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4 Knicks takeaways from 2025 Summer League

The Knicks' 2025 Summer League is now complete following Saturday's 94-85 loss to the Washington Wizards. After the Knicks went 1-4 in five games, there was a lot to think about.

From Tyler Kolek's lackluster showing to Mohamed Diawara's promising debut, here are four takeaways following New York's time in Las Vegas.

Tyler Kolek's struggles

Kolek's second Summer League was a disappointment. The sophomore guard shot just 17.1 percent from deep and only had five more assists than turnovers in five games. It was concerning to see him struggle against extended defensive pressure.

Kolek did respond well to two bad outings by scoring 23 points in the first half of New York's 97-93 win against the Nets this past Tuesday. Another positive to take from the games was Kolek's ability to play with pace off misses or turnovers. There were several times where he made great hit-ahead passes, or moved the ball quickly to set up transition-scoring opportunities for his teammates.

It's difficult to put too much stock into his Summer League, but it does confirm that he still has some work to do on both the offensive and defensive ends to earn trust and minutes as the team's backup point guard.

Uneven run for second-year players

Pacome Dadiet, Kevin McCullar Jr. and Ariel Hukporti were all limited due to injuries, but let's look at what the second-year players did in truncated time.

Dadiet missed three games due to a left foot injury. The Frenchman flashed an ability to score off cuts and in transition in two games. However, three-point shooting remains a question. Dadiet shot 25 percent from deep. If he doesn't improve from long range, it will be hard for the former first-round pick to earn consistent minutes for the Knicks.

Hukporti appeared in three games. Outside of a nine-point, 13-rebound and three-block night against the Boston Celtics, the big man was relatively quiet, averaging 6.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and two blocks. He missed the final two games with a left knee sprain.

McCullar made plays as a slasher and ballhandler, which stood out in his 30-point outing against the Celtics. But like Dadiet, three-point shooting (20 percent on 10 attempts) remains a weakness. McCullar only played for two games due to a nasal contusion. All three players still have room to grow, though, and each did show glimmers of potential.

Rookie surprise

With just seven points and 5.3 rebounds averaged in four games, Diawara's Summer League numbers don't pop, but his presence was felt. The 6-foot-8 second-round pick also has a 7-foot-4 wingspan and 9-foot-2 standing reach. On defense, he is a switchable defender.

Where Diawara was a surprise is on the offensive end. He has a better feel for the game than expected, making several nifty passes, initiating the offense at times and showing an ability to push the ball after securing rebounds.

Diawara's outside shot needs a lot of work. Last season, he shot 31 percent from three in France. In the Summer League, Diawara converted just 2 of 13 threes (15.4 percent).

Roster conundrum

Diawara was just one of several Summer League players vying for roster spots. McCullar, Anton Watson and MarJon Beauchamp are the Knicks' current two-way contract players.

Summer League saw several players worthy of a potential roster spot. Watson led the way Saturday against Washington with 21 points and six rebounds. Beauchamp led the Knicks in scoring in two separate games.

Dink Pate had a solid Summer League showing, averaging 9.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in 17.6 minutes. The undrafted 19-year-old wing ended his stint with 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks against the Wizards.

The Knicks can still add one veteran-minimum contract and one rookie deal before reaching the second apron. It remains to be seen which of these five players will be on the roster by the start of the season.

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Fremantle keep their heads as Collingwood get the wobbles in close finishes | Jonathan Horn

The Dockers rose to the occasion to beat the Magpies at their own game and snatch one of the most nerve-shredding wins in their 30-year history

It was the biggest home and away crowd Fremantle have played in front of. And it must rank among the most nerve-shredding games in their 30-year history. They took on the kings of the MCG, they were headed and they had no answers for a rampant Nick Daicos. They have turned up their toes in these kinds of games for decades. But the Dockers dug in, found a way, caught the right breaks and registered one of the most significant wins in coach Justin Longmuir’s tenure.

Early in the final term, the Dockers appeared to have fired all their bullets. Collingwood had kicked two early goals and skipped out to a 22-point lead. Daicos was off the leash, the Magpies’ pressure was relentless, the umpiring was a shambles, and Matthew Johnson’s leg was dangling like a ventriloquist’s doll.

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ICYMI in Mets Land: Inside David Wright's number retirement; Reds deliver a 'disappointing' loss

Here's what happened Saturday in Mets Land, in case you missed it...

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Exciting Penguins Forward Is Prime Breakout Candidate

After being acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins from the Winnipeg Jets last off-season, Rutger McGroarty signed his entry-level contract with the Metropolitan Division club. The 2022 first-round pick appeared in his first eight NHL games last season with Pittsburgh, where he had one goal, three points, and 12 hits. All three of his points came across his final four NHL appearances with the Penguins in April, so he ended the year on a high note. 

However, McGroarty spent the majority of the 2024-25 season down in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Overall, the 21-year-old forward showed promise with the AHL squad, recording 14 goals, 25 assists, and 36 points in 60 games.

McGroarty had a nice start to his professional career, and there is no question that he is a clear breakout candidate heading into next season. The 6-foot-1 winger has all the tools to emerge as a legitimate top-six forward, and it would not be surprising in the slightest if we see his offense improve at the NHL level with Pittsburgh next season because of it. 

