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Fearless forecast for the Flyers' 2026-27 season

Fearless forecast for the Flyers' 2026-27 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

When it comes to the Flyers’ expectations, Rick Tocchet will talk about stacking good days.

Danny Briere will talk about the development of young players and being patient if bumps are hit.

But make no mistake, the Flyers’ goal in 2026-27 is to make the playoffs. Last season, the team took a significant step in its rebuild by snapping a five-year playoff drought and making a run to the second round.

Now, the Flyers have to build on it. The new 84-game regular season starts Wednesday when the Flyers welcome the Penguins for their anticipated opener (7:30 p.m. ET/TNT). Flyers Pregame Live starts at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Flyers Postgame Live will come after the final buzzer.

“We hope our young guys take another step,” Briere said a little over two weeks ago. “And if they do, I think we’ll be very competitive. I think last year, going into the season, we were just hoping to be competitive, we were hoping to be in the mix. In or out of the playoffs was going to be a good season.

“I see us as more competitive than we were last year and a better team than we were last year. Where it leaves us, time will tell. But certainly, I’m hoping that after the players tasted the playoffs last year, that they’re eager to get back there once again.”

Before the puck drops at Xfinity Mobile Arena, let’s get into our Flyers Fearless Forecast, featuring projections for how the team will finish and a random assortment of bold predictions from NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jordan Hall, Ashlyn Sullivan and Joe Fordyce.

Hall

Flyers prediction/Cup prediction

The Flyers’ run to the playoffs last season was particularly impressive when you consider they had lost 12 of 15 games prior to the Olympic break in February. There’s reason to believe they can avoid such a funk this season, which would put them in good position for consecutive postseason berths.

The club’s lineup didn’t change a whole lot this offseason, but the addition of Joseph Woll could be critical. Last season, the Flyers’ skid coincided with Dan Vladar getting hurt. The team struggled mightily to stop the bleeding.

Woll, the new backup goaltender, has starter’s experience and played in a pressure-packed market with the Maple Leafs. He’ll give the Flyers a quality safety valve at the most important position in the game.

While the league-worst power play remains a legitimate concern, the Flyers have optimism around full seasons for Tyson Foerster and Porter Martone. Those two goal-scoring wingers combined for only 38 games last regular season. Both are big pieces to the Flyers’ present and future.

With more answers than they had at this time last year, the Flyers will make it back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since the 2010-11 and 2011-12 campaigns. We’ll have them going 46-25-13 for 105 points.

The Flyers, though, will stomach a first-round exit because of a challenging Metropolitan Division matchup against a team like the Hurricanes or Capitals. But another trip to the playoffs should be considered a victory in the grand scheme.

As for the Stanley Cup, the Avalanche will be healthier this time when it matters most, beating the Capitals in six games.

Tippett’s time

A healthy Owen Tippett is poised to score 35 to 40 goals and put up 70 or more points. That would be a major step for the talented power forward who has battled streakiness in his career.

He hasn’t hit 30 goals yet and his career high in points is 53. But down the stretch last season, especially in March, the mild-mannered Tippett fueled the Flyers’ playoff push. The 27-year-old should ride that confidence this season.

“He has just got so much potential,” Travis Konecny said in March. “I love when you see him realize it during a game and he’s like, ‘This is my game and I’m taking over.’ It’s fun to watch.”

Power struggle

The fear for the Flyers would be the power play not improving. It was in the basement last season at 15.7 percent. Over the last five seasons combined, it has operated at 14.1 percent, easily the worst in the league.

Will the Flyers finally find some answers? It’s tough to say they will. They did homework in the summer and they’re harping on it every day, but the Flyers didn’t address it with an offseason move.

The power play could prove costly again, putting the pressure on offseason fixes next summer.

Sullivan

Flyers prediction/Cup prediction

I think the Flyers beat their point total from last season and finish with over 100 points. In January last season, the Flyers lost 11 of 15 games. A large part of that bad stretch was the wearing down of Vladar because the Flyers didn’t have a lot of trust in their backup goaltenders.

The addition of Woll to the goaltending room will hopefully stop those long losing streaks in their tracks. If Vladar can’t go, the Flyers should have a lot more confidence in Woll being able to steady the ship.

I think the Flyers’ season will end the same way it ended last season — with a loss in the second round of the playoffs. I also think with the expected competitiveness in the Metropolitan Division, the Flyers will make the playoffs with the last spot (third place) in the division.

