We’re hitting the really slow portion of the offseason with most of the big name free agents having signed already. I’m not even sure who is left other than Framber Valdez other than a billion pitchers looking for a team.
After losing their last two games to divisional rivals, the Montreal Canadiens desperately needed a win on Tuesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights to stay ahead in the playoff race. However, the Knights are a tough opponent at the best of times, but coming off a 7-1 blowout loss to the Ottawa Senators, they went out of the gate even stronger.
Since Adin Hill was in the net for the seven-goal debacle, Vegas opted to give the game to Akira Schmid meanwhile, after two subpar performances from Samuel Montembeault, Jakub Dobes got the start for the home team and put on quite a show in the 3-2 win.
Martin St-Louis has been talking a lot about the small details of the game of late, things his men need to stop doing to give themselves a better chance of winning. One such details is to be defensively responsible. If one of the defensemen is pinching to support the attack, a forward must come back to cover his spot. More often than not, it doesn’t happen, and that’s what led to the first goal of the game.
Alex Carrier pinched to help keep the pressure in the offensive zone, and Oliver Kapanen just stayed there in the high slot, watching the play. When Pavel Doroyev came out of the corner with the puck, Lane Hutson moved towards the middle of the ice and tried to take away the passing lane, leaving Dobes to face a shot with no screen. The Russian’s shot was precise and beat the Czech netminder high on his glove side.
Given how many offensive defensemen are on the Canadiens’ roster, it’s high time the forwards realize that they have a role to play when a blueliner pinches.
Time For a Statute Of Limitations
I believe there is room in the game for the offside challenge, but the rule needs to be amended. In law, certain offences cannot be prosecuted after a specified period, as provided by the Statute of Limitations. It should be the same for the offside challenge.
In the second frame, Cole Caufield scored on a slap shot with 17:56 left in the period, but the goal was eventually waived off because a coach’s challenge showed the Canadiens were offside on their zone entry at 18:47, nearly a minute earlier. The illegal entry didn't affect the play, and the Canadiens didn’t gain any unfair advantage from it.
Amending the rule would lead to fewer contestations, speed up the game, and ultimately provide fairer results. The wording should be crystal clear, however, and the application shouldn’t be left to the referee’s discretion, as that would lead to more chaos.
In his post-game presser, Martin St-Louis was asked if perhaps it would make sense to have a time limit on the contestation, and he replied:
I think we have the technology now to put things where they should be; it was offside. I’m curious to know how many goals we are losing on offside compared to other teams. Perhaps someone can get back to me on that at the following presser to see if I’m right or not. It’s a shame; it would have been good to be able to separate ourselves and get another goal, but you know.
- St-Louis on the goal they had disallowed
While it’s a fair point that there is the technology now to make those calls, one fact remains: if the play had gone the other way and the Knights had gone on to score, the Habs couldn’t have challenged the goal because of the offside they had committed over a minute earlier. As the coach pointed out, once the puck comes out of the zone, you can’t contest that offside anymore. He did concede that it would have been annoying if that scenario had come to be. My point remains, however, it would be fairer to put a time limit on the contestation.
Dobes’ Top Form
The 24-year-old Czech goaltender was in top form tonight. While he has won most of his games this season, at times, it’s been an adventure to watch him play. His technique on most nights can be hit or miss, and he ends up making saves more spectacular than they should be, but on Tuesday night, he was in complete control. He wasn’t overcommitting when moving from side to side; he had great rebound control and puck tracking, and he played a very complete game.
Furthermore, with 32 saves on 34 shots, he ended his night with a .941 save percentage. Of those 32 saves, many should have been goals, and no one can argue that Dobes wasn’t his team’s best penalty killer tonight. On two occasions, the Knights managed to slice the Canadiens’ defence wide open with cross-zone passes to an open man on the doorstep, and Dobes stood tall on both opportunities. In the first instance, he actually made three stops, the initial save and two rebounds, bailing out his defence.
Asked if his men owed that win to their goalie, who was very combative in net, the coach said:
I don’t think you owe a performance like that to one player. We owe it to the team, and each player has a role and actions on the ice that influence the result. Dobes influenced the result tonight.
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Dobes has not lost in regulation in his last seven starts. When asked if such a hot streak was something that could help him make decisions, the coach replied that it’s always part of the equation. When asked to elaborate, he said:
We make our decisions for the good of the team and the player, and everything is taken into account.
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It will be interesting to see if Dobes gets a second start in a row on Thursday night; his performance against the Knights certainly warrants it. In the end, the Canadiens fully deserved to skate away with the two points tonight, and the coach must have let out a sigh of relief when Jake Evans scored the game-winning goal in overtime after the Habs were unable to take advantage of the power play they were given. Cole Caufield and Phillip Danault were the other two scorers for the Canadiens, meaning that the sniper has now scored in his last six games.
The Habs will be back at work in Brossard tomorrow morning at 11:30 as they’ll aim to get ready for their next big task: a rematch with the Colorado Avalanche, who beat them 7-2 at the end of November.
The Florida Panthers haven’t played many games on home ice lately.
Tuesday’s frustrating 4-3 loss to the Utah Mammoth was just the second game the Panthers have played in Sunrise over the past three weeks.
Florida never led against the Mammoth, battling back to tie the game on three separate occasions before ultimately falling thanks to a goal about midway through the third period and some questionable penalties that hindered the Cats’ ability to mount a comeback late in the game.
It was a night where the Panthers probably deserved a better fate, logging only 28 shots while managing 61 shot attempts and holding the Mammoth to just 20 shots on 38 attempts.
Let’s get to Tuesday’s takeaways:
LUNDELL AND EKBLAD OKAY
If there is one thing that has been consistent for the Panthers this season it has been the injuries.
That’s why the fear was even more heightened on Tuesday when a pair of Cats appeared to go down with injuries.
Late in the second period, Anton Lundell took a high, hard hit from Utah’s Jack McBain, one that Lundell responded to with a hit, and then a punch, of his own.
When the third period began about 20 minutes later, Lundell was nowhere to be found.
Then later in the game, Aaron Ekblad blocked a shot with his left leg and appeared unable to put much weight on it as he struggled to get to the bench.
After the game, Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards reported that he spoke to Ekblad and that the defenseman said he was okay, explaining that the shot had broken his shin pad.
Aaron Ekblad is fine after blocking shot in third - said it broke his shin pad
As for Lundell, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice didn’t seem overly concerned when asked for a postgame update on his young Finnish center.
“I think he’s going to be fine,” said Maurice. “It’s upper-body, we’ll know more tomorrow.”
VILMANIS LIGHTS LAMP
Rookie Sandis Vilmanis has been looking like he belongs during his first stint in the NHL.
He’s now played nine National League games and has seen time on several line combinations.
On Tuesday, Vilmanis was moved to a line with Cole Schwindt and A.J. Greer during the second period, and there appeared to be some chemistry among the trio.
Vilmanis and Schwindt scored goals just over seven minutes apart, each one caused by gritty shifts and solid play in the offensive zone.
“There's a freedom that (comes when he) plays with Schwindt and Greer,” Maurice said. “Greer is a real positive for those guys, those young guys he plays with, and they were good. Basically that line has got four goals in two games, so good for them and good for us.”
EMBELLISHMENT CALLS
The final six minutes and 12 seconds of Tuesday’s game saw five minor penalties called.
Moments after Matthew Tkahcuk was called for a questionable roughing penalty, right off the ensuing draw in Florida’s zone, Evan Rodrigues was taken down Barrett Hayton while trying to get across the zone and cover the PK.
