The Vancouver Canucks face the scorching-hot Dallas Stars at Rogers Arena on Monday, March 2, with the two clubs trending in complete opposite directions.
My top Stars vs. Canucks predictions and NHL picks are calling for a low-scoring result between the two tonight.
Stars vs Canucks prediction
Stars vs Canucks best bet: Under 5.5 (+110)
The Vancouver Canucks have only scored five times through three games out of the Olympic break to drop to just 2.08 goals per game during an active 3-17-4 skid.
So, with the Dallas Stars missing star Mikko Rantanen (lower body), I think the Canucks can batten down the defensive hatches and keep this a low-scoring tilt.
Of course, Dallas is also rolling along a 9-1 stretch while allowing the third-fewest goals per game (2.4), ranking fourth in Corsi For percentage and allowing the fewest expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5.
Stars vs Canucks same-game parlay
The Canucks have been battling on home ice of late and covered the puck line in seven of their past eight games at Rogers Arena, and this could be a potential letdown spot for the Stars on the front end of a mini, two-game road trip.
Turning to Vancouver starter Nikita Tolopilo, he turned away at least 25 shots in each of his past seven starts and eight of nine for the season. The 25-year-old goaltender also sports a solid .908 save percentage for the campaign, and as noted, Dallas has been an excellent possession team during its highlighted 10-game heater.
Of course, the Canucks have also surrendered the seventh-most shots per game (29.8) this season.
The Vancouver Canucks have covered the puck line in seven of their last eight home games (+4.90 Units / 32% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Stars vs. Canucks.
How to watch Stars vs Canucks
Location
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
Date
Monday, March 2, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Victory+, Sportsnet Pacific
Stars vs Canucks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The St. Louis Blues have had to make roster decisions in the past week with players returning from injury.
They got Mathieu Joseph through waivers last week when Dylan Holloway was activated off injured reserve; they didn't have such luck with Robby Fabbri.
The Minnesota Wild put in a waiver claim on Fabbri on Monday, and thus his second stint in St. Louis comes to an end.
The 30-year-old, who signed a one-year, two way contract ($750,000 NHL/$300,000 AHL) on Dec. 10, played in 15 games for the Blues and had a goal ad three assists.
Fabbri became a roster casualty when Robert Thomas was activated off IR and made his return back to the lineup after missing 13 games with a right leg injury and personal reasons.
Fabbri's stint with the Blues was a good one, as the 2014 first-round pick, who spent the first three-plus seasons with St. Louis, became a hard forechecker and added some grit and physicality to his game to become more well-rounded. He should add some bite to the Wild's bottom six in Minnesota's playoff push.
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Back-line may feature one survivor from Ireland defeat
Ben Spencer, Cadan Murley and Seb Atkinson in frame
Steve Borthwick is ready to radically overhaul his misfiring England side for the Six Nations clash against Italy on Saturday, with Fin Smith expected to be handed the No 10 jersey.
The Northampton fly-half sat out training on Monday because of illness but England have been quick to allay fears that his participation against Italy is in doubt. Provided he recovers, Smith is expected to start at fly-half in place of George Ford.
After being the headliner in trade rumors for much of the past two months, Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready to return to the court.
According to NBA Insider Shama Charania, the Bucks star is expected to return to action Monday night against Boston.
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to return tonight against the Boston Celtics after missing the last 5-plus weeks with a right calf strain, sources tell ESPN.
Antetokounmpo missed the past 5+ weeks while dealing with a right calf strain suffered on January 23 against Denver. He appeared to tweak the calf earlier in the game and headed to the locker room, before returning to action in the second half. However, he was pulled out for good with just a few minutes left in the game.
“At the end, I could not move no more, so I had to stop playing,” Antetokounmpo said at the time of the injury.
“After the MRI, they will tell me probably I popped something in my calf, or in my soleus or something, probably give me a protocol of four to six weeks I’ll be out,” Antetokounmpo said. “This is from my experience being around the NBA. After that, I’m going to work my butt off to come back. That will probably be end of February, beginning of March.”
Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo holds his leg in the final seconds of the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) AP
It was the second calf strain Antetokounmpo suffered this season, missing three weeks earlier in the year.
When healthy, Antetokounmpo is still in the running for best player in the NBA alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic. He’s averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists while shooting career-highs from the field (64.5 percent) and three-point territory (39.5 percent).
Antetokounmpo’s return couldn’t come at a better time as the Bucks are floundering away.
Milwaukee sits in 11th place in the East with a record of 26-33, three games behind the Bulls for the 10th and final spot in the play-in standings.
MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24: Marco Gonzales #32 of the San Diego Padres pitches during a Spring Training game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on February 24, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Marco Gonzales - Getty Images
Athletics at San Diego Padres, March 2, 2026, 12:10 p.m. PST
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SURPRISE, AZ - FEBRUARY 22: Pitcher Jimmy Herget starts game three of the 2026 Colorado Rockies spring training at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona on February 22, 2026. The Colorado Rockies took on the Texas Rangers. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Looking to snap a two-game losing streak in spring training, the Rockies (6-4) will host the Dodgers (7-3) today.
The 2025 standout reliever who’s now making a play for the starting rotation, Jimmy Herget (0-0, 0.00 ERA), will be in action for the third time this spring (one start and one relief appearance) for the Rockies. Herget has thrown two scoreless, hitless innings with no walks and two strikeouts so far in Cactus League play.
