Small Towns That Produced Big-Time NHL Players

By Jack Sponagle, The Hockey News intern

Sometimes, small places can produce big names in the world of hockey. Despite these players coming from remote areas and small communities, their success in the world of hockey proves that it doesn’t matter where you come from. You can always set your sights on the NHL, because in the end, everyone was just a kid from somewhere at one point.

Al MacInnis: Inverness, N.S.

Known for his weapon of a slapshot, MacInnis played 23 NHL seasons with Calgary and St. Louis on his way to a Hall of Fame career. MacInnis was born in Inverness, N.S., with a population of 1,300, but was raised in Port Hood, a nearby fishing village with a population of 900. He was the seventh-born of eight children.

Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Rich and Ron Sutter: Viking, Alta.

All six brothers of the legendary Sutter family come from this small Alberta town of about 970 people. At least one Sutter brother played in the NHL every season from 1976-77 through 2000-01. And all six of them played in the NHL at the same time from 1982-83 through 1986-87.

The town of Viking was settled by Scandinavian settlers, explaining its name. Viking can also lay claim to Carson Soucy, the current New York Rangers blueliner.

Nicklas Lidstrom: Krylbo, SWE

Undoubtedly, one of the best defensemen to ever play the game, Lidstrom hails from Krylbo, a small market town of 2,500 people. Lidstrom’s seven Norris Trophies are tied for second all-time with Doug Harvey, behind only Bobby Orr (eight).

Travis Sanheim: Elkhorn, Man.

Sanheim was born to grain-farming parents in Elkhorn, a small village in Manitoba near the Saskatchewan border of around 450 residents. More than 19,000 spectators fit into the Flyers’ home rink, the Wells Fargo Center, meaning that you could fit about 43 times the population of Elkhorn into the stadium.

Carey Price: Anahim Lake, B.C.

Born in Vancouver, the 15-year NHL veteran was raised in Anahim Lake, a small town in central B.C. with a population of around 360. The closest organized hockey for Price to play as a child was five hours away, meaning a 10-hour round trip. Eventually, his father bought a personal plane to fly the two of them back and forth for practices and games.

Carey Price (Eric Bolte-Imagn Images)

Pheonix Copley: North Pole, Ala.

Copley has 77 NHL games under his belt for the Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues. Copley’s hometown of North Pole boasts a population of around 2,700. What makes the town stand out is its year-round Christmas celebration. Here are some of the town’s actual street names: Kris Kringle Drive, St. Nicholas Drive and Santa Claus Lane. No, we’re not kidding.

Jake Sanderson: Whitefish, Mont.

One of two Montana-born NHL players, Sanderson hails from Whitefish (approximate population of 7,200). Son of former NHLer Geoff Sanderson, who himself is from Hay River, N.W.T. (approximate population of 3,400), Sanderson and his family moved to Calgary when he was 12.

Erik Karlsson: Landsbro, SWE

The 15th overall pick in 2008, Karlsson has seen action in 1,084 games. If Karlsson plays for another four or five seasons, he could have more games played than Landsbro (approximate population of 400) has residents.

Mikko Rantanen: Nousiainen, FIN

Nousiainen is a town in the southwestern area of Finland that has 4,600 residents. Rantanen left Nousiainen for Colorado when he was drafted by the Avalanche 10th overall in 2015.

James Reimer: Morweena, Man.

Since arriving in the NHL in 2010-11, the 37-year-old journeyman netminder has played for Toronto, San Jose, Florida, Carolina, Detroit, Anaheim and Buffalo – but his roots are in Morweena, Man. Morweena has a population of around 150. In his NHL career, Reimer has both won (225) and lost (187) more games than there are people in Morweena.

Jonas Hiller: Felben-Wellhausen, SUI

A veteran of 404 NHL games, Hiller was born in Felben-Wellhausen, a town that was made by the merger of two villages called – wait for it – Felben and Wellhausen in 1983. It had a population of around 2,900 as of December 2018.

Jordin Tootoo: Churchill, Man.

The first Inuk player in NHL history, Tootoo played in 723 NHL games with Nashville, Detroit, New Jersey and Chicago. Tootoo’s hometown, Churchill (approximate population of 900), is known as the polar bear capital of the world, so much so that it is illegal to lock the doors of your car in the event that someone needs to get inside to get away from a polar bear. While he was born in Churchill, Tootoo and his family moved to Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, when he was young, and that’s where he first learned to play hockey.

Garnet Hathaway: Kennebunkport, Maine

Originally born in Naples, Fla., Hathaway was raised in Kennebunkport from the time he was six months old. Kennebunkport is a small resort town near the New Hampshire border with a population of 3,700, and it’s famously home to the Bush (George H.W. and George W.) family’s summer compound.

Hannu Jarvenpaa: Ii, FIN

Jarvenpaa played in 114 NHL games for the Winnipeg Jets in the late 1980s. What makes him stand out is his hometown’s two-letter name. Spelt with just two I’s, Ii is the shortest location name in Finland. Jarvenpaa, a member of the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame, calls those two letters home. Ii had a population of 9,900 as of December 2023.

John LeClair: St. Albans, Vt.

LeClair was born in a small town not far from the Vermont/Quebec border. St. Albans, with around 7,000 residents, did not have any organized hockey when LeClair was growing up. LeClair and his friends had to play in an old railroad shed.

Andrei Kuzmenko: Yakutsk, RUS

With a population of over 280,000 people, Yakutsk isn’t exactly a small town. What makes it stand out is that Yakutsk is the coldest major city in the world. It has an average daily temperature of minus-8 degrees Celsius, and in the winter temperatures can range between minus-20 at its highest and a record low of minus-64. So you can see why the Kings winger seems so at home on the ice.

Morgan and Conor Geekie: Strathclair, Man.

Boston center Morgan Geekie and Tampa Bay center Conor Geekie both grew up in Strathclair, Man. In 2016, the population barely exceeded 700. The two brothers played many sports growing up in Strathclair, and in fact, they often signed up for every sport offered just to ensure there would be enough players to field a team.

Ryane Clowe: Fermeuse, Nfld.

Clowe had a 491-game career that was plagued with concussion issues that were so severe they even ended his coaching career. Clowe had returned to Newfoundland to coach the Newfoundland Growlers, a now-defunct ECHL team based in St. John’s, about 50 miles from Fermeuse (approximate population of 300).

Elias Pettersson: Ange, SWE

Pettersson – the Vancouver Canucks center, not the Vancouver Canucks defenseman – was born in Sundsvall, Swe., but raised in Ange. Ange is a town of nearly 3,000. Pettersson played youth hockey in Ange, but had to play his junior hockey in Timra, about 60 miles away, due to the lack of opportunities in Ange. Ange is also the hometown of Samuel Pahlsson, a 798-game veteran in the NHL and Stanley Cup champion with Anaheim.

Bryan Trottier: Val Marie, Sask.

Val Marie is a village of roughly 130 people that’s nestled between Swift Current and the Montana border. Val Marie is where the Islanders legend and Hall of Famer grew up, alongside his brother Rocky, who played in 38 NHL games. Trottier scored more playoff points (182) than there are residents in Val Marie.

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Britain’s Simon Yates seals Giro d’Italia triumph and banishes pain of 2018

  • Visma-Lease a Bike rider secures second Grand Tour title

  • Yates lost 2018 Giro after cracking on Colle delle Finestre

Simon Yates arrived in Rome, was blessed by Pope Leo XIV and then completed a miraculous overall victory in the 2025 Giro d’Italia, seven years after his race lead had traumatically dissolved with victory in his grasp.

The Lancastrian rider’s remarkable turnaround in Saturday’s final mountain stage, in which Yates leapfrogged 21-year-old Giro debutant and race leader, Isaac del Toro and podium rival, Richard Carapaz, to take a near four-minute overall lead, was one of the most stunning in Grand Tour racing.

