A Lot Rides On Bruins' Jeremy Swayman Bouncing Back

A year after finishing at the bottom of their division for the first time in modern memory, the Boston Bruins need a lot of things to go right for them to have even the faintest hope of challenging for a Stanley Cup playoff berth.

If one thing in particular doesn’t improve for them – the performance of starting goalie Jeremy Swayman – the Bruins are destined to wind up in the Atlantic Division basement for the second straight year.

Just about everything that could’ve gone wrong for Swayman did go wrong last season. The 26-year-old missed Boston’s training camp due to a financial stalemate. Although he did get a new contract done in time to start the Bruins’ second game of the season, he never got into a groove and finished with what were by far his worst individual numbers of his five-year NHL career, including a 3.11 goals-against average and .892 save percentage in a career-high 58 appearances.

Granted, some of the blame for Swayman’s bloated numbers must be attributed to Boston’s porous defensive game when Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm were injured. But when Swayman asked for and received a pay raise to $8.25 million per season, he invited the criticism of him that had harangued him all season long.

Now, he must help the Bruins exceed expectations in 2025-26.

"We have an endless belief mindset, and that's gotta be set from Day 1," Swayman told reporters last Thursday. "We can't go in the future, we can't predict what's gonna happen, but the thing is that we can control what we can control, right here, right now."

With Bruins backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo being no serious threat to take playing opportunities away from him, Swayman didn’t have the competition pushing him to elevate his own performance.

Boston Bruins Netminder Jeremy Swayman Ready For Rebound SeasonLast season was a tough year for the Boston Bruins, and perhaps nobody took that harder than Jeremy Swayman.

Now, he has some competition for another coveted goalie spot.

Not only does Swayman face intense pressure to backstop the Bruins into playoff contention, but he also must try to secure playing time on Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The Americans have plenty of options in net, including Winnipeg Jets superstar Connor Hellebuyck and Dallas Stars counterpart Jake Oettinger. The three of them were on the 4 Nations Face-Off squad, but only Hellebuyck and Oettinger played.

"That's always the hardest problem with being a goalie," Hellebuyck told NHL.com at the United States' Olympic orientation camp. "There are multiple guys but only one net."

So while Swayman can’t lock up the starter’s job for the U.S. with strong play out of the gate, he can definitely push himself down the pecking order if he struggles early on. Other Olympic hopefuls, such as Joey Daccord and Thatcher Demko, could even push Swayman off the team.

"I have to compete all out in order to get the best out of them," Swayman told NHL.com. "And that's the best part, because we are on the same team. We know that one goalie plays at the end of the day, but they'd be (angry) at me if I was taking shifts off, or if I was taking a practice off, and I'd be the same with them.

"And 100 percent we all want to play, we all want to be in that net come gametime in Milan, and that's exactly what we're going to do. And that mindset is going to really elevate us."

In sum, it’s shaping up to be a boom-or-bust season for Swayman this coming year. He’s going to be the last line of defense for a B's team that is in a transition of sorts, and that’s a recipe for potential disaster. So is the fact that Swayman’s contract doesn’t have no-trade protection until next season, forcing Boston GM Don Sweeney to make a long-term judgment on Swayman far sooner than anyone may have anticipated when he signed his current deal a year ago.

Of course, every starting NHL goalie is dealing with some degree of pressure and ups and downs. That comes with the territory. But Swayman is facing significantly more pressure than most of his colleagues. How he handles it could prove there's nothing to worry about, or it could be the calm before the storm.

Swayman has got to step up and justify the Bruins’ investment in him. Because if he doesn’t, it will be an extremely long season for him.

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September 8, 2025

Miami reportedly in 'ongoing discussions' with Precious Achiuwa to join team

Miami is thin along the frontline. Bam Adebayo is an All-NBA level player at the four or five, but has asked to play more four over the course of the regular season to avoid some of the wear and tear of going against bigger centers nightly. The Heat's center rotation beyond Adebayo is promising sophomore Kel'el Ware and two-way player Vlad Goldin. Miami will play Nikola Jovic and Keshad Johnson this season, but both are fours, not fives.

That has the Heat reaching out to a former Miami player, Precious Achiuwa, reports Ira Winderman at the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Achiuwa and guard Goran Dragic were dealt to the Toronto Raptors in the 2021 offseason in the deal that brought in guard Kyle Lowry. Achiuwa since moved on to the New York Knicks, who opted to allow him to move on as a free agent this offseason.

