2025 NHL Draft Profile: Jacob Cloutier

Jacob Cloutier playing for Saginaw [Natalie Shaver/OHL Images].

With the OHL season finished, and the London Knights crowned champions for the second consecutive season, many OHL fans are turning their attention towards the NHL Draft in June. Questions abound about where certain players will be picked and who will rise or fall on draft boards.

Jacob Cloutier of the Saginaw Spirit is an interesting player to look at when it comes the the 2025 NHL Draft. The Spirit selected the 2007-born Cloutier with their second-round pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection.

While he made the team out of camp, he was shortly thereafter reassigned to the Chatham Maroons to play in the GOJHL. That year, Saginaw was hosting the Memorial Cup, and there wasn't a lot of room on a roster loaded with older talent.

"I was crushed to get sent down, it was really tough," said Cloutier. "I think I'm developing a lot more as a player now because of it though."

This past season, he made his OHL debut playing for Saginaw alongside fellow rookie Carson Harmer. The pair quickly stacked up the points and led all OHL rookies in scoring at the midway point of the season.

In the second half of the season, it was clear that Cloutier had adapted to the OHL and was ready to show what he could do. In January, he went on a seven-game point streak during which he scored seven goals and added four assists. As a result of this streak, he was named rookie of the week in early February.

Kasper Halttunen Wins Playoffs MVPLast night, at the conclusion of the OHL Playoffs, Kasper Halttunen was given the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award, which is given out to the OHL Playoffs MVP as voted by accredited members of the media. Halttunen is the first import player to be given the award.

NHL Central Scouting definitely took notice of Cloutier's performance in the second half of the year. In their early rankings, Central Scouting placed Cloutier 193rd amongst North American Skaters. In their most recent lists, he jumped up nearly 90 places to sit 108th, right behind Carson Harmer.

He finished the year fourth in rookie scoring with 23 goals and 47 points in 67 games. In the playoffs, he was a point-per-game player, with three points in the three games he played.

"I'm a two-way forward and playmaker," said Cloutier. "I find guys around the ice and make good plays. I pride myself on winning battles and backchecking."

Following in this vein, Cloutier looks up to Florida Panthers' forward Brad Marchand and does his best to model his game after the gritty, pesky style displayed by the skilled forward.

Cloutier is a cerebral player who consistently improves the position of the puck through smart passing. He routinely makes short passes that many other players ignore to make flashy moves. His individual chances come as a result of strong team play and puck support.

The London Knights Hang On To Win OHL ChampionshipFor the second time since 2010, the London Knights are the winners of back-to-back OHL Championships. The Knights took game five of the OHL Final to hoist the J. Ross Robertson Cup on home ice.

He has a good shot, though it isn't the hardest. He usually relies on accuracy rather than blowing the puck past the goaltender.

Most of all, he has a solid understanding of offensive concepts. Cloutier puts himself in positions where pucks find him, and he does a good job following pucks to the net for secondary and tertiary opportunities.

Defensively, he understands he tracks back to the slot and does a good job taking away opposing players.

At 5-foot-10, his height could be a limiting factor in terms of being drafted this year. While his offensive potential is very high, he does not necessarily project as an early pick. Any team taking him would be banking on his potential. They will also be getting a very determined individual.

"I'm going to be a hockey player," said Cloutier. "That's all I want to be in my life."

May 19, 2025

Emma Raducanu sweeps past Daria Kasatkina to claim another win on clay

Raducanu beats world No 17 6-1, 6-3 in Strasbourg
‘I’m starting to like clay more,’ says British No 2

Emma Raducanu continued her impressive clay-court form as she swept aside the sixth seed, Daria Kasatkina, in the first round of the Internationaux de Strasbourg.

The British No 2, who won three games on the surface for the first time in her career last week as she reached the last 16 of the Italian Open, beat the world No 17 by a comprehensive 6-1, 6-3 scoreline.

May 19, 2025

Paul O'Neill believes Yankees' Aaron Judge has what it takes to make a run at hallowed .400 season

Watching Aaron Judge carry a .401 average through the first 46 games of this season can’t help but bring back memories for Paul O’Neill. Thirty-one years ago, O’Neill authored the most torrid start in Yankees history, batting .456 over the same time frame. He didn’t drop below baseball’s hallowed .400 mark until June 17, and his sizzling bat prompted scrutiny that O’Neill hadn’t experienced before.

“It was just something that I didn’t want to process mentally,” O’Neill said before a recent Subway Series game. “I just wanted to go out and play. And the easiest thing to do when you’re playing well is put your uniform on, hang around the guys you’re with and play the game.

“When you have to start talking about it to the press and to people, it just gets too many things going on in your head and that gets you away from what you were doing.”

But O’Neill thinks Judge might have an edge going forward should the megastar continue to chase batting average history. Judge, O’Neill noted, has pursued much-hyped milestones before, since he set the American League home run record by belting 62 in 2022. The kind of attention Judge would generate if he made a long run at .400 wouldn’t be unfamiliar to him, the way it was to O’Neill.

“If you look at Aaron Judge, he’s comfortable wherever he is,” O’Neill said. “Numbers-wise, whether he hit 80 home runs, he’d be comfortable, because he’s done things that have put him above everybody. I hadn’t, to that point, done anything like that.”

O’Neill, of course, is not predicting anything for Judge this season, just pointing out a potential positive should Judge stay above .400. It’s an incredibly difficult feat, obviously, over a long, tiring season.

No one has ever batted .400 or better over the course of a 162-game schedule, and the last player to do it over a 154-game slate was Ted Williams, who hit .406 in 1941. That’s 84 years ago. Tony Gwynn of the Padres finished at .394 in 110 games in the same, strike-shortened season in which O’Neill enjoyed his early burst. The Yankees’ single-season record for batting average is held by Babe Ruth, who batted .393 in 1923.

“You never want to put yourself, as a player, in a position where you feel like you didn’t have the year you wanted to have because you dropped below .400,” O’Neill said. “I mean, come on.”

Jun 25, 1998; Atlanta, GA, USA; FILE PHOTO; New York Yankees right fielder Paul O'Neill (21) prepares to bat against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. / VJ Lovero-USA TODAY NETWORK

O’Neill was hitting .405 when play began on June 17, 1994, but he went 0-for-4 against the Brewers and fell to .397. He finished the strike-shortened season at .359 and won his first AL batting title.

“Looking back, believe me, it’s a fun time in your life,” O’Neill said. “It’s a great time.” He smiled as he recounted how he’d just gotten a text message reminding him how far above .400 he’d been.

