Ten years ago, home teams wore white uniforms for 97% of NBA playoff games, and alternate jerseys were rarely worn during the postseason. This year, only 32% of playoffs games have featured home teams in white—many fans have voiced a desire for that number go back up—as NBA team’s jersey choices have become more chaotic.
The New York Knicks wore their non-traditional black uniforms at Madison Square Garden for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, but the San Antonio Spurs were not allowed to wear their popular Fiesta jerseys for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
This week, Club Sportico talked to the NBA to get the league’s perspective on alternate uniforms during the playoffs, and whether the home whites tradition could ever return, even if only for the Finals.
The San Antonio Spurs opened the NBA Finals at home with another glorious Fiesta night. Just as they’d done in previous rounds, fans wore the team’s 1990s “Fiesta” shades, divided into tangerine, fuchsia and turquoise sections of the arena, to create an awesome visual.
But, unlike in the first two rounds, the team itself was not dressed as colorfully. Despite being cheered on by a giant sherbet menu, the Spurs wore their traditional black instead of their Fiesta jerseys. This wasn’t a surprise—Sporticoexplained back in April that the NBA requires teams to wear their “primary uniforms” in the conference finals and Finals.
The league’s priorities, though, seemed contradictory to me. If the NBA wants a more classic look for the higher-profile later rounds, then why allow the Spurs to wear black at home, when home teams typically wore white for the league’s first 70 years?
I talked to Christopher Arena, the NBA’s SVP of on-court and brand partnerships, to get his perspective.
“There’s something about world-building as a team hosts a game that they can tell a story wearing whichever uniform they’re wearing,” Arena said. “If in the early rounds, that’s about City Edition and Fiesta and doing t-shirt giveaways that paint the crowd, great. If that’s about a more traditional team like the Knicks and they just want to wear white at home, that’s great too.”
The league does recognize the importance of history—it’s one reason City Edition jerseys are no longer allowed late in the playoffs. The Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets clinched the 2019 and 2023 Finals, respectively, wearing alternates that debuted in those particular seasons and are no longer worn. The NBA understood that this wasn’t ideal.
“When you get to these big, call it trophy, T-shirt, hat moments… there’s something about seeing the teams in their core identities and fans connecting to that,” Arena said.
Don’t expect the home whites tradition to come back, but towards the end of our conversation, Arena seemed open to the idea of having some “dividing line” to distinguish certain games when teams would have to wear white at home.
“You could do just the Finals. You could do conference finals and Finals. You could do all the playoffs, including the play-in. You know, you could do Friday night games,” Arena said.
____________________________________________________ You can read and subscribe to Club Sportico, our casual Substack newsletter, here. Sportico subscribers have free access to all of Club Sportico.
Aaron Judge was officially moved to the injured list before the Yankees' game against the Red Sox on Friday, June 5. Top prospect Spencer Jones was recalled to take his spot in the outfield. Judge was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his first right rib and is expected to miss several weeks.
The Yankees said Judge will be shut down for four to six weeks before reimaging. That means the most optimistic timeline would be a late July, early August return.
Jones, a left-handed slugger, made his major-league debut last month and was underwhelming. The No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, Jones hit .167/.259./.167 in 27 plate appearance during his first stint. The Yankees are thin in the outfield at the moment with Giancarlo Stanton on the IL with a right calf issue and Jasson Dominguez also on the IL with a left shoulder strain.
Jones has shown power potential for years. At Triple-A Scranton this year, he is hitting. 269 with a .571 slugging percentage, 13 home runs and 48 RBI in 43 games.
The 2022 first-round pick out of Vanderbilt has also shown penchant for striking out a lot. During his first major-league stint, he struck out at a 44.4% rate. In Triple-A he has struck out 60 times in 185 plate appearances this year.
While he is also 6-foot-7 like Judge, he is stepping into a big hole in the lineup left by the Yankees captain.
Before the injury, Judge, the two-time reigning American League MVP, was hitting .248 with 17 homers in 261 plate appearances.
It is a big moment for Jones, who fell off the Top 100 prospect lists last offseason after 109 strikeouts in 298 Triple-A plate appearances. He was demoted May 21 with instructions to work on his swing.
Now the Yankees will have time with Judge on the shelf to see what Jones can do.
Former Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Johansson was heading into the summer as one of the NHL's top pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) scorers. However, instead of testing the market or re-signing with the Minnesota Wild, Johansson is taking his talents overseas.
Farjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) has announced that they have signed Johansson.
Johansson just had a very good season for the Wild, posting 15 goals, 34 assists, and 49 points in 75 games. This was the first time since 2022-23 that Johansson recorded at least 40 points and the second-most points he had in an NHL season. While this is the case, Johansson is heading home to play in the SHL.
Johansson played in 60 games for the Sabres during the 2019-20 season, where he recorded 13 goals, 17 assists, and 30 points. His time with the Sabres ended during the 2020 NHL off-season when he was traded to the Wild in exchange for Eric Staal.
In 1,058 career NHL games over 16 seasons, he posted 200 goals, 366 assists, and 566 points. Overall, the former Sabre had himself a strong NHL career, and he should be a big pickup for Farjestad BK.
MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 28: Brady Singer #51 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday, September 28, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds should be fresh following their off-day on Thursday, but they’re also ‘fresh’ off losing 4 of 6 at home during their most recent homestand against the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals, respectively.
