GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 12: Daniel Espino #66 of the Cleveland Guardians poses for a portrait at Cleveland Guardians Photo Day during 2026 Spring Training at Goodyear Ballpark on February 12, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians have demoted Codi Heuer and promoted Daniel Espino. They also traded Nolan Jones to the White Sox for $250K in international free agency.
It’s quite exciting to think of Espino finally making the big leagues. Zack Meisel has a story out about his arduous journey.
Nolan Jones is not good, but if he is somehow miraculously good with the White Sox, it’ll be time o fire the hitting coaches here.
Meisel has an article on the hitting issues for the Guardians.
The Tigers will start Jack Flaherty vs. Tanner Bibee tonight at 7:10PM, Tarik Skubal vs. Joey Cantillo on Saturday at 4:10PM and probably Casey Mize vs. Gavin Williams on Sunday at 1:40PM. Feels like a very important series right now. The Guardians are on a four-game losing streak.
AROUND MLB:
The Tigers destroyed the Twins and the Royals lost to the Rangers.
The Atlanta Braves were unable to seek a win on Thursday evening, as the series finale against the Chicago White Sox was a washout. The game will be made up on August 20th at 2:10 ET.
The road trip has continued to New York, where the Braves face the Mets in a three-game series. First pitch is set for Friday night at 7:15 ET.
More Braves News:
MLB Pipeline’s latest mock draft has new names connected to the Braves.
Isaiah Drake logged two homers and a double in Rome’s win on Wednesday. More in the minor league recap.
MLB News:
The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired outfielder Derek Hill and international bonus pool finds from the Chicago White Sox. In exchange, the Sox received two prospects.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have a few areas on their roster that they should be looking to improve during the summer. Among them is their blueline, as their defensive group could simply use more depth.
When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), Buffalo Sabres defenseman Logan Stanley is an interesting potential option for the Blue Jackets to consider.
The first thing that immediately stands out about Stanley is his size. The 6-foot-7, 231-pound defenseman would provide the Blue Jackets' defensive group with a hulking defenseman, which is never a bad thing for a team with playoff expectations like the Blue Jackets to have around.
Stanley also showed this season that he is capable of providing some offense from the point in addition to his toughness. In 76 games this season split between the Winnipeg Jets and Sabres, Stanley set new career highs with nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points. If he translated this kind of offense over to next season, he would give the Blue Jackets a bit more offensive production from the point, which is needed.
However, Stanley's biggest impact comes from his gritty style of play. The big blueliner isn't afraid of the physical side of the game, as threw 110 hits and had 128 penalty minutes this season. He would be a good player for the Blue Jackets to have around when the games get tougher and would give them another player to protect their top stars.
Another appealing factor about Stanley is his age. This is because the Sabres defenseman just turned 28 years old in May and has multiple years left in his prime. With this, he could be a nice long-term fit on a Blue Jackets club that is looking to break out and become real threats in the Eastern Conference.
If the Blue Jackets signed Stanley, he could fit well on their bottom pairing. He would also give them another option to work with on their penalty kill because of his shutdown ability.
Overall, if Stanley ends up not re-signing with the Sabres and testing the market, he is one of the defensemen that the Blue Jackets should have on their radar. While he is not a star, he would be a good hard-nosed defenseman for the Blue Jackets to add to their roster.
In 278 career NHL games over six seasons, Stanley has recorded 14 goals, 48 assists, 62 points, 333 penalty minutes, 351 blocks, 467 hits, and a plus-29 rating.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.
Let us know what you think below.
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.
Two factions of former Philadelphia Flyers have been pitted against each other in the Stanley Cup Final, but only one end is living up to their end of the bargain so far.
With a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night, the Carolina Hurricanes are in the driver's seat to win their first Stanley Cup in 20 years, taking a 3-2 series lead.
They've managed that on the strength of longtime Flyers nemesis Jordan Staal, the Hurricanes' captain who has scored in each of the first five games of the series, making him the first player to do so since Rocket Richard in 1956
Additionally, Staal's five-game scoring streak is tied for the longest such streak in Stanley Cup Final history.
The wily vet has been historically great for the Canes when it matters most, while a former Flyers goalie at the other end of the ice has been historically terrible.
On Tuesday night, after allowing five goals in a 5-3 loss to the Hurricanes, ex-Flyers netminder Carter Hart became the only goalie in NHL history to allow four or more goals in each of the first four games of a Stanley Cup Final.
Things only got worse for the 27-year-old on Thursday night, as another four goals by the Hurricanes put his team down in the series for the very first time, extending his historically bad record by one more game.
Hart was a strong playoff performer dating back to his early days with the Flyers, but he's had a save percentage no higher than .879 in his last five starts for the Golden Knights.
As a result, his once-elite numbers this postseason have plummeted to a more average 2.59 GAA and .909 save percentage. Still respectable, but hardly jaw-dropping as they were previously.
At the other end of the ice, the Hurricanes have turned to Brandon Bussi in place of Freddie Andersen; Bussi has now won two straight with Andersen serving as a scratch and not dressing at all.
Former Flyers head coach John Tortorella has one more chance, with or without Hart, to figure it out for Vegas, before the Stanley Cup goes home with Carolina.
Happy birthday to Damon Buford, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1939 – In front of a record crowd of 23,864 fans at Ruppert Stadium in Newark, NJ, Lou Gehrig plays his last game in a Yankee uniform when he participates in an exhibition contest against the Kansas City Blues, the team’s American Association farm club. The “Iron Horse”, playing only three innings and batting eighth, grounds out weakly to second base in his only at-bat, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
1880 Worcester Ruby Legs pitcher Lee Richmond throws the first perfect game in MLB history in a 1-0 win over the Cleveland Blues at the Agricultural County Fair Grounds in Worcester
1970 – Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellisno-hits the San Diego Padres, 2-0. Ellis receives all his support on two home runs by Willie Stargell. Ellis will later claim that he was suffering from the after-effects of his previous night’s LSD trip while pitching this gem.
1923 – Harry Houdini frees himself from a straight jacket while suspended upside down, 40 feet (12 m) above ground in NYC.
