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Worldwide Sports News

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Weekly Cupcakes: Brent Burns passes 1,000 consecutive games played

DALLAS, TX - APRIL 4: Brent Burns #84 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center on April 4, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Colorado Avalanche News

  • Canucks rise up to stun the league-leading Avalanche. [Sportsnet]
  • Avs’ Nathan MacKinnon becomes first player this season to reach 50 goals. [TSN]
  • HALO conference in Denver showcases growth of analytics in hockey. [NHL]
  • The Calgary Flames were “humbled” in a 9-2 loss against the Colorado Avalanche. [Calgary Herald]
  • Avalanche signs NCAA free agent prospect DiMarsico. [Colorado Eagles]


News Around the League

  • The drought is finally over, the Buffalo Sabres have officially clinched a playoff spot. [NHL.com]
  • Malkin passes 1,400 points in his historic career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. [NHL.com]
  • Stunning news on Sunday as New York Islanders show Patrick Roy the door and bring in Peter DeBoer. [Ottawa Citizen]
  • NHL, SAP introduce salary cap projector as part of Front Office app. [NHL]
  • Brent Burns’ consecutive games streak reaches a new milestone, approaches NHL record for Avalanche. [Sporting News]
  • Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Scott Oake is retiring. [CBC]

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The Suns let Chicago live in the paint and it almost cost them…again

Apr 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Leonard Miller (11) scores against the Phoenix Suns during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

There was one concern I had heading into Sunday against the Chicago Bulls, and it came straight from the last time these two teams met. You remember it. The Suns could not keep the ball in front, and it turned into a layup line. Guards getting downhill whenever they wanted, no resistance at the point of attack, and everything collapsing from there.

And on Sunday, it showed up again.

Tre Jones lived in the paint. Over and over, he blew by perimeter defenders, got to his spots, and finished clean. He ended with 29 points, 21 of them coming right at the rim. Collin Sexton was not nearly as aggressive this time, and if he had been, this could have looked very different. The Phoenix Suns got the win, but it did not erase the concern.

Because the issue is the same. Containment. Or lack of it.

Jordan Ott rolled with a nine-man rotation, and there was no Rasheer Fleming and no Ryan Dunn. Two players who at least give you a different look defensively. More length, more disruption, more potential resistance either at the point of attack or at the rim.

There was an adjustment early. Jordan Goodwin got the start over Collin Gillespie in an effort to slow things down. But Chicago countered. They screened him out of the action, forced switches, and suddenly it was Devin Booker and Jalen Green trying to contain downhill pressure. That is not a winning formula. Not against guards who are looking to attack every possession. Layer in transition defense, or the lack of it. Phoenix was outscored 28–6 in fast-break points. That is effort, awareness, urgency, all of it. And it turned what should have been manageable into something far more stressful than it needed to be.

They won. That part counts. But the concern does not go away. Because teams are showing you the blueprint. Get downhill, force rotations, live in the paint. And until the Suns prove they can consistently stop it, it is going to keep showing up.

The hope is that the adjustments come. The hope is that the staff sees it, addresses it, and finds a counter. Because if not, these final four games are going to feel the same way, and at some point, you drift into that territory where you mess around and find out.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

Jalen Green was hyper-efficient against the Hornets, which was enough for him to earn Bright Side Baller #6 on the season.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Game 78 against the Bulls. Here are your nominees:

Devin Booker
30 points (9-of-22, 3-of-7 3PT), 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 9-of-10 FT, 1 steal, 1 turnover, +3 +/-

Jalen Green
25 points (11-of-21, 2-of-7 3PT), 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 6 turnovers, +8 +/-

Dillon Brooks
15 points (6-of-15, 1-of-4 3PT), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, 1 block, +10 +/-

Mark Williams
14 points (6-of-8), 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 1 block, +7 +/-

Jordan Goodwin
12 points (5-of-5, 2-of-2 3PT), 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 0 +/-**

Collin Gillespie
9 points (3-of-11, 3-of-8 3PT), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers, 1 block, +13 +/-

Where do you end up?

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The Lakers need much more out of former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton

DALLAS, TX – APRIL 5: Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on April 5, 2026 at American...

Deandre Ayton, you want to be a star?

You viewed joining the Lakers as a golden opportunity to resuscitate your career and rewrite your narrative?

Well, you’ve now become a central figure in the Lakers’ hopes of surviving the first round of the playoffs until Luka Doncic (Grade 2 hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (Grade 2 oblique strain) return from their injuries. 

And so far, not so good. 

Ayton finished with 13 points and four rebounds in the Lakers’ 134-128 loss to the Mavericks on Sunday. 

Five of his teammates outscored him. And four of them outrebounded him, including Luke Kennard, who had a team-high 16 rebounds. The 6-foot-5 Kennard had four-times as many rebounds as the 7-footer?

Come on. 

Ayton has gone from being someone who can sway games from time to time, to someone whom the Lakers desperately need for 48 minutes. 

Things have drastically changed for LA after they lost their top two scorers. 

The 41-year-old James has gone from being the team’s third option to needing to play at a superstar level. Of course, he rose to the occasion, scoring 22 points in the first quarter, the most points he has scored in any quarter this season, en route to finishing with 30 points, a season-high 15 assists and 9 rebounds. 

