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Illustration highlighting the best Angels and Dodgers player of the past 25 years. Clockwise from top left: Vladimir Guerrero, Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, Kenley Jansen, Francisco Rodriguez, Troy Glaus and Jered Weaver. (Associated Press and Getty Images photos/photo illustration by Tim Hubbard/Los Angeles Times)
This is the golden age of baseball in Southern California. The Angels heralded its dawn.
In 2002, the Angels won the World Series, the first of six postseason appearances within eight years. The Dodgers had played pretty good ball for more than a century, but they never had done that.
Angel Stadium was the place to be. The rally monkey was all the rage. The team nurtured a wave of young talent to surround Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. In 2009, the final year of that run, the Angels drafted future Hall of Famer Mike Trout. In 2011, for the first and only time, the Angels sold more tickets than the Dodgers.
Neither the Angels nor the Dodgers made the playoffs in 2010, 2011, or 2012. Since then, the Dodgers have made 13 consecutive postseason appearances, with three World Series championships to show for it. The Angels have made one, and they did not win a game.
Never — and this includes the Dodgers’ time in bankruptcy court — have the fates of the two Los Angeles franchises been so disparate. In 2026, the Dodgers could win their third consecutive World Series championship, and the Angels could finish in last place for the third consecutive year.
At a time major league owners would like you to believe market size equals destiny, the team with baseball’s longest postseason drought plays in the second-largest market in North America.
Today, however, we come not to bemoan the bad times but celebrate the good times, for the Angels and Dodgers.
The century is a quarter old. So here are our quarter-century teams for both the Angels and Dodgers, based solely on performances for those teams. In a few places, we included a deserving player at a secondary position, if his primary position was fully stocked. Let us know where we got it right, and where we didn’t.
And, while you’re there, you’ll see the story of our golden age in a nutshell. Of the 22 players on the Dodgers’ first and second teams, 11 were on at least one of the World Series championship teams this decade. Of the 22 players on the Angels’ first and second teams, only four played for the Angels this decade.
One was Shohei Ohtani, the first-team designated hitter for both teams.
*We considered how long someone played for the Dodgers or Angels during this century, as well as how well someone played, but we’re making an exception here for two reasons: one, left field has not been a position of strength and depth for the Dodgers; and, two: Manny Ramirez’s two-month “Mannywood” run after the Dodgers traded for him in 2008 was simply astonishing: He played 53 games and drove in 53 runs, batting .396 with 17 home runs and a 1.232 OPS. In the playoffs, he batted .520 in eight games, hitting four home runs and driving in 10 runs, with a 1.747 OPS. The two-month “Mannywood” run was good for 3.5 WAR — the same WAR Freddie Freeman delivered over the entire 2025 season. (And, yes, in May of the following year, Ramirez was suspended for violating baseball’s drug policy.)
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 7: Tanner Bibee #28 of the Cleveland Guardians participates in a team workout prior to a Spring Training game against the San Diego Padres at Goodyear Ballpark on March 7, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well folks, you made it. Opening Day is finally upon us and meaningful Guardians baseball will be on our TVs and radios tonight.
First pitch against the Mariners is at 10:10PM our time. Plan your post work naps and space out your caffeine accordingly.
Yesterday, the team announced its Opening Day roster. Notably, Johnathan Rodriguez was DFA’d to make room for Rhys Hoskins on the 40-man. All moves and positions can be read about here.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 15: A general view of Oracle Park before a MLB game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the San Francisco Giants on August 15, 2025 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants played their first game of the 2026 season last night against the New York Yankees. Which means it’s time for first impressions on the 2026 team!
That’s right, consider this your blank check for hot takes and small sample size analysis, baby! Let the unhinged diatribes or delusional optimism rip, I want to hear it all!
Unfortunately given the nature of having to pre-write these, the game has not yet been played as of the time I am writing this, so I don’t get to go first this time. But I look forward to reading through these later this morning to see how everyone is feeling!
What are your first impressions of the team after Opening Day?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants do not play today. They have a really odd schedule for this first series, with off days today and Sunday. But they’ll pick up the series with the Yankees again tomorrow!
It's the first time they'll face Dallas since Nov. 18, when Stars forward Mikko Rantanen ended Alexander Romanov's season in the dying seconds of the third of what ended as a 3-2 win for Long Island.
Rantanen failed to control himself as he pursued a puck on the forecheck. His skate clinked with Scott Mayfield's, then Rantanen shoved Romanov at full speed from behind straight into the boards.
Mikko Rantanen was assessed a 5-minute major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct for this hit on Alexander Romanov. pic.twitter.com/VPP6ldnQc8
Rantanen faced no supplemental discipline from the NHL for that hit, but within the next week, Rantanen had gotten himself into two more highly dangerous plays that resulted in a fine and another ejection.
