CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 23: LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets shoots the ball while guarded by Jabari Smith Jr. #10 of the Houston Rockets in the second quarter during their game at Spectrum Center on December 23, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Note: I’m writing this preview before the Houston Rockets take on the Boston Celtics. I’m also writing this well ahead of the NBA trade deadline, which is Thursday at 2pm CT. So if you’re wondering why I’m not talking about how the Rockets have traded for prime Hakeem Olajuwon or whatever, you have your answer.
The Charlotte Hornets have won seven straight games and are looking for their first 8-game winning streak since 2000. They are the only team in American sports (non-football category) to not own a winning streak of 8 games or more this millenium.
Tonight, they’ll have a great shot at it since the Rockets will be on a back-to-back (and therefore be without Tari Eason and/or Dorian Finney-Smith) while Charlotte comes in well-rested having not played since Monday.
Charlotte has Brandon Miller starting to make “The Leap,” an underrated point guard in LaMelo Ball (how can a guy be underrated when he’s on a max deal?), rookie contributors Kon Knueppel and Ryan Kalkbrenner, and savvy veteran Grant Williams. Moussa Diabate patrols the middle, but the Hornets like the gang rebound like Houston. In their most recent game against the Pelicans, six players grabbed at least seven rebounds. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like that before.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 03: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks sits by the court before a game against the Chicago Bulls at Fiserv Forum on February 03, 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
The NBA trade deadline is the last chance for teams to make a meaningful move toward accomplishing their goals for the 2025-26 season. The league’s best want to compete for a championship, and suddenly the title picture feels wide open with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s recent stumbles and the Denver Nuggets’ nagging injuries. Some teams are happy just making the playoffs and showing improvement before a bolder move in the offseason. Others are gunning for ping-pong balls to find a new franchise savior in the NBA Draft lottery.
We are tracking every deal as they happen in this post. All of these trades were first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania unless otherwise noted. Refresh it often.
Every 2026 NBA trade before the deadline
Timberwolves acquire Ayo Dosunmu from Bulls, per Shams
Knicks acquire Dalen Terry from Bulls for Guerschon Yabusele
The Warriors acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield (Grades)
Hornets acquire Tyus Jones from Magic for cash
Hawks acquire Jock Landale from the Utah Jazz for cash considerations
Jazz acquire Lonzo Ball for Cavs for two second-round picks. Ball will be waived
Nets acquire Ochai Agbaji, a 2032 Raptors second-rounder from Toronto for tax relief
Hornets acquire Coby White, Mike Conley Jr. from Bulls for Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng, three second-round picks (Grades)
Thunder acquire Jared McCain from 76ers for first-round pick (originally owned by Houston) and three second-round picks (Grades)
Wizards acquire Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum from the Mavericks for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders (Grades)
Cavs acquire James Harden from Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick (Grades)
Celtics acquire Nikola Vucevic and a second-round pick from Bulls for Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick
Bulls acquire Jaden Ivey from Pistons for Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric. Pistons acquire first-round pick swap from Timberwolves (Grades)
Jazz acquire Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Jock Landale and Vince Williams Jr. from Grizzlies for Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and three first-round picks (Grades)
Trail Blazers acquire Vit Krejci from Atlanta Hawks for Duop Reath and two second-round picks
Kings acquire De’Andre Hunter from Cavs for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, sources tell ESPN. Bulls pick up two future second-round picks in the deal (Grades)
Wizards acquire Trae Young from Hawks for C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert (Grades)
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 04: Anton Lundell #15 of the Florida Panthers scores a goal against Joonas Korpisalo #70 of the Boston Bruins during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena on February 04, 2026 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the Olympic break, folks!
The NHL is officially paused for around three weeks, with players either heading off to Milan or (probably) heading to some kind of tropical locale for a bit of a break.
The Bruins entered the break with a 5-4 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers last night, their second consecutive shootout loss in the cursed state of Florida.
If you don’t want to watch the highlights but want a brief recap of what happened:
It was a back-and-forth game early, but Florida ended up taking a 4-2 lead into the third period on the back of three special teams goals (2 PP, 1 SHG) in the second period.
The B’s tied it up in the third on goals by Mark Kastelic and Casey Mittelstadt.
Brad Marchand ended up scoring the eventual winning goal in the shootout, beating Joonas Korpisalo in the fourth round; Mittelstadt’s attempt was stopped by Sergei Bobrovsky, giving the Panthers the win.
The more notable (and rage-inducing) part of the game came in the first period, when Panthers forward Sandis Vilmanis elbowed Charlie McAvoy in the head:
Vilmanis was only given two minutes for an illegal check to the head, and the Panthers actually ended up with a power play because the Bruins were given two minutes for roughing for going after Vilmanis, plus a bonus two for unsportsmanlike conduct by the bench.
Only in the NHL could a player get illegally elbowed in the head and have his team end up disadvantaged.
McAvoy did eventually return to the game, and I imagine Vilmanis will end up getting fined like $1,500 or something today.
I don’t know why, but the “but, anyway” at the end is funny to me.
Vilmanis didn’t skate another shift after the hit, allegedly leaving with an upper-body injury.
