Nick Bjugstad will play his milestone 800th NHL game tonight against the team that he started his career with, the Florida Panthers.
The 33-year-old, who has played in the NHL since the 2012-13 season, spent seven seasons with the Panthers—the same team he faces tonight—before moving on to the Pittsburgh Penguins for two years, the Minnesota Wild for two seasons, the Arizona Coyotes, the Edmonton Oilers, the Utah Hockey Club, the St. Louis Blues, and now the New Jersey Devils.
In 799 NHL games, Bjugstad has scored 163 goals, tallying 174 assists for a total of 337 points.
Reflecting ahead of tonight’s milestone, Bjugstad spoke about his time with Florida and the irony of facing his former team in such a significant game.
“Pretty cool. I got to start in the league with Florida and had some fun years there,” he said. “It’ll be fun to play against them tonight. It takes a lot of people and fortunate circumstances to play 800 games in the league. I’m very grateful for that. Still having fun with it. I’m trying to enjoy myself and keep getting better every day.”
Drafted 19th overall in the 2010 NHL Draft, the Minnesota native also spoke with NJD.tv about reaching this milestone and shared his perspective.
“The 1,000 mark is the big one for all the guys,” Bjugstad said. “Eight hundred is fine, but everyone sets their sights on 1,000. For the few that can make it there, that’s a very impressive feat. It feels like it’s been a 1,000 for me, but it’s only been 800. I still enjoy playing and feel fortunate to be in the NHL.”
Earlier this season, Bjugstad played 35 games with the St. Louis Blues before being traded to the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 4, 2026, continuing his NHL journey.
He will hit the ice for his fifth game as a Devil at 7 pm as his current team and former team face off.
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Feb 25, 2026; Surprise, Arizona, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo against the Kansas City Royals during a spring training game at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Mariners lost another tough one in the later innings in today’s spring training game against the Angels, who staged a three-run comeback in the ninth inning to snatch victory away from the Mariners, who now stand at 3-7 on the spring.
Angels starter George Klassen looked tough today in his three-inning sample, busting fastballs up to the plate at an average of 97.5 mph, paired with a changeup that was his actual whiff-getting weapon: all four of his whiffs (and therefore all four of his strikeouts) came on the changeup. You might have read about Klassen in our writeup of the Angels’ farm system; John’s analysis of Klassen is there are questions if he’ll be a starter or reliever due to his limited repertoire and occasional command outages. Three spring training innings isn’t enough to judge, but we’ll certainly see him in some form when facing Anaheim this season.
Two Mariners did get to Klassen: Patrick Wisdom ambushed a first-pitch fastball for a well-struck solo home run in the second inning, and two batters later Rhylan Thomas dropped the barrel on a slider for a turn-and-burn pull solo homer.
The Mariners couldn’t hold that lead, however. Bryan Woo was good-not-great in his second outing of the spring, with four punchouts of his own over 2.1 innings. The first two innings went smoothly, but he opened the third inning with a walk followed by a single off the bat of Bryce Teodosio and then used up the remainder of his pitch count for the day on a nine-pitch battle with Chris Taylor that ended up with Taylor striking out chasing a fastball off the plate. Michael Rucker, called in to polish off the inning, couldn’t keep his inherited runners from scoring, eventually walking off the mound to a 2-2 tie.
The Angels went ahead in the following inning. Casey Legumina got into another lengthy battle with an Angels hitter, eventually walking Kyren Paris on ten pitches. He then fell behind Jeimer Candelario, who is apparently an Angel now, 3-1 before serving up a 93 mph fastball right in the lefty loop zone for a two-run homer to make the game 4-2. No, Casey! Don’t do that, Casey! It’s an unfortunate step back for Legumina, who has looked better this spring, but as they say, growth isn’t linear.
