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Flyers' future power play QB? 6-foot-4 defenseman has ‘offensive punch'

Flyers' future power play QB? 6-foot-4 defenseman has ‘offensive punch' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The 2025 NHL draft is a huge one for the Flyers’ rebuild.

Not only does Danny Briere have a lot of high-round picks at his disposal, but he also could be creative in how he uses them.

“There are all kinds of possibilities here,” the Flyers’ general manager said in April. “I think it’s really exciting going into it. It’s powerful to have so many picks like that. I think a lot of teams will be wanting to have discussions with us to make some things happen — teams that don’t have picks or teams that want to tweak things.”

So it’s a busy time for the Flyers leading up to the draft, which will be held June 27-28. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at noon ET.

“There are really good players in this draft,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said May 27 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Maybe people say it’s not a good draft; I’m not buying it. I think this draft has got lots of good players.”

The Flyers are slotted to make 11 picks, including three first-rounders and four second-rounders. Their first-round selections will come at No. 6 (own pick), No. 22 (Sean Walker trade) and either No. 31 or 32 (Oilers trade).

Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.

Next up:

Jackson Smith

Position: Defenseman
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 199
Shoots: Left
Team: Tri-City

Scouting report

Smith is that modern defenseman who is super fun to watch. He skates and handles the puck like a forward, darting up the ice and carving through coverages with all kinds of maneuvers.

“I think teams will gravitate toward him just for the simple fact that the style he plays is the style that’s being played in the NHL, where are a number of players are having success at that,” Dan Marr, the vice president of NHL Central Scouting, said last Wednesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “So he’s definitely offensively wired. He’s a D-man that likes to have the green light, so that when there’s an opportunity, he can skate and lead a rush with the puck.”

Fueled by that ability and confidence, Smith put up 54 points (11 goals, 43 assists) in 68 regular-season games for the 2024-25 Americans. He had a plus-2 rating on a team that had a minus-34 goal differential and led all WHL defensemen in overtime goals with three. He also just turned 18 years old last month.

As the 13th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting, Smith has the key ingredients to be a team’s power play quarterback in the future.

“He has got a really good game at the offensive blue line,” Marr, who worked in scouting and player development for over 20 years, said. “Power plays today are so important to teams, so I just think because he brings an offensive punch, he has got some size and his skating is good, teams are going to find him appealing.”

At the 2025 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship that ended last month, Smith recorded four goals, an assist, 17 shots and a plus-7 rating in seven games for gold-winning Team Canada.

Just like any offensive-minded blueliner, Smith will have to eventually prove he can defend against pros and be reliable enough in his own zone. What helps his case is that he has the size to do it.

EliteProspects.com has Smith pegged as the sixth-best player in the draft, while Button has him at No. 12.

“I don’t want to say that he’s not responsible defensively, but all these young D-men, all of them have to learn how to play defense in the National Hockey League,” Marr said. “And that’s teachable. What’s harder to teach is the offensive game that he brings.”

Jackson Smith
(Rembrandt Rivas Photography/Tri-City Americans)

Fit with Flyers

Centers are prevalent toward the front of this draft and the Flyers should have a decent shot at landing one. But if their top names go off the board, perhaps Smith will be high on their list as the second-best defenseman in the class.

Cam York and Emil Andrae, two of the Flyers’ young lefty shots, don’t have a ton of length, so Smith would add some size there down the road. His potential to run the point should be intriguing; the Flyers have sported an NHL-worst 13.7 power play percentage over the last four seasons combined.

But Smith may end up being somewhat of a reach for the Flyers at No. 6 and gone before they’re back on the clock at No. 22.

More targets

• Hagens is ‘Matt Duchene type of player’ who could be on Flyers’ radar at No. 6

• Flyers would probably love if Barkov-like prospect is available at No. 6

• ‘Fascinating,’ 6-foot-5 center has tons of intrigue for Flyers at No. 6

• Younger brother of Flyers prospect is ‘complete’ center and option at No. 6

• ‘David Krejci-like’ center with plenty of upside would give Flyers good decision

• Could a 6-foot-6, ‘just blossoming’ defenseman be a fit for Flyers at No. 6?

• Will Flyers grab prospect with ‘really, really unique’ combination at No. 6?