1930 – German boxer Max Schmeling beats Jack Sharkey by disqualification in 4 rounds in NYC for vacant NBA, NYSAC, The Ring and lineal heavyweight titles; first time title won on a foul.
1931 – Al Capone is indicted on 5,000 counts of prohibition violations and perjury.
1979 – Kevin St Onge throws a playing card a record 185 ft-1 inch; record broken in 1992.
1987 – US President Ronald Reagan challenges Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down” the Berlin wall.
2008 – Patrick Kane receives the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year.
Today in music history:
1909 – “Shine On, Harvest Moon” by Ada Jones & Billy Murray hits #1.
1965 – Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday Honours List names The Beatles as MBEs (Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire); dozens of past winners return medals in protest.
1966 – Dave Clark Five sets record as they appear for 12th time on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
1970 – Rocker and blues singer Janis Joplin debuts in Kentucky.
1990 – Mariah Carey‘s self-titled debut album is released.
1993 – “Three Little Pigs” by Green Jelly hits #17.
2008 – Coldplay release their 4th studio album ” Viva la Vida or Death” (winner of 3 Grammys).
Jun 10, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A detailed view of the All-Star Game logo on the hat of Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) during an MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
The Phillies now head to Wisco for a set against the Brewers. I’ve heard that actual Wisconsinites never say “Wisco”. Is that true? As you can tell (or maybe not?) from my use of the term, I am not from Wisconsin.
Onto the links.
Phillies news
The Phillies are going to have some All-Stars for the hometown All-Star Game. But how many?
The Detroit Tigers wrapped up their homestand on Thursday afternoon with an 11-0 shellacking of the Minnesota Twins to give the team its seventh win in nine tries so far in June. Already, AJ Hinch and Co. have exceeded their win total for May with just under 2/3 of the month remaining.
Not too shabby.
Now, the Motor City Kitties hit the road for another big series against a fellow American League Central rival — the Cleveland Guardians — starting on Friday night at Progressive Field. The Guards have experienced an opposite level of success in June, winning just three of their nine games so far while bringing a four-game losing streak into the weekend that includes a three-game sweep at home against the New York Yankees.
The Tigers will open up with right-hander Jack Flaherty, who was cruising through five innings against the Seattle Mariners last time out before getting knocked out in the sixth. The 30-year-old’s final line saw him surrender three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out seven over five frames in what eventually turned out to be a 5-4 victory for Detroit.
Flaherty last faced Cleveland in the 2025 AL Wildcard series, in which he gave his team 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball on three hits and two walks while striking out four in a 6-3 team win.
Up against him for the Guardians will be fellow righty Tanner Bibee, who is coming off his best start of the year on the road against the Texas Rangers. The 27-year-old gave his team eight frames of shutout ball on three hits and two walks while striking out just three to earn his first and only win of the 2026 campaign.
That effort just barely outdid his previous performance against Detroit this season back on May 20, when he also went eight innings, surrendering just one run on four hits and a walk while striking out three. However, the Olde English D ultimately prevailed that day in 10 innings, 3-2.
Take a look below at how the two match up on Friday night.
Detroit Tigers (29-40) vs. Cleveland Guardians (37-33)
Time (ET): 7:10 p.m. Place: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio SB Nation Site:Covering the Corner Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 70: RHP Jack Flaherty (1-7, 5.31 ERA) vs. RHP Tanner Bibee (1-7, 4.09 ERA)
BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 11: Andrew Kittredge #39 and Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrate after the Orioles defeated the Seattle Mariners at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Thursday, June 11, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
The path to getting there might not have been ideal, but the Orioles salvaged a split with the Mariners in the opening series of their seven-game homestand. The O’s have snapped a four-game losing streak by winning their last two, taking last night’s finale by a 7-5 score. A six-run third inning did the heavy lifting for the Birds, who held on despite Kyle Bradish’s second straight lousy start thanks to a great effort by the bullpen. Check out Alex Church’s recap of all the action.
The O’s are right back where they started the homestand, at four games under .500. It’s not exactly where they want to be. Things could be better. But they could also be worse! #analysis
The Orioles arguably could have won all four games of the series. Both of their losses were by one or two runs, and if just one or two things had gone differently in each game, the O’s could’ve made a huge statement with a sweep of the first-place Mariners. But baseball doesn’t work that way, especially not 2026 Orioles baseball. Even in their almost-wins, they keep making some dumb mistakes, like Blaze Alexander getting thrown out to erase a potential sac fly on Monday, or Gunnar Henderson first-pitch hacking into a groundout with the bases loaded in a tie game in the ninth on Tuesday.
We’ve seen what the Orioles can look like when they’re firing on all cylinders. They’ve got the talent to go on an extended run, but most of the time the biggest obstacle they need to overcome is themselves. The fundamental mistakes — sloppy defense, sloppy baserunning, failures with RISP — are holding them back. If they clean up some of that stuff more consistently, they can certainly make a postseason push in an American League that has very few dominant teams.
For now, the O’s will try to extend their modest winning streak as they welcome the Padres to Camden Yards for the first time since 2024, when San Diego took two of three. The Pads have a winning record overall but have been struggling for a couple of weeks now, just 4-12 in their last 16 games. Their offense in particular has struggled badly, nobody more so than former Oriole Manny Machado, who’s hitting .172 with a .597 OPS.
This series is the Orioles’ for the taking, and a good opportunity for the Birds to inch closer to that elusive .500 mark. Will it happen? It’s hard to predict anything with this team.
It does seem like Albernaz isn’t particularly expressive with umps when arguing calls. Then again, he is still recovering from taking a baseball off the face a couple months ago. I’d probably be trying to avoid any unnecessary facial movement, too.
Every year it seems there’s some journeyman veteran who makes the O’s roster as an afterthought and ends up being a much bigger contributor than expected. Leody Taveras is that guy.
A great story from Ken Rosenthal about the beloved former Oriole, who just made it back to the majors for the first time since 2023 after nearly retiring earlier this season. I’ll be rooting hard for Trey, and I don’t think I’m the only one.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You share your day with two former Orioles: Baltimore-born outfielder Damon Buford (56) and catcher Dave Skaggs (75).
