The Rangers have played 28 home games against below .500 teams who were starting, or opening with, a pitcher whose ERA sits above 4.0. They’ve gone 19-8-1 to the Over.
With Athletics relievers bleeding baserunners, the Rangers should have plenty of traffic on the basepaths throughout and are in a good spot to do the heavy lifting.
Gore ranks in the 25th percentile in both barrel rate and hard hit rate. Playing a bad, injury-plagued Athletics team will help his cause, but it’s not as if he has a spotless profile and is immune to giving up damage.
Play to 52%.
A's vs Rangers home run prediction: Jake Burger (17%)
Jake Burger is in nice form at the dish. He has piled up five extra-base hits over his last seven games, and has hit for plenty of power dating back further.
He leads the Rangers with a .341 ISO and 18.8% barrel rate over the last 20 games. He is the most consistent power threat on the roster, and he should get plenty of good pitches to hit against a steady stream of relievers out of a poor bullpen.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 95-88, -12.95 units
Over/Under bets: 93-84-6, -3.03 units
A's vs Rangers weather
This game will be played indoors.
A's vs Rangers odds
Moneyline: A's 37% | Rangers 64%
Run line: A's +1.5 (54%) | Rangers -1.5 (47%)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (49%) | Under 7.5 (52%)
A's vs Rangers trend
The Athletics have hit the game total Over in 17 of their last 30 games (+5.30 units, 16% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for A's vs. Rangers.
How to watch A's vs Rangers and game info
Location
Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
Date
Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026
First pitch
8:05 p.m. ET
TV
NBCSCA, RSN
A's starting pitcher
J.T. Ginn (9-8, 3.71 ERA)
Rangers starting pitcher
MacKenzie Gore (7-10, 4.40 ERA)
A's vs Rangers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 8: RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics on January 8, 2022 at the 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 2022 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Really, how often do you remember Rowan Junior?
Mayor Zohran Mamdani did. Speaking at the Knicks’ championship ceremony at City Hall on June 18, he made sure RJ Barrett’s name was included among those who helped build the title team:
“This championship belongs to them too, because championships aren’t just built in one season. It belongs to Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and also to a coach who also laid the groundwork, Tom Thibodeau.”
Still, Barrett has become strangely easy to overlook when we talk about the era that began with Thibodeau, Julius Randle, and the 2020–21 “We Here” Knicks. On this date, September 1, 2022, RJ signed an extension that appeared to establish him as part of the long-term core; 16 months later, he became the central piece of the trade that brought OG Anunoby to New York.
Rowan Alexander “RJ” Barrett Jr. arrived with bona fide basketball bloodlines. His father, Rowan Barrett Sr., starred at St. John’s, played professionally overseas, captained Canada at the 2000 Olympics, and later became general manager of Canada Basketball. His mother, Kesha, was a nationally ranked sprinter and long jumper at St. John’s. Steve Nash, one of the greatest Canadian basketball players ever, is RJ’s godfather. With all that preceding him, clearly young RJ was destined to be a professional bowler.
Born in Toronto in 2000, Barrett starred at St. Marcellinus before transferring to Montverde Academy in Florida. By the end of his high school career, he was the consensus No. 1 recruit in the class of 2018, with Naismith Prep Player of the Year and Gatorade National Player of the Year honors in his trophy case.
Barrett entered Duke as the projected top pick in the 2019 draft, but his roommate Zion Williamson quickly became the main attraction in Durham. The two became close friends, referred to each other as brothers, and made history as the first freshman teammates to each average more than 20 points. Williamson’s gravitational pull (literal and figurative) pushed Barrett into the background somewhat, even as RJ set ACC freshman scoring records and earned consensus first-team All-American honors.
Meanwhile, the 2018–19 Knicks were deliberately dreadful, finishing 17–65 during the first season of the new lottery odds. Their 14% chance at Williamson turned into the third pick, with New Orleans selecting Zion and Memphis taking Ja Morant. Barrett was still considered a top-three talent and a clean fit for New York, so the Knicks pounced without hesitation. Still…he wasn’t Zion. (I still think about the woman who got the Zion Knicks tattoo ahead of draft night and wonder if she still has it…)
On draft night at Barclays Center, RJ became emotional when Adam Silver called his name, later explaining that his late maternal grandfather, a die-hard Knicks fan with Brooklyn and Jamaica roots, used to tell him he would someday play for the club. After his press conference, Barrett turned toward the cameras and declared, “Yo! I’m a Knick!” His excitement was so sweetly genuine: he wanted New York, and New York wanted him right back (but…he still wasn’t Zion…).
Never forget RJ Barrett with "Yo I'm a Knick!"
Appreciate the hard work and giving it your all with us!
