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Senators Try To Shake Off Brutal 1-12-1 Record Against Golden Knights As Long Road Trip Continues

After a 2-1 trip through California, the Ottawa Senators' travelling road show makes a stop in Las Vegas on Wednesday night. Historically, the Senators' performances have gone over very well in Vegas, with the Knights holding a lifetime record against the Sens of 12-1-1.

In fairness, for most of the Knights' young history, the Senators were spinning their wheels in a perpetual rebuild that's now a distant memory – a dark, brutal, distant memory. 

The Senators are 11-7-4 on the season, good for third in the Atlantic (two points out of first) and coming off a 2-1 loss in Los Angeles on Monday night. This is the fourth game of Ottawa's seven-game road trip, while the Golden Knights (10-5-7) are kicking off a four-game homestand. Vegas is coming off losses to Anaheim on Saturday (4-3 OT) and Utah (5-1) on Monday.

The Golden Knights won both matchups against the Senators last season. The first happened in Vegas, and the Sens wouldn't have minded it if stayed in Vegas. They gave up three unanswered goals in the final five minutes of the game to lose, 6-4. A month later, the Knights won 3-2 in Ottawa.

On the day that Brady Tkachuk announced he'd be returning from injury this Friday, his former Ottawa landlord, Mark Stone, is returning from injury. Like Tkachuk, Stone hurt his hand early in the season. The former Senators favourite was playing out of his mind last month with 13 points in his first six games before going down with a wrist injury.

It will be interesting to see if Stone has anything going with current Senator Hayden Hodgson, a player he thought he'd never face again. In a preseason game two years ago, when Hodgson was playing for the LA Kings, Hodgson crushed Stone into the end boards with a big hit that the Knights captain didn't appreciate, particularly in a nothing game.

“That’s probably the last time I’ll ever play against that guy,” Stone said after the game. 

Hodgson is more than happy to be proving Stone wrong on Wednesday night.

The best Senators-Knights rivalry might be the two teams' management groups. In 2022, the Knights went to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to demand that the Senators be punished for the poorly communicated details of their Evgenii Dadonov trade. The Senators traded Dadonov to Vegas in July 2021 and failed to supply the Knights with the player’s 10-team no-trade list.

Vegas then attempted to send Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks in 2022, but the deal was denied by the NHL because he had not waived his no-trade clause. The Sens lost their 2026 first-round pick as punishment, and there's probably no love lost between the two ownership and management teams. 

Here's how the Senators will line it up on Wednesday:

Perron-Stutzle-Batherson
Eller-Cozens-Zetterlund
Amadio-Pinto-Giroux
Cousins-Halliday-Hodgson

Sanderson-Zub
Kleven-Spence
Matinpalo-Jensen

Ullmark
Merilainen

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

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Josh Hart propels Knicks to big first half lead in 129-101 rout over Hornets

The Knicks had an offensive explosion on Wednesday night, beating the Charlotte Hornets, 129-101.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Things got off to a fast start as both offenses came out firing and shot the ball extremely well in the first quarter. Josh Hart, in particular, had a fantastic opening quarter in what was his second start of the season after he logged 38 minutes in a win against the Nets last time out. 

The 30-year-old looked like a man inspired and scored 11 points on a perfect 4-for-4 from the field in eight minutes on the floor. He also had a steal and an assist in what was a fast-paced and entertaining back-and-forth first quarter.

-- It wasn't just Hart, though, as every starter saw at least two baskets go through in the opening frame. Jalen Brunson (9), Karl-Anthony Towns (6), Mikal Bridges (6) and Miles McBride (5), along with Hart, combined to score 37 points and shoot 15-of-20 (75 percent) from the field. 

-- Mitchell Robinson led everybody with three rebounds in four minutes off the bench, while Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele also saw some minutes. 

-- The Hornets had a similarly successful first quarter with Collin Sexton leading the scoring charge with seven points off the bench. LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges each had five and after 12 minutes, New York was up 37-31.

-- Scoring slowed to start the second quarter as both teams began the period 3-for-11 from the field. Nevertheless, the Knicks continued to add to their lead and were up by 15 after Brunson completed an and-one with 3:35 remaining in the half as Charlotte struggled mightily on offense. 

