Worldwide Sports News
British player wins 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-1 in first round
‘I’m very, very happy to come through that’
Emma Raducanu fought back tears after resuming her Wimbledon preparations by battling back from a set down to beat the US’s Ann Li in the first round of the Eastbourne Open.
Amid blustery conditions, the British No 1, who missed last week’s Berlin Open as she managed a back problem, triumphed 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-1.
Continue reading...With the off-season here, the Pittsburgh Penguins have released their 2025-26 preseason schedule. The Metropolitan Division club will play seven games this preseason, with three at home and four on the road.
The Penguins kick off their preseason on Sept. 22 against the Montreal Canadiens before facing off against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, and Buffalo Sabres twice.
Here is the Penguins' full preseason schedule:
Monday, Sept. 22 at Montreal Canadiens, 7:00 pm
Wednesday, Sept. 24 at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7:00 pm
Friday, Sept. 26 vs. Detroit Red Wings, 7:00 pm
Saturday, Sept. 27 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 7:00 pm
Monday, Sept. 29 at Detroit Red Wings, 7:00 pm
Wednesday, Oct. 1 at Buffalo Sabres, 7:00 pm
Friday, Oct. 3 vs. Buffalo Sabres 7:00 pm
Penguins Receive Rangers' 2025 First-Round PickThe Pittsburgh Penguins will now officially have two first-round picks for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
Photo Credit: © John Jones-Imagn Images
On the eve of the 2025 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks continue their search to find their next head coach (they don't have a pick before No. 50, there's no pressure there).
The Knicks have already conducted interviews with former Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins and former Cavaliers/Lakers/Kings head coach Mike Brown, and both were "impressive," reports James Edwards III at The Athletic. Those are names we knew were in the mix, but then Edwards adds they are considering bringing in a new name, former Hornets head coach James Borrego.
"New York has tossed around the idea of speaking with James Borrego for its vacancy, per league sources. Borrego, a CAA client, is known around the league for his offensive creativity and analytics-forward approach."
The Knicks have already interviewed Minnesota lead assistant Micah Nori, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
The New York Knicks are interviewing Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori for the team's head coaching job, sources tell ESPN. Now three candidates – Nori and two former head coaches Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins – have done formal interviews for the Knicks' vacancy.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2025
Nori has been near the top of the list of assistant coaches deserving a shot in the big chair and is well-liked by the players he has coached. He has been a key part of a Minnesota staff that has led the Timberwolves to back-to-back Western Conference Finals. However, the Knicks have been looking for an experienced head coach after firing Tom Thibodeau, rather than replacing him with a first-time coach.
Borrego has experience as a head coach, and his teams in Charlotte improved every year — he led them to 43 wins in his final season — despite the roster not exactly being stacked with elite NBA talent. That wasn't enough for the Hornets, who let him go. Last season he was an assistant on Willie Green's staff in New Orleans.
The Knicks have taken their time and done a broad search to replace Thibodeau, who in five years as the Knicks head coach established a culture, led the team to the playoff four times (as many times as they had been there the previous 20 seasons combined), and last season led New York to its first Eastern Conference Finals in a quarter century. The sense was that Thibodeau had taken this team as far as he could, and a new voice was needed to take Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the rest of the crew one final step: to the NBA Finals. The door feels open in the Eastern Conference next season (considering the Achilles injuries to Jayson Tatum in Boston, Tyrese Haliburton in Indiana, and Damian Lillard in Milwaukee). Still, that's a big ask for the next Knicks coach, which is why the team has leaned into veteran coaches.
There is no timeline for the hire, but Leon Rose and the Knicks front office would want a coach's input on free agency, which starts in a week.
MINNEAPOLIS — Cal Raleigh picked up right where he left off last week.
Raleigh hit his major league-leading 32nd home run in the ninth inning of the Seattle Mariners’ 11-2 win over the Minnesota Twins.
Raleigh was chosen AL player of the week after he hit .417 with five homers and 12 RBIs in six games. Much of that came in the Mariners’ series with the Cubs, when Raleigh hit four home runs as the Mariners took two of three at Wrigley Field.
His latest home run came off left-handed reliever Joey Wentz, a two-run shot to left field off a high changeup that Wentz left over the middle of the plate. It was Raleigh’s fourth straight game with a home run.