Now, the Reds are in St. Louis and ready to face a Cardinals club that they saw briefly two weeks ago in a series that was a complete weather mess. You’ll recall that the Friday game between these two was banged, they played a Saturday doubleheader to compensate, and then Sunday’s game was postponed until later in the season.
Even with those surprise breaks, the Cincinnati pitching staff has still been in complete shambles. They’ve been forced to cycle through players (Yunior Marte, Lyon Richardson, Brandon Liebrandt) and cull them from the 40-man roster just to find some, any fresh arms to activate, and their league-worst bullpen continues to give up games that the offense has fought hard to make close. Such was definitely the case again on Wednesday in the series finale when Tony Santillan was rocked in a 5-2 loss to Kansas City.
Still, this Reds club limps in at 31-30, above .500 for the time being. It’ll be up to Brady Singer in the series opener to turn his own personal struggles around, as on Thursday he still sported the single worst HR/9 (2.82) of the 119 MLB pitchers who have thrown at least 50 IP so far this year. He also ranks 4th worst in ERA (6.18), 3rd worst in xERA (6.49), and dead last in FIP (6.88) among that group, which is the kind of individual calamity that can tank an entire team’s season if not rectified quickly.
Kyle Leahy will start for the Cardinals. First pitch is set for 8:15 PM ET.
TAMPA BAY, - MARCH 16: George Lombard Jr. #26 of the New York Yankees singles in the first inning during the 2024 Spring Breakout Game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Tampa Bay, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.
The idiot that said, “Harper is coming” asks:Rather than focus on trade acquisition candidates, let’s focus on who might get traded away for a moment.Who in the Yankee organization do you believe will be most likely to be traded away at the trade deadline?
Let’s start with the prospects that carry value but probably will be sticking around. Spencer Jones’ security in the organization became a lot stronger after news broke that Aaron Judge would be going on the IL with a stress fracture in his ribs, and earlier today he was indeed called back up to the major leagues for what will likely be a lengthier stint than his first one. Carlos Lagrange is viewed as a potential stalwart in the Yankee rotation, but he’s also moving over to the bullpen to get a shot at contributing this year and thus likely is also safe, especially given the team’s need for relievers. Finally, George Lombard Jr. looks to be the future Yankees shortstop and could be ready as soon as next spring, with an outside shot of getting a look this year even. He’s the team’s top prospect overall and among the game’s best in any organization meaning he could carry a lot of weight as the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade, but it would take a monumental one to convince the Yankees to part with the promising infielder.
Elmer Rodríguez sits near the top of the organization’s pitching prospects with Lagrange, and he made his MLB debut earlier in the year after a meteoric rise following his trade acquisition from Boston. He’s a name that the Yankees would certainly also like to hold onto, but he also sits on the threshold of player that the Yankees might listen in on for the right deal. There are, however, some other pitching prospects with less of a pedigree and may not have a path to the majors laid out for them yet. Bryce Cunningham fits this bill, having been held back by a couple of injuries, and even though you can never have too much pitching I’m almost certain that New York will pull from their depth here to look for a good upgrade. Given the team’s needs, it makes more sense to me that the team will trade from their pool of players outside of the upper echelon to get relief arms or an upgrade to the bench, and Cunningham fits the bill for the type of player they’d be willing to gamble on.
BetweenthePinstripes asks:At the end of every season, there’s always a team (or three) that go on a tear, upending the standings and altering the playoff picture. What’s your best guess as to which team(s) will play their best baseball at the end?
I’m afraid that the main answer to this question will be the Astros, who sit in fourth place but have survived the big blows that the pitching staff took and have started to get their lineup in order even without Carlos Correa for the rest of the season. The AL West still looks to be a mess of a division, with the Mariners finally back in first place but clinging to a 2.5 game lead over the Rangers and Athletics. Houston is a couple ticks behind at 5.5 games behind, but being three games out of a postseason spot in the final Wild Card is nothing to scoff at all things considered. With Yordan Alvarez on an absolute heater at the plate, they could force the window of contention open a crack after missing the postseason last year.
Outside of the Astros, there’s another team in their division that could turn it on late in the year. The Mariners got off to an abysmal start offensively, but their push back to the top of the division was achieved by some of their regular stars finding their groove at long last. With a core of Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, and Randy Arozarena alongside the veteran assistance of Josh Naylor this is a team that should compete, and their rotation outside of Luis Castillo has been lights out on a near-daily basis. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see them make a run for not just the division title but a shot at hosting an ALDS or even an ALCS matchup, and they have the blueprint of what went right for them last year as the calendars turned towards fall to study from.
torturedsoulv1 asks: Will the Yankees playoff rotation be just Cole/Fried/Schittler. Or does Rodon get a start? I guess it depends on days off between games.
Days off are the essential factor, and given the turnaround for each round of play the Yankees would likely go with the main three for the Wild Card Round (assuming all of them stay locked in and healthy should they make it there). From the ALDS on it depends on what they can get away with, but Carlos Rodón has done more than enough to earn a bit of trust in a hypothetical Game 4. As for the overall order, that remains to be seen as well — Schlittler’s making a case for himself to be one of the best if not the best pitcher in the AL this year, which should give him the upper hand even over a pitcher as prolific as Gerrit Cole should winning be the biggest factor.
Jay Leach skates in a practice for the Kraken in December 2023.