Regardless of your (correct) feelings on the McAvoy incident, this was a game that saw the B’s let down by special teams play.
They were given seven PP opportunities, and only converted once — plus, they allowed a shorthanded goal, so…those kind of cancel each other out.
They also allowed Florida to convert on two of their three PP chances, so not a banner night for the PP or PK.
The B’s head into the Olympic break with points in seven consecutive games, and while taking two out of four points on this Florida trip certainly isn’t the worst result, you can’t help but think they left something on the table.
The glass is either half full or half empty, I guess, depending on your perspective.
Over in Milan, things are off to a bumpy start in the ice hockey world, with the Canadian women’s team’s opening game postponed due to cases of norovirus spreading among the Finland women’s team.
A norovirus outbreak in the Olympic village is………..not ideal.
Anyways, the first half(ish) of the Bruins season is over: 32-20-5, 69 points, currently in a playoff spot (with a four-point cushion).
It’s also worth noting that the B’s are only three points from 2nd/3rd in the division.
Overall, this first half feels like a slight overachievement.
Sources say Owen Miller has signed an MiLB agreement with the Cubs. He’s a lifetime backup with positional versatility and a .238/.287/.342 slash, with a lifetime -0.8 bWAR (0.7 fWAR) in MLB.
Marquee Sports Network hasn’t offered any new content since the Convention. It makes me wonder. Like I wonder how people post articles on the same subject the same day, from different publications. Meghan Montemurro and Maddie Lee do this often — it makes me think they’re sitting at the bar or talking on the phone and laughing about it. Some days four or five people do it.
Today we have a more old-fashioned episode, with lots of reading and a Food for Thought that’s about baseball. Enjoy.
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Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): More love for Edward Cabrera, and also one potential wart. “He’s been a guy that has been a favorite of some of our pitching infrastructure guys for a long time,” Cubs President Jed Hoyer said of Cabrera.
Jason Ross (North Side Baseball*): Ian Happ: The 2026 Chicago Cubs’ surest thing. “… Happ is probably the easiest player on the Cubs to predict. Let’s dive into the data to prove it.”
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series. We will not wittingly publish A. I. – driven articles or clickbait, and insist on unimpeachable sources.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JULY 6: Brandon Woodruff #53 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts against the Miami Marlins during the fifth inning at loanDepot park on July 6, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Sam Navarro/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When Freddy Peralta was traded from the Brewers, we lost not only a beloved franchise hero, but we also lost one interesting storyline from the season: had Peralta remained a Brewer and been healthy throughout the season, he would’ve passed Yovani Gallardo as the franchise’s all-time leader in strikeouts. As it stands, Peralta is instead third, with 1,153, behind Ben Sheets (1,206) and Gallardo (1,226).
With that particular race no longer relevant, I thought I’d look and see if there were any other notable franchise milestones that could be eclipsed in 2026. A disclaimer: there aren’t any major team records in danger of falling, but there are still some interesting things to keep an eye on for those who are curious about team history.
Will Christian Yelich move into fourth place in WAR among position players?
Fourth place doesn’t seem like that big of a thing, and I’d agree with that. But here’s the thing: in Milwaukee franchise history, the gap between third and fourth is huge, so we can think of this less as “fourth place” and more as “best of the rest.” Robin Yount is the clear clubhouse leader at 77.4 WAR — a record which may never be broken, considering the challenges the future Brewers would have at keeping that level of superstar for their whole career — followed by another Hall of Famer, Paul Molitor (59.9), and the 21st century representative on the list, Ryan Braun (47.2).
After that, there’s a big gap, and then things bunch up a bit. The next four gentlemen are all within 4.5 WAR of each other, and Yelich is in the middle of that group:
Cecil Cooper, 30.7
Don Money, 28.4
Yelich, 27.5
Jeff Cirillo, 26.2
So, Yelich needs 3.3 WAR to become the sole owner of fourth place on this list. That seems quite doable on the surface, but Yelich has eclipsed 3.2 WAR only once in the past six years, and his new role as a designated hitter makes it even harder; last season, when he played 150 games and had a 121 OPS+, Yelich earned 3.1 WAR. At this point, I’d say it’d be at least somewhat surprising if Yelich passed Cooper this season. With three years remaining on his contract and other teams unlikely to trade for his high salary and injury risk, Yelich likely plays enough with the Brewers to pass Cooper no matter what, but if he does get past him this season, it’s a very good sign for the club.
Yelich should also move up the leaderboards in several other notable categories: a healthy-ish and even mediocre season should see him move up to fourth in stolen bases, third in walks, and fifth in runs scored. He is just two home runs behind Ben Oglivie for seventh on the franchise list (Yelich has 174, Oglivie 176); he certainly could threaten Cooper in sixth (201) with another season like 2025. Gorman Thomas and Geoff Jenkins come next, and while it’s not inconceivable that he could catch those two in 2026, it would require a huge season: Thomas is at 208 homers, 34 ahead of Yelich, and Jenkins is at 212, 38 ahead.
How long before Brice Turang is the franchise leader in WAR by a second baseman?
