During a year as a Newcastle midfielder under Rafael Benítez, Mikel Merino struggled to settle in the north-east. He departed for Real Sociedad without offering Tynesiders more than a few glimpses of his best work but, when Merino trotted on as a 70th-minute Arsenal substitute here, Eddie Howe had reason to be fearful.
At that stage Newcastle were leading thanks to Nick Woltemade’s second goal for the club but their manager did not need telling that Mikel Arteta’s reincarnation of Merino as an emergency forward last season proved one of the triumphs of his north London tenure.
Arsenal moved up to second after late headers from Mikel Merino and Gabriel Magalhaes gave them a precious win
Mikel Arteta’s pre-match thoughts
[On Eberechi Eze’s inclusion] We’re very happy with what he’s doing so he’s earned the right to start the game.
[On Cristhian Mosquera’s inclusion] Willy [Saliba] is coming back from an ankle injury that he is still trying to resolve. He’s played twice in six days and we have another two games coming up this week so we have to managed the squad.
Kevin Love landed in Utah this summer as part of the three-team trade that saw Norman Powell move to Miami and John Collins to the L.A. Clippers. From the moment that trade became official, there was speculation — and maybe an expectation — that Love would be flipped to another team in a trade, or just bought out.
Love, 37, appeared in just 23 games for the Heat last season averaging 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in the limited minutes he did play.
While not the All-NBA level player he was at his peak, Love is still a big who can space the floor as a shooter (35.7% on 3-pointers last season), a quality rebounder, an elite outlet passer and just a guy who knows how to play the game. As the season moves on and teams get a better understanding of their rosters (and injuries happen), there could be a team looking for veteran depth along the front line, and Love (making $4.2 million in the final year of his contract) would fit that bill. If not, Love is likely to get bought out after the trade deadline.
Rebuilding Utah is expected to be open to moving a number of its veteran players during this season. Love may be one of those, but for now he is in Utah and ready to suit up for the fourth team of his career.
Steve Ballmer, owner of the Clippers, pumps up the crowd at Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena in 2023. (Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
On the eve of Clippers training camp, owner Steve Ballmer and the team are facing pressures over an NBA probe into allegations that the team circumvented the league salary cap when a sustainability firm paid star Kawhi Leonard $21 million.
Since purchasing the team a decade ago, Ballmer has been on a quest to bring the also-ran Clippers their first NBA title. The billionaire philanthropist has been alternately encouraged and frustrated with a team that has posted a winning record every season under his ownership, but has made early exits from the playoffs a habit. He also spearheaded the construction of the most technologically advanced and environmentally friendly arena in sports — the $2-billion Intuit Dome that opened a year ago to rave reviews.
Now, a top-rated law firm hired by the NBA is trying to determine whether the team violated league rules by funneling extra money to Leonard through a separate company in which the Clippers' owner was an investor.
Over the last few weeks, Ballmer has been pressed for details about his $50-million investment and 2%-3% ownership stake in the firm Aspiration Partners, and whether the Clippers knew that the now-defunct company paid millions to Leonard through an endorsement deal. Aspiration provided what the company described as "socially-conscious and sustainable banking services and investment products.”
The Clippers have issued statements forcefully denying wrongdoing and saying they welcome the probe. Leonard and his representatives have not responded to requests for comment.
“There’s nothing fun about being highlighted in this way,” Ballmer said at a recent forum hosted by the Sports Business Journal. “It’s a whole lot more fun to be highlighted for building a great arena. But this too shall pass.”
A Clippers spokesman said Thursday that they aren’t scheduling any interviews for Ballmer “at the moment,” but Ballmer told the SBJ forum he “feels quite confident … that we abided [by] the rules. So, I welcome the investigation that the NBA is doing.” He stressed his investment in Aspiration came well before it made its deal with Leonard, and that he was not involved in that deal.
The salary cap limits what teams can spend on player payroll to ensure parity and prevent the wealthiest teams from outspending smaller-market teams to acquire the best player. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has called attempts to circumvent it a "cardinal sin."