For his extra effort, Rodrigues apparently make it look like he was trying to sell the penalty, not get away from Hayton, so both players went to the box; Hayton for interference, Rodrigues for embellishment.
Almost exactly four minutes later, this time with Florida’s net empty as the Panthers were attempting to tie the game in its final moments, Tkachuk was tripped in the neutral zone by Nick Schmaltz.
Once again, Tkachuk, like Rodrigues, was moving quickly during a high-intensity sequence and wanted to get to where he was going as soon as possible with the game potentially on the line.
Well, Tkachuk’s extra effort apparently masqueraded as him trying to sell another penalty, so once again it was both players who went to the box; Schmaltz for the trip, Tkachuk for embellishing it.
You can be the judge, but when Maurice was asked the officials gave any kind of rationalization for either the calls, it wasn’t surprising to hear the fiery coach bite his tongue, which is how he’s generally handled these situations in the media since joining the Panthers.
“We’re not going to get an explanation on that,” he said, and when pressed for his thoughts on the calls, Maurice responded, “I’m not giving you anything on that.”
Photo caption: Jan 27, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) moves the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman John Marino (6) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Lakers guard Dalton Knecht has been the subject of trade talk for a second season in a row, according to executives and scouts around the NBA. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The NBA trade deadline is next week, at noon PDT on Feb. 5, and there are dozens of teams in the league fighting for playoff and play-in position, including the Lakers and Clippers.
Will the Lakers look to trade either LeBron James, who for the first time in his career has an expiring contract after making $50 million this season, or Austin Reaves, who has a player option on a $15-million contract or could become a free agent seeking a big payday after his breakout to the start of the season? Not likely.
Are the Clippers in position to make a big move? After a woeful 6-21 start to the season, they went on a tear to join the Western Conference contenders.
Times staff writers Broderick Turner and Thuc Nhi Nguyen will tackle these topics and others in an NBA roundtable.
Q: Do you envision the Lakers making a big move?
BT: Let’s start with this: The Lakers will not be acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee, and he’s the biggest name out there when it comes to the trade chatter. The Bucks don’t sound inclined to want to move Antetokounmpo and he hasn’t requested a trade. He’s dealing with a right calf injury that will sideline him past the trade deadline.
Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo attemps a shot between Lakers forward Jake LaRavia (12) and center Deandre Ayton (5). (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
So, Laker fans, forget about that happening and that therefore means L.A. will not be making a big splash.
And don’t forget, the Lakers made a very big move last year when they got Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks for Anthony Davis, a first-round pick and other players in a three-team deal.
TN: The Lakers broke the NBA with that trade a year ago; a repeat event would be pretty outrageous, even for this franchise. After the trade that brought Doncic to L.A. completely reset the organization’s timetable, it makes more sense for this trade deadline — and the ensuing offseason — to be about recalibrating the finer points of the roster and salary sheet to set up for the true Doncic era.
Q: What is the most likely scenario for the Lakers?
BT: From talking to NBA executives and scouts who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, the most likely scenario for the Lakers is to make moves along the margins. NBA people say the Lakers are looking for big wing players, but they said so is most of the league.
According to some of those NBA folks, the names that have been attached to the Lakers as potential trade targets are Dallas’ Naji Marshall, a former Doncic teammate, Cleveland’s De’Andre Hunter, Minnesota’s Donte DiVincenzo and Sacramento’s Keon Ellis. New Orleans’ Troy Murphy III and Herbert Jones are two players the Lakers have shown some interest in — as have many other teams — but NBA people say the asking price is so high that teams are waiting to see if that comes down by the deadline next week.
Mavericks forward Naji Marshall pulls up for a jump shot against Lakers forward Jake LaRavia on Saturday. (Julio Cortez / Associated Press)
To make any of these deals, the NBA executives and scouts said, Lakers forward Rui Hachimura and his expiring $18-million contract is a name that comes up often as a tradeable player. Hachimura’s recent outstanding play has increased his trade value around the league, but it also has made the forward a very valuable player for the Lakers.
Lakers seldom-used guard Dalton Knecht has been a player that NBA people say L.A. is willing to move in a trade, along with a second-round pick attached to him to make it work.
TN: Knecht was playing with a lot of confidence through a brief stretch of this season, exhibited most by him taking charges in consecutive games against the Pelicans and the Spurs. But the Lakers have already shown they are comfortable parting with the former 17th overall pick. He was sent to Charlotte last year before the Mark Williams trade fell through.
Q: Can the Clippers make a big move?
BT: When the Clippers were 6-21, teams inquired about Ivica Zubac and were told the Clippers wanted multiple first-round picks for the 7-foot center, something no team was willing to do back then. Now that the Clippers are in the midst of a 15-3 run, the NBA executives and scouts said the Clippers are not looking to move Zubac, Kawhi Leonard or James Harden.
Those same NBA people said that the Clippers are looking for a pick-and-roll oriented point guard and that John Collins' name has been mentioned as a trade candidate. Also, the Clippers are looking to convert the two-way contracts to standard NBA contracts for Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller and that could play a role in any deal they attempt to make.
Q: Who are the biggest names available on the trade market?
BT: Antetokounmpo, Memphis’ Ja Morant and Dallas’ Anthony Davis.
TN: And all of the big-name players are injured, complicating the trade market. Antetokounmpo is out with a calf injury he suffered on Jan. 23 and the team didn't give a timetable for his return, although the star forward estimated for himself that he would be out for four to six weeks.
Grizzlies guard Ja Morant may be one of the big-name players traded by next week. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Morant is sidelined for about three weeks because of an elbow injury. There’s been tension between the dynamic guard and head coach Tuomas Iisalo and some of that started after the Grizzlies lost to the Lakers in October in which Morant scored only eight points and was later suspended for one game for conduct detrimental to the team for postgame comments.
And Davis' status has been up in the air since GM Nico Harrison was fired, but he's now out because of an hand injury, the latest setback for the former Lakers big man.
Q: If the Lakers and Clippers do make upgrades to their rosters, what are their chances of making the playoffs?
BT: For the Lakers, as long as they have Doncic and James and with Reaves (calf injury) set to return perhaps as soon as Wednesday at Cleveland, they will probably finish in the top six, which are guaranteed positions in the Western Conference playoffs.
The Clippers have gone 10-3 in January, the best record in the NBA during that span, and are now the 10th seed in the West. They are most likely positioning themselves for a play-in spot, perhaps even home-court advantage if they climb to seventh.
TN: The Lakers, even with their defensive flaws, are already firmly in the playoff picture, although Phoenix could complicate matters by trying to butt into the top six. The Rockets, Lakers, Timberwolves and Suns are all separated by two games in the fourth to seventh positions. The feisty Suns have already given the Lakers fits this season.
Suddenly the hottest team in the league, the Clippers might simply back into the play-in tournament by default: Dallas, Memphis, Utah, Sacramento and New Orleans are the only teams behind them in the standings. Are any of those teams really going to make a late-season push?
#NEWS: We've acquired forward Maxim Tsyplakov from the New York Islanders for forward Ondrej Palat, a 2026 third-round draft pick, and a 2027 sixth-round draft pick.
The Jets scored three second-period goals, and the Devils made a push to get things tied but couldn’t find the equalizer and dropped Tuesday’s game, 4-3. [Devils NHL]
A look at how the addition of Leeni Hameenaho to the lineup has given the Devils a much-needed boost: [Infernal Access ($)]
Hockey Links
Carson Soucy heads to the Islanders:
The #NYR have received a 2026 3rd-Round Draft pick from the New York Islanders in exchange for defenseman Carson Soucy.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that goaltender Thatcher Demko will undergo hip surgery and will not play for the remainder of the 2025.26 season.
