Four-star offensive tackle Zyon Guiles committed to South Carolina on Friday, the biggest news of a busy weekend.
MLB predictions for 2025 playoff teams, World Series champs, MVP and more
How will things shake out during the 2025 MLB season?
Here are predictions from SNY staff and contributors for playoff teams, World Series matchups and winners, and the major awards...
Andy Martino, SNY MLB Insider
NL East champ: Mets
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Braves
2nd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
3rd NL Wild Card: Phillies
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Yankees
2nd AL Wild Card: Orioles
3rd AL Wild Card: Tigers
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Dodgers over Red Sox
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Aaron Judge
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
Todd Zeile, SNY Mets Analyst
NL East champ: Mets
NL Central champ: Brewers
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Phillies
2nd NL Wild Card: Braves
3rd NL Wild Card: Padres
AL East champ: Yankees
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Astros
1st AL Wild Card: Blue Jays
2nd AL Wild Card: Guardians
3rd AL Wild Card: Red Sox
NLCS: Mets over Dodgers
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Mets over Red Sox
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
Jim Duquette, SNY Mets Analyst
NL East champ: Braves
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Mets
2nd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
3rd NL Wild Card: Phillies
AL East champ: Yankees
AL Central champ: Guardians
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Orioles
2nd AL Wild Card: Astros
3rd AL Wild Card: Royals
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Rangers over Orioles
World Series: Dodgers over Rangers
NL MVP: Juan Soto
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet
Terry Collins, SNY Mets Analyst
NL East champ: Mets
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Phillies
2nd NL Wild Card: Padres
3rd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
AL East champ: Yankees
AL Central champ: Tigers
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Orioles
2nd AL Wild Card: Twins
3rd AL Wild Card: Astros
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Orioles over Rangers
World Series: Dodgers over Orioles
NL MVP: Francisco Lindor
AL MVP: Gunnar Henderson
NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler
AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
Sal Licata, BNNY Host
NL East champ: Mets
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Padres
1st NL Wild Card: Dodgers
2nd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
3rd NL Wild Card: Braves
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Tigers
AL West champ: Mariners
1st AL Wild Card: Yankees
2nd AL Wild Card: Orioles
3rd AL Wild Card: Rangers
NLCS: Mets over Braves
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Mets over Red Sox
NL MVP: Juan Soto
AL MVP: Rafael Devers
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Logan Gilbert
John Harper, SNY Contributor
NL East champ: Phillies
NL Central champ: Reds
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Braves
2nd NL Wild Card: Padres
3rd NL Wild Card: Mets
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Tigers
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Orioles
2nd AL Wild Card: Royals
3rd AL Wild Card: Yankees
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Dodgers over Red Sox
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Gunnar Henderson
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Jacob deGrom
Who will win the 2025 World Series?
ā SNY (@SNYtv) March 25, 2025
Our staff makes their predictions š® pic.twitter.com/YUAaNVsloC
Anthony McCarron, SNY Contributor
NL East champ: Phillies
NL Central champ: Reds
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Braves
2nd NL Wild Card: Mets
3rd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Orioles
2nd AL Wild Card: Yankees
3rd AL Wild Card: Tigers
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Rangers over Yankees
World Series: Dodgers over Rangers
NL MVP: Corbin Carroll
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Logan Webb
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet
Dani Wexelman, SNY Contributor
NL East champ: Phillies
NL Central champ: Reds
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Braves
2nd NL Wild Card: Mets
3rd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Yankees
2nd AL Wild Card: Tigers
3rd AL Wild Card: Orioles
NLCS: Dodgers over Braves
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Red Sox over Dodgers
NL MVP: Francisco Lindor
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Cole Ragans
Hannah Keyser, SNY Contributor
NL East champ: Braves
NL Central champ: Brewers
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
2nd NL Wild Card: Mets
3rd NL Wild Card: Phillies
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Astros
2nd AL Wild Card: Yankees
3rd AL Wild Card: Orioles
NLCS: Phillies overDodgers
ALCS: Red Sox over Royals
World Series: Red Sox over Phillies
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Wyatt Langford
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Max Fried
Connor Rogers, The Mets Pod co-host
NL East champ: Phillies
NL Central champ: Brewers
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Mets
2nd NL Wild Card: Braves
3rd NL Wild Card: Padres
AL East champ: Orioles
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Guardians
2nd AL Wild Card: Mariners
3rd AL Wild Card: Yankees
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Orioles over Rangers
World Series: Orioles over Dodgers
NL MVP: Kyle Tucker
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet
Joe DeMayo, The Mets Pod co-host
NL East champ: Braves
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Mets
2nd NL Wild Card: Phillies
3rd NL Wild Card: Padres
AL East champ: Yankees
AL Central champ: Guardians
AL West champ: Astros
1st AL Wild Card: Red Sox
2nd AL Wild Card: Royals
3rd AL Wild Card: Mariners
NLCS: Dodgers over Mets
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Dodgers over Red Sox
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Aaron Judge
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet
Danny Abriano, SNY Manager of Editorial Production
NL East champ: Braves
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Mets
2nd NL Wild Card: Phillies
3rd NL Wild Card: Padres
AL East champ: Red Sox
AL Central champ: Tigers
AL West champ: Astros
1st AL Wild Card: Orioles
2nd AL Wild Card: Yankees
3rd AL Wild Card: Guardians
NLCS: Braves over Mets
ALCS: Red Sox over Tigers
World Series: Braves over Red Sox
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler
AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
Alex Smith, SNY Editorial Producer
NL East champ: Braves
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Mets
2nd NL Wild Card: Padres
3rd NL Wild Card: Phillies
AL East champ: Orioles
AL Central champ: Royals
AL West champ: Rangers
1st AL Wild Card: Guardians
2nd AL Wild Card: Red Sox
3rd AL Wild Card: Yankees
NLCS: Braves over Dodgers
ALCS: Orioles over Red Sox
World Series: Orioles over Braves
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
AL MVP: Gunnar Henderson
NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet
Phillip Martinez, SNY Editorial Producer
NL East champ: Phillies
NL Central champ: Cubs
NL West champ: Dodgers
1st NL Wild Card: Braves
2nd NL Wild Card: Mets
3rd NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks
AL East champ: Yankees
AL Central champ: Guardians
AL West champ: Astros
1st AL Wild Card: Red Sox
2nd AL Wild Card: Orioles
3rd AL Wild Card: Royals
NLCS: Braves over Dodgers
ALCS: Yankees over Astros
World Series: Braves over Yankees
NL MVP: Mookie Betts
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr.
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes
AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
Notable NHL Draft Comparisons Between Kyle Davidson and the Old Regime
Kyle Davidson has been the general manager in charge of three drafts for the Chicago Blackhawks and has done very well. We won't see a lot of the results just yet as prospects take time to develop, but it is still enough to compare what he has done in the draft with the old regime.
After being officially eliminated from playoff contention already this season, the Blackhawks have missed the playoffs in five consecutive seasons and seven out of the last eight. While the team did sneak into the play-in games in 2019-20, they were last in the division at that time too and wouldn't have qualified for the playoffs. So let's compare Davidson's three drafts to the five that came before him.
Davidson has drafted four players who have already played in the NHL including Kevin Korchinski, Frank Nazar, Connor Bedard, and Artyom Levshunov. The Blackhawks' top pick in each of the drafts have already debuted, so that is a good sign.
There are still four first-round picks yet to debut as well. These players are Sam Rinzel, Oliver Moore, Sacha Boisvert, and Marek Vanacker. Three of them are in the NCAA, so it's out of the Blackhawks' hands for the time being.
Beyond that, there have been more than a few prospects who have already made some noise like Roman Kantserov and Nick Lardis for starters. There are plenty of promising prospects after that as well, but until they all debut in the NHL or never do, it's hard to judge and compare against picks from the old regime who have had more than enough time to pan out or not.
There are 18 players from the previous five drafts (39 picks) that have at least played a game in the NHL and 10 who have played at least 50 games. The success of the draft picks are pretty good, but the quality isn't all that great.
The Blackhawks have turned some players into regular NHLers like Henri Jokiharju, Adam Boqvist (questionable), Philipp Kurashev, Kirby Dach, Alex Vlasic, and Lukas Reichel, but the quality isn't there at all.
Jokiharju is definitely an everyday NHLer and was playing a second or third pairing role for the Buffalo Sabres for a while. After that, Boqvist has jumped around teams and hasn't fit anywhere, Kurashev possibly played himself out of a regular NHL job after this season, Dach is a solid player, but hasn't come close to living up to third overall, Vlasic has been great and fortunately is still in Chicago, and Reichel both hasn't played up to standards and hasn't been given a good enough chance to since the beginning of 2023-24.
Former first rounder Nicolas Beaudin was a bust and a handful of young defensemen have been up and down between the NHL this season, such as Wyatt Kaiser, Louis Crevier, Nolan Allan, and Ethan Del Mastro.
I can commend the later picks that have hit or turned into someone who has potential from the old regime, but there's a reason why the rebuild is taking longer than the ideal situation. Give the Blackhawks a few years with what Davidson has done to really build the prospect pool and develop young players and this will be a great team for a long time.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game day coverage, player features, and more.
