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Detroit's Tarik Skubal is making a compelling case to stake his claim among modern Tigers legends —potentially even challenging Justin Verlander’s status in Detroit. In this episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," Yahoo Sports' Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman go in depth on Skubal’s masterpiece Sunday against Cleveland and what it means for his place in Tigers history.
Here’s how they frame the comparison:
On the mound
Skubal’s most recent complete-game shutout (13 strikeouts, 94 pitches, 102.6 mph on his final pitch) was described as “one of the best games we’ve ever seen pitched.” The combination of dominance, efficiency and drama left a huge impression — not just on the hosts, but on the home crowd as well, who gave Skubal a hero’s ovation.
Personality and connection to Detroit, and underdog status
Mintz makes the point that Skubal has a certain charisma and openness to being “about the Detroit of it,” performing for the fans in a way Verlander didn’t always express. Skubal’s emotional reaction — wiping away tears after the standing ovation — shows just how much this team and city means to him.
Skubal’s journey (a ninth-round draft pick in 2018 rather than a top draft prospect) adds a special “underdog” flavor to his legend that sets him apart, even from Verlander, who was a No. 2 overall pick and highly touted from Day 1.
Tarik Skubal reacts after throwing the final strikeout in his first career complete game on Sunday. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Rob Tringali via Getty Images
Shusterman and Mintz suggest there’s a unique energy around Skubal, a connection to the fans, an on-the-mound swagger, and the sense that Detroit can “dream on him” the way they did with Verlander in his prime.
“Skubal seems to love this and plays to the crowd … in a way that I don’t feel like Verlander ever was," Mintz said. "There’s just something about the way that Skubal goes about pitching that just connects there.”
Skubal's statistical dominance
Skubal had an outrageous strikeout-to-walk ratio (82 Ks, 3 BBs). While Verlander obviously has longevity and milestones (MVP, Cy Young, World Series, etc.), Skubal’s current run is the kind of sustained dominance that could build toward that kind of legendary status.
While Verlander’s legacy as a Tigers legend is carved in stone — thanks to years of elite pitching, a no-hitter and a Cy Young — Skubal is absolutely putting himself in the conversation. If he continues this trajectory, stays healthy, and leads the Tigers back to sustained relevance, there’s every chance we’ll be talking about the “Skubal era” in Detroit for years to come.
He’s not there yet — but he’s laying down the path, and fans (and the Baseball Bar-B-Cast crew) are here for it.
The Athletics — formerly of Oakland but not yet of Las Vegas — have one of the worst home records in baseball.
Maybe it figures.
The A’s are one of two big league teams playing in minor league ballparks this season, along with the Tampa Bay Rays. Tampa Bay was forced out of Tropicana Field after damage caused by Hurricane Milton, so the Rays are playing home games at the Yankees’ spring training base in Tampa. The A’s left Oakland and are spending at least three seasons at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento before moving to a planned ballpark in Las Vegas.
So far, these temporary venues don’t seem to be helping in the win column. Tampa Bay has played far more games at home than on the road, but the Rays are 16-18 at home and 10-8 away. For the A’s, the difference is even more jarring. They are 14-12 on the road but just 9-19 at home.
These are the only two teams in the major leagues that have a winning record on the road and a losing record at home.
After improving from 50-112 in 2023 to 69-93 last year, the A’s were actually above .500 less than two weeks ago. Then they dropped 11 in a row, the last six of which were at home, before finally beating Philadelphia 5-4 on Sunday.
The Athletics have a winning percentage of .538 on the road and .321 at home. That difference of .217 is on pace to set a modern record. The previous mark was “achieved” in the strike-shortened season of 1994 by the Chicago Cubs, who were 29-25 (.537) on the road and just 20-39 (.339) at home.
The record for a full season was set back in 1908, when Pittsburgh was 56-21 (.727) on the road and 42-35 (.545) at home.
Ironically, if you take out the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Athletics already hold the modern record for the biggest home-road winning percentage difference in the other direction. In 1945, the Philadelphia A’s went 39-35 (.527) at home but just 13-63 (.171) on the road for a split of .356.
