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What we learned as Giants' offense stays hot in dominant win over Athletics

What we learned as Giants' offense stays hot in dominant win over Athletics originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants ended up with a disappointing record during their two easiest weeks of the season, but they at least found a way to salvage the final few days and make sure they return home on the right track. 

Willy Adames drove in three runs and Luis Matos had a back-breaking two-run double to lead the Giants to a 6-2 win and a series victory at Sutter Health Park. They won five of six against the Athletics this season, and left town back at seven games above .500.

The Giants took the final two games in Arizona and then two of three in Sacramento, finishing with a 5-5 record on their 10-game trip. They went 5-8 during a two-week stretch against teams below .500, and the road ahead gets much tougher. The first-place Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers arrive for the final homestand of the first half, but the Giants are at least playing cleaner baseball than they were a few days ago. 

“I’m Back.”

The Giants weren’t thrilled about having to play a late Sunday game, leading to a bus ride back to San Francisco at the very end of a holiday weekend. But Adames might want to stay in Sacramento for a few more days. With two bases-loaded walks and a solo homer, Adames became the first Giants shortstop since the legendary Rich Aurilia to have back-to-back games with three or more RBI. 

Adames took better swings for most of June, but the results still weren’t there. In July, he has fully turned a corner. He has reached base 14 times in six games with two homers and nine RBI. Adames’ OPS is up to a season-high .683. 

Whatever Works

Hayden Birdsong sprayed his four-seamer all night and walked five. But he was, as they say, effectively wild. 

Birdsong gave up just one run, repeatedly working his way out of self-inflicted jams. He threw 46 strikes and 44 balls, so in a lot of ways the outing fit right in with his previous ones, but he was able to get strikeouts when he needed them. Birdsong struck out six — including four straight at one point — and got out of the fifth with a double play after giving up a single and walk. 

Birdsong has 23 walks in 42 1/3 innings as a starter this season. He has walked at least four in each of his past three starts. 

Circle of Trust

Spencer Bivens has jumped past Ryan Walker on the bullpen’s depth chart and he continues to show that he’s ready for more responsibility. Bivens came on in the sixth with the Giants leading by four and had a quick inning, striking out one and getting a groundout and flyout. 

The right-hander lowered his ERA to 3.09, and he has five strikeouts and just one hit allowed over his last three appearances. He was followed Sunday by All-Star Randy Rodriguez, who lowered his ERA to 0.69. Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval closed out the win. 

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Minnesota Wild Sign Forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel On A One-Year Contract

Nov 16, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Nicolas Aube-Kubel (96) controls the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers in the second period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images.

ST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild announced a few free agent signings. They signed goaltender Cal Petersen along with forward Tyler Pitlick. They have also signed forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel. 

The contract for Aube-Kubel is a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 in the NHL and $500,000 in the American Hockey League (AHL). 

Aube-Kubel, 29, recorded one goal, one assist, 40 hits and 19 penalty minutes in 22 games with the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers last season. He has 32 goals, 48 assists, 80 points, 672 hits and 202 penalty minutes in 304 career NHL games across seven seasons. 

He won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022. The 6-foot forward recorded 11 goals, 11 assists, 22 points, 123 hits and 41 penalty minutes in 67 games that year for the Avs. 

This provides the Wild with some AHL depth and someone who can play NHL games if needed. He has 56 goals, 61 assists and 117 points in 255 career AHL games as well. 

Other Wild News

Minnesota Wild Sign Forward Nico Sturm To A Two-Year DealMinnesota Wild Sign Forward Nico Sturm To A Two-Year DealST. PAUL, Minn - As previously written, Nico Sturm would be a perfect fit for the Minnesota Wild. The Wild have now announced they have signed the free agent to a two-year contract at $2 million AAV. Minnesota Wild Sign Goaltender Cal Petersen To A One-Year, One-Way ContractMinnesota Wild Sign Goaltender Cal Petersen To A One-Year, One-Way ContractST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild announced the signing of goaltender Cal Petersen to a one-year, one-way contract worth $775,000.  Minnesota Wild Sign Forward Tyler Pitlick To A Two-Year, Two-Way ContractMinnesota Wild Sign Forward Tyler Pitlick To A Two-Year, Two-Way ContractST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild will announce some American Hockey League (AHL) depth signings pretty soon. They started things off with the signing of forward Tyler Pitlick. 
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Durant joins Houston in record-setting NBA trade

Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant is a four-time Olympic champion and two-time NBA champion [Getty Images]

NBA star Kevin Durant has joined the Houston Rockets from the Phoenix Suns in a record-breaking trade deal involving seven teams.

The move was first announced last month but was confirmed on Sunday when the league's new year officially started.

The Atlanta Hawks, the Brooklyn Nets, the Golden State Warriors, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers are also involved in the deal, which involves 13 players and several future draft picks being exchanged.