Barrett’s rookie season was uneven, with 14.3 points per game on inefficient shooting. Thibodeau’s arrival changed the direction of the franchise and helped Barrett find firmer footing. He averaged 17.6 points in 2020–21, improved his shooting, defended harder, and helped Randle carry New York into the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
RJ reached 20 points per game the following season and continued to start nearly every night. When the Knicks extended him in September 2022, Barrett was only 22 and still looked like a key piece in whatever New York was becoming.
The fit never completely worked, though. Barrett and Randle both did their best work inside the arc, which cramped the paint, and Barrett never became a reliable enough three-point shooter or natural enough playmaker to solve the problem (particularly after Captain Brunson arrived). He could still bully his way downhill and occasionally produce a great Garden moment. His banked-in buzzer-beater that completed a comeback against Boston in January 2022 is a recent classic. Consistency, however, remained elusive.
Then, on December 30, 2023, the Knicks sent Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a second-round pick to Toronto for Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi (Evil Donte) Flynn. Anunoby’s defense and seamless fit transformed the team almost immediately, and it quickly became a pretty lopsided trade.
For Barrett, the deal meant going home. He became a steady 20-point scorer in Toronto, showed growth as a playmaker, and continued using his strength to batter his way toward the rim. Life hit him with tragedy when his younger brother Nathan died following an illness in March 2024. Barrett stepped away from basketball before eventually returning and speaking openly about his grief: “He was my best friend…I’m always missing him. I still text him.” Our hearts went out to him and still do.
The championship story understandably centers on Brunson, Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart. We love them all, but none were on the team when RJ arrived. MSG was still a sort of basketball wasteland. RJ brought some hope that someday soon, things would be different. He absorbed the expectations that came with being the third pick on a miserable team, helped the Knicks climb out of the lottery years, and supplied his share of memorable nights at the Garden. Mamdani remembered, and a few others still do. For a player once expected to become the face of the franchise, his name should come up more often.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 30: Rutger McGroarty #2 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates the puck against Sean Walker #26 of the Carolina Hurricanes in the third period at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After last week’s look at our 2024 outlook about predicting the 2026 Penguins, let’s take the impossible stab at looking at what the 2028 Penguins could be working with.
This task is tough, since barely any players are under contract for the future. Pittsburgh only has six players under contract for 2028-29 as of right now. There’s a decent enough chance that two of them (Ryan Graves and Ville Koivunen) could be bought out or otherwise removed from the roster despite the current contractual status.
That roster buildup is by design by Kyle Dubas and the front office. The current version of the Pens is built to finish out the Crosby/Malkin era, as soon as its over the plug could get pulled in a major way to lean into a full franchise restart. Dubas has often said his goal is to continue to build in order to be strong in the short and long term, but there’s little doubt his talent pipeline lacks a lot of high-end, elite options. That could be coming and the 2028-29 Penguins might be a reason why.
The big question with this is whether or not Sidney Crosby will still be playing hockey in 2028-29. He’ll be 41-years old at that point and it would be a 24th season if he does come back. Crosby appears to still have the drive and desire to play now as much as ever, but sooner or later age and Father Time are going to end his playing career. Does he have three (or more) seasons left in him? At this point, it would be nothing more than a guess either way. There’s a good chance Crosby is still playing in 2028-29, realistically there’s also a good chance he hangs up the skates by that point. Clarity could come with Crosby’s expected upcoming contract extension – two years would commit him to playing 2028-29 and answer the question early. It sounds more likely it could be only a one-year extension.
Onto the roster projection, for now we will include Crosby (because it’s not like the team has a lot to the point of excluding him).
Top-six forwards: Sidney Crosby, Yegor Chinakhov, Ben Kindel, Tommy Novak, ?, ?
-Would love to include Koivunen here, but we haven’t seen it yet from him at the NHL level. If bought out, Koivunen would only carry a $479k cap penalty for the 2028-29 season. Ideally the Pens’ bet on him pays off, if not, then he becomes the footnote.
This listing shows the progress, yet continued challenges for Dubas. The good news: within about the last 12-15 months he has found both Kindel through the draft and Chinakhov through a trade. The bad news: Dubas needs to find another few key players in the coming years, ideally both young like he did before. Still a lot of work to do, maybe it means developing Mikhail Ilyin hoping for a big jump by Will Horcoff or Bill Zonnon, more than likely it’s going to have to be external adds.
-The Pens love to churn through a ton of options at the bottom of the lineup, which is almost certain to continue in the near future with various players getting looks and opportunities. Surely there will be unexpected additions from the trade and free agent market joining up. For best results and a healthy organization, it would be great to see as many internal development wins go up the ladder – even for players we didn’t project like Tanner Howe, Atley Calvert or Avery Hayes that certainly have some realisitic chance of being in the NHL picture two years from now.
