Carter Hart will look to keep the Vegas Golden Knights rolling when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, with the red-hot club riding high after a 6-2 rout of Pittsburgh and sitting at 8-2 on the season.
Vegas has been getting production from all over its lineup, and that was on full display against the Penguins on Saturday. Mark Stone led the way with a goal and two assists, while rookie Trevor Connelly chipped in a goal and an assist. Defensemen Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin and Shea Theodore also found the back of the net, and Brett Howden added an empty-net goal.
Jack Eichel picked up two assists in his 700th NHL game, while Mitch Marner also finished with a pair of helpers. The balanced scoring has helped the Golden Knights build momentum early in the season, with different players stepping up on a nightly basis.
Hart is expected to get the nod against Tampa Bay and will look to build on his work so far this season. The goaltender has a 3-2-0 record through five appearances with Vegas, along with a 2.41 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage.
He was also in net for the Golden Knights' recent 6-2 win over Calgary, stopping 28 shots to help the team secure another comfortable result. Hart will now have a chance to keep things going against a Lightning squad that could present a tougher test.
Vegas has received strong play from Adin Hill as well. Hill stopped 22 shots against Pittsburgh to improve to 4-0, giving the Golden Knights another reliable option in goal as they navigate the early part of the schedule.
The offense has been clicking, but the matchup with Tampa Bay will require Vegas to stay sharp defensively and avoid giving the opposition easy chances. Hart's performance could be an important factor if the Lightning manage to put pressure on the Golden Knights' end.
With an 8-2 record and confidence building throughout the lineup, Vegas will try to extend its strong run on home ice. Hart, meanwhile, has an opportunity to add another win and continue establishing himself as a dependable part of the team's goaltending rotation.
The Buffalo Sabres are in the middle of the pack in the Atlantic Division nearly one month into the 2026-27 regular season, but we throughout the year will keep tabs on former Sabres around the NHL.
Devin Cooley - Calgary
The 29-year-old played for Rochester and was called up by the Sabres during the 2023-24 season, but never played. He was later traded to San Jose for a 7th round pick and played six games for the Sharks. Last season, the California native signed with Calgary and had a 2.69 GAA and 909 save % in 31 games. This season, he is 1-2-0, with a 4.01 GAA, and .868 save % with the struggling Flames.
Matthew Savoie - Edmonton
The former Sabres first-rounder was dealt in the summer of 2024 for Ryan McLeod, and after a strong year in the AHL (54 points in 66 games), the 22-year-old made the Oilers and scored 37 points (18 goals, 19 assists) in 82 games as a rookie. Savoie suffered an injury in the offseason and was placed on LTIR. He is expected to return sometime in November.
Joel Armia - Los Angeles
The former Sabres first-rounder played one game for Buffalo before being included in the Evander Kane-Tyler Myers deal with Winnipeg. He spent three years with the Jets, and seven years with Montreal before signing with the Kings last season. This year, he has one goal in six games for Los Angeles.
Is Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen a part of the Sabres future?
Michael Kesselring - San Jose
The big righty blueliner was supposed to be the centerpiece of the JJ Peterka trade with Utah in June 2025, but that turned out to be Josh Doan. Kesselring struggled with a variety of injuries last season, and was limited to 34 games, playing mostly bottom-pairing minutes and posting only two assists. After being dealt to the Sharks for a swap of first round picks, the 26-year-old is playing in San Jose’s top-four, averaging nearly 20 minutes a night, and has two assists in nine games.
Brandon Montour - Seattle
Montour played parts of two seasons in Buffalo before being dealt to Florida for a third-round pick in 2021. His career thrived with the Panthers, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2024, and then signed as a free agent with Seattle. In his third season with the Kraken, Montour has five assists in eight games.
Luke Schenn - Vancouver
The veteran journeyman was acquired by the Sabres at the trade deadline, and with his 10th NHL club, he played four regular-season and two playoff games. Schenn signed a free agent deal with Vancouver and is playing in his third stint with the Canucks. In seven games, the 36-year-old has two assists.
Jack Eichel - Vegas
The Stanley Cup and Olympic gold medal winner is off to a red-hot start for the Golden Knights and is on pace to exceed 100 points for the first time. In 10 games, the former second overall pick has 18 points (5 goals, 13 assists). Former Sabre Victor Olofsson also started red-hot, with four goals in four games, but has been sidelined after being checked into the boards earlier this month.