The Brewers have had a bunch of good third basemen in their history. They’ve had several great first basemen. They’ve had one all-timer at shortstop. Second base? Not so much.
The franchise leader in WAR among second basemen would be Gumby, Jim Gantner. Gantner is a beloved figure in the team’s history, a guy who grew up in Fond du Lac, went to college in Oshkosh, and spent all 17 years of his major league career with the Brewers. Ganter was, we’ll say, serviceable. He was a good defensive player who could hit some singles, but he didn’t really take walks, and he didn’t really hit for any power. In 17 years, Gantner had more than 2.6 WAR in a season only once; he finished his career with 22.6 WAR via Baseball Reference, at a rate of 1.3 per season and 2.0 per 162 games.
In second place on the second base list is a personal favorite, but not someone who I exactly think of as a franchise icon: Rickie Weeks. Weeks’ career was marked by frustratingly unfulfilled potential, bad defense, eye-popping home runs, and untimely injuries. He played in parts of 11 seasons in Milwaukee and earned 12.5 WAR with the team.
Just behind him is Turang, with 11.8 career WAR. With 4.7 and 5.6 WAR via Baseball Reference in his last two seasons, Turang now owns two of the top four single seasons by a second baseman in franchise history (5.6 is tied with Paul Molitor’s 1979 season for first; the other entry here is Don Money’s 5.1 WAR season in 1977), and he’s got a pretty solid argument for being the best second baseman in franchise history. Assuming he doesn’t take an unexpected step back, Turang should solidify that argument this year. I don’t expect we’ll see an 11 WAR season in which he’d pass Gantner for the franchise record, but he should put himself in a position where he could challenge that in the 2027 season.
If this is Brandon Woodruff’s last season in Milwaukee, what records will he hold?
As we start the 2026 season, Woodruff holds a handful of franchise records already, but they’re all rate stats that he could conceivably lose if he doesn’t have a good season. There are also a couple of other rate stats in which he could move up the leaderboard if he DOES have a good season, so that’s worth watching as well. Given that Woodruff will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, the expectation is that he’ll ply his trade elsewhere in 2027, though that’s not certain. If this is his last season in Milwaukee, though, here are some things to keep an eye on:
Woodruff is first in franchise history in ERA (3.10) among pitchers with at least 500 innings pitched or 50 decisions; second place is Dan Plesac at 3.21. He’s also the franchise leader in ERA+ (136, with Corbin Burnes second at 129).
He’s also first in WHIP, at 1.034; second place is Burnes at 1.055.
Woodruff is also the franchise leader in K/BB ratio, at 4.584; he’s got a decent cushion here, with Burnes second at 4.223.
It would require quite a season to move up this leaderboard, but Woodruff is third in H/9, at 7.007, which is behind both Burnes (6.877) and Peralta (6.709).
Woodruff also ranks third behind Burnes and Peralta in K/9 (10.522, compared to 11.039 for Burnes and 11.146 for Peralta). This one seems unlikely, given that Woodruff’s strikeout stuff was off his earlier pace last season.
A healthy season would see Woodruff move into fourth in strikeouts (he enters the season with 871), passing Jim Slaton, who is at 929. Teddy Higuera’s fourth-place mark of 1,081 is not completely out of the question, but Woodruff would need to match his career-high strikeout total (211 in 2021) to pass him.
Assuming the Brewers are good, Woodruff should pass Brent Suter for the best win-loss percentage in franchise history (Suter is at .655, Woodruff is second at .654).
Woodruff’s standing in franchise history was solidified a long time ago, but a strong season could really make discussions about him as the best starting pitcher in the team’s history necessary. (Right now, the top four are, in some order, Woodruff, Higuera, Burnes, and Sheets.)
Head coach linked with new role after Rugby World Cup
‘I’ve not signed a contract,’ says Scot before Italy clash
Gregor Townsend has claimed reports he is to take over at Newcastle after the 2027 World Cup is an attempt to “disrupt” Scotland before the Six Nations.
The 52-year-old last year took on a consultancy role with Red Bull, who own Newcastle and it was reported on Thursday that Townsend will take charge of the Prem club when his contract with Scotland expires after next year’s World Cup in Australia.
This post is part of a series of daily questions that we’ll ask the community here at Amazin’ Avenue throughout the month of February. We hope you find the questions engaging and that our prompts can spark some fun conversations in the comments. We’ll see you there and plan to have staff chiming in, too.
Which Mets prospect will take the biggest step forward in 2026?
Even before Marty Walsh took the job as head of the NHL Players’ Association, he started to hear the same refrain.
In interviews for the job, he’d ask players about their priorities. Get us back into best-on-best competition and back into the Olympics, he was told.
After skipping the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, the NHL had come close to a return in 2022. Contracts were signed, the league’s calendar included a long break in February for players to go to Beijing. The pandemic, and subsequent restrictions on athletes who traveled to China for the Olympics, caused the league to pull out in December 2021.
By the time Walsh was named head of the NHLPA in March 2023, there was no pandemic to worry about. So the conversation quickly got serious about 2026.
After more than a decade without NHL players going to the Olympics, and with an entire generation of the league’s best players never given the opportunity to play in any kind of best-on-best competition, there was broad agreement that something had to give.