LeftDefense: ?, ?, ?
-The picture looks bleak here. 2028 is a little too early to project someone like Tomas Galvas going from Czech league to NHL in two seasons in his early 20’s. Perhaps Jake Livanavage is in the picture. Maybe somehow it’s Owen Pickering. More than likely, we’ll just project the team needing completely new options on the left side. We’ll say there’s no Ryan Graves (who actually is under contract in 2028-29 for the final year). We said that in 2024 that he’d be gone by 2026, one of these times it’ll be right.
Right defense: Harrison Brunicke, Kaeden Korczak, ?
-The right side looks more projectable than the left at this point. Ideally a younger option like Chase Pietila or Finn Harding can even matriculate up and round out the group. That’s tough to call out of no where, so for now it’s too hazy to feel confident about projecting.
Goalie: Sergei Murashov, ?
-The Pens will surely be hoping Murashov works his way into being a longterm option in net. What the situation looks like beside him two years from now is up to interpretation. Dubas tends to flip and mix up goalies with some regularity, it stands to figure in a few years’ time there will be a fresh face involved with Murashov.
It's been an incredibly long summer, with Mathieu Darche's squad last playing a game on Apr. 14, a 2-1 loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
The offseason additions were slim -- that was expected -- with the organization saying goodbye to longtime captain Anders Lee, forward Maxim Shabanov, and backup goaltender David Rittich, bringing aboard forward Matias Maccelli and netminder Vitek Vanecek.
The Islanders also will be welcoming back forwards Kyle Palmieri and Pierre Engvall, defenseman Alexander Romanov, and backstop Semyon Varlamov from injury.
The biggest acquisition was the one Darche made with four games to go when he brought Pete DeBoer aboard. The longtime NHL head coach didn't have enough time left in the season to implement exactly what he wanted, but he has had the summer to do just that as we approach the start of training camp.
While we don't have specific dates just yet, the Islanders held their rookie camp on Sept. 11 last season, with training camp beginning on Sept. 18.
When it comes to rookie camp, just a few reminders:
No NCAA players will be in attendance, as they reported to school in early August. Also, No. 13 pick Matias Gustafsson isn't expected to be there, as his SHL season begins shortly.
For the first time, the Islanders will play in two prospect showcase games against the New Jersey Devils. The first game will be in New Jersey on Sept. 13 at 2 PM ET, and the second will be at Northwell Ice Center on Sept. 15 at 6 PM ET.
The Islanders' four preseason games consist of two against the Devils and two against the New York Rangers.
They'll kick things off in New Jersey against Devils at 1 PM ET on Sept. 20 followed by a game against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 22 at 7 PM ET.
Then, their final two preseason games will be a back-to-back at UBS Arena, battling the Rangers at 7:30 PM ET on Sept. 25 before wrapping things up against the Devils on Sept. 26 at 7:30 PM ET.
The Islanders face the Toronto Maple Leafs north of the border on Sept. 30 for their season opener, a cool matchup as we are likely to see No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna make his NHL debut.
Japanese player wears Iverson’s signature cornrows
Outfit also has newspaper clippings about Osaka
Naomi Osaka channeled former NBA star Allen Iverson before her US Open first-round victory over Anastasia Zakharova on Monday.
Osaka made her usual fashionable entrance for her tournament opener, which she won in straight sets. The two-time US Open champion emerged on to the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium wearing a long, white skirt and a gray, hooded robe featuring newspaper clippings about her.
Naomi Osaka walks on to the court at the US Open.Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images
Naomi Osaka channeled former NBA star Allen Iverson before her US Open first-round victory over Anastasia Zakharova on Monday.
Osaka made her usual fashionable entrance for her tournament opener, which she won in straight sets. The two-time US Open champion emerged on to the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium wearing a long, white skirt and a gray, hooded robe featuring newspaper clippings about her.
She then removed her hood revealing her cornrows under a headband, Iverson’s signature look when he was the NBA MVP while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. She also wore an arm sleeve, a look made popular by Iverson during his playing career.
Osaka is not the only Nike-sponsored athlete to wear a basketball-themed outfit at the US Open. World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka is wearing an orange dress at the tournament, one of the colors of the New York Knicks, who won their first NBA title since 1973 in June.
“It’s my, I guess, my tribute to Iverson. I really like him a lot,” Osaka said after her 7-6, 7-6 victory. “I mean, Nike said basketball, so I said: ‘OK, you want basketball, I’ll give you basketball.’”
Osaka wore a shirt with Iverson’s picture when she spoke to reporters on Saturday, praising the Hall of Famer as a fashion trailblazer.