Achiuwa was a solid rotation big for the Knicks last season, averaging 6.6 points and 5.6 rebounds a game while shooting 50.2% from the floor. He played more early in the season, but when Mitchel Robinson got healthy, it was Achiuwa whose minutes went to the elite defender.

The Heat have also been in contact with another former player of theirs, center Thomas Bryant, who played last season for Indiana but now remains a free agent.

While Miami has a roster spot, they are just $1.8 million below the luxury tax line — not enough to sign a player to a veteran minimum contract — and don't want to cross that threshold for this roster. That means if the Heat are going to sign Achiuwa, Bryant or anyone else they need to make a roster move. Winderman suggests that the team could buy out the contract of guard Terry Rozier, whom they spent the summer trying to trade (his contract is guaranteed for $24.9 million of the $26.6 million he is owed). The Heat are not under a time crunch to make that move, they can waive Rozier up to Jan. 10, it just depends on how much they like Achiuwa and how much they want him (or another player) on the roster to start the season.

September 8, 2025

Precision and power: Boston’s Aroldis Chapman still dominating at 37

PHOENIX — Aroldis Chapman has a reputation as a power pitcher, built through 16 years of routinely popping 100 mph on the radar gun.

As the Boston Red Sox closer has gotten older, the 37-year-old added craftiness to the power, baffling hitters by locating sliders and splitters that leave them flailing.

The combination led to a rare four-strikeout game against the Arizona Diamondbacks and one of the most dominating runs by a reliever in baseball history.

“This is special,” said Boston manager Alex Cora, who earned his 600th career win with a 7-4 victory over the Diamondbacks. “To do it at this age and where we’re at as an industry, as far as the hitters and the adjustments they make, it’s unreal.”

Chapman began his career in Cincinnati, popping eyes and gloves with a fastball that topped out at 105.8 mph during his rookie season in 2010— still the fastest pitch since pitch tracking started in 2008. He continued to throw baseballs at race-car speeds, clocking eight of the nine fastest pitches since tracking, including 105.1 mph last season.

Nicknamed the “Cuban Missile,” Chapman may be better than ever in his first season in Boston, earning his eighth All-Star appearance and a one-year, $13.3 million contract for 2026.

Chapman has been unhittable since mid-July, as the Diamondbacks discovered.

Leading 7-4 after a late rally, Cora sent Chapman to close it out and he did it with a flourish, joining elite company by striking out four in the ninth inning for his 29th save. Arizona’s Ildemaro Vargas reached first after striking out on a wild pitch, then Champan closed it out by striking out Jordan Lawler to become the second pitcher four Ks in an inning this season, with St. Louis’ Steven Matz in June.

“It’s just something that happened,” Chapman said through an interpreter. “My mentality is to go get three outs and go for a strikeout.”

Chapman has certainly been getting the outs.

Locating his off-speed pitches with the plus-100-mph fastball, Chapman has gone 17 straight appearances — spanning 14 2/3 innings — without allowing a hit, dating to July 26. It’s the third-longest streak since 1901, trailing only the 20 straight by Florida’s Randy Choate in 2011 and 18 consecutive by Tim Byrdak of the New York Mets in 2012.

Chapman has allowed one earned run in his last 37 games — a solo homer by Philadelphia’s J.T. Realmuto on July 23 — and retired 21 straight batters before Vargas reached on the wild pitch. He’s allowed six earned runs all season and dropped his ERA to 0.98 with Sunday’s performance.

“He’s so nasty and showing people he can still do a lot of great things,” Boston starter Brayan Bello said through an interpreter.

Chapman has proved it all season, leaving flailing hitters in his wake with precision to go with that power.

September 8, 2025

Cal Ripken’s streak remains a marvel, three decades after he broke Lou Gehrig’s record

BALTIMORE — The Orioles celebrated the 30th anniversary of Cal Ripken’s record-breaking 2,131st consecutive game.

If anything, that streak looks even more preposterous now.

The streak began in 1982 and ended in 1998, meaning Ripken played every game for 15 straight seasons from 1983-1997. Fast forward to 2025, and only eight players in all of baseball have played in each of his team’s games: Brent Rooker, Pete Alonso, Ozzie Albies, Kyle Schwarber, Matt Olson, Elly De La Cruz, Manny Machado and Rafael Devers. And the season isn’t over yet.