“There was never really a negotiation with the NHL,” Walsh told The Post. “It was basically right out the gate, mutually agreed upon that we want to get NHL players back into the Olympics, from Day 1, pretty much.”
It is, of course, one thing to be on the same page about wanting to go to the Olympics, and another thing entirely to make it happen.
On the NHL side, the Olympics come with a particular stumbling block. If they allow their players to go, it is, essentially, the highest-profile hockey event in the world, and the league itself has no control over it and cannot profit off it, at least not directly.
“We have to disappear for two weeks at the height of our season,” commissioner Gary Bettman told The Post. “Which means content for the website, for dot-com, for the radio station, for social media, from us, disappears to a large extent, because we don’t get [intellectual property] rights from the IOC.
“We have to have a compressed schedule. We have to take into account that NHL teams send various amounts of players to the Olympics. Teams like Tampa and the Panthers send 10 players each and we’ve got some teams sending one or two players. Teams are gonna come back in a different place in terms of how they are than when we left. The fact of the matter is, some teams are gonna have a good chunk of their roster a little more tired and banged up.”
Team USA winger Kyle O’Connor says the NHL players are “just chomping at the bit” to play in the Olympics again. Getty Images
Those concerns were shelved during negotiations with the IOC and IIHF for a few reasons.
First, the agreement to go to the Olympics also came with the agreement to hold the 4 Nations Face-Off and, starting in 2028, the World Cup of Hockey. That is a win-win: Players are more than happy to get more opportunities to play best-on-best, and judging by the rousing success of the 4 Nations last season, the World Cup — over which the league and players association have joint control — will be a ratings bonanza and cash cow.
“I think having this consistent schedule moving forward is gonna change the dynamics as far as the fan experience,” Walsh said. “I’m from Boston, I hear it all the time: Is there gonna be another 4 Nations? I try to explain to people, we have a World Cup of Hockey. … I think it’s important for us that people want to see this tournament, make it exciting. That [growth] will be measured at some point; I don’t think you can measure it yet.”
Second, going back to the Olympics was a major priority for the players. It helped, too, that Walsh, unlike certain predecessors, established a strong relationship with Bettman early and the league also recognized that, though the Olympics stood to benefit most from their presence, being there would help grow the game.
Third, negotiations with the IOC and IIHF went well. Costs such as transportation and insurance — the latter of which has turned into an ongoing issue at the World Baseball Classic — needed to be shouldered by those parties. Medical standards identical to the NHL’s were also incorporated.
Sidney Crosby, celebrating during Canada’s win over the U.S. in the gold medal game in 2010, is making his Olympics return. AFP/Getty Images
“Certainly, we weren’t going to pay for the privilege of shutting down,” Bettman said.
The IOC agreed to write the check, so that hurdle was cleared.
“What was not on the list [of issues],” Walsh said, “was the ice. Know what I mean?”
The last hurdle
The first thing that needs to be said about the Santagiulia Arena in Milan is that it is expected to be complete, or, better put, complete enough to stage a competition.
That such a thing was recently in question, though, is a problem unto itself. And if not for the determination of the players, who have taken an attitude that they will play in the Olympics come hell or high water, it’s certainly possible that the state of the arena would be threatening the tournament at large.
The Santagiulia Arena, which will stage most of the men’s games and both the men’s and women’s gold medal games, will have a capacity of approximately 3,000 fewer seats than planned because of construction issues.
Construction of 14 dressing rooms is coming down to the wire, the luxury suites are unfinished, the dimensions of the ice are off by a few feet, the first test event wasn’t held until just a few weeks ago and featured a stoppage of play due to a hole in the ice. The practice rink, which is adjacent to the game rink, has been slow to complete too, though The Post was told last week that it is on schedule.
The good news, relatively speaking, is that the hole in the ice is baked into the expectations for the first game on a new sheet of ice, and not quite as alarming as it sounds. The bad news is, well, pretty much everything else. The ice may be playable, but that is different from the ice being good.
“I was disappointed that the arena wasn’t as much of a priority as we had hoped,” Bettman said. “That they [hadn’t] begun building it sooner, so this wasn’t a bit of a fire drill down the end.”
The NHL and the NHLPA have both tried to keep things diplomatic regarding a situation that will at best narrowly avoid being a total embarrassment. But when Walsh and Bettman spoke to The Post in mid-January, their frustration was obvious.
“I just think when you’re building something like this for the Olympics, I would have thought a sense of urgency would have settled in a lot earlier, where you would have this thing done,” Walsh said. “… You’re talking about the world coming to your city and your country, you would hope that the arena would have been looking — not actually world class — but complete.
Marty Walsh, the head of the NHL Players’ Association, said he knew from the beginning of his tenure how badly the players wanted to return to the Olympics. AP
“From what I understand, they’re working around the clock now. They just started to work around the clock. Quite honestly, they should’ve been working around the clock all along. If it was coming to my city and I was in charge, I’d say let’s get this thing done.”
The NHL’s agreement with the IOC includes the 2030 Games, where hockey will be played in the Stade de Nice in France — a venue that already exists as a soccer stadium, but which will need to be fitted for hockey and divided into two indoor arenas.
