Atlanta, GA - January 09: An Official Rawlings Major League baseball sits with a glove, lock and chain to represent the lockout between Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) on January 09, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The 2026 World Series begins on Friday, with the Milwaukee Brewers hosting the Tampa Bay Rays. But before we get back to baseball on the field, let’s take the temperature of the room regarding the looming labor fight.
The collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1 at 8:59 p.m. PT, after which MLB owners will lock out the players.
Three times previously a labor stoppage has caused the postponement of the start of an MLB season:
1972 strike
This moved opening day from April 5 to April 15. None of the lost games were made up, and one ancillary result gave the Detroit Tigers the American League East crown at 86-70, a half-game better than the 85-70 Boston Red Sox, who played one fewer contest. In fairness, these two teams played one another in the final series of the regular season. Boston went into the final game of the season up a half-game playing the Tigers at home, plus lost 4-1 in what was essentially a playoff game for the division.
1994-95 strike
After the previous season ended on August 12 and the World Series was cancelled for the first time in 91 years, it took an injunction from United States District Court to get a deal done on April 2, 1995. Opening day was moved to April 25, about three weeks later than previously planned. Teams in 1995 played 144 games instead of the normal 162. Even with the reduced schedule, a stacked Cleveland team still won 100 games.
Opening day in 2027 for now is scheduled for Thursday, March 25. Today’s question is on what date do you think the next regular season Major League Baseball game will be played?
Let us know in the comments below. We’ll check back in about five weeks to see how we all feel closer to the lockout.
ST. LOUIS – The challenges will continue to get stiffer for the St. Louis Blues (4-4-1) when they play the second of a five-game homestand Thursday by hosting the Vegas Golden Knights (8-3-0) at 7 p.m. and can be seen on First Alert ABC 32-1 over the air television for the first time this season along with (Blue Note+, ESPN 101.10FM).
It’s the first of consecutive visits over the next two games when the Blues, coming off a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, host the past two Stanley Cup finalists at Enterprise Center.
Vegas lost to the Carolina Hurricanes, who come to town Saturday, in six games last season.
“This stretch, the five games at home, is really good hockey teams in the NHL that are all doing well already,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “We’re just focused on tonight and we’re really focused on ourselves. We want to be a consistent team that knows who we are and we want to get to that, and we’ve been talking about it a lot. We know Vegas is good, we know what they do really well, but we have to play our brand of game to be able to have a chance against a really good hockey team.”
The Blues will not make any lineup changes from Tuesday, meaning that Zach Dean and Theo Lindstein will be tonight’s healthy scratches, and Joel Hofer, who is coming off a 32-save performance Tuesday, will start for the seventh time in 10 games this season.
Hofer is 3-2-1 on the season with a 2.19 goals-against average and .919 save percentage, and there’s an opportunity for the Blues to ride the 25-year-old for a stretch of games, or is there?
“I understand the question, but Jordan Binnington’s a huge part of our team,” Montgomery said, “and we think our tandem is what makes us special as a team. It’s a huge advantage, we think, against the rest of the league. It’s going to be the two of them working together. Joel’s going to play more games, but at what level, it just depends on how the season progresses.”
- - -
It was another day on the ice for forward Alexey Toropchenko, who continues to rehab from an upper-body injury suffered Oct. 2 in a 4-0 win against the Dallas Stars.
Toropchenko began skating with the team on Monday and has been on the ice each day since, including an optional morning skate on Thursday.
“Good,” Montgomery said on the progress. “Took a little bit of bumping yesterday, take some more bumping tomorrow and he might be close.”
- - -
Blues Projected Lineup:
Dylan Holloway-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud
Connor McMichael-Mason McTavish-Jonatan Berggren
Jake Neighbours-Dalibor Dvorsky-Pavel Buchnevich
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki-Pius Suter-Otto Stenberg
Philip Broberg-Justin Barron
Adam Jiricek-Colton Parayko
Cam Fowler-Brandon Carlo
Joel Hofer will start in goal; Jordan Binnington will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Theo Lindstein and Zach Dean. Logan Mailloux (hand), Tyler Tucker (knee), Alexey Toropchenko (upper body), Dillon Dube (neck) and Ross Johnston (lower body) are out.
- - -
Golden Knights Projected Lineup:
Ivan Barbashev-Jack Eichel-Mark Stone
Brett Howden-William Karlsson-Mitch Marner
Trevor Connelly-Tomas Hertl-Raphael Lavoie
Marc Gatcomb-Nic Dowd-Braeden Bowman
Shea Theodore-Brayden McNabb
Jeremy Lauzon-Rasmus Andersson
Dylan Coghlan-Noah Hanifin
Adin Hill will start in goal; Carter Hart will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Ville Heinola and Alexander Holtz. Victor Olofsson (lower body) and Parker Wotherspoon (upper body) are out.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Bryson Stott #5 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits an RBI double in the first inning during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park on September 27, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I saw this post come up on my Bluesky feed and shook my head.
Tim Kelly does a great job covering the team for On Pattison, so this is not a criticism of him. He’s merely echoing what the organization is telling the public, including this quote of Dave Dombrowski’s assessment of Bryson Stott’s 2026 season.
“…We like Stott, think he can be better than what he is, even,” Dombrowski said. “He had a really good June, July, August. I don’t know why he can’t be that player all the time.”
The article went on to note that…
Stott was really good during the summer months, hitting .286 between June and August. During that stretch, he shifted to third base to make room for Luis Arraez at second base and didn’t skip a beat at the plate. FanGraphs says that between June and August, Stott not only led Phillies position players in WAR, but his 2.8 mark was 13th among all qualified position players over that period.
However, Stott hit just .217 between March and May. He posted a .692 OPS in September, and then recorded only two hits in 13 at-bats in the NLWCS.
And there’s the rub. Stott has always had stretches where, for two months, he looks like one of the most productive all-around players in Major League Baseball, a star in the making. Then there are 2-3 months where he looks utterly lost at the plate, and he has posted a dreadful .515 OPS in 142 career plate appearances over 10 playoff series.
Bryson Stott is what he is. There is no “better version.” Baseball Reference’s WAR listed him at 1.8 on the season, 3rd-best on the roster among position players. His 3.8 Fangraphs WAR was the best, better than Bryce Harper’s 3.3 or Kyle Schwarber’s 2.9. Based on the eye test, I believe the 1.8 bWAR is more indicative of his true value to the team, but even if we met somewhere in the middle, we could say Stott is a 2.5-to-3-win player whose value comes mostly from defensive versatility.
