Unsurprisingly, Victor Wembanyama didn't have fun during the Spurs' opening-season loss to the Thunder. He started the game by missing his first 12 shots, and while he had six blocked shots and impacted the game in other ways, he was the key reason San Antonio started the season 0-1.
"I need to go back to playing the basketball I like. This is not the sport I like, right here," Wembanyama said. "I got no reason to be hesitant, no reason to not be myself. For me, it's as simple as that. I'm good when I have fun...
"I missed lots of lots of shots, which I usually don't miss. But after that, I didn't go back to these shots. I wasn't decisive. I might be overthinking it, and I feel like it's a chance for me. What I have to do is really let go. I don't need to do more. I need to think less, probably."
Was part of his overthinking it the adjustment to new spacing — less of it — with the three-guard De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper lineups?
"I would say we haven't been good enough to find that out," Wembanyama said.
Part of that also is that the Spurs were playing the Thunder, the best defensive team in the NBA last season and one of the few teams with the depth and size to throw multiple 7-footers at Wembanyama to be physical with him. OKC is also loaded with quality perimeter defenders who made life tough for the Spurs trio of guards.
Wembanyama still made his presence felt with six blocks, fantastic overall defense and 13 rebounds.
Wembanyama, at 22, is a thoughtful, high-IQ player, but he would be far from the first great player to suffer "paralysis through analysis." When Wembanyama is playing his best, there is a flow to what he is doing, it happens naturally, instinctively.
If the Spurs are going back to the NBA Finals, they need more out of Wembanyama — and specifically more against the Thunder. This was just one of 82, there is a long road ahead, but Wemby understands he has to get back to being himself, to having fun, or that road will seem even longer.
TALKING STICK, AZ - OCTOBER 05: Luke Holman #29 of the Peoria Javelinas pitches during the game between the Peoria Javelinas and the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Monday, October 5, 2026 in Talking Stick, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
There have been ample foibles foisted in the laps of Cincinnati Reds fans from the seemingly bulletproof front office over the last few decades of copious losing. We need not rehash them all here, of course, as this is simply put out to highlight that perhaps the lone reason why the powers that be are still the powers that be is due to their ability to draft rather well each and every year.
It’s looking more and more like the front office nailed the 2024 draft, for instance.
Chase Burns cracked the big leagues within his first full season as a professional and during the 2025 season established himself as a bona fide ace who was in NL Cy Young Award talk before the Reds chose to curtail the innings on his prized young arm. He also landed a nine-figure contract, and rightfully so.
Tyson Lewis was who the Reds selected with their next pick in 2024. He rocketed into Top 100 overall prospect lists on the backs of a 2025 season that featured incredible exit velocities, the SS/3B now firmly on the national radar.
Lewis isn’t even the top rated prospect drafted by the Reds in this class, though. That honor goes to Mike Sirota, who eschewed concerns about his college production coming up north from tiny Northeastern University to surge all the way into many Top 20 overall prospect lists by late 2026. The only problem there is, though, that the front office saw fit to deal him away for a single awful season of Gavin Lux, so Sirota is doing this within the system of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Leading a draft class with that trio would be impressive enough, but the Reds actually took someone else in between Lewis and Sirota in 2024. That honor belongs to former LSU righty Luke Holman, who we’ve seen for a grand total of 15.2 IP across two years after being drafted.
Holman, now 23, needed Tommy John surgery early in 2025 in his first year as a pro, and that paired with a groin problem in 2026 cost him almost two full seasons of rehab with only 6 games on the mound in any form. That was before this month’s Arizona Fall League, however, and like many of the recent players the Reds have sent to the AFL, Holman’s job there wasn’t simply to soak up the spotlight in a great environment for future experience, it was to use it as a bridge after injury-plagued seasons so that he can hit the ground running again in 2027.
So far, that’s precisely what he’s done. David Laurila of FanGraphs caught up with Holman after his most recent outing left him having fired 9.0 IP in AFL play and having allowed just a lone earned run – with a brilliant 15 strikeouts against just a lone walk in that time. Holman talks shop about his bevy of pitches and how his arm feels as good as ever at the moment, and it’s enough to give hope that the arm FanGraphs rates as the #17 prospect in the system (he ranks 23rd at MLB Pipeline) may well be back and 100% within a Reds farm system that’s seriously devoid of solid starting pitching prospects at the upper levels.
