The Panthers also announced earlier today that defenseman Dmitry Kulikov will be out five months after undergoing surgery for a labral tear, Sebrango will step in and serve as defensive depth.
Should he end up in the AHL Sebrango will be another big boost to a Checkers team that made the Calder Cup Finals last season. The team has added Tyler Motte, Jake Livingstone, Kevin Mandolese, and Brett Leason to PTOs in recent days.
The best thing about a new season of hockey is that, in some cases, you can forget the last one.
The 2024-25 Nashville Predators "won" the summer by bringing in big-name veterans such as Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei, but when the puck actually dropped, the Preds fell flat. Nashville got off to a horrid start and never truly recovered, missing the playoffs and registering themselves as the biggest disappointment in the NHL that year.
But the calendar has turned, and for 2025-26, the Predators are focused on the present.
"We're not really worried about last year," said coach Andrew Brunette. "It was beaten to death – I've beaten it to death for too long, so I'm just looking at our team this year, and we're trying to build, we're trying to get better. We're trying to take another step and we're climbing up the ladder, meaning I like the way our game is coming."
The Predators dropped their first game in regulation on Tuesday night, on the second leg of a back-to-back against Toronto after beating Ottawa the night before. The Maple Leafs had their way with Nashville for much of the game, though you can debate among yourselves whether or not two empty-net goals distorted the final score of 7-4, or merely reflected the spirit of the overall contest. Both teams used their backup goalies, and both were playing their second game in as many nights, so everything else was even.
"We probably weren't all that sharp in front of the net," Brunette said. "Stick battles weren't quite to our standard – a little bit slow early. I thought we got to our game in the second period."
But at least the Predators aren't digging themselves out of a hole right now. In fact, Nashville is currently a top-three seed in the Central, if you're enough of a sicko to look at the playoff race eight days into the season. Nonetheless, it's a better spot than they found themselves in last year, when the club lost its first five games of the year.
"We're better this year than last year, that's all I can really say," said center Michael McCarron. "I can sense a difference. It's a pretty determined group. Two years in a row we started pretty sloppy, pretty slow, no pace to our game. Now we have great pace to our game. We're three-quartering-ice* teams, and we're sticking with it, as well. Our resiliency and our determination has definitely shown through the first four games, where it didn't show last year."
(*I had never heard this term, so I followed up with McCarron, who explained that it meant turning the puck back on opponents when they try to chip it in at the defensive blueline and going the other way with it, playing fast and hemming teams in once the Preds are in the O-zone.)
The challenge now will be to keep marrying that determination with results. Nashville is of course in the deadly Central Division, and with Winnipeg, Colorado and Dallas all at the tops of their games, the Preds are basically battling the likes of Minnesota, Utah and St. Louis for a wild-card berth (unless one of those elite teams takes a massive stumble).
On the positive side of the ledger, starting netminder Juuse Saros is off to a hot start, while the offense has been nicely balanced: nearly every regular forward has already found the scoresheet through four games.
If the game against Toronto was an aberration, then Nashville can look forward to playing meaningful contests in late spring again. If not, it's going to be another long season for the Preds.
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During practice on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings were a few bodies short, including the absence of captain Anze Kopitar and starting goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
After the practice, it was reported that head coach Jim Hiller said both Kopitar and Kuemper are listed as “day-to-day” with lower-body injuries. The veteran duo last played on Monday when the Kings took on the Minnesota Wild.
Kuemper didn’t show any signs of distress or any hint of any injury. However, at some point against the Wild, Kopitar was hit by a teammate who was trying to play the puck up ice. The puck hit Kopitar in the foot and ankle area, and his yelp could be heard on the broadcast and in the nosebleeds of Grand Casino Arena.
It’s unclear if that’s what triggered Kopitar’s minor injury, but it could be a factor.
Nonetheless, the Kings' captain hasn’t been ruled out for Los Angeles’ contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.
The Kings’ clash against the Penguins will mark the last time Kopitar and Sidney Crosby share the ice at Crypto.com Arena.
As for the goaltending situation, Los Angeles called up goaltender Erik Portillo on an emergency basis from the AHL’s Ontario Reign. He has made two appearances for the Reign, averaging a 3.50 goals-against average and a .854 save percentage.
The @LAKings have recalled goaltender Erik Portillo from the Ontario Reign, the Kings’ American Hockey League (AHL), on emergency basis.