On this date in 1986, Orioles DH Juan Beníquez hit three home runs in one game, an especially unlikely feat considering that he hit only six in his entire O’s career. The O’s lost the game anyway, 7-5, to the Yankees.
On this date in 2004, in the first game of a doubleheader at Camden Yards, the Orioles’ Rafael Palmeiro hit his 536th and 537th career homers while the Giants’ Barry Bonds hit his 675th. It marked only the third time in MLB history that two members of the 500-homer club went deep in the same game. Once again, the O’s lost, 9-6, in 11 innings.
Random Orioles game of the day
On June 12, 2006, the Orioles beat the Blue Jays in Toronto, 6-4. Starter Kris Benson delivered a quality start, working six innings and giving up three runs, all of them coming on a pair of Alex Ríos homers. His battery mate, Ramón Hernández, went 3-for-5 and was a triple shy of the cycle to lead a well-balanced O’s offense. Chris Ray got the save in the ninth despite giving up a homer to former and future Oriole Gregg Zaun. The win improved the O’s to 30-35, but they never got even within five games of .500 again for the rest of the season.
Since most of the conversation lately seem to have zigged towards the Nolan Gorman question and somewhat the Riley O’Brien question, I decided to zag in another direction. My curiosity? Of the minor leagues prospects we’ve been watching, who has the most interesting pitch shape metrics (ie. the under the hood stuff)? We seem to be far enough into the season to have built up some stats that can stand up to Small Sample Size (SSS) scrutiny. Since I do the daily down on the Farm Reports, I see the various pitcher usage and line score results every day. That has made me curious about some things that might be going on beyond the line score.
That real-time curiosity met up with a longer-term, nagging deficiency in my knowledge set. It goes like this: Every so often as prospect watcher like @KareemSSN will post an interesting tidbit on a pitcher with stuff I find really cool. He is pretty good at explaining things, but one of things that has frustrated me is I can look at a chart like this and lack the context of what is good, what is bad and what is irrelevant and I have to re-remember all that and I can’t find a reliable source for reference. So I set out to build my own reference, so when something like this pops up, I can open my reference card and interpolate if an SI spin of 2038 with an HB of 13.7 is good, bad or irrelevant. In this case, it’s not great, but very relevant to gauging a Slider’s potential effectiveness.
I’m going to start with a set of numbers similar to what is above, although I can’t help myself and add a few and delete some others. I’m going to pull all the pitch data for our Low-A and AAA pitching prospects and see who has elite level metrics in any of the categories. I will be dropping VREL, Ext and Chase and add in some expected performance measures like xwOBA, xBA, along with actual measures like K and BB rate.
My first crack at this will be to discover which Low-A pitchers have top 10th percentile metrics. This is a “who has a tool that sticks out” kind of question. For those pitchers with a notable metric, I will show a comparison not only to their league, but AAA and MLB standards for the same metric. For fun, I will also include a notable non-Cardinal prospect in the analysis (Seth Hernandez) to give some context to some of the numbers you will see.
A couple of quick notes on the data:
The data comes from Baseball Savant (probably not surprising). The minor league side only has data for Low-A and AAA pitchers, so my research will unfortunately exclude High-A and AA pitchers. We have to wait for Liam Doyle to get to Memphis before we get to look under the hood.
I’d love to use Chase%, but I can not find it in the exported set that comes from Savant. If anyone has any pointers, let me know.
I arbitrarily set a cut off at 50 pitches … any pitcher with less than 50 pitches in that league is excluded. It helped make the data manageable, and also smoothed out most major league rehab pitchers. I’m not comparing prospects to veteran MLB pitchers, I’m comparing them to their peers.
The vertical and horizontal movement ranks are non-intuitive. Whereas a low xBA is good (top 10th percentile) and a high xBA is bad (bottom 10th percentile), when it comes to direction, either extreme can be good, depending on the pitch type. For example, a high positive on the horizontal axis on a Sinker (SI) can produce a top 10th percentile, whereas a high negative on the same axis coupled with a Slider (SL) can produce a bottom 10th percentile result, which is equally good, given the pitch type.
Low-A Metric Leader Board
player_name
total_pitches
pitch_type
pitch_percent
spin_rate
Velocity
spin_rate P10
Velocity P10
K rate P10
whiff rate
whiff.rate P10
Walk Rate P10
Vertical Break (in)
Vertical Break P10
Horiz break (in)
Horiz break P10
Hernandez, Seth
371
FF
48.2
2405
98.4
4
1
6
28%
3
2
17.44
3
13.88
1
Hernandez, Seth
371
SL
18.1
2543
89.0
3
1
1
71%
1
5
3.04
4
-0.19
1
Hernandez, Seth
371
CH
18.1
2289
85.0
1
5
1
71%
1
7
9.59
2
14.55
5
Hernandez, Seth
371
CU
15.6
2574
81.4
6
2
1
73%
1
5
-9.68
6
-8.62
5
Breckheimer, Alex
510
CU
11.8
2176
76.9
10
9
10
22%
9
7
-14.71
10
-7.34
3
Breckheimer, Alex
510
FF
55.9
2334
93.3
5
5
3
22%
6
1
17.71
3
10.62
3
Crossland, Cade
784
CH
31.6
2254
82.7
1
8
3
55%
2
9
7.58
3
18.81
1
Crossland, Cade
784
CU
11.1
2383
78.1
8
8
1
57%
1
1
-13.18
9
-9.99
7
Crossland, Cade
784
SL
7.4
2163
84.4
9
3
10
24%
9
7
3.07
4
0.66
1
Cuello, Antoni
359
FF
49.3
2461
95.2
3
3
10
12%
10
7
14.98
8
14.5
1
Cuello, Antoni
359
SL
24.5
2224
83.1
8
7
1
45%
3
9
2.56
5
0.18
1
Driessen, Dylan
315
FF
54.6
2231
94.5
9
4
1
26%
4
7
20.31
1
5.51
10
Driessen, Dylan
315
CU
23.5
2768
80.2
3
4
5
29%
5
1
-11.82
8
-8.5
4
Echeman, Kaden
557
CU
23.5
2594
81.4
5
2
2
45%
2
5
-15.9
10
-4.77
2
Jovi Galvez
297
SI
30
2169
94.4
8
3
3
28%
2
9
14.24
4
15.14
3
Martinez, Jack
783
SL
36.9
2462
81.3
5
9
10
28%
8
10
8.86
1
-6.65
7
Odle, Jacob
584
FF
28.6
2432
97.1
3
1
4
24%
5
8
17.58
3
8.87
5
Odle, Jacob
584
CU
18.8
2593
83.0
5
1
4
34%
4
4
-11.51
8
-8.6
5
Shelagowski, Jake
601
FF
55.9
2235
95.8
8
2
5
20%
8
4
15.68
7
14.2
1
Shelagowski, Jake
601
SL
23.5
2162
86.1
9
1
5
28%
8
1
1.18
7
-2
2
Van Dyke, Ty
431
FF
44.5
2290
92.4
7
8
2
24%
5
1
15.67
7
13.61
1
Van Dyke, Ty
431
SL
16.7
2796
81.5
1
9
1
36%
5
2
2.2
6
-12.57
10
Ynfante, Nelfy
358
SI
38.8
2167
94.3
8
3
4
23%
4
4
14.71
3
13.96
6
Young, Ethan
514
SI
30.2
2353
93.8
3
4
5
26%
3
6
16.57
1
15.47
2
Young, Ethan
514
CH
20.4
2081
84.9
2
6
4
56%
1
9
5.83
6
17.4
2
Young, Ethan
514
FF
19.1
2328
93.2
6
6
9
17%
8
1
18.49
2
12.31
2
The above table depicts 12 Palm Beach (Low-A) pitches who have at least one pitch metric in the top 10th percentile of their league. These represent the tools the Cardinals have to work with and develop.
