman becomes one of — if not the — key player in his team’s offense. Especially after the news earlier this week that former Israeli basketball star Noam Yaacov won’t be allowed to play at Utah, this Running Utes’ roster is looking pretty bleak.
Utah went 10-22 last year overall and 2-16 in conference play, and there’s not a ton of confidence that they’ll be a whole lot better this season. Chatman projects as the starting shooting guard for Utah this season, which means in his fourth year of college basketball, the 6-foot-4 guard will finally have a wide open lane to a starting role, consistent minutes, and a large role in an offense.
Last season from January 26 onward, Chatman averaged just over 7.2 points per game while playing 21.7 minutes per game in those final 13 games. He’s a career 43.8% shooter, 42.4% from beyond the arc, and better than 80% from the free throw line.
Fair or unfair, Chatman was really never given the opportunity at Ohio State to be a featured guy. Would those shooting numbers hold steady if Chatman was taking nine shots per game instead of the three per game he took last season? That question is going to be answered this season for Chatman, because nothing will be stopping him from playing a boatload of minutes for second-year Utes coach Alex Jensen. I think Chatman is going to easily score 10 points per game this year in the Big 12, and perhaps even more if Utah finds a way to get out of the basement of their own conference.
Justin: Devin Royal
Devin Royal transferred to Villanova for his senior season after spending three seasons at Ohio State. Being a kid from Columbus and a large contributor for the Buckeyes for his career, it was a bummer to see Royal hit the transfer portal, but it wasn’t unexpected.
With the emergence of Amare Bynum last season and five-star freshman Anthony Thompson joining the team. There were two starting spots for three guys, and Royal seemed like the odd man out from the jump. He only has one season of college basketball left, and I doubt he wants to spend that coming off the bench after two years of being a starter.
Last season, Royal averaged 13.7 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, and 1.6 assists per game. For his career, he averages 10.6 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game in 96 games played.
Things were rocky with Ohio State a couple of times, but for the most part, Royal was great for the Buckeyes and is easily the best player who hit the portal. He will go to Villanova and likely average somewhere in between 12 and 15 points per game and could be an All-Conference type player.
It’s the last podcast before we get back into the in-season flow next week. Today, we’re answering listener questions as we get ready for what would seem to be an extremely promising 2026-27 U of L athletics season.
