here we go!
Gamethread 6/27: Phillies at Mets
Elton Hermansson Could Be Valuable for the Kings Future
In the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Kings selected Elton Hermansson with the 19th overall pick. This selection was crucial for Los Angeles, and it might be the best decision for the team’s future.
Hermansson is a young prospect from Modo Hockey, which is a team from the professional Swedish league, HockeyAllsvenskan. In this league, the 18-year-old winger showed immense promise as a goalscorer.
As the second-youngest player on the Modo Hockey roster in 2026, Hermansson recorded 11 goals. He had the fourth-highest goal total on the team and was the only player under 25 in the top five.
While Hermansson was a key contributor to Modo Hockey, he generated his production in fewer games. He only played 38 games, which ranked nineteenth in most games played on the team.
Despite having a smaller sample size, Hermansson generated 21 total points and a plus-nine in total net rating. Thus demonstrating the amount of impact Hermansson had when he was on the ice.
Only one year removed from Örebro U20, Hermansson managed to translate his production into a league against grown men. While the NHL is another level above HockeyAllsvenskan, it is still worth noting how well Hermansson can adjust to better leagues.
Early in his Modo Hockey tenure, Hermansson learned that he couldn’t live on the perimeter. This allowed Hermansson to adjust his game by becoming more physical and more drives to the net.
This allowed Hermansson to mature as a puck handler and overall playmaker within the offense. The maturation of a young player to adjust his game against more experienced players, is a valuable trait.
Maturing as a player is the reason why Hermanson improved in the HockeyAllsvenskan and why he was drafted in the first place. Hermanson will have to adapt and evolve his game once again when he suits up for the Kings.
Los Angeles selected Hermansson hoping that he could become the forward that could reshape this struggling offense. Last season, the Kings scored 2.68 goals per game, which ranked 29th in the NHL.
Along with other moves like hiring Peter Laviolette as the coach, the Kings are orchestrating moves to help in the future. The next few years are set for Los Angeles to build a culture around a stronger offense.
Hermansson is part of that piece in that process as a scoring wing for this team. There is plenty of excitement for Hermansson to eventually find his way on the Kings roster.
“The team is great. You know a lot of Swedes played there, like Kempe [and] Grundstrom, said Hermansson. “Great team, great history. Looking forward to visiting the city there and the facilities.”
Before Hermansson finally makes the NHL, there is a development process that will take place. This includes more time with Modo Hockey and most likely some time with the Ontario Reign.
So when the time comes for Hermansson to play his first game for the Kings, he is expected to be a valuable contributor on offense. This draft pick can help Los Angeles find that winger who delivers the firepower this team has desperately needed.
SB Nation Reacts: Wizards fans give high marks on the draft and offseason so far
Washington Wizards fans are clearly encouraged by the franchise’s direction following the 2026 NBA Draft. In the latest SB Nation Reacts polls that we issue this week, 90 percent of respondents gave the selection of AJ Dybantsa an A grade, signaling overwhelming confidence in the organization landing the player many believe can become the face of the rebuild.
That optimism has extended to the Wizards’ offseason as a whole. Another poll found that 55 percent of fans gave the team’s offseason (so far) an A, while an additional 35 percent awarded a B.
While the true impact of this offseason won’t be known for some time, Wizards fans appear to believe that the franchise finally has a clear vision—and, for now, that’s worth celebrating. Hopefully, that will improve Washington’s odds of making the playoffs in the years to come on FanDuel or another sportsbook.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Here Is Every Pick, Trade The Nashville Predators Made On Day 2 Of The NHL Draft
The Nashville Predators ended Friday with a bang at the NHL Draft in Buffalo, drafting forward Wyatt Cullen (10th overall) and defenseman Thomas Bleyl (31st overall) in the first round.
MORE: Nashville Predators Select forward Wyatt Cullen With 10th Overall Pick In NHL Draft
MORE: Nashville Predators Select Defensemen Tommy Bleyl After Acquiring Pick 31 From Hurricanes
After dealing off both of their second-round picks for Carolina's 31st overall selection, the Predators had a slow start to Saturday, kicking off the day in the third round. However, they still had eight slots left to fill before the day was over
Here is every transaction the Predators made in rounds 3-7 of the NHL Draft.
