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Kevin Korchinski Is The Latest Chicago Blackhawks Roster Cut

The Chicago Blackhawks set their roster for their preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, early in the day. It didn't include Kevin Korchinski, as he practiced with the healthy "non-game group" alongside Nolan Allan, Sam Lafferty, Louis Crevier, Lukas Reichel, and Landon Slaggert. 

Korchinski was in a four-man battle for the final roster spot on the blue line. Well, that was until Tuesday, as he was sent down to the Rockford IceHogs. He will head to the AHL to join their camp and continue his development. 

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on XChicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xroster update🔔 we have assigned Kevin Korchinski to the @goicehogs. 📰 ➡︎ https://t.co/Td8AnFif2n

It is a bit surprising that this decision came as early as it did, with two more preseason games to go after this one against the Red Wings. Kyle Davidson, Jeff Blashill, and the decision makers clearly see more value in Korchinski playing more AHL games. 

With this move, the Blackhawks roster now sits at 29 players, including 16 forwards, 10 defensemen, and 3 goaltenders. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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What's Next For Brennan Othmann After Failing To Make Rangers' Opening-Night Roster?

Danny Wild-Imagn Images

There’s a lot to unpack regarding the New York Rangers’ decision to send Brennan Othmann down to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League. 

It feels as if Othmann has been knocking at the door to make the Rangers’ roster for a couple of years now. 

Last year, Othmann was one of the Rangers’ last roster cuts, as he was close to making the Rangers’ opening-night roster. 

After getting a 22-game audition with the Rangers during the 2024-25 campaign, he came to rookie camp this year with the hopes of earning a permanent NHL spot. 

Upon speaking to Othmann for the first time since April, he emphasized that he’s in a better mental space and was feeling much more confident after a full offseason training with other NHL players. 

Othmann’s newfound confidence and mentality unfortunately, did not translate to his play on the ice. 

The 2021 first-round pick struggled to make a strong impression through training camp and four preseason games. 

It wasn’t that Othmann performed at an unfathomable level, but it was more about what he didn’t do and the little things he needs to fix before taking the jump as a regular NHL player.

Mike Sullivan feels there are a couple of small aspects on the ice that Othmann still needs to unlock in order to earn a spot with the Rangers. 

“We've had a number of discussions around what that pathway might look like for him to carve a role on the New York Rangers,” Sullivan said. “A lot of the discussion we had just talked about conscientious play, attention to detail, defensively, away from the puck, playing within structure, having some predictability and reliability and dependability around his game. 

“I think if he can add more detail around those things, essentially that’s what it boils down to. It’s attention to detail in all zones, in particular on the defensive side of the puck. Those are the conversations I’ve had with Otter over the past little while.”

Over the course of training camp, Otthmann began falling behind players on the depth chart he was directly competing with for a roster spot, including Gabe Perreault and Brett Berard. 

It was quickly becoming evident that the 22-year-old forward would get sent down to Hartford, and those assumptions ultimately became a reality, even sooner than many people originally anticipated. 

Brennan Othmann Sent Down To Hartford Wolf Pack Brennan Othmann Sent Down To Hartford Wolf Pack Brennan Othmann has been sent down to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, as he will not make the New York Rangers’ opening-night roster. 

Despite being set down, Sullivan made clear that there’s still a pathway for Otthmann to work his way back up. 

“I said to Otter, ‘just because this decision was made today doesn't mean that there is finality to it and that the opportunity no longer exists, it very much exists and will continue to exist,’ and we will continue to work with Otter.” said Sullivan. 

What is next for Otthmann?

Now he’ll likely play a top-line role for the Wolf Pack, where he’ll be put in a position to thrive and showcase his skills. 

It isn’t necessarily what he may have wanted, but starting the season in the AHL could be positive for his overall development. 

Only time will tell what the future holds for Otthmann, but he has a chip on his shoulder going into the 2025-26 campaign to show the Rangers brass what he is truly capable of.

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Former Golden Knight Announces Retirement, Will Return To Alma Mater As Special Assistant To Head Coach

In an announcement that former Golden Knight Max Pacioretty was joining the University of Michigan ice hockey program as special assistant to the head coach, it also signaled the end to a 17-year career in the NHL.