In this case, Leonard agreed to a $28-million contract for endorsement and marketing work for Aspiration, which went out of business in March. Players are allowed to have separate endorsement and other business deals. At issue in this case is whether the Clippers participated in arranging the side deal beyond simply introducing Aspiration executives to Leonard.
The most painful penalties the NBA could impose would be suspending Ballmer for a maximum of one year and docking the Clippers their first-round draft picks for up to five years. The team already is without a first-round pick in 2026 and 2028, having traded them away. Forfeiting the remaining picks through 2032 would make it harder for Ballmer to realize that championship dream.
Kawhi Leonard before a Clippers game against the Grizzlies at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
The maximum fine the league can impose is $7.5 million, a pittance relative to Ballmer’s estimated net worth of $171 billion. Leonard’s performance has fallen short of expectations, so even the league voiding the last two years of his contract would have limited sting, and save the franchise the $100 million owed to the 34-year-old forward.
Proving that the Clippers violated the salary cap could be difficult, as NBA commissioner Adam Silver made clear at a meeting of team owners. Much is riding on the outcome of the investigation.
Ballmer, 69, has forged a strong relationship with Silver, who became commissioner the same year Ballmer bought the Clippers. The 2026 NBA All-Star Game is scheduled to take place at the Intuit Dome in February, and Ballmer chairs the league’s audit committee on the Board of Governors.
Ballmer’s philanthropy is well-established. He and his wife, Connie, have given away billions through their Ballmer Group to improve the economic mobility of children and families in disadvantaged communities. (The Ballmer Group is one of the foundations sponsoring the Los Angeles Times’ early childhood education initiative.)
Ballmer turned his attention to the Clippers in 2014, buying the team from disgraced owner Donald Sterling, who was forced to sell for making racist comments.
The price tag of $2 billion, nearly four times what anyone had previously paid for an NBA team, was considered ludicrous at the time. The value of the franchise has nearly tripled to an estimated $5.5 billion.
Bankruptcy documents show that Aspiration paid Leonard $21 million — and still owes him $7 million — after agreeing to a $28-million contract for endorsement and marketing work at the company. The Boston Sports Journal reported that Leonard was also promised a $20-million ownership stake in Aspiration.
There is no record of anything Leonard did on behalf of Aspiration. Several former employees told the Athletic that Leonard’s deal was a “no-show” arrangement in which Leonard wouldn’t have to do any endorsement work.
Former Aspiration chief operating officer and chief legal officer Mike Shuckerow told ESPN that he was one of three company executives who signed a statement that read, “The [Aspiration] team expressed concerns at the time regarding the high cost of the arrangement [with Leonard] and its lack of alignment with Aspiration’s brand and business strategy. While subsequent marketing efforts were undertaken, they were ultimately discontinued and should not be interpreted as support for the deal itself.”
However, former Aspiration CEO Andrei Cherny wrote on X that Leonard’s contract “contained three pages of extensive obligations that Leonard had to perform. And the contract clearly said that if Leonard did not meet those obligations, Aspiration could terminate the contract.”
Aspiration’s initial funding included a $50-million investment in December 2021 from Ballmer, which he has acknowledged. The Clippers also agreed to a 23-year, $300-million sponsorship deal with Aspiration, but turned down its $1-billion offer for naming rights to the new arena. Intuit, the creator of QuickBooks, TurboTax and other widely used applications, paid $550 million.
In December 2022, Clippers minority owner and vice chairman Dennis J. Wong — who was Ballmer’s roommate at Harvard in the 1970s — invested $1.99 million in the company nine days before Leonard received a $1.75-million quarterly payment from Aspiration, according to documents obtained by the Athletic. The Clippers declined to comment about Wong’s investment.
In March 2023, Ballmer invested another $10 million, according to the Athletic. The investment contributed to a last-ditch fundraising round by Aspiration at a time it was nearly out of cash.
The NBA investigation is now trying to establish whether the Clippers knowingly broke a league rule to slip more money to a player they were already paying the maximum allowed under the salary cap, which makes this situation different than what the league envisioned as motivation for a team to circumvent the salary cap.