PICK: 3rd Round, 70th Overall: Dmitri Borichev, G, Loko 76 Yaroslavl (Russia)
Got our goalie 👊
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) June 27, 2026
Welcome to Smashville, Dmitri! pic.twitter.com/9D2Vp02vav
Nashville opened the day selecting its first goalie of this year's draft in Dmitri Borichev, a 6-foot-2, 188-pound goalie from Vologda, Russia, at 70th overall.
He played this past season with Loko 76 Yaroslavl, Russia's MHL junior league. In 24 games, Borichev posted a 12-8-3 record, with three shutouts. He had a .929 save percentage and a 2.25 goals against average.
Borichev was named the NHL Central Scouting's top-ranked international goaltender for this year's Draft.
Borichev is expected to return to the MHL next season.
TRADE: Massimo Rizzo, 148th Pick To Rangers For Forward Adam Edstrom
TRADE 🔄
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) June 27, 2026
We've acquired forward Adam Edstrom from the Rangers in exchange for forward Massimo Rizzo and pick no. 148 in this year's draft.
Full details » https://t.co/S9JNj9tV6kpic.twitter.com/vWfFjIIsmF
The first active player that the Predators have acquired in this draft, Nashville sent center Massimo Rizzo and the 148th overall pick to the New Rangers for forward Adam Edstrom.
He is a massive addition to the lineup, size-wise, with a 6-foot-7, 232-pound build. Edstrom played 35 games with the Rangers this season, recording five points off three goals and two assists.
Edstrom's time in New York was marred by injuries as he missed the majority of last season with a fractured ankle. Upon his return in March, he was scratched for the final 11 games of the season.
He's played in 97 NHL games from the 2023-24 season, recording 16 points off 10 goals and six assists.
Rizzo has not played a game in Nashville since his acquisition from the Boston Bruins in 2025 and has played 13 games with the Milwaukee Admirals, scoring 5 points.
PICK: 4th Round, 106th overall Jakub Floris, D, Lukko (Finland)
Welcome to Smashville, Jakub! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/AL8okUKdtN
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) June 27, 2026
Nashville opened up the fourth round selecting Jakub Floris, a 6-foot-3, 183-pound right-shot defenseman from Bratislava, Slovakia, at 106th overall.
He played this past season with Lukko Jr. in Finland's U-20 league. There, he recorded 18 points in 38 games, with 10 goals and eight assists.
Floris also played for Slovakia at the IIHF U-18 World Championship, scoring four points off two goals and two assists in seven games. He is expected to make the jump to Liiga, Finland's top professional hockey league, this fall.
PICK: 4th Round, 118th overall Justin Graf, LW, Cedar Rapids (USHL)
Justin is joining the squad 🤝 pic.twitter.com/LZ6F47kByH
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) June 27, 2026
The second American selection by the Predators comes in the form of Justin Graf, a 6-foot-1, 174-pound left-shot center from Boston, Massachusetts, at 118th overall.
In his first season in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Graf had 55 points in 52 games, with 23 goals and 32 assists.
He won a Gold Medal with Team USA at the U19 World Junior A Challenge, recording an assist in five games. Graf will be playing at Harvard University starting this fall.
Graf also has some NHL roots in his family as his brother is Colin Graf, a forward with the San Jose Sharks.
PICK: 5th Round, 138th overall Philip Hemmyr, LW, Bjrokloven (Sweden)
How Swede it is! Welcome to Smashville, Philip 🤩 pic.twitter.com/rYeeDgHFLQ
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) June 27, 2026
The third lefty shot of this draft, the Predators selected Philip Hemmyr, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound left-winger from Umeå, Sweden, with the 138th overall pick.
He primarily played with Bjrokloven in Sweden's second-tier professional league, scoring 12 points in 36 games, with six goals and six assists.
Hemmyr was promoted to the league after a dominant 27-game stretch in Sweden's U-20 league, scoring 44 points off 19 goals and 25 assists.
He's expected to stay with Bjrokloven this coming season, but play in the Swedish Hockey League, the country's top league.
TRADE: 160th Overall Pick To Pittsburgh Penguins For 2028 Fifth Round Pick
The Predators now have 10 picks in the 2028 NHL Draft, two in the fifth round.
PICK: 6th Round, 179th Overall Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte, D, Val-D'Or (QMJHL)
Checking in at 1️⃣7️⃣9️⃣
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) June 27, 2026
Welcome to Smashville, Benjamin! pic.twitter.com/2BegewVeVY
Just two selections in this draft from the Canadian Hockey League as Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte comes in at 179th overall, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-shot defenseman from Trios-Rivières, Quebec.