‘Upper levels’ may sound like a stretch when talking about a guy who’s thrown just 15.2 IP in two years across rookie ball and Low-A Daytona, but at 23 with a trio of years spent in the SEC with LSU it wouldn’t shock me at all to see him climb quickly this season if he can simply stay on the mound and prove he’s healthy.
And if he does, the Reds have some long-awaited depth in their pitching ranks again.
The Minnesota Wild and the Edmonton Oilers met in a highly anticipated matchup between two heavyweights clicking on all cylinders.
On one side, Kirill Kaprizov has been unstoppable, leading the NHL in goals and scoring at a rate better than one goal per game. On the other side, Connor McDavid is setting NHL records left, right, and center, and arguably playing the best hockey of his career.
Tuesday's affair saw the Wild jump out to a 1-0 lead with a goal from Joel Eriksson Ek. The Oilers responded with three unanswered goals, two of which came from Leon Draisaitl on the power play.
Down by two goals in the third period, Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman scored to tie the game at 3-3 and send it to overtime. A costly penalty in the overtime stanza allowed the Oilers to win the game, with McDavid posting three primary assists on the power play.
It was a hard loss to swallow, but the Wild played a strong game. Without the Oilers' power-play efficiency, the game likely would have gone very differently. According to MoneyPuck.com, the expected goals at 5-on-5 were 3.44 to 2.69 in favor of the Wild, but in all situations the Oilers had the advantage, 4.47 to 4.31.
Among the strong performers were Quinn Hughes and the Wild's top line of Kaprizov, Eriksson Ek, and Boldy. Kaprizov had an expected goals percentage of 81.61 percent, Hughes 79.21 percent, Eriksson Ek 72.67 percent, and Boldy 72.6 percent at 5-on-5.
Meanwhile, the Oilers' top line hovered below 30 percent.
This sort of play-controlling dominance from the Wild's top line has become the expectation night in and night out, no matter the opponent. Kaprizov has scored in seven of the 10 games, Boldy has five goals and nine points in 10 games, and Eriksson Ek has seven points while playing lockdown defense.
MoneyPuck.com ranks the Wild's top line 8th in expected goals percentage at 72.2 percent, among lines that have played at least 25 minutes together.
The Oilers may have won, but last night's effort was another piece of evidence that the Wild have the big guns to compete with any team in the NHL.
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Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said that while there’s still no set timeline for Mat Barzal to return from the left knee issues that have held up his start to the season, doctors “would be comfortable” for him to move to the next stage of his recovery.
Though Darche never directly said the ball is in Barzal’s court regarding when that will happen, he did make clear that the inflammation that originally caused the Islanders to hold Barzal out of training camp has subsided.
“Initially, there was some inflammation. We feel it’s controlled now. Now it’s getting him to feel comfortable to take the next step,” Darche said. “There’s no setbacks. Nothing happened, no procedure. Since training camp, nothing has come [up]. We feel we’re controlling the inflammation. It’s just how comfortable he feels.”
Islanders center Mathew Barzal (13) reacts after getting into a scuffle with Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Samuel Girard (49) during the first period of an NHL hockey game at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., Monday, March 30, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Barzal has been skating on his own for a couple of weeks now and walked by a group of reporters at UBS Arena on Wednesday, briefly saying hello. Since he hasn’t practiced with the team, the Islanders are under no obligation to make him available to speak about his injury.
Given the ongoing questions about the situation, though, they did have Darche speak on it Wednesday.
“After two weeks [of skating], we feel the inflammation is down, but we’re still working on getting his strength back and how comfortable he feels,” Darche said. “He’s skating. Progress every day. Can I give you a definite timeline? No. We hope it’s sooner, but every day he’s starting to skate a little bit more, and we’re hoping to, at some point, get him with the team, and we’ll go from there.”
Originally, the plan was for Barzal to resume skating around when the season started. That was pushed back by about a week, and since then things have stayed in place, with the Islanders declining to commit to a timeline for any next steps.
When Barzal does come back, he will need to manage his left kneecap, which was broken two years ago and required surgery to repair. That’s nothing new — even while playing 81 games last year, he managed his knee throughout the season. Darche said the Islanders don’t believe anything about the way the injury was managed caused it to flare up again.
He also said that, as of now, there are no conversations about an additional procedure.
“If it doesn’t get better, you’re always looking at where we think he can be,” Darche said. “We don’t believe [that’s necessary] right now. But we’re progressing. I think it’s going in the right direction.”