The Dodgers will send Ryder Ryan (0-1, 3.00 ERA) to the mound for the game. The 30-year-old RHP was drafted in 2016 and made his MLB debut with the Mariners in 2023. He signed a Minor League deal with the Pirates prior to the 2024 seasonwent back and forth from the Pirates roster and farm system. He spent all of 2025 in Triple-A before signing another Minor League deal with the Dodgers in January.
The Rockies lost 8-3 to Cleveland on Sunday and 16-3 to Kansas City on Saturday with Colorado pitchers combining to walk 19 batters and give up 23 hits in the two games.
The Rockies began making roster moves on Monday, announcing that catchers Bryant Betancourt and Cole Messina, right-handed pitcher Brayan Castillo and outfielder Jared Thomas have been reassigned to Minor League camp. Colorado has 56 active players remaining in Major League camp, including 16 non-roster invitees.
In other news, the Rockies also handed named their 2025 Minor League award winners on Monday.
Davis Martin is all smiles knowing exactly what you’re thinking about his .274 BABIP. | (Patrick Gorski/Imagn Images)
The South Side swagger is alive and well, rolling into Camelback Ranch with a vengeance. Yesterday’s 5-1 beatdown of the Cubs was just what Sox fans needed with four bombs, a little catharsis, and a reminder that the Good Guys can still mash when the mood strikes. Now, Chicago gets to take their swings against San Francisco, with first pitch at 2:05 p.m. CST.
Davis Martin gets the ball for start number two this spring, looking to solidify his spot in the 2026 rotation. Last year, he proved he could handle the workload, tossing 142 2/3 frames with a 4.10 ERA. How did he do in his first Cactus League go-round? One hit, one run, and nothing wild over two frames. Today is all about sharpening the command and continuing to shake off the rust.
On the other side, it’s Landen Roupp for the Giants — a 27-year-old righty trying to forget 2025 ever happened after a comebacker to the knee cut his season short. Before that, he was steady if unspectacular with 22 starts and a 3.80 ERA. Roupp isn’t blowing doors off with velocity, but his curveball spins like a top, and his sinker turns grounders into an art form. He punched out two in his only spring inning so far, so the Sox hitters better keep their wits and not go digging for junk in the dirt.
As for the bats, Edgar Quero finally gets a breather as he’s been putting up PlayStation numbers, slashing .529/.556/.824 after another two hits yesterday. With Quero on ice and Kyle Teel headed off for Team Italy, it’s Korey Lee time. The backstop’s hitting .273/.500/.273 with a .773 OPS in 16 plate appearances so far this spring.
However, the hottest bat in the lineup today belongs to Miguel Vargas. He’s still waiting for his first Cactus League dinger, but the guy’s been locked in with a .429 average, 1.038 OPS, and two doubles in five games. That will play, Miggy.
Here’s how the offense will back up Martin: Meidroth at second and leading off, Luisangel Acuña in center, Vargas at third. LaMonte Wade Jr. gets first base, and Lenyn Sosa, fresh off yesterday’s bomb, slides in at DH. The rest: Tanner Murray at short, Jarred Kelenic in left, Derek Hill in right, and Lee at the dish.
Unfotunately there’s no TV broadcast today, but if you’re not lucky enough to be baking in the Glendale sun, you can tune in to WMVP 1000 AM or stream the audio on MLB+ at 2:05 p.m. CST.
Feb 22, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) warms up before game against the Toronto Raptors at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Bucks got the news they’ve been waiting for, as per Shams Charania, Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to return to the court from a right calf strain tonight against the Celtics. Giannis has been out since January 23, after sustaining the injury late in the fourth quarter against the Nuggets. This calf injury took much longer for Giannis to recover from, with a five-week absence, compared to his December calf injury, which kept him out for approximately three-and-a-half weeks.
His return couldn’t have come at a better time. Despite playing their best ball this season, winning eight of 10 games at one point, they’ve stumbled in their last two. After a blowout loss to the Knicks last Friday, Milwaukee blew a 16-point lead to the Bulls yesterday, losing 120-97. The Bucks went 8-7 in this stretch without Giannis, but on the season, they are 11-18 when he doesn’t suit up. Milwaukee is also trying to chase the 10th seed in the East, and with 23 games to go, they sit three games back of the Charlotte Hornets.
It’s been an injury-riddled season for Giannis, who’s missed 29 games due to these two calf injuries and a groin strain back in mid-November. Doc Rivers had been playing it close to the vest when it came to updates on Giannis, saying he was progressing from three-on-threes to four-on-fours without any setbacks, yet never gave a definitive date for his return. Even prior to the Bulls game, Doc trotted out the same line: that Giannis was close, but didn’t know when he would be back.
When Giannis has played, he’s been his normal MVP-level self, averaging 28.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 5.6 APG, and shooting 64.5% from the field. We’ll likely see him on a minutes restriction tonight, as he’s been on a limit in the other times he’s come back. Whatever the rest of the season holds for the Bucks, I’m sure they’re happy no. 34 is back in the lineup.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 1: Neemias Queta #88 and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics celebrate during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 1, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
BOSTON — The Celtics will be without Jaylen Brown and Neemias Queta when they face the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. Brown is dealing with an illness, while Queta is getting a rest night, per the team’s official injury report.
For the Bucks, meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo will make his return from a calf injury that’s sidelined him for five weeks, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Jaylen Brown (illness) and Neemias Queta (rest) are both out tonight for Celtics-Bucks after playing last night.
Jayson Tatum also remains out.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, is expected to make his return from a calf injury.
