ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 27: Ben Williamson #15 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off single during Game Four of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
On one hand, I’m never truly ready for baseball season to end, but in the case of this World Series, I have a particular rooting interest who could’ve ended the season on Tuesday night. Having crushed the Rays in Game 3, the Brewers went into Game 4 a win away from a sweep and the franchise’s first ever World Series championship.
In the end, they came mightily close, but not close enough. Having taken a lead in the 12th inning, the Brewers couldn’t quite hold on. With five consecutive batters reaching base, the Rays came storming back in the bottom of the 12th, ensuring that we’ll have at least one more game this season.
Tampa Bay Rays 4, Milwaukee Brewers 3 — 12 innings (Brewers lead series 3-1)
The two teams traded runs back and forth throughout the first half of the game.
Having been part of some defensive miscues that helped doom the Rays in Game 3, Chandler Simpson helped get Tampa Bay off to a better start in Game 4. His second inning double scored Jonny DeLuca to get Tampa Bay on the board and open the scoring.
Milwaukee got on the board themselves in the top of the fourth. Cooper Pratt hit a two-out double to score Sal Frelick and even things up. However, the Rays answered back in the bottom of the inning. With Junior Caminero on second, DeLuca hit a grounder to Brewers’ third baseman David Hamilton. Hamilton’s reaching attempt to tag out an advancing Caminero missed and his throw to first was then wide of the mark. The error allowed Caminero to score.
However, it didn’t take long for Hamilton to atone for that. He was due to lead off the top of the fifth and took Griffin Jax deep to tie the score once again.
After that, the game became a battle of the bullpens, and quite a battle it was. After tying it up in the fifth, the Brewers had just three runners reach base in regulation innings, and none of them advanced into scoring position. Meanwhile after taking the lead in the fourth, the Rays had just two runners reach base, and similarly they didn’t get close to scoring. Eventually the game headed into extra innings.
Both teams traded opportunities in extras, but it wasn’t until the 12th inning when things went haywire. With one out in the top half of the inning, Cooper Pratt went deep, giving the Brewers their first lead of the game and putting them on the cusp of a championship.
However, a fairly big issue arose after that in that the Brewers didn’t have an obvious option to try and close out the win, having used most of their big pieces to get the game to extras to begin with. That includes Aaron Ashby, who went 2.1 innings in this game, setting a record in the process. They tried sticking with Antonio Senzatela, who had finished off the 11th, until Camerino reached on an error to lead off the inning, leading to Pat Murphy going back to the bullpen.
Shane Drohan was the call, but things didn’t improve from there. Liam Hicks singled to put runners at the corners. DeLuca then punched through a single of his own, tying the game back up. Following a Simpson single to load the bases, Ben Williamson capped off the comeback with yet another single. His walk-off scored pinch runner Nick Fortes as the Rays had won the game to stay alive.
Milwaukee will now have to try again tomorrow night, when they’ll likely send Jacob Misiorowski to the mound. Meanwhile, the Rays used their Game 1 starter, Nick Martinez, for two innings out of the bullpen in this one, so it’s unclear exactly where they’ll go.
As Rui Hachimura walked into Crypto.com Arena on Friday night for a basketball game for the first time in five months, many familiar faces and sights awaited him.
There was Hachimura on the Lakers’ home court, joking around with franchise superstar Luka Dončić while both were going through their pregame warmups.
There was the 6-foot-8 forward embracing star guard Austin Reaves and greeting multiple Lakers assistant coaches as he walked around the court.
Clippers forward Rui Hachimura was all smiles before his first game against his former team. London Entertainment
Austin Reaves said Hachimura was one of his favorite teammates. NBAE via Getty Images
And he’ll be reminded of the change again when the Lakers visit the Intuit Dome on Wednesday, though he won’t play due to quad soreness sidelining him for the matchup.
“It was tough,” Hachimura told The Post about his free agency. “That’s my second free agency. Of course I was trying to get the extension from [the Lakers]. It didn’t work out, but it is what it is. We have to move on at some point.”
Hachimura wanted to return to the Lakers, but that didn’t come to fruition. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers were interested in retaining Hachimura. And he would’ve liked to return to the franchise.
“That was the point,” he responded to The Post when asked whether he wanted to stay with the Lakers.
But that didn’t come to fruition.
“It’s my agent and those guys who [were] in the talks,” Hachimura told The Post. “I don’t know what the [talks were], but I’m happy that I’m here.”
The Lakers made a slew of additions within the first few days of free agency: The Kessler acquisition opened the floodgates for the initial signings of Quentin Grimes (four years, $60 million, Sandro Mamukelashvili (four years, $52 million) and Collin Sexton (two years, $19 million).
Hachimura was one of several players the Lakers didn’t re-sign in order to complete their roster reconstruction. NBAE via Getty Images
But to make those additions with their $50 million-plus in cap space, the Lakers had to relinquish the cap holds for most of their free agents, including Hachimura, making it unlikely they’d return to the franchise.
Hachimura said he didn’t know whether the Lakers offered him a new contract during the summer after the three-year, $51 million deal he signed with the franchise during the 2023 offseason expired in late June.
“It’s on them,” he responded to The Post when asked what led to his departure from the Lakers. “It wasn’t me. It was them.”
Hachimura reiterated the reporting from the summer that he and the Clippers had reached an agreement during the early stages of free agency.
Hachimura came to an agreement with the Clippers early in free agency. NBAE via Getty Images
A potential sign-and-trade between the Lakers and Clippers was pursued by Hachimura’s camp, which would’ve led Hachimura signing a longer contract with his new team, but the Lakers didn’t participate and Hachimura signed with the Clippers outright.
“It was already done,” he told The Post. “I just didn’t do it right away.”
Hachimura remains beloved in the Lakers’ locker room. NBAE via Getty Images
“He’s one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever had,” Reaves said. “I made a joke the other day that I didn’t know if he spoke English for the first two weeks. We sat by each other on the plane his first year and I would say ‘hey’ to him. He kind of just looked at me and [nodded].
“And then after that I couldn’t get him to shut up. Always in a good mood, happy to be here, puts the work in, and it’s just good to see him be happy and successful and enjoying his life.”
Los Angeles, and the Lakers specifically, is where he developed into “an unbelievable shooter,” according to Lakers coach JJ Redick.