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Knicks 2024-25 Season Report Card: Grading the key contributors and head coach Tom Thibodeau

The Knicks ended their 2024-25 season falling two wins short of the NBA Finals, after a whirlwind of a year that began with a training camp eve blockbuster trade and brought a shocking upset over the defending champion Boston Celtics.

Let’s look back and see how each individual team member performed this year as a whole and grade them for their efforts:

Jalen Brunson: A

The Captain continued his rise into NBA stardom this year and delivered when the Knicks needed him most, earning himself a Clutch Player of the Year Award. Brunson averaged 26 points and 7.3 assists on 54 percent shooting from two and 38 percent shooting from three during the regular season, then upped his game in the postseason, averaging 29 and seven assists on 51 percent shooting from two and 36 percent from three.

There were drawbacks, as he didn’t leave the Conference Finals on the best note and got hammered defensively that series. As the team leader he’s also responsible for the communication and ego issues the team constantly brought up throughout the season, but this was his first go around as the clear No. 1 in the locker room, so look for improvements in all these regards next year.

Karl-Anthony Towns: A-

Despite being shipped by the team that drafted him and molded him over nine years on the eve of training camp and immediately facing questions about his toughness and defense, Towns adjusted to New York quickly and effectively, putting together an All-Star worthy season. Though his defense was infuriating at times, he put it together for that Celtics series and still brought a massive scoring punch every night, despite not being maximized on that end. 

OG Anunoby: B+

After signing the biggest contract in Knicks history, Anunoby averaged a career-high 18 points on 37 percent shooting from three, expanding his self-creation game and still bringing that otherworldly defense. He had a rough shooting conference finals in a tough matchup, and had some weird bouts of inconsistency, but was one of the more dependable Knicks on the season, playing 74 games and upping the ante defensively. 

Mikal Bridges: B-

Bridges will forever be haunted by the price it took to acquire him, but had a strong year, including some massive postseason moments, outside of his odd quirks. If he comes back next year having rediscovered his shooting stroke and willingness to play with some physicality, it could be a massive season for him. 

Josh Hart: B-

It’s hard to ding a guy that does all the thankless things for a team stacked with offensive talent, but something about Hart’s year didn’t quite measure up to his previous work. Most egregious was a disastrous Pacers series in which he nearly had as many turnovers as field goals, but even prior to that, the pace-pushing, tenacious rebounding, and connectivity was come-and-go.

May 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) looks to pass after a rebound as Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) defends in the first half during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden.
May 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) looks to pass after a rebound as Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) defends in the first half during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. / Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images

Mitchell Robinson: A+

After missing the length of the season recovering from an ankle injury, Robinson returned and was one of the most impactful Knicks of the Playoffs, single-handedly turning around games to the point he was inserted into the starting lineup. There were questions surrounding his health coming into the year that got his name tied up in trade rumors, but he’s re-cemented himself as a top starting center in this league after a dominant postseason.

Miles McBride: C+

Last year’s breakout year came with heightened expectations for McBride, who struggled through injury and regression during the regular season, before bouncing back somewhat in the Playoffs. He had a case to play more as a true spacer and defender in Towns-at-the-five lineups, but didn’t get many opportunities for it. 

Precious Achiuwa: B

Achiuwa wasn’t a mainstay in the rotation, especially once Robinson returned, but when called upon did his job serviceably and with high effort. This included out-of-position stints at the four and some short but useful appearances in the Playoffs. 

Cameron Payne: C-

A nice stopgap as a backup point, Payne was serviceable enough in taking up some first half minutes, especially when he knocked down shots. But his small frame was a target defensively that got exposed in the Playoffs when he struggled to score on the other end, and outside a couple of cool moments, had a largely forgettable year. 

Landry Shamet: B+

A strong preseason that set him up for a rotation spot ended in a hamstring injury that sidelined him for much of the regular season, but after a ramp-up period and late postseason insertion into the rotation, Shamet paid solid dividends to the Knicks for keeping their faith in him. A trusted shooter and willing defender, they should try to retain him as an off-the-bench piece. 

Delon Wright: B+

The Knicks acquired Wright at the trade deadline in exchange for Jericho Sims, but didn’t really utilize him until they found their backs against the wall against Indiana. At that point, he proved himself a capable bench spark defensively, if only we had seen more of it prior. 

Tom Thibodeau: B+

While Thibodeau gets the highest of marks for getting the Knicks to their first Conference Finals in decades, unfortunately many of the frustrations with his coaching reared their heads at once in knocking the Knicks out of that series. Failure to experiment with lineups throughout the regular season, failure to trust in the bench, and a failure to maximize the offense all came back to haunt New York, but given their success and his popularity among the players, the adjustment here is bringing in a strong assistant or two instead of replacing the winningest coach in recent Knicks history.  

2025 Stanley Cup Final Betting Preview: Oilers-Panthers Set for Epic Rematch

The 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers is set to begin this Wednesday in Edmonton, marking a highly anticipated rematch of last year's thrilling seven-game series. 

The Panthers are playing in their third straight Stanley Cup Final, continuing a streak that marks the sixth consecutive year an Eastern Conference team from Florida has reached the final. They advanced by beating the Maple Leafs, Hurricanes, and Lightning. The Oilers, meanwhile, look to overcome last year’s loss, when they nearly came back from a 3-0 series deficit to force a Game 7. They earned their spot by defeating the Stars, Kings, and Golden Knights. This rematch sets the stage for a hard-fought battle as both teams compete for the Cup.

Both teams listed at near-even odds with Edmonton at -118 and Florida at -108 but bettors will have a wealth of intriguing betting options to make this year's final that much more exciting. 

🏆 Series Odds & Outcomes

  • Oilers in 7: +390 (shortest odds)
  • Panthers in 7: +460 (2nd-shortest odds)
  • Panthers in 6: +470 (3rd-shortest odds)
  • Oilers sweep (4-0): +1400
  • Panthers sweep (4-0): +1500 
  • Series Over 5.5 Games: -210
  • Series Under 5.5 Games: +168

The betting market and the entire hockey world anticipate another tightly contested series, with both teams facing off once again, knowing each other better than they know themselves. It should culminate in another seven game series for the ages.  

More NHL: NHL Insider Reports Maple Leafs, Golden Knights May Have Discussed Marner Trade

Top Goal Scorer Odds

  • Leon Draisaitl (EDM): +300
  • Connor McDavid (EDM): +500
  • Sam Reinhart (FLA): +800
  • Matthew Tkachuk (FLA): +800
  • Sam Bennett (FLA): +1200

Draisaitl leads the odds, showcasing his trademark scoring ability with seven goals this postseason. Right behind him is McDavid, who remains a major threat thanks to his elite offensive skill set. And let’s not overlook Florida’s Sam Bennett, the league’s current top scorer with ten goals, who’s making a strong case for a new contract with his standout performance.

Series Points Leader Odds

  • Connor McDavid (EDM): +140
  • Leon Draisaitl (EDM): +240
  • Aleksander Barkov (FLA): +1200 

McDavid’s odds are notably strong, highlighting his potential to take over the series offensively. He leads all players in playoff points once again, tallying 26 in 16 games. Over the past two postseasons, he’s racked up an incredible 68 points in just 41 games, solidifying his status as the clear favorite. Close behind him, though, is Draisaitl with 25 points, keeping the race tight.

More NHL: Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner Next Team Betting Odds Revealed

🧢 Potential Hat Trick?

Any player to record a hat trick: +168

Hat tricks are a rare feat in the Stanley Cup Final, but 33 players have accomplished it throughout NHL history. The most recent came in 2023, when Mark Stone scored three goals in Game 5 against the Panthers while playing through a fractured wrist. With elite offensive talents like McDavid, Draisaitl, and Tkachuk on the ice in this year’s series, the possibility of another hat trick emerging is very real and definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Conn Smythe Trophy Odds (Playoff MVP)

  • Connor McDavid (EDM): +100
  • Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA): +250
  • Aleksander Barkov (FLA): +500

Alternate Bets:

  • Winner's position - Forward: -360
  • Winner's position - Goaltender: +270
  • Winner's position - Defenseman (e.g., Evan Bouchard): +21000
  • Winner's nationality - Canadian: -110
  • Winner's nationality - Finnish: +450
  • Winner's nationality - American: +2400 

McDavid leads the Conn Smythe odds, reflecting his pivotal role in Edmonton's playoff run.  Bobrovsky and Barkov provide strong value picks for Florida, especially if the Panthers clinch the series. 