The next big question is whether Barzal will join the team on next week’s road trip in Dallas, Nashville and Minnesota, potentially allowing him to start practicing with the group. Practicing in a noncontact jersey would presumably be the next step before Barzal participates fully and, eventually, returns to games.
The Islanders, currently without Calum Ritchie and Matias Maccelli in addition to Barzal, could sorely use his offensive ability, though they’ve withstood his absence quite well. Going into Thursday’s match at home against the Kings, they are 5-3-1 and playing stout defensive hockey under Pete DeBoer.
Still, Barzal’s situation will hang over the club until it is resolved.
New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal (13) skates up ice during the first period against the Washington Capitals at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“We both work together,” Darche said. “The doctors would be comfortable for him to ramp up whenever he’s ready. It’s not necessarily, ‘Oh it’s all him,’ or it’s all us [making the decision]. We’re trying to work together on this.
“But, of course, he has a big say. It’s his body. He knows how he feels.”
New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche speaks with the media during training camp at the Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Darche shot down a rumor originating from The Fourth Period that Scott Mayfield could soon ask for a trade if he continues to sit as the extra defensemen.
“I can tell you right now, there’s no truth to any of those rumors,” Darche said. “I saw them this morning. His agent [Matt Keator] was here the last two days ’cause he had a player on the other team, he has a few players on our team. There’s none of that.”
Kurt Suzuki never really had a chance as manager of the Los Angeles Angels. Signed to a one-year contract by a lame-duck owner with an industry lockout looming, Suzuki might have needed to win the World Series to save his job.
Suffice to say he didn’t do either.
The Angels announced Wednesday, Oct. 21 that they have fired Suzuki after one season as their manager, during which he presided over the first 100-loss season in franchise history.
Suzuki, 42, served as a special assistant in former general manager Perry Minasian’s front office. After Ron Washington’s managerial tenure ended after last season, Minasian appointed Suzuki to run the club, although the former catcher was granted just a one-year contract to do so. He had a club option for 2027 and the club announced he will be offered a position as a special assistant with the organization, which he held from 2023-2025.
Minasian was fired midway through the season and interim GM John Mozeliak traded away veterans more aggressively than his predecessor, signaling at least a shift toward rebuilding.
Eventually, Moreno agreed to sell the team to Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who has collected a very successful sports portfolio. If the one-year deal and Minasian’s firing didn’t seal Suzuki’s fate, the agreement to sell the team certainly did.
A new owner will surely want to select his dugout boss, and the impending Dec. 1 lockout means Kroenke might not need to hire a manager until after the sale of the club is finalized early in 2027. The club announced that "in coordination with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, will search for a new manager and coaching staff for the 2027 season."
Suzuki played 16 seasons in the major leagues, winning a World Series with the 2019 Washington Nationals before finishing his catching career with the Angels in 2021 and 2022. He joins Brad Ausmus – who managed the club in 2019 – as an Angels skipper for just one season.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 08: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter in a preseason game at Crypto.com Arena on October 08, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In case you had somehow forgotten or missed the news: the Los Angeles Lakers begin their 2026-27 season Wednesday night at home against the Golden State Warriors. To commemorate the start of another year, Luka Dončić, Los Angeles’ unparalleled face of the franchise, took out a full-page ad in the LA Times to address Lakers fans ahead of Wednesday’s season opener.
Dončić touches on the team’s ultimate goal of winning a championship, the pride he and his teammates feeling wearing Lakers colors, the unifying nature of sports fandom, how welcomed he’s felt in Los Angeles since arriving 20 months ago and a slew of other topics.
Here’s the full transcript of the message from Luka:
DEAR LA, Tonight we start our run for a championship. Every player dreams of holding that trophy. To do it for all of you amazing fans would mean everything to us. Each of us understands what it means to put on this purple and gold jersey and follow the players who wore it before us. It means so much because of the passion and dedication that generations of you all have shown for this team. I see it everywhere. The hats, the flags on cars, the murals. This city has people from all over the world, speaking every language, and the Lakers are the thing that brings everyone together. We have a special team. We know what you expect, and we are going to do everything in our power to deliver it. From the moment I arrived in LA, you welcomed me with open arms. That is something I will never forget. So here is my promise to you: we are going to give you everything we have, every single night. No excuses. No nights off. But we cannot do this alone. You are the best fans in the world, and we are going to need you. Every game, bring it with us. Let’s go.
During his days with the Dallas Mavericks, Dončić embedded himself in the Dallas community. That’s seemingly carried over to his Lakers tenure as well. He’s repeatedly been involved with the Los Angeles community and made clear how at home he feels in the city.
