If the Philadelphia Flyers learned anything from training camp and the short NHL preseason, it's that they cannot depend on Aleksei Kolosov for any reason in the event of an injury to fellow goalies Dan Vladar and Joseph Woll.
Throughout their NHL careers, durability has been a question mark for Vladar and Woll, and the Flyers' depth was tested early in the preseason when Vladar suffered an innocuous upper-body injury in Game 3 against Boston, putting him out of commission for a few days.
And, while Vladar is seemingly trending in the right direction for opening night against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Kolosov's performances were bad enough to force the Flyers to reconsider their No. 3 goalie of choice before the start of the regular season.
It would be inadvisable, at this point, for the Flyers to pay up draft capital or other assets for a reserve goalie, though other avenues, namely the NHL waiver wire, remain at their disposal.
And, fortunately for the Flyers, there are actually a few decent enough options available to them to fill the No. 3 goalie role, bumping Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason each down one peg.
On Sunday afternoon, with opening night rosters due Monday night, a number of noteworthy goalies were placed on waivers around the league, headlined by Czech veterans Vitek Vanecek and David Rittich.
Rittich, 34, was placed on waivers by New Jersey on Sunday with the club claiming goalie Remi Poirier off the waiver wire from Dallas, and the veteran is certifiably the best option available to the Flyers.
Rittich should be Flyers' top choice
The longtime NHL backup has had stops with Nashville, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, Ontario (AHL), the New York Islanders, and now New Jersey over the last six seasons, and most recently went 14-10-3 in 30 games for the Islanders last season with a .894 save percentage, a 2.76 GAA, and two shutouts as Ilya Sorokin's understudy.
The fact that New Jersey waived Rittich in favor of Poirier, Nico Daws, and Jake Allen might deter other NHL teams from claiming him to be their No. 2, and he, like the other goalies we'll discuss, will need to pass through waivers a second time to be stashed in Lehigh Valley.
David Rittich is easily the best depth goalie available to the Flyers at this time. (Photo: David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
Rittich shouldn't have any issues finding a new home somewhere in the league, though the Flyers would be wise to at least attempt to snag and stash the big Czech goalie.
As for Vanecek, the 30-year-old never quite rebounded from a brutal 2023 playoff run with New Jersey, and he's had a save percentage no higher than .890 at the NHL level since the 2022-23 season.
At the same time, he boasts a career .900 save percentage in 210 NHL regular season games across eight seasons, and behind a good Devils team, Vanecek finished the 2022-23 season with a 33-11-4 record, a 2.45 GAA, a .911 save percentage, and three shutouts.
The lows can be low for Vanecek, but the highs can be high, especially when the game is simplified for him as the Flyers did with Vladar last year, to smashing success.
Vanecek's poor 5-13-3 record with Utah last year makes it unlikely other teams will be vying for his services, but for the Flyers, he's an obvious, experienced, and more proven candidate to be the No. 3 goalie, and far less likely than Kolosov to outright lose a game for the team.
The most intriguing name at the goalie position to hit the NHL waiver wire on Sunday was Nikita Tolopilo, a 26-year-old, 6-foot-6 netminder from Belarus who made his NHL debut for the Vancouver Canucks in 2025 under current Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.
Tolopilo is a recent Calder Cup champion who split the 2025-26 season nearly evenly with Vancouver and AHL Abbotsford, going 6-11-2 with a 3.61 GAA and .881 save percentage on an awful Canucks team.
For an Abbotsford team that was equally bad (and had just one 20-goal-scorer), Tolopilo was 8-8-3 with a 3.07 GAA and .897 save percentage.
Certainly, the raw stats aren't very impressive, though Tolopilo has plenty of pro experience between the KHL, AHL, NHL, and HockeyAllsvenskan, and his familiarity with Tocchet and his systems works in his favor, too.
Tolopilo, like Poirier, is a fringe NHLer who could take on an opportunity elsewhere, and landing as a No. 3 goalie with the Flyers would be a good gig for him. Plus, he would get to reunite with fellow countrymen and former teammates Kolosov and Danila Klimovich, which should make for some quick and easy chemistry in Allentown.
The towering Tolopilo is older, bigger, and better than Kolosov and profiles more similarly to Vladar and Woll, which should make him an obvious option for the Flyers if they can't land someone else more seasoned at the NHL level.
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! The 2026 regular season has ended. And for the Orioles, the end of the season was a literal washout. Yesterday’s game between the Orioles and Yankees was technically delayed for about three hours yesterday, but I think we all knew the game wasn’t going to be played. The weather in New York was too severe and for the duration of the delay, the Yankees never even submitted a lineup.
But they had to pretend the game might be played, because MLB had just sent the Red Sox down to Tampa to play a game against the Cubs due to the same storm. So now the Yankees have an extra day off ahead of the Wild Card series in New York. I’m not saying it was a conspiracy. But I’m not saying it’s not a conspiracy.
Going into yesterday, there were two playoff spots yet to be finalized. The AL West had to be determined, as did the final spot on the NL Wild Card race. The Astros won and head to the playoffs with an 81-81 record. And the Phillies, who had almost frittered away their playoff spot, won to keep it at the last minute.
There is no baseball today. The Wild Card round kicks off tomorrow with four games.
But not for the Orioles. For the Orioles, the off-season begins today. And they have a lot of things to work on. If I were going to pick one thing I am looking to see improve, I am going with defense. The most disheartening part of this season was seeing plays that should have been made not be made. And on a regular basis.
Here at Camden Chat, we’re jumping right into the offseason. We have already started prospect reviews. Player reviews are coming, along with looks ahead at the 2027 season. Of course, a lot of that depends on if and when the 2027 season begins.
Henderson on Orioles’ season: ‘A failed year for us’ – Baltimore Baseball This is a few days old, but shockingly, there isn’t a lot of news right after an 82-loss team gets rained out of a meaningless game. Rich Dubroff has the transcript of Gunnar Henderson’s interview with press a few days ago.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have three Orioles birthday buddies. Grant Jackson (b. 1942, d. 2021) had an 18-year career, five-plus of which were spent with the Orioles. He pitched in 209 games for the Orioles from 1971-76 before the Orioles traded him to the Yankees in that big nine-player trade in June 1976.
Also born on this day in history are former Orioles Mike DeJean (56) and Todd Frohwirth (b. 1962, d. 2017).
On this day in 1953, the American League owners agreed to move the St. Louis Browns to Baltimore. Good day for us!
In 1958, Gus Triandos stole the only base of his Major League career.
In 1971, the Orioles swept a doubleheader with the Red Sox to give them 100 wins for the third straight season.
In 2011, the Orioles played the most exciting game you’ll ever see from a 93-loss team. Down 3-2 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, three straight his from Chris Davis, Nolan Reimold, and Robert Andino gave the Orioles a 4-3 walkoff victory. Moments after the Orioles won, the Rays walked off the Yankees in Tampa. The combination of games knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs. The Red Sox had been two games up in the AL East on August 27th before going 7-20 in September.
In 2023, the Orioles beat the Red Sox again. But this time it was their 100th win of the season. Much preferable.
And one year ago today, the Orioles finished the season with a 3-2 loss to the Yankees. Kyle Bradish allowed two runs in four innings. Rico Garcia took the loss. Jordan Westburg and Gunnar Henderson hit back-to-back home runs.
Sep 27, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) celebrates in the locker room after win against the Tampa Bay Rays and clinching a playoff spot at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Now we can breathe a sigh of relief. Taking a much needed win to make the playoffs, the Phillies are waking up today in Atlanta to prepare for the wild card round against the Braves. It should at least be entertaining.
Boston, MA - September 22: Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman and starting pitcher Payton Tolle talk in the fifth inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Cleveland Guardians at Fenway Park on September 22, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Last year, the Yankees lost Gerrit Cole, in what was probably the last true year of his prime. A loss like that would reverberate throughout a team’s entire season, usually. Instead, the Yankees more or less recreated Cole in the form of Cam Schlittler, now the favorite for the AL Cy Young and starting Game 1 of the Wild Card Series this week.