My Stanley Cup prediction is the Dallas Stars vs. the Florida Panthers, with the Stars winning it all. The Stars have a proven core that is working to get over the hump of deep playoff contention.

Power surge

The Flyers’ power play might be fixed. I know … I can’t believe I am writing that either.

I am really encouraged from what we saw from the first power play unit throughout the preseason and training camp. Working to create plays with net-front presence speaks to the skill sets of Martone and Matvei Michkov.

Martone played only 19 games for the Flyers last season, including the playoff run. That was not long enough to make a lasting impact on the power play. A full season with Martone making plays could bring this power play to at least relevancy in the NHL.

Imagine how many more games the Flyers would have won in regulation last season if the power play could have done anything … anything at all.

Tyson’s turn

Foerster is going to lead the Flyers in goals. Tippett led the Flyers with 28 last season; Foerster will finish with more than that this season.

I was so impressed with how Foerster responded to the big injury last season and immediately impacted the lineup upon his return in April.

Foerster is taking on more responsibility this season and his connection with Konecny is noticeable daily on the ice.

Fordyce

Flyers prediction/Cup prediction

The arena is cold, the ice is painted and it’s time for the rubber to hit the ice.

The Flyers enter this season with expectations that most players on this team are not familiar with. The kind of expectations that come with a playoff run that included a first-round win over their opening night opponent, the bitter rival Pittsburgh Penguins.

The offseason was headlined by a big swing and perceived miss when the Flyers signed Ducks star Leo Carlsson to an unprecedented offer sheet, only to see Anaheim match the offer and retain the young phenom.

That does not, however, mean that this team did not get better, particularly in net. Not only is this Year 2 of Vladar, who was awarded a new contract during the offseason, but also a trade for Woll gives the Flyers what they hope to be a formidable 1-2 tandem.

For these reasons and more, I believe the Flyers will comfortably make the Stanley Cup Playoffs without needing a stretch of red-hot hockey down the stretch to solidify their place.

When it comes to the Stanley Cup Final, I’m going to be that guy, the one who picks the favorites. The Florida Panthers enter this season getting Aleksander Barkov back from injury. Oh, and they added Brady Tkachuk to a lineup that features his brother Matthew Tkachuk for a full season. Last year, Matthew Tkachuk missed a sizable portion of the season with an injury from the start. I think the Panthers will meet the Colorado Avalanche in a hard-fought series, with Florida eventually capturing its third Cup in four years.

Martone mania

When I look at how this season will play itself out, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Martone will be the Flyers’ leading goal scorer. Martone seems to be unfazed for a young player who burst onto the scene late last season, and I expect him to roll into the 2026-27 season and not miss a beat.

Woll’s resurgence

My second prediction: Woll will rediscover himself with the Flyers. This tends to happen to players when they leave Toronto. Phil Kessel, Mitch Marner and several others could attest to being unlocked upon leaving the Maple Leafs for in many cases greener pastures.

Not suggesting that Woll is on the level of talent as a Kessel or Marner, but I believe the 28-year-old goaltender will find a new level of success in Philadelphia.

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Mets Morning News: Wild Card wins

SAN DIEGO, CA - SEPTEMBER 29: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres celebrates at home plate after scoring in the seventh inning during Game One of the National League Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie between the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Meet the Mets

Jefferson Rojas is nearing the majors, but his hopes could be stalled by a potential lockout.

Joel Sherman wrote a guide to the Mets’ offseason, covering the big questions and potential targets.

Freddy Peralta won the American League Pitcher of the Month honor for September, and David Stearns credited Tampa Bay for doing what the Mets were unable to achieve with Peralta.

Around the National League East

The Phillies announced their complete Wild Card series roster.

The Braves beat the Phillies 5-3 in the first game of the Wild Card series. Austin Riley hit a three-run home run off of Phillies closer Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning to seal the victory.

Paul Casella compiled a list of four key takeaways from the first game between the Braves and the Phillies.

Around Major League Baseball

The White Sox beat the Astros 6-3 in the first game of their series and made it look easy.

The Yankees completely dominated the Red Sox 9-0 in the first game of their Wild Card series, with plenty of help from Massachusetts natives Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice.

The Padres bashed their way to a win in a 8-0 beatdown of the Cubs, and Michael King’s seven innings of one-hit baseball sealed the deal for the Padres to take the lead in the Wild Card series.

Britt Ghiroli is dreading this postseason, as the looming lockout could stop games for an indeterminable amount of time.