Last season only four players appeared in all 162 games, including Alonso and Olson. The longest active streak belongs to Olson, who hasn’t missed a game since 2021. He’d have to keep going until 2037 — when he’ll be 43 — to catch Ripken’s mark of 2,632.

Then again, Ripken didn’t play all those games directly in a row. He simply played every game in a season, then had the winter off before coming back to do it all over again. While it’s rare for anyone to play 162 games in a season, it does still happen.

From 1982 to 1998, a player reached 162 games in a season 66 times. That’s an average of 4.4 players doing it per year, if you don’t count the 1994 and 1995 seasons that were shortened because of a strike. From 2021-2024, it happened 12 times — 3.0 per season. Maybe Ripken’s mark won’t be duplicated, but Olson is currently at 763. Making it to 1,000 would be a reasonable goal.

When Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s record of 2,130 consecutive games in 1995, Baltimore was a talented team in the middle of a disappointing season. But beginning with the record-tying game, the Orioles finished on a 16-8 run that year and then made the postseason in 1996 and 1997.

The 2025 Orioles, having a down year of their own, can only hope for a similar rebound.

Another streak

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America will begin awarding a Relief Pitcher of the Year honor in 2026. If it were happening this year, Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox would be making a strong bid.

Chapman has gone 17 straight appearances — spanning 14 2/3 innings — without allowing a hit.

When Johnny Vander Meer famously threw back-to-back no-hitters in 1938, that was part of a run of 21 2/3 innings without yielding a hit, according to play-by-play data at Baseball Reference.

Trivia time

When Ripken ended his streak in 1998, it was the first time since 1981 that he did not at least share the team lead in games played. Which two Orioles played 162 games in ’98, while Ripken only played 161?

Line of the week

Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers came within one out of a no-hitter at Baltimore. He tied a career high with 10 strikeouts and allowed only one hit — a solo homer by Jackson Holliday with two outs in the ninth.

Then he exited the game, and he didn’t even get a win because ...

Comeback of the week

When Holliday came to the plate, Baltimore trailed 3-0 and had a win probability of 0.5% according to Baseball Savant. After Holliday’s homer, Blake Treinen relieved Yamamoto and allowed a double, a hit batter and two walks. With the score 3-2 and the bases loaded, Tanner Scott came on and gave up Emmanuel Rivera’s two-run single that gave the Orioles a 4-3 victory.

This all happened the same night the Orioles honored Ripken.

Trivia answer

Rafael Palmeiro and B.J. Surhoff.

September 8, 2025

Blackhawks Reveal Roster For 2025 Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase

The Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, and Minnesota Wild will all participate in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase.

This is a three-game tournament where each organization will have some of its best prospects compete in a round robin format.

Last week, the Blues and Wild each revealed their roster for the tournament, which will begin on September 12th when St. Louis takes on Minnesota. Chicago will play St. Louis on the 13th and Minnesota on the 14th.

The St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild each have talent in the organization. Their rosters for this event have high-end prospects with ceilings of NHL contributors.

Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) on XBuium, Yurov, Haight, Heidt, Kumpalainen, Benak highlight the #mnwild rookies in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase at TRIA Rink Sept. 12-14 vs. Blues and Blackhawks

Lou Korac (@lkorac10) on X#stlblues roster for the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase Sept. 12-14 in Minnesota ...

With that said, the Blackhawks have been rebuilding while the Blues and Wild compete for the playoffs, so their draft selections have typically had more value in recent years. The Blackhawks' roster, announced on Monday, features numerous players who could compete for NHL or AHL jobs immediately.

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xour 2025 Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase roster is here‼️ 📰 ➡︎ https://t.co/Dmhovq9tn2

This group includes players with NHL experience, such as Oliver Moore, Artyom Levshunov, and Sam Rinzel. These guys all plan on playing with the Blackhawks on Opening Night. At a minimum, they will see time in the NHL during the 2025-26 season.

Will AJ Spellacy, Nick Lardis, or Ryan Greene play for the Blackhawks? How about the Rockford IceHogs? There is a lot to decide on with this prospect event, training camp, and the preseason.

Many other young players will likely have wonderful developmental seasons elsewhere. In particular, notable players such as Nathan Behm, Martin Misiak, and Jack Pridham are expected to be factors in this event.