Portillo has one NHL game under his belt from when he made his debut early last season for the Kings. He earned a 2-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks, stopping 28 of 29 shots, recording a .966 SP and was the first star.
Aside from Kopitar and Kuemper missing practice, right winger Corey Perry made an appearance for the first time in his Kings career. He was practising on Wednesday with a red non-contact sweater.
The 40-year-old veteran has been out since early September, as he required knee surgery after suffering an injury during a pre-season training session.
After going through surgery, the timeline for Perry’s return was six to eight weeks. Up to this point, it has been just over four weeks, meaning there is still some time to go before Perry plays his first game, at least according to the initial projections of his timeline.
Here’s what Katie Gaus, Michael Traikos and Ryan Kennedy discussed in this episode:
0:43: Is it time to start worrying about the Toronto Maple Leafs' top six forwards needing help?
4:45: Thoughts on Easton Cowan’s start to his NHL career?
7:36: How concerning is it that Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is hurt again?
10:09: Which team with a "bad" start will turn it around first?
12:55: Are Kevyn Adams' days numbered as Buffalo Sabres GM? Can any GM fix the Sabres?
18:00: The New York Rangers surpassed the 2001-02 Pittsburgh Penguins for the longest season-opening streak without a goal on home ice. Is this just an unlucky home start – or is something bigger wrong with the Rangers?
21:19: Which team or player with a "good" start will fall apart first?
24:24: Which team has had the most surprising start?
28:04: Could this be the year we see the Seattle Kraken find their identity?
29:29: Will Cam Talbot be the Detroit Red Wings' bona fide starter by the end of the month?
33:05: Yes or no: after 6-foot-9 forward Curtis Douglas fought Kurtis MacDermid in his first NHL shift last week, is the enforcer role trying to have a resurgence?
36:37: Yes or no: Nashville scratches rookie and Ontario kid Brady Martin against Toronto – Andrew Brunette says it was all part of the plan, but should they have sat him against a different team?
39:30: Minnesota Wild rookie Zeev Buium went 12th overall in the 2023 draft. Should he have been drafted higher?
41:25: The Anaheim Ducks gave away some sick old-school Duck masks at their home opener – is this one of the best giveaways ever?
42:34: Will the Toronto Blue Jays get a win tonight against the Mariners?
The Florida Panthers have claimed defenseman Donovan Sebrango off waivers from the Ottawa Senators.
The 23-year-old left-handed defenseman has played just four games in the NHL. He was drafted in the third round (63rd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings but never played a game in the Motor City.
His four games of NHL experience came with the Senators, two this season and two in the 2024-25 season. Sebrango carries a solid 6-foot-2, 223-pound frame, but he doesn't use it as much as his former teams may have liked.
In all, Sebrango is a depth pick-up to provide security on the Panthers' blueline. They've already had a player sustain a long-term injury in Dmitry Kulikov, and if any other Panthers defensemen suffer an injury, they need players with NHL experience ready to go.
Tobias Bjornfot was called up from the Charlotte Checkers to be the seventh defenseman, and Sebrango will serve as the eighth.
In a surprising twist, Knicks guard Malcolm Brogdon is retiring from the NBA.
"Today, I officially begin my transition out of my basketball career," Brogdon said in a statement. "I have proudly given my mind, body, and spirit to the game over the last few decades. With the many sacrifices it took to get here, I have received many rewards. I am deeply grateful to have arrived to this point on my own terms and now to be able to reap the benefits of my career with my family and friends. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all who have had a place in my journey."
The Knicks had inked Brogdon to a one-year, non-guaranteed deal in September.
Before Brogdon's announcement, the expectation was that the Knicks would have to do some maneuvering with their roster ahead of the season-opener.
Brogdon, 32, had a solid season last year for the Wizards, averaging 12.7 points and 4.1 assists per game. He was limited to 24 contests, though, making 13 starts.
During his nine-year career, which included stints with the Bucks, Pacers, Celtics, and Trail Blazers, Brogdon averaged 15.3 points and 3.6 assists.
Oct 9, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Brady Martin (44) skates with the puck against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Four games into the 2025-26 season, the Nashville Predators have made one thing clear regarding Brady Martin's development: They're in no hurry.
The Predators’ fifth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft has been a healthy scratch through the first two games of the team’s four-game Canadian road trip after seeing action in the previous two games at Bridgestone Arena.
