CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 04: Cleveland Guardians pitcher Daniel Espino (41) delivers a pitch to the plate during the eighth inning of game 2 of the Major League Baseball doubleheader between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians on September 4, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In the midst of some frustrating games as the Guardians try to chase down a playoff spot, it’s important not to lose track of what Daniel Espino has done these past few days for Cleveland the journey he has taken to get to this point.
From the moment he was drafted in 2019, Guardians’ fans have been counting down the days to see Daniel Espino and his electric fastball, dynamic slider and devastating curveball in Cleveland. In 2022, Espino had knee surgery. He missed the 2023-2025 seasons almost entirely with two separate shoulder surgeries, returning to the mound with Columbus just as the season finished last year. And, here we are, on September 8th, with a legitimate chance for Espino to finish a full season of pitching professional baseball (knock-on-wood, etc).
Espino has thrown 49 innings this season, so far, eight in the majors and 41 with Columbus. It looks as if the dreams of him becoming a starter are no longer on the table, so it’s high leverage reliever that’s in his sights. In Columbus, he has a 3.68 ERA/3.27 xERA and with Cleveland he has a 3.00 ERA/2.61 xERA. He’s got a 12/5 K/BB/9 in Columbus and a 17/4 K/BB/9 in the bigs. His stuff absolutely plays (108 Stuff+ grade on his fastball, 107 on the slider and 120 on the curve!), and it is simply an issue of getting delivery, command and pitch mix refined to make this man into an absolute menace at the back of the bullpen. Look at his Baseball Savant and you will see a ton of red, with only his walk issue, some lack of chase and not getting enough groundballs being areas where improvement is needed.
Given this is his first full season of professional baseball in four years, I think Guardians’ fans should be optimistic that Espino – a known gym rat – is going to attack an offseason plan with vigor to make the improvements needed to reduce the walk rate and get more chases on his pitches. Of course, the stupid lockout will throw a slight wrench into this, but you can bet the team is working right now with him to make sure he knows exactly what he needs to do. If you haven’t read Zack Meisel’s story about Espino’s journey for the Athletic, including the passing of his father and all the injury travails, it’s a must-click.
There is a lot to be excited about for Espino in the future. But, for now, can we just appreciate what Espino is doing? I mean, look at this electric 102 mph fastball he used to strikeout Dillon Dingler in a game the Guardians’ absolutely had to have last Friday:
Not only did Espino come into a crucial spot for the Guardians on Friday night (down 3-1 in the 7th), but he went TWO scoreless innings and struck out three batters, allowing one hit. He followed that up yesterday with a scoreless inning, allowing two hits, but striking out to two batters to get out of trouble.
I don’t know about you, but whatever else this season brings, I am excited to see Daniel Espino pitch for my favorite baseball team in this final stretch. He’s been through so much and is showing that the worst that can happen doesn’t have to be the final say in any situation if you’re willing to work hard and not give up. AND if you have an arm that sizzles with electricity. I will be rooting so hard for him to finish strong and set himself up as a high leverage option for the Guardians for the 2027 season and beyond.
The Sixers have added Dillon Jones to their training camp roster.
The team announced Tuesday that it has signed Jones, who won NBA championships in his first two professional seasons with the Thunder and then the Knicks.
The deal is an Exhibit 10 contract, according to a source. Jones is expected to join the Sixers at camp and be in the mix for the team’s one open two-way contract slot. Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert inked two-way deals this summer.
Exhibit 10 contracts are one-year, non-guaranteed agreements at the minimum salary. They can be converted to two-ways before the start of the regular season. Many players on Exhibit 10 deals are waived and then stick with the organization’s G League affiliate because of a corresponding bonus within the contract.
The 24-year-old Jones is listed at a sturdy 6-foot-5, 235 pounds. He was selected with the 26th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft after a highly productive, versatile end to his four-year college career at Weber State. As a senior, Jones racked up 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - CIRCA 1992: Sid Bream #5 of the Atlanta Braves is down and ready to make a play on the ball during an Major League Baseball spring training game circa 1992 at Municipal Stadium in West Palm Beach, Florida. Bream played for the Braves from 1991-93. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This is the latest in a series focused on the 35th Anniversary of the 1991 Atlanta Braves, the team that reversed the franchise’s fortunes with an unforgettable season. Veteran first baseman Sid Bream recalls his decision to sign with Atlanta and the events that took an unproven team to Game 7 of the World Series.
Looking back on the improbable nature of the 1991 season for the Atlanta Braves, the seeds of success were planted well in advance of their worst-to-first journey to the World Series. Drafting and developing a new generation of talent laid the foundation, but acquiring the right veterans to put the team over the top and on the path to contention was the next step in that progression.