“In my mind, that’s nuts,” O’Nell said. “But I was just so into my routine at the time. And I truly didn’t see that it was going to end until I had to start talking about it. And I was like, ‘I can’t do this. I can’t play baseball and then talk about every little nuance that’s going on.’

“Because then nothing’s natural, right?”

In his duties as an analyst for the YES Network, O’Neill has seen Judge grow as a hitter over his career. Judge’s ability to hit the ball hard – he’s currently third in average exit velocity, according to MLB’s Statcast – is enhanced by how he’s evolved, particularly in pitch selection.

“If you look at the pitches he swings at now and the pitches he swung at right when he got to the Major Leagues, he’s a totally different hitter,” O’Neill said. “The power has always been there, but he’s a much better hitter as far as strikes, swinging at strikes. I always stress being in the same position all the time and, if you watch, nine out of 10 swings, he’s in the same spot.

“His probably greatest asset is that he doesn’t have to try to pull the ball. He can hit it out anywhere. If he sees the ball, he can hit every pitch because of the length of his arms and he’s quick enough to get the ball inside. And to hit for a high average, you have to be willing to walk. And he’s willing to walk.”

That willingness has helped Judge reach base 103 times this season; only Ruth and Mickey Mantle had seasons in which they reached base more through the first 46 games of a season. Judge has reached base in 43 of 46 games this year -- 93.5 percent.

Judge is excelling in multiple categories beyond average, too. He leads MLB in on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, hits, total bases, and intentional walks, among other stats. He’s currently on pace for 468 total bases, which would eclipse the single-season MLB record of 457 set by Ruth in 1921. Judge is also on pace for 250 hits; there have been only seven 250-hit seasons in MLB history.

Will Judge make a long run at .400? Based on baseball history, probably not. Few have. It’s fun to think about that, though, and about the place Judge has carved for himself among baseball’s greats.

“Every graphic we put up, he’s our Mickey Mantle,” O’Neill said. “He’s our Lou Gehrig. He’s our Babe Ruth. I mean, he’s doing it all and you’re doing it at a time where average hitters are hitting .240, right? (The MLB average entering play Monday was .243).

“He’s at (.401), so it just shows you how much better he is than everybody.”

May 19, 2025

Forget playoff history, Knicks know Conference Finals matchup with Pacers 'a totally different situation'

Thanks to an exhilarating six-game series win over the Boston Celtics, the Knicks find themselves back in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. And the only team standing in their way of a trip to the NBA Finals is a familiar foe.

The Indiana Pacers.

Yes, those same Pacers who have also been the Knicks’ opponent in their previous three trips to the conference finals. Those same Pacers that saw Reggie Miller become persona non grata at Madison Square Garden. And the same team that sent the Knicks home in a seven-game conference semifinals series just a year ago.

But these Pacers are obviously not the exact same team the Knicks have faced in playoff series past, and the Knicks are also a new squad. So when the two teams meet for Game 1 at The Garden on Wednesday night, the Knicks know you can throw past playoff history out the window.

“Half the team didn’t play last year, they were hurt,” Josh Hart said on Monday. “[Julius Randle] and Donte [DiVincenzo] aren’t here anymore. [Isaiah Hartenstein] isn’t here anymore. We’ve got [Karl-Anthony Towns], [Mikal Bridges], OG [Anunoby] was hurt.

“It’s a totally different team, a totally different situation, a totally different round of the playoffs. So we just have to make sure we’re ready. That’s an extremely talented team whose offense is clicking on all cylinders right now. So, it’s nothing about revenge or anything. It’s about the next series.”

The Knicks indeed were very banged up in last year’s seven-game series with the Pacers. Anunoby was not himself, Mitchell Robinson was sidelined, and Brunson fractured his left hand in the third quarter of Game 7.

The disappointment from last season’s ending is not lost on the Knicks, but as Tom Thibodeau explained on Monday, the key to recovering from a tough series like that is to take a good, long look in the mirror in the offseason, and come back better than ever the following season.

“I think you have to study your team. You have to study the strengths and weaknesses of your team,” Thibodeau said. “Each team is different, and I think that’s the challenge that you have every year. Whether it’s draft picks, trades, free agency, whatever it might be, or maybe you get back a player who was injured the previous year, and then the challenge is how do you put it together and you have to get on the same page as quickly as possible.

“Sometimes you fall short, and you have to make sure that you’re making your corrections and moving forward. You always want to be moving forward and you never want to be satisfied with where you are, and you always have to have the belief that you can do something better.”

While there will be plenty of difference for both teams come the start of the series, one thing remains true for the fourth-seeded Pacers: guard Tyrese Haliburton is the star of the show.

A two-time All-Star, Haliburton averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 assists during the regular season, and his playoff numbers have been about the same. The Iowa State product had a huge Game 5 to eliminate the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, scoring 31 points with eight assists and six rebounds, and the challenge of guarding Haliburton will be pivotal for the Knicks.

“Great player. He’s done a lot and quieted a lot of people,” said Brunson. “He’s obviously their engine. They go as he goes and he does a lot for their team, so it’s going to be a tough task. But I think as a team we need to stick together and do what we do and control what we can control. I’m happy, obviously, for his success, but this is a new challenge for us.”

That new challenge begins on Wednesday night, when the Eastern Conference Finals tip off at 8:00 p.m.

May 19, 2025

Wild Rookie Zeev Buium Records First Point For USA In World Championships

Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images.

Wild youngster Zeev Buium got a taste on NHL hockey when he played in four games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights. He recorded one assist in those four games and it came on the power play.

Buium, 19, was drafted by the Wild with the 12th overall pick from the 2024 NHL Draft. After the Wild lost in six games to the Golden Knights in the first round, Buium announced he was going to play for USA in the IIHF Men's World Championships.

In his fourth game for USA, Buium recorded an assist in USA's 6-1 win over Kazakhstan. Buium recovered the puck after he was pressured on the offensive blue line. He skated it back to towards the defensive zone before turning around and flying into the offensive zone.

Thompson picking it up from Buium and sailing it home 🚨 #MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/pAOFIJWRQ3
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) May 18, 2025

He dropped it off to Buffalo Sabres' star forward Tage Thompson. The 6-foot-6 forward then ripped home Buium's pass into the back of the net. Buium also recorded a shot in that game.