The AJ Dybantsa Rookie of the Year train will not leave the station on time Wednesday.
Dybantsa will miss the Wizards' opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday with a tweaked ankle, coach Brian Keefe told reporters. He added that Dybantsa is day-to-day going forward. The Wizards have a back-to-back over the weekend, hosting Toronto on Friday then traveling to Chicago on Saturday.
The Wizards selected Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick, and hopes are high that he can be a catalyst to help turn a long-struggling franchise around. After an impressive Summer League, Dybantsa was still finding his footing in the preseason, averaging 12.8 points per game on 43.9% shooting, and just 18.2% from 3-point range.
Dybantsa is paired with All-Stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis to start his rookie season, and there is debate around the league about whether or not this is good for his development. Scouts were divided about the idea, as they detailed to Josh Robbins in a fantastic story at The Athletic. Some scouts said it would be a "massive positive" not to have Dybantsa carry so much of the load and that he can figure out the game without having to create a ton of offense. Another scout felt this way:
"Ideally, you put the ball in his hands, and you let him figure it out," one scout said. "He's talented enough that, as you grow your team, he'll get better... It can certainly kind of hinder some aspects of his development, him being better as a creator. If he doesn't have those opportunities, if he's kind of boxed into spacing the floor and not being like a knockdown shooter, he would benefit from having the ball, posting up smaller guys, driving, getting into the teeth of the defense."
For the Wizards, it's about starting to win more now, not waiting for Dybantsa and the Wizards' other key young players — Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson — to figure it out. Young and Davis help this team win games now.
Dybantsa won't be figuring anything out on opening night, he'll be in street clothes.
WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - SEPTEMBER 01, 2026: Yohandy Morales #28 of the Washington Nationals is interviewed on the field by Alexa Datt following a game in which Morales made his Major League Baseball debut against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park on September 01, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. The Nationals beat the Braves, 9-5. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
One of the more interesting stories to follow in 2026 was the case of Yohandy Morales. The slugging corner infielder had a great season in AAA, yet the front office was reluctant to call him up. When Morales finally got his shot, he performed well, but showed some of the flaws that made folks skeptical.
After being drafted in the second round of the 2023, Morales put up solid but not spectacular numbers in the minors prior to 2026. Back in 2025, Morales hit .265 with 15 homers and a .769 OPS between AA and AAA. Morales made consistent hard contact, but he struck out too much and hit too many ground balls.
Those problems did not disappear in 2026, but the production took a massive step forward. For the first couple months of the season, Morales was one of the biggest stories in the system. He hit .341 with a .924 OPS in April and followed that up with an even better month, hitting .361 with a 1.122 OPS in May.
yohandy morales' last 18 games 🔥 .403/.457/.645 14 R, 25 H, 3 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBI pic.twitter.com/cre5mRL579
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) May 3, 2026
Morales slowed down a little bit after that, but he still put together a tremendous season in Rochester. Overall, the former Miami Hurricanes star hit .286 with 25 homers and an .882 OPS in 104 games. However, the Nats did not promote Morales to the big leagues until September.
In my opinion, the biggest reasons for that are his chase rate, which was over 30% in AAA and his zone contact rate, which was under 75%. Both of those numbers are red flags, especially for a Nats regime that focuses heavily on underlying data like that.
When September rolled around, there was no reason not to give Morales a cameo, so they pulled the trigger. He immediately made a strong first impression, getting three hits, including a homer in his debut against the Braves. Morales is big, strong and shockingly fast for his size, which makes him easy on the eyes. The former second rounder really looks the part.
YOYOOOOOOO! 😭🔥
Yohandy Morales' first MLB hit is a HOME RUN into the visitor’s bullpen. 💣
In his 17 games of big league action, Morales showed his strengths and weaknesses. On the positive side of things, Morales absolutely smoked baseballs. His 91.7 MPH average exit velocity, 62.5% hard hit rate and 15.6% barrel rate are all elite. That hard contact led to a .596 slugging percentage and .851 OPS.
