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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 28: Tyler Herro #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks poses for a portrait during the Milwaukee Bucks 2026 Media Day at Froedtert & MCW Sports Science Center on September 28, 2026 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. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
And now we get to the player takeaways from Media Day. If you didn’t catch my first article detailing the responses from Wes Edens, Jon Horst, and Taylor Jenkins, go check that out. Now, obviously it’s not practical to cover every player on the team, but I did my best to cover the most notable players, quotes, and tidbits, so here they are!
Myles Turner
Myles Turner was the first player to front the media. Turner’s opening question was about why he decided to organise a team minicamp in his home state of Texas.
“With having so many new players, I wanted to get everybody together and wanted everybody to have some fun,” Turner said. “A lot of guys had never been to Austin before. I’m Texas through and through; I just wanted to show off the city a bit.
“The camaraderie was great, and everybody showed up, so that’s one thing that I was really proud of. It just gave us a little extra time to get to know each other.”
Changing the topic, Turner was then asked how he defines himself as a leader on this young team. The 11-year vet emphasised that he understands the position he’s in and wants to set the right example for the younger players.
“I know guys will follow suit with the things that I do, the way that I carry myself… It goes so much more than your play… It’s the way that you carry yourself and the respect you command.”
Myles Turner
Regarding media expectations, Turner wasn’t interested in outside narratives, saying, “The only expectations are the ones we put on ourselves.”
“Just like everybody else, we want to win. But it’s one thing to want to win; it’s another thing to do the things that are required to win, and I think that’s more where our attention goes this year.”
Tyler Herro
Understandably, Herro had the longest presser out of all the players, but he answered each question with a lot of respect and grace, I thought. His first question centred around what’s changed about Milwaukee for him since he was drafted.
“When I grew up here, I spent a lot of time in the suburbs, not really downtown, and so I’ve obviously seen how much the city has grown since I’ve been gone for the last eight or nine years,” Herro said. “It’s a beautiful city; I love being here, and I’m excited to start a new era of basketball. The organisation is amazing… Just how they’ve welcomed me with open arms—I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
Herro was asked whether the Heat players getting traded for Giannis meant they viewed themselves as “replacing” him, a notion he flatly dismissed.
“I don’t think we’re replacing Giannis. Obviously, he’s the greatest Buck that’s played for the organisation, but we’re not replacing him. It’s a new era… Building as a team, building as an organisation, and trying to get back to the mountaintop.”
Tyler Herro
Herro on what he feels his role will be on a new team, and whether there’s any trepidation:
“I feel like we’re all new. Taylor’s new; he’s got a brand-new coaching staff. The guys who came in the trade with me are new. We’ve got two or three rookies. Everybody’s here, and we’re all doing it together. It doesn’t really feel like I’m coming into somewhere where they’re not welcoming me with open arms… It feels like this is where I’m supposed to be”
One answer I really enjoyed was how Herro responded to a question about his goals for the season: “I don’t have any individual goals.”
“I feel like everything is around the group. When people try to write everyone off, especially after the trade we made, people feel like we’re not going to win games… That’s the opposite of what we’re thinking… We’re trying to win; we’re trying to compete. That’s my main goal: to help lead this team to as many wins as possible.”
Jaime Jaquez Jr.
There weren’t too many interesting notes from Jaquez’s presser, but his answer to a question about how he approaches the prospect of getting a rookie-scale extension done before the season begins was noteworthy:
“I approach it the same way I approach every day: just try to be as professional as I can be. I’m here to work. My contract is the one going into next year; that’s the only one I can really worry about… whatever happens will happen.”
“The first step to becoming a champion is to believe that you can be.”
Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Like Turner and Herro, Jaquez wasn’t fazed that the media doesn’t rate the Bucks very highly.
“I feel like I can keep my expectations pretty consistent no matter where I’m at,” Jaquez said. “The goal is always the same: you want to win as many games as you can and compete for a championship. The media says what they want to say, but what really matters is what the core group of guys believe.”
Brayden Burries and Nate Ament
As you can imagine, interviewing 19- and 20-year-olds never yields the deepest responses, but I thought Burries’ and Ament’s answers to 1) what the vets have taught them so far, and 2) what coach Jenkins has told them will help them get minutes, were both notable.
Burries: “The team that’s the most together is going to win a lot, but also the physicality… It’s a physical league, so just getting my mind and body ready for that.”
Ament: “Yeah, the NBA game is much different from the college game, but also just teaching me about the league… Things you should and shouldn’t do, requirements in your contract, and how to be a professional.”
“Cheese curds and Lake Michigan”
Nate Ament on his favourite things about Milwaukee so far.
Burries: “Impact winning outside of scoring. Rebounding, defending, being a great teammate, and being coachable. Even if you’re not playing, still having a positive mindset, and then once you get an opportunity, make the best of it.”
Ament: “Effort plays. We’re the youngest on the team, so giving energy every day, running the floor hard, playing defence—all those types of things.”