The Rangers hired Jay Leach to lead their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Named the ninth head coach in Wolf Pack history on Friday, Leach joins the Blueshirts organization after serving as an assistant coach in the NHL over the previous five seasons with the Kraken (three) and the Bruins (two).
The 46-year-old Leach is an experienced addition and has been a candidate for multiple head coaching vacancies in the NHL in recent years.
Jay Leach skates in a practice for the Kraken in December 2023. NHLI via Getty Images
“Players gravitate toward him,” Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan told The Post of Leach at the time, when he was still head coach of the Penguins. “He’s a good leader. He’s been in leadership roles when he was playing in the American League, and so he brought all of that to the coaching aspect of what he’s doing now. When I got a chance to work right next to him in Wilkes-Barre, I was really impressed, but not surprised, with his work ethic. He rolls his sleeves up, he works hard at being a good coach, and he brings a certain humility to the job every day that I think is so important for all of us.
“He has strong convictions of how the game should be played, but he also understands there’s more than one way to play the game and that you have to work with people, both players and coaches alike, in order to try to build the necessary collaboration to have success in today’s NHL.”
President and general manager Chris Drury bringing on Leach makes a lot of sense for an organization that is looking to refresh its prospect pool.
Plus, Leach has ties to Sullivan, who brought him onto his staff with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins during the 2015-16 season.
When Sullivan was promoted to the Bruins, Leach succeeded him and took over the team.
Jay Leach is pictured during a Bruins game in November 2025. Getty Images
The last time Leach served as head coach was from 2017-21 with the AHL’s Providence Bruins.
Over those four seasons, the Syracuse native led the team to back-to-back Atlantic Division titles.
Providence compiled a 136-77-26 record under Leach, who also helped the team reach the AHL’s Eastern Conference Finals as an assistant in 2016-17.
The Bruins eventually brought Leach back as an assistant at the NHL level over the last two campaigns.
A defenseman drafted 115th overall by the Phoenix Coyotes, Leach appeared in 70 NHL games across five seasons for the Bruins, Lightning, Devils, Canadiens and Sharks.
He ultimately played 12 seasons of professional hockey before making the jump into coaching.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JANUARY 17: Alex Nedeljkovic #39 of the Pittsburgh Penguins tends goal against Zach Benson #9 of the Buffalo Sabres during an NHL game on January 17, 2025 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The NHL’s salary cap is rising but many teams still find themselves in various degrees of uncomfortableness when it comes to the salary structure. The Pittsburgh Penguins are not one such team.
Offer sheets have been a seldom used venture by NHL general managers, there have only been four in the last decade. Montreal signed Carolina’s Sebastian Aho in 2019, the Hurricanes matched and retaliated two years later by giving Jesper Kotkaniemi what looks like a regrettable amount of money that the Canadiens did not match. Then in 2024 St. Louis fired shots across the bow by targeting Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg from Edmonton, which the cap-strapped Oilers opted not to match.
Going back to the entire NHL salary cap era from 2006-present, there have only been 12 total completed offer sheets. Only four of those 12 were successful to acquire a player from a team unwilling or unable to match the compensation.
The St. Louis moves showed the potential is not gone to take the aggressive action, so let’s check on this year’s crop via Sportsnet.
As every team looks at improving over the off-season, will any use an offer sheet to chase talent?@RoryBoylen has everything you need to know about compensation and which players could be interesting RFA targets. https://t.co/dsQNwg6cPb
The important information to know is the different levels of compensation required, which for 2026 is as follows:
Based on these splits, it’s a challenge to anticipate signing a mega-star like RFA Jason Robertson to an offer sheet. It would easily require first round picks from 2027-30, which is a cost too far to support making such a move.
However, as STL showed, targeting rising players who could play into a higher cost than they’ve shown in the past can pay off handsomely for the price of a second or third round pick as a sweet spot for trying offer sheets. This could be the key area of opportunity.
Zach Benson, Buffalo Sabres
As previously mentioned, if Buffalo re-signs Tuch, it would immediately be tight to next year’s salary cap. Meantime, 21-year-old Zach Benson became a core piece of the Sabres this season with a breakout 43-point campaign (in 65 games) and an even better showing in the playoffs. It might be fair to ask: Should Benson actually be Buffalo’s priority here?
Benson, drafted 13th overall in 2023, is a player who whispers say was of much interest to the Penguins had he just slipped one more pick in the draft to where they were at. (Pittsburgh ended up selecting Brayden Yager, who was traded not long after).
Sportsnet also notes that Buffalo has center Peyton Krebs and defenseman Michael Kesselring as potential restricted free agents. The Sabres currently have $17.6 million in cap space, though it stands to reason over half of that amount would be taken away if they end up re-signing star forward Alex Tuch.
Granted, if the Sabres don’t re-sign Tuch, there wouldn’t be much of a point in trying to fish away Benson via offer sheet. They’ll be in good enough shape to match in that situation. Assuming they did sign Tuch, would the Penguins be so bold as to transfer an unprotected 2027 first round pick (plus a third, which they have an extra selection in that round already) to get Benson on an offer of $7 million?
Benson scored 43 points in just 65 games this year and was a great playoff performer with nine points in 13 games and a very active, physical presence. He also just turned 21-years old and could be worth an investment to be a part of the core for a while.
It would take some faith that Benson could get a glow up like Holloway did, who went all the way up to 63 points in his first season with the Blues and was worth his contract plus the second round pick to give up. This isn’t a surefire risk-free proposition, but it could be something to think about considering the Pens were rumored to have really liked Benson in the pre-draft process. After three seasons in the NHL, there’s even more to like.