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May 19, 2025

Chipper Jones and Marquis Grissom to manage in All-Star Futures Game

NEW YORK — Braves Hall of Famer Chipper Jones and Marquis Grissom will be managers for the All-Star Futures Game on July 12 at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Jones will head the NL team and Grissom the AL team, Major League Baseball said Monday. Players for the game are drawn from affiliates of the 30 MLB clubs.

Jones was an eight-time All-Star third baseman who spent his entire career with Atlanta, hitting .303 with 468 homers and 1,623 RBIs from 1993-2012. He won a World Series title in 1995 and earned election to the Hall of Fame on his first ballot appearance in 2018.

Grissom spent the 1995 and 1996 seasons with the Braves, also earning a World Series ring. He was a two-time All-Star outfielder, hitting .272 with 227 homers and 967 RBIs for Montreal (1989-94), Atlanta (1995-96), Cleveland (1997), Milwaukee (1998-2000), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2001-02) and San Francisco (2003-05).

Jones’ coaches include Mark DeRosa (bench), Andruw Jones (hitting), Tim Hudson (pitching), Tyler Flowers (first base), Kanekoa Texeira (third base), Mick Markakis (general coach) and Peter Moylan (bullpen).

Grissom’s coaches include Jerry Manuel (bench), Fred McGriff (hitting), Marvin Freeman (pitching), Dale Murphy (first base), Brian Hunter (third base), Ryan Klesko (general) and Johnny Estrada (bullpen).

May 19, 2025

Meet The 2025 Memorial Cup Opponent: The London Knights

For the first time since 2007, the Medicine Hat Tigers are Memorial Cup-bound. While Medicine Hat has a stacked team full of talent, the 2025 Memorial Cup will be filled with powerhouse teams who have had very impressive playoff runs of their own. One of those teams is the London Knights, who will represent the OHL this year.

The Knights are making their second-straight appearance in the Memorial Cup and will be looking for a better result than last year. While London cruised through the round-robin, they fell to the Saginaw Spirit in the Final, denying their quest for a third Memorial Cup Championship. With a large portion of the 2023-24 team returning this season, the Knights will be motivated to ensure a repeat of the 2024 Memorial Cup does not happen.

When looking at London's roster, it is hard to ignore the number of NHL-drafted prospects they have assembled. The Knights have 12 players tied to NHL teams and two prospects who will hear their names called at the 2025 NHL Draft. Their roster also includes a familiar player to WHL fans, former Saskatoon Blades goaltender Austin Elliott, who has been almost unbeatable since moving to the OHL.

Shutting down London is going to be a problem, as they have hardly any weaknesses. The Knights went 16-1 in the post-season, while outscoring their opposition 91-43. From even-strength play to the work of their special teams, it is going to be a significant challenge to slow down this London team.

As for players to watch, there are a handful of names that pop up. San Jose Sharks defensive prospect Sam Dickinson has 31 points in 17 playoff games this year, while Kasper Halttunen, who the Sharks also drafted, has eight goals in his last three games. In the end, though, all eyes will be on Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan, as his 39 points in 17 games this post-season were the sixth-most in franchise history.

Ultimately, the Tigers will need to play a near-perfect game if they are going to take down the Knights at the 2025 Memorial Cup. Medicine Hat will also be at a slight disadvantage in the round-robin game, as their matchup against London is the tail end of a back-to-back. Based on each team's depth and talent levels, the Tigers and Knights might be on a collision course to meet not just in the round-robin, but also in the final.

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May 19, 2025

Who's the No. 2? Red Sox' rotation has been a major disappointment

Who's the No. 2? Red Sox' rotation has been a major disappointment originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

For the Boston Red Sox to bounce back from their subpar start to the 2025 season, their starting pitching must take a giant step forward.

While offseason acquisition Garrett Crochet has lived up to his ace expectations, he hasn’t had much help behind him in the rotation. Tanner Houck entered the season as the No. 2 starter, but he was one of the league’s worst pitchers before being placed on the injured list. Brayan Bello hasn’t impressed since returning from injury, and Lucas Giolito has been shelled in two of his four outings.

Walker Buehler — another key offseason addition — hasn’t pitched since April 26 due to a shoulder issue. Richard Fitts has been on the IL since mid-April with a pectoral strain. Kutter Crawford hasn’t pitched at all due to a knee injury that landed him on the 60-day IL.

Boston’s rotation has been among the club’s biggest disappointments over the first two months of the campaign. The group ranks 24th in MLB with a 4.45 ERA and 25th with a 1.41 WHIP.

Those struggles have reached a new level since the calendar flipped to May. The Red Sox are 6-10 with Houck and Giolito combining for an 8.65 ERA in their six appearances this month.

“They need to step up,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of his starting pitchers, per Rob Bradford of WEEI. “That’s the bottom line. We have to step up as a rotation. It’s not only Garrett, it’s everybody. We have to do a better job as a group.”

Hunter Dobbins, Boston’s No. 13 ranked prospect who entered the season at Triple-A Worcester, has been the team’s most reliable starter after Crochet. The 25-year-old right-hander has a 3.90 ERA and 1.30 WHIP through five starts.

As promising as Dobbins has looked to start his big-league career — minus his worst outing thus far last Wednesday — the Red Sox are in trouble if he’s their No. 2 starter. The veterans have to figure it out in the coming months, otherwise, it’ll be the same old story for a club that has reached the postseason just once since its 2018 World Series title.

It’s worth noting that Buehler is expected to return on Tuesday, and he looked like a strong candidate for that No. 2 role before his IL stint. Fitts, who was rock-solid in his three starts, also could be back in the mix soon. But if they can’t return to form, the following starters must turn it around to keep Boston’s playoff hopes alive:

Tanner Houck

Coming off an All-Star season, Houck was expected to form a 1-2 punch atop the rotation with Crochet. Now, the Red Sox simply hope to get any semblance of value out of the 28-year-old after his disastrous start to the season.

Houck last pitched on May 12 against the Detroit Tigers, allowing 11 runs on nine hits and three walks over just 2.1 innings. He became the first pitcher in MLB history to allow 11 or more runs in a start of fewer than three innings twice in the same season.

The Red Sox subsequently placed Houck on the 15-day IL with a right flexor strain, and it’s unclear if he’ll get another opportunity to start on the mound this season. If he does, he’ll have a short leash, and that’s tremendously disappointing given what we saw from him in the first half of 2024.

Brayan Bello

Bello missed the start of the season due to a right shoulder strain. He debuted against the Seattle Mariners on April 22 and was solid, allowing one earned run on four hits and three walks across five innings.