Kasparas Jakucionis
“It means a lot”: Jakucionis on what the fresh start means to him.
“At the end of the day, it’s the same game. I’m excited to be here and give all out for this program.”
Kasparas Jakucionis
“I played for the University of Illinois not too long ago, so I’m familiar with the weather here,” the young Lithuanian said to some chuckles around the room. “I’m just excited to be here.”
Jakucionis also opened up on his turbulent offseason, saying that being traded was hard at first, but he soon realised he couldn’t control it, so he put his head down and focused on what he could.
Kel’el Ware
Ware was pretty short (but respectful) in most of his answers. However, I thought his response to a question about how he and his Heat teammates have transitioned to Milwaukee was notable. Ware said he thinks it’s gone smoothly for all four of them, but “the most smoothly” for him, as the Cream City reminded him of his hometown in Arkansas: “It wasn’t like a big change for me.”
“I like how calm it is. It’s slow-paced. That’s more my speed.”
Kel’el Ware on Milwaukee
Ware was also bullish on how he and Myles Turner could complement each other:
“We’re both bigs who can shoot, play down low, defend, and rebound. So if you have two bigs that are able to do that, that’s what you need.”
Kyle Kuzma
Fittingly, Kuz rounded out the day with a bunch of thoughtful responses, but I thought his best was his answer to how his myriad NBA experiences will help him lead this group.
“I know about a lot of different things you have to do for the team, and I’m somebody you can lean on for that. I think that’s what leadership and being a veteran is about.”
Kyle Kuzma
“This is my 10th year in the NBA, and it’s such a blessing… doing it for a decade, you get to learn a lot about yourself through trials and tribulations… We have some people on this team who have only played for one team in their life, and now they just got traded to a brand-new team—I know how that feels. I know guys who have played a role in a certain system that may be asked to do something else—I’ve done that a lot of different times.
Hilariously, Myles Turner dropped in to ask Kuzma about his skincare routine.
Washing your face, exfoliating, moisturising, and using serums were the four keys, according to Kuz. And on that note, we’re out.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 06: New head coach Taylor Jenkins of the Milwaukee Bucks speaks during an introductory press conference at the Milwaukee Art Museum on May 06, 2026 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. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What’s up, Brew Hoop family. After the longest offseason for Bucks fans in a while, the new season is finally upon us! I’m here with the first article from media day, plucking out the most newsworthy content from Bucks co-owner and governor Wes Edens’ solo presser, as well as Jon Horst and Taylor Jenkins’ joint presser. The second article includes the best player quotes. Enjoy!
Wes Edens
Wes Edens opened by saying the Bucks brass is “extremely excited” about the season ahead, but also thanked Giannis and his family for giving 13 years to the Bucks and the city of Milwaukee.
“It’s been a minute since we haven’t had [Giannis] in the building,” Edens said. “It’s good to acknowledge that, but it’s also a great time to change and move on.”
Moving to the coaching change, Edens drew on his experience as Aston Villa’s co-owner to discuss how coaching can impact a team and why choosing the right coach is crucial to success. Edens said he sees the qualities he was seeking in Taylor Jenkins, saying Jenkins may be “the biggest addition in the NBA offseason.”
“He was the guy that we wanted. We signed him to a long-term contract. He’s a known quantity to us because he was here before, then went off and had lots of success in Memphis. You take that and a refresh of the organisation and it’s a really exciting time.”
Wes Edens on Taylor Jenkins
When later asked what specifically he and the Bucks were looking for in their coaching search, he answered, “somebody who was going to be a builder.”
“Taylor is the right person at the right time,” Edens said. “He’s a known quantity… We know exactly what we are getting with him, and we feel really blessed he was available. He is a tremendous teacher… Look at some of the guys in Memphis and the impact he had on them; we think he can have a similar impact on some of our players”
Regarding Giannis, Edens was quizzed about what went into the decision not to trade him last offseason.
“We won more games from 2018 to 2023 than any other team in the league. We had massive amounts of success. It was the right decision in all of our ownership’s view to try to give that the best chance of having the next year of it. We did a bunch of very aggressive things. They were all with the intention of trying to give ourselves another chance to win a championship.
“But now you look around here, there’s no Giannis, there’s no Khris Middleton, there’s no Brook Lopez, no Jrue Holiday… but we have the next crop of these young folks here that have every right to believe they can be the next group that kind of builds towards that.”
“We don’t think of this as a rebuilding team; we think of this as a building team. There’s a big difference between the two, and I think we’re going to have a lot of success this year, but it’s certainly a big change.”
Wes Edens
Edens was also asked about the health of the fanbase after some low attendance numbers at Fiserv late last season:
“Wisconsin fans are fanatical sports fans,” Edens said. “Everything kind of goes through a cycle. Obviously when you’re winning 60 games a year, it’s not hard to fill up your stadium. When you win less than that, it’s a little more challenging. But we’ve made big investments not just to the arena and all the programming with it to create the best entertainment that we can.