Wednesday’s ad is yet another example of Dončić connecting with the Lakers fanbase and showcasing his commitment to being the face of the franchise. Because of the attention and hype surrounding Dončić‘s entrance to the NBA 8.5 years ago, much has been expected of him for many years. And because of how well he’s played, earning six All-NBA nods and four top-five MVP finishes, much has continued to be expected of him.
Of course, those expectations largely revolve around his on-court play. But a superstar of Dončić’s magnitude is often required to stretch their scope beyond in-game performance. Dončić clearly understands and embraces his responsibilities. No matter which city and franchise he’s called home, he’s been a mainstay in the community and sought to better the lives of his supporters in some capacity. Now, it’s time to see whether this team is ready to reach the championship aspirations Dončić has laid out.
Ben Jones is ready to make his season debut with the Calgary Flames, and he couldn’t have picked a much better time to get rolling.
The 27-year-old forward earned his call-up after a scorching start with the Calgary Wranglers, recording seven goals and nine points in seven games to open the American Hockey League season.
Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
“For myself it was obviously nice to put some points up,” Jones told the media. “The team is off to a great start so that always helps.”
He’s looking forward to the reunion, although there might be a few adjustments to make once the puck drops.
“It’ll be great to see a lot of those guys. It’s kind of funny to flip the switch, I gotta make sure I pass to the team in red, not the team in green,” he joked.
The opportunity comes with Flames captain Mikael Backlund currently sidelined with an upper-body injury, potentially opening the door for Jones to show what he can bring to Calgary’s lineup.
Jones finished that season with 54 points and a plus-28 rating, helping Calgary capture the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as the AHL’s regular-season champions, along with the Pacific Division title.
Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports<br />
Now in his 10th professional season, Jones brings a mix of AHL production and NHL experience to the Flames. He’s appeared in 56 career NHL games between the Vegas Golden Knights and Wild, giving him valuable experience at the level he’s looking to stick at.
His early-season production with the Wranglers has certainly helped his case. Seven goals in seven games is difficult to ignore, even if translating that scoring touch to the NHL comes with a different set of challenges.
For Jones, the immediate task is making the most of the opportunity in front of him. With Backlund unavailable, there’s a chance to earn the coaching staff’s trust, provide some depth down the middle and show that his strong start in the AHL can carry over.
The Flames have been looking for consistency early in the season, and a player arriving with confidence and a hot stick could provide a timely boost.
First, he’ll have to get used to seeing some familiar faces on the other side of the ice.
At least Jones has already identified the most important adjustment: making sure those passes go to the guys wearing red.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 21: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball against Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on October 21, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well well well, anybody feeling a little bit of deja vu today? The Golden State Warriors open in the same building, against the same team, on the exact same date as last season. Except this time around there’s no LeBron James and you won’t get a Brandin Podziemski performance. The Warriors’ injuries are already painting a picture to start this brand new season.
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers When: Wednesday, October 21, 2026 | 7:00 PM PT Where: Crypto.com Arena TV: ESPN Radio: 95.7 The Game
Year 18 for Steph. Year one felt just like yesterday 🥹
It feels like while the Warriors have been lined up to see the doctor, the Lakers went shopping for new talent. LA rebuilt the post-LeBron roster at full speed, bringing in nine new veterans, handing Walker Kessler four years and $130 million to protect the rim, and locking up Austin Reaves for four years and $180 million. Meanwhile Golden State spent most of the time since the draft refreshing medical updates like they were lottery numbers.
Unfortunately for Dub Nation, those numbers haven’t hit yet. Jimmy Butler is still working back from the torn ACL with a late January or early February target, Moses Moody is rehabbing a ruptured patellar tendon, and Kristaps Porzingis isn’t even traveling to LA while he remains out indefinitely. Then on the eve of the opener, the one guy who never misses games got ruled out: Brandin Podziemski, who played all 82 games last season, is sitting with lower back soreness, and Charles Bassey is questionable with right patellar tendinopathy. If Bassey sits too, Golden State takes the floor with just 10 healthy players on standard contracts and Draymond probably playing center full-time.
Let’s not forget that Steph, 38 years old and stepping into his remarkable 18th season, caught his foot at open practice and limped to the locker room with a right ankle sprain. He’s officially probable after a full practice Monday, so breathe. But Dub Nation absolutely remembers that last season Curry played 43 games and the Warriors dropped 26 of the 39 he missed.