“He’s just in a really good spot,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “I think he feels comfortable, clearly, and he’s getting good pitches. And when he gets them, he doesn’t miss them.”
In his last 30 games, Raleigh is hitting .331 (39 for 118) with 17 home runs and 36 RBIs. For the season, he’s hitting .278 with 68 RBIs and a 1.048 OPS.
The 28-year-old catcher, who signed a six-year, $105 million contract with Seattle this spring, needs three more homers to match Ken Griffey Jr. for the most before the All-Star break in Mariners history.
“He’s hit a lot of home runs, but he’s found a lot of barrels, and when you’re hitting .270 with that kind of power, you’re putting up a lot of good at-bats,” Wilson said. “He’s hitting the ball hard. He’s hitting the ball on the line, and then occasionally he’s getting ... underneath it a little bit more and driving it out of the ballpark.”
Mariners starter Bryan Woo struck out nine in six innings to earn the win. He’s pitched at least six innings in each of his 15 starts this year and sports a 3.12 ERA. But even Woo shook his head when asked how he’d pitch to Raleigh right now.
“I’d put up four fingers and let him take first base,” said Woo. “Yeah, I’m not pitching to him.”
CINCINNATI — Growing up, Chase Burns dreamed of playing for the New York Yankees.
He’s about to make his major league debut against them.
The 22-year-old Burns will take the mound for the Cincinnati Reds less than a year after being the second overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft.
“I wanted to be like Derek Jeter and play shortstop. I’m excited to have a Reds uniform, though,” Burns said before Cincinnati opened a three-game series against the Yankees.
The right-hander went 7-3 with a 1.77 ERA in 13 starts with Class-A Dayton, Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville before Reds brass declared him big league ready. He was elevated to the taxi squad and will be added to the active roster.
“I talked about it a lot. I wanted to move up quick and make an impact, but when it happens it’s surreal. Just the other day it felt like I was in Dayton and making my first start,” Burns said.
Burns will be the fifth first-round selection from last year’s draft to reach the majors, joining Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz, Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone, Angels second baseman Christian Moore and Astros outfielder Cam Smith, who was selected by the Cubs before going to Houston in the Kyle Tucker trade last December. Burns and Kurtz both attended Wake Forest.
Burns’ strength is his fastball, which is averaging 97 mph and regularly hits triple digits. He also has an above-average slider as a secondary pitch and has improved his changeup.
He led full-season minor league pitchers with a 0.77 WHIP, ranked fifth in ERA, was sixth with 89 strikeouts and tied for sixth with an opponents’ batting average of .167.
“He’s electric on the mound. He throws hard and his off-speed stuff is great,” Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott said. “He comes in with the right makeup and mentality. With all of those things combined, he’ll be ready.”
Making a big league debut creates its own special kind of stress. Doing it against one of the top lineups in the majors takes that to another level.
The third hitter Burns will likely face is Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who hit his 28th home run during the first inning in the first game of the series.
Burns, though, is trying to remain level-headed.
“I know he’s there. Just enjoy the moment,” Burns said. “There’s going to be pressure in anything you do in life. That’s what my dad instilled in me. And, of course, being the No. 2 overall pick, you’re going to have a lot of pressure. At the end of the day, you just have to have fun.”
According to baseball-reference.com, Burns will be the 58th starting pitcher since 1961 to make his major league debut against the Yankees. Included on that list are Luis Tiant, Blake Snell, Jacob deGrom, David Wells and Jake Peavy.
Another person who isn’t concerned about Burns’ debut coming against the Yankees is his manager.
“I don’t think you give a (darn) about the mystique. If we did that, we probably made a mistake,” Terry Francona said. “We don’t make decisions because of that. That’s maybe for social media, not for what we’re doing.
“You can’t replicate your first game in the major leagues. It might be the most exciting day in your life, and don’t back away from that. But whatever happens tomorrow is not going to define his career. You know, if he throws seven shutout innings, everybody is going to put him in the Hall of Fame. If he gives up four runs in three innings, they will want to send him down. I told him, just be who you are and let’s see if they can hit you.”
The Reds (41-38) opened the series with a 6-1 win having won 11 of 16 to get within two games of the final NL wild-card spot.