Morales’ raw power is truly a plus tool. He has the ability to go yard from foul pole to foul pole. Morales actually pulled the ball in the air more than expected, but his opposite field power is the star of the show. The home run he hit in Detroit on a cold day in a big ball park was truly jaw dropping. You have to have monster power to pull off what Morales did.
Yohandy Morales with another dinger in Detroit!! 🔥
Yohandy Morales produced in AAA and produced in the big leagues. However, there are still reasons to pump the breaks. For one, he struck out 31.9% of the time while not taking a single walk in 47 big league at bats. That combination of whiff and chase is concerning and could get exposed when big league pitchers see more of him. We saw Abimelec Ortiz also get off to a hot start before pitchers adjusted to him.
The corner infield spots are also pretty crowded entering 2027. Based on their actions in 2026, it seems like Andres Chaparro, Brady House and maybe even Ortiz are all ahead of Morales in the pecking order. The Nats also did not play Morales at third base in the big leagues despite playing there in the minors. Blake Butera said he could see Morales playing some third moving forward though.
Yohandy Morales had a very productive season in the minors and during his time in the big leagues. In his 17 MLB games, Morales hit .255 with 4 homers and an .851 OPS. His ability to make consistent hard contact is his super power, and we will see how far that will take him. Overall, Morales had a very good year, but has holes in his game. He will be in the mix for corner infield reps heading into next year.
Sharks captain Macklin Celebrini is used to hearing cheers at SAP Center, but opposing crowds during San Jose’s current road trip haven’t been as excited to see the young star in their arenas.
That was the case Tuesday night at Bell Centre as Montreal Canadiens fans booed the 20-year-old every time he touched the puck. It didn’t take long for Celebrini to quiet them as he put together a three-point night that ended with a game-winning goal in overtime — his second score in San Jose’s comeback 4-3 win.
“How could I not?” he told reporters postgame. But, it certainly served as fuel for both the young captain and the rest of Team Teal.
“I think it’s probably expected wherever he goes now,” Michael Misa told reporters after the game. “Fans are going to boo him because he’s that good. But yeah, maybe a little extra motivation for us. You don’t like to see your captain get booed, but I think he shut them up there in OT.”
But San Jose’s advantage didn’t last long. Montreal scored three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead entering the third period. And while the Sharks have had their own share of late-game struggles in recent seasons, they flipped the script against the Canadiens and their hostile home crowd.
Misa got things started in the third period with his first goal of the year to make it a one-score game — a weight finally off the shoulder of San Jose’s 2025 No. 2 overall draft pick.
“I’m hard on myself,” Misa said. “I hold myself to a high standard, try and play the best I can every night. When the puck’s not going in, you just got to keep it simple. There’s a lot of games in the season, so I was happy to get one. Got to keep rolling now.”
After one of the younger Sharks put San Jose within one goal, veteran Tyler Toffoli came through with a game-tying score with 8:51 left in the game that eventually forced overtime and set up Celebrini’s game-winning moment.
“The resiliency, we needed that,” Celebrini told Randy Hahn and Drew Remenda on “Sharks Postgame Live” after the win. “Especially after the blown leads we’ve given up, to come back and get one, get two points on the road here, especially against that team is good.”
Celebrini, who also got the assist on Toffoli’s goal, hopes the Sharks can use Tuesday’s win as momentum moving forward.
“I think this should be a good propeller for us, especially that last 20 minutes,” Celebrini said. “Just knowing the way we need to play — that’s the recipe right there.”
J.T. Compher is making the trip with the Detroit Red Wings, but he'll have to wait a little longer to get back into game action.
The 31-year-old forward traveled with Detroit for its four-game road trip but will miss his seventh straight game Tuesday when the Red Wings face the Seattle Kraken.
Compher has been on injured reserve, and there's still no clear indication of when he'll be ready to play. Getting back on the road with his teammates is one thing, but the Red Wings are still waiting for him to be cleared.
It's been a frustrating start to the season for Compher, who managed just two games before getting hurt. He has yet to record a point.
Compher was never the biggest name on the roster, but he was there when the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022, playing all 20 playoff games and finishing with five goals and three assists.
Compher had spent years working his way into a dependable role with the Avalanche, making his NHL debut for the club in 2017 and recording 194 points across 423 regular-season games.