More NHL: Veterans First: NHL Insiders Pick Players Who Deserve Cup First From Each Contender

🏆 Who Will Receive the First Cup Handoff?

Edmonton Oilers:

  • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: +260
  • Leon Draisaitl: +300
  • Adam Henrique: (+10000) 

Florida Panthers:

  • Nate Schmidt: +380
  • Seth Jones: +750
  • Aaron Ekblad +1200

Insiders suggest veteran forward Adam Henrique for the Oilers, given his long-awaited opportunity, and Nate Schmidt for the Panthers, recognizing his leadership and experience. 

Notable Player Props

  • Connor McDavid to record 10+ points: +140
  • Leon Draisaitl to record 7+ points: -280
  • Sam Reinhart to record 5+ points: -172
  • Aleksander Barkov to record 5+ points: -230
  • Sam Bennett to record 5+ points: -112
  • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to record 5+ points: -172
  • Jake Walman to record 3+ points: +108

These props highlight players expected to make significant contributions throughout the series.  Jake Walman, in particular, presents a potential steal given his recent offensive surge of four points over his last four games. 

Stanley Cup Finals Fun Facts

  • The 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers marks only the third time in NHL history that the same two teams have met in consecutive Finals. Previously, back-to-back matchups occurred in 1983 and 1984 when the New York Islanders faced the Edmonton Oilers, and again in 2008 and 2009 with the Detroit Red Wings against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Each team that lost the first series, came back and won the following year.       
  • The distance between Rogers Place in Edmonton and Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, is approximately 2,541 miles (4,089 kilometers). This marks the longest travel distance between two teams in Stanley Cup Final history, surpassing the previous record of 2,500 miles set in the 2011 Final between the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins.         
  • The geographical spread between Edmonton and Sunrise also represents the largest latitude difference between two cities in a championship series in North American professional sports history. Edmonton is situated at 53.5461°N, while Sunrise is at 26.1670°N, creating a significant north-south divide.         
  • Due to the substantial distance, both teams face unique travel challenges. The Oilers' flight to Florida takes approximately five hours and 38 minutes, not accounting for the two-hour time difference between Edmonton's Mountain Standard Time and Florida's Eastern Standard Time. 
  • To pass the time during their flights, players engage in various activities, according to reports. The Panthers' plane features a card table for games, while the Oilers' plane is reportedly equipped with a Nintendo Switch, where players, including goalie Stuart Skinner, enjoy competitive rounds of Mario Kart.
  • The Oilers boast 16 Canadian-born players on their roster, the most among all teams in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.         
  • During the 2024–25 regular season, the Panthers defeated the Oilers in both encounters. In the first game on December 16, 2024, Florida won 6–5 in Edmonton. In the second game on February 27, 2025, the Panthers secured a 4–3 victory in Sunrise.         
  • Corey Perry is set to be the first ever player to reach the Stanley Cup Final representing five different franchises; the Anaheim Ducks (2007), Dallas Stars (2020), Montreal Canadiens (2021), Tampa Bay Lightning (2022), and now the Edmonton Oilers (2025).

Giro d’Italia: Simon Yates seals overall victory as Olav Kooij wins final stage – as it happened

Simon Yates safely finished the final day and his Visma–Lease A Bike teammate Olav Kooij claimed stage victory

I never truly believed until the very last moment there,” Yates told the reporter and former pro rider, Adam Blythe. “I’m speechless, really.

“It’s still sinking in … I couldn’t hold back the tears. It’s something I’ve worked towards … yeah. I’ve had a lot of setbacks, but I finally managed to pull it off.”

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Giannis Antetokounmpo's decision could hold up Durant trade, much of free agent market

With 28 NBA teams eliminated from competition, the eyes of many fans have already turned to free agency, the draft, and trades to upgrade their rosters. While the draft is still more than 3 weeks away and free agency a week later, that hasn't slowed the NBA's rumor mill, which is in full swing.

However, fans may need to be patient waiting for action.

That's because Giannis Antetokounmpo is the first domino that must fall in free agency. He has yet to sit down with the front office (and likely ownership) in Milwaukee and come to an agreement on his future — whatever it might be — and all the other dominoes are on hold waiting for his move. It's something Marc Stein wrote about in his latest Substack missive.

"The expectation persists that Durant will ultimately reach the trade market this offseason, but it might not happen until there is clarity on whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will be staying in Milwaukee or seeking a trade of his own."

The logic here is simple: The teams that might be interested in trading for the 37-year-old next season Durant would much rather be in the mix for the 30-year-old in his prime Antetokounmpo. Those teams will keep their powder dry until Antetokounmpo makes his call, then they will pivot to Durant (or another direction).

Don't be so sure Antetokounmpo is going to push his way out of Milwaukee. He probably does, but don't be so sure it's a lock.

If the primary goal is to win, he could push for a trade to a place like Houston or San Antonio, where he would instantly make the franchise a contender (and those teams have the players and picks to make an enticing trade). However, that moves Antetokounmpo to the stacked West. If he were hypothetically to join Houston, his Rocket team would have to beat 68-win powerhouse Oklahoma City (which is not yet up against the tax and will run it back), Nikola Jokic and a likely deeper Nuggets team, Luka Doncic and LeBron James (likely with a real center) in Los Angeles, Stephen Curry with Jimmy Butler for a full season in Golden State, a Timberwolves team with Anthony Edwards that has been to two straight Western Conference Finals and is improving, not to mention Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, Ja Morant and the Grizzlies, James Harden and the Clippers, and on down the line.

Antetokounmpo might look at that landscape and decide he'd rather stay in the East, especially one where Boston is without Jayson Tatum for much of the season. However, wherever Antetokounmpo might be traded to in the East — Brooklyn, New York, Toronto, even Cleveland or any other team — the price coming back to Milwaukee would gut his new roster of a good supporting cast. He would essentially be in the situation he is now with the Bucks, an MVP-ballot level player surrounded by not enough to win.

If Milwaukee can sell Antetokounmpo on a two-year rebuilding plan, would he stick around? It's a question only Antetokounmpo can answer, and it depends on what is ultimately most important to him.

Until he makes that call, the rest of the NBA trade market is on hold.

Piastri leads McLaren one-two in Spanish F1 GP as Verstappen pays penalty

  • Piastri leads Norris by 10 points in drivers’ standings

  • Verstappen drops to 10th after penalty for late collision

Max Verstappen has worked hard to throw off a reputation for being reckless and indeed dangerous at times on track. Efforts that were left sorely damaged after he displayed a moment of anger at the Spanish Grand Prix that tarnished his standing as both a four-time champion and an enormously accomplished driver, quite apart from potentially costing him the world championship.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri won at the Circuit de Barcelona‑Catalunya with an accomplished drive from pole, beating his teammate Lando Norris into second place and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc into third. Yet it was Verstappen’s moment of ill-judged anger for which the race will be remembered and which will not be forgotten when the Dutchman’s legacy comes to be considered.

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Winners And Losers From Round 3 Of The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs

It’s taken a year for us to get right back to where we were in 2024: a long-haul Stanley Cup Final between the sunbelt champion Florida Panthers and the team that pushed them to the limit last year, Canada’s Edmonton Oilers

Round 3 wasn’t as gruelling for the winners as last season, with both sides advancing in five games instead of six. But with no more than seven games remaining before we wrap the 2024-25 NHL campaign, here’s a look at six players whose narratives changed in Round 3 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, for better or for worse.