"After 17 seasons in the NHL, I'm excited to begin this next chapter with Michigan Hockey," Pacioretty said in a press release on the Michigan athletics website. "I'm so thankful for the teammates, coaches and fans who have been a part of my journey."

The 36-year-old, who played at Michigan as a freshman before turning pro, went on to say that while hockey has given so much to him, he's looking forward to an opportunity to develop the next generation of players.

"Michigan has a tradition of producing elite talent, and I can't wait to share what I've learned to help these guys grow on and off the ice," said Pacioretty, who played in Vegas for four seasons. "Just as important, this next step allows me to be closer to my family and spend more time with my kids.

"I'm going to be coaching my four boys in youth hockey, and that's something I'll really cherish as a dad."

Pacioretty played in 939 games during his career, including 224 with the Golden Knights.

After playing the first 10 years of his career in Montreal, Pacioretty arrived in Vegas before the franchise's second year in the league (2018-19). He was named to an All-Star in 2020.

In four seasons, Pacioretty registered 194 points (97 goals, 97 assists). In 36 playoff games for the Golden Knights, he had 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists).

Pacioretty played the 2022-23 season with the Carolina Hurricanes and the 2023-24 season with the Washington Capitals. He played his final season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, last year.

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Eight Former Ottawa Senators Placed On Waivers This Week

Through their long, dark rebuilding days, the Ottawa Senators cycled through a lot of players, often trying to fill holes with journeyman options. Some of those names hit the waiver wire this week, available to anyone, and seeing their names now will, in some of the cases, remind Sens fans of how far their team has come.

Eight former Ottawa Senators were placed on waivers in the last few days. They are forwards Roby Jarventie (Edmonton Oilers), Matthew Highmore (NY Islanders), Clarke Bishop (Calgary Flames), Scott Sabourin (Tampa Bay Lightning), Jake Lucchini (Nashville Predators) and Shane Bowers (San Jose Sharks), along with defenseman Josh Brown (Edmonton), and goalie Marcus Hogberg (Islanders).

Jarventie, Sabourin, and Brown cleared on Sunday, and Lucchini on Monday. Sabourin was recalled by Tampa on Tuesday. The others were placed on waivers on Tuesday.

Three of the names in the group of eight were once seen as potentially an important part of the Senators' future.

Roby Jarventie (33rd overall, 2022 NHL Draft)

It's hard to complain much about the Sens' lucrative 2020 Draft. The Sens had just scooped up Tim Stutzle (3rd), Jake Sanderson (5th), and Ridly Greig (28). But five picks after Greig, they whiffed on Jarventie. They did regroup and get Tyler Kleven (44) and Leevi Merilainen (71) so they get nothing but accolades for that draft. But Sens fans still can't get over how they passed on Stutzle's buddy, J.J. Peterka (picture me using a whiny voice here), who went with the pick right after Jarventie.

Shane Bowers (38th overall, 2017 NHL Draft)

Bowers never actually played for the Sens, but he was their first-round pick in 2017. He was also a 2017-18 Boston University linemate of their 2018 first-round pick, Brady Tkachuk. The Senators were wise to move Bowers while his stock was fairly high. Five months after they drafted him, they packaged him up and sent him to Colorado in the deal for Matt Duchene.

Marcus Hogberg (78th overall, 2013 NHL Draft)

In 2019-20, Craig Anderson's final season with the Senators, his main backup was Marcus Hogberg, prompting some very brief 'goalie of the future' discussions. But it became clear pretty quickly that he wasn't the heir apparent. So the Sens went out and acquired (deep breath) the injury-prone Matt Murray. Filip Gustavsson, also acquired from Pittsburgh several years earlier, arrived in Ottawa that season to overtake Hogberg as well, so it wasn't long before Hogberg went back to Europe. Hogberg returned to North America last season and got a chance after the Islanders ran into injury trouble. He won just 2 of 11 games in his return. 

Life moves pretty fast in the NHL. One day you're a top prospect, the next you're on waivers. And with hundreds of new young prospects jumping onto the league's radar every year, no matter how good you once were, teams don't have time to wait around for you to figure things out.