Mavrik Bourque, Dallas
The Stars’ top priority is to get Robertson under contract, which would be a big ticket, certainly in the $12 million range, that would put them over the cap. Meantime, the 24-year-old Bourque would be offer sheet eligible after his first 20-goal season. Perhaps a quiet playoff showing may cool interest in going the offer sheet route, and GM Jim Nill may be looking at trade options instead.
Pittsburgh and Dallas have been a good trade fit with one another recently. The two worked together last year to send Matt Dumba plus a second round pick to the Pens last year to ease some Stars cap woes. Those problems are back again for them, which means the Pens might not even need to offer sheet Bourque to acquire him. Volunteer to take the salary of Ilya Lybushskin ($3.25m for one more year) and then it could see what other particulars would need to be done to get Bourque as a part of the deal could be a workable gambit.
If dangling that carrot via a trade ended up not working out, the Pens could always turn to using the stick of the offer sheet for Bourque. It looks like the Stars have about $13 million of cap space for next year, of which Robertson would require almost all of it. Should a team come in with a $4.7 million offer for Bourque, that might put a lot of strain on the Stars’ structure – depending on what further moves they could make to get around that. Something’s got to give in Dallas, if a team adds a little more pressure to the situation they might be able to get Bourque out of it, via whatever means it might take via trade or offer sheet.
Olen Zellweger/Pavel Mintyukov, Anaheim
Carlsson and Gauthier grab most of the attention in regards to Anaheim’s RFAs, but it also has two young defencemen who are offer sheet eligible. Zellweger and Mintyukov, two 21-year-olds, both finished with 22 points this season, while Mintyukov averaged about a minute-and-a-half more of ice time, mostly because of his shorthanded minutes.
Of the two, Zellweger may be the one to watch more closely on the offer sheet front. His average ice time dropped by nearly two minutes from 2024-25 to 2025-26 and he only played three playoff games for the Ducks.
These two have been oft-talked about, with little more new ground to tread. Anaheim having to give new contracts to breakout stars Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier makes them a very interesting team to watch this offseason. They also have a total of two NHL defensemen currently signed for next season according to CapWages. A lot is going to go on out there. Maybe the Pens can get involved, maybe not, but watching the Ducks navigate this summer will be worth watching.
Zack Bolduc, Montreal
One of Montreal’s four RFAs, Bolduc scored 12 goals for the Canadiens this season but got to 19 with St. Louis the year before that. If he stays in Montreal, a new contract might come in the range of $3 million, but is there a team out there that values his potential higher than that?
When Montreal traded for Bolduc last summer, our scout Jason Bukala wrote that it had “acquired at worst a middle-six forward. He’s more likely a top-six winger.” That didn’t come to fruition right away, but Bolduc is still just 23 years old. If a team still sees him as a player who could score 20-25 a season and have top-six upside, might they take a shot on a short- or medium-term contract worth around $4.5 million — a rate that might make Montreal a little uncomfortable and require only a second-round pick as compensation?
A team like the Pens could pay a little more for a player in salary, assuming they really liked the player or thought he could take off to justify the move. Whether or not they would actually want to do that is of course the unknown $64,000 question. Bolduc, 23, has yet to really take off, does Pittsburgh (or anyone else) think he could have that Holloway-esque type of increase in the future? If so, $4 million and giving up a second round pick would be a small price to pay. If not, onto the next.
—
More often than not the offer sheet goes unused, though the increased amount of second+third round picks that Pittsburgh has in the next few years makes them decent candidates to use if the right situation was out there. The Pens have used that to acquire Egor Chinakhov and Elmer Soderblom in trades, straying outside the lane to attempt an offer sheet coup would be unexpected but a bold, risky move at attempting to bolster the team’s talent level.
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.
It’s officially time to Knight up.
After an impressive Game 2 comeback overtime win, Sebastian Aho’s Carolina Hurricanes tied Mitch Marner’s Vegas Golden Knights at one game apiece in the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals.
Next up, the high-stakes series heads to the VGK’s home T-Mobile Arena. The two Sin City contests are scheduled to take place:
A hypothetical Game 6 — if the Finals goes that far — would go down Sunday, June 14 in Vegas.
If you’d like to be at any one of these Stanley Cup tilts, last-minute tickets are still available.
Better yet, prices have significantly decreased since we last reported on how much they cost for games at the T-Mobile Arena.
When our team wrote about prices for Stanley Cup games in Vegas on June 1, prices started at $1,604 including fees on SeatGeek at the time of publication.
Now, just a mere four days later, seats can be found for as low as $666 including fees.
Yes, prices have dropped nearly $1,000 (!) in just four days.
Throw in the fact that you can save $10 off purchases over $250 at checkout using promo code NYPOST10 and you’ve got a steal of a deal (Editor’s Note: this discount is only valid for users’ first purchase on SeatGeek).
In theory, the Knights should be coming home, up 2-0.
However, Knights Head Coach used a coach’s challenge on goaltender interference with five minutes left in regulation and got his call overturned, which resulted in a two-minute minor penalty that led to a power play for the ‘Canes, a momentum shift and their subsequent victory.
“Instead of Vegas going home looking to move to the verge of a second championship in nine years of existence, the series is all square, despite [Carter] Hart making some big saves and Brett Howden scoring his playoff-leading 12th and 13th goals,” The Post noted in a Game 2 postmortem.