Five things that must go right for Giants to exceed 2025 expectations
Five things that must go right for Giants to exceed 2025 expectations originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO ā The entrance to the home clubhouse at Oracle Park was remodeled in recent months, with new lights ringing the doors to provide a bit more ambience should the Giants choose to once again celebrate wins by turning the room into a nightclub. New carpeting was put in, and it extends all the way down to a food court behind home plate. The biggest change, though, is just inside the doors.
If you walked into the clubhouse a year ago, the first thing you saw on the right was the analystsā office, along with a mural and a TV that mostly just showed still photos. The analysts have been moved elsewhere, and that wall now features a recessed case with three World Series trophies.
The messaging is as clear as it gets, and Buster Poseyās fingerprints are all over the changes, along with those trophies, of course.
Itās been over a decade, though, since the third one was acquired, and during that time period the Giants have made the postseason just twice. Outside of that clubhouse, the expectation is that things wonāt be much better this season.Ā
FanGraphs projects the Giants at 80 wins and in fourth place for a third straight season. PECOTA sees them at just 77 wins, well behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres.
The Giants, of course, envision things differently. They were optimistic heading into camp and then posted the best record in baseball during the spring. They believe that will carry over, but a lot will have to go right for them to get back into the postseason for the first time since the president of baseball operations was the catcher.Ā
Here are five that stand out if the Giants are to exceed expectations.
Just Like The Old Days
Early last spring, Alex Cobb looked around the clubhouse at Scottsdale Stadium and said he felt the Giants could have one of the best rotations in baseball. At the deadline, Farhan Zaidi infamously insisted the group could beĀ theĀ best in baseball down the stretch. Both times, it was easy to see why there was so much faith.
In February, Cobb was well ahead of schedule from his rehab, and the hope was that he would soon join Logan Webb and Blake Snell atop the rotation. Months later, Cobb was sent to Cleveland, but Zaidi watched Robbie Ray dominate the Dodgers in his return from Tommy John, and Snell was throwing better than anyone in baseball. Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong had shown flashes, too.
The confidence wasnāt totally misplaced, but the 2024 Giants ended up finishing 18th in ERA, fifth in FIP and 29th in innings pitched. At times, it was a very good group, but at times, it seemed like the rotation went two-deep. This season, you can expect some similar proclamations about how good this rotation might be, and to stay in contention, the starters need to actually live up to the hype.
The Giants believe they will have one of the best rotations in baseball. Webb is followed by Ray ā who looked like the Cy Young-winning version this spring ā and Justin Verlander, who is healthy and confident he will turn back the clock. He wonāt contend for a fourth Cy Young, but all spring he looked like someone capable of matching his 3.22 ERA in 27 starts from 2023. Jordan Hicks gave the Giants two good months last year before running out of gas, and he bulked up over the winter.
Landen Roupp won the final spot with an outstanding spring, and Birdsong will get his shot, too. Harrisonās velocity returned late in camp, a positive sign.Ā
If you open the season with Birdsong and Harrison as your sixth and seventh starters, youāre in better shape than most of baseball. Keaton Winn, the Carsons, Mason Black and others will provide enough depth that the word āopenerā likely wonāt be said all year.
On paper, the rotation has a ton of potential, but it canāt just be about hypotheticals. This needs to be a top-three rotation in the NL in terms of results if the Giants are going to get back to October.
Win The Coin Flips
The Giants finished 24-24 in one-run games last year, which generally fit the vibe of their season. They were three games over .500 at home and five games under on the road. They were exactly .500 in interleague play and they were 26-26 against the other four teams in the NL West.Ā
The easiest way to improve those overall numbers would be to flip that first category, and they have a key roster component. Close games are won or lost by bullpens, and they could have one of the best late-game trios in baseball. Ryan Walker was dominant last year, Tyler Rogers is as consistent as it gets, and Camilo Doval looked this spring like the pitcher who made the All-Star team, not the one who was optioned back to Triple-A.Ā
Thereās plenty of right-handed depth, although this could all go off the rails if Erik Miller, the only lefty in the bullpen, misses any time. At the moment, Miller is set to mix in with the top three to get Bob Melvin through the final three to four innings in every close game.Ā
Melvin knows better than anyone how important it is to win the coin flips. His Padres were a massive disappointment in 2023 in large part because they went 2-12 in extra innings and 9-23 in one-run games.Ā
āWe want to be that team that ā if weāre in the game and itās close at the end ā we want to be able to scratch across that run,ā Melvin said. āOur starters get us through āxā amount of innings, we have some veterans at the top of (the rotation), and then the bullpen holds it there. Thatās been successful in our ballpark.āĀ
Situational SuccessĀ
The RBI is back, or at least thatās the plan. Posey and Melvin talk openly about āRBI guys,ā and they got one of the best in the NL in Willy Adames. Heās comfortable in big spots, and the hope is that he can come close to matching last seasonās 112 RBI, which was 34 more than anyone in orange and black.
Adames canāt be alone, though. The Giants spent all spring working on situational hitting, with hitting coach Pat Burrell taking the lead. BP sessions were filled with Burrell shouting out hypothetical situations and encouraging hitters to try and hit an RBI single to center, or pull a three-run double down the line. Before camp started, the staff had Zoom calls to discuss situational hitting, and it will be an emphasis in the minors, too. Melvin talks often of the need for runs with two outs.
āThatās kind of the backbreaker,ā he said. āA pitcher is on the mound, heās got a couple of guys on, two outs, you can get out of the inning, and now all of a sudden (thereās) a run. Those are things that have an effect on guys mentally as the game goes along.ā
The Giants ranked 24th in the majors last year in two-out RBI and 29th in OPS with two outs. They hit .234 with runners in scoring position. Far too often, they took big cuts and struck out when a well-placed ball would have tied a game.Ā
All spring, they kept the line moving, and it wasnāt just Adames and the veterans. Melvin was especially encouraged by the development he saw in the teamās younger hitters, and heās hopeful that it carries over. A bit of small ball would go a long way.Ā
Who Is This Yearās Ramos?
Heliot Ramos was optioned to the minors early last March. By May, he was carrying the lineup.Ā
Thereās no guarantee that anyone will replicate that leap, and thereās certainly no chance that anyone turns into Barry Bonds for a couple of weeks as Tyler Fitzgerald briefly did, but the last week of camp was a reminder that the Giants need a couple of young hitters to take the next step. All spring, team officials and rival scouts quietly said the same thing:Ā The bullpen looks good, the rotation is deep, the defense is much improved, the clubhouse vibes are strong ā¦ but man, that lineup is a couple of injuries away from becoming a serious issue.Ā
Jung Hoo Leeās back flared up late in camp, and Jerar Encarnacion suffered a fractured hand that will cost him at least a month. The door is wide open for a Luis Matos breakout, and he followed a good winter with a strong spring. Grant McCray will get an extended look if Lee ever misses time, and he has made strides with his approach. Thereās infield depth with Casey Schmitt, Brett Wisely and Christian Koss, and top prospect Bryce Eldridge is on the way and should debut in the second half.Ā
The Giants donāt need someone to follow Ramos and make the All-Star team, but they do need one or two young hitters to step up after a quiet offseason.
A Little Help, Please
The Diamondbacks won 89 games last year and didnāt get a Wild Card spot, but a year earlier they snuck in with 84 wins and reached the World Series. The Miami Marlins also got in with 84 wins in 2023, but outside of those two, the minimum to crack the National League field under this new format has been 87 wins. The path gets a lot easier if the sixth seed only needs a win total in the mid-eighties, but that seems unlikely given the depth of the NL this season.
PECOTA has three NL East teams (Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York) and three NL West teams (Los Angeles, Arizona, San Diego) at 86-plus wins. FanGraphs isnāt high on the Padres, but otherwise sees five teams in the East and West being well ahead of the Giants.Ā
The Giants have finished above .500 just once since 2016 (hilariously, they won 107 games in that outlier season) and will need to go well above to stick in the Wild Card race. Theyāll need some help, too, either from the Padres or Diamondbacks, or one of the three contenders out East ā and ideally, they would see multiple preseason favorites fail to live up to expectations.
An optimist could make the case for 86 or 87 wins if a lot of things click. Itās a lot more difficult to see how the Giants can make the leap to the 90-win range, but that might be required.
MLB Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From Yankees toĀ Marlins
The average MLB team is worth $2.82 billion, according to data compiled by Sportico. The New York Yankees rank first at $8.3 billion, while the Miami Marlins rank last at $1.3 billion. Below are the values of the leagueās 30 franchises, whose collective worth is $84.5 billion.
To derive the market value of the 30 MLB franchises, Sportico calculated each teamās revenue relying on publicly available information and financial recordsāand interviews with those knowledgeable of team finances, including sports bankers and attorneys who actively work on MLB transactions. We traded candor for anonymity. This information was vetted by multiple team or parent company CEOs, presidents, chief financial officers and media relations personnel, as well as industry experts and investors. Below are definitions of some major metrics:
More from Sportico.com
Total Value: The sum of the enterprise market value of an MLB franchise combined with the equity value of team-related businesses and real estate holdings.
Team Value: MLB franchise valuation, derived from metrics by which baseball team transactions occur, including aggregating local and national revenues and factoring in a team-specific multiplier. This represents the fair-market value of the team itself, excluding related businesses held by its owners. It includes the value of each franchiseās 3.3% interest in MLB Advanced Media, the leagueās digital arm, which is acquired/dispossessed in tandem with the sale of a team, as well as its 3.3% interest in the leagueās investment arm, Baseball Endowment L.P. (BELP).