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
Broadcast Frustrations Resurface For Senators Fans
Ullmark Sharp In Senators Victory, Embraces The Struggle
Stephen Halliday's NHL Stock Continues to Rise
Former Senator Josh Norris Embraces New Opportunity To Prove Himself
Will This Be Shane Pinto's Breakout Year With The Senators?
Batherson Joins Ottawa Senators List Of Preseason Injury Concerns

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Yankees Wild Card Notes: Will Warren’s role, Game 1 lineup decisions

Aaron Boone broke down some of the key decisions made ahead of the Yankees' Game 1 meeting with the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card round….

Why Warren cracked the roster

Will Warren won’t be needed as a starter during this best-of-three series with the division rival Sox, but the Yanks still elected to leave him on the 26-man roster. 

Boone expects that he could be used in a number of different roles during this set.

“There’s some pockets where he could be really effective for us,” the skipper said. “It might be in the short-verse, it might be in the situation where we need some length from him, it might be in extra innings where you’re out of pitching and you have to roll. 

“He’s pitched really effectively for us all year. He’s on his fourth day today so most of the series he should be in pretty good shape to be able to give us whatever we need.”

The 26-year-old pitched to a 4.44 ERA and 1.37 WHIP while making a career-high 33 starts this season. 

He has just one big-league appearance out of the bullpen to this point. 

Goldy gets the start over Rice

Ben Rice has been red hot, but Boone elected to sit him in favor of Paul Goldschmidt with ace southpaw Garrett Crochet taking the bump in the series opener. 

Though Yanks fans would love to see the sweet-swinging Rice in there, Boone says it was an easy call turning to the veteran Goldschmidt, who has a .981 OPS against lefties this year.

Sep 7, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) runs the bases during his homerun against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Yankee Stadium.
Sep 7, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) runs the bases during his homerun against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Yankee Stadium. / Mark Smith-Imagn Images

“Goldy is going to play against every lefty we face,” he said. “Ben is obviously a huge part of our offense and is having a phenomenal year and he’s been hot, but part of that is he’s faced the people he should be facing.

“He’ll be back in there tomorrow against [Brayan] Bello, and obviously we have a really good chip over there sitting on the bench to use in a big spot as well.”

Rice finished with 26 homers and a .836 OPS during his breakout season. 

Chisholm good to go

Jazz Chisholm is in the clear after leaving the season finale following a tough hit-by-pitch on the left forearm. 

Like Rice, though, he is sitting in the series opener with the tough southpaw on the mound. 

Amed Rosario, who has great numbers in his career against Crochet, jumps into the lineup in his place. 

Boone didn't rule out turning to Chisholm early if the opportunity were to arise, though. 

“I wouldn’t hesitate to use Jazz, he could be in this game early,” he said. “But yeah, as tough as Crochet is, he has been especially tough on lefties this year. There really is no good matchup, but Amed has good history with him, he’s hit him well and has faced him a lot this year. 

"We just wanted to get another right-handed bat in there, but Jazz is good to go and he’ll be ready.”

Rosario is 6-for-9 with a homer in his career against Crochet. 

He hit .298 with a .336 OBP and .800 OPS versus lefties this season.

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Warriors star Jimmy Butler announces permanent BIGFACE coffee location in Bay

Warriors star Jimmy Butler announces permanent BIGFACE coffee location in Bay originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors forward and beverage connoisseur Jimmy Butler has announced plans to open a new permanent location of his coffee company BIGFACE in the Bay Area. 

“I’m hoping to open up… a shop here, maybe like February, March, something like that,” Butler told reporters Monday at Warriors Media Day. “I couldn’t be more excited. Y’all come spend y’all’s money.” 

The coffee brand originated in the 2020 NBA bubble, where Butler, then with the Miami Heat, served coffee out of his hotel room. BIGFACE opened its first flagship store in Miami in December 2024, which is its sole current permanent location. 

“I spend a lot of time doing this coffee thing. I go and I visit these farms and I get to pick ‘em myself. I know the profiles at which I roast my coffee,” Butler said. “There’s a story behind every single coffee that I’ve ever had that I have done this summer, the collabs that I’ve done, and I enjoy it. I study it. That’s what I geek out on.” 

Butler’s coffee brand has seen success in recent temporary pop-ups. In July, BIGFACE coffee brought a temporary location to San Francisco’s Mission District, drawing a crowd of coffee lovers to the corner of 22nd and Valencia. 