He shot 41.5% from beyond the arc in his 3 ½ seasons with the Lakers, including 50.7% in the playoffs.
Hachimura developed into a sharpshooter with the Lakers. NBAE via Getty Images
His 51.6% career 3-point shooting accuracy in the postseason is an NBA record.
“Rui in terms of just his offensive packaging and becoming one of the best shooters in the NBA, we got him at a good point in his career,” Redick added. “Just one of my favorite players I’ve ever been around in the NBA and one of my favorite players I’ve ever coached. And it’s because of just the consistency of joy and personality that he brings every day.”
Redick credited Lakers assistant coach Beau Levesque for helping Hachimura develop his “laser mentality.”
Hachimura will be able to showcase more of his offensive skillset with the Clippers. NBAE via Getty Images
“Beau is my guy,” Hachimura told The Post. “Since he got there, he was the guy [who] helped me elevate my game.”
Hachimura hopes to continue to elevate his game with the Clippers.
He’s no longer playing off star players such as Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Dončić and Reaves.
He’s a more significant part of the Clippers’ offense, which is reflected in him taking a career-high 12.7 field-goal attempts entering Wednesday after averaging a career-low 8.8 shots last season.
“I miss them, it was a good time — was a great time with them,” Hachimura told The Post about his time with the Lakers. “I can still continue my career in LA, too, so I’m happy [about] that.”
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SAN ANTONIO, TX -OCTOBER 27: Julian Champagne #30 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after making a three-point shot against Sacramento Kings in the first half at Frost Bank Center on October 27, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs were shooting just 31.2% from the three-point line before their game against the Sacramento Kings. That percentage will increase after the Spurs shot 17-for-37 from three in a dominant 130-103 win over the Kings.
The Spurs were led by their sharpshooting wing, Julian Champagnie, who had 26 points, hitting 8 of his 13 threes.
Champagnie hit all eight of his threes in the first half. The Kings continued to leave him wide open even after he hit a few easy shots. This play happened because the Kings’ zone defense broke down after Stephon Castle was able to occupy the middle of the court. Champagnie was wide open for a weak-side three-pointer.
Once Champagnie got going, he started to hit some high-difficulty shots. This one was particularly impressive, as he faded into the corner and hit the shot over Domantas Sabonis.
The Spurs also got quite a few good looks at the rim. Victor Wembanyama had 29 points on 14-of-21 shooting from the field. Most of those makes were dunks, and a lot of those slams came off lobs. The Spurs went to Wembanyama in the pick-and-roll early and often to get him easy dunks.
It was fairly obvious from the start of the game that the Kings were not defensively up to the task. They just lose the 7-foot-5 guy here as two defenders chase Castle on the drive, leading to an easy dunk for Wembanyama.
Wembanyama didn’t just do it on lobs. He had several drives to the rim that led to dunks, like this pump fake and Statue of Liberty slam in the first quarter.
Devin Vassell got in on the scoring fun, too. He had 14 points and hit four of his seven three-pointers. His shots came within the flow of the offense, like this kick-ahead three-pointer in transition.
The Kings were constantly sending two defenders at the ball, leaving players wide-open all over the floor. It’s probably why the Spurs were able to shoot 54% from the field in the win.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 01: Ousmane Dieng #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket against Tari Eason #17 of the Houston Rockets in the first half at Toyota Center on April 01, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks will look to put together their first win streak of the year as they host the Houston Rockets tonight. The Bucks notched their first win of the Taylor Jenkins era on Monday against bitter rivals, the Indiana Pacers, 110-102, and beyond that win, the Bucks continued to show promising signs of growth. Tyler Herro continues to look comfortable as the lead guard, while Kel’el Ware has settled more into his role. The Bucks will aim to keep growing and finding ways to compete as the red-hot Houston Rockets come to town.
The Task Ahead
The Houston Rockets haven’t lost yet this season; they are 4-0 and playing like they took all the off-season criticism personally after getting blown out in the playoffs. Kevin Durant leads the team in scoring at 23.5 PPG on 47% shooting from deep, while Alperen Sengun leads the team in rebounds (8.9) and assists (6.2), though the Rockets are expected to rest Sengun with back soreness. With Steven Adams also still sidelined, the Rockets will likely start Clint Capela at the five.
The Rockets will lean on their defence to make up for Sengun’s absence, turning primarily to Amen Thompson, who averages 1.5 steals per contest. Despite being a top-10 team in points allowed per 100 possessions so far (108.8, 9th on Cleaning the Glass), the Rockets are an okay team at best when defending at the rim, in the mid-range, and most 3s taken (except in the corner, where they defend fairly well). Therefore, the Bucks will need to push the pace and beat the Rockets at their own game: getting rebounds and scoring second-chance points. If the Bucks can impose their will in the paint without Sengun or Adams, they have a chance to stay in the game and steal it at the end.
Injury Report
Bucks:
Clean injury report.
Rockets:
Alperen Sengun: out (back)
Steven Adams: out (calf)
Marcus Smart: questionable (forearm)
Player to Watch
After extending with the Rockets over the summer, Tari Eason has gotten off to a fast start this season. Eason is currently at over 60% in true shooting, and while the sample size is small, it suggests he’s getting in the right spots and taking high-quality shots. The five-year pro has also been one of Houston’s best paint defenders this season, so expect him to get serious minutes trying to contain the Bucks’ front court (especially with Sengun and Adams sidelined). This will be a good test for Kel’el Ware, in particular, to see if he can continue building on the positive progress of the last two games.
Nate Ament has been ramping up, showing real tenacity against the Pacers. Look for Ament to post his first double-digit scoring line of the season, with 12 points off the bench.
How will this year's World Series play out? Using the Dynasty League Baseball online simulation, USA TODAY Sports' Steve Gardner and DLB designer Mike Cieslinski will pre-play each game to provide some insight into the key matchups and strategy fans can expect to see in the Fall Classic.
In USA TODAY Sports' annual Simulated World Series, the Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays are on much more even footing, with each team winning twice on the other's home field. Game 5, in this sense, is more pivotal than it is a potential endpoint.
Also in our version of the series, the Rays have ace Drew Rasmussen available to pitch on full rest after starting him in Game 1. The result was a classic pitcher's duel against Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, with both pitchers putting up goose eggs ... until Tampa Bay broke through in the eighth for a 3-0 win.
