Kyrie Irving is looking forward to the NBA Finals.
The former Nets guard said in a Friday Twitch stream that he was “excited” to watch the Knicks in their return to the NBA’s biggest stage, and gave a shoutout to the orange and blue faithful as well.
“The Knicks making the Finals is OD… a lot of those Knicks fans in New York are gonna go bonkers, man,” he said.
“It’s gonna be one of those ones. You just gotta gear up for it if you’re on the East Coast, man. They done made it to the NBA Finals, they done earned their ticket, they did everything that they could in the regular season to prepare.”
The 34-year-old Irving, who was with the Nets from 2019-23 until he was traded to the Mavericks, also praised Jalen Brunson as a “great” point guard who has “great pieces around him.” The Knicks are in the Finals for the first time since 1999.
Kyrie Irving said he was “excited” to watch the Knicks in the NBA Finals Twitch/Kyrie Irving
Kyrie "The Knicks making the Finals is OD…Knicks fans gonna go bonkers man. Its gonna be one of those ones…They done made it to the NBA Finals, done earned their ticket…I'm excited to watch them too…Mike Brown leading the helm, Jalen Brunson great PG…great pieces around him" pic.twitter.com/UVmelSX9Fk
“I am definitely close to being over at 100 percent in terms of my ACL recovery,” he said on the Twitch stream.
“It’s been a while now…I’m so grateful that I’ve had the time to heal and just experiment with my body more on the court and off the court in the weight room and just pushing myself to the limit.”
Knicks celebrate after winning the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Four of the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 25, 2026 at Rocket Arena NBAE via Getty ImagesIrving is helped off the court after tearing his ACL in March 2025. AP
The Knicks, meanwhile, are waiting to learn their Finals opponent after sweeping the Cavs in the Eastern Conference finals.
The Thunder and Spurs will face off in the West’s Game 7 on Saturday night with a spot in the NBA Finals on the line.
Kevin Bieksa is a three-time Canadian Screen Award winner.
The former Vancouver Canucks defenceman-turned broadcaster won his third consecutive Canadian Screen Award for best Sports Analyst on Friday, May 29.
Bieksa, who also won in 2024 and 2025, was first nominated for the award back in 2021 but lost out to fellow former hockey player and then-Sportsnet analyst Cassie Campbell-Pascall. He was also nominated in 2022, though Toronto Blue Jays analyst Joe Siddall took home the award instead.
A 10-year veteran of the Canucks organization, Bieksa spent the bulk of his NHL career in Vancouver, during five of which he wore an ‘A’ for the team. While known for many moments throughout his career with the Canucks, his most notable moment came during the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs, when he scored ‘the Stanchion goal’ to send Vancouver to the Finals.
Other nominees for this year’s Best Sports Analyst award include Brian Stemmle of CBC Sports Presents, Kia Nurse of Raptors on TSN, and Luke Wilson of SC with Jay Onrait. Blue Jays on Sportsnet’s Dan Shulman also won the award for Best Sports Play-By-Play Announcer, while Hazel Mae was awarded the Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism.
Nov 3, 2022; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; During a pre-game on ice presentation prior to a game against the Anaheim Ducks the Vancouver Canucks officially mark Kevin Bieska's retirement from the National Hockey League as a member of the club in his return to Rogers Arena, where he signed a one-day contract with the team. Originally selected by the Canucks in the fifth round, 151st overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Bieksa spent parts of 12 seasons playing in the Canucks organization, including 10 at the NHL level from 2005-06 to 2014-15. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
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ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MAY 17: Detail of baseballs in a glove at a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals at Busch Stadium on May 17, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This week, the MLB Player’s Association and the league submitted their preliminary proposals to formally kick off the much-anticipated (much-dreaded?) collective bargaining agreement negotiations. Not surprisingly, this has sparked a lot of discussion, as fans dissect not only the proposals themselves, but the statements issued by both sides in response to the other’s proposal.
Already, a lot of digital ink has been spilled about the two proposals, highlighting the vast distance between the two sides. What I want to do instead, though, is not to talk about these pitches themselves, but rather how they compare to the original proposals that kickstarted the negotiations five years ago.