-- Things exploded from there with New York ending the half on a 15-2 run to take complete control. The two daggers came in the final minute when Brunson and Hart each splashed deep three-pointers, with Hart's coming with 1.2 seconds left. The last-second triple was Hart's third of the half as he led all scorers with 19 points (7-for-9 from the field, 3-for-3 from deep, 2-for-2 at the free throw line) heading into the locker room with the Knicks up, 72-47.

-- Essentially over from there, New York did well to not let the Hornets get back into the game in the second half as Brunson carried the load offensively by scoring 16 points in the third quarter. It wasn't his most efficient night, shooting 14-for-28 from the field and 2-for-6 from three, but Brunson ended with a game-high 33 points.

-- After his incredible first half, Hart took a backseat to Brunson in the second and let the point guard cook. Still, Hart finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals in a do-it-all type performance. Towns had a double-double (19 points, 10 rebounds), Bridges had 18 points and McBride added 19 to round out most of the Knicks' scoring.

-- New York shot an incredible 57 percent from the field, 52 percent from deep and 89 percent from the charity stripe in one of its most impressive offensive showings, especially on the road. It was enough to capture just the team's third road win of the season and they are now 3-5 away from MSG. 

-- The Knicks are now 2-1 in NBA Cup group stage play.

Game MVP: Josh Hart

Hart was everywhere in the first half and was a big reason why the Knicks got out to such a big lead at halftime.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks return home after a five-game road trip to take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night in their final NBA Cup group stage matchup. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.

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Penguins' Top Prospect Rutger McGroarty Extends AHL Goal-Scoring Streak

Pittsburgh Penguins' top prospect Rutger McGroarty can't stop scoring goals for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins.

In Wednesday's tilt against the Hershey Bears - AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals - McGroarty registered his third goal in as many AHL games this season, continuing his seamless, dominant transition back to game action.

And none of McGroarty's three goals have been cheap ones, either. 

The 21-year-old forward - acquired in the summer of 2024 from the Winnipeg Jets - missed all of training camp and the first month and a half of the regular season due to an upper-body injury. He made his return to the AHL lineup on Nov. 15 against the Springfield Thunderbirds, powering his way to the net on his first shift of the second period for his first of the season. 

Rutger McGroarty Shines In Return As WBS Penguins Complete Weekend SweepRutger McGroarty Shines In Return As WBS Penguins Complete Weekend SweepSaturday marked the return for one of the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' top forward prospects.&nbsp;

Then, in Saturday's 1-0 WBS win over the Providence Bruins, McGroarty scored the lone goal shorthanded - going end-to-end, weaving around a few defenders, and earning himself a breakway opportunity that he put home. 

And that brings us to Wednesday's game. In this one, McGroarty gained the offensive zone, got to a loose puck above the right circle courtesy of a little help from Philip Tomasino, and sniped one past Bears' goaltender Garin Bjorklund to put his team up, 2-0. 

The Penguins and GM/POHO Kyle Dubas have reiterated that because McGroarty is an important piece for their future, they need to do what's right for his development and follow a return-to-play plan for him. He had a planned scratch for last Friday's game and played the next day against Providence.

But, if McGroarty continues to dominate at the AHL level and show he is ready - he has five points in three games - it's possible that the the NHL club may see him sooner than initially anticipated. 

Penguins Activate Two Players From IR, Option Murashov To AHLPenguins Activate Two Players From IR, Option Murashov To AHLAhead of their Thanksgiving Eve tilt against the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/">Buffalo Sabres</a>, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> made a few roster moves that signify they're surely but slowly getting healthier.&nbsp;

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

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Avalanche Goaltending Civil War: Wedgewood vs. Blackwood for Olympic Glory?

DENVER —  A civil war is brewing of the friendly variety. 

Going into the season, Mackenzie Blackwood was the goaltender drawing early Olympic-bid buzz. But after it was reported that the eight-year NHL veteran had undergone offseason surgery to repair a lower-body injury and had a slower than expected recovery, other names began to float around the rumor mill. 

