The rumor mill is continuing to swirl as we reach the slowest part of the offseason. Former San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane is currently a name popping up consistently, as he's now been linked to a move to Russia for the second time in his career.
According to Russian news outlet Sport-Express, Ak Bars Kazan is "considering signing" Kane. Beyond that, they didn't add many additional details.
A controversial figure throughout his career, Kane hit the free agent market this summer after a single season with the Vancouver Canucks. Given his agent Daniel Milstein's close ties to Russia's hockey system and players, it's certainly not overly surprising that there would be at least discussions with the Kontinental Hockey League regarding his services.
Kane, 35, spent parts of four seasons with the Sharks during the late 2010s and early 2020s. He spent five games with the Sharks' American Hockey League affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda during the 2021-22 season before the Sharks voided his contract due to a breach of contract pertaining to the COVID-19 protocols at the time.
During the 2012 NHL lockout, Kane played 12 games in the KHL with Belarussian club Dynamo Minsk. He scored just a single goal and two points in 12 games.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 06: Lane Thomas #20 of the Atlanta Braves (left), Michael Harris II #23, Jim Jarvis #74, Ronald Acuna Jr. #13, and Mauricio Dubón #14 celebrate after winning a game against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on August 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Join us and discuss today’s afternoon game in the comments below!
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 4: Colorado Rockies pitcher Nick Frasso pitches in his Major League debut during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Coors Field on August 4, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Gavin Liddell/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The trade deadline has come and gone, and we’ve had some time to reflect on the week. The Rockies made four total moves — three on Monday — and overall, the majority of the community gave the Rockies a passing grade for their moves.
81% of voters gave the Rockies a “good or satisfactory grade” for their performance. 4% gave them an A, which indicates excellent or outstanding work. 13% gave them a D, which indicates “below-average work,” while 2% gave them a failing grade.
Do you agree with the results? Do you still agree with your own vote? Let us know in the comments!
The Chicago Blackhawks have one of the best farm systems in the National Hockey League. When Kyle Davidson took over as the full-time GM in 2022, it was his goal to rebuild the organization through the draft.
Since then, they have made 11 first-round picks and countless selections in the second round or later. Not every one of them is going to pan out, but a certain percentage of them becoming full-time NHL players is what will make the rebuild successful.
As the off-season enters the later stages, meaning free agency is mostly done, there aren't many more trades to go, and things will quiet down for a few weeks before camps start to begin, this is a look at the top-10 prospects in Chicago's system:
1. Anton Frondell, FWD
Anton Frondell played a handful of games for the Chicago Blackhawks down the stretch in 2025-26, but not enough to come off the list as the top prospect in the organization. The former 3rd overall pick is still trying to figure out if he is a center or a wing in the long term, but it's becoming obvious that he has the potential to be a star two-way performer either way. Frondell has a booming shot to complement his playmaking ability, and he never takes a shift off of doing the right thing when it comes to his defensive responsibilities.
2. Roman Kantserov, FWD
Roman Kantserov is going to play in the NHL this season. There is also a high likelihood that leading the KHL in goals last year earned him a spot in the top six right off the bat. Whether it's with Connor Bedard or somewhere else, he is expected to be a high-end rookie goal scorer right away. Chicago hopes that Kantserov and Frondell take Calder Trophy votes away from each other.
3. Nick Lardis, FWD
Nick Lardis, like Frondell, played in the NHL last season. He played more than Frondell, but not enough to graduate off this list just yet. He did score at a 20-goal pace as a rookie, however, which suggests he will be a big part of Chicago's attack. After scoring an OHL-leading 71 goals one year before his rookie pro season, he made a name for himself as a high-end goal-scoring prospect. Now, there is an expectation that he will be a part of the Blackhawks' core.
4. Xavier Villenueve, D
The Chicago Blackhawks selected Xavier Villenueve in the second round of the 2026 NHL Draft. He fell farther than most would have thought, as he entered the event with a first-round grade. The Blackhawks managed to grab him, and now he is one of their top prospects. He may be number one on this list by this time next year, as long as he has a good d+1 year. Villenueve profiles like some of the young small defenseman who are elite playmakers to come before him. Lane Hutson is the obvious comparison, but that is a high bar. For the Blackhawks, they need him to have a big year at Boston University as their number-one point-producing defenseman.
5. Sacha Boisvert, FWD
Sacha Boisvert is a hard prospect to dissect. He was a dominant freshman at the University of North Dakota. Then, he transferred to Boston University because of a coaching change at North Dakota, and injuries/inconsistancies slowed him down. After his season ended, he signed with Chicago and played a handful of games. He scored a goal, made some plays, and had a fight, but it was clear that a lot of work was ahead of him before he would play in the NHL full time. A start in Rockford will be perfect for him. A lot has been made about the weight he's put on this off-season, which should help him elevate his playstyle.
6. Vaclav Nestrasil, FWD
Vaclav Nestrasil had a great year at UMass with his 31 points in 34 games played. It was an unexpected jump for a freshman coming into a much harder league. Where he really raised his stock, however, was at the 2025-26 World Junior Championships. He was the best player on Team Czechia, and that allowed them to capture a Silver Medal. After another crack at the NCAA season and World Juniors this winter, expect him to sign and play with Chicago at the end of the 2026-27 college season.