In both years, the Player’s Association began the negotiations. Five years ago, in May 2021, the MLBPA submitted their initial proposal to the league. While the exact proposal was never published, Evan Drellich reported the following later that year:
But the union has proposed that players become eligible for arbitration after two years, instead of three. It also has again proposed a change to draft order, increases in the minimum salary, raises in the CBT, changes to revenue sharing, changes to the way service time is calculated, and bonuses for players who have yet to reach arbitration. Under certain circumstances, some players would be able to reach free agency sooner than six years, as well.
This time around, we have a bit more specifics (this list has been compiled from The Athletic’s and MLB Trade Rumors’ posts on the subject):
changing revenue sharing that guarantees small market teams receive $240 million in revenue, but simultaneously incentivizes winning by offering financial bonuses for on-the-field success
increasing the first level of the luxury tax, which in essence serves as a soft cap, to $300 million, and eliminating non-monetary penalties for going over
creating a competitive integrity tax, set at $150 million, that in essence serves as a soft floor
doubling the minimum salary to $1.5 million
setting a minimum salary for arbitration-eligible players at $3 million
increasing the pre-arbitration pool from $50 million to $180 million
doubling the number of players who receive Super-Two status
eliminating the qualifying offer
Conceptually, nothing has changed from the last go-round — which shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, considering the fact that the last round of CBA negotiations ended up primarily making minor tweaks to the system.
On the other hand, the league has, for the second round of negotiations in a row, proposed to completely overhaul the league’s financial system. In the same article from September 2021 posted quoted above, Drellich outlined the league’s initial proposal, which was never formally published, but whose details were leaked to the press:
The league proposed to effectively send the luxury-tax threshold in the other direction, to $180 million; to increase the penalties for exceeding it as well; but to also implement a soft floor, a penalty for teams who do not spend at least $100 million. The league also proposed to eliminate salary arbitration in favor of a predetermined pool of money to be distributed to players. Under MLB’s proposal, players would become free agents once they hit age 29 1/2, which might help some players who would otherwise have become free agents later, but hurt the best players who presumably would, under the current system, become free agents younger. (Players would also be walking out into a market where teams might be less inclined to spend than they are now, because the CBT threshold would be lower and the penalties for exceeding it would be higher.) The league this year also proposed that a team could not pick in the top five of the draft three years in a row, and has again has proposed an international draft.
Unlike the players’ union, the league did not publish their initial proposal, but according to The Athletic and MLB Trade Rumors, it looks something like this:
a 50/50 split of the revenue between the league and the players (player salaries would be increased/shrunk proportionally depending on end-of-year revenues)
a salary cap set at $245 million, with a floor set at $171 million
the centralization of local broadcast revenue, distributed equally among teams
no apparent changes to free agency, service time, or other related issues
The details may differ, but in the end, the league is fighting for the exact same thing they were five years ago: the elimination of the free market and the lowering of salaries, using competitive balance as a cover. There are two big differences, though. First of all, the league is dropping the charade and asking for a hard cap, instead of proposing prohibitively intense luxury tax penalties designed to let it serve as a de facto hard cap while technically being a soft cap. Second, and arguably more interesting, is the fact that the owners made a proposal at all.
Five years ago, the players submitted their initial proposal in May, while the league waited until August. The MLBA then followed up after the World Series, and while the two sides did meet a few times over the month of November, the league not only never budged from its initial proposal, but inserted last-minute demands designed to guarantee that the CBA would expire without a deal. Ultimately, the details didn’t really matter: the league wanted a lockout, and so they engaged in delaying tactics, because they thought they could break the power of the union. This time around, though, the league has taken more of the initiative, which tells me that they would like to avoid a lockout.
Over the next six months, we’re certainly going to have more detailed analyses of the CBA negotiations as they go on. For now, though, we’re pretty much back to where we started in May 2021 — just with a tiny bit more urgency from the owners. Where will we end up? Only time will tell.
In desperate need of power play help and a top-four caliber veteran defenseman, the Philadelphia Flyers will be seeking intermediate-term reinforcements in free agency this offseason.
They can knock out two birds with one stone by signing longtime rival and Washington Capitals legend John Carlson, though he's widely expected to have many suitors around the NHL, including Stanley Cup contenders.
Fortunately for the Flyers, though, the latest from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman tells us Philadelphia should have a legitimate chance at the 36-year-old Stanley Cup champ.