He spent this past season with the Val-D'Or Foreurs in the QMJHL, scoring 38 points, with 4 goals and 34 assists, in 62 games. It was his second season in the league and first as an assistant captain.
PICK: 7th Round, 202nd Overall Charlie Puglisi, C, Winchendon School (HS-MA)
Our final pick of the #NHLDraft 👏
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) June 27, 2026
Welcome to Smashville, Charlie! pic.twitter.com/K0ENFJt8DM
The Predators' final pick of the 2026 NHL Draft came in Charlie Puglisi at 202nd overall, a 6-foot, 162-pound right-shot center from Latham, New York.
Unlike his counterparts, he did not play junior or professional hockey this year, but high school hockey in Massachusetts. Puglisi played at Winchendon School, scoring 76 points off 26 goals and 50 assists in 35 games.
He also played in the Eastern Hockey Federation's U-18 league with the Islanders Hockey Club Prep East, scoring 31 points (10 goals and 21 assists) in 25 games.
Puglisi will play with the Kitchener Rangers this coming season and is committed to Cornell University for the 2027-28 season.
Nashville Predators Final 2026 NHL Draft Board
1st Round, 10th overall: Wyatt Cullen, LW, NTDP-USHL
1st Round, 31st overall: Thomas Bleyl, D, Moncton-QMJHL
3rd Round, 70th overall: Dmitri Borichev, G, Loko 76 Yaroslavl-Russia Jr.
4th Round, 106th overall: Jakub Floris, D, Lukko Jr.-Finland Jr.
4th Round, 118th overall: Justin Graf, LW, Cedar Rapids-USHL
5th Round, 138th overall: Philip Hemmyr, LW, Bjorkloven-HockeyAllsvenskan
6th Round, 179th overall: Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte, D, Val-D'Or-QMJHL
7th Round, 202nd overall: Charlie Puglisi, C, Winchendon School-HS-MA
San Diego stuns L.A. with 7-run bashing
The San Diego Padres have been playing some good baseball lately. It’s a relief for the Friar Faithful, who have endured a stretch of tough at-bats and depressing losses. Now? The Padres have reeled off a four-game win streak against two of the best teams in baseball. They swept the Atlanta Braves at home, and took the series opener last night from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
They’ll play Game 2 against L.A. tonight, hoping to win the series and shorten the rivals’ lead in the NL West. It will be tougher than last night, with the 2025 World Series MVP on the mound against San Diego. But, if the offense looks anything like it did last night (seven runs on seven hits), the Friars will coast to a series victory.
Taking the mound
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD) v. Randy Vásquez (SD)
It says something that Yamamoto has been the Dodgers’ second-best starter this season. He boasts an elite 2.65 ERA and minuscule 0.87 WHIP over 91 2/3 innings. His strikeout numbers have been down a bit, but he’s still getting outs at a ridiculous clip. He’s looked even better recently, with a 2.25 ERA in his last 48 innings pitched.
Yamamoto has looked like an ace ever since the Dodgers signed him out of Japan. He’ll seek to keep that dominance going against San Diego. A stat worth noting: Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado boast a combined .348 batting average against the righty. Just how much damage the veteran duo can do tonight remains to be seen.
Vásquez has had a rough stretch lately. After seeming to unlock a new level to his game at the beginning of the season, he now owns an ERA over 4.00 for the first time since April 2025. That’s due to his last outing against the Texas Rangers, in which Vásquez gave up six runs in the first inning, blowing a five-run cushion and losing the game for the Friars almost immediately.
He’ll need to do better tonight. He’s struggled to command his pitches well. If Vásquez isn’t on his A-game, the Padres will likely have to turn to the ‘pen earlier than they’d like. Hopefully, the righty can turn things around in such an important matchup.
Batter up!
The San Diego kid continues to impress. Ty France launched his 10th home run of the season last night for a three-run shot in the second inning. Despite scoring four more in the eighth, it was all the Padres would need after Walker Buehler limited Los Angeles to a single run.
- Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
- Samad Taylor, LF
- Jackson Merrill, CF
- Manny Machado, 3B
- Gavin Sheets, 1B
- Xander Bogaerts, SS
- Miguel Andujar, DH
- Freddy Fermin, C
- Sung-Mun Song, 2B
France has swung a hot bat lately but could be out of the lineup in today’s game after his arm was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning. He was able to remain in the game until the ninth inning, when Andujar replaced him at first base. That said, he may not play today depending on the state of his arm.