Rays vs Brewers World Series Game 5 simulation
The stage was set for a classic pitching matchup, with Rasmussen and Misiorowski fully rested − and with fresh bullpens behind them thanks to a blowout Brewers win in Game 4.
For seven innings, the bullpens remained quiet as the two aces carved up hitters with ease.
The Rays got two runners on base in the first, but Jonny DeLuca was no match for the Miz and grounded out.
Meanwhile, Rasmussen was super-sharp. He pitched around an error and a stolen base in the Milwaukee fourth when the Rays retired lead runner Jackson Chourio at third base on a poor bunt by Brice Turang.
The Brewers didn't get a hit off the Rays right-hander until the sixth inning, when Sal Frelick roped a one-out single to right field. But he was cut down by Fortes trying to steal second. Rasmussen got out of a jam later in the inning after David Hamilton singled, stole second and went to third on catcher Nick Fortes' throwing error. Chourio grounded out to end the threat.
The Rays finally cracked the ice in the eighth against lefty reliever Aaron Ashby, who had just entered the game for Misiorowski. Second baseman Nick Madrigal led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Taylor Walls. After Yandy Diaz walked, Jonathan Aranda grouned a left-on-left single to right, but Madrigal was cut down at the plate on a perfect throw from Sal Frelick for the second out.
With runners on the corners, pinch-hitter Ryan Vilade plated the game's first run with a clean single to center. And Junior Caminero provided the exclamation point with a two-run double off Trevor Megill for a 3-0 lead.
The Rays wouldn't even need closer Bryan Baker to finish things out. Rasmussen remained in the game for the ninth inning to retire the Brewers in order and complete the shutout.
▶ Misiorowski obliterates lefty hitters. Expected NL Cy Young award winner Jacob Misiorowski had a historically dominant season in 2026, allowing the fewest baserunners per nine innings since Pedro Martinez in 2000. One of the most eye-popping stats is his overpowering success against left-handed batters. He held them to a .114/.189/.189 slash line in 366 plate appearances.
There's not much the Rays can do about that, except maybe sit first baseman Jonathan Aranda or left fielder Chandler Simpson. In Sim Series Game 5, both of those lefty hitters started with the only lineup change from Game 1 being Ben Williamson starting at second base over switch-hitter Richie Palacios.
▶ Ashby finally falters. Brewers reliever Aaron Ashby has emerged as one of the stars of this postseason, tossing a record 17⅔ scoreless innings. His overpowering presence has helped the Brewers lock down any lead, no matter how small, in the late innings.
In Sim Series Game 5, the Brewers turned to Ashby with the score 0-0 in the eighth. He'd been perfect so far in this series as well, allowing no hits and no runs over three appearances and 3⅓ innings. But this time, the Rays cracked the code. An unlikely leadoff single from backup infielder Nick Madrigal (who didn't even make the Rays actual World Series roster) started the winning rally. Yandy Diaz walked. And even more stunning, Jonathan Aranda pulled a single to right field. (Ashby yielded just a .215 batting average to left-handed hitters during the regular season.)
Ryan Vilade, the Rays' best weapon off the bench against leftt-handed pitchers (.272/.341/.477), had the big hit here with an RBI single that scored Diaz and ended Ashby's outing. Should the Brewers have brought in right-hander Trevor Megill to counter Vilade? Perhaps so in hindsight.
Megill did come in one batter later to face Junior Caminero, who sealed the deal with a two-run double.
▶ Rasmussen's availability. Although Rays ace Drew Rasmussen wasn't at his best in the real Game 2, a second chance for redemption would be welcome. He was outstanding once again here in the Sim Series, going the distance and only allowing three hits and two walks, while striking out seven for his second win. (He tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings in the opener.)
In real life, the Rays still need to win three in a row, so there isn't much difference in Rasmussen pitching Game 5 or Game 6. But after they used Game 1 starter Nick Martinez in relief and will likely need to go to a bullpen game, they might be wishing they had their ace on the mound − and an extra day of rest to refresh the bullpen.
▶ Baserunning blunders. In an attempt to break through against Rasmussen, the Brewers ran themselves out of a couple innings, with Chourio getting caught trying to advance to third base on Turang's bunt in the fourth. Turang was also caught in a rundown on a steal attempt immediately after that.
Also in the sixth, Sal Frelick was cut down trying to steal second with one out.
Rays catcher Nick Fortes was almost exactly average in throwing out runners during the regular season with 15 outs in 75 attempts (20%). The Brewers' William Contreras was much better, going 15-for-54 (28%). Dynasty League Baseball accounts for the proficiency of each catcher in throwing runners out. Fortes has a zero arm rating (average), while Contreras is a -2, which is above average. (The ratings range from +4 to -4.)
Through the first five games of the Sim Series, the Rays have not attempted a stolen base on Contreras, while the Brewers are 6-for-9 on their attempts vs. Fortes.
Australia enjoyed a fruitful day with the bat as half-centuries from Matt Renshaw, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis and Alex Carey put the tourists ahead of the game in the deciding third Test in Cape Town.
Most will focus on the game-winning mid-range jumper that Jayson Tatum delivered at the final buzzer of Boston’s gritty-but-not-always-pretty 125-124 overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night at TD Garden.
But we think it was what he did over the previous 42 minutes, 19 seconds of floor time that might have been even more noteworthy.
With the Celtics operating on the second night of a back-to-back for the first time this season, it was fair to wonder just how much Tatum, still working his way back to full health after the Achilles surgery 18 months ago, might play. But instead of treading cautiously, Tatum logged six more minutes than any other Boston player (and that was 36-year-old Paul George racking up an impressive 36 minutes of his own).
Tatum piled up a team-high 88 touches and delivered 56 total passes but didn’t commit a single turnover in his floor time for a Boston team that has struggled with ball security through the early portion of the season. Tatum handed out eight assists leading to a game-high 17 assist points, meaning his fingerprints were on 45.6 percent of Boston’s 125-point output.
And, if we’re being honest, the dime he threw Derrick White for an and-1 dunk in the final moments of the fourth quarter *probably* should have been enough to salt away the win. The Celtics did everything they could to allow the Nets to generate overtime and nearly steal the victory, but Tatum’s late-game heroics ensured Boston emerged with the win.
Through four games, Tatum is tied for fifth in the NBA in assist points created (83). Only Trae Young (101), Tyrese Haliburton (90), Jalen Johnson (88), and Luka Doncic (85) have created more scoring for teammates.