Team-Related Businesses and Real Estate Holdings: The value of a franchise or franchise ownerās equity in team-related businessesāthat is, both those on the teamās balance sheet and held in distinct corporate entitiesāas well as government-assessed real estate related to venue, practice facilities and adjacent developments. Examples include the Boston Red Sox parent entityās 80% interest in the New England Sports Network (NESN), holdings through the Atlanta Bravesā six subsidiaries of all or a portion of 31 parcels of land adjacent to their ballpark, and minor league teams owned by the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies.
Teamsā stakes in regional sports networks are included in the related business category. Historically, those equity stakes held significant value, but they have declined significantly in recent years as cash flows have deteriorated. Sportico only assigned value to the equity stakes in a handful of RSNs, including ones owned by the Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees.
For franchises that do not own their stadia, the value of a teamās leaseāoften with advantageous terms negotiated with municipal or state authoritiesāis captured in the Team Value category.
Best of Sportico.com
Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
MLB Team Values 2025: Yankees, Dodgers Worth Combined $16Ā Billion
Thirteen years ago, Mark Walter led a group that paid $2.15 billion for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The price raised eyebrows across the sports landscape, as it was twice as much as anyone had ever spent on a North American franchise, and the club had filed for bankruptcy the previous year.
No one doubts the deal now.
More from Sportico.com
Walter, CEO Stan Kasten and baseball operations president Andrew Friedman have built a juggernaut on and off the field. The on-field resume includes 11 division titles in 12 years, plus two World Series wins. Off the field, the Dodgersā gross revenue before revenue-sharing is estimated at $1 billion, a threshold previously only hit by the NFLās Dallas Cowboys and LaLiga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The Dodgers are now worth $7.73 billion, including their real estate and related businesses. It marks a 23% jump over last year. The club closed the gap with the New York Yankees ($8.39 billion) and ranks seventh among franchises in all sports. The $1.43 billion year-over-year value increase is greater than the total value of four MLB teams, with the Miami Marlins ranked 30th at $1.3 billion.
The Yankeesā value only trails the Dallas Cowboys ($10.32 billion) and Golden State Warriors ($9.14 billion).
The average MLB team is worth $2.82 billion, up 7% based on conversations with team executives, as well as bankers, lawyers and investors familiar with team transactions. Rounding out the top five are the Boston Red Sox ($6.03 billion), Chicago Cubs ($5.69 billion) and San Francisco Giants ($4.2 billion). These estimates are based on a ācontrolā transaction with a new owner taking overālimited partner transactions, such as Sixth Streetās recent investment in the Giants for less than $4 billion, typically carry an LP discount.
Click for a ranking of all 30 teams or a data visualization comparing the teams.
MLB Economics
The Dodgers had high expectations when they signed Shohei Ohtani in free agency in December 2023 to a then-record 10-year, $700 million contract, but Year 1 of Ohtani in Dodger blue was a grand slam for both the team and the Japanese star, who is set to earn an estimated $100 million this year from endorsements, 10x the pre-Ohtani MLB record.
The Dodgers added a steady stream of new sponsor deals during the 2024 season, including Japanese brands All Nippon Airways, Daiso, KosƩ, Kowa, Toyo Tires and Yakult. SponsorUnited estimated it meant $70 million in incremental sponsor revenue. The Dodgers would not comment on their financial results.
On the ticketing side, the Dodgers perennially lead baseball in attendance, but their pricing has kept them from the No. 1 slot in baseballās gate revenue rankings, which typically have the Yankees on top. But last season, the Dodgers took the crown at $4.29 million per regular season home game, based on figures from MLBās internal gate report shared with Sportico by a non-Dodgers team. The Yankees ($4.11 million), Cubs ($3.25 million), Red Sox ($2.93 million) and Houston Astros ($2.69 million) were next up. Meanwhile, teams at the bottom of the financial table are generating $500,000 per game, including premium seating.
The Dodgersā biggest financial engine predates Ohtani. In 2013, the Dodgers signed a 25-year, $8.35 billion TV contract with what is now Spectrum. The deal highlights the sportās revenue disparity even more starkly, with recent challenges in the regional sports network market causing many teams to take a haircut on their rights agreements or lose their deals completely.
Baseballās new rules implemented in 2023 that shortened games and created more action have had their desired effect. Last year, MLB attendance rose again and hit 71.35 million, up 11% versus 2022. TV viewership had double-digit percentage growth among young adults and streaming viewership smashed its previous high. Teams are monetizing their stadiums more than ever with premium seating and non-MLB events. The Toronto Blue Jays hosted six Taylor Swift shows at the Rogers Centre last year, and their 2025 calendar includes Billy Joel, Metallica, Morgan Wallen, Post Malone and The Weeknd.
But the business momentum doesnāt paper over the major challenges facing the sport, which are intertwined with revenue disparity, media distribution and looming labor negotiations. The challenges have even big-market teams calling for change to the sportās business model and pointing to the Dodgersā economic might and bankroll of New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, who just landed baseballās biggest free-agent prizeāJuan Soto for $765 millionāand is by far baseballās richest owner with a net worth of $21.3 billion, according to Forbes.
The issues are causing a drag on MLB franchise value growth. The average club rose just 28% from Sporticoās first MLB valuations in 2021, while the least-valuable club rose 16% during that time. For comparison, the NBA āget-inā price is up 127% and the NFLās is up 122%. The NHL had the greatest growth among its clubs at the bottom, up 159%.
Since 2022, three MLB clubs hired investment banks to conduct team sale auctions. The Los Angeles Angels and Washington Nationals pulled their clubs off the market, and the sale process for the Minnesota Twins that launched in October has been muted, according to most baseball insiders. The only completed control sale since Cohenās 2020 Mets purchase was David Rubensteinās deal for the Baltimore Orioles last year for $1.73 billion. Several big-market teams, including the Cubs, Giants and Philadelphia Phillies, have sold LP stakes at multibillion-dollar valuations.
Bankers and investors traditionally use revenue multiples to value sports teams, and MLB multiples continue to fall further behind the rest of the Big Five U.S. leagues with the NBA (11.9), MLS (9.4), NFL (9.3) and NHL (7.7) all ahead of MLB (6.6). MLB is the only one of those leagues without a salary cap.
The Boston Celticsā $6.1 billion price tag is 13 times its 2023-24 total revenue and 16 times if you strip out playoff revenue.
Whatās Next
Baseballās 30 teams generated an estimated $12.75 billion in revenue last year, including revenue from non-MLB events at stadiums where teams own and/or operate the buildings. The $425 million average per team includes $106 million in gross revenue from MLB central revenue via leaguewide media, sponsorship and merchandise. Some teams show net revenue on their books after deductions for player benefits and leaguewide expenses, but gross league revenue is how most bankers present teams when up for sale and provides an apples-to-apples comparison to Sporticoās other sports team valuations.
Final calculations are still being made regarding revenue sharing, but roughly $550 million is expected to transfer from high-revenue to low-revenue clubs for 2024. The Dodgersā final revenue-sharing bill will be around $150 million, shattering the previous record. The Red Sox kicked in roughly $70 million to the pot, and the Yankeesā bill was a tick higher.
The Dodgers also paid $103 million in luxury tax penalties for its high payroll. Nine teams paid a total tax of $311 million last year, and half of that goes toward the commissionerās discretionary fund and is redistributed to teams that receive revenue sharing. The double whammy to these clubs meant significant operating losses for the Mets, Phillies and Giants, while most lower revenue clubs were cash-flow positive.
āThe system they want to alter and change is because of the Dodgers,ā leading baseball agent Scott Boras said in a phone interview. āNo. They should want more teams to be like the Dodgers, and so donāt change the system, promote ownership to do what they do.ā
Replicating the Dodgersā model is not an option unless you have a bulletproof media deal, a 13-million-person metro area and the unquestioned biggest star in the sport. But baseball owners and the league office are mapping out the parameters of a new economic model for MLB that will be a delicate negotiation between the players union, big-market teams and small-market ones. The current CBA expires after the 2026 season, and the players union expects a lockout, as owners appear more unified than ever in pushing through a salary cap. MLBPA executive director Tony Clark reminded reporters last month, āNo. We havenāt agreed to that in 50, 60 years.ā
āThere are ways of addressing the system that arenāt salary or cap related or require the restrictions of player salaries as the answer to every one of these questions,ā Clark said.
Baseball leadership envisions a system where the league controls more game inventory to sell to media partners with wider distribution of games, versus the legacy model where RSNs restricted broadcasts outside of the local market. Most of the current national deals run through the 2028 season, and commissioner Rob Manfred hopes to package the streaming rights of as many teams as possible with domestic and international media rights for 2029.
Last year, MLB generated just over $4 billion in TV revenue, with local rights representing an estimated 53% of the total. Local TV revenue dipped slightly but was higher than the league expected when Diamond Sports Group, which held the rights to 14 MLB teams, filed for bankruptcy in March 2023.
For comparison, the NBAās new national deals alone are worth $7 billion per year, and the NFLās are more than $12 billion on average. The carrot for the big-market MLB teams to relinquish more local programming is a smaller revenue-sharing bill.