According to Friedman, via the May 22nd episode of his "32 Thoughts" podcast, "there's some thought [Carlson] might want to go back East."
This would make the chances of a reunion with the Anaheim Ducks slim, and virtually rule out a contract anywhere else in the Western Conference given his familiarity with Anaheim compared to those teams.
By extension, the Flyers should be among the favorites to sign Carlson in free agency this summer, especially due to suggestions a return to the Capitals isn't in the cards.
Carlson, 36, scored 14 points in 16 games for the Ducks after being traded, and added another six assists in 12 playoff games.
The 2025-26 season was actually one of Carlson's most productive overall, as the Natick, Mass., native finished with 60 points, including 14 on the power play, in just 71 regular season games.
Just those 14 points alone would have placed Carlson third in scoring amongst Flyers defensemen, behind only Cam York, Travis Sanheim, and Jamie Drysdale, and tied with Rasmus Ristolainen.
Carlson's 14 power play points also would have tied Travis Konecny for second-most among all Flyers, behind only Trevor Zegras's 23.
So, it goes almost without saying that Carlson's 60-point ability and power play prowess are two things the Flyers need and are in the market for.
As long as the Flyers can move Ristolainen at peak value and don't want to rush David Jiricek and Oliver Bonk along, Carlson is certainly the best fit for them, and they have a legitimate chance of getting him now.
On a one- or two-year deal, Carlson is certainly worth an overpay from the Flyers in the region of $9- or $10 million, especially with all the cap space they'll have heading into the offseason.
Eberechi Eze and Gabriel missed from the spot to give PSG victory in a gruelling final
“They’ve got a wonderful group of players and a great manager in Mikel Arteta but having come so close three times on the bounce I felt these guys needed it,” Sol Campbell says of Arsenal winning the Premier League for the first time in 22 years since, in 2004, he was the cornerstone of their defence for the Invincibles. His team remained unbeaten throughout that historic league season, but the pressure on his successors has been immense.
“The wait has been so heavy and it was all pent up, building year after year, always coming so close but never getting over the line,” he says. “That’s why you saw such an outpouring of joy and togetherness. It’s been incredible because we’ve been waiting such a long time.”
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jesus Sanchez has been on fire at the plate, and the books haven’t fully adjusted to his recent production.
With the Baltimore Orioles sending Brandon Young to the mound, Sanchez is positioned to extend his hitting streak and cash his hits prop once again, as my Blue Jays vs. Orioles predictions explain.
Read on for my top MLB picks for Saturday, May 30.
Blue Jays vs Orioles predictions
Blue Jays vs Orioles best bet: Jesus Sanchez Over 0.5 hits (-155)
The betting market still hasn’t adjusted to Jesus Sanchez’s consistency at the plate over the last few weeks, making his hits market mispriced in comparison to his teammates'.
I’d bet this prop to -170.
He leads the Toronto Blue Jays with a 201 wRC+ and a 1.080 OPS over his last 18 games, while consistently eclipsing his hits total in 14 of the 18 outings.
Sanchez's hitting profile matches up well to Baltimore Orioles starter Brandon Young, who’s a contact pitcher that relies on his four-seam fastball to get lefties out. The Jays outfielder is crushing the fastball, with a .500 average over this 18 game stretch.
Additionally, Sanchez has owned Young throughout their respective careers, going 4-for-9 against him with a 1.000 OPS.
COVERS INTEL: Sanchez leads Toronto with a 9.4% solid-contact rate, while Young ranks among the Orioles’ worst starters at limiting quality contact.
Blue Jays vs Orioles same-game parlay (SGP)
Young pitches to contact to get his outs and only owns a lowly 16% strikeout rating, while ranking in the 22nd percentile in whiff rate. Give me Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to go Under 0.5 strikeouts tonight.
He’s seeing the ball well and has struck out only twice in his last eight games.
I’ll also bank on Trey Yesavage having another efficient outing. He is nearly unhittable, ranking in the 99th percentile in opponent xBA, while owning a 2.00 xERA.
He’s also eclipsed this total in three straight starts now that he’s worked up to his regular pitch count.
Blue Jays vs Orioles SGP
Jesus Sanchez Over 0.5 hits
Trey Yesavage Over 17.5 outs
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Under 0.5 strikeouts
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Blue Jays vs Orioles home run pick: Jesus Sanchez (+475)
Brandon Young has been hit hard this year, allowing a 40% hard-hit rate, but he’s kept the ball in the yard, surrendering just five home runs.
