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Warriors star Draymond Green reveals toughest defensive assignment of NBA career

Warriors star Draymond Green reveals toughest defensive assignment of NBA career originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s no secret Warriors forward Draymond Green takes pride in his defense.

The nine-time All-Defensive player and 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year has owned his reputation as one of the best on the floor at covering all five positions during his historic NBA career.

On Thursday, Green joined streamer Kai Cenat and spoke about what players have been the toughest to guard over the course of his career.

“The hardest player I had to guard in my career is KD,” Green said, speaking of Kevin Durant. “KD in OKC. After that, I figured him out, right. Slim can’t score on me no more – nah, he going to score on everybody, but I got better and learned more about his game. But, in OKC and just coming into the league and figuring — oh my God. No chance.”

Durant, who’s eighth all-time in NBA scoring with 30,571 points, hasn’t been figured out by anyone, so it’s no surprise Green gave him his flowers.

The topic then shifted to who currently gives the 35-year-old forward fits.

“The hardest now is Joker,” Green said of Nikola Jokic. “I play with Steph so I don’t have that headache. Joker — Luka [Doncic] will always be one of the toughest covers, but that ain’t my matchup. Of my matchups, the hardest to guard right now is Joker.”

The four-time NBA All-Star didn’t stop there, however. While he didn’t name another player, he did mention one anonymous big man in the Western Conference.

“There’s one that’s really tough. … I’m not saying it,” Green told Cenat, who pushed for him to say the name. “I don’t want to give him that edge. He probably don’t believe he has that edge, so I can’t give him that edge.”

We might never know who the mystery player is, but they must be a good enough talent if they’re able to get Green to almost mention them.

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Mets activate Jose Siri from IL, option Jared Young amid flurry of roster moves

The Mets are receiving a nice boost ahead of Tuesday's game against the Phillies, as Jose Siri has officially been activated from the injured list.  

Siri immediately jumps back into the starting lineup, batting ninth and playing center. 

In a flurry of corresponding moves, Jared Young has been optioned back down to Triple-A, right-hander Wander Suero has been designated for assignment, and Justin Garza was outrighted to Syracuse. 

Siri has been sidelined since the middle of April due to a fractured left fibula. 

He appeared to be closing in on a return in late July, but hit a bit of a setback in his recovery when imaging showed the bone hadn't healed to the Mets' liking.

The speedster was shut down from all baseball activities until resuming a rehab assignment the past few weeks, in which he recorded hits in five of six games. 

Siri figures to take on the bulk of the playing time in center down the stretch with Cedric Mullins struggling mightily and Tyrone Taylor still in the IL with a hamstring injury. 

Prior to the injury, he had just one hit in 20 at-bats, but provided a nice spark with his speed and defense. 

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NHL Anticipates Eligibility Update On Hart, Formenton, Dube, Foote And McLeod In 'Near Future'

Nearly seven weeks have passed since the five players involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were found not guilty on all charges. And yet, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Dillon Dube continue to remain ineligible to return to the NHL.

At least, for now.

According to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, a decision on the players’ future is coming. The question is whether it will arrive before the start of the 2025-26 regular season.

“I don’t have an update,” Daly told reporters at the NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour in Las Vegas on Tuesday. “But I do anticipate a decision in the relatively near future.”

There is no guarantee that any of the players will be allowed back into the NHL this season. Even if they are, there is no guarantee that any of the 32 teams will want to offer any of them a contract.

Although all five players were found not guilty of sexual assault, the details of the trial shined a light on toxic masculinity and the negative culture that still pervades the sport of hockey. What the players did behind closed doors after a night of drinking at a Hockey Canada gala honoring their victory at the 2018 World Junior Championship might not have been criminal. But it was wrong on several levels.

NHL Made The Right But Difficult Decision With The Five Former WJC Players Found Not Guilty NHL Made The Right But Difficult Decision With The Five Former WJC Players Found Not Guilty When a London, Ont., judge ruled on Thursday that all five players involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were not guilty on all charges, the NHL found itself at a crossroads of moral decency. 

“The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing, and the behavior at issue was unacceptable,” the NHL released in a statement at the conclusion of the trial.

“We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the league.”

The NHL’s strong stance could explain why Formenton, whose NHL rights are still owned by the Ottawa Senators, recently signed a three-and-a-half-month contract to play in Switzerland.

When asked about Formenton during the Senators’ annual charity golf tournament on Monday, GM Steve Staois refused to say whether he had interest in the 25-year-old left winger.