After years as baseball’s worst hitter, Austin Hedges has been experiencing an offensive renaissance at 34 years old.

John Harper made bold predictions for each postseason series.

The Minor League Baseball award winners were announced Monday evening.

There’s a way each postseason team could eventually go the distance and win the World Series.

Aaron Judge was officially left off the Yankees Wild Card series roster, but he’ll continue his rehab in hopes of being activated for a potential American League Division Series.

Giancarlo Stanton and Garrett Crochet could perform some postseason heroics after being added to their respective teams rosters.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

A Pod of Their Own returned with their 2026 season postmortem.

Linus Lawrence listed the different former Mets playing in this year’s postseason.

Lawrence also wrote a guide to the postseason with reasons why a Mets fan might want to root for each team.

Steve Sypa published the Prospect Report Card for September.

This Date in Mets History

Two different historic Mets defeats occurred 45 years apart on this day.

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1 Day Until Opening Night: The History OF Jersey #1

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 1 day until opening night at Nationwide Arena. 

Let's take a look at who wore 1 and where they are now.

Jean-François Labbé - 2002 - Undrafted out of Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Jean-François Labbé played in 14 games with the Blue Jackets over the course of two seasons. He went 3-5 with an .890 SV%. He spent the bulk of his time playing in the AHL for the Syracuse Crunch. 

He left North America in 2003 for Russia. He then played in Germany and Poland before returning to Canada in 2009. After playing a season for Sherbrooke Saint-François in the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey, he would retire. 

Labbé was primarily an AHL goalie, playing in a total of 261 games. He had a record of 131-97-25 and had 13 shutouts. He has won numerous awards in the AHL, including Best Goaltender and Most Valuable Player. For his efforts, Labbé was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2016.

After retiring, he moved into coaching, where he was either a head coach or a goaltending coach at different stops. 

Tomáš Pöpperle - 2007 - Drafted by Columbus in 2005. 

Pöpperle played two games for Columbus in 06-07, which were the only two NHL games of his career, both of which were in relief. His SV% was .929% and he had a GAA of 1.35.

He played 66 AHL games for the Syracuse Crunch before returning to Europe. He last played in 23-24 in Germany's second tier. 

Steve Mason - 2009-2013 - Drafted by Columbus in 2006. 

Mason won 96 games for Columbus in his career. His win total is third behind Sergei Bobrovsky and Elvis Merzlikins. His 19 shutouts are also second, while he played 13,138:02 of TOI, which is fourth. His GAA is fourth in team history, while his save % is fifth. 

After he was traded to Philadelphia, he played four years for the Flyers before spending a season with the Winnipeg organization. After suffering two concussions and a serious knee injury, Mason wouldn't play again and would retire. 

Mason started his career with a bang, winning the 08-09 Calder Trophy and being named to the NHL's All-Rookie Team. He was also named an NHL All-Star during his rookie year, to go along with his NHL second-team honors. 

Mason was traded to the Flyers on April 3, 2013, in exchange for goaltender Michael Leighton and a 2015 third-round draft pick. In Philly, he would finish with a record of 104-78-36.

Mason, while playing for Canada at the U20 World Junior Championships, went 5-0 with a SV% of .951 and won tournament MVP, best goaltender, and was an all-star. 

Oh, what could have been. 

There is one day left until opening day at Nationwide Arena. 

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Chad Tracy’s controversial call to pull Payton Tolle backfired for Red Sox in horrific fashion in Game 1 blowout

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Boston Red Sox manager Chad Tracy talks with Payton Tolle on the mound during the fifth inning of game one of the American League Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees, Image 2 shows Boston Red Sox pitcher Erik Miller reacts as New York Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice rounds the bases on his solo home run
yankees red sox pulling

Payton Tolle had just retired Paul Goldschmidt for the third time on one pitch, running his pitch count to a manageable 83 with two outs in the fifth inning Tuesday, when Chad Tracy decided he’d seen enough.

With Boston trailing by one run and Ben Rice, who doubled in the first inning, due up next, the manager opted to remove his pitcher who had settled into the pitching duel by that point.

And it backfired in horrible fashion for Boston.

Red Sox manager Chad Tracy talks with Payton Tolle on the mound during the fifth inning in game one of the American League Wild Card Series against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx on September 29, 2026. Getty Images

Lefty reliever Erik Miller immediately surrendered a long solo homer to center field to Rice — the first of his two against Boston relievers — and it completely changed the tone of the game in Boston’s 9-0 loss to the Yankees in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card series at Yankee Stadium.