Ayton finished with 13 points and four rebounds in the Lakers’ 134-128 loss to the Mavericks on Sunday.  Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Kennard had his first triple-double of his career with 15 points and 11 assists to accompany those 16 boards. Jaxson Hayes scored 23 points. Rui Hachimura had 21 points and 7 rebounds.

Ayton needs to take his game to another level, too. 

Let’s not forget that Ayton is the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft. He was picked ahead of Doncic (No. 3) and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 11). 

It’s clear he wants to be a star.  Heck, he made waves in February by exclaiming in the locker room “I’m not no Clint Capela.” But the problem is he’s inconsistent. 

Some nights he’s a ball of energy who uses force on both ends of the court to effortlessly produce double-doubles.  

Other nights? He’s a liability. 

Well, Ayton doesn’t have the luxury of being the latter right now. 

On Sunday, Ayton shot well in the third quarter, scoring 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting, helping the Lakers cut their 22-point hole to two points in that period. But otherwise, he was quiet as a mouse. 

He wants to be known as more than a guy who catches lobs and gets a block or two a game. Well, the Lakers need him to play to his potential right now.

On Sunday, he did that in spurts, which wasn’t enough against the Mavericks, who are in 13th place in the Western Conference with a record of 25-53. 

So, imagine how that would fare against an elite team in the West in the first round of the playoffs?

NBAE via Getty Images

It’s no secret that Ayton’s effort wavers. 

He’s mercurial. He has struggled with moments of immaturity. Sometimes he’s all in. Other times, he’s somewhere else even though he’s in the building. 

Recently, Ayton has been trending in the right direction. 

During the Lakers’ 16-2 run heading into Thursday’s disastrous game against the Thunder in which both Doncic and Reaves suffered injuries, Ayton was starring in his role.

He had embraced playing winning basketball, which meant doing what the Lakers needed as opposed to what he wanted. 

What changed? 

“Felt like I picked up my energy and my focus,” Ayton said March 12. “And, you know, I finally caught up with the team. That’s about it.”

That’s great and all.

But really, that’s the bare minimum.

He needs to make another transition. The Lakers need him to be DominAyton. 

If he could regularly produce 20-and-10 performances, the Lakers have a chance of treading water until they’re complete again. James needs help. Everyone needs to step up, especially a former No. 1 overall pick. 

Ayton can’t take quarters off. He can’t be someone the Lakers hope shows up. He needs to be a force. 

Over the last month, Ayton has been getting credit for putting in the requisite effort. That no longer moves the needle. He needs to dominate. 

He doesn’t want to be compared to Clint Capela?

It’s now or never for him.

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Bruins' playoff odds still great, but lack of scoring is huge concern

Bruins' playoff odds still great, but lack of scoring is huge concern originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins have not yet secured a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and a lackluster weekend that included a regulation loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning and an overtime defeat to the Philadelphia Flyers didn’t do much to help their cause.

However, their chances of achieving that feat over the next week still remain pretty high.

HockeyStats’ model gives the Bruins a 98 percent chance of reaching the postseason. MoneyPuck’s model gives the Bruins a 98 percent chance, too.

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Four games remain on the Bruins’ regular season schedule, and none of them can be described as “easy”.

The Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes host the B’s on Tuesday. The Bruins play the Tampa Bay Lightning at home Saturday, before finishing up against a desperate Columbus Blue Jackets on the road Sunday and then hosting the New Jersey Devils next Tuesday.

Here’s what the wild card standings look like. It’s still mathematically possible for the Bruins to finish as a top-three team in the Atlantic Division, but the chances of that scenario unfolding are extremely small.

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The B’s have a good cushion over the teams outside the wild card spots, and they hold the regulation wins tiebreaker over the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets.

It would take a pretty significant collapse by the Bruins, plus other teams getting red hot, for Boston to miss the playoffs.

One thing that has helped the Bruins of late is the other teams around them haven’t played great over the last week or so. The Islanders have lost four straight games and fired head coach Patrick Roy on Sunday. The Red Wings have lost six of their last 10 games and the Blue Jackets are on a six-game losing streak.

The Bruins have lost three straight games, and a lackluster offense is largely to blame for those poor results. The No. 1 concern with the Bruins coming into the season was whether they could score enough goals to be competitive. But in a surprising twist, the offense has largely been a huge positive for this team all season, including the power play. The Bruins entered the Olympic break ranked sixth in goals scored per game and third in power-play percentage.

But since the Olympic break, the B’s rank 20th in goals scored per game and 26th in power-play percentage. This downturn offensively was expected to some degree. The B’s have ranked near the top of the league in goals scored above expected all season. Several players on the team have had career-high (or close to it) shooting percentages.

Morgan Geekie has scored a career-high 34 goals this season, which leads the team, but he hasn’t found the back of the net in 17 consecutive games. His last goal was March 5.

The analytics suggested the B’s would regress a bit offensively, and we might be seeing that unfold right now.

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This scoring regression might have come too late to derail the Bruins’ chances of reaching the playoffs, but it could hurt them significantly in the first round.