Luka Doncic is the clear face of the Lakers’ franchise in LeBron’s absence, and he definitely has some firepower alongside him with Reaves. Doncic has averaged 30.7 points per game against Golden State for his career, and tonight he gets to aim that at a frontcourt of Draymond, a minutes-managed Al Horford, Georges Niang and maybe a big man with a sore knee. Luka also apparently took out an ad talking about L.A.’s march toward the title beginning tonight? Fascinating.
Luka Doncic places full-page ad in LA Times ahead of Lakers' season opener on Wednesday.
"Dear LA, tonight we start our run for a championship."
The Warriors are 4-0 against the Lakers on opening night in the Curry era, including a 119-109 win in this same arena last October. This time the Lakers have the size, the depth and a new sense of creativity and freedom after the departure of King James. Golden State has Steph, Draymond and a freshly taped right ankle that has to hold up against the best guard tandem in the Pacific.
Oh and YAXEL POWER. Let Yaxel Lendeborg’s Rookie of the Year campaign begin in earnest tonight!
The Warriors have contacted the Milwaukee Bucks about a potential Kristaps Porziņģis trade, “The Athletic’s” Sam Amick and Nick Friedell reported Wednesday, citing a league source.
The Bucks are among the teams Golden State recently has reached out to, according to the source, who spoke anonymously to describe ongoing deliberations. Milwaukee is not believed to be interested, though the outreach shows how actively the Warriors are searching for a solution as uncertainty around Porziņģis continues on the day of their 2026-27 NBA season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Porziņģis signed a two-year, $40 million contract extension this past summer, with only $3 million guaranteed for next season. Golden State acquired him from the Atlanta Hawks for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield before the February trade deadline, and he averaged 16.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in 17 games for the Warriors during the 2025-26 season.
The Warriors had hoped his absence would be short, but that hope has faded. General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. ruled Porziņģis out of the early part of training camp on Sept. 28, and Porziņģis met with Dunleavy and vice president of player health and performance Rick Celebrini at Chase Center last week. In a statement Wednesday, the team said the conversations will remain private.
“We are not anticipating Kristaps being around the team in the immediate future,” the Warriors said.
The Athletic reported the Warriors viewed the re-signing as a gamble they were comfortable with, partly because Porziņģis’ $20 million salary could be included in a larger trade if he again struggled to stay on the floor. Because Golden State is hard-capped at the second apron, it cannot take back more salary than it sends out in any deal.
It may be a long shot, but two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff would love to have a spot on the Milwaukee Brewers' World Series roster.
The one-time staff ace hasn't pitched since going 3⅔ innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 4 due to right shoulder inflammation. However, he was at American Family Field on Tuesday, Oct. 20, throwing 23 pitches to several of the Brewers' best hitters − Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, William Contreras, Christian Yelich and Jake Bauers.
Once his shoulder flared up for a second time after spending nearly two months on the injured list in May and June, Woodruff was supposed to undergo season-ending surgery in August. However, he gradually started feeling better and opted for another attempt at building up his arm strength.
He's since progressed to throwing off the mound, and in Tuesday's session, registered between 90 and 92 mph with his fastball. It's an encouraging sign for him ... but it could make things much more difficult for the Brewers' decision-makers with the final roster due on Friday morning.
“I know where I’m at. I’ve only faced live hitters once and the World Series starts in three days,” Woodruff told MLB.com. “As far as a decision, I haven’t heard anything. I’m sure they are discussing it.”
Woodruff said he'll see how his shoulder reacts over the next couple days.
"I get it from their vantage point. The apprehensions, I understand that," he said. "All I could do was put myself in a position to be an option.”
As the New York Knicks raised their championship banner on Tuesday night, some members of the New York Rangers were at Madison Square Garden to witness the historic moment.
In June, the Knicks won their first championship in 53 years, bringing a joyful energy and uniting the entire city of New York.
Sharing a practice facility and both playing at The World’s Most Famous Arena, the Rangers and Knicks are bonded together under the MSG umbrella.
For the Rangers, witnessing the Knicks win a championship and seeing the impact it had on the city was something the whole organization took to heart.