Seattle got one of those runs back in the fourth; Brent Suter walked J.P. Crawford and Ryan Bliss doubled him over to third (the crowd was very unhappy with third base coach Carlos Cardoza’s refusal to send J.P. home; friends, this is spring training). 19-year-old Colt Emerson then came up with a sacrifice fly off the 36-year-old Suter, a fact that amuses me and also feels very appropriate for a player who, as Ryan Divish says, was “a 27 year old when he came out of the womb.”
The Mariners were able to tie things up in the fifth thanks to Brendan Donovan, doing his best Josh Naylor impression by walking, stealing second, and then taking third on a wild pitch from Ryan Zeferjahn, which I spelled right on the first try, thank you. Brian O’Keefe walked and moved to second when Zeferjahn hit Jakson Reetz with a 92 mph sinker, and Patrick Wisdom singled to bring home both the tying and go-ahead run.
The second line added another insurance run in the sixth. Rhylan Thomas singled off old friend and Tacoma teammate Tayler Saucedo and moved to second on a wild pitch before scoring on a Spencer Packard single, making it 6-4 Mariners.
It wasn’t pretty but the bullpen held the line <— a line from another, more fun recap I was writing before Michael Morales, after barely escaping the eighth inning, went back out for the ninth and gave up a double followed by a walk, forcing Dan Wilson to call on one of his “jicky” (Just In Case) players in Reid Easterly, who is someone I didn’t know was a Mariner until today. Maybe faced with a clean inning Easterly would have gotten out of the jam, but as it was, he immediately gave up a game-tying double followed by a go-ahead single. The Mariners had one last chance—Carson Taylor hit a two-out double and Cole Young worked a walk behind him—but Brock Rodden popped out to end the game.
Pitching Pile Update:
Today’s clear winner was Cole Wilcox, who pitched a sterling 1-2-3 inning and looked dominant, needing just nine pitches, eight of which he threw for strikes—a big development for a player whose bugaboo has been command. Wilcox spammed his off-speed today: six of those nine pitches were the slider/sweeper (although only one a sweeper, per Statcast); the other three were sinkers. It seems like each of Wilcox’s innings has been stronger than the last; I’m very intrigued by him and what he does next.
Robinson Ortiz technically worked a scoreless inning, but it should be noted he got bailed out by a dazzling double play from Will Wilson at third base, who handled a very sharply-hit ground ball (105.5 EV) on a tricky hop for a seamless double play. While Brennan Davis has sucked up most of the post-hype-prospect redemption-arc attention, I am intrigued by Will Wilson, who soothes the ache somewhat of losing the surehanded Ben Williamson at third (although the Rays are apparently using Williamson as a utility infielder, playing him at second, third, and short this spring).
Fringe Friends Update:
Speaking of Brennan Davis, he had another loud single today. You know how they say “it just sounds different off his bat”? I experienced that firsthand with Davis, as the contact he made on a single that came off the bat at 111 mph was so loud in the press box I literally gasped out loud like I was in a telenovela. On a team that is pretty well settled as far as position battles go, following the Brennan Davis storyline is one of the most fun things about this spring.
Cole Young Appreciation Post:
Cole Young played the back half of this game in order to give Ryan Bliss a chance to play at second, which is a little like your teenage cousin being forced to sit at the kids’ table, but Young handled it well. He worked a walk to extend the ninth inning with yet another polished plate appearance, and he also showed off what’s becoming a theme this spring of improved infield defense. Hobby horse alert: you will be seeing something on the site soon about Young’s improved (re-proved?) defense. Look at the ground he covers on this bunt!
David Ross is headed back to the Worldwide Leader.
ESPN announced Tuesday that the longtime MLB catcher and ex-Cubs manager is coming back to the network on a multiyear deal after having previously been on its airwaves from 2017-19.
Ross, 48, joined his former broadcast partner, Jon “Boog” Sciambi, during Tuesday’s Team USA exhibition game against the Giants on ESPN to break the news of his return.