When asked for comment, Head Coach John Tortorella said: “I have my thoughts. I’m not discussing it here.”
We can’t wait to see what happens next.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes below.
What do tickets cost to see Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup home games?
All Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena Stanley Cup home game dates and the cheapest tickets available (versus what they cost on June 1) can be found here:
Vegas Golden Knights home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Ticket prices started at on June 1
Game 3 Saturday, June 6
$666(including fees
$1,774(including fees)
Game 4 Tuesday, June 9
$709(including fees
$1,604(including fees)
Game 6 Sunday, June 14
$939(including fees
$1,635(including fees)
How much are Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup home game tickets?
A complete calendar including all Hurricanes Eastern Conference Finals home game dates at the Lenovo Center and the best prices on tickets (compared to what they were going for on June 1) are listed below.
Carolina Hurricanes home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Ticket prices started at on June 1
Game 5 Thursday, June 11
$1,009(including fees)
$1,717(including fees)
Game 7 Wednesday, June 17
$2,064(including fees)
$2,086 (including fees)
How to watch the Hurricanes and Golden Knights on TV
Fans hoping to catch Tortorella’s talented team on the tube can watch all playoff games on ABC in the US or Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports in Canada.
Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.
If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.
Huge 2026 concerts
Not sure what to do once the final buzzer sounds on the 2025-26 NHL season?
No worries.
Many of the most exciting acts around will be out and about all summer long. Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.
• Evanescence with Spiritbox
• Tame Impala with Djo
• Five Finger Death Punch
• Avenged Sevenfold with Good Charlotte
• RUSH
Plus, you won’t want to miss Metallica’s Sphere residency. They’ll be at the eye-popping venue from October through March 2027.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
Georgii Romanov's run with the Springfield Thunderbirds in the Calder Cup Playoffs didn't go unnoticed by the St. Louis Blues.
On Friday, the team announced it signed the 26-year-old to a two-year, two-way contract.
Romanov and Vadim Zherenko split time in the American Hockey League last season, and after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks to offset the loss of Colten Ellis to the Buffalo Sabres via waivers prior to the season, Romanov went 9-12-4 with a 3.29 goals-against average, an .896 save percentage, and one shutout in 28 regular-season games.
But in the playoffs, Romanov helped lead the Thunderbirds to the Atlantic Division Final and was 7-4-0 with a 1.84 goals-against average, a .939 save percentage, and two shutouts in 11 postseason appearances.
Romanov has played in 78 AHL regular-season games and is 29-27-17 with a 3.18 GAA, and a .902 save percentage.
He has a 3.53 GAA and an .888 save percentage in 10 career NHL regular-season games with the Sharks.
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.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 04: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves makes a catch during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Truist Park on June 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Two of the top four offenses in runs scored will face off tonight when the Pittsburgh Pirates come to town to play the Atlanta Braves. The Braves are third in MLB in runs and the Pirates are only four runs behind them.
The Braves will be facing Mitch Keller who has yet again put together a season of almost the exact same output of an ERA in the low fours. This year it is currently at 4.35. The good news for the Braves is that many of their core lineup bats have a history of doing well against Keller. Ronald Acuña has nineteen at-bats against Keller in which he already has three HRs, a .421 average, and 1.371 OPS. Matt Olson has the same exact OPS against Keller in twelve at-bats to include one HR and a .500 average.
Austin Riley has ten at-bats against Keller and has a .400 average and 1.055 OPS, and Mauricio Dubón has a .400 average and .955 OPS in ten at-bats. Michael Harris has struggled to an OPS of .500, but has a .250 average against Keller in twelve at-bats, so before the lineup dropped it was interesting to wonder if Walt Weiss was going to factor this in when he penciled in the names.
The other question mark, which has been daily at this point, is who is going to get the start at shortstop. Ha-Seong Kim has faced Keller in eleven at-bats and is hitless and has not exactly been living up to expectations this season so it made sense to sit him tonight, but Weiss could have decided to give him more reps to try and get him in a groove.
Finally, Austin Wynns had not made his first start yet, so some may have been patiently awaiting to see if tonight was going to be the night, especially considering Sandy León is clearly on the roster for his glove and veteran presence since it seems like he has not hit in a decade.
It turns out that Weiss went with Dubón at SS so that Mike Yastrzemski could be in LF and Dominic Smith could be the DH. It also looks like we will have to wait for Austin Wynns to get his first start in a Braves uniform. Outside of León, this looks to be the best offensive lineup to face Keller.
Martín Pérez will be on the bump for the Braves in the midst of his best season since 2022. He has been aided by BABIP and strand rates, but he still has his best expected ERA (xERA) since 2022 as well. Even though Martín Pérez has been in MLB since 2012, no player on the Pirates has more than nine at-bats against him. Brandon Lowe has an OPS of .788 in those nine at-bats. One player to keep an eye on is long time Brave, Marcell Ozuna. Ozuna is second on the team with seven at-bats against Pérez, and has done a ton of damage. He owns a .571 average and 1.700 OPS.
With the first two prospects we highlighted, we looked at a skilled two-way center in Tynan Lawrence before breaking down the play of a fast-growing, ultra-skilled winger who is rising up the boards due to his potential in Wyatt Cullen.
Today, we are going to look at Daxon Rudolph, a talented defenseman whose WHL production doesn’t quite match his draft rankings.