With Thatcher Demko out for the rest of the season, here is a harrowing stat:
He will have played just 95 of 258 possible games over the past three seasons. Just 36.8% of Vancouver's games over that span. pic.twitter.com/HxA9MteLUj
“The NHL Department of Player Safety will now determine supplemental discipline for players who violate all league rules rather than just those who commit physical infractions, the league told ESPN on Tuesday. It’s a significant change in protocol for the NHL on fines and suspensions. Since the Department of Player Safety was formed prior to the 2011-12 season, it had been responsible for supplemental discipline for in-game physical fouls that violated NHL rules and/or caused injuries.” [ESPN]
“It’s not a career-ending experience when you go to the program. It’s actually a life-changing experience. We’ve got to do a better job of getting the word out. As a whole society, we’ve got to work on the stigma.” A look at how the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program works: [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
It’s a two-fer with two weeks since our last check in on the AHL affiliate out in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Nick Hart’s recap of the early games from WBSPenguins.com and most recent. WBS posted a 4-2-1 record over the past two weeks worth of games.
Wednesday, Jan. 14 – PENGUINS 4 at Providence 1 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton usurped first place from Providence with a clinical performance and an AHL career-high 36 saves from Sergei Murashov. Tristan Broz scored twice, and other tallies came courtesy of Joona Koppanen and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard.
Friday, Jan. 16 – PENGUINS 3 vs. Hartford 4 Time ran out on a fiery comeback attempt, as the Penguins fell in their first of back-to-back games against the Wolf Pack. Gabe Klassen scored twice, but a three-goal second period by Hartford spelled doom for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Saturday, Jan. 17 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Hartford 1 The Penguins bounced back in a big way, scoring thrice in the first period and never looking back. Harvey-Pinard notched three points (1G-2A) in that explosive opening frame. As insurance, Finn Harding scored his first AHL goal in the second period.
Monday, Jan. 19 – PENGUINS 3 at Springfield 2 Rutger McGroarty returned from the NHL and Avery Hayes returned from injury as offense from Valtteri Puustinen, Chase Pietila and Klassen led the Pens to their second-straight victory.
Wednesday, Jan. 21 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Belleville 3 (OT) A goalie duel between two old friends took place, as Joel Blomqvist and Leevi Meriläinen went save-for-save in a starry display. However, Meriläinen’s 25 saves in the first two periods kept his team in it, leading to an OT win for the B-Sens. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Atley Calvert both scored for WBS.
Friday, Jan. 23 – PENGUINS 4 at Hershey 3 (SO) A back-and-forth thriller at Giant Center ended with the Penguins surviving in a shootout. Owen Pickering and Ville Koivunen lit the lamp in the first period, and Avery Hayes forced OT with his late, tying goal. Rutger McGroarty posted an assist on all three goals. Koivunen scored again in the shootout, while Sergei Murashov thwarted all three of Hershey’s attempts.
Saturday, Jan. 24 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Charlotte 5 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton wrapped its eight-game season series with Charlotte with a loss. Gabe Klassen and Aidan McDonough found twine for the Penguins, but Blomqvist’s season-high 35 saves weren’t enough. Charlotte won each of its for visits to Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza this season.
It’s been a test lately for WBS, seeing prior stalwarts like Sam Poulin and Valtteri Puustinen leave the organization via trade, and some bonus AHL participants in Danton Heinen and Philip Tomasino moving on to their next teams as well. That’s opened the doors for players on AHL contracts like Gabe Klassen, Aaron Huglen, Aidan McDonough and Atley Calvert to step into bigger roles. Those aren’t the sexiest names when it comes to surefire NHL prospects or big picture items for the organization at a whole but will be critical to the WBS season.
Klassen is especially standing out with his 10 points (8G+2A) in the last 11 games. The 22-year old is in his second season with the Pens organization, having spent most of 2024-25 in Wheeling. Klassen is a guy who has popped a little in events like the September prospect challenge, it’s been nice to see him go from a bit player at the AHL level and turn into a key contributor for WBS over the last month, often playing these days centering a line with the NHL top prospects.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 24, 2026
AHL games are lower scoring, the Pens benefit from having a strong defense corps and two of the finest goalies currently in the league these days. That can go a long way, and has been so far.
Another boost has been the return from the AHL for Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen. McGroarty has compiled five assists in the four games he has been back. That’s very encouraging considering he’s returning from a concussion suffered in a NHL practice a few weeks ago. Koivunen has recorded six points (1G+5A) in the nine games since his re-assignment to the AHL in early January.
Missing from the above lines, one might note, is WBS’s leading scorer Tristan Broz. It looks like Broz will be out for at least a few weeks with an undisclosed injury. Joona Koppanen has also missed time after blocking a shot.
ICYMI: I had a pretty in-depth 1-on-1 with #WBSPens HC Kirk MacDonald following last night's OT loss to Belleville.
Talked on a variety of topics, and players – including an unfortunate update on Tristan Broz's injury timeline.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.
“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.
Kiki Cuyler* makes the Hall, and other stories.
Today in baseball history:
1888 – In Chicago, IL, 350 fans brave the weather to watch a baseball game on ice at Lincoln Park. Second baseman Fred Pfeffer of the Chicago White Stockings plays wearing a top hat. After two hours and five innings of play, the game is called. The “Spaldings” defeat the “North-Siders,” 7-6. (2)
1890 – In the first of many lawsuits filed against Players League members by their former teams, a judge refuses to grant an injunction against John Ward, president of the Brotherhood. His decision, echoed frequently by other judges, states that the “want of fairness and mutuality” in the standard National League contract, specifically the clauses relating to the reserve rule, “[is] apparent.” (2)
1907 – In an effort to reduce playing-date conflicts between their leagues, presidents Harry Pulliam of the National League and Ban Johnson of the American League meet to plan schedules. Conflicting dates are reduced to 27. (2)
1953 – Fred Saigh is found guilty of income tax evasion and is sentenced to a fifteen-month jail term, but will serve only five months at the federal prison in Terre Haute before being given parole for good behavior. The embattled Cardinal owner, under pressure of his franchise being taken away by MLB, puts in place a lucrative deal with a consortium that plans to move the team to Houston, but is persuaded to sell the team for less ($3.5 million) to Gussie Busch, when the Anheuser-Busch president persuades him that civic pride was more important than financial gain. (2)
1958 – Roy Campanella, driving home from his liquor store in Harlem, breaks his neck when his rented 1957 Chevrolet sedan hit a telephone pole in an early morning auto accident on Long Island. The 36-year-old Dodger catcher, who has won three MVP awards (1951, ‘53, ‘55) will remain paralyzed for the rest of his life. (2)
1968 – Goose Goslin, a former Senator and Tiger outfielder who retired with a career .316 batting average after playing in five World Series, and Kiki Cuyler*, a .321 career hitter who won four stolen base crowns for the Pirates and Cubs, are elected into the Hall of Fame by a unanimous vote of the Veterans Committee. Goslin believed his enshrinement in Cooperstown was helped by his interview that was shared in Lawrence Ritter’s 1966 book, The Glory of Their Times: The Story Of The Early Days Of Baseball Told By The Men Who Played It. (I recommend this book) (1,2)
1980 – Hank Aaron refuses an award from CommissionerBowie Kuhn honoring him for hitting his 715th home run. Aaron charges that baseball’s treatment of retired black ballplayers falls far short of what is needed. (1,2)
2009 – Aaron Heilman is traded for the second time this offseason when the Mariners swap the 30-year-old right-hander to the Cubs for utility infielder Ronny Cedeno and southpaw Garrett Olson. Seven weeks ago, the Mets dealt the much-maligned reliever to Seattle as part of a three-team trade that included the Indians. (2)
2013 – The Los Angeles Dodgers announce the launch of SportsNet LA, their own regional sports network on Time Warner Cable. The deal is a prelude to a long-rumored $7 billion deal that will award Time Warner broadcast rights for Dodger games for the next 25 years. However, the Commissioner’s office is concerned about the proposed deal, as its annual value is well above that used for revenue sharing purposes, which will result in the Dodgers pocketing a huge financial windfall if no adjustments are made. (2)
1521 – Emperor Charles V opens the Diet of Worms in Worms, Germany which lasts until May 25th; Produced the “Edict of Worms” which denounced Martin Luther
1807 – London’s Pall Mall is the first street lit by gaslight
1813 – Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” is published by Thomas Egerton in the United Kingdom
1985 – The charity single “We Are the World” is recorded by supergroup USA for Africa (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and other pop stars)
2017 – Australian Open Women’s Tennis: Serena Williams defeats older sister Venus Williams 6–4, 6–4 for her 7th Australian title and record 23rd Grand Slam event singles victory.
Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.
It is an assumption around the league that the Orioles’ offseason work is not done just yet. Specifically, they want to upgrade their rotation. Less specifically, if reports are to be believed, they seemingly aren’t settled on any one arm in particular.
Framber Valdez is considered the top pitcher left on the free agent market, and the Orioles have been connected to him for months now. Reporting indicates that the O’s have made an offer, although details on that are fuzzy. But it would seem that Valdez is hoping for a bigger, better offer to come his way.
Lurking in the background of those conversations is another free agent, Zac Gallen. A year ago, it seemed like the righty was poised to sign a big contract this winter. He was coming off of three straight years with an ERA of 3.65 or better, and had earned Cy Young votes in three of his previous five campaigns. But he struggled in 2025, compiling a 4.83 ERA, and saw his strikeout rate dip for the third year in a row. On top of that, he was extended a qualifying offer by the Diamondbacks, adding a layer of cost consideration to his free agency.
Even still, Gallen is a bonafide big league starter with an impressive resume. If the price is right, teams could be willing to take the risk that he will bounce back and get back to his lofty standards. After all, Gallen was much better in the second half of the year (3.97 ERA) than he was in the first half (5.40 ERA). Maybe he found something with his mechanics that he can lean on for a much better 2026 season.
Gallen’s free agency has been an adventure. Back in early December, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that Gallen was close to finalizing a deal with the Chicago Cubs that would pay $22 million per year. That was quickly refuted by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Now, a month-and-a-half later, Gallen remains on the market.
The latest reporting on the pitcher comes from Jon Heyman. Appearing on MLB Network Tuesday evening, Heyman described the Orioles as “in on Zac Gallen,” alongside the Cubs, with a return to the Diamondbacks also on the table. That would be a rather new development for the O’s, who have only been tangentially linked to Gallen throughout the winter, as they have been to just about any pitcher with a pulse.
This could also be viewed as a broader negotiating tactic. The Orioles want Valdez’s camp to know they have other options. Gallen’s team might be trying to push the Cubs or Diamondbacks for an extra year or more money in their offers. In that way, the two sides can use each other without truly being involved or interested in one another.
Or maybe the Orioles do actually sign Gallen. Who knows. Please just let it be spring already and let me stop reading “rumors.” I’m all set!
Links
MLB Rumors: Zac Gallen Gets Latest Update with Potential Suitors | Yardbarker Just a re-link of the one mentioned above. Gallen is an intriguing arm. He will probably be cheaper than Valdez, and he is two years younger. But he is also coming off of a far worse season, and there are worrying trends in his pitch data. If the money makes sense, the Orioles could still sign him, but Valdez feels like their preference.
Latest prospect rankings and leftovers from Birdland Caravan | Roch Kubatko Oodles of quotes from the Birdland Caravan events that happened before the snow this weekend. There is a good energy around the team as spring approaches. The roster feels better. The players seem excited. The manager is giving off a good attitude. The vibes are immaculate.
Here is 2026’s All-Underrated Team | MLB.com A new Oriole and an old friend make appearances here. Taylor Ward is going to be an interesting player to watch. I admit that I haven’t caught many Angels games the last few years. But his stats show what sort of impact he can make in a lineup. You have to imagine that he will be putting his best foot forward as a 32-year-old in a contract year.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Wesley Wright turns 41 today. The southpaw was limited to just two appearances for the Orioles in 2015 due to a lingering trapezius strain. He was released in July of that season.
This day in O’s history
1982 – The Orioles acquire outfielder Dan Ford from the Angels in exchange for third baseman Doug DeCinces and pitcher Jeff Schneider
2000 – Free agent pitcher Pat Rapp signs a one-year deal with the Orioles.
2026 baseball projections are out now, so I’m going to begin to take a look at how the crystal ball of statistical projections sees things for the coming year. Sure, we might lose one of our key players in Brendan Donovan, so I will probably do this again (plus ZiPS literally just came out a few days ago in its raw form), but I have grown wary of the thought of either keeping or watching Donovan go, so for now, I’ll just assume he’s going to stick around. Even though it would seem that he is going to be traded any day or week now…
But wait! I have some poll results from last week’s polls: 82% of voters said that it isn’t fair that Jim Edmonds did not make the Hall of Fame because he is practically just as good as his old teammate Scott Rolen, as well as the two most recent Hall of Fame inductees Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones. 10% of voters said that he was straight up snubbed by the writers. Only 8% of voters thought that he fell just short and should not be in the Hall of Fame.
As far as the Nolan Arenado poll went, 32% of voters think that Nolan Arenado will fall just short of getting into the Hall of Fame, and that he has rapidly entered his decline phase. 27% of voters think that he’s so much on the cusp of induction that it is impossible to tell if he will make the Hall of Fame. 5% vote for duh, everyone knows Nolan Arenado and his legendary defense, it’s the Hall of FAME, he should be in. Then there was a split 18% of voters saying that he will make it in eventually, and 18% thinking that he should not even be considered for the Hall of Fame.
So VEB is pretty united in thinking Jim Edmonds should make it to the Hall of Fame, and in thinking Nolan Arenado probably won’t make the Hall of Fame. At least according to those two polls from last week. Now back to this week’s scheduled programming:
These are probably going to be the Cardinals key players (unless of course Donovan is traded, then who knows):
Click this link in the event that the embed link doesn’t work on wordpress.
So the early results are in and as you can tell, ZiPS and Fangraphs Depth Charts like the Cardinals starters ok enough, but the Bat X (another system that was actually pretty good when using it last season) makes our best 9 look a little weak. That said this will be one of the more difficult teams to project with so many unknowns and young players adding to the uncertainty. However, The Bat thinks our starting rotation will be better than some might expect. Albeit, nothing too impressive now matter how you slice it.
If Brendan Donovan leaves, the projections see him as our 2nd most valuable player at this point. Masyn Winn’s elite defense has made a believer of both ZiPS and Fangraphs Depth Charts, so that’s an encouraging sign. He should be our most valuable player, at least according to projections. Here’s where I’m going to disagree with the projections though…
I think Ivan Herrera will be our second most valuable player, even if Donovan stays. The projections think he will be about as valuable as Pedro Pages, but I think he can surpass that, even with The Bat X doubtful projection. No projection system has him cracking 3 WAR, but I believe he can do it. But on the other hand, this is the season where I will define my thinking of him… will he stick at catcher, and more importantly, can he play a full season?