Senators Aren't Saying Whether They'll Sign, Trade, Or Walk Away From Alex FormentonSenators Aren't Saying Whether They'll Sign, Trade, Or Walk Away From Alex FormentonAt the team's annual charity golf tournament on Monday, Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios held court with the media and was asked, among other things, about winger Alex Formenton. TSN's Clare Hanna brought up the fact that Formenton had signed to play in Switzerland again, that his rights still belonged to Ottawa and asked Staios if he had spoken to the player or if he had any thoughts.

“I have no comment on that. In fact, it's a league matter, and the player is ineligible to play,” Staios told reporters. “I won't comment on it.”

Formenton is not the only player who has played in Europe since London police initially laid charges on the five men.

Dube and McLeod, who last played for the Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils, respectively, spent last season in Russia. Foote, a Tampa Bay Lightning first-round draft pick who has played for Nashville and New Jersey, spent last season in Slovakia.

Report: Flyers Interested in Carter Hart ReunionReport: Flyers Interested in Carter Hart ReunionAccording to a report, the Philadelphia Flyers are one of several teams interested in free agent goalie Carter Hart.

Hart is so far the only player who is yet to play in North America or elsewhere. However, there are reports suggesting that several teams, including Philadelphia, where he last played, could be interested in signing the once-promising goalie if he becomes eligible to return to the NHL.

When — or if that is — remains unclear.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Brandon Sproat, Brad Keller, and Andrew Benintendi

We are officially in the fantasy baseball championship push.

While the rest of your leaguemates are focused on their fantasy football waiver wires, paying a little extra attention to some recent activity around the majors can help you find the necessary edge to putting the finishing touches on a winning season.

Most waiver wires have been picked over though and it’s difficult to find impact players readily available in most leagues at this point in the season.

Fear not, because there are still a handful of available players that have the chance to be difference makers that help push us towards glory.

MLB: Oakland Athletics at Seattle Mariners
2025 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 update: Ailing Bobby Witt Jr. tumbles, Julio Rodríguez joins top 10
Mookie Betts jumps back up, and Brad Keller is the high debut in this week’s top 300 update.

Here are three players that are under 40% rostered on Yahoo leagues that you should strongly consider adding.

If you want a larger list, Eric Samulski wrote his extended waiver wire piece on Sunday.

Brandon Sproat, SP Mets

(20% Rostered on Yahoo)

Sproat debuted for the Mets on Sunday against the Reds and struck out seven batters over six innings, walked four, and allowed three earned runs. The walks were a bit worrisome, but Sproat seemed content to give hitters a free pass rather than something to hit.

All of that damage came in that sixth inning too after he held Cincinnati hit-less over the first 5 1/3 frames.

Then, they smacked three straight hits that brought home all three of their runs. Sproat did well to strike out the following two hitters to stop the bleeding and leave his first start on a high-note.

Still, this was an excellent debut and he joins other impressive Mets’ rookies Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong to form a trio that’s reestablished some confidence in their rotation.

Yet, Sproat’s call-up was met with much less fanfare than that of the other two. That’s probably because after peaking as a top-40 prospect this winter, he scuffled to a 5.95 ERA through his first 15 starts at Triple-A this season.

It was a mess down there too. He leaned too hard onto his sinker and sweeper which left him susceptible against left-handed batters. They had a .336/.430/.516 slash line against him to that point and he didn’t have any solutions.

That is, until he rediscovered consistency with his changeup and curveball.

Sproat leaned on those two pitches when he was a younger prospect and during college at Florida. His feel for multiple secondaries is one of the things that made him such an intriguing prospect early on. Then, as he developed his sweeper after arriving in the Mets’ organization, something changed and he no longer mixed up his repertoire as much.

Those pitches came back in a big way this June though and everything changed.

He immediately ripped off a 23 inning scoreless streak and that lefty slash line fell to .135/.247/.216 over his final 11 appearances in Triple-A. He once again looked like one of the best pitchers in the upper minors.

If you want to read in a little bit deeper on the importance of Sproat’s curveball specifically, Aidan Lippencott’s thread right here is fantastic.

He brought that curveball with him to the majors and it helped deliver his first big league strikeout.

What a gorgeous back-door hook. Overall, Sproat’s sweeper accounted for nearly half of his total pitches and all of his swings-and-misses.

If anything will hold him back right now, it will be the inability of his fastballs to generate whiffs. With that, he has impressive feel for both of those breaking balls for a rookie and will be a tough at-bat for hitters from either side of the plate.

On top of all that, he’s scheduled to face the injury-riddled Rangers, Nationals, and Marlins to close out the season. That alone makes him an intriguing option off the waiver wire.