The hope is that Kirsty Coventry, who was appointed head of the IOC last year and thus is not taking the brunt of the blame for the current situation, prevents something similar from happening four years from now.
“My expectation is that they learned from the experience,” Bettman said. “And hopefully we won’t see a repetition of it.”
Russia, Russia, Russia
Another point of contention in this return to best-on-best competition: the exclusion of Team Russia, which has been expelled from international competition due to the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
That decision — as regards both the Olympics and the 2028 World Cup of Hockey — is essentially out of the NHL’s and PA’s hands, and perhaps even the IOC’s.
First and foremost, the political echelon in European countries would need to be comfortable with the idea of their national teams playing on the same sheet of ice as Russia’s, an inherently uncomfortable thought given the propaganda value of sport. That question might even supersede those involving ongoing ceasefire negotiations, or the Trump administration’s relative warmth toward Vladimir Putin.
“I wouldn’t isolate the United States because of what’s going on here with the president and his relationship, or lack thereof, with Putin,” said Walsh, who was secretary of labor under Joe Biden when Russian soldiers began marching toward Kyiv. “Nobody’s said to us, ‘Let the Russians play,’ as far as political leadership. It’s a world issue and I think it has to be resolved on a world stage.
“I don’t think Canada and the United States can even begin to open the door here. It really has to be Europe.”
It’s little secret that Russian players want to participate, though most have refrained from commenting on the geopolitical situation, in large part because doing so could affect their families at home.
The IIHF and IOC have signaled openness to allowing Russian and Belarussian athletes at the youth level to play starting in 2028.
“That’s entirely their call,” Bettman said.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he was “disappointed” about all the problems with the Olympic hockey venue. Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn
Drop the puck
Once the tournament begins with Slovakia facing Finland next Wednesday, though, it’s a safe bet that all the concerns will be relegated to the back burner.
If the hockey is good, then a global TV audience won’t care much about whether the luxury suites in the arena are complete, or even if the ice is as good as it could be.
It will be about hockey, Olympic best-on-best hockey, and the stage which produced Sidney Crosby’s golden goal, T.J. Oshie’s shootout heroics, Dominik Hasek carrying Czechia to gold, and the Miracle on Ice will have the spotlight shining on it again.
“I think there’s nothing, in any sport, that compares to our best-on-best,” Bettman said. “The energy, the excitement, the passion, the skill that our players bring to the game is extraordinary.”
Indeed, as the date has grown closer, the excitement to get to Italy has grown palpable in NHL circles. The players, after all, have waited 12 years for this.
“I think everyone’s just chomping at the bit,” Team USA winger Kyle Connor told The Post. “The intensity, the buzz, the awareness of what the 4 Nations brought, now to take that to the scale of the Olympics. As a player, just thrilled to be able to involve more countries as well.
“Just do best-on-best hockey. It’s what you want as a competitor.”
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 18: David Fry #6 of the Cleveland Guardians bats against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Comerica Park on September 18, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians will need some help from players whose performance dipped in 2025 to make a playoff run this year… Will they get it?
Will it be David Fry who went from a 129 wRC+ to a 63 wRC+?
Will it be Stuart Fairchild who went from a 116 wRC+ against LHP to an 88 wRC+ against LHP?
Will it be Tanner Bibee who went from a 3.47 ERA to a 4.24 ERA?
Or will it be Tim Herrin who went from a 1.92 ERA to a 4.85 ERA?
What say you, Guardians fans? Who is our comeback player of the year when we look back on the 2026 season?
It looked like a trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs was unlikely for the Maple Leafs as they entered their four-game West Coast road trip last week. They had just lost five straight at home and were eight points out of a playoff spot.
It got worse when they lost to the Seattle Kraken last Thursday; Toronto then was 10 points out of the final wild-card spot. That's when reports surfaced that the Maple Leafs might lean towards being sellers as they approach the March 6 trade deadline, which makes a lot of sense.
Toronto was free-falling in the standings, losing game after game. It felt like their season was slowly — and surely — in jeopardy, and that their consecutive playoff streak (the longest in the NHL) was coming to an end.
However, after wins against the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Edmonton Oilers, Toronto is sitting in a different position. They're now six points out of the final wild-card spot, currently held by the Boston Bruins.
"We talked about coming out of the break, we've got to be prepared and ready to go because we've got, obviously, some catching up to do here," said head coach Craig Berube on Tuesday night after their win in Edmonton.
"But three wins going on the break is a good boost for our team, and I'm proud of our team, the way they competed on this road trip."
All of this begs the question: Where do the Maple Leafs go from here?
The case for being sellers
I think we could all agree that the Maple Leafs have gotten beaten up on the trade front in recent years.
The Fraser Minten-Brandon Carlo deal with the Bruins is one example of that (though Carlo's game is on an upward trajectory as of late). I think you could say the same with paying the Philadelphia Flyers a first-round pick and Nikita Grebenkin for Scott Laughton.
Now, Laughton and Carlo are important to the Maple Leafs' makeup, but many believe it was an overpay for those two in particular. I would agree, to a degree (we'll save that for another day).