The thirteen pitcher is a proxy – Seth Hernandez. If you’ve never heard of him, you will. He is what scouts dream of when it comes to pitch metrics:
(FF) Four seam fastball that has top 10th percentile in velo AND horizontal movement
(SL) Slider with top tenth percentile in whiff rate and horizontal movement
(CH) with top tenth spin rate and whiff rate
With that primer, let’s look at Cardinal Low-A prospects:
Alex Breckheimer has elite command with his four seamer w/ a top 10th percentile walk rate.
Cade Crossland’s spin rate and horizontal break on his change-up (CH) are top 10th. His curve (CU) has elite whiff rate and elite horizontal break (90th percentile). This is one of those counter-intuitive ones where the large negative number is a great number. In an odd one, his slider (SL) has a really odd outlier horizontal break – it breaks into RH hitters. That will need fixing.
Antoni Cuello has top 10th horizontal break on his FF and SL, and has a superior K rate with that slider. It is a put away pitch.
Dylan Driessen has top 10th percentile induced vertical break on this 4-seam fastball (FF). I always get this backwards but I think this means it has “ride” or “hop” to it. He also has exceptional command over his slider (SL).
Kaden Echemann has an even better curve (CU) that Crossland with 16” of downward break. Memories of Uncle Charlie with this one.
Jack Martinez has unusual break on his slider. It doesn’t miss bats, and walks lots of guys, so I don’t see this 10th percentile rating as all that helpful.
Jacob Odle carries top tenth percentile on both his FF. He had one of the hardest curves in the league, too, before he advanced to High-A.
John Shelagowski has elite horizontal break on his FF and has elite and near-elite characteristics on his slider (SL).
Tyler Van Dyke’s FF really rides in on RH batter, with a high K and low walk rate (the velo itself is pedestrian). He also carries very good command characteristics on his SL.
Ethan Young carries top tenth percentile characteristics on his SI, CH and FF. Looks a little like Seth Hernandez, huh?
Performance Matters
Stuff (and the underlying metrics which show it) are one thing. Performance is another. Which pitchers (in Low-A Palm Beach) are getting the most out of their stuff? Let’s look more at performance outcomes as see how they rate.
player_name
pitch_type
pitch_percent
xwoba
K Rate
BB Rate
HardHit%
xwOBA P10
Hard Hit Rate P10
K rate P10
Walk Rate P10
Breckheimer, Alex
FF
55.9
0.23
28
5.3
39.58
2
5
3
1
Breckheimer, Alex
CU
11.8
0.27
10
10
14.29
7
2
10
7
Crossland, Cade
CH
31.6
0.24
42.4
18.2
19.23
5
4
3
9
Crossland, Cade
CU
11.1
0.08
77.8
0
25
1
5
1
1
Crossland, Cade
SL
7.4
0.57
8.3
8.3
37.5
10
7
10
7
Cuello, Antoni
FF
49.3
0.35
7.9
18.4
44.44
7
8
10
7
Cuello, Antoni
SL
24.5
0.2
54.5
13.6
0
3
1
1
9
Driessen, Dylan
FF
54.6
0.26
40
20
28.57
2
2
1
7
Driessen, Dylan
CU
23.5
0.3
41.2
0
60
7
10
5
1
Echeman, Kaden
FF
53.1
0.34
19.8
23.5
37.78
6
4
6
8
Echeman, Kaden
CU
23.5
0.25
58.1
6.5
30
6
5
2
5
Martinez, Jack
SL
36.9
0.26
14.6
16.7
21.21
6
2
10
10
Martinez, Jack
FF
30.8
0.27
34.9
14.3
27.59
2
1
2
5
Odle, Jacob
FF
28.6
0.32
25.6
23.3
40.91
5
6
4
8
Odle, Jacob
CU
18.8
0.15
48.3
3.4
61.54
3
10
4
4
Shelagowski, Jake
SL
23.5
0.16
34.6
0
35.29
2
6
5
1
Shelagowski, Jake
CU
12.5
0.36
23.8
14.3
18.18
9
3
8
9
Van Dyke, Ty
FF
44.5
0.2
31
5.2
33.33
1
2
2
1
Van Dyke, Ty
SL
16.7
0.08
54.5
0
0
1
1
1
2
Ynfante, Nelfy
SI
38.8
0.22
18.8
9.4
26.09
1
2
4
4
Young, Ethan
SI
30.2
0.34
18.2
13.6
43.33
7
8
5
6
Young, Ethan
CH
20.4
0.15
41.7
16.7
0
1
1
4
9
Young, Ethan
FF
19.1
0.31
8.7
4.3
57.89
4
10
9
1
Young, Ethan
CU
11.9
0.15
60
10
0
2
1
2
7
In the above table, you will see many of the same names and pitches, this time with how those pitches are performing in real games. There are few new names, as some guys without top 10th percentile stuff are still getting top tenth percentile results, such as Nelfy Ynfante, who really limits hard contact without any top tier stuff.