The previous record for the largest trade in NBA history was six teams, set last summer when Klay Thompson joined the Dallas Mavericks.

Durant, 36, was named the 2014 Most Valuable Player, won two NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors, and is a 15-time All-Star.

He also won four Olympic golds with the US basketball team.

"My time in Phoenix has come to an end," he posted on social media.

"All these stops along the journey have really impacted me in a positive way. Remember it's a world behind the scenes, and those who make things work in that space, work tirelessly to make our lives easier as players.

"I truly believe this NBA is a one big community. Much love to Arizona. Houston, Can't Wait!"

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said: "His skill level, love of basketball, and dedication to his craft have made him one of the most respected players of his generation, and my staff and I are excited to work with him."

Houston finished second in the Western Conference last season but were knocked out of the play-offs in the first round.

"One of the greatest to ever play the game, we are grateful for the impact Kevin made on our organization and in our community," Phoenix general manager Brian Gregory said.

"As a member of the Suns, he climbed the scoring charts to become just the eighth player in NBA history to score 30,000 career points, and we wish him the best as he continues his career in Houston."

Who gets what in the seven-team deal?

Under the deal, Houston get Durant and 31-year-old Swiss centre Clint Capela from Atlanta - he started his career at the Rockets.

From the Rockets, the Suns pick up 18-year-old South Sudanese centre Khaman Maluach, who was the 10th overall pick in June's NBA draft, as well as forward Dillon Brooks and guard Jalen Green. The Suns also get Atlanta wing Daeqwon Plowden, Minnesota forward Rasheer Fleming and Golden State guard Koby Brea, as well as two future draft picks.

The Hawks, meanwhile, receive David Roddy, cash, and a 2031 draft pick swap from Houston.

Brooklyn obtained two future second-round picks and sent a draft pick, forward Adou Thiero, to the Lakers.

The Warriors obtained Australian forward Alex Toohey, who was initially drafted by the Suns, and guard Jahmai Mashack, the last pick in the draft for the Rockets.

Minnesota landed two future draft picks from the Suns and 18-year-old Australian centre Rocco Zikarsky, a draft pick from the Lakers.

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Yankees' Jazz Chisholm, Max Fried selected to All-Star Game

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge will have some company at the 2025 MLB All-Star Game.

Judge was previously named the starter in RF after leading the AL through the opening round of voting.

Now, ace Max Fried and infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. have also been selected to represent the organization.

For Fried, it will mark a return to Atlanta, where he spent the first eight years of his career.

The southpaw has been spectacular during his first season with the Yankees, taking home the victory in 11 of his 19 outings and pitching to a 2.27 ERA.

With Gerrit Cole sidelined for the season, he's stepped in perfectly atop their banged-up rotation, and now logs his third career All-Star appearance.

"It's an honor," Fried said. "We have a lot of players on this team who are really deserving. Hopefully, over the next week or so, we can add a few more, but it's special and it's a really cool experience to go and be able to share that with teammates and family."

Chisholm has been forced to battle through some injuries in his first full season with the organization, but he's been extremely productive when healthy.

The 27-year-old infielder is hitting .245 with nine doubles, 10 stolen bases, 15 homers, 38 RBI, and a .841 OPS over 59 games.

This is his second career All-Star appearance.

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Yankees snap losing streak, hold on for 6-4 win over Mets in Subway Series finale

The Yankees snapped a six-game skid and held on to beat the Mets, 6-4, avoiding the sweep on Sunday in the finale of 2025's Subway Series.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Chris Devenski did his job as the Mets opener and pitched a scoreless first inning, allowing just a one-out single to Trent Grisham before getting Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton to fly out. The right-hander surprisingly came back out for the second inning and sent the Yanks down in order, including back-to-back strikeouts.

-- New Met Zach Pop made his team debut and came in for Devenski in the third inning, but it go as planned. He allowed a solo homer to Austin Wells on his second pitch as the Yankees took a 1-0 lead. Pop escaped the third without further damage and stayed in to pitch the fourth inning. The righty allowed a leadoff double to Stanton and found himself in a first-and-third situation after Cody Bellinger singled. Pop got Anthony Volpe to hit a grounder, but the Mets could only turn one as the run scored to push the Yanks' lead to 2-0. He allowed another single and was then replaced by Brandon Waddell with runners on the corners.

Wells hit another hard grounder that the Mets couldn't turn two on, making it a 3-0 game. Waddell got Oswald Peraza to fly out and end the inning. Waddell stayed in to pitch the fifth and things fell apart fast. Paul Goldschmidt doubled and then Judge launched a two-run homer as the Yanks went up 5-0.

-- Starling Marte dropped a surprise bunt to leadoff the bottom of the first inning and beat it out for a single. Yankees starter Max Fried got a bit upset during Francisco Lindor's at-bat, as he was called for a pitch clock violation with a 2-2 count and walked off the mound to argue with the home plate umpire, but no one was ejected. Marte stole second while Lindor struck out and then advanced to third on a wild pitch by Fried. The Mets failed to capitalize on the early scoring chance as Pete Alonso flied out.