Brown has routinely been avoiding back-to-back games this season, so it’s no surprise he’s out Monday after logging 38 minutes in Sunday’s 114-98 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Queta is coming off one of the best games of the season on Sunday; he erupted for 27 points and 17 rebounds in the victory. Both Celtics players had offseason knee surgery, so it’s no surprise the Celtics are more cautiously managing their minutes.
Last month, Ron Harper Jr. started in place of Brown both times he was sidelined, so he may once again get the nod. It’s also possible that Jordan Walsh, who started 20 straight games earlier this season, could get the nod.
With Queta out, one of either Nikola Vucevic or Luka Garza will slot into the starting lineup, with Vucevic appearing to be a more likely candidate. Garza, who has mostly fallen out of the rotation since the trade deadline, should see the floor more with Queta out.
It’s also notable that Baylor Scheierman, who is playing through a fractured left thumb, is off the injury report. Scheierman had a productive game on Sunday despite playing through the hand injury that he was initially listed as questionable for.
“I got some shots in this morning, this afternoon, and I feel ready to go,” Scheierman said ahead of Sunday’s game. “We’re just kind of evaluating it as it goes, but I feel good enough to be out there, and that’s how it’s going to be. I’m not going to sit out.”
Both the Celtics and Bucks are on the second night of a back-to-back
The Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 114-98 on Sunday night, while the Bucks fell to the Chicago Bulls 120-97.
Outside of Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have been led by Kevin Porter Jr (17.8 points, 7.5 assists per game), Ryan Rollins (17 points, 5.4 assists), and, more recently, Cam Thomas (14.1 points per game since being acquired at the trade deadline). Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma, Myles Turner, and AJ Green all also average double-figures.
The Celtics, meanwhile, have been led by Jaylen Brown (29 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5 assists), Derrick White (17.1 points, 5.7 assists), and Payton Pritchard (17 points, 5.4 assists).
Neemias Queta (10.1 points, 8.4 rebounds) has anchored the frontcourt as the team’s starting center, but Nikola Vucevic has also been productive since being acquired by the Celtics, averaging 12 points and 8.6 rebounds in 23.9 minutes off the bench.
The Celtics have the East’s second-best record at 40-20, while the Bucks have the East’s 11th-best record at 26-33. The Celtics have the second-best net rating in the NBA (+8.3), while the Bucks have the 23rd-best (-3.7).
Feb 23, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) blocks a shot by Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Welcome to Week in Review: a Monday feature that looks back at the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a look at the week ahead, and more. Enjoy!
Week 18: The Spurs returned from the All-Star break to sweep their Austin series and keep the train rolling. Against the shorthanded Suns, they did well enough in the first half to keep them at arm’s length before getting back into their offensive groove for a second half blowout. Then, their good friend Complacency paid a visit against the lowly Kings — who were on a 15-game losing streak — until late in the third quarter, when they finally flipped the switch and turned a close game into another blowout.
In the home of the team with the best record in the league, the Spurs continued to show they can adjust and win in any situation, successfully responding to the Pistons’ physicality against Victor Wembanyama by using his gravitational pull on their defense to find open shooters and driving lanes. Combined with some impressive defense on MVP candidate Cade Cunningham, particularly by Stephon Castle, it was one of the Spurs’ most impressive wins of the season and reminded the league they are much more than just Wemby.
After three quarters in which Wemby couldn’t get anything going and the Spurs’ offense struggled with dry spells, they appeared in trouble after a big Raptors run had them down by 15 points late in the third quarter. However, the Spurs were able to take advantage of Toronto’s biggest weakness (poor fourth quarter play) by getting hot from three and turning up the defensive dial to get up by six late. The waning moments ended up being more interesting than they had to be thanks to poor free throw shooting — the Spurs were just 13-23 on the night and 2-6 in the final seconds to give the Raptors one last ditch shot that they fortunately missed — but what mattered is the Spurs escaped with the victory and their first double-digit winning streak since 2016.
Playing their third game in four nights, the Spurs looked a step slow at times but remained comfortably ahead of the rebuilding Nets, outside of a spurt from Michael Porter, Jr. that got them within six points midway through the third quarter. The win made them 11-0 in the month of February, marking only their third undefeated month in franchise history and making them the first team in NBA history to accomplish the feat while scoring 110 or more points in every game.
All good things must come to an end, and this game had all the trappings to be the perfect foil for the Spurs’ win streak. The month changed, it was a matinee game (which the Spurs never seem to win), they haven’t won in MSG since 2019, and the Knicks have strength at the one position the Spurs don’t: power forward. After a quick start to get the Spurs out to a 12-point lead, the Knicks responded with a 29-4 run to a build a lead that the Spurs could never get in a enough rhythm to overcome. Even though Wemby had his best scoring game of the week with 25 points (albeit while shooting 1-7 from three and committing 7 turnovers), the Spurs had no answers for Mikal Bridges or Mohamed Diawara and ended up suffering the first loss in over a month.
The Spurs’ 11-game winning streak came to an end in New York on Sunday afternoon, but not before they got a huge win in Detroit, keeping themselves in the mix for the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs.
Three takeaways
1. The Spurs’ initial defense was good enough on Monday, when Detroit had its third-worst half-court performance of the season. And they’re still the league’s second-most-improved rebounding team from last season. But San Antonio ranks 29th in defensive rebounding percentage (64.7%) since the All-Star break, with three of their last four opponents registering more than 20 second-chance points. 2. Victor Wembanyama remains the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year, but his offense remains a work in progress and he shot just 20-for-54 (37%) over the Spurs’ four games last week. Only 24 (44%) of those 54 shots came in the paint and he was 5-for-30 (17%) from the outside. The Spurs still scored more efficiently with him on the floor, and they were outscored by 17.3 points per 100 possessions in his 67 minutes on the bench over the four games. 2. San Antonio was 19-for-31 (61%) on corner 3s over its wins in Detroit and Toronto, with Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie a combined 12-for-14. The Spurs lead the league in the percentage of their 3-point attempts (33%) that have come from the corners and Harrison Barnes is tied for second among individuals with 62 made corner 3s.
