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Jakub Dobes Conn Smythe Trophy Odds 2026: Can Canadiens Goalie Become Long Shot Winner?

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Jakub Dobes, take a bow.

The 24-year-old netminder posted a .923 SV% and 2.04 GAA in the Montreal Canadiens' series win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Next up, the Buffalo Sabres.

We'll take a look at Dobes' Conn Smythe odds and see where he stands among the other elite netminders who've received the honor.

Jakub Dobes Conn Smythe odds entering Round 2

Conn Smythe Odds
Canadiens Jakub Dobes (+3500)
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The situation

Jakub Dobes' 35/1 odds put him on the same level as Tage Thompson, Kirill Kaprizov, and Nick Suzuki. The only player who's really done anything remotely close to the Montreal Canadiens' netminder is Kaprizov, and he's staring in the face of the Colorado Avalanche, who're the consensus Stanley Cup odds favorite — already down 1-0.

Dobes and the Canadiens have a difficult but easier task against the Sabres, with books pricing this near a pick' em. If Montreal gets by Buffalo, things don't get any easier.

The Habs will likely face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final and the Colorado Avalanche after that... but let's not pretend like Montreal just took out the Los Angeles Kings.

Dobes outplayed a future Hall of Famer in Andrei Vasilevskiy, and while he's no Carey Price, the team Dobes has in front of him is better than what the Habs gave No. 30 in 2021.

History at a glance

Netminders have won the Conn Smythe Trophy 17 times in NHL history, with Canadiens legend, Patrick Roy, winning it thrice. As for recent history, Vasilevskiy — the goalie who just got bounced — won in 2021 — while Jonathan Quick and Tim Thomas won in 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Here is a breakdown of their stats, and how Dobes stacks up through Round 1:

PlayerGAASV%
Lightning Andrei Vasilevskiy1.90.937
Kings Jonathan Quick1.41.946
Bruins Tim Thomas1.98.940
Canadiens Jakub Dobes2.04.923

Looking at that, the Habs' netminder will need to get that GAA below 2.00 and up his SV% to at least above .935 if history repeats itself. One thing he does have going for him, though, is that no skater has more than six points for Montreal.

Dobes was clearly the best player in bleu, blanc, rouge against the Bolts, which is why only Suzuki currently has the same odds as him. 

I think it's quite clear that the biggest obstacle between the 24-year-old netminder and the Conn Smythe is actually winning the Cup.

Goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere did win in 2003 despite his Ducks falling one game short, but his .945 SV% and 1.62 GAA slots him ahead of every playoff run we just mentioned outside of Quick.

Yes, Dobes was the reason the Canadiens now own the record for fewest shots by a team in a playoff win, but the best path to the Conn Smythe is leading Montreal to their first Cup since 1993.

The conclusion

The Habs are hungry, and the rebuild has clearly paid off. They're about to play a very winnable series against Buffalo, and will then likely take on a Carolina Hurricanes team known for crumbling under the pressure when the going gets tough deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Bet99 currently has Montreal at +950 to win the Cup, which sounds like a great bet to pair with Dobes winning Conn Smythe honors.

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Timberwolves vs Spurs Props & NBA Playoffs Game 1 Best Bets

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The San Antonio Spurs see their first action in a week when they open their Round 2 series with the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight.

While San Antonio is well rested and ready, Minnesota is licking multiple wounds — none deeper than missing superstar Anthony Edwards heading into Game 1 tonight.

My Timberwolves vs. Spurs props try to read the tea leaves for this Western Conference clash. Here are my best NBA picks and prop predictions for T-Wolves vs. Spurs on May 4.

Best Timberwolves vs Spurs props for Game 1

PlayerPickbet365
Timberwolves Rudy GobertOver 8.5 points+102
Timberwolves Jaden McDanielsOver 2.5 assists-105
Spurs Devin VassellOver 12.5 points-112

Game 1 Prop #1: Rudy Gobert Over 8.5 points 

+102 at bet365

It’s May 4th. You didn’t think you could get out of here without reading at least one “Star Wars” reference, did you?

Veteran Rudy Gobert goes up against his padawan and fellow Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, giving us “Obi-Wan vs. Anakin” vibes. And while I don’t think Gobert is going to leave Wemby sliced, diced and smoldering on the edge of a lava river, the Minnesota Timberwolves center can strike in the scoring column.

Gobert scored in double figures in three of the six matchups with Denver in Round 1, with his points prop bouncing between 9.5 and 10.5 O/U in that series. 

His Game 1 total is 8.5 O/U with the Over priced at plus-money, anchored in his regular season results versus the San Antonio Spurs. Gobert played the Spurs only twice, putting up two and eight points — the latter coming without Wembanyama in San Antonio’s lineup.

The T-Wolves are without Donte DiVincenzo, Anthony Edwards, and potentially Ayo Dosunmu for the series opener, leaving touches up for grabs and a need for the frontcourt to pick up the scoring slack.

Projections are positive for Gobert, ranging from 10.7 to as high as 11.7. That's more than enough to get past this modest ask for Minnesota’s big man.

Game 1 Prop #2: Jaden McDaniels Over 2.5 assists 

-105 at bet365

T-Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels picked up the scoring slack with Edwards out versus Denver but won’t find the same success in the paint against Wembanyama and the Spurs.

Daniels becomes more of an inside-out passer versus San Antonio, drawing in the defense and finding open hands on the perimeter. Minnesota was able to attack the rim with the Nuggets missing Aaron Gordon, sending Daniels’ touches through the roof, but now he becomes more of a drive-and-kick facilitator.