For the Warriors forward, his coffee endeavors allow him to live as more than just a basketball star. 

“I love coffee. It’s a way for me to humanize myself. I get to go sit in local coffee shops, and I don’t have to be a Golden State Warriors player, even though that is absolutely amazing. I just get to be a coffee lover,” Butler said. “Like I get to be a little more of a human.” 

After being acquired at the 2025 NBA trade deadline in February, Butler now enters his first full season with the Warriors. He hopes to establish himself not only as a big part of the Bay’s basketball team, but as a big part of its coffee scene as well. 

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Canadiens: Kicking Things Off In Quebec

For the last couple of years, the Montreal Canadiens had a little getaway to Mont Tremblant before the start of the season. This year, the getaway will take place in Quebec City, as the Habs are playing there on Tuesday night against the Ottawa Senators.

It remains a preseason game, however, and unsurprisingly, the Canadiens will not be using their complete lineup. Captain Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky will not be playing, just like Kaiden Guhle and Noah Dobson. Given the fact that both blueliners have been dealing with groin issues, their absence is not a shock.

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At the morning skate, the only line that remained the same as it was yesterday was the one formed by Ivan Demidov, Alex Newhook, and Oliver Kapanen. Zack Bolduc, who was put on the second line with Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine on Monday, will be skating with the center and Brendan Gallagher against the Sens. Meanwhile, Florian Xhekaj will be taking Gallagher’s spot alongside Jake Evans and Josh Anderson. In contrast, the fourth line will be made up by Joe Veleno, Owen Beck, and Patrik Laine.

This is an interesting mix; it gets a final audition for the younger Xhekaj, Veleno, and Owen Beck, but it also sends a message to Laine. If he wants a role in the top six, he’s going to have to earn it. He’s not with Bolduc and Dach tonight, and while it’s still early, this is clearly a way for Martin St-Louis to show the big Finn that he has some options this year and that he won’t be as patient as he was last season. This is Laine’s second year with the Canadiens, and while he didn’t play for the whole season during the 2024-25 campaign, he played enough to know what’s expected of him and what he needs to do at both ends of the ice.

Asked about losing an opportunity to see if he could create chemistry between Dach and Laine on Tuesday night, the bench boss replied:

Not really, it’s not like the players don’t know each other already. We’re trying to make up lines and see what they’ll give us so that we can keep evaluating.
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On the blueline, St-Louis decided to do some mix and match as well. For the first time since the start of camp, Jayden Struble will be skating with Alexandre Carrier, who is already secured in the fifth defenseman’s spot. As for Arber Xhekaj, he will be skating alongside Lane Hutson, while Mike Matheson will be paired with Adam Engstrom.

Speaking about his lines, the coach says that the team now has a good idea who their first line is, but for the rest, they’ll see as they go. It’s not the first time the coach has said that, and it gives the impression that he wants to temper player expectations when it comes to time on ice. With more options come more possibilities to upset some players if they are not playing the role they would like to play. It’s a reality St-Louis will have to deal with this year, both when it comes to its even-strength lines and to the power play.

In net, St-Louis confirmed that Jakub Dobes will be on duty for the whole game, which is a hint that he’s done well enough to deserve to be Samuel Montembeault’s backup this season, just like he was to finish the last campaign. This is not good news for Kaapo Kahkonen, however, and he’ll more than likely be put on waivers soon to be reassigned to the Laval Rocket.

The coach plans to have a more complete team on Saturday when the two teams meet again, this time at the Bell Center. While St-Louis hasn’t said it yet, Samuel Montembeault will likely be on duty for that game.

The Canadiens will have a day off on Wednesday in Quebec, and they’ll then hold a couple of public training sessions on Thursday and Friday. They’ll be back in Brossard for the morning skate on Saturday morning.

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Where Steve Kerr hopes Brandin Podziemski can improve in third Warriors season

Where Steve Kerr hopes Brandin Podziemski can improve in third Warriors season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steve Kerr believes that Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski took a big leap in his second NBA season.   

He also believes that Podziemski isn’t done growing. 

“I think this is a year where he takes another step,” Kerr told reporters Tuesday after Golden State’s first NBA training camp practice. “To be able to get through that crucible where you’re in the starting lineup, you’re in the playoffs, spotlight’s on you, you have a few bad shooting nights. Every player goes through that. He’s a tough guy and a tough player. I just think that he’s on a very natural progression to continue his improvement.”