When John Schuerholz took over as Atlanta general manager in the winter of 1990, his mandate was to elevate the entire operation. From the front office to the field and even the stadium conditions, Schuerholz sought to upgrade how Braves baseball was experienced.
For the team itself, this meant finding the right pieces to create a well-rounded roster. A host of young talent was already assembled, but experience was in short supply for the Braves.
To complete the puzzle, Schuerholz targeted veterans from winning franchises who possessed both tangible and intangible value. That search brought former Pittsburgh Pirates Sid Bream and Rafael Belliard as well as longtime St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Terry Pendleton to Atlanta.
Bream, who reached free agency for the first time at age 30 in the winter of 1990, was coming off a trip to the National League Championship Series with Pittsburgh. Serving as the strong side of a platoon at first base for the Pirates, Bream appeared in 147 games and batted .270 with 15 home runs and 67 RBI in 389 at-bats, posting an .804 OPS in 1990.
The Braves got to work at the annual Winter Meetings, Schuerholz’s first at the helm.
On December 5, 1990, Atlanta signed Bream to a three-year, $5.5 million contract. That occurred just two days after inking Pendleton to a four-year, $10.2 million deal. Belliard was added a couple of weeks later, completing an infield revamp designed to provide a young pitching staff with proven veterans to make plays behind them.
“Our attempt in coming to these meetings was to make improvements in our club, not only ability, but makeup,” Schuerholz told the Associated Press at the time. “This certainly makes us stronger.”
Solving first base had proven quite difficult for the Braves prior to Bream’s arrival.
In the winter of 1989, they signed slugger Nick Esasky to a three-year, $5.7 million deal. Fresh off a 30-homer season with the Boston Red Sox, Esasky was limited to just nine games with Atlanta in 1990 and was eventually diagnosed with vertigo. That pressed rookie outfielder David Justice into action at first base, a position he would play for several months before the trade of long-time fan favorite Dale Murphy to the Philadelphia Phillies in August. That bittersweet move opened up right field and paved the way for Justice to earn Rookie of the Year honors.
The Bream signing brought some left-handed power, a steady glove, and leadership to Atlanta. But truth be told, he never intended to leave Pittsburgh. Bream grew up in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and enjoyed being back in his home state after starting his professional career with the Los Angeles Dodgers before coming over in a 1985 trade.
“I was a free agent, but the Pirates had told me at that point in time, after we lost to the Cincinnati Reds, ‘Sid Bream is our first priority to sign for the 1991 year,’” Bream said. “So, we weren’t even thinking about going anyplace else, truthfully. Then throughout negotiations, they didn’t even get close to the market price on me, let alone anything more for being their priority.”
The Pirates’ inaction opened the door for the Braves to add a player who quickly became a respected team leader. All that was left was for Bream to walk through that door.
“The market opened up and we opened ourselves up, not even thinking anything about it, truthfully,” Bream recalled of his family’s decision to explore new opportunities. “The Braves gave us a great offer, but even after that, I tried to stay in Pittsburgh. If they were to give me a no-trade clause, I’d have stayed there. But it didn’t happen. They said no to the no-trade clause. And I said, ‘Man, if I’m your first priority, then I’d hate to see what your last one is.’”
Bream arrived at his new baseball home motivated and with a fresh challenge in front of him. He was part of a young Pirates club that climbed from 98 losses in 1986, his first full season, all the way up to 95 wins and a trip to the postseason in 1990. While the Pirates played in the NLCS, the Braves wrapped up a 97-loss campaign.
It was fair to wonder how long it would take for Atlanta to follow a similar trajectory to Pittsburgh’s, and Bream was about to find out.
“We came down to Atlanta, not knowing what to expect other than the fact they had a lot of great young ball players,” Bream said. “John Schuerholz was bringing in some people that knew how to play the game and knew how to win (like) Terry Pendleton and Charlie Leibrandt. Raphael Belliard shored up shortstop but (we) all had some leadership in there. I had some winning underneath me, so it was a great fit. The young guys listened well. Bobby Cox and the rest of the coaching staff did a great job, and it got us to where we needed to be.”
Cox served five years as Atlanta’s general manager from 1986-1990, orchestrating trades and drafts to fill the organizational pipeline with young talent. With many of those players arriving in the major leagues, Cox stepped out of the front office and back into the dugout to resume a managerial career he’d put on hold after 1985.
With Schuerholz taking over Atlanta’s executive responsibilities after nearly two decades as the GM for the Kansas City Royals, Cox could now focus on getting the most out of the roster. In order to accomplish that, the need for proven veteran voices to help guide a youthful team was critical.
