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O’s prospects are continuing to get praise

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

We’re just a couple of weeks away now from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training. As of now, that group of Orioles pitchers still does not include Framber Valdez. I will continue to update you as nothing occurs.

In the meantime, it’s prospect hype season, as publications continue to drop their top-100 rankings ahead of the 2026 season. Yesterday, The Athletic’s Keith Law unveiled his list, not long after Baseball America and MLB Pipeline did so, and the Orioles were well represented with five prospects among his top 100. Mark Brown has the details.

One notable thing about the lists released so far is that there’s a wide variety of O’s prospects who are highly regarded by at least one source, even if they’re not all in agreement. Only Samuel Basallo and Nate George are included in all three of BA, Pipeline, and Law’s lists, but there are six other prospects who are included on at least one. Dylan Beavers is a top-100 guy for both Baseball America and Pipeline. BA’s list also includes pitchers Trey Gibson and Luis De León, while Law counts Wehiwa Aloy, Ike Irish, and Enrique Bradfield Jr. among his top 100. That’s a lot of different Orioles prospects with a lot of different skills who are getting some measure of hype from the pundits. That seems like a good thing.

Will any of these prospects contribute to a winning Orioles team in 2026? We know that Basallo and Beavers will be on the roster, and if either one plays well enough to win AL Rookie of the Year, they’ll earn the Orioles an extra draft pick. Gibson and Bradfield will be one level away and could debut this season, but they both have things to work on at Triple-A first. It’ll be a longer wait for De León and the just-drafted Irish and Aloy.

The Orioles might no longer boast the best farm system in baseball as they did in the early years of the rebuild. But there’s no reason to think their talent pipeline is slowing down.

Links

Alonso feeling the love from Orioles fans in his latest visit to Baltimore – School of Roch

Pete Alonso seems to be exactly the kind of clubhouse leader the O’s were badly lacking in 2025. I like that about him. And also that he hits lots of dingers.

Starting to learn more about how O’s new skipper might handle certain game situations – Steve Melewski

For those who were frustrated by Brandon Hyde’s slavish devotion to lefty-righty matchups, good news: Craig Albernaz appears a bit more willing to let young lefty hitters face lefty pitchers.

Brady Anderson just landed his first formal coaching job at 62. He’s been teaching players for years – The Athletic

Ken Rosenthal takes a deep dive into the baseball mind of the former O’s fan-favorite outfielder and executive, who’s now the Angels’ hitting coach. Trey Mancini has particularly glowing things to say about how Brady revitalized his career as an Orioles prospect.

Former Oriole slugger Trey Mancini signs minor league deal with Angels – BaltimoreBaseball.com

…and sure enough, Trey Mancini just signed with Brady’s team. I have a feeling that’s not a coincidence.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Four ex-Orioles were born on this day, including Orioles Hall of Famer John Lowenstein (79), who spent the final seven years of his career with the Birds from 1979-1985 and formed a potent platoon with Gary Roenicke. Other former Birds with Jan. 27 birthdays are right-hander Jonathan Heasley (29), infielder Tim Beckham (36), and catcher Ken Huckaby (55).

On this date in 2015, the Orioles acquired outfielder Travis Snider from the Pirates. The O’s hoped that the former first-round draft pick would be a capable right field replacement for Nick Markakis, who’d left in free agency, but he didn’t come close. Snider posted just a .659 OPS in 69 games before the O’s released him in August.

And on this day last year, the O’s signed Dylan Carlson to a minor league contract. He didn’t figure to get much playing time with the Orioles unless things went very wrong for the team…which, of course, they did. Carlson ended up getting 241 plate appearances for the O’s, batting .203 with a .614 OPS. He signed a minor league deal with the Cubs yesterday.

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Penguins wait for injury updates ahead of Olympic break

The upcoming Olympic break could potentially be coming at a good time for a few banged-up Penguins players.

The biggest concern likely involves Evgeni Malkin, who appeared to be in pain on the bench Sunday night following a seemingly light shoulder tap from Anthony Mantha.

When asked about that moment after the game, head coach Dan Muse said there was “no update” regarding Malkin.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Dan Kingerski reported that Muse told reporters afterward when asked again about Malkin’s injury status: “No, there’s nothing there.”