7. Marek Vanacker, FWD
Marek Vanacker was one of the OHL's leading goal scorers this past season, which was important to see after injuries derailed him one year prior. Now, the Blackhawks see him as one of the top goal scorers in their system. It was once thought that he could be a full-time NHL player in 2026-27, but additions to the team block that path for now. He will start with the Rockford IceHogs, which is actually best for his development. If things go well, he will get minutes in the NHL sooner rather than later. When he does get there, think of him as someone who could be the third forward on a line that snipes lots of goals because of the work done by two other playmakers.
8. Drew Commesso, G
Drew Commesso signed a contract extension this off-season. The first year is a two-way deal, which is Arvid Soderblom's final year on his current contract. If Commesso has a good year, he is in line to become the full-time backup in 2027-28, as that year is a one-way contract. If Soderblom lights the world on fire and Commesso struggles, that will change the plans, but Commesso has proven that becoming a starter in the NHL is a real possibility for him. He just has to work his way up.
9. Mason West, FWD
When the Blackhawks traded up to select Mason West, it was a bit of a risk. He was committed to playing out his senior year of football. He felt that he owed it to his community and teammates to attempt to win the Minnesota State Championship with Edina High School. He did just that. Now, the quarterback and multi-sport state champion is committed to hockey, which he hopes will lead him to the NHL. After finishing the hockey season in the USHL, he is set to play for Michigan State in 2026-27. A good year will skyrocket him up this list.
10. Adam Gajan, G
With Spencer Knight locked in as the starter for a long time ahead, the Blackhawks have Arvid Soderblom and Drew Commesso fighting for the role of permanent backup. Everyone wants to be a starter, but they all have to prove their worth as a backup first. Eventually, if they are great, another organization will make a play to bring them on as a full-timer. Adam Gajan is blocked for now, but his pedigree shows he will be in the mix eventually. He was the third-string for Team Slovakia at the Olympics, which came in the middle of an incredible year he had in college.
Honorable Mentions: AJ Spellacy, Jiri Felcman, John Mustard, Ryan Roobroeck, Julius Sumpf, Nathan Behm, & Gavin Hayes
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PHOENIX, AZ - AUGUST 07: Teoscar Hernández #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers runs to first base during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Friday, August 7, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Brendon Baranov/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Dodgers will turn to Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Saturday in hopes to end their seven-game losing streak, a stretch in which nothing really seems to match up properly.
Yamamoto pitched quite well last Saturday at home, allowing three runs in eight innings to the Boston Red Sox, but that was a game in which the Dodgers offense could only score twice. Much like Friday night in Arizona, Roki Sasaki allowed only two run in six innings and the Dodgers took a lead in the eighth inning, but a bad Edwin Díaz slider turned that into a loss, too.
The loss on Tuesday at Wrigley Field turned lopsided later, but that was another strong start wasted, with Tarik Skubal allowing only two runs in six frames in his Dodgers debut.
Major league teams are 803-358 (.692) when their pitcher provides a quality start this season. The Dodgers lead the majors with 61 quality start this season, 11 more than any other team, and that’s not even including the six hitless, scoreless innings Eric Lauer provided in bulk relief following an opener on June 22.
The Dodgers are 44-17 (.721) when receiving a quality start, but have lost three such games in the last week on this losing streak.
Offense has been a big culprit during the swoon, even dating back to July when the Dodgers were outscored during the month for just the third time in nine years. Through the end of June, the Dodgers averaged 5.36 runs per game, most in the majors, and hit .266/.347/.443 with a 118 wRC+, tops in the majors in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and wRC+.
Since July 1, the Dodgers offense has been entrenched well into the bottom half of the league:
Home runs aren’t the only way to score, of course, and the Dodgers have weirdly done quite well with runners in scoring position during the seven-game losing streak, hitting .273/.333/.500 with a 125 wRC+. But they have just 48 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, fourth-fewest in the majors at just under seven such PA per game. MLB teams as a whole average over 68 PA with runners in scoring position over the last eight days.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Brent Headrick #47 and Paul Blackburn #58 of the New York Yankees look on during spring training at Himes Complex on February 22, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At last Monday’s Trade Deadline, the Yankees had an opportunity to augment a bullpen that, despite ranking second in MLB in both ERA and xERA, seemingly had room for another high-end arm. Instead, GM Brian Cashman traded away Camilo Doval, Jake Bird, and Yovanny Cruz. The most charitable interpretation here is addition by subtraction. Doval and Bird — two of three relievers Cashman acquired at the 2025 deadline — had been major disappointments (while Cruz had made just four appearances this year and was more of a depth piece). Their ouster creates opportunities for others to take a step forward in the pecking order.
As I do each month in a given season, I’m going to take a look at the Yankees’ relievers to identify how manager Aaron Boone is deploying each and offer a verdict as to how much trust we can place in them moving forward using the following ranking system:
5: As confident as one can be in a reliever, the most fickle position in baseball
4: High degree of confidence, but some trepidation remains
3: Glass half full or glass half empty? The choice is yours
2: Major concerns here, though perhaps a glimmer of hope
1: Absolute zero — usually reserved for those with a minimal track record
Statistics below are from July 1-August 6.