“One of the nice things about Bobby Cox – and you don’t find a lot of managers that allow this to happen – but Bobby Cox allowed Terry, myself, and Charlie to have team meetings without the coaching staff to be able to hash things out and talk things through,” Bream said. “We started to do that on a regular basis. Sometimes we got into some pretty good little spats, but we were trying to get the young players to understand what it was and what it meant to be a winner. But you could start to feel things starting to come together.”
Those meetings enhanced the accountability, but the shared experience of a pennant race brought the Braves closer together and closer to relevance than they’d been in nearly a decade.
A rivalry with the Dodgers would decide how the National League West was won. Atlanta rolled into the All-Star break at 39-40, their best record at the halfway point since 1984. The Braves even spent a week in first place from May 10-17, but they weren’t content to allow that to be the high-water mark for their season.
The second half was a magical ride for an Atlanta team that had finished in last place for three consecutive seasons and lost 90-plus games five times in the previous six years. The Braves came out of the break by winning 9 of 11 and trimming their division deficit from 9-1/2 games down to 2-1/2 games in just two weeks.
“It wasn’t until after the All-Star break that we put that winning streak together and it got us back into contention,” Bream said. “At that point in time, you started to feel things happening. Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium started to buzz and I think that’s when everything started to get to the place of, ‘Wow, we can do this.’”
As the momentum grew that summer, so did the crowds in Atlanta. With the rivalry reaching its crescendo down the stretch, there were 45,000 fans per game packing the stands to see the Braves and Dodgers square off. Trailing by a half game in the standings, Atlanta took 2-of-3 from Los Angeles in the first of two September series and moved into first place.
Bream delivered a grand slam in the first inning on September 15 as the Braves guaranteed their first winning season since 1983 with a 9-1 victory. They would trade first place with the Dodgers five times in the final 32 games before Atlanta finally clinched the division title on October 5, 1991, in Game No. 161.
“Seeing that they were in front of us but being able to go up against them and win ballgames to take the lead away from them was always a special time,” Bream said. “After the All-Star break we started to do that. Then you started to hear that tomahawk chop get going in the whole stadium. It was a very, very, very special time. I tell people the ‘91 season, for me, was probably the most special. Watching a team go from last place to first place and having a city adopt us the way that they adopted us, it was a very, very special time for us.”
The Braves headed to the NLCS against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was a first for Atlanta, but Bream’s old team was once again attempting to reach the World Series. A classic seven-game series would follow, with the Braves winning the final two games on the road to clinch the NL pennant.
Waiting for Atlanta were the Minnesota Twins, another club that had gone from last place in 1990 to play for a championship just one year later. The Braves were a team just learning how to win together en route to their first World Series appearance since 1958. Meanwhile, the Twins won the World Series in 1987 but slipped in the standings before getting back on track in 1991 with future Hall of Famers Kirby Puckett and Jack Morris leading the way.
The two teams squared off in a classic World Series battle, a seven-game epic in which each team won every game played in its home ballpark. The Twins went up 2-0 before the Braves brought the series home and won all three at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.
Back in Minnesota with two chances to close it out, Atlanta was walked off twice in extra innings. First it was Puckett with a game-winning homer off Liebrandt in the 11th inning of Game 6, then it was Morris with a 10-inning shutout performance in the Game 7 clincher.
Just like that, the incredible season was over and the Braves came up just one game short. Even though they weren’t able to win the World Series, Bream recalls the exhilaration of playing on baseball’s biggest stage – a place no one expected the Braves to reach just six months earlier.
“I tell everybody that all of us want that opportunity, to be in those situations,” Bream said. “I go back and I look on the internet and see how many games were one-run or won in that last at-bat. They could’ve gone either way. It really, truly could have.”
The series was an instant classic, perhaps the greatest ever played. Five games were decided by one run with three going to extra innings.
Atlanta’s scoring chances in Game 7 remain a point of contention. The best opportunity came in the eighth. After Lonnie Smith’s lead-off single, Pendleton doubled to the gap in left center. On the play, Twins rookie Chuck Knoblauch faked a throw to second base, causing Smith to second-guess where the ball was. Rather than picking up third base coach Jimmy Williams for direction, Smith stalled rounding second and had to stop at third.
Knoblauch’s decoy proved to be a game-saving play for Minnesota. After Ron Gant grounded to first and the runners stayed put at second and third, Morris intentionally walked Justice before getting Bream to hit into an inning-ending double play.
Even after 35 years, those missed opportunities are still fresh on the minds of those who lived it.