There’s less reassuring than it might have been otherwise given that Muse described Malkin as “day-to-day” shortly before he was sidelined for a month with a shoulder injury in December.

Malkin said earlier this month he felt normal immediately after the Dec. 4 game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in which he was initially injured, but woke up in pain the next morning. After a Feb. 5 game at the Ottawa Senators, the Penguins don’t play again until Feb. 26.

The upcoming schedule break could be a problem for the Penguins in terms of disrupting their momentum, but could also provide some respite if Malkin is dealing with any lingering issues.

Speaking of potentially injured players: Jack St. Ivany left Sunday’s win over the Vancouver Canucks with an upper-body injury. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe identified it as a left hand injury and said St. Ivany “is expected to miss sometime.”

That one could sting for the Penguins. After some struggles earlier this season, St. Ivany has been part of the reason for the blue line’s success while missing Erik Karlsson and/or Kris Letang during this recent stretch.

The Penguins didn’t provide any updates on either player’s status Monday, so it’ll be something to keep an eye out today. Injury updates will at least come before Thursday’s home game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Penguins will also be looking out for news regarding Bryan Rust. NHL Player Safety said he is scheduled to have a hearing for his hit on Canucks captain Brock Boeser this morning.

The Canucks placed Boeser on injured reserve Monday.

The Penguins have five games remaining before the Olympic break, starting with a three-game homestand against the Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Senators and finishing out with a two-game road trip against the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres.

Potential updates today on Malkin, St. Ivany and Rust will determine if the Penguins are missing any starters for that stretch.

The Pens will especially hope to have as healthy a lineup as possible against the Islanders and Sabres, two teams who could possibly be in direct competition for a playoff spot down the stretch.

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The Breakdown | So much at stake and Six Nations just the start in ‘massive year for rugby union’

We may know the sport’s future is bright when trendsetters worldwide are wearing Fabien Galthié-style shades

On the surface it was business at usual at this year’s Six Nations launch in a chilly Edinburgh. Had the city’s most famous literary sleuth poked his nose into the venue at the top of the Royal Mile, Inspector Rebus would have clocked the usual suspects: head coaches trying not to divulge any secrets, captains quietly studying their opposite numbers and content creators seeking to “jazz up” their tournament previews.

This year’s booby prize went to the “influencer” who asked Caelan Doris, Ireland’s captain, whether or not he liked Fabien Galthié’s thick-rimmed glasses. It was almost on a par with the Breakdown’s all-time classic: the day someone asked Rob Baxter, Exeter’s director of rugby, to pick his favourite motorway service station. “Taunton Deane,” came the instant reply. “Because it means we’re almost home.” Brilliant.

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Could NBA trade deadline be a bust? Why it might depend on Giannis

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis and Ja Morant are the three biggest potential targets ahead of the 2026 NBA trading deadline.

All three are injured, and all three will be sidelined well beyond the Feb. 5 deadline. This complicates the overall market.

Each player is expected to make an eventual full return to health, though each – to varying degrees – has his own complicated injury history. The problem arises in the risk potential suitors may be feeling to trade for players who have combined to miss 63 games this season, as well as the real assets required to pry those stars away from their teams.

This all points to a potential drag in the trading market, possibly making this a sleepy deadline – especially when compared to last season’s that saw stars like Luka Dončić, Jimmy Butler, De’Aaron Fox and Brandon Ingram each shipped to new teams.

Complicating this further is that the entire market is in somewhat of a holding pattern, awaiting to see what happens with Antetokounmpo, the two-time Most Valuable Player and biggest chip on the board.

Antetokounmpo technically has not requested a trade, and the Milwaukee Bucks have been reluctant to make their franchise player available in a deal. But Antetokounmpo, 31, has repeatedly voiced his frustrations – he most recently characterized the team’s play as “selfish” – and has maintained that he wants to compete for championships.

The Bucks are 18-26 and 10th in the Eastern Conference. This is quickly becoming a lost season, and the latest Antetokounmpo injury likely precludes them from being buyers ahead of the deadline. So the Bucks may reluctantly understand that a fresh start is best for everyone, particularly because Antetokounmpo has one more year on his deal with a player option for 2027-28 that he can decline.