-- Fried kept the Mets bats quiet for most of the day, but found himself in a tough spot in the fifth inning. Jeff McNeil and Hayden Senger hit back-to-back one-out singles and Marte collected his third hit of the day to load the bases. Lindor delivered with the fourth straight hit against Fried on a single up the middle, scoring two and cutting the Yankee lead to 5-2. Fried escaped by striking out Juan Soto on a slider in the dirt and getting Alonso to fly out to right field.

The left-hander's day ended after plunking Brandon Nimmo to leadoff the sixth, as he tossed 98 pitches (61 strikes) and allowed two runs on six hits with five strikeouts.

-- Ronny Mauricio pinch-hit for Mark Vientos with Nimmo on first base and came through with a single. It was then Brett Baty's turn to pinch hit for Tyrone Taylor and he loaded the bases with another single. McNeil hit a dibbler that was misplayed by Jonathan Loáisiga, allowing the run to score and keeping the bases juiced. Senger grounded into a double play, but another run scored to cut the Yankee lead to 5-4. Loáisiga escaped by getting Marte to line out with some help from a sliding Judge in right field.

-- The Yankees tacked on another in the top of the seventh on a Judge sacrifice fly, making it 6-4. Bellinger made the play of the day in the bottom half on a low catch in left field against Soto and was able to double-up Lindor retreating back to first base, helping Mark Leiter Jr. avoid potential trouble.

-- Carlos Mendoza was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the bottom of the ninth inning. Home plate umpire John Bacon called two low pitches strikes against Luis Torrens, as both pitches were clearly outside the zone.

Game MVP: Aaron Judge

The slugger hit HR No. 33 on the season with a two-run blast and picked up another RBI with a sacrifice fly. He's up to 74 RBI on the season.

Honorable mention: Bellinger, for his scooping catch and throw to shut down a Mets comeback.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets are off on Monday and then start a three-game series in Baltimore against the Orioles on Tuesday. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. on SNY.

Clay Holmes (8-4, 2.99 ERA) is scheduled to start, while Brandon Young (0-3, 7.02 ERA) goes for the O's.

The Yankees stay in New York and start a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.

Will Warren (5-4, 5.02 ERA) take the mound and will face Logan Gilbert (2-2, 3.40 ERA) for the Mariners.

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Report: Kings have been ‘strongest pursuer' of Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga

Report: Kings have been ‘strongest pursuer' of Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Jonathan Kuminga saga remains roughly the same, but a Northern California rival appears intent on acquiring the Warriors’ 22-year-old forward.

The Sacramento Kings have been the strongest pursuer of Kuminga, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported Sunday night, citing sources.

Last week, NBC Sports California’s Tristi Rodriguez was the first to report that Sacramento and Golden State discussed a potential three-team sign-and-trade involving Kuminga.

That deal would have sent Kuminga to Sacramento, while Detroit would would receive guard Malik Monk, with the Kings sending Golden State second-year guard Devin Carter, big man Dario Šarić and two second-round draft picks.

Slater reported Thursday that the Warriors “balked” at the Kings’ initial offer for Kuminga, which appeared to not deter Sacramento from continuing its pursuit of the young forward.

Golden State extended a $7.9 million qualifying offer to Kuminga last weekend, kickstarting a restricted free agency that faces similar issues as players in comparable situations league-wide due to the lack of teams possessing a wealth of salary-cap space.

Kuminga has averaged 12.5 points on 50.7 percent shooting from the field in four NBA seasons since being selected by the Warriors at No. 7 overall in the 2021 draft.

As the ongoing situation awaits a resolution, it’s worth keeping an eye on Northern California’s two NBA teams potentially striking a deal for Kuminga.

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Mets’ Carlos Mendoza ejected after back-to-back questionable ninth inning strike calls vs. Yankees

Carlos Mendoza is usually pretty calm and collected -- but frustration has been brewing for the second-year Mets skipper throughout Sunday's Subway Series finale at Citi Field.

Finally, in the ninth inning, things reached the breaking point.

With Luis Torrens pinch-hitting against Yankees closer Devin Williams leading off the bottom of the ninth, home plate umpire John Bacon made an extremely questionable strike two call on a pitch out of the zone.

Mendoza gave Bacon an earful from the first-base dugout, but play went on.

Seconds later, Bacon punched out Torrens on a changeup even further out of the zone, and this time the skipper immediately came sprinting out of the dugout.

Mendoza quickly earned his second ejection in the last eight days, and this time he got his money's worth -- kicking some dirt on home plate and getting in Bacon's face before being separated.

It was just his third career ejection, and second in the last week.