“People spend a lot of money to come out on a Tuesday night in February; we want them to feel like they’ve had the best experience they can, not just on the court but off. I really believe that fans are very intelligent and are very authentic. If you’re authentic, they really respond to that, and you don’t have to win 75 games to have the arena full again. I feel like we’re going to have a really good year on the court and I think we’re going to have a good year off the court as well.”
Edens conceded that the new TV rights deal—which will have all 82 games broadcast for free over the air—would not be ideal for the organisation’s bottom line, but that it was the right move to make as this new era kicks off.
“We’re gonna be impacted negatively this year, but we made the decision to invest in the fan base and to reach a lot more people. People will get a great chance to see the product we put out there.”
Finally, Edens answered a direct question about whether he’s considered selling his stake in the team: “I haven’t.”
“I mean, circumstances change. You never know, but no, I have no plans to.”
Jon Horst and Taylor Jenkins
Jon Horst was asked the first question about his message to fans regarding the team’s direction as Milwaukee enters the post-Giannis era.
“We talked a lot about having a successful offseason, executing a successful draft, and hiring a great coach as the pillars of our focus when the season ended last year,” Horst said. “We sit here today feeling like we accomplished a number of those things.
“There’s a great level of energy and excitement, buy-in, collectively with the group, and that gives us a foundation to build from. Everything we’re going to do today and going forward is building a group and trying to do it together each and every day.”
Jenkins was then asked about what the word “culture” means to him and how he plans to implement it with the Bucks.
“Culture is more than a word; it’s behaviors and actions… This is all the idea of building the next great era of Bucks basketball… It boils down to who do we want to be and the behaviors that drive us every day.”
Taylor Jenkins
Of course, Horst was always going to be questioned on the elephant in the room: why he signed Gary Trent Jr. to a four-year, $64m deal.
“When you look at Gary Trent and what he’s done for us in the last two seasons… he’s an elite shooter… Only 27 years old. He was big for us in playoff moments, so there’s a big belief in Gary for what we think matters, and that’s elite shooting in the NBA; that’s hard to find. It’s something that Taylor values, and I think he’s even going to maximise more with us, so it was a great opportunity for us to do that, and we acted on it.”
Horst was tight-lipped when asked later about the NBA’s investigation into possible cap circumvention and how he justified Trent’s contract, responding, “We’re working with the league, and we can’t comment any further on that.” Both Wes Edens and Trent himself gave the same answer in their pressers.
Moving on, the players traded in from Miami were obviously a major topic of conversation, with Horst revealing that each of the four players being in the deal was pivotal to getting it across the line.
“We wouldn’t have done the trade without one of those players,” Horst said. “We went into this trying to get players who not only could help us compete now, but can also grow and develop as we go forward… They fit a culture and a style of play that we want to embody… They absolutely check the boxes we were trying to check if we were going to do a trade.”
“They’re the competitors we desire,” Jenkins added.
Another topic discussed was how the organisation plans to champion accountability after the mess that was last season. It sounded like Horst knew things had to change and was determined to make that happen.
“We’re here today talking about building a culture and identity of accountability,” Horst said. “We’ve got a group of guys that we think embody that and that are going to live that. Taylor is going to demand that each and every day, and quite frankly, if they don’t live by it, we’ll figure out the accountable actions and move forward from there.”
“We’ll talk about so many other things along our journey, but competitiveness is the number one thing… When we put on this jersey, and we know what we’re playing for, we’ve got to embody that with a competitive tone.”
Taylor Jenkins
When asked what he wants the team’s identity to be, Jenkins cited the team’s new mantra: “Compete. Together. Get Better,” which multiple players later repeated in their pressers.
“It starts with our competitiveness. I’m not going to guarantee wins and losses; we just talked with the team about developing our winning standards and habits. It starts with ‘Compete. Together. Get Better.’”
Horst closed by echoing Edens’ thought on this not being a “rebuild.”
“There’s an urgency to compete today. We believe that building the next great era of Bucks basketball has to have a foundation of competitiveness, and we have to instill that out of the gate. There is a patience component to this… but there’s not a complacency component to this.”
The vibe around media day throughout the NBA is akin to returning to school, seeing your friends after a summer away and getting the laughs out now that it’s time to get back to work.
For the Warriors, the vibe shifted early in the morning, long before the team boarded a plane to Hawaii for training camp. Everything changed in the opening statements from general manager Mike Dunleavy. As he started his ninth sentence of the day, a “here we go again” attitude could be felt near and far just as the day had begun.
“Additionally, Kristaps [Porziņģis] is going to be out indefinitely with a health issue that I was informed about yesterday, so he’ll miss the start of camp here,” Dunleay announced. “Don’t have a timeline for him or anything further than that. So we’re a little banged up to start, but we’ve got plenty of depth. We’ll get through it.”