However, one name that wasn’t even on anyone’s radar at the start of the season has emerged as arguably the NHL’s best goaltender: Scott Wedgewood. It was reported Tuesday night by TSN’s Darren Dreger that Team Canada had added Wedgewood to their Olympic long list. 

 

Wedgewood Olympic Bound? 

Some observers suggest Wedgewood has been revitalized since assuming the starting role from Blackwood, but the truth is that his resurgence traces back to his arrival in Colorado via trade from the Nashville Predators last season. In 19 appearances for the Avalanche in 2024-25, Wedgewood recorded a career-best 1.99 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. This season, the 33-year-old has continued that upward trajectory, compiling a 13-1-2 record through 17 games while leading the NHL in wins. His .918 save percentage and 2.21 goals-against average suggest that, with a larger sample size, Wedgewood may have actually improved since last year. 

Blackwood Emerges from the Shadows 

Meanwhile, Blackwood has not conceded without a fight. The 28-year-old struggled in his first three outings of the year, prompting coach Jared Bednar to publicly challenge him to elevate his game, though he reiterated his full confidence in his goaltender. Blackwood, while dismissing the need for external motivation, responded emphatically with a 35-save shutout on November 22 as the Avalanche blanked the Predators 3-0. Wedgewood countered the very next day with a 1-0 shutout over the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center. 

Could this team become even more formidable? Beyond holding the best record in the NHL at 16-1-5, Colorado boasts two elite goaltenders competing not only for the starting role on the team but also for a position on the Olympic roster. Fortunately for the Avalanche, this internal competition is characterized by mutual respect: both players genuinely celebrate each other’s successes and push one another to elevate their performances. If Blackwood—who has posted a 3-0-1 record in four games this season with a 2.47 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage—can continue to build momentum, the conversation surrounding Team Canada’s Olympic roster could become even more compelling.

And to boot, both men are familiar with one another. When Blackwood was starting for the New Jersey Devils, the same team that drafted him, Wedgewood was also his backup. This is a historical battle that the public didn't exactly ask for, but we're all here for it. At no point in NHL history has there ever been a battle between two goaltenders for both a starting spot and an Olympic slot at the same time. Appreciate this for all it's worth. 

Will Team Canada choose the goaltender who's been performing at the top level the longest, or will they go with the netminder who's been seemingly performing out of his depth? When it's all said and done, one will be very happy for the other, but these men aren't going down without a battle. 

Gametime!

Blackwood has another opportunity to stake his claim as an Olympic candidate as he takes the crease tonight for the Avalanche against his old team in the San Jose Sharks (11-9-3) at Ball Arena. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time. 

Image

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Blue Jays reportedly agree to seven-year deal with Dylan Cease: Fantasy fallout, roster fit

The Toronto Blue Jays were just two outs away from their first World Series championship in 32 years, and they don't appear to be satisfied. At least not based on the move they reportedly made Wednesday.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the deal for Cease is pending a physical, and that the contract will contain deferrals.

Now's as good of a time as any to look at what type of pitcher the Blue Jays are acquiring, how fits with Toronto, and the potential fantasy implications for the 2026 campaign.

What type of pitcher has Cease been?

A good one. For the most part. Cease was a sixth-round pick — although that 'low' of a draft slot had much more to do with financial terms than his ability — by the Cubs, and they traded the right-hander in the deal for Jose Quintana. After a so-so first two years with the Pale Hose, the right-hander led all of baseball with a 12.3 strikeout per nine inning rate in 2021 with a useable 3.91 ERA, but really stepped it up starting in 2022. He finished second in Cy Young balloting with a 2.20 ERA, 227/78 K/BB ratio and 1.10 WHIP, and while he disappointed in 2023 with a 4.55 ERA, he still was highly sought after on the market and was dealt to the Padres.

Cease finished fourth in Cy Young voting in his first season with San Diego, but his final year in the Gaslamp was a bit of a mixed bag. He did strike out 215 batters in his 168 innings while leading baseball in SO/9 for the second time, but it came with a 4.55 ERA and 1.32 WHIP.

For his career, Cease has a record of 65-58, a 3.88 ERA, and 1,231 strikeouts against 430 walks across 188 starts and 1015 1/3 frames.