He posted assist totals of five, three, and one in three regular season matchups with the Spurs and finished with three assists in all but one of the six games versus Denver in Round 1. He'll dominate the ball, considering the missing pieces for Minnesota, but will be forced to give it up more in Game 1.

His assists forecasts for tonight aren’t bullshit on Daniels' distributing, ranging from 1.7 to a couple projections at 2.9. However, with the adjustments the T-Wolves must make on offense and an empty backcourt, I’m on the high side of Daniels’ dimes tonight.

Game 1 Prop #3: Devin Vassell Over 12.5 points

-112 at bet365

The Spurs roll out a smaller lineup and with the injuries to the Minnesota backcourt, San Antonio will try to push pace and put the lumbering Timberwolves on their heels.
 
That means fastbreaks and transition off turnovers and long rebounds. Devin Vassell thrives in the open floor and is one of the Spurs’ best fastbreak attackers. 

He started Round 1 strong, scoring 15 and 16 points in the opening two games on a collective 11-for-29 shooting as well as picking up points at the foul line. His usage slimmed in the final three outings versus Portland, closing out the series with outputs of 11, 11, and 10 points.

Minnesota’s defensive scheme will see it send top perimeter defender Jaden McDaniels after De’Aaron Fox, which leaves Vassell guarded by Terrence Shannon Jr. or Mike Conley (or a hobbled Dosunmu) — neither are great defenders.

Player models for Vassell all sit north of his scoring total of 12.5 O/U, ranging from 13.0 to a ceiling of 15.0 points. My number boils down to 14.3 points tonight.

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Have the Astros stopped the bleeding?

Fifteen days ago, the home clubhouse inside Daikin Park was quiet. Trying to avoid a sweep at the hands of the St. Louis Cardinals, the Astros rallied for three runs in the eighth inning, only to lose in the tenth.

At the time, Houston was 8-15 with a 6.11 team ERA and what felt like an entire roster on the injured list. They were in a free fall.

15 days later later, that free fall appears to be over.

The Astros have gone 6-6 in their last 12 games, nine of which have come on the road. They took two of three in Cleveland before dropping two of three to the Yankees, then rebounded after losing the first two in Baltimore, falling to a season-worst nine games below .500, to win three of their next four, capped by Sunday’s extra-inning victory in Boston.

How has the team stabilized during this 12-game stretch? A pitching staff that once looked depleted, seemingly losing an arm to the injured list every day, has been merely below average as it gets healthier.

Houston’s 5.06 team ERA over the last 12 games ranks 23rd in baseball. That’s not good, and not where they want to be in September, but it is progress. So is the improvement from Mike Burrows and Bryan Abreu, with the latter tossing two scoreless innings on Sunday at Fenway.

The emergence of Spencer Arrighetti, along with three solid outings from Peter Lambert, has also provided a boost.

The Astros’ pitching staff is still far from whole, but it is trending in the right direction. Tatsuya Imai is set to make his second rehab start this week with Triple-A Sugar Land, and Josh Hader could reclaim the closer’s role when he is eligible to return from the injured list on May 24. Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier may also be back sometime in June.

Two years ago, the Astros went 15-14 in May after a 9-19 start in March and April. That set the stage for a 17-8 June and an AL West title.

The key to climbing out of an early-season hole isn’t doing it overnight, it’s stopping the digging in the first place.

It’s too early to tell if the Astros have stopped digging or merely taken a break from doing so, but a six-game stretch against the Dodgers and Reds could provide an answer. 

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Remembering John Sterling, the Yankees' "Iron Voice"

Syndication: The Record

John Sterling, Edgewater, NJ resident and the voice of the Yankees on radio on Aug. 17, 2012 in Bronx, New York.

Viorel Florescu/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

John Sterling, the radio voice of the New York Yankees for 36 years, has died at the age of 87. The man, who was born on July 4, 1938, was a real Yankee Doodle Dandy.

“I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy, a Yankee Doodle do or die; A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam…born on the fourth of July.” The popular 1942 movie, based on the life of renowned musical composer, playwright, singer and dancer George M. Cohan, was extremely patriotic. In the movie, James Cagney, portraying Cohan, does a tap dance down a set of stairs. Outside, he joins a military parade where the soldiers are singing “Over There” and at first he isn’t singing. Not knowing that Cohan is the song’s composer, one of them asks if he knows the words. Cohan’s response is a smile and then he starts singing.

In baseball, the Yankees are associated as the red, white, and blue patriotic team. George Steinbrenner owned the Yankees from 1973 until his death in 2010. He was born, like the “…real live nephew of my Uncle Sam” on July 4. And Sterling, who despite calling the games of superstars like Dave Winfield, Derek Jeter, and Aaron Judge, was as popular a figure among the franchise’s fanbase as any player; was also born on the Fourth of July.

The primary reason the Yankees are associated with July 4 is the player known as “The Iron Horse”. It was on July 4, 1939 (Sterling’s first birthday) that the team held “Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day” and in front of a packed house, Gehrig gave a brief, emotional farewell.

Like the great Yankee Lou Gehrig, Sterling also sported a consecutive game streak (5,060 consecutive games from September 1989 to July 2019).

In many ways (stay with me here) I consider Sterling’s streak even more impressive than Gehrig’s. Laruppin’ Lou played in an era where many games didn’t take more than two hours to play. He never had to play a game in late March or early April. He never had to play a game in mid-October or later. He never had to show up for more than 154 games and a best-of-seven World Series. He never had to play a single night game. He never had to take a single cross-country flight. Media scrutiny? Almost none.