Preds head coach Andrew Brunette has addressed Martin’s healthy scratches on multiple occasions this week. Following the 7-4 loss in Toronto against the Maple Leafs, Brunette provided his latest explanation.
“We want to put him in positions to feel comfortable, to get better,” Brunette told reporters after the game. “I think there’s no better opportunity right now to learn from our veteran guys, be in practice, be around them.”
Martin made the final roster prior to the season opener against Columbus after having a solid training camp. He saw 12:44 of ice time and was the center on the top line with Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly in the Predators’ 2-1 victory over the Blue Jackets.
In the Preds' 3-2 overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth two nights later, Martin once again centered the top line in 10:40 of ice time. He recorded his first NHL point after assisting on Forsberg’s goal that tied the game 1-1 at 7:23 of the first period, finishing the evening with a +1 rating. He was 1-for-3 on faceoffs after winning just 28.6% (2-for-7) of the draws he took against Columbus.
The Preds Have Options
Why the sudden healthy scratches the last two games?
Martin himself may have given a clue following the win over the Blue Jackets when he addressed his being outmuscled on several occasions.
“Need to hit the gym,” he said following the game.
There may also be less urgency to rush Martin after forward Luke Evangelista returned to the club following the signing of his two-year, $6 million contract extension just as the regular season began.
Matthew Wood, who suffered a lower-body injury during the Predators’ Gold Star Showcase intrasquad scrimmage, was assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL Oct. 10. He, too, was impressive in camp.
Depending on how Wood responds coming off the injury, the Preds could call him up and send Martin back to the OHL’s Sault Ste. Greyhounds.
Martin is allowed to appear in a total of nine NHL games before the Preds have to make a decision whether he will stay and continue developing at the NHL level or finish out the season in juniors.
Since the nine-game span only includes games he plays in, Martin can still practice and travel with the Preds until a decision is made.
In other words, Brunette and Preds general manager Barry Trotz have options when it comes to Martin's development plan. They may be walking a fine line by sitting Martin when he could be getting another year of seasoning in the OHL as a top-line center.
Where To From Here?
In 109 games for the Greyhounds, the 18-year-old tallied 43 goals and 57 assists for 100 points, plus six points in 16 post-season games.
Had he been active for Tuesday’s road game in Toronto, Martin would have gotten a chance to play in his home province. He grew up on a farm in Elmira and is one of six Preds from Ontario.
As exciting as it would have been to play just 200 miles from his farming community, Brunette made the decision he felt was best for the team.
“I think (not getting to play) will add fuel to his hunger to make sure he’s playing next time we’re here,” Brunette said.
For now, Martin will have to be content to take things day-by-day. Sitting on a bench for a lengthy period, even in the NHL, could be risky to Martin’s development. If he continues to be a healthy scratch, chances are he’ll be back in Sault Ste. Marie sooner rather than later.
Either way, Brunette gave no clear indication what the next move will be regarding Martin’s immediate future.
“He’s handled every step so far,” Brunette said. “I expect him to continue to grow as a player whether it’s up here or wherever he goes. We’re ecstatic to have him in our organization.”
After getting a first-hand look at him in a game on Saturday, the Florida Panthers have decided to pounce on Ottawa Senators defenseman Donovan Sebrango.
With Tyler Kleven's return to health, the Sens had eight defenseman on their roster, so they placed Sebrango on waivers on Tuesday with the hopes of sending him down to the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League. But the Panthers had an injury on their blue line last week, so they needed more depth, and they opted to claim Sebrango on Wednesday.
The news comes after Florida found out Kulikov would miss five months with wrist surgery - a medical prognosis that gives Sens fans shivers right about now. Their captain is expected to miss at least a month with a wrist injury and surgery is still a possibility.
The 23-year-old Sebrango was born in Ottawa and made his NHL debut back in January. He played the first two games for the Sens this season after spending the previous two years in Belleville. He didn't get a point but did average 15:14 in time on ice. He's a 2020 third-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, who traded him to Ottawa two years ago as part of the Alex DeBrincat deal.
Sebrango's exit means that Javon Moore, who has just begun his NCAA career at the University of Minnesota, is the only asset left who was directly involved in the DeBrincat deal.
The Sens got Sebrango, Dominik Kubalik, a first-rounder, and a fourth-rounder in that trade. Sebrango and Kubalik are now both gone. The first-rounder was packaged up and sent to Boston in the Linus Ullmark deal, but the Sens kept the fourth pick, which they used on Moore.