Boston’s b-tier relievers ultimately surrendered eight runs in 3 1/3 innings.

“Not just the pitch count necessarily, but you’re trailing already, you’re moving through the third time,” Tracy said. “Rice had already hit a double in the gap off of him, and you have a nice lane there for Miller, and obviously he got him. Just felt like it was the time to go.”

This postseason marks Tracy’s first calling the shots and moments like this one Tuesday night are what ultimately can swing series.

Sure, Boston did not score, but being down 1-0 to Cam Schlittler and the Yankees bullpen is a vastly different world than trailing by two entering the seventh.

Tolle allowed four hits over the first nine batters but settled down to retire eight of the next 10 batters and navigated a two-on, no-outs situation in the fifth while trailing 1-0.

Red Sox pitcher Erik Miller (67) reacts as Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice (22) rounds the bases on his solo home run during the fifth inning of Game 1 of the ALWild Card Series at Yankee Stadium, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

He began the sixth by retiring Austin Wells on six pitches and then sitting down Goldschmidt, leaving him certainly with room to possibly navigate six innings if he worked effectively.

Tracy, though, opted for a new look in Miller, ending Tolle’s day after 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball.

“I thought he threw the ball well,” Tracy said. “They did an effective job of grinding the count up as well. He had traffic. They put traffic on him. He was able to navigate his way through that. I think he competed extremely well for the time that he was out there and gave us what he could.

“I think the number being up there in the mid-80s, still trying to get through five, probably higher than what you normally see with Payton, and to be expected in an environment like this. But I thought he competed his butt off.”

Miller, a midseason trade acquisition, struggled to end the regular season and those issues carried over to the postseason when he fired a middle-middle 97-mph heater that Rice hit out to dead center.

Tolle said that as a competitor, he felt he could have gone longer but understood the decision due to the strength of Boston’s bullpen during the regular seaosn.

Boston is now one loss away from a second straight early postseason exit at the Yankees’ hands.

“Wasn’t good enough,” Tolle said. “They had a good plan and I threw a lot of balls … just didn’t feel like I could command the zone, kind of let some at-bats get away from me. A lot of pitches.”

He added about the bullpen: “Those guys picked me up a lot this year.”

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Nathan Cleary completes NRL boxset with his first Dally M medal

  • Player of the decade finally wins player of the year

  • Tamika Upton wins her third NRLW medal

Nathan Cleary has completed rugby league’s boxset of awards after the Penrith star was voted the runaway winner of his first Dally M Medal at the NRL’s gala night.

Unable to attend Wednesday’s awards in Sydney after his horror ankle injury in Penrith’s preliminary-finals loss, Cleary finished 14 points clear of Cronulla half Braydon Trindall.

Continue reading...
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Braves News: Austin Riley heroic, Walt Weiss press conference, and more

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 29: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves hits a three-run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the eighth inning in game one of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on September 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It was an exciting afternoon at Truist Park as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 to take Game 1 of the National League Wild Card. Chris Sale got the start and was brilliant. In 6.1 innings, he recorded nine strikeouts and issued one walk. He was charged with three earned runs. 

The Atlanta offense had some tough breaks and was unable to put together timely hitting until later in the game. However, that changed when a Michael Harris II single and a hit by pitch had two on for Austin Riley. Riley launched a homer to right center field to give the Braves the 5-3 edge. 

The Braves were able to hold on in the top of the ninth and look to sweep the best-of-three series on Wednesday afternoon at Truist Park.

More Braves News:

Walt Weiss spoke with the media postgame and discussed the unpredictability of the Postseason. 

Don’t think the Braves can win the World Series? Here’s why they can.

MLB News:

Three-time All-Star Liam Hendriks announced his retirement on Tuesday. He was a part of 14 big league seasons. 

The Miami Marlins have parted ways with hitting coach Pedro Guerrero.

From the Feed:

Lock in your predictions for the NL Wild Card series.

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After a brutal opening loss, can the Red Sox come back?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 29: Payton Tolle #70 of the Boston Red Sox walks back to the dugout after being pull against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning in game one of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on September 29, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Happy Wednesday, OTM! If you’re reading this, that means the sun did rise once again after a horrific game one loss to the New York Yankees last night. My question to you today is simple: do you still believe? The offense is putrid, Roman Anthony is hurt again, and the Yankees have Max Fried lined up to start. Signs are bad, but as Payton Tolle said, he hasn’t heard a fat lady sing. I’m sure if he walks around New York City for long enough, he’ll find one, but he probably wouldn’t find one who’s omniscient and only sings in conjunction with the end of a baseball playoff series. If he did, he should bring her to American Idol or something. America’s Got Talent, maybe? I don’t know, I’m just vamping.