Sterling called every pitch for games that took 3 ½ hours, and often better than four hours. He worked more than 200 October ballgames, many in frigid temperatures. He traveled to ballparks, not working remotely. John worked games in an era of social media, where every little mistake was pounced on.

Maybe the “Iron Voice” is meeting the “Iron Horse” this week?

John called 5,420 regular-season games and 211 postseason games for the franchise; he was a “Yankee Doodle—do or die.” His call after New York victories, “Theeeeeee Yankees Win” still reverberates.

Here’s the thing about John Sterling—he had a long, successful career before he even got the Yankee job. He was an Atlanta Braves and Hawks announcer for Ted Turner’s Superstation. And a damn good one. In the early 1980s, he was behind the microphone for Braves’ teams managed by Joe Torre. Torre and Sterling would finally reach the World Series in 1996 with New York.

I remember just three years ago talking to John about his time in Atlanta. “The team played downtown then, and I lived and played tennis where the ballpark (Truist Park) is now.”

I can only imagine Sterling in tennis whites, as he was always impeccably dressed, especially for a radio announcer.

Heck, I remember Sterling when he was a New York (and then New Jersey) Nets announcer in the late 1970s. He made players like “Super John Williamson” sound…theatrical, majestic. He did the same in Atlanta with Dominique Wilkins and Danny Roundfield.

What I’m saying is that he was a tremendous basketball announcer.

But something clicked in New York with the Yankees, and I have a theory why.

The Yankees always had a reputation as a stodgy, conservative team. In the 1950s, they were compared to IBM because both symbolized dominance and inevitability in their fields. Once the Mets came to New York, the Mets attracted a different kind of fan. They had goofy mascots, went out of their way to attract families and a younger crowd.

Even in recent years, Steinbrenner’s edict of no facial hair on Yankee players gave the team a conservative bent.

But John Sterling made it okay for young fans to appreciate the Bronx Bombers. The fact that he made mistakes and rooted for the home team and sang songs and gave nicknames and screamed “Theeeeeee Yan-kees Win” gave the franchise an identity that was different than the stodgy one they long carried.

He was funny and literate and different. He rhymed words that don’t rhyme. When Gary Sanchez hit a home run, his call was “The Sanchino! Oh, that Gary is scary.” Only John could make “Sanchino” rhyme with “Bambino”. Only John could rhyme “Gary” with “scary”.

It was a holiday when Gleyber Torres hit a homer (Gleyber Day).

Sometimes, John used a Spanish word or phrase, like calling Jeter, “El Capitan."

He borrowed lyrics from a 1976 song by The Trammps called “Disco Inferno” to scream “Bern Baby Bern” when Bernie Williams would sock one out of the park.

Sometimes, he used Broadway or movie song references from the 1970s. Curtis Granderson’s blasts led John to channel Sammy Davis Jr. when he sang “the Grandy Man can."

He literally made-up words. When Didi Gregorius hit homers, John’s call was “It is high, it is far…it is gone…Yes in-Didi! Gregorius has Yankee fans euphorious!"

I believe John meant the word “euphonious” which means pleasing, harmonious, or sweet to the ear. But the word “euphorious” doesn’t exist.

John Sterling always made Yankee fans euphorious, euphonious, and euphoric.

And while it’s sad that he passed away, he left us with many great memories. As he might have sang, “the sun will come out…Tanaka."

Editors’ Note: Elliott Kalb - dubbed “Mr. Stats” decades ago by Marv Albert and Bob Costas - is the former Senior Editorial Director at MLB Network and a longtime contributor of research and information to NBC Sports’ telecasts.

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NHL draft lottery odds: Canucks hope for first No. 1 pick ever

As the Stanley Cup Playoffs trudge on, much of the NHL has already turned its attention to the future.

Among those teams? The Vancouver Canucks, who are looking for their first ever No. 1 pick in the NHL Entry Draft lottery. As they look to find a new GM to replace Patrik Allvin, who was fired in April, the Canucks look to finally be entering a much-needed rebuild. With 18.5% odds to get the No. 1 overall pick and Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg looking like distinct possibilities, 2026 may give the franchise the jolt it needs.

REQUIRED READING: NHL playoff predictions for second round: Who goes to conference finals?

While the team with best odds to get the No. 1 pick has retained it in three of the past five years, 2025 saw a stunning climb when the New York Islanders jumped from the 10th-best odds to land defenseman Matthew Schaefer first. Behind the Canucks are the Chicago Blackhawks – who landed Connor Bedard No. 1 overall in 2023 – and the New York Rangers, who won the most shocking lottery in NHL history in 2020.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be in their first draft under new GM John Chayka, but could be without a first-round pick. With the fifth-best odds to get the No. 1 overall pick, Toronto has a top-five protected pick that would go to the Boston Bruins if it is No. 6 or lower.

As always, it all comes down to the luck of the draw.

How does the NHL Entry Draft lottery work?

The NHL's lottery system is similar but different to other ping-pong ball-based lottery systems.

While worse records still result in better odds to get drawn and the worst record has better odds than the NBA (18.5% vs 14% tied with the second and third worst teams in the NBA), the NHL only allows teams to move up 10 spots from where they're drawing. With that in mind, only the top 11 teams in odds have a chance to pick No. 1 overall (ending with the Blues this season).

The NHL also draws for the top two teams, meaning two teams could jump in the order (ergo, the Devils could pick No. 2 but not No. 1 from the No. 12 spot in the order). If, for example, the Islanders win the No. 1 pick from 13, they would pick third and Vancouver would retain its No. 1 spot.

When is the 2026 NHL Entry Draft lottery?