Chicago Cubs manager David Ross in the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, May 12, 2023, in Minneapolis. AP
“I’m so fired up,” Ross, who is serving as Team USA’s bullpen coach during the World Baseball Classic, said during the broadcast.
“Pumped to be back. The ESPN family has been special to me, and I can’t wait to watch some more baseball and be more involved.”
Ross will serve as an MLB analyst for both the network’s game and studio coverage, ESPN added.
A seventh-round pick by the Dodgers in 1998, Ross went on to play 15 big league seasons with seven different teams largely as a backup catcher, retiring after the 2016 season.
Former Cubs manager and current Team USA WBC bullpen coach David Ross is returning to ESPN as an MLB analyst. #MLBpic.twitter.com/stmEO9p0az
He won two World Series titles during his career in 2013 with the Red Sox and in 2016 with the curse-breaking Cubs.
Ross was especially key during Chicago’s 2016 run, hitting two postseason home runs, including a solo shot — in the last official at-bat of his career — during the epic World Series Game 7 against Cleveland.
Manager David Rossof the Chicago Cubs looks on prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field on September 19, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. Getty Images
In October 2019, Ross signed a three-year deal to take over as the Cubs’ manager.
Rennie succeeds Scott Robertson in one of biggest jobs in rugby
‘I’m really clear on the way I want the All Blacks to play,’ says coach
Dave Rennie has been named the new coach of the All Blacks and charged with taking New Zealand to a fourth World Cup triumph in Australia next year.
The 62-year-old former Wallabies coach beat out Jamie Joseph for one of the biggest jobs in world rugby after an extensive recruitment process that started when Scott Robertson stepped down in mid January after a critical review.
STRASBOURG, France (AP) — Strasbourg advanced to the semifinals of the French Cup with a 2-1 win over Reims on Tuesday.
In an eventful finish at Stade de la Meinau, Strasbourg converted two penalties in the space of four minutes and then conceded in stoppage time as Reims fought back.
Joaquin Panichelli's spot kick broke the deadlock in the 83rd and when David Datro Fofana was brought down in the box moments later, Strasbourg was awarded a second penalty.
Panichelli had already gone off, so Julio Enciso converted from the spot to double the home team's lead.
Abdoul Ouattara was close to making it 3-0 when he hit the bar in added time, but it was Reims that got the next goal — from Patrick Zabi in the 94th.
MESA, Arizona — The Cubs wore their white pinstripe home jerseys for the exhibition game against Team Italy, and that was more than just a pleasant view. Before the game started I saw a few Cubs minor leaguers enter Sloan Park wearing the blue alternates and wondered why.
“Why” was because several of them played for Team Italy, and that had them match Italy’s blue jerseys. And a couple of the Cubs prospects hit Cubs pitching pretty hard. Owen Ayers, a catching prospect who did well in the Arizona Fall League, smashed a two-run homer and also singled, and Parker Chavers was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
While Cubs major leaguers were in the game, though, things went quite well. Cade Horton threw three strong innings, allowing a walk and single and striking out three. Here are the three K’s [VIDEO].
That ball was up and out right in the middle of the zone and was hit a long way:
The Cubs scored three more times in the fourth. Matt Shaw led off with a double and Pedro Ramirez walked. Both runners moved up on a fly ball by Jefferson Rojas and both scored on an infield hit by Nico Hoerner, after the ball was thrown away by Italy shortstop Thomas Saggese, who you’ll remember as a member of the Cardinals.
Jacob Webb and Ethan Roberts threw scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth and so the game went to the sixth with the Cubs up 4-0 and Italy having only one hit.
Jack Neely should have had a scoreless inning, too, only Ben Cowles, just returned from his waiver sojourn to Toronto, threw a ball away for a throwing error to lead off the sixth. Neely retired the next two hitters, but then Ayers homered, and another single and homer made it a four-run inning, all the runs unearned due to the Cowles error.