What’s more, Tatum ranks ninth in potential assists (56) and is tied for fifth in total assists with Cade Cunningham (32 apiece).
Typically, all the attention Tatum draws leads to multiple 3-point makes from wide open teammates on the perimeter. On Tuesday night, seven of Tatum’s eight assists led to 2-point baskets and showcased his vision.
Yes, Nets rookie Mikel Brown lost White on the key sequence late in the fourth quarter, but Tatum delivered the ball through traffic to a spot leading White to the rim, which was key in allowing him to finish before Noah Clowney fouled White on the play.
Tatum is simply giving the game what it needs. After limited free throw attempts through Boston’s first three games, Tatum generated an NBA-best 22 free-throw attempts on Tuesday night (connecting on 18 of them).
But the attention that opponents commit to him is going to repeatedly create opportunities for teammates. It’s on Boston players to knock down shots when Tatum generates those open shots for them.
And that big fist pump that Tatum delivered after assisting on White’s fourth-quarter layup shows his own appreciation for making the right play. The Celtics need Tatum to continue to give the game what it needs.
SEATTLE — John Chayka was busy this summer. The Toronto Maple Leafs GM was reshaping a club that had missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years. Landing some of the bigger names was going to command a ticket with some years attached. But what was a bit surprising was how many depth players were signed to multi-year deals. Outside of Vinnie Lettieri, Bo Groulx and Dakota Mermis, no other Maple Leaf is on an expiring deal who has played a game this season.
The Leafs were up against a permitted threshold where you are only allowed to be at 10 percent above the existing salary cap in future years. ‘Tagging’ as it’s known in the NHL's collective bargaining agreement, pertains to the amount of room a club has to add to its future-year commitments. It prevents teams from overloading contracts in future years so that they don’t get stuck in a situation where they are unable to become salary cap compliant in the following year. That number right now is $114.4 million and that includes all of your signed standard player contracts on one-way deals, buyouts, retention and pro-rated two-way deals that extend into the next season.
Getting rid of Knies’ $7.75 million cap hit for Marchenko’s $3.85 million cap hit in 2026-27 had short-term savings, but that $12.5 million AAV extension Marchenko inked that begins in 2027-28 carried a $4.75 million increase on what Knies occupied, complicating the deal from a central registry standpoint. That’s why the Leafs took on the injured Elvis Merzlikins and his $4.428 million cap hit (even though he’s on long-term injured reserve) because it expires this year. It’s also why the Leafs had to part with young defenseman Emil Andrae, who was acquired by Toronto earlier in the summer and signed to a two-year deal with an AAV of $1.55 million (although they absorbed a higher cap hit in Miles Wood based on Columbus’ ask).
Based on all the calculations, they currently only have approximately $625K in tagging room left, which means any player who is projected to make more than that at the NHL level and isn’t on a one-way deal can’t be squeezed onto the Leafs active roster without some sort of corresponding move to remove the commitment.
That’s where not being able to call up Ben Danford comes into the equation.
Danford can't be called up right now even if the Leafs wanted to do it.
Because Danford is on an entry-level contract (which is two-way), the Leafs can’t call him up right now if they wanted to because his $936,056 AAV in 2027-28 exceeds Toronto’s tagging room of $625k. It doesn’t sound like the Leafs have the desire to call him up right now anyway, but the reality is they can’t.
And if the Leafs do want to make another big swing elsewhere, they’d have to find a way to get rid of players with a financial commitment through 2027-28 to get it done.
The Leafs signed a bunch of depth forwards to two and three-year deals on July 1, eating away at their tagging room. They have the least amount of it off any NHL franchise as a result. It didn’t really become a problem until they acquired Marchenko and now it might be an issue again if the Leafs want to call up a Danford or make another bigger swing with term at the deadline.
Otherwise, they may have to settle on rental players as a means of clearing out the tagging room.
It’s not clear why this happened. But one thing is interesting to point out. This was really the first time NHL GMs had three years’ worth of projections to work with. The NHL never used to give those kinds of numbers out. But they wanted to flex the growth of the business and when you know you have $113.5 million projected for 2027-28 more than one year out, it’s kind of understandable to see how tagging may have been missed.
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Although the Philadelphia Flyers seemed as though they might have been turning the corner, winning three straight after starting the season winless through nine games, their last six periods of hockey have told a different story.
After leading 2-0 and 3-2 against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, the Flyers blew the game and lost 5-4 in regulation, then followed that up with an awful first period against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.
Taking full advantage, the Blue Jackets quickly piled on a 3-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes while out-shooting the Flyers 7-2.
In the locker room after the game, the Flyers unanimously agreed that the dismal first period doomed them in what ended up being a 4-3 loss in overtime.
"It just felt like a weird start to the game, energy-wise, and didn't seem like really any guys had jump, which is unusual," Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim said. "Usually, you have a few guys going, and credit to the guys to find our legs and get going after a while, but it's nice to start on time."
The Flyers mounted a furious comeback over the final 40 minutes, out-shooting the Blue Jackets by a whopping 28-6 margin.
Noah Cates hounded down a leaky rebound in the blue paint behind Blue Jackets goalie Cam Talbot to get the Flyers on the board in the second period, and late in the third period, Trevor Zegras banked a shot off Talbot's midsection to pull the Flyers within one amid their late surge.
Tying the game at 3-3 in dramatic fashion, Jamie Drysdale steered in a Tyson Foerster pass with 11 seconds left on the clock and goalie Dan Vladar pulled for the extra attacker.
Momentum certainly seemed to have shifted in the Flyers' favor heading into overtime, until overtime actually happened.
The Flyers ceded a 2-on-0 breakaway early in the overtime period, with Matvei Michkov getting stripped behind when attempting to posture for a shot in the offensive zone.
Vladar made a phenomenal pad save to keep the game going for Philadelphia, and Michkov stayed on the ice in an attempt to remedy his error.
However, the late shift ended up punishing Michkov and the Flyers, as defenseman Cam York, in his first game back from injury, attempted to drive to the net for a scoring chance.
Michkov had been covering up high for York, but decided to crash the net for a rebound.
Unfortunately for him and the Flyers, York's move was stymied and the puck never made it to a dangerous area, instead springing Blue Jackets forwards Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson the other way with nobody back defending.