Garrett Crochet is Boston’s version of Cole: the ace, the guy you work day and night to land, and then pay him handsomely to start the big games. He has not thrown a pitch in anger since April 25th, and yet the Sox boast the third-best pitching staff in baseball, with only the Dodgers and Phillies notching more fWAR as a total unit. We start at the top, where Payton Tolle, Ranger Suarez, and Sonny Gray will likely take the ball in the three Wild Card games against the Yankees (in a yet-to-be-announced order).
Wild Card Series Game 1: Tuesday, September 29, 8pm EST Wild Card Series Game 2: Wednesday, September 30, 8pm EST Wild Card Series Game 3: Thursday, October 1, 8pm EST (if necessary)
Tolle has built a solid case for AL Rookie of the Year, and while he probably won’t take the award home, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him as one of the finalists. The lefty features six pitches but like Schlittler, will offer a fastball of some variety about two-thirds of the time. He has faced the Yankees twice, allowing just a single run across 13 innings in those two outings. This will be his first postseason start, though he did retire the only batter he faced in a relief appearance last October in the Bronx (Trent Grisham with the bases loaded).
Suarez has been everything the Sox could hope for when they inked him to that five-year, $130 million contract last winter. A four-win season as the No. 2 man in the rotation, I could probably copy and paste what I said above about Tolle here, just with more postseason experience on Suarez’s time from his Phillies days. The same six pitches, the same fastball-heavy approach. The first two games of this series will see the Yankees facing a bunch of heaters in the zone — they’ll need to be ready to swing. During his October tenure in Philly, Suarez had a superb 1.48 ERA across eight starts and three relief outings from 2022-25.
Former Yankees righty Sonny Gray rounds out the trio, continuing to defy the aging curve with another 3.5 win season at 36 years old. He offers a different look than the two southpaws and will be making his first playoff appearance since 2023 with the Twins.
The rotation is formidable, but what really worries me is the strength of the bullpen, as well as a couple injections the unit is getting. We’ve seen the Yankees win a lot of games this year by being iced out by the starter and breaking out late against relievers, but that’ll be a tough out with the Red Sox, whose relief corps has the best ERA and FIP in the sport. Aroldis Chapman, for all his personal faults, is putting the finishing touches on what is a Hall of Fame resume, with 35 saves and a 33-percent strikeout rate holding down the ninth inning.
But before you even get to the ninth, there’s a series of very hard-throwing hurdles to clear. Garrett Whitlock elevated his game this season with a cripplingly low walk rate, deciding to just not throw balls anymore. Brayan Bello is only a reliever in name, following an opener much of the year; he’ll also be an option should the Red Sox need a guy that can deliver more than three outs. (Tyron Guerrero also came out of baseball irrelevance to re-establish himself as one of Chad Tracy’s favorite weapons, though a lat strain will sideline him for this sseries.)
Jake Bennett made the most of his May 1st call-up from Pawtucket, putting up 2.5 wins in 113.1 innings, but like Carlos Rodón, he’ll be shifted to a reliever role as well, at least for this series. The man chiefly tasked with replacing Crochet has faced the Yankees twice this year, facing 44 batters and allowing just eight of them to reach base. And then, of course…
Garrett Crochet threw live batting practice in Fort Myers on Saturday, as scheduled, Chad Tracy said.
It went well and he felt good coming out of it. He is likely to join the Red Sox on their flight to New York tonight.
They have not said if he'll be on the ALWCS roster.
I’m writing this at 1pm Pacific time on Sunday, and I gotta admit. I feel more confident that Crochet will be on the Red Sox Wild Card roster than Aaron Judge will be on the Yankees’. I don’t imagine the club will push their ace very far in a bullpen role, surely one inning at a time only, but we’ve seen what the southpaw’s stuff looks like, and if it plays up in relief like many guys find, that’s as devastating a one-two southpaw punch between him and Chapman as you’ll ever see.
This is not going to be an easy series. The Yankees have a lot to contend with when it comes to the octopus of Red Sox pitching, and the lineup doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Maybe they’ll surprise us all, but the pressure has to be on New York’s own collection of arms to hold serve given what Boston has at its disposal.
Happy birthday to Enoli Paredes, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1930 – As a Yankee, Babe Ruth returns to the mound after a nine-year absence at Fenway Park and pitches a complete game, beating the Red Sox, 9-3. The last time the “Bambino” took the mound, he defeated the A’s at the end of the 1921 season, and 1938 – At Wrigley Field, Gabby Hartnett hits his famous “Homer in the Gloamin'” in the ninth inning against the Pirates’Mace Brown to give the Chicago Cubs a 6-5 victory, their ninth straight. It is a key triumph en route to the Cubs’ National Leaguepennant, and other stories as well.
1941 – Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox goes 6 for 8 in a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics to finish the season with a .406 batting average. He had started the day batting .3995 — which rounds up to .400 — and his manager, Joe Cronin, had suggested he sit out the otherwise meaniningless games to preserve the mark, but Williams insisted on earning the title on the field. No player has batted .400 since.
1955 – The Yanks win the first game of the World Series as Whitey Ford beats Don Newcombe, 6-5. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Elston Howard, in his first World Series at-bat, knots the score at 2-2 when he homers off Dodgers right-hander Don Newcombe. The round-tripper to deep left field at Yankee Stadium marks the first time a black batter has hit a home run off a black pitcher in the history of the Fall Classic. In a controversial play in the eighth, with Frank Kellert at bat, Jackie Robinson steals home to bring the Dodgers to within a run of a tie, but they will fall short today.
1958 – Going 7-for-11 to end the season, Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams becomes the first 40-year-old to lead the league in hitting and wins his sixth and final batting title. The “Splendid Splinter’s” .328 batting average beats out his teammate Pete Runnels, who goes 0-for-4 today and ends up the campaign with a .322 mark.
1960 – In his final major-league plate appearance, against Baltimore’sJack Fisher, Ted Williams picks out a 1-1 pitch and drives it 450 feet into the right-center field seats behind the Boston bullpen. It is Williams’ 521st and last home run, putting him third on the all-time list. The blast gives the seventh-place Red Sox a 5-4 victory. Williams stays in the dugout, ignoring the crowd’s cheers, but when he trots out to left field in the ninth, he is replaced immediately by Carroll Hardy. He retires as a standing crowd roars.
1995 – Dennis Martínez‘s fastball breaks Minnesota Twins’ Kirby Puckett’s jaw in what becomes Puckett’s final career plate appearance in the Cleveland Indians’ 12-4 win.
2008 – Mike Mussina, who has won 18 or 19 games five times, finally becomes a 20-game winner at age 39. The Yankee hurler tops the Red Sox, 6-2, as Daisuke Matsuzaka falls to 18-3 on the year. Mussina will announce his retirement after the season.
2022 – Aaron Judge ties one of the most hallowed records in baseball — the 61 home runs hit by Roger Maris in 1961, which still stands as the American League record six decades later. He takes Tim Mayza deep with a man on base in the 6th inning of a game at Rogers Centre, breaking a 3-3 tie to lead the Yankees to an 8-3 win. While three players have exceeded that total in the National League, all were active in the steroids era and their accomplishment has been tainted as a result – which is not the case for Judge.
2023 – With a homer and two RBIs in Atlanta’s 5-3 win over the Cubs, Matt Olson sets a new modern Braves franchise record for RBIs with 136, besting Eddie Mathews‘ mark of 135 set in 1953, although it is still shy of the all-time franchise best of 145 dating back to 1894 and Hugh Duffy. Olson had earlier passed Andruw Jones‘ record of 51 homers, being now at 54. The win clinches the best record in the National League for the Braves.
Today in Cubs history:
1897 – Although he gives up 14 runs on 17 hits, Dave Wright of the Chicago Colts wins his first and only major league game. The 21 year-old Dennison, Ohio native is the beneficiary of Chicago’s 11-run fifth inning when the club beats the Pirates, 15-14.