Brad Keller, RP Cubs

(22% Rostered on Yahoo)

Cubs’ closer Daniel Palencia left his appearance on Sunday with shoulder discomfort and has since been placed on the injured list with a strain. That opened the door for Keller to step in as Chicago’s closer for what could be the rest of the regular season.

The former starter has been incredible out of the bullpen full-time this season with a 2.17 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and hasn’t allowed an earned run since before the All-Star break.

Moving to relief has helped him add some serious velocity. For his career, Keller’s fastball sat around 93-95 mph. This season, it’s above 97 mph with over two more inches of induced vertical break.

That pitch has never had a good shape, but now it’s much better and the added velocity has covered up the remaining deficiencies.

Every other pitch has ticked up as well. His changeup is coming in four miles per hour harder and nearly two more inches of arm-side run. It’s become his second-most thrown pitch against lefties and they have a 43.1% whiff rate against it.

The development of his sweeper is another huge reason for his success. Only introduced in 2023 and used just 6% of the time last season, it’s become his go-to breaking ball against righties and has a 49.1% whiff rate against them.

Like everything else, he’s throwing it much harder and now at 86 mph, is in the 88th percentile of sweeper velocity among all qualified pitchers.

Great stuff and an opportunity to close full-time on a good team can make Keller an impact reliever over these final few weeks.

Andrew Benintendi, OF White Sox

(7% Rostered on Yahoo)

Something strange has happened with Benintendi in each of the last two seasons: he swings a pool noodle in the first half before catching fire after the All-Star break.

Last year, he dragged his feet to a .568 OPS in the first half and could barely keep his batting average over the Mendoza line. He was rightfully nowhere close to fantasy managers’ radars.

Then, his 13 home runs were tied for 14th-most in the league across the second half and his .830 OPS was a huge boost to anyone who noticed this turnaround happening.

Oddly enough, the same trend has appeared this season. While not as stark, Benintendi’s .233/.297/.429 slash line in the first half has bumped up to .269/.335/.442 after the break. That’s a useful player in deep leagues.

Plenty of value can be found in these steady yet unspectacular players this time of year who play every single day and produce enough to be better than league average. Plug and play Benintendi if you need help in an outfield spot.

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Sabres Prospect Profile – Noah Ostlund

The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, but the organization’s developmental model has not yielded enough results. 

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. All are 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 40 NHL games. 

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#4 - Noah Ostlund  - Center (Rochester - AHL, Buffalo - NHL) 

 Ostlund was the Sabres second first-round pick (16th overall) at the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal after scoring 42 points for the Djurgardens junior-level club, 10 points for Sweden at the Under-18s, and a brief stint in the SHL. The following season, he had 26 points (8 goals, 18 assists) in 37 regular-season games in the second-level pro league Allsvenskan and four points (1 goal, 3 assists) for Team Sweden at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships. 

He travelled to North America after his season in Sweden and joined the Rochester Americans for their Calder Cup Playoff run, but did not play. The Stockholm native chose not to come over to start the 2023-24 season, instead returning to Sweden to play for Vaxjo and play again for his country at the 2024 World Junior in Gothenburg. 

The 20-year-old thrived at the WJC, scoring 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) in seven games and earning a silver medal. Ostlund was also a solid contributor for Vaxjo, with 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) in 38 games, and joined Rochester at the end of the AHL season, earning an assist in two regular-season games and one goal in three playoff games.

In his first full season in North America, Ostlund missed nearly two months with a hand injury, but returned just before Christmas and went goalless in his first 10 games, but the 21-year-old began to produce at a high rate since the middle of February, scoring 11 goals in a 15-game stretch, earning an NHL recall and playing the final eight games with the Sabres. In 45 games with the Amerks, he scored 36 points (19 goals, 17 assists) in 45 games in the regular season.

Similar to countryman Isak Rosen, Ostlund is a player with talent, but it is unknown whether he will get a legitimate NHL opportunity. Being a year younger than Rosen, the young center has more time to develop his game and will need to put up big numbers in Rochester this season to earn a chance with the Sabres. 

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Blues' Dalibor Dvorsky’s Breakthrough Might Have To Come On The Wing

Dalibor Dvorsky's rookie season in the AHL was outstanding, so much so that he earned a call-up to the NHL, where he skated in his first two games, but if the 20-year-old wants to be a full-time NHLer, he may have to do it on the wing. 

Throughout his junior and AHL career, Dvorsky has been a center, and a very good one at that. But the current makeup of the St. Louis Blues indicates that his initial breakthrough into the NHL may have to come on the wing, a position he has some experience playing in. 