Cincinnati is 12-8 in June, tied for the third-best record in the NL.
Burns’ promotion and high-priced infielder Jeimer Candelario being designated for assignment indicate the Reds think they can make a run at a postseason spot in Francona’s first year as manager.
“The front office and ownership could have stalled out Burns, but he’s an extremely talented player that everyone can see can help us win now. It reinforces and shows they believe in us as well, which is pretty cool,” said outfielder Gavin Lux, who homered in the win. “Guys are pulling for each other and we’re starting to gain some momentum.”
Detroit Red Wings officially release their 2025–26 preseason schedule, featuring matchups versus Maple Leafs, Penguins
The Detroit Red Wings have officially released their 2025–26 preseason schedule, with eight games beginning on Tuesday, September 23 and wrapping up on Saturday, October 4. The exhibition slate includes familiar rivals like Chicago, Toronto, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh, offering fans an early glimpse of the team’s roster battles and off-season additions.
Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) on XPreseason!
📰 » https://t.co/aFaaSRM1w1Full Preseason Schedule:
More Red Wings: From Svechnikov To Raymond: Grading Detroit’s Last Ten Years Of First-Round Picks
Detroit’s preseason results over the past two years offer some insight into how they typically ramp up before Opening Night.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
Roster battles are always a sight to look out for during the early games as the Red Wings high-end prospect pool is tested at the highest level. Players like Nate Danielson, Carter Mazur and Axel Sandin-Pellikka among others are all battling to impress management and hopefully earn themselves a roster spot.
Another thing to look out for is the goalie competition as the franchise is loaded with options between the pipes. Alex Lyon, Petr Mrazek and Cam Talbot are all vying for main roster minutes while rising stars in Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine are looking to carve themselves out a role at the NHL level.
Fans can also expect the Red Wings to test new combinations, especially after several summer additions and potential departures to see what works and what doesn't ahead of an important season for the franchise.
More Red Wings:Patrick Kane Dangles Through 1,000 Pucks in Bauer Ad
The Red Wings fell just short of the playoffs in 2024–25 despite a promising start. With another offseason of growth, GM Steve Yzerman will be hoping this preseason helps solidify a group capable of taking the next step. The eight-game slate offers a balance of challenge and opportunity to get the lineup sharp by Opening Night in mid-October.
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Bruins interested in moving up in draft? What to make of latest rumor originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney is not afraid to make bold moves. Could we see one ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft?
The Bruins currently own the No. 7 overall pick in the first round. It’s their highest pick since 2011 and it comes after the Original Six franchise finished tied for the fourth-worst record in the league this past season.
The B’s should be able to get a very good player at No. 7, but what if a prospect they really like might not be available at that spot in Round 1? Could they try to trade up?
The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler published his latest 2025 NHL mock draft Tuesday, and it includes an interesting piece of intel on the Bruins.
“Sounds like Bruins also have interest in moving up,” Wheeler wrote. “My sense is the Flyers and Bruins at 6-7 like the same three players: Martin, O’Brien and Hagens. Everyone keeps telling me those three won’t get past 6-7. And yet, there appear to be eight players for seven picks.”
It’s a very good year to need a center in Round 1, which is great for the Bruins because that’s the position they most need to upgrade in this draft. We could potentially see as many seven centers selected in the top 10 picks.
The problem for the Bruins is that several other teams in the top seven picks also need a center.
Based on recent expert mock drafts, one of Jake O’Brien, Brady Martin and Roger McQueen should be available at No. 7. James Hagens could fall to that range, too, but most mock drafts have him coming off the board before No. 7.
Hagens was the No. 1 rated prospect on TSN reporter Bob McKenzie’s draft rankings before the 2024-25 season. Hagens played well for Boston College, but he didn’t dominate offensively as some expected, so he’s been slotted a little lower in recent rankings. Hagens came in at No. 7 in McKenzie’s final pre-draft list.
The Bruins could have as many as five first-round picks and four second-round picks over the next three drafts, so if they want to trade up this week, Sweeney does have some good assets to potentially use in deals.
The first round of the draft is Friday night. Rounds two through seven take place Saturday afternoon.
The Calgary Flames are in a familiar position – the “mushy middle,” where they’re not good enough to be a playoff team and not bad enough to get high-enough NHL draft picks.