Another homer in the seventh, by Saggese off Jeff Brigham, gave Italy the lead and they put the game away with a four-spot off Cubs minor leaguers Ben Heller and Tyler Santana.
So, basically, the Cubs major leaguers did what they needed to do and the loss was all off guys who won’t be on this team, some of the runs produced by their own Cubs minor-league teammates.
As noted, only 8,068 paid to see this one. This is one of the smallest crowds in the history of Sloan Park. It makes the total for seven dates this spring 79,377, or 11,340 per date.
The Cubs head to the west side of Phoenix to play the Brewers Wednesday afternoon. Edward Cabrera will start for the Cubs and Brandon Sproat, one of the two top Mets prospects the Brewers got in the Freddy Peralta deal, will start for Milwaukee. Game time Wednesday is 2:10 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on Marquee Sports Network and also Brewers TV. There will also be a radio broadcast on the Brewers flagship station, WTMJ 620.
He was also ineligible to pitch in the postseason.
Johan Rojas was fighting for a roster spot with the Phillies. Getty Images
Max Kepler, who played with the Phillies last year but became a free agent and is no longer with the team, tested positive in January and was handed an 80-game suspension.
Rojas, 25, was battling for a roster spot with the Phillies.
A strong fielder who has struggled to establish himself at the plate, he played in 71 games last year for the Phillies and hit .224 with a .569 OPS.
He was set to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, but did not report with the rest of his teammates over the weekend amid the failed test.
Rojas will still be allowed to play spring training games as his appeal process plays out, though it’s unclear if that’s the Phillies’ plan.
Another day, another thrilling end to a Sharks win that kept every fan watching on the edge of their seat. And would we want it any other way?
Kiefer Sherwood’s late-game heroics put the finishing touches on San Jose’s 7-5 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night at SAP Center, extending the Sharks’ winning streak to three games, with each of those contests coming down to the final seconds.
Sherwood’s decisive go-ahead goal at 16:34 in the third period was his first as a Shark, and the veteran forward wasted no time celebrating the occasion with a raucous home crowd that has SAP Center feeling like the days of old once more.
Sherwood praised the impact made by the fervent support from the home crowd, detailing the “infectious” energy he and his teammates felt from Sharks fans in the building during the roller coaster win.
“You guys keep buzzing, and we’ll keep feeding you,” Sherwood told the SAP Center crowd during a postgame interview with NBC Sports California’s Tara Slone.
Sherwood is an eight-year NHL veteran and has been around long enough to remember when a road trip to San Jose was one of the most vaunted dates on a hockey team’s schedule. When asked what it’s like to be a part of a team fueling a resurgence that once again is making SAP Center among the best home ices in the league, Sherwood expressed his gratitude for the energy supplied by the Sharks fans in attendance.
“This time of year, everyone is digging in and pulling the rope together, and we really appreciate your guys’ support, and it’s great to see the Tank buzzing again … It’s infectious and we really feed off of it, and we’ll continue to try and make you guys proud,” Sherwood said.
"It's great to see the Tank buzzing again."
Kiefer Sherwood emphasized the impact the home crowd had on tonight's thrilling win 👏 pic.twitter.com/TLPsKUMgB3
The path to victory was not without its own anxiety-inducing moments, as the Sharks erased two early deficits to keep the game level.
Collin Graf got the Sharks on the board with a first-period goal that saw a handful of contributors work together for a textbook finish to tie the game at 1-1.
Then Macklin Celebrini did Macklin Celebrini things, ripping a shot through the five-hole of Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobeš to give San Jose a 3-2 lead. It was the teenage superstar’s 30th goal of the 2025-26 season, making Celebrini the first teenager to eclipse that mark in the NHL since Winnipeg Jets star Patrik Laine in the 2017-18 campaign.
While Sherwood’s game-winner rightfully is dominating the headlines, the veteran’s savvy poke-check on the boards in the offensive zone and subsequent assist to Alex Wennberg was his most impressive play of the evening.