Currently, the Blues centers consist of Robert Thomas, Brayden Schenn, Pius Suter and Oskar Sundqvist, all of whom aren't moving from the middle of the ice unless injuries occur. Where the Blues may have openings is on the wing, especially after Zack Bolduc was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in the off-season. 

Dvorsky plays a very balanced game. He is an excellent puckhandler and uses his stick handling to create open ice to show off his elite release and passing abilities. On the defensive side, Dvorsky's 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame allows him to use his size to knock players off the puck and his hockey IQ to position himself to break up plays. 

Dvorsky's AHL rookie campaign witnessed him notch 21 goals and 45 points, ranking tied for second in goals and tied for third in points on the Springfield Thunderbirds. A strong rookie camp, followed by training camp, pre-season and then the start of the AHL season should put Dvorsky at the top of the list of forwards to be called up to the NHL. 

Dalibor Dvorsky (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

Schenn, the Blues' captain, is the current second-line center, but now 34 years old, Schenn isn't getting any younger, and as he inches towards the conclusion of his eight-year, $6.5 million contract, it may be wise for the Blues to transition him to the wing in the next two seasons. At the moment, Schenn hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, but when that day does come, the patience the Blues have demonstrated with Dvorsky, their 2023 10th overall pick, will pay off. 

He'll be able to take Schenn's role as the No.2 center and allow him to move into the bottom-six, providing the Blues with additional depth. 

The Blues have made it very apparent that they are willing to give their prospects as much time as they believe they need to be NHL-ready and fit a role when they do enter the lineup. No Blues prospect highlights this more than Dvorsky. He may not play all 82 games with the Blues or be in the lineup when the playoffs roll around, but when he does enter the lineup, he won't be taken aback by the level of play. 

Blues Announce Roster, Schedule For Tom Kurvers Prospect ShowcaseBlues Announce Roster, Schedule For Tom Kurvers Prospect ShowcaseThe St. Louis Blues announced their roster and schedule for the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, which will take place from September 12-14, at TRIA Rink in St. Paul, Minnesota.
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Ryane Clowe Leaves Sharks To Become Rangers' Assistant General Manager

Pool Photo-Imagn Images

Ryane Clowe left the San Jose Sharks to join the New York Rangers organization. 

After serving as the Sharks’ assistant general manager for one season, Clowe announced his resignation from the position on Sunday.

“I loved being back in San Jose and working with [Sharks GM] Mike Grier and his entire team, but at this point, this decision is in the best interest of my family,” Clowe said in the statement. 

“The franchise has an exciting future ahead and is set up to be successful for a long period of time, and I am grateful to Mike and [team president] Jonathan Becher for giving me the opportunity to return to San Jose.”

One day after resigning, he joined the Rangers, becoming the team’s assistant general manager along with Jim Sullivan.

From 2021 to 2023, Clowe served as a hockey operations advisor for the Rangers while he was elevated to the position of senior advisor during the 2023-24 season before leaving for San Jose.

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Josh Giddey, Cam Thomas conclusions won't impact Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga saga

Josh Giddey, Cam Thomas conclusions won't impact Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga saga originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After collectively whistling into the wind for more than two months, the four most notable restricted free agents in the NBA are starting to splinter. Two have taken themselves off a market offering nothing, and neither was Jonathan Kuminga.

The stalemate between Kuminga and the Warriors remains precisely that, but they are steadily creeping toward resolution if only because every minute brings them closer to an Oct. 1 deadline.

The initial reaction to Cam Thomas returning to the Brooklyn Nets and Josh Giddey re-signing with the Chicago Bulls is to ponder whether that impacts the Warriors and Kuminga. The answer is, um, complicated.

Let’s begin with Thomas, who last week swallowed hard and accepted Brooklyn’s $5.99 million qualifying offer. With no market for his services, he reportedly had three options, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. One, stay with the rebuilding Nets for one year at $9.5 million plus incentives that could bring him to about $20 million. Two, re-sign for two years at $30 million, with a team option in Year 2. Three, sign the one-year qualifying offer, the only option that gives him a right to veto any trade and puts him on the market next summer, when the market projects to be more lucrative.

The market for Kuminga was slightly warmer, but not enough to force a move by the Warriors. He entered September facing two options. One, accept Golden State’s qualifying offer of $7.99 million. Two, sign a two-year contract at $45 million, with a team option in Year 2. He has shown no interest in that.

Kuminga has shown more interest in the qualifying offer – which gives him trade veto power and puts him on the market next summer – than the two-year deal preferred by Golden State that pays more but diminishes his leverage.

A third option could be looming, but the Warriors’ payroll has much less latitude than that of the Nets.