“Terry had a guy on third base with less than two outs and he didn’t score (in the fifth inning),” Bream recalled. “And obviously, we know about the double with Lonnie (stopping) at second base. I know I had an opportunity with the bases loaded and one out in order to score runs in that last game. We had a lot of opportunities, but Jack Morris that night was just a little bit better. He got the job done. You’ve just got to tip your hat to him. We fought hard, but we just weren’t able to come home with it.”
Bream and the Braves were up to an encore in 1992.
After another magical season, they had an NLCS rematch against the Pirates. Bream’s Game 7 dash from second base to home plate sent Atlanta back to the World Series and still stands as one of the greatest moments in postseason history.
Atlanta ultimately fell to the Toronto Blue Jays in six games in the 1992 World Series. Bream split time with Brian Hunter in 1991 and 1992, but Fred McGriff’s arrival in late 1993 changed things at first base for the Braves.
Bream departed as a free agent and spent his final season as a reserve for the Houston Astros in 1994. He retired after a 12-year career during which he batted .264 with 90 home runs. 455 RBIs, and 50 stolen bases in 1,088 games for the Dodgers, Pirates, Braves and Astros.
Memphis and New Orleans reportedly agreed to a four-player trade that is largely about the Pelicans saving some money to sign their one big free-agent move.
The Pelicans will send Jordan Hawkins and Micah Peavy, plus a future second-round pick and a second-round swap, to the Grizzlies for AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson, a trade first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN.
This is about saving money for the Pelicans, who will now be almost $9.5 million below the first apron of the luxury tax. They needed that because they agreed to sign Bennedict Mathurin to a two-year, $16 million contract, but that will hard cap them at the first apron.
The Pelicans are expected to waive Gibson, however, Johnson will be brought into training camp with a chance to take the 15th roster spot if he impresses, reports Will Guillory of The Athletic.
Memphis picks up a second-round pick and a second-round pick swap for giving up their cap space in this deal.
Whether Hawkins or Peavy make the final roster in Memphis is up for debate. With them, the Grizzlies have 19 players under standard contracts heading into training camp and need to waive or trade at least four players by the start of the season to get down to 15.
Hawkins, the No. 14 pick in the 2023 draft, averaged 5.1 points per game last season and shot 34.8% from 3 last season. After a promising rookie season, Hawkins has not progressed and last season averaged just 13.6 minutes per game on a struggling Pelicans team. Peavy, a second-round pick in 2025, averaged 4.3 points in 15 minutes a night as a rookie, but has to become more efficient than the 38.5% shooting overall and and 25.9% from 3-point range last season. That said, Peavy's defense earned him minutes and will interest the Grizzlies.
The Carolina Hurricanes announced their EBUG for the 2026-27 season and it is a familiar face indeed.
Head equipment manager Jorge Alves, who has been with the team since 2003, has been named as the Hurricanes' emergency third goalie for the upcoming season, adding another hat to a key member of the staff.
"What he's meant to this organization and what he does... MacIver, that series, that's Jorge Alves," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "Literally, if you need something done, it can literally be your car, and he's got it. Obviously with equipment too, but then also if you need a guy to go out there and skate and be a goalie, he does that too. He's maybe one of the most valuable guys around in this organization. And then to boot, he's just an awesome guy."
Starting this year, every NHL club is required to supply and travel their own emergency backup netminder.
While those players were required to not have more than 80 games of professional experience, have played within the last three years, and also have zero games of NHL experience, the league seems to have made an exception for Alves, who is technically an NHL alumni.
Alves made his NHL debut on Dec. 31, 2016, coming in for the final 7.6 seconds of a regular season game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The team's longtime equipment manager, who had previously played as high as the ECHL level, signed a professional tryout contract that day after netminder Eddie Lack fell ill before the game and backed up starter Cam Ward.
Nothing happened to Ward, but the team wanted to reward Alves for his years of hard work and gave him the chance to take the ice for real.
Alves didn't see a shot in the game and now also holds the record for the shortest career and single-game appearance for a goalie in NHL history.
The 47-year-old is no stranger to taking the net, having frequently filled in at practices for the team whenever they've been in need of a second goaltender and he should serve well in that role.
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MILWAUKEE, WI - JUNE 25: The Milwaukee Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins talks to the media with the 2026 draft picks Nate Ament and Brayden Burries of the Milwaukee Bucks during the Bucks Draft Press Conference on June 25, 2026 at the Pieper-Hillside Boys & Girls Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bucks fans and fans across the country.
For most of the last ~eight seasons, the Bucks have entered the year with the realistic expectation that they can compete for a title. Naturally, that brings a lot of excitement and enthusiasm. However, with Dame tearing his Achilles in the 2025 playoffs, last year was really the first preseason in a while where nobody held that same expectation. Now, did people think the team would be good? Yeah. And man, don’t we all look silly now? But as far as going all the way, nobody expected that.