That time, Vladar wasn't able to play hero, and the Flyers' heroic comeback died where it stood.
A point is a point, but the Flyers lost 4-3, and have lost 11 of their first 14 games this season.
Maturity is still an issue for the Flyers; Michkov didn't need to extend his shift in overtime, and York, who has struggled all year, tried to make a low-percentage play in an overtime period with little margin for error.
"I can't keep coming here to the mic saying 'learning lesson, learning lesson'. I mean, it's a broken record. I'm just disappointed," Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said after the loss. "The first, and then this overtime. Some the guys, I don't know what they're doing. We had a meeting about it. We sent a video on it. It's all puck possession. It's being smart. We give up two 2-on-0s. That's unacceptable."
You are what your record says you are, and right now, the 3-7-4 Flyers are the fourth-worst team in the NHL, with the third-worst points percentage.
The nine-game hole they started the season in already looked insurmountable, and foolish mistakes prevented a three-game win streak from becoming a five-game win streak. So, instead, they added two more losses to the record, wasting rare decent offensive performances from the collective group.
On Wednesday night, the Flyers will play their second leg of this back-to-back against the Washington Capitals at 7:30 p.m., and the outcome of that game will complete the picture being painted, one way or another.
Fort Myers, FL - February 16: Boston Red Sox hitting coach Peter Fatse watches Reese McGuire take some swings in the cage. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
We’re going to hear so many different names connected to the Phillies during the offseason, but without knowing how much money they can spend, it’ll be tough to guess. Usually, we know that they didn’t want to extend beyond the final luxury tax threshold, but will those even be a thing in the post-CBA world? We’ll have to wait and see.
1981 – Behind the solid pitching of Burt Hooton, the Los Angeles Dodgers complete a World Series comeback, defeating the New York Yankees, 9-2, in Game 6. The Dodgers had trailed the Series two games to none before bouncing back to win four straight games. Pedro Guerrero drives in five runs for Los Angeles, who avenge two six-game World Series defeats to the Yankees in 1977 and 1978. It is the third time this postseason Los Angeles comes from behind to win a series: they were 0-2 behind Houston in the NLDS and 1-2 behind the Expos in the NLCS. Guerrero, Ron Cey and Steve Yeager share the Series MVP Award.
2001 – In the World Series, Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches a three-hit shutout to defeat the Yankees, 4-0, taking a 2-0 advantage in the Series. Matt Williams becomes the first player in World Series history to hit home runs with three different teams. He homered in the Fall Classic for the Indians in 1997 and the Giants in 1989, prior to doing so for Arizona today.
2007 – The Red Sox win their second Championship of the decade, with their sweep of the Rockies in the 2007 World Series. Colorado had won 21 of 22 games entering the Series before falling flat. They lose Game 4 by a 4-3 score, thanks to 5.2 scoreless innings from Jon Lester. Mike Lowell is named World Series MVP.
2010 – In Game 2 of the 2010 World Series, the Giants rout the Rangers, 9-0, but the score is only 1-0 in the seventh when Texas starter C.J. Wilson leaves with a blister on his finger. Matt Cain and two relievers combine on a four-hit shutout. Texas has allowed 20 runs in the first two World Series games in franchise history, setting a major league record.
2011 – The St. Louis Cardinals win the 11th title of their history by defeating the Texas Rangers, 6-2, in Game 7 of the World Series. Texas takes a two-run lead in the top of the 1st, but Series MVPDavid Freese ties the score with a two-run double in the bottom of the inning. Chris Carpenter then keeps the Rangers from adding to their score, while Allen Craig hits a third-inning homer off Matt Harrison. The Cards add two runs without getting a hit in the 5th and, typically, St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa uses four relievers to get the last nine outs. It is an unlikely title for a team that was 10.5 games out on August 25th and twice was down to its last strike in Game 6.
2013 – The Red Sox take a three-games-to-two lead in the World Series with a 3-1 win over the Cardinals. David Ortiz continues to be unstoppable at the plate, getting three more hits to increase his average for the Series to .733, while back-up C David Ross has the big blow, a tie-breaking ground rule double in the seventh. Jon Lester prevails over Adam Wainwright for the second time.
2023 – The Diamondbacks tie up the World Series with a 9-1 win over the Rangers in Game 2. Merrill Kelly pitches seven excellent innings but the game is close until Arizona scores seven runs over the final three innings. Gabriel Moreno opens the scoring with the game’s lone homer, while Tommy Pham has four of the D-Backs’ 16 hits. Ketel Marte sets a new record by extending his postseasonhitting streak to 18 games, breaking a four-way tie.
2024 – The Dodgers take a three-games-to-none lead in the World Series by beating the Yankees, 4-2, in Game 3 played at New Yankee Stadium. Freddie Freeman homers with one on in the first inning off Clarke Schmidt — a record-tying fifth consecutive World Series game in which he has gone deep, going back to 2021, and the Dodgers add a couple more runs before Alex Verdugo hits a two-run bomb of his own in the bottom of the 9th – but it is too little, too late.
1793 – Eli Whitney applies for a patent for his cotton gin machine, used to pull cotton fibers from the seed.
1831 – British scientist Michael Faraday demonstrates his dynamo invention, an electric generator.
1886 – The Statue of Liberty is dedicated by President Grover Cleveland and is celebrated with the first confetti (ticker tape) parade in New York City.
1900 – Summer (Modern) Olympic Games in Paris end after five months; no opening or closing ceremonies are held.
1904 – St. Louis police try a new investigative method, fingerprints.
1954 – Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded to Ernest Hemingway.
1962 – NY Giants quarterback Y. A. Tittle passes for seven touchdowns vs. Washington in a 49-34 win.
1965 – The Gateway Arch, 630 ft (192 m) tall, is completed in St. Louis, Missouri.
1978 – Bobby Orr scores his last career NHL goal against Detroit Red Wings
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MARCH 28, 2026: President of baseball operations and general manager Mike Elias of the Baltimore Orioles looks on prior to a game against the Minnesota Twins at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 28, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Banner comes to the Orioles with 18 years of baseball operations experience. He has spent the last six seasons with the Cubs organization, including the last two being spent as their assistant general manager.