He left Colorado in 2023, signing a five-year, $25.5 million contract with Detroit. The move gave him a fresh start, and the Red Wings brought in a player with championship experience and the ability to play in different situations.
Compher has, to put it bluntly, taken a step back since leaving Colorado, though Detroit's struggles certainly haven't helped. The Red Wings haven't made the playoffs since 2016, back when Joe Louis Arena was still home. Little Caesars Arena opened in 2017, and Detroit has yet to play a postseason game there. At this point, the Red Wings' playoff drought has aged about as well as a Little Caesars pizza left out overnight.
Oct 13, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) warms up against the Golden State Warriors at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Congratulations to you all. After a long, long offseason, we have officially reached the regular season. Pat yourselves on the back for surviving the dog days of the summer.
In what will hopefully become a weekly piece, let’s take your questions heading into a new season. Whether it’s about the Lakers or the NBA in general, fire away with any questions.
TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 26: JJ Bleday #22 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning in their MLB game at Rogers Centre on September 26, 2026 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the most part you can count the ways in which things went well for the 2026 Cincinnati Reds the same way you can count how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.
Elly De La Cruz emerged as an offensive superstar to begin to match the talent he has within.
Chase Burns was the ace we all dreamed about, and the Reds signed him long-term.
Sal Stewart socked a lot of homers, drove in a ton of runs, and might win Rookie of the Year.
One, two, three – that’s what went right all season long.
Amid those and the extensive list of things that decidedly did not go well, though, is a ho-hum 105 OPS+ season from a corner outfielder who posted a .217 batting average and a grand total of 1.2 bWAR. That would go to one JJ Bleday, who’ll turn 29 within the next month, as his season would’ve made him tied for the 10th most valuable position player on the World Series bound Milwaukee Brewers.
He was not terrible. He’s got that going for him, which is nice. Signed off the scrap heap for just $1.4 million with another pair of seasons of team control coming with him, he provided just enough cheap production that a team like the Reds will absolutely be jumping for joy at their find, convinced there is so, so much more to him than the .217/.324/.416 (.740 OPS) he put up in 545 PA for them during the 2026 season.
That may be because we – and the Reds – really did see so much more than that for a time.
Though JJ lost out on a spot on the team’s Opening Day roster due to the presence of fellow lefty outfielder Will Benson and Nathaniel Lowe (who the Reds would have lost back to free agency had they not chosen to pick him at that time of the season), he went straight to AAA Louisville and mashed. And when it became obvious that he was more deserving of a big league roster spot than most of his peers by late April, he was summoned back to the big leagues and promptly mashed the way the Miami Marlins thought he would when they selected him 4th overall out of Vanderbilt back int eh 2019 MLB Draft.
He was the best hitter in the National League through June 1st, if not on the entire planet. He took home the NL Player of the Month Award for May, and when he woke up on June 2nd he owned a .301/.399/.655 line (1.053 OPS) with 10 homers across 31 games played – all with a completely reasonable .304 BABIP through 133 PA. The Reds, at the time, looked like they’d found the second coming of Scooter Gennett.
Two things in particular should stand out at this point of the article. One, that I cherry-picked June 2nd as an important date, for some reason, and two, that Bleday held a completely normal (and almost completely average and expected) .304 BABIP to start his season. He was that good without it being ‘lucky,’ in essence – his .304 BABIP through games played on June 1st anked tied for 110th out of the 306 MLB players who’d logged at least 120 PA through that date. In other words, his numbers weren’t being inflated by Acts of the Baseball Gods that would have suggested that a good portion of his otherworldly work would not be sustainable.
June 2nd, though, is when the Baseball Gods did decide to start fighting back, however.
Now, it’s worth pointing out that Bleday is a pretty extreme fly-ball hitter. Extreme fly-ball hitters typically do carry BABIPs slightly below average since no batted ball is ‘easier’ to catch than fly balls. That tracks intrinsically, as they spend more time in the air and the ones that aren’t hit into the seats are typically hit much softer than laser liners and even pulled grounders. At 51.4%, he ranked as the 6th most fly-ball happy hitter among that 163 player sample, and his 0.52 GB/FB ratio was the second lowest to only Seattle slugger Cal Raleigh. Pending MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong, I should point out, ranked 4th there at 0.54, while other noted sluggers like Miguel Vargas, Wilyer Abreu, and Isaac Paredes ranked in the Top 10 (with Yordan Alvarez at 16) – good company, in essence.