NBA POWER RANKINGS: New No. 1 team unseats OKC Thunder

TRADE RUMORS: NBA players who could be on the move at the deadline

Essentially, if Milwaukee senses that Antetokounmpo is considering walking during the 2027 offseason, the Bucks may want to at least recoup some assets for a rebuild. In that case, a trade makes perfect sense.

Yet, potential suitors will have far more financial flexibility and draft capital to deploy in an Antetokounmpo trade over the offseason, so the Bucks are probably best served to exercise patience.

Either way, we’re nearly 50 games into the season, Antetokounmpo is dealing with an injury that has nagged him, and he’s expected to be reevaluated in a month – at the earliest. That puts potential contenders who would be interested in him in a tricky spot.

Adding Antetokounmpo is a franchise-altering move that also impacts the day-to-day operation of a team. Regardless of who the suitors may be, a player like Antetokounmpo completely alters the way offenses are run, so there would be an adjustment period.

Not only are the mechanics of trading a player like Antetokounmpo during the season complicated (with a third team possibly needing to be involved), it also means these suitors would need to undergo a massive pivot, which is a risk this late in the year.

So, as the rest of the league awaits for resolution with Antetokounmpo, this could create a further lag in the trading market.

The Mavericks have also indicated they’re not necessarily in a rush to move Davis, who was the headliner returned in the infamous Dončić deal. Davis turns 33 in mid-March and is a constant injury concern, though he can be effective when he’s on the floor.

Dallas, though, is hanging around the play-in picture in the West and is also without Kyrie Irving. Eventually, the Mavericks may feel that they can make a late push for the playoffs.

And the Grizzlies have to contend with a depressed market as Morant’s value is as low as it has been throughout his career.

Granted, this could all change very quickly. If the Bucks decide they want to prioritize a head start on a rebuild, they could look to move Antetokounmpo sooner. If the Mavericks feel they can get good value for Davis, maybe they scoop up younger players more aligned with their timeline. Maybe the Grizzlies decide their relationship with Morant has run its course.

This trading deadline will certainly be active with role players like Jonathan Kuminga, Michael Porter Jr., Coby White and Domantas Sabonis likely to find new teams.

Don’t be surprised, however, if all this smoke about Antetokounmpo, Davis and Morant turns out to be just that.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA trade deadline could be a bust depending on Giannis Antetokounmpo

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NCAA tournament bracketology: March Madness projection dominated by Big Ten

As March Madness inches ever closer, we offer our latest attempt to project the men's basketball NCAA tournament field. While four different conferences are still represented on the No.-1 seed line, the upper quadrant of the bracket skews heavily toward the Big Ten.

For now the top regional seeds are unchanged from our previous installment of bracketology. Arizona has the strongest case for the top overall seed, with Michigan, Connecticut and Duke still projected to lead the regionals. The Wolverines head a group of five Big Ten squads among our projected top 12, despite preseason league favorite Purdue slipping to a No. 3 seed. Red-hot Illinois has moved up to a No. 2 along with still undefeated Nebraska, and perennial tournament contender Michigan State is also on the third line.

Mid-major power rankings: Keep eye on these teams in March

Weekend recap: Paying attention to Texas Tech yet? You should.

It might be a case of quantity over quality for the SEC, which is still well represented with 10 teams in the field but none seeded higher than Florida and Vanderbilt at No. 4 for the moment. The league’s automatic qualifier based on the current standings would be Texas A&M, though the Aggies likely will need to improve their profile should they require at-large consideration.

Seton Hall has toppled out of the field for now, leaving the Big East with just three tournament squads. The Mountain West also has three spots, though a couple of them are dangerously close to the bubble.

Bracketology: NCAA tournament field projection

March Madness Last four in

TCU, UCLA, New Mexico, Miami (Fla.).

March Madness First four out

Virginia Tech, Indiana, Missouri, Seton Hall.

NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: Big Ten (10), SEC (10), Big 12 (8), ACC (8) Big East (3), Mountain West (3), West Coast (2).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection led by Big Ten

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Pens Points: Homeward Bound

As the city digs out from a major winter storm that dumped over a foot of snow on the region, the Pittsburgh Penguins were out west taking care of business to remain one of the hottest teams in hockey. Now they will return home and enjoy a few days off before starting a five-game stretch over the next week and half leading into the Olympic break. This stretch run into the break is highlighted by a three-game homestand and a special Stanley Cup reunion for the 2016 squad this weekend.