Podziemski started in all but one of the Warriors’ 12 NBA playoff games last season, averaging 11.3 points per contest on just a 36.4 field-goal percentage.  

His best performance came in Game 4 of the first round against the Houston Rockets, in which he scored 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including six 3-pointers. His big shooting performance was the difference as the Warriors pulled out a 109-106 win to take a 3-1 advantage in the series. 

“One of the hardest lessons I ever learned as a player is when you have that bad night, you have to move on quickly. And you can’t let it get to you; you can’t let it carry over into the next day’s practice,” Kerr explained. “And if you’re a competitor, that can be really hard. BP’s a big-time competitor, he cares. So, I want to help him move forward after those inevitable tough nights.” 

Kerr wants his third-year guard to work on remaining aggressive when shooting the ball. But there’s another specific area he wants Podziemski to focus on. 

“Honestly, you’ll laugh, but leaving the refs alone,” Kerr said of the 22-year-old. “I mean, that’s important. It’s important to his energy, his mindset. It’s important for our team’s mindset. And taking that next step in just being more even-keeled.” 

Podziemski echoed his coach’s assessment. 

“I think [the] big thing to show another leap would be emotional maturity,” Podziemski told reporters Tuesday after being told what Kerr said. “Talking to the refs is included in that. But, just keeping a composure about myself so that my teammates see that.” 

As the Warriors’ roster grows older, Kerr noted their veterans inevitably will miss some games. In those instances, the younger core, which includes Podziemski, will be relied on much more heavily. 

“And those games that the veterans are out, how can we manufacture wins, and I think I’m going to be a focal part of that when they’re out,” Podziemski said, noting the importance of his emotional maturity. “So if they’re going to look to me and I’m out of whack emotionally, [it] becomes hard to win.” 

After some slight struggles to begin the 2024-25 NBA season, Podziemski missed 12 games due to injury in late December into late January. But, he returned with some great shooting, averaging 14.9 points per game while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from beyond the arc in his final 34 games of the regular season. 

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Do the MLB playoffs reseed teams? How the Division Series bracket will take shape

Do the MLB playoffs reseed teams? How the Division Series bracket will take shape originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

A few MLB playoff teams can sit back, relax and enjoy the opening round of the 2025 postseason.

The top two clubs in the American and National Leagues earned byes for the Wild Card Series and automatically qualified for the Division Series.

The No. 1-seeded Toronto Blue Jays and No. 2 Seattle Mariners will begin the playoffs in the ALDS, while the No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers and No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies clinched NLDS berths.

So, who could the Blue Jays, Mariners, Brewers and Phillies draw first this postseason? Here’s how the Division Series bracket will take shape:

Do the MLB playoffs reseed teams?

The MLB playoffs follow a bracket format and do not reseed teams. That means, for example, the top-seeded Blue Jays will face the winner of the No. 4 New York Yankees-No. 5 Boston Red Sox series even if the No. 6-seeded Detroit Tigers were to advance.

What is the 2025 MLB playoff bracket?

Here’s a look at the Division Series bracket possibilities:

American League

  • No. 2 Seattle Mariners vs. No. 3 Cleveland Guardians/No. 6 Detroit Tigers
  • No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays vs. No. 4 New York Yankees/No. 5 Boston Red Sox

National League

How many games are in the Wild Card Series?

The first round of the MLB playoffs features a best-of-three format where the higher seed has home-field advantage for the entire series.

How many games are in the Division Series?

The postseason then moves to a best-of-five format for the Division Series. The higher seed has home-field advantage for Games 1, 2 and, if necessary, 5.

When do the 2025 ALDS, NLDS start?

All four Division Series are slated to begin Saturday, Oct. 4.

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Do the MLB playoffs reseed teams? How the Division Series bracket will take shape

Do the MLB playoffs reseed teams? How the Division Series bracket will take shape originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

A few MLB playoff teams can sit back, relax and enjoy the opening round of the 2025 postseason.

The top two clubs in the American and National Leagues earned byes for the Wild Card Series and automatically qualified for the Division Series.