“It’s inspiring,” Mike Sullivan said. “It’s inspiring when a group has witnessed the ultimate success in their respective sport. When it’s close to you, these guys, we have lunch with the Knicks a lot, so there’s some familiarity. I know both teams root for one another. We couldn’t be more proud of them and I think a night like last night is inspiring for our guys,
Noah Laba, Gabe Perreault, Will Cuylle, Alexis Lafrenière, Vladislav Gavrikov, Sean Durzi, and Eeli Tolvanen were all in attendance for the Knicks’ opening-night game on Tuesday night, in which the team received their championship rings and raised the championship banner.
“It was great,” Vladislav Gavrikov said about attending the Knicks game. “The atmosphere, the building was electric. Those moments that they showed on the jumbotron, the video and everything, you are getting goosebumps to that. Obviously, that was a special night.”
The Rangers got a taste of what it could be like to be a champion in New York by watching the Knicks this summer and now further realize the magnitude sports has on the city.
“I think we saw it all summer, the parade and just all of the streets,” Perreault said of the Knicks’ championship win. “It shows you the fan base in New York and obviously if we could do that one day, it would be super cool.”
DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 16: Gabriel Landeskog #92 splashed T.J. Hughes #13 of the Colorado Avalanche in celebration after Hughes scored his first NHL goal in the second period of the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ball Arena on October 16, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ashley Potts/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Colorado’s latest rookie and college free-agent signing showed up on the scoresheet over the weekend and again on Monday night, which has me thinking about T.J. Hughes’ near future with the Colorado Avalanche. Hughes’ first NHL goal came from Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon, scored just after a power play ended.
Usually, guys on the first power-play unit aren’t worried about being reassigned to the AHL, but in this case, Logan O’Connor’s inevitable return to the lineup and the ne-way contract structure for others in the bottom six likely mean T.J. will be the odd man out when the forward group is fully intact.
However, as we saw with LOC’s necessary absence and Zachary L’Heureux’s late injury status this weekend, Hughes could get enough NHL time to make himself indispensable. Add a more straightforward path to power-play success, and I see a recipe for T.J. to become an NHL mainstay right now. Let me elaborate.
The Role Requires Familiarity
Now I’m not saying that the Avalanche don’t have a player who could take over Hughes’ role on the power play. Still, familiarity is paramount to power-play success. Colorado’s decision to put Hughes on the top power play unit from the start of training camp means they see him as a real scoring threat.
His net-front goal is exactly the type of goal we’ve heard players and coaches mention when talking about T.J. on the unit. For me, the big factor is seeing the unit as a whole reintroduce the left-shot threat at the dot opposite Nathan MacKinnon.
We saw the Avalanche move Martin Necas to the second unit after Brett McLean took on the assistant and power play role in Colorado. At first glance, it feels like a brazen move to take someone as skilled as Necas off the ice with a man advantage, but a closer look shows that having Necas and MacKinnon on the ice at the same time undermines the power-play approach due to their shot orientation. It looks like Colorado is getting back to the basics.
With Jaden Schwartz on the opposite flank to MacKinnon’s cross-ice saucer passes, the Avalanche have reestablished balance, as his one-timer is dangerous enough to require more attention positionally. As a result, the slot has more space for both the net-front player and bumper to work on loose pucks and find openings closer to the net.
In my opinion, the lack of a real left shot on that side of the ice has been the catalyst for Colorado’s lack of power-play success.
Meghan Angley quickly reminded me that the power play was struggling just before Mikko Rantanen left Colorado on last week’s Mile High Hockey Lab, but we also know the Moose scored a ton of power-play goals with one-timers or back-door shots. There’s also a difference between struggling as a top 10 unit and struggling as a unit which finished bottom six last season.
You can’t just set and forget a guy to replace what Mikko Rantanen can do on his first touch, but you can get close, and I think that’s the thought process behind Shwartz taking the role. That was also the thought process behind the Viktor Olofsson experiment, but Shwartz has been finishing his chances, and that’s the key.
Now, back to Hughes, we’ve seen guys in the net-front/bumper role on the successful Avalanche power play amass a ton of goals and points. The Avalanche have experimented with guys like Jonathan Drouin, Valeri Nichushkin, and Nic Roy in that spot, and now it’s T.J. Hughes. I think the kid from Michigan has the finishing ability to cash in.
Winning Matters Most
We know Logan O’Connor has a spot on this roster once he’s done dealing with more important matters, plus Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov’s contract structure means sending them down would risk losing either to waivers. That makes it easy to see Hughes getting considerable time with the Colorado Eagles in Loveland unless he shows hard-to-ignore production.