Diamond has been rebranded as Main Street Sports and retains rights to nine teams. Most of those teams had to take a haircut on their rights. An exception was the Atlanta Braves, which were Diamondās most profitable MLB team on Bally Sports Sports Southeast, and received a rights fee bump on what is now FanDuel Sports Network Southeast. Seaport Research Partners analyst David Joyce expects local media rights for the Braves to rise 4.5% to $112 million in 2025.
āThe business model is really not entirely in sync with the direction consumption is moving, but MLB has a great product and premium tonnage with six months of the calendar and 2,430 games,ā Chris Bevilacqua, Rothschild & Co. media advisor, said in a phone interview. Bevilacqua sees this inventory and global streaming opportunity as real strategic advantages. āI do think theyāll figure it out,ā he added, ābut it will take a few years to pull this together.ā
The international market is a key component for MLB to generate greater leaguewide revenue. The first game of the Tokyo Series between the Dodgers and Cubs averaged more than 25 million viewers in JapanāGame 2 topped 23 million. Merchandise sales were 320% higher than the previous record MLB international event. There were 23 sponsors for the series, with revenue 240% higher than the previous yearās Seoul Series.
The international revenue largely all flows through the league office and will help produce larger central revenue checks, which proportionally benefit the lower revenue teams.
While baseball sorts through its biggest leaguewide issues, it has likely found a solution for one of its problem franchises for the past decade. The Athletics, no longer known as the Oakland Athletics, kick off their first of three seasons in the Sacramento River Catsā minor league stadium. The Aās made an estimated $276 million in revenue last year, including their league check and revenue-sharing. The team is expected to generate between $330 million and $340 million this year despite playing in a 14,000-person capacity stadium. Season tickets sold out with a waiting list established for 2026.
The Aās long-term health will be determined by their move to Las Vegas. Their $1.75 billion new stadium on the Las Vegas Strip is projected to open in 2028. Based on MLBās current economic model, the club expects revenue to be around $550 million annually in its future Vegas home, which would have ranked fifth last year among MLB teams.
The Aās current value is $1.57 billion, up 15%, the second-biggest increase since 2024 behind the Dodgers, and it should continue to rise as the stadium opening nears.
Best of Sportico.com
Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Most rostered players for 2025 fantasy baseball: Why I'm drafting a lot of Gavin Williams and Jason Adam
This isn't a typical analytical column for me or for our site; however, I've made it a point over the years to be transparent about the way I manage my fantasy teams. There's been a lot of talk in our industry about fantasy analysts not being good fantasy players, and while I do believe those are two separate skills, I also believe it's valuable for you to see how I use the insight I glean from my work to run my teams.
That's not because I will always be right. In fact, some of the value for you will likely be seeing what I did wrong. Breaking down data trends, player profiles, pitch mixes, etc. can give me a lot of information to use, but perhaps I held onto a player too long or I was too quick to move on a small data point I noticed.
This article will cover the players I drafted the most on my teams this year and a brief explanation of why. Maybe they're still available in your league, or maybe it will reveal how I feel about the player landscape overall. At the bare minimum, I hope it's an interesting discussion of players and draft strategy.
Your one-stop-shop for Rotoworldās preseason fantasy baseball content.
This season, I did seven NFBC drafts (three 12-team draft-and-hold, two 15-team mixed leagues, and two 12-team mixed leagues). I drafted a 15-team mixed team with OBP instead of AVG for Tout. I drafted two 12-team shallow bench Yahoo leagues for Pitcher List and NBC Sports, and I drafted a 12-team mixed team with OPS instead of AVG for my home league. Below you'll see the player shares for my NFBC leagues because they're all in the same place, but I'll also discuss some players I drafted in a lot of my non-NFBC leagues as well.
Jason Adam - RP, San Diego Padres
This one is pretty simple: the Padres have been openly trying to trade Robert Suarez, and he has not looked good this year. His velocity is down 3mph, and I think there's a strong chance he is removed from the closer's role either because he's traded or because he struggles. Adam was drafted outside of the top 300 and was one of my favorite late-round relief pitcher picks. I'd snag a reliable top-end closer and then wait on my RP2 to grab a guy like Justin Martinez, David Bednar, Kenley Jansen before taking a flier at the end of drafts on Adam. That strategy has worked for me in the past, so I figured I'd keep it going.
Gavin Williams - SP, Cleveland Guardians
By now, if you read my work, you probably know why I'm interested in Gavin Williams. I wrote about him as a post-hype sleeper, and I wrote about him as one of my favorite late-round starting pitchers when he was going late, he was my choice for our Rotoworld staff breakouts article, and I interviewed him at spring training and wrote about the improvements to his mechanics in the off-season. I'm dangerously all-in this year.
Willson Contreras - C/1B, St. Louis Cardinals
A catcher who doesn't catch. What more do we want? In all seriousness, I have always been a fan of Willson Contreras. He is a solid hitter with good power and a good feel for the barrel. He's a consistent 20-homer bat with double-digit barrel rates and a .260 career batting average. You just don't find that much at the catcher position. Now, we're getting him as an everyday first baseman, which will mean potentially 600 plate appearances. I know the Cardinals' lineup is not that exciting, but they only lost Paul Goldschmidt from last year's team, and we could see steps forward from Lars Nootbaar, Victor Scott, Jordan Walker, and some of the other young(ish) bats. If you're giving me that many more plate appearances at catcher than my competitors, that's a major advantage for me.
Dylan Crews - OF, Washington Nationals
I covered Dylan Crews in my article discussing second-year hitters who were likely to far outperform their 2024 MLB debuts. In that article, I mentioned that Crewsā 34% hard-hit rate in Triple-A last year suggests that quality contact is well within his range of outcomes, and his overall Process stats were above average for almost the entirety of his MLB action. I like that he doesnāt chase out of the zone, with just a 29.5% O-Swing%, and his poor average had nothing to do with swinging and missing, since his SwStr% was just 9.9%. I also love that he plays for a Washington team that is embracing their young talent, so there really isnāt a scenario where Crews is taken out of the starting lineup this season. I think he has the potential to hit about .250-.260 with 18 home runs, 140 Runs+RBI, and 30 steals while getting over 600 plate appearances in Washington.
Spencer Strider, Cristopher SĆ”nchez, and Christian Yelich are on the rise while Thairo Estradaās injury takes him off the board.
Matthew PouliotNolan Schanuel - 1B, Los Angeles Angels
Schanuel was mainly a pick for me in deeper formats, particularly in draft-and-hold leagues where I took him as my third first baseman. I also drafted him in an OBP format. In that sense, I'm a big fan of his locked-in plate appearances and his elite plate discipline. He has a career .354 on-base percentage and 5.6% swinging strike rate, so you have a hitter who has a tremendous understanding of the strike zone and rarely swings and misses. That's a solid foundation for a hitter who is just 23 years old to build off of. This spring, Schanuel has been pulling the ball noticeably more and also swinging far more often, which tells me that being aggressive in the strike zone towards his pull side is something he is working on. He also started to lift the ball more in the second half last year, which led to a .756 OPS in 59 games after the break. I see a talented hitter who is continuing to grow and evolve, and I'm OK getting shares of that in deeper formats.
Michael King - SP, San Diego Padres
As I discussed in my article on my starting pitcher draft strategy, I'm a proponent of waiting to draft starting pitching. That often led to me not drafting a starting pitcher until the fifth or sixth round, and Michael King was my preferred choice to lead my pitching staff if I waited. I have King as my 9th-ranked starting pitcher, and I donāt believe weāre giving enough credence to the fact that he posted a 2.81 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 27.6% strikeout rate in his final 29 starts of the season. Iām expecting 180 innings of goodness from King this year, and I think he is talented enough to b the ace of a fantasy staff.
Justin Steele, SP, Chicago Cubs
Since my strategy was to wait to draft my ace, I wanted to make sure I landed a solid SP2, and Justin Steele was one of my favorite targets to fill that role. Steele hurt his hamstring on Opening Day last year and then struggled to get back into rhythm when he returned, which is typical for pitchers after a lengthy absence. However, from May 27th to the end of the season, he posted a 2.47 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 112/31 K/BB ratio in 109.1 innings. Thatās pretty elite production. With the Cubs looking like a much-improved team, Steele should be a good bet for double-digit wins and 170 or more innings while producing solid ratios.
Max Fried - SP, New York Yankees
My starting pitcher draft strategy often led me to Max Fried. In leagues where I got sniped on Michael King, I waited even longer and made Fried my ace. However, in some leagues, Fried continued to fall, and I was actually able to draft him as my SP2 in the eighth round or later. I'm sure that he fell in those drafts (all 12-team leagues) because of his past forearm issues; however, I was happy to take the gamble when he dropped because he has been so consistent for the last four seasons, never posting an ERA higher than 3.25 or a WHIP higher than 1.16. Fried saw regression in his changeup in 2024, but thatās important for Fried since heās a lefty, and that pitch is crucial for his success against righties. We have enough of a track record with that pitch that I think Fried can get it back on track, and his move to Yankee Stadium isnāt much of a downgrade from Truist Park, so I'm still in on the veteran.