Coming up: After finishing their longest road trip of the season in Philadelphia on Tuesday, the Spurs will begin their longest homestand of the season (six games over 10 days), which includes big games against the Pistons, Rockets, Celtics and Nuggets. They’ve yet to face the Clippers, who they’ll play three times in the next month.
On the last day of January, the Spurs lost in Charlotte. They proceeded to sweep the February schedule, and most of the 11 wins weren’t close. But March is here, and the Spurs had their worst offensive showing of the season in New York. Every time I consider the Spurs for the top of the rankings, they have a loss like that. But it’s a big week ahead, as San Antonio will return home from the Rodeo Trip for a rematch with the Pistons, who presumably will have added muscle with the return of Isaiah Stewart. And then the Spurs have an opportunity to clinch the regular-season series against the Rockets.
The Spurs were not ready to play on Sunday against the New York Knicks. Their 25-point loss was their largest of the season, and this snapped the Spurs’ 11-game win streak, which included victories over Detroit, Los Angeles, and Oklahoma City.
Still, San Antonio remains at the top of the NBA power rankings for the time being, with several important matchups in March approaching. Not only will the Spurs face the Pistons again on Thursday, but they will also see Houston, Boston, and Denver in the span of five days after Friday’s game against the LA Clippers.
This is the time for the Spurs to put their foot down and potentially take the 1-seed in the West from the Thunder.
Coming up: Tues. 3/5 at Philadelphia 76ers (33-27); Thurs. 3/5 vs. Detroit Pistons (45-14); Fri. 3/6 vs. Los Angeles Clippers (28-31); Sun. 3/8 vs. Houston Rockets (37-22)
Prediction: 3-1 — The Spurs will finish the Rodeo Road Trip against a Philly team that — surprise! — won’t have Joel Embiid (oblique strain), but after that is when things get interesting. They will then head home to for a season-high six-game homestand, but it’s a beast on paper, with the Clippers being the “easiest” team they’ll face in terms of record. That first game back after being away for so long is always a trap game, and it doesn’t help that it’s against a Pistons team that will be out for revenge. Then, anything can happen facing a healthy Kawhi Leonard (admittedly with little help) the very next night, and of course the IH-10 rivalry is always unpredictable. The Spurs have proven they have what it takes to beat all of these teams, but they will need to return to February form, and they can’t have another off week from Wemby. We’ve reached a point in the season where every single game matters.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed Payton Sandfort to a two-way contract and waived guard Buddy Boeheim, the team announced Monday.
Sandfort, a 6-foot-7 forward who played his college ball at Iowa, has played in 21 games this season with the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder's G-League affiliate. He has averaged 11.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists as a rookie.
During Sandfort’s senior year at Iowa, he averaged 16.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists.
With the 2026 Trade Deadline just a week away, the rumour and insider reporting train has been full steam ahead with numerous teams linked to this year's big board of players who might be on the move, and the Colorado Avalanche are no different this year. A third-line center is all but the move at this point, but who are they eying, and most importantly, what is the package for these pieces going to look like?
Well reported by Eric Francis, senior columnist and analyst for Sportsnet, he reported that General Manager Chris MacFarland, Assistant General Manager Kevin McDonald, and assistant to the GM Andrew Cogliano were in attendance at last night's Calgary Flames game against the Anaheim Ducks, and Craig Conroy was in the building as well.
Well this is interesting. Three members of Colorado’s front office, including GM Chris MacFarland, asst GM Kevin McDonald, and assistant to the GM Andrew Cogliano, are all in attendance here in Anaheim for tonight’s Flames game. Craig Conroy here too, just 5 days ahead of the…
The clear connection is Nazem Kadri, whose name is among those of many centers linked to the Avalanche and other teams seeking depth at center. With other options like Mackenzie Weegar and Black Coleman, the main attraction is a reunion with Kadri, who helped with the 2022 Stanley Cup championship run.
Granted, the Avalanche do have a game tonight (March 3) against the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday in a back-to-back, but with the destinations so close on the west coast, there is no surprise management took a slight detour to do some early talks before the 3 pm March 6th deadline.
Kadri still has three more seasons on his contract, worth $7 million per season with a 13-team no-trade list. Him hearing an Avalanche reunion being in the works isn’t something I can make an issue of; it's the cap hit and the three years that follow. They have the cap space right now, but at 35 years old and with his production down tremendously, it's going to be tough to swallow that high of a cap hit with Martin Necas' extension kicking in next season and the next Cale Makar contract to follow.
Which exactly brings up why, while it would be nice to have a reunion, the price to bring him in and talk to Calgary to hold at least 25-30% of the rest of his contract is going to be steep. Which is exactly why, if they are going to find a center, it needs to be within a range they will expect or come to terms with, and a team taking on some relief to sweeten the deal.
Elliotte Friedman reported on the TNT panel about a Kadri reunion and how, if it happens, everything they do this season onward will revolve around Makar’s upcoming contract.