The 26-year-old entered Sunday’s start vs. Atlanta with a 2.33 ERA over five outings. The Braves lit him up for seven runs on 10 hits and five walks in his 4.1 innings of work.

Bello’s ERA ballooned to 4.02, which is closer to what Red Sox fans have come to expect out of the young righty. The organization’s former top pitching prospect has a career 4.39 ERA.

The biggest issue for Bello has been his command, as he has walked 19 batters in 31.1 innings this season. He also continues to underwhelm in the strikeout department, with his 14.1 K percentage in the fifth percentile among big-leaguers and his swing-and-miss percentage (19.0) in the 12th percentile.

With Houck’s status uncertain, Giolito looking more like a No. 4 or 5 in his first season back from Tommy John, and both Buehler and Fitts already battling injuries, Bello may have the best chance to emerge as Boston’s No. 2 starter. For that to happen, his command and consistency have to improve.

Lucas Giolito

Giolito missed all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery and had a delayed start to 2025 due to a hamstring strain. The good news is he finally looks healthy, but the bad news is the Red Sox can’t count on him to be anything more than a back-end rotation arm.

The 30-year-old has a 7.08 ERA over his first four starts with the club. In his latest outing Saturday against Atlanta, he allowed six runs on eight hits and two walks across four innings.

Giolito has alternated encouraging and abysmal starts since debuting on April 30, so it’s unclear which version of him we should expect for the remainder of the season. Nonetheless, the Red Sox need more consistency out of the veteran righty with so many glaring question marks on the pitching staff.

May 19, 2025

Carter Yakemchuk Ranked 26th Overall In Magazine's New NHL Prospect Rankings

When the Ottawa Senators selected Carter Yakemchuk seventh overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, they went against the grain. The young Calgary Hitmen star was ranked as the sixth-best defenceman on most pre-draft boards, and four of the five listed ahead of him were still on the board when Ottawa stepped up to the draft podium to make their pick.

But the Senators bet on Yakemchuk’s offensive upside, size, and long-term potential.

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Now, nearly a year later, those same defencemen remain ahead of Yakemchuk, according to at least one draft/prospects publication. In other words, Yakemchuk hasn’t fallen off, but he also hasn’t done enough to prove Ottawa was correct in scooping him up before one of his higher-ranked peers.

This week, McKeen’s published its Top 200 NHL Affiliated Prospects, a list that includes four years' worth of prospects, primarily hailing from the 2020-2024 Drafts. They believe that Yakemchuk remains an excellent prospect at 26th overall, but he's also still behind the same five defencemen who were ranked ahead of him last year.

The actual 2024 draft order ended up being:

Artyom Levshunov (CHI, 2nd overall)
Carter Yakemchuk (OTT, 7th)
Zayne Parekh (CGY, 9th)
Anton Silayev (NJ, 10th)
Sam Dickinson (SJ, 11th)
Zeev Buium (MIN, 12th)

As far as the 2024 defensive draft class goes, McKeen’s now sets the 2025 NHL-affiliated prospect rankings as:

1. Dickinson
2. Levshunov
3. Buium
4. Parekh
5. Silayev
6. Yakemchuk

Again, everyone on the list above, other than Levshunov, was on the board when the Sens took Yakemchuk.

This past season didn’t offer a breakout case for Yakemchuk. After putting up 30 goals and 71 points in 2023–24, setting a Calgary Hitmen record for goals by a defenceman, his offensive numbers dipped to 17 goals and 32 assists through 56 games in 2024–25. Some of that decline was expected, though, as Yakemchuk deliberately shifted his focus to improving his defensive game and skating, areas that were flagged at Sens camp last fall.

Towering Utah Defenceman Would Be Ideal Senators Trade TargetInjuries to Artem Zub and Nick Jensen highlighted the Ottawa Senators' need for greater quality of depth on the right side throughout the 2024-25 season.

As with player development, rankings and evaluations can vary from one publication to another, and long-term value can’t be measured after only a year. But so far, the defencemen the Senators passed over have largely maintained their standing. Yakemchuk hasn’t lost ground, but he hasn’t gained any either.

The Senators remain confident in the pick, and obviously, prospect development timelines can also vary wildly from one prospect to the next, especially among defencemen.

But a year after making one of the bolder decisions of the 2024 draft, Ottawa will have to wait a while longer for some clear signs that their bet on Yakemchuk will pay off.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

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May 19, 2025

NHL Playoff Predictions 2025: Will The Stars Or Oilers Win The Western Conference Final?

The second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs are over, so it’s once again time to offer our series predictions. In the second round, we went 1-1 with our Western picks, and we’re back to offer up our projections for the Western Conference final.

As always, bear in mind these are this writer’s educated guesses.

On to it, we go:

Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (P3)

Season series: 2-1 Dallas

Why Dallas will win:The Stars have gotten stronger and stronger as the playoffs have unfolded, knocking off the Colorado Avalanche in seven games in Round 1, then outlasting the Winnipeg Jets in six games in Round 2. Despite dealing with the high-octane offense of the Jets and Avs, Dallas allowed more than two goals just once in their eight wins in the first two rounds – and in three of those eight wins, the Stars allowed only one goal. Meanwhile, Dallas’ offense has been potent, generating at least three goals in six of those eight wins.

The Stars have a far better goalie in Jake Oettinger (.919 save percentage, 2.47 goals-against average) than Edmonton does in Stuart Skinner (.884 SP, 3.05 GAA), and Dallas also has the better defense corps, including top blueliner Miro Heiskanen. The Stars will have to keep Oilers superstar centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in check, but they found a way to do that with Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar – and that was without Heiskanen, who was injured at the time.

To be sure, the Oilers will give the Stars their toughest test yet, but there’s a reason why Dallas was the sexy pick of many people to win the Cup at the beginning of the season. The Stars have the depth, elite talent and plethora of difference-makers to get the job done. And while Edmonton also has its share of elite talent, Dallas was able to beat two very good teams in the first two rounds, and there’s no reason to think they can’t do it again now.

Why Edmonton will win: The Oilers showed last season they could handle the Stars in the Western final, beating Dallas in six games – and this year’s Edmonton team is deeper and better than last year’s Oilers team. Edmonton has gotten the expected contributions from McDavid and Draisaitl as they eliminated the Los Angeles Kings in Round 1 and the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 2, but they’ve also received solid showings from support players including forwards Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen and Adam Henrique, and that’s what any team needs if they’re to win a Cup.