1930 – The Cubs bring down the season’s curtain as Hack Wilson has his 189th and 190th RBI in a 12-11 victory over the Reds. Wilson’s major league RBI record will remain untouched. With Riggs Stephenson and Kiki Cuyler each driving in 100 runs, the Cubs have the first all-100 RBI outfield in the 20th century. The Boston outfield in 1894 also had the same credentials.
1935 – With nothing on the line, the pennant-winning Cubs finally lose to the Cardinals and snap their 21-game win streak. The skein is the longest in the majors since the Giants of 1916 won 26 games and tied one. However, Chicago’s win streak is the longest without a tie since 1880.
1959 – In the first game of a best-of-three playoff, the Dodgers beat the Braves, 3-2, in a cold Milwaukee drizzle. Rookie Larry Sherry pitches 7.2 innings of scoreless relief. In a losing cause, Eddie Mathews hits his 46th home run to win the title. Ernie Banks had finished the year with 45.
1962 – In front of only 595 fans at Wrigley Field, the Cubs (58-101) beat the Mets (39-118) in the first meeting in major league history between two 100-loss teams before the series begins. The New York expansion team will split the remaining two games in Chicago to finish the season 40-120, establishing the record for the most losses in baseball’s modern era that will stand until 2024.
1995 – A fan takes exception when a Cub reliever gives up two-run, pinch home run to James Mouton, giving the Astros an eighth-inning 9-7 lead. As the Houston pinch-hitter rounds the bases, the 27-year-old spectator runs out of the stands and heads toward the mound, where he is immediately pinned by Randy Myers, who in addition to his pitching prowess, is well trained in the martial arts.
1998 – In the first National Leagueplayoff since 1980, the Cubs beat the Giants, 5-3, to take the National League’s wild card berth. San Francisco makes the game interesting by scoring three runs in the ninth inning in front of a very anxious crowd at Wrigley Field.
2001 – In the first home game at Wrigley Field since the September 11th terrorist attacks on America, Sammy Sosa, after hitting his 59th home run of the season, pulls out a small American flag and waves it as he circles the bases. After scoring and making a curtain call from the dugout, the Cub slugger continues to wave Old Glory.
2007 – The Chicago Cubs clinch the NL Centraldivision title with a 6-0 shutout of the Cincinnati Reds, combined with a loss by the Milwaukee Brewers. It is the third different franchise that Cubs manager Lou Piniella has led to a division title. For Chicago, Alfonso Soriano hits his 32nd home run of the season, taking Bronson Arroyo deep in the first inning. It is Soriano’s sixth home run leading off a game this month, a new major league record. It is also his 13th homer in September, tying Ernie Banks‘ franchise record.
2012 – 2B Darwin Barney of the Cubs makes a wild throw to first base after fielding Justin Upton‘s ground ball in the 8th inning of the Cubs’ 8-3 loss to the Diamondbacks. The miscue ends Barney’s 141-game errorless streak, tying Placido Polanco‘s all-time record for a single season, set in 2007.
1066 – William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, lands at Pevensey Bay in Sussex, beginning the Norman Conquest of England.
1542 – Explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo is the first European to sail into San Diego Bay, naming it San Miguel and claiming it for Spain.
1781 – 9,000 American and 7,000 French troops begin the Siege of Yorktown.
1785 – Napoléon Bonaparte, aged 16, graduates from the elite École Militaire in Paris, ranking a lowly 42nd in a class of 51.
1901 – American businessman King C. Gillette establishes the American Safety Razor Company.
1976 – Muhammad Ali defeats Ken Norton in a 15-round unanimous points decision for the WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight boxing titles.
1982 – First reports appear of deaths from cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules.
Today in music history:
1956 – RCA Records reports Elvis Presley sells over 10 million records.
1963 – New York City DJ “Murray The K” plays The Beatles’ “She Loves You” on the radio.
1968 – Janis Joplin announces she’s leaving the rock band “Big Brother & the Holding Company.”
1968 – The Beatles’ single “Hey Jude” hits No. 1 and stays there for nine weeks.
1974 – “I’m A Ramblin’ Man” by Waylon Jennings peaks at No. 75 on the pop chart and No. 1 on the country chart.
1974 – British guitarist Mick Ronson joins the rock band “Mott the Hoople”.
1976 – Tamla/Motown Records releases “Songs in the Key of Life,” the 18th studio album by Stevie Wonder; the double album plus EP is the biggest seller, includes “Sir Duke,” “As,” and “Isn’t She Lovely,” and wins the Grammy for Album of the Year (1977).
1978 – Metal band Black Sabbath release their eighth album “Never Say Die,” the last to feature Ozzy Osbourne before he is fired.
1981 – Olivia Newton-John releases single “Physical” (Billboard Song of the Year 1982).
1985 – “Don’t Lose My Number” by Phil Collins peaks at No. 4.
1985 – “Freedom” by Wham! peaks at No. 3.
1991 – “Shiny Happy People” by R.E.M. peaks at No. 10.
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 26: Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers hugs his daughter Genevieve, with Spencer Torkelson #20 looking on, right, before leaving his final game against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the sixth inning at Comerica Park on September 26, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I get it, baseball news does not necessarily belong on Pounding the Rock, a Spurs fan site. During the offseason — when content can be few and far between — I may from time to time veer away from the Spurs and share some basketball-oriented news. If there is absolutely nothing going on in the basketball world, I may broaden the scope to “sports” at large. And some stories transcend into the fan experience. I saw this post on Saturday and initially ignored it. But Sunday it hit me again and decided sharing it was appropriate.
On Saturday evening, Justin Verlander pitched his final MLB start. After a twenty-one year career, two World Series championships, ten MLB All-Star appearances, three American League Cy Young awards, a 2011 Triple Crown, the 2006 AL Rookie of the Year award, and earning the 2022 AL Comeback Player of the year award at age 39, Verlander is riding off into the sunset.
In the fifth inning of Saturday night’s Detroit Tigers/Pittsburgh Pirates matchup, Verlander (pitching for the Detroit Tigers) was approached by manager A.J. Hinch to hand over the ball for a relif pitcher. Before he could exit the mound, he was met by his daughter, Genevieve.
This literally made me cry…more than once.
Justin Verlander has played 21 seasons in the majors. His final start was today.
After 5⅓ innings, manager A.J. Hinch came out to take him out, then pointed to the stands. Genevieve, his 7-year-old daughter, sprinted onto the field in his jersey, ran to the mound, and hugged…
Happy Monday, Pounders. Have a great start to your week.
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 27: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at American Family Field on September 27, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last Week’s Results:
Tuesday: Phillies 6, Brewers 4
Wednesday: Brewers 4, Phillies 1
Thursday: Brewers 5, Phillies 1
Friday: Brewers 8, Cardinals 4
Saturday: Brewers 3, Cardinals 2
Sunday: Brewers 6, Cardinals 4
Division Standings:
Brewers 103-59
Cubs 89-73 (14 GB)
Pirates 82-80 (21 GB)
Cardinals 77-85 (26 GB)
Reds 75-87 (28 GB)
Last Week:
Brewers 5-1
Cubs 2-4
Pirates 3-3
Cardinals 1-5
Reds 3-3
Top Pitching Performance of the Week
Jacob Misiorowski didn’t have the greatest start we’ve ever seen, but he gets the shoutout here because it capped off what has been a great season for the likely NL Cy Young winner. In Sunday’s regular-season finale, he went 5 1/3 scoreless frames, striking out five and picking up his 16th win of the year. Miz finishes the year leading the league in a good chunk of pitching stats, including strikeouts (252), WHIP (0.80), batting average against (.157), and ERA (1.80). Just look at this stat from the great Sarah Langs:
Jacob Misiorowski led MLB in strikeouts (252) and led all qualifiers in ERA (1.80) and opponent batting average (.157)
He’s the 4th pitcher since 1950 to lead MLB in all 3 of those for a season, joining:
1986 Mike Scott 1979 J.R. Richard 1965 Sandy Koufax
Shoutout to Robert Gasser, who went six innings with one run allowed and nine strikeouts to cap off what has been a great final month-plus for him, as he seems like the likely No. 3 starter behind Miz and Logan Henderson entering the postseason.