Elias will continue to be the boss. However, he made it clear in the press conference that Banner’s role is going to be significant:
“Our setup right now is that Jared will take over everything to do with our internal players, our internal coaches, player development, performance, healthcare, all of that is going to fall under his umbrella,” Elias said. “I will then work more directly on the scouting and acquisition side of the equation — pro, international, amateur, contracts, things like that. But we will be running the whole team together and working in concert with one another. But that’s sort of the general division of management duties.”
“I think that Jared is very tremendously experienced in those areas, very successful in those areas. I think he’s better than I am in those areas. And this will also allow, hopefully, the club to leverage me a little bit better and allow me to spend more of my time on the acquisition side of things.”
That’s a big job ahead of Banner. The responsibilities being handed to him are in many of the areas in which the Orioles have struggled under Elias. And he is taking it on with just about a month before the current CBA expires. Without a new deal, clubs and players on the 40-man roster cannot communicate. So, any sort of offseason training will need to be mapped out ahead of time. No matter how experienced the new GM may be, that is a lot to sort out in just a few weeks.
It is possible that additional shakeups will be coming in the organization’s player development structure, though nothing was revealed on that front. Obviously, Matt Blood, the team’s former vice president of player and staff development, left the organization last month. Banner seems to be coming in, absorbing Blood’s old responsibilities, and likely taking on a few more.
Elias said a few weeks ago that he expected to expand the front office this offseason. Adding Banner while losing Blood would not seem to represent an expansion itself, so something more could be coming. Whether that means allowing Banner to fill out a bigger developmental staff, or if Elias himself gets more deputies on the player acquisition side. It remains to be seen.
No conclusions can be made about Banner or the decision to hire him. Many in the fan base think the clube needs someone other than Elias to lead them. Clearly, ownership disagrees. At the very least, it is good that the Orioles identified weaknesses. They believe that Banner can help solve them. Whether that is true or not won’t be evident until the team starts playing baseball again. Right now, we don’t know when that will be.
Orioles Notes: Front Office, Rotation | MLB Trade Rumors Elias says, once again, that the rotation is a priority going into the offseason. It is true that every team wants more starting pitching. But it is a tad annoying that the Orioles are trying to find an ace or ace-adjacent arm every single winter. If you have to say you’re looking for that kind of player every year then you failed to find them the previous year.
Corban Joseph turns 38 today. The utility man played for five teams across parts of three big league seasons. That included a 14-game stay with the Orioles in 2018.
Nate McLouth is 45 years old. Signed in the middle of the 2012 season, McLouth stepped right into the Orioles left field role and help the organization back to the playoffs for the first time since 1997. He stuck around for 2013, where he was worth 1.9 bWAR.
Juan Guzmán is 60 today. The Orioles acquired him from the Blue Jays at the 1998 trade deadline. Over the next year he made 32 starts and was then traded to the Reds at the 1999 trade deadline. That swap with the Reds would land reliever B.J. Ryan in Baltimore, where he would develop into one of baseball’s better closers.
Bob Melvin is 65 years old. The former catcher had a three-seasons stint in Baltimore from 1989-91. He may be better known by modern fans as a manager, a role he held for several clubs between 2003 and 2025.
The late Sammy Stewart (b. 1954, d. 2018) was born on this day. He was an important member of the Orioles pitching staff from 1978 through ‘85. In that eight-year span he threw 866 innings, a mix between the rotation and the bullpen, and even led the league in ERA (2.32) in 1981.
This day in O’s history
Nothing of note has happened in Orioles history, according to Baseball Reference. So, here are a few things that have occurred outside of Birdland:
1886 – The Statue of Liberty is dedicated by President Grover Cleveland.
1919 – U.S. Congress passes the Volstead Act over President Woodrow Wilson’s veto. This paves the way for Prohibition to begin the following January.
1942 – The Alaska Highway first connects Alaska to the North American railway network at Dawson Creek in Canada.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 26: James Harden #1 speaks with Meleek Thomas #15 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the game against the Utah Jazz on October 26, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CLEVELAND — It takes a certain level of confidence to proudly proclaim to a room full of Cleveland media members that you’ll unashamedly be rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend. Then again, nothing about what Meleek Thomas does on and off the court lacks confidence.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a frustrating start to their season. They’ve simultaneously shown how dangerous they can be by building large leads against the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets, but have also demonstrated they’re far from a finished product by losing one of those games and nearly blowing the other.
The Cavs found themselves on the back foot on Monday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves — arguably the hottest team in basketball. The Timberwolves were the aggressors in the first few minutes, and the Cavs couldn’t make enough shots to stem the tide.
Instead of turning to a more veteran presence in Craig Porter Jr., head coach Kenny Atkinson went with Thomas midway through the opening frame for his first NBA minutes. The Pittsburgh native didn’t know that he was getting into the rotation beforehand, but he was prepared for the moment. And it was exactly what the Cavs needed.
“We didn’t have energy, we’re flat, we’re playing the wrong way, we weren’t doing the right things. For him to be the spark in his first game of the year is not normal,” Donovan Mitchell said. “That speaks to his confidence, his concentration, attention to detail.”
Thomas looked like an established veteran in his career debut. He didn’t hesitate when the ball swung to him on the perimeter. If there was an opening, he was going to take it without hesitation. He was decisive in his cuts to the basket both on and off the ball. This allowed him to put up 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, which included knocking down two big threes in the third quarter to help the Cavs retake the lead.
“He was a big part of why we ended up getting this win,” Mitchell said.
Both Thomas and Atkinson have talked about him needing to focus on the defensive end in the lead-up to the season. Whether or not he would get rotation minutes relied on that.
This has caused Thomas to focus his energy on and off the court on getting better defensively any way that he can — even if that means reaching out to an established veteran like Mitchell.
“He texts me all the time saying, ‘All right, what about this clip?’” Mitchell said. “He says, ‘Why’d you rotate here? Why did I do this? Should I do this?’ This morning, he was working on shows. Like, what rookies are working on shows?”
This desire to improve has led to Mitchell taking Thomas under his wing.
“I think Donovan has taken a special liking to Meleek,” Atkinson said before the season. “He almost feels like, ‘I have to build that relationship, build that trust,’ and then coach them up.
“Player development coaches get way too much credit. It’s having really good, smart vets that elevate guys. We do our little part, and I think we try to put them in the right places. It’s really the coaching from your best players that elevates younger players.”