Rudolph is a 6-foot-3, right-handed, puck-moving defenseman with offensive skill and a smart defensive game.
In the WHL this season with the Prince Albert Raiders, the 2023 WHL first overall pick scored 28 goals and 78 points in 68 games. Both categories ranked third among defensemen in the WHL, trailing Bryce Pickford and Jonas Woo, both of whom played for the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Rudolph’s regular season was outstanding, but he took his game to another level in the playoffs, as the Raiders lost in the WHL finals. Rudolph tied for the league lead in points during the post-season, recording nine goals and 27 points in 19 games.
With his track record as a first overall pick in the WHL, as well as his outstanding point production from the blueline, it feels almost odd to see him projected in some cases to fall outside the top 10, but skating deficiencies are why defenders like Chase Reid, Carson Carels, Alberts Smiths, and Keaton Verhoeff have been ranked ahead of him.
The 18-year-old Rudolph is an incredibly smart player. He sees the game well on both sides of the puck. His vision allows him to make plays in the offensive zone and break up plays in the defensive zone.
With the puck in the o-zone, Rudolph is a threat to connect on give-and-gos, slide into the play unguarded, and rifle a heavy shot. In his own end with the puck, Rudolph makes heads-up passes and uses his feet to navigate forecheckers. While the concern is that it might not translate to the NHL, at the junior level he is more than capable of making those plays with his feet.
The native of Lacombe, Alta., will make the big jump to the NCAA next season, joining the mighty University of Denver. Despite the loaded blueline, Rudolph is expected to be the leader of the backend and bring the program back to the National Championship.
This draft features several highly rated defensemen, as we previously mentioned, but there are plenty of teams that are in need. While the Blues’ prospect pool on defense doesn’t lack depth or skill, adding a big, puck-moving right-handed defenseman is never a bad thing. It’s a sought-after commodity, and an abundance will only improve the team’s outlook.
Because so many teams are looking for defenders, there is a strong chance that Rudolph is selected anywhere between picks 7-10, which would result in the Blues missing the opportunity to draft him.
Either way, if a team can fix his skating issues, they could be looking at a potential top-four, two-way defender with a big frame.
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.
Multiple reports on June 5 indicate Larkin's discontent with the Red Wings has brewed over a few years.
According to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, the tension can at least be traced back to Larkin's 2023 contract extension, which ended up at eight years with an $8.7 million AAV.
Quiet trade deadlines have done nothing to alleviate that tension, with 2025 resulting in Larkin speaking out about Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman's conservative nature at the deadline.
"We didn't do anything," Larkin told reporters during clean-out day last April. "We didn't gain any momentum from the trade deadline. Guys were kind of down about it. So it would have bee nice to add something and bring a little bit of a spark on the ice and maybe a morale boost as well.”
In 2026, the Wings did make some deadline moves, but they were relatively tepid. On a team that had shown cracks following a hot start to the year, they added Justin Faulk from the Blues and David Perron from the Senators. With the Red Wings collapsing late in the season again, it's clear Larkin, who will be 30 on July 30, doesn't see the Red Wings' roster management as a situation where he can win.
Obstacles to Steve Yzerman making Dylan Larkin trade
Put two stubborn people into a room to make a decision, and it's going to be hard to reach a compromise.
That's the big problem here. Larkin's no-trade clause gives him a lot of leverage over where he goes. But his long-term contract and the fact free agency's center market is a desert gives Yzerman a lot of leverage over other teams. What you have is a triangle where it may be easy for two sides to come an agreement, but hard for the third.
Yzerman is not a GM who is going to settle. But the teams with assets to burn — particularly picks, which will have to factor into the deal — may not spur Larkin to waive his NTC.
With the Red Wings missing a top-six center, regardless of whether he's perceived as a first- or second-line center, this may be the move that kicks Detroit into an actual rebuild. But that has to start with getting the Larkin return right.
In truth, this is a big black eye on Yzerman's tenure in Detroit. Larkin would have been 5 years old watching Yzerman hoist the cup against Carolina in 2002, making this akin to Matt Duchene asking out of Colorado when Joe Sakic was the GM.
That Duchene situation needs to be Yzerman's blueprint. While the odds of the Red Wings getting a haul like the Avalanche got from the Senators are slim-to-none, Larkin's request is a hard reset on the Red Wings. Rather than building a timeline around the 30-year-old Larkin, the Red Wings now turn their attention to 24-year-old Lucas Raymond and 25-year-old Moritz Seider.
With that in mind, assets will be the name of the game. The plan to play piecemeal around Larkin didn't work for Yzerman, and now he's in a tough spot. For Sakic, it took over a year to grant Duchene his request, which came with a lot of bellyaching about how Duchene became a negative influence. Does Yzerman have that kind of time? Larkin's no-trade clause expires after the 2026-27 season. But there have been murmurs that have swelled into a dull roar on the lack of progress Yzerman has made already.
All things told, everyone is just kind of... stuck. Yzerman is stuck with a tweener 1-2 center who doesn't want to be there. Larkin is stuck on a roster he doesn't believe he can win with. And Red Wings fans are stuck with a team that just saw its already questionable vibes take a nosedive.
Ultimately, the best way is, as always, forward. But to do that, someone is going to have to put ego aside. And with egos that are this big, that's going to be a tall order.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin dished to The Post about his "die-hard" love of the Knicks.