McGroarty should also be put into a position to succeed. When looking at the Penguins' current roster, there is a real chance that he could get a chance in their top six and on their power play. Yet, even if he has a top-nine role with the Penguins, the prospect of him giving them some much-needed secondary offensive production should not be ruled out.

It will be fascinating to see what kind of season McGroarty can put together in 2025-26 from here, but it is hard not to feel excited about the youngster's future.  

Penguins Still Have Big Roster Need To AddressPenguins Still Have Big Roster Need To AddressThe Pittsburgh Penguins have made multiple additions to their roster this off-season. Some of the players they brought in this summer include Anthony Mantha, Matt Dumba, Justin Brazeau, Arturs Silovs, Connor Clifton, and Parker Wotherspoon. Overall, the Penguins have added to their depth so far this summer. 

Photo Credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Pros and Cons: Should Mets trade for Zac Gallen?

As we were all reminded earlier this season when the Mets seemingly had an abundance of starting pitching, you can never -- EVER, EVER, EVER -- have enough rotation inventory. These things tend to work themselves out, many times in ways that mean more work for David Stearns and his peers running the various baseball operations departments across the majors. 

Which brings us to Zac Gallen, once an ace-level starter who is now struggling in a down year that also happens to be a contract year. The Arizona righty has an attractive pedigree -- three top-10 finishes in the NL Cy Young voting, including third in 2023. But this season hasn’t been as sparkling as a free-agent-to-be would like. 

If the Diamondbacks -- who have so many attractive players on expiring contracts that they may have the biggest impact on what kind of trade deadline we see -- make Gallen available, should New York try for him? 

Let’s peek at the pros and cons of the Mets potentially making a deal for Gallen. 

Pros

The Mets' rotation might be at its peak right now with Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga and Frankie Montas back from injuries. And even with those guys missing significant time, the Mets had the fourth-best rotation ERA (3.38) in baseball going into the All-Star break. But it’s a lesson in the fragility of pitching in that, while that trio has come off the injured list, Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn have gone on it. 

Plus, Mets starters have a 5.16 ERA since June 13, the second-worst mark over that span. 

Adding a starter of Gallen’s caliber would alleviate some concerns going forward, especially if there are more health issues looming. Only four teams get fewer innings per start than the Mets, and an extra, talented arm could help. Clay Holmes’ workload likely will need to be managed going forward, and the Mets have sought a six-man contingent in the past, in part to help Senga. 

And pumping a Cy Young-level starter through the Mets' pitching program seems intriguing, no? 

Gallen, who turns 30 on Aug. 3, does not have great numbers this year -- more on that in the category below -- but he recently had back-to-back wins over the Giants and Padres, in which he allowed one earned run in 13 innings while allowing only 10 hits, walking one and striking out 19. In May, he overwhelmed the Mets in consecutive starts, giving up two runs and four hits in 13 innings.

That’s more like his old self.

And that is really, really good. In 2022, he went 12-4 with a 2.54 ERA and led MLB by allowing just 5.9 hits per nine innings. The next season, when he was third in the NL Cy Young vote, Gallen was 17-9 with a 3.47 ERA, throwing 210 innings. He also won two playoff games in Arizona’s run to a National League pennant. He was 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA last year.

Going into this season, Gallen was on the cusp of a massive free-agent payday. He’s got a second half and -- if he plays for a team that gets into the playoffs -- an October to take advantage. That kind of carrot could make him an important deadline pickup.

May 28, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen reacts in the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field.
May 28, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen reacts in the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Cons

At the break, Gallen, who was born in New Jersey and went to high school outside Philadelphia, was 7-10 with a 5.40 ERA in 20 starts. He’s already given up 21 home runs, one shy of his career worst, and his HR/9 (1.6) would be the worst of his career over a full season. His K/9 and hits per nine are at career-worst levels, too, and his BB/9 would be his worst since 2021.

He’s given up some loud contact -- he’s already allowed six homers on his knuckle-curve, the most in a single season. That pitch is generally the one he throws second-most to his four-seamer. There are bloated slugging percentages against some of his secondary offerings, including his slider and cutter, though the expected slug numbers against those are lower. And, Gallen has received good surface results despite loud contact in past seasons.

As always, beware of market inflation. Adding a big-name starter is a great way for a team to get its fanbase torqued up for October, and there’s always a league-wide need for pitching. So other contenders will be prowling around Gallen, despite his eh season. That could mean he’ll be prospect pricey, even in a down season.

Speaking of prospects, we’ve heard so much about the near-ready arms in the Mets' system. Does one of those provide the necessary rotation depth? Perhaps. There’s less big-league resume in that option, but it also doesn’t hurt the farm.

Verdict

Gallen is used to being part of intriguing trades – he went from the Cardinals to the Marlins with Sandy Alcantara in the five-player deal for Marcell Ozuna before the 2018 season, and Miami swapped him to Arizona for Jazz Chisholm Jr. at the 2019 deadline.

Does it happen again now? Maybe. Arizona went into the break just 5.5 games out of a playoff spot. While they may sell, a lot of their players are the ones who took them to the Fall Classic not long ago. Do they believe a surge is coming? The trade market can’t wait to find out.