Looking ahead to Sebrango's potential in Florida, Uvis Balinskis drew into the lineup on Saturday night against the Senators to replace Kulikov, rounding out the Panthers' top six. Balinskis played in 76 games for Florida last season, so, for now, Sebrango's probable role is to beef up Florida's depth as a seventh D. Their current alignment would look like this:
Zach MacEwen has already had a whirlwind journey with the New Jersey Devils organization.
New Jersey acquired MacEwen in a trade with the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Kurtis MacDermid.
He was on the team for less than 24 hours before being placed on waivers, only to be recalled the next day.
If that wasn’t enough for the 29-year-old right winger, he was scratched from the Devils’ season opener. In the second game, he entered the lineup in place of Evgenii Dadonov, who fractured his hand in the season opener.
MacEwen played just over seven minutes against Tampa Bay. He was having a strong game and recorded a shot that registered 99.2 MPH in the third period, currently the fastest shot in the league. However, he also sustained an undisclosed injury in the third period that kept him out for the remainder of the game.
It was announced today that MacEwen has been placed on Injured Reserve with an upper-body injury. Subsequently, the Devils called up goaltender Nico Daws.
Daws appeared in six NHL games with New Jersey last season, posting a 3–1–0 record, a 1.60 goals-against average, a .939 save percentage, and one shutout.
Team reporter Amanda Stein noted that there is no timeline for MacEwen’s return. According to head coach Sheldon Keefe, he will be out for a “considerable amount of time.”
Zack MacEwen will be out a “considerable amount of time” says #NJDevils HC Sheldon Keefe.
MacEwen is no stranger to the NHL. After going undrafted, he began his career with the Vancouver Canucks in 2018–19. He played three seasons with the Canucks before stints with the Flyers, Kings, Senators, and now the Devils.
Over eight NHL seasons, MacEwen has played 238 games, recording 17 goals and 17 assists for a total of 34 points.
He will now miss a minimum of seven days, but under NHL Injured Reserve rules, he could remain on the list indefinitely if his recovery takes longer.
The Devils will host their home opener tomorrow night against the Florida Panthers. Puck drop is at 7 p.m., with New Jersey aiming to defeat the defending champions and improve to 3–2–0.
The New Jersey Devils are just three games into the season and already dealing with goaltending issues.
In Monday night’s 3–2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, both Devils goaltenders saw action.
Jake Allen started the game, his first regular-season start of the year. Allen, who re-signed with the team in the offseason, secured his role as backup behind Jacob Markstrom. He played the first two periods, stopping 23 of 24 shots for a .958 save percentage in 40 minutes of play.
Allen looked sharp, validating the Devils’ decision to retain him rather than let him test free agency.
However, when the third period began, Allen did not return to the ice. Instead, Markstrom took over in net.
Markstrom appeared to be in discomfort after a save late in the game and quickly exited the ice afterward. As of now, there has been no official injury update, but he did not participate in Wednesday’s morning skate.
It was later reported that Allen left the game due to cramps, though he was back on the ice and practicing Wednesday morning. Markstrom, however, remained absent, prompting the Devils to recall Nico Daws from the AHL’s Utica Comets.
Daws has been part of the Devils organization since being drafted 84th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Before being drafted, Daws served as a backup in the Ontario Hockey League. His NHL debut came earlier than expected when he was called up in a time of need for the Devils. Since the 2021–22 season, Daws has appeared in 52 NHL games. Most of his time has been spent in Utica; however, when the Devils’ goaltending needs support, Daws is always ready to step up.
The 24-year-old was placed on waivers at the start of the season to remain within the organization. He cleared successfully and has now been recalled once again.
With Daws back in the mix, there’s a chance he could start in the Devils’ home opener tomorrow night. He was seen taking reps at practice and officially joined the roster after the team placed forward Zack MacEwen on Injured Reserve.
Daws’ return provides stability in a moment of uncertainty. There’s good reason to believe he’ll see ice time soon, stepping in once again to save the day.
However, if Markstrom returns, Daws would need to clear waivers again before being reassigned to the AHL.
He’s entering the second and final year of his two-year contract. The first year was a two-way deal, paying him $775,000 in the NHL and $350,000 in the AHL. This season, he’s on a one-way deal worth $850,000, meaning he’ll earn the same salary regardless of where he plays.
With goaltending depth at a premium across the league, there’s reason to believe another team might claim him if he’s placed on waivers again.
For now, though, Daws is back with the Devils ahead of their first home game of the season.