The Islanders did not get a chance to make Rantanen answer for his play that hurt Romanov that night, and they won't get a chance to on Thursday, either.
Rantanen suffered an injury while playing for Team Finland at the Olympics and has yet to play for Dallas since the Olympic Break ended.
Rantanen joined the team for their upcoming four-game road trip in full-contact mode, but Dallas has already ruled him out for Thursday's game against the Islanders.
Stars GM Jim Nill says Mikko Rantanen will join the team full-time for practice going forward and will travel with the team during the upcoming 4-game road trip. The hope is for Rantanen to return to play by the last two games of the trip.
As a result, the Islanders will not see the Finnish superstar until next season.
The Islanders haven't truly been able to fill the role that Romanov left behind. During his absence, the Islanders have tried five internal options before general manager Mathieu Darche acquired Carson Soucy from the New York Rangers in exchange for the New Jersey Devils' 2026 third-round selection.
We'll see if the Islanders can qualify for the postseason and if Romanov can get back by then, because he's surely been missed.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 08: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics high-fives Neemias Queta #88 after scoring against the Brooklyn Nets during the third quarter at the TD Garden on November 08, 2024 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. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After missing an abundance of practice time and 63 games on the court, the connection between Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta looks like it hasn’t been affected.
Following his return from injury, Tatum offered insight into the conversations he and Queta shared.
“Me and Neemi had a little talk during the game,” he said. “We were just like, ‘man, this is our first day really playing together.’” While the two logged 385 minutes together last season, there is still, as he noted, “some things we got to work on.”
And if Tatum’s first game back against the Dallas Mavericks was any indication of a starting point, there is ample reason for excitement about what lies ahead.
The most common action for this tandem features Queta setting an on-ball screen, creating scoring opportunities for Tatum. As I noted before this season, Queta utilizes his body exceptionally well in these situations.
At his best he’s leveraging his full frame with a low, wide base to effectively shield on-ball defenders.
Even in situations where Tatum doesn’t convert, you can see just how much space he has to work with thanks to Queta.
Tatum even praised Queta, saying he has “really turned into an excellent screener” following the Celtics’ 111–100 win over the Washington Wizards.
That same game also marked Queta’s second-highest scoring output of the season, as he poured in 24 points on 11-of-13 shooting, with Tatum’s precise passing playing a key role in setting him up.
Since Tatum’s return, he has nine assists to Queta which is tied for the most to a teammate with Derrick White. Tatum’s passing variety and pass placement adds another layer to an already really good offense. These skills have already enhanced Queta’s opportunities as a scorer.
Coach Joe Mazzulla was also asked what he has seen from the duo following the win over the Wizards. He pointed to Queta’s growth, noting that his “ability as a connector, his ability to set screens, his ability to get guys open, his ability to read the floor in transition and create those two-on-ones early in the shot clock is something that he’s gotten better at. And with JT back, it just takes it to another level.”
The Celtics bigs have thrived setting those early offense screens this year which consist of “Flare” screens, “Veer” screens, and “Wide” action screens. I went very deep into detailing each of these screens in my Luka Garza spotlight.
When it pertains to Queta and Tatum though, the Flare screen has dominated their early offense connection.
A Flare screen is an off-ball screen set in between the passer and the recipient.
Queta has been able to set these really effectively giving Tatum room to score, attack, and pass to others.
Tatum also has the ability to set those Flare screens and allow Queta to pass.
Looking more into Queta’s passing, he has had his fair share of dimes to Tatum as well.
Queta’s screening and improved ability as a handoff passer also allows him to be compatible in “Blind Pig” actions.
Here’s a detailed look at what Blind Pig is and how it works for the Celtics.
Another area where Queta has thrived since Tatum’s return is passing from the short roll. After the Celtics’ 120–99 win over the Golden State Warriors, Tatum continued to sing Queta’s praises, saying, “He’s really turned into a guy that we can trust throwing the ball in the seam, finishing at the rim and finding the open man. It’s just been really cool to see his development over the last few years.”
“He’s exceeded expectations.”
We really see both parties work together in these situations as they can create advantages for one another and do a great job capitalizing on it.
Here Queta sets the screen on Stephon Castle, getting him off Tatum. That gets Tatum going downhill at Luke Kornet, who is Queta’s defender, opening the pocket for the pass. Dylan. Harper, younger brother of Celtics guard Ron Harper Jr., was also attracted to the Tatum drive. So, when the pass goes to the short roll and hits Queta, he spots Baylor Scheierman drifting to the corner away from Harper getting the Celtics an open look.