Taking a swing this big for pitching doesn’t exactly match Stearns’ track record since he took over the Mets' baseball operations. Stearns has added lesser names -- some of whom, obviously, have soared. This one might be worth doing, especially with all the workload uncertainty in the Mets' rotation. Depth, something the Mets have preached throughout this season, has already been an enormous factor in their year.

And, if Arizona really wheels and deals, should the Mets attempt a major haul and try to add third baseman Eugenio Suarez to power up the lineup beyond the so-called “Fab Four?” The prospect huggers won’t like it, but maybe a shiny trophy would distract them.

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The Open 2025: Scottie Scheffler wins at Portrush – as it happened

  • Scottie Scheffler claims his fourth major with victory at Royal Portrush in the 153rd Open

  • Official leaderboard

Rory McIlroy is out and about, soundtracked by the usual ozone-layer-bothering roars. An iron straight down the middle. An approach straight down the middle and over the flag. He’ll have a 20-foot putt coming back for birdie. Matt Fitzpatrick has some work to do, though, having dispatched his tee shot into the rough down the left, then sent a flyer over the back of the green. Meanwhile Hideki Matsuyama’s eagle putt at 12 shaves the hole, Tyrrell Hatton’s bunkered tee shot at 2 leads to bogey, and here’s how the top of the leaderboard looks right now.

-14: Scheffler
-10: Li
-9: Fitzpatrick
-8: Matsuyama (12), R Hojgaard (3), Hatton (2), English (1), Gotterup (1), McIlroy
-7: DeChambeau (13), Fleetwood (11), Hall (7), MacIntyre (3), Henley (3), Schauffele (2)

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2025 Anaheim Ducks Prospect Rankings: 10. Nathan Gaucher

The Anaheim Ducks have missed the playoffs every year since 2017-18 and in doing so, have drafted in the top ten for seven consecutive seasons and procured one of the NHL’s deepest and most potent prospect pools.

Despite several young players having graduated and become full-time NHLers, such as Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger, the Ducks still have an impressive pipeline of potential impact and depth prospects yet to make the jump.

Lukas Dostal: Increased Pressure, Journey from 'No-Name Goalie' to Paid Among NHL Elite

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Ducks Sign Lukas Dostal to Five-Year Extension

For this exercise, only players who haven’t lost rookie status are eligible for a ranking, and to be clear, these are my (Patrick Present) subjective rankings.

Honorable Mentions: Yegor Sidorov, Herman Traff, Tarin Smith, Lasse Boelius, Calle Clang

Sep 24, 2023; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings right wing Taylor Ward (52) plays for the puck against Anaheim Ducks center Nathan Gaucher (41) during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

10. Nathan Gaucher, 21, C, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

It was a difficult decision to cut Sidorov from the list and rank Gaucher in the tenth spot. Ultimately, it came down to path and projectability. Based on his position demand, brand of hockey, and draft pedigree. It’s a near-certainty that Gaucher will play NHL games, likely well over 100, in his career, beginning within the next couple of seasons. Though having shown more electricity and offensive upside to this point in their careers, the same cannot be said for Sidorov.

Gaucher is a straight-line, tenacious, and defensively detailed right-shot center who plays a heavy brand and is difficult to play against on a shift-by-shift basis. He’s an explosive skater, which he uses to cover a great amount of ice to eliminate time and space, whether that’s in defensive zone coverage, on the backcheck in the neutral zone, or on the forecheck in the offensive zone.

He utilizes his 6-foot-3, 207-pound frame to establish body position, protect pucks, and bully his way to the front of the opposing crease.

The Ducks selected Gaucher (22nd overall in 2022) in the first round of the 2022 draft, Pat Verbeek’s first draft as GM of the franchise, with a pick acquired in the trade of Hampus Lindholm to the Boston Bruins at the 2022 trade deadline.

Before his pro career, and in his four seasons playing in the CHL for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, he scored 158 points (80-78=158) in 199 regular season games and added 29 (11-18=29) in 36 playoff games, en route to QMJHL and Memorial Cup championships in 2023.

Aug 20, 2022; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Team Canada forward Nathan Gaucher (21) and Team Finland defensemen Topi Niemela (7) chase a loose puck during the first period in the championship game during the IIHF U20 Ice Hockey World Championship at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

He won two World Junior Championship gold medals with Canada in 2022 and 2023, playing a shutdown, checking role and totaling six points (2-4=6) in 14 games between the two tournaments.

Offense has not been easy to come by since beginning his professional career in 2023-24 as a member of the San Diego Gulls, as he’s only produced 44 points (18-26=44) in 128 AHL games over the last two seasons. He is, however, making his trademark 200-foot impact on every game, and he quickly found his “B-game” when failing to find scoresheets.

“Nathan has had to deal with a couple of really important injuries that have set him back a little bit since we drafted him. And unfortunately, he hurt himself right before camp, so it took him a while to get going this year because of that,” Ducks assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Martin Madden told The Hockey News: Anaheim Ducks, when asked about Gaucher’s progression. “And then, unfortunately, ended the season with injury as well.

“But he grew a lot in terms of his confidence with the puck, offensively. Overall, his offensive play grew as he gained confidence, establishing himself as a hard player to play against on the defensive side. They were using him in a checking role, PK. But as the season went on, his skating got better and better, and I think that helped with time and space, so he had more confidence in his hands. He had more confidence to look around and make plays.”