The NHL Entry Draft lottery will take place in Secaucus, New Jersey at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Cord-cutters can watch on the ESPN app with ESPN+ or use Fubo, which offers a free trial.

2026 NHL Entry Draft lottery odds

The Canucks (25-49-8, 58 points) have the best No. 1 pick odds at 18.5%. Behind them are the Blackhawks (29-39-14, 72 points) at 13.5% and the Rangers (34-9-9, 77 points) at 11.5%. Chicago, of course, jumped the Anaheim Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023 to land Bedard, while the Rangers won a unique two-phase lottery in 2020 to get Alex Lafreniere.

Vancouver has never had the No. 1 overall pick.

PositionTeamNo. 1 pick odds
1Vancouver Canucks18.5%
2Chicago Blackhawks13.5%
3New York Rangers11.5%
4Calgary Flames9.5%
5Toronto Maple Leafs (conditional to Boston)8.5%
6Seattle Kraken7.5%
7Winnipeg Jets6.5%
8Florida Panthers6%
9San Jose Sharks5%
10Nashville Predators3.5%
11St. Louis Blues3%
12New Jersey Devils2.5%
13New York Islanders2%
14Columbus Blue Jackets1.5%
15St. Louis Blues (from Detroit)0.5%
16Washington Capitals0.5%

When did potential lottery winners last win the NHL Entry Draft lottery?

Winning the lottery can be a franchise-defining move. Prospects are bright for the Blackhawks with Bedard, Macklin Celebrini has proven to be an elite force for the Sharks, and the Sabres have emerged as a force to reckoned with with Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power as two former No. 1 picks.

Some teams are looking to pick first overall for the first time ever. Here's a look at the last time the potential lottery winners picked first overall, and who they took.

TeamYearPick
Vancouver CanucksNeverN/A
Chicago Blackhawks2023Connor Bedard
New York Rangers2020Alex Lafreniere
Calgary FlamesNeverN/A
Toronto Maple Leafs2016Auston Matthews
Seattle KrakenNeverN/A
Winnipeg Jets2001 (as Atlanta Thrashers)Ilya Kovalchuk
Florida Panthers2014Aaron Ekblad
San Jose Sharks2024Macklin Celebrini
Nashville PredatorsNeverN/A
St. Louis Blues2006Erik Johnson

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who will win NHL draft lottery? Canucks lead odds, Blackhawks next

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Chat, are the San Francisco Giants cooked?

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 25: Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants during the national anthem during the game between the Miami Marlins and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on April 25, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Baseball history isn’t predictive so much as it’s instructive. Even if batters aren’t hitting at the same rate as decades before, we can still know that hitters who live in the .190-.220 range are probably not very good at that skill. Pitchers with a 5.00 ERA are not good pitchers. And the same can be said about wins and losses, especially the Giants’ few wins and many losses.

If a team doesn’t win very many games, that team isn’t very good. And if a team loses a lot of games early on, the chances of them recovering to have at least a winning season — to say nothing of sneaking into the postseason — are slim. There’s history and then there’s just the game being the game and the Giants have demonstrated here in the early season that they are a bad team that’s probably going to be bad by season’s end.

Now, you might protest with this simple fact: there are still 128 games to go! A lot of baseball left! Anything can happen! Sure, sure. But that adage is the religious devotion angle of fandom. It’s a prayer. The eye test and the win-loss record are actually meaningful in this case because the results have been extreme. But you don’t need to look at advanced metrics or underlying metrics or even triple slash lines. The win-loss record is comprehensive.

In MLB history, 167 teams have started as season 13-21. Just 18 times (10.8%) has that team gone on to have a winning record. Five of those instances have come this century:

  • 2016 Astros, 84-78
  • 2015 Cleveland, 81-80
  • 2013 Dodgers, 92-70 (Division Champs)
  • 2007 Blue Jays, 83-79
  • 2001 White Sox, 83-79

Here are all the other years when it’s happened: 1993, 1984, 1980, 1964, 1963, 1958, 1950, 1948, 1939, 1925, 1917, 1916, 1899. If you insist on being the optimism, one might be able to lob a “Hey, that just means some team here in the 2020s is due!” And maybe this kooky fan might be on to something. Still, that’s a wish and a prayer and a hope for a team basically winning the lottery.

This is only the third time in franchise history that the Giants have started 13-21. The first time it happened was in 1950, which is one of the years listed above. Those 1950 Giants, led by Eddie Stanky, Al Dark, Hank Thompson, Monte Irvin, Larry Jansen, and Sal Maglie were actually 10-20 through their first 30, then went 76-48 the rest of the way which included 9-,7-,6-, and 5-game winning streaks. That 9-game winning streak was shortly after the All-Star break and was broken up by a single loss that then led into a 6-game winning streak; so, they had a run where they won 15 of 16 on top of the other long winning streaks. The 2026 Giants will need results very similar to that, even if the 1950 team wound up in 3rd place for all that winning. 84-86 wins might be enough to back in as the third Wild Card. By the way, the other Giants team to start 13-21 was the 1984 team, which wound up 66-96.

But 13-21 is just one record tested against history. Is it the case that there are actually more examples of success if we go in either direction by a single loss? You know, could do some Hollywood accounting and say that 13-21 is basically the same thing as 14-20 and find a rich vein of fun historical turnarounds to compare the Giants to instead? Let’s be as desperate as Buster Posey and Zack Minasian and try it.