Pens Points…

Coming off a perfect 4-0 Western Conference road trip, the Penguins return home for a three-game homestand beginning on Thursday night. These will be their final three home games before the Olympic break and it’s another big opportunity to bank some points. [Pensburgh]

Not only did the Penguins sweep their western road trip, they did so in relatively dominating fashion. Besides a few late hiccups against the Canucks, the Penguins dominated play over the course of four games, showing us that this team might very well be for real. [PPG]

There is a chance the Penguins are without Bryan Rust when they return to game action on Thursday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. For once this is not an injury related situation with Rust, but he could potentially be suspended following a hit against the Cancucks. [Pensburgh]

With January wrapping up, it’s a good time to check in on some young prospects to see how they are faring in their development. Prospects are spread across several different leagues right now both in North American and even over in Europe. [Pensburgh]

It’s been a difficult in this native Sweden for Penguins prospect Melvin Fernstrom and the team is stepping in to help with his development. On Monday, the Penguins recalled Fernstrom from his SHL side Orebro and he heading to North America to continue the season. [Trib Live]

With the Penguins preparing to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their 2016 Stanley Cup triumph this weekend, the team website is doing a round-by-round lookback of that playoff run. On Monday, it was a flashback to a thrilling six game victory over the Washington Capitals. [Penguins]

Goalie masks have turned into their own art form over the years with many artists specializing in making masks for the NHL’s best. For Penguins goalies, they turn to a local artist for all their goalie mask needs, including the newest Penguins netminder, Stuart Skinner. [Trib Live]

Expectations were low when the Penguins acquired Stuart Skinner back in December, many viewing him as a placeholder for the rest of the season. With a strong run of play since Christmas, Skinner has suddenly shifted the conversation to perhaps a longer stay in Pittsburgh. [Daily Faceoff]

NHL News and Notes…

Nine points in three games set the pace for all players this week and it was done by Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov who was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week on Monday. Joining Kaprizov as weekly award winners were Nikita Kucherov and Lukas Dostal. [NHL]

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Today on Pinstripe Alley – 1/27/26

Another day closer to spring.

Another offseason day down, another day closer to the beginning of spring. The hot stove has little left to offer us, though Monday did bring some news, with the Yankees officially announcing their signing of Cody Bellinger, as well as the Giants making a move, signing old friend Harrison Bader to a two-year deal. Had Bellinger defected this offseason, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see the Yankees pivot and try to target their former center fielder Bader, but things seem to have worked out in a beneficial way for all.

On the site today, Nolan continues his informative State of the System series with an analysis of the third base position in the Yankee organization. Also, Jeff writes up Fred Haimach as part of our Yankee Birthday series, and Sam remembers the signing of AJ Burnett, the third piece of the Yankees’ 2008-09 spending spree.

Questions/Prompts:

1. How many starts will Ryan Weathers make for the Yankees this year? Do you expect him to factor in more as a reliever or as a starter?

2. Which international sports tournament are you more psyched for this year, the WBC or the World Cup? The WBC surely won’t ever reach the World Cup’s level of significance, but do you think the WBC will continue its upward trajectory going forward?

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Mid-major power rankings: Keep eye on these college basketball teams in March

With college football season over and the Super Bowl only two weeks away, many of the country’s sports fans will adopt what has become a familiar routine over the years — digging into men’s college basketball and counting down the days to the start of the NCAA tournament.

At least some of the excitement and joy from the madness of March comes from outside the sport’s biggest conferences, where smaller schools pull off the kinds of upsets that thrill fans and destroy brackets. It’s part of the beauty of NCAA tournament folk heroes, with previously little-known players, coaches, programs and schools become national darlings in an instant.

Those teams, though, can be enjoyed well before they become household names.

NCAA tournament bracketology: Big Ten dominates March Madness projection

What we learned last week: Paying attention to Texas Tech yet? You should

As March inches closer, USA TODAY Sports will do weekly rankings of the 10 best teams from outside of the five Power conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East and SEC), so while programs like Gonzaga or San Diego State — both of which have made the national title game in the past five years — are nobody’s idea of a mid-major, they fall into this category for the sake of this exercise.