"It was building up the whole game," Mendoza explained postgame. "In that situation, leading off the inning down two runs, you want to get guys on base and keep the line moving so hopefully [Juan] Soto and Pete [Alonso] get a chance here.

"You get two calls like that that don't go your way, it's just pretty frustrating."

And as things played out, the Mets ended up going down quietly against Williams, who got Starling Marte to ground out and then punched out Francisco Lindor on a 98 mph fastball to end the game.

Still, the club was able to secure the series victory and Subway Series split for the season.

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NHL Free Agency: How Do The Canadian Teams Stack Up Following Off-Season Moves?

As the hype from the NHL’s free-agent frenzy dies down, it’s as good a time as any to take stock of the league’s seven Canadian teams. 

We’re going to break down the teams alphabetically, so let’s get to it:

1. Calgary Flames

Contender, Pretender Or Somewhere In The Middle? Pretender

Why? The Flames narrowly missed out on a playoff berth this past season, but that was when basically everything went right for them. The injury bug avoided them, they picked up long-term pieces in a trade with Philadelphia, and this summer, Flames GM Craig Conroy held onto his salary cap flexibility, as Calgary now has $15.4 million in cap space. He might have spent more of it to acquire some veteran help, but the fact that he didn’t speaks volumes about where they are in their competitive trajectory.

The big picture for the Flames shows a team that is still in transition into being a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Calgary doesn’t have the generational talent to go head-to-head with archrivals like the Edmonton Oilers or Vancouver Canucks. And many hockey observers expect Conroy to trade top-pair defenseman Rasmus Andersson, and perhaps, veteran center Nazem Kadri. For those reasons, we see the Flames still in the early stages of a rebuild, and that means they’re currently a pretender. 

2. Edmonton Oilers

Contender, Pretender Or Somewhere In The Middle? Contender

Why? Don’t get it twisted – we believe the Oilers took a step backward thus far this summer, losing key veterans, including wingers Corey Perry and Connor Brown in free agency. But that doesn’t mean Edmonton is now a pretender, or worse. They still employ two of the top-five players on the planet in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and they just re-signed star defenseman Evan Bouchard to a long-term contract extension. There’s a lot to like here.

By the time the next regular season has concluded, we expect the Oilers to be up there with the Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings as one of the top teams in the Pacific Division. But Edmonton GM Stan Bowman needs to make good use of the trade market to keep up with the Joneses. 

The Oilers have next to nothing in cap space, so Bowman will have to be creative to improve his roster. Because at a time when every team in the Western Conference will be targeting Edmonton as a true test of their playoff readiness, the Oilers have to keep getting better. And thus far, they haven’t been able to do that.

3. Montreal Canadiens

Contender, Pretender Or Somewhere In The Middle? Somewhere In The Middle

Why? We’re not here to tell you the Canadiens are pretenders. They’ve made genuinely legitimate strides as a team, and Montreal GM Kent Hughes made one of the biggest splashes of the off-season by acquiring star defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. But while we definitely see the Canadiens battling for a playoff spot all season long, the truth is improvement isn’t always linear, and in a highly competitive Atlantic Division, the Habs aren’t a lock to make the playoffs next year.

As Montreal’s young core continues to develop, the Canadiens are likely to be a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference. But there’s also a possibility they take a lateral step or a slight step backward in 2025-26. The Habs are essentially capped out, so Hughes will have to be crafty in attempting to improve his team. 

We like Hughes’ work a lot, but making notable improvements isn’t always a cakewalk, and that’s why we see the Habs having the potential to struggle a bit more this year than they did last year.

4. Ottawa Senators

Contender, Pretender Or Somewhere In The Middle? Contender

Why? The Sens made major strides last season, getting into the playoffs for the first time in eight years. Once they got to the post-season, though, they were quickly disposed of by the Maple Leafs. Still, just getting into the playoffs was a terrific accomplishment, and a harbinger of better days ahead.

In free agency and trades this summer, the Sens have been relatively quiet, re-signing veteran center Claude Giroux and adding experienced pivot Lars Eller to help fill out the bottom-six group of forwards. But the fact is that Senators GM Steve Staios doesn’t need to do much at the moment, as he has $4.29 million in cap space to use to improve during the season. Ultimately, we like what we see in the Sens as a whole, and we expect their internal improvement will push them even further this coming season.

5. Toronto Maple Leafs

Contender, Pretender Or Somewhere In The Middle? Contender

Why? The Maple Leafs won the Atlantic last season, and although their offense will take a sizeable hit with the departure of Mitch Marner, what remains in Toronto is still very much a playoff team. 

Adding grinders like former Golden Knight Nicolas Roy and former Canadien Michael Pezzetta will make the Leafs harder to play against, and the continuing development of youngster Matthew Knies and the trade addition of former Utah Mammoth winger Matias Maccelli will help replace some of the offense Marner took with him. And the Leafs still have $4.98 million in cap space to spend on a top-six forward.