MILWAUKEE — Despite being one of the best pitchers in the Milwaukee Brewers’ injury-plagued rotation this season, Logan Henderson is headed for the minors.
The Brewers optioned Henderson to Triple-A Nashville while reinstating DL Hall from the 60-day injured list. The move came Monday prior to Milwaukee’s game against the Boston Red Sox in the afternoon.
Henderson has compiled a 3-0 record and a 1.71 ERA over his first four career starts this season. He became the first pitcher in franchise history to win his first three major league games and the first in the majors’ modern era to start his career with a win in three consecutive appearances while striking out seven or more batters in each game.
Henderson leads the Brewers starting staff in ERA and in strikeouts per nine innings (12.4).
Manager Pat Murphy said “the kid has been so good,” but with the Brewers expecting the return of two other key rotation members, the timing is right to send him down.
“Quite frankly, for some of these young guys, get a blow. Get a rest,” Murphy said. “They’re just not machines.”
Along with Hall, the Brewers expect the return of José Quintana, who has been out with a left shoulder impingement, and Brandon Woodruff, a former top-of-the rotation starter and two-time All-Star who hasn’t pitched in the majors since September 2023 after undergoing major shoulder surgery.
Woodruff appeared set to rejoin the rotation earlier this month but his rehab was temporarily stalled by right ankle tendinitis.
“We’re going to need starters,” Murphy said. “We have to keep guys on schedule. We’ve got Woody coming back. We’ve got Quintana coming back. We need pitching. We have to preserve as many of these guys as we can. To preserve them, the best thing is to keep these guys built up. If they are not going to be in the major league rotation, then make sure they go down and get their pitches in.”
Henderson made an immediate splash after being called up in April. In his major league debut against the Athletics on April 20, he gave up three hits and one run over six innings while walking one and striking out nine.
He pitched five innings on Sunday against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, giving up five hits and one run while walking two and striking out six. In doing so, Henderson became only the second pitcher since 1901 to strike out at least six and allow two or fewer runs in each of his first four career starts in the majors.
“He wasn’t quite as sharp yesterday, but he’s been so good,” Murphy said. “He’s handled it so well. The conversation about going down. He totally understands how this works. (Henderson said) just know I’m going to go down there and work my tail off. The kid’s a delight to have around.”
Murphy deemed Henderson’s unexpected demotion as “solid thinking” and said the 23-year-old righty likely will be on an innings limit this season.
“There’s concern,” Murphy said. “He’s had injury history.”
Hall, who is cleared from injury, had been sidelined since spring training with a left lat strain.
“With the past two years having the injury bug, I’m itching every day to get back on the field,” Hall said.
Could the Mets add another piece to their bullpen later this season?
Drew Smith is certainly hopeful.
The right-handed reliever still faces a long road back in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, but he told Anthony Dicomo of MLB.com that he’s optimistic he’ll be able to return in late September or October.
Smith says he's on track to begin throwing bullpen sessions as soon as next month, a positive sign.
The 31-year-old underwent the season-ending hybrid surgery after suffering a torn UCL in his pitching elbow late last June -- and he’s expected to remain sidelined for the majority of this season.
"We’ll see where I’m at by the end of the year," he said. "Everything is so unpredictable with TJ rehab and any rehab in general, but if I could come back by the end of the year that would be the best-case scenario.”
Smith has been a relatively steady contributor during his six years with the club -- pitching to a 3.48 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 196 innings.
It's obvious by now, but the Knicks' Game 3 win against the Indiana Pacers was quite impressive.
Down by as many as 20 points (where have we heard that before) in the first half, New York was staring down the barrel of being down 0-3 in the series. But for the third time during this playoff run, the Knicks staged a ferocious comeback in the second half and willed themselves to a victory.
"We saw that we were on the brink of it looking pretty dark for us and the way we responded, I think it brings us closer together," Jalen Brunson said via a Zoom call on Monday.