• Reschny’s performance vs. 2024 top prospect should have Flyers’ eye in first round

• Flyers could have three shots at ‘dynamic, explosive skater’ on the wing

• Finding another Foerster? Flyers may have one if they draft Bear in first round

• Martone would offer Flyers ‘pretty complete package’ if he’s there at No. 6

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Red Sox baseball boss Craig Breslow says Rafael Devers trade does not mean ‘waving of the white flag on 2025'

BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox thought they would be better off with a happy clubhouse than a disgruntled Rafael Devers.

A day after trading their erstwhile third baseman to the San Francisco Giants, Red Sox President Sam Kennedy told reporters that Devers’ refusal to change positions made it untenable for him to remain with the team.

“In terms of what was missing, it just was that alignment in terms of what we felt we needed from him that would be in the absolute best interest of the ballclub,” Kennedy said. “That’s a non-starter for us. We have to have that. We couldn’t get there. … So we made the decision that we made.”

Less than two years after signing Devers to a 10-year, $313.5 million contract, the Red Sox sent him to the San Francisco Giants for pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison and a pair of prospects. The deal came on the day Boston earned a fifth straight win and completed a three-game sweep of the rival New York Yankees — a rare cause for excitement this season.

“It was a shock for sure after the run that we just had this past week,” pitcher Garrett Crochet said in Seattle before a game against the Mariners. “There’s a lot of season ahead of us. So, it’s really just keeping your eyes forward and knowing that there’s still work to be done.”

Asked what the move means for this year’s team, closer Aroldis Chapman said: “I don’t know. I don’t really know.”

Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow acknowledged on the conference call that the deal leaves a hole in the lineup, but he hoped it would pay off this season. Although there is a newly created need for a power hitter, the team now has roster and payroll flexibility to add players at the trade deadline, he said.

“It’s important to point out that this is in no way signifying a waving of the white flag on 2025,” he said. “We are as committed as we were six months ago to putting a winning team on the field, to competing for the division and making a deep postseason run.”

Devers, a homegrown three-time All-Star, joined Ted Williams as the only Red Sox players with multiple 30-homer seasons before turning 25. But the slugger’s relationship with the team soured when it signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman in February. Devers, who led the league in errors by a third baseman in each of the last seven seasons, balked at moving to designated hitter and then refused to play either first or third when Bregman and first baseman Triston Casas both got injured.

“We have a responsibility to do everything we can to improve the club. And we felt we were doing that by bringing Alex Bregman to the Red Sox,” Kennedy said. “And we have a responsibility, ironically, to every single player in that clubhouse to do everything in our power to improve the club. So it was something that we were committed to doing. And I do not regret that for one minute.”

But they lost Devers in the process.

“We worked at it. We had a different vision for him going forward than he had, and we couldn’t get there. We couldn’t find alignment,” Kennedy said. “And we reached that inflection point and made the decision to make a big move.”

The move came as a shock to Red Sox fans still salty over the salary dump of Mookie Betts in February 2020 — after he won the 2018 AL MVP award — in a trade that yielded little in return. The team also let Xander Bogaerts leave as a free agent before deciding Devers was the player they were willing to invest in.

Now, just one full season later, he’s gone, too.

“There’s some reasons that it didn’t work out,” manager Alex Cora said. “But the last few months hasn’t been easy. We made decisions in the offseason. Circumstances changed in the last month and that’s the business decision we made as an organization. Now Raffy is going to be with the Giants and like I said, we have to turn the page and be ready for this team.”

Breslow insisted the deal was not an attempt to cut payroll — like the deals for Betts, who went on to win two World Series in Los Angeles, or Chris Sale, who won the NL Cy Young Award in his first season with the Braves. The baseball boss acknowledged he second-guessed himself over how he handled the Bregman signing, which caught Devers by surprise, and the attempts to get the 28-year-old All-Star to change positions.

“I think about that question all of the time,” Breslow said. “This is not the outcome that we had expected. And it’s forced me to reflect on the interactions that I’ve had, not just with Raffy, but with other players and opportunities to communicate differently.”

The Red Sox winning streak has come with Bregman and outfielder Wilyer Abreu sidelined, joining Casas and outfielder Masataka Yoshida on the injured list. In their place, the team has relied on callups like Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer and top prospect Roman Anthony, who made his major league debut to much hype.

Breslow said the front office will continue to look for ways to improve the team, with a middle-of-the-lineup hitter a new need.