The Closer
David Bednar
Recent stats: 14.2 IP, 1.23 ERA, 17 SO, 2.69 FIP, 9 Saves (in 9 opportunities)
Regardless of what happened at the deadline, with the possible exception of a Mason Miller acquisition, Bednar was going to remain the team’s closer, and for good reason. After an uneven start to the season, he’s allowed runs to score in just one of 25 outings since May 18th, a remarkable run of excellence that’s largely flown under the radar. In a bullpen that’s experienced some flux, he’s been low drama, exactly what you want out of your closer.
Confidence level: 5
Bednar is seventh among active players in saves, with everyone ahead of him older and longer tenured. The combination of his excellence this year and track record over his career makes him one of the most reliable closers in baseball.
The Set-Up Men
Brent Headrick
Recent stats: 18 IP, 1.00 ERA, 27 SO, 0.60 FIP
Over his first three seasons, Headrick pitched more at Triple-A than in the big leagues, appearing to be no more than a depth piece. This year? As Michael Baumann over at FanGraphs eloquently outlined on Thursday, he’s putting up one of the best reliever seasons in Yankees history. Among primary relievers, only Miller and Louis Varland have lower ERAs.
Confidence level: 5
I was skeptical of Headrick’s success early in the season, but he’s sustained this level of performance for long enough that it cannot be ignored. And his peripherals, including elite whiff and barrel rates, support that this is no fluke. He’s firmly entrenched in the late-inning mix, and rightfully so.
Paul Blackburn
Recent stats: 22.2 IP, 1.19 ERA, 23 SO, 4.24 FIP
Say what you will about the Yankees’ organization — they can take a washed up journeyman and turn him into a star reliever like no other team in baseball. Blackburn is the latest beneficiary of the Luke Weaver effect, transforming from a struggling swingman into a back-end option. After using him in long relief for most of the season, Boone has begun inserting him in the eighth, with strong early results.
Confidence level: 3.5
Blackburn deserves credit for his turnaround, but the jury’s still out on how sustainable it will be. While he’s not missing many bats, his 56.5 ground-ball rate suggests he may have a legitimate new formula. If he performs well in another month of high-leverage usage, I’ll feel much more confident he can be part of the path to Bednar moving forward.
The Middle Relievers
Fernando Cruz
Recent stats: 14 IP, 3.21 ERA, 14 SO, 5.10 FIP
After working as a set-up man, Cruz has been deployed recently as the first man out of the bullpen to bail out a fading starter to get to the late innings. Wherever Boone uses him, he knows what he’s getting: a pitcher with a one-of-a-kind splitter who both misses bats and issues walks as much as anyone in baseball.
Confidence level: 4
Cruz is a known quantity at this point. His energy on the mound and ability to dominate on his best day more than make up for the days when he loses the strike zone and works himself into trouble. He remains very much in the high-leverage picture.
Tim Hill
Recent stats: 11.2 IP, 5.40 ERA, 5 SO, 9.10 FIP
After a remarkably consistent run through nearly two years in New York, Hill’s bag of tricks has begun to wear out its welcome. Since May 12th, his ERA has ballooned from 1.00 to 4.40 as he’s allowed 21 runs (19 earned) in 25 innings. Unsurprisingly, he’s slipped out of the inner ring of Boone’s circle of trust.
Confidence level: 2.5
Hill’s numbers remain strong against lefties, maintaining his value as a lefty specialist. Otherwise, though, his stock has taken a major hit.
The Long Reliever
Ryan Yarbrough
Recent stats: 10 IP, 1.80 ERA, 5 SO, 4.89 FIP
It’s been an odd season for Yarbrough, who has performed well despite intermittent usage. His hard-hit rate of 22.5 percent tops MLB (Cruz is second) despite — or, perhaps, because of — throwing one of the slowest fastballs in the game. Of note for his recent stats: Yarbrough has allowed six unearned runs this month.
Confidence index: 2.5
Yarbrough is perfectly suited for his long relief role, giving a different look than any other Yankees pitcher while eating some lower-leverage innings.
This is where the Yankees’ bullpen starts to get scary. After moving Doval and Bird (and sending Angel Chivilli down to Triple-A), the Yankees promoted De los Santos, who had been getting absolutely torched at Triple-A. He does have a strong 2.84 ERA in 30 appearances with the Yankees over the past two seasons, but if the team had confidence that was indicative of his potential they’d have called him up earlier in the season.
Confidence level: 1
De los Santos has been useful as a Quadruple-A player, but the prospect of him becoming a mainstay in the bullpen is alarming. We’re one injury away from the 28-year-old starting to see action late in close games.
Kervin Castro
Recent stats: 3.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 5 SO, 1.90 FIP
Castro has earned his shot. After last pitching in the bigs for the Cubs in 2022, the Yankees took a flier on him last year and he excelled at Triple-A, a run of success he continued this year. Over both seasons, he posted a 1.63 ERA at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The early returns with the Yankees have been strong as well, with three scoreless outings since he was recalled in late July.