Still, after the stunning acquisition of Myles Turner and the retention of some key role players, most fans were relatively excited about the team, ‘chip equity notwithstanding. There was significant intrigue about how it would all work. Could Myles Turner be a superior version of Brook Lopez? Who was the second banana to Giannis? And so on. I mean, I know I was still very excited to watch.
But this season presents a whole new kettle of fish to break down. Yes, it seems unlikely that Milwaukee makes the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean there’s no reason to watch. The novelty of this team is off the charts! Just to name a few reasons for intrigue:
Two new lottery picks to monitor (the org’s first lotto selections since 2016)
What do the Heat recruits look like?
What changes will we see with a new coach (and coaching staff)
Therefore, for this week’s Reacts question, we wanted you to compare how you felt last year with how you feel this year in terms of excitement for the season. As always, let us know why you voted the way you did in the comment section.
When people talk about the greatness of the Montreal Canadiens’ history in net, they mention George Vezina, Jacques Plante, Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, Carey Price, and so many others. All too often, Rogatien Vachon doesn’t even enter the conversation, but the Pallamarole, Quebec, native was no slouch in the Habs net.
Born on September 8, 1945, just days after the end of the Second World War, Vachon joined the Canadiens in 1966-67 and would spend parts of six seasons with the club before requesting a trade. While wearing the Sainte-Flanelle, Vachon had a 108-58-31 record with a 2.65 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage. Those were amazing numbers, and he helped the Canadiens dominate the late ’60s; in three of his six seasons, the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup.
In the 1968-69 playoffs, he had a 7-1-0 record with 1.42 GAA and a .953 save percentage, but that wasn’t enough to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. He had only played half the games, splitting goaltending duties with Gump Worsley, while defenseman Serge Savard put up 10 points in 14 games and earned the MVP title.
Why did the Canadiens let go of Vachon? Well, in short: because of Ken Dryden. It’s not that the Habs decided to trade Vachon; the player actually asked to be traded, as Dave Stubbs explained in a 2021 article. After Dryden drove the Habs to the Cup in 1971, playing all of the Canadiens’ 20 games, the goaltender knew he needed to move on.
He was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on November 4, 1971, for Denis De Jordy, Dale Hoganson, Noel Price, Doug Robinson, and an option to swap 1975 first-round picks. While none of those players ended up having as great a career as Vachon, it’s hard to lament the trade since the Habs would go on to win another five Stanley Cups with Dryden in net, but it does make you wonder how Montreal would have fared if that had kept Vachon around. He played until the end of the 1981-82 season, while Dryden called it quits after just eight seasons, at the end of the 1978-79 campaign.
Connor Hellebuyck has made his trade request from the Winnipeg Jets public, with a statement on social media via his agent, Ray Petkau.
“Several months ago, I privately requested a trade,” Hellebuyck said in the statement. “I have tried to handle this situation quietly and respectfully while giving the organization time to explore its options. With training camp approaching, I felt it was important to publicly confirm my request. My position has not changed, and I believe moving on is the best path forward for me and my family.”
Before the public statement, several insiders revealed that the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes had made offers to the Jets, but the Jets turned them down. Outside of the Sabres and Hurricanes, the New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, and the Florida Panthers are said to have, or had, interest in acquiring the three-time Vezina Trophy and one-time Hart Trophy winner.
Friedman said the Panthers were "hot" for Hellebuyck, but since the Brady Tkachuk trade, making a deal has become much harder.
"I think one of the teams that was really in this hot was Florida," said Friedman. "And I think one of the challenges is that part of Florida's package, not all of Florida's package, but part of it was what they traded to Ottawa to get Brady Tkachuk. So, does Florida have anything that still makes sense?"
There are several roadblocks the Panthers must overcome to land Hellebuyck. For starters, their trade assets are scarce. They have no first-round picks in any of the next three NHL drafts, own a thin prospect pool that doesn't feature any projected stars, and they don't have the cap space to fit Hellebuyck.
Although the Panthers would likely deal an NHL player back in a move for Hellebuyck, they would still be required to clear additional space to fit his $8.5 million AAV contract.
Then comes the issue with Jacob Markstrom. The Panthers made a deal with the Devils to bring back their 2008 first-round pick. Moving on from him before the season starts would be a poor use of assets, and they'd have to navigate his 20-team no-trade list.
While picturing Hellebuyck backstopping this Panthers team is fun, and it would make for one of the more dominant rosters in the NHL, it's likely impossible for the Panthers to acquire him.