“For some reason, this team (is) an example where the whole was not greater than the sum of the parts,” he said. “And being great teammates and sacrificing and stepping up for each other and embodying this shared vision, we believe that those are principles that we need to be faithful to.

“And so, at the end of the season, I think we could look back and say we’ve won more games than we otherwise would have,” he said, “because of the way that this roster is now able to come together.”

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Wolff hits out at Red Bull protest after Russell’s Canadian GP win

  • ‘They come up with weird clauses … it’s just embarrassing’

  • Red Bull accused Russell of erratic driving in Montreal

The Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, has called Red Bull’s protest “petty” and “embarrassing” after George Russell beat the reigning world champion, Max Verstappen, at Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix.

Red Bull challenged Russell’s ­victory in Montreal for ­driving ­erratically and committing ­unsportsmanlike conduct behind the safety car, a claim rejected by the stewards. It was the second time they had launched a protest against the Mercedes driver this season after a claim he had failed to slow ­sufficiently under yellow flags in Miami.

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How Rafael Devers eventually playing first for Giants impacts Bryce Eldridge

How Rafael Devers eventually playing first for Giants impacts Bryce Eldridge originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

With Giants manager Bob Melvin telling reporters Tuesday that Rafael Devers eventually will play first base in San Francisco this season, the focus naturally turns to the organization’s top prospect, first baseman Bryce Eldridge.

The 20-year-old Eldridge already is at Triple-A and could be in the big leagues as early as September, if his development progresses properly.

But with Devers joining Wilmer Flores and Dominic Smith in the first base mix at some point this season, president of baseball operations Buster Posey was asked about what it all means for Eldridge.

“I see his development path as the same,” Posey said during Devers’ introductory press conference Tuesday at Oracle Park. “He’s going to keep playing first, keep developing at the plate. It’s a conversation Raffy and I have had already about Bryce and the future we potentially see him having. Par for the course for him, going forward.”

Eldridge, the Giants’ 2023 first-round draft pick (No. 16 overall), is skyrocketing through the minor leagues and is knocking on the big-league door.

Eldridge began the 2025 minor-league season at Double-A Richmond and hit .280/.350/.512 with seven homers and 20 RBI in 34 games. Those numbers earned him a promotion to Sacramento, where he is hitting .143/.213/.286 with two homers and nine RBI in 11 games.

Before the Giants signed Smith and designated LaMonte Wade Jr. for assignment on June 4, some fans wondered if Eldridge’s stay at Triple-A might be short.

But Smith has fit in well with the Giants, and now Devers will learn to field a position he never has played as a professional.

So, while there is excitement surrounding Eldridge’s eventual arrival, the Giants have three options on the 26-man roster, so they don’t have to rush their top prospect’s development.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Where Devers will play for Giants as he adjusts to new team

Where Devers will play for Giants as he adjusts to new team originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There were plenty of questions about where Rafael Devers would play after being traded to the Giants, and manager Bob Melvin answered those during the slugger’s introductory press conference on Tuesday at Oracle Park.

“Yeah, we talked to [Devers] a little bit today and, like he said, he goes, ‘I’ll play wherever you want me to play. I’ll hit wherever you want me to hit.’ So that’s how it started,” Melvin told reporters. “He’s going to DH [Tuesday against the Cleveland Guardians]. He’s going to hit in the three spot.

“We’re going to work with him and get him some ground balls at first and make sure he’s comfortable before we put him over there, and that’s pretty much the way we look at it right now — little bit of DH and a little bit of first.”

Devers hasn’t played in the field yet during the 2025 MLB season after losing his third-base job to Alex Bregman in Boston and then refusing to play first base for the Red Sox, smashing 15 home runs so far this year as his former team’s DH. But he said Tuesday he’s willing to do anything Melvin asks of him and is excited to do whatever it takes to help San Francisco win.

“I love the welcome that I got by my teammates,” Devers told reporters through Giants interpreter Erwin Higueros. “I feel really good — that really motivates me, and everybody I have talked to so far, they always talk about winning, winning, winning, so that’s another motivation for myself. …

“I can’t wait to start playing [at first base] … I’m eager to go out there and go play and see what I can do.”

Devers will have plenty of help transitioning to his new role at first base, one that he never has played in his entire professional baseball career. Melvin said Giants first base coach Mark Hallberg and third base coach Matt Williams, both former MLB infielders, will work with Devers, and there are plenty of San Francisco legends around the ballpark to lend their advice.