We’ll make this a half-unit wager.
Young’s fastball has accounted for three of the five home runs he’s allowed this season. Sanchez has been destroying the four-seamer lately with an .813 SLG over his last 18-games.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 26-30, +0.10 units
SGPs: 11-45, +3.60 units
HR picks: 9-47, +2.8 units
Blue Jays vs Orioles odds
Moneyline: Toronto -122 | Baltimore +104
Run line: Toronto -1.5 | Baltimore +1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Blue Jays vs Orioles trend
The Blue Jays have covered the run line in 13 of their last 17 games (+11.10 Units / 49% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Orioles.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Orioles and game info
Location
Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
Date
Saturday, May 30, 2026
First pitch
4:05 p.m. ET
TV
MASN, SN
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Trey Yesavage (2-2, 2.25 ERA)
Orioles starting pitcher
Brandon Young (3-1, 3.47 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Orioles latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Orioles weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Another full slate of games across the big leagues means plenty of value in my latest home run props and MLB player props, headlined by Eugenio Suarez, Matt Olson, and Ben Rice.
Although Eugenio Suarez has just three homers this season, tonight's matchup heavily plays in his favor.
Suarez will face Atlanta Braves' left-hander Martin Perez, and he's 6-for-11 lifetime against him with a bomb.
Perez is also far from a ground-ball pitcher. The southpaw has a 55.5% air rate on contact, and 63% of Suarez's contact has been in the air.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FOX
Home run pick: Matt Olson (+254)
Matt Olson has smacked 15 home runs in 2026, including six in May. He'll face the struggling Brady Singer tonight, who has given up a mind-boggling six homers across his last two starts.
Left-handed hitters are batting .385 against the Cincinnati Reds starter, and 10 of his 14 bombs surrendered are against lefties as well.
That’s good news for Olson, who happens to be 4-for-12 lifetime off Singer with a pair of long balls. Singer sits in the fourth percentile in xSLG at .535, and his hard-hit rate is 44.3%, one of the worst marks of his career.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FOX
Home run pick: Ben Rice (+336)
Ben Rice's power surge has been fueled by elite quality of contact, and the New York Yankees' first baseman is scorching hot right now, going 9-for-14 across his last three games.
Rice left the yard on Friday against the Athletics, and he’s hunting the fastball, hitting .371 against the heater, with 10 long balls coming off that pitch.
A's starter J.T. Ginn is substantially worse at home, sporting an ERA over 5.00. Opponents have a .551 xSLG against Ginn's sinking fastball, and lefties also own a .617 xSLG vs Ginn in May.
Time: 10:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: YES Network, NBC Sports California
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 6-42, -11.08 units
Today’s HR parlay
Eugenio Suarez
Bet Now +6876
Matt Olson
Ben Rice
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
May 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski (70) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Wrobleski didn’t allow a hit until two outs in the sixth inning, when major league home run leader Kyle Schwarber took him deep. It was the second straight game the Dodgers flirted with a no-hitter.
In his seven innings — the fourth time Wrobleski has pitched that deep into a game in 2026, matching Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the team lead — Wrobleski struck out nine batters, two more than his previous career high.
“Everything clicked for me. I feel like my mechanics are good, and I was throwing a little harder,” Wrobleski said. “Everything felt like it was in sync again, and I felt back to normal.”
Wrobleski allowed 14 runs in his previous three starts after a nearly spotless April. He said he found something mechanically in the final three innings in his previous start in Milwaukee on May 22 which helped find his fastball. Wrobleski averaged 96 mph on the four-seam fastball last season, and on this year he’s at 93.8 mph. But against the Phillies the left-hander averaged 94.9 mph on the pitch, with 11 clocked at 96 mph or higher.
“It’s a missing piece I know I have in me, and it would make me better,” he said.
“It was the uptick in fastball velocity, and those guys had to honor it. When you can reach back for 97, it makes life a lot easier,” manager Dave Roberts said. “When you can get the swing and miss in the zone, that’s a separator for any pitcher.”