It would be nothing short of a miracle if they did.
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The 32-year-old forward announced his retirement from professional hockey on Instagram, with TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie also sharing the news.
For the Utah Mammoth, Dea’s retirement brings an end to a career that included a brief stop with the franchise when it was still the Arizona Coyotes.
Dea played four games for Arizona during the 2021-22 season, recording one assist. It was a small part of a career that took the Laval, Quebec, native through several NHL organizations and overseas before ultimately bringing him back home.
Dea began his professional career near the end of the 2013-14 season after three years with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL. He signed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins as an undrafted free agent and spent much of the next five seasons with the club.
He became a consistent scorer in the AHL, putting up 72 goals and 163 points in 287 games. He also got his chance in the NHL, playing nine games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and scoring twice.
The 2018-19 season saw Dea move between Pittsburgh and the New Jersey Devils after being claimed off waivers by both teams. He scored three goals and five points in 20 games with New Jersey.
Following that season, Dea continued his journey around professional hockey, spending time in the organizations of the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and Coyotes.
His best AHL season came in 2021-22 with the Laval Rocket. Playing for his hometown team, Dea scored 26 goals and finished with 52 points in 70 games.
After his time in North America, Dea took his career overseas. He spent several seasons with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the KHL before finishing his career with Eisbären Berlin of the DEL.
Dea leaves professional hockey with 153 goals and 341 points in 517 AHL games. He also appeared in 37 NHL games, recording five goals and seven points.
His four games with the Coyotes may have been just a small chapter in his career, but they are now part of the history of the franchise that has become the Utah Mammoth.
After more than a decade spent chasing the game across North America and Europe, Dea is finally hanging up the skates.
Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick was an elite sharpshooter during his NBA career. But he doesn’t crack his own top five greatest shooters in NBA history.
Long before taking the head coaching role with the Lakers, Redick joined Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green on his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” and was asked to name his five best three-point shooters ever.
Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick during the fourth quarter on Monday, March 10, 2025, at The Barclays Center. The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 111-108. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“Oh, that’s easy. That’s easy. Steph [Curry] is first. Everybody else is way down the list to me,” Redick said, which Green agreed with.
“In no particular order, the other four, it’s Klay [Thompson], Kyle Korver, Ray Allen, Reggie Miller. To me, those are the guys.”
J.J. Redick names the 5 greatest 3-point shooters in NBA history
“Steph is first. Everybody else is way down the list to me. In no particular order, the other four it’s Klay Thompson, Kyle Korver, Ray Allen, Reggie Miller”
True basketball fans know though that Korver was one of the purest shooters of his generation, including one season with the Atlanta Hawks where he shot a staggering 49.2% from three-point range.
Korver finished his career with a 42.9% three-point percentage, which is 10th-best all-time and actually better than Steph Curry’s current 42.2% career three-point percentage.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kyle Korver (26) shoots over Boston Celtics’ Semi Ojeleye (37) in the first half of Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 21, 2018, in Cleveland. AP
Korver’s 2,450 career three-pointers made is eighth-most ever. But Paul George is one three away from tying him, and Kevin Durant is less than 100 away from his final tally.
Draymond Green didn’t seem to have any issue with Redick including Korver, as he was nodding his head while the Lakers coach gave his list.
Some other notables that were omitted include Damian Lillard, James Harden, and possibly Redick himself.
Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors looks on during a game against the LA Clippers on April 15, 2026, at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. The matchup was part of the Play-In Tournament. NBAE via Getty Images
The Detroit Red Wings have just over one week before they gather for Training Camp at Little Caesars Arena (Sept, 17).
As of Tuesday morning, the Red Wings still lack a general manager, so neither captain Dylan Larkin’s trade request has gained traction under a new executive nor has restricted free-agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson signed a new contract.
However, the latest on Edvinsson paints an optimistic picture for the time being. Per NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun, the Swedish native plans to be with the Red Wings for Training Camp, which starts next Thursday.
"Hearing that RFA Simon Edvinsson intends to still be at Detroit’s training camp next week even if still unsigned. Patiently waiting for the Red Wings GM situation to iron itself out before resuming negotiations," LeBrun wrote on X.
Last month, Edvinsson's agent Peter Werner disclosed that they are "patiently waiting" for the next Red Wings general manager to be named before resuming negotiations, via the Swedish publication Expressen.
"We are waiting patiently for a new general manager, says Edvinsson's agent, Peter Werner, to Expressen."
Edvinsson was taken by the Red WIngs in the first round (sixth overall pick) in the 2021 NHL Draft. Through 179 career games, Edvinsson has recorded 19 goals and 41 assists for 60 points and has averaged 21:09 of ice time per game while posting a plus-17 rating.