He’s hit his ceiling, and if Bryson Stott is your 5th or 6th-best player, or one of about 5-6 guys on a team that can pile up 2-3 wins, it’s all good.
But this is as good as Bryson Stott is ever going to get.
He’s not going to be an All Star. He’s never made a Midsummer Classic roster and I don’t expect that to change. His OPS+ in his five years with the Phillies is remarkably consistent: 85, 103, 86, 96, 98. Over the last three years, his OPS has hovered between .671 and .736. His 36 doubles were a career high this season, so that’s great, but the inconsistency and his 2-3 month death spirals are a bit hard to take.
He’s not alone.
The players on the 2026 roster that finished with the lowest OPS+ of any team in baseball this season has a mountain to climb in order to be a top-10 unit. Even in a year in which offense was depressed, the Phillies were still among the most punchless in baseball. At his year-end presser, Dombrowski pointed to position player coaches seemingly not using the data sent to them by the analytics team to its fullest capacity.
“They supply good information that we are looking to improve upon,” he said. “I think they’re very good. They have a good foundation. For example, they work with [pitching coach] Caleb [Cotham] all the time. From the pitching perspective, we’re known as being very progressive.
“It’s not only how you get the information, but then how other people want to use it, too. That is information we need to do a better job at using. That’s not the analytic people’s fault. That’s something we need to do a better job and emphasize on ourselves.”
To be clear, I’m all for the move to replace Kevin Long as hitting coach, but his successor is going to need players with actual upside in order to turn things around.
Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are a good place to start. The Phillies were the only team in baseball to have two players in the top-15 of OPS (Harper 13th, Schwarber 15th). Harper’s 2026 numbers are almost identical to his “non-elite” season of 2025. Schwarber’s brutal second half prevented him from matching his otherworldly power numbers from the season prior, but they were still very good. Both players turn 34 next year. The best we can hope for is that they maintain their current output.
Incredibly, only six players (Harper, Schwarber, Stott, Derek Hill, Edmundo Sosa and Brandon Marsh) finished with a WAR that was better than replacement level. Three of them were bench players, and Marsh was, statistically speaking, the worst player in baseball after the All Star Game. The following players all had WARs either at 0.o or were in negative territory:
J.T. Realmuto (0.0), Trea Turner (-0.1), Bryan De La Cruz (-0.1), Luis Arraez (-0.1), Justin Crawford (-0.2), Alec Bohm (-0.2), Garrett Stubbs (-0.5), Felix Reyes (-0.6), Gabriel Rincones, Jr. (-0.7), Rafael Marchan (-0.7), Otto Kemp (-0.7), Adolis Garcia (-0.8).
And only four players finished with an OPS better than .750: Harper (.865), Schwarber (.857), Hill (.783) and De La Cruz (.762). Again, only two of them were regulars.
The veterans on this team are what they are. Not a single one overachieved last year and the vast majority underachieved. Below is the OPS change from their 2023-25 numbers to what they generated in ‘26.
Trea Turner (-.123)
J.T. Realmuto (-.122)
Brandon Marsh (-.074)
Alec Bohm (-.065)
Bryce Harper (-.016)
Kyle Schwarber (-.009)
This lineup is a collection of free swingers. There is no patience, there is no plan at the plate, they just swing. Here is where they rank in terms of swing percentage since their first playoff berth in 2022:
2022: 48.3% (T-10th most)
2023: 48.4% (9th-most)
2024: 48.7% (8th-most)
2025: 48.7% (4th-most)
2026: 48.3% (6th-most)
In 2026, the best offenses in baseball were also the most patient.
The Brewers, who won 103 games and are playing in the World Series starting Friday night, swung at 43.7% of pitches this year, the lowest number in baseball. The NL’s best offensive team in the regular season, the Cubs, swung the second-least, 45.2%. The Guardians, one of baseball’s final four this year, swung 46.1% of the time, 5th-lowest, and the Dodgers’ 46.2% was 7th-lowest.
Milwaukee, as the 2025 No. 1 seed entering the playoffs, also finished with the lowest swing rate in baseball, 45.0%. The Dodgers were 4th-lowest, and they won it all. The AL-pennant winning Blue Jays had the 5th-highest swing rate, 48.6%, just below the Phillies’, and the Phils’ high swing rate didn’t prevent them from finishing the second-best record in the NL a season ago, so it’s not always a one-to-one correspondence.
But if you’re going to swing a lot, you better hit for a lot of power. In 2025, the Phils’ .431 team slugging was 4th-highest and they hit the 9th-most home runs, Toronto’s team .265 average was baseball’s best and their .427 slugging was 7th. This season, Toronto slugged .381, 26th in MLB, while the Phils’ .395 slugging was 24th. Toronto also swung a ton without much impact, 49.2% of the time, 5th-most in baseball.
In Philly and Toronto, you had two lineups who swung a lot and didn’t do much with all those swings. You can’t ask a lineup that is hard-wired to swing a lot to suddenly grow more patient and swing less.
Sure, it may work for a time. The three weeks in the beginning of August where the Phils suddenly morphed into a more patient lineup was bliss. Not coincidentally, the offense had its best stretch of the season, and the team had its most successful month overall. But it only lasted for those three weeks. Once teams adjusted and the calendar flipped to September/October, the hacking Phillies couldn’t resist their natural impulses.
Which brings us back to Dombrowski and his off-season plan. I am sure there will be attempts to bring new players onto the roster, but the degree to which he will make changes, at this point, feels slight. There’s a chance they bring Bohm back on a qualifying offer. They’ve already committed to Turner remaining at shortstop to start the season. They’re talking up Aidan Miller, who missed virtually the entire 2026 season with a back injury, and Bryan Rincon, who has never played above AA, as offensive contributors for 2027.
“We need to complement those guys with some other players,” Dombrowski said at his year-end presser. “So that will be our goal. Some of them may come internally. I’m not going to put it on his back, but we think a guy like [Philadelphia’s No. 2 and MLB’s No. 59 overall prospect] Aidan Miller is a really, really good player. You see all the young players that have jumped into playing this year and the years that they had. Aidan Miller, when he’s healthy, he’s as good as any of them.”