Here Queta creates an advantage for Tatum with a pin-down screen, and the attention Tatum gets afterwards opens the short roll to Queta.
Queta was asked about his chemistry with Tatum in the pick-and-roll in a postgame interview and said, “Yeah, it’s been getting better. I’ve been figuring out how to get him open looks, how to get him space to attack certain mismatches and it’s a work in progress and I feel like we’re trending in the right direction.”
Tatum added that this connection has continued to grow because of the constant communication between the two. They “talk it out during the game, timeouts, after the game and as we get more reps, we’ll get more comfortable just knowing where each other is supposed to be.”
Following the Celtics most recent 119–109 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Tatum spoke highly of his developing connection with Queta again, noting that their connection is “just growing each game.” He went on to praise Queta’s instincts and approach, adding, “Neemi’s a very smart player. He has a great feel for the game, he’s coachable, he listens, and he cares more than anything.”
Jayson Tatum has assisted Neemias Queta more than any teammate since returning.
Asked him about his chemistry with Queta:
“It’s growing each game. Neemi is great player. He has great feel for the game. He’s coachable, he listens, and he cares more than anything.” pic.twitter.com/AUd1jLVEOT
The evolving chemistry between Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta is more than just impressive; it’s a glimpse of the Celtics’ offensive potential when precision passing meets smart, physical play. From seamless on-ball screens to short-roll connections, Queta’s growth as a scorer and facilitator, combined with Tatum’s vision and scoring, is already adding to the team’s dynamic.
And if this is only the beginning, the rest of the league better take notice.
Montréal Canadiens - 39-21-10 - 88 Points - 6-3-1 in the last 10 - Won 2 - 3rd in the Atlantic
Columbus Blue Jackets - 38-22-11 - 87 Points - 6-1-3 in the last 10 - Won 1 - 2nd in the Metro
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
The Blue Jackets won for the fifth time in the last six games with a 3-2 victory at Philadelphia on Tuesday.
The club has earned points in 24 of its last 27 contests (20-3-4, 44 pts) to lead the league in wins (tied), points, points pct. (.815) and goals-against per game (2.44) as well as posting the fewest regulation losses since Jan. 11. They also rank seventh-T in penalty kill pct. (81.4) and eighth in goals-for per game (3.59).
CBJ are also 9-2-1 in 12 road contests since Jan. 11, ranking second in the league in points pct. (.792) and third in goals against per game (2.17) and penalty kill pct. (87.1) as well as fifth in power play pct. (30.4).
Columbus has allowed two goals or less in seven of the last eight games since Mar. 10 (1.75 GA/GP, 2nd).
The Blue Jackets have 11 games remaining in the regular season with seven against teams currently holding a playoff spot, and all 11 contests against teams within seven points of a playoff spot.
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Adam Fantilli has registered points in seven out of the last eight games (3-6-9) and 13 of the last 16 contests (8-10-18). He sits two points (21-32-53, 71 GP) from setting a single-season career high.
Jet Greaves has earned points in 14 of his last 15 starts since Jan. 11 (12-1-2, 2.24 GAA, .915 SV% in 16 GP), while G Elvis Merzlikins has recorded points in 10 of his past 12 starts over that span (8-2-2, 2.50 GAA in 13 GP).
Mason Marchment notched 1-1-2, including the third period game winner on Tuesday and has totaled 13-10-23 in 29 contests with the Blue Jackets.
Mathieu Olivier has posted 3-1-4 in the past five games and ranks seventh in the NHL in goals since Jan. 28 (11 in 20 GP).
Damon Severson collected two assists at Philadelphia and has registered 3-7-10 in 13 games in March.
Zach Werenski has recorded multiple points in three of the last four games (1-7-8) and tied Artemi Panarin's single-season club record with his 25th multi-point effort on Tuesday (1-1-2). He has notched 21-56-77 in 64 games in 2025-26 to lead NHL blueliners in points-per-game (1.20), multi-point efforts and shots on goal (225) and sit second in points and third in goals.
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 20.1% - 17th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 77.9% - 22nd in the NHL
Goals For - 225 - 13th in the NHL
Goals Against - 216 - 18th in the NHL
CanadiensStats
Power Play - 25.0% - 3rd in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 76.3% - 25th in the NHL
Goals For - 247 - 5th in the NHL
Goals Against - 225 - 25th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheCanadiens
Columbus is 22-17-1-5 all-time, and 10-10-1-3 on the road vs. Montréal.
Columbus has recorded points in three-straight meetings overall (2-0-1) and 12 of the last 17 dating back to Mar. 28, 2019 (9-5-3).