Through 10 games, nine of them starts, Wrobleski has a 2.87 ERA and 3.82 xERA, the latter inflated due to his low strikeout rate (16 percent), ranked 69th among 73 qualified starters in MLB. On Friday, his nine strikeouts were two more than his previous career high, and he induced 16 swinging strikes, more than any other outing of his career.
“It just gives him way more margin. Early on, his first four of five starts, there were a lot of balls in play, some soft contact, balls right at guys. Obviously you’re bringing the fielders into play,” Roberts said. “Tonight was probably his best outing. When you can take out the fielders, get the swing-and-miss, the strikeouts. He had nine strikeouts tonight, a really dominant performance against a good ball club.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 16: Stephen Curry #30 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of Team Chuck embrace in the locker room during the 74th NBA All-Star Game as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Sunday, February 16, 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Behold a young homegrown contender built through the draft, with an MVP running the offense. They wield the best record in basketball. They’re the defending champions with a home crowd loud enough to register on seismographs. Everybody around the league is looking at them and asking the same question with varying levels of jealousy: is this the next dynasty?
That’s the 2026 Oklahoma City Thunder.
It was also the 2016 Golden State Warriors, right down to the part where everybody started talking about them like the future before the future had actually arrived. The scary thing about becoming the next Warriors is that eventually you have to survive the part where the Warriors stopped being a great story and started becoming a problem. Saturday is that part.
What’s jarring about this WCF is we haven’t really seen the Thunder get handled like this. For two games in this series the Spurs have absolutely dominated OKC to the point where the game was over early in the 3rd quarter. Even if the Thunder hold on here, it’s safe to say that…
Which remains one of the funniest and most horrifying events in modern basketball history, depending entirely on what zip code you lived in. Oklahoma City spent years building a contender, developed an MVP, assembled a legitimate title threat, pushed the Warriors to the absolute brink of elimination, and then watched their best player leave to join the people who had just beaten him. Imagine losing a sword fight and then finding out your shiniest sword filed paperwork to switch sides.
Oklahoma City has been trying to become the Warriors ever since.
They won Game 7, walked away with Durant sixty-six days later, and turned his talent into two bonus championships that OKC spent a decade watching from a very uncomfortable distance. The Warriors went beyond winning the rivalry; they turned it into a modern day cinematic masterpiece of how to dismantle your biggest conference rival. That’s what the Thunder need to do Saturday to rise up the dynastic rankings. Now Oklahoma City can feel what the Warriors went through exactly 10 years ago. They’re the defending champions with the MVP, the home court, the banner, and the growing institutional confidence that the Western Conference belongs to them. This is usually the point where a dynasty starts stretching its legs and making everybody else miserable on a predictable schedule.
I have the strong feeling that the Spurs weren’t consulted on that schedule. Unfortunately for OKC’s story, Victor Wembanyama showed up. San Antonio wasn’t supposed to be here yet. Surely the Nuggets or Timberwolves should have been in this spot. Or at least Houston! The conventional wisdom said be patient, their time is coming, let the Thunder have this one. In reality, they are just five games away from winning it all.
Here is the part that should keep Oklahoma City awake tonight. The Warriors completed their dynasty arc by proving they could survive the challenger that was supposed to replace them. They stared down Durant and Westbrook, crawled out of a 3-1 grave, won Game 7, and then walked away with Durant sixty-six days later like adding they had added the Green Power Ranger Tommy to their squad.
Buddy, this Game 7 is going to hit like GS/OKC in 2016. Defending champs taken to the limit after a historical season. Biggest threat to the brewing dynasty trying to turn their own potential into reality. Wemby switching sides if they lose. Wait how did that get in there.
Oklahoma City doesn’t need to steal Victor Wembanyama if they win tonight. Adam Silver would probably need a sedative if that happened. But they do need to do the first part by protecting home court. Beat the young rival on the biggest stage available. Reach the Finals and leave absolutely no doubt about who runs this conference and why.
Because dynasties aren’t measured by how they handle success. They’re measured by what happens when the next monster shows up and starts knocking on the front door, and Wembanyama has been knocking for six games now with increasing confidence and very little concern for the name on the other side.
For ten years Oklahoma City watched the Warriors build something that felt permanent and consuming and almost unfair in its completeness. They rebuilt in the quiet, in the patience of believing their chance would eventually come back around. Tonight that opportunity is standing right in front of them. A reeeeaaal dynasty would seize it.