210 times have teams started 14-20 in MLB history. 40 (19%) have wound up .500 or better. There are a lot of recent examples in this bunch:

  • 2024 Diamondbacks. 89-73 (missed Wild Card due to tiebreaker with Atlanta)
  • 2023 Reds, 82-80
  • 2022 Orioles, 83-79
  • 2019 Nationals, 93-69 (World Champions)
  • 2016 Yankees, 84-78 (this was the year they were deadline sellers)
  • 2014 Pirates, 88-74 (NL Wild Card) — ahem
  • 2011 Brewers, 96-66 (Division Champs)
  • 2010 White Sox, 88-74 (the Yankees won 95 games that year to be the AL Wild Card)
  • 2009 Rockies, 92-70 (Wild Card)
  • 2007 Rockies, 90-73 (NL Pennant)
  • 2006 Angels, 89-73 (the Tigers won 95 games that year to be the AL Wild Card)
  • 2005 A’s, 88-74 (the Red Sox won 95 games that year to be the AL Wild Card)
  • 2002 Astros, 84-78
  • 2001 Mets, 82-80

So, it’s this record (and probably better) that has stuck in the stubbornly optimistic fan’s mind all these years. Yes, there is a degree to which the bad can be overcome. In Giants history, four teams have started 14-20, but only one of them wound up with a winning record: the 1990 Giants ended the season 85-77 after a 14-20 start. On the other hand, the 100-loss 1985 team started with this record and were 48-80 the rest of the way.

Hmm, maybe a worse record has some secret history of success hidden away in there aching to be compared to? Let’s take a look at 12-22 teams. That’s happened 110 times. This is the Mets record right now, by the way.

Just 7 times (6.4%) has that terrible start turned into a winning record by season’s end. The 2005 Astros (89-73) won the National League pennant before running into Scott Podsednik and the White Sox in the World Series. The 1989 Blue Jays (89-73) won the AL East, the 2024 Astros (88-73) won the AL West, and the 1974 Pirates (88-74) won the NL Central. The rest: 1996 Red Sox (85-77), 1988 Padres (83-78), and 1986 Reds (86-76).

Just 4 times in 70 instances (5.7%) has a team started 11-23 and ended up with a winning record. The 1914 Boston Braves won the World Series after finishing 94-59. The most recent occurrence was in 1973, when the Cardinals finished 81-81. The 1965 Pirates are the only team to start 10 and 24 and finish with a winning record (90-72). No team lost 25 of their first 34 and came out of the season with more wins than losses.

Okay, but what about that other adage? The one that says you should take the first 40 games to evaluate the team you have, then the next 40 to acquire the players you need and then the next 40 games to make a run and the final 40 games to either prepare for the postseason or evaluate for next year? In that scenario, this would be the deciding week that could determine the fate of the 2026 Giants or at least how they might approach the trade deadline… right? Sure, they could sweep and wind up 19-21 and they’d undeniably be right back in the race, but isn’t 4-2 more realistic as the absolute limit of what’s possible with this team at the moment? In that case, they’re 17-23. What does history say about that?

39 out of 202 (19.3%) instances of 17-23 have been the basis for winning records. The last time it happened was in 2022, when the Mariners were a Wild Card with a 90-72 record. Before that, it was 2015, when the Rangers won the AL West with an 88-74 record. Those 2014 Pirates pop up here again, as do the 2013 Dodgers. The 2011 Dbacks won the NL West at 94-68 after a 17-23 start. The 2007 Rockies had this same record, too.

So, if you’re trying to be one of those “recover from a bad start teams” but you can’t be of the 14-20 variety, here’s the 17-23 pathway. To get there, the Giants will need to win this homestand. Plausible, but at the same time, hard to imagine. And, in the history of the franchise, a bad omen. The Farhan Zaidi era is lousy with 17-23s: 2019 (which ended 77-85), 2023 (80-82), 2024 (79-83). This was their specific brand of underperformance. In team history, only the 1982 team turned it around after a 17-23 start. They wound up 87-75. The three other instances not yet mentioned: 1977 (75-87), 1980 (75-86), and 2008 (72-90).

Look, it’s no fun knowing that the season is “over” at the beginning of May, but that’s where we Giants fans find ourselves here. We’re rooting for a team that is not dissimilar from the teams we’ve seen for around the past decade. Maybe some of the details are different, but the story is still the same. But maybe you find this hard to believe or simply don’t want to believe it. I have not really insisted that you change your mind here. I didn’t even research this post thinking I was going to hunt for data that supported only my position. I had an open mind and, admittedly, a little bit of hope because it’s still early in the season. And yet, there are facts to face: the history of the game tells us the Giants are cooked, washed, chopped, squashed, negated, irrelevant, and/or doomed.

Bummer.

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In bold stroke, Dallas Mavericks hire Masai Ujiri as new Team President

Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont wanted to take a big swing in hiring a new head of basketball operations in Dallas, something made clear by the names leaked that he had interest in.

Dumont may have hit a home run. The Mavericks have hired former Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as the team's new Team President and Alternate Governor, a story confirmed by the team soon after it broke.

"I'm honored to join the Dallas Mavericks and step into this role at such an important time for the organization," Ujiri said in a statement announcing his hiring. "This is a franchise with a proud history, passionate fans, and a commitment to winning. I look forward to working with our players, coaches, and leadership team to build something that reflects that standard and competes at the highest level. We will win in Dallas."

He is being given the keys to the franchise. "Ujiri will oversee all aspects of the Mavericks' basketball operations, including roster construction, player personnel, and scouting, while working with team leadership to shape the organization's basketball philosophy and long-term direction," the team said in announcing the hiring.

"Masai Ujiri is one of the great basketball leaders of this generation and his addition to our franchise is a critical step in meeting our goals," Dumont said in a statement announcing the hiring. "We are honored to have him join the Mavs family. We welcome his energy and determination along with his leadership, experience and many accomplishments as a basketball executive. We are very excited about the future of our team."