Winners

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, LW, Edmonton Oilers

The top-scoring players from the conference finals were a trio of Edmonton Oilers who each recorded nine points in five games against the Dallas Stars

Naturally, two of the names were Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But it’s impressive to see that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has kept pace. He currently sits fourth in playoff scoring with 18 points in 16 games, on track to beat his 22 points in 25 games from 2024. 

Now 32, Nugent-Hopkins is frequently overshadowed by the Oilers’ superstars. Fourteen years in, the last holdover from the 'Decade of Darkness' is playing an impactful role as he gets his second crack at a Cup.

Seth Jones, D, Florida Panthers

With 14 points in 17 games and boundless enthusiasm for the spotlight, Brad Marchand has been the most conspicuous new addition as the Panthers try to repeat.

Meanwhile, Seth Jones has been content to fly under the radar. But after the Panthers said goodbye to defensemen Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson last summer, Jones has been their ice-time leader with 24:59 a game in the playoffs — and is bringing out the best in his partner Niko Mikkola. 

After nearly four years in purgatory in Chicago, Jones is showing no sign of wilting in his first playoff experience beyond the second round. Once considered a potential Norris Trophy candidate, Jones is the latest trade acquisition to tap into his best self after arriving in South Florida.

Seth Jones (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

Troy Stecher, D, Edmonton Oilers

Has a journeyman defenseman ever received such a glow-up this late in the playoffs? Swapped in for Ty Emberson late in Round 2, Stecher made the most of every minute of his ice time for the next six games. He provided a calming presence for partner Darnell Nurse as Edmonton outscored its opponents 3-0 at 5-on-5 when he was on the ice. 

Playing with heart and determination that makes up for what he lacks in stature, Stecher gave his all when called upon, then ceded his spot graciously when Mattias Ekholm suited up for Game 5 against Dallas.

“I want him healthy and I want him to help us win,” Stecher said. “He's a better player than I am. That's just the reality of the world.”

That type of team-first attitude goes a long way when building a champion.

Losers

Jake Oettinger, G, Dallas Stars

A third-straight conference final loss would inevitably have made tongues wag about whether the Stars’ starting goaltender has the mettle to take his team to a title. But Peter DeBoer’s dramatic decision to yank Jake Oettinger just 7:09 into a potential elimination game poured gasoline onto that spark.

Oettinger announced himself as a big-game goalie in the 2022 playoffs, posting a 1.81 goals-against average and .954 save percentage in the Stars’ first-round loss to the Calgary Flames

But now that DeBoer has brought it up, it’s hard not to un-see the fact that Oettinger hasn’t played to that same standard in his three subsequent runs. Though he’s second only to Sergei Bobrovsky in games played (56) and wins (29) over the last three years, Oettinger’s .905 save percentage and 2.69 GAA over the same timeframe come in below not just Bobrovsky but also goalies like Igor Shesterkin, Adin Hill, Frederik Andersen, Jeremy Swayman, Logan Thompson and others.

Next season, Oettinger starts an eight-year contract extension that carries a cap hit of $8.25 million. And he has no trade protection in Year 1, before a full no-movement clause kicks in. 

With cap space at a premium in Dallas, is Oettinger’s long-term future with the team that drafted him suddenly in doubt? 

Taylor Hall, LW, Carolina Hurricanes

It’s not all bad. Taylor Hall’s January trade from the Blackhawks to the Carolina Hurricanes earned him a spot in the conference final for the first time in his 15-year career. 

His 18 points in 31 regular-season games with Carolina also earned the 33-year-old a new three-year contract with a no-move clause. That could give him a shot at more playoff runs in future seasons. 

But after collecting six points in 10 games through the Hurricanes’ first two playoff rounds and earning first-star honors in Game 4 against Washington, Hall struggled against the mighty Panthers. 

He wasn’t just pointless. Hall wasn’t on the ice for a single 5-on-5 Canes goal in the series, while the Panthers scored six times at 5-on-5 with Hall on the ice. It was a disappointing finish to what was looking like a successful change of scenery for the 2018 Hart Trophy winner.

Mikko Rantanen, RW, Dallas Stars

If only the Stars could have played the Colorado Avalanche in every series.

After almost single-handedly eliminating his old team with 12 points in Round 1, Mikko Rantanen suffered an unfortunate case of diminishing returns as the playoffs progressed. He collected seven points in Round 2 against the Winnipeg Jets, all in the first four games. Against the Oilers, he settled for just three points, all assists, and he was on the ice for just two goals at 5-on-5, compared to five against.

Rantanen bowed out of the playoffs with 22 points in 18 games. That’s on par with his career post-season scoring rate, but after seizing savior status early on in the Lone Star State, he couldn’t make a difference against the Oilers when Dallas desperately needed goals.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Callan Ward turning heartbreak into inspiration sums up all that is wonderful about AFL | Jonathan Horn

GWS Giants veteran sustaining a potentially career-ending knee injury delivers a tender, human moment that shines a light on the player and his club

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon would have to rank among the most wooden media performers I have seen or heard. Many in the industry speak highly of him and his ability to distil and diffuse, the sort of operator every leader wants by their side. But he is no frontman. Last week, he did the radio rounds justifying the latest executive shakeup. As always, it sounded like he was reading off well-thumbed, suggested speaking notes. Look, he droned; crowds, ratings and revenue are all up – we’re doing so much right!

It was an AI response to a very human sport. The best of Australian rules football can’t be explained in media releases, or in org charts, or in SEN Fireball Friday hot takes. The best of this sport can be found at the grassroots level, or on hall of fame night, or in thousands of little moments around the country each weekend.

Continue reading...

Does the Oilers' Run to the Cup Final Change How LA Approaches the Offseason?

© Perry Nelson

In the aftermath of the LA Kings' fourth straight playoff flameout against the Edmonton Oilers, many upset fans were understandably calling for big changes during the offseason. These changes ran the gambit from firing the head coach, cleaning out the entire front office, trading cornerstone players, and forcing team mascot Bailey to work out with a conditioning coach all summer. Ok, not sure about that last one, but you get the picture.

However, now that the Oilers have gone on to make relatively quick work of the Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars, maybe blowing up the Kings isn't the right move. In fact, as we approach the start of the Cup Final on June 4th, LA gave McDavid and Co. their toughest series. Since dropping the first two games against the Kings and needing a furious late comeback to avoid an 0-3 hole, the Oilers have only lost two games in their last two series combined. 

Did the Oil just need a couple of games to reboot their playoff mojo or were the Kings really their toughest competition to date? The truth may lay somewhere in between here but of Edmonton's four playoff loses, half of them were at the hands of the Kings. When you factor in that the Kings were less than 30 seconds away from going up 3-1 in that first round series, it does bolster the idea that LA has been Edmonton's biggest challenge in the West.

Giving them a tough series, however, does not absolve the organization of its many failures. They have had four years to figure out a way to vanquish the Oilers and have been unable to do so. End of story. The fans are tired of seeing this and shouldn't be blamed for not taking solace in the fact that the Oilers are in the finals again. The only thing that they care about is winning some playoff series and that should always be the measuring stick. That being said, maybe Team President Luc Robitaille's assertion that the franchise is "close" is not completely off the mark. What can they do to close the gap and get over the hump is still the question du jour though.

Going into their rematch with the Panthers, the Oilers have eight players with five or more goals in the playoffs. The depth scoring that was supposed to be a strength for the Kings turned out to be with the Oilers. 40-year-old Corey Perry is leading the team with seven playoff goals (tied with Leon Draisaitl) and Connor Brown has as many goals as Zach Hyman (five). The Oilers are showing the league that you can't just rely on two guys for all your scoring needs. You need guys up and down the roster that can light the lamp and the Kings will need more scoring next season, if God forbid, they run into the Oilers in the playoffs for a fifth straight year.

New general manager Ken Holland is on the clock now and he should be looking at how to add enough scoring for the Kings to go on their first long playoff run since 2014. Could it come in the form of a splashy free agent signing? Might he already be working the phones on some type of draft day trade package? Whatever it is, this much is clear: the Western Conference still runs through Edmonton and will for the foreseeable future.  