Max Meyer - SP, Miami Marlins and Jack Leiter - SP, Texas Rangers
Once I fill my starting rotation, I'm looking just for upside with my bench starting pitchers. I want to take fliers on pitchers who have a pathway to elite upside. Those pathways don't always have to be easy, but I don't want safe and boring on my bench. I want to watch one or two starts of a starter and see if they're doing the thing I want them to do to unlock their upside. If not, I'm going to drop them and pick up a pitcher who looked dominant in their early outing. Meyer and Leiter were two of my favorite targets for that purpose, and I discussed both of them in detailin an article on pitchers being drafted late, who have top-25 upside.
Matt Shaw - 3B, Chicago Cubs
I drafted Shaw a lot early on when he was going around pick 250 and seemed like a good bet to open the season as the Cubs' third baseman. His minor league season last year showcased him as one of the most advanced hitters in the high minors. Add to that a power/speed combination that's alluring for fantasy, and I'm in. I do expect hiccups; transitioning to MLB pitching is a massive jump. However, Shaw has never struck out over 19% of the time at any level of the minors, so he's going to make contact. He also should run and will likely push for 20 steals this season since his walk rates have been high enough that he should continue to get on base even if the hits don't fall. Pencil in a .250 average and modest power in a rookie season, but you add 20 steals in a good lineup, and that makes him somebody worth grabbing for a bench role or CI role. The plus is that, in Yahoo formats (where a lot of my drafts were), Shaw is 2B/SS/3B eligible, which made him an ideal depth piece.
Jorge Polanco - 2B/3B, Seattle Mariners
Polanco was playing through a knee injury last year, but he's a career .263/.330/.435 hitter. Even in his poor year last year, he posted an 8.9% barrel rate, an above-average chase rate, and slightly below-average SwStr% and contact rates. His overall contact rates and swinging strike rates have been headed in the wrong direction for the last two seasons, but for the vast majority of his career, he has been a 77% contact rate guy or better. In spring training this year, he has an 85% contact rate and just a 7.2% SwStr%, so perhaps a lot of that regression was due to injury. Seattle is one of the worst offensive environments in baseball, so I donāt believe Polanco is getting back to his peak seasons; however, he could easily be a .260 hitter with 15+ home runs and 120 Runs+RBI in a decent lineup. Considering he will also be 2B/3B eligible early in the season after he starts the requisite number of games at third base, I think Polanco is a solid bench option in deeper formats.
David Bednar - RP, Pittsburgh Pirates
A lot of people were fading Bednar because the Pirates refused to name him as a closer, but I wasn't fazed. Who else were they really going to turn to? Plus, I was reading the great work at Reliever Recon, and they broke down each outing by Bednar this spring. He was solid early on and only had two bad outings, both of which were impacted by poor defensive plays behind him, which cost him outs and kept innings alive. His velocity has been good, and he started getting the fastball up in the zone, which has helped. He also spent the offseason tweaking the mechanical issues that he believed led to him tipping his pitches last year. Considering he was going around pick 190 in drafts over the last few weeks, I was happy to take some shares.
Bryson Stott - 2B, Philadelphia Phillies
I found myself waiting on 2B in some drafts when I locked up other positions earlier, and I had no problem turning to Stott as my 2B. He makes an elite amount of contact in the zone, has just a 6% swinging strike rate, and has stolen 30 or more bases in each of the last two seasons. We also know that he played through a knee injury last year, so I think we can attribute some of the massive dip in batting average to that. This spring, Stott has looked more patient at the plate, something he is admittedly working on, taking 13 walks to just six strikeouts in 17 games. Stott will likely push for a .260 average while hitting 15 home runs and stealing 30 bases in one of the best lineups in baseball and one of the best home parks for offense in baseball. I'm happy to have that profile on my team.
Yu Darvish - SP, San Diego Padres
Most of my Darvish shares were early in the draft season before he dealt with elbow inflammation, but I still believe there is a solid season coming from him. He battled through a few injuries in 2024 and also a mysterious personal issue that caused him to leave the team for an extended period and be placed on the exempt list. However, he had a decent year when he was on the mound, posting a 3.31 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 16 starts. If you also take out the two starts in May before he went on the IL, where we know in hindsight that he was pitching through an injury, then he allowed 21 earned runs in 76 innings, which is a 2.47 ERA with 71 strikeouts. Thatās a solid stretch of production. He has a deep arsenal of pitches that he can adjust depending on who heās facing and what pitch feels good on a given day, which I like. I also like that he leaned into his slider more in 2024 because thatās been his best pitch. Iād have him ranked higher if he werenāt 38 years old and a bit of a health risk (which I can say because Iām 40).
Xander Bogaerts - 2B/SS, San Diego Padres
I guess I'm higher on Bogaerts than many others, but I think he's in for a solid floor type of season, and I was happy to keep waiting in drafts and add him as my MIF option. I see that many projections and fantasy analysts have him hitting around .250-.260 this season, and I don't know why. I know his batting average dipped last year, but he also fractured his shoulder and had to come back from that, which impacted his swing and swing mechanics. He's still an elite contact hitter, and I think a good bet for a .270 average, even if we bake in regression for his age. He has also maintained a floor as a 15-home run hitter and stole eight bases AFTER coming back from his fractured shoulder, so I still believe he's a good bet to swipe 15-20 bases in 2025. That means, I think drafting Bogarets gets you a .270 hitter with a 15/15 floor in a good lineup. I'm all for that as my MIF if I wait to fill the position.
Josh Jung - 3B, Texas Rangers
In drafts where I waited on 3B, I was more than happy to take Jung as my starter or my CI to ensure I had a decent backup 3B option. Last season at this time, Jung was the talk of the town. People were anticipating a major power breakout, and he was locked into an everyday role in a good lineup. The only thing that has changed a year later is that Jung battled wrist injuries throughout last season. Now, that's not nothing, but isn't that baked into the cost if you're getting him near pick 250? He's still 27 years old and barreled the ball 12% last season. His 25 home run upside remains, and he's a career .257 hitter, so he's not going to hurt you in batting average either. I think the Rangers might have the best lineup in the AL, and Jung should hit somewhere near the middle of it, which will help his counting stats, so I think he's been criminally overlooked this year.
Pavin Smith - 1B/OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
My Smith shares are limited to draft-and-hold formats and deeper mixed leagues, but he's 1B/OF eligible in Yahoo formats, and he's going to start at designated hitter against right-handed pitching. He's hit .300 this spring with an .882 OPS and looks ready to build on his solid season from last year. As I wrote in my article discussing hitters entering their peak seasons: "He has elite plate discipline, rarely expanding the strike zone or chasing pitches he canāt do damage on. Of course, thatās mainly against right-handed pitchers, and the Diamondbacks know that. Last season, 85% of Smithās at-bats came against right-hand pitching, and he hit .270/.348/.547 with nine home runs and a .896 OPS in those 158 plate appearances. While thatās a small sample size, thatās a pretty strong indication of what Smith is capable of doing in a strong side platoon."
All eyes on Butler vs. Wiggins matchup in Warriors-Heat game
All eyes on Butler vs. Wiggins matchup in Warriors-Heat game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Programming Note: Watch āWarriors Nowā with Dalton Johnson and Zena Keita at 1 p.m. PT today, streaming live on theĀ NBC Sports app. Watch the show later onĀ YouTubeĀ andĀ Facebook.
Though Jimmy Butler III, in his second month with the Warriors after five years with the Heat, downplays the possibilities of getting emotional upon returning to Miami, his desire to win will be loud even if unheard.
On the other side is Andrew Wiggins, in his second month with the Heat after five years with the Warriors. Heās a low-key presence, easygoing and laconic. He speaks with his talent, his latest statement being a 42-point masterpiece on Sunday.
Butler and Wiggins will see plenty of each other partly because they were traded for each other last month but mostly because they will be playing the same position when the ball goes up Tuesday night at Kaseya Center. Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 3:30 p.m. with Warriors Pregame Live, with tipoff scheduled for 4:30.
There is no doubt that each wants to pin a defeat on his former team, but Butler would seem to have the higher incentive.
The Warriors (41-30) are in sixth place, locked in a riveting battle for playoff position in the rigorous Western Conference. Itās cutthroat time for Golden State, which will spend the final three weeks of the regular season fighting to remain in the top six, thereby avoiding the dreaded Play-In Tournament.
The Heat (30-41) are 10th in the East, securely in the Play-In Tournament with practically zero chance of rising above it or tumbling below it.
Though Butler and Wiggins have very different personalities, they have in common an immense sense of pride. And itās evident that Butler so far has done more for the Warriors than Wiggins has for the Heat.
Butler has played in 19 of 20 games for the Warriors since being acquired at the Feb. 6 trade deadline. His individual per-game numbers ā 17.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.3 steals ā donāt shout yet his positive impact has been both tangible and intangible. The Warriors are 16-4 since his arrival and their metrics have taken an appreciable leap.
Asked recently about Butlerās influence, Kerr immediately cited his intellect.
āIQ,ā he said. āBasketball IQ, toughness, competitiveness. Those are the marks of great players. And when you happen to have that package in a body like his, with that kind of strength, it all makes sense. The game makes sense to Jimmy and when heās on the floor that translates to other guys.ā
Wiggins was having a solid season with Golden State but his time in Miami has been limited due to illness and a couple minor injuries. He has missed eight of 21 games and is averaging 21 points and 3.9 rebounds. The Heat is 5-16 since Wiggins arrived, but he was fantastic in successive games last weekend, scoring 72 points on 76.5-percent shooting from the field and 66.7 percent from deep.