“Everything that Colorado does is about that Makar number. Everything that they do is about that number. Whenever it comes to a player with term and whenever I’ve asked around about what they’re up to, it’s always about protecting themselves from Makar’s number.”
This is why names like the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Scott Laughton and the New York Rangers' Vincent Trocheck are also connected to the Avalanche, their lower AAVs, and, if willing, the Avalanche could sweeten the deal to lower that cap hit even further. Friedman adds on top of that.
“So, unless Colorado’s going to be able to find a way to make that work or have the number not be as high, I think it’s going to be really tough…One of the centers I heard that could end up in Colorado is Scott Laughton, and he would be more of a rental.”
The Avalanche does have the cap space to make a lot of trades work, with just over $8 million available after the Brett Kulak trade. I assume the Avalanche wants to use this cap space to its fullest, not just on one deal that fills it all up.
A lot of the roster has trade protection, but Ross Colton’s name pops up frequently when it comes to moving off a player for a pick and a player to help free up some cap space. With a cap hit of $4 million this season and next, it's not a lot of money, but given the needs the Avalanche want to address at center, it could be a move, given the amount of wing depth this team already has.
It's going to be a very interesting deadline with the number of players reportedly available this deadline, especially for the Avalanche, as both the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars are linked to multiple names the Avalanche are interested in, and how their potential trade packages could be more enticing than theirs.
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos right-handed pitcher Jackson Flora (2) pitches during the game against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. | Matt Bush/Special to the Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
We have finished the first three weeks of the 2026 college baseball season as we sit here on March 2nd and considering the Atlanta Braves have three very high picks in the 2026 MLB Draft, now is a good time to check in on the stock of some of the college players that are going to be candidates for the picks.
This isn’t meant to be a scouting report for these players, as much as it is to see where their stock is at in this current point in time. There is still plenty of time for these players to move themselves up or down, but this should give you a better idea of who may or may not be available when the Braves make their picks.
Note all stats are through Saturday, February 28th.
Myles Bailey, 1B, Florida State
FSU’s slugging sophomore first baseman had a monster freshman year with 19 HR, and through the end of February is on pace to potentially eclipse that. More importantly he has been walking more and striking out less. It’s a little early to make the call until he consistently faces better competition, but he could end up making himself a candidate for the Braves second round pick.
Ballinger came into the year as a candidate to go with the #26 pick, but he hasn’t yet shown the power that made him a 16 homer guy with a 1.164 OPS. Through Saturday he is hitting just .326/.392/.395 – all down from a year ago, with three doubles as his only extra base hits, and a slightly elevated strikeout percentage.
Hawks have the lead!
An RBI double from @brady_ballinger has the Jayhawks ahead by a run.
Becker came into the season as a candidate to go Top 10, and through his first nine games he has been putting up numbers similar to what we saw from him last year. He hasn’t really moved the needle much in either direction to date.
Becker didn't waste any time getting the party🎉started at the DISH yesterday!!
Eric's leadoff Home run is the furthest hit by a Cavalier this season! (441.5ft)
— UVA Baseball Analytics, Data & Biomechanics (@UVAAnalytics) February 27, 2026
Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky
Bell also came in as a potential Top 10 pick as a sophomore-eligible player, but unfortunately he injured himself in the first game of the season. He is presently out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, and while he hasn’t done anything directly to knock himself down the boards, his injury clouds his draft status a bit at the moment.
Day 1 Draft candidate Tyler Bell (‘26, Elig) flashing elite bat speed on the base knock for @UKBaseball, super athletic middle infielder primed for a big season pic.twitter.com/0WZUvrxT7Y
One of the bigger stars of the first month of the season, Brown was a candidate to go in the Top 100 picks coming into the season. However he is hitting .408/.473/.735 with four homers and just five strikeouts to open the year for the defending champs. He will need to continue producing at a high level, but he could potentially push himself into the mix for the later part of the first round.
After hitting 44 homers in his first two seasons, Burress came in as a candidate to go Top 5-10 despite being a bit undersized. He hasn’t done anything to change that opinion, as he is off to an excellent start to his season, posting a 1.263 OPS – however the most notable part of his stat line may be that he has struck out just four times through his first 56 plate appearances.
Drew Burress through his first 8 games of 2026:
34 AB .353/.463/.706 1.169 OPS 2 HR 4 2B 8 RBI 8 R 6/3 BB/K
He's helped the Yellow Jackets to an 8-0 start to the season. A T-10 prospect in this upcoming draft continues to heat up at the plate! pic.twitter.com/YKSTLzIp6d
Carlon came into the year in the mix for the top college lefty in this class – a class lacking an elite prospect, but has only helped his case through his first three starts. Carlon is currently pitching to a 2.87 ERA and 0.77 WHIP with 19 strikeouts to five walks over 15.2 innings. It is worth noting that he left his most recent start early with a lower body injury, which will be something to monitor going forward. He could push his way into the conversation for the 26th pick as his four pitch mix has a fastball up to 98, a swing and miss slider, and two other solid pitches.
The best arm of the first game was Arizona State's Alex Overbay, who struck out six across three stellar frames.
FB: 94-97, carry with late tail CT: 89-92, firm shape with bite SL: 84-86, sharper depth with sweep
The #1 prospect in the draft has had an absurd start to his season and has further locked himself into that #1 spot. He came into Sunday with six homers and a 1.452 OPS, and hit a game tying seventh homer in the ninth against Mississippi State.