Listen to this, New York is now 3-2 this postseason after being down 20 or more points. All other teams since the play-by-play era (1996-97 season)? 25-835.
That is to say, it just doesn't happen often.
At the helm of it all has been head coach Tom Thibodeau, now in his fifth season coaching the Knicks and his 13th year as a head coach following stints with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves.
During his time in New York, Thibodeau has gone 226-174 and has reached the playoffs in four out of his five seasons. In fact, Thibs has failed to make the postseason just three times as a head coach.
Despite so much playoff experience, the 67-year-old has never made it to the NBA Finals and is 47-53 in the postseason. Simply reaching the Conference Finals is an accomplishment for Thibodeau who hasn't been here since the 2010-11 season -- his first season as a head coach with the Bulls.
So when the Knicks pulled out the win in Game 3, yes, they did it for one another, but they also did it for coach whether they were aware or not.
"He’s obviously been in a lot of battles. He’s been on different teams that have had different successes," Brunson said about Thibodeau. "We haven’t necessarily talked about it, but now that you ask that question, watching this man work tirelessly day in and day out, 364 days out of the year, he maybe takes one day off, it would mean a lot (to make the Finals).
"I know he’s not thinking about that, I know he’s not thinking about what it would mean to him, he’s just thinking about what can we do better in Game 4."
Brunson is right. During his Zoom call with the media, Thibodeau was only thinking about ways to improve his team for Tuesday's battle in Indiana. After all, New York is still down 2-1 in the series.
However, he did allow himself to discuss what about the team he enjoyed and focused on the journey rather than the destination.
"I try not to get wrapped up in anything that’s personal," Thibs said. "I think everything is team-oriented and so when you’re with a team you want to maximize all the opportunities that you do get and you wanna try and get the most out of your group. And I think each day when you have a committed group that’s what you enjoy. You enjoy the challenge of it all.
"Each day you’re gonna be tested in a different way and if you love competition this is the best for competition. So we’re fortunate, we have a great group of guys and we work as hard as we can each and every day. Sometimes we fall short and the next day come back with more determination to fix it and get better.
"I think that’s where you get enjoyment and when you’re with a good group of people that feel that the team is the most important thing, that’s what makes it enjoyable."
With so much Villanova representation on the team, it's been well-documented how far back some of the players go. Still, for the most part, a lot of this year's team looks different than last year's and in year's past.
Brunson says building that chemistry remains a work in progress.
"It’s definitely an ongoing process. Obviously the longer you’re with your teammates, the more you understand them," he said. "The way I’ve been able to kind of connect with these guys on a daily basis definitely helps. It takes time. It takes time for teams and chemistry to bond and I feel like we have great chemistry, but we’re able to push each other out of our comfort zones and to make each other better, I think that’s when it takes another step."
Nevertheless, having chemistry and being friends with everybody on the team doesn't necessarily translate to championships.
It's only when a team has the right mix of players, attitude, coaching and skill that helps them reach the top. Brunson and the Knicks believe they have that and Game 3 was a perfect example of them showing it.
"In order to go through and do something special, you have to go through a lot of adversity, you have to go through a lot of questioning mentally internally if we’re gonna do this," he said. "It can make or break teams and I think what we did last night definitely helps us.
"I feel like internally we think we can do it, but when we’re actually going through it and when we actually do it in a time like this, like I said it brings us closer together."
The Pacers could potentially be without a big piece for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks.
Sharp-shooting Aaron Nesmith is expected to be listed as questionable and will likely come down to a game-time decision for Tuesday's crucial matchup at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, head coach Rick Carlisle said.
Nesmith, who is still very sore, was seen walking around the Pacers’ locker room with a “noticeable limp” after he suffered a right ankle injury midway through the third quarter of Game 3.
The injury occurred when he landed awkwardly and rolled his ankle on a drive to the basket -- he needed assistance leaving the court and was initially ruled questionable to return for the remainder of the contest.
Nesmith did get back out there for the final seven minutes, but didn’t record a bucket in the loss.