Auston Matthews protects the puck from John Klingberg. (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)

What’s also true of this Leafs team is that their defense is the envy of most NHL organizations. Even if veteran Morgan Rielly is traded, Toronto has a top-six set of blueliners who can get the job done and make life easier on goalies Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll.

 It would take some catastrophic injuries and spectacular underachievement for the Buds to miss the playoffs, and we don’t see either of those two things happening. The post-Marner Era may not have as many highlight-reel plays, but Leafs GM Brad Treliving has crafted a lineup that will fight for home-ice advantage in the 2026 playoffs.

6. Vancouver Canucks

Contender, Pretender Or Somewhere In The Middle? Contender

Why? Virtually everything that could go wrong did go wrong for Vancouver last season, including in-house drama between star forwards Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller, as well as injuries to star goalie Thatcher Demko and superstar blueliner Quinn Hughes. However, everything has cleared up in Vancouver’s favor, including the re-signing of star winger Brock Boeser and the addition of rugged winger Evander Kane.

With everyone healthy and ready to go, there’s no reason why Vancouver can’t quickly put last year behind them and once again be a top team in the Pacific. They’ll need Pettersson to be significantly better, and they’ll need their goaltending tandem of Demko and Kevin Lankinen to hold up their end of the bargain, but there’s too much talent in B.C. for the Canucks to falter for the second-straight season. 

7. Winnipeg Jets

Contender, Pretender Or Somewhere In The Middle? Contender

Why? The Jets lost star winger Nikolaj Ehlers to the Carolina Hurricanes in free agency, but Winnipeg has the best goalie in the league – at least, in the regular season – in Connor Hellebuyck, a deep collection of fast and skilled forwards, and a defense corps that may be underrated. 

The Jets were the NHL’s top regular-season team last season, and the additions of star center Jonathan Toews and veteran winger Tanner Pearson make an already-dangerous squad all the more imposing.

The Jets play in the toughest division in the league in the Central, but with Hellebuyck, center Mark Scheifele and winger Kyle Connor leading the way, Winnipeg once again will be right up there as one of the NHL’s top teams, and a genuine threat to go deep in the post-season. And with a good deal of cap space still available, the Jets have the potential to be even better next year.

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Moose Jaw Warriors' Matthew Hutchison Using Canucks Development Camp To Grow His Game

Matthew Hutchison was one of many WHLers who attended an NHL Development Camp this year. The Moose Jaw Warriors goaltender was an invitee with the Vancouver Canucks, where he had the opportunity to work with the organization he grew up cheering for. Overall, it was an unforgettable experience for Hutchison, who plans to apply what he learned next season in the WHL. 

As mentioned, Hutchison grew up as a Canucks fan. The Nanaimo-born goaltender had spent his entire career playing in BC before being traded to the Moose Jaw Warriors this past season. According to Hutchison, being invited to Vancouver's Development Camp was a special moment and one he does not take for granted. 

"It means the world to me, said Hutchison. "Growing up, they're my team. It's essentially my hometown team. We've talked about them all my life, me and all my buddies. So, getting the call to be able to come to training camp and be a part of the team for a period of time is huge. It's a great staff here, great players and just all around, great experience to learn and grow my game."

Hutchison was one of 16 undrafted players who attended Canucks Development Camp. Organizations often invite undrafted or unsigned prospects to their camp in order to get a better idea of players they may sign in the future. As Hutchison explained, even though he isn't a drafted prospect, Vancouver's staff spent time working with him and gave him every opportunity to stand out during the week-long development camp. 

Meet The Vancouver Canucks 2025 Development Camp InviteesMeet The Vancouver Canucks 2025 Development Camp InviteesThe Vancouver Canucks open their 2025 Development Camp on June 30, with 33 players in attendance. On top of Vancouver's drafted prospects, the Canucks have invited 16 additional players to join the week-long camp. Here is a look at which players Vancouver invited this year. 

"I think the biggest thing I've noticed is just how much it feels like every coach wants to help every player here, no matter if they're drafted, signed, invited to the camp, whatnot. Yeah, just the energy and positivity here is unbelievable."

Lastly, Hutchison was asked about some of the lesson's he learned while at camp. Not only did the 18-year-old get to work with NHL coaches, but players he could be facing off against in the future. According to Hutchison, his goal was to be a sponge and absorb as much knowledge as he could throughout the camp. 

"I think, honestly, just looking around, seeing as much as I can. Whether that's looking at other goalies, like Younger (Ty Young) or Aku (Koskenvuo), and seeing what I can learn from them, or whether it's Marco Ian, just anything I can take in. I'm trying to soak in every little model I have here and use everything I see, and I'm involved with to better myself and grow my game."

The 2025-26 season is a big opportunity for Hutchison. He is the Warriors projected starter, and will be one of the top WHL goaltenders available for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. If Hutchison can have a strong campaign, he could be headed to a Development Camp next year, but this time as a drafted prospect. 