What does Cease do best?

As you can probably guess, miss bats. Cease has just one season where he hasn't struck out more than a batter an inning, and it came in the truncated 2020 campaign. His average fastball velocity of 97 mph was the best of his career at the age of 29, and there's nothing to suggest that he won't able to throw his heater in that mid-to-high 90s range for the next couple of years at least.

But the reason Cease is routinely among the leaders in strikeouts is his secondary stuff, and in particular, his slider. In 2024 it was among the very best pitches in baseball with a run value of 25, and hitters swung and missed at the pitch 44.1 percent of the time while hitting just .159 against the offering. It wasn't quite as dominant in 2025, but he still generated an ever-so-impressive 44.2 percent whiff rate even while hitters saw their average bump up to .228 against it. Cease will also offering a knuckle curve, sweeper and change to hitters, but it's the devastating late break of the slider that gives hitters the feel-bads.

While Cease hasn't piled up the innings, he has been one of the more durable starters since joining baseball as well. The 2025 campaign was the fifth consecutive that he made at least 30 starts, and he's thrown at least 165 innings in each season since 2021.

Long story short, Cease is a hurler who is going to get the ball every fifth day, and he's going to pile up the punchouts doing so.

What has Cease struggled with in the past?

As noted above, while Cease has been able to take the mound on a consistent basis, he's never reached 200 innings, nor has he ranked among the top five among starters in the category. The reason for that is pretty simple: Cease has never been efficient, and walks have been a problem. He issued 71 of them in 2025, and that's the third time in four years he's walked at least 70 hitters. That self-inflicted damage can get any hurler even with elite punchout ability, and Cease has not been an exception as seen in ERA totals mentioned earlier.

And unfortunately, those command issues haven't just resulted in free passes. Cease had a less-than-desirable barrel rate of 9.8 percent in 2025, which ranks in the bottom 20th percentile of qualified starters. He's never given up more than 21 homers, but those roundtrippers add up when there's an extra batter or two on base because of the walks.

When Cease is at his best or even close, it's generally a good time. But fantasy managers who have rostered him over the past few years know that there are some clunkers, and he's the type of pitcher that you have to take some bitter with the better.

How Does Cease fit with the Blue Jays?

Quite well, but let's be honest, that would be true if we were saying any team outside of perhaps the Rockies. Cease will join a rotation that already has Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage and José Berríos; assuming Berríos is ready for the start of the season after missing the end of the year with an elbow injury. While he may not be the Opening Day starter, it seems likely that Cease will pitch near the top of that rotation, and he'll be backed up by the team that just missed on taking home a World Series title last year. There should be plenty of win chances for Cease in 2026.

Does this help or hurt Cease’s fantasy value for 2026?

It'd be hard to think this isn't a great fit from a fantasy perspective. Even if the Blue Jays are unable to bring back Bo Bichette, this is still one of the most talented rosters in baseball, and it's likely that Toronto isn't done adding whether they bring Bichette back or not. It's been a solid park for pitchers since the dimensions were altered, and while it's very likely that Cease will have a few starts that have you scratching your head/pulling your hair/both; the overall experience is generally a pleasant one. He should be one of the first dozen or so starters off the board in 2026, as the upside and ability to miss bats with the best of them is well worth the occasional down outing.

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Suns minority owners continue accuse Mat Ishbia of using team as 'personal piggy bank'

Anyone familiar with high-profile court cases, especially civil cases, knows two things are happening at once: a fight in the court through legal filings and the process, and a fight for the hearts and minds of the public who care about the trial.

That second part is why, when the attorney for Suns' minority owners Andy Kohlberg and Scott Seldin filed his latest brief with the court Monday — a response to Ishbia's countersuit to the duo's original lawsuit against him — a press release was sent to the media along with it. In the filing, Kohlberg and Seldin accuse Ishbia of mismanaging the NBA franchise and of using a capital call to pressure them to sell some or all of their shares in the franchise. They also insist that Ishbia and his legal team made a mistake that allows them to purchase a majority of the team and take over as the governor.