Carlisle said postgame that he was moving without limitations when he came back down the stretch -- but they wouldn’t have any further update on his status until he checked in with the training staff on Monday.
If Nesmith were to miss any time, it would be a huge momentum swing towards the Knicks, who are now trailing just 2-1 in the series.
The 25-year-old former first-round pick has been a significant presence on both ends of the court thus far this series, averaging 16.7 points on 53.6 percent shooting from the field over the first three games.
Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott faces the Arizona Diamondbacks in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium on May 21. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Three times in the ninth inning last Friday night in New York, new Dodgers closer Tanner Scott made the same simplistic, save-blowing mistake.
In an inning that saw Scott blow a three-run Dodgers lead — forcing the team into a 13-inning marathon that, despite eventually winning, their overworked bullpen could ill-afford — Scott got to two strikes against a Mets batter, only to leave a mistake pitch over the plate.
To Starling Marte, it was a 1-and-2 fastball up and over the middle, resulting in a leadoff single.
After a one-out walk to Pete Alonso, Scott had Jeff McNeil 2-and-2 before throwing a belt-high heater on the inner half that was ripped for a two-run triple.
Another two-strike count followed to Tyrone Taylor, but Scott’s 1-and-2 slider hung up around the heart of zone, leading to a tying single that marked Scott’s fourth blown save in 14 opportunities this year and raised his ERA to 3.42 — hardly the numbers expected out of an All-Star left-hander signed to a $72-million contract this offseason.
“I think the stuff is still good,” manager Dave Roberts said afterward. “It's just right now, it just seems like when there is a mistake, they find some outfield grass or put a good swing on it.”
And lately, such mistakes have been coming in more abundance than usual for Scott, highlighting one early-season trend the Dodgers are now working to address.
“Right now, he’s just kind of living in the middle, the midline of the zone,” pitching coach Mark Prior said. “You leave it in that spot, more than likely they’re gonna put a good swing on it.”
Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott embraces catcher Dalton Rushing after a 3-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on May 21. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
For a pitcher who struggled with command issues early in his career — before blossoming into one of the top left-handed relievers in the sport of the last several seasons — Scott is now seemingly suffering from the opposite problem.
So far this year, more than 58% of his pitches have been in the strike zone, a rate that is easily a personal career high (well up from his previous high mark of 52.4% last year) and ranks 18th among qualified big-league relievers.
On top of that, hitters have been on such offerings as well, making contact on 80% of swings against Scott’s pitches over the plate (compared to his 76% career rate) and averaging almost 92 mph of exit velocity on balls put in play (leaving Scott in the seventh percentile of MLB arms when it comes to batted ball contact).
The good news is that Scott has 25 strikeouts and only two walks. Even with his fastball playing a tick down velocity-wise (averaging 96.1 mph this year compared to 97 mph last year), he converted nine of his first 11 save opportunities, squandering only a pair of one-run leads while posting a sub-2.00 ERA through his first 21 appearances.
This past week, however, Scott was knocked around twice: Giving up three runs on two homers to the Arizona Diamondbacks last week (in another game that necessitated extra innings before the Dodgers came back to win) before his ninth-inning meltdown at Citi Field on Sunday.
“He’s actually been pretty good for us,” Roberts said of Scott’s performance overall. “But the last couple, the last two of three, he’s obviously given up leads.”
Scott said his increased aggressiveness in the strike zone has not been by design.
“I don’t even look at it,” he bristled when asked about his rise in in-zone pitch percentage this weekend. “I don’t even look at it.”
But Prior acknowledged it is something on the coaching staff’s radar.
“Obviously, we want strikes; more strikes than balls,” Prior said. “But he gets in situations where he can get into counts, and I think we’re just leaving too many balls in the zone late in counts, instead of going for more miss.”
Friday’s blown save being Exhibit A.
“I’m not putting [guys] away,” acknowledged Scott, whose whiff rate has also dropped to 26.6% this season compared to his 34.7% career average. “I’m not getting the swing-and-miss, and I’m keeping the ball in the zone too much.”