This does not mean that the Blackhawks are going to steamroll everyone else in this showcase. All of these young players are coming in with the hopes of impressing their organizations as they look to eventually have NHL careers.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

September 8, 2025

Rockies at Dodgers prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for September 8

Its Monday, September 8 and the Rockies (40-103) are in Los Angeles to open a series against the Dodgers (79-64).

Chase Dollander is slated to take the mound for Colorado. The Dodgers have yet to announce their starter for the game.

The Dodgers are just 3-7 on their last ten but somehow still lead the National League West by one game over San Diego. The Rockies season was over months ago. They own the cellar in the NL West. They have won just 17 games on the road this season (51 losses).

Fun Fact: The Dodgers are 8-2 against the Rockies this season.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Rockies at Dodgers

Date: Monday, September 8, 2025
Time: 10:10PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: COLR, SNLA

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Rockies at the Dodgers

The latest odds as of Monday:

Moneyline: Rockies (+278), Dodgers (-360)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (-164)
Total: 9 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Dodgers

Pitching matchup for September 8, 2025: Chase Dollander vs. TBD
- Rockies: Chase Dollander (2-12, 6.77 ERA)
  Last outing: September 1 vs. San Francisco - 5IP, 6ER, 5H, 3BBs, and 2Ks
- Dodgers: TBD

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Dodgers

The Rockies' last 5 road games have stayed under the Total
The Dodgers have failed to cover the Run Line in 3 straight home games
The Dodgers have won 4 straight home games against the Rockies
Freddie Freeman was 4-12 (.333) this past weekend against the Orioles
Shohei Ohtani homered twice in yesterday's 5-2 win over the O's
Shohei Ohtani is hitting .348 in September

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Dodgers

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Rockies and the Dodgers:

Moneyline: Rotoworld is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld is recommending a play on the Dodgers -1.5 (-164)
Total: Rotoworld is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 9 runs

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

September 8, 2025

Toraya Reid, sister of Timberwolves' Naz Reid, was shot, killed Saturday in New Jersey

Toraya Reid, the sister of Timberwolves' sixth man Naz Reid, was shot and killed Saturday in New Jersey, a story first reported by Jon Krawczynski at The Athletic.

Responding to a 911 call of shots fired, police arrived at the apartment building in Jackson Township, NJ, at 11 a.m. and discovered Reid, 28, dead from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

Shaquille Green, 29, was seen fleeing the scene, according to the prosecutor's office, and was later arrested and has been charged with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon, all in connection with Reid's death. Green and Reid had a "dating relationship," according to the prosecutor's office.

Toraya was the oldest of three, with Naz in the middle, and there is a younger sister, Jakahya.

Naz Reid is a fan favorite in Minnesota, the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year, who has been a versatile and critical part of the team's back-to-back runs to the Western Conference Finals, but also has been very active in the community. This summer he signed a five-year, $125 million contract to stay with the franchise.

September 8, 2025

Boston Bruins And Maine Mariners Extend Affiliation Agreement

Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; James Hagens is selected as the seventh overall pick to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

On Monday, the Boston Bruins announced an extension of their affiliation agreement with the Maine Mariners through the 2027-28 season.

“We are proud to extend our affiliation with the Maine Mariners through the 2027-28 season,” Providence Bruins General Manager Evan Gold, who is also the Assistant General Manager for Boston, said in a statement. “It has been a pleasure getting to know and collaborate with Dexter Paine over the past year-plus of his ownership tenure, and we are confident that his and the entire Mariners staff’s dedication to developing players and competing for championships fully aligns with our organizational development model. “The Bruins are excited to continue working with the Mariners to prepare our prospects for the next levels.”

The Mariners began their partnership with Boston and Providence in 2021, leading into Maine’s third ECHL season. The 2025-26 campaign marks year five of the affiliation and begins the new three-year extension.

“We are excited to extend our affiliation agreement with the Boston Bruins and Providence Bruins,” Mariners Owner & Governor Dexter Paine stated. “It is an important step for our franchise as we align the Mariners with these two historic franchises. Stabilizing and growing the partnership with both Boston and Providence was a priority of mine after purchasing the team last fall. I want to thank Cam Neely, Don Sweeney and Evan Gold, and we look forward to many great years as part of the Bruins development pipeline.”

The Maine/Boston affiliation has a history dating back to late 1980s and early 1990s, when the American Hockey League’s Maine Mariners served as Bruins affiliates for five seasons before the team relocated to Providence in 1992.