The No. 1-seeded Toronto Blue Jays and No. 2 Seattle Mariners will begin the playoffs in the ALDS, while the No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers and No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies clinched NLDS berths.

So, who could the Blue Jays, Mariners, Brewers and Phillies draw first this postseason? Here’s how the Division Series bracket will take shape:

Do the MLB playoffs reseed teams?

The MLB playoffs follow a bracket format and do not reseed teams. That means, for example, the top-seeded Blue Jays will face the winner of the No. 4 New York Yankees-No. 5 Boston Red Sox series even if the No. 6-seeded Detroit Tigers were to advance.

What is the Division Series bracket in the 2025 MLB playoffs?

Here’s a look at the Division Series bracket possibilities:

American League

  • No. 2 Seattle Mariners vs. No. 3 Cleveland Guardians/No. 6 Detroit Tigers
  • No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays vs. No. 4 New York Yankees/No. 5 Boston Red Sox

National League

How many games are in the Wild Card Series?

The first round of the MLB playoffs features a best-of-three format where the higher seed has home-field advantage for the entire series.

How many games are in the Division Series?

The postseason then moves to a best-of-five format for the Division Series. The higher seed has home-field advantage for Games 1, 2 and, if necessary, 5.

When do the 2025 ALDS, NLDS start?

All four Division Series are slated to begin Saturday, Oct. 4.

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Philadelphia Flyers Cut Several Top Prospects from Training Camp Roster

(Photo: Eric Canha, Imagn Images)

After the latest round of training camp roster cuts, the Philadelphia Flyers are rapidly approaching their final roster ahead of opening night to start the 2025-26 season.

On Tuesday, the Flyers said farewell to a number of their top prospects, including some who were in a realistic battle for an NHL roster spot.

Chief among those prospects is winger Alex Bump, whose lowlight gaffe and otherwise ineffective performance against the Boston Bruins on Saturday helped doom him to an AHL start with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Forward Anthony Richard, a 2024 preseason standout, was also placed on waivers Tuesday with the intention of being assigned to the AHL.

Among the other cuts were Denver Barkey, Alexis Gendron, Devin Kaplan, Emil Andrae, Helge Grans, Hunter McDonald, Ty Murchison, and goalies Aleksei Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason.

Of the players in that group, Andrae stands out as the real surprise.

Grans, having been placed on waivers on Monday and clearing waivers Tuesday, played himself out of consideration.

Injured Flyers Prospect Missing Out on Big OpportunityInjured Flyers Prospect Missing Out on Big OpportunityIn what is shaping up to be a race to the bottom in the battle for a roster spot on defense, injured Philadelphia Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk is, unfortunately, missing out on a big opportunity.

Dennis Gilbert, Noah Juulsen, Adam Ginning, and Egor Zamula are all still in the mix for the Flyers, but Ginning is the only one who has been even remotely impressive or noticeable in a good way this preseason.

Based solely on merit, Andrae should have been given a roster spot, or at least a chance to earn one until the very end, but it would seem that head coach Rick Tocchet and the Flyers were gravely concerned about his 5-foot-9 size.

Andrae is waivers-exempt, so there's no real risk here, but it's hard to feel that the Flyers are icing their best possible lineup at this time.

With Bump and Barkey officially out of the mix, it would seem that Nikita Grebenkin and Rodrigo Abols have unblocked paths to NHL roster spots out of camp, and both players fully earned it if so.

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Rangers Place 2 Players On Waivers

Connor Mackey (© Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

According to PuckPedia, the New York Rangers have placed forward Brendan Brisson and defenseman Connor Mackey on waivers. 

The Rangers acquired Brisson this past season in the deal that sent forward Reilly Smith back to the Vegas Golden Knights. Following the trade, Brisson appeared in 16 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2024-25, where he posted two goals, four assists, six points, and 12 penalty minutes. 

Brisson was selected by the Golden Knights with the 29th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. In 24 career NHL games, he has recorded two goals, six assists, eight points, and a plus-2 rating. 

Mackey, on the other hand, recorded six goals, 14 assists, 24 points, and 102 penalty minutes in 66 games last season with Hartford. He also played in two NHL games with the Rangers during the 2024-25 season, recording zero points, five penalty minutes, and an even plus/minus rating.