This was a two-way race between Brice Turang and Jackson Chourio, but I’ll give the upper hand to Milwaukee’s second baseman. Turang finished up arguably the best season we’ve seen for a primary second baseman in franchise history, as he collected nine hits this week, including two homers and three doubles, driving in seven to surpass 20 homers and 100 RBIs for the year.
Not to be overshadowed, Jackson Chourio led the team with a strong .471/.550/.647 stat line, picking up eight hits, including a homer, and driving in five with a team-high seven runs scored. He also swiped a pair of bases, finishing the year with a career-high in homers (25) and steals (23).
After LHP Colton Gordon made a valiant relief appearance on Tuesday night against the Phillies (5 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 K) to save the rest of the bullpen, he was optioned on Wednesday, as RHP Lyon Richardson was selected to replace him.
Richardson, who did not appear in a game this week, was then designated for assignment on Friday, as RHP Bryse Wilson was activated from the 15-day injured list and replaced him on the active roster.
Andrew Vaughn was placed on the 10-day injured list with an illness ahead of Friday’s game (he’ll be ready for the postseason). Outfielder Brandon Lockridge was recalled to replace him on the roster.
Cooper Pratt was also scratched from Friday’s game with illness, though he then entered to replace what appeared to be a worn-down Joey Ortiz. Ortiz sat out the rest of the weekend, but an MRI came back with only “abdominal swelling” and a bruised knee. According to Adam McCalvy, Ortiz is also expected to be ready for the postseason.
In a reserve role for the first time, DeAndre Ayton will have a chance to reset his career with the Washington Wizards. | Getty Images
With training camp opening tomorrow, there’s time for one or two trips on The Statistical Doppelganger Machine. Next up: the guy who figures to be the team’s backup big man this season, DeAndre Ayton.
According to Basketball-Reference and other online sources, it only feels like Ayton has been in the NBA forever. Somehow, this will be only his ninth season. Somehow, he’s still just 28 years old.
Since going first overall in the 2018 NBA Draft — before players like Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Jaren Jackson Jr., Mikal Bridges, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — Ayton’s performance has been a frustrating mixture of good (at times) and puzzling. The puzzling part was often characterized by low motor and lack of awareness (especially on defense). His personality and attitude has been primarily frustrating, befuddling, and perhaps a bit delusional.
Coming off the bench for the first time in his career, DeAndre Ayton has a chance with the Washington Wizards to reset the direction of his career. | NBAE via Getty Images
Three teams have been happy to move on from him, including the Phoenix Suns, which he helped reach the NBA Finals and then back to the Western Conference semifinals the following two seasons. By the end, the Suns were dumping him — taking back Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Keon Johnson, and Nassir Little — and getting no draft picks.
While Ayton’s individual production has been pretty good (his next below average PPA will be the first of his career), his impact on team metrics has been meh — modest positive on offense, about-the-same on defense.
The defense part is a bigger issue with a starting center, which Ayton has been throughout his career so far. He’s played 470 regular season games and not started seven times. All the non-starts came in his first two seasons. While he’s a legit seven-footer with better-than-adequate length, agility, and leaping ability, he’s not much of a shot blocker or rim protector. That loops back to the motor and awareness issues.
Even with effort, awareness, and attitude issues, Ayton’s still been a pretty good player. Certainly not what his teams have hoped he’d be, and not as good as his tools and talents would suggest he could be, but overall still an above-average NBA player.
Before running Ayton through the doppelganger machine, I kinda-sorta expected to see names like Joe Barry Carroll or Benoit Benjamin — talented 1980s-era bigs who had inconsistent motors, awareness, and attitudes. Ayton’s better than either, however. Ayton’s worst seasons (PPAs in the 130s) are about the level of Carroll’s and Benjamin’s best years.
This season could be a fascinating experiment for the Wizards and Ayton. Washington will be starting two centers, and one of them won’t be Ayton. The team should have plenty of minutes for Ayton — I figure Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis will consume 28-30 minutes each. Ayton could play another 28-30, and the team would still have 10-12 minutes a night at forward for someone else — perhaps Kyshawn George or AJ Dybantsa.
On the last year of an expiring contract, Ayton should be highly motivated to perform his very best. He could parlay a productive season into starting role with another team, or perhaps cement a spot in a Wizards big man triumvirate for the next few seasons. Of course, he could also low motor his way to a starting job with Olympiacos.
Let’s get to the doppelgangers. For new readers: this is the latest installment in a Bullets Forever annual Dog Days of Summer tradition, which involves me running players through my Statistical Doppelganger Machine. The Machine is a (not so) fancy-schmancy algorithm that compares the reference player season to every other NBA player season since 1977-78 and then tells me who was most similar. The Machine uses 14 statistical and biographical characteristics including minutes and age. While it doesn’t include position, players tend to get comps from their position group. The ones who don’t are usually interesting.
In this case, Ayton’s comps are not so interesting — at least positionally. Which is to say they’re all centers or 1990s/early 2000s power forward types.
Here are the player seasons with similar production at a similar age:
Richaun Holmes | 2020-21 | Sacramento Kings | Age: 27 — Worth mention that Holmes’ previous season ranked second most similar. While Ayton is physically bigger, their pace-adjusted production was remarkably similar across the 14 comparison points except for blocks (Holmes had more) and fouls (Holmes also had more). One other difference: Holmes was all effort all the time. If Ayton played with Holmes’ effort, he’d be first team All-NBA. Or perpetually injuried. These were Holmes’ two best seasons. Last season was something of a down year for Ayton.
Ivica Zubac | 2023-24 | Los Angeles Clippers | Age: 26 — Zubac’s career has been marked with year-to-year inconsistency. He posted a 184 at age 22, which he followed with a 121, 135, and 120. Remember, in PPA average is 100 and higher is better. In this comp season, he was on the way back up — 157, which he followed with a 183. Then he got hurt and his production dropped again. Interestingly, Zubac has faced criticism at different points of his career for his motor and alleged softness.
Derrick Favors | 2017-18 | Utah Jazz | Age: 26 — This was the first year of Favors’ short-but-high prime, which included a 200+ PPA at age 27. His last above average season was age 28, and he was out of the NBA after his age 30 season.
Loy Vaught | 1993-94 | Los Angeles Clippers | Age: 25 — Another guy whose career peak was around the level of Ayton’s “worst” seasons. This was the high point for Vaught (131 PPA). His production slid from there. After being a veritable Iron Man by playing in at least 73 games in each of his first seven seasons (80+ for the last three of those, including all 82 in 1996-97), the end of Vaught’s career was ruined by a serious back injury. His final NBA stop was in Washington — he arrived in the trade that sent Juwan Howard to the Dallas Mavericks.
Robin Lopez | 2015-16 | New York Knicks | Age: 27 — Known as Captain Hook during his year in Washington, this version of Lopez was still a good scorer on lower volume, offensive rebounding machine, and an all-82 iron man. Like Ayton, he was challenged on defense. He also generally seemed more interested in other stuff (like “feuding” with opposing team mascots) than basketball. That was often entertaining, like when he responded Hermione Granger. Which is both funny and wrong because Granger wasn’t a wizard at all — she was a witch. Also, the correct answer is Rincewind.
The honorable mentions are are most in that mid-tier big guy range who were pretty good at their best but either weren’t good enough to do better or weren’t always fully concerned with giving their best: Timofey Mozgov, Joe Smith, Jakob Poeltl, Tristan Thompson, and Randy Breuer.
Odds are that even if Ayton as a poor year by his standards, it’ll still be a significant improvement for Washington in the backup big man role. He’s a pretty good player who’s at something of a crossroads of his career.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: Luguentz Dort #5 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks will be starting training camp tomorrow, and there is a different feel about this team coming into the season. Around this time last year, the Hawks were seen as one of the youngest teams in the league, but still had expectations of being competitive. A lot has changed since then, and even though the young core is still a priority, general manager Onsi Saleh made it a mission to add some more experience to this year’s roster.
Outside of bringing back CJ McCollum and Jock Landale, the Hawks traded for Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort during the offseason. Of course, they’re not old, but they bring something to the team that they didn’t have much of over the past few years, and that’s championship experience.