Mets vs. Rockies: How to watch on SNY on June 1, 2025

The Mets go for a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, with first pitch on SNY set for 1:40 p.m. from Citi Field.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...


Mets Notes

  • Brett Batyis slashing .318/.400/.455 with five RBI and five runs scored over his last seven games
  • Edwin Diazhas allowed just one earned run since his appearance on April 11 -- a span of 17.2 innings over 17 games
  • Clay Holmes, in his fist season as a full-time starter, has a 2.98 ERA and has allowed three earned runs or fewer in nine of his 11 starts

ROCKIES
METS
Jordan Beck, LFFrancisco Lindor, SS
Sam Hilliard, CFStarling Marte, LF
Ezequiel Tovar, SSJuan Soto, RF
Ryan McMahon, 3BPete Alonso, 1B
Brenton Doyle, DHBrett Baty, 3B
Keston Hiura, 1BLuis Torrens, C
Orlando Arcia, 2BMark Vientos, DH
Tyler Freeman, RFTyrone Taylor, CF
Jacob Stallings, CLuisangel Acuña, 2B

What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone. 

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB? 

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps: 

  • Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider. 
  • Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account. 
  • Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY. 

How can I watch the game on the MLB App? 

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.  

  • Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices. 
  • Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”  
  • To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.  

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here

What we learned as Birdsong, Matos fuel Giants' win vs. Marlins

What we learned as Birdsong, Matos fuel Giants' win vs. Marlins originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — The first game of June would have fit right in with just about every game in May.

The Giants failed to score more than four runs for a 14th consecutive game, their longest streak since 1976, but the pitching was once again good enough to clinch a victory. Luis Matos hit a three-run blast and Hayden Birdsong and the bullpen did the rest as the Giants won 4-2, escaping Miami with a series win over the last-place Marlins. 

San Francisco went 4-5 on a trip that wasn’t all that difficult on paper, beating the Marlins and Washington Nationals but getting swept by the Detroit Tigers. They’ll fly home for a homestand that will require a lot more from the struggling lineup. The San Diego Padres are coming to Oracle Park for four, followed by a weekend series with the Atlanta Braves, who just got Ronald Acuña Jr. back.

The Giants scored just 18 runs on the nine-game trip, but they allowed only 18. Things got a bit hairy in the late innings Sunday, but Tyler Rogers got out of one jam and Camilo Doval picked up his second four-out save in three days. 

Let Duane Cook

It seemed like there was a bit more juice behind Duane Kuiper’s home run call in the fourth, and it would be hard to blame him. The Giants had hit just three homers on the three-city road trip before Matos went deep.

The homer was Matos’ fourth of the year and first since May 5. He had been hitless over 18 at-bats in his previous seven appearances, and Sunday was a good time to break out of the slump for multiple reasons. The Giants expect to get Jerar Encarnacion back when they return home, and they’ll have to make a roster move. They could move on from struggling first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr., but given how right-handed their bench is, it would make more sense to option a young player who isn’t getting much time. 

The homer was just Matos’ fourth hit this season against left-handed pitching, but three of them have been homers. 

Saved By The Submarine

For the second time in three days, Bob Melvin had to turn to Rogers to get another pitcher out of a jam rather than take on a clean eighth inning. 

Jordan Hicks got the call with a three-run lead in the seventh, but he walked the bases loaded. Rogers entered with one out and immediately got a grounder, but it was hit so high off the artificial surface that there was no play at first and a run scored. After a strikeout of Jesus Sanchez, Rogers got Otto Lopez to ground out and keep it a 4-2 game. 

The appearance was the 28th of the year for Rogers, and he has been charged with a run in just three of them. He has a 1.71 ERA, and with two strong months to open the year, he has lowered his career ERA to 2.85 over seven seasons. 

Keeping Up

All of a sudden, there’s a bit of a competition in the rotation. Kyle Harrison will get at least one more turn in the rotation as Justin Verlander’s pec heals, and he threw so well on Friday that there’s some pressure for the other young starters to keep up. Given that Harrison was the incumbent coming into camp, it wouldn’t be crazy for him to keep a rotation spot whenever Verlander returns if he keeps pitching like this. 

There are no easy moves, though. Landen Roupp had a dominant month, and while Birdsong’s first two starts didn’t fully live up to his expectations, he was sharp Sunday. The right-hander struck out five, walked none and allowed just one earned in 5 1/3. He has a 2.37 ERA overall this season. 

Roupp’s spot seems secure, although he sneakily already has surpassed his total for innings pitched in the big leagues last year. He’s about 20 away from his total across levels last year, and at some point the Giants will have to deal with that. For now, they’re dealing with a good problem. Their three young starters are all pitching so well that there’s no reason to rush Verlander back until he truly feels 100 percent. 

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Jack Ivankovic Commits To Michigan

Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

Brampton Steelheads goaltender Jack Ivankovic has committed to Michigan, it was announced Saturday. 

Ivankovic, who is considered one of the top goaltenders for the 2025 NHL Draft, just finished his second full season with the Steelheads, collecting a record of 25-12-5 to go along with a 3.05 GAA and .903 SP in 43 regular season games. With Brampton having made the playoffs, Ivankovic got into five playoff games, going 1-3 while posting a 4.87 GAA and a .877 SP. 

Drafted by the Steelheads (then based in Mississauga) in the first round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection, Ivankovic made 68 regular season appearances over the course of his OHL career. In that span, he put up a stat line of 39-17-9, a 2.93 GAA and a .907 SP. 

Currently projected as a second round pick for the 2025 NHL Draft, Ivankovic will have quite a few NHL suitors who are looking to add to their goaltending pipeline. While there have been knocks against Ivankovic for his size in the past, the Wolverines will be getting a talented player who can instantly step in as a freshman and play an important role. 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Miguel Vargas is heating up, Cole Young makes his debut

Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season.

The premise is pretty straightforward. I’ll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I’ll list the category where I think he’ll be helpful or the quick reason he’s listed. I hope it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs.

For a player to qualify for this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, “These players aren’t available in my league,” and I can’t help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they’re available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types.

Waiver Wire Hitters

Jordan Beck - OF, COL: 35% rostered
(HOME PARK BONUS, PROSPECT GROWTH)

The Rockies are coming back to Coors Field for the three games next week and are on the road in Miami for their other three, so now may be the time to add Beck back if he was dropped this week. He's a young hitter with some power and speed who has a 15.3% barrel rate on the season. His exit velocities aren't great, but he's pulling and lifting the ball more this year, which is going to help him get to his power. He still has just a 70% contact rate and 14.4% swinging strike rate, so the batting average will likely regress, but the power is intriguing, and you can slot him into your lineup every time the Rockies are at home. Another outfielder to add for recent production and a strong schedule is Jesus Sanchez - OF, MIA (3% rostered). He gets five right-handed pitchers this week, including two starts against the Rockies' staff, so that puts Sanchez firmly on the radar. The got a late start to the season due to injury, but is hitting .275/.366/.425 in May with three home runs, 12 runs scored, 11 RBI, and four steals in 22 games. He still hits the ball on the ground far too much for my liking, but he has taken a more passive approach this season, cutting his chase rate and swing rate by a good deal, which makes me think this solid average with modest speed/power profile could be real.

Max Muncy - 3B, LAD: 34% rostered
(HOT STREAK, RBI UPSIDE)

At the beginning of May, Muncy started wearing glasses during games to help with an astigmatism in his right eye. He didn’t know if it would help him at all, but he said he was willing to try anything if it might help his game. Well, since May 5th, Muncy is hitting .250/.370/.422 with five home runs, 24 RBI, two steals and a 12/13 K/BB ratio in 21 games. We’ve seen Muncy has good stretches before and even the batting average during this hot streak isn’t great, but he’s putting the ball in play and driving in runs. That kind of power and RBI production is useful in any format. If you're looking for a third baseman in deeper formats, Jose Tena - 2B/3B, WAS (0% rostered) has been posting a solid batting average of late, hitting .286/.368/.429 over his last 15 games with nine runs scored, four RBI and one steal. He is among the leaders on Statcast’s Rolling wOBA Leaderboard and has a 7/7 K/BB ratio over that stretch which highlights his strong swing decisions. As you can tell from the numbers above, he’s not bringing you tons of value, but in really deep formats, a player who is playing regularly and making good swing decisions and getting on base can be valuable.