Language in the NBA collective bargaining agreement describes skirting the cap as instances where a team pays a player a lower than market salary and makes up for it by paying him some other way in secret. That way the team would have more money under the cap to pay other players.
The Clippers situation differs because money Leonard made from Aspiration was in addition to the maximum salary he could be paid under salary cap rules and not a way to create cap space for teammates.
Ballmer acknowledged to ESPN that he introduced Leonard to Aspiration executives, but not until after the team had agreed to a contract extension with Leonard and the $330-million sponsorship deal with Aspiration.
“We were done with Kawhi, we were done with Aspiration,” Ballmer said. “The deals were all locked and loaded. Then, they did request to be introduced to Kawhi, and under the rules, we can introduce our sponsors to our athletes. We just can’t be involved.”
Ballmer was adamant that he knew nothing of the details of the endorsement agreement, that in fact teams are required to stay out of negotiations between players and companies they endorse.
Michael McCann, a sports law expert and a visiting professor at Harvard, said the investigation will center on whether the investments into Aspiration by Ballmer were a quid pro quo for the firm to turn around and give Leonard millions.
Silver has indicated the investigation must demonstrate that the Clippers knew of or participated in Leonard’s deal.
Some experts believe Ballmer is entering the probe with a strong image and could maintain it depending on the outcome of the investigation. “The fact that he’s done a great job, that he’s captivated fans and sponsors, is likely to be in his favor as this goes forward,” said David Carter, a professor of sports business at USC and principal of the Sports Business Group.
Silver said the NBA will revisit its investment and endorsement rules as a result of the allegations involving the Clippers, Ballmer and Leonard
Around the league there is a belief that if the NBA does find wrongdoing, Silver will have to act.
“The only thing I hear consistently around the league is that they want the league to come down really hard to deter other teams from [circumventing the salary cap],” said an NBA executive who requested anonymity to speak freely. “Because if there is no big penalty, other teams are going to start doing that, and then competitive advantage is just going to be, the imbalance is going to be out of control.”
Leonard joined the Clippers in July 2019 on a three-year, $103-million contract after leading the Toronto Raptors to the NBA title. The 6-foot-7 forward from Moreno Valley signed a four-year, $176.3-million extension in 2021, when Aspiration made its sponsorship deal with the Clippers and Ballmer became a minority owner in the company.
After signing a three-year, $153-million extension a year ago, Leonard will have been paid or is under contract for $375 million in career salary.
The NBA looked into allegations that the Clippers paid Leonard or his representative and uncle, Dennis Robertson, a side deal when he first joined the team in 2019. No wrongdoing was found, although the Toronto Star recently reported that Robertson made demands of the Raptors during unsuccessful negotiations in 2019. The Raptors rejected the $10-million demand and Leonard signed with the Clippers, the newspaper said.
Neither Robertson nor Leonard’s agent responded to emails or texts asking for comment on the endorsement arrangement with Aspiration and the allegation reported in the Star regarding Robertson.
Times staff writer Broderick Turner contributed to this story.
The Ottawa Senators continue their 2025 preseason slate on Sunday afternoon when they take on a split-squad New Jersey Devils team at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City. It's the first of two preseason games in that city as the Sens try to build fan engagement in Nordiques country. Puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m. ET.
For Ottawa, it’s the third game of their exhibition schedule after splitting a pair of matchups against the Toronto Maple Leafs last week. Head coach Travis Green confirmed on Saturday that Linus Ullmark will start in goal on Sunday and is scheduled to play the full 60 minutes. The veteran netminder is looking for a sharper outing after surrendering three first-period goals in a 4–3 loss to Toronto’s “B” squad during his preseason debut.
The Sens injury list includes Drake Batherson, Nick Jensen, Lars Eller, and Tyler Kleven. Kleven and Jensen skated yesterday, and no one has been ruled out for opening night.
Only half of the Devils' training camp roster is in Quebec to face the Sens on Sunday. The other half have stayed behind to host the Washington Capitals at the same time at Prudential Center in Newark. While the rosters hadn't been released at publishing time, it's likely the Devils' higher-end players will suit up for Sunday's home game. And if that's the case, the Sens would get the Devils' B squad.