Herrera staying healthy could be a huge boost for this team. Outside of Winn and Herrera, I don’t see much potential of an over 3 WAR season from anyone except JJ Wetherholt, who could win Rookie of the Year if he cracks 3 WAR. Sure it is possible he will cross that milestone this season, but I think it unfair to expect that from him in his first year. If Brendan Donovan somehow completes a full season in St Louis in 2026, sure he has a chance at cracking the 3 WAR barrier, but I wouldn’t bank on that.
The Pedro Pages projections are very solid but I’m not even sure that he won’t be traded still. So I don’t have much to say about that other than his defense carries him well. I’d like to instead focus on Lars Nootbaar: if healthy, he’s putting up at least 2 WAR this year. Not bad on such a mediocre team. Another bright spot is none of the projection systems think that Jordan Walker will continue to be a negative value MLB player. In fact, Fangraphs Depth Charts and The Bat X think he will be around a win over replacement level. So I guess that might be nice. For what it’s worth, ZiPS thinks Jordan is good for 14 home runs. Depth Charts and the Bat X say 16 homers. So he seems to be destined for 15+ home runs. I guess that would be ok.
If anyone besides Ivan Herrera can bring some offensive upside to the ballclub, it might be Alec Burleson. While ZiPS and The Bat X think that he will have trouble cracking the 2 WAR barrier, Fangraphs Depth Charts sees a little more potential than that, and I suppose if everything breaks Burly’s way, he’s another candidate for a breakout 3+ WAR season. It’s not really out of the question, given his track record of improving noticeably each year of his MLB career. He looked like he couldn’t hit in his cup of coffee in 2022. In 2023, he was a below average hitter. In 2024, he was an above average hitter. Then, in 2025 he raised his batting average and on-base percentage enough that he was awarded a Silver Slugger (I guess because he bounced around 1B, DH, and OF).
That tracks to a wRC+ of 56, 89, 106, and 124. Since he has went up by 18 wRC+ from 2023-2024 and also from 2024-2025, I guess that means he will hit at 142 wRC+ in 2026! Then we would have our best hitter.
What is perhaps most interesting about the starting pitching: Michael McGreevy is projected to be our best starting pitcher. Maybe this is his year. Maybe not, but I think 2 WAR from McGreevy is totally possible. Just behind McGreevy is Liberatore as #2, and for what it’s worth, The Bat sees both McGreevy and Liberatore as 2 WAR starters. I’m sure it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine Dustin May as another 2 WAR starter. His projections however range from 1.5 to 1.8 WAR.
What might be most surprising is Andre Pallante the solid #4 starting pitcher that the projections see. Heck, I’ll take 1.4 to 1.5 WAR from Andre Pallante! And then the other projected top 5 SP is Kyle Leahy at this point. Guess we will see what he looks like in Spring Training, because we now have Richard Fitts and Hunter Dobbins staring into the starting rotation. Perhaps those guys become middle relievers though. Or, it could be Pallante and Leahy.
Of all other pitchers possible to crack the starting rotation, ZiPS gives parlance to the idea that Quinn Mathews will be getting some innings, around 46 IP is what is projected. What are the breakdowns for Fangraphs Depth Charts projections on innings pitched? Leahy will get around 128 IP with Pallante (148), McGreevy (149), May (153), and Liberatore (157) shouldering most of the workload. Richard Fitts and Hunter Dobbins are projected at around 100 IP each to round out a top 7 in possible rotation arms.
The key components to the bullpen are projected to be Matt Svanson, JoJo Romero, Riley O’Brien, Gordon Graceffo, and Ryne Stanek all getting 60 or so innings. I think the bullpen could be a strength again this year.
What if we get lucky and we get the best projections from each system for each player? That line of thinking has us at 7 WAR production from Winn + Wetherholt, close to 6 WAR from the Herrera + Pages combo, close to 5 WAR from Burleson + Nootbaar, and if you get another 6 WAR from the trio of Donovan, Scott, and Walker, that doesn’t sound so bad does it.
And if things go well for the rotation, it’s not impossible that the top 7 innings eaters are worth 10 WAR.
Now worst case scenarios… Leahy fails at starting pitching and the rotation bottoms out at around 5 WAR total. Winn and Wetherholt both fail to pass 2 WAR. Donovan is gone. Alec Burleson’s 2025 season was a bit of a mirage and he hits like he did in 2024. Lars Nootbaar is hurt again. Herrera at catcher only causes confusion for the whole team and he doesn’t hit like he did last year. Victor Scott II is barely above replacement level because he can’t hit, and Walker is a failed prospect. Yes, that is a last place team, probably. And of course in this nightmare scenario, Gorman still never pans out.
Well I hope that was fun! It has both given me a little hope, and a glimpse into how bad this team could be. I almost didn’t even write about projections this year, because the highlights and entertainment value are likely to be to see how new players perform and grow, and to see how all this rebuilding and retooling pans out. It feels like more of a research and development team than one worried about win totals and WAR values. But in the coming weeks I plan on looking at the NL Central and sorting out how likely we are to finish ahead of any of the other NL Central teams. Hey, it’s not much, but finishing ahead of last place is definitely a goal of some sort.
That concludes the baseball coverage, now that I have finished writing about 2025 music in the past few weeks, I am about to start a new project that will take me all year probably. I have experienced life in over 50 years now, being born at the end of 1975. So I am going to go back and write about each year of my life, from the standpoint of music/arts/culture. And knowing me, it’ll be mainly about music but I’ll be throwing random movies and other things in, as well, just to keep it fun.
1975
I was born just after the end of the Vietnam War, and the founding of Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico. SNL made its debut and Jaws was the big movie of the year. The first successful test flight of my favorite plane ever, the supersonic Concorde, occurred. The Rubik’s Cube was patented. Watergate was still on everyone’s minds. Benoit Mandelbrot coined the term fractal. But I wasn’t alive for most of that year.
As far as baseball goes, the Reds were in the NL West somehow and won 108 games, the Brewers were in the AL East, the Pirates were the best team in the NL Central, Rod Carew had a .359 batting average, the home run leaders were in the upper 30s in total, Frank Tanana threw 269 strikeouts, Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth in career RBI, Lou Brock reached 2,500 hits vs the Padres with the birds on the bat on his jersey, Joe Morgan was the MVP, and the Reds edged out the Red Sox in a 7 game World Series. The Cardinals and Mets barely finished above .500 and were in the same division. They used to be a key rival for the Cardinals.
Always music-minded, I will now turn to some musical selections… the highest esteemed albums of that year were releases like ‘Wish You Were Here’ by Pink Floyd, ‘Blood On The Tracks’ by Bob Dylan, and Eno’s ‘Another Green World’. Those are all fine albums, but I am here to tell you about my favorites from 1975. Maybe you’ll hear a sleeper here that you didn’t know about… or not!
links to full albums on album title
Top 10 Albums from 1975
Mahavishnu Orchestra – ‘Visions of the Emerald Beyond’ I would argue that this is John McLaughlin’s most underrated album, only eclipsed by 1971’s ‘Inner Mounting Flame’. The heights are even higher on Visions of the Emerald Beyond, however! And it even gets downright funky at one point. Rock n Roll in its highest form, absolutely astonishing. Every time I hear this album I wonder how someone can be so good at guitar, while finding other musicians on that level… Let your spirit soar into the emerald beyond.