To Prior, it’s even OK if Scott starts “to walk a few more guys,” he said, “[if] in turn he can get more chase out of the zone when you have leverage.”
“He’s still a really good pitcher,” Prior added. “So we’re going to bank on him.”
Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott throws from the mound against the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 20 at Dodger Stadium. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Right now, the Dodgers don’t have much of a choice.
Fellow high-leverage relievers Evan Phillips (forearm discomfort), Blake Treinen (forearm sprain), Kirby Yates (hamstring strain) and Michael Kopech (shoulder impingement) are all out injured. And while Kopech is on a minor-league rehab assignment, and Yates and Treinen are both beginning throwing programs, Phillips’ absence is starting to become “concerning,” Roberts acknowledged this weekend, with the team’s former ninth-inning fixture now going on three weeks without throwing because of an injury initially expected to keep him out for only the minimum 15 days.
“I’m getting a little kind of concerned,” Roberts said of Phillips, “but hoping for the best.”
It all makes Scott’s performance in save opportunities particularly crucial for the Dodgers right now.
Given the team’s MLB-high bullpen workload this year, Roberts has been forced to be selective when it comes to the usage of the few high-leverage relievers still at his disposal. Having Scott blow games in which the team has already burned its best other relief bullets, and could potentially face the added burden of resulting extra innings, are all taxing side effects the Dodgers are not currently equipped to handle.
“To be quite fair,” Roberts noted of Scott, whose 23 ⅔ innings are only fourth-most in the bullpen, “the other guys have been used a lot more than he has.”
Thus, while Scott might only require simple adjustments, such as better locating his fastball up and out of the zone and more consistently executing his slider in locations that induce more chase, enacting such changes quickly is paramount.
After all, the Dodgers made him one of the highest-paid relievers in baseball this offseason to stabilize their bullpen. And lately, he’s instead been one more source of unneeded flux.
Over the past 15 years, NHL teams that ponied up some high-priced packages to land sought-after players at the trade deadline were left with buyer’s remorse.
Here are six of those trades on the Regret-O-Meter.
By Jared Clinton, Features Writer
Blues Bother
St. Louis Blues:
Ryan
Miller, 2013-14 (with
Steve Ott from Buffalo for 2015 first-round pick, 2016 third-round pick, Jaroslav Halak,
Chris Stewart and William Carrier)
A
big splash, Miller floundered in St. Louis. In post-deadline action, Miller put
up mediocre numbers, and his post-season performance was downright woeful. He
allowed 19 goals on 185 shots as the Blues sputtered out of the first round in
six games.
Tanner In The Works
Tampa
Bay Lightning: Tanner Jeannot, 2022-23(from
Nashville for 2023 third, fourth, fifth-round picks, 2024 second-round pick, 2025 first-round pick and Cal
Foote)
Beyond
his 24-goal rookie year, Jeannot held appeal with his physicality and
toughness, and the Bolts went above and beyond to land him. But in 75 games
with Tampa, he had only 18 points – and just one in the playoffs – as the
Lightning made consecutive first-round exits.
No Mas, Tomas
Vegas Golden Knights: Tomas Tatar, 2017-18 (from
Detroit for 2018 first-round pick, 2019 second-round pick, 2021 third-round pick)
On
a per-game basis, Tatar’s regular-season output dipped only slightly after his
acquisition. But in the playoffs? Tatar was scratched for 12 of 20 games during
the Knights’ run to the final. If he performs, perhaps Vegas has two Cups.
Staaling Out
New York Rangers: Eric Staal, 2015-16(from
Carolina for 2016 second-round pick, 2017 second-round pick and Aleksi Saarela)
Staal
was a headline-making pickup, but he flopped. He managed just three goals and
six points in 20 games to finish the campaign, then failed to hit the
scoresheet in the post-season as the Blueshirts flamed out in five games.
Gaborik Rolled
Columbus Blue Jackets: Marian Gaborik, 2012-13 (with
Blake Parlett and Steven Delisle from New York Rangers for 2014 sixth-round pick, Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett and John Moore)
It
was a statement trade by the Jackets, who were in the hunt, but it was all for
naught. Gaborik excelled, but Columbus narrowly missed the post-season.