The club has collected points in five of last eight games at Montreal (3-3-2) but the Canadiens have won the last four home games in the series (CBJ; 0-3-1).
Each of the last three games have been decided by a single goal. Prior to that, 7-of-8 were decided by multiple goals.
The winning team has scored four-plus goals in 11 of the past 15 games since Nov. 19, 2019 (including SO goals).
The teams have combined for six or more goals in four-straight meetings and nine of the past 11.
CBJ have scored a power play goal in two-straight games of the series (2-of-5; 40.0 pct.).
The teams have combined for 60 shots or less in six of the past nine meetings (58.2 avg.).
Who To Watch For TheCanadiens
Cole Caufield leads the Habs with 44 goals.
Captain Nick Suzuki leads the team with 62 assists and 86 points.
Jakub Dobeš is 23-8-4 with a SV% of .896.
Jacob Folwer is 6-5-2 with a SV% of .899.
CBJ Player Notes vsCanadiens
Charlie Coyle has 9 goals 21 points in 29 games against Montréal.
Zach Werenski has 18 career points in 22 games against the Habs
Boone Jenner has 13 points in 25 games against the Canadiens.
Injured Reserve
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 33 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 179
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
* Simulcasted on CW Columbus, WUAB in Cleveland, WXIX in Cincinnati, WZCD in Dayton, WQCW in Charleston/Huntington, WV, WKYT in Lexington, KY and WAVE in Louisville, KY
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BOSTON, MA - MARCH 25: Jayson Tatum #0 and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics react during the game after the game on March 25, 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have been together for nine NBA seasons. They have played 610 regular season games, 121 playoff games, 11 NBA Finals games, and of course, won the 2024 NBA championship together in 2024.
With all of this success, some people will still tell you with a straight face that they aren’t the best duo in the NBA right now — that is blasphemy. While only playing 9 games together this season, we have seen the chemistry build back up and this win against the Oklahoma City Thunder was the catalyst for me to say they have reclaimed their title as best duo in the NBA.
Jaylen Brown finished with his 33rd 30+ point game of the season with 31 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals on 9-17 shooting and 12-14 from free throw line. Jayson Tatum had another double-double, finishing with 19 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block while shooting 5-12 from the field and 3-6 from three.
I asked Brown in the postgame press conference his thoughts on playing alongside Tatum when both of them are dominating on the floor together. He said: “I felt like that was a great, encouraging game for JT, like high level intensity, physical team, and it felt like that was a step in the right direction. We still encourage them to get back to that level of aggression that we know and are used to. But I think today was a great game, and making the right plays, making the right reads, being physical and being Jayson Tatum, and I think it’s a step in the right direction.”
I asked Jaylen Brown what it was like Jayson Tatum running alongside him and having a big game with him.
“I think that game was awesome. I thought the intensity level of that game was very high. Felt like a playoff game. The crowd was into the game. I felt like that was a great,… pic.twitter.com/z9vBk4VjrS
If we’re talking chemistry, nothing was more apparent than this play at the 5:34 mark of the second quarter. All five players on the Thunder defense were watching Tatum in the right corner and he was still able to make an incredible pass to Brown who knocked down the three over a late Luguentz Dort contest.
When it came to the Jays contributing to the team together, we can look at the 11-0 run that Boston went on late in the second quarter. In this short burst, both Brown and Tatum were able to use their gravity to find wide open shooters for three and give the Celtics their first lead of the night with 1:15 left in the first half.
The best part about have two Top 10 players in the NBA is that at any given time they can takeover a game and we saw that the Thunder had no answer when it came to stopping the Jays.
Jayson Tatum went first, dominating the first half with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 block on 4-7 shooting from the field and 2-4 from three. The second quarter specifically might have been the best he looked all season on both sides of the ball.
On offense, Tatum looked more aggressive in this quarter than in almost any other we have seen so far since he has come back. The threes he was able to make after going one-on-one with the defender and the drive he had against Chet Holmgren were great signs. His passing ability also looked sharp after some tough turnovers in the first quarter.
On defense, Tatum was active in the passing lanes, finishing with two steals on some poor offensive execution from the Thunder. I would say his block was the most impressive, coming out of no where to send back a shot from Dort. After the Celtics scored only 20 points in the first quarter, Tatum’s play led to Boston outscoring OKC 29-22 in the second quarter.
After Tatum set the stage in the first half, Jaylen Brown took the baton in the second half. Brown finished the second half with 24 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds on 6-7 shooting from the field and 12-14 from the free throw line.
Brown scored 14 points in the third quarter alone and did a great job of getting to the free throw line, taking 9 attempts. He affected the game with his scoring and facilitating as well. Brown just bullied any defender that was in his way to the basket with none better coming when he put three Thunder players on a poster.