Are we going to win tonight? Do we have any chance at pulling this series out? Talk about this and whatever else you want, and as always, be good to one another.

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NLDS notes: Josue De Paula, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Josue De Paula #95 of the Los Angeles Dodgers singles during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on September 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

While eight teams battle it out to see who will advance to the Division Series, the Dodgers are among four teams using this time off to prepare for October baseball.

After winning an even 100 games in the regular season, the Dodgers secured a first-round bye and will await the winner of the NL Wild Card matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. While the Dodgers continue to add the finishing touches to their postseason roster, there are some lingering questions as to which players will be a part of the team’s depth chart.

21-year-old outfielder Josue De Paula made his presence known while filling in for the then-injured Shohei Ohtani, slashing .323/.500/.581 across 42 plate appearances before he was sent down to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Sonja Chen of MLB.com believes that both De Paula and utility man Hyeseong Kim can make an impact on the postseason roster, with the former being relegated to pinch-hit opportunities due to his lack of big-league experience in the outfield.

Of course, De Paula is capable of playing the corner outfield, but we only saw him play six innings in left as a Dodger. And given how important defense is in the postseason, I doubt we will see him in the field unless it’s an emergency.

The month of September has given Shohei Ohtani plenty of time to prepare for his third consecutive postseason run with the Dodgers. The Dodgers still have another three days to prepare for the NLDS, and Ohtani is using this time to get his swing in the right place, per Chen.

“Everything is feeling great physically,” general manager Brandon Gomes said on a Zoom call with the media on Tuesday. “The swings, once he came back, overall were in a good place. And using these five days to continue to get reps and feeling good into this series is really important. But feels like he’s in a great spot.”

Freddie Freeman had his power zapped in the second half of the regular season, hitting just one home run while posting a slugging percentage of .339. Freeman dealt with patellar tendonitis in his right knee, but entering the NLDS, he said that he’s feeling a lot better, reports Jack Harris of the California Post.

“I truly feel good right now, physically,” Freeman said on Tuesday, during a video conference with reporters ahead of the Dodgers’ first pre-National League Division Series bye week workout. “So it’s on me now to figure out the mechanics of the swing in the next five days. And I have all the confidence in myself that I will figure that out by [Game 1 on] Saturday.”

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Darren Raddysh’s Maple Leafs Debut: Shaky First Game Tests Toronto’s $68 Million Bet

Darren Raddysh’s first night as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs was certainly memorable, but for all the wrong reasons.

The Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 in the season opener at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday. William Nylander scored 48 seconds in and again late in the third. Josh Anderson, Zachary Bolduc and Alexandre Carrier answered for the Canadiens. Raddysh, who was paired with Morgan Rielly and logged 23:47, more ice than anyone in blue and white except Auston Matthews, finished minus-2 with three shots and two blocks. He was on the ice for all three Montreal goals. The first two, in particular, followed the kind of plays that get clipped and circulated before the third period even starts.

“Obviously, you know, not what we wanted. Obviously, I think personally myself, I can do a little bit better,” he said after the game. “But, yeah, you know, I’m really excited to be here and be a part of this and just be a part of the whole organization.”

The Leafs acquired Raddysh’s rights from Tampa Bay for a 2026 fifth-round pick and signed the Toronto-area product to an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million AAV) before he could test free agency. After a 22-goal, 70-point breakout with the Lightning, the bet was simple: a right-shot who can run a power play and move pucks would stabilize a blue line that needed more than veteran stopgaps. One night does not settle that bet, but it certainly asks for a marked improvement.

On Anderson’s tying goal at 10:53 of the first, Raddysh’s attempted breakout was intercepted and the puck stayed in Toronto’s end long enough for Kirby Dach and Carrier to set up a rebound that Anderson batted out of the air. On Bolduc’s 2-1 goal early in the second, Raddysh seemed caught puck-watching in front of Sergei Bobrovsky while Mike Matheson crashed the crease. 

Head coach Jim Hiller did not single him out. He framed the night as what a new group looks like when the first real game arrives before the reads do.