“I think he’s also someone that I look up to a lot, because he’s kind of done a lot in fashion, whether it’s on purpose or not, but he’s shifted the way that NBA players dress,” Osaka said on Saturday. “I also think the whole conversation around clothes in sports and also just expressing yourself through style, I feel like he’s someone that I look up to in that regard.”
She added that she had never spoken to Iverson, but he posted a message to Osaka on his Instagram page on Monday, writing: “Wow, what a honor!! BIG FAN can’t wait to meet you.”
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 30: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts to striking out in the fifth inning while playing the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on August 30, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the dog days of August turn into September, the Los Angeles Dodgers hope to turn the rough patch that they’ve gone through around and finally start scoring again.
This is the third year in a row that the Dodgers have gone through a slide like this, something that Bill Plunkett of the OC Register posits has become the feature and not a bug. This season has been especially egregious. The Dodgers were last in all NL teams in runs scored since July 1, and went 13-14 in August.
With the team having the highest average age for position players, Plunkett wonders if we are expecting too much of the Dodgers lineup?
“No. I don’t think you can expect too much of us. And we like that. We like that you think we should be scoring more,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said to that. “If you were content with us scoring three, four runs then we wouldn’t have a very good offense. I’m okay with you guys expecting more out of us. We expect more out of ourselves.”
Mookie Betts thinks that maybe fans expect a little too much, that they will always hit like they have in the past, or that they should be able to hit any pitcher at any time.
“That was when guys were throwing 92, 93 when we did that. And we were younger, yes,” Betts said of the prime years of the Dodgers’ stars, exaggerating how quickly velocity has jumped in MLB.
“I don’t care who you are. You can be Shohei or anybody, the best player in the league. You’re not hitting 100 (mph) consistently every day. Nobody is doing that. We’re facing 97, 98 every day. Then the guys who are 92, 93 – there’s something to it. Sometimes we hit it. Sometimes we don’t. That’s part of the human element of the game. But I think that part is getting missed. Y’all expect us to score six or seven (runs) every day, you know what I’m saying?”
If the Dodgers are going to three-peat, they need the offense to at least do something. The offense did barely enough last year, and there’s no reason to expect that ‘barely enough’ could get them that coveted third ring in a row.
The pitching has been phenomenal as always, and as long as it stays that way, the offense is the only thing standing in the way of another World Series win. Only one little hiccup there, hitting is always harder in the postseason. It remains to be seen if the Dodgers can eek their way to another ring.
Rockies bullpen coach Matt Buschmann works with pitcher Nick Frasso | Colorado Rockies | Kyle Cooper
As it turns out, 2026 has been a surprisingly strong year for the Colorado Rockies bullpen.
Through August 29th, Rockies relievers have been worth 3.0 fWAR, which is 15th in MLB. Their 4.81 ERA is not terrific, but it comes in 26th in baseball. (Given that their xERA was 4.80, the bullpen has performed about as expected.)
And it’s not like this has been an easy season for the bullpen, which has logged 549.2 IP this season, the sixth-most in the league.
The first thing he’s learned is that pitching at elevation is not unlike David Foster Wallace’s explanation of water in “This is water.”
It’s just the environment in which this team lives.
“I think once you’re in it a lot, it kind of goes away,” Buschmann said.
“There’s definitely some things about it, but it’s not as big a deal. From the pitcher’s perspective and what you can control, I think it’s very controllable. I think pitching at altitude becomes more (about) ‘What are you solving for?’ because a ball in play at altitude and with our field being so big, is a bit more of a penalty than a ball in play most other places.”
That imbalance requires more preparation on the part of Rockies pitchers.
“It’s just thinking through, ‘How do I attack hitters, knowing that a ball in play maybe costs a little more?” he said.
Buschmann is quick to complement the work of the Rockies bullpen staff and the way they’ve adjusted to playing at Coors and on the road.
“These guys handle it really well,” Buschmann said. “They understand how to pitch there. We’ve actually pitched at home compared on the road, pretty similarly. We get more two-strike swing-and-miss at home. So it’s not that guys don’t understand how to pitch at Coors. I think it’s just thinking through what is our attack plan, and how does that change? Because I think pitchers are going to execute fairly well in both places.”
For the record, Rockies relievers have a collective 5.91 ERA at Coors (29th worst) and a 5.14 road ERA (28th worst).
He’s also very aware of bullpen management.
“(With) relievers, you’re always managing workload,” Buschmann said. “There’s certainly injury risk in everything we do, but I think it’s more just output and ability and feeling good enough to execute and do these things, and so the fatigue more shows up in that. How good is this guy going to be? How good does he feel to go out and be his best? So managing that has been an interesting challenge.”