The Vegas Golden Knights have made it to the Stanley Cup for the third time in nine years.
Standing in the way of their second win in franchise history will be the Carolina Hurricanes, who enter the Final with a remarkable 12-1 playoff record.
Beating the Hurricanes four times will be a challenge. Here are five things the Golden Knights need to do well to make it happen.
Tighten the screws at 5-on-5
The Carolina Hurricanes lead all teams with 3.51 expected goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play during the playoffs, well clear of the Vegas Golden Knights and their output (2.67). That's why the Golden Knights are underdogs at +125 at BET99 to win the Stanley Cup.
The Hurricanes have generated high-danger chances in bulk against each opponent, and that is something the Golden Knights need to crack down on.
While Carter Hart has performed very well in the playoffs, he ranked 66th among 67 eligible goaltenders in 5-on-5 high-danger SV% during the regular season. Vegas can’t test fate.
Score on the power play
The Hurricanes spent almost 90 minutes shorthanded through the first three rounds. They lost those minutes by a 4-1 score line.
Put another way, it has taken 30 minutes for opponents — with the man advantage — to beat the Hurricanes by a goal. That’s the equivalent of 15 power plays, which could account for the majority of a series.
Vegas needs to find a way to be opportunistic on the man advantage, especially given how stingy Carolina is at 5-on-5.
Get out in front
It's difficult to beat the Hurricanes at the best of times. It's almost impossible when falling behind the eight-ball.
Carolina owns a spotless 7-0 record when leading after 20 minutes during the playoffs. The same can be said after 40.
They were otherworldly good when leading after two periods in regular season play, posting a 37-2-2 record.
Their structure and relentless forechecking pressure allow them to get downhill and neutralize possessions before they really get going.
Vegas can’t afford to fall behind and be forced to chase the game.
Keep Marner away from Miller
Mitch Marner leads the Golden Knights with 21 points through 18 games, and he has generated more 5-on-5 scoring chances than anybody on their roster.
John Tortorella would do well to keep him away from K’Andre Miller as much as possible.
Miller has won his minutes by a 16-3 score line while helping the Hurricanes control nearly 65% of the expected goal share.
His positioning, stick work, and defensive instincts have allowed him to completely neutralize top players for the opposing team. The Knights can’t allow that to happen to Marner.
Create off the draw
One area the Golden Knights have a clear edge is in the faceoff circle. They rank fourth during the playoffs in win percentage (53.3%) while the Hurricanes slot 12th with a 47.4% win rate.
Their faceoff prowess should allow them to start with possession more frequently in the offensive zone and on special teams.
That affords extra opportunities to create quick-strike offense before the Hurricanes are fully set and taking up shooting lanes.
Following a disappointing finish to their playoff run, the Montreal Canadiens will quickly shift to offseason business. That means making a move at the goaltending position where they have three goalies and no need for that many. It leaves Samuel Montembeault as the odd goalie out and could lead to trade discussions over the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers have their own goaltending issues to address.
Is there a fit between the two teams? Perhaps.
Frank Seravalli of Hockey 24/7 released his first trade board for the 2026 NHL off-season, and Montembeault is on the list at No. 11. The Oilers have Connor Ingram hitting unrestricted free agency, and not much of an appetite to overpay for him despite a desire to bring him back and a fairly strong season.
The question will be cost.
With Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler being ahead of Montembeault on the Canadiens' depth chart, if the Habs look to move Montembeault this off-season (along with his $3.15 million cap hit) what are they willing to do in order to get that contract off the books? The Canadiens aren't in a cap crunch situation, so they aren't desperate. However, they will have moves they want to make to come from a playoff team that made a good run to a contender that makes that run consistently.
Moving an expensive for a third-string goalie is one way to add to their already strong roster.
For the Oilers, acquiring Montembeault would be about striking while his trade value is low. If they believe the 29-year-old struggles this regular season were an anomaly, -- an .872 save percentage, and a 3.43 goals-against average in 25 games -- they may see him as a better bet as part of a tandem and an upgrade over Ingram and Tristan Jarry. Better yet, if they can find a way to move Jarry, Montembeault and Ingram could be an improvement at a reduced cost.
The risk, however, is real. Montembeault lost his spot on the Canadiens depth chart for a reason. This past season was not his best. Can he get back to the numbers he posted between 2022 and 2025?