“We have guys around all the time,” Melvin told reporters. “Will Clark loves doing it… J.T. [Snow] was in spring training. We have plenty of guys to be able to have a resource over at first base. Look, if you can play third, you can play first, and [Devers has] done a great job at third before.

“So I don’t think it’s going to be too difficult for him, but I think more than anything the fact that he hasn’t played in the field this year, we have to take our time working him in. It’s a new position, so we’ll take it day to day.”

Devers eventually will be San Francisco’s everyday first baseman. But until then, he’ll contribute the best way he knows how — with his bat.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Penguins News: Pittsburgh Re-Signs Big Forward

The Pittsburgh Penguins are keeping another one of their forwards around, as they have signed Joona Koppanen to a one-year contract. The team also shared that he will carry a $775,000 cap hit at the NHL level.

Koppanen played in a career-high 11 NHL games this season with the Penguins, where he posted one goal, 40 hits, and a minus-3 rating. He spent the majority of the campaign in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins, posting eight goals, 23 points, and a plus-5 rating in 56 contests.

With this move, Koppanen will remain a serviceable depth forward for the Penguins. At a minimum, the 6-foot-5 forward should continue to be a key piece for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but he could also get consideration for a spot in Pittsburgh's bottom six if he has a strong training camp.

In 20 career NHL games over three seasons split between the Boston Bruins and Penguins, Koppanen has recorded one goal, one assist, 51 hits, and a minus-3 rating. 

Penguins Rumors: Pittsburgh Urged To Target Top Defender Penguins Rumors: Pittsburgh Urged To Target Top Defender After missing the playoffs for the third year in a row, the Pittsburgh Penguins will certainly be a team to watch this summer. When looking at their current group, the left side of their defense is one of the main areas that they should look to improve.

Photo Credit:  © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Remembering Detroit’s 2008 Game 6 Win Over Pittsburgh As Florida Aim to Finish Edmonton

Remembering the Red Wings Stanley Cup victory in Game 6 of the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals—just as the Oilers face the Panthers in Tuesday night’s Game 6 showdown.

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The biggest game of the 2024-25 NHL season could be tonight as the hockey world turns to Sunrise, where the Florida Panthers will get home ice advantage with a chance to win their second straight Stanley Cup.

The Edmonton Oilers will look to stave off elimination after a dominant performance by the Panthers in Game 5 to secure a 5-2 win on the road. 

 The chance to bring home the Cup in six games is a familiar sight for hockey fans, particularly those in Detroit, who remember another high-stakes Game 6 in which they won their last Stanley Cup to date. 

More Red Wings:Red Wings Still in Marner Sweepstakes Amid Western Interest Reports

That night, June 4, 2008, at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, the Red Wings arrived with the fatigue of a double-overtime loss in Game 5 still on their minds. They had been seconds away from winning the franchise's 11th Stanley Cup on home ice before Penguins forward Max Talbot stunned Joe Louis Arena with a game-tying goal, followed by a Petr Sykora overtime winner. 

This group of Red Wings veterans like Nicklas Lidstrom, Chris Osgood and Kris Draper among others remembered the Cup victory in 2002 and knew what the team needed to do to win. 

Led by winger Henrik Zetterberg, the playoff MVP, who scored what proved to be the game-winning goal midway through the third period, on a quick shot that squeaked under Penguins goalie Marc-André Fleury.

It was a defining moment in the Swede’s dominant playoff run and solidified Zetterberg as a household name after his 92-point regular season.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.

Pittsburgh made it interesting with a last-minute goal but as the horn sounded, the Red Wings leapt from their bench in celebration with Lidstrom being one of the happiest on the ice as he became the first European-born captain to lift the Cup. 

That team, built by Ken Holland and coached by Mike Babcock, had elite levels of skill but also discipline that was all put together with veteran leadership that led the way and helped players buy into the the Detroit style of playoff toughness. 

More Red Wings: Detroit's Lucas Raymond Named To Sweden 2026 Olympic Roster

The elite roster included Hall of Famers Nicklas Lidstrom, Chris Chelios, and Dominik Hasek as well as future candidates for the Hall in Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk. 

Tonight, Florida finds itself at that same crossroad. They've built their team on a similar combination led by Aleksander Barkov and a battle-tested team that finds themselves late in a Stanley Cup Final for the third season in a row and knows exactly what to do, to secure the win on Tuesday. 