New technology
As one change brought in by the new front office, the Rockies are using technology to learn more about players and improve their performance — most notably, Catapult — and for that, Buschmann has worked with Brandon Stone, the Rockies manager of performance science and someone Buschmann knew from his time with the Toronto Blue Jays.
“Ultimately, we know everything that’s happening in a game,” Buschmann said. “We can measure every single thing in a game.”
The Rockies are in the process of learning how best to use that information.
“Now we’re trying to really measure ‘What do we do in between games?’ because we’re doing so much in between games, too. And when you get that total picture, you can you can basically understand ‘Here’s what’s expected of you from a workload perspective in the game.’ And if I know that, I know how to manage your workload in between games, and make sure the games don’t crush you, or they don’t fatigue you as much. And so the way to do that is to make sure your workload is high enough so that a game isn’t a big deal.”
The Catapult technology is helping the Rockies make better decisions.
“That’s helping us measure the throws and catch. It’s helping us measure not only their workload, but it’s helping us measure their strategy and how they’re going about workload. When we measure the strategy, little differences in strategy maybe tell us some underlying things that are going on. Maybe they’re tight in their lower half or upper half, and that just gets us ahead of things and makes sure we keep guys in their norm. And those things help measure when they’re outside their norm. And when they’re outside their norm in baseball, when you play every day, that can lead to kind of these small things over time end up to a big thing.”
Bullpen management
The changes aren’t limited to technology. Earlier in the season, the Rockies experimented with using bulk relievers, but they seem to have gone to a more-traditional bullpen strategy. However, Buschmann attributes that to improved length from the Rockies starters.
“Really, it’s just been a credit to our starters who, I think, have made adjustments,” Buschmann said, “and a lot of them have gotten more consistent and put together a good stretch here of our starters being being really good and getting deeper into games. And when you do that, you see the difference in how you can manage a bullpen, and maybe it lets you keep an extra leverage reliever instead of constantly worrying about length. Now you have extra leverage relievers, so each guy down there that can pitch in leverage isn’t necessarily always needing to be up.”
In addition to managing what’s happening with the Rockies, Buschmann has dealt with the bullpen churn that is part of an MLB season as relievers join the Rockies from Triple-A Albuquerque. For him, that goes back to veteran leadership.
“I think the biggest thing there is just the staples, the consistent guys, and Brennan Bernardino and Jimmy Herget and the veteran guys. It’s really fortunate for me that those guys have been there. They care about helping younger players, bringing them up, and they’re really good resources. They’ve both been in each situation you can think of, and so they were a really good resource for the younger guys to understand. ‘Here’s the expectation of you.‘ ‘Here’s you know how you need to prepare every day and to be your best.’ And so for me, it’s been leaning on those guys to make sure that they’re helping the younger guys come up.”
“So it’s I knew it would be really, I think, hopefully impactful on some of the younger guys to see him prepare every day.”
Closing thoughts
It’s been a learning season for the new Rockies coaching staff, but Buschmann identified one lesson in particular he has stuck out to him.
“You can talk about pitching at elevation, you can have ideas, but then watching it day to day, there’s so much context there that now you’re truly informed through experience,” Buschmann said.
“I think what I’m most excited about is taking that experience and now building things and iterating our philosophy, building tools that are now informed by a year of experience and seeing it and seeing things work and not work. And so I’m really excited for that and just time — like a full offseason —with this group and what we’ve experienced. (Then we can) start to go and build the things we want to build, and hit the ground running in spring instead of hit the ground like, ‘Let’s learn, everybody.‘ I think that’s the most exciting place.”
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 30: Jalen Johnson #1 & Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks high five during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 30, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Hawks fans and fans across the country.
With the news that Jonathan Kuminga has signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, all the major dominos in this summer’s free agency period have fallen. That means, barring a trade, the Hawks’ core roster is locked in for 2026-27.
With the team surging to the 6-seed after going 19-5 down the stretch of last season (20-6 after the All-Star break), the organization opted to retain flexibility and re-sign key free agents like CJ McCollum and Jock Landale to one-year contracts.
Add to the core of Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker the former Thunder duo Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins, and you have a roster full of potential — but also one lacking the talent to truly compete.
So I turn this microphone over to you, what letter grade would you give the Hawks this offseason?
The Vancouver Canucks are just a few weeks away from kicking off the 2026–27 season. In honour of the upcoming campaign, The Hockey News’ Canucks team will be previewing Vancouver’s Pacific Division opponents. Today’s team is the rebuilding Calgary Flames.