Dunleavy couldn’t provide more information aside from Porziņģis now being sidelined for an unknown period because of a “health matter.” The Warriors found out about the problem Sunday and Porziņģis did not travel with the team to Hawaii. He, at the very least, will miss training camp and the first preseason game.
Is this another tough turn of events or what we should expect for the entire season from a Warriors team being held together by Rick Celibrini’s first aid kit? Maybe somewhere in the middle?
Acquiring Porziņģis at last season’s trade deadline for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield put a deflated balloon on the Warriors’ failed two-timelines plan. Porziņģis has the kind of tantalizing talent that made him the No. 4 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, that made him an All-Star in his third season and that has seen him average 20 points per game in six different seasons. He’s the NBA’s first unicorn, and equally as mystifying as his nickname that depicts a mythological character.
How the Warriors viewed Porziņģis going into this season essentially was as an offseason acquisition they get to have a full go with. His talent is what earned him a two-year, $40 million contract extension from the Warriors with virtually no outside competition. But his long history of missing games from injury and an ongoing health matter is why his contract only has $3 million guaranteed next season.
Porziņģis started the final 10 regular-season games he suited up for, as well as the Warriors’ two play-in games. The results weren’t perfect, but they provided a blueprint of how coach Steve Kerr wants to move forward with his offense. He wants Draymond Green to shoot more. He wants to have a five-out offense, and Porziņģis, as a 7-foot-2 marksman from long distance, is the ideal center to stretch the floor and accomplish Kerr’s goal.
“KP and Al [Horford] have really provided us that spacing at that spot,” Kerr said Monday. “That’s important if you are playing the more modern style that we’re looking at. So we know we’re going to need Kristaps, and we feel very confident that we’ll have him at some point. Al, of course, he’s ready to go, and he’ll provide that as well.”
Losing Porziņģis for an undisclosed time both changes the starting lineup, and turns up the pressure cooker on several players. Horford most likely will step into the starting center role, which he did 13 times last season. He and Green will have to be better together from the jump. The two played 266 minutes over 32 games last season and produced an ugly minus-13.8 net rating with a 99.3 offensive rating and a 113.1 defensive rating.
Horford, 40, will need to be the player he was from Christmas on last season instead of the one who started off extremely slow, couldn’t find his shot and missed multiple weeks to sciatica. He won’t be the only one feeling the burden of Porziņģis’ absence.
So will Yaxel Lendeborg. As will Brandin Podziemski. Third-string center Charles Bassey will have to step up, and even Graham Ike, who recently was signed to a two-way contract.
And yes, losing Porziņģis for an extended period would put even more weight on the back of a hunched-over Steph Curry.
The Warriors superstar doesn’t have his co-pilot to navigate the start of the season. Jimmy Butler was the Warriors’ other player who could drop 20 points on any given night. Porziņģis is the hypothetical second option who can be a mismatch out of the post and beyond the arc. The Warriors will keep their fingers crossed he can somehow be exactly that by the time the regular season rolls around in a few weeks.
“I’m not marking him down as being out to start the season or anything like that,” Dunleavy said. “He’s just not available this week.”
In the three seasons prior to trading for Porziņģis, the veteran big man averaged 21.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game while shooting 38.9 percent from 3-point range and winning a championship ring with the Boston Celtics in that span. But his games played went from 65 to 57 to 42. This past season, he played 32 regular-season games and missed 50.
Like Dunleavy said, Porziņģis could be back at the beginning of the season. Yet fans can’t expect that. The real expectations are this is how it’s going to be for however long Porziņģis wears a Warriors jersey. He will show flashes of a unicorn and then gallop off into the forest, unbeknownst to anybody.
Palm trees, sand in their toes and the smell of the ocean will bring the vibes back to fun and positivity throughout Warriors training camp. The spotlight will continue to shine on Lendeborg and Curry can always make believers close their eyes to reality.
It’s just too bad the same old story for the Warriors started in the opening statements of media day. Moving forward will be another challenge for a group that loves to be doubted. There’s also only so much wiggle room for a team already standing on the edge of a cliff.
According to Elliotte Friedman, "The Oilers considered a Stevenson trade before going with Devon Levi. His new teammates are raving about the ex-Sabre. It just never got off on the right foot for him in Buffalo, and it’s hard to imagine Levi with a better opportunity to make a massive impact on a good team."
This is excellent news for the Edmonton Oilers, since Levi almost wasn't going to be the player the organization went after. Apparently, they had their sights on Clay Stevenson, who just joined the Winnipeg Jets.
In his latest written 32 Thoughts column, Friedman asks, "The biggest question in the Hellebuyck saga is this: Does Clay Stevenson convince Winnipeg to ease their desire to get a goalie in any trade?"
The Oilers might have been thinking the same thing when they revamped their goaltending this offseason. Keeping only Tristan Jarry, Edmonton moved on from Connor Ingram, traded for Levi, and picked up Frederik Andersen via free agency. It was clear the Oilers felt they needed to make a change.
Friedman reports that GM Stan Bowman looked at Stevenson.