But as anyone who has watched these upstart Sharks knows, this game was far from over. The Canadiens promptly responded with three unanswered goals, sending this game down to the wire before Sherwood’s late-game magic prevented a horrific collapse from coming to fruition.
Sherwood praised San Jose’s ability to grit out a win and not let a pair of crucial points slip away as the Sharks attempt to snap a six-year playoff drought.
“We bend, we don’t break. We’re continuing to grind and stick together there,” Sherwood told reporters after the game. “Obviously, we had some penalties there, but guys are sticking up for each other and playing the right way. Showed a lot of character and resolve there.”
Celebrini echoed a similar sentiment, lauding his teammates’ ability to win in adverse conditions.
“Thought it was great — we don’t want to give up those goals in the third,” Celebrini said. “Try to prevent those, but we have a good power play and they capitalized. I mean, I thought we got it done in the end, and that’s all that matters.”
After dropping five consecutive games, San Jose’s magical season was on the ropes. Maybe these young, gritty Sharks were still a year or two away. After all, who could’ve seen any of us talking playoffs in March?
But this wasn’t to be the end of this story. These Sharks made sure of it. With their backs against the wall, they have rattled off three consecutive wins, dispatching quality opponents in epic fashion and placing themselves firmly in the playoff race as the season approaches the final stretch.
With 64 points, the Sharks currently are three points back of the Western Conference’s final wild card spot, but they have a game in hand on the Seattle Kraken. San Jose also has three games in hand on the Edmonton Oilers, who sit just four points ahead in the Pacific Division’s final playoff spot.
San Jose has games against the St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders to close out this pivotal five-game homestand that could ultimately decide how their 82-game season is viewed when all is said and done.
Who knows if they’ll get a clean sweep by dispatching the Blues and Islanders, but one thing is for certain.
The Shark Tank is going to be rocking, and that won’t be changing again any time soon.
Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki throws during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday. He was lifted after not retiring any of the first five batters he faced, but was re-inserted in the second inning and retired the last six batters he faced. (Mike Christy / Getty Images)
Roki Sasaki’s struggles from his first Cactus League start carried over into Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark.
The Dodgers right-hander gave up three walks and two hits, including a grand slam to Guardians slugger Kyle Manzardo, before he was lifted after 23 pitches. He displayed no command, missing arm side repeatedly and throwing only eight strikes. None of the five batters he faced in the first inning saw a first-pitch strike.
But then, he flashed the tantalizing potential that the Dodgers saw when they signed him before last season.
Re-inserted into the game to start the second inning, which is allowed in spring training, the 24-year-old settled down and retired all six batters he faced in his last two innings of work while throwing 22 pitches — 13 for strikes — in the Dodgers' 5-4 win.
Working in a healthy mix of fastballs, cutters and splitters, Sasaki struck out two and was able to limit hard contact, which had been an issue for him in the first inning and in his first start last week against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The home run by Manzardo recorded an exit velocity of 104.6 mph.
"I wasn't overly concerned," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "But it was good to see him bounce back."
Sasaki said through an interpreter after he was lifted from the game that something felt off about his upper-body mechanics. He made a simple adjustment and found success in it.
“It was actually my upper body,” Sasaki said. “My lower half actually felt pretty good. My upper body felt a little off, so I was trying to make an adjustment.”
Said Roberts when asked about Sasaki missing arm side: "Maybe he's trying to be a little too fine and/or just a little bit out of sync with the delivery. That's why you have spring training, you work though it, you've got to be able to make in-game adjustments. As he gets more experienced, you would expect that to happen in the inning rather than sit for 20 minutes, come in and reset."
Gavin Stone has shoulder inflammation
Roberts said before Tuesday's game that right-hander Gavin Stone received a scan, which revealed shoulder inflammation. The 27-year-old pitcher, who struck out two in a perfect inning of work in his first Cactus League start last week, will stop all throwing activities for two weeks and be re-evaluated.