Toronto, though, could recoup some of those lost assets ahead of this year's deadline if they decide their season is over.
They've got a few trade chips in unrestricted free agents, like Bobby McMann, whose 19 goals are one off matching a career-high set last season. Laughton is also a UFA at the end of this season.
Those two in particular (McMann, especially) could bring back a decent return.
McMann's a strong, powerful skater who can score and is cheap at a cap hit of $1.35 million. Laughton is a faceoff magician and an incredible teammate. If they're calling it quits on the season, the Maple Leafs need to capitalize on an investment.
Carlo and Simon Benoit have also surfaced as players that Toronto could move to regain some draft capital.
A retool for the Maple Leafs would be approved by most if they remain outside of a playoff spot.
But in their current position in the standings, could they wait a little longer after the Olympic break to decide on the season? They must have several alternative options if things go south, or north.
But apparently not.
TSN's Chris Johnston reported on Wednesday that the Maple Leafs' stance on the trade front hasn't changed, despite inching closer to the second wild-card spot in the East.
"From the Brad Treliving side of things, the Leafs' front office, they've started garnering and engaging in what their players are worth on the market," Johnston reported.
"I don't expect a three-game winning streak, and even perhaps if it extends beyond the break, where the Leafs win a couple games out of the break, I don't believe that's going to alter what this front office wants to do...
"I think the Leafs are going to get a good sense over the break, in terms of what the value is for (their players) is on the market, monitor those decisions. And as we get closer to March 6, I do still think you're going to see the Leafs sell, to some degree."
The case for staying in the playoff race
If you're a Maple Leafs fan, this could likely be what you want.
And I don't blame anyone for wanting Toronto to try to remain in the playoff picture.
This season, more than ever, feels wide open. Aside from the Colorado Avalanche, there are no real sure bets to win the Stanley Cup. Don't get me wrong, there are some strong teams, like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars.
However, I believe that, when all the chips are down, Toronto still has dangerous enough players to hang with those teams. The same goes for them against the Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and Detroit Red Wings, all of whom sit higher than the Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.
The playoffs are a different animal, though.
Keep in mind, Toronto's season has featured some pretty big highs and lows, which is why I'd say if you still have belief, you're not entirely wrong for it.
They lost Anthony Stolarz for a few months, but Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby held down the fort. Thesame occurred on defense with Carlo during the months he was out. They're also currently without Dakota Joshua (lacerated kidney) and Chris Tanev (groin) — both important players in the grand scheme.
Auston Matthews is back to being himself. William Nylander is flying. And if their win against Edmonton taught us anything, it's that when the Maple Leafs play like a team, they're still a robust hockey club.
It's still okay have hope in them; it's what being a fan is all about.
Remember, too, that the Olympic break could do some damage to teams, whether it's injuries or decelerating a club's hot streak. There are definitely a couple of teams in each conference that are riding the high of a strong season.
"I don't know about it," said Berube on whether the almost three-week break could throw some teams into a rut.
"I mean, listen, the Olympics are going to have a lot to say about that, in my opinion. Coming out of the Olympics, you never know what happens, injuries and all that sort of thing.
"But we can't worry about that. We've got to make sure we're prepared and we get the work in when we get back to work and get ready to go again. Right out of the break, we've got two tough opponents in Florida."
The Montreal Canadiens were playing their last game before the Olympic break on Wednesday night against the Winnipeg Jets, and Martin St-Louis decided to give Samuel Montembeault a start for the first time in two weeks, despite Jakub Dobes’ recent form. It was a gutsy decision from the coach, given the fact that Dobes hadn’t lost in regulation in 10 games and that the Canadiens desperately needed the two points.
A Tough Start
The Habs looked like they weren’t ready for puck drop, but thankfully, Montembeault was. He made several big saves in the first few minutes, and while he did give up a goal just six minutes in, it must be said that the Jets were on a power play at the time, and that there was nothing the goaltender could have done on that shot. Furthermore, that goal stemmed from a Phillip Danault mistake on the penalty kill; he had a golden opportunity to clear the zone, but he tried to clear it down the middle, right where the Jets defenseman was.
The Bécancour native stopped two odd-man rushes in the first frame alone, and it was because of his ability to weather the storm, making 12 stops, that the Canadiens didn’t find themselves in a bigger hole.
He was also able to shut the door for the rest of the game, making 37 saves on the 38 shots he faced for a .973 save percentage. After what he has gone through so far this season, this performance will allow him to head into the break with a positive mindset.
Taming One Of Their Demons
The Canadiens have struggled all season in the second period, so much so that before the game, they had a minus-10 differential in the middle stanza, while the Jets were plus-four, but it didn’t look like it on Wednesday night. The Habs scored two goals in 1:16 to take a 3-1 lead over the Jets.
Josh Anderson found the back of the net first, with a perfect deflection off a Jayden Struble shot after five minutes of play, and then Lane Hutson scored one of his most impressive goals of the season off an Anderson pass. The power forward’s feed was behind the defenseman, who caught the pass on his backhand, pivoted while skating towards the net, and scored short side high up on a Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck.