Former Dallas Stars president Jim Lites and former Stars player Brenden Morrow drop a ceremonial puck with Connor McDavid and Jamie Benn. (Tim Heitman-Imagn Images)

In beating the Golden Knights, the Oilers got a great performance from Skinner, and if Skinner does falter against the Stars, Calvin Pickard can come in and at least give Edmonton a chance to beat the Stars in Round 3. And if veteran D-man Mattias Ekholm can return from injury, he’ll give the Oilers a physical element that will punish Dallas when they’re in Edmonton’s zone.

The Stars did edge out the Oilers in their regular-season matchups, but Edmonton has found a way to raise their overall game with every round that has passed. With game-breakers McDavid and Draisaitl giving them an edge up front, the Oilers have the hunger and determination to best Dallas once again and set up a Cup final showdown against the Carolina Hurricanes or Florida Panthers. It’s about rising to the occasion, and the Oilers have demonstrated they can do that.

Prediction: Stars in seven games

In picking Dallas to win this series in seven games, we’re giving the Oilers their due. Edmonton isn’t going to lie down for anyone, and they’ve already got the confidence that comes from the experience they had against the Stars last year. But the Stars have a game-breaker of their own in right winger Mikko Rantanen, and Dallas’ attention to detail on the defensive end of things gives them an all-around edge against Edmonton.

As we know, sometimes playoff success can come through special teams, and Dallas’ power-play efficiency in the playoffs (30.8 percent) and penalty-kill (86.1 percent) is superior to Edmonton’s power-play (25 percent) and penalty-kill (66.7 percent). In a series that will see each team thriving at different times for different reasons, the edge in special teams could be the difference between the Stars winning and losing against the Oilers.

Regardless of who wins the Western final, we’re picking the winner to emerge as the Cup-winner this spring. But we’ve been impressed by Dallas all season long, and that isn’t going to change now. So we’re sticking with the Stars team we’ve liked right off the hop this year, and we’re projecting Dallas to win its second Cup in franchise history.

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May 19, 2025

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Betting Odds for the Conference Finals

With four teams left, odds roll out for NHL Conference Finals starting Tuesday

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are down to four, and the series odds paint a picture of two tightly contested matchups. In the East, the Florida Panthers face the Carolina Hurricanes, while out West, the Dallas Stars take on the Edmonton Oilers.

The markets are tight, the narratives are set, and with series prices, MVP odds, and exact outcomes on the board, there’s no shortage of angles for bettors.

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

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Eastern Conference Final: Florida Panthers (-125) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (+104)

Florida enters as a modest favorite, with oddsmakers narrowly favoring the Panthers to reach the Final for a third straight season. The most common outcome based on odds?

A Panthers win in six games (+420), tied with a Hurricanes win in seven (+420). Bettors looking for value might consider Carolina’s resilience at plus money — this series is expected to be a grind either way.

Goaltending will likely decide the outcome. The Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky is the betting favorite to win the Conn Smythe for Florida, while Frederik Andersen holds that title for Carolina. If either netminder takes over, they could tilt the series and vault themselves into MVP conversations.

Despite having the longest Stanley Cup odds of the four teams (+310), Carolina’s experience and defensive structure remain dangerous — particularly with veteran Brett Burns, who leads all remaining players in odds to receive the first Cup handoff at +350 odds.

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Western Conference Final: Dallas Stars (-102) vs. Edmonton Oilers (-118)

There’s almost no separation between the Stars and Oilers in the series odds. Edmonton is the slight favorite, but Dallas to win in seven games (+420) is the most bet outcome. That’s closely followed by the Oilers to win in six or seven games, both priced at +430 odds.

This series features a lot of star power — and the Conn Smythe board reflects it. Connor McDavid leads all playoff MVP candidates at +380, with Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen second at +450 odds. The battle between Edmonton’s elite offense and Dallas’ depth and structure should produce fireworks.

Importantly, there’s precedent for a losing finalist to take home the Conn Smythe — which McDavid did it last season. Odds for a player to do so again sit at +950, with McDavid or Rantanen appearing to be the only realistic candidates. If either posts monster numbers in a long series, that path could open once again.

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May 19, 2025

NBA Postseason Players Power Ranking: The 10 best players in conference finals

Welcome to the NBA's changing of the guard.

We're down to four teams, the NBA's conference finals, and the old guard is out. No LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant (his team didn't even make the postseason), or even a Jayson Tatum in sight.

There is still plenty of star power — the next generation is rising. Here are the top 10 players still playing as the NBA conference finals begin.

1) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City)

If he wasn't going to be on top of these power rankings before, he cemented his grip on the top spot Sunday with 35 points to lead the Thunder in a close-out Game 7 — the best performer stepped up on the biggest stage.

SGA POWERS OKC TO WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS!!!!

⛈️ 35 points
⛈️ 4 assists
⛈️ 3 steals
⛈️ 12-19 from the floor

Game 1 vs. MIN: Tuesday at 8:30pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/7E3wJp17cE
— NBA (@NBA) May 18, 2025

" You know who this is? The MVP," Chet Holmgren said, standing next to Gilgeous-Alexander in the team's walk-off interview after the win.

SGA is averaging 29 points, 6.4 assists and 5.9 rebounds a game in the playoffs, all while playing high-level defense and pitching in 1.5 steals a night. This is the best player on the best team remaining, and he is the best player left in the postseason.

2) Jalen Brunson (New York)

Sometimes a player wins one of the NBA's postseason awards, then goes out in the playoffs and shows exactly why — Jalen Brunson was voted the NBA's Clutch Player of the Year and has more than lived up to that in these playoffs.

JALEN BRUNSON.
WHAT A SHOT.
WHAT A MOMENT.

KNICKS WIN THE SERIES!! https://t.co/ZT6WwTDpZ2 pic.twitter.com/J2pHYE9mHv
— NBA (@NBA) May 2, 2025

Brunson is averaging 28.8 points and 7.7 assists a game for the Knicks this postseason, he is the engine of their playoff offense. The Knicks' offense falls off a cliff when Brunson is not on the court (New York has a 97.1 net rating when he is off the court this postseason, 18.7 points less than when he is on). Brunson has secured his Knicks legend status, which will only grow if he can lead New York to the NBA Finals.

3) Anthony Edwards (Minnesota)

We have been able to watch Edwards grow throughout these playoffs, to figure out the mental side of the game and take a step forward with each game. Golden State has a quality defense that threw different looks at him, and you could see him figuring out how to handle and attack them in real time. Edwards continues down the path to becoming one of the true faces of the league.