His passing was huge when it came to kicking out to his open teammate after the defense decided to collapse and focus on him. Brown’s play led to the Celtics outscoring the Thunder 39-30 in the third quarter.
Brown continued his big second half in the fourth quarter to close the game, scoring 10 points on 3-3 shooting. He attacked the basket with aggression and even gave Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a taste of his own medicine, drawing a foul on a pump fake and finished the midrange jumper with a smile. Boston finished the game dominating OKC in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 31-26.
You can go through the NBA right now and see a ton of great duos but none of them can compare to the level of Brown and Tatum when they are both at their best on the same night. This game against the Thunder showed that it doesn’t matter who the 1A or 1B is when it comes to talking about the Jays.
Instead, we saw both of them takeover the game to beat the number 1 team in the league who was riding a 12 game winning streak. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are the best duo in the NBA right now and the rest of the basketball world should be terrified that both of them are together again.
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 25: Jayson Tatum #0 and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics react during the game after the game on March 25, 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In front of thousands of people, you have to craft a setlist that flows smoothly and effortlessly while maintaining the atmosphere, keeping the crowd engaged and vibing to the environment they crave.
The tough part is the perfection needed for it. You have to understand the moment while building the next one. One minor slip up can derail it all, killing the vibe and destroying all the work built toward that moment. You cannot afford it.
It’s quite the skill. Maybe that’s why Tommy Lloyd enjoys it.
“I can talk about that all day,” he said.
Leading Arizona in its quest of breaking its Final Four drought, Lloyd’s sidequest includes spinning it on the turntables in becoming a DJ.
He may not strike you as one you’d see mixing songs or making the beat drop, but Lloyd is quite the music lover. And this hobby he’s picked up has come with a masterful teacher, “one of the best DJs of all time” in Mix Master Mike.
“My sport is the art of turntables and hip hop. His sport is basketball. We just decided to collide into those two professions, and now we're here,” Mike told USA TODAY Sports. “It's just an amazing thing.”
It all starts with Lloyd being a big fan of the Beastie Boys, who toured with Mike, regarded as one of the greatest DJs to exist as a three-time world champion. Lloyd had seen him several times in-concert, and one day, decided he wanted to do more than listen to the music.
“He was just fascinated by the art. He's totally into music. He was, ‘yeah, I want to DJ with Mike,’” he said.
So, Mike invited him and his wife to his studio and decided to show Lloyd the ropes, which he said was “really cool to see them explain to you the process a little bit.” Since then, it’s been more than a DJ guru and student, but also a tight friendship between the two.
Mike also noticed how this fun side gig has helped Lloyd take his mind off the pressures of being a coach, a healthy balance when you can easily get consumed by work.
All the learning and training led to the Red-Blue Showcase ahead of the season. In addition to being the introduction of the 2025-26 season, afterward was an afterparty outside of the arena.
It was headlined by Mike, Shaquille O’Neal — aka DJ Diesel — and Lloyd.
Or, DJ Tomm-EE.
When he told the team about what he’d do, it seemed random. But also, not really.
“Honestly, kind of seems on brand,” said forward Tobe Awaka. “He's kind of a guy that likes to explore and do different things.”
So, how is DJ Tomm-EE?
“He did pretty good,” said guard Brayden Burries. “He got a little work to do, but he's pretty good.
“I think he's still growing,” Awaka said. “For a beginner, they were solid.”
“He’s getting a lot better,” Mike said. “He has an ear for music.”
So could you see Lloyd at EDC, the club or your next rave?
Don’t bet on it. Lloyd insists his DJ career is “more of a joke” than his next profession, but he may be selling himself short. Mike insists he’s better than he likely thinks he is. You just don’t show your team samples of your mixes for nothing.
Plus, there are plenty of parallels between DJing and coaching. Just like on the sidelines, Mike noted Lloyd doesn’t get rattled when he’s in the zone. Lloyd himself may not be serious, but Mike said he’ll teach him “as far as he wants to go,” fulfilling an actual dream for him.
“It's been a little bit of a — I guess — I don't know if a childhood fantasy, but probably a manhood fantasy for me that's come true,” Lloyd said. “It's been awesome to have that relationship.”
The relationship has allowed Mike to join the Wildcat family, DJing for them during ESPN’s “College GameDay” and joining in on this successful season. Mike also made arrangements with his schedule to make sure he’s in San Jose for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, hoping to see Arizona make the Final Four for the first time since 2001.
It’s a stage the Wildcats have been at several times before, but have yet to break through. Maybe getting a world class DJ on your side could be the secret sauce.