Everyone hopes Miller and Rincon will be ready to make an impact at the big league level, but it’s a strategy based more on hope than real conviction at this point.
Schwarber and Harper can be the front runners of a solid offense, but they need players around them who either see more pitches and swing less, or double down on power. Too often this team swung a lot with little power behind it.
Perhaps a new hitting coach that makes better use of data can do that. It’s more likely 2-3 parts of the batting order needs to be replaced by different players, with a stronger bench that will allow the regulars more days off to keep them fresh.
NEW YORK - OCTOBER 09: Robinson Cano #24 of the New York Yankees celebrates after a walk off home run in the eleventh inning against the Minnesota Twins in Game Two of the ALDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 9, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every generation of Yankees has transcendent talent, and for the faithful fans, homegrown stars have always made their passion burn a little deeper. Robinson “Robbie” Canó was one of these stars. A homegrown wonder kid whose timing, big smile, and smooth left-handed swing made him seem destined to take the torch from Derek Jeter and continue the Yankees’ legacy. Oh, what should have been.
Robinson José Canó Mercedes Born: October 22, 1982 (San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) Yankees Tenure: 2005-13
Born on the eastern side of the island of Hispaniola in the Dominican Republic, Canó’s dad, a former big leaguer himself, named him after legendary second baseman Jackie Robinson. Canó grew up playing baseball and basketball on the island but also spent a few years in the States during junior high and high school before returning to graduate from San Pedro Apostol High School in San Pedro de Macorís.
Right after graduating, Canó started his journey with the Yankees. In 2001, at 18 years old, he signed as an international free agent. An unheralded signing at the time, Canó began his path to the show that summer, playing for both the Gulf Coast Yankees and Staten Island Yankees.
Canó slowly worked his way through the farm system and up prospect boards. A free swinger with some defensive lapses, Canó started to take off as he filled out his frame. In 2003, his performance earned him a selection to the All-Star Futures Game. His rising stock also made him a potential trade chip as the Yankees tried to cash in on the youngster.
The Yankees offered to include Canó in the Alex Rodriguez deal before the 2004 season, but Texas chose Joaquín Arias instead. Then, at the deadline, they tried to package Canó and catcher Dioner Navarro to the Royals for Carlos Beltrán. The following month, Canó was part of the Yankees’ efforts to acquire Randy Johnson from Arizona. Canó just kept raking, earning his second straight Futures Game selection in 2004 while reaching Triple-A.
After surviving so many potential trades, the stars aligned in 2005 when the Yankees called Canó up to the majors in early May to replace Tony Womack. The closest regular in age to the 22-year-old Canó was a 29-year-old Alex Rodriguez. Unfazed by the star power in the lineup, the rookie slashed .297/.320/.458 with 14 home runs in 132 games. His performance was good enough for second place in the Rookie of the Year voting, behind only Houston Street.
Canó was even more impressive in his sophomore campaign in 2006. During that season, he made his first All-Star team and finished the year slashing .342/.365/.525 with 15 home runs and 41 doubles. The .342 mark was third in the AL, with only his teammate Jeter and Joe Mauer surpassing him in a bid for the batting crown.
Then, the 2007 season started what would become an 11-year run of playing at least 150 games every season. If availability is the best ability, Canó was the best of this decade-long run. Prior to the 2008 season, Canó signed an extension to keep him in pinstripes through the 2013 season. It proved to be a brilliant move.
The 2008 season proved to be the first down year of Canó’s career, as his average dropped to .271. The whole team sputtered that season and finished third in the American League East. In the final season at the original Yankee Stadium, Canó recorded the final walk-off hit in the ballpark’s history.
The down year and new stadium prompted ownership to go all in before the 2009 season. With new stars aboard, the Yankees went on to have a historic season. Canó and Jeter became the first middle-infield duo in MLB history to record 200 hits in the same season. The team won 103 games while Canó hit 25 home runs and batted .320. The Yankees went on to win the pennant and take down the Phillies for the championship in six games.
It seemed like Canó had taken the torch and was ready to run the Bronx to another dynasty as he hit .319 with 41 doubles and 29 home runs in 2010. He posted a 143 OPS+ with 8.1 rWAR and finished a career-best third in AL MVP voting, trailing only Josh Hamilton and Miguel Cabrera (also winning his first Gold Glove at the keystone). After struggling in the postseason the previous year, Canó almost got the Yankees back to the World Series himself in 2010, hitting .348 with four home runs in the ALCS against the Rangers.
With the championship window still open, the Yankees and Canó kept rolling in 2011 and 2012. The team won the AL East both years before falling to the Tigers in the playoffs. Canó hit a combined 61 home runs over those two seasons while batting .307, plus a career-high 148 OPS+ in 2012. The biggest highlight would be when he won the Home Run Derby in 2011 with his dad pitching to him.
The 2013 season was a year of transition for the Yankees, as injuries ravaged the squad (most notably Jeter and Mark Teixeira) and there just wasn’t enough depth to get the team back to October in what turned out to be Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte’s swan song. Canó had another stellar season, hitting .314 with 27 home runs, but without much help, the Yankees struggled and finished third in the division. Canó reached free agency following the season and it seemed like a no-brainer that the star would be back in the Bronx.
However, in a shocking situation, Canó and the Yankees couldn’t reach a deal. The club offered seven years and $175 million but would not come close to the 10-year, $240 million deal the Mariners offered. The heir to the throne signed on the dotted line, packed his bags, and headed off to the West Coast. From that moment on, the Yankees were on a different path. The once-Evil Empire, which chased championships no matter the cost, had a new direction. That new direction has yet to win another title.
For Canó, the post-Yankees years have been complicated. In Seattle, he made three more All-Star teams during the first five seasons of his mega-contract, but he was suspended for 80 games in 2018 after testing positive for a banned substance. The Mariners traded him that offseason, along with emerging closer Edwin Díaz, to the Mets.
Suiting up across town in the other borough, Canó, at 36 years old, was officially on the back nine of his career. He played for the Mets during the 2019 and COVID-shortened 2020 seasons. However, he missed all of 2021 after testing positive for a banned substance for a second time, this time resulting in a full-season suspension.
Returning in 2022, Canó struggled and was released by the Mets. He then played out the season journeyman-style, suiting up for the Padres and Braves for about a month each. Canó continued his professional career in Mexico, most recently playing for the Diablos Rojos del México in 2026 and hitting 15 homers with an .826 OPS at age 43.