September 8, 2025

Where Giants' core of star players currently ranks among MLB's best, per ESPN

Where Giants' core of star players currently ranks among MLB's best, per ESPN originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants have won 11 of their last 14 games as one of the hottest teams in baseball, but where does San Francisco rank when it comes to the team’s core talent?

Not in the top 10 according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, who places the team right in the middle of the pack at 15th (third in NL West behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres).

While the team’s season success is not an apparent metric, McDaniel says he “judges teams based on which players they have under contract through the next two full seasons.”

The Giants saw an impressive jump up in the ratings from their 2024 rank (22), largely in part because of what Buster Posey has done in his short time with the team.

“I like what president of baseball operations Buster Posey has done in remaking this big league team,” McDaniel said. “He’s investing in star players (re-signing [Matt] Chapman, signing [Willy] Adames, trading for [Rafael] Devers), and at the deadline, he moved nonessential players or those on expiring deals to beef up the farm system.”

The Giants were just one of two teams in the top-half of the list to be without an “elite” player — “5ish WAR talent, or perennial All-Stars with MVP chances” per McDaniel.

Devers, who was listed as a “solid” tiered player, has batted just .253 since joining the Giants but really has turned it on since the start of August, slashing .289/.389/.602 with 12 home runs in 34 games played.

Another “solid” tier player, Adames, who had a woefully slow start, also has picked up the pace in the second half of the season. Over his last 15 days, he has slashed a respectable .289/.375/.622.

Other notable players in that tier: ace Logan Webb, Chapman and Patrick Bailey.

The list mentioned Giants top prospect Bryce Eldridge, who has continued to tear pitching up in Triple-A Sacramento, as well as Jung Hoo Lee and recently acquired outfielder Drew Gilbert, among others.

At 72-71, the Giants have significantly underperformed on the year, but with the roster they currently have, a hot streak earlier in the year could have made all the difference and made 2025 a completely different season.

McDaniel also states he believes the Giants could be a contender as early as next season. Only time will tell.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

September 8, 2025

Mets at Phillies prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for September 8

Division rivals New York (76-66) and Philadelphia (83-59) begin a four-game series beginning tonight at Citizens Bank Park.

Rookie phenom Nolan McLean is slated to take the mound for New York looking for his fifth straight win against veteran Aaron Nola for Philadelphia.

With the Phillies leading the National League East by seven games, the division crown is no longer up for grabs. This is a vital series, though, for the Mets as their lead for the final Wild Card spot is just four games over San Francisco and Cincinnati.

Philadelphia has won seven of their last ten to all but clinch the division. Kyle Schwarber leads the Phils' attack with 49 home runs and 120 RBIs. The Mets have lost two in a row and are just 4-6 in their last ten. Juan Soto leads the team with 38 home runs and Pete Alonso has 113 RBIs to pace the attack.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Mets at Phillies

Date: Monday, September 8, 2025
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Citizens Bank Park
City: Philadelphia, PA
Network/Streaming: SNY, NBCSP, MLBN

Odds for the Mets at the Phillies

The latest odds as of Monday:

Moneyline: Mets (-126), Phillies (+104)
Spread: Philadelphia +1.5 (-163)
Total: 9 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Phillies

Pitching matchup for September 8, 2025: Nolan McLean vs. Aaron Nola
- Mets: Nolan McLean, (4-0, 1.37 ERA)
  Last outing: September 2 at Detroit, 6IP, 2ER, 3H, 3BB, and 7Ks
- Phillies: Aaron Nola, (3-8, 6.78 ERA)
  Last outing: September 3 at Milwaukee, 6 ER, 6H, 2BB, and 6Ks

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Mets at Phillies

The Over has cashed in the Phillies' last 6 home games against the Mets with Aaron Nola on the mound
With Aaron Nola on the bump, the Phillies have covered in 4 straight NL East games
The Phillies have won outright 4 of their last 5 NL East home games with Aaron Nola on the mound
Nolan McLean has struck out at least 6 in each of his 4 starts
Juan Soto is 10-23 (.435) in September
Bryce Harper is 5-25 (.200) with 2 HRs in September

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Mets and the Phillies

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Mets and the Phillies:

Moneyline: Rotoworld is leaning towards a play on the Mets on the ML
Spread: Rotoworld is recommending a play on the Phillies getting 1.5 runs
Total: Rotoworld is recommending a play on the Game Total UNDER 9 runs

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page fromNBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)

September 8, 2025

England look to get smart after one-day romp fails to mask long-term troubles

Crushing victory against South Africa showed 50-over team’s potential but struggle for series wins continues

There might have been a few sore heads in England’s squad on the morning after their epic, extraordinary victory against South Africa in Southampton, if only because of dizziness. On Sunday, after all, what had been down was suddenly up, what was bad became good, what was strong appeared feeble. And so the series ended having only really proved that what fails today can flourish tomorrow, which does not necessarily help with planning for the day after that.