Chase Meidroth - 2B/3B/SS, CWS: 32% rostered
(EVERY DAY JOB, MODEST STEALS UPSIDE)

In 23 games in May, Meidroth is hitting .290/.365/.366 with 13 runs scored, seven steals, and a 12/11 K/BB ratio, so he’s another hitter I’m highlighting on here who is making good swing decisions and succeeding due to a strong understanding of the strike zone. He had never stolen more than 13 bases in a season at the minor league level, so that number is a bit shocking to me, but he can run a bit and is a smart baseball player on a bad team that has no problem taking chances on the bases. Meidroth is also hitting leadoff and playing every day, so he could accumulate runs and steals while hitting for a solid batting average. That works in a lot of leagues. If you were interested in a more volatile option for speed, you could turn to Connor Norby - 2B/3B, MIA (12% rostered). The Marlins infielder has been working with hitting coaches on some swing modifications and that has led to a .282/.322/.435 slash line in 22 games in May with two home runs, 13 RBI, and two steals. He stole 16 bases last season between the minors and MLB, so he’s not a burner, but he will swipe some bags. The issue is that, even in this strong stretch, he has a 27% strikeout rate, so the swing and miss will likely always be in his game and lead to some cold streaks.

Alec Burleson - 1B/OF, STL: 29% rostered
(PLAYING TIME REGAINED, POWER UPSIDE)

After losing playing time early in the season to Jordan Walker, Burleson got back to a point where he was starting essentially every day against right-handed pitching. Then Walker started working himself back into playing time and the Cardinals have started to play Ivan Herrera at DH. On Saturday, the Cardinals put Walker on the IL, so we should see Burleson back into a full-time role. He has done his part too. In 18 games in May, Burleson is hitting .328/.371/.608 with four home runs, 10 RBI, and one steal. The Cardinals have been a solid offense so far this season, and Burleson can be a big component of that. He won't play versus lefties, which makes him a better fit in daily moves leagues, but he can be solid in NFBC-type formats when you can change your lineup mid-week as well. We just have to keep an eye on the playing time and ensure it remains. Gavin Sheets - 1B/OF, SD (20% rostered) had been in a similar boat, but he has started playing against some lefties recently as well. Sheets is hitting .285/.331/.510 on the season with nine home runs, so he has been productive for the Padres this year. He's hitting in the middle of a lineup that features a lot of strong bats, which means he has a good chance for RBI upside. His multi-position eligibility also makes him a bit more valuable, and he's an add I like in daily moves leagues.

Roman Anthony - OF, BOS: 29% rostered
(TOP PROSPECT, POTENTIAL CALL-UP)

The screams for the Red Sox to promote Roman Anthony are only getting louder as the big league team struggles to find any offense without both Alex Bergman and Triston Casas. The issue is that the Red Sox still don’t have space in the outfield for Anthony, and Rafael Devers has not yet agreed to take reps at 1B. It’s coming to a point where Boston may have no choice but to move Gold Glove CF Ceddanne Rafaela back to the infield just to get Anthony’s bat up. You simply can’t be in a big market like Boston and have your big league team playing this poorly while the top prospect in ball of baseball is hitting .309/.441.514 with eight home runs, 40 runs scored, and 23 RBI in 50 games at Triple-A. Anthony has never posted a swinging strike rate above 9% at any step in the minors other than 50 games at High-A in 2023, so he should be a solid batting average asset upon being called up with good power potential and the ability to swipe 5-10 bases. Once he’s up, Boston is HIGHLY unlikely to send him back down. Another big money stash option would be Jac Caglianone - 1B, KC (13% rostered), who the team promoted to Triple-A recently. He's gone 12-for-37 at the level with five home runs and 10 RBI in nine games. The Royals have also been playing him in the outfield to expedite his path to the big leagues, and with the team waiving Hunter Renfroe, we may see Caglianone get a shot in the coming weeks. Keep in mind that he has played only 43 games above High-A and had a nearly 13% swinging strike rate in Double-A, so this may be a similar situation to Nick Kurtz as well, where we see good power but some stretches where the swing-and-miss takes over as he adjusts to MLB pitching.

Ryan O'Hearn - 1B/OF, BAL: 22% rostered
(CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, POWER UPSIDE)

Ryan O’Hearn is a boring veteran who has also been criticized because he was “blocking” the path of many of the Orioles’ top prospects for the last couple of years. However, at this point, Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby are gone, Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser play every day when healthy, Heston Kjerstad has not hit at the MLB level, and the team clearly doesn’t trust Coby Mayo as a defender, so maybe we should just embrace O’Hearn for the value that he does bring. Much like Burleson, O’Hearn isn’t going to play against lefties, but unlike Burleson, we know for certain O’Hearn will be in there against right-handed pitching. He hits clean-up for the Orioles and is having one of his best seasons by trading a little but of contact for a slightly more pull-happy approach. He’s more of a line drive hitter, so the home run production will come and go, but the quality of contact has been really good, and this lineup should improve when Cowser and Westburg return soon.

Marcelo Mayer - SS, BOS: 21% rostered
(RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

With Alex Bregman suffering a "significant" quad strain, the path for Mayer to finally reach Boston became clear, and he was called up last Saturday for his MLB debut. Since then, he has started every game at third base and gone 5-for-19 with two extra base hits and on run scored. In Triple-A, Mayer hit .271/.347/.471 in 43 games at with nine home runs and 43 RBI. Just like what we discussed above with Jac Caglianone, there will be struggles for Mayer to adjust to MLB pitching, and his power is not going to immediately carry over. That being said, unlike power-first guys like Caglianone and Nick Kurtz, Mayer is an MLB-ready hitter from a plate discipline and contact perspective, and is going to be a strong fantasy add in deeper formats. In shallower leagues, he may not be as valuable this year since the power and speed numbers won’t be that great.

Miguel Vargas - 1B/3B/OF, CWS: 17% rostered
(POST HYPE PROSPECT, EMERGING POWER)

I'm not sure what more Vargas has to do to be rostered in more leagues. Three weeks ago, he appeared in my article on hitters to add based on their plate discipline and contact rates. Vargas is chasing at a super low rate, making 85% contact overall and rarely swinging and missing. He's pulling the ball slightly less this season and has focused less on lifting the ball, which is a good change. He doesn't smoke the ball, but a 90 mph average exit velocity is pretty good, and he's playing every day in Chicago. The production he's put up over the last month matches the process, with him hitting .275/.343/.604 in 24 games in May with seven home runs, 17 runs scored, and 15 RBI. The team context is not good, but the playing time and production have been solid. Another multi-position option, but one primarily for speed, is Jose Caballero - 2B/3B/SS/OF, TB (15% rostered), who has 11 steals in 21 games in May. He may lose his starting spot in two-ish weeks when Ha-Seong Kim returns, but the Rays have shown confidence in playing him basically anywhere on the field, which could help him keep making four starts a week and helping with your stolen base totals.

Brett Baty - 3B, NYM: 17% rostered
(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, HOT STREAK)

With Mark Vientos continuing to look lost at third base, there's a real chance for Baty to emerge as the regular third baseman for the Mets with Vientos shifting to DH. In 20 games in May, Baty is hitting .290/.333/.581 with five home runs and 16 RBI. He's also pulling the ball 45% of the time as he starts to get a little more aggressive in the batter's box. That's huge for him because a lot of his early-season struggles were connected to being too passive and getting himself into terrible counts. In deeper formats, we are going to see Shay Whitcomb- 3B, HOU (1% rostered) get a chance in Houston this year now that Chas McCormick is on the IL. Whitcomb has been tearing up AAA to the tune of 18 home runs and a .275/.357/.599 slash line. He has can play multiple positions on the infield as well as shift into the outfield, and with Zach Dezenzo also hurting his hand on Saturday, there could be a chance for Whitcomb to push for playing time here.