"We have now filed our claims for fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract to expose the misconduct by Mr. Ishbia," said the duo's lawyer, Michael Carlinsky, Global Co-Managing Partner and Head of Complex Litigation, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, said in a statement sent to NBC Sports. "Among other things, we believe the evidence will show that Mr. Ishbia contrived a scheme to threaten our clients with massive dilution of their interests in the Suns if they failed to fund a capital call within ten days' notice, while at the same hiding his own failure to fund by the deadline. We believe this scheme backfired and will result in a substantial reduction of Mr. Ishbia's interest in the Suns. He has repeatedly abused his position as manager of the franchise to benefit himself — not the Suns. We look forward to moving forward on an expedited basis and presenting our case to the court."

The legal filing itself states (via Doug Haller and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic):

"The reality is that Ishbia is using the Suns as his personal piggy bank, including through a lengthy list of conflicted transactions — only some of which the Minority Owners are aware of."

Among the accusations the filing makes are that Ishbia made a loan to the Suns at an interest rate considerably higher than the prevailing market rate, and that he sold the naming rights to the Suns' arena to his own mortgage company, among other things.

Ishbia has pushed back from the start. A spokesperson for Ishbia released this statement to The Athletic.

"This isn’t a lawsuit; it’s a shameless shakedown dressed up as legal process," a spokesperson for Ishbia said. "From day one, Mat Ishbia was transparent that he was going to do things differently. Contrary to how the team was previously managed, Mat made it very clear he would invest significantly into the Suns and Mercury. He told all the investors that they could step up with him or sell their stake and step aside. Kohlberg and Seldin stayed in and now they're trying to freeload off the value Mat created.

"Kohlberg and Seldin want to drag the organization backward, and they openly admit in this filing that investing in the team and its fans 'makes no business sense.' They are advocating neglect. They are free to sell their shares in the open market and if they don't, they should be prepared to lose this lawsuit and participate in Mat's continued investments in the teams and community."

There was speculation at the time the initial lawsuit by Kohlberg and Seldin that it was just a ploy to gain leverage in talks for Ishbia to buy their shares. The Athletic story basically confirms this, saying Kohlberg went to Ishbia a year ago to buy him out, but Ishbia didn't respond and a few days later scheduled the capital call, which in the eyes of Kohlberg was seen as trying to squeeze him and dillute the value of his shares. Ishbia, obviously, denies this. All of that led to this charge from the lawsuit, again by The Athletic.

[Kohlberg and Seldin] later learned that more of the capital had not been funded and that Ishbia had used a debt-to-equity conversion to fill the financial gap. This maneuver, Kohlberg and Seldin say, was not the legitimate way to do that. The two minority owners also say that a July 8, 2025, capital call was also not fully funded on time. They argue that under the team’s operating agreement, they would be afforded to buy the shares Ishbia had not funded himself. If they did, they would then have a majority stake in the franchises.

This feels like it will ultimately be settled, Ishbia will buy out Kohlberg and Seldin, but first there is a this legal battle and a lot of lawyers making a lot of money.

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Potential Mets target Dylan Cease signing with Blue Jays: reports

The Mets will have one less starting pitcher to try and sign this offseason.

Right-hander Dylan Cease is signing a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays pending a physical, according to multiple reports. The deal will include deferrals, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports.

The move immediately makes the Blue Jays, a World Series team in 2025, more dangerous to the Yankees and the rest of the American League. Cease will likely lead a rotation that already includes Kevin Gausman, former AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, young phenom Trey Yesavage and Jose Berrios.

Cease is coming off a relatively down year, pitching to an 8-12 record and a 4.55 ERA across 32 starts. His strikeout rate was still very high (11.5) and he has 200-plus strikeouts in each of the past five seasons.

The Mets will now look elsewhere for potential starting pitching. President of baseball operations David Stearns has made it known that upgrades to the rotation are a priority for the team this offseason. Framber Valdez, while not necessarily on the team's radar, is arguably the top remaining free agent starting pitcher this winter. Michael King, Ranger Suarez and Japanese star Tatsuya Imai are also still available.

As for the trade market, the Mets could look to bring in Sandy Alcantara or Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins, or Brewers ace Freddy Peralta. And then there's two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, who is on an expiring contract, could be available from the Tigers for the right price. 