The offense was coming around for Gaucher toward the final stretch of the 2024-25 season, as he scored 11 points (5-6=11) in his final 12 games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

Unfortunately, Gaucher bookended his 2024-25 campaign with injuries: first, he missed a significant percentage of rookie and training camps with a lower body injury, and then sustained the aforementioned shoulder injury to end his season, requiring surgery.

He was given an estimated recovery time of 4-6 months after sustaining the injury in March and is expected to be fully healthy by rookie and training camps in September.

It’s plausible to believe Gaucher will rediscover what made him offensively successful at the end of last season, compound it with his defensive prowess, and hit the ground running in 2025-26, which will be his third season in the AHL. If he can continue to polish his two-way game and explore the reaches of his offensive capabilities, he will likely be playing NHL games within the next two seasons.

Projecting Future Extensions for Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier

Ducks Sign Clang, Myšák to One-Year Deals

Ducks Prospect Uljanskis Chooses CHL for 2025-26 Season

Photo Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

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Helenius & Hemming Highlight Finnish U-20 Roster In Home Tournament

Ahead of next week’s World Junior Summer Challenge in Minnesota, a series of games involving four U-20 teams is taking place in Vierumäki, Finland on Sunday and Monday. Two teams from Finland – essentially an A-team and a B-team – will host the Czech and Swiss national junior teams once each.

Most of the A-team has already been drafted by NHL teams, including forwards Kosta Helenius and Emil Hemming, who were first-round picks in 2024 and have both already been signed by the Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars, respectively. Both played for Finland in last year's World Juniors and are locks to make it again. 

Presumably, the Finns will take the players that impress them the most from these two games to Minnesota, with the A-team presumably supplying most or all of the squad.

A-Team:

Goaltenders: 1 Saarinen Kim, HPK Hämeenlinna – Seattle Kraken 30 Rimpinen Petteri, Kiekko-Espoo – Los Angeles Kings

Defensemen:  2 Jokinen Mitja, TPS Turku 3 Kiviharju Aron, HIFK Helsinki – Minnesota Wild 4 Nykyri Niklas, HIFK Helsinki 5 Muhonen Niilopekka, Medicine Hat Tigers WHL – Dallas Stars 6 Soini Sebastian, Ilves Tampere – Minnesota Wild 7 Nieminen Daniel, Pelicans Lahti – Nashville Predators 13 Väisänen Veeti, Medicine Hat Tigers WHL – Utah Mammoth 25 Boelius Lasse, Ässät Pori – Anaheim Ducks

Forwards:  8 Kettunen Anton, Pelicans Lahti 9 Koivu Aatos, TPS Turku – Montreal Canadiens 10 Pulkkanen Akseli, KalPa Kuopio 11 Kalto Onni, TPS Turku 12 Saarelainen Joona, KalPa Kuopio – Tampa Bay Lightning 17 Tuuva Leo, Lukko Rauma 19 Helenius Konsta, Buffalo Sabres NHL 21 Westergård Max, Frölunda HC Sweden – Philadelphia Flyers 22 Hemming Emil, Dallas Stars NHL 23 Vesterinen Roope, HPK Hämeenlinna 26 Sinivuori Lauri, Oshawa Generals OHL 27 Miettinen Julius, Everett Silvertips WHL – Seattle Kraken 28 Ruohonen Heikki, Harvard University NCAA – Philadelphia Flyers

Kings 2nd-Round Draft Pick Contemplates Staying In Czechia Or Moving OverseasKings 2nd-Round Draft Pick Contemplates Staying In Czechia Or Moving Overseas Czech left winger Vojtěch Čihař, who turned 18 in March, was drafted in the second round, 59th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings at this year’s NHL Entry Draft, which happened to be in Los Angeles.

B-Team:

Goaltenders: 30 Härkönen Masi, Sport Vaasa 31 Kerkola Patrik, KalPa Kuopio

Defensemen: 2 Marila Eelis, Kiekko-Espoo 3 Jalasti Bruno, HIFK Helsinki 4 Kotajärvi Jesper, Tappara Tampere 5 Vikla Atte, Jokerit Helsinki 6 Välilä Arttu, Lukko Rauma 7 Wallenius Eerik, HPK Hämeenlinna – Ottawa Senators 8 Amhamdi Onni, Pelicans Lahti 9 Mononen Veikka, KalPa Kuopio

Forwards: 10 Loponen Markus, Victoria Royals WHL – Winnipeg Jets 11 Puolanne Elias, Kiekko-Espoo 12 Pikkarainen Kasper, TPS Turku – New Jersey Devils 13 Suoniemi Tuomas, Kiekko-Espoo 14 Teshome Nathan, Jukurit Mikkeli 15 Kuhta Jasper, HIFK Helsinki 16 Kopiloff Oliver, HPK Hämeenlinna 17 Räsänen Veeti, Jokerit Helsinki 18 Somervuori Jere, HIFK Helsinki 19 Joki Atte, Lukko Rauma – Dallas Stars 20 Vanhanen Matias, HIFK Helsinki 21 Pietilä Benjamin, Kärpät Oulu

Photo © Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images: Buffalo Sabres center Konsta Helenius (94) shoots the puck as Ottawa Senators left wing Matthew Highmore (15) moves in during NHL pre-season action in September 2024.

