Author: NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

The Buffalo Bills close out their 2026 NFL preseason schedule with a home tilt against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Head coach Joe Brady has said some starters will play this evening, but that quarterback Josh Allen will not be among that group. Despite anyone’s insistence that Allen and the offense need as many reps as reasonably possible, the best news is that Allen won’t be put in harm’s way on the field this evening.

Instead, look for quarterback Shane Buechele taking all the offensive snaps tonight. Despite a game that’s meaningless in the box score, it’s a very important game for a lot of guys on the field of play. Who plays when and for how long tends to go a long way towards their path to a roster spot. At least that was true in prior seasons under former head coach Sean McDermott.

All of Bills Mafia wants tonight’s game to come and go as quickly as possible, and with little necessary drama attached. That said, there are a lot of intriguing story lines to watch for, perhaps none bigger in this game than that of second-year cornerback Maxwell Hairston. With a defensive scheme change, are Hairston’s days as a starter numbered, or can he succeed as needed in man-cover looks and hold back rookie cornerback Davison Igbinosun? Tonight could tell us a lot about Hairston’s immediate future whether he doesn’t play, or plays and plays a lot of snaps.

There’s a battle at running back behind James Cook III, Ty Johnson, and Ray Davis. Obviously each of that trio has a lock on starting snaps, however a pair of young running backs in Frank Gore Jr. and Ian Wheeler will do their best to earn significant consideration for the regular season and beyond. Is this Gore’s year despite the noise that Wheeler’s tracks have made?

The top of the wide receiver depth chart seems fairly settled, but there are a lot of options to consider behind starting wideouts DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, and Joshua Palmer. Keep your eyes on rookies Skyler Bell, Ja’Mori Maclin, and Max Tomczak, plus veteran receivers Mecole Hardman Jr., Trent Sherfield, Stephen Gosnell, Dante Pettis, and Quentin Skinner — especially when and where each player takes snaps against the Steelers.

On defense, focus on how defensive tackle Greg Gaines is deployed, and what his contributions bring to Buffalo’s trenches. Plus, is the battle at linebacker settled? Will the Bills march on with Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams as the team’s starting inside ‘backers, or will Kaleb Elarms-Orr, Joe Andreessen, Keonta Jenkins, Jimmy Ciarlo, Theron Gaines, or even Otis Reese IV give new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard pause before naming starters inside?

There are a lot of guys battling for a spot at outside linebacker/edge rusher behind Greg Rousseau, Bradley Chubb, and Michael Hoecht. Will rookie EDGE players in TJ Parker and Cade Denhoff make a move up the chart this evening, or will it be Javon Solomon? What about veteran defenders like Mike Danna and Andre Jones Jr.?

With that, here’s your open thread for all of tonight’s action during Bills vs. Steelers. Remember, we only have one game thread for each matchup this season so you can sit tight in this space all game long. As always, be kind to one another — and in all things… Go Bills!

The San Jose Sharks have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, and they added quite a bit of talent to it this summer. Over the next few weeks, we'll be taking a look at their top 20 prospects and how they project to impact the organization in the long-run.

Note: Due to the lack of consistency for what constitutes a prospect, for this list we're excluding anyone who is no longer considered a rookie by the NHL. As a result, players like Igor Chernyshov will not be included. 

Kicking off the countdown is a bit of a polarizing player, Alexander Karmanov isn't expected to be an impact player at the NHL level, if he ever plays an NHL game at all. With that being said, if he's able to overcome the odds and develop perfectly, he could become one of the most unique players in league history. 

Karmanov was the Sharks' 201st overall selection this past summer, and realistically there were a few players who could've overtaken him on this list, but I opted to include him simply due to the intrigue of his development. As a 7-foot-1 defenseman, if he plays a single NHL game, he'll make history as the tallest player in league history. 