His 23.7 degree launch angle anked 4th – again with Raleigh atop the list – and he ranked in the middle of the pack in each of exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit rate. His expected slugging was roughly 40 points higher than his actual slugging during this time, and the .190 average he posted was somehow the third worst. Those aren’t superstar numbers by any means, but had his BABIP hovered more around the middle of that pack like most of the rest of his batted ball metrics, we’re talking about a guy who should’ve posted an OPS around ~.760 or .770 during the ‘slump’ portion of his 2026 season, not a guy who actually posted a .639 mark that ranked 147th out of that 163 player sample.
I don’t think there’s a ton left to ‘unlock’ with Bleday as he enters his age-29 season in 2027, especially not with the hitting coaches employed by the Reds running the show. I do think, however, that if he simply runs back the approach and batted-ball impacts he had in 2026 during the 2027 season his numbers at season’s end will look rosier than the ones on the back of his baseball card right now – and that’s before we even get into how he should never face a left-handed pitcher ever again. And if that’s the case, there’s still a chance the Reds can make a claim that they really did find another diamond in the rough.
If Australia is to squander this Test from a dominant position and, Heaven forbid, lose this series to South Africa, the chief villain can already be identified as the dodgy prawn Josh Hazlewood consumed at some stage this week.
The 2026-27 NBA season is here, and 26 former Kentucky Basketball players are on opening day rosters. That’s the most of any college program and is the 15th straight season in which the Wildcats led the way.
Kentucky has at least one player on 19 of 30 NBA teams. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs lead the way with three Wildcats on their rosters, while the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Houston Rockets each have two.
This past season, Karl-Anthony Towns won an NBA championship with the New York Knicks, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his second consecutive NBA MVP award, which came a year after he won a title with the Thunder.
Here’s to hoping for another banner year for former Wildcats in the NBA!
Kentucky Wildcats in the NBA for the 2026-27 Season
The 6’2, 210-pounder will enroll in January and play for the Longhorns next season. Sperandio originally committed to the Longhorns three years ago.
Considered one of the top right-handed pitchers in the country, Sperandio has a chance to factor into Max Weiner’s pitching rotation next season because he has a power arm with a fastball that reaches 97 miles per hour and high spin-rate secondary pitches — a curveball and a slider — that he can throw for strikes, including three different types of fastballs he can manipulate in the zone thanks to a three-quarter arm slot.
Here's a look at what #HookEm fans can expect from Grant Sperandio 👇
Athletic, strong mound makeup, competitive… could be a three-fastball, multiple breaking ball and changeup RHP at next level. Stuff and execution. Sits 93-96 MPH and can spin it. pic.twitter.com/1VgkrErpKM
The Tampa Bay Rays reached the World Series for the third time in franchise history on Monday night and will be seeking their first championship starting Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers, who will also be seeking their first World Series title. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
The World Series is upon us, and this one should be a delight: The team with the best record in the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers, against the team with the best record in the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays.
The players are about to take baseball’s grandest stage. Yet this has somehow become a strange national obsession: not how Jacob Misiorowski or Junior Caminero might shine in the series, but how many people might watch it.
Should you care? Not really. Have you ever thought about watching a World Series game and thought, “Hmmm, let me consider what the ratings might be before I decide to tune in?”
Major League Baseball cares, of course, because its owners count on billions of dollars from the sale of television rights, and those rights are worth more money when more people watch the games. And, since the fog of a collective bargaining war has enveloped the sport, the ratings make for an intriguing subplot in the World Series.
This World Series is what owners say they want: less of, say, the Dodgers and the New York Yankees, more of teams from smaller markets that seldom advance through the playoffs, if they even get there. Neither the Brewers nor the Rays have won a World Series.
Yet the ratings for the Dodgers-Yankees World Series in 2024 almost doubled those for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers in 2023, and this year’s ratings should be much closer to 2023 than 2024.
So, in a sport that already generates the majority of its broadcast revenue in national rather than local packages, amid the collapse of regional sports networks, are the owners taking a risk of making less money on the World Series?