Relief corps
Buehler looked great against his former team, pitching five strong innings before being lifted in sixth inning for reliever Yuki Matsui. It was an odd move, with Buehler only at 74 pitches. He walked Andy Pages, and was taken from the game before Matsui gave up a double to Freddie Freeman. It could have been much worse, but the lefty popped out Max Muncy and flew out Kyle Tucker to end the trouble.
Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon and Wandy Peralta covered the final three innings well. Adam pitched a perfect seventh. Morejon worked through trouble in the eighth, inducing an inning-ending double play. Peralta did the same to finish off Los Angeles.
The four-run burst in the eighth allowed the Friars to save elite closer Mason Miller for the final two games of the series. If the offense is able to keep putting runs on the board, that move will prove incredibly shrewd for the club. Additionally, Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio and David Morgan will be available out of the ‘pen. Hopefully, Vásquez can cover six innings against the Dodgers so the relievers won’t be overworked.
Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers preview, Saturday 6/27, 6:10 CT
Today’s roster move: Here
Saturday notes…
- SATURDAY IN THE PARK: The Cubs are 6-6 on Saturday this season. They finished 20-7 a year ago. They are 2-3 on Saturday on the road. They finished 11-2 a year ago. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- RISPy BUSINESS: The Cubs were 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position last night. It was the 21st game in which they were hitless with RISP, more than one of every four they have played. They are 3-18 with no hits and have lost 11 in a row since they were 0 for 7 in a 2-0 win at Atlanta on May 14. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- STREAKING: Pete Crow-Armstrong’s 28-game on base streak ties him for the 49th longest by a Cub since 1901 with John Sullivan, 1921; Hack Wilson, 1929 and 1930; Stan Hack, 1941; Tony Taylor, 1959; and Glenn Beckert, 1973. Johnny Evers, in 1912, and Augie Galan, in 1938, had streaks end at 29 games. There have been 46 streaks of at least 30, including seven of exactly 30, most recently by Ian Happ, April 45-May 9. Happ’s tied Bryan LaHair, in 2012, for the longest since Starlin Castro went 43 games, in 2011-12 — one short of Riggs Stephenson’s record of 44, in 1928. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Kris Bryant hits three homers and two doubles, going 5-for-5 with four runs scored and six RBI, as the Cubs defeat the Reds 11-8 in Cincinnati. Bryant’s 16 total bases break a franchise record that had stood since 1962 (Ernie Banks, 14). It happened 10 years ago today, Monday, June 27, 2016.
The Cubs lineup was not available at posting time. Please check BCB social media for the Cubs lineup.
Brewers lineup:
David Peterson, LHP vs. Kyle Harrison, LHP
David Peterson is having the worst year of his career. Shuttled back and forth between the Mets rotation and bullpen, he’s never been able to get any consistency.
You all know about his extreme ground-ball tendencies; BCB’s Sara Sanchez has more in this article posted yesterday. Hopefully the Cubs’ elite defense will help him get back to the level he was at the last two years, when he was essentially a 2 WAR pitcher.
He last faced the Brewers July 3, 2025 in New York, throwing 6.2 innings and allowing two runs (one earned). I think we’d take that tonight. Current Brewers are batting .184 (9-for-49) against Peterson with 14 strikeouts.
Kyle Harrison has been a revelation for the Brewers, posting a 2.50 ERA and 1.056 WHIP in 14 starts. One of those starts was against the Cubs May 20 in Wrigley Field, where he threw seven shutout innings and struck out 11.
Do better tonight, Cubs.
Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.
Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball. If you do go there to interact with Brewers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
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Seth Trimble signs with the Washington Wizards as an undrafted free agent
Welcome to the NBA Seth Trimble. Trimble, who is signing as an undrafted free agent with the Washington Wizards, becomes the third former Tar Heel to join the NBA this offseason after Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar were drafted by the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks respectively. It is unknown exactly what kind of undrafted free agent contract it is (either a two-way, exhibit 10, or Summer league) but it will give Trimble the chance to show off his skills at summer league. Fellow former Tar Heel RJ Davis signed an exhibit 10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers last season and that led to a G-League contract with the South Bay Lakers. If he has a successful Summer League, Trimble could be looking at a similar deal, which in turn could give him a chance at the NBA as the Wizards are not a very good franchise (more on that below).
So what can the former Tar Heel bring to the Wizards?