With that being said, it's going to take a lot of effort and coaching to even give Karmanov a slight chance to make it to the show, to put it simply. His skating leaves quite a bit to be desired:

Karmanov is a huge human pic.twitter.com/yE5GvB5Cm7

— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) June 30, 2026

On top of that, the NHL is faster than ever and Karmanov's game certainly isn't defined by blazing speed. If he's able to become even a below-average skater though, his size and reach could make him an interesting prospect to watch as he reaches the ECHL and potentially the American Hockey League. 

With that being said, Karmanov's size gives him a major advantage if he happens to be in the right place at the right time. His reach significantly limits options for opposing players and makes it very difficult to get around him. 

"Even without speed, all he has to do is get in the way of an incoming rusher, or lean on them as he's skating back to his zone, to erase them from the play," Lauren Kelly wrote in a scouting report for Elite Prospects. "He angles well with his stick, checking and poking at puck carriers or disrupting passing lanes."

It's very difficult to really see where Karmanov's ceiling is at this stage, as he's such a unique prospect. More than likely, he'll top-out as an AHL or ECHL level defenseman, but if he's able to somehow make it to the NHL, he could be a very effective stay-at-home defenseman, assuming his skating allows him to keep up with the opposition. Regardless, we'll see where he ends up, but it'll likely be quite a while before we even see him in the conversation for a role at any professional level.

The Arizona Cardinals will play the Green Bay Packers Friday night at Lambeau Field in the first “LaFleur Bowl.” It could be coined the “Melton Bowl,” as Max Melton is a cornerback for the Cardinals while his brother Bo Melton is a Packers receiver.

Newly minted head coach Mike LaFleur of the Cardinals will face off against his older brother Matt, head coach of the Packers. The two have faced off twice when Mike was the OC of the Los Angeles Rams, but this will mark the first time the siblings have squared off while each was an NFL head coach.

RELATED:CARDINALS ACTIVATE SWEAT

Traditionally, NFL teams do not play any starters in the final preseason game. The coaching staff already knows what they have with their starting players, and the big question marks are involved within the bottom third of the roster.

“The Turk” arrives on Sunday, August 30, as NFL teams must announce their 53-man rosters. Currently, teams can have as many as 90 guys in camp. The difficult aspect for the coaches is to find out which players to retain. No coach wants to cut a guy who becomes a valued member of another franchise at some point. Think Kurt Warner.

With this in mind, how many starters on offense, defense, and special teams will be playing?

The Arizona version of LaFleur answered that question and stated that none of the starters will play. That includes rookie RB Jeremiyah Love, who is still nursing an ankle injury.

As far as the quarterback room, only Gardner Minshew and Kedon Slovis will play. Rookie Carson Beck hasn’t thrown a pass in any recent practice as he is healing from a rib injury he suffered in the Hall of Fame Game and has been sidelined ever since. Because Jacoby Brissett is the starting QB, he will not even suit up.

Although we stated that none of the other starters will play, well, that just might be incorrect. It is possible to see DE Josh Sweat out there for a couple of series. He hasn’t been practicing and has zero snaps in the three other exhibition games. Perhaps the coaching staff will want him to dust off the rust a bit. Then again, they could just sit him and let the Week 1 outing become his dust-off.  

LaFleur did touch a bit on Sweat despite him getting in only one workout:

“It was great to have him out there. When you get some of those pieces out there, you can feel it with the other guys, too. They were happy to see him again. He’s according to plan. It’s right on schedule in terms of when he was going to get out there. He’ll be out there again today doing some individual drills, and we’ll just kind of take it one practice at a time.”

This match will be strictly for jobs. The game will feature backup players, rookies, and roster bubble candidates fighting for final spots on both sides of the ball before roster cuts. That includes backup punter Jack Browning, who played for the Orlando Storm of the UFL this past spring.