It looked like the Flames were about to escape that position this season when they were in a playoff spot for a long time and added some players at the trade deadline, but they ended up falling short anyway.
To that end, the Flames are better off building for the long term. Staying in the mushy middle won’t lead anywhere.
Calgary can acquire top draft picks and prospects if they’re willing to part ways with key veterans in trades and avoid being a mushy-middle squad once again.
That leads to Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson – a minute-munching blueliner who is in his prime at 28 and has one year left on his contract at a $4.55-million cap hit. With rumors that contract extension talks for Andersson aren’t going well, the prospect of Calgary GM Craig Conroy dealing Andersson becomes more tantalizing by the day.
The Flames don’t need to trade Andersson immediately. Conroy can still be patient for a few more days. But if a situation arises on July 1 – the opening of free agency – where Florida Panthers blueliner Aaron Ekblad re-signs or heads elsewhere, Andersson could easily be the best D-man available to acquire. At that point, the Flames could set a high price for Andersson that many teams should line up to pay.
Wouldn’t that make a heck of a lot of sense for Calgary than hanging onto Andersson and embracing the status quo? It’s not as if Andersson was going to put the Flames on his back and singlehandedly deliver Calgary into the 2026 playoffs. So why not trade him for what could be a terrific package of picks and prospects and be patient as Flames youngsters develop into a core that will be with the Flames for the long haul?
It’s not like the Flames don’t have any other veterans, either. Defenseman MacKenzie Weegar is signed through 2030-31. Jonathan Huberdeau, Mikael Backlund, Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri are all around on offense for now, although it would be worth seeing if there’s a good return for Kadri as well.
You can argue that Calgary was only two regulation wins out of making the post-season last year, and a slight tweak of improvement would make the Flames a playoff team in 2025-26. But that’s the best possible development.
It’s just as likely, if not more likely, that the same group misses the playoffs again. If they do narrowly miss out yet again, it will be another missed opportunity, and they’ll yet again fail to be low enough in the standings to acquire a foundational piece in the draft.
We’ve argued consistently that being a mushy-middle team is the worst place a team can be. But that’s where the Flames appear to be headed in 2025-26. So, moving a defenseman who averaged 23:59 of ice time last season would help Calgary immensely.
NHL Rumor Roundup: Could Noah Dobson And Rasmus Andersson Hit The Trade Block?The contract negotiations of two notable defensemen have drawn considerable interest recently in the NHL rumor mill.
It would take guts to move Andersson, and while Conroy has shown he has guts with last year’s deal with Philadelphia that saw the Flames acquire forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee, Conroy would need to be just as gutsy to move on from Andersson.
That said, what are they really doing – other than wasting time – if they’re not building a legitimately elite team to compete with the real powerhouse teams in the Pacific Division?
You can’t convince us that the Flames have the generational talents that Western Conference teams like Edmonton, Colorado and even Chicago have. And so it becomes crystal clear that Calgary has to bear down and suffer through some lean seasons to be able to draft and develop the high-end players they need to legitimately compete with the true powerbrokers in the West.
That process can kick into high gear with the trading of Andersson. If Conroy makes him available, he’s going to get a spectacular package in return. And if it means the Flames have to fall to the bottom of the Pacific for a couple years, so be it.
The alternative – the mushy middle – is a far worse destiny for this franchise. And the sooner Conroy comes to terms with that reality, the better things will be for long-suffering Flames fans.
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The 2025-26 Hockey season is started to rev up.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced the 2025 preseason schedule today.
Below are the dates and times for the 7 preseason games.
The NHL Draft will take place this Friday in LA, and then free agency opens on July 1. Before you know it, the season will be here, and the CBJ plan to look much different.
Let us know what you think below.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
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Former Columbus Blue Jackets Forward Manny Malhotra Wins Calder CupFormer Columbus Blue Jackets forward Manny Malhotra, head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL, won the Calder Cup last night by defeating the Charlotte Checkers in six games.
Former Blue Jackets Draft Pick And Calder Cup Champion Signs In EuropeAnother former Blue Jacket has found a new home in Europe.