Calgary Flames 2025–26 Season:
Record: 34–39–9
Division Ranking: 7th
Playoffs: No
Goals For: 208
Goals Against: 256
Power Play: 16.2%
Penalty Kill: 80.4%
2026 Off-Season Storylines:
Calgary was involved in one of the more notable trades conducted this off-season, intriguing fans when they acquired defenceman Šimon Nemec and forward Maxim Tsyplakov from the New Jersey Devils ahead of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The move raised questions about the Flames, who currently look to be in contention for the rights to drafting first-overall in the 2027 NHL Draft, as Calgary gave up two first-round picks, prospect Etienne Morin, and a second-round pick for the two players.
The Flames continued to make additions to their prospect cabinet by making five picks within the first two rounds of the draft, including selecting first-rounders defenceman Carson Carels (6th) and forward Jack Hextall (30th).
Biggest Storyline For The 2026–27 Season:
Calgary is in a very similar position to the Canucks in the sense that the 2026–27 season will likely be one focused on developing their youth while gunning to add more prospects to their shelves. The Flames are still looking for a break-out superstar to lead their offence, which was rated last in the NHL in 2025–26 with a 208 goals-for. The likeliest way for that to happen will be through the draft.
Player To Watch:
Given that he was arguably the Flames’ top ready-to-play acquisition during the 2026 off-season, Nemec will likely be the Calgary player on everyone’s radar. He will expectedly slot into one of Calgary’s top-two pairings and potentially make his way onto a power play unit.
Key Additions:
Winger Maxim Tsyplakov
Defenceman Šimon Nemec
Defenceman Jacob Middleton
Defenceman Carson Carels
Key Subtractions:
Winger Blake Coleman
Winger Ryan Lomberg
Defenceman Olli Määttä
Schedule Against The Canucks
October 3 vs. Calgary
December 26 @ Calgary
February 27 vs. Calgary
April 10 @ Calgary
Mar 28, 2026; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Vancouver Canucks left wing Drew O'Connor (18) controls the puck against the Calgary Flames during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Going into this upcoming season, the Detroit Red Wings will have plenty of players under the microscope, but one storyline may go largely unnoticed. Mason Appleton, a 30-year-old veteran entering the final year of his contract, is set up for one of the more underrated arcs on the roster this season.
Heading into his tenth NHL season and second with Detroit, Appleton will be looking to prove himself ahead of his next contract, ideally with a season that gets him back closer to his career-high 36 points, a mark he set back in 2023-24 with Winnipeg. He's expected to slot into the third line and spend most of the season in Detroit's bottom six.
The Green Bay, Wisconsin native has never signed an NHL deal longer than three years, and his next contract, which would be his fifth as an NHL veteran, could be the one that carries him into his mid-30s if he can put together a strong platform year.
That won't be easy coming off a rough first season in Detroit as Appleton battled a lower-body injury for much of the year, appearing in just 65 games and finishing with six goals and eight assists for 14 points, his lowest full-season output since 2022-23. He also posted a minus-4 rating, his first negative plus/minus mark in five years.
With a full, healthy season ahead of him, Appleton will be looking to reestablish himself as a reliable NHL depth piece, whether that means a new deal in Detroit or elsewhere around the league.
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PHOENIX - FEBRUARY 14: (L-R) Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs looks at the cell phone of director Spike Lee as they attend NBA All-Star Saturday Night, part of 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend at US Airways Center on February 14, 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 2009 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s a big day for Pounding The Rock. Today, the SB Nation app is live, and it’s the best way to follow the Spurs.
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Milwaukee, WI - APRIL 20: Milwaukee Bucks mascot, Bango takes a 'selfie' with fans before Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Toronto Raptors of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2017 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s a big day for Brew Hoop. Today, the SB Nation app is live, and it’s the best way to follow the Bucks.
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A year ago we made some big changes to our communities, including offering fewer ads and the addition of The Feed. Today, we want to give you even more community tools and fewer ads with this app. It will make starting and joining conversations here as simple as posting to your favorite social media platform.
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Why should I download the app?
The app will be the easiest way to interact with everybody else in the community:
All your favorite teams’ posts in one dedicated feed
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CHARLOTTE, NC - FEBRUARY 16: Kevin Durant #35 of Team LeBron gets ready in the locker room before the 2019 NBA All-Star Practice and Media Availability on February 16, 2019 at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s a big day for NetsDaily. Today, the SB Nation app is live, and it’s the best way to follow the Nets.
You can download it by searching SB Nation for iOS or Android.
A year ago we made some big changes to our community, including offering fewer ads and the addition of the Feed. Today, we want to give you even more community tools and fewer ads with this app. It will make starting and joining conversations here as simple as posting to your favorite social media platform.
You can check out the video below showing off some of the useful features of the app, and we’ll dig into them below.
Why should I download the app?