“I thought he was alright too, but I thought, like, we had a lot of new guys. And I thought we looked a little bit like a new team today,” Hiller said. “We just weren’t connecting with our passes. And, you know, I don’t know if that has anything to do with nerves or being in the building for the first time and the first time everybody together. So we just weren’t clean as a team.”

Raddysh heard the same thing from the other side of the stall. Training camp was short. The system is new. The names around him, Gavin McKenna, Kirill Marchenko, Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic and the rest of a remade roster, are still getting used to one another. He has seen this Montreal team plenty from his Tampa years. Nothing about their speed or their forecheck surprised him. 

“Yeah, the training camp’s short. A lot of new guys and, you know, everyone’s trying to learn a new system with a new coach,” he said. “There’s a lot of new learning curves. But, you just got to be prepared for that.”

The pairing with Rielly was the other story that followed him out of the room. Camp had pointed that way for more than a week: two offensive defensemen, extra offensive-zone starts, a clean slate for Rielly under a new staff. Tuesday was the first real look. Chemistry is not built in 23 minutes against a team that plays fast and stays simple. Raddysh said as much.

“Yeah, it was good to finally play a real game with Morgan and try and build out the chemistry that we’ve had these few days of training camp. Yeah, I just got to get ready for it all.”

The schedule does not leave much room to sit with any of it. The New York Islanders are in town Wednesday. Raddysh called that an advantage.

“Yeah, it’s always good when, you know, you play right the next day, so you can kind of put this in the back and just get ready for tomorrow and be prepared for the Islanders.”

One game. A hometown contract that runs through 2034. A minus-2 that will follow him until the next one doesn’t. Raddysh already said the part that matters: he can be better. The Leafs paid for the version that usually is.

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Caleb Martin remains a Dallas Maverick

DALLAS, TX - SEPTEMBER 25: Caleb Martin #16 of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a portrait during NBA media day on September 25, 2026 in Dallas, Texas at American Airlines Center. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

NBA veteran forward Caleb Martin begins his eighth professional season and his third with the Dallas Mavericks as the calendar marches toward opening day. Martin is on the third year of a $35 million contract he signed with the 76ers in the summer of 2024. He joined the Mavericks as part of a bizarre move by former General Manager Nico Harrison in February of 2025, just before the trade deadline, in exchange for Quentin Grimes. In the shadow of the Luka Doncic deal, the trade received little notice, but among ball-knowers was widely considered a terrible trade.

Martin remains with the franchise entering the 2026-27 season, but has very little role, given the makeup of the roster.

Biggest Question

Will Caleb Martin remain with the Dallas Mavericks for the entire 2026-27 season? Look, I’m not going to lie that talking about a player this way can make me a little uncomfortable. I don’t know Caleb Martin, by all accounts, he’s a consummate professional and a good teammate. Some players I grow weary of and I get very aggressive when discussing their flaws or what they can’t bring to a team. Not Martin. He’s simply not very good and he gets paid a lot of money and he’s an irregular reminder of how much of a failure Nico Harrison actually is.

One has to think Martin is the number one player the team hopes it can move. The issue is two-fold: first, he makes a decent amount of money (he’s making $10 millon this year and just under that for his player option next year), but not so much that it’s impossible to move. Rather, he seems to have hit his absolute ceiling as a player with the Miami Heat before signing with the 76ers in 2024.

Let’s say you wholly disagree with me though, let’s say you think he’s a functional NBA role player. The question then becomes this: what is Caleb Martin’s role with this team? Dallas has too many forwards. He’s the one least interesting to the team’s future.

Best Case Scenario

The ideal scenario for a positive Martin season is for him to play the veteran role, giving spot minutes when the team is blowing out an opponent or on the bad end of a beating. And, when he does play, he connects at or above 35% from three-point range, which is what happened last season in just under an attempt per game.

I don’t see Martin as a trade candidate unless there’s a $10 million gap in salary somewhere. He’s got the kind of contract where a team would have to send draft picks out versus getting one.

Worst Case Scenario

Martin has to play a significant number of games and minutes. As mentioned in the introduction, there’s not a path for Martin to see playing time given how many forwards are on the roster. The exception to this rule is simple: if the Dallas Mavericks deal with the injury bug again.

The NBA is trying a new path to prevent tanking and Dallas doesn’t technically own their pick this year, so there’s really not much of a reason for Martin to play at all.

Season Goal

Cheer heartily from the sideline, hit a three from the bench when called upon, mentor the younger players on the roster by being professional in the face of little promised playing time. If he can do one or all of these things, then he’ll have filled a role on this busy roster.