Avs coach Jared Bednar said Logan O'Connor will play against Tampa Bay. Nic Roy is expected to skate back in Denver while the Avs are away, but Zach L'Heureux is "a little further away"
Mackenzie Blackwood is starting tonight. Lineup should be the same as the last game.
For me, it’s any production that successfully extinguishes Colorado’s infamous power-play woes. If T.J. Hughes suddenly becomes a major factor in an otherwise struggling power play, I can’t imagine Jared Bednar turning his back on that, as it would point toward winning a lot of games.
The Avalanche lead the league in xGF% vs. xGA% at five-on-five, so adding a power play that scores rather than gives up goals should help them put games away sooner and protect their superstars’ TOI.
Jared Bednar has shown us time and time again that he wants the lineup that gives him the best chance to win, and if Hughes’ impact on the advantage becomes a major factor, I don’t think he’s gonna move Hughes.
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 29: Keegan Thompson #34 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on May 29, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2026. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
No. 38, Keegan Thompson (-0.2 rWAR)
Keegan Thompson’s first season with the Rockies may have been short, but it mirrored his career. It started off on a good note, but didn’t last.
Thompson made his debut on May 23 for the Rockies, who signed the 31-year-old RHP in January after he was waived by the Cincinnati Reds. The third-round pick from the 2017 MLB Draft threw 2.2 scoreless innings in a 5-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, giving up three hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
Thompson allowed one run on one hit and posted one strikeout against the Giants in the Rockies 8-6 win on May 29.
The next three outings went much worse.
He was hit hard in the following 8.1 innings, being tagged for 10 runs on 15 hits. Thompson struck out eight during the stretch and didn’t walk any; however, by the time his five appearances were done, he had an 8.25 ERA — the worst season in his five-year MLB career.
Thompson cleared waivers and spent the rest of the season with Triple-A Albuquerque where he made 25 appearances, including 15 starts. He posted a 5.28 ERA with two holds, one save, 56 strikeouts, 35 walks and a 2-5 record in 73.1 innings. He also missed two-and-a-half weeks on the IL from the end of August through early September.
Thompson, who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs, made his MLB debut in May of 2021. For two years, he served as a starter and reliever and enjoyed a decent amount of success. In 2021 and 2022, Thompson posted a 3.64 ERA in 61 innings (23 starts) with a 13-8 record and 2.2 rWAR.
Paralleling the end of his 2026 season in Colorado, he spent the next two seasons splitting his time as a reliever for the Cubs and their Triple-A Iowa squad. He made 43 appearances out of the bullpen for the Cubs in 2023 and 2024 with a 3.66 ERA, but just a 0.6 rWAR. By the end of 2024, he declared free agency and was signed by the Reds. He never appeared in the big leagues in 2025, pitching in 33 MiLB games with a 4.50 ERA.
When Thompson signed with the Rockies, he inked a one-year, $1.3 million deal. Thompson’s arsenal includes a four-seamer, a cutter and a sinker, with an occasional sweeper, curve or changeup. His velocity maxes out at about 92 mph, but his known for his ability to pound the strike zone, which the Rockies value under 2026’s new front office and coaching staff. Unfortunately for Keegan, it often resulted in other teams teeing off on him.
In the end, the inconsistency that has plagued Thompson throughout his MLB career continued in 2026.
It makes his future anything but certain come 2027.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 30: Luis Robert Jr. #88 of the New York Mets looks on during the game against the Houston Astros at Citi Field on August 30, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caean Couto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is sort of amazing just how different the acquisition of Luis Robert Jr. looks in October than it did in January. Robert was brought in to play center field and be an offensive upgrade over Tyrone Taylor. Even though a lot of the underlying tools looked problematic, the possibility of 25+ HR power, elite center field defense, and above average speed was an enticing mix.
Unfortunately, like has been the case with Robert for much of his career, injuries got in the way. Robert was on the injured list with back issues from April 30 to July 20. And the team that he came back to was a very, very different one from the one he left.
Specifically, the team he returned to had A.J. Ewing manning center field and doing his best Luis Robert impression.
In 58 games for the Mets, Robert hit .223/.303/.399 with 10 home runs, while playing a good center field. Ewing played just about twice as many games as Robert did, and he hit .252/.324/.376 with 11 home runs. Ewing was not a perfect player for the Mets this year, and his age and inexperience showed. He has a lot of work to do on his game, but his natural abilities, especially his speed on both sides of the ball, presented a player that has looks like he may be able to grow into what Robert has been at his best, and do so for the league minimum salary.