“I think we dodged a bullet," Roberts said. "We feel good about it.”
Stone is working his way back from a right shoulder surgery that he underwent in October 2024, which caused him to miss all of last season.
But with him and left-hander Blake Snell sidelined, that opens some spots in the starting rotation — which presents an opportunity for the likes of Emmet Sheehan, who has yet to appear in a Cactus League game, and River Ryan, who looked sharp in two scoreless innings of work Tuesday. Ryan recorded three strikeouts against the Guardians.
Tommy Edman taking batting practice, Kiké Hernández progressing
Roberts revealed Tuesday that utilityman Tommy Edman has started taking batting practice, as he recovers from ankle surgery. He will likely open the season on IL.
“I think he has [taken batting practice] in a cage,” Roberts said. “I don’t think he’s been on the field yet, but he’s swinging from both sides, he’s running, playing catch, and all of that stuff. So, he’s progressing nicely. Still, obviously a ways away from playing in a game, but it’s been really good to see his kind of progression.”
Roberts says that utilityman Kiké Hernández, who is recovering from offseason surgery on his left elbow, is also trending in the right direction.
“He is [making progress],” Roberts said. “I think he’s going to be with us for a few more days, and then he’s going to join Team Puerto Rico down there, but from what I hear every day he’s progressed really well. I’ve seen him running around and doing some movements, but yeah, I don’t know what his progression is with the hitting, but from what I’ve heard, it’s getting better each day.”
Hernández will not participate in the World Baseball Classic.
Kyle Tucker goes home to be with family
Noticeably absent from the Dodgers’ lineup and clubhouse this week is Kyle Tucker. Roberts explained that Tucker has returned to his offseason home as his wife is close to giving birth to the couple’s first son.
“He went home,” Roberts said. “He and his wife are expecting, and so hopefully we have some news here soon, and then once he does, he’ll be back.”
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas, 25, is facing an 80-game suspension following a failed PED test, according to multiple reports.
Rojas is appealing the test results.
He was originally slated to be a part of the Dominican Republic World Baseball Classic team, but dropped off the roster last week. He was not with the team when it made its trip to Miami over the weekend.
This marks the second consecutive year the Phillies have had a player suspended due to PEDs. In 2025, reliever Jose Alvarado received an 80-game suspension of his own, which has kept him off Venezuela's roster for the World Baseball Classic.
Johan Rojas stats
Rojas, lauded mostly for his defensive prowess, was expected to platoon in center field alongside rookie Justin Crawford. The three-year vet struggled offensively in 2025, posting a 57 OPS+ and slashing .224/.280/.289 in 71 games.
When will Johan Rojas return?
If Rojas' appeal fails, he will be eligible to return in late June. That said, Rojas' suspension would make him ineligible to participate in the MLB postseason this year. The Phillies have reached the playoffs in four consecutive seasons.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 04: Sam Merrill #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers rebounds a shot during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Rocket Arena on January 04, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to avenge their loss on Friday to the Detroit Pistons. Fortunately for them, they’ll have the services of James Harden this time around.
I’ll be in the comments throughout the game sharing my thoughts. Feel free to join in on the conversation and let your voice be heard in the comments below.
Through the first 59 games of his first NHL season, Anaheim Ducks rookie winger Beckett Sennecke has notched 49 points (19-30=49). That places him on a 68-point pace, which would be the most points from a Ducks’ rookie in franchise history and the best scoring rate (.83 points per game) from a Ducks rookie since Bobby Ryan scored 57 points (31-26=57) in 64 games in 2008-09.
Most weren’t expecting the Ducks to draft Sennecke with the third-overall pick in the 2024 Draft, as most outlets had him ranked in the 8-20 range. Many weren’t expecting him to play the entire season with the Ducks, in the NHL, and in a premium top-six role. But he’s earned every opportunity afforded and is making the most of it.