Strengths
Trimble has gotten better every season setting career highs in points, assists, and minutes per game this past season. He also had his highest field goal percentage as a Tar Heel at 47.1 percent. Trimble is a leader on the floor and in the locker room and is willing to take the clutch shots and make them (never forget the game winner against Duke). He is also a strong driver and possesses the athleticism to make finishes in traffic. Trimble on the whole is also a decent defender and though he may not yet be lockdown, it is something he could achieve if he if that became his focus.
Weaknesses
Let’s just get this one out of the way because there is nothing he can do to fix this, but Trimble is small for an off ball guard at 6’3. Additionally, though he has hit big threes, his career 29.4% from three limits his 3 and D potential in addition to his lack of size. Trimble also needs to work on his free throw shooting as for the most part he has been about a 66% free throw shooter, with the exception of a 82% junior season, and for a guard who is a better driver than long range shooter will make him susceptible to team fouling.
The Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are not a good NBA team (I would argue they are the Cleveland Browns of the NBA, but I am open to other suggestions) having finished with a losing record in each of the past five seasons (120-290) and garnering a top 10 pick in each of those five seasons and a top five pick in two of them. Additionally, the team is full of smaller guards including the teams first round pick from last season, Tre Johnson. The Wizards did trade for Anthony Davis and Trae Young last season perhaps signaling a sign to compete, but they combined to play five games for Washington last season, all by Young.
It will be an uphill battle for Trimble to make the 15-man roster, but Trimble’s calling card should be defense and that should give him a chance even as an undersized guard, though he will likely spend most, if not all, of this season in the G-League. If he does get anytime with the NBA franchise, he will be reunited with former Tar Heel and one time teammate Leaky Black (they were both on the 2022-23 squad).
In the end Trimble is one of several players hurt most by the new NCAA five in five rule snubbing the class of 22. Trimble was always going to have a tough time getting drafted but could’ve been a leader on the Tar Heels this season and with next years draft class looking less loaded, might’ve found a draft spot in the late second round. Nonetheless, he is going to get the chance to live his dream and UNC fans everywhere should be excited for it.
New Jersey Devils Select Quinn McKenzie at 222nd Overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft
With the third-to-last pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, which was acquired from Colorado, the New Jersey Devils selected Quinn McKenzie from the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL. In 2026-27, McKenzie will be playing for the Penn State Nittany Lions. For such a late pick in the draft, there is actually a lot to like here! Quinn had 21 goals and 30 assists in 65 games for the Greyhounds this season, jumping from Shattuck St. Mary’s to the OHL and putting up a very good season in third-line minutes. I am actually surprised, looking at his profile, that he never got much scouting attention, especially with his five goals and seven points in 10 playoff games for Soo. However, he is a 5’10” and 176 pound right-handed center, so maybe the size factor made him slip through the cracks. The Maryland-native also grades out very well on Mitchell Brown’s CHL tracking project for a prospect this late in the draft, with solid passing and defensive skills.
You can see here that the areas McKenzie will have to work on the most are his turnovers. He has been a puck-dominant center in the OHL, and it does seem that he struggled a bit with puck protection at times. However, with an ability to get back and strong impact on getting the puck out of the defensive zone and past center ice, McKenzie has a strong base to establish himself as a third or fourth-line winger if he cannot quite drive the offense as a center. Brock Otten, the Director of Scouting for McKeen’s Hockey, liked this one quite a bit:
Additionally, Quinn had one of the highest grades in the seventh round from the analytical aggregator Tape2Tape Prospects:
He is a player that wants to be good for his team. Back in October, when the season was just getting underway, McKenzie was featured in the The Sault Star after scoring an overtime winner over the Kitchener Rangers. Despite having three points in a 5-4 win, McKenzie apologized to his team postgame, per head coach John Dean, for his play in the first period. You can see the highlights from that game below. On the overtime goal, McKenzie spins off a defender along the boards and goes right to the net, ending the game.
This might be the kind of player he is. When he scored his first OHL goal, he won a puck battle on the boards at a tough angle and then went around to the net, scoring on a rebound.
Unfortunately, as a largely unranked player, McKenzie lacks the usual highlight packages I could normally point to even though he had the statistical production to assemble such a video. Maybe one comes out eventually. Maybe he gets added to the NHLe databases. We’ll see. For now, feel free to vote in our flash poll and leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Former Avalanche Stanley Cup Hero Traded Again in Surprise Trade
Andre Burakovsky’s career has turned into a steady loop of new stops and short stays. The latest came Friday, when the Chicago Blackhawks dealt him to the Ottawa Senators for a 2027 sixth-round pick.