When Robert returned from the IL, Ewing was already firmly ensconced as the everyday center fielder, and it looked like Robert wasn’t long for the team. While they couldn’t find a trade partner for him, he was claimed off of waivers by the Orioles in August. With a $20 million option on the table, the Mets just didn’t have a need for Robert as a fourth outfielder, and the team wasn’t going to put him on the depth chart ahead of Ewing.
It is a shame how his story with the Mets ended, because Robert looked like a fantastic fit for the club: some real power, decent speed on the basepaths, and bona fide elite center field defense. But you can’t blame the team for prioritizing developing a young player versus overpaying an older one, and that’s exactly what the Mets did.
The Wrigley View rooftop club on Waveland | | Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Well now, that’s a provocative headline.
Here’s the story. Wrigley View Rooftop was one of a handful of rooftop clubs that were not bought out by the Ricketts family over the last few years (those that were, you can tell by the WRIGLEYROOFTOPS.COM signs on the buildings). Instead, they continued to operate under a deal made back in 2004 that gave the Cubs 17 percent of their revenue. That deal expired in 2023, and on Sept. 30 the rooftop club was permanently enjoined from selling tickets to watch Cubs games. You can read about that in detail in this ESPN.com article by Ben Strauss.
The owner of that club, Aidan Dunican, has appealed the ruling in federal court.
Per Michael McCann at Sportico, here’s why that appeal is very important not only to the Cubs and to Wrigley View Rooftop, but perhaps to all of Major League Baseball:
The sides are arguing over whether U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman should unseal the trial court record and all the financial information, contracts and potential trade secrets it contains.
Oh.
Yeah, that would be pretty important. Here’s more from the court filing:
The Cubs, Wrigley View Rooftop insists, “pick and choose what information” to reveal in court filings “so as to unfairly frame” the Cubs’ image “while deriding” Wrigley View Rooftop. The company maintains it would be in the “public interest” for the record to be released.
In addition, Wrigley View Rooftop argues the Cubs have violated the terms of a confidentiality order issued by Coleman, who set parameters for the two sides to discuss which materials ought to be designated as confidential and sealed. Wrigley View Rooftop maintains that the Cubs haven’t explained the rationale for opposing the removal of confidentiality designations.
The “public interest” is noted there. Yes, I think I, as a member of the public, would be pretty interested. So would you, most likely.
Here’s what the Cubs said in the filing in response:
Through a brief authored by Martin Roth and other attorneys from Kirkland & Ellis, the Cubs argue that it is unconvincing for Wrigley View Rooftop to ask Coleman to unseal documents both parties agreed to keep sealed—including documents Wrigley View Rooftop wants sealed—on the basis that the sealing “has somehow rendered [Wrigley View Rooftop] unable to speak to the press.”
The Cubs, which say they’re open to unsealing some documents with appropriate redactions, object to unsealing the entire record, particularly given that both sides have “legitimate business needs for confidentiality” that include “privacy required to protect the Cubs’ trade secrets or their customers’ personally identifying information.”
What the Cubs say in that filing doesn’t appear to be completely unreasonable, either. The team added:
“That a baseball team would incur expenses related to ballpark operations, payroll, construction and equipment, and related topics is obvious and comports with the Court’s comment that it also relied on ‘common sense,” the Cubs write.
In addition, the Cubs note that sharing “detailed financial information,” including the Cubs’ contracts with other rooftop businesses, runs counter to the fact that the Cubs, Wrigley View Rooftop and other rooftop businesses are all, to some degree, competitors.
The Cubs’ contracts with other rooftop businesses could contain “highly sensitive competitive information such as audit rights, margins, and payment terms,” the disclosure of which, the Cubs insist, “could harm competition in a competitive market environment.”
You can read more at the Sportico link, though yes, I’ve quoted quite a bit of it, which I think is important to the point being made. Wrigley View Rooftop didn’t sell out to the Cubs as many of its competitors did. You can learn more about that in the ESPN.com article. I take no position here on whether the Cubs should or should not be required to open that financial information to the public, as I am not an attorney and don’t know all the details of this case.
But you can be sure that U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman’s ruling on this will be anxiously awaited not only by Aidan Dunican, but Cubs fans and owners of other MLB teams. And that’s because, per the Sportico article:
In professional sports labor disputes, players’ unions often argue that teams are more profitable than they claim. Unsealed financial records from the Cubs could attract attention well beyond this litigation, including from the MLBPA as it prepares for a potentially contentious labor fight.