He’s scoring some points with Knicks fans.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin dished to The Post about he and President Trump’s “die-hard” love of the team — saying players haven’t had such good chemistry since the days of Patrick Ewing and Hubert Davis in the 90s.
“It’s so exciting — and good luck to any of those San Antonio Spurs fans who think that a team that hasn’t lost a game in over 40 days is about to go two and four in the most important games of their entire lives,” he said, as the on-fire team geared up for Game 2 of the NBA finals Friday night.
Lee Zeldin spoke to The Post about the Knicks while promoting a waterway clean-up on Long Island. NY Post
He compared the team’s winning streak to its thrilling success in the mid-90s.
“The chemistry was an exciting time for New York,” he said. “It was the best…the city, the energy. And it’s just been a long time since we’ve had that feeling.”
“They would, you know, pop up five, six, seven threes and you’d hear the crowd chanting for Hubert Davis,” he said of the time period.
The Long Island native said he and President Trump will both be glued to the NBA finals as the Knicks face off against the Spurs.
“You know, of course we’ll be watching the games every minute. Game one I found myself in front of my sofa, in front of my TV, frequently standing as if I was actually at the game,” he said of his excitement.
The Knicks face off against the Spurs in Game 2 Friday night. Christopher Sadowski
“The president has been a diehard fan for decades. You can find all the photos and videos of him through the 90s and the 2000 and the 2010s, basically until he started running for president, sitting court side,” he said.
“[There’s] great video from the mid 90s of Charles Oakley falling into him as he was sitting in court-side. So yeah, he’s been no stranger to those Knicks games for years,” Zeldin said.
Zeldin spoke to The Post about his passion for the Knicks before leaving on a boat to Oyster Bay near the Long Island Sound to promote a Trump administration project aimed at preserving the waterway.
Zeldin at an Oval Office event. Samuel Corum/POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
The project, managed by the EPA and the state, centers on improving water quality, restoring coastal habitats and upgrading septic systems.
He predicted the Knicks, who haven’t won an NBA championship since 1973, would take home the title.
“That’s a great young team that the Spurs have. And that’s a long road, long future. But man I don’t think they have it this year. I don’t want to get too bullish so I won’t start guaranteeing anything,” he said.
“But as a Knicks fan, as a diehard, you gotta believe.”
On paper, Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings should be a perfect fit. A legendary franchise drafting a homegrown player, him starting at 19 years old, making the playoffs, losing to a Lightning team that was way ahead of the Wings' schedule in five games, taking those lumps and figuring out how to get further next time.
The problem? There hasn't been a next time. With the Sabres making the playoffs this season, the Red Wings, the American team with the most Stanley Cups — who play in Hockeytown, USA — now have the longest active playoff drought in the league at 10 years.
Larkin has been a captain for six of those years, occupying a space left vacant for two seasons after the retirement of Henrik Zetterberg. He was named captain Jan. 13, 2021, 635 days after THE Captain Steve Yzerman returned to Detroit after a wildly successful stint building the Lightning roster. The very Lightning roster that knocked the Wings out of the playoffs in Larkin's rookie year.
And yet, even as hope sprung eternal under the Yzerplan and results were promised with time, things continued to fizzle for the Red Wings. On March 1, 2023, Larkin signed an eight-year, $69.3 million extension which immediately preceded a 5-9-1 month. March went on to become a dreaded month for Wings fans, with Detroit going 3-9-2 in 2024, 4-10-0 in 2025, and finally 5-7-2 this past season.
After the latest Red Wings collapse, which was interrupted by a Team USA gold medal from a team Larkin made a huge impact on, things have boiled over. Larkin reportedly requested a trade June 4, throwing his Red Wings future into jeopardy. However, with a no-trade clause, Larkin has a lot of leverage over that trade Yzerman may not acquiesce to.
Here's a look at some possible destinations for Larkin, along with what could be required for Larkin in what may be Yzerman's biggest test yet as the embattled Red Wings GM.
Dylan Larkin possible trade destinations
Minnesota Wild
This is the deal that immediately makes the most sense.
It gets Larkin out of the Eastern Conference, the Wild are a team looking for a true 2C, it would put Larkin back with one of his USA teammates in Quinn Hughes, allow him to keep playing in a high-profile hub of hockey, give him a chance to win quickly, and the Wild have a GM in Bill Guerin who has proven in the past he's willing to be aggressive.
The question with this deal is if the Wild would be willing to offload another first-round pick after dropping 2026 to Vancouver for the Hughes trade. This is a team desperately looking to win now, and Larkin would be a boon at its weakest position. But the Wild need to find a package that keeps that win-now mentality intact while also outbidding other possible suitors (assuming Larkin doesn't demand Minnesota or bust). That's a big hurdle for Guerin.
Montreal Canadiens
The assumed immediate reaction from Habs fans to this idea is fair. "We're building for the future, we don't need a 30-year-old center behind Nick Suzuki."
However, if we learned nothing from the USA run in the Olympics, it's that Larkin is more than capable of thriving with the right core. The Canadiens had a tumultuous postseason, going to two straight Game 7s before getting shellacked by a rested Hurricanes team. Larkin certainly raises the average age of the Habs a hair, but this is a team built to win in the future that is perfectly capable of winning now. Trading for Larkin to bolster the top six is a win-now move.
This time, the problem is Yzerman. This year showed the Atlantic doesn't need any help strengthening itself, so Yzerman might not want to create a problem he has to continue to deal with. The package would have to be hefty. Perhaps too hefty for a team building what Montreal is building to consider.