Saleh talked about those additions at his preseason press conference and the impact they could have on the Hawks.
“Bringing in Lu and Aaron from a championship team- guys who played in the finals a couple of years ago- we needed that pedigree in our room,” Saleh said. “With our group, we felt like it was going to make us better on the court, but those guys will also make us better through our player development program in a lot of ways.
“When a guy like Jalen Johnson goes up against a guy like Lu Dort in practice, Jalen’s going to get a lot better.”
Going up against someone like Dort should make the team better, and he feels like a guy you hate to play against but love when he’s on your team. Everyone knows the kind of defensive prowess he brings to the court, and those are the types of things that help teams in the playoffs.
Saleh noted that the team wanted to be physical, and having Dort is just adding another piece to the puzzle.
“If you guys watch all the playoffs from the first round to the finals, it’s a very physical and different environment, Saleh said. “We felt like Lu can guard and be physical, bring that tenacity on the court every single moment he’s out there, and it’s going to help our guys.”
Wiggins has the same intangibles, which helped him become a mainstay in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s rotation over the last few seasons.
“Aaron is a three-level scorer, a guy who can guard. He brings something to our group and our rotation that we felt like we didn’t have a lot of last season,” Saleh said.
These moves weren’t just about what these players could do for the Hawks on the court, but it was to help the other players on the team learn how to compete at another level. That’s important for guys like Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor, who are just getting started in their NBA careers.
“When we added CJ and Jock last year, their voice and experience, and even Nickeil last year, who made a couple of Western Conference Finals in Minnesota. Adding those guys helps our other guys who haven’t quite done that yet learn how to win,” Saleh said.
“They fit every checkbox we wanted. [Lu and Aaron] were unbelievable adds to our group. You can feel when they come into our building; there’s a sense of respect,“ Saleh continued. ”When you win a championship and are a part of one of the best programs in the NBA, you step into our gym, and that just elevates the competitive environment of our group.“
Right before training camp, the Hawks also traded for Dorian Finney-Smith in the deal that sent Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard to the Charlotte Hornets. Finney-Smith has playoff experience as well throughout his career, and he’s another person the team can lean on in certain moments.
With more veteran leadership and players on the team who have been where the Hawks want to go, this should be a very competitive roster this season.
In the four seasons since MLB changed its playoff format in 2022, two teams have played in the wild card series and gone on to win the World Series: the 2023 Texas Rangers and 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers.
Here's how USA TODAY Sports' MLB reporters and editors see the best-of-three wild card series playing out:
Slugger Yordan Alvarez, who will win the American League MVP, carried the Houston Astros on his back to the AL West title.
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, who should finish runner-up, led the Rays to the best record in the American League.
Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler, who will win the AL Cy Young award, will be pitching Game 1 against the Boston Red Sox. Milwaukee Brewers All-Star pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, who will win the NL Cy Young award, will be pitching Game 1 when the Brewers face the winner of the San Diego Padres-Chicago Cubs series.
Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who will unseat Shohei Ohtani as the NL MVP, will be trying to get the Cubs past the Padres in their three-game series at Petco Park in San Diego in a rematch of a year ago.
And, oh, how this postseason field is littered with future Hall of Famers from everyone from Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers, Manny Machado of the Padres, Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians, Chris Sale of Atlanta, Aaron Judge of the Yankees, Jose Altuve of the Astros and Bryce Harper of the Phillies.
There are players who have been a postseason fixture like Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman, who will be playing in his 10th consecutive postseason with his third different team, and Judge who hopes to play in his ninth postseason in 10 years.
There are aged veterans like 39-year-old Cubs reliever Caleb Thielbar, 38-year old Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman, 37-year-old Freeman, 37-year-old Sale and 36-year-old Sonny Gray of the Red Sox.
And then there are the real kids, like 20-year-old Ethan Salas of the San Diego Padres, who will be the youngest catcher to ever appear in the postseason, along with 22-year-old outfielders Jackson Chourio of the Brewers, Roman Anthony of the Red Sox and Justin Crawford of the Phillies.
Now that the postseason field is set with eight teams playing in the wild-card round beginning Tuesday, here is one player from each team who could have the biggest impact on whether they’ll still be playing into the weekend.
Chicago Cubs
Third baseman Alex Bregman
A week ago, he didn’t know whether he could play another game this year n when he suffered multiple fractures in his face after being hit by a foul ball near the on-deck circle. Well, he proved he’s back by going 4-for-4 with two home runs Sunday in his second game since the injury. If Bregman resembles the same guy that hit .298 with 19 homers and 53 RBI with a 1.000 OPS in his last 60 games, he could make sure the Cubs’ offense is too powerful to stop. He has begun taking ground balls but has been restricted to DH duties since his return.
San Diego Padres
Pitcher Michael King
The Padres’ rotation has been a mess all year outside of one pitcher. King was 12-10 with a 3.21 ERA, leading the team with 185 innings. King will start Game 1 against the Cubs. If he struggles and the Padres lose, they could have a short-lived postseason, relying on Nick Pivetta, who just returned from the injured list and Walker Buehler. The Padres have the best bullpen in the land, but they’re going to need King to dominate if they’re going to have a prayer of winning their first World Series in franchise history.
The Phillies near-historic collapse made a mess out of their rotation, with ace Zack Wheeler having to pitch Sunday just to save their season. Now, they may no choice but to turn to Luzardo, who rejoined the Phillies’ staff Sunday for the first time since Sept. 7 when he was shut down with shoulder inflammation. Luzardo needed just four pitches to get three outs in the eighth inning of their clinching game. The Phillies now must decide whether he’d be more valuable to them as their emergency starter or out of their beleaguered bullpen. Yet, no matter what role, the Phillies badly need him.
“I feel like I'm prepared to give the team whatever they ask, whatever they need,” Luzardo told reporters Sunday.
Atlanta
Pitcher Chris Sale
The old man produced yet another Cy Young-caliber season, 14-9, 2.16 ERA, joining Hall of Famer Randy Johnson as the only lefties to strike out 200 or more batters in nine seasons. Yet, after Sale, there’s a steep dropoff with Tyler Mahle and Grant Holmes following him in the rotation. Simply, if Atlanta is going to have a deep run, they need to win every time Sale pitches, or they’ll be in deep trouble.
Boston Red Sox
First baseman Willson Contreras
He has been their best hitter all season, hitting .276 with 27 homers and 81 RBI, but missed eight consecutive games after being hit on the right hand with a pitch Sept. 17. He returned Sunday as their DH and is expected to be fine for the postseason where he’s badly needed as their biggest offensive weapon.
“That’s so much what the postseason is about," Red Sox manager Chad Tracy told reporters Sunday, “these big moments where one swing can change a game. So. that power and that presence in the middle of the order is important."
The Yankees are expected to be without Aaron Judge for their heavyweight bout against the Boston Red Sox, and with their offensive struggles, they have to rely on their pitching. And who better than Schlittler, the Boston kid who Red Sox love to hate. The Red Sox not only let him get away, but he he continues to get his revenge, going 2-1 with a 0.74 ERA in four career starts against Boston. Schlittler will win the Cy Young award this year with his 1.95 ERA in 33 starts during the season, but for him to really be a Yankee hero, he needs to dominate in October, too.
The White Sox will go only as far as their starting rotation will lead them, and it starts with Martin (9-8, 3.95 ERA). He had a sensational first half, going 9-4 with a 3.41 ERA, but has struggled since the All-Star break with a 0-4 record and 5.12 ERA. He had a clunker in his last start Saturday against the Colorado Rockies, unable to get through the first inning. The White Sox can ill afford another early ouster or they’ll be ousted themselves before they can even enjoy a few good helpings of Texas barbeque.
Houston Astros
Slugger Yordan Alvarez
The Astros, the first team in MLB history to win a division in a full season without a winning record, need to rely on the same guy who carried them on his back all season. They go as Alvarez goes. Alvarez, who slashed .316/.432/.601 with 42 homers and 106 RBI this season, has plenty of postseason experience. He has slashed .294/.393/.551 in 60 postseason games. Alvarez must continue to terrorize the opposition for the Astros to keep their season alive. If Alvarez is shut down, so will the Astros’ season.