If history is any guide, Game 6 has a way of shaping legacies. For Detroit, it was the culmination of a six-year long build back to the Finals and the crowning moment of one of the most complete rosters in NHL history.

For Florida, tonight could be the final chapter of something just as special as they put their team in the conversation as one of the great dynasties the league has seen. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites. 

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How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers Game 6: TV/stream info, date, time for 2025 NBA Finals

Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals takes place this Thursday, June 19, in Indianapolis as Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers host Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tip-off is at 8:30 PM ET on ABC.

RELATED:No Pacers comeback this time, Thunder take 3-2 Finals lead with Game 5 win on night Haliburton hobbled

The Thunder are just one win away from winning their first NBA title since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008. OKC defeated Indiana 120-109 on Monday night, securing a 3-2 series lead.

Jalen Williams led the scoring for Oklahoma City with a playoff career-high 40 points, while Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 points and 10 assists.

"[My performance] is something that I'll look back on later, [rather] than worry about what kind of statement it makes," said Williams. "The only statement we have right now is we're up 3-2. We still have to go earn another win."

"There's a lot of room for growth, but I thought our improvement from Game 4 to 5 was critical, and we're going to need a similar kind of approach," said Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. "We have to take the humility to understand there's still a lot we can get better at if we want to go on the road and win a game."

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers in scoring with 28 points, while T.J. McConnell added 18 points — 13 of which came in the third quarter. But the Pacers struggled, as Haliburton, dealing with a calf injury, finished with just 4 points, going 0-of-6 shooting. The All-Star guard appeared to re-aggravate the injury early in the first quarter.

“He’s not a hundred percent. It’s pretty clear,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “But I don’t think he’s going to miss the next game. We were concerned at halftime, and he insisted on playing. I thought he made a lot of really good things happen in the second half. But he’s not a hundred percent.”

“I was not great tonight by any means, but it’s not really a thought of mine to not play [in Game 6],” Haliburton said. “If I can walk, then I want to play. They understand that. And it is what it is. Got to be ready to go for Game 6.”

RELATED:Tyrese Haliburton hobbled through Game 5, Pacers need more in Game 6 to keep season alive

NBA: Finals-Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers
How much does home-court advantage matter to players in the NBA Finals?
Indiana fed off the crowd during its Game 3 win, but players will say the advantage is more about the comfort of routines at home.

How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers Game 6:

  • Date: Thursday, June 19
  • Time: 8:30 PM ET
  • Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN
  • TV Channel: ABC
mathuringilgeousalexander.jpg
Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Preview: 2025 NBA Finals prediction, schedule, who to watch
The Thunder come in as heavy favorites, but we also have some best bets to consider this series.

When is Game 6 of the NBA Finals?

Thursday, June 19, at 8:30 PM ET on ABC.

What channel is the Thunder vs Pacers game on?

The Thunder vs Pacers series will take place on ABC.

Thunder vs Pacers Series Scores and Schedule:

*All times listed are ET  (* = if necessary)

  • Game 1: Pacers 111, Thunder 110
  • Game 2:Thunder 123, Pacers 107
  • Game 3:Pacers 116, Thunder 107
  • Game 4: Thunder 111, Pacers 104
  • Game 5: Thunder 120, Pacers 109
  • Game 6: Thunder at Pacers - Thu. June 19, 8:30 PM on ABC*
  • Game 7: Pacers at Thunder - Sun, June 22, 8 PM on ABC*

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for each game of the Thunder vs Pacers series!

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Path to the NBA Finals:

The Thunder are seeking their first NBA title since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008. The last time the franchise reached the Finals was in 2012, dropping their series against LeBron James' Miami Heat in 5. Here is how they advanced to the NBA Finals:

Oklahoma City swept the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies in the First Round, eliminated the No. 4 Denver Nuggets in 7 in the Conference Semifinals, and defeated the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves in 5 in the Western Conference Finals.

RELATED:Times, they are a changin’ - Thunder vs. Pacers Finals highlights generational change sweeping NBA

Indiana Pacers’ Path to the NBA Finals:

The Indiana Pacers are seeking their first NBA title. The team's last Finals appearance was in 2000, when they lost to the Lakers in 6. Here is the team's path to the Finals:

Indiana eliminated the No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks and the No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers in 5 games, before knocking out the No. 6 New York Knicks in 6 to advance to the Finals.

Head to nbcsports.com/nba for the latest news, updates, and storylines!