The Giddey contract, re-signing with rebuilding Chicago for four years at a reported $100 million, was almost a formality. The Bulls sweetened their initial offer (four years, $88 million), and Giddey’s representatives compromised on their pursuit of something in the $110-120 million range.

One clear and significant distinction between Kuminga-Warriors and Giddey-Bulls is that only the latter involves parties with mutual desire. Giddey and the Bulls envision a future together. Kuminga and the Warriors do not share the same dream.

Another difference is that the Bulls, mediocre in the inferior Eastern Conference, are building for years ahead. Giddey has been a starter since his rookie season with Oklahoma City and was a 30-minutes-a-night starter in his first season in Chicago. He is part of a core they hope can thrive in two or three years.

The Warriors, by contrast, are operating with urgency. With a veteran core of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green – average age 36.5 years – they’re not looking beyond the next two seasons.

It’s conceivable, even likely, Kuminga stays with the Warriors – just as it seems likely that Quentin Grimes, the fourth RFA, stays with the Philadelphia 76ers. The difference there is, again, there is mutual interest between both parties, according to league sources. Philly reportedly is seeking to shed salary elsewhere to re-sign Grimes.

Aside from RFA status, Kuminga does not share a lot of parallels with Thomas, Giddy or Grimes. The Warriors will not offer JK the kind of contract the Bulls gave Giddey, and they have no plan to dump salary to retain Kuminga, as is the goal of the 76ers.

Kuminga signing the qualifying offer remains the anticipated outcome. The deadline to do so is Oct. 1. Meanwhile, Al Horford and the rest of the veterans in Golden State’s waiting room are quietly pleading for clarity.

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Philadelphia reportedly considering trading Drummond, Oubre to open up cap space for Grimes

Quentin Grimes thrived in Philadelphia after being traded there from Dallas at last February's deadline. In 28 games for the 76ers he averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists a game. Suddenly it was easy to picture him in a rotation with Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and just-drafted VJ Edgecombe to be the future in Philly (whatever happens with Joel Embiid and Paul George).

Except, the 76ers have to pay the restricted free agent Grimes, and reportedly the team wants at least a three-year deal. He reportedly wants a contract averaging $20 million or more a season, and he has the option of taking the $8.7 million qualifying offer, playing out this season and becoming a free agent.

Philly wants to pay him (maybe not $20 million a season based on just 28 games), but even giving him a contract around the mid-level exception (starting at $14.1 million next season) could send them deep into the tax aprons. So to create cap space, the 76ers are considering salary dump trades of Andre Drummond (set to make $5 million) and/or Kelly Oubre ($8.4 million), Jake Fischer said during a Bleacher Report live stream.

"There has been buzz all summer long about the Sixers looking to potentially move one of, if not both, Andre Drummond and Kelly Oubre. If they are able to find a deal for one of those two guys as we get closer to camp that would open up some more wiggle room for Philadelphia to be able to pay Grimes a little bit more than what he's looking at right now and what that qualifying offer would be."

Things are not exactly clear-cut and straightforward for the 76ers.

Both Drummond and Oubre are expected to have larger, more important roles next season if Embiid or George are injured at any point — and both are already heading into training camp limited and likely to miss some time. Then there is the guard spot: Philly already has Maxey at the point backed up by Kyle Lowry, with McCain and Edgecombe playing the two and maybe the three. While Grimes could start and would certainly play in that guard/wing rotation, he's not going to have the touches and green light he did late last season on a broken-down and demoralized 76ers team playing out the clock. Grimes' numbers and minutes are not going to be the same. While he is unquestionably a quality player and a good fit, how much do they want to pay him?

The 76ers don't want Grimes to just take the qualifying offer, they would like to lock him down with a longer deal and have him as part of the future. While Grimes may want a bigger payday, the reality is he's made $11.1 million total across four NBA seasons and if Philly came to him with something like three years, $45 million, that much money would be tough to turn down. However, with a good number on the qualifying offer ($8.7 million), Grimes may still choose to bet on himself, given that around half a dozen teams or more are expected to have cap space next summer.

There is room for a compromise and a Grimes deal to get done with the 76ers, but it may involve a salary dump trade first.

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Could Season Rentals Help Red Wings Land Oilers' Connor McDavid?

Exploring what it would take for the Detroit Red Wings to acquire Oilers’ Connor McDavid in 2026 free agency.

The speculation continues to grow around if Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid will re-sign with the team or explore free agency next off-season. More and more insider reports have indicated that an extension likely won't be done before the start of the season, meaning the pressure will be firmly placed on the Oilers to show their captain that they are an attractive destination that has the chance to win a Stanley Cup. 