Mike knows plenty about winning. He’s done it on the global stage. Now inspired and bought into Lloyd’s pursuit of excellence, he hopes he can see his good friend create the perfect setlist that trades dropping the bass for cutting down the nets.
“Me and coach are really tight with the music and just the sport of it. I mean, coming from a three-time world champion, a championship team needs a soundtrack, especially a victory soundtrack,” Mike said. “Whatever we have our sight on, we just don't stop until we win at it.”
The Chicago Blackhawks have not made the playoffs in a long time, but the rebuild, as it is known today, started when Kyle Davidson took over on a full-time basis. He tore it down to the studs and let drafting and developing take over as the main focus.
Davidson has made a handful of small free agent signings and trades to fill out the NHL roster, but players on entry-level deals have been his primary focus from the start. Stockpiling high-end draft picks has been a part of that process.
There have been four drafts since Davidson took over. In that time, he made eleven first-round picks. Remarkably, six of them are going to be in the lineup on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Sacha Boisvert, the 18th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is set to make his NHL debut. He signed with the Blackhawks after completing his 2025-26 season at Boston University. There were some work visa issues to work out, but he’s ready to go.
Boisvert’s debut comes one game after Anton Frondell made his against the New York Islanders on Tuesday. Frondell, the third overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, is the top prospect in the organization and one of the top five across the entire league.
Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Sam Rinzel, and Artyom Levshunov are the other four top round picks in the lineup. If Oliver Moore were not injured, he’d be in the mix as well, which would make it 7 out of 11 first-round picks by Davidson playing.
Kevin Korchinski, Marek Vanacker, Vaclav Nestrasil, and Mason West are the four first-rounders not playing in the NHL yet. The only one of them who is eligible right now is Kevin Korchinski, meaning that almost every first-round pick that Davidson has made from 2022-2024 (three drafts) is already contributing or about to contribute at the NHL level.
The jury is still out on Korchinski. He has dominated at times in the AHL but has yet to stick in the NHL when given opportunities. All of the things he does well are skills that Rinzel and Levshunov also do well, while being much more sound defensively.
Vanacker just finished a regular season campaign in the OHL that saw him lead the league in goal scoring. After some AHL seasoning, he has an NHL future.
Vaclav Nestrasil just won a Silver Medal at the World Juniors and was strong in his freshman season at UMass. Another year of college will do him good.
As for Mason West, he completed his goal of winning a high school state football championship. He is now with the Fargo Force of the USHL and will play for Michigan State next year.
Most of the first round picks being hits with the potential for there to be more on the way makes the Blackhawks a dangerous organization going forward. High-end talent put in the proper position is a key to winning the Stanley Cup.
The Blackhawks will have another top 5-10 pick in the NHL draft this June. They are hoping that this is the last one that they have for a while, because it will mean that they have started winning.
Whether the first-round pick from the Florida Panthers comes in 2026 or 2027 remains to be seen. They also have the first round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2027, but that could also become a 2028 pick, depending on Edmonton’s finish next year.
Every single one of these first-round players is unlikely to dress for the Blackhawks for any sustained period. Some will not make it, some will be traded, but they are all valuable to Davidson right now.
Their future depends on wise choices for their development from this day forward, with six of them already in the NHL lineup.
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OTTAWA, CANADA - DECEMBER 18: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins battles for position against Artem Zub #2 of the Ottawa Senators in front of goalie Linus Ullmark #35 during the second period on December 18, 2025 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tim Austen/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (35-20-16, 86 points, 3rd place Metropolitan Division) @ Ottawa Seantors (38-24-9, 85 points, 5th place Atlantic Division)
When: 7:00 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh, TSN5 and RDS2 up in Canada, streaming on ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The games keep on coming, the Pens head back to Pittsburgh to face Dallas on Saturday (clock the unusual 5:00pm eastern start). Then next week comes a pair of massive games against the Islanders on Monday on the road, followed by a home game against Detroit on Tuesday.
Opponent Track: Hot opponent alert! The Sens have won four-straight games, six of their last seven and eight of their last 10. Ottawa defeated Detroit 3-2 on Tuesday night in their most recent game, a huge victory to propel them above the Red Wings in the standings.
Season Series: Ottawa is 2-0 against Pittsburgh this year, winning 4-0 back on December 18th and then 3-2 in regulation in Steel City back on February 2nd.
Hidden Stat: The Pens have lost nine out of their last 11 games against Ottawa (2-5-4) since the start of the 2022-23 season. Pittsburgh is also 1-5-3 since March 2023 and lost their last five games (0-1-4) on the road in Ottawa.