How to catch the game

Watch

@ 7:00 p.m. (Eastern), 4:00 p.m. (Mountain)

Arizona Family / KPHO Ch. 3

ABC/NBC affiliates in the Packers broadcast regions: WKOW

NFL+

Outside the USA: NFL Game Pass

Listen

Cardinals Radio Network 98.7 FM

Packers Radio Network

SiriusXM NFL Radio

Latino Mix 100.3 FM KQMR

Stream

NFL+

Cardinals Mobile App

azcardinals.com “Watch Live”

On Thursday, the Indianapolis Colts announced that they have re-signed longtime punter Rigoberto Sanchez to a contract extension that will currently make him one of the top five highest paid punters in the NFL:

Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, it’s confirmed to be a 2-year contract extension, which will keep the otherwise pending free agent punter, in Indianapolis through the 2028 campaign.

Originally signed by the Colts as an undrafted rookie in 2017 out of Hawaii, the 9-year veteran has become one the league’s better punters, if not arguably among the best players at his position.

While Sanchez may not have quite the booming leg of some of elite punting peers, he makes up for it with his elite accuracy and ball placement off his leg, as 50% of his punts were pinned with the 20-yard line last season (which was a career high). His punting skill-set plays really well with half his games inside a roof under Lucas Oil Stadium, where he can play the home turf to his punting advantage.

Last season, he had 44 punts for the Colts, averaging 48.8 yards per punt (*8th most in the NFL in 2025), as well as handled a few kickoffs (9) in relief for Indianapolis’ special teams units. Per PFF, he was their 9th best graded punter with a +76.7 overall grade.

Even though Sanchez surprisingly hasn’t made a Pro Bowl yet, it’s good to see that the Colts will be keeping one of their longstanding special teams standouts in Indianapolis for at least three more seasons.

U.S. Olympic gold-medal goalie Connor Hellebuyck confirmed that he has requested a trade from the Winnipeg Jets.

In a statement released by his agent, Ray Petkau, on Thursday, Aug. 27, Hellebuyck said, "Several months ago, I privately requested a trade. I have tried to handle the situation quietly and respectfully while giving the organization time to explore its options. With training camp approaching, I felt it was important to publicly confirm my request. My position has not changed, and I believe moving on is the best path forward for me and my family.

"I appreciate everything Winnipeg Jets fans have meant to me throughout my career and hope that a resolution can be reached soon."

Statement from Connor Hellebuyck: pic.twitter.com/hW8sNw1LJi

— Ray Petkau (@RayPetkau) August 27, 2026

The Jets put out a statement in response to Hellebuyck's trade request.

“Connor has been open with us about his desire for a change," general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said. "He has been an important part of the Winnipeg Jets organization for many years and we have tremendous respect for what he has accomplished here. While we will continue to work through the situation in a thoughtful manner, there is no update at this time.”

What Connor Hellebuyck trade request means

Hellebuyck's confirmation means a game-changing goalie is on the market. He is a three-time Vezina Trophy winner who won the award for outstanding goalie back-to-back in 2024 and 2025. He was voted the Hart Trophy winner in 2025.

He also was named the best goaltender at the 2026 Winter Olympics and was particularly strong in the championship game, making 41 saves in a 2-1 overtime win against Canada that gave the USA its first gold medal since 1980. He wasn't as strong in the regular season as the Jets missed the playoffs one season after having the league's best record.

The goalie is entering the third year of a seven-year deal that averages $8.5 million a year.

The Jets signed Stuart Skinner to a two-year deal in the offseason and he would be the No. 1 goalie in Winnipeg unless the team lands a goaltender in a trade.

Baltimore’s second preseason game didn’t produce much offense on the scoreboard, but it gave us a better look at several young players who had smaller roles during the opener. Against Minnesota, Josh Cuevas showed why his athleticism and versatility make him an intriguing developmental tight end, offensive tackle Diego Pounds continued to strengthen his case for a roster spot with an impressive performance in the run game, and seventh-round guard Evan Beernsten finally received his first extended opportunity of the preseason.