Some notes:
Crossland’s change and curve perform well. Sure enough, that odd slider does not.
Odle’s FF seems to perform a bit worse that the metrics suggest it should.
Van Dyke’s command sets him apart.
Jack Martinez seems to get more out of his FF that the metrics suggest he should.
Ethan Young, with 4 pitches on this chart, should become a name to remember. How many low-A pitchers do you remember that already have 4 average or better offerings?
Summary
So I’m ending this just with Low-A pitchers. Round 2 will include AAA pitchers, in similar format, depending on how commenters react to this first go. This hopefully provides you with some names to watch for, some reasons to watch for them and some explanation about why these guys keep getting used in priority situations.
Closing
Oh, yeah. Remember that cheat sheet I keep looking for to remember what is a really good pitch metric…like for when someone tell us so-and-so’s sinker (SI) breaks arm side 18”. Is that good? Is it elite? Below is an MLB chart and indeed, anything above 17.9” is top tenth percentile. This is for all pitchers in the MLB in 2026.
pitch_type
OBA
xBA
Hardhit
Top Spin Rate
Bottom Spin Rate
Whiff Rate
K Rate
Walk Rate
Top Vertical
Bottom Vertical
Top Horiz
Bottom Horiz
Velo
FF
0.253
0.166
31.3
2485
2135
13%
34.5
5.6
18.5
12.9
11.9
3.6
91.8
SI
0.261
0.211
26.5
2382
2018
6%
20.0
2.4
13.0
2.2
17.9
13.2
90.8
SL
0.187
0.147
19.3
2699
2174
20%
43.3
0.0
5.7
-3.5
-1.0
-8.0
83.2
CH
0.196
0.161
17.2
2123
1313
20%
36.0
0.0
9.1
-0.9
17.5
11.1
81.8
ST
0.176
0.132
18.0
2873
2268
21%
43.6
0.0
5.6
-3.7
-10.0
-17.4
78.9
FC
0.263
0.190
22.5
2623
2155
14%
24.3
0.0
12.0
4.5
0.6
-4.8
86.8
CU
0.187
0.134
17.6
2879
2266
19%
48.2
0.0
-5.2
-15.8
-3.6
-14.2
75.0
FS
0.195
0.149
16.7
1709
971
18%
46.4
0.0
6.8
-0.7
15.1
8.0
82.7
KC
0.200
0.151
26.3
2794
2278
19%
41.3
0.4
-4.2
-14.7
-2.0
-13.2
78.3
SV
0.245
0.207
22.8
2856
2215
23%
33.0
0.0
-2.2
-7.6
-5.6
-17.2
80.1
FO
0.241
0.174
27.7
1073
649
33%
34.9
3.6
0.2
-2.5
10.5
4.1
82.9
KN
0.264
0.232
40.9
299
299
21%
29.4
5.9
-1.9
-1.9
1.6
1.6
80.5
Contains both pitch shape and performance metrics
One interesting thing I think I see in this data. There really doesn’t seem to be a lot a difference in top tenth pitch metrics (spin rate, horizontal break, etc.) between Low-A and MLB. Is that a reasonable look? That tells me that location, command and sequencing is what they learn coming up the ladder, but the raw materials are pretty much in place in Low-A. Valid observation?
Long-term, I might spiff this up by blanking out more irrelevant columns. For example, percentile rank is not crucial for velocity on a Knuckle Curve. For most breaking/off speed pitches, the offset from the FF/SI is more crucial, as well as the spin direction (which isn’t in the data set, as far as I can tell).
Sep 10, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; General view of the helmet used by the Milwaukee Brewers before the start of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Greetings, Brew Crew Ball community. The Brewers had another slightly underwhelming week, as they swept the Rockies in Colorado and won an extra-innings slugfest on Monday night in Las Vegas but ultimately dropped their series with the A’s. Elsewhere in the division, the bottom three teams (Pirates, Cubs, and Reds) struggled, but the Cardinals continue to surprise, as they’ve closed the gap in the division. The Brewers are now back home as they’ll welcome the Phillies and Guardians over the next week.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - APRIL 02: Nico Hischier #13 of the New Jersey Devils reacts during the third period against the Washington Capitals at Prudential Center on April 02, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Washington Capitals 7-3. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
A Nico thought:
👀 Although talks are ongoing, my speculation is that C Hischier and @NJDevils will land on a medium term contract extension somewhere between 11M- 13M range … #HockeyXpic.twitter.com/UgX43i5Cjj
“There’s no doubt the 2025-26 season was a disappointment for the New Jersey Devils, but with that should come change, unlike last offseason. New GM Sunny Mehta will likely be busy this summer, as the Devils’ roster has a few holes to address. What should Mehta prioritize via trades and free agency?” [Devils on the Rush]
“The New Jersey Devils need a top-six forward this summer. Not only is Jordan Kyrou a strong candidate, but he’s also a realistic target. The Devils have plenty going for them with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt leading the charge, but their top-six scoring dried up too often last year. Even-strength production was a real sore spot, and it showed in the standings. Bringing in a winger who can generate chances, finish plays, and keep up with that pace would go a long way toward fixing it. Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues keeps coming up as someone who fits that bill pretty cleanly.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]
Hockey Links
The Hurricanes are one win away from the Stanley Cup:
THE CANES ARE ONE WIN AWAY FROM THE #STANLEYCUP!!! 😱😱😱
“The NHLPA expects a full NHL investigation of coach Mike Babcock before the Edmonton Oilers can hire him, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. The investigation would cover Babcock’s time with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023, when he was hired but never coached a game for the team.” [ESPN]
“As the Edmonton Oilers navigate hiring Mike Babcock as head coach, they continue on another path: finding a new home for one of their longest-tenured players, alternate captain Darnell Nurse. Last week, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reported the Oilers would like to trade Nurse, and, according to multiple sources, the defenceman recently went to the organization and said he would like to be traded. He now feels it is time for him to move on.” [Sportsnet]
“There might not be another player in the entire National Hockey League with as unique a resume as Taylor Hall. He won two Memorial Cups in junior and was drafted first overall into the NHL. Eight years later, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. And now, another eight years later, Hall is putting himself firmly in the conversation for the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded each year to the NHL’s playoff MVP.” [Daily Faceoff]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 14: Anthony Mantha #39 of the Pittsburgh Penguins reacts to scoring a goal in the second period during a game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Utah Mammoth at Delta Center on March 14, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Eli Rehmer/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Vitals