Can Butler slow Wigginsā sudden momentum? Can Wiggins keep Butler out of his comfort zone, aka the free throw line? The answers could dictate the outcome.
Kerr likens Warriors' Butler-Draymond duo to Jordan and Pippen
Kerr likens Warriors' Butler-Draymond duo to Jordan and Pippen originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
- Programming Note: Watch āWarriors Nowā with Dalton Johnson and Zena Keita at 1 p.m. PT today, streaming live on theĀ NBC Sports app. Watch the show later onĀ YouTubeĀ andĀ Facebook.
When discussing iconic NBA duos, there is one that stands out above the rest. Analysts and fans oftentimes use it as the most complementary comparison for two teammates, but rarely are any players worthy of it.
Warriors forwards Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, however, are worthy of it in coach Steve Kerrās eyes.
Golden Stateās coach spoke to ESPNās Ohm Youngmisuk for a recent story about the Butler and Green duo, and offered a high-profile comparison for the two Warriors teammatesā defensive acumen.
ā[Scottie] Pippen and [Michael] Jordan,ā Kerr told ESPN of his comparison for Butler and Green. āJust incredible intelligence and athleticism combined with versatility. Thereās definitely some of that.ā
Yes, you read that correctly.
Of course, Kerr is speaking about the duoās defensive partnership, not their overall games. However, in terms of NBA comparisons, thatās about as good as it gets.
The Warriors are 16-4 overall since Butler first took the court for Golden State on Feb. 8, and his impact has been felt both offensively and defensively.
With the Warriors (41-30) hoping to make another championship run this season, Kerr certainly hopes the Butler-Green duo can have a familiar Jordan-Pippin-like impact in the NBA playoffs.
Holiday makes strong case for Pritchard to win Sixth Man of the Year
Holiday makes strong case for Pritchard to win Sixth Man of the Year originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday is so convinced that Payton Pritchard is the Sixth Man of the Year that, if the John Havlicek trophy isnāt sitting inside the Auerbach Center by early May, then Holiday is calling shenanigans.
āIf heās not Sixth Man of the year, then this is rigged,ā said Holiday.
āMy man, heās breaking records ā¦ We really need him and I think heās realized that we really need what he brings to our team, in terms of scoring and playmaking and big-shot making. So itās really cool to see, just even the elevation from last year to this year, to be able to take that big of a leap is pretty cool.ā
Earlier this month, Pritchard broke the NBA record for most 3-pointers off the bench in a single season. Even after a spot start in his native Portland on Sunday night, 232 of Pritchardās 236 3-pointers this season have come off the bench as he leaves Wayne Ellingtonās previous record mark of 218 bench 3s in the rearview mirror.
The next record in Pritchardās sight could be besting the Celticsā single-season record for 3-pointers made. Heās jockeying with teammates Jayson Tatum and Derrick White for a new franchise record, and might have the edge if those two veterans get rest to the finish line of the season. Tatum sprained his left ankle in Monday nightās win in Sacramento.
Pritchard leads the NBA in bench points at 997. He will soon become only the fourth Celtics player in team history to score 1,000 points off the bench in a season (Kevin McHale did it 3 times; Ricky Davis and Malcolm Brogdon each did it once).
Pritchardās 22 games with 5-plus 3-pointers this season is a franchise record. His 20 games with 20+ points off the bench leads the NBA this season. Earlier this month, Pritchard and White became the first Celtics duo in team history to score 40 points apiece in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
After early foul trouble limited his output in Portland on Sunday during his lone start of the year, Pritchard joked that maybe he needs to stick to coming off the bench.
Holiday has loved watching Pritchardās progress.
āWe talked about it, I think his first points were against [Milwaukee] when I was with the Bucks. And I think it was a 3,ā said Holiday, who was indeed on the floor when Pritchard drilled a second-quarter triple for his first career points in his NBA debut on Dec. 23, 2020.
āI think to be able to witness that and see, even a time like that where he wasnāt playing much, you could see that everybody kind of has potential. And him just being steady, stay working, you could see. If itās off-days or optional [workout] days, heās still in the gym. Heās not taking any days off. He wants to be the best player he can, and I think that means a lot. I donāt think he does it just for himself. I think he does it for our team.ā
Holiday doesnāt need any reminders on how competitive Pritchard can be.
āI used to play against Payton, so the times that Iāve seen him play and played against him, you could tell that heās always had a chip,ā said Holiday. āAnd Iām pretty sure, even in terms of being shorter, he has always had that dog in him.
āTo be his teammate, Iām glad to be on his side.ā
Red Wings' Austin Watson Hits Milestone
It was a good night.
At least, it was a good night for most of Detroit's players.
The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Utah Hockey Club (and newly re-signed former Red Wing, Olli Maatta), 5-1, with five different goal scorers despite being down a goaltender.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
Alex DeBrincat notched his 500th career point with his 33rd goal of the season. Youngsters Marco Kasper and Elmer Soderblom continued their great seasons by scoring goals in the victory. However, two players who don't often contribute offensively also hit the scoresheet. Tyler Motte scored the Red Wings' fifth and final goal of the night, his third of the season.
Finally, Austin Watson, still fresh (ish) from a call-up from the Grand Rapids Griffins, scored the team's third goal - his first of the year. The veteran forward survived a demotion, while defender Brogan Rafferty did not.
Trending Red Wings Stories
Every Expiring Detroit Red Wings ContractAll good things come to an end.
Coach Todd McLellan on Red Wings' Predicament: "It's Not the Fancy Stuff"
Over-Performing Late Round Red Wings Prospect Emmitt Finnie Reporting to Grand Rapids
Injury Update: Erik Gustafsson's Season Likely Over
Red Wings Goaltenders: Unique Strategy Isn't Good For Everyone
Detroit Red Wings Schedule For March 2025
Watty's 1st as a Red Wing! #LGRWpic.twitter.com/wvPMtwUJie
ā Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 25, 2025
This was also Watson's first goal as a Red Wing.
Monday night was Watson's fourth game with the Red Wings this season. He has averaged 7:15 of ice time per game in addition to firing four shots.
Watson has played 519 NHL games with four different organizations. The 33-year-old winger has also suited up for the Nashville Predators, Ottawa Senators, and Tampa Bay Lightning before his stop in Detroit.
The 6-foot-4 and 238 lb winger's best offensive season came with the Predators in 2017-18. He played 76 games, scored 14 goals, and recorded 19 points while averaging 12:20 a game.
Watson has enjoyed tremendous success with the Griffins this season. He currently has 37 points in 56 AHL games and earned himself an appearance at the AHL All-Star Game. When he was named an All-Star, he was second in team scoring with 29 points in 41 games.
With their playoff hopes hanging by a precarious thread, Watson's milestone has given them a bit of life.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites.
Phillies' first goal is to win the division and it didn't get easier
Phillies' first goal is to win the division and it didn't get easier originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
CLEARWATER, Fla. ā Rob Thomson was manager of the National League team at the 2023 All-Star Game in Seattle, a residual perk of the Phillies making it to the World Series the previous year. One of the players on the roster was Juan Soto, who was already friendly with hitting coach Kevin Long from their time together with the Nationals.
āIāve gotten to know him a little bit,ā the Philliesā skipper said in February. āI think heās a really good guy.ā
While Soto was trying to decide which team to sign with, though, Thomson didnāt use that inside connection to try to steer this yearās biggest free-agent prize away from the division rival Mets. āI didnāt have his number, unfortunately,ā he said with a laugh.
The Phillies won the National League East last year, but two of the three postseason wild card slots were claimed by the Mets and Braves. Since then, New York bagged Soto with an astonishing 15-year, $765 million offer. And the Braves are getting back 2023 NL MVP Ronald AcuƱa Jr. (who didnāt play again after tearing his ACL on May 26) and All-Star right-hander Spencer Strider (who made only two starts before undergoing elbow surgery.)
āI always say, to win a division youāve got to win within your division,ā Thomson said. āAnd youāve got to win at home. If you can do those two things, youāre in pretty good shape.ā
It doesnāt figure to get any easier. Talking about how the competition has improved from last season is an overworked trope. At the same time, on paper at least, the East could be a beast.
METS
Owner Steve Cohen has won more dollar bill-stacking contests than pennants so far, but thereās a lot of realistic optimism in Queens heading into this season after winning a playoff round for the first time since 2015.
In addition to Soto, franchise fixture and fan favorite Pete Alonso will be back at first base after a prolonged soap opera of a negotiation. A lineup that finished seventh in MLB in runs scored in 2024 could be even more dangerous this year.
The biggest question is the rotation. Returning No. 1 starter Sean Manaea will open the season on the injured list after suffering a strained oblique. Right-hander Frankie Montas was signed as a free agent ā¦ then strained his lower back his first day in Port St. Lucie and is expected to miss the first two months.
Kodai Senga made only one regular season start in 2024 before missing the rest of the year with a calf strain. Clay Holmes is being converted from reliever to starter.
Thereās also uncertainty over whether 2022 batting champ Jeff McNeil will remain the everyday second baseman or be replaced by Bret Baty, Luisangel Acuna or Ronny Mauricio.
Said Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski: āThe Mets took a big jump forward last year. Theyāve got a lot of werewithal and some smart people running their organization. I think theyāre both going to be very good for years to come.ā
So circle the dates June 20-21-22 and September 8-9-10-11 on your handy pocket schedule. Thatās when the Mets will be at Citizens Bank Park and this ancient rivalry has never been hotter, especially after New York kayoed the Phillies in last fallās NLDS.