TE Josh Cuevas (Round 5, No. 173 overall)

36 snaps | 21 receiving | 13 run blocking | 2 pass blocking

Cuevas’ 36 snaps against Minnesota gave Baltimore an opportunity to use him in several different roles. That allowed the fifth-round pick to show the athleticism and versatility that made him an intriguing addition to the tight end room.

The most noticeable part of his performance was what he offered as a receiver. Cuevas flashed his straight-line speed on an underneath drag route, turning a short completion into a 23-yard gain once he got into space. That ability to create yards after the catch is an important part of his evaluation. Baltimore can manufacture opportunities for him underneath and allow his athleticism to take over once the ball is in his hands.

Cuevas also showed good awareness against zone coverage, understanding when to settle into open space rather than continuing to run himself into coverage. He also showed the ability to elevate and attack the football vertically, while making a difficult contested catch in traffic.

His effort as a blocker was another encouraging part of the performance. Cuevas isn’t going to consistently overwhelm defenders with raw power, but the willingness is there. He competed through contact and continued working to stay attached to defenders.

That matters for a player whose athleticism naturally makes him more appealing as a receiving tight end. The more functional he becomes as a blocker, the less predictable Baltimore becomes when he is on the field.

Postgame takeaway: Cuevas’ Week 2 performance provided a good look at his receiving profile. He found openings against zone coverage, picked up yards after the catch, and competed at the catch point. The effort he showed as a blocker was equally important. Cuevas doesn’t need to become a dominant in-line blocker, but becoming reliable enough in that area would give Baltimore considerably more freedom in how it deploys him.

OT Diego Pounds (undrafted free agent)

20 snaps | 10 pass blocking | 0 pressures allowed | 92.9 PFF run-blocking grade | 95.7 zone-blocking grade

Pounds’ pass protection stood out during Baltimore’s preseason opener, but against Minnesota, it was his work in the run game that became the most impressive part of his performance.

Pounds looked particularly natural working within Baltimore’s zone concepts. He showed the ability to run the train tracks, stay square while moving laterally and reach his landmarks without sacrificing control. His movement skills allowed him to get into position before contact, and once engaged, he showed enough power to displace defenders and create movement out of his gap.

The effort after initial contact continued to stand out as well. On one rep, Pounds stayed attached to his defender and drove him roughly 15 yards downfield. Plays like that don’t necessarily tell us much about his technical development, but they do show the temperament Baltimore wants from its offensive linemen. Pounds consistently looks to finish rather than simply completing his assignment and moving on.

The grading reflected how effective he was. Pounds received a 92.9 PFF run-blocking grade, including a 95.7 grade on zone runs. More importantly, the film supported why those numbers were so high. His movement skills and comfort blocking in space make him a natural fit for what Baltimore is asking its offensive line to do.

Postgame takeaway: Pounds continues to strengthen his case for a spot on Baltimore’s 53-man roster. Allowing zero pressures was another positive step in pass protection, but his comfort operating in space in the run game was the story of Week 2. Given the Ravens’ lack of established offensive tackle depth, Pounds is putting together the type of preseason that could make him difficult to leave off the roster.

G Evan Beernsten (Round 7, No. 253 overall)

8 snaps | 77.6 offensive grade, third-highest on team

After not getting much of an opportunity during the preseason opener, Baltimore finally gave Beernsten his first real look against Minnesota. Eight snaps obviously isn’t enough to make any definitive conclusions, but there were still a few traits that immediately translated from his college tape.

The first was his hand quickness. Beernsten fired his hands immediately after the snap and consistently looked to initiate contact rather than waiting for defenders to attack him. His punch timing was solid, and he showed an understanding of how to establish his hands early in the rep.

That initial contact is important for Beernsten because he isn’t going to win consistently through overwhelming length or raw physical tools. His game has to be built around technique, timing and positioning.

We saw some of that against Minnesota. Beernsten was quick out of his stance, established contact early and generally looked comfortable during his limited workload. He ultimately finished with Baltimore’s third-highest offensive PFF grade, an encouraging result considering these were his first meaningful preseason snaps.