Confidence level: 1
I’d love to see Castro’s Cinderella story continue, but success at Triple-A does not always translate at the big-league level. He’ll need to show a lot more before he gains any trust in Boone’s bullpen pecking order.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The Cubs made three major acquisitions before Monday’s MLB Trade Deadline: starting pitchers Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes, and reliever Ryan Zeferjahn. These moves appear to be very positive in an effort to help bolster the oft-injured Cubs pitching staff.
Earlier this week I asked you to give a grade for Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer’s moves.
And in general, you approve:
That’s a huge vote of confidence in Hoyer, with 94 percent grading his moves at B or higher — and nearly a plurality with an “A” vote, very close to the number who chose “B”.
I can’t explain the one percent giving Hoyer a failing grade. Can you?
Here are the results of the two national questions asked in the SB Nation Reacts survey this week.
This vote, I presume, assumes that Tarik Skubal will somehow singlehandedly put the Dodgers over the top to win the World Series. Either that, or Dodgers fans stuffed the electronic ballot box.
The Cubs made a statement last Tuesday that they won’t be afraid of Skubal. They very well could face him again in October.
And again, Skubal carries the day in the individual player voting. Interestingly, voters picked Clay Holmes over Kevin Gausman for the Cubs acquisition who would have the most impact.
So far, Freddy Peralta hasn’t done much to warrant the deal that sent him to the Rays, as he got hit hard in his first start for Tampa Bay.
Thanks for participating in the survey this week, and let’s hope the voters are wrong about Skubal.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JULY 25: Hunter Greene #21 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on July 25, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Monday’s trade deadline action didn’t exactly go on-script for the Cincinnati Reds. At least, it sure didn’t follow the script most everyone across the nation expected to see play out.
The Reds, mired in last place and with a New Jersey Turnpike full of teams ahead of them in the Wild Card race, looked like they should be sellers. Brady Singer is a pending free agent who’s been pitching lights out for months, and that always has value. Eugenio Suarez, though struggling this year after an oblique injury shut him down for a month and disrupted timing, was beginning to find his swing again, and some team surely would’ve taken a flier on him getting white hot again.
There was even a deep bullpen full of guys on expiring contracts. Still, the Reds made just minor moves of Nate Lowe and Caleb Ferguson, the latter not even bringing back an actual prospect (with international bonus pool cash coming to Cincinnati instead).
The Reds have been playing better of late, and even find themselves not in last place this morning by half a game. Still, the odds of making a miraculous playoff push seem outlandish, and now they’ve lost Hunter Greene (again) for the rest of this season and most, if not all, of next despite there having been significant interest in him pre-deadline.
All told, it sure doesn’t seem like the team navigated the deadline very well. And when we asked you to grade them on their work earlier in the week, well, you wholeheartedly agreed.
Most of you don’t just think they did poorly. Half of you think they flunked the test outright.
Perhaps more telling is that absolutely zero folks think they did a job worthy of an A, so that indicates that not even a single member of the Cincinnati Reds front office sneaks over to Red Reporter to skew polls anymore.
(Either that or they agree with you, too!)
The Reds have a long way to go to revamp both their roster and their front office, and they took precisely zero significant steps towards doing so at this trade deadline. That was obvious to us, and it’s sure looking obvious to you, too.
According to sports media insider Jonah Sigel, former NHL enforcer Kevin Sawyer is expected to take over as the Flames' color commentator on Sportsnet's regional broadcasts.
“I am told [Kevin Sawyer] is your Kelly Hrudey replacement,” Sigel reported Friday. “He will for sure be on the Calgary Flames regional games.”
Sawyer has spent the past several years working on Winnipeg Jets regional broadcasts with TSN, a role he has held since the 2017-18 season. The 52-year-old British Columbia native would now make the move from TSN to Sportsnet and take on a prominent role covering the Flames.
Before getting into broadcasting, Sawyer spent parts of six NHL seasons as an enforcer. He appeared in 110 games with the St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, Phoenix Coyotes and Anaheim Mighty Ducks, accumulating 403 penalty minutes. His professional playing career ended during the 2002-03 season.
The reported move comes just days after Hrudey announced that he was leaving Sportsnet after the network opted not to renew his contract.
Hrudey, 65, had been one of the most recognizable analysts on Hockey Night in Canada since retiring from professional hockey in 1998. He also began appearing on national broadcasts during the latter part of his playing career, making his departure another significant change for Sportsnet's hockey coverage.
For the Flames, Sawyer would become the latest addition to a broadcast team that has undergone considerable turnover in recent years.
The Calgary Flames appear to have found the next voice to join their regional television broadcasts following the departure of longtime analyst Kelly Hrudey.
Rick Ball left Calgary in 2024 to join the Chicago Blackhawks, with Jon Abbott taking over as the team's play-by-play voice. Ryan Leslie then departed for the Toronto Maple Leafs last year, leading Brendan Parker to step into the hosting role.
Now, Hrudey is out and Sawyer is reportedly on his way in.
The changes extend beyond television, too.
The future of Flames radio broadcasts remains unclear after Rogers shut down Sportsnet 960 The Fan in Calgary and relinquished the radio rights to Flames games. Rogers retained radio rights for the Vancouver Canucks and plans to air those games on an FM station in the city, but Calgary was left without a similar arrangement.