In a recent article for ESPN, Rachel Kryshak took a look at multiple young players who could use a fresh start elsewhere. A Chicago Blackhawks defenseman was among the players discussed, as Kevin Korchinski made the cut.
"Another pending RFA who has been passed on the depth chart, Korchinski is an obvious trade candidate for Chicago to use to acquire a skilled forward," Kryshak wrote. "Chicago has more depth on the right side, but Korchinski needs offensive reps to meaningfully impact the game, and that feels out of reach with this franchise."
If the Blackhawks were to trade Korchinski, it would undoubtedly be a notable move. The left-shot defenseman was selected by the Blackhawks with the seventh-overall pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and is considered one of their most promising prospects. However, he has also had trouble taking that next step and cementing himself as an NHL regular.
If the Blackhawks were to make Korchinski available for trade, it is likely that several teams would love to acquire him. The potential for him to become a top-four offensive defenseman and power-play specialist is there. Furthermore, with Korchinski being only 21 years old, he still has plenty of time to improve.
Yet, with Korchinski being so young and the Blackhawks' left side not being the strongest, it would be understandable if they gave him another chance next season before potentially dealing him.
In 13 games last season with Chicago, Korchinski recorded two assists and a minus-4 rating. He also had two goals and 26 points in 53 AHL games with the Rockford IceHogs.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 13: Mike Gansey current Cleveland Cavaliers General Manager and former basketball player arrives at Perth Airport on December 13, 2022, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Faith Moran/GC Images)
One of the signs of success is needing to replace up-and-coming members of both the coaching staff and the front office who get better jobs elsewhere.
Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost Jordan Ott, a valuable assistant coach, to the Phoenix Suns when he was appointed head coach last summer. Now, they’re losing general manager Mike Gansey to the Philadelphia 76ers. He will lead basketball operations for Philadelphia.
Just in: Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey has agreed to become the new President of Basketball Operations for the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. Gansey — who rose the ranks within the Cavaliers front office since joining in 2011-12 — now lands the top… pic.twitter.com/QXwblvV1pf
Gansey is a native of Olmstead Falls. After his playing career ended professionally overseas, he took a front office position with the then Canton Charge, the Cavs’ G League team. He was with the Charge from 2012 to 2017, before taking on the assistant general manager role with the Cavs in 2017, shortly after Koby Altman took over basketball operations from David Griffin.
Gansey continued to advance within the organization. He served as assistant general manager until February 2022, when he was promoted to general manager.
It’s difficult to parse out what to attribute to members of a coaching staff or front office. Not every one of those groups acts the same from team to team, and oftentimes decisions can be made collectively. We can’t always point to a signing or trade happening or not happening because of the work of one member of the front office.
What we can say is that Gansey is very well respected within the organization. His voice carried weight and will be missed.
The Cavs may look to fill the role Gansey vacated internally. Based solely on the organizational hierarchy and how they’ve done things in the past, Brandon Weems is the internal candidate who seems most likely to take that role. The St. Vincent-St. Mary alum is currently serving as assistant general manager.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 29: Jackson Merrill #3 celebrates his two run home run with Xander Bogaerts #2 of the San Diego Padres during the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on May 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres finally found some offense in their series opener against the Washington Nationals. They slugged two homers and scored seven runs. It was the first time the Friars scored more than three runs in their last five games.
Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr.’s bats continued to heat up, with Tatis going 3-for-5 and Merrill hitting a go-ahead, two-run home run.
Starter Lucas Giolito had his first rough start, only making it through 2 2/3 innings before Yuki Matsui replaced him. Giolito gave up four runs but the Padres were able to back him up. The Friars will hope for a bounceback performance from Michael King in order to win the series in today’s game.
Taking the mound
Foster Griffin (WAS) v. Michael King (SD)
Griffin has had a great start to the season with Washington. He boasts a 3.63 ERA and a .219 opponent batting average. His recent outings have been rough, giving up 14 runs across his last three appearances.
The lone advantage he has against the Padres is their lack of experience against the young left-hander. Only Ramón Laureano has faced Griffin, with the plate appearance ending in a walk.
The Padres ace has had a resurgent season after King’s injury-plagued 2025. He’s off to a 2.76 ERA in 62 innings. King has been dominant for the Friars but has struggled with consistency.