2025 NHL Draft Order Officially ReleasedThe 2025 NHL Draft is this Friday, and the Blue Jacket picks are official.
The Rapid City Rush are teaming up with the YMCA of Rapid City to host their first-ever NHL STREET learn-to-play-hockey camp on Saturday, Aug. 2 from 9:30 – 11:00 Am.
Members of the Rush organization and the local hockey community will be in attendance to run the clinic, which will feature hands-on instruction, skills stations, and scrimmages. Registration is open for all kids aged seven through 12, with no prior hockey experience required. All equipment will be provided, and families do not have to be YMCA members to participate.
“The YMCA brings our youth together as a community to celebrate fun and wellness.” Elaina Kempin, Marketing Director for the YMCA of Rapid City, said in a statement. “Our wonderful partnership with the Rapid City Rush helps us achieve our mission of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.”
Launched in 2023, NHL STREET is the official youth hockey league of the National Hockey League. It is designed to provide kids and their families with the best of what youth sports can be: having fun, staying active, making friends and creating great memories. This is the first NHL STREET initiative offered in the state of South Dakota.
“NHL STREET was created to bring the love of hockey to more kids in more communities—and this event is a great example of that mission in action,” Savannah Green, Director of Community Relations and Social Engagement for the Rush, said. “When you combine the energy of the Rush with the reach of community organizations like the YMCA, you unlock something really powerful.”
The YMCA of Rapid City is located at 815 Kansas City St., Rapid City, SD 57701. Registration is $35 per child. All participants will take home a custom NHL STREET hockey jersey.
For more information about Street Camp, click here.
The Rush will kick off their 2025-26 regular season in Independence, Missouri against the Kansas City Mavericks on Friday, Oct. 17. Puck drop is scheduled for 6 Pm MT.
(Photo Courtesy of the Rapid City Rush)
CINCINNATI — Jeimer Candelario — the Reds’ highest-priced signing of the past six seasons — has seen his tenure in Cincinnati end.
The Reds designated the oft-injured infielder for assignment before their game against the New York Yankees.
Candelario signed a three-year, $45 million contract in December 2023. He is owed nearly $23 million, including $7,983,871 for the remainder of this season, $12 million for next season and a $3 million buyout for 2027.
“It was hard to get a hold of him. And (general manager) Nick (Krall) finally talked to him and said it was, as you can imagine, (difficult),” manager Terry Francona said. “I have tried to reach out to him, and he understandably, it was just going to voicemail, and I get it. But again, I will say, it’s tough. I know that’s not an easy decision, but we think it can help make us better.”
The 31-year old Candelario was batting .113 (9 of 80) in 22 games this season. He had been sidelined since late April due to a lumbar spine strain. He was on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville before returning to Cincinnati.
Candelario played 131 games for Cincinnati and batted .207.
The Reds, who have won 11 of their last 16, have been encouraged by the play of Christian Encarnacion-Strand at third base and Spencer Steer at first.
NEW YORK — Rookie infielder Luisangel Acuña was sent to the minors by the slumping New York Mets amid several roster moves.
New York also signed left-handed reliever Richard Lovelady to a one-year deal and selected the contract of outfielder Travis Jankowski from Triple-A Syracuse. Both were available for the opener of a four-game series against Atlanta.
Acuña, the younger brother of Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr., was optioned to Syracuse along with right-handed reliever Tyler Zuber following a 7-1 loss at Philadelphia.
Before that game, the Mets demoted another touted youngster to Syracuse: catcher Francisco Alvarez.
New York has lost nine of 10, falling 1.5 games behind the first-place Phillies in the NL East.
Acuña, acquired from Texas in 2023 for three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, has scuffled lately at the plate after hitting .308 with six steals to earn NL rookie of the month honors for March/April. The 23-year-old has slumped to a .241 batting average and largely been relegated to pinch running and defensive-replacement duties. He is expected to receive regular playing time at Syracuse.
In other news, ace pitcher Kodai Senga, speaking through a translator, told reporters his injured right hamstring feels “great” and he hopes to throw off a mound soon. Senga, injured covering first base June 12 against Washington, believes a rehab assignment is “on the horizon.”
“The good thing is that he kept throwing, even right after the injury, so he was able to keep the arm going,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I was told that he was going to play catch off the mound. Not necessarily a bullpen, but he’s already getting on the mound and letting the ball go with some type of intensity. That’s a really good sign.”