Ujiri is one of the more respected front-office minds in the league and turned things around in Toronto. When he was first hired, the Raptors had missed the playoffs in nine of the previous 11 years. He stockpiled talent (through smart draft picks and trades), built one of the best player development programs, and turned the Raptors into a consistent top team in the East for years behind franchise legends such as Kyle Lowry. In that stretch, after a bold move to bring in Kawhi Leonard for a year, Toronto won its lone title in 2019.

Ujiri now takes over a franchise with a cornerstone player in Cooper Flagg and a highly respected coach in Jason Kidd. He also inherits two first-round draft picks, one in the lottery. In addition, Dallas has Kyrie Irving under contract for next season, plus some solid role players under contract, such as P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. This is a well-positioned roster now, and it doesn't need an overhaul.

Ujiri was let go by the Raptors after the draft a year ago, largely because of a personality conflict with the new CEO of the Raptors' parent organization (which did not replace him, but gave his responsibilities and a new title to people already in the organization).

Ujiri's hiring in Dallas was not a quick process. Dumont and Ujiri reportedly first sat down and talked last December during a long lunch in Las Vegas, according to ESPN.

This is not Dumont's first bold move to bolster the organization. He lured former Golden State Warriors president Rick Welts out of retirement to serve as the franchise's CEO in 2024. Welts reportedly met with Ujiri as part of this process as well.

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Avalanches' Gabriel Landeskog Named Finalist For 2025-26 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

Continuing the NHL awards announcements, today's finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy are: The NHL has announced that, alongside Rasmus Dahlin and Jonathan Toews, Gabriel Landeskog is one of the three finalists for the trophy.

The trophy is handed out to the winner who “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.

This award and others are voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA).

It's been one hell of a season for Landeskog. No matter how hot he is playing, there is always some sort of unfortunate injury that sets him back. It's already hard enough that he had to take two full seasons off while recovering from a surgery that not many hockey players generally have. He is the first NHLer to return after that work, when he started his rehab with the Colorado Eagles and then made his debut during last season's playoffs against the Dallas Stars.

Gabriel Landeskog Set to Play in His First Professional Game Since 2022Gabriel Landeskog Set to Play in His First Professional Game Since 2022<b>Loveland, Colo.</b> - The Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Eagles (AHL) announced this morning that Gabriel Landeskog will dress for the Colorado Eagles in their match tonight against the Henderson Silver Knights. This will be his Eagles debut.

Throw in the groin injury he suffered from Cale Makar when the Avalanche came back from the Olympic break, which kept him from February 25 to March 6. He has two goals and five assists for seven points, with the Avalanche going 5-1-0 in the stretch. Then the “96 miles-per-hour slapshot to the nuts” happened, keeping him out for three weeks.

Despite playing his first regular season in over two years, playing in the Olympics, and dealing with a pretty serious groin injury, he still managed to finish with 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in 60 games. His impact on and off the ice is more than just a leadership role; it shows in the statistics. 

Landeskog Overcomes Injury, Ready for 2026 OlympicsLandeskog Overcomes Injury, Ready for 2026 OlympicsAfter fearing he might miss what could be his final Olympic Games, Gabe Landeskog is now ready to chase Olympic gold.

With Landeskog in the lineup, the Avalanche had a record of 45-7-8; when he was out of the lineup, they had a record of 10-9-3. His leadership is much more than just in the locker room and on the practice ice; his knowledge and work ethic make the Avalanche a better, deeper team, and it showed on the ice. Through five playoff games so far, he has two goals and three assists for five points, tied for the third most on the team.

Landeskog's return to the team has been the biggest impact and story of the season. Not having your captain on the ice for the last two seasons hurt, and it showed. It's great to see the immediate impact he made on the team during his return, and it shows how much he means to the team and the league itself.

Avalanche Outlast Wild In 15-Goal Thriller To Take Game 1Avalanche Outlast Wild In 15-Goal Thriller To Take Game 1Colorado leaned on a relentless offensive surge and a multi-point explosion from its stars to outlast Minnesota 9–6 in a chaotic, back-and-forth Game 1 at Ball Arena.
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Mavericks hire Masai Ujiri, a proven winner, as new team president

Patrick Dumont swung for the fences and hit a home run.

The Dallas Mavericks governor announced the hiring of Masai Ujiri as the franchise’s new team president and alternate governor. It ends a six-month search with a splash, as Ujiri is one of the most accomplished front office executives in NBA history.

Ujiri spent 13 seasons in Toronto building the Raptors from afterthought to champion. The centerpiece of his tenure was obviously the 2019 NBA title, which was engineered by his bold moves. He traded franchise cornerstone DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard in the summer of 2018. Everyone thought he was crazy, but Toronto won the championship the following June.  

Before the Raptors, Ujiri ran the Denver Nuggets' front office from 2010-2013 and was named the NBA’s Executive of the Year after assembling a 57-win roster. He is the only non-American ever to win the award.  

Ujiri parted ways with Toronto in June 2025 after the Raptors missed the playoffs in four of five seasons. He joined the ownership group of the WNBA’s Toronto Tempo in March and made no secret he had unfinished business in the NBA.  

"One of my main goals is to win another championship," Ujiri told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne earlier this year. "I want to win again so I can actually enjoy it."

Dallas gives him a chance.  

Dumont fired GM Nico Harrison on Nov. 11 after the team stumbled to a 3-8 start in its first season following the Luka Doncic trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi held things down as co-GMs for the rest of the season. In April, Dumont said publicly he wanted a new leader in place by mid-May. 