Over his MLB career spanning 17 seasons, Canó finished with a .301 batting average, 2,639 hits, 335 home runs, and 1,306 RBIs. He was an eight-time All-Star, a five-time Silver Slugger winner, earned two Gold Gloves, and took home World Baseball Classic MVP honors with the Dominican Republic in 2013. In pinstripes, he recorded 1,649 hits, 375 doubles, 204 home runs, and 44.4 rWAR. All four marks rank among the top 16 in Yankees history.
If not for the suspensions, Canó would have a legitimate case for a call to Cooperstown. He is arguably one of the 10 best second basemen to ever play the game, but between the failed drug tests and his departure from the Yankees, Canó’s legacy is complicated. For Yankees fans, he will always be a reminder of what could have been.
All the same, I wish you would’ve never left. Happy birthday, Robbie!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 14: Jake Bauers #9 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts after striking out during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No, the Mariners aren’t playing in the World Series this year. No surprise there. But that doesn’t mean Mariner fans have to sit out the Fall Classic without any thought of their hometown nine. In fact, there are plenty of Seattle connections featured during this series between the Brewers and Rays.
1B/OF Jake Bauers
2021: .220/.297/.275, 2 HR, 67 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR
2026: .266/.389/.484, 26 HR, 143 wRC+, 3.7 fWAR
By now, you’ve probably heard all about Jake Bauers’s story. How went from considering leaving baseball entirely a few years ago to winning the NLCS MVP award last week. His story also briefly crosses paths with the Mariners — twice! Way back in 2018, Bauers was traded from the Rays to the Guardians as part of the three-way, Edwin Encarnacion/Yandy Díaz trade. (Weird that that trade included two key players during this postseason eight years later.) Bauers was later traded to Seattle in June 2021 and posted an ugly 67 wRC+ across 202 plate appearances during the second half of that season. He was outrighted off the 40-man roster at the end of the season and bounced between the Reds and Yankees before latching on with the Brewers in 2023.
INF Ben Williamson
2025: .253/.294/.310, 1 HR, 76 wRC+, 0.4 fWAR
2026: .238/.302/.318, 3 HR, 76 wRC+, 0.2 fWAR
Ben Williamson made his major league debut with the Mariners last year combining excellent defense at third base with a noodle bat at the plate. Recognizing a need for a more potent profile at a traditionally offense-focused position, the Mariners traded Williamson to the Rays during the offseason as part of the three-way, Brendan Donovan deal. With Junior Caminero manning the hot corner for Tampa Bay, Williamson spent most of the season as a utility infielder, splitting time between second base and shortstop. His defensive chops were stretched a little at those two up-the-middle positions and he matched his rookie campaign with a 76 wRC+ in 2026.
RHP Freddy Peralta
2015 (MiLB): 4.11 ERA, 2.32 FIP, 8.38 K/BB
2026: 4.42 ERA, 4.28 FIP, 2.48 K/BB, 1.9 fWAR
Both of the MVPs from this year’s LCS’s had ties to the Mariners, but you have to go all the way back to 2015 to find Freddy Peralta’s connection. He was dealt to the Brewers in the ill-fated Adam Lind trade as a 19-year-old prospect and made his major league debut just three years later. Peralta was traded to the Mets this past offseason and then dealt to the Rays at the trade deadline, so he’ll be facing his old ballclub in the World Series. His season started off pretty rough in New York — his ERA was just a hair under five in 22 starts before moving to Tampa Bay — but he got things back on track down the stretch and has allowed just two runs in 16.2 postseason innings so far.
RHP Brody Hopkins
2024 (MiLB): 2.90 ERA, 4.08 FIP, 2.38 K/BB
2026: 5.06 ERA, 6.29 FIP, 1.17 K/BB, -0.1 fWAR
Brody Hopkins was the headlining prospect sent to the Rays in the Randy Arozarena trade in 2024. He’s developed into a top 100 prospect and was ranked third in Tampa Bay’s preseason farm system rankings. His athleticism has helped him thrive on the mound even though he’s only truly focused on pitching for four years now — he was a two-way player in college. But that lack of experience has led to some developmental hurdles that have stalled his growth a bit. The biggest issue is his command; he was walking nearly a batter per inning in Triple-A, limiting his strikeout-to-walk ratio to just 1.3. His stuff is nasty, his velocity has played up in shorter stints out of the bullpen, but he simply can’t locate any of his pitches with any regularity.
Those four players are the most notable former Mariners playing in the World Series this year. A special mention goes to Casey Legumina who was a significant piece of the Rays bullpen since being traded to Tampa in April but wasn’t included on their ALDS or ALCS rosters. The Rays have the advantage with three players (four if you count Legumina), plus it seems like Arozarena will be cheering on his former club as loudly as he can this weekend.
Oh, and there’s the fact that the creator of Lookout Landing, Jeff Sullivan, is employed by the Rays. In a roundabout way, Tampa Bay’s success is also Lookout Landing’s success.
Even though the Brewers have only one former Mariner on their roster, the franchise started out as the Seattle Pilots in 1969. By the transitive property, a Milwaukee championship would also count as a Seattle championship, right?
If you’re looking for a team to bandwagon simply based on Mariners connections, you can’t go wrong with either team.
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 27: Connor Thomas #65 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Monday, July 27, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Evan Yu/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The good news for Connor Thomas is that he’s appeared to have figured it out as a reliever and he should be able to find somewhere to pitch once the smoke has cleared with the upcoming labor war that’s looming over all of baseball. The bad news is that he figured that out with the Kansas City Royals instead of the Atlanta Braves.
Connor Thomas didn’t make too many appearances for the Braves in 2026 but he did somehow manage to become the focus of a rival broadcast’s pity based on his final outing as a Brave this season. Just how badly did it go for Connor Thomas in Atlanta? Let’s get into it, shall we?
How Acquired
The Braves signed Connor Thomas to a minor league deal back in early November of 2025. This came after he elected free agency when the Brewers outrighted him off of their roster oncer their season came to a close. That came after he was selected in the Rule 5 Draft by the Brewers ahead of the 2025 season, so that tells you that something was certainly there for Thomas if a team was willing to pick him in that particular draft. With that being said, it mainly didn’t work out for Thomas in Milwaukee because bone spurs in his elbow wrecked his 2025 season, so Atlanta was certainly taking a bit of a flier on bringing in Thomas.