The 2026-27 NHL season is about to get underway after an eventful offseason. led by two major trade requests and a boatload of money being handed out.
Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin made the trade requests and that will be hanging over their teams early this season. Fellow U.S. Olympian Brady Tkachuk was moved to the Florida Panthers.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers made an offer sheet to the Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson that changed the salary structure for younger players. Carlsson's deal, which was matched, was topped by Mackllin Celelbrini and Cale Makar, who became the NHL's first $20 million player.
How does that change the power structure in the NHL? USA TODAY provides its season-opening power rankings:
New coach Manny Malhotra won an American Hockey League championship, but he'll have his work cut out to get the Canucks out of last place. Thatcher Demko and Filip Chytil are injured already. A key will be Elias Pettersson returning to form.
They added defenseman Simon Nemec after trading Mackenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson last season, but they're still in rebuilding mode.
30. Seattle Kraken
The Kraken are still looking for an identity after one playoff appearance in their first five years. Their offseason was relatively quiet outside of unsuccessfully trying to trade for Jason Robertson.
Three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck remains away from the team while awaiting a trade. Goalie acquisition Stuart Skinner has had great - and bad - stretches, but he's no Hellebuyck. If the Jets get a good return, they'll move up the list.
Brady Tkachuk's skill set will be missed. The Senators have plenty going for them, but they are in a tough division.
26. Detroit Red Wings
Their troubled offseason included Larkin's trade request and GM Steve Yzerman stepping aside. Larkin is with the team, so that will help. But they won't end their 10-season playoff drought.
25. New York Islanders
A team with Matthew Schaefer, Ilya Sorokin and coach Peter DeBoer should make the playoffs. But the departure of captain Anders Lee hurts.
24. Los Angeles Kings
Coach Peter Laviolette usually has success in his first season with a team. The key question: Can Quinton Byfield thrive as a No. 1 center after Anze Kopitar's retirement?
23. Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks matched the offer sheet and got Cutter Gauthier re-signed, but the defense is weaker and they moved out Mason McTavish and Chris Kreider.
22. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets were in the news a lot, but Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko weren't traded, and Adam Fantilli eventually re-signed. But even with bringing in Alexander Nichushkin, it might not be enough to end the team's playoff drought.
21. Philadelphia Flyers
Porter Martone will try to become the first Flyers player to win rookie of the year. Matvei Michkov looked better in training camp after a tough sophomore season. Still, the team didn't get its No. 1 center when the Ducks matched the offseason sheet.
The Rangers are a better team after trading for Pavel Dorofeyev and Sean Durzi. But they have a ground to make up to be a playoff team.
19. Nashville Predators
New GM Chris MacFarland added Mavrik Bourque, plus former Avs Jack Drury and Ross Colton. Trading Luke Evangelista might hurt, though.
18. Toronto Maple Leafs
New GM John Chayka lucked out with a lottery win and drafted Gavin McKenna, plus he signed two-time Stanley Cup winner Sergei Bobrovsky, 22-goal defenseman Darren Raddysh and remade the bottom six. New coach Jim Hiller will have to make it all mesh.
Franchise stalwarts Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are in the final years of their contracts. They got back to the playoffs last season. This season is not as certain, especially with Ben Kindel and Bryan Rust injured early.
The Blues moved Jordan Kyrou, kept Robert Thomas and named him captain. Offseason acquisitions Connor McMichael and Mason McTavish could push the Blues toward a playoff spot.
The Devils are deeper on the wings and Luke Evangelista was a good pickup. If their goaltending can hold up, their playoff absence could be only one season.
13. Boston Bruins
David Pastrnak leads by example with four consecutive 100-point seasons and now he has the captaincy. He, Morgan Geekie and Jeremy Swayman will lead the Bruins to the playoffs again.
12. Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights handed the coaching reins to Ryan Craig, who has been preparing for this position. He takes over a team that went to the Stanley Cup Final last season. He'll have to find a way to make up for Pavel Dorofeyev's lost goals.
The Sabres have the talent to make it two playoff appearances in a row after ending a record 14-season drought, but they have to figure how to make up for Alex Tuch's goals.
2026-27 NHL power rankings 10-1
10. Utah Mammoth
They've been spending wisely since moving to Salt Lake City, and now they've added veterans Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck. A 100-point season seems possible.
9. Edmonton Oilers
They took a step back with a first-round exit and fired coach Kris Knoblauch. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are hoping veteran coach Mike Babcock takes them to the top.
The Lightning haven't escaped the first round since 2022 but they're still in a championship window, assuming Victor Hedman has a bounceback season. It would help if MVP Nikita Kucherov signs an extension.
7. Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens are built with a host of players on reasonable contracts growing together. That got them to the Eastern Conference finals. Now, they've added veteran power-play presence Chris Kreider to that mix.
6. Washington Capitals
The Capitals won the offseason by bringing in Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou and Boone Jenner. All-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin liked what he saw and signed a one-year deal.
5. Minnesota Wild
Bill Guerin received a contract extension and the hockey world is waiting for him to get one for Quinn Hughes. Otherwise, the Wild remain among the upper-tier teams in the tough Central Division.
The Stars re-signed Jason Robertson and traded Mavrik Bourque. But they get Tyler Seguin back from injury. They remain a deep, dangerous team.
3. Florida Panthers
The 2024 and 2025 champions imploded last season under major injuries, including Aleksander Barkov. He's back, the Panthers brought in Matthew Tkachuk's brother, Brady, and will be a Stanley Cup threat if the goaltending holds up.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
The defending champions are in the mix for a repeat. Brandon Bussi showed he can handle the net. They'll have to cope with Seth Jarvis' early injury and find a solution to Alexander Nikishin not reporting.
1. Colorado Avalanche
The No. 1 overall Avalanche were swept in the conference finals because of injuries to Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. If both stay healthy, the Avalanche can get to the final this year.
The Islanders threw us a curve as they wrapped up preseason cuts and reassignments by announcing the signing of Logan Stanley as Big Veteran Defenseman. Season-opening rosters are due throughout the NHL today, and certainly Stanley was not on our radar entering the weekend.
There are also several “he’s fine, it’s just maintenance” injury situations as camp winds down, so it seems there are a few moving parts that could linger into the season.
Brayden Schenn and Matthew Schaefer were described as precautionary after “tweak” during preseason, Tony DeAngelo missed for a “maintenance” day, and of course Mathew Barzal missed the whole preseason with his (presumed knee inflammation) but will travel with the team to Toronto where they open the season on Wednesday.