Overall

No one signed up within the Mavs Moneyball staff for this profile, which leaves it to me. This is a harsh profile. I won’t lie, but he’s a person who represents bad process from the previous regime. Perhaps he’ll get spot minutes, but an ideal situation is us not having to think much about Caleb Martin in the 2026-27 season.

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Ranking the Roster: Brayden Burries hits the gas at 6

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: Brayden Burries #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on July 18, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Greathouse/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Editor’s note: Burries and Turner were tied at the last possible moment we could schedule the next article, so we flipped a coin and landed on Burries at six.

It’s time to look at Brayden Burries, the Bucks’ new rookie prospect who has created some serious buzz with fans after his scintillating Summer League performance. Burries is a 6’4” combo guard with NBA-ready size at 205 pounds. He is well-rounded and checks the box as an athlete, but he may not excel in any one area besides his motor. Burries has shown he’s a good decision-maker, with consistent highs and limited lows (though young players will always have hiccups).

Burries averaged 23.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, and 2.0 steals during his Summer League campaign (along with just 0.3 turnovers). He controlled the game with a veteran’s basketball IQ. All of this creates serious expectations not only from Bucks fans, but from fans league-wide. If we look at the roster and Milwaukee’s current guard rotation, it is a logjam for minutes, but Burries’ skill set lets him slot in next to anyone and make an impact, whether as a primary ball handler or in an off-ball role. He’s even shown himself to be able to impact defensively and get on the boards, along with an ability to score at every level with a variety of moves. You can see him complementing most players on this team, which will make it even easier to find him minutes.

Burries was a key piece for the Arizona Wildcats in a very successful year as they pushed deep into March, falling in the Final Four. He has shown he is a winning player who can be at the centre of a winning culture, and the hope is that it will transfer to the NBA. We are looking at a player with all the skills to succeed immediately at the next level, impact at both ends of the floor, and make serious contributions to a winning team—that’s what separates him from many other rookies.

All of this comes together to create league-wide excitement about what Burries can be for the Bucks and shows he can make a serious impact on a winning team.

Now we’re really getting down to business. Who’s up at five?

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Scaling the Rocks: Cole Carrigg and TJ Rumfield provide hope for the Rockies

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 25: Cole Carrigg #16 of the Colorado Rockies at bat against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on September 25, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jayden Mack/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Greetings, friends!

The postseason is officially underway after the first day of Wild Card action. The games were electric, but it’s also interesting to see how teams constructed their rosters. Injured pitchers who hadn’t started for a while made rosters, while Aaron Judge was left off the roster for the New York Yankees. It’ll be interesting to see if any teams can move on to the division round today.

Meanwhile, the Colorado Rockies got some good news to cap off the 2026 season as MLB announced Cole Carrigg was named the National League Rookie of the Month for September. It was the third time a Rockies rookie earned the award this season after TJ Rumfield won the award twice.

Now, here’s what’s going on for the Rockies and the league.

Rockies news & links

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Ethan Anderson became a name to watch in 2026

Despite once seemingly having no path toward big league playing time, Ethan Anderson’s impressive 2026 campaign saw him rise to the top of Baltimore’s catching prospects and put him on the doorstep of the major leagues.

This time last year, catcher was perhaps the most logjammed position of any in the Orioles organization. Adley Rutschman was the established starter coming off his fourth (albeit injury-riddled) season in the majors. Samuel Basallo had arrived in Baltimore at the end of August to start his promising big league career. Backstop was simply not a major position of need for Baltimore, and as such, it seemed like there was no real path forward for any minor leaguer.

Fast forward a year, and things have changed in a big way. Rutschman suffered through another injury-laden first half before being shipped off to Boston in a blockbuster trade. Basallo missed some time with his own injury issues and only projects as a part-timer behind the plate going forward. Injuries to the established catchers mean the Orioles once again cycled through backstops, with Chadwick Tromp, Sam Huff, Carlos Narváez, Yohel Pozo and Jake Rogers all seeing action behind the plate for Baltimore.

While Pozo and Narváez are still under team control for a couple more seasons, their lackluster offensive games mean that the role of Basallo’s running mate should be an open competition. And no minor leaguer, after 2026, is better positioned to take advantage of that opportunity than Anderson.