What were the expectations?
Well, Thomas ended up starting the season on the Injured List due to the surgery that he underwent in the previous year and while he did make a handful of appearances with the Rome Emperors in High-A, it wasn’t until May 22 when he was finally activated and sent to the Gwinnett Stripers. That’s where he stayed until he got called up in early-July, so the Braves really did kind of have Thomas tabbed as organizational depth during his time here.
Honestly, there wasn’t much of a reason to think differently. He was getting 35+ future value grades on FanGraphs, which is very definitionally a fringy prospect. He was a fifth-round draft pick with a modest signing bonus, hadn’t pitched well in all of two appearances with the Brewers in 2025, and had fairly unimpressive numbers from 2022-onward, after he ascended full-time to Triple-A. Largely the only thing he had going for him was running a low-ish ERA relative to his peripherals in some minor league stints, but that does not a pitcher above organizational depth make.
2026 Results
Connor Thomas finished with 19 1/3 innings pitched under his belt during this particular stint, as he proved to be a bit of a ground ball machine (finishing with a 64.4 percent ground ball rate) while also doing a good job of keeping runs at a premium. He ended up finishing with a 2.33 ERA (54 ERA-) and a 2.43 FIP (58 FIP-) across 19.1 innings pitched and 17 appearances — for the Kansas City Royals. When it came to his time with the Braves, well, it was disastrous.
Thomas only made two appearances totaling 6 1/3 innings while he was with the Braves. We all know about the second and final appearance that he made (which we will discuss later) but his first appearance still ended with some poor results. Thomas gave up the first of four homers that he’d somehow end up giving up in such a brief amount of time with Atlanta during his first appearance on July 7 against the Pirates. He wound up giving up four runs while he was out there, so this was certainly a rough experience for Thomas while he was here.
What went right?
The only good thing I can say about Connor Thomas’s time with Atlanta is that he ate some innings. The guy who entered the game after Thomas was done with both of his appearances was none other than Jorge Mateo, who is not a pitcher. Thomas’s job while he was here was to be on mop-up duty unless there were no other options available out of the ‘pen at any given moment.
Unfortunately for Thomas, that scenario came to fruition three weeks later.
I guess, one thing we can say went “right” for Thomas is that he pitched so much better in an extended stint for the Royals that he actually finished with positive fWAR for the year. Seriously: -0.4 fWAR across 40 batters faced for the Braves, and +0.5 fWAR across 78 batters faced for the Royals. Well done, sorta.
What went wrong?
Thomas’s second and final appearance for the Braves was memorable for all the wrong reasons. Walt Weiss brought him in for the sixth inning of a tie game against the New York Mets on July 27, which was a sign that the bullpen was definitely a bit gassed at this particular moment in time. Thomas gave up a single and a two-run homer to kick off his outing and at that point, it became clear that Thomas was going to have to wear one for the team.
Sure enough, he ended up facing 23 batters and getting charged with 10 hits (three of which were homers bashed off of him) and walking five batters in order to give up a grand total of 11 runs over 78 pitches. You know it was bad when the Mets’ TV commentary team was actually feeling bad for the guy instead of cheering on the onslaught.
"Poor kid – you want to give him a hug…literally I'm sick to my stomach"
"I'm not a happy camper at all, pretty disgusted with it"
Keith and Ron didn't like the Braves leaving Connor Thomas out on the mound to throw 78 pitches and give up 11 runs pic.twitter.com/aR7pefLUnl
Anyways, Thomas did indeed receive his ticket back to the minors after this and two days later, the Athletics claimed him off of waivers. Oof.
2027 Outlook
Considering that he did end up sticking around with the Royals through the end of the season and what the Royals were able to get out of him while he was there, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising to see him pitching somewhere once the 2027 season rolls around. He’s a left-hander, he’s under 30 and he’s shown an ability to induce ground balls at a pretty high rate and his stint with the Royals ended up going pretty well. He’s never going to blow anybody away with his velocity but maybe some organization will decide that it’s worth it to see if he can keep on getting opposing hitters to keep it on the ground instead of the air by relying on the varied movement of his pitches. It probably won’t be the Braves giving him another shot, though.
Of course, the Royals still control him, given his low service time, so all of this only matters if they decide to move on. Which, given how he pitched for them down the stretch, isn’t a certainty. Still, he looks like a replacement-level reliever on balance until he shows otherwise for more than a couple of months. But, maybe the Royals helped him figure something out that goes beyond serving as a sacrificial lamb to the long grind of an MLB season.
While the one-year deal reaffirmed the team’s commitment to the four-time champion, it raised questions about Green’s future with the team, and in the NBA, beyond the 2026-27 season.
Green reiterated in an interview with CNBC’s Alex Sherman that he wants to spend his entire career with the Warriors but also stated that this will not be the final season of his career.
“I would love to retire a Golden State Warrior; however, I also would love to play basketball next year,” Green said. “So if that’s not here, I’m not going to retire. But in saying that, I would love for that to be here.
“It’s such a rare thing to be on one team for your entire career, and if I can accomplish that feat, I would love to do it.”
Green’s love for the franchise is clear, but he also acknowledged that he doesn’t have the “luxury that Steph Curry has” of a guaranteed future spot on the Warriors roster if that is what he desires.
He understands that the franchise has a business decision to make next offseason regarding roster construction.
“Number one, I understand the business,” Green explained. “I do know that this is a business and the organization is going to make the best decision from a business standpoint. If I fit into that equation: great. If I don’t: great.
“But I’m extremely grateful for the journey that I’ve been on here, and I’m going to enjoy this year like it’s my last, even if it isn’t.”
The possibility that it is his last year with Golden State is not something he ignores.
“I think I’d be crazy to not think that that’s a possibility,” Green said. “In saying that, I don’t approach every day like this is my last year here. But to say that that’s not a possibility; I’d be fooling myself.”
Above all else, Green is content with playing a key part of the Warriors since the beginning of his career in 2012.
“If 14-and-a-half years ago you handed me a sheet of paper that said ‘Hey, not only are you going to player 15 years in the NBA, but you’re going to play 15 years with one team?’ I would have taken that sheet of paper so fast – sign me up as fast as you can,” Green said. “So, I’m not going to get to year 15 in this place and have any ill-will or any ill-feelings towards this maybe [being] my last year.”