Curiel had a big freshman season last year slashing .345/.470/.519 with seven homers, making him a candidate to go in the Top 10 this season as a sophomore with a strong year. Unfortunately he hasn’t lived up to his 2025 campaign, as he is hitting just .318/.400/.386, as he hasn’t really shown much power this year to date. He still has time to turn things around, but right now he is looking more like a candidate for #26 than he is for #9.
Cuvet is a bit of a polarizing prospect due to questions about his defensive home and amount of swing and miss, though he is posting what would be his third straight 1.000+ OPS season for the Canes. Despite his already six homers, he hasn’t seen his stock move much, as the same questions remain. He could end up being a candidate in the second round.
DeCaro has been a strong starter for the past three years for the Heels, but seems to be enjoying a potential breakout season in 2026. Not only are his ERA and WHIP both set to be new career best’s, but his 9.5 K/9 is nearly two better than his previous high of 7.8. If DeCaro keeps missing bats in ACC play, he could lock himself into the first round, after being a borderline first rounder coming into the season.
Jason DeCaro generated 12 whiffs against Indiana on Friday, including a career-high 11 with his fastball.
Six of the @DiamondHeels righty's seven strikeouts came with the pitch, which he threw 67 times (74.4%). Hoosier hitters went 1-for-12 against it. pic.twitter.com/wthFi52HrL
Jackson Flora came into the season as a candidate to be picked ninth, but through two starts he has looked like someone who may not even be there when the Braves get on the clock. Not only have Flora’s numbers been dominant, but his stuff also looks the part of a Top 10 selection.
Flukey came in as a candidate for the #9 pick and turned in a strong first start. Unfortunately he went down with injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least the next eight weeks. The injury and layoff will cloud his present draft status a bit, and in a class as strong as this one could potentially help push him down to the mid to later part of the first round if he doesn’t quite look the same when he returns.
Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Arkansas
Gaeckle came into this season as a candidate for the #26 pick, but also as a guy needing to answer questions as he is an undersized righty who has never spent a full season as a starter. After a dominant effort in the opener he looked like he could push his way to somewhere above the Braves second selection. However he has merely looked good since then. If he can continue to hold up in his starting role, the stuff which earned comps to Spencer Strider and Gage Wood, could get him drafted around #26 – but his stock is volatile as he could move up or down quite a bit in the next couple of months.
After two quality years with Texas, Gasparino came to UCLA for this year and has been out of his mind. He is hitting .382/.512/1.265, and on Sunday he hit his 10th homer of the season – in just 11 games. While expecting anyone to keep hitting at that rate is unrealistic, he is moving himself up draft boards significantly. Gasparino came in as a guy who could go between rounds 3-5, but could push himself into the first or second rounds – depending on where he settles in after this hot streak.
AJ Gracia came into the year as a candidate for #9, that was if he was even still available at that point. Unfortunately for the Braves Gracia seems to have taken the next step after transferring to Virginia. So far he is hitting .412/.571/.941 with five homers and 11 walks to just three strikeouts over 49 plate appearances. At this point it would be fair to assume he figures to be gone before the Braves even pick.
Grahovac went into last year expecting to be a high pick this year, but his season was limited to just six games because of injury. He seems to be on track to be a first rounder again this year, as he is hitting .316/.426/.500 with one homer – though that isn’t quite the power he showed as a freshman, when he hit 23 homers. Most importantly his strikeout rate is down in a big way, dropping from 29% as a freshman to 10.6% in his first 47 plate appearances. Grahovac could be a candidate at #26, but watching his power and strikeout totals will really help determine where he ends up going.
Hacopian came into the year as a candidate to be taken #9, but he has struggled to stay on the field so far in his first year as an Aggie. A back injury kept him out for two weeks, only to flare up again this weekend in his first game back. Back injuries are injuries that give teams reason for concern, and with his lingering his status is very much in question at the moment until teams get a chance to look closer.
Kramkowski came into the year as a candidate to go somewhere between #26 and the Braves second round pick. However the disaster season that the Wildcats are having has affected Kramkowski too, and he is currently pitching to a 8.49 ERA and 2.06 WHIP through his first three starts. He will still have time to right the ship, but he doesn’t look like a guy who belongs with any of the Braves top few picks.
Catching up from Friday, @ArizonaBaseball RHP Owen Kramkowski didn't have his best outing vs. Stanford but it was easy to see the intrigue, ultra lean & lanky 6-3/173 frame, fast arm produced 92-93 fastballs, 84-87 cutter, low-80s SL + a CB and CH, here are his 2 Ks in 3.1 IP ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/tIzQPSNNgA
I wrote about Tennessee sophomore Kuhns being a candidate for the #26 pick leading up to the season, and he has more than backed that up. Kuhns has a 2.45 ERA and 0.71 WHIP with 22 strikeouts in 18.1 innings, but also his stuff has been electric. Kuhns only threw 36 innings last year, so we will need to see how he holds up with a full season workload – but he could be pitching himself towards a spot where he wouldn’t be around for #26.
Stating off Saturday with Tegan Kuhns report from Globe Life last night. Kuhns was dominate for @Vol_Baseball running the Fastball up to 98. Averaging 20 carry from a 5.4’ release height makes his fastball truly special, grading at 112 Stuff+. Throws his off speeds really well,… pic.twitter.com/sYI1YqSyOU
Coming into the season Lackey was in the mix for the top catcher in the draft and a potential first round pick. With his performance so far (.514/.647/.892, four homers), Lackey has locked up that top catcher spot, and could be pushing himself into that Top 10, as this once glove-first catcher is starting to see the bat and power catch up to the rest of his game.