Which City Will Host The European Group Of The 2028 World Cup Of Hockey?Which City Will Host The European Group Of The 2028 World Cup Of Hockey? In late June, the NHL announced the beginning of the selection process for determining the two host cities of the next World Cup of Hockey, which is scheduled to take place in February 2028.
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The Hockey News Sunday Recap: Columbus Blue Jackets

Did you miss anything from the past week at The Hockey News - Columbus Blue Jackets? If you did, we have you covered with the Sunday Recap. Click on each card below to read the stories from the past week. 

From Ex-players to current players and everything in between, we've got you covered. 

July 14 was the three year anniversary of Johnny Gaudreau signing with Columbus.  

On This Date In Columbus Blue Jackets History: Columbus Signs Johnny GaudreauOn This Date In Columbus Blue Jackets History: Columbus Signs Johnny GaudreauOn this day three years ago, the CBJ made what could be the biggest free agent signing in NHL history when they signed Johnny Gaudreau. No player of his caliber had ever reached free agency. Players like this are usually locked up long before hitting the open market. From The Archive: Premonitions GaudreauFrom The Archive: Premonitions GaudreauThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features. From The Archive: Johnny Gaudreau vs. Mitch MarnerFrom The Archive: Johnny Gaudreau vs. Mitch MarnerThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

There were many exciting moments from this past season. What was yours?

What Was Your Most Memorable Moment of the 2024-25 Season?What Was Your Most Memorable Moment of the 2024-25 Season?The 2024-25 Columbus Blue Jackets season had plenty of ups and downs. But today, we're focusing on the ups.  The 2025-26 NHL Schedule Comes Wednesday: What Blue Jackets Fans Should Watch ForThe 2025-26 NHL Schedule Comes Wednesday: What Blue Jackets Fans Should Watch ForThe NHL has officially announced the first three games of the 2025-26 regular season, with the remainder of the schedule to be unveiled on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET. Blue Jackets Times/Dates For 2025 Prospects Challenge In BuffaloBlue Jackets Times/Dates For 2025 Prospects Challenge In BuffaloThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced the times and dates for the 2025 Prospects Challenge to be held in Buffalo, New York. This will be the second year the CBJ will participate in this tournament. Players Who The Columbus Blue Jackets Have Bought Out Are About To Get Last PaymentsPlayers Who The Columbus Blue Jackets Have Bought Out Are About To Get Last PaymentsBuyouts are a tool that GMs have in their toolbox, but they're very careful when to use them as they can get messy and hold teams back in the future, just ask the Minnesota Wild.  From The Archive: Ready To Break Out: Metro DivisionFrom The Archive: Ready To Break Out: Metro DivisionThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features. Former Blue Jackets Forward Lands New Job In Sharks’ Front OfficeFormer Blue Jackets Forward Lands New Job In Sharks’ Front OfficeFormer Columbus Blue Jackets forward Thomas Vanek has landed a new job with the San Jose Sharks' front office. Columbus Announces Changes To Hockey Operations DepartmentColumbus Announces Changes To Hockey Operations DepartmentDon Waddell and the Columbus Blue Jackets have announced several additions to the Hockey ops Dept. today.  Who Is The Best Undrafted Player On The Blue Jackets Roster?Who Is The Best Undrafted Player On The Blue Jackets Roster?The Columbus Blue Jackets have a few players on the roster who weren't picked in the NHL Draft, but have started to turn themselves into pretty good NHL players. But who's the best undrafted player on the current roster? Who's had the best career so far? Pyotr Andreyanov's Agent Dan Milstein Speaks About Columbus Drafting HimPyotr Andreyanov's Agent Dan Milstein Speaks About Columbus Drafting HimWhen the Columbus Blue Jackets drafted Pyotr Andreyanov with the 20th pick in the NHL Draft, lots of Jackets fans were left asking, "Who?" But there were plenty of eagle-eyed fans who knew exactly who he was.  Former Blue Jackets Defensemen Signs In CzechiaFormer Blue Jackets Defensemen Signs In CzechiaFormer Columbus Blue Jackets defensemen Samuel Kňažko has signed a multi-year deal with HC Vítkovice of the Czech Extraliga.

The 2025-26 schedule is here. 

Blue Jackets Announce 2025-26 Home OpenerBlue Jackets Announce 2025-26 Home OpenerThe Columbus Blue Jackets have officially announced their 2025-26 home opener. Blue Jackets' 2025-26 NHL Schedule ReleasedBlue Jackets' 2025-26 NHL Schedule ReleasedToday is the release day for the full NHL schedule for the 2025-26 season. Blue Jackets Sign Former Golden Knights Defensemen Blue Jackets Sign Former Golden Knights Defensemen The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed former Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Dysin Mayo to a one-year, two-way contract.  From The Archive: Bob, Bread & ButterFrom The Archive: Bob, Bread & ButterThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features. Loading The Cannon: Dysin MayoLoading The Cannon: Dysin MayoYesterday, the Columbus Blue Jackets signed 28-year-old defenseman Dysin Mayo to a one-year, two-way contract. But who is Dysin Mayo? Let's take a look.  From The Archive: Columbus For The Cup!From The Archive: Columbus For The Cup!The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Yegor Chinakhov has requested a trade. Read all about it below. 