After the results of the Sens' first two preseason games, where the less talented rosters came out as the victors, we all got a good reminder not to take B squads lightly. What they lack in talent, they often make up for in motivation.
Both clubs are coming off similar seasons in 2024–25. New Jersey finished third in the Metropolitan Division with 91 points, while the Sens landed six points ahead in the standings and grabbed the final Eastern wild card spot. Each team was eliminated in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Devils’ attack last season was led by Jesper Bratt, who posted 88 points including 67 assists. Captain Nico Hischier paced the club in goals with 35. Like the Senators, New Jersey sought veteran stability in goal last year, acquiring Jacob Markstrom after four seasons in Calgary. The Swedish netminder went 26-16-6 with a 2.50 goals-against average, .900 save percentage, and four shutouts.
Ottawa’s own Swedish starter, Ullmark, put together a 25-14-3 record in 2024–25 with a .910 save percentage, 2.70 goals-against average, and four shutouts. Offensively, Tim Stützle topped the Senators with 79 points, including a team-best 55 assists. Captain Brady Tkachuk led the club with 29 goals.
New Jersey’s camp roster includes several former Senators, among them Connor Brown, Angus Crookshank, and Evgenii Dadonov, whose messed-up trade to Vegas in 2021 will cost the Sens their first-round pick next year. Stefan Noesen and Jonathan Gruden are both former Sens draft picks, while Calen Addison was at Sens camp last year.
SAN FRANCISCO — Bob Melvin wasn’t supposed to be facing questions about his 2026 status after the 2025 finale. The Giants looked to be headed for the postseason for most of the first half, and after the losing started, Melvin had his 2026 option picked up by president of baseball operations Buster Posey.
But on Sunday afternoon, a few minutes after the end of a disappointing 81-81 season, Melvin admitted he has gotten no recent assurances that his job is still safe. He said he expects to speak to someone in the front office on Monday.
“It is what it is,” he said postgame. “We’ll see what the next day brings.”
Bob Melvin addresses the uncertainty around his job status entering next season pic.twitter.com/tZNojrKruK
The vibes in the clubhouse after the season’s final game certainly did not seem to indicate it definitely will bring good news. The entire coaching staff has felt in the dark on this homestand, with some noting that their normal end-of-season meetings had not yet been scheduled. There was nothing but uncertainty as the staff headed for the offseason.
Melvin has had the backing of his players throughout his two years in San Francisco, but there has been a lot of internal talk in recent weeks about the fact that someone will have to pay for this second-half collapse. The Giants were double-digit games over .500 in June, then went out and acquired Rafael Devers. On Sunday, they watched as the Cincinnati Reds clinched the final NL playoff spot with just 83 wins.
It was a disappointing year, and that may fall on the manager, or at least some of his coaches. That would sting for a lot of the players, many of whom have tried to take responsibility in the second half.
“I think at the end of the day it comes down to us being able to play better as players,” ace Logan Webb said. “I think everyone in here would say the exact same thing. BoMel is a great leader of men, and it’s been amazing. I think BoMel is great.”
The Giants went 80-82 in Melvin’s first season in San Francisco. They got off to a good start earlier this year, but had lost six of seven when Posey made the decision to pick up the option. The bold move did not work, and the Giants at one point lost 15 of 16 games at Oracle Park.
If a move is made, that stretch will likely be the reason. It was one of the worst months in franchise history and came at a time when the Giants were seeing notable attendance gains.
Melvin didn’t offer any more on Sunday except to mention the Monday meeting. He did not expect to meet with Posey on Sunday. Multiple players said the roster has been given no indication one way or another about what is next.
Third baseman Matt Chapman has in the past said that Melvin is the biggest reason he came to San Francisco. After Sunday’s game, he said he’s “grateful” to have reunited after years together in Oakland.