Clearly England have a team with great potential, but across the week it only really shone when their opponents had misplaced both motivation and quality. Brendon McCullum, the England head coach, described “an oscillating series” that concluded with “an incredible blueprint of what this team’s capable of achieving if we can get it right”, but if it is hard to argue that scoring 414 before routing your opponents for 72 is anything less than ideal it is also not hugely repeatable.

September 8, 2025

Toronto’s Easton Cowan And Other AHL Rookie Forwards To Keep An Eye On Next Season

As training camp approaches, prospects are looking to challenge for a spot on their NHL teams.

As hard as they compete, sometimes it’s best for these young players to spend some time in the AHL to mature and get more ice time than they would in the NHL. Nonetheless, they’ll bring plenty of excitement to the American League.

While it’s possible for these players to see games in the NHL, here are three players to look out for in their first AHL season.

Easton Cowan, LW, Toronto Marlies

Easton Cowan is easily the most coveted prospect in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. After trading away Fraser Minten to the Boston Bruins for Brandon Carlo and a 2026 first-round pick, Cowan stands alone at the top of the prospect chart.

The left winger is coming off back-to-back OHL championships and a Memorial Cup victory last year. Along the way, Cowan picked up many awards and accolades from his exceptional play, especially in the post-season.

The 20-year-old has led the OHL in playoff points for the last two seasons, was named OHL playoffs MVP, Memorial Cup MVP, and led the Memorial Cup in points twice, in addition to other achievements.

Cowan has accomplished and performed like a player who should be a regular NHL player in no time, so his first season with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL should be one to watch for Maple Leafs fans and hockey fans.

Andrew Cristall, C, Hershey Bears

Andrew Cristall had a season for the ages last year for the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets and the Spokane Chiefs. He scored 48 goals and led the WHL with 132 points in 57 games. He was just as impressive in the playoffs, leading the league in goals with 21 tallies and recording 41 points in 19 games, which puts him in the top 10 for most points in a WHL post-season.

Cristall was selected in the second round of the 2023 draft by the Washington Capitals and could be set to debut for the Hershey Bears next season.

The Bears have been a force to reckon with for the past three seasons, winning two straight Calder Cups in that span. The addition of Cristall could make their case for a third Calder Cup in four years all the more plausible.

Detroit’s Sandin-Pellikka Among Rookie Defensemen To Look Out For Next AHL SeasonNHL Training camp will be kicking off soon, and each team’s prospects will be looking to fight for their spot on that roster.

Brayden Yager, C, Manitoba Moose

Brayden Yager is a complete, two-way center who has recorded three straight solid seasons in the WHL. Last season, he registered 82 points in 54 contests between the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

In Yager’s five-year junior career, he was named CHL and WHL rookie of the year, a Hlinka Gretzky gold medalist and a WHL champion with the Warriors in 2023-24.

He was also named captain for Team Canada at the latest World Junior Championship. Yager recorded three helpers in that tournament.

The 20-year-old from Saskatoon is ready for a new challenge next season - whether that’s a sniff with the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL or a season with the Manitoba Moose in the AHL - he’ll be one to look out for.

Check out our AHL to KHL signing tracker and AHL Free Agency signing tracker.

September 8, 2025

Flyers Announce Schedule & Roster For 2025 Rookie Camp

The Philadelphia Flyers have confirmed the schedule and roster for this year's highly-anticipated Rookie Camp.

The kids are ready to roll!

Check out the full 2025 Rookie Camp roster and schedule. #LetsGoFlyers https://t.co/fAXFjyalMJ
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 8, 2025

Taking place over five days, camp will kick off on Thursday, Sept. 11, with back-to-back games against the New York Rangers rookies to follow at PPL Center on Sept. 12 and Sept. 13. The games will start at 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., respectively.

After a break on Sunday, Sept. 14, on-ice sessions will resume on the 15th and 16th.