These playoffs, Edwards is averaging 26.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists a game, shooting 38.5% on 3-pointers (and taking 9.1 a game). Edwards is not done being tested by strong defenses — Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and the Oklahoma City Thunder are on another level, and Edwards being able to take care of the ball will be a key stat in that series.

4) Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana)

The focus coming into the last round was all the stars on the Cleveland Cavaliers, but while they stumbled through the series it was Haliburton who was the best player on the floor. Through the playoffs, he is averaging 17.5 points, 9.3 assists, and 5.5 rebounds a game, but the numbers (especially his 33.8% shooting from 3) don't tell the story — he is the conductor of a high-paced symphony of an offense. Also, he's been as clutch as Brunson this postseason.

HALIBURTON WITH THE GAME WINNING THREE AND BIG BALLS CELEBRATION!!!!

Pacers were down 14 in the 4th pic.twitter.com/OYtKhRliym
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 7, 2025

And don't forget this one:

TYRESE HALIBURTON FOUR-POINT PLAY TO WIN IT pic.twitter.com/BfhuhcEQdZ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 12, 2025

5) Julius Randle (Minnesota)

Minnesota is in the Western Conference Finals because Julius Randle outplayed Draymond Green in the last round.

"I lost my matchup," Green said after the Timberwolves eliminated the Warriors. "Julius was incredible. He played great basketball. Honestly, some of the shots he was taking were shots you want him to take, and he made them. He made the shots. At the end of the day, the game comes down to shotmaking and he made the shots. So I got to give Ju a lot of credit."

Randle is averaging 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.9 assists a game this postseason. It took most of the regular season for Randle and Rudy Gobert to figure out how to fit next to each other, but they do now and the Timberwolves are a threat because of it.

6) Karl-Anthony Towns (New York)

Towns has already had a strong playoffs, averaging 19.9 points and 11.3 rebounds a game. With Mitchel Robinson healthy, the Knicks have two dominant bigs on the floor, which has been a big part of what has fueled them to this point.

Towns' biggest days may be ahead of him: He averaged 30.3 points and 12 rebounds a game against the Pacers this season, having some of his best nights of the regular season, including a 40-point, 12-rebound game after the All-Star break. He will need to do that again if the Knicks are going to advance.

7) Pascal Siakam (Indiana)

Siakam is arguably the most underrated player in the NBA, and he has experience on this stage that his team needs. Don't forget that he has a ring from Toronto. Siakam knows what is required in order to win at this level, and how to do so next to a red-hot superstar.

Siakam is averaging 18.8 points and 6.2 rebounds a game these playoffs, numbers close to what he did during Toronto's title run (19 points and 7.1 rebounds), plus he is a quality defender who gives Rick Carlisle options in slowing New York's attack.

8) Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City)

Williams has been incredibly inconsistent this postseason, but when the Thunder have needed him most he has stepped up, like his 24 points and +35 performance in Game 7 against Denver. For the playoffs, Williams is averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists a game. The Thunder need Williams to be more consistent in this series and especially in the NBA Finals (if they advance).

9) Myles Turner (Indiana)

Myles Turner was tough against the Cavaliers. Going up against a physical and impressive front court of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, Turner was the best big on the floor — and often the most physical — in helping spark the Indiana win. Turner is averaging 16.5 points and 6 rebounds a game, but most importantly, 2.5 blocked shots a game. He has been a force in the paint and needs to be again when facing Brunson and friends.

10) Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City)

Much like Jalen Williams, Holmgren has not been consistent or efficient as the Thunder need this postseason (which is why this spot almost went to Andrew Nembhard of the Pacers), but he's done just enough to earn it. Holmgren is averaging 15.7 points and 9.7 rebounds a game, plus 2.2 blocks a night in these playoffs. He's a big presence in the paint who needs to have a big series against the size of Minnesota if OKC is to advance.

May 19, 2025

The Dodgers have younger stars now, but Clayton Kershaw reaching 18th season is still special

Clayton Kershaw made his season debut, and although his performance over four innings was forgettable, he still added another accomplishment to his illustrious career.

Kershaw now has played in 18 seasons for the Dodgers, tying the franchise record held by outfielder Zack Wheat and shortstop Bill Russell. Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts may have taken over as the team’s big stars, but Kershaw’s role in helping Los Angeles become a powerhouse should not be understated.

And like Russell, Kershaw never has played for any other major league team. That makes his tenure in Los Angeles even more special.

Here’s a list of each team’s longest-tenured player who spent his whole career with that franchise in that city. Only current teams — in their current locations — are included. So the Athletics are left out, and so are stars like Mel Ott, who spent 22 seasons with the Giants before they moved to San Francisco.

Baltimore Orioles: Brooks Robinson (23 seasons)

Boston Red Sox: Carl Yastrzemski (23)

Chicago Cubs: Cap Anson (22)

St. Louis Cardinals: Stan Musial (22)

Detroit Tigers: Al Kaline (22)

Chicago White Sox: Ted Lyons (21)

Kansas City Royals: George Brett (21)

Pittsburgh Pirates: Willie Stargell (21)

Cleveland Guardians: Mel Harder (20)

Milwaukee Brewers: Robin Yount (20)

San Diego Padres: Tony Gwynn (20)

Houston Astros: Craig Biggio (20)

New York Yankees: Derek Jeter (20)

Cincinnati Reds: Dave Concepcion and Barry Larkin (19)

Atlanta Braves: Chipper Jones (19)

New York Mets: Ed Kranepool (18)

Los Angeles Dodgers: Bill Russell and Clayton Kershaw (18)

Philadelphia Phillies: Mike Schmidt (18)

Seattle Mariners: Edgar Martinez (18)

Colorado Rockies: Todd Helton (17)

Washington Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman (16)

Minnesota Twins: Tony Oliva and Joe Mauer (15)

Los Angeles Angels: Mike Trout (15)

San Francisco Giants: Jim Davenport and Matt Cain (13)

Toronto Blue Jays: Garth Iorg (nine)

Texas Rangers: Rusty Greer (nine)

Tampa Bay Rays: Brandon Lowe (eight)

Arizona Diamondbacks: Brandon Webb, Kevin Ginkel and Merrill Kelly (seven)

Miami Marlins: Jesús Sánchez (six)

Feast or famine

There are three pitchers with 6-0 records in the major leagues right now. One is former Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray of the Giants. Another is prized free agent acquisition Max Fried of the Yankees.

The third? Reliever Jorge López of the Nationals, who is somehow 6-0 despite a 6.86 ERA.