“He’s the same guy every day. He’s been steady for us,” Chapman said. “He’s always honest with the players, he has our back, he’s done the best with what we’ve given him, the players. A lot of us didn’t play to probably our capabilities.
“If you ask guys in this room, I think a lot of guys would say they wish they were able to play better or more consistently. He never turns his back on us, and he always has our back. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about BoMel. Obviously, I love him.”
SAN FRANCISCO — Bob Melvin wasn’t supposed to be facing questions about his 2026 status after the 2025 finale. The Giants looked to be headed for the postseason for most of the first half, and after the losing started, Melvin had his 2026 option picked up by president of baseball operations Buster Posey.
But on Sunday afternoon, a few minutes after the end of a disappointing 81-81 season, Melvin admitted he has gotten no recent assurances that his job is still safe. He said he expects to speak to someone in the front office on Monday.
“It is what it is,” he said postgame. “We’ll see what the next day brings.”
Bob Melvin addresses the uncertainty around his job status entering next season pic.twitter.com/tZNojrKruK
The vibes in the clubhouse after the season’s final game certainly did not seem to indicate it definitely will bring good news. The entire coaching staff has felt in the dark on this homestand, with some noting that their normal end-of-season meetings had not yet been scheduled. There was nothing but uncertainty as the staff headed for the offseason.
Melvin has had the backing of his players throughout his two years in San Francisco, but there has been a lot of internal talk in recent weeks about the fact that someone will have to pay for this second-half collapse. The Giants were double-digit games over .500 in June, then went out and acquired Rafael Devers. On Sunday, they watched as the Cincinnati Reds clinched the final NL playoff spot with just 83 wins.
It was a disappointing year, and that may fall on the manager, or at least some of his coaches. That would sting for a lot of the players, many of whom have tried to take responsibility in the second half.
“I think at the end of the day it comes down to us being able to play better as players,” ace Logan Webb said. “I think everyone in here would say the exact same thing. BoMel is a great leader of men, and it’s been amazing. I think BoMel is great.”
The Giants went 80-82 in Melvin’s first season in San Francisco. They got off to a good start earlier this year, but had lost six of seven when Posey made the decision to pick up the option. The bold move did not work, and the Giants at one point lost 15 of 16 games at Oracle Park.
If a move is made, that stretch will likely be the reason. It was one of the worst months in franchise history and came at a time when the Giants were seeing notable attendance gains.
Melvin didn’t offer any more on Sunday except to mention the Monday meeting. He did not expect to meet with Posey on Sunday. Multiple players said the roster has been given no indication one way or another about what is next.
Third baseman Matt Chapman has in the past said that Melvin is the biggest reason he came to San Francisco. After Sunday’s game, he said he’s “grateful” to have reunited after years together in Oakland.
“He’s the same guy every day. He’s been steady for us,” Chapman said. “He’s always honest with the players, he has our back, he’s done the best with what we’ve given him, the players. A lot of us didn’t play to probably our capabilities.
“If you ask guys in this room, I think a lot of guys would say they wish they were able to play better or more consistently. He never turns his back on us, and he always has our back. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about BoMel. Obviously, I love him.”
Tadej Pogacar lit up Kigali’s climbs with a trademark long-range attack to claim a second consecutive men’s road race world title on Sunday.
There was an air of inevitability surrounding the event in Rwanda as the Slovenian cemented his legacy among cycling’s all-time greats. Pogacar triumphed as the world championships were staged in Africa for the first time, with hundreds of thousands cheering from the roadside.
Team USA threatened to complete a record-breaking comeback but Ludvig Åberg, Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton hauled Europe over the line
… and as for the match itself, Donald adds: “Zero complacency … we know how strong these guys are … they’re very dangerous at singles … the crowd will be behind them … we have to take care of our own matches and try to win the session.”
Luke Donald reports on Viktor Hovland’s injury. “He started stiffening up yesterday morning … tried to go out yesterday afternoon … it got worse and worse … went to get an MRI last night … was really stiff this morning … tried to go through his warm-up but just couldn’t play … he’s devastated … gutted … he wants to go out there and represent Team Europe … it’s very unfortunate.”