The most likely Round 1 matchup for the B’s is the Hurricanes, per HockeyStats.

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Carolina has allowed the fewest shot attempts, the fewest shots on goal, the third-fewest scoring chances and the 12th-fewest high-danger chances at 5-on-5 this season, per Natural Stat Trick. The Hurricanes are very structured defensively, they’re well coached and they’re disciplined (fewest penalties taken among East teams in a playoff spot).

Add it all up, and that’s a pretty unfavorable matchup for a team like the Bruins that’s really struggling to score.

Goaltending is often the deciding factor in the playoffs, and Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman arguably has been the best player at his position this season. That gives the B’s a huge advantage over a lot of teams. But great goaltending only goes so far. You have to be able to score goals and take advantage of the opponent’s mistakes with a good power play.

That’s why the Bruins’ latest scoring woes are a concern. If it doesn’t get fixed, their playoff run (assuming they make it) could be pretty short.

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NHL power rankings: Two teams make coaching changes down stretch

The competition to nail down a playoff berth is intense, so much that two NHL teams have fired their coaches down the stretch.

Bruce Cassidy was the first to go, with the third-place Vegas Golden Knights replacing the 2023 Stanley Cup winner with John Tortorella on March 29 with eight games to go. That followed a 1-4-2 slide that since has been turned down around.

Then the New York Islanders made their bid for a coaching change bump on Sunday, April 5, with four games left. Patrick Roy is out and veteran Peter DeBoer is in following a four-game losing streak. The Islanders were in third place at the time of the announcement but dropped below the playoff line on the same day. DeBoer, who took the Dallas Stars to the last three Western Conference finals, makes his Islanders debut on Thursday, April 9.

Here are the latest USA TODAY NHL power rankings with 10 days left in the regular season:

NHL power rankings

All statistics and standings information are through April 5. Figure in parentheses is the change from the most recent power rankings two weeks ago.

1. Colorado Avalanche (0)

Defenseman Brent Burns has played in 1,001 consecutive games, just the second NHL player to reach an ironman streak of 1,000 games. The recordholder is Phil Kessel (1,064).

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (+4)

The Lightning lead the Atlantic Division heading into the week after a 7-1-2 run. They face the second-place Sabres on Monday, April 6 and third-place Canadiens on April 9.

3. Carolina Hurricanes (0)

The Hurricanes are in position to clinch a division title for the first time since 2023. They missed an opportunity to do so on April 5 and their next chance is on Wednesday, April 7.

4. Dallas Stars (-2)

The Stars are trending toward playing the Wild in the first round, but their hold on home-ice advantage has shrunk because of a 2-5-2 slide. They play Minnesota, which is two points back, on April 9.

5. Buffalo Sabres (-1)

The Sabres have ended their 14-season playoff drought, a league record. The team started surging after changing general managers but have gone through a 2-3-2 mini-slump heading into their April 6 game against the Lightning.

6. Montreal Canadiens (+1)

The Canadiens' eight-game winning streak came to an end when they were shut out by the Devils. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki combined for 31 points during the streak.

7. Minnesota Wild (-2)

Kirill Kaprizov has hit the 40-goal mark for the fourth time in the last five seasons and added a hat trick on April 5. Matt Boldy also has 40 goals for the first time in his career.

8. Pittsburgh Penguins (+1)

The Penguins have pulled closer to ending a three-season playoff drought after they outscored the Panthers 14-6 in a weekend sweep.

9. Boston Bruins (-2)

David Pastrnak needs three points to record his fourth consecutive 100-point season.

10. Ottawa Senators (+5)

Brady Tkachuk scored twice in an April 5 win against Carolina as the Senators held onto the second wild-card spot in the East. Two days earlier, he was fined $2,500 for slashing an opponent from the bench.

11. Philadelphia Flyers (+5)

Victories against the Islanders and Bruins allowed the Flyers to jump from out of a playoff position to third in the Metropolitan Division. Porter Martone scored his first NHL goal in overtime to seal the win against Boston.

12. Utah Mammoth (+1)

The Mammoth are trending toward finishing in the first wild-card spot in the West. If they do, they would go through the weaker Pacific Division in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

13. Edmonton Oilers (+6)

The Oilers have gone 5-3 without injured No. 2 scorer Leon Draisaitl to move into the Pacific Division lead. Connor McDavid has 12 points in that stretch.

14. Columbus Blue Jackets (-4)

The Rick Bowness coaching bump has been slipping away with the Blue Jackets going 3-6-1 in their last 10 games. They have the fewest regulation wins, the first tiebreaker, of the teams within two points of the final playoff spot in the East. Damon Severson had season-ending shoulder surgery.

15. Anaheim Ducks (-3)

The Ducks have lost four in a row as Edmonton passed them for the Pacific Division lead on a tiebreaker. They remain in good position to end a seven-season playoff drought.

16. Vegas Golden Knights (+2)

The Golden Knights have won three in a row under coach John Tortorella after the firing of Bruce Cassidy. That includes a 5-1 win against the Oilers that pulled Vegas within a point of the Pacific Division lead.

17. New York Islanders (-6)

The Islanders dropped from third in the Metropolitan Division to out of a playoff position on April 5. New coach Peter DeBoer has four games to try to get the team into the postseason.