Injuries then hampered him, and he was dealt to L.A. in March 2014.
Jeez Lu-Weise
Chicago Blackhawks: Dale Weise, 2016-17(with
Tomas Fleischmann from Montreal for 2018 second-round pick and Phillip Danault)
Weise
ended up a healthy scratch in Chicago and managed one goal and two points
across 19 regular-season and playoff outings. Meanwhile, Danault evolved into
one of the NHL’s premier two-way pivots.
This article appeared in our 2025 Top 100 NHLers issue. This issue focuses on the 100 best players currently in the NHL, with the Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon sitting atop the list. We also include features on Alex Ovechkin finally beating Wayne Gretzky's goal-scoring record, and former CFL running back Andrew Harris' switch to semi-professional hockey. In addition, we provide a PWHL playoff preview as the regular season nears its end.
You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.
Ahead of the NHL Draft and free agency, the Pittsburgh Penguins - in addition to hiring a new head coach - figure to be busy.
And there is one potential restricted free agent forward who may be falling under the radar.
Dallas Stars forward Mavrik Bourque has only appeared in two playoff games this postseason, and with the Stars cap-strapped heading into the offseason, they're going to have some decisions to make. They will only have $5.87 million in cap space with a lot of pending-RFAs and unrestricted free agents (UFAs) to consider.
The 5-foot-11, 181-pound center, 23, registered 11 goals and 25 points in 73 games in his first full season with the Stars in 2024-25, and - being that he accomplished those numbers in a limited role - he only figures to get better. He had a breakout professional season in 2023-24 as well with 26 goals and 77 points in 71 games for the Texas Stars, Dallas's AHL affiliate.
A 30th overall pick in 2020 by the Stars, he was also a 20-goal scorer as a rookie with Texas, and in 172 career junior games with the Shawnigan Cataractes of the QMJHL, he recorded 93 goals and 236 points.
Because of his projected rise, finishing ability, and high-IQ, the former first-rounder may be worth a look by Penguins' POHO and GM Kyle Dubas in the RFA trade-then-sign market.
And that's something that Dubas has reiterated he will look into. He mentioned in his postseason press conference that they would explore any opportunities to acquire young talent, and the RFA trade-then-sign market was brought up specifically.
They have the cap space to be pretty flexible, too. With more than $24.5 million to work with this summer, Dubas can get creative in pursuing young players in the RFA and trade markets. The Penguins are unlikely to spend big in unrestricted free agency, so getting their hands on as many low-risk, high-reward players as possible seems to be the likely route.
Bourque is a player who would immediately make their roster better, and he could figure into a bottom-six role along with several other young players in the mix.
He is the exact kind of player who fits their needs and perceived window of contention, so they should do everything they can to try to land him this summer.
The Mets have received good news on two of their injured players.
Left-hander Sean Manaea is officially set to face hitters for the first time since straining his right oblique during spring training, manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Manaea has been progressing well over the past few weeks, completing a handful of successful bullpen sessions and now he appears set to take the next step.
Among the group of hitters he'll be facing on Thursday will be injured outfielder Jose Siri.
Siri is recovering from a fractured tibia suffered fouling a ball off his leg back on April 12 against the Athletics.
The speedy outfielder is yet to mix running side-to-side into his progression, but the skipper says he's doing well and continues to make progress each day.
"The fact that he's gonna start facing some live pitching, that's good," Mendoza added.
Jesse Winker, on the other hand, is progressing a bit slower.
The left-hander hitting outfielder and DH has begun doing a little bit of running, as we saw pregame Sunday at Citi Field, but Mendoza says that he's still shut down from swinging and is "a ways away before he starts grabbing a bat."
Winker's initial timeline called for a six-to-eight week absence due to his right oblique strain.