The former 2024 second-round pick out of Virginia spent most of the year with the Baysox in Double-A and established himself as the heartbeat of Chesapeake’s lineup. Compared to what he’d become, the 23-year-old switch-hitter got off to a relatively quiet start. Over the first month of the season, he hit a strong .302, but only put up one home run and four total extra-base hits en route to a SLG (.397) lower than his OBP (.429)

In May, those numbers would flip. Anderson started showing off his power stroke during the second month of the season, swatting 7 homers along with 3 doubles as he put up an improved .484 SLG. However, his average dipped down to .220, while his OBP dropped to .317. Overall, his first two months of the year reflected a respectable minor league hitter, but one who was still figuring some things out offensively.

Everything truly clicked for Anderson starting in June. In 21 games that month, he again launched 7 long balls, but added to that power with a .286 average, a .368 OBP and a strikeout rate that decreased from 26% to 14 percent.

Throughout the second half of the season, Anderson continued to wear out minor league pitchers. After missing most of July with an ankle injury, he returned in August and embarked on an epic hot streak. Over his final 25 games of the season (split between Frederick, Chesapeake and Norfolk), Anderson slashed .333/.390/.604 (.995 OPS) while hitting another 8 home runs and continuing to keep his strikeout rate under 20 percent.

Perhaps most encouraging was the cup of coffee Anderson had in Norfolk to end the season. In five games, the former Virginia Cavalier picked up a hit in all five contests, hit his first two Triple-A home runs and proved even a step up in competition couldn’t slow him down.

Anderson finished the season with a final triple slash of .288/.375/.544, a .919 OPS, 14 doubles, 24 home runs, 55 RBIs and a 22.1% strikeout rate. Of his 344 ABs, 303 came for the Baysox and 21 of his 24 long balls came against Double-A pitchers. Of the Orioles’ Top 30 prospects, only Wehiwa Aloy and Aron Estrada (25 each) hit more home runs than Anderson.

The switch-hitting Anderson also shows promise from both sides of the plate. He has more power against left-handed pitching, with 18 of his 24 homers coming from the right side and a slugging percentage that’s nearly 100 points higher. However, as a LHB against RHPs, Anderson hit .306—compared to .280 against LHPs.

Having already made his way up to Triple-A, Anderson will likely split time with Creed Willems behind the plate to begin next season. Both Anderson and Willems have the same problem; each has a strong offensive profile for a catcher, but questionable defensive skills that make it uncertain if they can stick behind the plate long term.

Anderson did play 500 defensive innings at catcher this past season, compared to 207 innings at 1B. If he can continue to hold his own behind the dish, Anderson should be first in line to replace Narváez in Baltimore next season. The Orioles have had some success in developing catchers defensively, as Basallo was graded as a below-average defender in the minors but showed major strides as a receiver over his first big league season.

A year ago, Anderson would not have been worth monitoring going into 2027, as he’d likely just be another Willems—stuck in Triple-A all season. But with Rutschman gone and the need to pair Basallo with a catcher who can play 75+ games, Anderson is now on a short list of players who could make their debut in 2027.

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MLB News: MLB Wild Card, Postseason predictions, Pope Leo White Sox letter, Aaron Judge

Happy Wednesday, everyone! The postseason is officially here and Wild Card games are underway. While we wait to see how the final postseason picture develops, we’ve got loads of little news tidbits, including deep dives into how all the teams are shaping up, and how all the different MLB experts predict things going as we head towards the World Series.

Plenty to get into so we know which storylines to keep an eye on this October, so let’s just dive right in.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.

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Who are Giants fans rooting for today?

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 11: An overall view of Yankee Stadium during God Bless America during the game between the New York Mets and the New York Yankees on September 11, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good morning, baseball fans!

The National League and American League Wild Card series continue today, with all four series playing the second of three potential games.

Because I live in the past and have to write these before the games have been played, you have a better idea of how the series are going than I do. But here’s what’s on deck for today. I’m going to do these by time instead of league because that makes more sense. Also, rather than repeating myself, all of the games will have national radio coverage on ESPN Radio.

First up, we have the visiting Philadelphia Phillies against the Atlanta Braves, in which Atlanta has a 1-0 lead in the series. This one starts at 11:00 a.m. PT and airs on NBC/Peacock.

After that, we have the visiting Chicago White Sox playing against the Houston Astros at 2:00 p.m. PT, and airing on Peacock/NBC Sports Network.

Then it’s the visiting Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees at 5:00 p.m. PT, airing on NBC/Peacock.

And then finally, we have the visiting Chicago Cubs playing the San Diego Padres at 7:00 p.m. PT, airing on Peacock/NBC Sports Network.

Who are you rooting for today?