For now, though, the biggest question surrounding the Flames' broadcasts appears to have an answer.
If Sigel's report proves accurate, Sawyer will be the newest addition to a Calgary broadcast booth that looks considerably different from the one Flames fans knew just a few years ago.
I'm firing two units on the Atlanta Braves at -137 today. Forget the pedigree—this comes down to current form and matchup edges.
While Gerrit Cole remains a big name, his fly-ball and hard-contact tendencies give Atlanta’s heavy hitters a prime launchpad.
On the bump for ATL, Chris Sale brings a far superior whiffs-and-chase profile to keep New York guessing in my Braves vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks for Aug. 8.
Who will win Braves vs Yankees today: Braves moneyline (-137)
I'm on the Atlanta Braves in this spot for two units down to -155. The New York Yankees were lucky to get a win last night.
The offense has remained dreadful for a few weeks now (just look at a wOBA near the bottom of the league over the last 30 days), and this is a strength-on-weakness matchup against Gerrit Cole.
Cole has allowed a 9.5% barrel rate, 42.6% hard-hit rate, and 67% air-ball rate this season, which is not ideal against an Atlanta lineup that ranks fourth in baseball in barrel rate.
We could debate who's the better pitcher long-term, but there's no doubt Chris Sale has had a better season than Cole on the other side.
His strikeout-heavy profile matches up well against a lineup that is whiffing more than ever lately at a 26% strikeout rate over the last seven days.
COVERS INTEL:Cole’s four-seamer is the specific pitch Atlanta can attack. He throws it 47.1% of the time, and it has allowed a 45.2% hard-hit rate this season.
Braves vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-116)
I'd play the Under to 7.
Both starters can control the shape of this game. Sale gives Atlanta strikeout upside against a Yankees lineup that has been flat-out bad, while Cole is still more than capable of limiting traffic even if his barrel profile creates some concern.
If Sale handles the Yankees’ cold stretches and Cole avoids the multi-run homer, this profiles more like a lower-scoring road favorite script than a full offensive eruption. In fact, it could look a lot like last night.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 43-39, +8.58 units
Over/Under bets: 46-36, +11.74 units
Braves vs Yankees weather
The Bronx forecast is hot, with thunderstorm risk around the game window, so delay risk matters more than any clear wind-based run adjustment
Braves vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Braves -137 | Yankees +124
Run line: Braves -1.5 | Yankees +1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Braves vs Yankees trend
The New York Yankees have hit the Team Total Under in 24 of their last 30 games at home (+17.35 Units / 48% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. Yankees.
How to watch Braves vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Saturday, August 8, 2026
First pitch
3:05 p.m. ET
TV
BravesVision, YES
Braves starting pitcher
Chris Sale (12-6, 2.08 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole (5-5, 3.42 ERA)
Braves vs Yankees 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.
Noah Philp was standing in the Edmonton Oilers’ dressing room during his first season in the NHL when he was asked what he had taken from his time with the University of Alberta Golden Bears.
"Just to enjoy hockey,” Philp said.
“You’re taking classes, you’re doing everything together. Just really finding the love for hockey.”
That was less than two years ago, when Philp had returned from a season away from the sport and finally reached the NHL after taking one of the more unusual routes to get there.
Now, at 27, he’s walking away from hockey again.
Philp has retired despite having signed with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League earlier this summer, ending a professional career that included 32 NHL games between the Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes. He scored two goals and five points in those games after making his NHL debut with Edmonton in October of 2024.
Philp arrived at the University of Alberta after going undrafted out of the WHL and played 36 games for the Golden Bears over parts of three seasons.
He did not win a national championship there, and he didn’t even stick around long enough to win the Canada West title his teammates captured months after he left for professional hockey.
But when Philp reflected on his time with the Bears after reaching Edmonton, those things didn’t appear to matter much.
“It was so much fun being there, and all the guys are great,” he said. “You get to really band together, because you know nobody’s leaving, everyone’s there together.”
That environment helped Philp turn himself from an undrafted junior player into someone the Oilers were willing to sign.
Philp played his first professional season with the Bakersfield Condors in 2022-23 before announcing he was stepping away from hockey that summer because he decided there were things outside of hockey that needed his attention and took the 2023-24 season away from the sport.
Philp made his NHL debut with Edmonton, played 15 games during the 2024-25 season and recorded two assists while spending most of the year in Bakersfield.
When I spoke with him during that season, he wasn't concerned about where things were going, when he would get there, or if he would ever become a full-time NHL player.
“I had no expectations,” he said of getting his opportunity with the Oilers. “I just put in a good summer, I felt ready to play, and I was just trying to come in and play as hard as I could. Basically put my best foot forward every day. I think that when that’s all I focus on, that usually [gets] results.”
Philp eventually found himself sharing a dressing room with Corey Perry, watching a player with more than 1,300 NHL games to his name from a few stalls away.
“[Perry’s] knowledge of the game is incredible, just to watch how he does things out there,” Philp said. “I’ve tried to pick his brain and learn from him.
“And I commend him. He’s seen so many players, and then another young guy comes in. For him to treat me the way that he does, it means a lot to me.”
He was 26 during his rookie season, had already spent years in junior and university hockey, played professionally, stepped away from the game and then worked his way back into it.