18. Detroit Red Wings (-4)

The Red Wings enter the week only two points out of a playoff spot but have lost six of their last eight games. They are trying to end a nine-season postseason drought, which is the NHL's longest after the Sabres clinched a playoff spot.

19. Washington Capitals (-2)

The Capitals were in position to potentially move into a playoff position on April 5 before they were crushed 8-1 by the Rangers.

20. Nashville Predators (0)

The Predators moved into the second wild-card spot in the West after beating the Kings and Sharks in recent games. They face those teams once each down the stretch, including the Kings on April 6.

21. New Jersey Devils (0)

Jacob Markstrom picked up his first shutout of the season to end the Canadiens' eight-game winning streak.

22. Los Angeles Kings (0)

The Kings will try to move into the second wild-card spot with a win against the Predators on April 6. The team has gone 7-5-5 under interim coach D.J. Smith.

23. San Jose Sharks (0)

The Sharks followed a six-game losing streak with a four-game winning streak to move into the second wild-card spot, but they dropped out after a loss to the Predators.

24. St. Louis Blues (+4)

The Blues have pulled within three points of a playoff spot with a 6-1-1 run. Robert Thomas has 12 points in that span, including his first career hat trick.

25. Winnipeg Jets (+1)

Olympic hero and reigning MVP Connor Hellebuyck is still looking for his first shutout of the season after getting a league-best eight last season.

26. Toronto Maple Leafs (+1)

The Maple Leafs' nine-season playoff streak is over. Before they were officially eliminated, they fired general manager Brad Treliving.

27. Florida Panthers (-2)

The Panthers' championship run is over as they were eliminated on Saturday, April 4, after a season-long crush of injuries. They had reached the last three Stanley Cup finals and won the last two.

28. Seattle Kraken (-4)

The Kraken were in a playoff spot heading into the Olympics, but have gone 5-11-2 since to drop six points back.

29. New York Rangers (+1)

The Rangers have been eliminated from the playoffs but have won five of their last six games.

30. Calgary Flames (-1)

The Flames were crushed 9-2 by the Avalanche and lost 6-3 to the Golden Knights, then played spoiler with a win against the Ducks.

31. Chicago Blackhawks (0)

Connor Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, has set career highs with 30 goals and 71 points despite missing 12 games with a shoulder injury.

32. Vancouver Canucks (0)

The Canucks have clinched 32nd overall in the NHL, giving them the best draft lottery odds. They have an 18.5% chance of winning outright and 25.5% odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick. Being last didn't help last year when the Islanders won the lottery with 3.5% odds.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL power rankings: Playoff drive includes coaching changes

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There’s only one appropriate response to the way the Red Sox have started the 2026 season

Apr 5, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth (9) tags Boston Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela (3) out during the seventh inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

This isn’t a cop-out blog. I truly feel this way.

I could sit here and give you fancy-dancy analysis, couldn’t I? I have done that before and I will do so again. I don’t think a 2-7 Red Sox start calls for that type of article, though.

I’ve also done this crashout before. Dan Secatore, my fearless leader, has OK’d this before. I feel like I can only pull this move out every few years. Maybe to the uninitiated this type of prose is seen as juvenile, but I feel like I might be speaking for the masses here.

The only other time I’ve done so: August 2023. Not a good year for the Red Sox, perhaps, but I dunno what 2023 me was complaining about. Seems like we were on a relatively good run after the All-Star break up until one bad week. I can’t say for sure what made me snap on that day.

Maybe I was stressed leading up to my wedding day? That’s the only thing I can imagine, in hindsight, that was hindering my judgement.

Well, as a firmly married man right now, my mind is clear. I can feel comfortable with playing this card. I don’t get the chance to play it often—and the fact that I’m playing it in early April is awful for all of us—but it feels right to do so.

I’m playing the AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA card.

It’s Monday Morning Brushback time, y’all.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaa.

CAN OUR NINE FIGURE PITCHER GET THROUGH FIVE INNINGS IN AN OK STATE? IS THAT ASKING TOO MUCH????? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFUCKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABASEBAALLFUCKINGSUCKSAAAAAAAAAAAAAA GOD FUCKING DAMNIT AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFUCKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAa

I EVEN TRIED GETTING MY DOG TO TYPE ON THE KEYBOARD JUST NOW BUT HE WONT EVEN GIVE THIS TEAM THE TIME OF DAY. HE IS RIGHT TO DO SO. FUCK. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAa.

IF A DOG DOESN’T EVEN WANNA AIR HIS FRUSTRATIONS THEN IS THIS TEAM EVEN WORTH THE TIME OF DAY JESUS CHRIST.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

REALLY ANNOYING FUCKING TEAM. FUCK. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAasdf(my beloved wife stole some blanket from me, so that typo stays in, anyways) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAa

STUPID MISTAKES ON THE DIAMOND. HOW MANY OF THEM DO WE HAVE TO SIT THROUGH. AT WHAT POINT DO WE START ASKING TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO IS DRIVING THE SHIP. WE ARE CONSISTENTLY BRAIN DEAD WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDAMENTALS COMING OUT OF SPRING TRAINING. FUCK. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I AM NOT ONE TO CALL EVERYTHING A WRAP IN EARLY APRIL BUT JESUS CHRIST THIS TEAM IS GIVING ME ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY NOTHING TO MAKE ME THINK OTHER WISE. THE STARTING PITCHING ISN’T STEPPING UP. THE BULLPEN IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. THE OFFENSE LOOKS, RELATIVELY SPEAKING, AIMLESS.