Where do teams from outside the biggest conferences stand as February approaches?

College basketball mid-major power rankings

1. Gonzaga (21-1)

Mark Few has made the Bulldogs a model of consistent success for any program at any level of the sport and this season has been no exception. Since a loss to No. 2 Michigan in the Players Era Festival on Nov. 26, the Zags have rattled off 14 consecutive wins, a run that has included victories over Kentucky (by 35), UCLA, Oregon and Santa Clara. Graham Ike and Braden Huff form one of the best frontcourts in the country, with the forwards averaging a combined 35.9 points per game.

2. Saint Louis (19-1)

St. Louis' Robbie Avila tries to move through the Bradley defense during their exhibition game Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025 at Carver Arena.

If it weren’t for a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in a 78-77 loss to Stanford on Nov. 28, the Billikens would be among the small handful of undefeated teams remaining in the sport. In its second season under coach Josh Schertz, Saint Louis has emerged as the class of the Atlantic 10, with a 7-0 conference record and only two of those games decided by single digits. College basketball folk hero Robbie Avila, who previously played for Schertz at Indiana State, is averaging a team-high 12.7 points and four assists per game.

3. Miami-Ohio (20-0)

The RedHawks are one of just three undefeated teams at the Division I level, with a 20-0 mark on the heels of a 25-win season in 2024-25. It marks the first time a Mid-American Conference team has ever won its first 20 games. Their nonconference schedule was the fourth-easiest among Division I squads, according to KenPom, but coach Travis Steele’s team has shown its mettle in pressurized situations, with overtime wins against Buffalo and Kent State, as well as a three-point victory over reigning MAC champion Akron.

4. Utah State (16-3)

The Aggies have become a launching pad for promising coaches to bigger, higher-paying jobs, with four coaches in the past six years. Through it all, though, they keep winning, with Vanderbilt transfer MJ Collins Jr. pacing this season’s team with 19.3 points per game on 42.4% shooting from 3. They’ve cooled off a bit lately, losing two of their past three after a 15-1 start, but they still look like the Mountain West favorite.

5. Saint Mary’s (19-3)

Like West Coast Conference rival Gonzaga, the Gaels win year after year and have continued it this season, with 10 wins in their past 11 games. Among the areas in which they’ve excelled? At the free-throw line, where they’re burying a Division I-best 81% of their attempts.

Coaches Poll, AP Top 25: Men's college basketball rankings after Week 12

6. Santa Clara (17-5)

Under veteran coach Herb Sendek, the Broncos are on pace for their most wins in a season in a decade while collecting several impressive victories along the way — beating, among others, Saint Mary’s, Xavier, Minnesota, Nevada and McNeese.

7. San Diego State (14-5)

The Aztecs have found their footing after a 3-3 start, winning 11 of their past 13 games (with one of those losses coming to No. 1 Arizona). As always, they’ve been fierce on the defensive end, ranking 26th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

8. New Mexico (16-4)

After winning 30 games last season at UC San Diego, coach Eric Olen has kept things rolling in his first season with the Lobos, who are 13-2 since Nov. 21 and have picked up wins against Santa Clara, VCU, Mississippi State and Nevada.

9. George Mason (18-2)

Tony Skinn helped lead the Patriots to the 2006 Final Four as a player and has excelled since returning to the school as a coach, winning at least 20 games in his first two seasons. This squad might be his best yet. Like Miami (Ohio), George Mason feasted on a weak nonconference schedule, but it still has quality wins over VCU and George Washington.

10. Akron (16-4)

Three of the Zips’ four losses this season have come by five points or fewer, with only No. 12 Purdue beating them by a larger margin. Senior guard Tavari Johnson is one of the most dynamic scorers in the country, averaging 20.3 points per game and shooting 38.7% from 3.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball mid-major rankings: Gonzaga, Saint Louis lead way

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Payton Pritchard explains he’s been playing through injury — though he’s not making any excuses

BOSTON — Late in the fourth quarter of the Celtics 102-94 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, Payton Pritchard crouched down in pain on the TD Garden parquet and clutched his left hand. Moments later, the Celtics guard headed into the locker room, his injury status seemingly up in the air.