Vahn Lackey crushes another homer during a 4-RBI performance, giving him 19 RBIs in 10 games to open the year ⚡️
MLB's top-ranked catching prospect in the 2026 Draft class is slashing .529/.652/.941 for the Top 5-ranked Yellow Jackets.
Tommy LaPour came in as a candidate for the Braves second round pick, but after one solid start has been out with elbow soreness. LaPour’s stock is on hold at the moment as any pitcher with an elbow problem would be.
Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
Lebron came in as a favorite to go in the Top 3 and has backed that up by hitting .325/.491/825 through Sunday with his six homers matching his six strikeouts. Similar to Cholowsky, Braves fans can forget about seeing Lebron in Atlanta in July.
Justin Lebron Draft Surge
⚾️ .326 AVG ⚾️ 7 HR ⚾️ 16 RBI ⚾️ 10.5% K
Lebron is forcing his way into the No. 2 pick convo and looks like a fast-rising fantasy gem.
Norby is the other lefty competing with Carlon for the top college lefty in the class. His overall numbers have just been decent thus far, but his stuff has looked great and he is striking out 13.5 per nine. Norby would likely be a candidate for the Braves second round pick right now.
Liam Peterson has been an interesting pitcher his entire career. He’s always had the pure stuff to be the first pitcher off the board in this draft, but the results have never quite been what you’d want to see for that type of arm. However this year the results have started to match up to the stuff a little better, as he has career best totals in ERA (3.77), WHIP (1.26), and K/9 (14.4). Peterson came in as a guy who the Braves would need to take at #9 to even have a chance at, and while that remains true for him, there seems to be a bit more room for a Flora to overtake him and actually have him available at #9.
More Liam Peterson Stuff+ anomalies. Peterson shoved on Friday for @GatorsBB , striking out 8 on the day. Peterson averaged over 21” of IVB on the Fasball at 95-99 mph, grading at 121 Stuff+, making it one of the best heaters in the country. Couple that with a slide that graded… pic.twitter.com/QBpdCqfSL2
— Developing Baseball (@developbaseball) March 2, 2026
Chris Rembert, 2B, Auburn
Rembert is another sophomore eligible player in this draft. Unfortunately injuries have limited him to just four games thus far, and a very small sample size. Right now his stock is pretty even from where it came in at – which would be a potential candidate for #26.
INF Chris Rembert (@AuburnBaseball) back this weekend & is all over the FB, ripping a laser into LF. + bat spd & coming off huge fr year. Pot 1st rounder in July. Soph./'26 elig. @PG_Draftpic.twitter.com/RtrmSCNBCM
— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) March 2, 2026
Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State
Ace Reese came into the year as a guy fairly locked in on the first round, but seeming to be ticketed to somewhere between the Braves two first round picks as a player who isn’t likely to stick at third base. This season though, he’s seen his stock rise with a hot start, and he could even be a candidate for #9. Right now he is hitting .444/.490/.889 with eight doubles and four homers, hitting well for both contact and average.
Sorrell has a similar story to his teammate Grahovac, a strong freshman year that had him looking like a first rounder this year, a huge chunk of his sophomore year lost due to injury, and a good start to 2026. Right now Sorrell is hitting .412/.459/.882 with five homers, though with three walks and 12 strikeouts in just 37 plate appearances. He will be a first rounder it seems like, but the elevated strikeout totals could push him down a bit. He feels a little too risky for the #9 pick because of the strikeouts, but probably not around for the #26 pick either.
— FloCollege | Baseball (@FloCollegeBSB) March 2, 2026
Sawyer Strosnider, OF, TCU
Strosnider is another sophomore eligible player, though one who has some differing opinions thanks to his swing and miss. On the optimistic side he could be a candidate for #9 coming into the year, but others would see him more as a candidate for #26. So far this year his slash line is slightly better than last year, with a fairly similar strikeout rate- though he has seen his walk rate spike. After walking every 8.0% of his plate appearances last year, he is at 31.1% this year, with his 14 total walks just six behind last season’s total in just 45 plate appearances so far. With this added element to his game, the Braves could need to draft him at #9, as he doesn’t seem likely to be there for #26.
Sawyer Strosnider through his first 4 games of 2026:
16 PA .273/.500/.545 1.045 OPS 1 HR 1 RBI 6 R 5/5 BB/K .489 wOBA 133 wRC+
One of the top outfield prospects in the 2026 draft had a solid opening week, and faces a big test with top-ranked UCLA this weekend. pic.twitter.com/zJIMOZgh5e
After two years at Stanford with first round stuff but late round pick results, Volchko transferred into Georgia for this year. So far so good as he has a 3.00 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 18 strikeouts to five walks in his first 15 innings. The stuff remains high end and his command has improved dramatically, which is only helping his stock. SEC play will help determine where he goes, but the first round is a real possibility if he keeps this up.
Mason Barnett will get the start today for the A’s in Peoria, Arizona. | Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
Spring Training enters week two as the Athletics take on the San Diego Padres at Peoria Stadium in Peoria, AZ today. The A’s have started the spring with an unattractive 2-6 start, but the Friars are not much better coming into today’s matchup with a 4-6 record.
Both teams will be starting many of their regulars, a sight that will increase the further we get into spring training games and once any World Baseball Classic (WBC) players finish their national commitments. WBC games start later this week at various stadiums across the globe.