After two straight losses in the Stanley Cup Finals, reports suggest that McDavid has become "fanatical" when it comes to winning a championship. The same reports suggest this is why a deal hasn't been done yet as he isn't sure if after two Finals runs that the team has anything left in the tank. The Oilers are set to start two rookies in their top six next season with a poor outcome likely signaling McDavid's exit. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

When these reports first came out, we laid out a potential plan of attack for Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman as the the team has enough cap space to take on a contract of McDavid's size next season and beyond due to a few pending free agents. The Red Wings would have potentially $24 million in available cap that could allow the team to make any offer they so choose with McDavid. The second part of this problem is how do they show McDavid that they have the pieces to compete for a Stanley Cup?

Red Wings Emerging as Potential Landing Spot for Oilers' Connor McDavidRed Wings Emerging as Potential Landing Spot for Oilers' Connor McDavidRed Wings could present solid case if Oilers’ Connor McDavid opts for free agency in 2026.

The first step that could work as a season long objective is to make the playoffs. If they fail to do this once again, then there's little to no chance that McDavid will want to choose Detroit. They will then need to add pieces to their lineup while also leaving themselves in a position to have enough cap space for McDavid. A good angle for this could be season rentals. 

The 2026 free agency class is loaded with talent and if the Red Wings can go out and add a player that is due for a new contract in 2026, they could work it around a chance at landing McDavid. An example of this could be Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who has been recently involved in trade rumors and could join the Red Wings for this season at a very friendly $4.55 million person. 

If they can offer him something in the neighborhood of what Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad just got this past July with an eight-year deal and a cap hit at $6.1 million per season, that would still leave $18 million for the Red Wings. They could go after a player like McDavid or if they fail, Jets star winger Kyle Connor. Adding a stud defenseman like Andersson should help propel Detroit into the playoffs and could make them a dark horse to go far depending on their seeding. 

They could also go for a cheaper alternative and add a pair of cheaper options to further the depth in the lineup with low-cost players like a forward in Kiefer Sherwood or a Kevin Stenlund while adding to the backend with a player like Vincent Desharnais. The two additions could both total roughly $4 million or below and helped strengthen the overall team. 

Either way, it could show star talent entering the market next off-season that Detroit is just one star player away from being a Stanley Cup contender. If Detroit finishes with a top three spot in the Atlantic with the help of some rentals via trade and also showcase their young talent coming up to the main roster in the next few seasons, it could present a solid case for McDavid or Connor to join the Red Wings.

3 Red Wings Prospects That Could Make NHL Debut This Season3 Red Wings Prospects That Could Make NHL Debut This SeasonExploring three Detroit Red Wings prospects that could make the jump to the NHL in the 2025-26 season.

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With October ahead, how will things shake out for the Phils?

With October ahead, how will things shake out for the Phils? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

With the Mets in town and the air a little more crisp in the second week of September, it’s easy to think about the postseason.

The Phillies currently hold an eight-game lead in the National League East. The remainder of this four-game set against New York could take a great deal of pressure off the Phils as October approaches.

Making the postseason is basically a given at this point, with their magic number sitting at seven, it’s much bigger than simply clinching.

With the recent injuries to Trea Turner and Alec Bohm, the optimal scenario is giving both former All-Stars time not only to regain rhythm, but also to get as close to full health as possible.

Turner’s case is especially critical. His game is built on speed, and more recovery time can only help come October.

After Monday night’s win over the Mets, he emphasized his hurry to get back and make an impact: “As soon as possible, obviously, but more importantly for the playoffs is the most important. So trying to find that fine line of trying to get ready for that, but also not rushing it back and coming back for no reason.”

So how can Turner return to his do-it-all self?

The Phillies can help themselves by locking in a top-two seed among National League division winners. That would give them an automatic ticket to the Division Series, bypassing the grind of a best-of-three Wild Card round.

Not only would that aid Turner’s recovery, it would also give a breather to a bullpen that has carried a heavy load in the second half.

The Phillies currently hold a four-game lead over the NL West-leading Dodgers. Next Monday’s three-game set in Los Angeles is a control-your-own-destiny opportunity for both clubs — and could be the difference in who skips the Wild Card round.

What will the postseason rotation look like?

There’s no debate about the first two names: Cristopher Sánchez and Ranger Suárez will headline.

From there, it gets more interesting.

Jesús Luzardo seems to have earned the No. 3 spot. He leads the team in starts and wins this year, and while his postseason résumé is rocky, his velocity and swing-and-miss stuff should play. His first October in 2019 with Oakland — three scoreless innings out of the bullpen in a Wild Card game — showed his potential, but he has since struggled.