As for Montembeault, he added another 13 saves to his tally, keeping the Jets at bay and allowing the Canadiens to go back to the dressing room with a 3-1 lead with 20 minutes to go.
The Veterans Stood Up
When the Jets came out strong in the first frame, it was the veteran line of Danault, Anderson and Gallagher who stood up and turned the tide. The three veterans combined for seven points and were a constant pain in the Jets’ side. Danault won 12 of the 18 draws he took, Anderson registered the go-ahead goal early in the second, and Gallagher delivered the gut punch that sent the Jets down crashing early in the third frame.
While many analysts were talking about players’ heads being either in Milan for those who are heading to the Olympics and on holiday for the others, the trio was completely focused on the task at hand.
With his three points, Gallagher is now the 26th-highest scorer in Canadiens’ history with 483 points. The 33-year-old can now set his sights on Vincent Damphousse, who’s 25th, but it won’t be easy to catch him since he’s on 498 points. The diminutive winger is also 14th overall in goals and 38th overall in assists.
After many injury-plagued seasons, he played all 82 games last season and has not missed a game so far this year. He has now skated in 891 games with the Canadiens and will soon overtake Patrice Brisebois, who is in 13th place in all-time games played with the Sainte-Flanelle with 896. If he stays healthy, the veteran could reach 1,000 games before the end of his contract since the regular season will have 84 games starting in 2026-27.
With this 5-1 win, the Canadiens moved into second place in the Atlantic Division, at least momentarily. On Thursday, while the Habs will all be heading out on holiday or to the Olympics, the Buffalo Sabres will be taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins, meaning that when the league shuts down for the break, the Sabres and the Habs will have played the same number of games.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 31: Orion Kerkering #50 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on August 31, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves defeated the Phillies 3-1. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This intro was originally going to be about how the Pirates were having an interesting offseason after being connected to Kyle Schwarber earlier this winter and with Ken Rosenthal saying they were making an aggressive push for Framber Valdez yesterday. Then the Tigers went and signed Valdez, so the Pirates offseason of “No Paul, we’re really, REALLY trying! We swear!” continues.
CHINA - 2024/06/21: In this photo illustration, the American National Basketball Association (NBA) men's professional basketball league logo seen displayed on a smartphone with an economic stock exchange index graph in the background. (Photo Illustration by Budrul Chukrut/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Today is the day. Trade deadline day. The one we circle on the calendar and quietly count toward from the moment the season tips off.
What makes the NBA different is how much movement lives around this moment. And this year, it feels louder. It’s more alive than it has been in a while. Almost like teams finally cracked the code on the apron rules and the cap math, with front offices working overtime to build scenarios that actually function within the margins.
The movement has been constant. Anthony Davis ends up in Washington alongside Trae Young. Jonathan Kuminga finally finds a new home in Atlanta. Chicago, a franchise that usually plays this time of year conservatively, has gone full chaos mode, spinning off moves that leave you squinting at the transaction wire trying to figure out the why. James Harden is now in Cleveland. Dario Saric has been traded twice. Jock Landale too.
Here is the contrast. This kind of activity usually waits for the final hours. The panic. The scramble. The last-minute leverage plays. Instead, teams got out in front of it. They moved early. They acted decisively. And it has turned deadline week into something more than a countdown.
It has turned it into an entertaining spectacle.
But there is one team that has stayed quiet. One team with very little smoke, very few whispers, and almost no real traction in the rumor mill. That team is the Phoenix Suns.
I think everyone knows where I land on this. I do not need a big shake-up. Frankly, I am tired of them. A midseason reset is not something I believe this team needs, and it feels like the organization sees it the same way. What the Suns have right now is rare. It’s chemistry. It’s buy in. It’s defensive intensity and relentless effort. Around the league, teams are trying to manufacture that. Phoenix already has it.
That is the contrast. When you have something that is hard to replicate, you do not tip the boat. You do not make a trade simply for the sake of making a trade. Especially when you are still developing young players who need runway, not disruption. The Suns have given them that. And it shows.
Could they trim some payroll? Sure. Nick Richards moving makes logical sense on paper, even if it risks thinning the center depth and possibly biting them later. That is the kind of move that fits.
Today tells us what this team is going to look like for the rest of the season. Yes, the buyout market is coming. It always does. But rarely does it move needles in any meaningful way. It is conversation fuel, not an earthquake.
So now we wait. We watch. Notifications on. Refresh buttons working overtime. Waiting to see if any madness breaks through the calm.
Welcome to trade deadline day, my friends. One of the best days on the NBA calendar.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 1: Marvin Bagley III #35 of the Washington Wizards plays defense during the game against the Sacramento Kings on February 1, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks pulled off a franchise-altering trade on Wednesday, officially moving on from another franchise-altering trade that took place just over a year ago. Gone is Anthony Davis, and with him the last remnants of Nico Harrison’s ill-fated vision.
Davis and the cap relief his departure affords the Mavericks is rightfully the headline, however there are also four new faces headed to Dallas. On the surface, their value is in said cap relief, as three of the four are expiring contracts after this season. That said, the Mavericks front office may have plans for some or all of these players beyond this offseason. We’ll take a look at who is coming to Dallas, their season stats, contract status and how they may fit long-term.