This isn’t a case of López constantly giving up leads and then having his teammates rescue him offensively. In four of his six victories, he produced a scoreless outing, and he allowed one run in the other two. The reason his ERA is so high is because he’s already had three outings allowing at least three runs — and didn’t pick up a decision in any of them.

In the live ball era, the most wins a pitcher has received in a season with an ERA over 6.00 — while pitching exclusively in relief — is seven. Bob Kline went 7-2 with a 6.80 ERA for the Senators and A’s in 1934, George Frazier went 7-8 with a 6.39 ERA for the Cubs in 1985, and Curt Leskanic went 7-5 with a 6.23 ERA for the Rockies in 1996.

Trivia time

Which two players spent their entire 21-year careers with one team, but did not make the list above? One of them played for a team that is no longer in that city. The other was with a franchise that had another player with an even longer tenure.

Line of the week

Wilmer Flores homered three times and drove in eight runs to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 13-5 win over the Athletics. Flores is hitting .258 with just 12 extra-base hits, but he leads the majors with 42 RBIs. Flores is hitting .395 with runners in scoring position.

Comeback of the week

The Rockies won a wild 14-12 game, and it wasn’t even at Coors Field.

Colorado had a 3.2% chance of winning according to Baseball Savant when it fell behind 11-6 in the bottom of the fifth. Then the Rockies scored four runs in the sixth and three in the seventh on the way to their eighth win of the season.

The next day? Arizona beat Colorado 1-0.

Trivia answer

Walter Johnson spent his whole 21-year career with the Washington Senators, who are now the Minnesota Twins. Cal Ripken Jr. played 21 seasons for the Orioles, two shy of Robinson’s mark.

May 19, 2025

9 Former Ducks Advance to Conference Finals

The conference final matchups for the Stanley Cup Playoffs are set. The Dallas Stars will face the Edmonton Oilers in a rematch of last season's Western Conference final while the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers will face the Carolina Hurricanes. Those four rosters consist of nine former Ducks.

Sam Steel

Drafted in the first round of the 2016 NHL draft (30th overall), Steel had a prolific junior career in the WHL with the Regina Pats. However, his glimmers with Anaheim were few and far between and he was never able to carve out a significant role. But after latching on with the Minnesota Wild ahead of the 2022-23 season, he was able to reinvent himself as a checking forward and parlayed that into a regular bottom-6 role. He's spent the last two seasons with the Stars in a similar role and recently scored in the Stars' series-clinching victory over the Winnipeg Jets.

Ilya Lyubushkin

Lyubushkin was a Duck for less than a full season, acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in Aug. 2023 and then flipped at the 2023-24 deadline to the Toronto Maple Leafs. During his time with the Ducks, he was leaned on heavily in penalty killing and high-leverage defensive situations by then-head coach Greg Cronin. He was influential in guiding fellow countryman Pavel Mintyukov through most of his first season as an NHLer as well. Lyubushkin signed a three-year deal with the Stars this past summer and has played primarily with blossoming star Thomas Harley.

Jaycob Megna

Megna played sparingly this season for the Panthers after appearing in 44 games last season for the Chicago Blackhawks. But his appearance on this list speaks to his perseverance and work ethic. Drafted by the Ducks in the seventh round of the 2012 NHL Draft, Megna played nearly three full seasons in the AHL (in addition to two full collegiate seasons) before making his NHL debut in 2017, coincidentally against the Blackhawks. He continued to split time between the NHL and AHL, departing the Ducks organization after the 2018-19 season. He spent the entire 2019-20 season in the AHL before returning to the NHL in 2020-21. Most of his career since then has been as an NHLer, with brief stints in the AHL. 2024-25 was the first time he had played more than 22 AHL games since 2021-22.

Frederik Andersen

The only goaltender on this list now, Andersen was drafted 87th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft, the same draft class as Megna. A stellar season in the AHL in 2012-13 led to him getting the call to the NHL in 2013-14, where he was thrust into the limelight due to injuries suffered by incumbent starter Jonas Hiller. Andersen had strong regular season performances as the starter in 2014-15 and 2015-16, but a shaky series against the Blackhawks in 2015 and the emergence of John Gibson made Andersen expendable. He was traded to the Leafs in June 2016 (as a restricted free agent) for two draft picks, one of which became Steel. Funny how things work. After several seasons with the Leafs, Andersen signed with the Hurricanes and has been a rock in net for them. The major issue for him has been staying healthy, which hasn't been very often. He's already missed one game in the playoffs due to injury, but hasn't looked worse for wear since returning.

Dmitry Kulikov

Kulikov was also a Duck for less than a full season, acquired from the Wild in Aug. 2022. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins the following March for Brock McGinn and a third-round pick. As part of the worst Ducks team in franchise history in terms of points, Kulikov was Cam Fowler's most frequent defensive partner, with the duo almost forced to play major minutes because of the lack of quality on the blue line. After becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2023, the 34-year-old returned to the team where he began his career, the Panthers. After helping his first team to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, he signed a new four-year deal on the first day of free agency this past July and continues to be a reliable player for the Panthers.

Adam Henrique

"Uncle Rico" joined the organization as they began their downward spiral, traded to Anaheim in Nov. 2017 with several assets in exchange for defenseman Sami Vatanen and a third-round pick. Henrique proved to be a Swiss army knife of sorts for the Ducks, playing in all situations and even shifting from center to wing at times to help open up spots for other players. One of his best moments in a Ducks sweater came against his former team, the New Jersey Devils, when he lobbed the puck over Vatanen before beating him in a foot race, muscling his way to the net and scoring. The victim of a shocking waiver placement by then-general manager Bob Murray in Feb. 2021 as a means to jumpstart a struggling Ducks team, Henrique demonstrated leadership and was well-liked by teammates and fans during his time with the Ducks. He was traded to the Oilers last season with Sam Carrick, helping them to the Stanley Cup Final. At 35 years old, he's not the top-6 option that he used to be, but he is still a dependable depth option and reliable in the faceoff circle.

John Klingberg

Klingberg was part of the same Ducks crew as Kulikov, signing a one-year, $7 million deal in the summer of 2022 in an attempt to recoup some of the value lost after he turned down a large long-term deal from the Stars prior to hitting free agency. His time with the Ducks wasn't very memorable, as he looked like a former shell of himself offensively and a turnstile defensively. Injuries have limited him from getting back to where he was previously, but he is now being relied on heavily in the playoffs by Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. After appearing in just 11 games this season due to injury, Klingberg has found himself as a fixture on the Oilers' blue line, playing mostly with Jake Walman.