THE SEASON STARTED ALREADY, GUYS. I CAN TRY TO BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OUR OFFENSIVE OUTPUT (I still think we can get on base a lot) AND OUR PITCHING (please just don’t hang as many cookies with two strikes!!!! I feel like half of the damage this season has come with two strikes!!!!) AND YOU WILL BE OK. GROW THE FUCK UP, THOUGH!!!!! GROW UP!!!!!! DON’T LEAVE ALL OF YOUR SCORING TO ONE FUCKING INNING. JESUS!!!!!!!!!!! GROW UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!! BE BASEBALL PLAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!! THE SEASON STARTED!!!!!! YOU ARE A TEAM A LOT OF PEOPLE PUT STOCK IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GROW UP!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Song of the Week: “Somebody Kill Me Please” by Adam Sandler

The Cure is great, in his defense.

One more for the road, because I might as well: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

Talk to you next week. Go Sox.

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Pete DeBoer Brings Elite Playoff Pedigree To Islanders

"The Isles replaced a coach who won 97 games for them with a coach who has 97 playoff wins." 

Those were the fine words of New York Islanders statistician Eric Hornick, who dropped that line in Monday morning's 'The Skinny' after Pete DeBoer was hired to replace Patrick Roy. 

DeBoer has an impeccable track record as an NHL coach.

Over his 17 seasons behind an NHL bench -- this latest hiring means 18 straight seasons as an NHL head coach -- DeBoer has made the playoffs 10 times.

After only making the playoffs once in his first five seasons behind the bench -- he fell to the Los Angeles Kings in the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals -- he's made the playoffs in nine of the last 11 seasons -- he didn't make it through the 2019-20 season with the San Jose Sharks before they cut bait. 

DeBoer's teams have all won at least one round in his last seven playoff appearances, the latest being the Dallas Stars in 2025, who fell in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. 

So, to sum things up, DeBoer has coached in the playoffs 10 times. He's made it past the first round nine times, the second round eight times, and has fallen in the finals twice. 

The question, with four games to go, is whether he can get the Islanders to the playoffs with the odds against them.

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‘Mum, I have to go to Moscow as I am fighting a bear’: Makhmudov on Russia’s grizzlies, God and Tyson Fury

The heavyweight from Dagestan now lives in Canada and describes Saturday’s opponent as the ‘professor’ of boxing

“This guy is the professor,” Arslanbek Makhmudov says of Tyson Fury as he looks forward politely to their fight on Saturday night at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. There is none of the usual bluster and malice of heavyweight boxing as the huge Russian from Dagestan shows considerable respect for the former world champion who is making yet another comeback to the ring.

“Tyson Fury is the professor of mind and boxing,” Makhmudov continues in his functional but effective English. “A lot of boxing is mental and he is a master. But boxing is also spiritual. I am going to be strong, spiritual and smart. You can say this is a war between mental and spiritual and we’ll see who is more successful. Inshallah it is spiritual.”

Continue reading...
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2026 Brewers Week in Review: Week 2

Apr 5, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (2) celebrates with team mates in the dugout after scoring against the Kansas City Royals during the seventh inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Last Week’s Results

  • Monday: Rays 3, Brewers 2
  • Tuesday: Brewers 6, Rays 2
  • Wednesday: Brewers 8, Rays 2
  • Thursday: Off Day
  • Friday: Postponed (Rescheduled to Saturday doubleheader)
  • Saturday, Game 1: Brewers 5, Royals 2
  • Saturday, Game 2: Royals 8, Brewers 2
  • Sunday: Brewers 8, Royals 5

Division Standings

  • Brewers: 7-2
  • Pirates: 6-3
  • Reds: 6-3
  • Cardinals: 5-4
  • Cubs: 4-5

Last Week

  • Brewers: 4-2
  • Pirates: 5-1
  • Reds: 4-2
  • Cardinals: 3-3
  • Cubs: 3-3

Top Pitching Performance of the Week

Kyle Harrison got off to a great start in a Brewer uniform. Over two starts against the Rays and Royals, Harrison spanned 10 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and striking out a team-high 14 batters.

Top Hitting Performance of the Week

There was no clear hitting performance this week, as seven different players had four-plus hits this week, but none had more than six. Even so, Garrett Mitchell had a huge day on Saturday across Milwaukee’s doubleheader, but specifically in game one. In the 5-2 victory, Mitchell went 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, and all five RBIs, a career-high for him. He added another RBI in the night game for a three-hit, six-RBI day in total. He finished the week with five hits, including four extra-base hits, driving in eight.