Player: Anthony Mantha Born: Sep 16, 1994 Height: 6’5” Weight: 240 pounds Hometown: Longueuil, Quebec, Canada Shoots: Left Draft: First round pick (20th overall) in 2013 with Detroit Red Wings 2024-25 Statistics: 81 games played; 33 goals; 31 assists; 64 points; one assist in six playoff games Contract Status: Impending free agent on July 1, completed a one-year contract
Story of the Season
“It just goes back to all the work I put in last year. I knew I wanted to be a talked-about player this year. That’s the focus and mentality I came in [with].” – Anthony Mantha
Mantha gave that quote after a three-point night where he was named the first star of the game on March 30th, in what was likely the most pivotal single game of the Penguins’ whole season against the NY Islanders. NYI came into the game one point ahead of Pittsburgh in the standings for second place in the Metropolitan Division. After that game, Pittsburgh wouldn’t lose their hold on the second spot the rest of the way. It was fitting that Mantha was a primary reason for the success in that game, his two second period goals changed the score from 3-3 to 5-3, on the way to a decisive 8-3 win. He was a driving force that night as he was pretty much all year long to help elevate the Pens back to the playoffs with a team-high 33 goals and career-best 64 point campaign.
Mantha played like he had something to prove, and he certainly did. An ACL injury in 2024-25 ended his season in November. Months before that, his 2023-24 season ended as a playoff healthy scratch for four-straight games for Vegas – hardly what they or he wanted when he was picked up at the deadline with the intentions of being a quality upgrade. It would be a bit dramatic to say Mantha’s NHL career was on the line based on 2025-26 but its future certainly was hanging in the balance after signing a one-year deal worth $2.5 million with the Penguins (plus an addition $2 million in potential incentives).
Just about everything Mantha touched in the regular season turned to gold. Often paired with Justin Brazeau, the two monster wingers spent plenty of time being centered by both Evgeni Malkin and Ben Kindel. No matter who was on the ice with them, it worked with Mantha and Brazeau both shattering their previous personal bests in goals, assists and points on a season. Mantha didn’t get to rack up a ton of minutes or time on the first power play but still found ways to make it count in a supporting role.
The negative came in the playoffs, where Mantha disappeared from the scoreboard besides one assist. The team leader in goals was unable to score his first career NHL playoff goal, now lasting 20 total games. The postseason ended up as an unfortunate coda to a brilliant season.
Overall, Mantha’s time in Pittsburgh should be remembered more for nights like that Islanders game and helping the Penguins qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2022. He was brought on as something of a rehabilitation project and in the end Mantha did something of the same by helping rehabilitate the team in a true win-win outcome for both parties.
Which means this go-round in free agency will be looking a lot different for Mantha. Just as he wanted, he will be talked about this summer in NHL circles in a much different manner than last year.
Mantha’s production hit a big dip in November, but other than that was close to being a point per game player in every other month of the year. Considering his role of playing between 13-16 minutes a night and doing most his damage at even strength, that’s really saying something special to maximize the output on a somewhat limited basis considering most skilled players get a larger role. Mantha’s 26 5v5 goals tied for sixth in the entire NHL with such names as Kucherov, Robertson, Gauthier, Necas and Kempe at the same number.
On these reviews we often touch on the importance of March, when the season was at a critical juncture and one or both of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were out for the majority of the games. Mantha was great in March, and you could also see his hit levels rising to season-highs after low metrics at the beginning of the season for the only month he was credited with 1+ hit per game, showing involvement in many aspects.
Regular season 5v5 advanced stats
Data via Natural Stat Trick. Ranking is out of 18 forwards on the team who qualified by playing a minimum of 150 minutes.
There was nothing special about territorial domination for Mantha, there certainly was a lot to write home about for being skilled/opportunistic enough to cash in on chances. Popping a 2+ P/60 is nothing new in Mantha’s career, he’s often put together great stretches in small doses. This year he did it for the duration to a higher level than ever before with that 2.83 P/60 that ranked ninth in the entire NHL (min. 500 minutes).
Pretty sight to see a natural goal scorer’s work. Mantha’s finishing was off the charts good – he recorded a 21.7% shooting percentage when a typical season for him is in the 11-13% range (although he did shoot a higher percentage once at 5v5 in 2023-24 with Washington, which also happened to be during a contract season…) That might lead to some buyer beware for a potential regression in the future, but his hot streak never cooled off this year.
Mantha found a fit with the Penguins, especially hanging out on a third line and going to work on the rush. Give him a good pass and he knows what to do with the puck at that point.
As a big, strong player Mantha could put some pepper on his shots, seven 90+ mph and 24 80+ shots were well above the norm for forwards. While he shot from all over the place, 24 of his goals came from the high danger area in front of the net, which can help explain the finishing numbers. It becomes easier to score when you’re 6’5, 240 and getting to the front of the net with frequency.
NHL players are really a marvel: a 240-pound person coming off an ACL surgery shouldn’t be able to strap skates to their feet and move as fast as what we see above, yet Mantha did. Mantha is not Connor McDavid or Quinn Hughes out there, but to get a body that big to have that much burst at age-31 with his injury history is seriously impressive. It wasn’t always easy – Mantha’s wife posted a light-hearted Instagram story that showed while she was in the hospital recovering giving birth it was her husband getting a massage therapist come right into her room with a table to work on his back. Whatever it took, Mantha was able to play in the first 81 games of the season before getting to rest during the finale, in doing so capturing all $2.0 million of his available bonus money (which got paid in $200k increments for every 10th game played).