The difficult part of his evaluation is opportunity. Baltimore has already given several other young offensive linemen significantly larger workloads this preseason, leaving Beernsten with very little time to separate himself before roster decisions are made. Eight snaps can give the coaching staff something to build on, but it isn’t enough on its own to dramatically change the roster picture.

Postgame takeaway: Beernsten made the most of a very limited opportunity. His quick hands, punch timing and urgency off the snap were all encouraging, and finishing with Baltimore’s third-highest offensive PFF grade gave him a positive starting point. His biggest problem isn’t necessarily his performance—it’s the lack of remaining opportunities. Unless Beernsten produces an exceptional final preseason game, his path to the 53-man roster remains difficult. At this point, he may be playing more to establish himself as a developmental player Baltimore wants to keep around than to outright win a roster spot.

Final Thoughts

Baltimore’s offense didn’t generate many points against Minnesota, but Week 2 still provided useful information about several rookies fighting to establish roles.

Cuevas’ performance was encouraging because we saw more of the athleticism that gives him developmental upside as a receiving tight end. His 23-yard catch showed what he can provide after the catch, while his work against zone coverage and effort as a blocker demonstrated that his game isn’t entirely dependent on athletic traits.

Pounds continues to be one of the more interesting offensive developments of the preseason. After his pass protection stood out in Week 1, he showed how naturally his movement skills translate to Baltimore’s zone-running concepts against Minnesota. The 92.9 run-blocking grade and 95.7 zone grade were impressive, but the more important takeaway was how comfortable he looked reaching landmarks, creating displacement and finishing blocks downfield.

Beernsten finally got his opportunity, even if it was only eight snaps. His quick hands and timing showed up immediately, and he performed well enough to earn one of Baltimore’s highest offensive grades. The challenge now is turning a promising eight-snap sample into something significant enough to alter a difficult roster outlook.

Grades and other advanced stats via Pro Football Focus.

The way San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky handles rookies is well-documented at this stage. Outside of Macklin Celebrini, rookies often have limited ice time to start their first season, are occasionally healthy scratched to avoid fatigue, and have their playing time ramp up as the season progresses and they're more familiar with life in the NHL. We've seen it with Will Smith, Michael Misa, and Sam Dickinson, but is it really necessary for Ivar Stenberg?

Stenberg is different from the aforementioned prospects in a very important way, he's already been playing professional hockey. Last season between the Swedish Hockey League's regular season, playoffs and international play, Stenberg played a total of 77 hockey games. Unlike in the collegiate and major junior ranks, he also played on a schedule that was fairly similar to the NHL in terms of timing. Travel across North America will undoubtedly have a toll compared to the travel in Sweden, but it shouldn't be a major issue.

Talent-wise, Stenberg has already played against men, many of whom have NHL experience. Not only did he succeed in that environment, he had one of the best seasons by an 18-year-old in SHL history. He put himself in the same boat as the Sedin twins, Markus Naslund, and Tomas Sandstrom, all of whom went on to have phenomenal careers. None of those players immediately made the jump to the NHL, but times have changed. Stenberg has all of the required skills to thrive immediately. 

While there will be some major differences for Stenberg as he adapts to life in the United States, such as the smaller North American rink, for example, it's nothing that can't be worked through with game experience. Fatigue shouldn't be an issue, nor will be adapting to the level of play at the NHL level.

All things considered, while the Sharks may use a development plan for Stenberg simply because it's the precedent that they've set in recent years, it seems truly unnecessary in this situation. If he struggles at the NHL level, it could be implemented later on, or he could even spend some time in the American Hockey League. Right out of the gate though, the Sharks should put their faith in Stenberg and see if he sinks or swims. While the tide will be strong, Stenberg seems like he could pull through.