There are some parallels between Mitchell and Thomas’s games — particularly early in Mitchell’s career. Both are score-first two guards, who weren’t expected to make a huge impact on their teams as rookies. Mitchell wasn’t a fixture in the starting lineup at the start of his career with the Utah Jazz, but proved early on that he was destined to be a star.
We don’t know what the future holds for Thomas. What we can say now is that Mitchell seems invested in Thomas’s growth. And that means something to the rookie.
“For them to take me under their wing and give me all of the game and just constantly help me, constantly stay in my ear, it just goes to show that they see the potential that I see in myself,” Thomas said. “It means the world to me.”
From the outside, a rookie second-round pick coming in and making an immediate impact in their career debut would’ve been surprising. Yet, no one on the Cavs was, especially not Thomas. He carries himself like someone who’s been there before and expects to be a mainstay on this stage.
“Confidence really don’t come from nobody else,” Thomas said. “It’s either you got it, or you don’t. You got heart, you got dog in you, or you don’t. And I got everything that I need. It’s just a matter of time before it’s shown.”
DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 27: Left wing Joel Kiviranta #22 of the Dallas Stars shoots as defenseman Luke Hughes #43 and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck #37 of the New Jersey Devils defend in the third period at American Airlines Center on October 27, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Connor Hellebuyck gave up just one goal in a strong debut on Tuesday as the Devils took a dominant 5-1 win over the Stars. [Devils NHL]
“The last time Jack Hughes played in front of Connor Hellebuyck, back in February at the Winter Olympics, he had his teeth knocked out by a high stick, returned to score a goal and helped his team win. Eight months later, in Hellebuyck’s debut for the New Jersey Devils, Hughes repeated the feat. Unfortunately for him, every last bit of it.” [The Athletic ($)]
“It’s early, but the team looks different than the past couple of seasons. They’re controlling play at five-on-five and outshooting their opponents by significant margins. It’s not just the Devils’ top players who are excelling, either. Their depth is contributing plenty. With that, let’s look at 10 stats that have stood out from the Devils’ start to the season.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
Hockey Links
Five minutes!
Matthew Schaefer just became the first player to play ALL FIVE minutes of an overtime per Elliotte Friedman 🤯
Here's him still getting back on defense to stop a breakaway with 40 seconds left ❌ pic.twitter.com/DNxFaF8FC3
“Larkin, who has a full no-trade clause, has opened up the list of teams for which he would waive it to include 10 destinations: the Devils, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche. And on its face, that’s a decent number of teams. The issue for the Red Wings: Which of those teams are in a position to make a deal for Larkin? And of those who can, how motivated are they to do so?” [The Athletic ($)]
Which teams around the league have the most interesting goalie situations? [Sportsnet]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 09: Michael Hage #19, Will Horcoff #44, Jayden Perron #18 and Malcolm Spence #27 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrate Perron's third-period power-play goal against the Denver Pioneers in a semifinal game of the NCAA Division I men's ice hockey championship at T-Mobile Arena on April 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
October is the usual first full month for many hockey seasons around the world. With all the interest in the Penguins burgeoning and growing prospect pool, we’re going to use today’s off day in the NHL to put the attention on how things are going across the organization for their prospects and young players, based off last summer’s list of the top 25 young players and see how their seasons have started out across the globe.
A player that didn’t even make the Pensburgh Top 25 deserves a special spotlight right off the bat. Carter Sanderson (sixth round pick, 2025) has been lighting up the WHL with a league-high 15 goals in 11 games. Sanderson is second in WHL scoring with 21 points. Major junior hockey isn’t now what it once was due to all the talent going south to the NCAA, and at 19 Sanderson is one of the older players at that level, but that type of production is enough to still stand out as a big deal. Add in a strong showing at the USA’s summer showcase and Sanderson has a real chance at making the World Junior team in a couple months. Really nice glow up for him lately, he’s definitely one of the fast-rising draft picks within the organization these days.
Sanderson is committed to play at the University of North Dakota in 2027-28, where he would be a teammate of the Ruck brothers if all comes to pass and the three end up going through with that plan.
In other news, Joona Vaisanen (who missed most of last season with a major injury) is back at Western Michigan and has seven points (2G+5A) in five games. Vaisanen dropped out of the Pensburgh rankings due to the unknown around his injury, it’s nice to see him on the path to play his way back into the picture with a strong start and get back to his form from 2024-25 when he was quietly one of the top defenders in college.
With those very deserving honorable mentions out of the way, let’s go back to this summer’s Top 25 Under 25 list and catch up with the young players early in the 2026-27 season.
#25: Chase Pietila (Wilkes-Barre, AHL) — Modest stats in Wilkes-Barre (0G+2A in five games), earned his first call-up to the NHL recently, though he’s yet to play. Arrow looks to be pointed up as the organization keeps seeing progress from the 22-year old with his defensive work and physicality.
#24: Ryan Miller (University of Denver) – Has been playing mostly third line left wing so far in his freshman year. Not much statistically to speak of (1G+1A in six games) as he gets started in his college career. The positive for him should be working with head coach David Carle and one of the top programs in the country.
#23: Finn Harding (WBS, AHL) — A two-point game over the weekend has Harding up to four points (1G+3A) in seven games in the AHL. While his style of play doesn’t draw a ton of attention, quietly he’s become a key figure for the AHL club.
#22: Peyton Kettles (Kelowna, WHL) — Shoulder surgery robbed most of Kettles’ 2025-26, he’s back and looking pretty decent (1G+5A, a fight) in his return early this season.
#21: Zam Plante (Minnesota-Duluth) — Nine points (4G+5A) in eight games is good but below last year’s rate of production (51 points in 40 games). Zam’s Hobey Baker winning brother Max has only played two games on the season, they’ll likely get rolling more as the year goes along.
#21: Brady Peddle (Michigan State) — MSU is stacked with a lot of highly drafted talent. Peddle has a couple assists in five games, he has been playing on the second pair and partnered with seventh overall 2026 pick Chase Reid. Looks like a good place for Peddle to gain experience as he gets his collegiate career off the ground this year.
#20: Melvin Fernstrom (WBS, AHL) — Fernstrom is back from the shoulder injury that ended his 2025-26 season and kept him out of training camp. Hasn’t done much (1G+0A in five games) so far this season but is still just getting going and been in a lower line, limited role as he gets up to speed with what will be his first extended action at the AHL level.