Green is clearly appreciative of his time as a Warrior. And even if the powers that be decide that this is his last year with the franchise, it does not appear that it will be his last year playing basketball.
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 20: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the game against the New York Knicks on October 20, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Whenever there are star-laden rosters rolled out in the NBA, skeptics of said rosters often have the same critiques.
“There’s only one ball.”
“Too many egos.”
“Good luck getting that guy to take a back seat to anyone.”
The NBA has long been powered by its stars and while it seems as if the narrative in recent years has changed, particularly with a team like New York winning an NBA championship last season primarily due to its stellar depth, top-end talent will always garner a lot of conversation in the NBA. The Sixers have a ton of it. It was fair to question how quickly all of the talent would mesh and come together, but if the season opener at Madison Square Garden was an indication, chemistry isn’t going to be a problem for this season’s Philadelphia 76ers.
Every Sixer in the starting lineup, besides VJ Edgecombe who attempted the fewest number of field goals amongst the five, had at least five assists in the 106-100 victory over New York. The Sixers committed fewer turnovers than a Knicks team that was returning the bulk of its roster that won last season’s title. Philadelphia also had 24 fastbreak points to 16 for the Knicks. These are all statistical categories that indicate a strong degree of togetherness and selflessness on the court.
On Tuesday night, the Sixers did not look like a team that was still trying to figure out how to put the puzzle pieces together. They also did not beat the Knicks due to a hot shooting night that could just be chalked up to randomness. Philly shot just 28% from the three-point line in the win. They did so with two high-profile new starters in the lineup in LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. They closed out a close game on the road against an opponent that’s owned them in recent seasons including two of the last three postseasons. So if they can do all of that in their first game together against the reigning champions, maybe it’s easy to see why there was so much hype around this team.
Inevitably, there are going to be overtures, if they haven’t started already, from fans about coach Nick Nurse’s overreliance on the starting five. Every starter played at least 33 minutes in the opener. There are another 81 regular season games to go plus what the franchise hopes is a deep playoff run. Managing minutes is not a novel concept for Nurse, but how good will he be at it this season? It’s a fair question.
Will Mike Gansey be able to find a backup center to Joel Embiid after losing Ariel Hukporti for the year before the season started? Finding some consistent outside shooting from the wing also figures to be the easiest way to get James some rest throughout the marathon that is the regular season.
Surely, there are still things the Sixers will have to figure out during the season as they’re not going to waltz to an NBA championship. But playing into June was on everyone’s minds before this season started and the victory on Tuesday night in New York showed us why. Chemistry and cohesion are usually things that only get better as the season goes on and if that’s the case for this group, we might be in for a very special next 6-8 months, Sixers fans.
It was right in front of the official — who should have been focused on Ball's feet, making sure he was behind the arc. To the credit of the official NBA referees account, they owned that this was a missed call.
For everyone asking, “how is this legal?” It’s not! He gathers with his right foot on the floor and would be permitted two steps by rule (left-right). He takes four steps after gathering the ball and travels. https://t.co/dSitGeRNSD
Don't let this take away from Ball's impressive Timberwolves debut: 21 points and six assists in 28 minutes, and he was +18. It also helped that Anthony Edwards was on a heater. But that absolutely was a travel.
Draymond Green is in the midst of a Hall of Fame career and is set to play a big role for the Warriors this season. But nothing lasts forever, and it is almost time for him to think about his post-basketball life.
Green could have an option once he retires, as he has said in the past that he would like to eventually become NBA commissioner, a position currently held by Adam Silver.
Speaking to CNBC Sport’s Alex Sherman, Green was asked what he would change as commissioner and his answer suggested that the league’s current state isn’t working.
“The salary structure,” Green told Sherman. “Ultimately, the salary structure has changed a lot of teams. I think it’s changed the NBA. We’ve always heard the word parity thrown around. Over the last six years, there’s been six different champions. That hasn’t had the benefit of having dynasties. All fans love to see dynasties; even the fans that hate to see dynasties, they really tune in for the dynasties and we’re not getting that anymore due to salary structure.
“That’s what I would change because ultimately, it’s a reason why Michael Jordan dominated for a period, the Spurs dominated for a period, LeBron dominated for a period. [The Golden State Warriors] dominated for a period. Now, it’s all over the place, and I don’t love that. As a basketball fan, I don’t love that.”
The Warriors’ dynastic run began during the 2014-15 season and netted four NBA championships through the 2021-22 season. During that time, NBA competition wasn’t as strong, with the Warriors dominating the Western Conference by a large margin.
Sherman noted that Silver recently told him that the NBA has data stating fans want parity. But when it was suggested the commissioner could be twisting the data, Green defended Silver while also emphasizing that basketball fans don’t love parity.
“I never think he’s twisting the data,” Green told Sherman. “When speaking of Commissioner Silver, I think he’s the best commissioner out there when you’re talking about all the major sports leagues. I don’t think he’s necessarily twisting the data. But, as you and I both know, data isn’t everybody’s opinion. It’s a subset of people, and then we take that and say, oh well, if you divide that by this many people, then that’s what you get.
“Or you add that in this amount of people, that’s what you get. I don’t think he’s twisting the data, but I will tell you as a basketball fan, and I’m always around a lot of basketball fans, I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s loved.”
Green is not ready to retire yet and is focused on playing at a high level this season so he can help Golden State achieve its goals. But when he retires, don’t be surprised if he starts impacting the game of basketball in other ways.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 21: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks speaks with Cooper Flagg #32 during the second quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on October 21, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks’ 2026-27 season got off to a rocky start on Wednesday night, as they got blown out by Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets, 128-110. After only trailing 32-26 when the first quarter ended, the Mavs proceeded to get outscored 38-12 in the second quarter, which ended up being the deciding factor in the game. Dallas outscored Houston 72-58 in the second half, but it was already too late.
It was a little bit of a mixed bag when it came to the performances of the Mavs’ two stars, 19-year-old Cooper Flagg and 34-year-old Kyrie Irving, who was playing his first real NBA game in nearly 600 days following an ACL injury. Flagg finished with a game-high 32 points (10-17 FG, 11-13 FT), five rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block in 33 minutes of action. He poured in 23 of his 32 points in the second half alone. Irving finished with 15 points (6-9 FG), four rebounds, two assists and one steal. Both Flagg and Irving had four turnovers each.