The team may be 2–1–0, but that record may not hold up if the injuries keep coming.
Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Tuesday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
But just the same, the Dodgers outfielder declined to stay with the team at the historic — and allegedly haunted — Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee during the first two games of the National League Championship Series against the Brewers this week.
Hernández told reporters before Game 2 on Tuesday that his wife, Jennifer, was the one who insisted on finding somewhere to stay other than the 137-year-old hotel that has been the source of spooky tales from MLB players for decades.
"I don't believe in ghosts. I have stayed there before. I never see anything or hear anything," Hernández said. "But my wife is on this trip, and she says she doesn't want to stay in there. So we have to find another hotel."
Hernández added, however, that his wife told him that she has heard from other players and their wives that there had been "something happening" over at the team hotel.
Asked to elaborate, Hernández said he had been told that in "some of the rooms, the lights, goes off and on, and the doors — there are noises, footsteps. ... I'm not the guy that I'm gonna be here saying, 'Oh yeah, I experienced that before,' because I'm not, and I don't think I'm gonna experience that.'"
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked during his pregame media availability Tuesday if he had any ghost stories to share from the team's stay at the Pfister.
"I don't," Roberts said. "Those stories went away when I was about 10 years old. So, no, not anymore. I'm OK to go to bed now."
Over the years, not everyone has been as at ease about staying at the creepy old digs. In 2005, then-Dodgers closer Eric Gagne told The Times' Steve Henson that the place freaked him out.
“It’s old, weird and scary,” Gagne said. “It’s very creepy. I don’t sleep well there.”
Henson also noted at the time that former Dodgers third baseman Adrián Beltré had "reported a ghostly presence turning on lights and tickling his toes" during a 2001 stay at the Pfister. Fellow Times staff writer Kevin Baxter reported in 2007 that Beltre Beltronce insisted on sleeping with a bat for protection after he had a brush with a ghost" at the hotel.
One-time Dodgers infielder Michael Young told ESPN that he once heard loud stomping noises in his room while he was trying to sleep.
"So I yelled out, 'Hey! Make yourself at home. Hang out, have a seat, but do not wake me up, OK?'" Young said. "After that, I didn't hear a thing for the rest of the night."
Current Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts decided a couple of years ago he doesn't want to take any chances at the spooky spot.
“I don’t know if they’re real or not, nor do I care,” Betts said of the hotel's alleged ghosts after a 2023 game against the Brewers in Milwaukee. “My boys are here, so we just got an Airbnb. That’s really it.”
Betts admitted to the Orange County Register that the Airbnb rental was “just in case” the scary stories were true and “it was a good excuse" not to stay at the creepy old building.
Last, during another series in Milwaukee, Betts appeared to confirm that he will continue to find alternative lodging for road games against the Brewers.
“You don’t want to mess with them,” Betts said of the Pfister's alleged ghosts. “I’m staying at an Airbnb again. That part is not gonna change.”
The Dodgers more than survived their two games in Milwaukee this week, riding dominant performances by starting pitchers Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to take a 2-0 National League Championship Series lead over the Brewers.
The Dodgers who checked in to the Pfister Hotel also appear to have survived another stay in downtown Milwaukee. And with the next three games (if that many are necessary) taking place at Dodger Stadium, they have the chance to make sure they avoid returning to the (allegedly) haunted haunt this postseason.
When Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, and Jonah Tong made their major league debuts and became potential factors if the Mets made the postseason, that was a big step for the burgeoning Mets pitching development system.
Rebuilding a minor league system and a program is something that takes time and investment in both personnel and technology. After Steve Cohen bought the Mets, that investment grew exponentially. The “pitching lab” has been the center of discussions at times, but that is just a physical building in Port St. Lucie. That building means little if you don’t have the right technology in it or the right coaches/instructors to help groom these young pitchers, or most importantly, pitchers who buy into it.
The Mets hired Eric Jagers before the 2023 season to be their director of pitching development. In three seasons since that, Jagers has been promoted to the role of Vice President of Pitching and assembled a strong support staff under him that has led to the Mets recently being ranked as the No. 1 farm system for pitching prospects in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline.
Part of that is the fact that McLean, Tong, and Sproat are big player development wins as third, seventh, and second-round picks, respectively. They all have emerged to be not just among the best pitching prospects in the sport, but they are real options to count on as a part of the 2026 starting rotation.