He’s made monumental leaps in his development in just five months, greatly improving his situational awareness and limiting mistakes, while amplifying his impact shift-to-shift, increasingly driving play, and quickly discovering how to best utilize his skillset to become a true difference maker for the Ducks during this transitional season for the franchise.
Sennecke is a puck magnet. He uses his scanning and anticipation skills to read how pucks will bounce loose from battles. His puck skills are dynamic, and when combined with his motor and how slippery he is, it becomes difficult for even the most veteran of NHL defensemen to strip him of the puck cleanly.
If results hold, Sennecke will likely be one of the three Calder Trophy finalists at the end of the year, and in some years, his production rate over a full season would be enough to take home the hardware.
The 2025-26 NHL season has provided a generational rookie defenseman, however. Matthew Schaefer was selected by the New York Islanders with the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, having just played 17 games in his draft year and just 11 days away from being eligible for the 2026 Draft.
When Schaefer stepped foot on the ice for the Islanders’ season opener, he became the first player in NHL history born after the Ducks won their sole Stanley Cup championship in June of 2007.
Schaefer’s career began with a six-game point streak, and the trajectory of the Islanders’ franchise shifted completely. Through his first 61 games in the NHL, Schaefer has tallied 44 points (20-24=44) while averaging 24:07 TOI per game, including 3:10 TOI/g on the power play and 1:11 TOI/g on the penalty kill.
He controls the game with and without the puck on his stick, as he can make every dynamic play the current top NHL defensemen can make, driving offense for his club from the blueline. Defensively, he blends his elite speed and four-way mobility to eliminate time and space against opposing attackers, as well as an active and smart stick to disrupt developing plays in all three zones. He’s already one of the NHL’s best defensemen.
“Yeah, it’s skating. His lateral mobility,” Sennecke said when asked about what stands out about Schaefer’s game. “It’s just his ability to look so smooth when he’s skating, so controlled. He’s unbelievable. It’s crazy he’s only 18, doing it.”
Schaefer will likely win the Calder Trophy, and it shouldn’t be close.
Schaefer and his Isles will come to Anaheim on Wednesday to face Sennecke’s Ducks. The first time the two had met was a 5-2 victory for the Isles in New York, and both rookies went scoreless.
At the 2024 Draft, unanimously, Ivan Demidov was ranked second behind Macklin Celebrini by most publications. Questions surrounding his level of competition (MHL) in his draft year and how his game would translate to the NHL led to him “falling” to the Montreal Canadiens at fifth-overall. The moment the Ducks selected Sennecke above Demidov, as they play the same position, likely tied the two together for the entirety of their careers.
In his rookie season, Demidov has scored 47 points (12-35=47) in 59 games, and his numbers are remarkably similar to Sennecke’s. At 5v5, Sennecke has produced 2.3 points per 60 minutes, and Demidov has produced 2.65. On the power play, Sennecke has scored 4.71 points per 60, and Demidov has scored 4.76.
Sennecke has the underlying advantage over Demidov, as when Sennecke’s on the ice at 5v5, the Ducks account for 51.25% of the shots on goal, 51.98% of the shot attempts, and 51.30% of the expected goals. When Demidov is on the ice, the Habs account for 45.69% of the shots on goal, 45.95% of the shot attempts, and 46.39% of the expected goals.
After the Ducks host Schaefer’s Islanders on Wednesday, Sennecke and the Ducks will go head-to-head against Demidov and the Canadiens on Friday at Honda Center. Sennecke and Demidov, though likely always linked moving forward, have never shared the ice.
All three players are having special seasons and project as key pieces if/when their franchises are contending in the future. However, Schaefer’s impact is undeniable, and the excellence of his first season in the NHL, at his age, can’t be understated.