The question is whether the Phillies would run out three consecutive lefties in October against righty-heavy lineups like Milwaukee or San Diego.

That makes the fourth spot even more intriguing.

Aaron Nola’s Monday night gem against the Mets was his first scoreless outing since May. It reminded fans what he can still bring, even in a season marred by injuries and inconsistency. His 10 postseason starts and 4.02 ERA make him a trusted option in October.

Beyond that, there are situational options.

A bullpen game could work if the Phils are up in a series.

Taijuan Walker looks more likely to serve as a long reliever.

And the long shot?

Walker Buehler.

His 2025 regular season has been underwhelming, but his 3.04 career postseason ERA over 19 appearances speaks for itself.

The lineup picture

If Turner and Bohm return, the lineup sets itself. If not, Rob Thomson has shown he’s willing to experiment.

Bryce Harper led off Monday night, and Harrison Bader is hitting first Tuesday. If Turner can’t go, Bader could be an option against lefties — and his October history makes that exciting.

The Bronxville, New York native carried the Yankees in 2022 with five homers in nine games, proving he can step up.

The rest of the outfield mix is battle-tested. Max Kepler, Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos are all in rotation, but Castellanos is the one to watch.

He’s been vocal and mature about the playing-time shuffle, and he’s delivered when it matters. You have to love this season’s storyline too.

After struggling in the 2022 postseason, he’s posted an .898 OPS in his last 17 playoff games.

He has to be out there.

The bottom line

It’s early, but not too early. October is 22 days away.

Some say the Phillies’ championship window is closing. Without Zack Wheeler, the road ahead will be rough, but baseball history is loaded with teams that won without their ace.

It’s baseball. Anything can happen.

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All those young fill-ins are winning games and keeping Texas Rangers in playoff contention

ARLINGTON, Texas — All of those rookie fill-ins are keeping the injury-plagued Texas Rangers in playoff contention.

Center fielder Michael Helman hit a grand slam while driving in all of their runs against baseball’s best team and Jacob Latz, while not a rookie but still a youngster, threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a 5-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers that got Texas as close as it has been to the AL West lead in more than three months.

“These kids have done a great job,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “Just doing a nice job of doing something every game they’re playing, it seems like, to help us win a ball game.”

The series opener against the Brewers (89-56), who have the best record in the majors and could in this series become the first team to officially clinch a playoff spot, came after Texas won two of three over AL West-leading Houston with other rookies impacting those wins.

Texas has won 12 of its last 16 games to get within 3 1/2 games of Houston for the first time since May 30. The Rangers have 17 games remaining, including three in Houston, and are 1 1/2 games behind division foe Seattle and a game ahead of Cleveland for the American League’s final wild card.

Dustin Harris, just called back that day when Adolis García went on the injured list, hit a game-ending double in the 12th inning. That drove in Cody Freeman, another rookie, for a 4-3 win in the opener against the Astros.

That series ended with a 4-2 win when Freeman hit a two-out single in the sixth, then scored from first on Josh Jung’s double to break a 1-all tie before Jake Burger’s homer.

Texas is 11-5 in the games Freeman has started — at second base, third base, right field and designated hitter.

The Rangers opened last week with a 7-5 win at Arizona when rookie Alejandro Osuna had a two-run single in the 10th inning.

“It’s awesome,” Helman said. “Obviously it’s unfortunate with all the guys that we’ve lost. But some of us younger guys just have to come in here and try and play a role on this team, and try and be in situations to help us win ballgames.”

Helman hit the first grand slam of this season for the Rangers. It was the first time in his 30 big league games that he batted with the bases loaded.

This playoff push comes with the Rangers missing their half-billion dollar middle infield of two-time World Series MVP shortstop Corey Seager (appendectomy) and second baseman Marcus Semien (broken bone-sprained ligament in left foot). Slugging right fielder Garcia (right quad strain) could potentially return, while outfielders Evan Carter (season-ending right wrist fracture) and Sam Haggerty (left ankle) also are out.

The 29-year-old Latz (2-0), who now has started seven of the 79 games he has pitched in parts of four seasons for the Rangers, has made three starts in a row in what had been the rotation spot of Nathan Eovaldi (11-3, career-best 1.73 ERA) before a right rotator cuff strain put him on the IL.

Texas also has lost pitchers Cody Bradford, Tyler Mahle and Jon Gray to injuries, and deadline addition lefty reliever Danny Coulombe is on the IL with shoulder fatigue.

Latz, a lefty, struck out four, walked one and allowed only three singles against the Brewers.