In 42 career NHL games over five seasons split between the Calgary Flames, Arizona Coyotes, and Rangers, Mackey has recorded four goals, seven assists, 11 points, and 80 penalty minutes. 

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Kawhi Leonard Seeks to Impeach Sponsor in Salary-Cap Flap

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard’s comments at his team’s media day on Monday marked the first time he’s addressed allegations he signed a contract with a team sponsor with the understanding the compensation reflected payments on behalf of the Clippers that were in addition to his player salary.

Leonard ridiculed the allegations as far-fetched “conspiracies” that further “clickbait” schemes, and he underscored how the sponsor company engaged in “fraud” and shouldn’t be trusted. In doing so, the star player made clear he’ll fight to preserve the reputation of the Clippers, team owner Steve Ballmer and himself.

The allegations center on how in 2022, Clippers team sponsor Aspiration, a now-bankrupt sustainability services company with whom Ballmer and minority Clippers owner Dennis J. Wong invested millions of dollars, signed Leonard to a four-year, $28 million deal. The parties allegedly understood Leonard didn’t have to perform services in exchange for pay and that the deal would end if the Clippers traded Leonard. The allegations were made on the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast, with additional reporting by the Boston Sports Journal and Toronto Star. 

If proven, the allegations strongly suggest the Clippers violated Article 13 of the collective bargaining agreement. 

Article 13 prohibits “any agreements” of “any kind” that are “express or implied, oral or written” or “understandings of any kind” in which the team uses a sponsor or business to circumvent the cap by paying a player money that exceeds his contract.  

The Clippers signed Leonard to a four-year, $176.3 million max contract in 2021, but if Aspiration paid Leonard extra on behalf of the Clippers, the Clippers would have violated Article 13. Potential punishments would include fines, suspensions, forfeiture of draft picks and termination of Leonard’s contract with the Clippers.

A finding of cap circumvention would also effectively brand Ballmer, Leonard and others as cheaters—an ignoble distinction and figurative scarlet letter they’d carry for the rest of their NBA careers.

Leonard said the allegations are factually wrong and suggested Aspiration’s bankruptcy and fraudulent acts are overlooked factors. 

To that point, Leonard said he understood the terms of the Aspiration contract “and the services that I had to do.” His reference to “services” is significant, because it signals the deal obligated him to perform acts and was not a do-nothing, gift-like arrangement. 

Leonard also stressed how Aspiration “went bankrupt” and how he and others “knew” that development would invite controversy. According to court filings from March 31, Aspiration owes Leonard a lot of money—about $7 million. The company also allegedly owes the Clippers and the Boston Red Sox $30.1 million and $5 million, respectively.

Leonard further described Aspiration going “belly up” as a reflection of “fraud.” Last month, Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud. According to the Justice Department, Sanberg deceived investors and lenders. 

It’s not surprising that Leonard repeatedly referenced “fraud.” If allegations against the Clippers are based on statements and materials provided by Aspiration officials, Leonard and the team can more persuasively argue the accusers and the materials stem from fraudulent operations and thus shouldn’t be trusted. In law, the tactic of claiming an accuser is unreliable or untrustworthy is known as impeaching the witness. It could prove crucial for Leonard and the Clippers.

That brings the discussion to the NBA. The league is investigating the allegations and has retained a law firm, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, to assist. 

The NBA could rely on circumstantial evidence, meaning indirect proof that is reliable enough to draw inferences, to find the Clippers guilty. Along those lines, the NBA doesn’t need an email or contract referencing a conspiracy between the Clippers and Aspiration. A mere “understanding,” which is a low threshold and can refer to an informal, shared perception, would be sufficient.

At the same time, NBA commissioner Adam Silver has cautioned that while the NBA is not a court of law—with accompanying procedures and formalized protections for the accused—he’s going to be fair. A seasoned attorney, Silver values foundational safeguards emphasized in law school and at providers of legal services. He has referenced that reliable evidence will be necessary for the league to conclude the Clippers broke the rules and that due process matters in reaching such a determination. 

Those factors don’t mean the NBA will clear the Clippers, but they do mean Silver will need to be convinced that allegations are based on trustworthy sources and corroborated evidence that withstands scrutiny.

That’s why Leonard’s comments are important: He’s presenting a rebuttal to the allegations and raising questions about the sources. Whether he and the Clippers win the case remains to be seen.

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