Injury Notes & Roster Moves

  • The busy news day of the week came on Monday. First, the Brewers acquired outfielder Luis Matos from the Giants, sending cash considerations the other way after he was designated for assignment. To make space on the 40-man roster, left-hander Sammy Peralta was designated for assignment by Milwaukee, while Jeferson Quero, who made his MLB debut on Sunday, was optioned to Triple-A Nashville to make space on the active roster. Peralta was claimed by the Rockies on Saturday.
  • Later in the afternoon, Milwaukee’s No. 4 prospect, shortstop Cooper Pratt, reportedly agreed to an eight-year, $50.75 million extension with a pair of options that could keep him in the organization through 2035. After the extension was officially announced on Friday, Pratt was added to the 40-man roster. Outfielder Steward Berroa was designated for assignment as the corresponding move, while Pratt will remain in Triple-A Nashville for the time being.
  • Lastly, RHP Logan Henderson was recalled as the team’s 27th man for Saturday’s doubleheader, making the start (2 IP, 2 ER, 3 K) before being sent back to Nashville after the game.

On Deck

  • Monday: @ Red Sox (5:45 p.m.)
  • Tuesday: @ Red Sox (5:45 p.m.)
  • Wednesday: @ Red Sox (12:35 p.m.)
  • Thursday: Off Day
  • Friday: vs. Nationals (6:40 p.m.) — Wisconsin First Friday
  • Saturday: vs. Nationals (6:10 p.m.) — Miz Trading Card Bobblehead Giveaway
  • Sunday: vs. Nationals (1:10 p.m.) — Wiffle Ball Set Giveaway (Kids)
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Bastoni turns Inter jeers to joy after World Cup heartbreak and ‘ugly’ wobble | Nicky Bandini

Targeted after Italy’s failure and for his dive in the Derby d’Italia, Alessandro Bastoni returned to form against Roma

Italy were too afraid to play a World Cup qualifying playoff at San Siro, hosting their semi-final against Northern Ireland in Bergamo instead. Gennaro Gattuso explained it as a choice to protect his players, noting that the nation’s biggest football stadium was home to two rival clubs – Milan and Internazionale – and suggesting this dynamic might lead fans there to turn more quickly on players who struggled.

Instead, on Sunday, it was San Siro that offered comfort to one who has become the scapegoat for yet another collective failure. Italy made it past Northern Ireland only to lose to Bosnia on penalties in Zenica. Alessandro Bastoni’s first-half red card, at a time when his country were winning 1-0, was a pivotal moment in the game and perhaps his entire career.

Continue reading...
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Canadiens’ Winning Streak Comes To Grinding Halt

After beating the New Jersey Devils in extremis at the Prudential Center on Saturday night, the Montreal Canadiens were hosting them on Sunday night at the Bell Centre. By the time the puck dropped, the Habs had clinched their playoff spot, thanks to the Detroit Red Wings losing to the Minnesota Wild earlier in the day. That didn’t mean the pressure was gone. Captain Nick Suzuki said earlier this week that the Habs wanted first place, not eighth place, and they are right in the mix for that in the Atlantic Division and in the Eastern Conference.

However, that’s not what the fans in attendance were thinking about. They all had one thing in mind: seeing Cole Caufield score his 50th of the season. There were even more number 13 jerseys out there, plenty of signs about the impending milestone, and someone had even bought nig inflatable 5-0 golden balloons. When the sniper was shown on the Jumbotron during the warm-up, the crowd erupted in applause, and when he had his first shift, they were all chanting his name. It’s a good thing that he doesn’t mind playing under pressure.

Canadiens Are Off To The Races
Montreal Canadiens Legend Fired By Islanders
Canadiens Play With Fire But Escape With The Two Points

A Distraction?

While the players have been adamant that they all think about the team first and foremost, for a second game in a row, it looked like they were desperately trying to get the puck to Caufield, and it wasn’t always because he was the best option or even open.

Of course, the team’s results have to come first, but it feels like the players want Caufield to reach 50, and the sooner he does, the better off the Canadiens will be. Asked about it, coach Martin St-Louis explained:

I think you can see that the guys are really looking for him out there. I think it does affect the continuity of certain plays. I have full confidence that he will score 50. We would have liked it to be tonight for many reasons, including moving on from it and giving that to the crowd. It would have been fine to give them that tonight. I went through it, it’s normal.
- St-Louis on his men and the Caufield 50-goal chase

Lack Of Shots

After 40 minutes, the Canadiens had a total of eight shots, four per period. That wasn’t going to allow Caufield, or anyone on the team, to score, for that matter. At least in the first frame, they had only four shots that reached the net, but they also had 15 more shot attempts that were blocked or missed. There was some urgency in their offensive game.

That wasn’t the case in the middle frame; on top of only testing Markstrom four times, they only had six attempts that didn’t reach him. On their one power play opportunity, they didn’t even get a shot on goal and allowed two odd-man rushes. When your goaltender is your best player on the penalty kill, it’s good news, but not so much when he is on the power play.

The Canadiens had a bit more jump in the final frame, and they got to spend a lot of time on the power play, but they couldn’t make anything of it.