But, much to the relief of the Celtics fans who braved the winter storm to watch Jrue Holiday and Rob Williams make their triumphant returns, Pritchard returned just a few minutes later and closed out the final 42 seconds of the ball game. The Celtics put away the Blazers, and improved to 29-17 on the season — the Eastern Conference’s second-best record.

Afterwards, Pritchard revealed that the injury was nothing too concerning; he simply re-injured a pinky finger that’s been bothering him for the past month.

“I’ve been dealing with it, jamming it back and forth, and then he just kind of hit it,” Pritchard said, explaining his finger turned sideways.

Pritchard said he thinks he first hurt his finger when the Celtics faced the Trail Blazers on December 28th. But it’s not something that’s put him on the injury report; he’s only missed one game in January, and that was due to listed ankle soreness.

“When you play basketball, you deal with finger injuries,” Pritchard said.

Payton Pritchard put together another strong showing vs the Blazers

On Monday, Pritchard beat both the end-of-first-quarter and halftime buzzers, while tallying 23 points on 8-16 FG, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists.

The finger injury doesn’t appear to have slowed down his production. This year, Pritchard is averaging 16.8 points while shooting 45.1% from the field and 34.7% from three-point range.

In January, his counting stats have slightly decreased, but his efficiency has improved; he’s averaging 15.9 points and shooting 46.6% from the field and 39.4% from three-point range. All season long, Pritchard has had one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in the NBA; he’s averaging 5.3 assists and 1.1 turnovers per game.

After the win over the Blazers, Pritchard said the discussions around the Celtics taking a step back this season were motivating.

“People have been doubting me my whole life,” he said. “For me, it’s like show up, go to work, figure out how to win games — and prove people wrong. So, nothing changed for me in my mindset.”

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Cup of Cavs: NBA news and links for Tuesday, Jan. 27

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, January 27th. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 28-20 and beat the Orlando Magic yesterday.

They host the Los Angeles Lakers tomorrow. We hear a certain someone will be in town. You won’t want to miss it.

Today’s Game of the Day

  • Detroit Pistons at Denver Nuggets – 9 PM FanDuel Sports Network, NBA League Pass

Still no Nikola Jokic, but the Nuggets (31-15) are still a team worth watching. That is, if Jamal Murray doesn’t miss this game as well. Murray is currently listed as questionable with a hamstring injury.

Nevertheless, this is a chance for Cavs fans to keep an eye on the Pistons (33-11). Detroit probably won’t relinquish control of the Eastern Conference’s top seed, but you can scout the best team in the East and get a sense for how the Cavs might stack up against them.

The Rest of the NBA Slate

  • Portland Trail Blazers at Washington Wizards – 7 PM
  • Sacramento Kings at New York Knicks – 7:30 PM
  • Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers – 8 PM
  • New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder – 8 PM
  • Brooklyn Nets at Phoenix Suns – 9 PM
  • LA Clippers at Utah Jazz – 10 PM

Honorable mention to the Clippers and Jazz game. I don’t know why, but I feel like that could end up being an entertaining one.

Cavs links of the day

NBA links

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Jrue Holiday happy in Portland following Brad Stevens heads-up

BOSTON — Jrue Holiday ran into Neemias Queta, Xavier Tillman, Celtics staffers and Jordan Walsh while doing mobility drills in the hallway on Monday afternoon. Walsh and Holiday, who mentored the rookie during his first NBA season, talked about shoes. Walsh inquired if Holiday had anything for him. Holiday quipped Walsh doesn’t wear his shoe size.

“Different on the other side now, but it feels good,” Holiday told reporters moments before Celtics-Blazers. “Glad to be back, see a lot of familiar faces and excited to play.”

Holiday again discussed the Celtics’ front office being upfront that he would likely be traded last offseason due to second apron penalties, and appreciated the heads-up Stevens gave before Boston executed a trade to send him to Portland. Holiday briefly landed with the Blazers in 2023 in the Damian Lillard trade before Portland flipped him to Boston in a trade that involved Robert Williams III. Williams III also made his first on-court return to the TD Garden since that trade on Monday after two injury-riddled seasons away from Boston.