Islanders News
As Stanley stepped in, Isaiah George (thought by some to be poised to grab a roster spot), Cole Eiserman, Kashawn Aitcheson and Vitek Vanecek (if he clears waivers) were assigned to AHL Hamilton. [Isles]
Pete DeBoer said not to read the Stanley signing as disappointment in George’s progress, said it’s part of “the journey.” (Honestly, with all these vets and now Stanley, too, it didn’t look like a top-six job was even available unless George wowed them.) [Newsday | Post]
Stanley was skating with his old junior club awaiting a contract. DeBoer says he doesn’t buy the knock on Stanley’s skating, calling him “light on his feet,” and he likes adding a huge guy who can clear the front of the net, throw hits, fight and “can also play.” [Isles]
7 facts about Stanley, who will wear #8, is 6’7, 231 lbs., 28 years old. [Isles]
Season preview: The Isles, of course, feel they have a good hockey team. [Newsday]
Is that Ondrej Palat-Casey Cizikas-Anthony Duclair trio really gonna be a line? [Post]
Victor Eklund made every case to make the team. [Post]
Elsewhere
SO many players (71) on waivers over the weekend, most of them clearing. [Sportsnet]
Big storylines for the coming season are largely in the East. [NHL]
Once top-ranked James Hagens’ draft fall lit a fire under him. [NHL]
His new captain in Boston is David Pastrnak. [NHL]
One “bold” prediction for each team, though most are not bold. [Athletic]
COLUMBUS, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 24: Sergei Murashov #1 of the Pittsburgh Penguins attempts to make a save during the second period of the preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on September 24, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…
The Penguins assigned Bill Zonnon, Harrison Brunicke and Joel Blomqvist to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Sunday and placed Blake Lizotte, Ben Kindel, Justin Brazeau and Ryan Graves on injured reserve. Pittsburgh must make at least two more roster moves before Monday’s deadline to reach the 23-player limit. [PensBurgh]
With Lizotte and Kindel out in the short term, forward Hendrix Lapierre is looking to capitalize on an opportunity after injuries created a hole in Pittsburgh’s bottom-six. Lapierre, acquired from Washington in the offseason, is competing with several players for a chance to fill the opening at center. [Trib Live]
The Penguins entered training camp with several goaltenders competing for NHL playing time, including Arturs Silovs, Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist, giving head coach Dan Muse a problem to solve ahead of the regular season and for the team’s future. [Trib Live]
Murashov continues to make strides after two strong seasons in the AHL, putting himself in position to show his worth in the NHL. [Penguins]
Evgeni Malkin is set to begin his 21st NHL season at age 40, making him the oldest player on the Penguins and one of the oldest Penguins in franchise history. Malkin, who signed a one-year contract extension this offseason, remains part of Pittsburgh’s veteran core alongside Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
David Pastrnak was named the 28th captain of the Boston Bruins, the team announced on Sunday. [Sportsnet]
The Carolina Hurricanes unveiled their Stanley Cup championship rings Sunday during a private ceremony honoring players, coaches and team staff. The rings feature nearly 900 diamonds and rubies and include design elements commemorating the team’s 2026 championship run. [NHL]
\n\n\n\tBOSTON, MA - MAY 2: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images\t\n\n
Celtics fans have questions. A lot of them.
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And after the offseason they just had, there’s plenty to talk about.
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Boston has already shown it can build a championship team, but what does this team need to do to get back to the top? Has the roster been built the right way? Which players are going to take the next step? What must change for the Celtics to become a legitimate postseason threat again?
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Those are some of the things I assumed most fans would inquire about. But instead of guessing what’s on the minds of C’s fans, I decided to ask them.
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(Idk if I have the motion for this but) If there are any Celtics questions at all that ya would like to hear my thoughts on feel free to drop them below. Would like to do a video or something on them ⬇️
Q: What do you think the biggest deficiencies are to address for the Celtics to be a serious postseason threat?
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Since Boston’s latest successful run at the prized jewelry in 2024, they have endured multiple disappointing and premature playoff exits. One of the things I believe has plagued them in both years has been their offense and shot making, and a number of things tie into this.
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To start in the simplest form, since the 2013-2014 season, there has only been one team (2021 Milwaukee Bucks) to win the championship while being ranked outside the top five in Field Goal percentage for that year’s playoffs. In caveman terms: the Celtics have to put the ball in the basket at a higher rate than what they’ve done the last two playoffs.
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Last postseason, Boston shot 43.4% from the field, which ranked 13th among the 16 playoff teams. They also struggled at the stripe, slotting in at 13th in free throw percentage as well. Furthermore, they were 15th in catch and shoot field goal percentage (32.9) and dead last in corner three-point percentage at 24. The year before, the Celtics shot 44.3% from the field, which was good for 12th. Conversely, the 2024 championship team shot 47% from the field, which ranked fourth.
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There is always going to be a discussion about the amount of threes Boston takes when they don’t fall even if they are generated properly. In my opinion, the team has struggled to consistently generate the easiest opportunities available on top of that.
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Last postseason, Boston ranked last in rim frequency, dunks, and fouls drawn; second-to-last in points in the paint and steals; 13th in paint touches and points off turnovers; and 11th in fast-break points.
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Here is how the champions have fared in some of these categories since 2020 (Celtics excluded).
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This is not to suggest that ranking highly in these statistical categories is the only way to win. The 24’ Celtics, after all, ranked ninth, 12th, ninth, and sixth, respectively, in those areas, but that team possessed an extraordinary combination of talent, versatility, and shot-making that will be difficult to replicate, and that makes finding easier ways to get buckets even more important for the current Celtics.
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Boston hasn’t been a dominant team in terms of paint points or rim frequency, even during its championship run, and I don’t expect that identity to change. The teams that excelled in those areas had elite interior forces such as Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo, making their success in those categories relatively predictable.
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Instead, I believe Boston has a more realistic opportunity to make up ground in three areas: steals, points off turnovers, and fast-break points.
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Boston added Paul George and Mitchell Robinson this offseason, who were two of the best defensive playmakers at their positions last season.
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Paul George : 2.7stls + 6.5 deflections per 100 possessions (both 98th%tile) | 3.5 STOP% (94th%tile)
As I mentioned earlier, Boston has struggled to consistently capitalize on its offensive opportunities, even when the team generates quality looks from three. That disparity was particularly stark in its losses to Philadelphia. Across the Celtics’ four losses, Boston shot just 40% from the field and 27% from three. In their wins, however, those figures climbed to 47% and 41%, respectively.
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In theory, the additions of George and Robinson should help Boston take the ball away more, which in turn can create additional fast-break opportunities. That fits into a broader possession-game philosophy: create extra possessions for the inevitable nights when the shots aren’t falling.
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The Knicks also ranked first in second-chance points last playoffs, with Robinson playing a major role in that success. His presence gives Boston a potential source of high-quality offense, one that doesn’t depend on the team shooting its way out of a slump even though, the quality if threes off offensive rebounds could be great.
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There are certainly more holes you can find in this roster come playoff time, but these were the big ones for me. I think the addition of George helps the fluctuation of 3-point percentage and catch and shoot numbers, being that he has been one of the best spot up wings for a while now. But when those bad nights do come, I trust that the team will create more turnovers than it has in the past to allow them to get easier buckets.
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Q: Chris Cenac Jr. ceiling and floor player comps?
At 6-foot-11, Cenac showed flashes of an incredibly diverse skill set. He rebounded, protected the rim, defended on the perimeter, knocked down threes, played above the rim as a playfinisher, passed, and created for himself both off the dribble and as a jump shooter. The biggest question is consistency. The flashes are undeniable, and his athleticism should allow a simplified NBA role to raise his floor early in his career. Still, there is a considerable amount of development ahead of him, which is exactly what you would expect from a 19-year-old prospect.
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But the word ceiling means the absolute top of his powers and realistically, the name that keeps popping into my head as a do it all athletic big with self-creation skill is Bam Adebayo.
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The first thing that brought the thought to my head was just how comfortable Cenac looked on those floating/moving mid-range shots Bam has really developed over the years.
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Bam has also developed into an incredibly comfortable ballhandler for a big, particularly as a handoff facilitator and passer. He can put the ball on the floor and attack the rim from virtually anywhere in the half court. I don’t expect Cenac to reach Bam’s level as a passer, but the movement ability he displays with the ball in his hands is legitimate and gives you another intriguing layer to his offensive upside.
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And on the defensive end, it again starts with the foundation of fluid movement and vertical pop. Bam has developed into so much more than just an athletic big, so for Cenac to reach that level, he’ll have to learn the backline communication, positioning, and mental nuances that come with being a high-level defender. When projecting his ceiling, though, I’m expecting him to learn most of those responsibilities. Coupled with this level of athleticism, that combination could be scary.
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Sadly, Cenac reaching his ceiling is far from a guarantee. So, when it comes to his floor, I’ll go with Chicago Bulls big man Jalen Smith. Smith is a really solid rotational big who averaged 10 points and seven rebounds last season while shooting 48/37/74 from the field, in just 20 minutes per game.
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I think Cenac is too talented to completely flame out in the league. His floor, in my eyes, is a player who never fully harnesses his on-ball skills but still develops into a versatile big capable of rebounding, defending multiple positions, and knocking down threes at a respectable clip.