He leaves Chicago after one season that felt functional more than anything else. Burakovsky posted 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 75 games after arriving from the Seattle Kraken on June 21, 2025. Middle-six minutes, secondary scoring, dependable enough—but never really a defining piece of the lineup.
André Burakovsky has been traded to Ottawa for a 2027 6th round pick. pic.twitter.com/P1vlupA3zA
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) June 26, 2026
He is entering the final year of a five-year, $27.5 million contract ($5.5 million AAV) signed with Seattle in July 2022 and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Across 771 regular-season games, he has 420 points (164 goals, 256 assists). He also has 47 points in 93 playoff games and two Stanley Cup championships.
Drafted 23rd overall by the Washington Capitals in 2013, Burakovsky has now played for Washington, Colorado, Seattle, Chicago, and Ottawa. The production has been steady enough over time, but the role has shifted almost everywhere he’s gone.
The clearest version of his impact still traces back to Colorado.
He wasn’t a driver on that 2022 team, but he didn’t need to be on a roster that went on to win the Stanley Cup. Colorado was built to overwhelm teams with speed and skill. His job was simpler—finish plays when they opened up, and be ready for the moments that could swing a game.
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against Tampa Bay is still the reference point. The game went to overtime, tight and tense, and Burakovsky finished it—scoring the winner in a 4-3 Avalanche victory that set the tone for a series Colorado would close out in six games.
That’s still the moment people remember. Not because it defines his career, but because it shows what he’s always been: a player who can matter without ever being the center of it.
In Ottawa, that’s the bet again.
Senators general manager Steve Staios put it simply.
“Andre adds skill and playmaking ability to our forward group,” Staios said. “We are happy to add the pedigree of a two-time Stanley Cup champion.”
For Ottawa, it’s another depth move—an experienced winger who can slide into the middle six, chip in offense, and help stabilize shifts when games tighten.
The Senators also made another move Friday, acquiring goaltender Samuel Ersson from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2026 fifth-round pick, part of a broader stretch of roster reshaping.
Burakovsky’s career doesn’t come with permanence at this point. It hasn’t for a while. But he keeps finding teams that believe there’s still enough there to make a difference.
Now it’s Ottawa’s turn to see where it fits.
Nets, Spurs among teams interested in Rui Hachimura
Of the many Lakers’ internal free agents, perhaps the one most likely to find a new home next season is Rui Hachimura.
While Rui has had a handful of successful seasons in Los Angeles, his fit with the team is less than ideal as it stands and he could be the odd man out for the Lakers depending on how free agency plays out.. And if he does hit the open market, then there are going to be many teams lining up for one of the best shooters in the league.
On Saturday, NBA beat writer Jake Fischer reported that the Nets and Spurs are among the teams interested in Rui in free agency.
Brooklyn keeps coming up as a likely suitor, too, for the Lakers’ Rui Hachimura, league sources say. The Nets and Spurs are two teams we’ve heard have interest in adding Hachimura’s services, while the Spurs are also faced with resolving Harrison Barnes’ future as the veteran forward heads toward unrestricted free agency.
Unfortunately, Rui might cook in San Antonio. The Spurs have plenty of talented guards but lacked the same depth on the wing. Rui could even potentially step into the starting lineup and have a big man in Victor Wembanyama who can help mask some of his deficiencies.
Even if Lakers fans are open to moving on from Rui, it’d hurt to see him go to San Antonio. That’s quite the same in Brooklyn.
It’s really anyone’s guess what the Nets are doing in terms of roster-building. It’s hard to imagine any notable player going there for any reason other than living in New York and/or getting a big contract.
But Brooklyn does have the cap space to offer that big deal. They’ll likely be used as leverage throughout the summer, something Lakers fans are certainly used to, even if they aren’t always serious bidders.
Nevertheless, this shows that, probably unsurprisingly, Rui will have suitors this summer. He did speak about loving his time in Los Angeles. And there have been reports that most expect him to return to the Lakers. But it looks like there’s going to be competition to bring him back, if the front office does indeed go that route.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
Report: Sixers interested in Dean Wade in free agency
With the official start of NBA free agency rapidly approaching, we’re quickly going to see more buzz of who the Sixers could look to sign. Now, we can add Dean Wade to the mix.