Fox currently airs the World Series as the jewel of a seven-year, $5.1-billion deal that expires in 2028.
Ed Desser, a Santa Monica-based consultant who launched NBA TV and helped negotiate the Dodgers’ record SportsNet LA deal, said the value of a World Series featuring teams such as the Dodgers and Yankees goes beyond the large audiences they command because they play in large markets.
“It’s commonplace for people to hate the Dodgers, hate the Yankees — and, to some extent, that’s good for business, because it’s another rooting interest. Anything that gets people to focus their attention is good,” Desser said. “It’s easy to hate a team that’s in a glamorous place and spends more than almost anybody.
“I’m not sure that anybody has an ax to grind against the Rays or the Brewers. Sports is about passion.”
That said, neither Desser nor Bob Thompson, the former president of Fox Sports Networks, believes MLB is setting itself up for a big fall in revenue from the Fall Classic.
For Fox — and whatever other bidders might emerge come 2028 — ratings would be important, but not as much as you might think.
“Does expected audience matter? Of course,” Desser said. “They’re in the media business, and the way you monetize is by selling subscriptions to your channel and selling advertising.
“But, typically, you’re taking a much longer viewpoint. You’re making a deal that might be five, eight, 12 years. When you do that, you have an expectation that some teams get better, some teams get worse, sometimes you get a large market, sometimes you get a small market. It kind of evens out.”
This is the fifth season of the current Fox contract. The 10 World Series berths have been spread among nine teams, with the Dodgers appearing twice.
To a broadcast outlet, Thompson said, financial success in the World Series is not just about ratings.
“It’s about how good the matchup is and how long the matchup goes. The bulk of the advertising is sold up front (before we know the teams),” Thompson said. “Ratings for the series aren’t going to be a huge deal, unless you’re selling time in, say, Game 6 and Game 7, where you can really be jacking your rates.”
Last year’s Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series extended to seven games, attracting viewers amid a dramatic finish and ultimately getting a higher rating than the 2024 Dodgers-Yankees series, even though Canadian viewers weren’t included in that Nielsen count. The Dodgers-Yankees series lasted five games, and the Dodgers beat up on the Yankees when the Yankees weren’t beating themselves.
Even if the World Series itself might be worth less with more lower-profile teams competing, Thompson said MLB could include it as part of a larger package, or dangle it as an incentive for streaming outlets or other new bidders.
He also noted that the latest MLB collective bargaining proposal calls for fewer regular-season games and more postseason games.
“Playoffs are going to get you a premium over regular-season games,” Thompson said.
And, to the extent that postseason ratings might be in decline, ratings for everything — sporting events, awards shows, news shows, dramas, comedies, you name it — are in decline. Only the NFL is immune to lower ratings.
“Big events matter more than they used to, even with smaller audiences,” Desser said. “The World Series is still a big event, and there is a premium for that.”
The three most-watched shows on broadcast television in the week of Oct. 5-11, according to Nielsen: Sunday Night Football (Atlanta Falcons vs. Baltimore Ravens) with 17 million viewers; SEC Football (Alabama vs. Georgia) with 12 million viewers; NLCS Game 1 (Dodgers vs. Brewers) with 11 million viewers.
The top entertainment show that week: Tracker (CBS), with 7.4 million viewers.
The owners will make their money on the World Series, one way or another.
“Even at a lower expectation for audience, there is still going to be that value,” Desser said. “It’s one of the biggest things happening in October.”
The chatter regarding Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck has reached a fever pitch, as the Hart and Vezina Trophy winner reportedly will come off suspension for not reporting to training camp, and will be reinstated by the club on Friday. There continues to be speculation that Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is looking to move Hellebuyck, possibly as soon as this week.
Rumors persist that the Buffalo Sabres are in the mix for Hellebuyck, something that GM Jarmo Kekalainen deflected on an appearance on WGR 550 radio on Tuesday.
"We have a lot of good players, so teams call us all the time about, 'Would you trade that guy?' 'Would you trade this guy?' 'If we gave you this or if we gave you that?' So that doesn't mean that we're looking to make a move." Kekalainen said. "We're always looking for ways to get better. So if there's something out there that we think could make our team better, we (are) prepared to make the move, even if it's a big or unpopular one. We were always looking for ways to make the team better, but I don't really pay attention to the rumors."