Matthew Hutchison at Vancouver Canucks Development Camp (Photo Credit: Kaja Antic/THN) 

Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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The Hockey News
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Mets’ Jesse Winker crushes no-doubt homer in potential final rehab appearance

Jesse Winker has been sidelined since the beginning of May, but he finally appears ready to roll. 

The Mets' left-handed hitting slugger took the field in his potential final rehab appearance down in Syracuse on Sunday afternoon and he looked back in form.

It didn’t take Winker very long to make his mark, as he jumped on a first pitch sweeper from Worcester right-hander Cooper Criswell in the bottom of the first and crushed it 410 feet for a no-doubt two-run home run. 

It was his first long ball with Triple-A, but the second on his rehab assignment. 

He then worked the count full before drawing a walk to load the bases during his next at-bat, but he was a little too aggressive on the bases and was thrown out trying to advance to third on a Jared Young sacrifice fly.

Winker came up with a man on two innings later and he worked another walk, but after two more free passes forced in a run and loaded the bases, he was stranded as Jose Azocar struck out to end the inning. 

The 31-year-old was finally retired in each of his final two plate appearances, flying out to center in the seventh and then the same leading off the bottom of the ninth. 

Overall, he finished the day 1-for-3 with the two-run homer and a pair of walks. 

Winker’s hitting just .143 through five games of his minor league rehab assignment, but he’s driven in seven runs and has a .904 OPS. 

Carlos Mendoza said pregame that the Mets will see how he feels following the back-to-back contests, but there’s a chance he could rejoin the team as they kick off a series Tuesday in Baltimore. 

Getting Winker back in the mix will be a huge boost for this offense -- prior to the injury, he was receiving the bulk of the DH at-bats against right-handed pitching.

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Will Richard's dazzling summer league debut validates why Warriors coveted him

Will Richard's dazzling summer league debut validates why Warriors coveted him originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Within seconds, not even minutes, rookie guard Will Richard showed why the Warriors coveted him in the 2025 NBA Draft during his team debut Sunday. 

In the first possession of Warriors’ last-second 90-88 California Classic summer league loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center, Richard swiped down and stripped the ball away from David Jones-Garcia like he was Andre Iguodala and took it the other way himself for an easy layup. That’s the kind of two-way impact the Warriors saw out of Richard at Florida, and why they moved up three spots from No. 59 to No. 56 to select the former Gator.

“I have a lot of length on defense and I can do a good job of knowing where the ball is going to be,” Richard said. “Just being aggressive. As soon as I saw him bring it down I knew I could have a chance to steal the ball.” 

Last summer’s signing of De’Anthony Melton looked like another smaller guard added to the Warriors’ roster. That’s only if you stare at his listed height. 

Melton is 6-foot-2, but his wingspan exceeds 6-foot-8. Richard comes in even taller at 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan he knows how to use to his advantage. He led Florida with 1.7 steals per game as a senior last season, and more than half of his 40 games resulted in multiple steals. 

Richard had 22 games of two or more steals, including six games of three steals, one with four and another where he swiped five. He was without a steal in only seven games last season. His first time wearing a Warriors jersey ended with two steals, making a major impact defensively in a handful of ways. 

Coach Lainn Wilson was equally impressed with how Richard guarded his man, as well as understanding concepts of team defense. 

“Honestly, both,” Wilson said. “His activity on the ball – he was doing what we asked off the ball as well. There wasn’t many times where he was caught out of position. Obviously he’s a pretty aggressive player, so that’d be the only time he gets burned. 

“But we can honestly work with guys that are pretty aggressive.” 

Jones-Garcia led both teams with 25 points, though Richard hounded him throughout the Warriors’ loss. His second steal was jumping a passing lane and tipping an attempt from Jones-Garcia. Richard’s best defensive sequence also came on Jones-Garcia in a play where he wasn’t given a steal in the box score. 

While Jones-Garcia kept trying to dribble past Richard, he had nowhere to go. Stuck in the mud with an unsuccessful last-ditch effort going behind his back. Jackson Rowe pounced on the loose ball, and Richard wound up dropping a highlight of dime in mid-air to tie the game in the fourth quarter.

Sunday was full of firsts for Richard. Complications from the Warriors’ trade to acquire his draft rights delayed his California Classic debut, and withheld him from any practices. The two-point loss was the first time Richard even played 5-on-5 since the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship Game three months ago.

Still, Richard ended as a plus-13 in 25 minutes. He scored 16 points on 3-of-10 shooting, going 2 of 8 on threes but made all eight of his free throw attempts. Richard also had four rebounds, one assist and two steals.

“Pretty impressive debut,” Wilson said. “… His effort out there was just a really good start for him.”