Oilers Went Levi, Jets Can Now Trade Hellebuyck
Ultimately, the Oilers chose Levi, and the Jets picked up Stevenson on waivers from the Washington Capitals on Monday, giving them a goaltender who could play in a solid tandem with former Oiler Stuart Skinner. It will be interesting to see if this triggers a blockbuster involving Connor Hellebuyck. It's also fascinating to wonder if Levi would have been part of any trade the Sabres and Jets made at the NHL Draft, given that the Jets were looking for a goaltender to come back as part of the deal.
Friedman believes Winnipeg had Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as their target, so perhaps not.
Hellebuyck still hasn't reported to camp, and it doesn't appear that he will. "If Stevenson convinces Winnipeg he’s legit, that’s a way to change focus and ease the stalemate."
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The Winnipeg Jets have their opening-night roster set.
Winnipeg finalized its 23-man group Monday, with a late waiver claim helping settle the final few roster decisions ahead of Friday's regular-season opener against the Boston Bruins.
The Jets claimed goaltender Clay Stevenson off waivers from the Washington Capitals, adding the 27-year-old to a crease that will begin the season with Stuart Skinner as its starter. The move resulted in Domenic DiVincentiis being assigned to the Manitoba Moose, while forward Brayden Yager was also sent to the AHL as Winnipeg got down to its 23-man limit.
Photo by Terry Lee/USA Today
Stevenson brings limited NHL experience but strong numbers from his most recent opportunity. He went 3-1-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .921 save percentage in four games with Washington last season, while spending the majority of the year with the AHL's Hershey Bears.
Defencemen Elias Salomonsson and Garrett Brown and forward Walker Duehr were designated as Injured Non-Roster on the final list.
Salomonsson has been dealing with a shoulder injury, while Brown and Duehr have been sidelined with lower-body injuries.
With those moves complete, Winnipeg will begin the season carrying 13 forwards, eight defencemen and two goaltenders. Seventeen of the 23 players have previously suited up for the Jets.
Among those sticking around are 18-year-old Viggo Björck, Brad Lambert and defenceman Tyrel Bauer. Björck, selected eighth overall by Winnipeg in June, earned a roster spot just months after hearing his name called at the NHL Draft, while Bauer is in position to make his NHL debut after spending the past several seasons developing with Manitoba.
When transnational alliances have scarcely been weaker, the way the club was allegedly run offers a bleak vision of a world driven by brute power and wealth
The cache of leaked emails and documents that would eventually lead to the crisis in which Manchester City are now embroiled was published by Der Spiegel in 2018, and often it was the tone of the club’s communications that was as startling as their content. Of City chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak, a trusted adviser to the royal family of the United Arab Emirates, it was said that he would “rather spend 30 million on the 50 best lawyers in the world to sue [Uefa] for the next 10 years” than accept a fine.
In the same tranche of documents, City lawyer Simon Cliff asserts that “Uefa doesn’t respond to anything other than aggression”, and threatens the governing body of European football – who were pursuing City over alleged financial irregularities at the time – with “the destruction of their rules and organisation”.
The last time Florida Panthers captain Sasha Barkov was on the ice for a National Hockey League game, he was skating around Amerant Bank Arena with the Stanley Cup.
That was on June 17, 2025.
Now, exactly 469 days later, Barkov is ready to resume his potential Hall of Fame career with a reconstructed right knee and a new fire in his belly after sitting out a full NHL season that came directly on the heels of consecutive championships.
“I’m obviously very excited to play meaningful games,” Barkov said Monday. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”
Barkov missed all of last season after tearing his ACL and MCL during what was his first on-ice workout of training camp last September.
He returned in time to represent Finland at the IIHF World Championships in late May, leading his country to a gold medal while pacing his teammates with 11 points in 10 games.
Not bad considering it was his first action in nearly a year and fresh off major knee surgery.
After spending the summer continuing to put the work in and preparing to hit the ground running with the Panthers, Barkov survived training camp and Florida’s abbreviated preseason slate and is now chomping at the bit to start playing meaningful games again.
“I’m very excited, of course,” Barkov said. “I was happy to be able to play two games before that, to kind of get into the rhythm.”
Through camp and the exhibition games, Barkov has been skating on what could end up being a very formidable forward line, flanked by a familiar face in Sam Reinhart and a new linemate in Brady Tkachuk.
The younger Tkachuk brother was acquired in late June and only adds to what could very well be considered the deepest forward group in the league.
Through five periods spent together during the preseason, the new Barkov line combined to rack up five goals and seven assists on 20 shots and a plus-13 on-ice rating.
When asked about Tkahcuk, Barkov said there is a lot to like about what he brings to the table.
“Just everything he does,” said Barkov. “He knows his role right away. He knows he needs to be fast, he knows he needs to stay on the pucks, like control the puck and that kind of stuff, and he was unbelievable for those two games.”
They also skated together on the Cats’ top power play unit, along with Matthew Tkachuk and Seth Jones.