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David Ortiz weighs in on what went wrong for Rafael Devers in Boston

David Ortiz weighs in on what went wrong for Rafael Devers in Boston originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz doesn’t seem surprised that Rafael Devers’ tenure with the organization ended poorly.

Devers was traded to the San Francisco Giants amid a tumultuous season in Boston. As the Red Sox front office put it on Monday, the two sides couldn’t “find alignment” after months of disagreements over position changes.

In a recent interview with The Athletic, Ortiz cited poor communication as one of the main reasons for the messy divorce.

“I know the communication between Devers and the Red Sox wasn’t the best at the very beginning,” Ortiz told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. “But at some point, you have to realize the organization has the power over everyone. They can play you, trade you, let you go. Sometimes, as a young player, it’s hard to understand that. But they have the power to do whatever they want. The only thing you can control is what you do on the field.”

Even Ortiz, a Dominican Republic native, struggled to communicate with his fellow countryman. He often tried to reach out to Devers and offer advice, but was unsuccessful, according to Dominican baseball insider Hector Gomez.

“You can’t imagine how many times I wrote to Devers trying to give him advice, but unfortunately, he has communication problems,” Ortiz said, per Gomez. “He almost never returned my messages, but I don’t blame him. He’s a good guy, but he definitely needs to improve his communication. He should find an advisor to help him with that.”

Ortiz’s illustrious Red Sox career certainly wasn’t drama-free. The three-time World Series champion clashed with the organization on multiple occasions due to contract disputes and disagreements with team management.

The difference from Devers’ situation? According to Ortiz, it’s “maturity.”

“I played for the Red Sox a long time,” Ortiz told The Athletic. “You think everything with me and the Red Sox was roses and flowers? I went through some tough times also. But I was mature enough to understand and keep things internal. Even in the best families, between the best brothers, s— happens. You need to have the maturity to resolve the problems and move on.”

Devers’ relationship with the Red Sox worsened when he was asked to take over for the injured Triston Casas at first base. His outright refusal prompted chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, team president/CEO Sam Kennedy, and owner John Henry to meet him in Kansas City for a face-to-face conversation.

One could surmise that Devers’ $313.5 million contract and the responsibilities that come with it were brought up during that discussion. Ultimately, Devers didn’t acquiesce, and that resulted in his untimely departure.

“The organization is always going to be there. Players come and go. As a player, sometimes you’ve got to put your ego aside and understand that once you get paid, you’ve got to find a way to do what you’re told,” Ortiz told The Athletic. “That’s a message for all young players who think they turn out to be bigger than the game. I’m not saying that Devers was like that. He’s humble. He’s a good kid. But sometimes when you’re young and immature, you (don’t realize that).

“I’m not saying the Red Sox did everything right. But you have to give the club the benefit of the doubt. They’re not trying to make the organization look bad. They’re trying to make good moves that sometimes they don’t have the opportunity to explain.”

Devers is expected to make his Giants debut Tuesday night against the Cleveland Guardians. His first game against his former team is scheduled for Friday, when the Red Sox begin a three-game series against the Giants in San Francisco.

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What Kind Of Players Could The Canadiens Get If They Draft 16th and 17th?

We’ve often heard that drafting is a bit of a crap shot, you can do your due diligence and scout those prospects until you’re blue in the face, but nobody has a crystal ball. That’s even more true as you get deeper and deeper in the draft; the earlier you pick, the better your odds of landing a good player, and it makes sense.

This time around, the Montreal Canadiens will be drafting twice in the first round, unless, of course, they make a trade between then and now. If Kent Hughes doesn’t manage to swing a deal, however, what kind of player could the Habs draft speaking 16th and 17th overall? Let’s have a look at the last five drafts…

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Unsurprisingly, at those ranks, the players picked in recent drafts have yet to make any impact, but we’ll still have a look at them, just to be thorough.

2024 Draft

The St.Louis Blues used the 16th selection at last year’s draft to grab Adam Jiricek, a 6-foot-3 and 180-pound right-shot defenseman. Following his drafting, the Czech prospect came over to this side of the ocean and spent the season with the Brantford Bulldogs in the OHL, putting up 12 points in 27 games. He was stopped in his tracks when he suffered a lacerated spleen.