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NHL Rumors: Should Canadiens Bring Back Maple Leafs Forward?

Sammy Blais (© Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images)

Right before the start of the 2025-26 season, the Montreal Canadiens lost forward Sammy Blais on waivers to the Toronto Maple Leafs. This was after the Canadiens signed Blais to a one-year, $775,000 contract in free agency during the summer. 

However, the Canadiens now have the opportunity to bring Blais back to Montreal, as he has been placed on waivers by the Maple Leafs. With the Canadiens dealing with injury trouble and needing more depth, it would not be particularly surprising if they claimed Blais. He is also clearly a player whom the Canadiens like, as they signed him during the summer. 

If the Canadiens claimed Blais off waivers, he would provide them with another option for their bottom six to work with. This would not be a bad thing, especially when noting that Blais plays a heavy game and can play multiple forward positions. 

Blais would also give the Canadiens more experience if they brought him. In 265 career NHL games over eight seasons split between the St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers, and Maple Leafs, he has recorded 28 goals, 46 assists, 74 points, and 863 hits. He also won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019 and the Calder Cup with the Abbotsford Canucks this past season. 

In eight games this season with the Maple Leafs, Blais has recorded one goal, three points, and 28 hits. 

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Penguins Activate Two Players From IR, Option Murashov To AHL

Ahead of their Thanksgiving Eve tilt against the Buffalo Sabres, the Pittsburgh Penguins made a few roster moves that signify they're surely but slowly getting healthier. 

Forward Ville Koivunen and goaltender Tristan Jarry were activated from injured reserve, while rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov was re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate.

The moves came a day after forward Sam Poulin was also re-assigned to WBS, which cleared the space for both moves to be made. 

Koivunen, 22, has just two points in 11 games this season and is still seeking his first NHL goal 19 games into his career. With the Penguins injury-depleted at forward - and scoring depth drying up - welcoming Koivunen back to the lineup should help provide an offensive boost, as he was starting to build some momentum before his brief IR stint.

Buffalo Sabres At Pittsburgh Penguins Preview: Lineup Changes, Where To WatchBuffalo Sabres At Pittsburgh Penguins Preview: Lineup Changes, Where To WatchThe Pittsburgh Penguins will try to get two big points over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.

In addition, center Tristan Broz is making his NHL debut Wednesday, which should also help bolster the team's scoring depth. Koivunen will play on the third line with Broz, as they skated together quite a bit during their time in WBS.

Jarry, 30, is enjoying a nice bounceback campaign after a rocky one last season. The 6-foot-4, 201-pound netminder is 5-2-0 with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage on the season, and his last game was a Nov. 3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in which he surrendered four goals on 20 shots against. 

'He's A Great Player': Tristan Broz Confirmed To Make NHL Debut Wednesday Against Buffalo Sabres'He's A Great Player': Tristan Broz Confirmed To Make NHL Debut Wednesday Against Buffalo SabresPittsburgh Penguins' forward prospect Tristan Broz will make his NHL debut against the Buffalo Sabres On Wednesday

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Does Alex Turcotte Deserve More After A Healthy Scratch And Little Ice Time?

Aside from 2020 second-overall pick Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte was the Los Angeles Kings’ highest draft pick since Brayden Schenn in 2009, who only played nine games for the Kings.

Turcotte, selected fifth overall in the 2019 NHL draft, hasn’t turned out to be what he could have considering when he was picked. But, is it really his fault when you look at how he’s been used in the last couple of seasons?

In 22 games this season, Turcotte has put up three assists and has yet to score his first goal of the season for the Kings. In other words, his production hasn’t been great.

However, there’s a good reason why he hasn’t had much of an imprint on the season, and that’s because he rarely gets to see the ice as the team’s fourth-line center.

Before being a healthy scratch in Los Angeles’ last outing against the Ottawa Senators, he played just 5:33 of ice time against the Boston Bruins. That’s the lowest amount of ice time he’s received all season long.

Alex Turcotte (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)

There have been several cases around the NHL where players have requested trades or are publicly disgruntled with their usage. And a 24-year-old center of Turcotte’s potential could be at risk of joining that category.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that Turcotte was once an intriguing prospect before becoming a regular NHLer for the Kings.