Cam Smith - 3B/OF, HOU: 17% rostered
(POWER UPSIDE, PROSPECT GROWTH IS NOT LINEAR)

Cam Smith is continuing to hit, going 23-for-75 over the last month, which is a .307 average. Unfortunately, the increased batting average is coming with a huge dip in fly ball rate, so he has no home runs and just seven RBI over that stretch. Smith is a young player who jumped straight to the big leagues from High-A ball, so he’s adjusting to MLB pitching and starting to have some success. I'm willing to bet on him continuing to adjust and finding the power stroke again.

Matt Wallner - OF, MIN: 12% rostered
(POWER UPSIDE, RETURN FROM THE IL)

The Twins lineup got fully healthy this weekend with the return flor Byron Buxton and Wallner, who has been out six weeks with a hamstring strain. Wallner was crushing the ball in Triple-A and should immediately return to his everyday role against right-handed pitching. What that means for Kody Clemens - 1B/2B/3B, MIN (3% rostered) is anybody’s guess. Clemens has been on fire of late and can move all over the field, so there’s still reason to be adding him because he can starts 4-5 times a week in a super utility role. However, I’d keep my bids light until we know for sure what his role is.

Parker Meadows - OF, DET: 12% rostered
(POWER/SPEED UPSIDE, POTENTIAL RETURN FROM THE IL)

It sounds like we might get Meadows back in the Tigers’ lineup this week. The young center fielder was one of my favorite targets in the preseason before a nerve issue in his arm sidelined him. He’s been hitting well and playing full games in the field at Triple-A, and I expect him to come back into a near full-time role for the AL’s best team. If you wanted to wait in shallow leagues to see what his role really is, that’s fine, but I would add him now in deeper formats.

Jake Meyers - OF, HOU: 10% rostered
(SPEED UPSIDE, STARTING JOB)

A few weeks ago,I published an article on hitters who were being more aggressive and swinging at the first pitch more often this year than last year. Myers popped up for me on that leaderboard, and I explained in detail why I’m a fan of his new approach, so you should read that article to check out the analysis; however, I think he’s a solid add for steals and something close to a .270 batting average. Another outfield speed option is Sal Frelick - OF, MIL (19% rostered) who has been a bit underrated in fantasy circles this season despite hitting .297 with 11 stolen bases. He’s gone 18-for-48 over the last two weeks with three steals while driving in nine runs for a Brewers offense that is slowly waking up a little bit. He’s primarily a batting average and stolen base asset, but he does help a little bit everywhere and is a really solid, deep league player and a fine fifth OF in shallow formats.

Carlos Santana - 1B, CLE: 8% rostered
(BATTING AVERAGE, RBI UPSIDE)

Every year, Carlos Santana has strong stretches where his batting average spikes and he drives in a bunch of runs in the middle of a batting order. We are in one of those stretches right now. Over the last month, he has gone 23-for-75 (.307) with four home runs and 21 RBIs. The batting average will likely regress in the coming weeks, and this isn’t a pick up necessarily to hold for the remainder of the season, outside of deeper formats, but Santana is a solid veteran hitter, who can be helpful for you when he’s riding hot streaks like this. It also seems like Eric Wagaman - 1B/3B/OF, MIA (3% rostered) is heating up again. He’s hitting .286 over his last two weeks, going 14-for-49 with one home run but just five RBI since the lineup around him is not great. That limits him to just deep leagues.

Addison Barger - 3B/OF, TOR: 7% rostered
(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, POWER UPSIDE)

I was a fan of Addison Barger in the spring when he was all over the spring training leaderboards, and then I read about how the Blue Jays tried to change his swing upon his arrival in the big leagues and how it didn't work. He has now gone back to a more "free" swing that he says stops him from overthinking in the box and just lets him be loose. We obviously love to hear that, and I think Barger has a profile that the Blue Jays need. So many of their hitters are contact-first bats (Bichette, Clement, Springer, Kirk). I think Barger is a nice fit as more of a pull-heavy hitter who tries to do damage when he swings. That may lead to a .250 type of hitter, but I believe in his batted ball quality and think he could push to be the Blue Jays' third baseman for the season. Barger’s teammate, Ernie Clement - 2B/SS/3B - TOR (4% rostered) has only been seeing the ball well lately, going 28-for-94 (.298) over the last month with three home runs, 14 runs scored, and 12 RBI. The impending return of Andres Gimenez could make plane time a bit complicated, but Anthony Santander heading to the IL means that Barger could move to DH and allow both Clement and Gimenez to play the field every day again. Clement proved himself to be a solid batting average asset last season and his multi-position eligibility makes him valuable in deeper performance.

Carlos Narvaez - C, BOS: 7% rostered
(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY, TBATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

It seems as though Narvaez has emerged as the starting catcher and one of the better rookies in the AL. He was known primarily for his plus defense when he was acquired from the Yankees in a trade this off-season, but he's hitting .285/.349/.457 in 166 plate appearances with five home runs and 17 RBI. He provides top-tier defense behind the plate and is going to start about two-thirds of the games for the Red Sox while hitting near the middle of the order. He should be rostered in all two-catcher leagues. Henry Davis - C, PIT (0% rostered) has also become the starting catcher for the Pirates with Joey Bart on the concussion IL. Davis has gone 7-for-24 (.292) over that span with one home run and four RBI. It’s not elite production, but he has some prospect pedigree, is showing minor improvements, and Bart has had a few concussions before, so it's unclear how long he may be out for.

Cole Young - 2B/SS, SEA: 6% rostered
(RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

On Saturday, the Mariners called up their 3rd-ranked prospect, Cole Young, who’s the 43rd-ranked prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. He’s a high contact rate hitter who doesn’t have tons of power but could push 15+ steals in an everyday role. He’s seen a slight uptick in his power this season, but he’s probably a 10+ HR bat right now who has a good feel for the zone and gets a slight boost in OBP leagues. The Orioles also called up Coby Mayo - 3B, BAL (6% rostered) with Ryan Mountcastle headed to the IL with a hamstring injury. Even though Jordan Westburg is returning, Mayo should be set as the near every day 1B/DH for a few weeks while Mountcastle is down. This could finally be the chance for him to get regular run in a big league lineup. The only potential concern is if Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill both come back and the Orioles decide to push Heston Kjerstad to DH versus righties

Robert Hassell III - OF, WAS: 6% rostered
(PROSPECT CALL UP, SPEED UPSIDE)

The Nationals called up Hassell last week after having to place both Jacob Young and Dylan Crews on the IL. So far, the former top prospect, who is one of the players who came over in the Juan Soto trade years ago, has gone 10-for-37 (.270) with one home run, six RBI, and one steals. He was hitting .288 with four home runs, nine steals, and a .742 OPS in Triple-A this season and had made clear gains in his exit velocity and shown a little bit more pop than in years past. I don't expect him to hit for much power at the big league level, but he could be useful in deeper formats. Fantasy managers in deep leagues could also add Andrew Benintendi - OF, CWS (3% rostered). We know he’s not going to set the world on fire, but he’s going to play every day and had shown some solid power earlier in the season before getting hurt. It’s boring but functional in deeper formats.

Thairo Estrada- 2B, COL: 6% rostered
(OFF THE IL, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

He’s back. Estrada was a big late-round favorite of mine early in the season now that he’s in Colorado. I think he hurt his fantasy value by playing through injury last year, but he’s a .270 15/15 type of talent who will not be playing in Coors Field. A fractured wrist could impact some of that power, but Estrada hit a solid 7-for-23 during his rehab assignment and could be a solid source of batting average and speed while being the likely every day starter at second base for the Rockies.