Following the loss, Mavs head coach Dusty May gave his thoughts on how his two stars played in their first real game together.
“I thought he was setting us up,” May said of Flagg’s second-half scoring. “In the first half I thought he was being very intentional with getting his teammates shots, and then, in the second half, we did a better job of getting some off-ball movement. We played a little bit faster, and then obviously if you’re not taking the ball out of the net, you can get it up and attack quickly. I thought that was the biggest difference. We just — our pace got a lot better in the second half.”
Getting to the free-throw line was something Dallas struggled with in the preseason, so Flagg’s ability to get to the stripe 13 times and convert 11 of them was a welcome sight for May.
“That’s been a point of emphasis, and that’s one thing, when we evaluated ourselves after four [preseason] games, getting to the line wasn’t something we did well,” May said. “We thought [Flagg] was the best way to capitalize in the paint. I thought he was strong. I thought he made good decisions. When we start knocking down some open shots, his assist numbers will increase.”
Irving was efficient on Wednesday night, but the problem was that his shots were limited. That obviously wasn’t by May’s design, but it’s what the Rockets’ defense forced the Mavs into.
“He’s obviously the focal point,” May said of Irving being limited to nine field-goal attempts by Houston’s defense. “They put two on the ball. I thought he made the right plays, the right decisions. There [are] going to be puzzles we’re going to have to figure out. Playing four-on-three with our other guys — we’ve got to do a better job and find some solutions.
“But I thought there in the second half, he showed a real — his true character — in being a leader when things weren’t going well, I thought he set a great example. Our bench was phenomenal. They were cheering for each other. We’re worried about getting better, especially starting with a couple games on the road like we are. We’re focused on getting better, and I was proud of the way the guys stayed connected and stayed fighting until the end. That showed some character.”
The Mavs now shift their attention to another road test against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night before opening up at home against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. The Pacers started their season off 1-0 with a 123-120 win over the New Orleans Pelicans after star point guard Tyrese Haliburton made his return from an achilles injury he suffered in the 2025 NBA Finals.
“[We have to] learn from what we did well,” May said. “I thought we made some strides in areas we’ve struggled in. But just look at the film. The lowest-hanging fruit — what can we fix in a 48-hour period, so we’re not out here chasing every rabbit, but focus on a couple of things so we can just trust it a little bit more. From everybody, we’ll fix that area. … These extra possessions, they steamroll on you, so if we just clean up a few things, I think we’ll make a significant jump.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 11: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates after scoring during the second quarter of a preseason game against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Arena on October 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers took a risk when they traded for Donovan Mitchell in 2022. They made a gamble that the assets they unloaded, which included multiple first-round picks that spanned seven years, would ultimately never be missed.
It looks like they’re winning that bet.
“I don’t ever want to wear another uniform,” Mitchell said in a Cleveland.com exclusive with Chris Fedor. “I dream of myself being here forever and hopefully having 45 in the rafters one day.”
Mitchell has not only led the franchise to some of their most successful seasons, but he’s signed an extension that keeps him in Cleveland through the 2029-30 NBA season — past the date of the final draft pick that is owed to the Utah Jazz.
There was a time when it was unclear if the Cavs would retain Mitchell for more than a single season. Or if they’d reach an agreement on even one contract extension. But now we are two extensions deep with a franchise star who has fully committed to the city he’s in.
Mitchell has averaged 26.7 points and 5.3 assists in four seasons with the Cavaliers. He’s been an All-Star in each season and was named to an All-NBA team in three of the four.
Entering his fifth year in Cleveland, Mitchell has made it clear that this is where he wants to be. The franchise has doubled and tripled down on their own commitment to him. Trading for James Harden last season and shuffling the starting lineup to add a 3-and-D wing in Peyton Watson. It’s all built around competing now while Mitchell’s window is open.
The Cavs haven’t had many players of Mitchell’s caliber represent the city, let alone retire in Cleveland. There’s something to be said for a star embracing his new home — even if this is all easier said than done. A lot can change between now and the end of Mitchell’s career, but a verbal commitment like this shouldn’t be taken for granted.
LOS ANGELES — It says something about how Steve Kerr and the Warriors feel about Yaxel Lendeborg that, in the season opener, they started him and gave him the Luka Doncic defensive assignment.
Lesson No. 1 for the rookie: Don't trash-talk Doncic. As the Slovenian himself said in his ESPN walk-off interview, "Everybody knows when somebody starts talking, you got a different me." Not only did Lendeborg pick up a technical, but also when he really got in Doncic's face, the Lakers went on a 13-4 run sparked by Doncic. And this happened.
That didn't stop Lendeborg from continuing his beef with Doncic after the game.
"I had a lot of respect for him, you know, just watching," Lendeborg said postgame. "I didn't really watch the NBA much, I just watched highlights, seeing him kill people all the time. But then, being in there firsthand, just watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect, man. Like, that was awful. Me getting frustrated, it's not about the foul call being called, it's about him complaining the entire game. And then you get the foul call, congratulations, bro, and then you talk to me like you did something great, bro. Come on. That's just weak.
"So, it kind of threw me off for a little while because, like I said, I had so much respect for him. Gone, man. Gone."
Those comments came after Doncic spoke, and this is all Doncic said about it and the technical foul on Lendeborg.
"I mean, he was talking crazy," Doncic said. "But you know I wasn't trying to talk back. This season, not trying to get techs. So it's the first time that that was not a double tech because I didn't say nothing. So I'm working on it."
Some quick thoughts on all this:
• Never change, Lendeborg. Don't go through Raymond Ritter's media training. Speak your mind.
• There are a lot of fans around the league who agree with Lendeborg about Doncic.
• It's tough to talk trash when your team is getting trashed. The Lakers pulled away in the second quarter when Doncic got hot — and Curry got cold, the Warriors are banged up and have no offensive creators to speak of outside of him — and that came when Lendeborg fired up Doncic.
• Lendeborg did a respectable job on Doncic, who shot just 1-of-5 when the rookie was the closest defender challenging the shot. The problem was that when the Warriors' defense focused and collapsed on Doncic, he found Walker Kessler rolling to the rim for one of his 10 dunks on the night.