Expect More Of The Same

Will the Canadiens change their approach now that they have clinched a playoff spot? That’s highly unlikely because they still have plenty to play for. When St-Louis was asked how it would affect the way he manages his bench and his lineup, he explained:

I don’t think it’s going to change much. We’re still in a place where we can win our division and get home-ice advantage. To lower your level and wait for the playoffs and then say right we need to kick it into gear now, it’s a trap you’ve got to be wary of. If guys are nursing ailments, that’s one thing. I’m proud of the guys, we’ve reached our goal, but now we have the opportunity not to be satisfied with doing that, we can go and get something even bigger.

The Canadiens' winning streak ended at eight triumphs in a row with a 3-0 loss to the Devils, but after enjoying a day off on Monday, they’ll put their working boots back on and keep on fighting for the best rank in the standings possible.

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Kevin Korchinski Has Been Excellent In Recent NHL Stint With Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks selected Kevin Korchinski with the 7th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. He was their first pick of three in the first round, as Frank Nazar and Sam Rinzel were selected later on the same night. All three are on Chicago’s roster and playing every game. 

Matt Grzelcyk and Artyom Levshunov have been ruled out for the season, so Korchinski was called up and will continue playing a lot as long as he stays healthy. In this recent stint in the NHL, he has been wonderful. 

On Saturday night against the Seattle Kraken, Korchinski had one of his best games as a pro. The Blackhawks won 4-2, and he was one of many players who played a key role in the victory. 

For one, Korchinski had one point, a primary assist on Sacha Boisvert’s first career NHL goal. On the play, Korchinski joined the rush from the back end and sent it to the slot, where Boisvert found it and released it. It was an important play, as the goal stood up as the game-winner. 

In addition to the assist, Korchinski was an impactful player in all three zones. He closed gaps, used his incredible skating to make plays on offense and defense, and looked every bit like the high-end puck mover that he was drafted to become. 

Whether it was creating scoring chances, or anything positive in the offensive zone, or making it difficult for the opposition to get any momentum in their attack, Korchinski had an especially good performance against the Kraken. The advanced analytics show he was right there with Alex Vlasic and Sam Rinzel (Chicago's top pair in the game) in terms of overall impact. 

"He's not over-complicating it," head coach Jeff Blashill said of Korchinski. "He's using his feet to beat pressure, but then he's moving the puck to the open people. When he does that and defends with his feet, he's been a really good player."

Korchinski's name wasn't completely removed from trade talks ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. They obviously never received a package worth parting with him for, and they may be thankful for that in the coming years. 

Whenever a defenseman is still considered young, and Korchinski is 21 years old, or they've played less than 200 games in the NHL, Korchinski has 100 exactly, you can't make long-term judgments. It is the most difficult position to be elite at in the game, and it takes time for most of these prospects to take a step at the NHL level. 

Not every high draft pick can be amazing right away like Rasmus Dahlin or Matthew Schaefer. Even Cale Makar, Zach Werenski, and Quinn Hughes needed development one way or another. 

Korchinski may end up failing to be an impactful player regularly, but that should not be assumed just because things were difficult over the last few seasons. He has five more NHL games before 2025-26 is over to show why they may want to hang onto him.

If he plays as well as he has so far since this latest call-up, management will have some difficult decisions to make this summer with him being a pending RFA. 

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Mets Daily Prospect Report, 4/6/26: Okay, Cluff guy

JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 27: Jackson Cluff #85 of the New York Mets at bat during a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (5-4)

SYRACUSE 5, TOLEDO 4 (BOX)

As I was sitting down to start typing this report up yesterday afternoon, I took a quick look at Gameday and saw that the score was tied 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth. Barely a minute later, when I opened MS Word to start writing this, I looked over at my phone and the score was 4-3. Jackson Cluff walk-off! Carl Edwards Jr. didn’t pitch too bad in his five innings of work, but the Syracuse offense wasn’t able to crack Toledo starter Carlos Pena and they found themselves down all afternoon. Jonathan Pintaro allowed two more in the top of the sixth, and the way the offense was playing, it very well could’ve been a 3-0 final. Showing a little intestinal fortitude, Syracuse strung together a bunch of hits and plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth, and then in the bottom of the ninth, Ji Hwan Bae doubled and Cluff drove him in with his second homer of the season and his second in as many days.

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (1-1)

POSTPONED (RAIN)

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (0-2)

POSTPONED (RAIN)

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (2-1)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

Rookie: FCL Mets (0-0)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Jackson Cluff

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Jonathan Pintaro

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Phillies news: Brandon Marsh, Gage Wood, Hunter Brown

Apr 5, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh (16) breaks his bat on a swing in the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

You had to think that a weekend in Colorado would help the offense a bit. Then they went and scored three runs in two games. I can’t figure this offense out just yet.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

MLB news:

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Orioles news: Swept out of Pittsburgh

Apr 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) looks on from the dugout against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! It was not a happy weekend for the Orioles, who limped out of Pittsburgh after being swept. That was after losing two out of three to the Rangers, making them losers of five of their last six. It’s not really how any of us imagined the season starting.

Yesterday’s game was particularly painful. Chris Bassitt pitched his second clunker in as many tries and exited after six runs allowed in just two innings. He may have stayed in longer if he hadn’t been hit in the leg by a 112 mph line drive, certainly. The offense had eight hits, but just two runs. Poor Samuel Basallo struck out four times. You can get all of the grisly details in Paul Folkemer’s game recap.