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The Chicago Blackhawks have many young players looking to make the NHL roster out of training camp. Oliver Moore is undoubtedly one of them, and the 20-year-old forward certainly has the potential to.
After signing his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks back in March, Moore played in his first nine NHL games and showed promise. During them, he recorded four assists and six hits. Overall, the 2023 first-round pick did not look out of place and produced decent offense. Now, he will be looking to earn a full-time role with the Blackhawks from here.
Moore certainly made a real case for himself for a spot on Chicago's roster with his preseason performance agianst the St. Louis Blues on Sep. 27. The young forward stepped up in a huge way for the Blackhawks, as he scored the club's game-winner at the 16:57 mark of the third period.
Moore showed off his excellent skill with this goal, too. After getting control of the puck in the neutral zone, Moore used his speed before beating Blues goaltender Will Cranley top shelf with a nice wrister.
While it was a nice goal, Moore's teammates on the ice did not notice at first, as they were in a scrum with the Blues players.
As of Sunday, the Toronto Maple Leafs have not made a significant roster cut to get closer to the 23-man roster limit. They'll need to trim the roster down before their regular-season opener on Oct. 8 against the Montreal Canadiens.
The Maple Leafs have two more exhibition games, both against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday and Saturday. This gives Leafs GM Brad Treliving and coach Craig Berube a bit more of a sample size to decide whether top prospect Easton Cowan will make the NHL straight out of the OHL, or start his professional career with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
The 20-year-old’s resume is close to being impeccable. He was named MVP of the OHL regular season and playoffs in 2024, featured in two World Junior Championships for Team Canada and was the MVP of the 2025 Memorial Cup with the London Knights to end his junior career. Additionally, Cowan led the Memorial Cup in scoring in both campaigns.
However, there is a school of thought that Cowan would benefit from easing into the focal point of the hockey universe in Toronto with the Marlies. That would avoid him being the center of attention with the Leafs in the aftermath of Knights alumni Mitch Marner leaving for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Cowan has not seemed out of place playing with NHLers in the first three pre-season games. Last Tuesday, he set up Bobby McMann for a power-play goal in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators.
In the next game on Thursday, he registered an assist and a plus-four rating on the fourth line with Steven Lorentz and Scott Laughton in a 7-2 win over the Canadiens.
The young winger had played every pre-season contest until Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Habs.
“(Easton) did a lot of good things. He was physical, he played direct, got some opportunities on net. Overall, I liked his game,” Berube told reporters after Toronto's loss to Ottawa.
“I think the conversations I had with him before camp, he is doing those things. Simplified hockey, using his speed. Obviously, he has abilities out there with making plays and things like that, which he showed me tonight. But they were the right plays at the right time, which is important. I thought that he played direct all game and he worked and hounded, back checked, did a lot of good things.”
The Leafs do not have many roster spots up for grabs in training camp. With two goaltenders and likely carrying eight defensemen to start the season, Berube will be limited to 13 forwards to start the season.
Furthermore, with the addition of center Nicolas Roy and left winger Dakota Joshua as bottom-six checkers over the summer, Toronto has to decide on two players from a group of five forwards in Cowan, Nick Robertson, David Kampf, Michael Pezzetta, and Calle Jarnkrok to play on the fourth line and as an extra forward.
The advantage Toronto has with Cowan is that he is waiver-exempt and can go down to the AHL freely, whereas the other four would have to clear waivers to be sent down to the Marlies.
Cowan logically would seem to be destined to start the season at Coca-Cola Coliseum, but not because of his performance so far. The Leafs have to determine whether playing him in a feisty bottom-six role in the NHL is more beneficial to his future than playing top-line minutes and both special teams in the minors to start the season.
Sending him down would buy Treliving more time to see if there is a trade market for Robertson, who would likely get claimed if waived - Jarnkrok, or Kampf, but if Cowan continues to impress in the remainder of the pre-season, he may force the Leafs' hand and earn at least a nine-game look to start the year.