It is Day 17 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We are looking back at the 100 most iconic games in Dallas Cowboys history. The countdown will leads us right up to the opening game of 2026. Our look back doesn’t depend on just one criteria for our rankings. We take into consideration things like how big the game was for the organization, how memorable the game was, games that had unusual events take place, games that are a part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and games where the Cowboys just plain dominated. Variety is the spice of life and we have all different kind of Cowboys games to review. At the bottom, we’ll link each day of the countdown so you can go back and check out any you missed.

Here’s it is, Day 17 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, when we revisit the defensive masterpiece that sent Dallas to a second consecutive Super Bowl. After playing nearly three quarters without scoring, the Cowboys forced one mistake after another and transformed a tense NFC Championship Game into a complete dismantling of the Los Angeles Rams.

Sunday, January 7, 1979 — 5:00 p.m. ET

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 28, Los Angeles Rams 0

The matchup was steeped in history and filled with hostility. Both teams had finished 12-4, but Los Angeles held the home-field advantage and had defeated Dallas 27-14 at the Coliseum earlier that season. The Rams were determined to overcome years of postseason frustration, while the defending champion Cowboys sought their fifth Super Bowl appearance. 

The opening half was a defensive struggle, with Dallas unable to find a consistent rhythm against the Rams’ talented front. Meanwhile, Los Angeles squandered its best chances when Frank Corral missed two field goals. As a result, the teams entered halftime tied 0-0, leaving the conference championship undecided.

The Doomsday Defense turned the tide of the game midway through the third quarter. Charlie Waters intercepted Pat Haden and returned the ball to the Los Angeles 10-yard line. Five plays later, Tony Dorsett scored on a five-yard run, giving Dallas the first points of the afternoon. 

After Jackie Wallace’s punt return gave them possession at the Dallas 23, the Rams immediately threatened to respond. Los Angeles reached fourth-and-short at the 14, but Randy White and Larry Bethea stopped Jim Jodat before he could score. This pivotal stand preserved the lead and denied the Rams their best scoring opportunity to that point. 

Waters struck again near the end of the third quarter, intercepting another Haden pass and returning it to the Rams’ 20-yard line. During the play, Haden injured his throwing hand on Randy White’s helmet and left with a broken thumb. Just 58 seconds into the fourth quarter, Roger Staubach found Scott Laidlaw for a four-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 14-0.

Vince Ferragamo, the backup quarterback, briefly gave Los Angeles hope by connecting with Willie Miller for 65 yards to the Dallas 10. However, Cullen Bryant mishandled the handoff on the following play, and Harvey Martin recovered the fumble at the 11. The Rams had moved within sight of the end zone, only to leave without points once again.

Dallas’s next drive sealed the game. Dorsett burst through for 53 yards on the first play, amassing 70 yards in the ensuing 89-yard possession. Staubach capitalized with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Billy Joe DuPree, securing a commanding 21-0 lead for the Cowboys. 

Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson supplied the final exclamation point. After spending the week openly questioning whether the Rams could handle the moment, Henderson intercepted Ferragamo and returned the ball 68 yards for a touchdown with 1:19 remaining. His score completed the shutout and turned his pregame talk into one of the defining stories of the game. 

This game belongs on the countdown because it demonstrated the ruthless postseason quality of Landry’s Cowboys. Dallas absorbed everything the Rams offered during a difficult first half, remained patient and then punished every mistake after halftime. What began as a close defensive contest ended as one of the most decisive conference-title victories in franchise history.

Interesting Facts About the Game

Dallas wore its royal-blue jerseys, making this the franchise’s last playoff victory in a blue uniform until its Wild Card win at Tampa Bay following the 2022 season. 

Countdown to kickoff 

100, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 91, 90, 89, 88, 87, 86, 85, 84, 83, 82, 81, 80, 79, 78, 77, 76, 75, 74, 73, 72, 71, 70, 69, 68, 67, 66, 65, 64, 63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58, 57,56, 55, 54, 53, 52, 51, 50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31, 30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18