Rush – ‘Caress of Steel’ I have a soft spot for this album, and another that I feel is undervalued in an even more famous prog rock band’s discography. It is worth listening to this album for the epic cut “The Necromancer” alone. While “The Fountain of Lamneth” gives us a taste of what’s to come on ‘2112’ and ‘Hemispheres’ with Rush’s first truly epic length prog rock songs. “Lakeside Park” and “Bastille Day” are two of Rush’s very best songs and are fan favorites… and “I Think I’m Going Bald” is a rare taste of comedy from the band, sounding like a stoned AC/DC. I always wondered how this album flopped while the ones after it succeeded, but I suppose timing is everything when you’re coming up with new ideas.
Yezda Urfa – ‘Boris’ If you have this album as the best album of 1975, I cannot argue with you there. This may be the most ambitious album of the whole list. It’s expansive prog rock sound is bigger than the genre. It stays completely authentic without sounding pretentious, despite its advanced musical nature, it shows restraint and wisdom. It gives you glimpses into the future, invents whole genres years before they exist without anyone knowing. The recording sounds very real, immediate, intimate. Energetic guitars, synthesizers, complicated bass parts, and tasteful but very dynamic and inventive drumming create a whole musical world to be enveloped in. Prog rock at its best. If that wasn’t enough, here are 27 minutes of bonus tracks!
Budgie – ‘Bandolier’ if you don’t know Budgie, well I’m hear to tell you that they are one of the best rock n roll bands of all time! This is not my favorite album by them but it is still so good that it is towards the top of my list! For fans of Led Zeppelin, early Rush, Blue Cheer, and Black Sabbath. The tightest riffs! Budgie is a key band to 1970’s rock if you have not heard of them. They have elements of prog but I’d file them under early heavy metal and straight up 70’s rock.
Frank Zappa – ‘One Size Fits All’ my prog rock extravaganza continues with The Mothers of Invention masterpiece ‘One Size Fits All’. I once did a project with some close music friends I’ve made over the years and they came to the conclusion that the album opener “Inca Roads” is the best Zappa song of all time. I wasn’t full in agreement with the majority but it is certainly one of his most impressive musical pieces, insanely complex and interesting. The whole album is really good though, flows from start to finish.
King Tubby – ‘The Roots of Dub’ I must admit I am not the biggest reggae fan… unless it’s true dub reggae! I love that shit. I first learned about it in my Sound Production class in college, and how King Tubby was one of the originators of the sound, which along with people like Brian Eno really started to push the idea of the studio as member of the band. The use of effects such as delay, echo, tape loops, and other studio tricks were employed by Tubby, who along with Lee Scratch Perry was ahead of their time in music production while using less equipment than many of their peers. Anyhow, ‘The Roots of Dub’ shows the beginnings of this style of music and is a bit more simple than some dub productions, but it’s also pure and happy music showing what you can do on a DIY budget. He then created his Hometown Hi-fi soundsystem and became one of the most inventive producers of all time.
Fripp & Eno – ‘Evening Star’ is an inspirational collaboration between two of the all time musical greats. If you like ambient music and/or drone, this helped write the book on it. You will hear some of the most beautiful and welcoming music imaginable in the world of ‘Evening Star’ as well as its more somber second half which comes down from the ecstatic highs. I know Eno also released ‘Another Green World’ and more in 1975, but I have to keep it prog adjacent with Fripp involved too! Haha, just kidding. I just like this album a lot and think it’s pretty sounding.
Black Sabbath – ‘Sabotage’ to me, this album came out after Black Sabbath peaked. It’s hard to believe that this is Sabbath’s 6th album, but maybe it explains that they were a little burnt out by the time ‘Sabotage’ was released. Putting out two albums in 1970, and then an album a year for three years after while touring a lot and partying like no men on earth before, might do that to you. Seeing Black Sabbath this low on my list kind of surprises me and probably you too, but it’s on here primarily because of how good the song “Hole In The Sky” really really is, and because of “Symptom of the Universe”. Even though I think of them as past their prime and burnt out already here, I still think of it as the last great Black Sabbath album. But holy moly Batman, the first 6 Sabbath albums have so many incredibly awesome songs that defined heavy metal.
Henry Cow – ‘In Praise of Learning’ a slice of avant garde prog that could be seen in the same league as maybe ‘Larks Tongues In Aspic’ by King Crimson with its use of space, free jazz outburts, sound experiments, but showing moments of all out frenetic musicianship and virtuosity. It’s a little bit pretentious but if you can get past that it’s doing a lot of things that few dare to accomplish. Elements of postmodern classical, avant jazz, prog rock, protest music, and experimentation. And in some ways it sounds like a precursor to no wave and post-punk that would come years later.
Betty Davis – ‘Nasty Gal’ I love how Betty does funk music and I love her voice. Just a fun listen that was pretty edgy for the times! While I prefer 1974’s ‘They Say I’m Different’, this is definitely a damn good follow up. There is a documentary about her that I definitely recommend watching. She was a controversial musician who just kind of disappeared before she got any more famous. Married to Miles Davis for a time but he got paranoid that she was having an affair with Jimi Hendrix! Which hastened the end of their marriage since she claims she wasn’t. She was a talented NYC enigma who just vanished.
And that right there is my Album of the Year 1975. I have this one on vinyl which I bought on a whim and remains one of my prized possessions!
All righty, one year down many to go! Now hopefully we will get more Cardinals news this week and keep the hot stove going, it’s still January but you know what February means! Keep on rocking in the free world if you can.
There was a recent Pop sighting in Austin. These days the winningest coach in NBA history does not often make public appearances. This one blew up on social media.
Coach Pop got an ovation at the Austin Spurs G-League game ❤️🥹
Last Sunday, the Spurs hosted the New Orleans. Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego, one of Pop’s former assistants, lit up talking about his time in San Antonio.
“There are very few people who have impacted my life the way he has…my thoughts are always with him, everyday. We just texted with each other a few minutes ago…he’s touched so many lives. I’m one of them. I’m fortunate that he’s been a part of my life.”
Borrego and the Pelicans actually used the former Spurs facility to prepare for their game in San Antonio. The space took the former assistant back.
“It was really cool. yesterday we got to practice at our old practice facility. It was amazing. It was like going back in time for me. I walked in there like I was a twenty-three-year-old. The smell of it took me back to those days. If those walls could talk. It’s amazing. But I sat there in the old theater room, the old locker room reminisced about how special this has been, this run has been. But it all started here. Surreal to take your team back to that facility. This is where I came from. This is where I learned. This is where I grew up. And Pop being a major factor there, and I thought about him multiple times yesterday. Sharing it with my team but also for myself. So it’s been a special visit coming back. I didn’t expect that. I didn’t even know we were practicing there. And we end up there and it turned into something that I didn’t expect. Wonderful memories and I was flooded with those yesterday. It was pretty cool.”
Borrego got his start as an assistant video coordinator in the summer of 2003. When asked if he visited the video room, he responded,
“I did! The smell did bring me back. I could hear Pop, ya know, yelling my name. ‘Ray,’ ya know. He called me Ray…Ray Romano. ‘Ray, get over here….Ray, where you at?…get the film, Ray.’ And at that time, it was with VHS tapes. My first year, he was bringing VHS. I tried to get Pop to DVD at that time. And then we tried to get to digital. So I helped Pop transition form VHS to DVD — that didn’t go well — went to digital quickly. And I was there for all of it. We walked into the theater and I sat where I used to sit…I could hear Pop’s voice echoing through that place.”
Today, Gregg Popovich turns seventy-seven years old. Quite a life he led as the head coach of the Spurs. Alas, he is now in his next chapter as El Jefe. Still involved and still impacting the game, the players, and the legacy of the league as his reach touches every single team in one way or another.