Edvinsson took another step forward last season, his second full campaign in the NHL. He found the back of the net a career-high nine times and ranked second among Detroit defensemen, behind only Moritz Seider in ice time.
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What Richard took into the offseason was the last two games: A play-in tournament win over the Los Angeles Clippers, followed by a loss to the Phoenix Suns that eliminated the Warriors from playoff contention.
Richard was among four designated spectators for both games, with a DNP-CD against the Clippers and glued to the bench until the final 66 seconds of the 15-point loss to the Suns.
Which only increases his hunger as he approaches Year 2.
“I didn’t play the last few games of the season, and that was kind of my motivational drive towards the offseason,” Richard told NBC Sports Bay Area. “Just working on things that I know will get me on the floor in those playoff (and) play-in games next year.”
On a Warriors roster listing eight guards – Stephen Curry, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, Brandin Podziemski, Brandon Williams, LJ Cryer, Lajae Jones and Richard – expected at training camp, the second-year NBA guard considers the summer as a launchpad to earn more consistent playing time.
“A lot of my focus has been on, like, ball-handling, with a lot of movement shooting, just my catch-and-shoot reps and stuff like that,” Richard said. Catching on the move, shooting on the move . . . different kind of finishes. That’s been a lot of the emphasis on sprinting in transition, getting shots through that, and attacking closeouts.”
Richard made a statement toward that end during Summer League activity, making two starts in the California Classic at Chase Center and then starting five in Las Vegas. Adjustments to his 3-point shot led to a quicker, smoother release and impressive accuracy. After shooting 33.5 percent from deep as a rookie, he vaulted to 48.3 percent in seven Summer League games.
If Richard, an active defender, can shoot around 40 percent from beyond the arc, it will be hard to keep him out of the rotation.
“He ran into the rookie wall,” Kerr told NBC Sports Bay Area. “He had a great season, and then the last 20 games or so, he looked like a rookie. He looked tired, and he didn’t have the same pop that he had earlier. That’s almost to be expected.
“But he’s had a great summer, and he’s been in the gym and constantly in the weight room. He’s putting in the work, so I’m excited about Will.”
Richard’s thirst for more action is evident in his quizzing of Golden State’s leaders, active and retired. He goes to Draymond Green to discuss ways to improve on defense, and goes to Stephen Curry to talk conditioning and offense. He even sidled up to Andre Iguodala for tips.
“He told me what I can work on right now is just talking,” Richard said of Iguodala’s advice. “If you’re talking on the court, it helps everyone and it helps you as well. So, just hearing stuff like that from a guy that’s been successful, has his jersey in the rafters. That is something I can do, something I can work on every day.”
Curry’s workouts are legendary for their intensity and duration. He has modified things to account for the “runner’s knee” that caused him to miss much of last season, but the sessions remain demanding. As Richard learned during those workouts.
“That changed my viewpoint on how to work out,” Richard said. “How serious he takes everything. Every rep matters, and it’s all in the details. But with Steph, every single rep is like a game rep. Even when he’s tired, it’s still a game rep. As athletes get tired, stuff starts to fade, your mentals, you get less locked in.
“But when he gets tired, he takes it up even another notch in terms of his focus and his attention to detail in every rep.”
Richard has spent most of his offseason on the Chase Center practice court working with player-development coaches, recently spending about 90 minutes on the court with PD coach Noel Hightower. It’s the work that comes before and after picking up a ball that matters just as much.
Dietary changes – he frequents local restaurants known for their protein options – and hours sweating in the weight room have led to Richard adding nearly 10 pounds of muscle. He engages in multiple sessions of hot yoga each week, something that began while closing out his college career at the University of Florida.
Richard’s dedication is commendable, but it’s also the physical and emotional requirement of someone trying to rise from being the No. 5 pick in the draft into a bona fide NBA player capable of a long and productive career.
Three weeks before training camp, Richard looks and feels like an exemplar of what Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy was saying about the team expecting – and needed to see – internal development from its young players.
“It’s just so much that comes into being a good professional and having to be successful in this league,” Richard said. “Luckily for me, I got some great vets to look up to and learn from.”
DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 04: Tristen Nielsen #57 of the Colorado Avalanche skates in his rookie lap prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Ball Arena on November 04, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It is an annual tradition here at Mile High Hockey to anticipate and predict which players could make their NHL debut while playing for the Colorado Avalanche in the coming season. The possibilities run the gamut from a young prospect to a minor league journeymen with a few surprises sprinkled in between. Either way, witnessing a dream come true is always fun and memorable. Now, we’ll look at how the predictions turned out from last season and look ahead to the 2026-27 candidates.