As Marc Stein and Jake Fischer have reported, various playoff teams, including the Sixers, are expected to be interested in Wade.
Right away, the Sixers now have a connection to Wade with the time Mike Gansey spent in the Cavaliers’ front office. In his first media availability session after joining the Sixers, Gansey even mentioned Wade when talking about finding diamonds in the rough for the Cavs. Gansey’s familiarity and respect for Wade’s skillset could spark more interest in reuniting with him again through free agency this summer, but Wade likely won’t come cheap.
The 6-foot-9 forward has spent the first seven years of his career with the Cavs, becoming a staple in their rotation since his second year. In 2025-26 in 22.3 minutes per game, he averaged 5.8 points (58.0 percent true shooting and 36.2 percent from three), 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.4 blocks. He’s hardly a game-changer on offense, with little to offer on the ball and his fairly low aggression/shot volume can be a hindrance. However, he is reliable when it comes to making sharp extra passes and keeping the ball moving. He’s still a decent shooter as well with a 36.7 percent three-point stroke on 3.3 attempts per game (5.9 attempts per 36 minutes) over the last six seasons.
Wade shines at the other end of the floor, though, as a rock-solid defender. He has great size and length to handle tough forward assignments, pretty good lateral quickness and agility to shift around the perimeter and cover his fair share of guards, and solid rebounding. Wade’s versatility and size at that end of the floor is clearly something the Sixers could use more of.
But again, all that may come at a price that exceeds the Sixers’ budget. Or at least what they can spend without losing out on other talent.
The Sixers do have the $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception (NTMLE) at their disposal this summer, but using it would hard cap them at the first apron for the rest of 2026-27 (as our Bryan Toporek laid out so well here). At that point, using the NTMLE will likely lose the team Kelly Oubre Jr. and/or Quentin Grimes. And even if you’re ready to see Grimes and all his flaws go, Oubre has clearly proven plenty of value to this team.
If Wade costs over $10 million or the full NTMLE, then that may not be a price the Sixers can rise to. And as good as Wade would be in strengthening the Sixers’ forward rotation, it’s hard to see him as that valuable for Philly. Especially if signing Wade costs the team Oubre.
Nevertheless, it’ll be intriguing to see what further reports we see about interest in Wade from the Sixers and other teams as we get into free agency, and what kind of contract he could command.
Pena, Paredes Lead Offensive Burst as Astros Tame Tigers 8-6
There may have been a sense that with AL MVP frontrunner Yordan Alvarez getting just his second off day of the season, the Houston Astros (41-44) may have trouble scoring runs today. That would not be the case.
The Houston offense got untracked early and surged late to lead the Astros over the Detroit Tigers (35-48) 8-6 this afternoon at Comerica Park.
Facing former Astro Framber Valdez, Houston got on the board first in the top of the second on a 2-run homer by Cam Smith. It was Smith’s 9th HR of the season, matching his total from all of 2025.
They would tack on another in the top of the 3rd when Jeremy Pena (3×5, 2R, 2RBI) scored on a Jose Altuve double-play groundout. The Tigers conceded the run in exchange for the two outs. It was 3-0 Astros.
Things got ugly for Astros starter Kai-Wei Teng in the bottom of the 3rd. Teng, who was coming off a terrific 6 inning performance in his last outing allowing just one run, would load the bases on a walk, an error, and a hit-by-pitch. Kerry Carpenter then launched a poorly placed curveball 390 feet to right center for a grand slam, his 12th HR of the season. The bomb gave the Tigers a 4-3 lead.
The Astros would answer right back in the top of the 4th on an RBI single by Jeremy Pena to tie the game at 4.
In the bottom of the 4th, a two-out RBI double by Spencer Torkleson would give the Tigers back the lead at 5-4 and chase Teng from the game in favor of Steven Okert.
Okert has essentially become the Astros “stopper”, the reliever called on to slam the door in stressed situations to quell rallies. Okert came into the game with 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd, but got Carpenter on a grounder to first to end the threat.
In the bottom of the 5th, the Tigers would add another run on a solo HR by Hao-Yu Lee. Lee’s 3rd HR of the season made it a 6-4 Tigers lead and ended Steven Okert’s scoreless streak at 17.2 IP, the longest of the season by an Astros pitcher and the longest of the season by a LHP in MLB this year.