Getting to know the Senators
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Drake Batherson – Tim Stutzle – Claude Giroux
Brady Tkachuk – Dylan Cozens – Ridly Greig
Nick Cousins – Shane Pinto – Michael Amadio
Warren Foegele – Lars Eller – Fabian Zetterlund
DEFENSEMEN
Tyler Kleven / Artem Zub
Nicolas Matinpalo / Jordan Spence
Jorian Donovan / Carter Yakemchuk
Goalies: Linus Ullmark and James Reimer
Potential scratches: Thomas Chabot (injured), Kurtis MacDermid, Stephen Halliday, Lassi Thomson, Dennis Gilbert
Injured Reserve: Jake Sanderson, Nick Jensen
Ottawa’s recent run has been all the more impressive considering the injuries they’re dealing with on the blueline. USA Olympian Sanderson has been out since March 7th (he’s expected back next week). Chabot just went down with injury over the weekend. It looks bare bones on paper with an assortment of names but they’ve been making it work.
As a result of the injuries, 21-year old Jorian Donovan and 20-year old Carter Yakemchuk both made their NHL debuts last game. Donovan, a fifth round pick in 2023, is the son of former Penguin (and Senator) Shean Donovan. Yakemchuk was the seventh overall pick in 2024, scoring a goal and adding an assist to have a part in two of the three goals the Senators scored on Tuesday.
Foegele (4G+1A in his last six games) has found some scoring touch lately. He doesn’t get paid by the hour, averaging only 11:25 per game in this stretch but has been able to step up and chip in key goals for the team.
Goaltending has been a major issue for Ottawa and huge reason that they underperformed in the first half of the season. That led the club to add 38-year old James Reimer as a free agent in a desperation move to patch things up. Results are mixed (that 2.32 GAA will sure take care of business) and he’s been a moderate upgrade over Leevi Merilainen who couldn’t keep the puck out of the net this season.
Ullmark has been all over the place but is starting to get the arrow pointed in the right direction. He’s 9-2-2 with a .902 save% and 2.31 GAA since the turn of the calendar year, compared to being 14-8-5 with a .881 save% and 2.95 GAA in the 2025 portion of the 2025-26 season. Even more recently, Ullmark has a .908% and 2.20 GAA in his last six outings. Nothing dominant but certainly an improvement from the start of the year and the Sens are finding ways to keep the goals against down.
Claude Giroux will keep on annoying the Penguins until he retires. Giroux has 12 points (2G+10A) in eight career games against Pittsburgh as a member of the Senators, including the go-ahead goal with 5:08 to play in the third period last game.
Tim Stutzle usually confounds the Pens as well (three points in the first two meetings this season) but by his standards he’s been quiet lately with just three points (2G+1A) in his last seven games.
Key Matchup: A strong test for the Penguin defense
The Senators have been a solid team process-wise, they generate a lot of shot attempts, which helps on the other end where they are also No. 1 in the league in xGA due to staying out of their own end and keeping puck control. They also have shown an ability to finish well on all these shots and have a decent power play.
Ottawa is 10-2-2 since the Olympic break, outscoring their opponents on aggregate by a 48-32 margin. The split between shots per game (6th in NHL at a 30.9 average) to shots allowed (2nd in NHL at 22.1) is very impressive.
On the other side, the Penguins have had their share of significant struggles at limiting the opposition recently. Coach Dan Muse summed up the issues after the 6-2 loss to Colorado:
“The quality is too high,” Muse said of opposing scoring chances lately. “It’s just too loud.”
“It’s not chances where it’s to the outside,” Muse said. “It’s plays into the slot. Guys are open there. Some of them are odd-man rushes, whether it’s a breakaway, or some of the other ones that we’re giving. We’ve got to do a better job there in terms of cleaning that up.”
That better job is going to have to start tonight against a very capable opponent who plays in an uptempo style that has given them fits in recent matchups.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Anthony Mantha*
Ville Koivunen – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau
Elmer Soderblom – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kris Letang
Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton
Goalies: Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs
Potential Scratches: Evgeni Malkin (injured), Ilya Solovyov, Blake Lizotte (injured), Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves
IR: Filip Hallander, Jack St. Ivany
No sign of Malkin on the ice for the Pens at practice yesterday, which afterwards Muse confirmed Malkin won’t travel with the team on their quick trip to Ottawa. Even worse Mantha was out with a day-to-day injury, but will at least be with the team and seemingly have a chance to play today.
Mantha’s performance bonus adds an additional $250,000 for every 10-games played. He hasn’t missed a game all season so far. He could only miss two games over the course of the year to still pick up the full bonus money by getting to 80 total games, so here’s betting whatever injury he has will be one that he won’t let keep him out of the lineup for too long, or if it does you know it will be painful in more ways than one if Mantha has to be out for three games over the rest of the season. Whether or not that first absence will happen tonight remains to be seen, Kevin Hayes took Mantha’s spot in practice yesterday in perhaps a hopeful sign that lines weren’t disrupted for early plans to adjust.