The app will be the easiest way to interact with everybody else in the community:
All your favorite teams’ posts in one dedicated feed
Notifications when someone replies or recs your post
New game thread section, with an experience that’s smoother and faster
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Easily navigating between your favorite communities with a swipe
It will be the fastest way to read every post from our community.
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CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 08: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on March 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 109-98. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When I wrote about the NBA teams with the most to prove last summer, the first entry on the list was the New York Knicks. The Knicks had just fired Tom Thibodeau coming off a conference finals appearance, and they struck out on numerous head coaching candidates to replace him before settling on Mike Brown. A final four berth wasn’t good enough for New York; they traded away too much to build a perfect team around Jalen Brunson, and anything less than a trip to the NBA Finals was going to be a failure in a diminished Eastern Conference landscape with Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum both recovering from torn Achilles injuries.
The Knicks were good, not great, during the regular season, before finding a special level during the playoffs and winning their first championship since 1973. New York answered their biggest questions on the way to a title, but not every team was so lucky.
The upcoming 2026-27 season feels wide open. The NBA has had eight straight unique champions, and there’s a great chance that streak can extend another year. Some teams are facing more pressure than others. Here are the teams with the most to prove next season.
Philadelphia 76ers
Need to prove they can make the most of all this talent.
The Sixers haven’t even made the Eastern Conference Finals since before 9/11. Philly has been flirting with building a contender for Joel Embiid’s entire career, cycling through co-stars like Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, James Harden … dare I bring up Markelle Fultz? To say it’s been a wild decade for the Sixers would be an understatement, but in many ways it all feels like it’s built toward this season. Embiid is in a diminished state at age-32 due to injuries, but at this point he’s more of an extra ingredient than the meat and potatoes of Philly’s stew. The Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown, signed LeBron James, and added some nice depth pieces in Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, and Labaron Philon over the summer. The expectation will be that the Sixers are the biggest threat to the Knicks in the East come playoff time, but with a loaded conference and legitimate questions about fit and durability, there are plenty of pitfalls before they get there. The Sixers won’t meet expectations if Embiid’s body keeps falling apart, and LeBron declines steeply at age-42. They need Jaylen Brown to buy into a lower usage role than the one he had last year in Boston, and they need the bench to plug the holes in a top-heavy starting lineup. It feels like Philly enters the season with more variance than the typical contender due to Embiid’s injury history, LeBron’s age, and Brown’s fit. Their championship window won’t be cracked open for long. That makes them the team under the most pressure this season.
Boston Celtics
Prove that trading Jaylen Brown was worth it.
The decision to trade Jaylen Brown was never about just this season for the Celtics. They got back potentially valuable first-round draft picks in 2028 and 2031 in the deal, which they hope will set them up with a younger co-star for the end of Jayson Tatum’s prime. Given how quick the public is to rush to judgment, though, it sure would help Boston if it at least maintains the level it showed last season. I’m buying the Celtics as a very good regular season team once again. They’re essentially replacing Brown with a full year of Tatum, Mitchell Robinson, and Paul George. I could see Payton Pritchard taking a leap in production with more on-ball opportunities, and I could see Derrick White shooting the ball better with more in-rhythm attempts available without Brown’s ball-dominant style around. It’s inevitable that anyone who hated the Brown trade for Boston will take a victory lap if and when the Celtics’ season ends in the playoffs, but it’s important to remember this team lost in the first-round last year even with Brown. The Celtics can come out of this trade looking great if they get one of the top seeds in the East, and potentially finish with more wins than Philly during the regular season. The book on this trade can’t be written until those future picks pay off, but it will be hard for the Celtics to deal with the bad PR if this team falls on its face. The East is loaded, and there’s certainly a chance Boston misses Brown’s rugged physicality, durability, and volume scoring. It may not be fair, but the Celtics can’t take a huge step back in their first season without Brown if they want to avoid a black eye.
Los Angeles Lakers
Prove that this is the best place for Luka Doncic long-term.
The Lakers were already going to be facing a ton of pressure this season even before their messy ownership changes. Lead executive Rob Pelinka made one of the boldest bets of the summer by trading two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round swaps to the Utah Jazz for Walker Kessler. It’s easy to see the vision: LA wanted a young, rim protecting center behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and it’s hard to do better than Kessler in that regard. They just gave up a lot for him, and now can’t trade a future first-round pick for seven years. Doncic has a huge spotlight on him this season. In an era where everyone is winning championships — even Doncic’s former backup in Dallas — it would be odd and kind of embarrassing if he can’t get one. Luka will be extension eligible after this season. He’ll probably take the money and lock in long-term, but it’s no guarantee if things go sideways for the Lakers this year. It’s easy to forget that this team won 53 games last year even with Doncic missing a lot of time. They will have a way better center this year, but the forward room is a major question mark. The Lakers obviously need perimeter defenders around Doncic and Reaves, and I think they made a few good bets in there with Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, Adou Thiero, and Chris Manon even if they’re mostly long-shots. A first-round playoff exit won’t be good enough for the Lakers this season. They need to show they can push the Thunder and Spurs for being the best in the West.