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Q: Do you think Joe will be willing to play the young wings this postseason more than last
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Coach Joe Mazzulla took plenty of heat from the fanbase after last year’s premature playoff exit, and one of the biggest points of confusion was why the young wings who had contributed throughout the regular season didn’t seem to get the same opportunity once the playoffs rolled around.
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In the case of Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr, here are how their minutes differed from regular season to post season.
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The one that hit me the most was Hugo. All regular season long this kid had a certain superpower. No matter how long he sat before he entered a game, he always changed the energy and intensity of it. And in a series where it seemed the Celtics desperately needed an energy boost to just get one more win; his minutes dropped by ten (this is my main point), and he wasn’t called upon in real minutes until game seven.
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In that Game 7, he entered in the second quarter and immediately got the crowd going, making several defensive plays and drawing an offensive foul. He ultimately played 10 minutes in the quarter and was a +7. Then came the second half. He played for just two minutes in the third quarter and never saw the floor in the fourth.
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For Scheierman and Harper Jr though, they got a surprise start in Game 7 but couldn’t catch a rhythm quick enough.
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To give you an answer, I do think Joe will be more willing to play them, or at least the ones most deserving of the opportunity. I thought those guys did enough during the regular season to earn a longer leash, but I also think Joe will learn from that experience. And, ultimately, I expect someone from that group to separate themselves from the pack this season.
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In a press conference sometime after Boston’s season ended, Brad Stevens was asked a very similar question. He explained that none of the young wings had clearly separated themselves from the pack, which made it difficult for Mazzulla to determine who should consistently be in the rotation. Whether I agree with Steven’s sentiment or not, certain matchups may favor one player over another, but overall, I think Mazzulla has learned from what happened last postseason, and a player will solidify themselves.
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Q: Who should start next to White and Paul George on the perimeter?
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For this question, let’s assume Payton Pritchard is coming off the bench. He absolutely deserves to start, but I’ve seen the bench role work really well for him, and I expect that to continue. He’ll still play more minutes than some starters and, more importantly, will be on the floor to close plenty of games.
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So, then that leaves Scheierman, Gonzalez, Sam Hauser, Walsh and Harper Jr.
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Harper Jr. is the most guard-like of the group, boasting one of the NBA’s best height-to-wingspan differentials. He’s a smart, heady player with some real juice on ball, and he showed last season that he can really defend. Most notably in an impressive showing while guarding superstar Kevin Durant. I just don’t think he’s in the mix to start unless injuries to multiple guys occur. I do believe in this player though and have no doubt in his readiness in big games.
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Walsh is the best defender, albeit by a very slight margin over Hugo, as well as the best rebounder and screener of the group. He’s also the tallest and gives you tremendous defensive versatility, much like the others in this group.
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The question with Walsh is on the offensive end. He shot a career-high 38% from three last season, which has been a real bright spot in his development over the years. However, if Boston is looking for that additional wing to earn the consistent starting tag next season, it seems to me that the player needs to be more adept at putting the ball on the floor than Walsh currently is.
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While I think that’s true, Walsh did so well last year in his 20 starts and was a true catalyst in the team going 15-5 in that stretch. Maybe Mazzulla will take that into consideration.
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Sam Hauser has the advantage of seniority, which could help him at least to start the season. Getting into a head coach’s circle of trust is difficult, and given how long Hauser has been in Boston, he could be Mazzulla’s safe option. Hauser is one of the league’s best specialists, particularly as a shooter, but he is also the weakest defender of the five.
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We already know what Hauser can provide, whereas the younger wings offer the possibility of developing something more. But if none of those guys separates themselves from the pack, there’s a very real chance Hauser starts a number of games simply because Mazzulla knows exactly what he’s going to get from him.
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Gonzalez has the most potential and is the guy I want to take the starting spot the most, but I’m not sure when that will happen.
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He has all the intangibles at such a young age and the athleticism to play against most playing styles. A ton of players in the NBA have a motor, but from Day 1 it was evident that Gonzalez’s was one of a kind. The ferociousness and intensity were well on display last season and works in tandem with his other skills to help him be a great on and off ball defender. He can be a chess piece on defense as we saw him guard the likes of Jalen Brunson one game then turn around and matchup with bigs such as Karl Anthony-Towns and Bam Adebayo well.
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González’s summer has given me legitimate intrigue about what his offensive game can eventually become. Between his FIBA run with Spain and his time in Summer League, we saw more of the playmaking and offensive versatility that made him intriguing coming out of Real Madrid. The passing chops were already there in Madrid, but they look more refined now, particularly in his ability to make reads out of pick-and-rolls and create for others. His overall offensive craft also appears to have taken a step forward.
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That said, he still has to prove that those skills can jump against NBA competition when the games actually matter. There are still questions surrounding his shooting consistency and handle, and those will ultimately determine how much of this expanded offensive game translates.
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Which leaves my pick for the starting shooting guard position: Baylor Scheierman. For me, it ultimately comes down to balance. Scheierman offers the best combination of offense, defense, and size at the position right now.
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On offense, he’s a legitimate three-point shooter, a very underrated passer, and someone with plenty of untapped skill and craft as a two-point scorer. Defensively, he can also take on point-of-attack assignments and give you everything he has on that end of the floor. And, like everyone here besides Hauser, he consistently gives maximum effort when crashing both the offensive and defensive glass.
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Q: Not sure if you are that tapped into Maine, but curious if there’s anyone, you’re particularly intrigued by down there that u could see making an impact in Boston eventually?
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I just want to thank you for giving me a quick chance to talk about Amari Williams.
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The unique seven-foot big man is entering his second season after averaging 17 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks per game in the G League last season. Williams possesses several outlier traits for a player his size, most notably his extraordinary passing vision, pass placement, and ability to handle the ball.
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That combination is what makes him so intriguing, but the areas he needs to prove he can handle, and continue to improve upon, are the more traditional responsibilities of a big man: rebounding, rim protection screen setting, and overall physicality. While he still has a ways to go to be ready for regular minutes, Williams played in several games with the big club versus legitimate competition and impacted them.
The best thing Williams did as a rookie was protect the rim. His most electric night was when he swatted a shot to save the game in Double Overtime vs the Brooklyn Nets. The rebounding still needs work, but knowing that he could play real time as a rookie shows his floor is higher than even I thought.
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Hayden Gray, who is now back in the Celtics program, was someone I kept a close eye on last season for Maine. He led college basketball in steals, and the ball hawking instincts in passing lanes are evident.
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This year I’m excited to see the time Cenac and Dillon Mitchell spend there if any. Another name to look out for is Milos Uzan out of Houston.
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Q: What changed offensively last year for DWhite that drove his efficiency to fall so far?
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Derrick White’s entire offensive profile flipped on its head last season. Let’s take a look at his play types the last two seasons.
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The three primary play types for me are Handler (22.9%), Spot-Up (35.3%), and Transition (15.3%). These percentages represent the share of White’s offensive possessions that came from each particular play type. As you can see, a significant portion of White’s offense came from spotting up rather than operating as the ball-handler.
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Furthermore, in 2025, 6.7 of his 12.6 shot attempts came with zero dribbles.
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Now fast forward to last season and look at how drastic this change is.
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His Handler possessions increased by 10.1%, the Spot up possessions decreased by 8.9%, and he got out in transition 4.5% less.
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All in all, White was used to more than half of his shots coming with a premade advantage from his teammates. He spent most of his time as a play finisher rather than someone on the ball the majority of the time. Until last season.
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I’ve made up a most important number theory for DWhite and the number is 36. My ideal situation for White’s upcoming season is that he gets somewhere in the middle of his Play Finishing percentage the last two years. If we can go from the 30.8% we saw last year up to say 36%, I think the extra load off could get his 3-point percentage back up.
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And it doesn’t have to be the 39% he shot the previous couple years. Maybe just something in the middle of the 33% he shot last year and the 39% marks. What would that number be you might ask?
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36%.
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Q: Have you told Joe or Brad about Amari Williams as PnR ball handler yet?
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No. My life’s mission has not been completed yet.
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If you have any questions, answers, thoughts, or want to see this again, please don’t hesitate to reach out in the comments.
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Part one of this series was done in video form. Check it out below!