“It’s awesome. Those guys are incredible,” Sennecke said when asked about his upcoming games against Schaefer and Demidov. “Schaefer’s like breaking all the records right now, which is pretty crazy. It’s nice to see, and it’s cool.”
Luis Rey holds a Mexican flag outside of Chase Field before they play Colombia during the World Baseball Classic in Phoenix on March 11, 2023. Baseball World Baseball Classic Opening Day
The tune-up for the World Baseball Classic also gave the D-backs a chance to run out some young players, with the absence of a number of regulars, now off to play for their country. Those actually include Alek Thomas, who was in the opposition dugout here, and went 2-for-3, driving a run against his regular employers. Six of the eight Arizona pitchers used put up a zero today. That included starter Zac Gallen, who worked two innings in his second start of spring. It only took him 22 pitches for Zac to get through his work today, allowing one hit, without a walk or a strikeout.
After that, there were zeroes put up by Taylor Clarke, Joe Ross, Andrew Hoffmann, and in his debut, Grant Homan, of the players expected to be competing seriously for a roster spot. Hoffman looked particularly good, striking out two of the three batters he faced in the sixth. Most of the damage came off Juan Morillo, who was ambushed for four hits in his first handful of pitches, on his way to a four-run fourth for Mexico. Dylan Ray allowed a home-run in the eighth to land mammal Rowdy Tellez, and another in the ninth to Alejandro Osuna. ABS was not in play this afternoon, so nothing to report there.
On offense, both sides notched eleven hits. Tim Tawa and Jordan Lawlar each had a pair of hits among the starters, while LuJames Groover went 2-for-2 off the bench. James McCann had an RBI single and a walk, but the D-backs spurned a number of chances to come back after falling 4-0 down. They were 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position – significantly more chances than the Mexican squad, who were 3-for-9 with RISP. Still, a better performance by the D-backs than the Giants, who were murdered to the tune of 15-1 by ‘Merica. Hey, and the British team beat the Brewers 7-3, Kristin Robinson notching a pair of hits for Blighty.
Normal Cactus League service will be resumed again at Hohokam, with a game against the Athletics. Brandon Pfaadt is your scheduled starter there, in a 1:05 pm first pitch.
Roki Sasaki had his second outing of Spring Training on Tuesday, and it didn’t start very well.
After allowing a single and two walks to the first three batters, Sasaki gave up a grand slam to Kyle Manzardo. He then walked the next batter and then was removed from the inning. Roki re-entered the game in the bottom of the second, looking much better. He struck out two and induced a fly out. He also set down the side in the bottom of the third.
After his outing, Sasaki told reporters that his upper body mechanics felt “off”. He was able to get things more in sync in the second and third innings, saying “Actually, I was able to find something I could really trust. But I still need to work on [it] to produce in the game.” In an interview with Kirsten Watson on SportsNet LA, Sasaki remarked that once he stood up straighter, then everything started going better.
In the first inning, Sasaki was missing everything arm side. In the second, he started the first batter with two balls but then found his groove, recording strikes on seven of his next eight pitches. He struck out two with his splitter.
Those four runs were all the Guardians would be able to score against the Dodgers, however. The rest of the pitchers on the day combined to strike out 11, while allowing two hits and walking four.
World Series hero Will Klein looked especially good, striking out two and retiring the side on just nine pitches.
River Ryan is keeping his name in the starting rotation talk with another good outing. Across two innings and 28 pitches, Ryan didn’t allow a hit or a run, striking out three, including Jose Ramirez, and walking one.
Miguel Rojas continues his hot spring, going 2-for-3 including a two-run homer in the third inning. Rojas is batting .375 with a .952 OPS so far this spring.
Zach Ehrhard tripled in two runs in the fourth, and then scored to give the Dodgers the lead that they would carry to the end of the game.
The Dodgers will face Team Mexico on Wednesday at Camelback Ranch. Tyler Glasnow will pitch for the Dodgers, against a TBD starter for Mexico.