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The Vancouver Canucks’ center depth has changed throughout the course of recent years. Only two of the team’s opening-night centres from last season have returned, while Elias Pettersson remains the only one from opening night of the 2021–22 season. With many players looking for an elevated position this year, let’s take a look at the Canucks’ full center depth chart heading into 2025–26.
Roster Players
Elias Pettersson
Despite a down year last season, Pettersson is still the Canucks’ top center and could even push for a Selke Trophy when on his A-game. The forward has been capable of putting up 100-point seasons while locking down the opposition and putting up decent numbers in the faceoff dot. Many have seen promising things from him during the pre-season — but Pettersson will need to translate these to the regular season for Vancouver to have a successful year.
Filip Chytil
Since being acquired by the Canucks back in February, lots of conversation has surrounded Chytil. His injury status and concussion history is something that has many fans worried, though the forward insists that he’s feeling better heading into the 2025–26 season and that he’s planning on taking things day-by-day. For what it’s worth, Chytil has also been one of the Canucks’ standouts throughout training camp and pre-season, showing off that speed and skill that could make him a very dangerous player for the opposition to face.
Teddy Blueger
Blueger is currently entering his last season of a two-year contract with the Canucks that he signed back in 2024. A bottom-six dynamo, the forward has previously meshed well with players like Conor Garland and ex-Canuck Dakota Joshua. He’s capable of chipping in a little offence while primarily working on the defensive-side of being a forward. He has tallied back-to-back 25-point seasons with the Canucks while remaining one of the team’s most consistent penalty killers.
Reserves/Battling For A Spot
Aatu Räty
Räty may have been one of the most talked-about players heading into training camp this year. The forward had an impressive 33-game stint with the Canucks last year, scoring seven goals and four assists, and is looking to lock down a full-time NHL role before the season starts. He worked on a lot of things during the off-season to make himself a better all-around player, his skating being a notable thing, but will face a lot of competition with fellow centers such as Max Sasson and Nils Åman also vying for a spot.
Max Sasson
Sasson made his NHL debut in the 2024–25 season and looks to only be going up from there. The forward spent 29 games with Vancouver last year, posting three goals and four assists. He then headed back to Abbotsford to help the AHL Canucks clinch their first Calder Cup in franchise history, with this run cementing Sasson as one of the team’s most noticeable players due to his energetic style of play and high shot on goal totals. He is currently on the hunt for a full-time NHL role and is one of the favourites to claim one.
Nils Åman
Åman’s history with the Canucks stretches back to the 2022–23 season, where he first made the team’s opening lineup. Since playing in 68 games that season, his NHL game count has decreased little by little, with the forward only playing in 19 games last season partially due to injury. Even so, he’s been one of the more-reliable bottom-six call-ups for the Canucks throughout his tenure, which could make the team more eager to keep him on the roster for longer periods of time.
*In theory, you could also include Linus Karlsson and Joseph LaBate in this category, though neither has played in a center role much as of late, so it may be best to consider them wingers for now.
If it weren’t for a boatload of nuances, Cootes would likely make the Canucks’ roster out of training camp and pre-season. The 18-year-old has impressed insurmountably since donning the Canucks colours in the middle of September, doing so while paired up with players such as Kiefer Sherwood, Evander Kane, and Jonathan Lekkerimäki. Cootes has earned an NHL opportunity, but unfortunately is unlikely to get it unless Vancouver is willing to move on from other players in their system via waiver wire. With Cootes likely returning to the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL as captain, an extra season of marinating may be what the center needs to become the next Bo Horvat of the Canucks.
The 2024–25 season was Mueller’s first in the AHL, having come off three NCAA seasons spent with the University of Nebraska-Omaha. As a rookie, Mueller earned himself heavy defensive minutes — including during high-stakes Calder Cup Playoff games, a stint at the AHL All-Star Classic, and the trust of Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra. With one — or a few — AHL Canucks likely graduating to the NHL this season, Mueller will end up with more minutes down in Abbotsford, giving him room to showcase his skills and potentially build up an NHL campaign for the coming seasons.