With just 32 seconds remaining in regulation, Richard drained a three to make it a one-point game. Wilson then drew up a play for Richard with the game on the line in the final seconds, going for the win and putting his ultimate faith in him. 

Off his hands, the shot was right on target. As it hit the front of the rim, teammates jumped in anticipation on the sidelines. No summer league storybook ending this time. 

The ball hit the back of the rim and trickled out at the buzzer. Wilson thought it was going to fall, as did Richard. The heartbreak won’t deter him from taking the shot again, and it certainly won’t place a dark cloud over what was a positive first impression. 

“Definitely wish it would have went in, but it’s not always gonna be the case,” Richard said. “I feel good about it.” 

Why the Warriors wanted Richard in the draft was evident, which is much more important than the final score of a summer league game.

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Diamondbacks infielder Pavin Smith heads to injured list with strained right oblique

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks have placed infielder Pavin Smith on the 10-day injured list with a strained right oblique and recalled infielder Tristan English from Triple-A Reno.

Arizona also placed right-hander Ryan Thompson on the 15-day injured list with a strained scapular, retroactive to Saturday, and recalled right-hander Bryce Jarvis from Reno before Sunday’s game against Kansas City.

Right-hander Tommy Henry was recalled to the big league roster and placed on the 60-day injured list with a right elbow injury to make room for English on the 40-man roster.

Smith is hitting .261 with eight homers and 28 RBIs in 79 games while primarily splitting time between first base and designated hitter.

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An Intriguing New Player At Development Camp

There were a lot of new faces at the Montreal Canadiens’ development camp last week, starting with the prospect drafted at the end of June, but there was also one Russian prospect who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 draft: Bogdan Konyushkov.

The 22-year-old right-shot defenseman is not overly large, standing at six feet and weighing 171 pounds, but he has already played three full seasons in the KHL and has plenty of experience under his belt.

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In the season following his selection by the Canadiens, he was named captain of Torpedo Nizhny by former NHL player and coach Igor Larionov and put up 28 points in 65 games. That offensive production diminished in the most recent season to 17 points in 67 games. Asked how come at camp, Konyushkov replied through prospect Arseni Radkov, who acted as his interpreter, that when his team doesn’t play as well and scores less, players produce less as well.

He showed a lot of poise and leadership throughout the development camp, which prompted Rob Ramage to say:

He speaks a little bit of English, so it was impressive when he was speaking to the other Russians on the ice and he was helping to explain what the drills were. […] So he’s a very mature young man. He was a captain two years ago, the youngest captain in the KHL, so he carries himself like a pro. I believe he’s going back this year, and we’ll see what happens next year. It would be nice to get him over.
- Rob Ramage on Bogdan Konyushkov

The youngster has one year left on his contract with Torpedo and will be playing under a new coach, Alexei Isakov, since Larionov was dismissed after his team’s first-round exit. Konyushkov doesn’t know what the future holds after that; he wants to focus on the next season, and after that, he will figure it out. The organization would like to see him come over.

He didn’t stand out to me during development camp, but that’s not a bad thing; he’s not a flashy defenseman, and he plays an efficient game that doesn’t necessarily catch the eye. Still, in the scrimmage, he joined the rush whenever possible, and he showed he was a mobile defenseman.

I don’t see him becoming a top-pairing defenseman in the NHL, but the Canadiens could use a real right-shot defenseman on their bottom pairing, which would finally give them balanced pairings. For now, Noah Dobson and Alexandre Carrier are the two right-shot pairings, and eventually, David Reinbacher will be joining them, leaving Carrier with a lesser role. At 28 years old, he has two years left on his three-year contract with a $3.75 million cap hit before becoming a UFA. While the salary cap is increasing, Kent Hughes might eventually want to spend less on his bottom pairing. If Carrier’s salary demands are too high, it would be ideal to be able to slot Konyushkov in. By then, he would have four years of KHL experience and, providing he signs with the Canadiens after that, one year of pro North American hockey under his belt. If he’s ready, he will be a much cheaper option for the Habs.

It will be worth keeping an eye on him during the upcoming season, if only to see if the Canadiens do offer him a contract. Currently, the Habs' depth chart on the right includes the above-mentioned Dobson, Carrier, and Reinbacher, in addition to the two recent AHL signings, Nate Clurman and Wyatte Wylie. When it comes to unsigned prospects, I believe Konyushkov comes first, in front of Bryce Pickford, Carlos Handel, Dimitri Kostenko, Daniil Sobolev, and Andrew MacNiel.

Photo credit: Ariane Bergeron/Club de Hockey Canadiens Inc. 

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Young Goaltender's Future Uncertain After Devils Re-Sign Allen

Jake Allen wanted to remain a New Jersey Devil. 

Entering NHL Free Agency, the 34-year-old was a pending unrestricted free agent who was considered the best available goaltender. As it turned out, he wasn't available as the Devils re-signed him ahead of the official start of free agency. 