BRAVES
Despite being without one of the best position players and one of the best starting pitchers in baseball last season, Atlanta made the playoffs. What else is new? The previous six years, the Braves won the division.
They lost left-hander Max Fried (11-10, 3.25), who signed as a free agent with the Yankees. But when Strider comes back ā currently expected to be around May 1 ā heāll join Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez and Spencer Schwellenbach to give Atlanta a formidable rotation.
AcuƱa has said he hopes to return about the same time. And while general manager Alex Anthopoulos didnāt make many offseason moves, he made a splash by signing Jurickson Profar (3 years, $42 million) to play left field and stabilize the leadoff spot.
Bet against the Braves at your own risk. Theyāve won their division 21 of the last 33 years while qualifying as a wild-card on three additional occasions. āThe Braves are a good organization,ā Dombrowski said. āTheyāve won the division a bunch of times. Won a World Championship. Theyāre a very well-run organization from top to bottom. So you know theyāre going to be good.ā
NATIONALS
The Nationals won the World Series in 2019. It seems so much longer ago than that. The ceremonial hoisting of the trophy was followed by five straight losing seasons, five straight years in the baseball wilderness.
Thomson and Dombrowski, however, view the Nats as the stealth club of the NL East. Probably not ready to make the playoffs right now but coming up fast in the rearview mirror and good enough to create a lot of disruption in the meantime. āI think theyāre going to surprise a lot of people,ā the manager said. āTheyāve got a lot of really good young players and theyāve added some pretty good veteran guys to put around them.ā
Five starting position players who were 25 or younger (SS C.J. Abrams, CF Jacob Young, 2B Luis Garcia Jr.; LF James Wood, C Keibert Ruiz) are returning. So is No. 1 starter MacKenzie Gore, who just turned 26 in February, plus back of the rotation starters Mitchell Parker and DJ Herz.
To that base, general manager Mike Rizzo added former 29-year-old Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner Nathaniel Lowe (in a trade with the Rangers) to solidify first base and 32-year-old power bat Josh Bell (signed as a free agent) to be the DH.
He also signed two starters: 2019 All-Star right-hander Michael Soroka and lefty Shinnosuke Ogasawara from the Chunichi Dragons of the Japan Central League.
Said Dombrowski: āTheyāve got some really good, young players. You never know when it will come.ā
MARLINS
It would be charitable to say that Miami is rebuilding. Again. It would probably be more accurate to depict it as starting over after yet another salary dump.
It began barely a month into the 2024 season when they sent their best hitter, Luis Arraez, to the Padres. They subsequently moved established reliever A.J. Puk and middle-of-the-order bat Jazz Chisholm Jr. before really backing the truck up at the trade deadline. On July 30, six separate trades gutted what remained of the big-league roster.
No team can be completely dismissed and the Marlins always seem to have emerging talent and some good arms. Catcher Augustin Ramirez, acquired in the Chisholm deal, is being promoted as a future star. Sandy Alcantara is expected to be 100 percent. The 2022 NL Cy Young winner is expected to be fully recovered from the 2023 Tommy John surgery that cost him all of last season.
The Phillies, of all teams, shouldnāt have to be reminded about not dropping their guard. After all, they went just 7-6 against the 100-loss Fish last year.
āCeltics City' beyond the episode:Ā Larry Bird ushers in new era
āCeltics City' beyond the episode:Ā Larry Bird ushers in new era originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics were in a difficult place in the late 1970s.
Bill Russell had been retired for about a decade. John Havlicek retired after the 1977-78 season, which also was Tommy Heinsohnās last year as head coach. Dave Cowens was still a very good player but no longer MVP-caliber.
For the first time in many years, the team was not a championship contender. The Cās were losing a ton of games and didnāt have a superstar player to lead them into the 1980s.
That is, until, the team drafted one of its greatest players, Larry Bird. Celtics executive Red Auerbach scouted Bird and knew he had incredible talent and the type of play style required to win championships.
More āCeltics Cityā
The Celtics took Bird with the No. 6 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. But the talented forward didnāt make his debut for Boston right away because he returned to Indiana State for his senior season. The delay was tough for Celtics fans, who were eager to see if the hype surrounding Bird was legit, but he was definitely worth the wait.
The 1980s Celtics and Birdās arrival in Boston were the focus of the fourth episode of Maxās Celtics City docuseries, titled āGreat Hope. Periodā. In NBC Sports Bostonās Keys to the City recapping the episode, Jackie MacMullan shared her perspective on Bird.
āHeās the most authentic superstar Iāve ever been around in my life in any sport,ā MacMullan said. āHe is who he is, and you can take it or leave it. Heās not going to change the way he thinks or speaks because you donāt like it, or because itās going to get him more endorsements ā because he usually wanted less of those, anyway.
āI just thought, in this episode, you just see him unvarnished ā developing into the great superstar he became. Thereās a scene when theyāre beating the Sixers and he hits that big shot (in Game 7 of the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals) and Redās talking about, āI like people who want the ball at the end of the game.ā He says that throughout this documentary. Birdās got the ball and heās like, āLook, I know the time Iāve put in, the work Iāve put in. I know most of my teammates have not, so Iām going to take the shot because Iām going to make it.ā That was him.ā
Bird alone wasnāt going to bring the Celtics back to championship glory. The Celtics had the No. 1 and No. 13 overall picks in the 1980 NBA Draft. The No. 1 pick was obtained from the Detroit Pistons in a trade the previous September. Auerbach then engineered one of the greatest trades in league history by sending both picks to the Golden State Warriors for center Robert Parish and the No. 3 pick, which the Cās used to select Minnesota forward Kevin McHale.
Two future Hall of Famers in one trade? Not bad.
Parish and McHale teamed with Bird to form the Celticsā āBig Threeā and establish one of the best frontcourts the game has ever seen. Bird won Rookie of the Year in 1979-80 as the Celticsā win total improved by 32 from the previous season, which, at the time, was a league record.
Led by Bird, the Cās would make the NBA Finals five times in the next seven seasons, including titles in 1980-81 (vs. Rockets), 1983-84 (vs. Lakers) and 1985-86 (vs. Rockets). The 1985-86 Celtics are considered by many people as the greatest team in league history. Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 and 1986, while winning league MVP three straight years from 1983-84 through 1985-86.
The epic rivalry between the Celtics and Lakers, and more specifically, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, vaulted the league to a new stratosphere of popularity during the decade. These teams met in the Finals three times in the 1980s, with the Lakers winning in 1985 and 1987 and the Cās prevailing in 1984.
Bird retired after the 1991-92 season as back injuries had taken their toll. By that time, the Celtics were still competitive but no longer were legit title contenders.
The 1980s Celtics will always hold a special place in the hearts and minds of Boston sports fans. It wasnāt just that the Cās won so many games during this span, it was the beautiful way they played ā prioritizing team basketball, strong fundamentals and playing with relentless effort.
For more on the 1980s Celtics and Larry Bird, check out NBC Sports Bostonās exclusive footage and interviews below:
The 1985-86 Celtics are the greatest team in NBA history. They went 67-15, including a 41-1 record at home, before dominating in the playoffs en route to the franchiseās 16th title.
Here are some of Birdās best highlights:
The story of how the Celtics drafted Bird:
Blue Jackets Halt Six Game Skid; Roy and His Players Have Strong Words For The Officials
Adam Fantilli(22), Boone Jenner(2-SHG), and Kirill Marchenko(26) scored the goals for Columbus, and Elvis Merzļikins made 30 saves, including all three Islanders shootout attempts, to beat New York on Long Island in comeback fashion.
This game saw Sean Monahan and Erik Gudbranson return to the lineup.
The Blue Jackets erased a two-goal second-period deficit, only to lose the lead again with 48 seconds left in the second. But in the third, the CBJ would tie the game with just over seven minutes left to play when Kirill Marchenko blasted a shot past Ilya Sorokin.
MARCHY BROUGHT THE HEAT! š„@FanaticsBook | #CBJpic.twitter.com/67FxvnuS99
ā Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) March 25, 2025
Tragedy almost struck Columbus when New York seemingly scored with 10 seconds left. The refs on the ice immediately waived it off and then would be reviewed by Toronto for goalie interference. Kyle Palmieri was ruled to have interfered with Elvis, which nullified the goal, sending the game to overtime.
Neither team would score in the OT period, and Merzļikins would again stand tall to win the skills competition, stopping all three Isles shots. The Jackets won 4-3 and are now 5-1 in shootouts this season. Their five shootout wins are tied for first in the league.
One thing is for sure, NO ONE knows what goalie interference is.
Islanders coach Patrick Roy said after the game, āI think I saw it the same way you guys saw it. Palmieri was out of the crease and we tipped it in, and I think their goalie pushed him away at the same time. So, thatās how I see it. If Toronto is afraid to overturn calls made by their referee, we don't need Toronto. That's all I want to say.ā
Kyle Palmieri said after the game, āHe said there was contact initiated in the crease, and I guess the goalie needs five minutes to get reset and ready for the shot, and it looked like he couldn't wait to waive it off.ā
The NHL said after the game, āVideo review supported the Refereesā call on the ice that New Yorkās Kyle Palmieri impaired Elvis Merzlikinsā ability to play his position in the crease prior to the goal.ā
Columbus is now 32-29-9 and has 73 points. They're two points behind the second wild card spot.