He represented Team USA at the World Junior Championships, recognized as an alternate captain in the team’s gold-medal campaign in 2020-21. He scored three goals and eight points in seven games in the tournament. 

2026 World Juniors: Potential Kings We Could See 2026 World Juniors: Potential Kings We Could See With the 2026 World Juniors only a month away, let's take a look at some potential LA Kings prospects we could be seeing represent their country.&nbsp;

Turcotte finished second on the team and tied for seventh in scoring in the tournament. He beat out Byfield, as well as Cole Perfetti, Lucas Raymond, Matt Boldy, Cole Caufield and others who turned out to be NHL stars.

With an average of just 9:02 of ice time per game, Turcotte’s abilities have been missed or even forgotten at this stage of his career.

Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke is a great example of a young star who required a little more ice time to see out his potential and to display what he’s capable of in an elevated role.

Brandt Clarke On Kings' Top Power-Play Unit: Is It Finally Time?Brandt Clarke On Kings' Top Power-Play Unit: Is It Finally Time?After winning the game for the Los Angeles Kings with a power-play marker on Monday, is it time to consider Brandt Clarke joining the team's top power-play unit?

With the injury to Drew Doughty, Clarke has been able to naturally be the next man up on the right side of Los Angeles’ defense. Clarke went from playing 13 to 17 minutes per game to now playing at least 20 minutes in the last six outings. Naturally, he scored the game-winning goal for the Kings on Monday.

Back to Turcotte, the most ice time he’s averaged in his short NHL career to this point was last season, playing 11:44 a night.

There’s a difference between underperforming and not being given a fair shot. Ultimately, since becoming a regular NHL player, he hasn’t been given the opportunity to underperform.

Therefore, the centerman deserves a little more of a leash to earn more ice time and show head coach Jim Hiller what he has in the middle of the ice.

It would be a shame for Turcotte not to be utilized a little more.

With that, there will be a chance for him to obtain an elevated role next season when veteran center and captain Anze Kopitar retires. At the very least, he can be bumped up into the top nine of Los Angeles’ forward group.

However, by then, he’ll be 25, going on to 26, leaving behind developmental years, and entering the age when organizations and front offices become a little more impatient with growth.

Nonetheless, Turcotte has not been getting the ice time he deserves over the last couple of weeks or so. But with still three quarters to go in this campaign, it’s too early to write off on anything.

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Doug Christie, Kings haunted by appalling first quarter in NBA Cup loss to Suns

Doug Christie, Kings haunted by appalling first quarter in NBA Cup loss to Suns originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – Keegan Murray was fairly pleased with how the Kings played defense over the final three quarters on Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center when they limited the Phoenix Suns to 71 points despite their 112-100 loss.

The problem for Sacramento came in the first quarter of the night, when the game got out of hand before many fans had a chance to settle into their seats comfortably.

It was 12 minutes of absolute dysfunctional play on both ends of the court for Sacramento, a complete 180 from Monday’s game against Minnesota when the Kings rallied to stun the Timberwolves.

“Obviously when you lose a quarter 41-16, it’s hard to come back,” Murray told reporters. “We just dug ourselves too big of a hole. It was rough. It wasn’t our brand of basketball at all. The next three quarters, we started to figure it out a little bit, but it was just too late.”

That was the general sentiment everywhere in Sacramento, where fans, in evident frustration, booed the hometown squad for most of the night before heading for the exits with more than two minutes still on the clock.

Kings coach Doug Christie echoed sentiments of disappointment.

“About as disappointing as it gets,” Christie told reporters. “Probably should have called a timeout within the first six seconds with the very first turnover. You can’t dig a hole like that.

“Not only digging a hole that way, but it’s the confidence that you give another team that is just out of control. You can’t give NBA players that type of confidence. Just man for man. It can’t happen.”

The hole was dug, and, as a result, the Kings played from behind all night. The Suns got away with too many easy baskets inside, a result of star big man Domantas Sabonis not playing.

Sacramento was also without its backup point guard and one of its top defensive stoppers in Dennis Schröder.