Yegor Chinakhov Requests Trade?Yegor Chinakhov Requests Trade?Per Shumi Babaev on X, his client, Yegor Chinakhov has reauested a trade out of Columbus.  What Is Yegor Chinakhov's Trade Value?What Is Yegor Chinakhov's Trade Value?With the news today that Yegor Chinakhov has requested a trade away from the Columbus Blue Jackets, many are left to wonder what his worth is. Where Could Chinakhov Land If Traded?Where Could Chinakhov Land If Traded?Yesterday, the Columbus Blue Jackets fan base was shocked by the news that Yegor Chinakhov is looking for a new place to play. His agent took to social media to explain the situation and the differences between him and the coaching staff. Now it has everyone thinking, where could he end up if traded. So, let's take a look at a few trade destinations that could make sense for Chinakhov. Does Columbus Have A Communication Issue Between Coaches And Players? Does Columbus Have A Communication Issue Between Coaches And Players? Former Blue Jacket defenseman Jordan Harris gave an interview recently with the Boston Herald, and he said something about the Blue Jacket coaches that could be a cause for concern.  From The Archive: Whalers going to Columbus?From The Archive: Whalers going to Columbus?The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 78 years of history, stories, and features. From The Archive: A Columbus DiscoveryFrom The Archive: A Columbus DiscoveryDo you remember when Sergei Federov played for the Columbus Blue Jackets? Many younger fans do not. But for older fans, it was a fun time while he was here. Enjoy this piece from 2006!  86 Days Until Opening Night At Nationwide Arena: Kirill Marchenko86 Days Until Opening Night At Nationwide Arena: Kirill MarchenkoWith 86 days to go until opening night at Nationwide Arena, there's only one person to talk about - Kirill Marchenko. 

Let us know what you think below.

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Overshadowed by Schwarber, Harper doing damage against Angels

Overshadowed by Schwarber, Harper doing damage against Angels originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Bryce Harper has been a lot of things in his career. 

Number one pick.
Rookie of the Year.
All-Star.
MVP.
NLCS MVP. 

One thing Harper typically hasn’t been is overshadowed. But that’s been the case this weekend at Citizens Bank Park. 

Harper has three home runs in the first two games of this series against the Angels. 

But Kyle Schwarber, fresh off his All-Star Game heroics, has been the headliner. Schwarber homered on his first swing of Friday’s series opener and provided a game-changing grand slam on Saturday. 

Meanwhile Harper has quietly gone about his business — a .500 batting average and 11 extra base hits (four home runs and seven doubles) in his last six games. His season numbers are on the rise. He’s hitting .272 with 13 home runs, 41 RBI and a .881 OPS.

“Just got to keep it rolling,” Harper said following Saturday’s 9-5 win. “Just hitting the pitches over the zone and letting the ones that aren’t go by. Doing damage on any pitches in the zone that I can. Just trying to simplify and stay right there.”

Schwarber appreciates the protection that Harper is providing for him in the lineup. 

“He’s having great quality at-bats right now,” Schwarber said. “When that guy steps to the plate you just always feel like he’s going to do something dangerous, special, whatever it is. The way he’s swinging the bat right now, that’s prime Bryce. And when you can get on base ahead of him or if I don’t do a job, if I’m hitting in front of him, you have all the confidence in the world that he’s going to get it done.”

Harper has repeatedly referred to himself as one of the best players in baseball during this hot streak. 

He gets no argument from his manager.

“He is one of the best players in the game,” Rob Thomson said Sunday morning. “So he’s telling the truth.” 

Castellanos chipping in

Nick Castellanos’ contributions to Saturday’s victory were lost in the shuffle. He made a sliding catch with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth inning to bail Taijuan Walker out of further trouble.

What was a 3-1 Angels lead at the time could have easily been 5-1 or 6-1 if Castellanos fails to make that play.

He also went 2-for-5 at the plate and collected his 900th career RBI on a first-inning single. Castellanos is just the 15th active player to reach the 900 RBI milestone.

“900 RBI is nothing to laugh at,” Thomson said. “It’s really impressive. It’s a really good career.”

Castellanos is hitting .273 with a .751 OPS in 97 games this season. His 101 hits are second on the team behind Trea Turner. His 52 RBI trail only Kyle Schwarber.

“Nick, as we all know, is a little bit streaky,” Thomson said. “But when he gets hot, he gets really hot. And when he’s using right center field as his target, he’s really good. I think he’s done a much better job this year controlling the strike zone.” 

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Canadiens: Another Solution For the Second Center Conundrum?

Kent Hughes has had an active Summer so far. Before the draft, he acquired Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders to address one of the Montreal Canadiens’ pressing needs. While some were arguing that Logan Mailloux could fill the void left by David Savard’s retirement, the GM wanted a proven commodity to strengthen his lineup. Additionally, his decision to trade Mailloux might have already been made. The young defenseman was sacrificed to acquire some help up front in Zachary Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues, a 22-year-old with scoring upside.

The one question that remains is who will skate on the second line alongside Ivan Demidov. Plenty of teams were in the market this offseason for a top-six center, and all signs seem to point toward an internal solution. While the most obvious one seems to be giving yet another audition to Kirby Dach, The Sick Podcast collaborator Grant McCagg suggests it could be an idea to give Oliver Kapanen a look.