Some notable highlights on the confirmed roster include talents like Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk, who saw immense success with the London Knights in the OHL during the 2024-25 season, winning both the OHL Championship and Memorial Cup.

Jett Luchanko, who made the Flyers' NHL roster out of preseason camp last year, is also set to feature.

Fans will also get to see more of players like Alex Bump, Nikita Grebenkin, and Jacob Gaucher, who impressed with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season.

All on-ice sessions will be open for fans to watch at the Flyers Training Center in Vorhees, N.J.

September 8, 2025

NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest On The Penguins And Maple Leafs

Speculation over the futures of Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell and defenseman Erik Karlsson has persisted throughout the off-season.

Rust and Rakell are signed through 2027-28 with annual average values at, or above, $5 million. Meanwhile, Karlsson has two seasons remaining on his deal with the Penguins paying $10 million of his $11.5 million average annual value.

The Penguins are rebuilding, though management is reluctant to say it out loud. That's fuelling the conjecture about where those veterans fit within management's plans.

On Sept. 2, Josh Yohe of The Athletic expressed surprise that Rust, Rakell and Karlsson were still on the Penguins' roster with training camp fast approaching. He believes the two forwards could fetch returns of prospects, draft picks, or young NHL players. Shipping out all three would improve the Penguins' chances of winning the 2026 draft lottery and the opportunity to select top prospect Gavin McKenna.

Two days later, Yohe reported Penguins GM Kyle Dubas is content to start the season with his current roster but didn't rule out Dubas attempting to make a move or two.

Yohe thinks Karlsson stands the best chance of moving, despite his cap hit, his disappointing play over the last two seasons and his no-movement clause. He claimed some teams remain interested in the 35-year-old puck-moving defenseman, provided the Penguins retain a healthy chunk of his cap hit.

Teams are usually reluctant to retain salary on an expensive contract that has more than a year remaining. However, PuckPedia projects the Penguins will have over $13 million in cap space for the coming season and a whopping $53.2 million for 2026-27. They can comfortably afford to retain up to half of Karlsson's remaining cap hit.

Yohe wondered if Fenway Sports Group's attempt to sell the Penguins could affect any attempt by management to retain part of Karlsson's salary to facilitate a trade.

Brandon Carlo (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)

Shifting our focus to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Yohe's colleague James Mirtle was recently asked if there was any truth to rumors suggesting defenseman Brandon Carlo might become a trade chip.

Carlo, 28, was acquired from the Boston Bruins before the March 2025 trade deadline.

Mirtle thinks the Maple Leafs are still looking to add to their forward group. He felt that Carlo might be a viable option because they don't have much trade capital, and they could prefer replacing the shutdown blueliner with a puck-moving rearguard.

The Leafs haven't suitably addressed the departure of right wing Mitch Marner, but there are few decent options currently available. If Carlo becomes trade bait to address that need, it might not come until later in the season when better trade targets emerge.

September 8, 2025

Canadiens' 2025 Rookie Camp Roster Revealed

Ivan Demidov (© David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

The Montreal Canadiens' 2025 rookie camp is coming up, as it starts on Sep. 10 and lasts until Sep. 16.

With this, the Canadiens have announced the roster for their upcoming rookie camp, which has 15 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goaltenders.

Here is a full list of prospects who will be attending the Canadiens' 2025 rookie camp.

Canadiens Forwards

Owen Beck, Ivan Demidov, Will Dineen, Joseph Dunlap, Mark Estapa, Egor Goriunov, Oliver Kapanen, Filip Mesar, Israel Mianscum, Hayden Paupanekis, Vinzenz Rohrer, Luke Tuch, Matthew Wang, Florian Xhekaj

Canadiens Defensemen

Adam Engstrom, Carlos Handel, Simon Lavigne, Andrew MacNiel, Maleek McGowan, Bryce Pickford, Owen Protz, David Reinbacher

Canadiens Goalies

Jacob Fowler, Arseni Radkov, Mikus Vecvanags

This group of Canadiens' prospects will also play two games during the rookie camp against the Winnipeg Jets' prospects (Sep. 13) and the Toronto Maple Leafs' prospects (Sep. 14).

This will be a great opportunity for these youngsters to show the Canadiens what they can do. Among the most notable Habs prospects to watch during it are Demidov, Reinbacher, Fowler, Beck, Kapanen, and Xhekaj.

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