After being limited to one start during the 2024 regular season because of shoulder and calf injuries, Senga was brilliant in his first 13 starts this year, going 7-3 with a 1.47 ERA.
“I feel great and I am recovering really well,” he said. “I want to take it day by day. Maybe some days I can push it a little bit further, while some days I need to take it a step back and take it easy. So those are the types of conversations I’m having every day and those are very helpful.”
Jankowski signed a minor league contract with New York on June 10. He is playing on his third major league team in 2025, after spending time with the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. He received a spring training invite from the Chicago Cubs but was released on March 12.
Jankowski appeared in 43 games for the Mets in 2022. He played college ball at Stony Brook University, located on Long Island less than 40 miles from Citi Field.
Lovelady had been pitching at Triple-A St. Paul in the Minnesota Twins organization before getting released. The 29-year-old reliever had a 1.31 ERA in 19 outings.
Lovelady made two appearances for Toronto in March and also has pitched for the Royals, Rays, Athletics and Cubs during a six-year career. He is 5-13 with a 5.26 ERA and three saves in 110 games, holding left-handed hitters to a .232 batting average.
“Lefty, kind of the low slot, the sinker, the slider, and now he’s got a sweeper, too,” Mendoza said. “He’s just another weapon for the bullpen that we can use to mix and match.”
Right-hander Frankie Montas is expected to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list to make his Mets debut. Montas, signed to a two-year, $34 million contract in December, has been sidelined since spring training with a right lat strain.
“He’s a guy, when we signed him in the offseason, that was going to be a big part of this rotation,” Mendoza said. “I’ve seen him pitch for a lot of years at this level and have success. ... The expectation is to go out there, compete and give us a chance to win a baseball game every time he takes the ball, starting tomorrow.”
In another roster move, outfielder Jose Siri (left tibia fracture) was transferred to the 60-day IL.
Celtics trading Kristaps Porzingis to Hawks in three-team deal: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Boston Celtics have made another significant roster move in what should be an exciting offseason for the NBA.
The Celtics are trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday. Porzingis and a second-round draft pick will head to Atlanta in exchange for Georges Niang and a second-rounder. The Hawks sent Terance Mann and their No. 22 overall pick to the Brooklyn Nets.
The C’s entered the offseason as a second apron team. They needed to shed salary, so this trade involving Porzingis isn’t surprising. Porzingis is entering the final year of his contract, which carries a $30.7 million salary cap hit, per Spotrac. As a result of this deal and the Jrue Holiday trade, the Celtics are now $4.5 million under the second apron.
Porzingis averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from 3-point range this past season.
Porzingis’ tenure in Boston lasted just two seasons, but it did produce some memorable moments.
His apex with the Celtics was a 60-second stretch in the first quarter of Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks when he made a huge impact at both ends of the court. Porzingis was making his return to the lineup after missing the previous 10 games due to injury.
Porzingis was unable to stay healthy for a good chunk of his career in Boston. He missed 25 games in 2023-24 and 40 games in 2024-25. He played in all 11 of Boston’s 2025 playoff games but was limited in some of them due to a mystery illness. He provided an undeniable spark when on the court, however, and was a fan favorite at TD Garden.
Niang, 32, averaged 9.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game last season with the Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Massachusetts native has also had stints with the Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, and Philadelphia 76ers.
It’s been more than a week since Unite Here Local 26, a local chapter of the hospitality union that represents employees at Fenway Park, authorized a strike against Aramark. The Boston Red Sox are set to begin a six-game homestand on Friday, and neither side has reported movement in negotiations, meaning unionized employees can walk away at any point.
During the lull in labor talks, chapter members are thinking about their collective value to the famed Fenway experience—specifically how automation could reduce job security. They are concerned with the use of self-checkout machines in the ballpark introduced ahead of the 2023 season.
Two years ago, Aramark installed two AI-powered self-checkout units created by Mashgin that handle beer, and four self-dispensing popcorn stations. Mashgin has machines in over 3,000 convenience stores, more than 150 sports venues, 100 hospitals and dozens of airports, colleges and resorts across the U.S., Europe and Australia.