"It is exciting to have Jake back and his family back in New Jersey, where they wanted to be and where we wanted them," Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. "I give Jake and Shannon a lot of credit for helping us through this process, cap-wise. It just shows you that we are building something here where people want to stay. It says a lot about Jake and his family, and we are just so excited to bring him back."

With Jacob Markstrom under contract for one more year, New Jersey will run it back with its veteran tandem, which was one of the best in the league in the 2024-25 season. 
Of course, after signing Allen to a five-year, $9 million contract with an average annual value of $1.8 million, one question remains: What is the long-term plan for  Nico Daws? 


On Wednesday, The Hockey News posed that exact question to Fitzgerald. 
"You see how often goalies are going down," he explained. "Having depth in the net is crucial. Nico is a guy, he played what, five, six games last year? Definitely played too early in his career, but out of necessity. We really like Nico, but we feel like having this depth makes us a better team." 

Daws is in his final year of a two-year contract he signed in July 2024. For the 2025-26 season, he is on a one-way deal at $850,000 at the NHL level. This past season, the 24-year-old started four games, earning a 3-1-0 record with a .939 save percentage and a 1.60 goals-against average. 
There is one important caveat associated with Daws this upcoming season. He will require waivers to be assigned to the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL). If the Devils need Daws' services at any point during the 2025-26 season, there is a risk that another NHL team could claim him and take on his contract. 
With so many teams interested in adding a goaltender this summer, it is not hard to imagine Daws getting claimed by another franchise with that reasonable one-year price tag. If it comes to that, could the Devils make a trade this summer to ensure they get a return for their goaltender? 


Days ago, New Jersey parted ways with Daws' friend and Comets goaltending partner Isaac Poulter. The organization did not extend a qualifying offer to the 23-year-old, and as an unrestricted free agent, he signed a contract with the Winnipeg Jets. 
Daws' new partner is expected to be Jakub Malek, who will be transitioning his game to North America this fall. Fitzgerald confirmed that Malek would begin this chapter of his career in Utica and said he could even compete for the starting position, which most would expect to be held by Daws. 
"I am very excited, because it will be something new for me," Malek told The Hockey News earlier this week. "It will be something that I have been waiting for for three years. I can't wait to play here."

Daws has been around long enough to see plenty of goaltenders arrive and depart from Newark, including Vitek Vanecek, Akira Schmid, and Kaapo Kahkonen. His philosophy has always been to keep his head down and keep working until he is told otherwise, and it appears that will continue when training camp opens in mid-September. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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Nikolaj Ehlers to Detroit was "Unlikely," Says NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman

There are several new faces that have joined the Detroit Red Wings for the upcoming 2025-26 NHL season, both via free agency and trade. 

While the additions have provided Detroit with solid depth, they aren't considered to be major difference makers in the vein of a Mitch Marner or Nikolaj Ehlers, both of whom the Red Wings were reportedly interested in.

If the Red Wings are to make a major splash this offseason, it will likely come through a trade. 

As far as Detroit not landing a major name in free agency, the chances of Ehlers choosing the Red Wings were slim, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

"As Yzerman said, I don't think Ehlers was a realistic option, I don't think that was ever going to happen," Friedman explained during Sunday's edition of '32 Thoughts: The Podcast'. 

Marner is now with the Vegas Golden Knights after a sign-and-trade deal from the Toronto Maple Leafs, while Ehlers signed a six-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Friedman then went on to explain that the Red Wings allegedly had interest in Viktor Arvidsson, who had previously played for coach Todd McLellan with the Los Angeles Kings, along with Mason Marchment; both players ultimately landed elsewhere. 

"I think he had some interest in (Viktor) Arvidsson, because Arvidsson had some success with Todd Todd McLellan in LA, but he ended up in Boston," Friedman said. "I heard that the Red Wings like Mason Marchment, but he ended up in Seattle. There were some things he wanted to do that he wasn't able to do."

Arvidsson was traded by the Edmonton Oilers to the Boston Bruins, while Marchment was traded by the Dallas Stars to the Seattle Kraken. 

Yzerman has given term to unrestricted free agents in recent years, signing both Andrew Copp and J.T. Compher to five-year contracts in the 2022 and 2023 offseasons, respectively. He also signed defenseman Ben Chiarot to a four-year contract in 2022. 

Friedman concluded by saying he doesn't see Yzerman offering long-term contracts to outside free agents unless it would be a "big home run".

"Unless he can hit a big home run, and this year it would have been a guy like Ehlers, he's going going to do that anymore with four or five-year terms," Friedman said. 

So far, Detroit's signings in free agency have all been short term commitments. James van Riemsdyk was signed to a one-year, $1 million deal, while Mason Appleton signed a two-year, $5.8 million deal.

Additionally, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Ian Mitchell, and John Leonard were signed to one-year contracts, all with a cap hit of less than $1 million.