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This week, the Mavericks are turning the spotlight toward two of their originals.
On Wednesday night, Norm Sonju — the franchise’s first general manager and co-founder — will be honored at American Airlines Center. The following night, Mark Aguirre will have his number 24 retired, nearly four decades after being drafted first overall by the Mavs in 1981.
For a team that’s spent the past year recalibrating its identity post-Luka, this stretch is less about nostalgia and more about finally doing right by a couple of trailblazers who’ve been on the margins of the franchise’s public story for too long.
Sonju, now 87, is flying in with 18 family members — some of whom have never seen a Mavericks game in person. It’s a thoughtful gesture from the new ownership group and CEO Rick Welts, who made a point to visit Sonju in upstate New York last summer to film a sit-down conversation about the team’s earliest days. That video will be part of the Sonju tribute on Wednesday.
How do you build an NBA franchise from scratch? At Camp of the Woods in upstate New York, Norm Sonju and Rick Welts look back at the moments that shaped the Dallas Mavericks 🤠
If Sonju was the architect, Aguirre was the early anchor — a scoring machine who gave the franchise its first real shot at national relevance. His numbers still speak loudly: 13,930 points as a Maverick (third all-time), a franchise-record 29.5 points per game in 1983–84 that stood until Luka Dončić reset the bar, and three All-Star selections before his 1989 trade to Detroit.
The emotional arc here isn’t hard to follow. There was distance. And now, there’s closure. The door began to reopen last summer when Aguirre attended the draft watch party — the night the Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg, their first No. 1 pick since Aguirre himself. Since then, he’s been gradually woven back in. This week marks the full return.
If you’re attending the games or just watching at home, this won’t feel like a spectacle. But it will feel earned.
No fireworks needed. Just two foundational names finally getting their turn to be seen.
At first blush, a former first overall pick receiving an assignment to the G League isn’t an update you want to hear. But this wasn’t a demotion at all — just an indication to say he’s almost back to NBA game-readiness.
Zaccharie Risacher and Asa Newell were both assigned to the College Park Skyhawks on Sunday, per this update from Hawks PR:
The Atlanta Hawks announced today that forwards Asa Newell and Zaccharie Risacher have been assigned to the College Park Skyhawks.
The Skyhawks didn’t have a game until Tuesday, whereas the Hawks had a game on Monday against the Indiana Pacers. The duo practiced with the Skyhawks in the hopes of being ready for today’s game back with the big franchise.
Monday morning, the two were recalled to the big team and sat on the bench as the Hawks defeated the Pacers in a Monday afternoon affair:
The Atlanta Hawks announced today that forward Zaccharie Risacher has been recalled to the Hawks from the College Park Skyhawks.
Unfortunately, Risacher was ruled out of Wednesday’s contest in Boston despite these steps forward:
For tomorrow’s Hawks game at Boston: N’Faly Dante (right knee, torn ACL) is out. Kristaps Porzingis (left Achilles tendinitis) is out. Zaccharie Risacher (left knee, bone contusion) is out.
The Atlanta Hawks sent out this update just under a week ago (January 19) about the status of Risacher:
Forward Zaccharie Risacher, who has missed the last five games due to a left knee bone contusion, is progressing in his recovery and will be re-evaluated in approximately one week.
Sophomore Risacher last played on January 7 against the New Orleans Pelicans. Since then, the left knee bone contusion has kept him out of the last nine contests.
The Hawks have used Vit Krejci and newly acquired Corey Kispert at the starting small forward spot, but Risacher is the best defender of the trio. So, while we still await a signature breakout on offense this season, Krejci’s and Kispert’s recent struggles alone have paved the way for excitement over the Frenchman’s return.
That brings us to an unfortunate update. As of now, Zaccharie Risacher has not been selected for the Rising Stars competition at All-Star Weekend happening next month.
The 2026 Castrol Rising Stars ⬇️
Tune in to @peacock tomorrow at 7 PM ET to watch honorary coaches Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter draft their teams from the pool of 21 NBA sophomores and rookies.
Risacher could be named as a replacement for a sophomore if someone has to pull out due to injury, but it’s still a tough look for the former number one overall pick.
His stat line for the season has been somewhat underwhelming: 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game on 58% true shooting — a stat line that is almost identical to his rookie campaign that earned him a second-place finish in Rookie of the Year voting. But with the above players all taking a step forward, that crowded out the 20-year-old Hawk for a spot on the team(s).
Here’s to hope that he uses the exclusion as motivation for improved play going forward.
With Spring Training and the 2026 MLB season within sight, ESPN has released their list of the Top 100 MLB prospects for the upcoming season. Atop their list was the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin, who has been touted as one of the best prospects in recent history.
ESPN MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel compiled the list of prospects and cited that Griffin’s tools far surpassed any other prospect from this class and put him in the upper echelon of some of the best players in the game today.
“Griffin is the top prospect in baseball by a mile, and I almost put him in the 70 FV tier, which is the highest I’ll put any hypothetical prospect, as that means I expect him to be on MVP ballots with 5-plus WAR seasons every year,” McDaniel wrote. “If I move him to a 70 FV, that would put Griffin in the conversation with Bryce Harper, Mike Trout and other top prospects of this era.”
McDaniel went on to give Griffin pro comps to Fernando Tatis Jr. because of his frame and overall talent, as well as Bobby Witt Jr. because of his skills as a shortstop with a blend of power and speed that makes him dangerous both in the batter’s box and on the base pads.
Four Pirates prospects just cracked ESPN’s Top 100 for 2026 — and it starts at the very top.
Konnor Griffin is the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball, with Kiley McDaniel calling him “the best we’ve seen in a number of years” and putting him in Bryce Harper/Mike Trout territory… pic.twitter.com/sr1pxSX3uT
While these are still all projections for how good Griffin can be, McDaniel did note that to this point the game has not looked difficult for him and has excelled everywhere he’s been in his young career.
“We don’t currently know the limits of what Griffin can do on a baseball field, ranging from being the most talented player in his age group since early in high school to fixing what some swing gurus thought was a fatal flaw to his game in a matter of months,” McDaniel wrote. “Projecting him to make further adjustments seems like a formality now.”
Since Griffin stepped foot on the field for the first time as a professional, it was clear that he could be something special. The Pirates drafted him ninth overall in the 2024 draft as the best high school prospect in the class. He would make his pro debut in 2025 with the Bradenton Marauders. From there it was only a matter of time before the top prospect in Pittsburgh’s system was going to make a name for himself.
After 50 games with Bradenton, Griffin was called up to High-A Greensboro where he really started to establish himself as one of the best players in the world. He would be added to the National League Futures roster during the All-Star break, and would then pick up where he left off by being promoted to Altoona and helping them during their postseason run. The 19-year-old short stop finished the 2025 season with a slash line of .333/.415/.527 to go along with a .942 OPS, 21 home runs, 94 RBIs and 65 stolen bases.
With those great numbers came a great amount of individual accolades for Griffin. Baseball America named him the top Minor League player of the year and a Minor League All-Star. USA Today named Griffin the top Minor League player of the year as well. He was also named a Rawlings MiLB Gold Glove award recipient with other numerous All-Star nominations being claimed by Griffin as well.
It's Top 100 Day!
The article is stuffed with 25,000 words of tool grades, scouting reports, and notes on the metas that teams are using to find value in scouting and development https://t.co/Yztl4WCXOQ
With the way that the Pirates are currently constructed, Griffin has a very real chance at making an impact in the Major Leagues as early as this year. The Mississippi native was one of the several prospects to be non-roster invitees to big league Spring Training in Bradenton, and it’s speculated that his time with the Pirates will not end there this season. Even if he’s not in Pittsburgh immediately following Spring Training, there’s still a chance that he get’s called up at some point in the season.