While it seems like an answer to the question has been determined, market forces on a thin free agent pool will push Mantha into commanding a multi-year deal at a much higher rate than the $4.5 million total that was earned this season. Getting a $25 million commitment could be considered a somewhat conservative estimate for the windfall in store on July 1. The Pens probably aren’t going to offer that type of money and term to a supporting level 32-year old for the future, no matter how good the past season was. How they will go about replacing the 33 goals and 64 points headed out the door becomes the real question that Kyle Dubas and company will be wrestling with this summer.
Ideal 2026-27
Mantha has bounced around a bit lately, playing for four different teams (Washington, Vegas, Calgary, Pittsburgh) in less than three calendar years of 2024-26. In ideal for him would be to pair that big ol’ incoming contract with some trade protection to finally provide some stability for a player who has only started+finished three consecutive seasons with the same team one time in his career (with Detroit from 2017-20).
Bottom line
Mantha did everything and more than could be expected in the regular season. He likely had what will go down as being his his finest personal season. You never know how redemption opportunities will wind up, it’s very rare to see one work out as well as this one.
PensburghGrade: A
The regular season was unquestionably A+ work (probably even A++). The poor playoff was so bad it leaves enough of an aftertaste to knock a small bit of the superlative off the final grade.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - OCTOBER 9 : Jacob Tobey and Sean Elliott smiles during the game between the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas on October 9, 2024. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
First of all, thanks to all of you who came out last night to see Bill Schoening & Friends, Jacob Tobey, and me perform at Sam’s Burger Joint. Jacob is a gifted singer-songwriter whose songs draw the listener in. Bill’s storytelling blends so well with his Philly-based rhythms, his band really takes his sound to the next level. It was a great evening, and the surprise appearance by Matt Bonner was a treat for all.
Bonner is in town because tonight he and Tobey and Jaren Jackson, Sr. are all guests on Inside the Green Room with Danny Green and Harrison Sanford. The podcast is recording a live episode in San Antonio at Bar 3 Oak from 6-9 PM. Admission is free, but you need to sign up to reserve your seat. The Eventbrite link is HERE.
At the same time, Bill Schoening is in New Braunfles at the Brauntex Theater participating in An Evening with the Spurs: Coyote Tales and Court Stories. Bill, along with Sean Elliott and Rob Wicall who was The Coyote from 2004-2016, share behind-the-scenes stories and nostalgia from their distinctive careers with the Spurs. If you have tickets from the original May date, those will be honored. Any available tickets can be found HERE.
Plenty of Spurs related events to keep you entertained until Game 5 on Saturday.
Go Spurs Go!
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 10: Members of the New York Knicks celebrate their 107-106 victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2026 in New York City. 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 Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There aren’t enough words in the English language to describe the impossibility of the Knicks’ 29-point comeback to win Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Or the euphoria that spread like wildfire from Madison Square Garden across the city and the surrounding areas, into the hearts of every Knicks fan on the planet.
It’s still something that, 36 hours later, doesn’t feel real. Even as this team has repeatedly shown that nothing is impossible, they continue to find a way to up the ante over and over again.
Just drilling into Wednesday night’s miracle. A 29-point comeback has only happened 17 times in the history of the sport, regardless of time of year. Of those 17, only nine saw the lead overcome in just one half of basketball. To cherry-pick, it’s the seventh-largest comeback of any kind in the final 21:30 of a game.
Only one of those games, a 2019 thriller between the Clippers and Warriors, happened in the playoffs. These larger comebacks, while more impressive in size, come nowhere close in terms of the leverage of the NBA Finals. It’s pound-for-pound the greatest comeback in NBA history, and likely, basketball history.
There will be time for historical, multi-sport comparisons, but the point of this article is to talk about the team that made said comeback. One-off comebacks happen all the time. Sometimes, a team pulls a rabbit out of the hat twice, or even three times.
This team has somehow done it a half dozen times over the last two postseasons. Since 2024, five of the eight 20-point comebacks in the playoffs belong to the Knicks. There aren’t enough stats I can easily find that encapsulates how ridiculous this is.
Here’s one. Two of the top-five largest comebacks in Finals history belong to the Knicks… this year.
This isn’t their only time this postseason with such an outlier comeback that makes no sense. Remember the 22-point comeback against Cleveland? Well, there’s only one other game in history where a team came back from that deficit with under eight minutes, and it happened 50 years ago, which is honestly extremely impressive given the lack of a three-point line.
I’ve completed my research into the #Knicks’ historic comeback. The only other time an NBA team has made this big a comeback so late in a game was the Bucks’ 117-115 win on November 25, 1977. Milwaukee was down 29 with 8:10 left. What we don’t know is if they were down by more… pic.twitter.com/i51ZCVb2rC
Well, in Game 4, the Knicks trailed by 20 with 9:20 to go. They were eerily close to what they did against Cleveland in terms of a dead sprint, while additionally upping the raw numbers.
But unlikely comebacks have been engrained in this team’s DNA ever since Jalen Brunson became the head of the snake in New York.
The ridiculous narrative of continuous Knicks doubters as this series has progressed is that the Spurs have had firm control of this series, losing three games merely because of failed execution late. It was them blowing it, not the Knicks rallying back!
But these first-half 12-14 point leads are nothing in the modern NBA, and they’re child’s play to the Brunson-era Knicks. Observe.
2024 Game 1 against the Sixers. Philly led 32-19 in the first quarter and 78-72 in the third quarter after rallying back from a valiant Knicks charge. Guess who out-executed whom in the end?
2024 Game 2 against the Sixers. This time, they effectively maintained a 9-10 point lead for the first 22 minutes of the game, and ultimately seemed to be evening up the series with a 101-96 lead with 30 seconds left. We all know what happened next.
2024 Game 4 against the Sixers. Again, a 10-point lead in both the first and third quarters. Again, they blew it. Is this sounding familiar?