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I can see the logic in that suggestion, after all, Kapanen impressed at training camp last season. It’s worth noting, however, that he had a bit of a head start. The then 20-year-old had already been through Timra IK’s training camp in the Swedish league, and he had already started playing games with them, which gave him a bit of an advantage.

As we got deeper into the camp, that advantage faded, and once the competition improved in preseason games with more real NHL skaters, it became harder for the youngster. He made the team out of camp, but after 12 games, the organization decided that he wasn’t quite ready and sent him back to Sweden since he still had a contract with Timra, which prevented him from being sent down to the AHL.

Will it be different this season? Has he made enough progress to be ready not only to play a regular role in the NHL but also to do so alongside Demidov, who will start his NHL career facing huge expectations? The Russian wonder had already shown that he can cut it in the best league in the world, but can he do that with a center that’s only a couple of years older than himself and only has 18 regular-season games under his belt?

The answer will depend on how much progress Kapanen made in Timra, playing big minutes and being used in all situations by coach Olli Jokinen. The former NHL player made it a mission to give the youngster plenty of experience, ensuring his transition to the NHL would be as smooth as possible.

McCagg also believes that the newly acquired Bolduc would be a good option to complete the line. The right winger has shown he has some scoring skills, putting up 36 points in 72 games in St. Louis, but 12 of those points came on the power play. The 22-year-old spent an average of 1:18 on the power play per game and averaged 12:49 of ice time in all situations. Would he be ready to get that much ice time? Furthermore, Demidov is a right winger as well, so one of the two would be playing on his offside. The idea is worth exploring, and that’s what training camp is about. There’s no doubt that Martin St-Louis will be making adjustments in the preseason; he will have no other choice, as the departures of Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia mean there’s no status quo heading into the season.

Grant McCagg breaks down Bolduc's goals this past season. 

McCagg further suggests that Dach should be used with Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook. The three did spend some time together last year, and while they didn’t exactly hit it off, it wasn’t as bad a combination as the one formed with Laine, Dach, and Juraj Slafkovsky, which was in dire need of speed. That combination was painful to watch as it lacked dynamism and speed. Adding Newhook instead of Slafkovsky fixes the speed issue, but it creates a line that lacks a player to retrieve pucks in the deep zone.

It’s not an issue if the Canadiens enter the zone in possession rather than dumping the puck in, though. Newhook has demonstrated that he can be in charge of zone entries on the power play, primarily relying on his speed. However, once in the zone, he struggled to find options to keep the play going, even with the man-advantage. At even strength, could Dach and Laine get there in time to offer a viable option? It’s far from a foregone conclusion.

However, both Laine and Dach will be playing out the last year of their contracts, and they’ll have a lot to play for, starting with a contract extension or the value to hit the market as a UFA in Laine’s case. Will that be enough incentive for the Finn to play a more complete game? It remains to be seen, as he has yet to demonstrate that he can play that kind of game either with the Winnipeg Jets or the Columbus Blue Jackets.

At the end of the season, Laine’s then fiancée and now wife Jordan Leigh took to Instagram and thanked Montreal for making him love the game again. Does he love it enough to turn up his efforts a notch? Time will tell, but if a line formed by him, Dach, and Newhook is to succeed, he will have to.

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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Giants' late comeback attempt falls short as Blue Jays cap off series sweep

Giants' late comeback attempt falls short as Blue Jays cap off series sweep originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The unofficial second half of the 2025 MLB season has not been kind to the Giants thus far.

After losing consecutive games against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers before the MLB All-Star break, San Francisco kicked off its stretch run with a frustrating series north of the border against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Giants dropped the first two games of the three-game series on Friday and Saturday, then sent left-handed pitcher Robbie Ray (L, 4 1/3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 3 K) to the mound on Sunday as San Francisco looked to avoid a series sweep.

However, an uncharacteristic outing from the consistently solid Ray and a disastrous sixth inning ultimately proved to be too much for the Giants’ offense to overcome.

The Giants got the scoring started in the top of the first inning on Heliot Ramos’ RBI single that scored Jung Hoo Lee from second base and gave San Francisco an early 1-0 lead.

Toronto then responded with a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. solo home run in the bottom of the first to tie the game before Bo Bichette extended the Blue Jays’ lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third with a two-run double over the head of Ramos, who appeared to misplay the ball, in left field.

Trailing 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning, Giants backup catcher Andrew Knizner roped an RBI single to center field that scored Matt Chapman and trimmed San Francisco’s deficit to one run.

Unfortunately for the Giants, the bottom half of the inning proved to be the difference in the game.

Ray surrendered a solo home run to George Springer to lead off the inning, before Bichette doubled with one out. Spencer Bivens then replaced Ray and surrendered an RBI single to Alejandro Kirk, extending Toronto’s lead to 5-2.

Addison Barger followed with a booming two-run homer that gave Toronto a 7-2 lead.

Down by five, the Giants then staged a comeback attempt in the top of the sixth, kickstarted by Chapman’s two-run home run that trimmed the deficit to 7-4 with two outs. Dominic Smith then doubled and Brett Wisely singled him home to cut Toronto’s lead to two, before Lee singled to center two batters later and scored Wisely from second to trim the Blue Jays’ lead to 7-6.