Sep 30, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Raptors vice chairman and team president Masai Ujiri talks to the media during media day at Scotiabank Area. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Mavericks finished the season with Cooper Flagg, the No.1 pick from the 2025 NBA Draft, already looking like a cornerstone to build on after a rookie of the year campaign. Dallas enters Sunday's NBA draft lottery with the eighth-best odds at another top pick in what projects to be a loaded class.  

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mavericks hire Masai Ujiri as new team president

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First pitch for Monday’s Reds/Cubs game moved up due to weather concerns

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 19, 2026: Chase Petty #61 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch during the third inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

The Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs are slated to go toe to toe for the first time in 2026 on Monday night in Wrigley Field, and as is so often the case during spring games there is inclement weather in the forecast.

As a result, the originally scheduled start time has been bumped up by half an hour. The game was originally scheduled to have first pitch chucked at 6:40 PM CT (7:40 PM ET), and now that’s set for 6:10 PM CT (7:10 PM ET). MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon helped relay the news.

Bleed Cubbie Blue pointed out that if you have tickets in the MLB Ballpark app, the start time has been automatically updated.

Though the Reds have yet to announce the official roster move, Chase Petty is listed as tonight’s starter at Reds.com opposite Edward Cabrera of the Cubs. It will be Petty’s 2026 MLB debut when he is officially recalled, with hopes that the struggles he went through as just a 22 year old at the big league level last season have been put in the rearview mirror.

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Chelsea 1-3 Nottingham Forest: Premier League – as it happened

Chelsea suffered their sixth consecutive league defeat in a match overshadowed by a head injury sustained by Jesse Derry on his full debut for the hosts

Vitor Pereira: In a pre-match interview with Sky Sports, the Forest manager is asked about his team selection and the potential risks involved in resting so many first-team regulars. “They need to show, to prove in this moment that they are ready to help the team,” he says of the players he has picked. “I truly believe we can do a competitive game and we can fight for the points.”

Unai Emery adopted the same approach with the Aston Villa team he picked to face Tottenham Hotspur yesterday and if he believed his largely second-string side could be competitive he was quickly disabused of the notion as they stank Villa Park out with an embarrassing performance that seems to have prompted far more upset among West Ham’s fans than those of the Villa.

Referee: Anthony Taylor

Referee assistants: Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn

Fourth official: Michael Salisbury

VAR: James Bell

Assistant VAR: Dan Robathan

Continue reading...
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Kevin McGonigle wins AL Rookie of the Month

Apr 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Kevin McGonigle (7) celebrates in the dugout after scoring a run against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

No surprise here, as the Detroit Tigers’ rookie phenom was a candidate for league MVP in March and April. He is second place to Aaron Judge in the American League in Baseball Reference’s rWAR with 2.1 wins above replacement and currently tracking toward a potential 9 WAR season in his major league debut. He’s made it look so easy that we’re already acclimated to quiet games where he goes 1 for 3 with an RBI and a walk as just his baseline day at the park. The Reds’ Sal Stewart is a heck of a young hitter as well, and he took home the award in the National League.

McGonigle is currently hitting .315/.407/.477 for a 149 wRC+ and unlike just about all the names above him on various offensive leaderboards, he’s playing a sound shortstop day in and day out rather than bat first positions like corner outfield or first base. He holds a 12.7 percent strikeout rate and a 12.7 percent walk rate. Only Yordan Alvarez and Chase DeLauter have lower strikout rates as well as a higher walk rate in the whole league.

There are also signs that McGonigle has been a little unlucky as we near the season’s quarter pole. He holds a stellar .394 weight on-base average (wOBA), but Statcast says he should be at .401 based on his batted ball data. He’s slugging a heathy .477 but expected slugging says he should be slugging .535 and we have seen quite a bit of chilly, wet weather to start the year. Once it’s hot and low humidity, there’s a good likelihood that McGonigle has plenty more in the tank than we’ve seen already. On the other end, his expected batting average is .297 instead of the .315 he’s currently rocking, but we’ll happily trade a few singles for a few more home runs when he’s ready.

The best part of this, or at least the part that I was less sure about coming into the season, is that McGonigle is both playing a solid shortstop, and showing even a bit better speed than he did last year.

Perhaps the early season ankle injury in 2025 lingered a bit, or at least kept him less willing to push it for part of last year. His sprint speed is holding well above average, and we’ve seen him post some elite home to first times when he’s really needed to beat feet.

Defensively he’s a plus 2 in defensive runs saved at both shortstop and third base, and a minus 2 by Statcast’s Outs Above Average (OAA). Defensive metrics are still pretty variable this time a year, but we can at least confidently say that McGonigle is playing an average shortstop, confounding a lot of scouts who were pretty down on his ability to handle the position last year.

Most of this goes without saying if you’re watching the Detroit Tigers every night. There’s nothing flukey going on at all. Kevin McGonigle is already one of the best pure hitters in baseball, and he’s got a lot more home run power than he’s shown early on. All signs suggest that this is just a starting point for the 21-year-old as he leads the AL Rookie of the Year race, but is also making a convincing case as a possible MVP candidate. All this as a 21-year-old who will finally graduate from prospect status with his next at-bat tonight against the Boston Red Sox. He will have good competition the rest of the way from Guardians rookies Chase DeLauter and Parker Messick, as well as White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami.

At some point perhaps we’ll see a little slump, but his approach, swing, and elite hand-eye coordination says that even those little slumps will just be blips on the radar as Kevin McGonigle holds at cruising altitude as an elite hitter, and looks to continue higher in the power department.