Riley Patterson
Patterson, a 19-year-old drafted 125th overall in 2024, enters his third OHL season with a new opportunity. Having previously spent two years with the Barrie Colts, Patterson is now a member of the Niagara IceDogs and currently has four assists in his first two games played. He made a great impression during the Canucks’ Prospects Showcase in mid-September, particularly during the team’s second game, after filling in on the team’s top-line after an injury to Cootes. While Patterson does still need some time to grow, the center could be a positive surprise for the Canucks in the coming seasons.
Promising Futures
Kieren Dervin
Dervin, a prospect drafted 65th overall by the Canucks this year, is beginning his first full season in the OHL this year, but will move to the NCAA come 2026–27. A strength of his is his ability to play on both sides of the ice while chipping in a little offensively — though the level of his offensive talents will likely be explored more this year. The speedy center is still only 18, meaning he has lots of time to fully flesh out his game before looking to the NHL.
Matthew Perkins
Perkins is a fourth-round pick from the 2023 NHL Draft. He has spent the past two seasons with the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA, and is embarking on a new opportunity with Northeastern University starting this year. Perkins will need to work on his game a little more in the coming years, though his hockey IQ seems to be a promising point in his playing style.
Matthew Lansing
Lansing was the Canucks’ final selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, going 207th overall in the seventh round. The center’s experiences include stints with the USHL, NTDP, and OJHL, though he’ll be starting this season with Quinnipiac University of the NCAA. Lansing is known more for his defensive game and will try to showcase this more in his first NCAA season.
Daimon Gardner
Gardner was selected back in the 2022 NHL Draft, going 112th overall in the fourth round to Vancouver. He spent the past two seasons in the NCAA, going from a six-point season in 29 games with Clarkson University to a 14-point year in 32 games with St. Cloud State University. He’ll look to build on this offensive progression this year, in his second season with St. Cloud State.
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The Chicago Blackhawks started the day by cutting their roster down to 38 players, including 21 forwards, 12 defensemen, and five goaltenders. Jackson Cates, Gavin Hayes, Martin Misiak, and Stanislav Berezhnoy are all being assigned to the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs.
On Sunday evening, the Blackhawks have a quick turnaround with a game against the Minnesota Wild. Their game day roster is as follows
This lineup looks a lot closer to the one that will go against the Florida Panthers on the NHL’s opening night of the season.
In particular, Ryan Greene, Kevin Korchinski, Nolan Allan, Ashton Cumby, Oliver Moore, AJ Spellacy, and Nick Lardis will all skate with this NHL-caliber roster to see how they fit in.
Drew Commesso and Arvid Soderblom will be the two dressed goaltenders. Spencer Knight appears to be ready for the role of a number-one goalie, and these two will make solid backups.
The Minnesota Wild are dressing a handful of veterans who will be in the opening night lineup, but their roster for this evening is largely filled with young players and roster hopefuls looking to make the team. This is Chicago’s first chance as a mostly NHL group to face a test like this in the preseason.
How To Watch
Those looking for the game in the Chicago area can find it on CHSN. Out-of-market viewings can be found on ESPN+. The puck will drop at Grand Casino Arena (Formerly Xcel Energy Center) at 5:00 PM CT.
Aston Villa came from behind to record their first league win of the season, the goals coming from Ollie Watkins, John McGinn and Emi Buendía
Email! “Thank you for your kind, and deserved, words about Fulham and Marco Silva,” begins Richard Hirst. “As a lover of Bob Dylan you’ve always been known as a man of great discernment, other than in your support of Man Utd. On that note, I’m interested in your views of whether Marco is the kind of manager United could do with; has a clear tactical plan but is willing to be flexible and certainly won’t be pictured staring helplessly at the turf or not watching penalties? Marco’s contract expires at the end of this season and I imagine he’ll walk if he doesn’t get Fulham into Europe, and quite possibly even if he does.”
I’m not sure: managers have different strengths, and it might be that his is what he’s doing now. I think he’s got the aggression you need to manage the biggest clubs, but I’m not certain he whether he can coach a side to dominate the ball, or whether anyone in the world can turn United into anything resembling a football team.