In the FWIW category, Pens PR points out that Stuart Skinner has a 6-1-0 record in seven games played against Ottawa and he has a .903 save percentage and 2.71 goals against average.
Also, somewhat interestingly, Erik Karlsson has no goals and only seven points in 15 career games against the Ottawa franchise where he played from 2009-18.
Crosby nearing 1,100 assists
Sidney Crosby has 1,098 career assists and figures to become the third fastest player via games played to get to the 1,100 mark once he gets two more helpers. There’s more history is soon to come, with 1,751 points Crosby enters the night four points behind Steve Yzerman’s 1,755. Yzerman currently sits seventh place in all-time league scoring and sixth place Marcel Dionne (1,771) isn’t too far ahead either.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - MARCH 25: The Boston Bruins celebrate after winning an NHL game in overtime against the Buffalo Sabres on March 25, 2026 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bjorn Franke/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Former Sabre Casey Mittelstadt tied the game late in the third period and Pavel Zacha scored just 38 seconds into overtime to give the Bruins a 4-3 win over the Sabres in Buffalo.
Zacha’s goal, his 24th of the season, capped a back-and-forth game and gave the B’s a much needed win after a disappointing effort against Toronto on Tuesday.
David Pastrnak and Viktor Arvidsson scored the other goals for the Bruins, while Pastrnak also added two assists.
Joonas Korpisalo made 22 saves in the win.
After a slow start to the first period for both teams, Pastrnak got the scoring started 11 minutes in off of a great pass from Fraser Minten. 1-0 Bruins.
Mittelstadt spent the majority of his NHL career in Buffalo, so it was fitting that his big, game-tying goal came in a milestone game: last night’s was the 500th of his NHL career.
We all remember the earlier days of the season, when penalties seemed to sink the Bruins on a nightly basis, and that was nearly the case again tonight. Buffalo went 2-for-3 on the man advantage, and two of those three penalties were tripping calls.
It’s probably silly to harp on Lohrei at this point, but that really was a brutal sequence in the third period. Mistakes/giveaways happen, but to compound it with a cross-checking penalty just can’t happen.
The Bruins deserve a lot of credit for sticking with it after Zucker’s go-ahead goal. Playing your second game in two night’s in a hostile building isn’t easy regardless, and it would have been relatively easy to pack it in after giving up two goals in 30 seconds in the third period.
Pastrnak is up to 3G-6A-9PTS totals in his last five games, as he continues to shoulder the load for the Bruins. His assist on Zacha’s goal was his 60th of the season. That’s two off of his career high of 63, which he has reached for the past two seasons.
To make Wednesday night even bright, the Maple Leafs won again last night, so it was an all-around good night for the Bruins.
The B’s will now enjoy a rarity this season (aside from the Olympic break): three consecutive days without a game, as they’re off until hosting Minnesota on Saturday night.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MARCH 19: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs is surrounded by teammates after he scored the game-winning basket against the Phoenix Suns at Frost Bank Center on March 19, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last night in Memphis Victor Wembanyama tallied seven more blocks. That is his most blocks in game this season since tallying 9 in their October 24th overtime win against the New Orleans Pelicans, the second game of their season.
With a grand total of 610 blocks, Wemby elevates to 230th all-time moving past Jamaal Magloire, Armen Gilliam, and Nic Claxton.
Two nights prior in Miami, Wemby recorded his fourth game this season with 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks. That’s the most by any player in a single season since Tim Duncan had five in 2001-02.
But Victor isn’t limited only to comparisons to Tim Duncan. Miami is also where Wemby landed on his 4000th career point and 600th career block in the early moments of the second quarter. Those milestone elicited another Spurs legend.
Only David Robinson and Victor Wembanyama have scored 4000 points and accumulated 600 blocks in their first 175 games.
Throughout this stat-stacking run of games, Wemby has been making a case for his MVP campaign. He’s not shy about demanding what he feels is rightfully his, and the MVP is one of the them.
Spurs have a couple of days off before wrapping up this road stint in Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon.
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ATLANTA, GA - MAY 04: Overall view of Truist Park in the seventh inning during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 4, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All games can be listened to on the radio on 680 The Fan/93.7 FM or in the 680 The Fan App.
Mar 31, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Opening Day ceremonies before game between Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
We’ve finally made it to Opening Day everyone. No, we’re not counting whatever happened on Netflix last night. Sit back and get ready for a full slate of games today and for baseball to be on your television every day (except the All-Star break) until early November.