2024 Game 6 against the Sixers. The Knicks blew a 22-point lead in an eyeblink, and soon trailed 71-61 in the third quarter. About 12 minutes later, the Sixers lost their final lead of the season and endured a slow death after a fourth consecutive blown double-digit lead.
2024 Game 2 against Indiana. The Pacers led 75-63 in the first minute of the second half. While the series, as we know, didn’t go our way, it was another sign of resiliency.
2025 Game 1 against Detroit. The first 15 minutes of the second half were all Pistons, to the point where they led 98-90 with 9:10 to go. How’s a 21-0 run sound to you? Shoutout Turbo.
2025 Game 4 against Detroit. The Knicks were down 11 in the third, 10 in the fourth, and four with just 90 seconds to go. Karl-Anthony Towns to the rescue.
2025 Game 6 against Detroit. After going up 11 early in the fourth in a closeout game, the Pistons went on a 20-2 run to go up seven with under 2:30 to go. Somehow, the Knicks found a way… again.
Now it’s time for the good stuff.
2025 Game 1 against Boston. The Celtics led 75-55 midway through the third quarter. The Knicks won in overtime.
2025 Game 2 against Boston. The Celtics led 73-53 with 2:20 left in the third quarter. The Knicks won in regulation.
2025 Game 4 against Boston. At the World’s Most Famous Arena, the Knicks responded to a dominant first half by the Celtics and found themselves down 14 with 9 minutes left in the third. They won again.
2025 Game 3 against Indiana. In the only bright spot of a miserable return to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks somehow found their way back down 20 from late in the first half and as many as 15 with 2:15 to go in the third.
2026 Game 3 against Philly. The desperate Sixers sprinted out to a 20-8 lead in the first six minutes. The Knicks took the lead for good just nine minutes later.
2026 Game 1 against Cleveland. The Knicks are down 22 with under eight minutes to go. Cue Harden-flavored BBQ chicken.
Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The Knicks are down 29 early in the third. They’re down 20 with 9:20 to go. They win… again.
In the last three playoff runs, the Knicks have made five 20-point comebacks, 13 double-digit comebacks, and three additional unlikely comebacks given big momentum shifts.
The defining trait of the Brunson era has been to never give up. To never let go of the rope. Sure, they’ve still been blown out a few times over the years, but there’s a reason the team somehow has a winning record when they trail by 20 the last two years.
They don’t point fingers. They don’t sulk. They don’t look at a deficit and say, “We’ll get ‘em next time.” No lead is impossible to overcome for them.
This is what has the Knicks one game from the ultimate dream. A ridiculous level of buy-in and belief in one another that breaks the scale of what should be possible in the NBA.
No matter how discouraged, no matter how depressive, no matter how bad the intrusive thoughts get, they never give up.
They stared down the barrel of being forced into a Game 7 against Philly in 2024 and Detroit in 2025. They stared down a 3-0 deficit against Indiana in 2025. They risked completely bottling the 2-0 road leads against Boston in 2025 and the Spurs this year. They risked losing home-court advantage against Indiana in 2024 and Cleveland this year.
All the times the vibes have been utterly rancid, they refuse to let the noise impact them. When adversity hits, they pick each other up.
After the missed layup…
Hart collapsed to the floor and sat there for a second.
For a brief moment, disbelief, disappointment and dejection overtook him.
He buried his head in his hands. Then his teammates came to pick him up.
So as the Knicks embark on the quest to win the toughest closeout game ever, as they wake up on Saturday to be the first to wear the orange and blue with a chance to win a championship with one more win in 32 years, here’s one more note to leave you with.
The Knicks have never lost three consecutive playoff games in the Brunson era. They’ve played 60 of them. The last three-game playoff skid was in 2021, when not a single player on this roster played (Mitch was hurt!).
The only way this season ends without the euphoria of a championship is a historic aberration. A team that has shown time and time again that their will is unbreakable and that they will never spiral into the despair that has plagued multiple teams this postseason alone will have to be driven to that point by the youngest NBA Finals team in history, who’ve consistently failed to execute late in games, have a star running on fumes, and won’t have a real home-court advantage.
David Reinbacher wasn’t the only young Montreal Canadiens blueliner to make his NHL debut this season; Adam Engstrom did as well, and he even got to spend 15 games with the big club. It wasn’t all that surprising, though, since the 22-year-old Swedish prospect was absolutely dominant in the AHL with the Laval Rocket.
As a result, Engstrom was named to the AHL Top Prospects Team earlier this week. In 45 games with the Rocket, he put up 34 points, including 10 goals, received only 18 penalty minutes and finished his season with a plus-14 rating.
While Engstrom was only a third-round pick (92nd overall) in the 2022 draft by the Canadiens, he has developed admirably and raised his stock accordingly. If he were a right-shot defenseman, he likely would have spent the season in Montreal, allowing the Canadiens to play Lane Hutson on his natural side.
Given the fact that the Habs have Hutson, Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle on the left side, it’s not hard to imagine that the Canadiens could be tempted to use Engstrom in a deal to address the organizational needs that are the second-line center and a top-four right-shot defenseman. That’s not to say that Engstrom on his own would bring back that kind of return, but he could certainly be part of a package that would.
There’s also a line of thinking that dictates it would make sense for the Habs to part ways with Guhle, not because he’s not a good defenseman, he definitely is, but because of how often he is injured. When the puck drops on the new season, Guhle will be entering the 2nd year of his six-year contract with a $5.5 million cap hit. It’s not too expensive for that kind of punishing defenseman who can, as Cole Caufield so eloquently put it, “bury people.” It becomes expensive, however, if you cannot rely on him for more than 50 games and need a backup plan.
It’s a shame because the Canadiens lack sandpaper and should be adding some rather than discarding it. If the Habs decide to part ways with Guhle and promote Engstrom, he’s certainly not the guy who will bring that element to the lineup. It means that if the return for the trade is a right-shot blueliner, he not only needs to be able to play in the top-four, but he needs to be able to deliver bone-crushing hits as well, making him an even rarer specimen for Kent Hughes to find.