“What a job he did,” Bochy said.

“Yeah, it’s just a reminder, it doesn’t matter when you’re pitching or what role you’re in, it’s just going out there and executing the pitch,” Latz said. “Being in the bullpen, I’ve said it a a few times, it’s helped me just take each pitch, each batter the same.”

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NHL Officially Closes LTIR Investigation Into Oilers

According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, the Edmonton Oilers are off the hook for whatever it was the NHL was looking into regarding Evander Kane and the team's use of LTIR last season. 

Russo writes, "Bill Daly says the book has been closed on the NHL's examination of the Oilers for Evander Kane's LTIR situation last regular season/playoffs."

Back in June,  NHL insider Frank Seravalli (then of Daily Faceoff) reported it was unclear what is motivating the extra time and resources being put into the investigation, but the NHL was looking at the Oilers and how they managed Kane's LTIR situation.

Insider Projects Nice Season For Oilers' New Wildcard Forward

Kane, who missed the 2024-25 regular season due to two surgeries—one for abdominal and groin issues in September and another in January to remove a knee growth—returned in Game 2 of the Oilers’ first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Kings. The NHL reviewed whether Edmonton violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement by activating Kane in the postseason, when the salary cap does not apply.

Evander Kane celebrates with the Edmonton Oilers. Photo by  © Walter Tychnowicz Imagn Images

While the Oilers provided all the requested medical documentation, the league could have still issued retroactive penalties. No team has been punished for LTIR usage under the cap era, though debate over playoff cap rules continues and there will be changes made to the way teams can use LTIR in the future. 

'Absolutely I Want To Stay In Edmonton': Veteran D-Man On Possible Extension

“Is This Real?” Insider Says McDavid’s Comments Has NHL on Alert

“Everything Is About That”: Insider On McDavid’s Singular Focus“Everything Is About That”: Insider On McDavid’s Singular FocusMcDavid has spoken to the media about his desire to take his time as he contemplates a new contract with the Edmonton Oilers. Many are wondering what he's waiting for. One insider believes he knows.

Kane was traded this summer to the Vancouver Canucks in a cap-clearing deal. 

It's unclear if the Oilers were ever worried about the investigation, but it's no longer an issue for the organization. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.   Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

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Sidney Crosby understands why trade talk surrounds him as the Penguins keep losing

LAS VEGAS — Sidney Crosby is well aware of the trade talk swirling around him, now that he and the Pittsburgh Penguins have gone three seasons without making the playoffs.

Going into another at age 38 with little realistic hope of the team contending, the three-time Stanley Cup champion acknowledged the rumors are now part of his reality, even if he’d rather they not be.

“I understand it,” Crosby said at the NHL player media tour on the Las Vegas Strip. “That’s the hard part about losing. Everybody thinks that the losing is the buzzer goes (off), you lose a game and that sucks, but there’s so much more than that. It’s the turnover. It’s the unknown, the uncertainty, the question marks. That’s the stuff that’s tough.”

A year ago, Crosby signed an extension that keeps him under contract through the 2026-27 season with the only professional organization he has ever known. It came with a team-friendly $8.7 million salary cap hit — the same he has had through 2008 and a nod to his jersey No. 87 — and provides room to build around the face of the franchise.

Instead, the Penguins look to be in rebuilding mode. They sold at the trade deadline in March, and veterans ranging from Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell to Erik Karlsson have been speculated as trade candidates even more realistically than Crosby.

“It hasn’t changed my approach,” Crosby said. “I still go out there trying to win every single game and try to be the best that I can be, and I think that youth and having that energy around you isn’t a bad thing either. We’ve got a lot of hungry guys, a lot of competition for spots. I think you just try to find different things that you can feed off of and still continue to learn through it.”

Crosby has a full no-movement clause, essentially putting him in control of his future. He has been linked to Colorado, where close friend Nathan MacKinnon has the Avalanche as one of the top teams in the Western Conference, and even Montreal, especially after starring there during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

Growing up in Cole Harbor, Nova Scotia, Crosby was a Canadiens fan and mentioned that during the 4 Nations. So, yes, he understands why folks might think he’d want to play there for an organization on the rise in a hockey-crazed market.

“I get it, trust me,” Crosby said, recalling being in Montreal in June early in his time in the league and marveling at how broadcasts were already projecting lineups for the next training camp in September. “They’re so into it, and I get it as to why that would come up and that sort of thing. It doesn’t make it any easier when you’re losing, for sure, to hear those things, but at the same time, to know that a team like that wants you, it’s not the end of the world. It could be worse. I just think that’s part of it.”