#19: Tanner Howe(WBS, AHL) — Only one goal and one assist for Howe to start this season, he was playing mostly in a third line role for Wilkes so far and now is injured with an unknown return time. Injuries have unfortunately been a big part of Howe’s career story so far, it looks like more adversity could be ahead.
#18: Tomas Galvas (Liberec Bili Tygri HC, Czech) — Galvas has no goals and just three assists in his first ten games back in Czechia this season. Given how deep the Pens are in the minors at defense it’s understandable why they’re giving him an extra year to develop overseas, especially now that he hasn’t produced at the same rate as last season. Still early yet, but you’d like to see a little more there as a runway to join the AHL club by the end of the season.
#17: Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound, OHL) — Mbuyi (10G+9A in 14 games) is seventh in scoring in the OHL at the end of last weekend. He’s been dangerous and doing his thing as an offensive weapon to an impressive degree at the start of the season, very nice start to the year for him.
#16: Jake Livanavage (WBS, AHL) — Livanavage (2G+5A in seven games) ranks second among AHL rookie defensemen in scoring. Impressive start to his first full season as a pro.
#15: Owen Pickering (WBS, AHL) — Pickering scored a GWG over the weekend to boost his statline (2G+1A) on the season. Has been playing lately with team captain Phil Kemp in a more defensive role. In the big picture he seems to be behind Ilya Solovyov and Ryan Johnson on the depth chart as he continues his crucial draft+5 season off to the side as far as the NHL outlook goes.
#14: Tristan Broz(WBS, AHL)— It’s the story of Broz’s career, good AHL stats (3G+5A in eight games), still a bit off the NHL radar at the moment. That could change in an instant, for now it’s nice to see that at least Broz is holding up his end of the bargain and doing well in Wilkes. The challenge for him now is to keep that up and see when or if he gets an NHL opportunity.
#13: Avery Hayes (WBS, AHL/PIT, NHL) — A great AHL start of nine points (4G+5A) in six games plus injuries on the wings in Pittsburgh opened up an NHL look. Might be short-term this time around but it looks like Hayes is on track to become an NHL regular sooner or later by the end of this season given how things are going for him.
#12: Ville Koivunen (PIT, NHL) —The Pens have been patient with the $32 million man, giving him some games in a decent role and he’s starting to come through. Production was a problem last season (2G+5A in 37 games), Koivunen is almost to that level already (2G+3A in ten games). Koivunen is showing more frequent glimpses these days of why the Pens were willing to place a long-term bet on him. Has to be one of the more encouraging opening months of the season for all their young players in the organization.
#11: Hendrix Lapierre (PIT, NHL) — Interesting season for Lapierre as the Pens try to figure out what they have with him. He’s been a healthy scratch for four games and at times deep depth. Lapierre also has six points (2G+4A) on the season in just eight games and now is getting more looks. Where he might fit if/when the team gets healthier is still to be determined. driven largely with what he makes of the current chance to play.
#10: Markus Ruck (Medicine Hat, WHL) — The second round Ruck leads currently leads Medicine Hat in points (4G+9A in nine games). The scoring rate is down a bit from last year, but this season isn’t going to be much more than placeholder in the big scheme of things for the twins with a step up in competition expected next year at NCAA North Dakota.
#9: Mikhail Ilyin (WBS, AHL) — Ilyin has been productive (2G+5A in eight games) in his first full season in North America. Given his age (21) and ability, this will be a nice development season for him and it looks like it’s going pretty well so far as he gains experience and is working into becoming a key player at the AHL level.
#8: Joel Blomqvist (WBS, AHL) — Kyle Dubas admitted the shortened preseason “sucked” for someone in Blomqvist’s position. He’s off to a poor start in the AHL (1-2-1 record, 3.26 GAA, .871 save%) by the standards of his typical output down there. Doesn’t look like he’s pushing to get into the NHL picture any time soon.
#7: Liam Ruck (Medicine Hat, WHL) — The first round Ruck only has 2G+5A in nine WHL games. Not terribly impressive, but not the biggest deal at this point either since 2026-27 isn’t going to reveal a lot about the Ruck twins for the future. The lack of a great statistical start will make it easier to keep him off Canada’s WJC team, to which he was already on the outside of the equation by not being invited to the summer camps.
#6:Will Horcoff (U of Michigan) — Scoring a goal with 0.1 seconds left in a game is pretty cool. Horcoff has been playing first line left wing for most of the season, has a solid point-per-game average (3G+4A in seven games) to start his draft+2. Horcoff is an interesting prospect in that he doesn’t drive possession or often stand out as a top player, but he also has very good hands and offensive ability and still finds a way to make an impact more often than not, perfectly exemplified with this highlight goal.
#5: Bill Zonnon (WBS, AHL) — Decent output so far (3G+2A in eight games) for a player who has been put in a third line center role as a young 20-year old rookie in the AHL. Zonnon’s progressing according to plan, he just needs more time to keep growing and gaining experience for the time being. He’s getting that in spades right now down in Wilkes, exactly what one would want and hope to see.
#4: Rutger McGroarty(WBS, AHL/PIT, NHL) — McGroarty was dominant at times in the AHL (nine points in six games) and earned an NHL call-up when some recent winger injuries have hit. Now is the time for him to impress and stack some good games to enhance his position within the organization, it might take some more time still but you would figure he’s in a spot where he’ll get a long look in the second half of 2026-27 if the team remains outside of the playoff picture.
#3: Sergei Mursahov (PIT, NHL) — Murashov has settled into more of a backup than 1B type of role early in the season, but he’s still in the NHL and doing decently well. Something to be said for that as a goalie at age-22.
#2: Harrison Brunicke (WBS, AHL) — Brunicke only has two points (0G+2A) in his first eight AHL games. He’s been moved around the lineup on different pairs and roles. For a guy who made the NHL out of camp at age 19, nearly made it at 18 and was a final cut this season, it’s had to have been difficult to go back to the AHL and seen other defenders like Pietila get called up first (though he hasn’t played NHL games). Patience and more time looks required in this situation.
#1: Ben Kindel (PIT, NHL) — Kindel started the season injured, returned looking great, fell off a little and then had to go through a medical incident on the team plane. Tumultuous year, the least of which has been a rotating (and often time not that talented) group of wingers being placed by him. Here’s to hoping for good health news and him getting to settle in for the next month of the season.