“It reduces the amount you make,” Charbel Salameh, a 28-year employee at Fenway who has worked the beer stands for 23 of those seasons, said in a phone interview. “‘Oh, who am I tipping? This is a self-service stand, I don’t have to tip anyone.’ People still did the work, people still filled the fridge, people still made your hot dog, people still filled your soda. I think because they don’t interact with someone doing that, people look at it differently.
“The more these stands are put in, the more jobs that are taken away. That’s the hard part because in five years if they convert every one of these stands [to self-checkout], there are going to be so many lost jobs.”
In response to a request for comment, Aramark referred to the June 15 statement it sent Sportico. “We intend to keep working with the union toward a settlement that works for everyone,” the statement said. “In the event of a strike, we have contingency plans in place to ensure that services are not interrupted.”
Including Fenway, Mashgin’s machines are deployed at 20 of the 30 MLB ballparks. In an April report it conducted about the fan experience, the company said it has “delivered a median transaction time of under 15 seconds across over 3.6 million transactions and $88 million in concession sales,” during the 2024 season.
Local 26 president Carlos Aramayo said in a phone interview that he understands technology will be a part of Fenway’s future. Still, he hopes union members aren’t taken for granted.
“A lot of folks who started working there, but they were in high school even, and have been working there for 20, 30 years,” Aramayo said. “The Red Sox sell the historic baseball experience. A lot of our members see themselves as part of that. They’re Boston folks and they take a lot of pride in the work they do.”
Added Salameh: “You can’t go to ‘America’s most beloved ballpark’ and not have human interaction. A machine’s not going to love you back.”
Neither Local 26 nor Aramark have publicized when their next talks were going to be. Discussions are likely to include debate over the automation issue in addition to the union’s push for wage increases and scheduling based on seniority.
Fenway is still busy while the Red Sox are away. Irish singer-songwriter Hozier performed his first of two concerts at the ballpark on Monday, with the second scheduled for Tuesday night. The Red Sox host the Toronto Blue Jays to start a three-game series on Friday night. It remains to be seen if those will be the last working nights for unionized employees before a possible strike.
Aramayo said the 95% vote to authorize a walkout was motivated by advances made by other unionized workers throughout Boston. He expressed frustration at the Fenway situation since his union and Aramark were able to come to the table for employees in Boston-area schools and hotels.
“At Boston University, we just negotiated a first contract with them,” Aramayo said. “Nobody heard about it, right? Because we did it. We had good bargaining; we figured out a deal to get it done. We didn’t get ourselves into this situation.”
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Canadian left winger Scott Wilson, 33, has signed a two-year contract with Sibir Novosibirsk, the KHL club announced on Tuesday. It will be Wilson’s fifth KHL team in five seasons.
Originally from Oakville, Ont., Wilson played junior hockey for the Georgetown Raiders of the OJHL before playing three years of college hockey at Umass-Lowell. He was a seventh-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2011 and signed with Pittsburgh in the spring of 2014 after his junior season.
Between 2014 and 2020, Wilson played 193 NHL regular-season games for the Penguins, Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres, recording 51 points and 58 penalty minutes. He also played 26 playoff games, all with Pittsburgh, recording 10 points and 11 penalty minutes.
His only complete NHL season was 2016-17, and he was part of Pittsburgh’s Stanley Cup championship team that year, playing in 78 regular-season games and 20 playoff games.
RUMOR: Jesse Puljujärvi Headed To Switzerland After AHL FinalsJesse
Puljujärvi is currently playing in the
AHL’s Calder Cup
finals. On Sunday, he scored an overtime goal in Game 5 keep his
Charlotte Checkers alive against the Abbotsford Canucks.
After two more AHL seasons in the Florida Panthers organization, Wilson first went to the KHL in 2022. In four seasons with Vityaz Moscow Oblast, Metallurg Magnitogorsk and Salavat Yulaev Ufa, Wilson has 117 points in 188 regular-season and playoff games.
Wilson joins a Sibir team that finished seventh in the KHL’s Eastern Conference last season and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The team also includes former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nikita Soshnikov and Toronto prospect Vladislav Kara.
Photo © Brad Penner-Imagn Images: Scott Wilson playing for the Buffalo Sabres in the 2019-20 season.
Former NHL Goalie Chris Driedger Signs In KHL
Canadian
goaltender Chris Driedger, 31,
has signed a one-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk, the KHL club
announced on Tuesday.