The Washington Capitals selected right winger Terik Parascak with the 17th overall pick, a WHL prospect who had put up 105 points in 68 games with the Prince George's Cougars in his draft year. Parascak spent the last year there as well, but managed only 82 points in 59 games this time around. He signed his entry-level contract (ELC) at the end of the season and joined the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League (AHL) to complete the season.

2023 Draft

The Calgary Flames had the 16th overall pick in 2023 and used it to select left winger Samuel Honzek. After spending another year in the WHL, he made the jump to pro hockey this season, dressing in five Flames games and being held off the scoresheet. In the AHL, he played 52 games with the Calgary Wranglers and put up 21 points.

The Detroit Red Wings used the 17th overall pick on Axel Sandin-Pellikka and signed him to an ELC deal a year later. He attended camp and earned a point in two games with Grand Rapids in the AHL before being loaned back to his Swedish team, Skelleftea AIK, where the right-shot defenseman put up 29 points in 46 games.

2022 Draft

In Montreal, it was the Buffalo Sabres who were picking 16th overall, and they used the pick on left-shot center Noah Ostlund. The Swede played two more years back home before making the jump to the North American pro leagues. In 45 games with the Rochester Americans this season, he recorded 36 points, but was held off the scoresheet in his eight games with the Sabres.

The Nashville Predators held the 17th pick that year and used it on right winger Joakim Kemell. The Finnish prospect spent one more year in Finland before making his debut in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals, where he has produced 13, 40, and 41 points in three seasons. He’s still a work in progress, but has a perfect shot.

2021 Draft

The New York Rangers used the 16th overall pick on Brennan Othman, a left winger who had spent the COVID-19 season in Switzerland, putting up 16 points in 34 contests. After being drafted, he returned to the OHL for two seasons, during which he put up 97 points (in 66 games) and 67 points (in 56 games). He made the jump to the professional leagues in 2023-24 and has split his time between the AHL and the NHL. This past year, he featured in 22 Rangers games but was limited to a pair of assists.

With the 17th overall pick, the Blues added Zach Bolduc, a right winger who had recorded 29 points in 27 games with the Rimouski Oceanic in the QMJHL before suffering a lower-body injury. The setback led to a decline in the draft, but the following year, he recorded 99 points in 65 games with the Quebec Remparts, before adding 110 points in 61 games the following year. He has split the last two seasons between the Blues and their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. In 72 NHL games this past season, he accumulated 36 points and appears poised to become an impactful player in the future.

2020 Draft

The Canadiens held the 16th pick that year, and they elected to add left-shot blueliner Kaiden Guhle, a decision they’ve had no reason to regret so far. The defenseman plays a challenging physical game and has already booked his place on Hughes’ core, becoming the first defenseman the Habs GM signed long-term. If it wasn’t for all the injuries suffered so far, it might be even better by now.

The Chicago Blackhawks had the 17th pick and selected Lukas Reichel with it. The German left winger played another year overseas before making the jump to North America and has split three seasons between the Hawks and the Rockford Ice Dogs before spending the last campaign entirely with Chicago. In 70 games, he could only muster 22 points playing on the fourth line alongside Joe Veleno and Nick Foligno.

What’s clear from the exercise is that if the Canadiens do use those two picks, they are unlikely to get a player who’ll make an impact right away. Fans will have to be patient and wait to see whether they were good picks or not.

Although there are always exceptions to every rule, if you go back to the 2015 draft, Matthew Barzal was picked 16th overall by the New York Islanders, and after two more seasons of junior hockey, he jumped into the NHL with both feet, recording 85 points in 82 games. That same year, the Winnipeg Jets selected Kyle Connor at 17th overall, and he certainly wasn’t a bad pick, either; it just took him a bit more time to mature.

Photo credit: Eric Bolte - Imagn Images

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2025 NBA mock draft roundup: Best fits for Celtics with first-round pick

2025 NBA mock draft roundup: Best fits for Celtics with first-round pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics don’t exactly have a lot of options to improve their roster during the offseason. They are limited by the constraints of the second apron of the luxury tax, which makes it harder to execute trades and sign free agents.

So, how do the Celtics add shooting, wing defense and/or frontcourt depth?

Well, the 2025 NBA Draft is a pretty good place to find players who embody those qualities. The Celtics have the No. 28 pick in the first round and the second pick (No. 32 overall) of the second round.

The C’s could definitely use another 3-and-D wing, but given the types of players most likely to be available late in the first round, it probably makes more sense to use the No. 28 pick on a power forward or center who can stretch the floor as a 3-point shooter and/or provide valuable interior defense.