Right-hander Mason Barnett will get the start for the A’s today. He made five starts for the Athletics in 2025 logging 22+ innings. Righty Miachael King will get the nod for the Padres this afternoon. After an injury-plagued season he went 5-3 in fifteen starts for San Diego last year, finishing up with a 3.44 ERA.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: Jalen Brunson #11 and Landry Shamet #44 of the New York Knicks celebrate during the fourth quarter of the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on March 01, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks just couldn’t beat good teams last year. This isn’t new information; it was highly publicized that the Knicks went 0-10 against the league’s three 60-win teams in the regular season. Did they change the narrative come playoff time when they miraculously knocked off the defending champions? Sure, but detractors pointed to that record after the team was eliminated to say they got lucky against Boston.
You look at the record beyond those teams against the best the NBA has to offer and it wasn’t pretty:
vs 60+ win teams: 0-10 vs 50+ win teams: 5-16 vs top-6 seeds: 10-20 vs above .500 teams: 19-23
They just weren’t beating much of anyone with a pulse. What they did do, however, was stomp on flat-out bad teams. They went 32-8 against below .500 teams, with four of those losses coming to either the Bulls or Hawks. In fact, in 25 games against teams who missed the play-in tournament, the Knicks went 22-3, only losing to the Hornets, Spurs, and Jazz.
So it’s fair to say that, until the playoffs, that team was a paper tiger. And if you’re in that sect of the Knicks’ fanbase, you’d probably believe it’s more of the same this year with the team’s three blowout defeats to the Pistons and the recent loss to Cleveland, but it really isn’t:
vs 60+ win pace: 0-3 (Detroit) vs 50+ win pace: 9-7* vs top-6 seeds: 15-9* vs above .500 teams: 19-17* (* This includes the NBA Cup final. Just because Adam Silver doesn’t count it, doesn’t mean it wasn’t a competitive basketball game with real stakes.)
If you take out one singular team, the Knicks are 9-4 against teams on pace to win at least 50 games and 15-6 against teams currently in playoff position. The only team they currently have a losing record against in the East is the Pistons, and the Western Conference teams aren’t in playoff position (Suns 0-2, Warriors 0-1)
It’s just fascinating to see that the Knicks can get definitive wins against several contenders, but they’ve gotten absolutely obliterated by the Pistons. Last year, you could say that the team didn’t have the personnel to compete with the top three. This year? It doesn’t make sense.
Look at what we saw on Sunday afternoon, where the Knicks completely dominated the Spurs for 40 minutes. After going down 19-7 with some of the worst offense you’ve ever seen, the Knicks outscored the hottest team in the NBA by a staggering 37 points. After prevailing in the NBA Cup behind the heroics of two guards who no longer play, the Knicks have now dominated 11 out of 12 quarters against the Spurs. Excluding the final eight minutes of the New Year’s Eve disaster that kick-started the worst 11-game stretch in several years, the Knicks have outscored the Spurs by 47 points across 11 and a third quarters.
What makes them such a tough matchup for San Antonio? While the youthful Spurs have a 7’4” demigod and some tremendous guard play, they’re extremely short on viable wings. Devin Vassell is a good shooter and, as we learned on NYE, Julian Champagnie can get hotter than fish grease. Outside of them? Do Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson strike fear into your heart? They clearly don’t for Mikal Bridges or OG Anunoby.
Wingstop has had its best games this season against those Spurs, thriving at being off-ball pests (and in Anunoby’s case, using his strength to make Wemby uncomfortable) and knocking down threes. Speaking of threes, no team has it more ingrained in their heads to play off of guys like Josh Hart and Mo Diawara than Mitch Johnson’s Spurs, who’ve used the strategy in consecutive games to disrupt the offense.
Diawara hits a 3, looks back at the Spurs bench….then blocks Castle.
Wemby’s impact is also muted by Mitchell Robinson, who did not play in the NYE battle in San Antonio. In the two meetings where they’ve gone head-to-head, Wembanyama has been held to one offensive rebound, limiting the Spurs’ ability to get second chances (and this is with Mitch not playing much on Sunday).
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) December 17, 2025
Robinson’s defensive intensity also makes it difficult for Wemby, something that is also apparent when the Knicks face another Western Conference power: the Denver Nuggets.
Nikola Jokic is one of the league’s biggest stars, and it’s impossible to stop him from putting up numbers. While you can’t silence the Joker, you can disrupt him and make him uncomfortable. Robinson more than did that in the second half and overtime against the Nuggets in the meeting earlier this year.
Denver has never quite had an answer for the Knicks, as the ‘Bockers have won six of seven since November 2022.
We don’t know what this edition of the Knicks will look like against the West’s top dog, the OKC Thunder, but there’s no guarantee that the reigning champions make it back to the NBA Finals. They’re just 1-4 against the Spurs and have had a significantly tougher time with Jokic and the Nuggets for the last few seasons.
That’s what makes this NBA season so interesting. The Knicks would feel damn good about facing the Nuggets or Spurs in a prospective NBA Finals, as well as teams like the Sixers, Raptors, and maybe even the Cavaliers (until Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen show enough physicality, I won’t buy them) in the East. Yet, a Celtics team with a healthy Tatum and the Pistons wouldn’t be the best matchup, even if the Knicks are 2-1 and beat the Celtics last May. Even a healthy Magic team could give them trouble with how nasty their defense can get.
But the Pistons aren’t an inevitability if the Knicks make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Among contenders, they’re by far the worst 3-point shooting team and, except when they’re playing the Knicks, struggle to put the ball in the net against good teams
There’s a wide range of outcomes that the Knicks could face come playoff time. There shouldn’t be anyone surprised if the Knicks don’t make the ECF or if they seriously contend for a championship. It all depends on the right matchup, but that’s something that is mostly out of their control.