The Astros would get one back in the top of the 7th. a 2-out walk by Isaac Paredes and a single by Jose Altuve gave Houston 1st & 2nd, and then Christian Walker would deliver an RBI single to score Paredes and cut the deficit to 6-5. Walker would finish with 4 hits on the day, this one accounting for his 53rd RBI of the season.
Houston would have more 2-out magic in the top of the 8th. After a leadoff single by Yainer Diaz, Jake Meyers and Taylor Trammell both struck out. Christian Vazquez then poked a single to right, advancing Diaz to 2nd. A single by Pena and an error by Tigers CF James Outman would allow Diaz to score, tying the game at 6.
Paredes then drove a 2-run double into right off losing pitcher Will Vest (3-5), and the Astros took an 8-6 lead.
Bryan King and Josh Hader (S, 7) would handle the 8th and 9th innings in order for the Astros, who improve to 41-44 with the win.
AJ Blubaugh (4-2) picked up the win in relief with 2 scoreless innings.
The Astros are currently 2GB in the AL West and 0.5GB in the AL Wild Card race, pending tonight’s action.
The Astros will look to win the 5th straight series tomorrow afternoon behind Hunter Brown. The Astros have not won 5 straight series since June 20- July 6 last season, a stretch in which they went 12-3.
Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates – Chase Burns vs. Jared Jones
Chase Burns leads the Cincinnati Reds into Saturday’s contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates with the chance to lock up a much needed series victory. Jared Jones gets the start for the Bucs, with first pitch estimated to come at some point around 4:40 PM ET after a roughly half-hour rain delay.
Here’s how both teams will line up to start:
Walker Buehler said he wants ‘to kick everyone’s ass’ after revenge game vs Dodgers
During the Padres’ 7-1 victory over the Dodgers on Friday night, Walker Buehler was dominant on the mound.
When Buehler met with reporters after the game, he didn’t hesitate to state how good he felt after beating his former team for the first time as a member of the Padres.
“My last pitch there was the last out of the [2024] World Series. I don’t really know how else I would’ve rather gone out any better than that,” Buehler said Friday.
“I want to kick everyone’s ass. I want to beat everyone, especially in the division. And especially against a team that has been so successful against the organization that I am with now.”
Friday night marked the second time Buehler has faced the team he helped close out Game 5 and win the 2024 World Series over the Yankees. The first time he faced the Dodgers was as a member of the Red Sox, when he pitched 4 ⅔ innings, giving up three runs, five walks and four hits.
On Friday night, Buehler looked like his old self, pitching five-plus innings and striking out five. He yielded one run on three hits and three walks.
“I think the first one in Boston was a lot bigger, emotional, load, for lack of a better word,” Buehler said Friday night. “It’s a team in our division; I’m gonna have to pitch against them. It’s good to get the first win in this uniform, at home, and we’ll see what kind of happens on the road. I haven’t thrown at Dodger Stadium yet, which will be a different thing.”
Buehler admitted during postgame that his philosophy on pitching has changed since he joined the Padres. Now he is not trying to throw over 100 pitches in a game but is more focused on delivering five to six clean innings for the bullpen to finish the game.
Through his last eight starts, Buehler has been one of MLB’s better pitchers with a 2.76 ERA. He has been mixing up his pitching sequence by relying less on his cutter and more on his sinker.
While the Padres and Dodgers are scheduled to play the second game of their three-game series Saturday night in San Diego, it appears Buehler’s next scheduled start will come against the Dodgers: July 2 at Dodger Stadium.
Blackhawks Close 2026 NHL Draft With 2 Selections In 7th Round
The Chicago Blackhawks went a long while without making a selection in the 2026 NHL Draft, but they came back on the clock twice during the seventh round.
With their first of two, they took Russian defenseman Alexander Ivanov with the 194th pick. Ivanov is more of a defensive defenseman with size, standing at 6'1" and 181 lbs.
There is not one part of Ivanov's game that sticks out as NHL caliber, which will have to change if he ever wants to make it, but he is a well-rounded player who knows how to play the position. He has pro experience under his belt already, so it's on him to work his way over to North America.
With the 200th overall pick, the Blackhawks selected William Sorbrand. This was a case of the Blackhawks adding a big forward with their last pick, as Sorbrand of Sweden comes in at 6'4" and 209 lbs.
During his draft year, he spent time with each level of the Swedish Elite League as a member of Timra IK.
That made it five total picks for the Blackhawks over the course of the entire draft, which is the least they've made in the Kyle Davidson era, including no first-round selections for the first time.
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