Veteran centers Al Horford and Luke Kornet are both able to become unrestricted free agents next month, and Kristaps Porzingis’ future in Boston is uncertain as he enters the final year of his contract. Finding a long-term replacement for any of those players in the upcoming draft would be a smart Round 1 strategy.

Which players should the Celtics target in the first round? Here’s an updated look at predictions from recent expert mock drafts.

Chris Forsberg, NBC Sports Boston: Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton

“Our panel really wanted us to make Maxime Raynaud the pick here, but given the choice between two available big men, we’re taking the guy with an elite defensive skill set.

“The 7-foot-1 Kalkbrenner packs pure size and might be the best rim protector in the draft. If you’re not certain that Luke Kornet will be back, Kalkbrenner can fill some of Luke’s void (even if no one can fill his entertainment value).

“Kalkbrenner’s age (he’ll turn 24 as a rookie) isn’t ideal, but we think it gives him a Payton Pritchard-like chance to contribute from the start of his pro career. That he was teammates with Baylor Scheierman at Creighton is a fun storyline, too.”

Jonathan Givony, ESPN: Drake Powell, SG/SF, North Carolina

“The Celtics have some big needs to address in the wake of Jayson Tatum’s season-ending Achilles injury, but they can’t have any real expectation to address them in the draft, certainly not this late in the first round.

“Finding a wing like Powell, who’s capable of soaking up minutes, hopefully gaining some experience and perhaps emerging as capable of adding value in a year from now, would be a major win. NBA teams like Powell’s feel for the game and long-term upside, especially his ability to guard everyone from point guards to power forwards while flying around to protect the rim, crash the glass and close out with purpose on the perimeter. He plays exceptionally hard, has tremendous mobility covering ground, rotating all over the floor — with the question being whether he’s an aggressive enough scorer or accurate enough shooter to hold his own on that end of the floor.”

Sam Vecenie, The Athletic: Maxime Raynaud, C, France

“Raynaud would be a strong fit for Boston as a big who can dribble, pass and shoot. The Celtics’ scheme values players like this, as they prefer to play five-out offensively. Raynaud was among the most productive players in the country this year, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, and he’s gotten better every season in college. The key will be on defense, where Raynaud does not move particularly well and could be a liability in space. He had a terrific combine game in front of several NBA scouts, but some NBA executives in attendance pointed out that he played against the least-developed player in attendance in Croatian teenager Michael Ruzic.”

Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report: Liam McNeeley, SF, UConn

“Teams should see an easy fit with a translatable skill set from Liam McNeeley. At 6’7″, 215 pounds barefoot, he could provide shooting and ball-screen offense from either forward spot. While there isn’t a lot of creation to his game, a team with scorers and playmakers could see a complementary piece who’s a three-point marksman, off-ball finisher and secondary pick-and-roll passer.”

Souichi Terada, MassLive: Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton

“With the Celtics facing a potential big man question mark, they end up getting one of the most experienced players on the board. Kalkbrenner is a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year as the Creighton product reunites with last year’s first-round pick in Baylor Scheierman.”

Matt Norlander, CBS Sports: Drake Powell, SG/SF, North Carolina

“I thought Powell could play himself into a top-20 pick a year from now if he returned to North Carolina, but the elite athlete opted to chase the NBA and is likely to be a first-round pick regardless. If he continues along his developmental path, Powell could grow into a top-15 defender in the NBA by the end of his first contract. A lot of work to do offensively. Good hoops IQ, willing to learn, important he lands with a team that can foster his development. Boston would be an ideal fit.”

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Tendulkar v Anderson: two master craftsmen who gave more than anyone to Test cricket | Andy Bull

If the Pataudi Trophy had to be renamed then the rivalry between India and England’s two most-capped Test cricketers was worthy of the switch

Spring 2006 and India are batting against England at the Wankhede in Mumbai. The series is all square, one Test each with one to play. England, batting first, have made an even 400, thanks in large part to a century by Andrew Strauss and 88 from his Middlesex teammate Owais Shah, who is making his debut.

It is just past tea on the second day and India’s openers are already gone, bounced out by Matthew Hoggard. Sachin Tendulkar is at No 4 and England’s captain, Andrew Flintoff, has just thrown the ball to his first-change bowler, Jimmy Anderson.

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