Final Stats
Player Stats
- Adam Fantilli scored his 22nd goal of the season. He also 4 shots and 4 hits.
- Boone Jenner scored his 2nd goal of the season.
- Kirill Marchenko scored his team-leading 26th of the season on 5 shots.
- Sean Monahan recorded two assists in his first game back from IR.
- Dante Fabbro got his 12th assist and was a plus-3 on the night.
- Ivan Provorov tallied his 23rd assist.
- Erik Gudbranson played 16:18 in his first game back after missing 66 games.
- Elvis Merzļikins made 30 saves and got an assist on the Fantilli goal. He now has 5 assists for his career, putting him third in CBJ history.
Team Stats
- The Jackets power play went 0/1 on the night.
- The Columbus PK stopped all three Islanders power plays.
- Columbus won 55% of the faceoffs.
What's Next: The Vancouver Canucks visit Columbus on Friday.
Let us know what you think below.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.
Exclusive Interview With Jayden Struble On His Game, His Teammates And The Upcoming Lineup Change
While Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, and Cole Hutson grab most of the headlines, Jayden Struble has been playing some really solid hockey for the Montreal Canadiens since Kayden Guhleās injury at the end of January, and I thought it was high time to have a feature about him. I caught him when the team arrived at their hotel in St. Louis before he went to dinner with his usual group on the road, Michael Pezzetta. Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Juraj Slafkovsky, Jakub Dobes, and Wayne (which is what he calls his defense partner Lane Hutson).
Canadiens Will Try To Get Back To Their Winning Ways Against Blues
Former Canadiens Center Activated For Playoff Push
Kaiden Guhle Will Travel With The Canadiens
A native of Rhode Island, Struble winced when asked which team he supported as a kid before confessing the Boston Bruins were his favorite, just like most of his friends and family. The Montreal faithful will probably be happy to know that his favorite player wasnāt defenseman Zdeno Chara- who became public enemy number one with the Max Pacioretty incident- but lāAncienne-Lorette native Patrice Bergeron.
Even though TSN insider Bob MacKenzie had him ranked at number 63 in his draft year, Struble says he wasnāt surprised to be claimed in the second round at 46th overall. Thanks to a very good combine, he believed he would be claimed around there, but he didnāt expect the Canadiens to call up his name. However, knowing he was a Bruins fan, his stepdad said wouldnāt it be funny if the Habs picked you? Enemy of his childhood team or not, he felt nothing but excitement when it did happen mere minutes later.
Unlike some players eager to jump to the pros, Struble played his four years of eligibility in the NCAA. Not that he went in telling himself that he would, but he loved being in school. Considering where he was at with his game and feeling like he wanted to finish what he started, it wasnāt a tough decision to stay. Although he has yet to graduate, he fully intends to complete his degree; he was a communications major.
He played with former Hab Jordan Harris at Northeastern, who was drafted by Montreal a year before him, but they didnāt talk about playing together in Montreal later on since they hadnāt made it yet. They did, however, think it was cool they would have the opportunity at least to earn a spot and play on the same team. He added:
It was actually pretty special to see that happen, and you know, both of us start our careers in the same spot.- On starting his career in the same organization as Jordan Harris
Unsurprisingly, he found it tough to see him leave in a trade last Summer, having known him for as long as he did. He further explained itās hard to see any guy leave, especially this year now that heās more vocal in the dressing room and more āpart of everything,ā unlike last season when he was shying away a bit being a rookie. Heās branching out and getting to know his teammates pretty well.
Playing Regularly
This season, he also had an opportunity to be in the lineup regularly, as Guhleās injury occurred in January. Monday after practice, coach Martin St-Louis said that when Guhle was ruled out, Struble wasnāt told to go out there and replace him; he was told to go out there and be himself. I asked the blueliner what he considers to be his strengths on the ice:
You know, the way I play, the intensity to my game and being physical when you can, not being easy to play against. I think my decision-making has been really good, moving pucks, getting out of the D-zone pretty quick, and, you know, trying to contribute to the offense as well. Throwing pucks to the net, Iāve had a couple of good tips on my shots.- Struble on his strengths
In a nutshell, heās aiming to play pretty much mistake-free and hard to play against, a combination every coach would be happy with. Heās aware tough decisions are coming, though, with Guhle coming back, but playing that stretch where he knew he would be in every game was great for his confidence building, especially with the fact heās been able to play well.
About The Coach
Being a defenseman, heās mainly dealing with Stephane Robidas, the assistant coach responsible for the blueliners doing video and the on-ice part, but Martin St-Louis is still involved:
Heāll let you know if thereās something he sees and that you have to do. Heās been good, but heās a very demanding presence. I think that brings out the most out of guys because you donāt want to disappoint him, so you work towards it and strive for perfection.- On coach Martin St-Louis
On Monday, much was made of the fact that during practice, as Struble was stretching, St-Louis came over to talk to him; some speculated it was about Guhleās impending return, but he explained it was just about a play that happened and was on the coachās mind. They went through it. The bench boss told him what he thought he should do in that situation, and the defenseman agreed. In other words, it was just an example of how hands-on St-Louis is, even with his rearguards.
#Habs head coach Martin St. Louis talking with Jayden Struble ahead of practice this morning in Brossard. pic.twitter.com/tU5n8BeaOz
ā Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) March 24, 2025
Struble adds that heās always talking one-on-one with players in practice, bringing them aside. Heās not sure what heās telling them, but heās always striving for perfection and telling his players what he sees and the game plan.
On Challenges
Even though he has enjoyed being in the lineup regularly, he doesnāt worry about what may happen when Guhle is ready to return. He knows that someoneās going to have to come out; thatās a reality heās aware of, but heās controlling what he can control and putting his best foot forward to play good hockey and continue to do so, bringing that same intensity every time heās in the lineup.
If Iām in, great. If Iām out, hopefully, everyone keeps going; I want to go and get into the playoffs. I mean, you just feel the hype and intensity from everyone in the city, with our team and everything. Iād love to be a part of it, but obviously, just wait and see.- On the upcoming lineup change
Being in and out of the lineup is what he has found the most challenging in his hockey career so far; itās mentally tough, and physically, youāre away from the team, youāre doing your own skates, you donāt feel like youāre part of it as much. In short, itās not the same when youāre not playing, because you want to be in the battle with the guys and do something, be part of the grind, the successes and the failures, thatās the hardest part.
I asked him if, at times, he felt at a disadvantage in a predominately āwhite sportā like hockey, and he brushed it aside:
Talentās talent, you got to work hard just like anyone else, and the one thing I can say to that is maybe when I was younger, it was a little tougher because of things you get said to you; thatās the only tough part. Opportunity wise, if I was white and playing the same hockey, Iād be in the same spot, itās all about talent and work ethic.- On making his way in a predominately "white sport"
He recalls that he had good teammates whenever something was said to him; he didnāt have to handle it all himself; they were there for him. He could always lean on their support and the support of his family. He added with a smile that he wouldnāt swap places with those guys saying some things now and wouldnāt be who he is today without everything thatās happened to him, but itās all water under the bridge now.
About Montreal And His Teammates
When I spoke to him about how noisy the Bell Centre has been lately, he got a huge smile on his face and told me it was awesome. He had never experienced something like that. He feels like thereās something different in the air, and thereās nothing like it.
On how efficient his partnership with Lane Hutson has been for the Canadiens, he says they are both playing some good hockey and complementing each other. Of the rookie, he says:
I mean, heās so gifted offensively and can do things that are, I mean, heās just so shifty and smart that my jobās pretty easy. Either shoot it or get the puck to Lane. [ā¦] Heās way better defensively than he gets credit for; heās very smart and fast, has a motor, and is always in the right spot; he makes it easy.- On Lane Hutson
Even though heās been playing with Hutson for a while, the youngster still manages to surprise him. While heās come to expect him to pull things off, he still watches him on the ice and goes, āOh!ā.
While Hutson has been impressive this season, heās not the only feel-good story on the Habs, and I felt I needed to ask him how inspiring it was to see a vet like Josh Anderson, who is dealing with injuries go out there and act like a wrecking ball on the ice. He called the power forward an absolute beast, adding that heās been incredible in this last stretch, going full speed at players and folding them. He said it was fun to watch but got the team and the guys going. Before adding, he had just been unbelievable to them.
The defenseman has a lot of respect and affection for his teammates; I put him on the spot and asked him which part of his teammates he would take to build the ultimate player. It was funny to see him struggle to decide, but he landed on Suzukiās vision, Alex Newhookās speed for a forward, and Mike Mathesonās for a defenseman. He would have either Laine or Caufieldās shot, and the latterās hands, although he added Hutsonās would also be an option. āYouāve got to put him somewhere; heās so good,ā and finally, heād add Andersonās grit.
Now that the Canadiens are in the second wild-card spot, the blueliner explains that they are all doing a bit of standing watch, making sure they are still in that spot and doing the math to see how far the other teams are. Speaking to Struble, you can feel how much he wants that first taste of the playoffs and how that counts for the Canadiens at this stage of the season. While itās obvious heād rather be playing than watching, the blueliner is a team player and ready to do whatās best for the team as planned by coach St-Louis.
Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.