Denver Nuggets
Prove they’re still a Western Conference Contender.
The Nuggets felt like a championship threat entering the 2026 playoffs. Then they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round in six games, and had the rest of the league questioning whether they’ve been passed by their Western Conference rivals. Nikola Jokic remains as great as any player in the game, but it sure feels like the arrow is pointing down for most of his supporting cast. Aaron Gordon can’t stay healthy, Cam Johnson had a disappointing first season, and Christian Braun suddenly looks like one of the most overpaid players in basketball. The only real notable thing the Nuggets did this offseason was lose Peyton Watson to the Cavs in restricted free agency, and while I like that deal for Denver long-term, it provides another big hit to this year’s rotation. All things are possible through Jokic, so I’m not going to write the Nuggets off yet, but it sure feels like the vibes are bad heading into this season. If things go poorly, there could be some fretting over Jokic’s future as he enters a contract year without an extension. Jokic sure seems committed to Denver, but he also wants to win. Can he still do that with the Nuggets?
Minnesota Timberwolves
Prove they can beat the best of the West.
I’m old enough to remember when the Wolves were one of the worst franchises in the league, going 13 years between playoff appearances. Now Minnesota has been to the playoffs five straight years, and they’ve won five series over their last three trips. This is a consistently very good team with Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert, but they still haven’t gotten over the hump in the West. The Wolves made a bold trade for LaMelo Ball this summer for a few reasons. His elite playmaking should help cover up Edwards’ deficiencies in that area, his pull-up three-point shooting introduces more variance against elite defenses, and it’s possible his arrival could deter some of the vultures potentially circling around Edwards if he ever requests a trade. I hated the LaMelo trade for Charlotte. I liked it, didn’t love it, for Minnesota, mostly because his durability is such a big question mark. I already had Minnesota at No. 4 in my preseason power rankings even before they added Jonathan Kuminga. I’ve never been high on Kuminga as a player, but for some reason I find myself buying into the fit in Minnesota. The Wolves needed a little more size and physicality in the front court, and Kuminga is a bit underrated as a rebounder and defender when he’s not trying to be an iso scorer. It feels like so much of this season falls on the shoulders of Gobert, and I worry he could be starting to decline. There are some real question marks for this team, but their upside feels like it’s higher than anyone in the West this side of OKC and San Antonio. The pressure is on to put it all together.
Indiana Pacers
Prove they can get back to being an East contender.
The last time the Pacers were healthy, they went on one of the most magical NBA Finals runs in league history. They might have won it all if Tyrese Haliburton didn’t tear his Achilles in Game 7 against the Thunder. After a 19-win season as their star guard recovered, Haliburton is back and so are Indiana’s expectations. The Pacers made an extremely bold trade for Ivica Zubac at the deadline that ended up costing them the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 draft. There was probably no path back to immediate contention without a center upgrade, though, and Zubac is very good even if he has a different skill set than Myles Turner, the man he’s replacing. Haliburton is one-man offense in many ways with his rare ability to push the pace without turning it over. Does that system still work with a slower, more rim-oriented big man in Zubac who doesn’t stretch the floor like Turner? Can the role players who were so key during the 2025 Finals run find the same magic again? It feels like Haliburton has a huge range of outcomes this year. He could be First-Team All-NBA, or he could fail to make the All-Star team coming back from the injury. The Pacers aren’t expected to be one of the East’s best teams by the sportsbooks, and Haliburton’s return game somehow got buried at New Orleans. No one knows what to do with the Pacers entering the season, but this team knows how good it can be.
Portland Trail Blazers
Prove that last year was no fluke.
The Blazers were one of the feel-good stories of the league last season, making the playoffs for the first time in five years despite their head coach getting arrested after the opening game of the season. It’s hard to feel good about anything that’s happened to the franchise since Tom Dundon bought the team, and that makes keeping their positive momentum going even more imperative this year. The Blazers have a deep collection of guards, but sometimes I think they might be better off starting the two that are slated to come off the bench in Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday. How do Damian Lillard and Ja Morant fit together? Can Donovan Clingan take a leap to turn into one of the West’s better centers? Can Deni Avdija’s All-Star brand of bully ball keep thriving with a different head coach and new supporting cast? The West is really tough as always, which means a step back is on the table for Portland. They need to prove that last year was just the start of something bigger.
COVERS INTEL:The Athletics are a league-worst 8-22 over the last 30 games with a -70 run differential.