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed on his 32 Thoughts podcast earlier this week that the Sabres maintain their interest in Hellebuyck, and that the 33-year-old is open to being dealt to Buffalo, but Cheveldayoff has to make a deal with a significant return.
Friedman also indicated that the New York Rangers (as a middleman to a possible trade), because of the season-ending injury to Igor Shesterkin could be involved in some way, and that other teams (Utah Mammoth, Los Angeles Kings, and Carolina Hurricanes) could be in the mix.
A potential trade between Buffalo and Winnipeg did not take place around the NHL Draft in June, and Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen being included in the trade is thought to be unlikely after his five-team no-trade protection kicked in on July 1. Speculation regarding Luukkonen and the New York Rangers increased last week after Rangers goalie scout Scott Clemmensen was spotted in Montreal on Tuesday, but Kekalainen reiterated his belief that he is the goalie of the present and future for Buffalo.
“We believe in our goaltending; they had really good numbers last year. They were good for us, all three of them,” Kekalainen said. “Alex Lyon has been hurt, and he’s close to coming back, and we’ll see where he’s at when he does. Colten Ellis played some excellent games for us last year. He hasn’t been quite as good as he was…but we believe he’ll get there again…..Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is a really good goaltender that has a lot to give to the Buffalo Sabres and will be a big part of our future”
The Boston Celtics’ 2026-27 campaign began with what will likely be one of their worst losses all season.
During Tuesday’s season opener in Detroit, the Celtics held a comfortable 22-point lead early in the third quarter after offseason addition Paul George drilled three 3-pointers in under a minute. They had all of the momentum on their side, then watched it slowly slip away as the third quarter went on.
By the end of the third, the Pistons cut the deficit down to six. They pulled ahead in the fourth quarter with a resounding 23-0 run, fueled by timely buckets from bench contributors Duncan Robinson and Javonte Green.
Boston was outscored 76-55 in the second half, resulting in a devastating 121-113 defeat. The loss spoiled a stellar Celtics debut for George, who finished with 38 points on 12-of-21 shooting (7-12 3-PT).
Former Celtic Eddie House shared his instant reaction to the collapse on Postgame Live.
“They were making shots, we weren’t making shots in that fourth quarter. They went on a big run and we could not stop it,” House said. “We had our main guys on the bench that whole time, especially a guy like Paul George who in 31 minutes had 38 points. You would think that you would try to put him out there, but at the same time, it’s game number one, you can’t overreact to it.
“But at the same time, you do want to react to the fact that you were up 22 and squandered that lead. You were in control of that basketball game, and the next thing you know, they were in control of the basketball game.”
NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics insider Chris Forsberg echoed House’s sentiments, noting that blowing a lead in this manner isn’t exactly new for the Joe Mazzulla-led C’s.
“That second half was pretty embarrassing, and really over the three minutes that they kicked away the lead and watched them go on an 18-0 run that snowballs to 23, you’ve just got to be able to collect yourself quicker in that instance, whether that’s Joe doing what he can to get them reeled in or the players themselves finding a way to settle down,” Forsberg said.
“This is something the Celtics have been prone to in previous seasons. Discouraging to see it crop up this early. It takes away from a lot of the good they did late in that first half, overcoming an ugly start.”
Mazzulla’s group will look to improve in several areas when they host the New York Knicks for their home opener on Friday. They were outrebounded 49-39, with their top two centers Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta combining for only seven boards. They also turned the ball over 14 times.
Superstar Jayson Tatum scored only 13 points on 6-of-23 shooting (0-7 3-PT). He tallied 11 assists, but he simply didn’t do enough offensively to keep the C’s afloat while the Pistons got red-hot in the fourth.
Fortunately for the Celtics, they have plenty of time to turn things around. Game 2 of the season vs. New York is set for 7 p.m. ET Friday at TD Garden.
Watch the full Celtics Postgame Live segment below:
All-rounder Arafat Minhas struck a maiden ODI half-century and grabbed a career-best six wickets to anchor Pakistan’s convincing 87-run win over England in the tri-series in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