It should be fun to watch the group continue to acclimate to one another and grow together as the season progresses.
Photo caption: Sep 22, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Brady Tkachuk (8), center Aleksander Barkov (16), and center Sam Reinhart (13) look on from the players bench against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period t Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 23: The Los Angeles Dodgers' MLB World Series trophy is displayed during a ceremony in the Russell Senate Office Building on July 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Dodgers were joined by numerous members of Congress as they celebrated back to back World Series Championships. (Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The MLB Postseason officially begins today, with all of the Wild Card series playing Game 1 of their best of three format. The Phillies made it close, but they eventually ensured that they too will be a part of the field, and they will actually be the first game of the day when they take on the Braves at 2:00 pm.
There are many intriguing storylines as we begin the tournament, with two divisional rivalries right out of the gate in Phillies-Braves and Yankees-Red Sox. That’s before even diving into the surprising White Sox or the division winning, .500 record Astros. Beyond the Wild Card, there’s the ever-persistent question of can the Brewers or Rays convert regular season success into postseason wins, can Cleveland snap their 78-year championship drought, and can the new evil empire in the Dodgers pull of a three-peat?
The road to those answers and more begins in earnest today. So, what are your predictions for the 2026 MLB postseason? Who will be the last two teams standing? Who takes home the World Series trophy? How far will the Phillies go? What team could make a surprise run in the vein of the Blue Jays last year?
Flushing, N.Y.: New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns speaks to the media during the team's pre-opening day workout at Citi Field in Flushing, Queens, March 25, 2026. (Photo by Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
David Stearns addressed the media following a disappointing Mets’ season. Overall, he saw “extremely encouraging signs” as he looks ahead to 2027.
When asked about whether he would do anything differently with Pete Alonso given what happened in 2026, David Stearns replied bluntly, “I don’t get mulligans”.
Speaking on other topics of interest, Stearns talked about retiring the phrase ‘run prevention’, what it meant to see Freddy Peralta succeed in Tampa Bay, how he’d evaluated his free agent signings, Kodai Senga’s future with the Mets, the need to add starting pitching, and the decisions that created an “uncapped downside scenario”.
The Mets are planning to look ‘externally’ to fill their first base void.
Laura Albanese wrote about Stearns owning his failures and how he will get another chance to prove he’s not a failure.
John Harper graded Mets players, the front office, and Andy Green after their last-place finish.
While the Mets missed the playoffs in 2026, their 2027 blueprint is already taking shape, explains Chelsea Janes.
Juan Soto and Nolan McLean were nominated for the 2026 All-MLB Team. Now it’s up to the fans to cast their votes.
Around the National League East
Jesús Luzardo will start Game 1 for the Phillies, with Cristopher Sánchez taking the ball in Game 2 and Aaron Nola standing at the ready if a Game 3 is necessary.
Mark Bowman detailed three things the Braves learned from their final week of the regular season.
After an uneven 2026 season, the Marlins believe they are right there and are hungry to take the next step.
Around Major League Baseball
Will Leitch at MLB.com shared the Power Rankings at the start of the postseason.
With the postseason beginning today, Alden Gonzalez wondered if the Dodgers could be more vulnerable than we think.
The staff at The Athletic made their Wild Card round predictions.
In Ken Rosenthal’s view, even if the Brewers or the Rays win the World Series, the competitive balance argument will endure heading into the uncertain MLB offseason.
The average NBA career is a short 4 1/2 years. Yaxel Lendeborg wants to make sure his time in the league stretches far beyond that number, and that begins with taking care of himself in the gym.
“I want to be here every single day at all times just because I know how it’s going to get,” Lendeborg said Monday at Warriors Media Day. “The average … lifespan I guess that people are in the NBA is three, four years, I think I keep hearing. I definitely have hopes and plans of being in it for way longer. If I can get like grandpa Al (Horford), then hopefully 20 years would be great, but we’ll see how it all goes. I’m going to continue to try to work out and stay in the best shape as I can be.”
Lendeborg’s constant presence in the gym also has caught coach Steve Kerr’s attention, who told media that the rookie has “a great approach”.
“I’ve literally had three different conversations with him telling him to get out of here for a few days because, you know, we’re going to embark on this eight-month journey or so starting tomorrow,” Kerr said Monday. “He just can’t stay out of the gym. He wants to be great.”
Kerr also said how he likes Lendeborg’s “journey,” winning a national championship last year at Michigan and having to “fight for everything,” while adding that he is “going to play a ton”.
The 24-year-old briefly played alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green during Butler’s players-only camp in San Diego, but as Golden State begins its training camp Tuesday, the veterans and coaching staff surely will be keeping an eye on Lendeborg’s ability to fit into the Warriors system.
The MLB wild card round gets underway on Tuesday, Sept. 29, featuring a packed slate of games to kick off the action. Among them is an NL wild card series rematch, as the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs face off for the second straight year.