Congratulations to him on being named Rookie of the Month in the American League. Only five more months to go for a clean sweep.

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Tonight’s Cubs/Reds game time has been moved up to 6:10 p.m. CT

There is a forecast of rain and storms sometime late this evening in Chicago.

As a result, the start time for the Cubs vs. Reds game scheduled for 6:40 p.m. CT has been moved up 30 minutes and will instead begin at 6:10 p.m. CT.

If you have tickets to tonight’s game, they should have already been automatically updated in the MLB Ballpark app (mine were). Gates at Wrigley Field will open 90 minutes to first pitch, or 4:40 p.m. CT.

Today’s BCB game preview will post at 4 p.m. CT.

Good move by the Cubs in trying to stay ahead of tonight’s incoming weather. Hopefully the 30 minutes will allow the game to be completed before storms hit.

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Monday Morning Minnesota: The “If They Knew How Misery Loved the Twins” Edition

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 22: Connor Prielipp #61 of the Minnesota Twins in action during his major Major League Baseball debut against the New York Mets at Citi Field on April 22, 2026 in New York City. The Mets defeated the Twins 3-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Twins managed to finish the week with a win, splitting a four-game series with the reigning AL Pennant winner, the Toronto Blue Jays. Unfortunately, both Joe Ryan, Cole Sands, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Walker Jenkins were the new additions to the injury report this week. There had been encouraging signs from the oft-injured Jenkins, as he was healthy from Opening Day in St. Paul, slashing .256/.396/.389 in 25 games. However, he ran into a wall this past weekend and looks to be out for the time being. With regards to Ryan, he was pulled from his start yesterday with elbow soreness after pitching to two batters. He underwent an MRI, but no further news yet. The Twins have fallen to the worst team in the AL Central after a good week from the Kansas City Royals, but this is shaping up to be exactly the season Twins fans were expecting.

The Past Week on Twinkie Town:

  • Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
  • We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
  • Game threads and recaps are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we experience the season together.
  • Zach Koenig bangs the “it can always be worse” drum as he looks back at the 2016 Twins team.

Elsewhere in Twins Territory:

In the World of Baseball:

  • Nothing has really changed at the top of the American League, with the Yankees, Rays, and A’s leading the way, but the bottom has shuffled quite a bit, with the Angels and Twins joining the bottom five teams.
  • Atlanta has a nice 2.5-game cushion at the top of the National League, and the Mets and Phillies have strung together a few wins after dealing with their double-digit losing streaks.
  • The Pittsburgh Pirates have been a nice revelation this season, and on Saturday, they shellacked the Reds and managed to make history by having every hitter in the lineup hit an RBI.
  • Rob Thomson was fired by the Phillies after a 9-19 start. ESPN reported that Phillies POBO Dave Dombrowski had offered the opening to the recently-fired Alex Cora prior to letting go of Thomson, but ultimately Cora declined, and the Phillies appointed Don Mattingly as interim manager.
  • Jay Jaffe at Fangraphs looks at how offense has changed with the new ABS challenge system.

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The 2026 Draft Lottery Is Almost Here, And It Means Absolutely Nothing For the Columbus Blue Jackets

The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery is tomorrow, May 5th, and will air on ESPN at 7 PM Eastern. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets are scheduled to pick #14 overall, just like in 2025. Much to the delight of the team and fans, Jackson Smith was an excellent pick after seeing what he did during his freshman season at Penn State. But don't get used to that, because it won't happen every year. The Jackets were slated to pick #13, but "fell" to 14. 

This year it's the same situation. They will pick #14 but will have a 1.5% chance to move up to as high as #4 in the draft. That 1.5% might as well be 0%, because it's not happening. They could actually fall to 15, which will most likely happen. 

Last year, upstart Utah was allowed to move up to 4 from 14, much to the dismay of many other teams. If you subscribe to conspiracy theories, this is your chance to puff out your chest just a little bit. 

The New York Islanders also jumped from 10 to 1 to secure the services of Matthew Schaefer, which again drew the ire of the teams that earned the top overall pick. Again, conspiracy theorists, stand up!

For the last few years, the NHL Draft Lottery has meant something to the Columbus Blue Jackets and their fans. Even though it was almost a given that they would fall in the draft order, they watched and begged for a miracle, which never came. The only miracle came when the Ducks picked Leo Carlsson instead of Adam Fantilli, which allowed the CBJ to pick him at #3. 

Even though fans have suffered through several rough seasons, the NHL hasn't allowed this franchise to profit from its misery. Will that ever change? 

This year will be just like last year, unfortunately. Sadly, it'll just be another day to watch a team win the lottery, who has either already won it in the last couple of years, or it will go to a team that happened to have a bad season randomly. 

So, will you watch the Draft Lottery, or will you be partaking in the Cinco De Mayo celebration? Will you be doing both? Many fans of Columbus will torture themselves and watch as a team like Toronto, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016, win the NHL Lottery. 

Or will it be Florida, which, due to injuries, has the 8th-best odds to win the lottery? Let me remind you that they are the two-time defending cup champs and went to three straight finals.

What about Chicago? Would the NHL allow them to draft yet another generational talent, just three years after Connor Bedard? 

Of course, the CBJ could trade that pick to move up in the draft, or they could trade it to bring in roster-ready players. But that was the case last year, too, and they got absolutely zero traction from it. So, expect them to make the pick. 

Get your popcorn ready if you plan to watch, because someone is going to get their feelings hurt tomorrow.  

Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft Lottery on May 5, 2025, where the CBJ will most likely pick 14 or 15. 

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