Last night, I was reading the comments in the game recap and in the game thread, and it got me thinking about letting a sports team make you totally miserable. Because if you read the comments, it seems that people are miserable and very angry. I get it. I have watched more bad baseball in my life than I have good, and I have been a very invested and very online fan for most of it. It’s so easy to let what happens out there affect your mood.

No doubt many of you remember the 2010 season. Nobody expected the Orioles to be good that year, but also nobody expected them to start the year 2-16. Back in those olden days I was running Camden Chat before the current site manager, Mark, took over. He’s much better at it than I ever was, by the way. Sometimes my game recaps wouldn’t go up until like midnight because I got busy watching reruns of The Golden Girls or something.

I was so deep into the Orioles in 2010 that the 2-16 stretch of baseball made me entirely miserable. I turned on the game every night. I watched Ty Wigginton and César Izturis and Corey Patterson stink up the basepaths. I watched Kevin Millwood give up a billion runs and Jake Arrieta underperform. I was deep into it. I could tell you everything about those teams. And I hated it. I hated the Orioles. And they weren’t even supposed to be good!

Not long after that 2-16 stretch (maybe around 7-18 or so), I realized I needed to stop being so miserable about the Orioles. Why was I letting myself get angry? What was the point? There had to be something redeeming about being a fan of a bad baseball team. Otherwise, why do it?

I think the answer to what is redeeming is different for everyone. For me, there is community in baseball fandom. Does it suck to watch the Orioles lose and struggle? Of course it does. But we’re all doing it together. Just like we’re all doing it together when the Orioles play well and hit a bunch of dingers and have a lot of fun. Camden Chat has always been a place where the community matters and where people get together during a game to be happy or mad or whatever the situation calls for.

Also, for me, I find some meaning in the players themselves. A lot of internet commenters are quick to call players “garbage” or ascribe some motivations (or lack thereof) to players, and it makes me uncomfortable. Those people will say they are just being fans, and I guess that is true. But how can you really be a fan of a team if you hate all the players? If you think they are all lazy or arrogant or stupid? When your first instinct is to trash them?

I’m not saying I don’t have a lot of emotions about the Orioles. I have never been so high as I was after game two of the 2014 ALDS. I’m dying to feel that again. And I felt incredibly sad about leaving Camden Yards after the 2024 Wild Card series. But I don’t think you get to either of those places by spending six months being aggressive and angry. It’s deeper than that.

I just wrote a lot of words that don’t have much to do with the team the Orioles are fielding right now, so thanks for indulging me. But it does have to do with the nature of being an Orioles fan, and if they truly prompt you to be angry and mean, maybe that’s something to examine. Or if you only want to shout into the void when things are going poorly but don’t want to celebrate when they’re not, why is that?

Anyway. The Orioles start a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox tonight at Guaranteed Rate Field. The starting pitcher is TBD but it’s expected to be a bullpen game kicked off by Albert Suárez. Not exactly what we hoped for in game 10 of the season, but here we are.

Links

O’s turn focus to fundamentals & execution amid tough start to ’26 – MLB.com
Quick question: why weren’t they already focusing on that?

Bassitt exits early, Albernaz ejected, Orioles swept in Pittsburgh with 8-2 loss – MASN Sports
Roch Kubatko has the story rundown along with quotes from players and Craig Albernaz.

Orioles manager Craig Albernaz is ejected for first time in career – The Baltimore Banner
Home plate umpire James Jean refused to grant multiple Orioles hitters a timeout when requested against a very quick-working Braxton Ashcroft. Albernaz spoke up, and Jean was quick with the hook.

Birthdays and History

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have just one Orioles birthday buddy. Danny Clyburn was born on this day in 1974. Clyburn was an outfielder who appeared in two games with the Orioles in 1997 and 11 games in 1998. His only other MLB experience came with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999. Clyburn was tragically shot and killed in an argument with a neighbor in 2012.

On this day in 1973, the Orioles defeated the Brewers on Opening Day by a score of 10-0. Brooks Robinson hit two home runs. Don Baylor had a home run and three doubles. And Dave McNally allowed just three hits.

In 1992, the Orioles played their first game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards and defeated Cleveland, 2-0. Rick Sutcliffe pitched a complete game, five-hitter. Chris Hoiles and Billy Ripken had RBIs for the Orioles.

In 1997, the Orioles lost their first game of the season after starting 4-0. Mike Mussina allowed seven runs in just four innings, his worst start of the year.

In 2009, the Orioles celebrated Opening Day with a 10-5 victory over the Yankees. Jeremy Guthrie earned the win with the classic QS (6 IP, 3 ER). Brian Roberts and Adam Jones each had three hits as the 1-2 batters in the lineup. Roberts hit the first of his 56 doubles of the season and Jones hit the first of 19 home runs.

And one year ago today, the Orioles lost to the Royals, 4-1. Cade Povich allowed all four runs, but just one was earned thanks to an error by centerfielder Jorge Mateo. The Orioles scored their only run when Ryan Mountcastle reached on an E9 and came in to score on a passed ball.