• Lendeborg, 24, speaks for a generation of fans when he said, "I didn't really watch the NBA much, I just watched highlights." There are many, many who consume all their NBA info through social media clips and people on social media talking about the game. Nothing wrong with that, except the NBA's entire financial model is based on you tuning in to watch games. It's about television revenue (and ratings were up last season). It's a problem for Adam Silver and the league (and other sports leagues as well).
Jake McCabe was a full participant at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ morning skate on Thursday and is expected to play against the New York Rangers despite absorbing a high stick that forced him from Tuesday’s game in Columbus.
The 33-year-old defenceman was struck near the eye by Kent Johnson’s stick in the first period of the Leafs’ 6-2 win over the Blue Jackets. He went to the locker room and did not return, held out as a precaution once the lead grew comfortable. McCabe skated with regular defensive partner Darren Raddysh on the top pairing.
“He really got himself a break,” Hiller said of McCabe’s injury. “Anytime the stick gets up underneath the eye, you never know what it’s going to look like. So he was fortunate. He’s doing well.”
McCabe described a brief moment of panic before he opened his eye and confirmed he could still see. Swelling set in quickly, but he said it felt better by Thursday. He credited the training staff, including Paul Ayotte, for handling the situation. Asked about any frustration with the play, McCabe was direct.
“A little bit, yeah. I’ll be honest,” McCabe said. “I think guys can take better care of their sticks for sure. But obviously, it’s an accident. I’m not going to fault him for that. But just a general consensus. I’ve gotten a couple high sticks the last three, four games, and they seem to be from younger players. So keep your stick down.”
McCabe said he does not need a different visor for Thursday’s game. His availability is significant with Chris Tanev still sidelined by an upper-body injury. McCabe and Troy Stecher have been hopping over the boards first on the penalty kill, and the Leafs have continued to generate pressure and chances late in kills even without Tanev.
Marshall Rifai’s status is less clear. The defenceman left the morning skate early after starting the session paired with Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Hiller said Rifai is dealing with something and that the Leafs would have to wait and see.
Rifai scored his first NHL goal on Tuesday in Columbus, finishing a play in the Leafs’ six-goal outburst. McCabe noted that the call-up received regular shifts and close to 20 minutes that night, which he viewed as positive for Rifai’s confidence. The 28-year-old had been recalled to provide depth on a blue line already missing Tanev.
Auston Matthews has been scoring on a torrid pace, with six in his last six games. Through 11 games, Matthews leads the Leafs in scoring. Hiller said the production is a matter of time given the talent level once the skating and habits stay in place.
“He’s just been so consistent,” Hiller said of Matthews. “He’s skated from the first day of camp. That’s what I’ve noticed. Now to start the season, he played really well. Didn’t score a lot of goals, and it didn’t change. He just kept skating and skating. So now, you know, he’s going to score. We know that he’s a world-class goal scorer.”
McCabe described Matthews as leading the way on and off the ice. Darren Raddysh called the current version “vintage Auston,” referencing the games from Matthews’ 70-goal chase. Nylander, who has seen the full arc of Matthews’ career in Toronto, said the present level may even exceed that earlier peak.
“Probably maybe even better than that at that point,” Nylander said. “I mean, we’ll see. I think 70 goals is crazy, but I mean just the way he’s playing is about the same probably.”
Nylander’s own game has drawn positive reviews from the coaching staff for reasons beyond the scoresheet. Hiller said conversations about play without the puck that once required regular attention are largely finished. Nylander now shows a clearer grasp of both sides of the puck and how he fits into the structure when the Leafs are playing well. He has found chemistry with Marchenko and Paul. Nylander likes Marchenko’s size, right-handedness and similar approach to the game, and he noted that the line has been clicking.
Special Teams Fuel Leafs
The Leafs’ special teams have been a quiet strength through the early schedule. On the penalty kill, McCabe pointed to increased up-ice pressure from Sissons and others that disrupts opposing breakouts, plus late-kill contributions from Nylander and Cowan. Nylander mentioned a strong pass from Rielly that set up Cowan’s first NHL shorthanded goal in Columbus. On the power play, Nylander said the unit is moving the puck well and getting pucks to the net, producing goals in different ways. Raddysh attributed the success to options, reading pressure and players buying into the system the coaches want.
Younger players continue to receive opportunities and show comfort with the pace. Hiller said a pre-season conversation with Easton Cowan stood out because Cowan laid out higher expectations for himself than the staff had outlined. Consistency night after night remains the challenge for any young player, but Hiller said Cowan has largely met that standard. Nylander, asked about the confidence level of the next wave, recalled his own early desire to have the puck and score. He said the current group is doing a good job of wanting to be difference-makers.
Toronto’s penalty kill is the best in the NHL through games played on Oct. 21 at 97.4 percent. They also have the fifth-best power play at 27.5 percent.
Brother vs Brother
Darren Raddysh will face his brother Taylor of the Rangers on Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena. Raddysh led the stretching group at the morning skate and called the matchup special. Taylor was supportive of the decision to join the Leafs, and the brothers have talked for years about the possibility of playing together. They shared three seasons in junior and appeared in two games as teammates in Tampa. Raddysh said the family has long discussed the idea, though he expects a competitive night.
“It’ll be special,” Raddysh said. “He’s been supportive of my decision to come here and what it means to our family. We’ve talked about it for a long time, and both being on the ice here will be special.”
Taylor and Darren Raddysh taking a photo together at center ice in their first game against each other in the NHL.
He noted that Taylor may hold the overall bragging rights in their NHL meetings, but pointed to a previous game in which he recorded three points and the Leafs won. Childhood game trips usually involved their father taking one of the brothers, often the one who was a Devils fan. On the ice, Raddysh said there are no friends, though he joked he might not deliver his hardest check if they meet in a corner.
The Rangers enter the game with a 7-3-1 record and have looked more solid on the blue line after summer additions. McCabe described Alexis Lafrenière as a player who brings pace, a quick release and offensive vision, and he expects a difficult test against a Rangers group that has been playing with confidence.
Tavares and Tanev status for upcoming road trip unclear
John Tavares remains out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Hiller said he did not yet have a definitive update on either Tavares or Tanev regarding the road trip that follows Thursday’s game. The Leafs are looking for a third consecutive win after taking both ends of a back-to-back against the Sharks and Blue Jackets. With McCabe available, the blue line has its most experienced option back in the mix, even as Rifai’s availability stays unresolved after his early departure from the skate and his first career goal two nights earlier.
See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