Last season, the Cubs edged out the Padres in a close 2-1 wild card series at Wrigley Field in Chicago. This year, the stage shifts to San Diego, giving the Padres home field advantage at Petco Park for the best-of-three set. The winner will earn the right to face the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers in a best-of-five Division Series.
"Should be a great series," Padres manager Craig Stammen said. "They’re a great team, they’ve got a lot of great players, a good coaching staff. It’ll be tightly contested. They’re the ones that knocked us out of the postseason last year. So we’re going to have to bring our ‘A’ game."
In Game 1, Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd will take the mound, while the Padres will start right-hander Michael King, in a duel to set the tone for the series.
The Chicago Cubs will send left-hander Matthew Boyd (10-5, 3.91 ERA) to the mound for Game 1 on Tuesday, while the San Diego Padres counter with right-hander Michael King (12-10, 3.21 ERA).
Chicago Cubs vs San Diego Padres schedule
Game 3 time is subject to change.
Game 1, Tuesday, Sept. 29: Cubs at Padres – buy tickets – 10 p.m. ET – NBCSN/Peacock
Game 2, Wednesday, Sept. 30: Cubs at Padres – buy tickets – 10 p.m. ET – NBCSN/Peacock
Game 3*, Thursday, Oct. 1: Cubs at Padres – buy tickets – 10 p.m. ET – NBCSN/Peacock
* if necessary
What decides the Cubs vs Padres series?
Offense shouldn't be a problem in this series. The Cubs were the highest-scoring team in the majors this season, averaging 5.25 runs per game. Meanwhile, the Padres really caught fire after the All-Star break − with an average of 5.2 runs per game that was second only to the Cubs.
Which team's pitching staff can rise to the occasion and shut down their opponents' bats will likely be the difference in who moves on to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the division series. It could all come down to the bullpens in the late innings, where the Padres and lights-out closer Mason Milller have a definite advantage.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 23: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Truist Park on September 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Playoff baseball is finally here. Chris Sale will man the mound for the Braves while Jesus Luzardo will start for the Phillies. Sale is ready for the moment, but many in Braves country know it is going to be just as important that the offense is ready to go as well. It does seem that the Braves are ready to make the most of the opportunity, especially in front of the home crowd at Truist.
In the modern NHL, it isn’t uncommon for high draft picks to be given favourable chances in training camp to prove what they can do at the highest level.
It’s understandable. Organizations want these picks to succeed because failed development breeds criticism for management. Criticism creates pressure and eventually costs people jobs.
For a 21-year-old fourth-round pick who only has six games of professional experience under his belt, it is almost unheard of.
Senators defenseman Hoyt Stanley spoke on Monday about keeping his confidence high throughout camp (Senators/YouTube).
Yet, this is the reality Hoyt Stanley is living right now.
The defenceman was the Senators’ first pick, but a fourth-round selection (108th overall) from the 2023 NHL Draft. After three seasons at Cornell University, the 6’3”, 203 lb right-shot defenceman was enjoying his first main NHL training camp.
Early in camp, the Senators paired him with a third-year pro and regular, Tyler Kleven.
What was immediately noticeable in camp was Stanley’s blend of size and skating ability, and how he uses it effectively to disrupt offensive rushes. This combination has been a calling card for the Senators’ amateur scouts in recent years, but what separates Stanley from his prospect peers within the organization is how he limits mistakes.
For a prospect who has not played many professional games, it has been impressive to watch the simplicity and effectiveness of his game. And when he is handling the puck, there have been very few unforced errors.
Those traits have certainly caught the attention of the veteran defencemen on the team.
Following the Senators’ final split-squad game against the Montreal Canadiens, Thomas Chabot was asked about the quality performances of the young defencemen.
“The younger guys coming up, it's awesome to see (their development),” Chabot said enthusiastically. “You guys saw it last year. We had to use so many defencemen, unfortunately, but to see that there are so many guys down the pipeline who can come in and have a great impact and play good hockey, it makes everybody feel better.
“There are learning curves for everybody, but to see them go through training camp, step up and get the job done like that, all credit to them. The way Hoyt’s been playing, everybody notices, and it's good for him. It won't be long before we see him (in the NHL).”
We might even see it sooner than we expected.
Stanley was named to the Senators’ 23-man opening night roster on Monday.
When asked about the fact that he was still participating this late in training camp, Stanley still was not completely sure whether he was sticking with the club. Despite messages from friends, family and former teammates asking for clarity on his situation, Stanley admitted he was trying to take everything one day at a time.
“Yeah, definitely didn't know what to expect,” Stanley said while reflecting on his first training camp. “Coming into my first training camp, I don't want to say I’m super surprised, but I'm definitely grateful.
“I just put the work in all summer and wanted to work as hard as I could every day at camp and show what I could do, and control what I could control. I’m just grateful they've taken notice and that I'm still here. I’m just continuing to try to learn as much as I can for as long as I stick around.”
As grateful as Stanley is, he has the confidence to compete with the best players in the world.