“I’m kind of an old young guy but it’s good,” he said. “It’s sort of the same process. Maybe for myself, it’s a little different, maybe a little bit more mature, in terms of just seeing how the game flows and [the] risk-reward. I think that’s something that is beneficial about being older, you’ve just seen a little bit more.”
He played another 17 NHL games in 2025-26, scored the first two goals of his NHL career and added an assist before his time in Edmonton ended. He finished his NHL career with two goals and three assists in 32 games.
That’s not the career Philp would have imagined when he was playing for the Golden Bears and he probably couldn’t have imagined much of what followed.
Philp was undrafted, came through U Sports, signed with his hometown NHL organization, left professional hockey entirely, returned a year later and still managed to reach the league.
And somewhere in there, the resources he found at Alberta helped make it possible.
“They had lots of resources and lots of extra things you could take advantage of,” Philp said. “And a lot of the time it’s up to the player, and I felt like I did a decent job of finding what I could to try to improve. I think it definitely helped me develop.”
But Philp also found the for hockey again there. He found enough of it again after leaving the sport the first time to come back and make the NHL.
And after getting there, Philp has decided 32 games were enough.
Jul 31, 2011; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Brandon Morrow (23) delivers a pitch against the Texas Rangers at the Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays beat the Rangers 7-3. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
15 Years Ago
Brandon Morrow pitched 8.2 no-hit innings, leading the Blue Jays to a 1-0 victory. It was likely the best pitching performance I have ever witnessed.
With two outs in the ninth, Evan Longoria hit a ground ball between second and first. Aaron Hill made an outstanding effort to reach the ball and got his glove on it, but it deflected into right field. Even if he had fielded it cleanly, he wouldn’t have had a play at first. Hill hoped the official scorer would call it an error, but it was ruled a hit.
Morrow struck out 17 batters—just one shy of Roger Clemens’ franchise record—and walked only two, facing four batters above the minimum. His 100 Game Score tied for the fourth-best since the start of the lively ball era in 1920. Only Kerry Wood (105), Nolan Ryan (101, vs. the Blue Jays), and Sandy Koufax (101) have posted better scores. That’s remarkable company.
He threw 137 pitches—risky for a pitcher with his injury history. I would have taken him out after the hit, but instead, he struck out Dan Johnson to end the game. Most managers would have pulled him after the single (and 132 pitches), but Cito Gaston wanted him to finish the complete game on the mound.
The no-hitter was nearly broken up in the top of the ninth when Jason Bartlett hit a fly ball to deep center, but Vernon Wells made a spectacular catch at the wall. If not for the no-hitter, I’m sure Vernon would have played it off the wall instead. He ended up with a dislocated toe but missed only one game. With 17 strikeouts, our defense wasn’t often tested, but Vernon’s catch was as good as any you’ll see.
Offensively, the Jays managed just five hits. Their lone run came in the first inning: Yunel Escobar drew a one-out walk after DeWayne Wise lined out, moved from first to third on a groundout, and scored on a single by Vernon Wells. Morrow made that early run hold up.
Another memorable moment was Jose Molina’s stolen base—his only steal of the season. He would go on to steal two more the following year and finished his 15-year career with 20 stolen bases.
Ultimately, it was Morrow’s day. In my recap, I wrote:
For Morrow, it was his first complete game and his first shutout. And he is just 26; he’ll have more days like this.
I was wrong.
Brandon went on to pitch in 100 games for the Blue Jays, making 93 starts and posting a 34-31 record with a 4.40 ERA over five seasons. After Toronto, he played for the Padres, Dodgers, and Cubs. Notably, he appeared in all seven games of the 2017 World Series with the Dodgers.
His final season was 2018. Over his career, he appeared in 334 games (113 starts), with a 51-43 record, 40 saves, a 3.96 ERA, 368 walks, and 877 strikeouts.
It’s long enough for the anger of a playoff loss to fade, for players to leave town, for coaches to watch the film over and over again and for a front office to separate what actually went wrong from what was simply bad luck.
For the Colorado Avalanche, that should be enough time to know the difference.
The four-game sweep at the hands of Vegas in May exposed problems that had been hiding beneath an extraordinary regular season. Poor puck management. Defensive-zone mistakes. An inconsistent power play. An offense that became too dependent on its stars when the Golden Knights took away the middle of the ice.
Those problems can't follow Colorado into 2026-27.
And they won't have exactly the same team trying to fix them.
Jack Drury and Ross Colton are now in Nashville. Joel Kiviranta returned to Dallas. Fedor Svechkov is expected to step into Drury's spot at center, while veteran Jaden Schwartz, who won a Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, arrives on a three-year deal.
Colorado also took another reclamation swing on Fabian Lysell, acquiring the former first-round pick from Boston for Ivan Ivan after moving Valeri Nichushkin to Columbus.
There has been plenty of change around a core that remains very much intact.
But the biggest challenge isn't rebuilding Colorado's identity.
It's making that identity harder to beat.
The Avalanche spent most of last season overwhelming teams with speed. When that worked, they looked nearly impossible to stop. But Vegas showed what happens when an opponent is willing and capable of clogging the middle of the ice.