Regardless of the situation, the first quarter was as bad as it’s been this season for the Kings.

“I guess we were just stuck in the mud tonight,” guard Malik Monk said. “They were hitting shots, we were letting them get open shots, but they were knocking them down. It’s hard to win, man, when you got a big deficit like that.”

It would be easy to shrug this off as one game, but Monk said it’s been a pattern for the Kings ever since he signed with the team before the 2022-23 NBA season.

“I wouldn’t say it’s surprising to me, because that’s been the story of my seasons (since) I’ve been playing here,” Monk added. “We start kind of flat sometimes, and sometimes we don’t. Super disappointing, man, because we know what we can do when we come out, play hard and compete for four quarters.”

The first quarter fiasco against Phoenix was definitely one for the books.

Sacramento scored just 16 points, its fewest in any opening quarter this season. The Kings shot 6 for 17 (1 for 7 on 3s), committed seven turnovers and failed to record a single assist.

For a squad that has been preaching about team identity all season, the Kings really don’t have one yet. If they do, it definitely was missing Wednesday.

“I don’t think we’re showing it right now,” Murray concluded. “I think you saw more in the Minnesota and the Denver game, but we just want to try and disrupt teams. Play fast, be the aggressor, have the other team be on their heels, and just keep punching them. But tonight, obviously, I think we only did that for one quarter.”

It was also just one quarter that proved to be the Kings’ downfall against the Suns.

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Watford sidelined, Bona eyeing return for Sixers' Black Friday game in Brooklyn

Watford sidelined, Bona eyeing return for Sixers' Black Friday game in Brooklyn  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers’ revolving injury door keeps swinging.

A team official said that an MRI confirmed Trendon Watford suffered a left adductor strain in the second quarter of the Sixers’ 41-point loss Tuesday to the Magic. He’ll be re-evaluated in two weeks. 

After missing the start of this season with a left hamstring injury, Watford had played in 14 consecutive games and averaged 8.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists. The highlight of his season has been a first career triple-double in the Sixers’ Nov. 8 win over the Raptors. He wasn’t too far from a second on Sunday, posting 19 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in a loss to the Heat. 

“We were just getting ready to get used to him,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said Wednesday afternoon. “That he’s going to be a Swiss Army knife kind of guy that probably plays anywhere from one to four for us. I think he had a good knack of getting us some timely buckets, a good knack of setting up things for people. He can guard multiple positions. That’s a lot of stuff, right?”

Nurse had Adem Bona back at practice. The second-year big man told reporters he aims to return Friday against the Nets.

Bona’s been out the past five games because of a right ankle sprain. With Joel Embiid also sidelined by a right knee injury, the Sixers have needed to lean heavily on Andre Drummond at center. 

“I think we need that position manned by two people,” Nurse said. “And I think Drum’s done a great job, but you can see as the games stack up, it gets to be a lot for one guy. And the other guys have tried to fill in, but it just gets a little small certain nights. So that’s the biggest thing, that he can help shore up that position over 48 (minutes). We certainly need what he brings us — energy, rim protection, some shot blocking. 

“You think back to what he was giving us, it was maybe not 20 minutes of amazing play, but there was always that spurt of three or four minutes that got you to the next part of the game or sparked you on a momentum run. He looked pretty good today, so hopefully things go OK and he makes it back by Friday.”

VJ Edgecombe (left calf tightness) and Paul George (right ankle sprain) also practiced. Embiid (right knee injury) had “an individual strength and conditioning session,” according to a team official. 

“I would say they looked pretty good,” Nurse said of Edgecombe and George. “They did everything all the way through. Again, it wasn’t a ton of stuff coming off last night, but they did both make it through. We’ve got a couple days yet (before the Nets game), so hopefully we can get at least one — hopefully both of them — back.”

Regardless of who’s available, the 9-8 Sixers will expect a bounce-back performance when they face the 3-14 Nets. The team’s one blowout win so far is a 24-point victory on Nov. 2 in Brooklyn.

“The amount of effort and work they’ve put in has been as high as it can be,” Nurse said. “Even though you got punched in the mouth last night — repeatedly — you’ve got to be able to come back and do it again. Keep that mindset and that process going.”