Toronto tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth after Springer doubled with two outs and scored on Guerrero Jr.’s RBI single to left field, extending the Blue Jays’ lead to 8-6.

The Giants’ offense went down quietly over the final three frames to cap off their fifth consecutive loss.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Giants' late comeback attempt falls short as Blue Jays cap off series sweep

Giants' late comeback attempt falls short as Blue Jays cap off series sweep originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The unofficial second half of the 2025 MLB season has not been kind to the Giants thus far.

After losing consecutive games against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers before the All-Star break, San Francisco kicked off its stretch run with a frustrating series north of the border against the Toronto Blue Jays.

After dropping the first two games of the three-game series on Friday and Saturday, the Giants sent left-handed pitcher Robbie Ray (L, 4 1/3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 3 K) to the mound on Sunday as San Francisco looked to avoid a series sweep.

However, an uncharacteristic outing from the consistently solid Ray and a disastrous sixth inning, ultimately proved to be too much for the Giants’ offense to overcome.

The Giants got the scoring started in the top of the first inning on Heliot Ramos’ RBI single that scored Jung Hoo Lee from second base and gave San Francisco an early 1-0 lead.

Toronto then responded with a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. solo home run in the bottom of the first to tie the game before Bo Bichette extended the Blue Jays’ lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third with a two-run double over the head of Ramos, who appeared to misplay the ball, in left field.

Trailing 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning, Giants backup catcher Andrew Knizner roped an RBI single to center field that scored Matt Chapman and trimmed San Francisco’s deficit to one run.

Unfortunately for the Giants, the bottom half of the inning proved to be the difference in the game.

Ray surrendered a solo home run to George Springer to lead off the inning, before Bichette doubled with one out. Spencer Bivens then replaced Ray and surrendered an RBI single to Alejandro Kirk, extending Toronto’s lead to 5-2.

Addison Barger followed with a booming two-run homer that gave Toronto a 7-2 lead.

Down by five, the Giants then staged a comeback attempt in the top of the sixth, kickstarted by Chapman’s two-run home run that trimmed the deficit to 7-4 with two outs. Dominic Smith then doubled and Brett Wisely singled him home to cut Toronto’s lead to two, before Lee singled to center two batters later and scored Wisely from second to trim the Blue Jays’ lead to 7-6.

Toronto tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth after Springer doubled with two outs and scored on Guerrero Jr.’s RBI single to left field, extending the Blue Jays’ lead to 8-6.

The Giants’ offense went down quietly over the final three frames to cap off their fifth consecutive loss.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Flyers Wrap: Prospect Talk, How to Develop Goalies

The Flyers are hoping one of their goalies can become their Lukas Dostal. (Photo: Kiyoshi Mio)

The Philadelphia Flyers are not emblems of prospect development nor goalie development, but they are positioned to turn the page on that chapter.

For my returning readers, especially over the years, welcome back to what is effectively a daily column.

You know, the "Bailey's Daily" kind of thing. Conversational, relevant, informative, all of that stuff.

It can be hard to reliably produce content this late in the summer, but we here at The Hockey News are putting a bigger focus on community-building, so I thought it might be a good time for a daily "wrap" of sorts.

Let's see how it goes!

You can't talk Flyers this summer without talking Flyers prospects,  which was at least somewhat to be expected.

GM Danny Briere and Co. haven't gone out and made too many big additions, bar Trevor Zegras, so it would seem that this regime is putting most of their eggs in the baskets of player development.

I didn't love every pick they made in the 2025 NHL Draft, but they ultimately came away with more talent than most other teams.

But, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? Prospect rankings can be highly subjective at times.

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Top Flyers goalie prospect Egor Zavragin barely made a recent top-20 list of NHL-drafted goalie prospects, so, like always, the only thing that matters is what happens on the ice.

Speaking of goalies and prospects, the Anaheim Ducks (I know, I know) might be one place to look to see how it's done.

De facto starting goalie Lukas Dostal, 25, just signed a five-year, $32.5 million ($6.5 million AAV) contract with the Ducks, but it didn't just happen for him overnight.

Let's analyze his path:

In 2020-21, Dostal played 35 games combined between Ilves in Liiga and the AHL San Diego Gulls.

The following year, Dostal played 40 games for the Gulls as the full-time starter and snuck his way into four NHL games for the Ducks.

In 2022-23, the Czech netminder played 19 NHL games and 34 AHL games. By 2023-24, Dostal was a full-time NHLer, and this year, Dostal played 54 games and permanently usurped the starting goalie position from the now-traded John Gibson.

So, when you look at the Flyers and Sam Ersson, who's also 25, you have a 2021-22 season when he played five games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Ersson played 12 games for the Flyers in 2022-23 but otherwise played 42 AHL games down in Allentown.

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Then, with the loss of Carter Hart and the failure to address the backup goalie position, Ersson played 98 NHL games in the last two seasons combined.

This dish didn't spend a lot of time in the oven, and the Flyers are now actively deciding whether to re-fire it or throw it away and start anew.

The Flyers somehow haven't drafted a goalie in either of the last two drafts, leaving them with Ersson, Aleksei Kolosov, Carson Bjarnason, and Zavragin as the four young-ish goalie prospects with conceivable NHL upside.

They may want to get this one right if they aren't going to continue adding to the pool, because developing this position can take upwards of five years most of the time.