McLean, specifically, may be one of the early favorites to win Rookie of the Year in the National League in 2026. While all three of McLean, Tong, and Sproat may not make the Opening Day rotation, as the Mets showed in 2025, a lot of pitchers are needed to get through the marathon that is a 162-game major league season.
A No. 1 ranking doesn’t come just because of three pitchers. As I wrote last week, the sign of a functioning player development system is avoiding multi-year gaps in generating young talent for the big-league roster. At some point in 2026, McLean, Tong, and Sproat are going to graduate as prospects.
The question is: Who’s next?
As it currently stands, the Mets don’t have a pitching prospect that could currently rival any of the above three’s prospect status. However, there are several arms in the upper minors with big-league potential that could impact the Mets as soon as 2026.
On the reliever front, there are two notable right-handed fireballers that should get an opportunity to play meaningful roles at some point in 2026: No. 19 ranked prospect Dylan Ross and No. 21 ranked prospect Ryan Lambert.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 16: Dylan Ross #66 of the New York Mets pitches during the game between the New York Mets and the Washington Nationals at Cacti Park at the Palm Beaches on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in West Palm Beach, Florida. / Jared Blais/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The 25-year-old Ross, who was added to the Mets’ active roster at the end of September, should be competing for a spot in the bullpen in spring training. The former 13th-round pick posted a 2.17 ERA in 54 innings across three levels in his first full professional season in 2025. He spent the most time with Triple-A Syracuse, where he had a 1.69 ERA in 32 innings with 39 strikeouts.
Ross mostly throws three pitches. The first is a four-seam fastball that averaged 97 mph and touched 100. That isn’t even his best pitch, though, as that honor would go to his splitter, which he throws in the low 90s and which generated a 48.3 percent whiff rate. He also throws a high-80s slider. Ross will have to rein in his control, as he had an unsustainable 17.3 percent walk rate in Triple-A, but with some tweaks and, frankly, more reps, as he has had Tommy John surgery twice, Ross could be an impactful part of the Mets bullpen.
The 23-year-old Lambert posted a 1.62 ERA in 50 innings, allowing only 31 hits and striking out 81 between High-A and Double-A. The former eighth-round pick is more of the prototypical two-pitch fastball-slider reliever. His fastball is at least a plus offering that will sit 96–97 and touch 100, averaging 20 inches of induced vertical break and nearly 2,700 rpm. His slider is an above-average offering in the mid-to-high 80s. Lambert also needs to improve his walk rate, but I would expect him to start next season in Triple-A and earn a call-up.
On the starting pitching front, most of the Eastern League Champion Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies rotation are ranked among SNY’s top 30 prospects in the Mets system and look like future big leaguers.
Those names are No. 10 prospect Jonathan Santucci, No. 11 prospect Jack Wenninger, No. 14 prospect Will Watson, and No. 24 prospect Zach Thornton. It may be a numbers game to determine which of these will start in Triple-A, but we should not forget both McLean and Tong started 2025 in Double-A.
Santucci, a second-round pick in 2024, struggled in his first six professional starts, posting an 8.14 ERA in 21 innings. In the 20 starts after that, he was one of the best performers in the Mets system, with a 1.95 ERA in 101.1 innings. In that stretch, he struck out 120, and opposing hitters only hit .186 with a .505 OPS against him.
He has a three-pitch mix with a fastball that sits 93–95 and will touch 97 mph. His 83–85 mph slider was a swing-and-miss pitch for him, and further development of his changeup will be key for him to remain a starter long-term.
Wenninger, a sixth-round pick in 2023, really impressed Mets brass in 2025. He spent the whole season with Binghamton where he posted a 2.92 ERA in 135.2 innings and ranked second in the Eastern League in strikeouts with 147.
He has a full starter’s repertoire with five pitches and his stuff ticked up in 2025. His fastball was touching 97 mph, even late into starts. His split-change is his best secondary swing-and-miss offering, and he also mixes in a two-seam fastball, curveball, and slider. He looks the part of a higher-floor back-end starter that I would anticipate starting 2026 in Triple-A.
Watson, a seventh-round pick in 2024, split time as a starter and a reliever while at college at USC. 2025 was his first year as a full-time starter, and he emerged as a non–top-30 prospect preseason to inside the top 15 by August. In 121.1 innings, he allowed only 88 hits and struck out 142.