Khris Middleton
Stats Summary: 10.3 Points, 3.9 Rebounds, 3.3 Assists per game – 34 games played
Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent after 2025-26 season
The number 39 pick in the 2012 Draft spent most of his NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he won the 2021 NBA Championship. Middleton was a big part of the Bucks’ success, playing the role of Robin to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Batman. He also has an Olympic Gold Medal to his name.
At age 34 and playing Cooper Flagg’s most ideal position, Middleton is unlikely to be a long-term Maverick. One has to figure a chance to sign on with a contender this offseason is appealing to him, plus he does not fit the Mavs’ rebuild timeline. With Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington alongside Flagg, he is not first in line for the forward positions either. Still, even if he lasts only half of a season in Dallas, he could still bring valuable mentorship to Flagg and a veteran presence in general.
Malaki Branham
4.6 Points, 1.6 Rebounds, 0.8 Assists per game – 28 games played
Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent after 2025-26 season
The number 20 pick in the 2022 Draft is a lesser known quantity. He logged decent minutes in his first two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, then saw a drop-off in year three before joining the Washington Wizards this year. He hits the three ball at a solid 37.8% clip and his draft profile suggested he was a capable three-level scorer coming into the league.
Branham gives the Mavs plenty of flexibility. He certainly fits the Flagg timeline at just 22-years old and it will cost Dallas nothing to give him some burn. He has proven capable of at least dropping 10 points per game given the chance, and is essentially a zero-risk player for Dallas. They can see how he pans out and either walk away or commit to him, likely for cheap, if they like what they see.
A.J. Johnson
2.8 Points, 1.2 Rebounds, 0.9 Assists per game – 25 games played
Contract Status: Under contract through 2026-27 season; team option for 2027-28 season
The number 23 pick in the 2024 Draft just turned 21-years old at the start of December. His road to the NBA was unique in that he committed to the University of Texas, then instead opted to go to the NBL before the Bucks drafted him. Standing 6’5” he has the length to defend on the perimeter but will need to fill out his 160-pound frame to endure the rigors of NBA life.
Like Branham, Johnson is a low-risk player who is certainly on the Flagg timeline. He averaged 9.1 points per game last season, but is raw any way you look at it with less-than-ideal shooting efficiency (36.8% overall; 27% from deep). Being under contract should give the Mavs some time to figure out what they have, with minimal financial impact on their bigger plans.
Marvin Bagley III
10.1 Points, 5.7 Rebounds, 1.5 Assists per game – 38 games played
Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent after 2025-26 season
The number 2 pick in the 2018 Draft is the most intriguing acquisition of the four. Bagley came into the league with plenty of hype but did not live up to the expectations of his draft status. His NBA career has spanned the Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards, none of whom were particularly good for any consistent stretch during his respective tenures, so it will be interesting to see how he may fit with a rebuilding Dallas team.
Bagley will turn 27-years old in March, so he doesn’t have the youth of Branham and Johnson, but it’s difficult to categorize him as “too old.” He may not be in his prime when Flagg is, but it’s unreasonable to expect the team to surround Flagg with 20-year olds and hope for the best. Bagley could easily be a longer-term fit in Dallas and the Mavs are in a good position to see where they can go with him. If Daniel Gafford ends up being traded in the next few hours, Bagley could be a built-in replacement (they have similar numbers, but Bagley is happy to put up the occasional shot from downtown). If Gafford sticks around and Dereck Lively’s injury history proves dubious, Dallas won’t be totally strapped. If Gafford and Lively are the answer going forward, Bagley can play some power forward as part of a deep group of bigs, or he can simply walk or be part of a sign-and-trade. Like the others, Bagley affords the Mavs a lot of flexibility they didn’t have on Wednesday morning.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
The Spurs have one more home game in San Antonio before they head into the All-Star Weekend followed by their annual Rodeo Roadtrip.
The Silver & Black have kept busy off the court with a series of community events.
On Tuesday, Spurs Sports & Entertainment, alongside San Antonio Sports, Behind the Whistle, and local school districts, hosted the National Girls and Women in Sports Day Leadership Summit at Frost Bank Center.
700 female high school athletes from across Bexar County participated in a panel discussion.
The crowd received a visit from Spurs shooting guard Stanley Umude, a Warren High School alum.
Later that afternoon, Spurs rookie Carter Bryant hosted the fourth annual “Spurs Math Hoops Live” program, presented by Whataburger. Fourth and fifth grade students from Essence Preparatory Public School, Eloise Japhet Elementary School, and Herman Hirsch Elementary School participated in Spurs Math Hoops, a comprehensive community program, featuring a basketball board game, mobile app and curriculum that teaches students fundamental math skills through the game of basketball.
The Spurs Math Hoops program was featured on a global scale with local San Antonio participant Camila Ramirez competing in an international championship in Paris as part of The 2025 NBA Paris Games.
Spurs are in Dallas this evening before heading home to host the Mavs on Saturday. They don’t play in the Frost Bank Center again until March 5th when they host Eastern Conference top seeded Detroit Pistons.
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