After his best outing of the season—maybe his career—against the Los Angeles Dodgers (0 ER, 7.0 IP), King had the worst start of his season, going just 3 2/3 innings and surrendering four runs. He struggled with command and will hopefully be able to turn things around against the Nats.
Batter up!
The offense finally surged in Friday’s opener, with Manny Machado, Merrill and Tatis going a combined 5-for-13 with two walks and four RBI. Gavin Sheets also rebounded from his recent slump, hitting 2-for-3 with a walk.
Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
Gavin Sheets, LF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Manny Machado, 3B
Jackson Merrill, CF
Miguel Andujar, DH
Ty France, 1B
Nick Castellanos, RF
Rodolfo Durán, C
France had a similarly great game yesterday, going 2-for-3 with a homer. His offensive contributions have been major for the Friars in their hot start to the season. Hopefully he’ll able to continue that.
Relief corps
The bullpen picked up Giolito splendidly after his tough start, with Matsui pitched two innings while the Padres were down before giving way to the high-leverage relievers when the score got closer.
Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam and Mason Miller covered the final four innings of the game. Adam was the lone struggler, only recording one out in the eighth inning before giving up two hits and being replaced by Miller. Miller pitched a four-out save but made things interesting with some command struggles trying to get out of the eighth.
That leaves Ron Marinaccio, Wandy Peralta and Bradgley Rodriguez available for Game 2 today. Only Rodriguez has been a traditional high-leverage reliever this season, but Peralta has performed just as well recently.
The St. Louis Cardinals ended their four-game losing streak on Friday, but the Chicago Cubs will look to even things up in St. Louis.
The Chicago bats seem to be heating up, meaning the Cubs just need some help on the mound.
With Ben Brown, who has been effective starting and out of the pen, starting for the Cubs against Kyle Leahy, who has struggled for St. Louis, my Cubs vs. Cardinals predictions and MLB picks call for the Cubbies to get revenge.
Who will win Cubs vs Cardinals today: Cubs -1.5 (+127)
The Chicago Cubs scored 5+ runs for the third straight game, including one against Paul Skenes, and lost while scoring 5+ for the second time in six contests.
Things should be different with Ben Brown starting.
A converted reliever, Brown started his last four, never allowing more than three runs. All Brown's stuff ranks in the top third of MLB, including a 99th-percentile breaking ball. He's up against a St. Louis Cardinals club that scored two runs in three games before Friday.
The Cardinals start Kyle Leahy, who ranks in the bottom third in every pitch and is worse than 92% of MLB pitchers in overall run value.
COVERS INTEL:The Cardinals shuffled the rotation to give Leahy an extra day of rest. His four-seamer is down 2 MPH, and all of his breaking stuff is shedding spin rate compared to last year. However, in two starts with extra rest, he's posted an 8.10 ERA and 1.900 WHIP.
Cubs vs Cardinals Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-122)
The Cardinals broke out for six runs on Friday, but that performance looks more like an exception than a trend. Before that game, St. Louis had scored one run or fewer in five of its previous 10 contests, and the offense had struggled to generate consistent power.
Chicago should have opportunities against Leahy, but the Cardinals may have a tough time holding up their end of a high-scoring game. Brown gets the start for the Cubs, and Chicago's bullpen has posted a 0.66 ERA over its last three games. Expect St. Louis to continue to struggle at the plate tonight.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 17-20, -2.06 units
Over/Under bets: 19-22, -4.51 units
Cubs vs Cardinals odds
Moneyline: Cubs -127 | Cardinals +115
Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+125) | Cardinals +1.5 (-145)
Over/Under: Over 8 (-105) | Under 8 (-115)
Cubs vs Cardinals trend
The St. Louis Cardinals have hit the Team Total Under in 15 of their last 23 games at home (+5.40 Units / 19% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Cardinals.
How to watch Cubs vs Cardinals and game info
Location
Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
Date
Saturday, May 30, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
FOX
Cubs starting pitcher
Bruce Brown (1-2, 2.02 ERA)
Cardinals starting pitcher
Kyle Leahy (5-3, 4.44 ERA)
Cubs vs Cardinals latest injuries
Cubs vs Cardinals weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
COVERS INTEL: Sanchez leads Toronto with a 
Eugenio Suarez
Matt Olson
Ben Rice