McDaniel noted that given Griffin’s inexperience he might not be called up this early, but did cite that the “superstars almost always arrive ahead of schedule”.
“There’s chatter he could break camp as the every-day big league shortstop and possibly garner a bonus draft pick for the Pirates if he wins National League Rookie of the Year,” McDaniel wrote.“Add Griffin to Paul Skenes, with Bubba Chandler also breaking into the big leagues with front-line upside, and you can start to imagine how this team could electrify the Steel City.”
There were many doors for Boston to walk through this season. Some led to a high lottery pick, where player development became the priority — while others offered a chance to stay competitive. Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics found something at the intersection of both, where uncertainty is a weapon and development is the byproduct of a relentless, winning system.
Effort, consistency, and impact are the only true currencies in this locker room. Most teams — especially contenders — rely on rigid hierarchies. Mazzulla, however, treats his rotation like a living organism. It’s a literal revolving door where strong performances are rewarded with minutes and roles can shift on a game-to-game basis.
For opponents, it’s a nightmare to prep for. Without a fixed rotation to scheme against, pressure points shift nightly, if they exist at all.
We’ve seen the importance of the Stay Ready Group culture the organization has built, but this team has taken it to another level. In previous years, that meant being prepared in a pinch. Now, your moment could come any game, at any time.
BROOKLYN, NY – JANUARY 23: Jordan Walsh #27 and Hugo Gonzalez #28 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on January 23, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images)
The lack of a set rotation could’ve been problematic. Instead, it’s led to heightened competition that is accelerating development.
When opportunity exists in a tangible, reachable way, players know they’re working for something. Celtics teams of the past few years haven’t had room for young players to truly break through from practice to the rotation. Boston’s most stable minutes belong to Brown, White, Pritchard, and Queta. Simons and Hauser lead the rest of the pack, but on a nightly basis, either could see their minutes swapped for anyone.
The youth movement has been the most visible beneficiary. Jordan Walsh went from an afterthought to the fifth starter for 20 straight games, leapfrogging Josh Minott, who had his own impressive stretch as a starter. Hugo Gonzalez found his path, stealing minutes whenever the game calls for effort and tenacity — even in crunch time. Baylor Scheierman has become a trusted rotation option, too.
Most recently, Amari Williams and Ron Harper Jr. have followed suit, earning opportunities on two-way deals.
But the revolving door applies to the veterans, too. Sam Hauser saw his minutes shrink in December, and now he’s started 12 games in a row, playing arguably the best basketball of his career. Similarly, Luka Garza was completely zapped from the rotation for nearly a month, yet he stayed ready enough to reclaim a significant role as the first big off the bench.
The approach is fittingly ironic for a coach who has long treated even the most basic life situations with tactical paranoia. Mazzulla has admitted he avoids physical revolving doors because “if one of them gets stuck, then you’re just a sitting duck.”
On the court, Mazzulla has weaponized that very fear. By refusing to let his rotation get stuck in a rigid pecking order, he’s ensured the Celtics are never the ones trapped. Instead, it’s the rest of the league left guessing — trying to prepare for a team where any man can be up and the door never stops spinning.
The difference one defenseman can make for an NHL team is often quite large.
If a squad has a weak link, it can be exposed because even the bottom pair generally plays around 15 minutes a night.
In the NHL draft, defensemen are often the most interesting case studies. Since 2003, a defenseman has been drafted in the top five every year.
What teams value on the blueline is always quite interesting, as they traditionally lean into drafting big, defensively focused defensemen. That said, the best blueliners in the world right now are all mobile puck-movers, and their physical stature is often not a major part of their game.
Let's see which blueliners are the cream of the crop ahead of this year's NHL draft.
Top 10 defensemen in the 2026 NHL Draft
North Dakota (NCAA) defenseman Keaton Verhoeff
The most well-rounded defender in the class, Verhoeff's improvement this season makes him an easy choice as the top blueliner. He has good size, excellent fluidity on his feet and some of the best passing skills of any blueliner in the class. Verhoeff understands how to make smart plays at both ends of the ice, which allows him to win most of his shifts. He looks like a top-five pick.
Jukurit (Finland) defenseman Alberts Smits
Smits is the ultimate ball of clay that NHL teams can mold into an effective defenseman. His baseline is quite high as a big, mobile, defensive-minded player who can shut opponents down. His upside is incredible with the kind of run-and-gun offensive skill and fluidity that makes the best defenders in the world what they are. If he can continue to refine his offensive game, he could be a top-pair stud.
HV71 (Sweden) defenseman Malte Gustafsson
Malte Gustafsson has impressed in the Swedish League, and his overall control of the game makes him one of the most interesting defenders in the draft. There isn't an area of the game you can point to as a weakness. Gustafsson has become more physical at the men's level while continuing to showcase his mobility and puck-moving on the breakout. He's become a true two-way presence and should be taken inside the top 10.
Villeneuve is one of the most dynamic puck-moving blueliners in the class. He is a true difference-maker on offense, with incredible shiftiness and passing. His defensive game is better than he gets credit for, using his feet to defend and turn the play around. He's a wild card, however, because he's 5-foot-11 and 162 pounds. Villeneuve could be taken in the top half of the first round, or he could fall because of his size.
Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) defenseman Chase Reid
Reid is possibly the most divisive defenseman at the top of the class. He can carry the puck through the neutral zone and create off the rush. His passing is inconsistent, but when it's on, it's quite dangerous in the attacking end. Reid shows the tools needed to be effective defensively, but that's a work in progress. He's being discussed as a top-10 pick, but he could fall outside that range.
Lulea (Sweden) defenseman William Hakansson
One of the premier defensive blueliners, Hakansson is a stopper in the simplest terms. He has excellent size, uses his length well to defend in transition and gets into the corners to recover pucks effectively. Hakansson has a physical edge to his game as well. If a team wants a defender who can put up a wall in their own zone, you could see Hakansson go around the mid-first round.
Tappara (Finland) defenseman Juho Piiparinen
Piiparinen is a steady, do-it-all defenseman who limits mistakes and knows when to make the right play. He won't blow your mind when you watch him, but he can do just about everything asked of him. He can shut down plays, recover dump-ins and move the puck up ice reliably. A mid-to-late first-round pick seems appropriate for a player you don't have to worry about too often.
Prince George (WHL) defenseman Carson Carels
After getting some hype at the World Junior Championship, Carels has shot up many draft boards. His playmaking and steady all-around game have made him a very solid prospect. Carels can play just about any role adequately, but he just needs to find his specialty and really lean into it. He really could go anywhere in the first round since draft experts have him ranked all over the place.
Vancouver (WHL) defenseman Ryan Lin
Although he's injured, Lin builds off his mobility in all areas of the game. His game is a bit inconsistent overall, but when he is on his A-game, he could be one of the top five defenders in the draft class. His ability to handle the puck, work along the blueline and set up teammates is impressive. He skates forward to defend, attempting to cut off play in the neutral zone. He could go anywhere in the mid-to-late first round.
Dukla Trencin (Slovakia) defenseman Adam Goljer
A shutdown defender who is on the younger side of the draft class, Goljer is still a bit raw, but his potential as a top-four play-killer could be quite intriguing. The Slovak blueliner doesn't dangle his opponents on the breakout or at the offensive blueline – he punishes them. Goljer isn't quite as refined as some of the guys ahead of him, but he's got the upside you want to see from a no-nonsense defenseman.