Las Vegas Golden Knights
No trade list is complete without Vegas.
The Golden Knights will make offers on anyone available, and winning is undoubtedly a big factor for Larkin, making the no-trade clause less of an obstacle given Vegas is one of two teams still playing. Eichel-Larkin would be a potent 1-2 punch at center as well.
The Jack Eichel trade with Vegas helped to spur on a true Sabres rebuild. Maybe history repeats itself with another Atlantic team.
Columbus Blue Jackets
An ex-Michigan star waiving a no-trade clause to go to Columbus may feel sacrilege, but there's a lot for Larkin to like in Columbus. First and foremost is Zach Werenski, a close friend of Larkin's.
While the power of friendship may not be enough to send Larkin to Ohio, the Blue Jackets have been stuck in purgatory for some time now. If they want to make a splash, Larkin is certainly one way to make one. The Blue Jackets do, however, have a slight logjam at C. Adam Fantilli and Charlie Coyle make up 1 and 2C in Columbus. Acquiring Larkin probably kicks Adam Monahan back out to wing, should Columbus pull the trigger.
The San Antonio Spurs desperately need to hold down the fort tonight against the New York Knicks before heading into a hostile Madison Square Garden. Ahead of Game 2 of the Finals, our NBA player prop projections have locked in on a few major value spots you'll want to target.
By breaking down the data and comparing it to the latest market lines, we’ve uncovered where the strongest betting edges lie for this pivotal matchup.
If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Friday, June 5.
Knicks vs Spurs computer picks for Game 2
Knicks
Spurs
Towns o10.5 rebounds -125
Fox o14.5 points -115
Anunoby o15.5 points +102
Champagnie o2.5 3-pointers +100
Brunson u6.5 assists -150
Wembanyama o11.5 rebounds -120
Cash your ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout!
Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game NBA moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your team goes up by 20+ points!
Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review!
Sign Up Now atimg src="https://img.covers.com/betting/sportsbooks/2/bet365.svg" alt="bet365" width="100" height="28" style="vertical-align: middle;"
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Knicks Game 2 computer picks
Karl-Anthony Towns Over 10.5 rebounds (-125)
Projection: 11.41 rebounds
New York’s relentless effort on the glass has been a defining trait all season, with the Knicks ranking 6th in the league by hauling in 12.5 offensive rebounds per game.
A massive portion of that interior wealth belongs to Karl-Anthony Towns. KAT carried that regular-season dominance right into the NBA Finals, dominating the paint in Game 1 with a stellar 19-point, 12-rebound double-double that completely disrupted the San Antonio Spurs’ interior defense.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet towns Now at bet365!/span
OG Anunoby Over 15.5 points (+102)
Projection: 15.41 points
OG Anunoby has been an absolute cash cow for this line, clearing his points prop in 10 of the New York Knicks' 13 postseason games.
While the Spurs boast the defensive tools to make life difficult, Anunoby has consistently found a way to assert himself in a resilient New York offense that adapts to any scenario. Expect him to deliver once again & take the Over on Anunoby's points prop tonight.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet anunoby Now at bet365!/span
Jalen Brunson Under 6.5 assists (-150)
Projection: 6.39 assists
Jalen Brunson has hit the Over on 6.5 assists just three times in his last 10 games, and keeping "Captain Clutch" contained is San Antonio's top priority for Game 2.
To establish any peace of mind, the Spurs must disrupt Brunson both as a scorer and a playmaker. Forcing him into a frustrating, inefficient night is the key to throwing the loaded Knicks off script, and San Antonio's defensive blueprint begins and ends with slowing down New York's star guard.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet brunson Now at bet365!/span
Spurs Game 2 computer picks
De'Aaron Fox Over 14.5 points (-115)
Projection: 17.76 points
While it’s entirely understandable that injuries have kept De'Aaron Fox from playing at 100%, his seven-point dud in Game 1 simply won't cut it.
The Spurs desperately need more production from their star guard if they want a fighting chance to give their home crowd some life before the series shifts to New York. Expect a resilient bounce-back performance tonight & back Fox to put it all on the floor and erase the memories of his Game 1 struggles.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet FOX Now at bet365!/span
Julian Champagnie Over 2.5 3-pointers (+100)
Projection: 2.55 3-pointers
You know the old saying: you can take the kid out of New York, but you can't take New York out of the kid. Julian Champagnie proved that in the series opener, letting it fly against his hometown team to the tune of a 5-for-10 shooting performance from deep.
Playing against your roots in the NBA Finals brings a different kind of juice, and Champagnie was locked in. Expect him to bring that exact same energy to the floor tonight & the Spurs are going to need every bit of it.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet champagnie Now at bet365!/span
Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds (-120)
Projection: 12.74 rebounds
San Antonio has been dominant on the glass lately, ranking as the league's second-best offensive rebounding team over its last five games. When it comes to reliable bets, few lines look safer than Victor Wembanyama’s rebounds.
Wemby hauled in 12 boards in Game 1, and with the Spurs desperate to avoid a 2-0 hole before heading to New York, expect him to fight even harder tonight to limit Towns & Co. from creating second-chance opportunities.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet wembanyama Now at bet365!/span
How to watch Knicks vs Spurs Game 2
Location
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date
Friday, June 5, 2026
Tip-off
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Knicks
Spurs