Dane Myers - OF, MIA: 5% rostered
(OFF THE IL, SPEED UPSIDE)

The Marlins brought Dane Myers off the IL this week. He had hit .337/.375/.482 with seven steals in 29 games and should play everyday, so if you’re in a deeper league and need some speed, he’s a solid gamble. Injuries to Anthony Santander and Daulton Varsho may have also opened up playing time chances for Alan Roden - OF, TOR (1% rostered), who started the year up in Toronto before heading back to Triple-A and lighting up the box scores with a .375/.467/.625 slash line, three home runs, and three steals in 16 games. In shallower formats, I’d want to wait to see what Toronto is doing a bit more, but in deeper leagues, I’d gamble and add Roden this weekend.

Ha-Seong Kim - SS, TB: 4% rostered)
(IL STASH, SPEED UPSIDE)

If you have space for a bench stash, Kim is another possible option if you need speed. He's currently in Triple-A on a rehab assignment, so it feels like maybe two more weeks until we see Kim back up, but he should play every day for the Rays, who may also then ship him away at the trade deadline. Even if that happens, Kim would have value wherever he winds up, so now may be the time to stash him. Another middle infield option primarily for speed is Otto Lopez - 2B/SS, MIA (8% rostered), who stole 20 bases for Miami last season. He has hit just .237 since coming off the IL and has just five steals on the season, but I think his true talent is as a 20-25 steal middle infielder, and so that has value if you’re OK with the counting stats being pretty modest.

Waiver Wire Pitchers

Ryan Weathers - SP, MIA: 38% rostered
I’m surprised that Weathers still makes the cut for this list. He has come back off the IL and faced the Cubs twice and Padres once and allowed just three runs in 15/2 innings while striking out 15. His spring training velocity has held, and his command has been tremendous early on. I like him as an upside play and think he needs to be rostered in all formats.

Daniel Palencia - RP, CHC: 37% rostered
Palencia has seen his roster rate shoot up almost 30% after securing five of his last five save opportunities. The right-hander has limited experience and some previous control concerns, but he throws hard and has a 1.74 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts in 20.2 innings this season. At this point, it’s hard to see him losing the closer role to either Ryan Presley or Porter Hodge when he returns. However, I do expect the Cubs to go out and trade for a veteran reliever at some point. That still gives Palencia a few weeks as the unquestioned closer on one of the best teams in baseball.

Eury Perez - SP, MIA: 36% rostered
Eury Perez looks set to make his season debut this week after throwing five shutout innings in his final Triple-A start on Wednesday. During his rehab starts, he has showed off a new sinker that should help him as a second fastball variation and a pitch to attack righties with inside. He’s a young arm with the upside to be a 30% strikeout rate pitcher with a low 3.00 ERA; however, we have to remember that he missed all of last season after Tommy John surgery, so his command figures to be inconsistent this year, and the Marlins are going to be cautious with his innings. His potential for wins is also capped on Miami, so while I like adding Perez, I just want you to do it with some caution.

Bubba Chandler - SP, PIT: 32% rostered
Is Tuesday the day? Mike Burrows’ spot in the rotation comes up on Tuesday at home, and there are some rumblings that Bubba Chandler could make that start. We have no idea if it’s true, but it seems like it’s only a matter of time before Chandler is up in the Pirates rotation. He has dominated the level this year, and has nothing left to prove. I know waiting is hard, but if you have the bench space for a stash, I think Chandler is the one.

Shelby Miller - RP, ARI: 24% rostered
Justin Martinez is back and throwing 100 mph, but I think it's premature to assume that he will simply be given the closer's role. There's a good chance they use Miller to help lessen some of Martinez's workload after coming back, by using him in the eighth inning or mixing in Miller for some save opportunities as well. If somebody in your league has dropped Miller, I'd put in a small bid just until we see how this situation plays out.

Edward Cabrera - SP, MIA: 22% rostered
Cabrera has long tantalized with his upside and disappointed with his command, but he is making some pitch mix changes that caught my attention. I dug into him for my starting pitcher news column this week, so I'd encourage you to check that out for a more detailed breakdown.

Zebby Matthews - SP, MIN: 19% rostered
We waited for months to get Zebby in the Twins rotation, and then he pitched seven combined innings in his first two starts. Well, the Twins let him go seven innings in just his last start alone, and while the overall stat line isn’t great, Matthew’s struck out seven and pitched deep into the game. He also really only got dinged up in the first inning when both Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena got him for home runs. He settled down after that, and if I’m getting Zebby with the ability to go six or more innings then I’m in.

Landen Roupp - SP, SF: 17% rostered
Last week, everybody was talking about Hayden Birdsong and Kyle Harrison moving into the rotation, but Roupp just keeps chugging along. He threw four great innings against the Tigers on Wednesday, but the fifth inning was a mess of errors and some hits, and he was chased from the game early. Still, over his last 26 innings, he has just a 1.73 ERA, 11.19 WHIP and 21 strikeouts. With the exception of his last start, he’s been going five innings or deeper pretty consistently, and I think he’s a pretty safe option.

Richard Fitts - SP, BOS: 8% rostered
Fitts was added back to the rotation last week instead of continuing his rehab assignment, and while he was limited to just three innings, we should expect him to build back up in the coming weeks. With Tanner Houck on the IL, I expect Fitts to officially take Hunter Dobbins' place in the rotation for the foreseeable future. Before straining his pec in April, he showed off improved velocity and a much deeper pitch mix that features a new fastball variation and sweeper. I’m a believer in Fitts.

Slade Cecconi - SP, CLE: 3% rostered
Cecconi was not great on Saturday against the Angels, but he was also pitching on nine days rest due to a groin injury, and I often think added rest like that can backfire on a starter. I covered Cecconi's increased velocity and new pitch mix in my starting pitcher column for last week, so I'd encourage you to check that out for my thoughts.

Sawyer Gipson-Long, SP: 1% rostered
Is in a similar situation to Fitts. He’s likely to come up this week to take Jackson Jobe’s spot in the rotation, but could likely still use some more rehab stints. I like Gipson-Long as an arm, so I wanted to highlight him here, but I’d be trying to just watch him this week rather then add him since he missed all of last season after elbow surgery.

STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS

MUST BE 40% ROSTERED ON YAHOO OR UNDER (ranked in loose order)

Week of 6/2

Strong Preference

PitcherRoster%Opponent
Max Meyer37%vs COL, at TB
Eury Perez36%at TB
Zebby Matthews20%at ATH
Gavin Williams40%vs HOU
Jameson Taillon30%at DET
Ryan Weathers26%at TB
Lucas Giolito16%vs LAA
Edward Cabrera4%at TB

Fairly Confident

Jose Soriano23%at BOS
Dean Kremer6%at ATH
Hayden Birdsong35%vs ATL
Jack Lester33%at TB
Cade Horton26%at WAS, at DET
Ryan Yarbrough2%vs BOS
Lance McCullers15%at PIT, at CLE
Slade Cecconi3%vs HOU
Luis Severino32%vs MIN, vs BAL
Shane Smith26%vs DET, vs KC

Some Hesitation

Ben Brown26%at DET
Cade Povich2%at SEA
Colton Gordon1%at CLE
Landen Roupp17%vs SD
Brayan Bello19%vs LAA
Andre Pallante7%vs KC
Emerson Hancock5%vs BAL
Grant Holmes36%vs ARI
Adrian Houser5%vs KC
Ryan Gusto4%at PIT
Patrick Corbin12%at TB

If I'm Desperate

Richard Fitts8%vs LAA, at NYY
Sawyer Gipson-Long1%at CWS, vs CHC
Chris Paddack16%Vs TOR
Tomoyuki Sugano35%at SEA, at ATH
Jacob Lopez1%vs MIN, vs BAL
Tanner Gordon0%at MIA
Kyle Freeland2%at MIA
Davis Martin4%vs DET
Jonathan Cannon4%vs DET, vs KC
Aaron Civale2%at CIN
Steven Kolek14%at SF, at MIL
Tyler Anderson18%at BOS, vs SEA
Randy Vasquez13%at MIL
Kyle Harrison11%vs SD