Colorado has to become better at recognizing when the aggressive play is worth the risk and when the smart play is simply getting the puck out.
Not every shift needs to end with a highlight-reel banger. Sometimes winning means making the boring play, or whacking away for a garbage goal in vintage Artturi Lehkonen fashion.
That's especially important in the defensive zone, where too many unnecessary mistakes turned into dangerous chances throughout the season. Colorado's talent allowed it to survive those mistakes for most of the season. The Golden Knights were ready and executed their gameplan.
The Avalanche also need more answers when Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar can't take over a game.
MacKinnon going scoreless against Vegas wasn't the problem by itself. Superstars have bad series. The problem was that the depth of the team, which had been one of Colorado's strengths all season, couldn't make Vegas pay enough for focusing its attention elsewhere.
It wasn't as if the secondary players simply disappeared.
Nichushkin scored in Game 1. Colton scored the opening goal of Game 2. Then came Game 3.
Nazem Kadri and Drury scored to give Colorado what looked like an insurmountable lead. The Avalanche had the game exactly where they wanted it.
Then Vegas scored five unanswered goals.
That was the moment the series changed. Colorado had opportunities to put the Golden Knights away, but when Vegas punched back, the Avalanche couldn't deliver another response.
The five-goal collapse put Colorado in a 3-0 hole and ultimately spelled the end of what had been a magical campaign.
But there's another layer to that problem heading into next season.
Several of the players who did contribute offensively in the Western Conference Final are no longer in Colorado. Nichushkin, Colton and Drury are all gone, meaning the Avalanche have to replace production that was already important when the games mattered most.
That's where players such as Schwartz, Svechkov and Lysell could become important. None of them should be expected to single-handedly solve Colorado's depth-scoring problem, but the Avalanche will need their new additions — along with the returning players — to make sure the offense doesn't become overly dependent on MacKinnon and the rest of the stars when opponents find a way to take them away.
The power play needs to become a weapon again, too.
Kadri's return to Colorado via trade provided the power play with a temporary jolt, but that boost didn't last long. Kadri suffered a broken finger shortly afterward. While he eventually returned to the lineup, he never really looked like himself again.
And perhaps most importantly, Colorado has to learn how to respond when things stop going according to plan.
That was the most troubling part of the Vegas series.
The Golden Knights erased leads in Games 2 and 3, and Colorado never really recovered. The confidence seemed to disappear. The swagger disappeared with it.
A championship team doesn't have to avoid adversity.
It has to know how to answer it.
The Avalanche have spent the offseason changing the supporting cast. Now they have to change what happens when the punches start landing.
The Presidents' Trophy proved this team can dominate for 82 games. This season, the Avalanche will have 84 opportunities to prove they've learned from what happened in May.
The goal isn't simply to be the best team in the regular season again. It's to become the team nobody wants to face when everything is on the line.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 06: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves hits a solo home run in the eighth inning of a game against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on August 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Drake Baldwin leads off again, as Ronald Acuna gets a day off in the field, batting second and DHing. Mike Yastrzemski and Mauricio Dubon man the corner outfield spots around Michael Harris. Jim Jarvis returns to the starting lineup, batting ninth and playing shortstop.
SUN VALLEY, IDAHO - JULY 09: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman attends the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference at the Sun Valley Lodge on July 9, 2026 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Every year, some of the world's wealthiest and most powerful figures from the media, finance, technology, and political spheres converge at the Sun Valley Resort for the exclusive week-long conference hosted by boutique investment bank Allen & Co. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, it seems to be that time again. Despite being the least lucrative of the four major North American sport leagues, the NHL appears to be committed to being the first such league to expand to 34 teams. Allan Walsh, an outspoken NHL player agent, has claimed that the NHL is committed to expanded to Houston and Atlanta.
The exact timeline of when this may happen is unclear, but there has been plenty of noise surrounding this for quite awhile. Really, the Seattle Kraken had hardly played a game before people were asking when the NHL would expand next. But today, I want to look at whether it’s really a good idea for the NHL to expand again.
The Historical Success of Modern Expansions
Since the Post-Merger Expansion Era began in 1991, the NHL has seen 11 new franchises join the league. The first was the San Jose Sharks in 1991, and the most recent was the Seattle Kraken in 2021. Combined, this is how the expansion teams have fared in the 35 seasons played since the Sharks joined the league (with W-L-T-OTL record):
138 combined playoff appearances (47.62% of possible appearances)
16 Stanley Cup Finals appearances
9 Eastern (four expansions) to 7 Western (seven expansions)
7 Stanley Cup victories (20% of total Stanley Cup wins since Sharks joined league)
5 Eastern to 2 Western
Expansions account for 4 of 6 teams to never reach the Stanley Cup Finals since 1981 (85 combined expansion team seasons
Expansions account for 7 of 10 teams to never win the Stanley Cup Finals (155 combined expansion team seasons to 159 non-expansion team seasons)
6 of 7 expansion team Stanley Cup victories are associated with no state income tax
3 — Tampa
2 — Florida
1 — Vegas
1 of 7 expansion team Stanley Cup victories strongly associated with Scott Niedermayer and Jean-Sebastien Giguere’s giant shoulder pads (Anaheim)
In all, post-merger expansion teams have not really been all that successful relative to the rest of the league, with only a few teams reaping benefits over the last 35 years. More often than not, expansion teams flounder and settle somewhere between perpetual bottom feeding and inescapable mediocrity. Will the Minnesota Wild ever make a Conference Finals again? Will the Seattle Kraken make the playoffs a second time? Will the Columbus Blue Jackets make the playoffs again? Are the Winnipeg Jets entering another long playoff drought? Will the Ottawa Senators or Nashville Predators ever get back to consistent playoff appearances? What success do fans of expansion teams really have to look forward to?