Those relationships from that brief crossover helped Holiday land more softly with the Blazers this time around, who he’s led through their continued rebuild, Chauncey Billups’ arrest in October, Lillard’s recovery from Achilles surgery in his return to the Blazers and Tiago Splitter’s ascension to interim head coach. Holiday missed 27 games with a hamstring injury, sitting out the Blazers’ win over the Celtics in Portland late last month before returning to average 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists on 46.2% shooting through his first six games back. He hasn’t been surprised with the Celtics’ success since losing him and several contributors to the 2024 championship.

“I knew that they’d do well, knowing the type of determination that this coaching staff and organization has,” Holiday said. “Being with this team for a couple of years now and knowing the type of players that they are and how they prepare, I figured that they’d be good and obviously knowing Jaylen, I feel like he takes a lot of things personally, so he doesn’t accept a lot, especially when it comes to being bad.”

Holiday said Jaylen Brown took the postseason loss to the Knicks in May personally, and credited Joe Mazzulla’s communication and coaching methods for their success as well. He also mentioned Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Queta and the coaching staff’s defiance to being proven out as drivers of success this season.

Mazzulla, who usually doesn’t comment on opposing players, even family members and returning Celtics, made an exception for Holiday. He praised Holiday’s off-court contributions as much as what he brought to Boston on the court, which included an XChange business incubator program across several cities including Boston, that Holiday remains invested in alongside Brown.

“The biggest thing that stands out is who he is as a person,” Mazzulla said. “When you take a look at a guy who’s a champion and an All-Star and comes in and accepts a completely different role, and does it with a smile on his face and does it with a level of respect and professionalism and is willing to do what it takes to win every night … the love he had for his wife, taking a year off and being there for his family and his kids and the relationship that he and his wife have, all that stuff sticks out more than the basketball, so it was great having him for the time that we did and I love him to death.”

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Avalanche visit the Senators after Nelson's hat trick

Colorado Avalanche (35-6-9, in the Central Division) vs. Ottawa Senators (24-21-7, in the Atlantic Division)

Ottawa, Ontario; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche visit the Ottawa Senators after Brock Nelson's hat trick against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Avalanche's 4-1 win.

Ottawa is 24-21-7 overall and 12-10-4 in home games. The Senators have a 4-10-3 record in games their opponents commit fewer penalties.

Colorado has a 15-4-5 record on the road and a 35-6-9 record overall. The Avalanche have a +80 scoring differential, with 197 total goals scored and 117 given up.

Wednesday's game is the second meeting between these teams this season. The Avalanche won 8-2 in the last matchup. Josh Manson led the Avalanche with two goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tim Stutzle has scored 23 goals with 29 assists for the Senators. Jake Sanderson has two goals and nine assists over the past 10 games.

Nathan MacKinnon has 38 goals and 50 assists for the Avalanche. Nelson has scored nine goals and added four assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Senators: 4-4-2, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.7 assists, 4.5 penalties and 11.4 penalty minutes while giving up 3.6 goals per game.

Avalanche: 4-4-2, averaging 3.4 goals, 6.2 assists, 2.8 penalties and 6.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.

INJURIES: Senators: None listed.

Avalanche: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Bruins host the Predators after Lindholm's 2-goal game

Nashville Predators (24-23-4, in the Central Division) vs. Boston Bruins (30-20-3, in the Atlantic Division)

Boston; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Bruins -111, Predators -109; over/under is 6.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Bruins host the Nashville Predators after Elias Lindholm scored two goals in the Bruins' 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Rangers.

Boston has gone 19-8-1 in home games and 30-20-3 overall. The Bruins have committed 257 total penalties (4.8 per game) to rank first in the league.

Nashville has gone 10-11-2 in road games and 24-23-4 overall. The Predators have a -29 scoring differential, with 145 total goals scored and 174 given up.

The teams meet Tuesday for the first time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: David Pastrnak has scored 21 goals with 45 assists for the Bruins. Charlie McAvoy has three goals and nine assists over the last 10 games.

Steven Stamkos has 25 goals and 12 assists for the Predators. Ryan O'Reilly has seven goals and eight assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 8-1-1, averaging four goals, 7.2 assists, 3.7 penalties and 10 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game.

Predators: 5-5-0, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.7 assists, 3.3 penalties and 6.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game.

INJURIES: Bruins: None listed.

Predators: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.