Thousands turned out on the wet streets of south London to catch a glimpse of the club’s first major trophy
Crystal Palace supporters had waited a lifetime for this moment. When the two buses carrying Oliver Glasner and his FA Cup winners rounded the corner of Holmesdale Road, red and blue smoke from flares filled the air as thousands of south Londoners showed their appreciation, with several shedding tears again.
In the days since Eberechi Eze’s winner against Manchester City clinched Palace’s first trophy, a sense of disbelief has been the overwhelming feeling for fans who are excitedly contemplating a foray into Europe next season.
Former Vegas Golden Knights first-round selection and defenseman Erik Brannstrom has signed a three-year contract with Swiss team Lausanne HC.
Brannstrom was the third of three picks the Golden Knights used in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, selecting Cody Glass (sixth overall) and Nick Suzuki (13th overall) before choosing Brannstrom with the 15th pick.
The Swedish defenseman never played a game with the Golden Knights but was used as a vital piece in acquiring their future captain, Mark Stone. The trade saw the Golden Knights send Brannstrom, forward Oscar Lindberg, and a second-round pick in 2020 to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Stone and Tobias Lindberg.
The Canucks couldn't find space for him on their NHL roster and sent him to the New York Rangers as part of the blockbuster J.T. Miller trade. The Rangers also found no use for him outside of the AHL and sent him to the Buffalo Sabres, where he once again served as an AHL player.
Brannstrom routinely showed that he was a top-end AHL player but a low-end NHL player, recording 19 goals and 86 points in just 117 AHL games.
Listed at 5'10, 185 lbs, Brannstrom is considered small for an NHL defenceman, which is why many teams have steered away from using him. He's proven to be an efficient puck mover and skater, but his small frame is considered a liability defensively, especially when defending the front of the net.
Erik Brannstrom is headed to Switzerland. The diminutive puck-moving defenceman put up some solid results in limited minutes but struggled to gain the confidence of his coaches to move up the lineup. pic.twitter.com/6ZGAqrofFF
He'll head back to Europe, where he's had plenty of positive results, both in the SHL and with Sweden on the international stage. He previously played in the NL, playing 10 games on loan with the SCL Tigers. His stint witnessed him score two goals and eight points.
Brannstrom will join a Lausanne HC team that currently rosters former NHLer Dominik Kahun, Rangers prospect Lauri Pajuniemi and Canucks prospect Basile Sansonnens.
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Rumors without action are common at this time of year. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are in the Conference Finals, so there aren’t going to be any substantial moves made by eliminated teams, but the speculation will always exist.
That is the case right now with the Minnesota Wild. One of their young stars, Marco Rossi, is rumored to be on the trade block. If this is correct, the Chicago Blackhawks must be making phone calls.
Minnesota selected Rossi with the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. After dealing with some off-ice health issues before beginning his pro career, Rossi has blossomed into a great NHL player.
At 23 years old, he’s played in 185 games with 45 goals, 56 assists, and 101 points. During the 2024-25 season, Rossi set career highs in goals (24), assists (36), and points (60). It is fair to assume that he has some big offensive seasons ahead of him.
A player like this would fit in quite well with the Blackhawks. Whether he’s a center or a winger in the long term, he’d make hockey magic with guys like Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar. He can make an impact at even strength and on the power play.
Rossi is a restricted free agent and could be the subject of an offer sheet if he isn’t signed quickly. The problem the Blackhawks face with doing that is giving up a ton of draft picks in 2026, which might not be wise based on the potential of that draft.
If the Wild were okay with making a trade with a division rival, one that can appease both sides, this is something worth considering for Kyle Davidson.
Chicago has plenty of defenseman to spare when it comes to making trades. It is at the forward position where they lack youthful organizational depth. Rossi, being just 23, would fit right in with what the Hawks are trying to do.
In acquiring Rossi, the Blackhawks (or any team) would have to get him signed. Based on his high production level for a young player, he will likely command a lucrative deal for a fair number of years. Due to his proven success, there isn’t much risk associated with that method.
With a trade like this, a wise decision with the third overall pick, and a free agent or two, the Blackhawks could have a high-flying offense in 2025-26.