Gary Bettman’s Tendency to Support No-State Income Tax Teams and TV Market Impact
Of the six current teams in the National Hockey League that play in states with no state income tax, five are post-1979 expansions: Tampa Bay, Nashville*, Florida, Vegas, and Seattle. The other, the Dallas Stars, moved from Minnesota to Texas in 1993, just six seasons prior to winning their one and only Stanley Cup.
*Tennessee only recently abolished the state income tax, while the other teams here have played their entire existences under no tax
Now, with Allan Walsh reporting that Houston and Atlanta will receive expansion teams in the near future, the NHL will gain one more no-tax state team in Houston while Atlanta will play under a flat-tax rate of 5.49%, which is on the high end for low to middle income earners but more of a medium ground for high-income earners such as professional athletes. In his Tweet, though, Walsh is also responding to a report that the NHL is valuing large television markets in their decision. With Houston and Atlanta being the largest television markets without an NHL team and both being among the 10 largest markets in the country, it certainly looks like a good idea to target them for expansion.
However, the fate of the Atlanta Thrashers should not be ignored. Atlanta struggled with attendance issues despite playing in one of the largest cities in the United States. Georgia does not have a strong presence in hockey, with their one of their only professional hockey teams being the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL. They have been one of the worst teams in the ECHL since once making a Cup Final in 2006, and they have not made the second round of the ECHL playoffs since 2013, and they have broadly seen attendance decline since a high in 2005. Generally, it follows that Houston, whose AHL team saw significantly higher attendance prior to being moved in 2013, would have an easier time supporting a hockey team. Georgia has no top-level college hockey, it has no teams above ECHL level, and it already has a failed NHL franchise under its belt.
In an age of widespread streaming and sports cable channel issues, a more reliable marker of viability may be state hockey presence. Wisconsin strikes me as a better area for expansion, with Madison serving as a small market within driving distance of the larger Milwaukee market. This could follow the Buffalo Sabres model of popularity, which combines Buffalo with several smaller television markets throughout upstate and western New York to form a devoted fanbase. Madison to Milwaukee is a comparable distance to the Buffalo to Rochester drive.
Diluting Talent and Expansion Drafts and Alternatives to NHL Expansion
While the NHL is not expanding as rapidly as they did in the 1990s, there are considerations for the effects expansion may have already had on the league.
League save percentage has dropped from .913 in 2017 to .908 in 2021 to .896 in 2026.
Total players have jumped from 983 in 2017 to 1,011 in 2021 to 1,038 in 2026.
Hockey fans can probably identify the issues that are difficult for teams to overcome in today’s NHL. It’s difficult to find good goaltending. It’s even harder to roll four good centers. 32 NHL teams losing another set of middle six forwards, second pairing defensemen, and backup goaltenders is only going to exacerbate those issues, and the gap between the average top-line player and fourth-liner is going to expand. I do not think this will be good for the quality of product on the ice, as fans are more interested by close, tense games than high-scoring blowouts.
An issue lingering in my mind over the past few weeks with Sunny Mehta and Braden Birch’s overhaul of the Utica Comets is the AHL’s Veteran Rule, which restricts AHL teams from having “too many” older players on the team to protect the AHL’s status as a developmental league. I think this cross-identity for the AHL as simultaneously a professional and developmental league may be serving to hold it back a bit in terms of quality of play, and eliminating the AHL’s Veteran Rule would prevent the loss of North American hockey talent to leagues such as the KHL, where 18 of the top 50 scorers in 2025-26 were North American. By boosting AHL teams, NHL clubs would have access to a higher level of talent in players who would be near the top of AHL scoring and could serve as better NHL call-up depth than the league currently has.
Expanding the ECHL’s veteran rule in turn could establish the league as a center for younger player development, giving it a better calling card for attendance. In this sense, I think to the Minor League Baseball system, where the AA league has emerged as a top player development league, while AAA baseball has morphed over time into more of a veteran holding league and last step for prospects. With leagues having distinct identities, AAA baseball attracts higher attendance and AA baseball is a center for developmental coaching. If the NHL, AHL, and ECHL took more steps to improve the quality of depth hockey in North America, I think they would be in a better place to support expansion to 34 teams. As of now, though, any expansions would be more likely to go the way of the Columbus Blue Jackets or Seattle Kraken than the way of the Vegas Golden Knights or Tampa Bay Lightning, as Houston and Atlanta will just be picking from whatever scraps have been left by the most recent expansions in a league with very little precious depth. And if one of them is allowed to draft years before the other like Vegas was before Seattle, the gap between them may be similar.
Your Thoughts
What do you think about the rumors of expansion? Do you think the league is ready? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
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