“You want to have self-belief and believe that you can compete with the best players,” he explained. “In the summer, I'm working my tail off with some of the best players in the world too.
“Knowing that you can compete with these guys (helped), but also at the same time, I’m grateful. A lot of people probably wouldn't think that I would be at this point. So I’m happy to be here still.”
Injuries to Warren Foegele, Kurtis MacDermid and Artem Zub meant that the players were designated as injured, non-roster players. The Zub injury in particular helped open the door for Stanley to break camp with the team.
In two preseason games with the Senators, Stanley recorded a beautiful goal, two penalty minutes and two shots on goal. He finished the preseason with an even plus/minus rating. When Stanley was on the ice at five-on-five, the Senators generated 45.83 percent of the shots (CF%), 47.83 percent of the shots on goal (SF%), 50.00 percent of the total goals (GF%), and 43.93 percent of the expected goals (xGF%) per Natural Stat Trick. These numbers may seem unflattering, but the sample size is small and, relative to his peers, they were still among the better marks on the team.
Stanley is one of eight defencemen on the roster, but with Zub being out of the lineup for the immediate future, he’ll likely be competing with Carter Yakemchuk for those third-pairing minutes. It creates an interesting dynamic: on one hand, you have Stanley; on the other, Yakemchuk, who has the pedigree, offensive aptitude, and more professional experience, but also has defensive warts that will hopefully lessen with time and experience.
What helps Stanley is a belief that as the talent and competition around him improves, he has found ways to elevate his game as well.
“I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but it's definitely it's cool to take in,” he explained. “I've always thought that as the game gets faster and the players are elevated, that I also seem to rise to the occasion and play better with better players. I’m just fortunate that's the way my game's been since I was younger. I believe a lot in myself and the work I've put in.”
How it will unfold will be intriguing, but Stanley wants to make the most of this opportunity.
“Since I was a kid, like everyone else, I dreamed of playing in the NHL and playing my first game,” he stated. “If I got the opportunity, just going to try to make the most of it and show what I can do.”
By Graeme Nichols The Hockey News
This article was published first at The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. For more from THN, click on one of the latest headlines below:
For the fifth time in six years, the Minnesota Twins clocked out at the end of September—eschewing October overtime. On many occasions I was in the trenches with them, attending 27 contests (most at home, some away). My personal 11-16 record wasn’t exactly sterling—but neither was the club’s. You know the old mantra: “a bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work”? Swap amateur angling for stadium spectating and a lot of fun was still had at the ballpark(s) this particular 162 slate.
The beginning of the season brought cold, cold, and—you guessed it—a little more cold. I wasn’t done lugging the parka from the parking ramp until late-May. But I bundled up and even convinced some family to shiver along with me. On April 14 we saw two Buck Truck bombs and an Abel/Rogers/Sands shutout of the BoSox!
As April showers (and cold) turned into May flowers—the dogs ate them. I kid, I kid…just trying to scare gintzer more about Bark at the Park Night (when Bailey Ober inexplicably twirled a complete game shutout against the Miami Marlins!). To be fair, I also consumed my share of cased-meat dogs.
June 12 brought me a wild 9-8 win over the St. Louis Cardinals where Buxton doubled twice, homered—and the Twins still needed long balls from Royce Lewis & Brooks Lee in B8 to take a lead!
A few weeks later, I attended the big Joe Ryan versus Shohei Ohtani pitching matchup in front of a sold-out Target Field crowd. The Twins lost and were swept by True Blue—but years from now someone will be impressed at me seeing Ohtani pull double duty (even if that someone is me!).
When the calendar flipped to July, I saw Alan Roden walk off the Cleveland Guardians—then paused to enjoy the All-Star festivities with my unaccustomed-to-billed-headware niece.
Fortunately, I was able to pull off two more baseball stadium trips: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. and Chase Field in Arizona. Great times—like a Buxton salami—in both locales!
For the first time, I was also at Target Field without a baseball game—instead, the Tim McGraw concert! My sister and I had a great time and it’s a tribute to Son-of-Tug that his music can bridge a 13-year sibling gap.
A 15-2 victory (featuring a 10-run inning!) over the Tigers was somewhat of a September salve for another late-season collapse. My final night under the North Loop skies was another high-scoring fun affair!
At least there was no Curse of Kyle Lohse (seeing him at the Dome when I pined for Santana, Radke, or even Silva)—my SP distribution was remarkably even…
Joe Ryan: 7 starts
Zebby Matthews & Taj Bradley: 4 starts
Bailey Ober & Connor Prielipp: 3 starts
Simeon Woods-Richardson & Mike Paredes: 2 starts
Mick Abel & Dean Kremer: 1 start
Sometimes I complain about the traffic—or the ushers—or the folks oblivious to the water fountain button in the bottom right corner. Sometimes my baseball glove gets stolen out from under my seat. But I still enjoy getting out to the ballgame. There’s a song about it, after all.