Tallying Last Year
After an unprecedented nine NHL debuts in the 2024-25 season, things calmed down to a more manageable three introductions, all forwards, to “The Show” in 2025-26. Two names were mentioned in our forecast, with the more significant being Taylor Makar who was one of the first recalls to the Avalanche and received 12 total NHL games. Russian import Zakhar Bardakov was also highly likely after signing out of the KHL and he indeed made the team out of camp to play 60 games in Colorado. One final surprise was the 25-year-old AHL veteran Tristen Nielsen who got in four games with the Avalanche as his first taste of NHL action.
The collective at Mile High Hockey deserves a pat on the back for correctly predicting the number of 2-to-3 Avalanche NHL debuts in our poll. Will we be so lucky again this season?
How many players do you predict will make their NHL debut this season with the Avalanche?
As always, there’s a wide variety of NHL debut candidates to consider for the upcoming season. Even with removing most of the speculative “youth movement” forward options including Gavin Brindley, Fabian Lysell, Fedor Svechkov, Zach L’Heureux and the aforementioned Taylor Makar as they each already have NHL experience.
Last year’s possibilities who have yet to come to fruition are currently the three at the top of our list. Defenseman Sean Behrens has been mentioned in these predictions for the last four years. Will he get a game with the Avalanche in the last year of his Entry Level Contract? Goaltender Ilya Nabokov has also been inching towards the crease in Colorado since he was drafted in 2024. Now he has a NHL contract in hand and is expected play in North America this season, it has to happen soon, right? Defenseman Alex Gagne almost made his debut after getting called up during the 2026 playoff run, therefore it shouldn’t be a stretch to expect him to get the call sometime this upcoming season.
The duo of college free agent forwards signed last spring also seem the most likely to get a look. TJ Hughes, who was just recently at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase doing press photos in Avalanche gear, is a near lock. Fellow recent signee Matthew DiMarsico should also be sitting at the top of the organization’s list. Both made their debuts for the Colorado Eagles in the spring and did well enough to earn some favor heading into the 2026-27 season.
There’s always a surprise we didn’t see coming. Be it either a AHL veteran who finally gets a reward with a game of NHL experience to his name, a college free agent entering the fold in the spring or an existing prospect who turns pro after his NCAA season. I’ll go out on a limb and predict this season’s surprise NHL debut is the newly signed goaltender Nikita Novosyolov. He’s pretty low on a strong depth chart in goal but things usually get crazy once a season in net and the Avalanche called up (now departed) depth goaltender Isak Posch quite a bit as insurance last season, therefore it’s not impossible .
How many NHL debuts do we expect this season for the #goavsgo?
The Super League leaders are ahead of the pack for the first time since March with the playoffs in view
September is upon us and the business end of the Super League season is here – but if you squinted your eyes on Saturday evening as Wigan Warriors waltzed their way towards another trophy, you would have been forgiven for thinking we were already in October watching the eventual champions in the grand final.
Matt Peet’s team have, for the most part during his five years in charge, made it their business to flex their muscles when it matters most. A ninth trophy within that period is now tantalisingly within reach, as victory against Catalans on Friday would confirm the League Leaders’ Shield and leg two of what could be a domestic treble in 2026.
He signed a seven-year contract at a $7.2-million annual salary cap hit, totalling $50.4 million over the course of the deal. This contract will kick in for the 2027-28 season, as Minten is entering the final year of his entry-level contract that he signed with the Leafs.
This contract will expire following the 2033-34 campaign, leading Minten to unrestricted free agency at age 29.
As it stands going for the 2027-28 season, Minten will be the fourth-highest-paid forward on the Bruins' payroll, only behind David Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm and JJ Peterka.
The 22-year-old was traded to Boston in 2024-25 at the trade deadline by former Toronto GM Brad Treliving. The Maple Leafs sent a 2025 fourth-round pick, a 2026 conditional first-round pick and Minten in return for defenseman Brandon Carlo.
As for Minten, selected 38th overall in the 2022 draft by Toronto, he played his first full NHL season last year with the Bruins. He featured in all 82 regular-season games, posting 17 goals and 35 points. He also registered a plus-21 rating and averaged 15:33 of ice time per game.
In total, the Vancouver native has appeared in 88 regular-season games and six playoff games for Boston, scoring 36 points - none in the post-season.
For the Maple Leafs, Minten crept into the NHL lineup a few times. In 2023-24, he got his first taste of the NHL with four games and no points to show for it. The next season, he earned 15 games with the Leafs, recording two goals and two assists for four points.
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