Max Jones

Hailing from the era that produced draft picks like Steel, Troy Terry and Josh Mahura, Jones was selected 24th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. He was part of a power forward breed that Murray wanted to form between players like Nick Ritchie, Maxime Comtois and him. A tenacious and strong player, Jones proved he could be a versatile player, moving up and down the lineup. But his inconsistent play, penchant for taking ill-advised penalties and inability to stay healthy meant that he was never quite able to gain a foothold with the Ducks. After he did not receive a qualifying offer from the Ducks last summer, he signed with the Boston Bruins but was reassigned to the AHL after just seven games played. A mid-season trade to the Oilers gave Jones another chance to prove himself at the NHL level. Though he was in the lineup regularly when several players were injured, he has now been relegated to a healthy scratch.

Corey Perry

The longest-tenured Duck on this list and by far the most well-known, Perry has had a heck of a ride since being bought out by the Ducks in June 2019. He's been to four consecutive Stanley Cup Finals with four different teams and is looking to make it five consecutive appearances this season. He's been praised for his veteran leadership and his fearlessness in going to the net to create havoc. "The Worm" is at his best when he's within five feet of the crease, and he's been rewarded by playing on a line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl of late. The wily veteran accumulated almost 400 goals and nearly 1,000 games played with the Ducks, helping them win their first Stanley Cup in 2007 and crafting one of the best moments in Ducks playoff history by scoring the game-winning goal in the "Comeback on Katella" against the Oilers in 2017. At 40 years old, he's proving that he's still got it.

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May 19, 2025

Why a tight NL West race factored into Dodgers' decision to cut Chris Taylor, Austin Barnes

Los Angeles, CA, Tuesday, May 13, 2025 - Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes watches — Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes watches from the dugout during a game against the Athletics at Dodger Stadium last Tuesday. The next day, Barnes was designated for assignment, paving the way for Dalton Rushing. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Four years later, the memory remains uncomfortably fresh.

The last time the Dodgers tried to defend a World Series title, they racked up 106 victories. They matched the best winning percentage in the franchise’s Los Angeles history. They had seven All-Stars and three Cy Young vote-getters.

And it still wasn’t enough to win them the National League West.

The San Francisco Giants, the Dodgers still well remember, won 107 games in the 2021 season, marking the only time in the last dozen years someone else has claimed the division crown. The Dodgers eventually knocked the Giants out of the playoffs that October, but their elongated path through the postseason as a wild card team left them gassed in the NL Championship Series. They were eliminated six wins shy of a repeat title.

For president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, the experience underscored an all-important truth.

“Our primary goal during the regular season is to win the division,” Friedman said. “That is what we feel like puts us in the best position to accomplish our ultimate goal.”

Thus, with another tight division race looming this year, the Dodgers didn’t wait to act aggressively this week.

Austin Barnes and Chris Taylor were struggling. Dalton Rushing and Hyeseong Kim looked like intriguing big-league options. And in two moves that were made in an effort to “win as many games as we can” in this season’s World Series title defense, Friedman said, the longtime veterans were released to make room for the rookies. Sentimentality lost out to the odds of even slightly better regular-season success.

"This has been a very emotional week for all of us,” Friedman said, addressing reporters hours after Taylor was released on Sunday. Barnes was designated for assignment earlier in the week. “Barnsey and CT have been in the middle of some huge moments for this organization. Both guys have left an indelible mark on our culture and where we're at this point. So the decisions were incredibly difficult. The conversations were tough.”

“But,” Friedman countered, “with where we are, the division race, the composition of roster, everything — we felt like this was in the Dodgers' best interest … [to] put us in a position to best win the World Series this year.”

Note the first factor Friedman mentioned in his answer.

Though the Dodgers are tied for the best record in the National League at 29-18, they continue to nurse the slimmest of NL West leads, entering Monday just one game up on the rival San Diego Padres (27-18) and upstart San Francisco Giants (28-19), and only four games clear of even the fourth-place Arizona Diamondbacks (25-22).

With their pitching staff already in tatters, at least temporarily, because of a wave of early-season injuries, the importance of consistent offense has also suddenly heightened; the Dodgers needing to maximize the production of their lineup to help offset a 4.18 team ERA that ranks 21st in the majors.

In a world where the Dodgers were running away with the division, or pitching the way they expected after two offseasons of spending heavily on the mound, maybe they could have tolerated Barnes’ and Taylor’s combined .208 batting average. They might have been more comfortable giving two longtime cornerstones of the franchise a longer leash to turn things around.

Instead, as club brass surveyed this year’s competitive division landscape, they recognized that — this season more than most — every single victory could matter come the end of the campaign. That every single loss would make the challenge of winning another World Series incrementally tougher.

So, as Rushing crushed triple-A pitching and Kim excelled in what was initially planned to be only a brief big-league call-up, the Dodgers did what they felt like they must. Rushing replaced Barnes as backup catcher. Taylor was cut loose so Kim wouldn’t be sent back to the minors. And a roster that once seemed too top-heavy now has, at least in theory, more potential impact options to bring off the bench.

“We didn't feel like coming into the season this was something that we would necessarily be doing in May,” Friedman said. “But with where we were, all things factored in, while not easy, we felt like it was the right thing to do."

There were other reasons, of course, the Dodgers felt motivated to make such emotionally conflicting decisions now.

Manager Dave Roberts noted that Rushing (who was batting .308 in the minors this year, and has started his big-league career an impressive four-for-10) and Kim (who has hit .452 since arriving in the majors, and has impacted games with his versatile glove and lightning-quick speed) deserved opportunities for more prominent roles.

With most of the team’s core players on the wrong side of 30, there are longer-term considerations about developing younger talent as well.

“I think some of it is the [division] race,” Roberts said. “Some of it is, you still want to continue to develop young players and give them opportunities with a veteran ball club.”

Eventually, it was always likely that Rushing would force his way to the majors, and that Kim would carve out a niche with his well-rounded skill set.

But the early pressure being applied by the team’s NL West rivals still sped up that timeline. The Dodgers remember what happened in 2021. And, wary of having that reality repeat itself, they didn’t wait to begin acting with urgency this year.

“We saw it in 2021, winning 106 games and not winning the division,” Friedman said. “We have a tough division [again this year]. We've got some really good teams in our division who are playing well. And so for us, it's about doing everything we can each night to try to win a game."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.