He reaped benefits from the Mets’ pitching development staff, as his velocity increased across the board from his time in college. His fastball sat at 95 and would reach 97 mph. He also throws a slider and changeup and has worked on a cutter and sinker/two-seam fastball. His command at times was below average, but Mets people are excited about a second year of Watson, and he could take another step forward. I would expect him to repeat Double-A to start 2026.
Thornton may have made it to Triple-A during the 2025 season had he not injured his oblique at the end of June, which wiped out the remainder of his season. In the 72.2 innings he did pitch, the former fifth-round pick posted a 1.98 ERA with 78 strikeouts and only 11 walks.
He is the best strike-thrower in not just the organization, but all of minor league baseball. Among pitchers that threw at least 70 innings, he led all of minor league baseball in WHIP (0.81) and was second in walks per nine (1.36). Thornton is not a hard thrower, as he will top out at 94 mph on his fastball, but he controls a four-pitch mix that also includes a slider, curveball, and changeup.
A few other names currently outside the top 30 that are worth keeping an eye on: R.J. Gordon, Saul Garcia and Brendan Girton.
One of the consistent trends here: none of the names I mentioned were first-round picks, and all but Sproat and Santucci were outside of the top two rounds. That is a credit to the amateur scouting department identifying the talent, as well as the pitching development department helping maximize the pitchers in the organization.
While McLean, Tong, and Sproat emerged on the scene in 2025, there is another wave coming. And if the Mets can continue their development plan, there’ll be another wave after that.
On Wednesday, the Detroit Red Wings are set to host the Florida Panthers in a matchup that could tilt in Detroit’s favor given Florida’s mounting injury list. The Panthers will be without several key contributors, opening up a window for the Red Wings to exploit.
It was already confirmed that Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov would be out for seven to nine months after undergoing ACL/MCL surgery, effectively ending his 2025‑26 campaign. Not to mention Florida also lost top line winger Matthew Tkachuk for an undisclosed amount of time to start the season after receiving offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle. This hasn't fazed the Cats at all as they've still managed a 3-1-0 record to start the season. However, another new injury has popped up and this one could start to make Florida look less deadly.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice announced key defenseman Dmitry Kulikov underwent surgery to repair a labral tear and is expected to miss about five months. The 34-year-old Russian import was an integral part of the Panthers Stanley Cup winning lineup as Kulikov was a key component of Florida’s penalty kill and defensive depth.
For the Red Wings, this presents a prime opportunity. With Florida’s forward depth thinned and their defensive rotation stretched, Detroit can press harder on both ends of the ice. The Panthers have dominated this match up in recent history with a 23-4-1 record over their last 28 matchups against the Red Wings but the tide may be changing in Detroit's favor.
A divisional win over the Panthers would go a long way for the Red Wings as they currently sit in a wild card spot and taking away points from teams ahead of them in the standings only betters their chances at clinching their first playoff spot in nearly a decade.
They may be 2-1-0, but it doesn’t matter if there isn’t security in net.
The New Jersey Devils are no strangers to injured goaltenders. With a tandem of Jake Allen and Jacob Markstrom, two veteran players, the risk of injury is higher.
Luckily for the Devils, Nico Daws has been ready to step up since the moment he was drafted in 2020. Daws has 22 career wins and a .898 save percentage in 52 NHL games.
He played 25 games in 2021–22, 21 games in 2023–24, and six games last season.
While trade discussions have circulated regarding Daws, he remains a crucial part of the Devils’ roster.
Even when he’s in Utica playing with the AHL Comets, he’s always a reliable option for the team.
The Devils haven’t even played a home game yet, and Daws has already been called up.
The team opened the season with three straight road games, posting a 2-1-0 record with Markstrom and Allen in net.
However, in their most recent game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Allen left after the second period. Markstrom took over but appeared to be in pain after a play.
He quickly skated off the ice at the end of the game and did not appear at practice on Wednesday.
Three games into the season and ahead of the home opener, the morning skate featured two goaltenders: Jake Allen and Nico Daws.
The Devils placed Daws on waivers ahead of the first game of the season for roster purposes. He was not claimed by another team, but when Markstrom returns, the Devils will once again have to place him on waivers.
The team cannot afford to lose Daws. He has been a staple on the roster for five seasons, always ready when needed. While the Devils have a strong starting tandem and a promising pool of prospects, their starters are injury-prone, and their prospects aren’t quite NHL-ready yet.
That leaves Daws, who has already proven he can step up and perform at the NHL level. The Devils should do everything they can to keep him around for the remainder of the season.
